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The list of stress factors in today's world grows longer every day. People react differently to living in this pressure cooker. Some become aggressive while others become passive or just shut down altogether. Regardless of the reaction, the results are the same – personal and organizational productivity grind to a halt, creativity dies, and momentum vanishes. Now you can do something about the destructive forces of stress in the workplace. Learn to assess your current reactions to stress so that you can stop worrying and start working up to your full potential.
In order to be a truly effective manager, you must be comfortable delegating work and ensuring your employees are accountable for delivery. With a fine line between delegating and "dumping", it is important to follow specific steps that make assignments clear and create a sense of ownership among team members while also maintaining overall control. Effective delegation helps develop individuals and achieve specific organizational outcomes. Learn how to identify who is ready for delegation using a reliable and collaborative process, and become prepared to determine "who will do what, when, and to what standard?" in your day-to-day role.
Our online learning environment is designed to be engaging, interesting, informative, and above all, interactive. We want your experience to be great, so that you can apply useful Dale Carnegie® principles in your work and personal life. Plan to attend this event using your own computer and audio connection. Success is all about interaction, so participate actively using all of the methods available to you. Remember that others are depending on you to keep the session running smoothly and generate an unforgettable experience. Participants consistently tell us that the major benefit of these sessions is the information that is exchanged among the group, so we encourage and value your contributions.
Employees are open to influence and motivation. "If you tell me what to do, I will do it to protect my job. But if you inspire me to do it, I will do it to the best of my ability." Supervisors who understand this simple truth and know how to apply it are the ones who generate results in today's organizations. Great managers develop high-performance teams that get results because they know how to lead a team, not just manage it. This program will smooth your transition from individual contributor to supervisor to leader. You will learn the basics like delegation, time management, and performance appraisal techniques, and gain insights into the more advanced aspects of leadership needed to inspire and motivate teams.
For 100 years, professionals have turned to Dale Carnegie's powerful books and winning interactive seminars to help them reach new levels of professional and personal success. His name is synonymous with How to Win Friends and Influence People – setting the standard for interpersonal effectiveness –with tenets that are as valid now as when the book was first written. Learn to achieve results by communicating professionally and confidently in business situations. Become effective expressing your ideas in ways that are heard, and help you generate enthusiasm from managers, co-workers, staff, and clients.
Successful Sales leaders play a major role in ensuring the workplace is engaging in a positive way. The relationship between a leader and his or her team members is one of the primary indicators of employee engagement. When you take an active role in goal setting and hold people accountable in a supportive way, people on your team feel that what they do makes a difference and are more likely to be engaged in achieving results. Leaders take pride in their team members' accomplishments, "catch them doing something right," and regularly recognize achievements. In addition to ongoing individual feedback, a thoughtfully planned and well run weekly sales meeting is an opportunity to build camaraderie and hold teams accountable.
Several factors have led to the emergence of a new form of team working. As Virtual Private Networks, Wi-Fi, and low-cost communication methods such as instant messaging and video chat become more reliable and commonplace, home-working and teleworking become an option for many teams. This option has provided organizations with numerous economic alternatives to the traditional face-to-face team structure. Overall, virtual teams are very similar to traditional teams. However, communication and team building occur more naturally in face-to-face teams. Because of this, leaders of virtual teams should take deliberate actions to build in activities and practices that are vital to team success. This program will help equip leaders with the knowledge and skills necessary to lead virtual teams to new levels of effectiveness.
The extent to which you will be successful as a leader is conditioned on your ability to influence others at all levels of your organization. Now you can take charge of how others see you. Learn to tap into your latent power, unleash your inner attitudes of confidence and enthusiasm, and build your visibility in the organization. Become more assertive and say "no" when you need to, eliminating confusion over "who's in charge." This intensive, interactive online program begins by helping you see yourself as others see you. What image do you project? Are you hesitant or confident? Are you shy or assertive? Are you controlled by the situation or in charge? Then our expert coaches will help you build on your strengths and eliminate weaknesses, developing the kind of winning attitudes that all successful leaders have.
Please Note: The full suite of Dale Carnegie Live Online webinars, workshops, and seminars are available to groups and teams. Each group member needs to be registered as an individual, and needs to access the session from his or her own computer. To learn more, including to inquire about group discounts, please see Online Training for Teams and Groups.
Have you ever been awed by people who always seem to know what to say and how to say it in any situation? They have mastered the art of communicating with diplomacy, tact, and confidence. This is perhaps the single most import skill to influence people and drive results. Learn how to determine if your image is sending the wrong message and gain a flexible communication style with an awareness of your word choices, tone, and body language. Develop the skills to disagree agreeably, communicate more effectively through active listening, and control your own "hot buttons" – right from your own desk!
Negative attitudes spread to the point where they eventually affect performance and decision-making. That's the bad news. The good news is that enthusiasm and positive attitudes spread just as quickly and affect performance just as much -- in the right direction. Overcoming Workplace Negativity with Enthusiasm is a live online program that will show you how to use Dale Carnegie's proven ways to prevent the naysayers, whiners and downers from robbing you and your group of the energy to succeed. In just 3 hours, you'll learn specific techniques for dealing with that burned-out feeling so that you can lead with confidence and enthusiasm. Take a positive step toward success right now.
Do you feel like a virtual prisoner to an endless flow of e-mails, voice messages, meetings, projects, and documents that all demand your immediate attention? Do you find yourself getting stressed out by unrealistic demands and expectations feom multiple sources? Does it seem like you're constantly swimming against the tide? If so, then it's time to change your perspective and take control. This seminar offers practical techniques to help you focus on results, not tasks. Undo destructive habits and consciously choose to establish healthy, productive habits that yield long term benefits. You'll learn how to lock out mental distractions so that you can eliminate time wasters and concentrate on your priorities.
Dale Carnegie Digital and Jeffrey Gitomer join forces to create a dynamic sales presentations program designed for sales professionals who need to ramp up their closing ratios. This live on-line program is a blend of time tested Dale Carnegie presentation principles and sales methodologies; and the knowledge and expertise of sales authority and author, Jeffrey Gitomer. The program is designed to accelerate skills for both online and face-to-face presentations. In this dynamic session, you will learn strategies to transfer your message and get others to listen to you; how to make the most of your personality, voice, and body language in your sales presentation; when to end and ask for the sale to close the deal. Most importantly, you will reignite your confidence and passion for your product.
It is a simple truth: customers continue to do business with organizations that deliver on what they promise and who have treated them fairly. You have far more potential to develop long lasting relationships and future business success by managing customer expectations in a consistent way. In this session, you examine ways that you can exceed your customers' expectations by setting, monitoring, and influencing their expectations. You start by determining their initial expectations and the reasons for each. Then you proactively set realistic expectations with the customer, leverage sure-fire ways to exceed them, and follow an ongoing and consistent process to manage customer expectations in the future.
Successful Public Speaking uses the foolproof methods of Dale Carnegie to turn you from a nervous novice into a confident presenter. Dale Carnegie believed that public speaking is a skill to be learned, not an inborn trait. He validated that belief year after year by turning out the most accomplished speakers in the world. Successful Public Speaking will teach you the very same skills that Dale Carnegie himself used to create generations of politicians, community leaders and successful business people. Acquire the tools that you need to speak confidently at your next meeting or presentation, join us for Successful Public Speaking!
Cold calling has never been tougher. As soon as the prospect figures out you're a sales person the immediate responses are "no budget," "we're in a purchasing freeze", or "call me in six months if things are any better."But we all know that there is always money available to buy something that provides real value to the prospect. The trick is to get your value proposition in front of the prospect in such a compelling way that you turn off the automatic "no" response.
Dale Carnegie Digital® presents the next webinar in the Keys to Success series, Secrets of High Performing Virtual Teams. Do you know the keys to successfully managing a virtual team? Dispersed workforces are today's norm, and while virtual teams are similar to traditional teams, you can no longer rely upon the communication and team building that occurs naturally in face-to-face environments. As a leader of virtual teams, you must take deliberate actions to build productive teamwork. This webinar provides an introduction to the tools and attitudes necessary for effectiveness in the digital age. The digital age is changing how we work, play, communicate and think. It is an exciting frontier that rewards those who leverage the power that it presents. Competing in the new environment will require higher levels of competence. While it may seem challenging to keep up with the pace of technology, the good news is that tools are evolving so quickly that they are easier to learn and use than ever before. A Handout is included. Secrets of High Performance Virtual Teams is part of the Keys To Success Webinar Series.
Nothing can destroy productivity, derail projects, and damage your reputation faster than workplace conflict. Whether it smolders just beneath the surface or becomes open warfare, conflict can paralyze your group, department, or the entire organization. And once initiated, the unpleasant task of resolving conflicts falls on your shoulders. Based on the time-tested principles from the new book How to Win Friends and Influence People in the Digital Age, this program prescribes the best approaches for effectively dealing with conflicts, so you can resolve issues while maintaining positive relationships. Learn to diagnose conflict before it intensifies, apply appropriate conflict resolution techniques to specific situations, and remain poised when tension is high.
Dale Carnegie outlined four ways that people evaluate us: what we say, how we say it, what we do, and how we do it. These tenets hold true for any presentation, whether delivered face-to-face or online. An online presentation delights its audience only when voice, visuals and technology come together to deliver a high impact engaging experience. Distractions are the norm; interactive and powerfully simple presentations are the solution. By practicing Dale Carnegie principles, masterfully using technology, and creating superior visuals, online presentations become dynamic and powerful. Join us for this session where you will learn how to break the mold of boring webinars and set the standard for Online Presentations! How to Present Online is part of the Keys To Success Webinar Series.
Creating a mentoring program will help your organization to identify opportunities for professional growth and assists in succession planning. Less experienced workers will benefit from the guidance and advice of seasoned professionals. And mentors will gain a fresh perspective and the satisfaction of helping others achieve their goals. This module will teach you how to plan and execute an effective mentoring program that will foster an encouraging, supportive work environment.
Your customers reevaluate their purchasing decisions every day, and every customer service interaction may bias them toward staying with your company, or moving away from it. Long-term customer satisfaction is built through serial expressions of helpfulness, respect, and genuine interest. Exceptional service drives customer loyalty and creates clients who will be champions for your organization, while service mishaps and perceived slights may result in a bad customer experience or worse – a lost customer. This course teaches you to become completely responsible for the attitude you convey every time you come into contact with your customer.
One of the most rewarding parts of being a sales leader is helping the people on the sales team achieve their visions and goals. To make this happen, leaders need strong coaching and individual skill development abilities. Most salespeople have a deep desire to become more capable of handling the challenges of their jobs and improve their performance. The ability to coach effectively is a critical skill to your help team members develop behavior changes that will lead to sales success. For this to happen, people need to trust that the coach has their welfare at the heart of what they are doing. In other words, the person expects that the coach is caring and competent. Like so many other areas of life regarding trust, it takes time to build, yet it is so fragile and can be lost in a moment by the wrong words or actions. People are continually observing us to see if we are role models of the expected behaviors we encourage.
In this Keys to Success Webinar, you will learn techniques to help you remember names when you need them. They are the basis for being able to more effectively grow and tap into your network of contacts. Find out which tools and formulas you can use that will help you remember the name of just about any person you will ever meet!
When you are as interested in the customer's success as you are in your own success, you build confidence and trust. Customers want to know that you are looking out for their best interests. In this module, you increase your awareness and skill in approaching clients. You discuss the stereotypes of high-pressure salespeople and how that affects your relationship with customers. You will commit to avoid actions that reinforce negative stereotypes and apply skills that build trust with customers.
To achieve your strategic objectives, you first need to learn what motivates employees to work to their full potential. Secrets of Motivation will teach you how to become a leader who is known for getting results through people. You'll learn to build effective relationships, encourage commitment, and harness innovation in your work environment.
Successful leaders are assertive leaders – but what does that mean? And how can someone who isn't naturally assertive become more so to be an effective leader? Where is the line between assertive behavior and aggressive behavior, and why is it so important? Assertive leaders are forthright about their wants and needs, but are careful to consider the rights, needs, and wants of others in the organization. They are confident but not overly so, in-charge but willing to delegate and give up control when appropriate. In this Keys to Success webinar, you will learn the importance of assertiveness to become an effective leader in your organization. You will learn to build on your strengths and eliminate weaknesses, enabling you to develop a winning attitude. You will learn to be assertive but not aggressive, confident but not overly so – and thereby gain the influence you need to lead your team or organization. Secrets to Leading with Assertiveness is part of the Keys To Success webinar series.
Organizations have changed – there is now a mix of top-down authority and work where no single person is always "the boss." Between matrix organizations, flatter structures, contracting, and outsourcing, success often depends on gaining the cooperation of people and resources that you do not have direct authority over. Great leaders and managers find success through influence and negotiation. They focus first on gaining employees' respect and trust. They build up credibility through consistent action and leadership. They listen and provide support, thereby laying the groundwork for future support and influence. In this Keys to Success Webinar, you will learn the characteristics you need to have, and actions you need to take, to get maximum results from people who don't work directly for you. You'll learn how to influence others by building authentic trust, credibility, and respect, thereby gaining their willing cooperation when you need it most. Getting Results Without Authority is part of the Keys To Success Webinar Series.
Customers complain. What is important is how you handle those complaints when they arise: Do you follow a consistent process, treating each customer with equal understanding and empathy? Do you resolve their complaints in a way that earns their trust and their continued business? In this session, you will explore the variety of causes of complaints, identify ways to neutralize negative attitudes, follow a process that deals with both the emotional and rational elements of complaints, and identify root causes and the ways you can reduce the number and type of complaints. You will also walk away with numerous tips for keeping a positive attitude, even when dealing with difficult people and issues.
In this fast paced, interactive webinar you'll learn to use activities to energize your next online meeting. This webinar will help identify what's unique about running an online meeting and what's needed to make it an interactive experience. It answers these questions: How will you generate participation and build cooperation? What activities will keep the team members engaged? What online tools are available to help stay focused and on time? Activities and energizers for online meetings is an engaging answer. This session covers the three components of an effective online meeting leadership strategy: pre-meeting planning, managing the meeting, and post-meeting follow-up. You'll experience meeting activities and analyze the online tools used to make them energizing. A handout is included that provides technical tips and meeting checklists. Virtual Meetings that Engage is part of the Keys To Success webinar series.
Many leaders in key positions are becoming eligible for retirement. There is a great sense of urgency to proactively plan to replace a key talent. The expense and risk associated with bringing in candidates from the outside is high. Compounding this problem, the supply of job-ready replacement candidates is often limited. As HR professionals or managers, if you're unsure where to begin, or are looking for a fresh approach to speed up the process, this webinar can help.
Part of successful organizational leadership is having the ability to assert the power of your position without intimidating others to the point where they are hesitant to take initiative. For staff members to respect you, they need to feel that you are approachable and able to keep your emotions in check. By applying Dale Carnegie's principles, and by gaining the willing cooperation of others, you become a catalyst for beneficial outcomes for your colleagues, customers, and yourself.
Your memory can be a tremendous asset in business and an important ally in social situations. Now you can learn to utilize it to its fullest potential. This seminar is an experience you won't forget ... and one that won't let you forget names, facts and figures ever again. When you attend How to Remember Just about Anything, be prepared to have fun. This three hour live online training program, structured for participant involvement, will give you Dale Carnegie's proven techniques for retaining information.
Great conversationalists are able to find connections with others by asking the right questions and learning team members' likes and dislikes. As a result of these relationships, trust is formed and teamwork comes more naturally. In this fast-paced webinar, you will hone the skills needed to have powerful conversations that will improve professional relationships, build trust, and get real results.
This workshop provides effective coaching techniques and other tools to help close the gap between expected performance and actual results. After completing this session, participants will coach for improved performance by following a step-by-step process and use the appraisal meeting to focus on future growth and training for others.


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Command performance eluding Bumgarner
By Chris Haft / MLB.com
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- If there's one thing that anybody can be sure of regarding Madison Bumgarner, it's his impeccable control.
That's why the left-hander's total of four walks in 5 2/3 innings spanning three Cactus League outings appears somewhat unusual. Bumgarner has averaged 2.1 walks per nine innings in his four-year career.
Bumgarner explained after the Giants' 4-3 Cactus League loss to the Indians that after enduring last year's prolonged season, he refrained from throwing off a mound during the offseason, indicating that this might have affected his command.
"Maybe if I'm doing this with a week to go, I'd be getting a little concerned," said Bumgarner, who allowed one run and three hits while walking one in his two-inning stint. "But right now I feel good. I think the command will start coming in and getting a little better"
Bumgarner, San Francisco's No. 2 starter, said that shortening the turn in his pitching delivery is no longer an issue, but holding runners on base is. Ezequiel Carrera stole two bases off Bumgarner in the second inning before scoring.
"I definitely have to get better at that," Bumgarner said.
Legends Mays, Cepeda and Perry visit club
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- It almost didn't matter what Willie Mays, Orlando Cepeda and Gaylord Perry had to say Tuesday morning to Giants players. Just being in the same room with the trio of Hall of Famers and franchise legends was enough of a thrill for the ballclub.
Of course, Mays, Cepeda and Perry gave the Giants more than just their presence. They dispensed advice, provided observations and reminded the reigning World Series champions that every other opponent likely will play just a little harder against them in 2013 -- "that we have a bulls-eye on our backs," right-hander George Kontos said.
Traded from the Yankees to the Giants at the start of last season, Kontos previously spent time alongside all-time greats such as Yogi Berra, Goose Gossage and Ron Guidry. But being around the best who ever played never gets old and remains valuable.
"We're very privileged to have those guys speak to us and give us a little bit of their take about the game and when they played," Kontos said. "They're in the Hall of Fame for a reason. They're great at what they did and they have tons of knowledge. Not many other teams get the opportunity to have guys like this come."
Right-hander Chris Heston, a first-time participant in big league camp, sounded attentive and appreciative.
"Those guys, especially Willie Mays, laid the foundation for the Giants," Heston said. "To get their feedback on what they thought about the game and how they went about it is beneficial for anybody. Any little advice they can give you is huge."
Mays is a frequent clubhouse visitor during Spring Training and the regular season. But though none of the current Giants players is old enough to have seen him perform, the mere sight of him gives them a thrill.
"It's something that a lot of people would kill for," Heston said.
Worth noting
• Left fielder Francisco Peguero went 2-for-4 in the Giants' 4-3 Cactus League loss to the Indians and his batting average actually decreased from .563 to .550. "I like his approach up there," said manager Bruce Bochy, who added that Peguero is very much part of the competition for a reserve outfield spot as a right-handed-batting complement to left-handed batter Gregor Blanco and switch-hitting Andres Torres.
• Giants second baseman Kensuke Tanaka and Indians starter Daisuke Matsuzaka engaged in a reunion of sorts. The former Japanese stars faced each other in a 1998 national high school tournament before they met in occasional confrontations as professionals. Tanaka went 1-for-2 off "Dice-K," who's competing for Cleveland's No. 5 starting spot.
• Bochy said that left-hander Javier Lopez, who's recovering from a bruise on his throwing hand, pitched live batting practice on an auxiliary field and could appear in a game next Monday or Tuesday.
• Bochy's son, right-hander Brett Bochy, pitched his second scoreless inning since yielding a bases-loaded double and a three-run homer on Feb. 25 against the White Sox. Brett Bochy escaped despite allowing a double and issuing a walk. "I thought he did a nice job," Bruce Bochy said. "He threw strikes. He got into a little jam, but he kept his poise and made some pitches to get out of it."
Chris Haft is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

subset: commoncrawl


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Tennessee has served notice it will remain nationally relevant in the post-Pat Summitt era.
The next step is to become elite again.
After being picked to finish as low as fifth in the Southeastern Conference in Holly Warlick's debut season as coach, Tennessee instead won the league's regular-season title. But the Lady Vols believe they squandered a golden opportunity Tuesday by falling 86-78 to Louisville in the Oklahoma City Regional final.
Tennessee won consecutive national titles in 2007 and 2008, but the Lady Vols haven't returned to the Final Four since. That represents Tennessee's longest Final Four drought since the NCAA started running the women's tournament in 1982.
The Lady Vols still outperformed preseason expectations by going 27-8 and advancing to a third consecutive regional final.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Hamels dominates Braves as offense comes to life
Lefty strikes out five in three innings; Howard, Young, Mayberry drive in two each
By Todd Zolecki / Special to MLB.com
CLEARWATER, Fla. -- The Phillies offense showed life in Thursday's 10-5 victory over the Braves at Bright House Field.
Ryan Howard hit his first spring homer in the fifth inning, doubled and had two RBIs, while Michael Young also drove in a pair. John Mayberry added two-run homer in the sixth.
Left-hander Cole Hamels allowed four hits, one unearned run and struck out five in three innings.
The Phillies took a 3-0 lead in the first inning against Braves left-hander Paul Maholm. Ben Revere walked and Chase Utley singled to put runners at the corners. Howard doubled down the right-field line to score Revere. Young reached on an error, which scored Utley. And Domonic Brown's single to right scored Howard.
Howard and Brown continue to swing hot bats in camp.
Maholm allowed six hits, five runs, two walks and struck out two in 2 2/3 innings. Braves second baseman Tyler Pastornicky went 2-for-5 with four RBIs for the Braves, including a three-run homer in the seventh.
Up next for Phillies: Right-hander Roy Halladay makes his second Grapefruit League start at 1:05 p.m. ET on Friday against the Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa. The Phillies were encouraged with Halladay's effort in two innings in his debut last Sunday against the Tigers. They hope to see progress on Friday.
Todd Zolecki is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Hello everyone,
We have been discussing the potential of BSF larvae for use in composting in the UK. They have recently become available commercially in the UK as a food in the exotic pet industry (calciworms), some enthusiasts are breeding their own BSF in artificial environments.
We had concerns regarding negligent release, although we think the UK does not have sufficient sunlight hours for adults to breed, we have not reached a conclusion as to possible knock on effects to native species. The public literature shows wide European distribution, from Portugal, Croatia, Albania through to Turkey, but we can't find any reliable sightings in the UK.
I wonder if anyone knows of a similar British species that could be utilised in a similar manor?
A suitable species would lay eggs on or near decomposing vegetable matter, spend most of it's life cycle in the larval stage, and show no potential to become a pest.
There are some good advantages to using BSF larvae in composting, the larvae are voracious, deter house flies, and the adults have no mouth parts. The larvae can be utilised as poultry or fish food, they do not taint the flavour of eggs as the house fly maggot does, they are also a very good source of calcium and protein.
Any suggestions for a suitable British species would be appreciated.
Actually they do exist natively, but are not as frequent due to climate restrictions.
I would look near stables and barns at which the animal feed does not contain larvacide or insecticides.
Also be aware that the imported larva are sterile and can not be used for starting a BSF bin. The adults will not reproduce. You will have to find native ones.
First of all, I have seen no papers describing Hermetia as being an indigenous or even an established species in the UK. It is more then likely that it has been imported in its larval stages in organic products on many occasions but how often that resulted in emerging adults I do not know.
I have no way to confirm whether conditions in the UK are suitable for breeding or not. The Asian ladybird was not suppose to be able to breed here, I think, and it now is all over the place.
The UK list has a number of species that can be found near rotting vegetation and occasionally even seem to prefer compost heaps. The species I have most often seen associated with compost heaps is Sargus bipunctatus, a relatively large species (smaller than Hermetia, though), less often the other species of Sargus. Chloromyia formosa and Microchrysa polita I have myself reared from larvae and pupae collected from under grass heaps. These species are smaller than Sargus species but may well be suitable for your puppose if the material to be composted is mainly composed of grass.
You are correct, as the origin of Hermetia is the Americas, however, they have established themselves world wide with the advent of trade routes. I see no reason why they wouldn't have established themselves in the capital of the colonial world and yet be present in Holland, Belgium, and north of France.
Like the lady bird, I can imagine that they have adopted themselves also.
Overall the black soldier fly is a low priority species when it comes to academic papers. Prior to the last 10 years and the research of Dr Craig Sheppard, there were only 2 academic papers on the species. Even, those were sponsored by a pesticide company and only exploring potential ways of killing them.
A potential great academic resource would be a locally experienced forensic entomlogyst. They can often observe the species when assesing the time of death.
I hope that helps.
Can you please quote me the sources for the Netherlands and Belgium?. I am from the Netherlands myself and I am unaware of it being established here (let alone even being recorded formally). The latest review dealing with species that might prove to be a risk (see the pdf downoadabble from http://www.pensoft.net/journals/biorisk/article/618/abstract/) lists about the same countries for Hermetia illucens as Fauna Europaea (which may be outdated). I cannot rule out that with the gradual rise in temperature the time might be near we will find them in the Low Countries.
Thank you very much for your replies gentlemen, very helpful.
The only paper on distribution I have found was T Üstüner et al 2003 (ISSN: 14334968) though I have no academic access to the full paper, the abstract reads: "Known data on the distribution of Hermetia illucens (L.) in Europe are summarized and updated. This species has been reliably recorded from Portugal, Spain, France, Switzerland, Italy, Malta, Croatia and Albania. A new record from Turkey represents the easternmost finding in the West Palaearctic and a new species to the fauna of the whole of the Near East. It may be evidence of a recent extension of this species in the Mediterranean area."
Switzerland being two hardiness zones colder than the UK it seems likely BSF could survive in the UK.
Further, I have two reports from amateur spotters in the UK, one unconfirmed sighting in Sussex who has seen adults from March to October. Another confirmed sighting from Worcestershire (who can send me photos if required) in June this year.
Novartis (A UK biomedical/larvicide supplier) have a "UK residents only" webpage which states "The black soldier fly may become extremely abundant in poultry manure (especially in high-rise or deep pit houses), and in swine manure pits; in these types of animal housing it may become the major fly species." Since this is a UK only page, taken with the known sightings, it hints at BSF breeding naturally in the UK.
I have been unable to find reference to any negative environmental impacts from this species. Although Novatis say it is a target pest species for their larvicides, the only effect for farmers is in how the larvae tend to liquefy manures, (making it easier for poultry to contaminate eggs for e.g.) which would be better handled by educating the farmers in better/specific manure management techniques as to how they can utilise BSFL as a sellable resource, as it is in many countries already, rather than selling them chemicals.
There is the possibility BSF could push native niche species out of their habitat, however the climatic restrictions here are probably more suited to native species so I think this a low probability. I have read some parasitic wasps prefer BSFL as hosts than other species in some countries, which may indeed help native species of parasitic wasp.
I am planning a field trip to some organic poultry and pig farms in the South next year, I would prefer to harvest BSF in the wild as they are probably more acclimatised than either imported, or BSFL bred in the UK in artificial environments, though I will also utilise UK bred larvae in a composting unit as they are likely to attract wild specimens by their presence.
I would not necessarily accept a description of the species on a 'UK residents only' page as a sign of proof that it should be a British species. I can recall having seen a mentioning of an adult (or more?) in the UK but I would be interested to see pictures. As to the record of adults from March to October, well I would say not impossible but why has that never been picked up by the dipterists community in the UK? Anyway, if they were there from March till October it must have been last year (or perhaps earlier) and since they were spotted over a longer period it must have been a resident. Please, let him (her?) collect some specimens so we can confirm ID. The temperature not being too bad should mean they are still about.
Just a side step: On my website Diptera.info there have been at least about 30 ID queries for this species. From these queries I can add Slovenia and Greece to the list of european countries. One British larva was queried but that was discounted by a specialist with experience in the forensic field.
Agreed the Novartis site is not proof Paul, merely a hint as I said. I do think it unlikely they would use it in the UK sales pitch if there were no BSFL issues here. I suspect Novartis are unlikely to help in confirmation as supplying help to people trying to utilise the BSFL in composting is likely to impact their sales of larvaicide, if it were up to me we would irradiate the larvacide via education, rather than the BSFL!
The unconfirmed sightings from March to October in Sussex was a post on a forum from 2008.
see: http://www.powerswitch.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12024&sid=ea18ce52af405b5cca6a43f55534a0d9
The confirmed sighting from Worcestershire in June was by Jason K on his blog here http://shenstonebirder.blogspot.com/2011/09/tuesday-20th-september-2011-shenstone.html?showComment=1316717929937#c2591245451056307544 I have asked Jason to post pictures to help. I have also cross linked this thread on his blog.
I have spent over 50hrs trawling the web this week for further information/sightings regarding UK prevalence, I have sent out over 40 email requests for information, evidence is very limited! I will update this thread if I come across any relevant information.
Thanks for the link and info Robert, I will be joining your forum soon, it looks like an excellent resource. I have spent some time there, but I wanted to confirm BSF is in the UK already before I take the plunge into BSFL composting.
Checked out your diptera.info. Very Cool site.
I sell BioPod™ Plus Black Soldier Fly grub composters. We have sold a few units to Britain without significant feedback (people call when they can't get it started). Had a customer near Brugge, Belgium that did have issues attracting the species for months and eventually he found some at a local pig farm.
Also, I heard there was a group in Holland cultivating BSF for a project to decompose pig manure. I believe that this was a private enterprise venture and not a university project. I heard that project also had a lot of difficulty and the yields of grubs was very low. I suspect that this is because the deep pit systems utilized in the study have very old manure and not nutrient rich fresh manure. Overall i think you can find the species when you look/try hard enough. But... for the species to become nich dominant (like they are in other climates) local adaptation is required.
I was not aware of any success in Switzerland and assume this must be some lower altitude areas.
Great idea checking Novartis website. I totally agree with your statement about educating farmers.
If you like, send the farmers my video: http://www.compostmania.com/about-grub-composting-black-soldier-fly-video
Glad you liked the site, thanks.
I just started checking some of the links that were given. On http://www.permacultureforum.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=74&t=1478 Whichdoctor gives a link to a site where you can buy the grubs online (http://www.butterworms.co.uk/soldierworms/13-100-medium-nutri-grubs.html). If the larvae depicted are the ones that are actually sold, then it is a rip-off because these are maggots of a calyptrate fly, presumably a blowfly. There is no visible headcapsule and strongly sklerotised, dorsoventrally flattened body but they have rather soft, rounded bodies with a visible cephalophangyeal skeleton. No way that can be a soldierfly. Quite different from the Phoenix worm depicted here: http://realm-of-the-bearded-dragons.webs.com/phoenix_worm.jpg:
I recentlty encountered a Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) on my local patch of Shenstone, North Worcestershire, UK.
I've attached a photo I took of this individual.
Alas, this is a sawfly...
I realise that everyone here has probably seen this but I thought I'd ad this link as my two penneth worth. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110616081817.htm
Maybe a similar project would be worthy trying at the NHM.
how did you get on with H. illucens? Did you manage to get a breeding population going. Did the regs allow you to perform your trials?
We are also interested in performing a trial with BSFL to manage waste. I understand that the Soil Association is interested in composting trials with them too.
best regards,


text: I completely disagree. So, do you think it was wrong of them to offer multiple audio tracks for home theater enthusiasts? Obviously, the original audio engineers didn't intend for their work to be heard in 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound. They built it to be heard by the available audio equipment of the day.


text:
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FreakScore is a weighted average of all aggregated professional and user review scores. Read more
This product has a FreakScore of 7.7* out of 10 based on 2 scores.
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Gas convection oven Circulates air throughout the oven cavity Read more


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Linky: ESPNThe pertinent questions regarding Bosh seem to be the following: Is he as committed to LeBron as LeBron is to him? Would he prefer to join Wade? Is he hoping it works out that all three of them can play together? Or will he go in a different direction, with teams like the Rockets and perhaps the Lakers interested in him? How critical is it to him that he get the largest possible contract, which can happen only if he stays in Toronto or leaves via sign-and-trade?
The Cavs, Bulls, Heat, Knicks and Nets are among the teams that have all been working to figure out how to acquire Bosh from the Raptors in a deal in which Toronto would sign-and-trade Bosh to Cleveland, Chicago, Miami, New York or New Jersey. But in the meantime, Boshs intentions remain unclear, as hes been hard to read, according to one team executive.
Which way is Bosh leaning? The evidence at this point is mostly mixed and circumstantial. Bosh went to dinner on Thursday night in Chicago with Wade and afterward tweeted, "Just had dinner w @dwadeofficial. Great way to end day 1 of #freeagency although it feels like someone is missing." Many believe that the tweet referred to LeBron, but thats only an educated guess.
If Bosh is insisting that he get a full max contract via a sign-and-trade, it might be that hes holding up the whole process, especially as Toronto president Bryan Colangelo is taking a tough stance in trade discussions, demanding either a star player or cap space (via a trade exception) and draft picks. Colangelo is very reluctant to take back players like Bulls forward Luol Deng or Heat forward Michael Beasley as part of any deal, complicating sign-and-trade options. And as J.A. Adande reports, the Raptors are losing interest in a Bosh sign-and-trade, according to a source.
So while we focus on Wade, who appears to have Chicago and Miami in his sights, and LeBron, who seems to be considering Cleveland, Chicago and New Jersey, its another player who might hold the key.
What does CB4 want? What will he settle for? Find the answers to those questions and you may solve the free agent puzzle of 2010.


text:
Women's Tennis
Riviera All-American Championships
Wed., Oct 7
Watch Info
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More: Riviera All-American Championships - Women's Tennis
Wildcats Complete Day Two of Rebel Invitational
Schedule | Roster
Arizona Completes First Day of Rebel Invitational
Day 1 Results
Top Recruit Csenge Furak Signs NLI to Play for Arizona
TUCSON, Ariz. – Head coach Vicky Maes has received an NLI from top recruit Csenge Furak, a native from Hungary. Furak will join Arizona in the fall of 2018.
Arizona Ready For Rebel Invite
TUCSON, Ariz. – The Wildcats will travel to UNLV for their final tournament of the fall in the Rebel Invite, which will begin in Las Vegas, Nev. on Friday, Nov. 10 at 11 a.m. MST.
Arizona Finishes Last Home Tournament of Fall
Day 3 Results
Day Two of Wildcat Invitational #2 Comes to a Close
Day 2 Results | Day 3 Draws | Photo Gallery


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Several area teams aim towards postseason berths.
At Forest High School
Schedule: Tuesday — No. 3 Tallahassee Chiles vs. No. 2 Tallahassee Lincoln (at Lincoln HS), 7 p.m.; No. 4 Gainesville Buchholz vs. No. 1 Forest, 7 p.m.; Thursday — District championship game at Forest at 7 p.m.
Notes: The Wildcats will be looking to get back to the regional playoffs this year after last year marked the first time they hadn't made it in 10 years. It has been quite the season for head coach Wayne Yancey and his FHS team. Yancey earned his 600th career coaching victory back on March 22. Since then, the 'Cats have only dropped one game, compiling a record of 21-3 for the season. Forest is led by a dominant pitching staff which boasts a team ERA of 1.01. The staff is led by senior Anthony Mazzurco (1.11 ERA, 8 wins, 44 K), junior Blake Waldren (1.38 ERA, 5 wins, 34 K) and senior Darrin Wasiewicz (1.02 ERA, 3 wins, save). At the plate Forest is led by Ben Ellzey, who is hitting a robust .481 with 19 RBI and 23 runs. Senior Jordon Austin (.368, 4 HR, 17 RBI, 20 runs) and senior Joshua Greene (.325, 5 HR, 24 runs, 13 SB) also fuel the Wildcat attack. Tallahassee Lincoln split its regular season series with Tallahassee Chiles with each team winning at home. Lincoln has made it to the regional playoffs in two out of the last three years, while Chiles made it last year and also back in 2009 when they lost in the 5A state title game to South Fork, 13-3. The Timberwolves are led by the pitching duo of Boomer Biegalski (0.83 ERA, 4 wins, 68 K) and Logan Smith (2.32 ERA, 5 wins, 43 K). Gainesville Buchholz has made the regional playoffs in 13 out of the last 14 years, including winning the district last season. The Bobcats split their season series with both Tallahassee schools and lost both matchups to Forest. Buchholz is led by Sean Kamhoot (.319, 19 RBI) at the plate and Phoenix Sanders (0.55 ERA, 7 wins, 68 K) on the mound.
At Leesburg High School
Schedule: Tuesday — No. 5 Leesburg vs. No. 4 Lake Weir, 7 p.m.; Wednesday — No. 3 Vanguard vs. No. 2 Gainesville, 4 p.m.; Leesburg/Lake Weir vs. No. 1 South Lake, 7 p.m.; Thursday — District championship game at Leesburg at 7 p.m.
Notes: South Lake suffered just one district loss this season. That defeat came on the road against Vanguard, a 10-6 decision in favor of the Knights, less than three weeks ago. The Eagles, like Vanguard, made the playoffs for the first time since 2001 last season. The Knights will square off against a Gainesville team that they've lost to both times they've played them this season. However, both those games were played in late February. Stephen Johnson leads the Knights in hitting with a .358 average and a team-high 13 RBI, while Adam Robles is hitting .354. Juniors Kyle Hansen (2.82 ERA, 4 wins, 41 K) and Darren Kelly (2.85 ERA, 2 wins, save, 46 K) lead VHS on the mound. Gainesville senior Case Harrison is hitting .429 with 13 runs and 19 stolen bases to lead the Hurricane offensive attack. Junior Will Whitlock leads the charge on the mound with a 2.57 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 46.1 innings pitched. Lake Weir, which last made the playoffs in 2010, finished the season 12-12, having lost its three regular season games. But the Hurricanes will look to their sophomore duo of Dakota Spivey and Trace Thornal to lead them back to the regional playoffs. Spivey does a little bit of everything for the 'Canes as he is their leading hitter with an average of .425 to go along with nine doubles and 20 RBI, and he also is one of their better pitchers, compiling a 3.40 ERA with 49 strikeouts in 45.1 innings. Thornal is hitting .373 with 17 runs and 17 RBI. Other key contributors for LWHS are Jordan Grisham (.339, 18 runs, 17 SB) and Bryan Prevatte (3.33 ERA, 4 wins, 58 K). Lake Weir split the season series with its first-round opponent, Leesburg, which last made the playoffs in 2005.
At Brooksville Central High School
Schedule: Monday — No. 5 West Port vs. No. 4 Lecanto (at Lecanto), 7 p.m.; Tuesday — West Port/Lecanto vs. No. 1 Citrus, 5 p.m.; No. 3 Springstead vs. No. 2 Central, 7:30 p.m.; Thursday — District championship game at Central at 7 p.m.
Notes: Citrus, the No. 1 seed, will be looking to make it back-to-back postseason appearances after missing out on the playoffs from 2007-11. It will await the winner of the 4-5 matchup, which features two teams that it has handled rather easily this season. The Hurricanes have beaten both West Port and Lecanto by an average of eight runs in the four contests. Their lone scare was a 9-8 victory against Lecanto in early March. Lecanto, the reigning district champ, should have all the confidence in the first-round game, having beaten WPHS twice this season, 16-5 and 9-4, respectively. It will be facing a Wolf Pack team that has struggled this season and will be looking to make their first playoff appearance. The Pack are led by junior Sammy Veloz, who is batting .417, while Kenny Cooper (3.72 ERA, 48 K) and Alec Jewell (3.45 ERA, 22 K) lead West Port on the mound. Brooksville Central features a young team as its main contributors are sophomores. Among that sophomore group is Thomas Sorrentino (.422, 14 RBI, 18 runs), C.J. Martinez (.348, 17 RBI) and Scott Dwyer (.355, 22 RBI). Springstead features more of a senior-laden team with Brandon Brosher (.448, 4 HR, 21 RBI) doing most of the damage. Central defeated Springstead in both of its prior matchups this season.
At North Marion High School
Schedule: Tuesday — No. 4 Eastside vs. No. 1 North Marion, 7 p.m.; Wednesday — Palatka vs.Belleview (seeding still to be determined by a coin flip), 7 p.m.; Thursday — District championship at North Marion at 7 p.m.
Notes: No. 1-seeded North Marion, the host school, will be looking to punch its ticket to the regional playoffs for the third consecutive season. Back in 2011, the Colts made a run all the way to the regional finals. This year's team will be looking for similar success. NMHS is led offensively by Walker Burgess, a Santa Fe College commit, who is hitting .359 with three home runs and 17 runs, while also helping out on the mound with five victories and 20 strikeouts. Dalton Southerland has also had a good all-around season for the Colts as he has put together a .306 average with five home runs, 20 RBI and 24 runs at the plate and a 1.50 ERA, four wins and 30 strikeouts on the mound. Garrison Vandeventer, a Florida Gulf Coast commit, has been stout on the mound for North Marion with a 1.88 ERA, three victories and 58 strikeouts in 44.2 innings. Belleview is a young team that is looking to get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2008. The Rattlers are led by freshman Jordan Silvola-Finch (.413, 7 doubles, 10 RBI) and fellow freshman Sam Cochrane (.409, 15 RBI, 20 runs, 11 SB). Silvola-Finch also sports a 1.71 ERA, while senior Jasen Biggins has a 2.05 ERA and five wins for BHS. Other key contributors for Belleview include sophomore David Haun (.397, 18 RBI) and senior Wade Dobson (.343, 12 RBI, 24 runs). Palatka has made the playoffs six out of the last seven years, while Eastside hasn't made it since 2001.
At Eustis High School
Schedule: Tuesday — No. 5 Nature Coast vs. No. 4 Crystal River, 4 p.m.; No. 6 Tavares vs. No. 3 Dunnellon, 7 p.m.; Wednesday — Tavares/Dunnellon vs. No. 2 Hernando, 4 p.m.; Nature Coast/Crystal River vs. No. 1 Eustis, 7 p.m.; Friday — District championship game at Eustis at 7 p.m.
Notes: Dunnellon comes into the tournament riding a pretty good wave of success. The last time it was the No. 3 seed in the district tournament, it made it all the way to the state semifinals back in 2010. The Tigers will be looking to duplicate that success this season. Seniors Connor Wentz (.449, 3 HR's 14 doubles, 19 RBI) and Jordon Boley (.329, 9 doubles, 24 runs) lead the Tigers at the plate, while fellow senior Michael Roberson (2.20 ERA, 40 K) is the workhorse on the mound. Eustis finished 10-0 in district play in the regular season and hopes that trend continues in the tournament. Chris Okey's .423 average, four home runs, 27 RBI and 15 stolen bases, along with the strong arms of Wesley Moulden (7 wins, 1.58 ERA, 69 K) and Alex Hagner (5 wins, 2.27 ERA, 68 K) will lead the Eustis attack. Hernando finished 8-2 in District 5A-7 with its only two losses coming to Eustis. The Leopards feature slugging senior Christian Arroyo, who has mashed this season to the tune of a .494 average with eight home runs, 23 RBI and 29 runs. On the mound, they feature right-hander Brandon Lawson, who has a minuscule 0.33 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 42 innings pitched. Having won the district last season, Hernando will be looking to make it four consecutive regional final appearances. Nature Coast is led by sophomore Vito Tambasco (.465, 14 RBI, 18 runs, 12 SB). Crystal River will be looking to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2009, while Tavares is looking to make it back-to-back berths after a 15-year absence prior to last season's breakthrough.
At Mount Dora High School
Schedule: Monday — No. 5 Weeki Wachee vs. No. 4 Mount Dora, 6 p.m.; Tuesday — No. 3 Umatilla vs. No. 2 Trinity Catholic, 4:30 p.m.; Weeki Wachee/Mount Dora vs. No. 1 South Sumter, 7:15 p.m.; Thursday — District championship game at Mount Dora at 7 p.m.
Notes: South Sumter earned the No. 1 seed in the tournament after losing just two games in District 4A-6 play. One loss came against Umatilla and the other against Mount Dora. The Raiders are led by solid pitching with five different pitchers recording at least 11 innings of work. Junior Call Graham leads the way, having logged 35.1 innings with a 1.78 ERA and 46 strikeouts. Sophomore Isaiah Cullum (0.28 ERA, 24.2 IP, 22 K), junior Garrett Cave (0.00 ERA, 15 IP, 18 K) and senior Jarod Lozano (1.85 ERA, 17 K, 4 saves) round out an impressive bunch. Cullum is also one of the leaders at the plate with a .304 average and 19 RBI. South Sumter hasn't made the playoffs since 2006. Trinity Catholic, on the other hand, has made 10 straight postseason appearances, including two state semifinal appearances in that span. The Celtics are led by reigning Star-Banner player of the year Dash Winningham. Winningham is currently batting .500 with a county-high 10 home runs, 28 RBI and 21 runs. Tim Retamoza, a North Florida commit, has a .368 average with three home runs and 18 runs, while fellow North Florida commit Alex Merritt is batting .367 with three homers and 15 RBI. On the mound the Celtics feature Jesse Lepore (1.63 ERA, 38.2 IP, 73 K's, 4 wins), David Larger (0.42 ERA, 33 IP, 33 K's, 5 wins) and Sam Atwell (2.52 ERA, 25 IP). Umatilla, the Celtics' first-round opponent which they have run-ruled in both games they played this season, is looking to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2006. The Bulldogs are led by freshman Tanner Frabott who is hitting .423 with nine doubles, 21 RBI and 14 runs. Mount Dora, which won the district last year, has made the playoffs three years in a row, including a state semifinals appearance in 2011. Weeki Wachee will be looking to make its first appearance in the regional playoffs.
At Lecanto Seven River Christian High School (Homosassa Area Recreation Park)
Teams: Cornerstone (Gainesville), Seven Rivers Christian (Lecanto), St. John Lutheran (Ocala)


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OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. - The Osceola Board of County Commissioners met in a Sunday session and voted to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding for two groundbreaking regional projects for Osceola County.
Commissioners took the first step and agreed to enter into an exclusive 90-day negotiating period with the AMR and the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, which hosts the annual National Finals Rodeo.
The NFR is currently in Las Vegas but is considering leaving after selling out their 10-day event for 27 straight years, officials said.
The PRCA met Sunday to decide whether or not to stay in Las Vegas or begin a new chapter for their storied event.
Officials said the NFR is the premier rodeo event and considered to be the Super Bowl of rodeo. Osceola County officials said they are ready to welcome the world's best cowboys to a county that has hosted rodeo for decades and is known worldwide for the Silver Spurs Rodeo.
The AMR is a complete destination resort located adjacent to the Gaylord Palms Resort. The AMR will start with the construction of a 24,000 seat arena that will be used to host the NFR in 2016, officials said.
Because of the prudent oversight by the Osceola Board of County Commissioners, the Osceola Tourist Development Tax has sufficient funds available to jump-start this project with a commitment of $50 million toward the construction of the 24,000-seat arena and a yearly commitment toward the rodeo purse.
This public/private partnership with the AMR is made possible because Osceola County is America's 10th largest collector of Tourist Development Tax dollars and brings in over $37 million a year, officials said.
Working together with the city of Orlando and the Orlando Magic, Osceola County plans to hold the NFR in 2015 at the Amway Center.
"We are grateful to Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and the Magic's Alex Martins for working with us in such a cooperative and quick fashion. Today would not be possible without great regional partners like them," said Osceola County Commission Chairman, Fred Hawkins.
Before completion of the AMR the Gaylord Palms will play host to "Cowboy Christmas" a one-of-a-kind and the longest running "Original" gift show of the NFR. With over 300,000 square feet of exhibit space and 400 plus vendors from across America and Canada, Cowboy Christmas is the ultimate shopping experience for those wanting anything from customized jewelry to the latest spurs and boots.
While negotiations are not complete, Osceola County Commissioners are cautiously optimistic that an agreement can be reached that will be mutually beneficial to the AMR, PRCA and Osceola County.
Copyright 2013 by ClickOrlando.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Before heading down to Porterville, i checked with Best Western about charging our S. They indicated we were the first such request and they would check in to it. I got a phone call a bit later indicating they found an outlet we could use.
On arrival we found the one outlet they thought would work was not live. They politely asked us to wait a bit while they looked for another source. Then they told us we could park in front of their office entrance and plug in there, providing lighting and a bit more security. We did so and the young man helping us asked if he could sit in the car- which of course we invited him to do- he was jaw dropping impressed and delighted just to sit in the car and poke at the 17" screen. We have been here over the weekend and have been getting delighted questions from folks down here who have never seen such a car.
We have been treated really well by the staff and if this is typical of Best Western, they will see us again.
Even if they could at present only offer us 110V charging, our stay has been fine. Maybe we need to alert both motel operators and EV drivers so the demand goes up and the supply is enhanced. Happy trails. Next stop, Harris Ranch to fill up and head home.


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New NRL boss Smith has first crisis
Less than a week after taking over the hot seat as ARL Commission chief executive, Dave Smith had his first crisis on his hands.
Findings from an investigation by the Australian Crime Commission (ACC) on Thursday lifted the lid on widespread use of banned drugs in professional sport - and also links with organised crime and one possible instance of match-fixing.
The 12-month investigation, codenamed Project Aperio, focused primarily on two major sporting codes in Australia.
Although no code, team or individual was identified, Smith confirmed the NRL had been briefed on information that affects "more than one NRL player and more than one NRL club".
On a day that's been called the darkest in the history of Australian sport, Smith said the NRL was already working with the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) to get to the bottom of the issue.
In addition to employing former federal judge Tony Whitlam to set up a wide-ranging integrity compliance unit, independent auditors Deloitte were enlisted on Thursday morning to investigate Manly's sports science department in Narrabeen.
Deloitte also visited Cronulla and Penrith who, along with the Sea Eagles, have been associated with sports scientist Stephen Dank.
Penrith general manager Phil Gould told Triple M's The Rush Hour that Dank has never been employed by the Panthers.
"I've heard of Steve Dank, I've never met him personally and I'm aware of his background in sport and sporting teams that he's been with. Steve Dank has never had any employment, consultancy or commercial relationship with the Panthers," Gould said.
"It was my investigations today (Thursday) through our staff - and we don't have many staff that have been here since 2011 - was that Steve Dank visited our club at the request of the previous coaching and conditioning staff purely for an information meeting on sport sciences and his experiences in other codes and in rugby league ... there was only one meeting and he never returned back to the club."
Last year, Dank - who worked at Manly between 2006-10 - was at AFL club Essendon.
The Bombers this week became the subject of an anti-doping probe over possible misuse of supplements. Dank has denied any wrongdoing in his dealings with clubs.
"We've been working with the crime commission on a range of issues that are outlined in the report," Smith said.
"We have already begun with ASADA - we've begun the investigation.
"We need to be strong. The sport deserves it, our fans deserve it, the majority of our athletes deserve us to be strong."
The NRL also said it would establish a register of people supplying performance services to players and clubs.
That was in addition to sanctions being imposed on any club or player found concealing information about a breach of the NRL Anti-Doping Policy.
"It's quite clear this is a very serious issue," he said.
"What we know and history tells us is that you will get caught.
"We are adding resources - we're totally committed."
Manly welcomed the probe and coach Geoff Toovey said the 2011 premiers, considered to have been at the cutting edge of sports science in the NRL for many years, had nothing to hide.
"It was a decision from the NRL and we're fully participating and cooperating," Toovey told AAP on Thursday.
"We'll do whatever necessary to ensure the sport in general is as clean as possible. We believe that is a must in our sport.
"As far as we're concerned, we've never had a problem here and we follow all procedures and protocols that have been put in place by the league."
NRL superstars Johnathan Thurston and Greg Inglis admitted they were stunned by the investigation's findings and welcomed moves to ensure the code was clean.
"Personally, we need to support the NRL here to get this out of our code and, like everyone else, I am shocked," said Thurston.
Inglis said he hoped the investigation would stamp out anything that could tarnish the game.
"We have to keep our game clean. It's such a great product," he said.
"I would love to see this resolved in a quick manner but there is still more investigation to do but we all want to see it rubbed out."
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text:
Diplo has elevated to one of the world's most in-demand music producers, crafting hit songs for a an ever-expanding list of A-list artists including Usher ("Climax"), Justin Bieber ("Thought Of You") and Snoop Dogg's current reggae incarnation as Snoop Lion.
During a recent interview with British newspaper The Sun, Diplo discussed working with Beyoncé on music for her long-awaited fifth studio album, but said that the pop star might not use the results.
"I just did two songs for her new album, well, I tried. I think she scrapped the record," he admitted. "The record was supposed to be done and they have been hitting me up for brand new ideas."
Given the extreme anticipation for a new Beyoncé album, Diplo's quote about the tracks he worked on for here were misinterpreted by some media outlets as him saying she's scrapped her entire new album. He quickly hopped on Twitter to set the record straight.


text:
I'm writing it in POD... and I can't for the life of me find the "run this code in perl" short cut in any Word Processor I've tried.
Since you're writing it in POD, use Test::Inline.
Syntax check your code.
=for example begin
use LWP::Simple;
getprint "http://www.goats.com";
=for example end
And even write tests for your examples.


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Ben Kay Column
Feisty Farrell can reach greater heights
Ben Kay
February 20, 2013
Could Owen Farrell's feisty side carry him to even greater heights? © Getty Images
England will resume their Six Nations campaign against France this weekend safe in the knowledge that they can adapt their game no matter the opposition or the conditions.
We learnt a lot more about Stuart Lancaster's side against Ireland and the manner of their victory in the rain in Dublin sent out a powerful message to their rivals. Pivotal to that victory was fly-half Owen Farrell who has inevitably drawn comparisons to Jonny Wilkinson.
Some may suggest that he is not quite as adept as getting a back line going as someone like Danny Cipriani and that he tends to distribute or kick but the most important part of fly-half's game is temperament and I have been hugely impressed with that part of Farrell's game. He is also not short of natural talent himself but his ability to make the right decision under pressure is arguably more valuable. He is still a young lad but never appears to get flustered - he has the ability to block out distractions and maintain his level of performance.
While they may be similar in their kicking prowess and commitment in defence I think Farrell, who is probably subjected to a bit more competition than Jonny was at his age, is a bit feistier than Wilkinson and he has an aggressive streak to him that was not part of his predecessor's game.
Wilkinson certainly tackled aggressively but Farrell's drive is slightly different. Some may see that as a cause for concern but it's only a worry if the player doesn't have the ability to control that side of their game and Farrell's appears to have that composure when required. Some of the best players in the history of the game have been spiky characters and it may even take him to greater heights.
England have also shown that they have mental strength when it matters. The game against Ireland was always going to be a major test of their discipline given what happened on their last visit to the Irish capital but they came through it with one key passage of play underlining the fact they have learnt their lessons. A rush of blood to the head from James Haskell saw him rightly sin-binned but the performance of the rest of the team was immense and their ability to come out on top in that period won them the game.
I would have given Alex Goode the Man of the Match and Mike Brown also showed the strength of his character. He would have been really disappointed with his performance against Scotland when he was guilty of trying too hard but to come back, and not let it affect confidence says a lot about him and the team. England's kick chase was superb and they put massive pressure on the Irish back three and they couldn't handle it. In contrast, Ireland's was not so effective which meant England were always able to get out of their defensive zone. They were under so much pressure to hold onto a wet ball with people flying towards them, spot the space and get the kick away before someone clattered into their knees. It was just a really good tactical performance from England who may not have been expecting such bad weather but appear to have a Plan A and a Plan B.
I don't know what it is like to play with Owen and whether he would provide me with the kind of assurance that Jonny certainly used to when he was in his prime. A lot of that was down to kicking percentages - if he was kicking well and you knew every time we had a shot at goal we would get three points it would make a massive difference to the sense of invincibility within the squad and certainly boosts your confidence and your game.
Sadly the pitch did not live up to the occasion and the playing surface at the Stade de France was also an absolute nightmare. This tournament is the biggest advert for northern hemisphere rugby and if they can't provide a pitch that gives the players the foundation to play attractive rugby then something needs to be done. If the turf cuts up as easily as it did in Paris and Dublin then it makes scrummaging dangerous and puts even more pressure on referees when it comes to that area of the game. How can they give a penalty against a prop when they are trying to get a bind with their feet constantly slipping because of the pitch?
Thankfully we will not have such problems this weekend at Twickenham where France are sure to be England's main worry with Philippe Saint-Andre's having lost their first two games. I don't think we can expect another poor showing from France and that is the danger.
There are rumours of a little unrest within the French camp when it comes to the style of play being demanded of them and Saint-Andre's methods. Philippe learnt his coaching trade over here and when he went to Toulon he based his approach around a more English style of play and perhaps that is difficult for the players to take on board when they are not playing that way at their club week in, week out and as a result maybe they are not buying into it 100%.
They are not playing as a team but they are a dangerous side because of the individual talent they possess. You can't expect a team of that quality to go through the entire tournament and not produce one decent performance. England will treat it like they are playing France at their best and will be wary of their game-breakers like Mathieu Bastareaud although they still have the tendency to pick players out of position - and how Morgan Parra, one of the best scrum-halves in the world, is not starting at No.9, continues to baffle me.
© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
Ben Kay is a co-commentator for ESPN
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Four University of Texas at San Antonio engineering students and one faculty mentor recently spent 12 days in Peru, as part of UTSA's chapter of Engineers without Borders, to facilitate community health and rebuilding efforts in the earthquake-stricken town Viña Vieja.
(photo by Eleazar Hernandez/UTSA)
This was the third trip for the UTSA chapter members who are working on an initial project to design and build a comprehensive water-delivery system to support the daily needs of the town's 500 residents. In August, the group will make another trip to finish building and testing the new system as well as to teach the local residents to maintain it themselves.
"It was a challenge to prepare for this trip while also taking a full course load of intense engineering classes, studying and working," said UTSA civil engineering senior Jessica George, in an UTSA Today article. "But, meeting the people in Viña Vieja and seeing how what we're doing is actually making a difference in that community made it all worth it."


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EDMONTON, Alberta Devan Dubnyk made 37 saves, and the Edmonton Oilers scored all of their goals on the power play to defeat the Colorado Avalanche 4-1 on Monday.
Ales Hemsky, Jordan Eberle, Shawn Horcoff and Nail Yakupov, into an empty net, scored on the man advantage for the Oilers.
Taylor Hall and Sam Gagner each picked up two assists for Edmonton, which got a strong start to a game after falling behind in each of its four previous outings.
P.A. Parenteau scored for the Avalanche, who have lost two in a row to start a four-game road trip.
Edmonton opened the scoring at 15:23 of the first. Hemsky swooped in and swatted a puck past Colorado goalie Semyon Varlamov during a scramble in front of the net.
The Oilers added another power-play goal at 18:05 of the first as Eberle picked the top corner on a shot from the top of the circle for his third of the season.
Edmonton had 14 shots in the first while Colorado only managed three on Dubnyk.
The Oilers took a three-goal lead at 9:40 of the second period on yet another man-advantage opportunity as Halls shot hit Horcoffs skate in front and squeaked past Varlamov.
Colorado had a great scoring chance a minute later as Jamie McGinn had Dubnyk beat but rang a shot off the post.
Persistent pressure by the Avalanche in the third paid off at 7:43 as Parenteau fired a shot under Dubnyks pads at the side of the net to make it 3-1.
Yakupov scored his third of the season on yet another power play with 33 seconds left and Varlamov on the Colorado bench for an extra attacker.
Varlamov finished with 23 saves.


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Pottsville head coach Wes McCrotty said the senior leadership is one of the key contributors to the Apaches' success this year.
"We've got a great group of seniors," he said. "Every one of them has worked hard for the last three years and they've done what we've asked them to do, and they've had a lot of success. They've had two conference championships and one district tournament."
Pottsville is 15-6 overall and 5-2 in the 4A-4 Conference.
"Right now we're battling against Dardanelle and Dover for seeding in the district tournament," McCrotty said.
The Apaches went up 3-0 against the Bearcats by the close of the second inning and showed little sign of slowing down. Mena walked Pottsville's first three batters, Brian Hawkins, Travis Cole and Corey Campbell, to load the bases. Christian Barnett was tagged ut at second base, but his two-RBI sacrifice got things going. Hawkins' RBI double in the second made it 3-0.
The Bearcats stiffened in the third and fourth frames. The Apaches stymied Mena's attempted to load the bases in the third, when Cole threw the final two strikes, but Pottsville struggled to drive in any further runs on their turn at bat.
Mena walked Cole McKown in the bottom of the fourth, but a double-play on Parker Thompson's single at first and second shut down the Apaches offense.
The Bearcats hit an RBI double and a two-RBI single in the top of the fifth to tie the ballgame, but Pottsville put four runners across the plate during its at-bat to take a 7-3 lead.
"We made a few errors and they got some good hits there to score some points, but when it's only 3-3 we still feel like we're in the game and we battled back," McCrotty said.
The Apaches' first run came with bases loaded and two outs. Mena walked McKown, which pushed a runner across the plate. Then, with bases loaded, two outs, three balls and one strike, Thompson hit a two-RBI single to make it 6-3.
Pottsville capped the scoring spree when McKown stole home on a catching error at home plate.
The Bearcats tacked on two more with two outs in the sixth and threatened to add more, but McKown threw out a runner at home from deep in left field to halt the inning.
The Apaches added three more runs in the bottom of the sixth to put the game out of reach. Pottsville is off until Thursday, when the Apaches travel to Clarksville for a nonconference game at 5 p.m.


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Topic: New Traktor mixer..
..had a feeling something like this might appear, new modular mixer, built-in soundcard. Will make for an excellent portable setup with a pair of X1's
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..had a feeling something like this might appear, new modular mixer, built-in soundcard. Will make for an excellent portable setup with a pair of X1's
And its ipad compatible too so a very portable set up
purists will cut a bitch one of these days.
looks great....nice video,awful track!
looks great....nice video,awful track!
You'd think having signed Sasha/Hawtin/Just Be NI could have decent music for the demo vids
cutting edge product hand in hand with cutting edge music....marketing team scores:-)
God damn it.
ipad this, iphone that, firmly in bed with Apple now & looks like pc interface is getting further away by the day.
ipad this, iphone that, firmly in bed with Apple now & looks like pc interface is getting further away by the day.
True but it does say laptop compatible so I presume it will be both Mac and pc, will also be interested to see how the audio interface works, whether you need another mixer or you can just plug your monitors straight into it
Wont work on pc via plug n play though will it? Will be a reet fucking ball ache i imagine to set up.
http://www.native-instruments.com/en/pr … -examples/
Last edited by Dermo (Wednesday Jun 2013 08:09:50)
...will work on any computer running TP2, only restricted to OSX if you're running Traktor DJ (iPad/iPhone)
Doddle to set up if it's anything like the X1, load the driver and you're off... what makes you think it would be tricky Derm?
Don't need another mixer... built-in soundcard so RCA output straight into speakers/amp.
Dunno i just had a feeling that they are gearing it to make i products the way forward. But having thought about it you only have to talk to T2 anyway not the pc. Doh.
I really feel like i might have to have this.
I like the way you can plug you monitors straight in and you don't need another controller, decent price too
...oh they are deffo firmly in the sack with Apple, this will make them a fucking fortune through casual iPad/iPhone 'DJ's' (priced correctly too)
For TP2 users though it's just a really compact solution for travelling DJ's, house parties, etc. Love the fact it has the soundcard. A few folk miffed it's only 2-channel, but I reckon you could probably chain a couple of them together like the X1's if you're the 4-deck type
Im hoping for a gay little bag/case type thing where it will house my two X1's and this together. maybe a little compartment for my lappy too. Goodbye heavy equipment completely. Fuck it im buying one.
I'm waiting for the Android version.
It appears that NI are also updating their X1 to an MK2 model. Combined with the new Z1 you have a very small footprint, mobile setup.
Love my X1
One of the best bits of kit NI have done
..could be up for a new X1 myself
The S4/2 replacement has to be imminent too I reckon
Pretty nifty for sure, thinking i'll get this. Need to move away from the vinyl serrato set up.
anyone used the ipad tractor dj app?
ipad and Z1 would probably cover off any dj'ing itch i might have going forward
the ipad app is fucked at the moment - they need to sort their shit out. As millsy pointed out a while back, most beatport tracks aren't being recognized. Crashes a lot too.
...production types, some tremendous NI deals at the moment, just upgraded my Reaktor player to the full version for $99
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MS are in danger of missing the boat....again.
Would somebody overseeing the 360 dev, make their bloody mind up. When HD-DVD took a turn for the worse, the implied intention was to not bother with high capacity media, rather stick everything on the XBL network and provide to users that way.
This should've been a contingency plan already in place for if hd-dvd went belly up (as it did).
I think MS are gonna drive further wedges between their consumers. MS have made a success of the XBL service, it would be stupid not to capitalise on that. In a lot of peoples opinions online delivery will overtake the need for large media.
However, there is the other aspect of game content. Is there pressure from game devs to MS to garner the use of BR so as to provide games with content that will benefit more from a BR disc than the standard 360 version?
For the record I actually own a PS3.


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The only difference between this tee and the original Axel Foley is that this one smells like hockey pucks, clementines or stamps. You decide. Just email email@example.com and let him know.
So sorry, but only 4 items are allowed for comparison, so we're comparing the first 4. I blame the gnomes and so should you.
Would you like to compare the products you have selected now?


text: Ok, so the last thread where I posted this got deleted so I'm gonna try again to put this up for others to see. This is Luis Mediero of RPT Europe doing a seminar on Spanish training methods and philosophies a few years ago. Its not the whole video, just a portion of it. Enjoy Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Aj8jYfKqio Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHd0kMBdGkE Part 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfH_KB63k44 Part 4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCcb_sYn7dA Edit: Two more videos uploaded, these are a few of the on-court drills presented in the video in connection to what was being discussed/lectured earlier. RPT Drills Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xo0ffkh-Z4 RPT Drills Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqCfLhWVaAE Edit 2: Links fixed


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© 2010 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. All rights reserved.
Bailey, Cahill ride All-Star wave together
Pitching duo first multi A's reps at Midsummer Classic since '04
By Chris Haft / MLB.com
ANAHEIM -- Andrew Bailey and Trevor Cahill are glad to be sharing this year's All-Star experience, though their paths could diverge sharply as the game unfolds.
Cahill worked seven innings and allowed an unearned run in the A's 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday, rendering him inactive for the game. That cleared a path for Bailey, Oakland's closer who secured his 18th save in 21 chances Sunday, to join the American League squad for Tuesday's Midsummer Classic at Angel Stadium.So while Cahill knows he'll be a spectator, Bailey realizes that he could be summoned at almost any time to face the National Leaguers. That knowledge made him a bundle of nerves at last year's All-Star Game, when he made the AL team as a rookie. "I was sitting down there in the bullpen, and in the first inning I was sweating already," Bailey said. "I was so nervous. Hopefully this year I'll be able to kind of hone everything in a little bit more and not be as nervous. ... I know my chances of pitching are pretty good. If I get in there, I'm going to take full advantage of the opportunity to represent my bullpen and the Oakland Athletics organization. If I don't get in there, I'm not going to be disappointed. It's just awesome being here and being acknowledged by [AL manager] Joe Girardi and Major League Baseball." Bailey didn't appear in the AL's 4-3 triumph, but he still benefited from his visit to St. Louis. Merely watching proven pitchers such as Mariano Rivera, Jonathan Papelbon, Mark Buehrle and Joe Nathan go about their business deepened his insight into his craft. "It was incredible to see how they go about their business and prepare for each and every game," said Bailey, 26. "We were just kind of hanging out and I was trying to act like I've been here before." Now it's Cahill's turn to make the most of his inactivity. Asked if he'll assume the traits of a sponge over the next couple of days, the 22-year-old Cahill said, "That's a good way to put it. I'm just here to soak it all in. I'm just trying to pick guys' brains, hang out with Bailey and talk to other guys and just have fun with it. I don't have anything to worry about." Accompanying Bailey, who has been exposed to All-Star decorum and customs, is invaluable for Cahill. "I'll probably be his shadow most of the time," said Cahill, who's 9-3 with a 2.94 ERA in 15 starts. That's not unusual for Bailey and Cahill, who are roommates when the A's are at home. They share a place about 20 miles northeast of Oakland in Walnut Creek. Both also have encountered obstacles en route to All-Star status. Cahill wasn't even on Oakland's Opening Day roster. He began the season on the disabled list, forced to deal with a stress reaction near his left scapula. Upon recovering, he was sent to Triple-A Sacramento, where he made two starts before being recalled to fill in for the injured Brett Anderson. "He got on a roll with his command this year, and he was able to make adjustments with left-handed hitters.
"That's been the biggest difference for him," A's manager Bob Geren said of Cahill, who finished 10-13 with a 4.63 ERA last year. "With the left-handed hitters, he's really turned that around 180 [degrees]."Bailey has glided along a hurdle-free path this season en route to receiving an invitation to the AL roster to replace the Angels' Jered Weaver, who replaced Cahill. But Bailey overcame a measure of anonymity slightly more than a year ago, when he was completely off the baseball radar. Bailey was a 2009 non-roster invitee to Spring Training after salvaging his 2008 season with a move from Double-A Midland's starting rotation to the RockHounds' bullpen. In a meteoric rise, Bailey not only made the big league club but soon found himself in the coveted closer's role and, ultimately, on the All-Star team as the A's lone representative. "I think where Trevor started this year, at Triple-A, with some uncertainty, I guess you can kind of compare it to what I went through last year," Bailey said. "It was a whirlwind for me, making the team and having success come from that. It's kind of the same thing with him, not knowing if he was going to make the team. For him to start the year on the DL and then go to Triple-A and come up here and prove that he does belong, that just shows what character and confidence he has in his stuff, and what the organization thinks of him." Bailey and Cahill give the A's multiple All-Star representatives for the first time since 2004, when pitchers Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson joined forces. Bailey also is the first A's player to earn back-to-back All-Star accolades since Mulder did so in 2003 and 2004 and the first A's closer to make the team in consecutive seasons since Dennis Eckersley in 1991-92.
Chris Haft is a reporter for MLB.com. Jane Lee is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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They found you like a river stone
in the Orontes where the people fished
you out. And like oil on water
you take the tint of all colors.
Now a streetwise nation wakes,
thousands on the Brooklyn Bridge,
down Broadway, Cleveland,
L.A., on the lawn of the Capitol
jailbreaking our jobs and mountains,
our houses foreclosing or falling down.
There's no due process to undo
a quarter-century of bankers
clapping the beat of a pop tune,
people lost to a blindfold of interest.
Listen. They're singing your song
in the square, old and young, a voice
wading out where the cameras can see.
Laren McClung is the author of Between Here and Monkey Mountain (Sheep Meadow 2012). She lives between two cities.