text:
If you're in need of a honking big screen, you may be in luck. The TomTom XXL 540 S takes everything that we liked about the TomTom XL 340 S and the TomTom One 140 S and expands the color touch screen to a massive 5-inch display, which may come in handy if you drive an RV or big truck that requires you mount your GPS device further away from the driver's seat.
Based on TomTom's successful XL series of wide-screen portable navigation devices, the XXL 540 S has an identical feature set, including TomTom Map Share and IQ Routes technologies, as well as advanced lane guidance. As an "S" designated model, the 540 S also features text-to-speech that reads aloud street and point-of-interest (POI) names for quicker recognition.
The 5-inch WQVGA wide-format touch screen occupies the front of the XXL 540 S, while a large, loud 2-inch speaker dominates its back. The only physical control to be found is the power button on the unit's top edge. The Mini-USB port on its bottom edge serves as the connection for the included 12-volt car charger for data connections.
Unlike its primary competitor, the Garmin Nuvi, the XXL 540 S does not have an SD or microSD card slot, so you'll have to make do with the device's 2GB of onboard storage, which is reasonable for map and voice data. All updates are done online via a USB connection.
TomTom's EasyPort mount integrates the XXL's cradle into the back of the unit. To attach the unit to your windshield, simply flip out the suction cup, place the device on the windshield, and twist the locking ring a quarter-turn. With a bit of practice, the TomTom's EasyPort mount becomes quite easy to place and remove from the windshield and offers a bit of flexibility of mounting angles. Our XXL's EasyPort was prone to popping off while adjusting. However, because we haven't had this issue with any of the other EasyPort equipped TomToms that we've previously tested, we're inclined to believe that our particular 540 S's connection was uncharacteristically loose.
The integrated cradle adds considerable bulk to the XXL's already mammoth size, more than doubling its thickness. Users who carry their TomTom in a bag or purse probably won't notice, but if you're planning on pocketing your XXL, you'll probably want to remove the EasyPort mount first or look for a smaller nav device. An additional bonus to the EasyPort mount is that there is no cradle left behind for would-be thieves to mistake for something of value, thus increasing vehicle security.
Also included with the XXL 540 S are a 12-volt car charger, a USB connection cable, and an adhesive disk for attaching the XXL to your vehicle's dashboard if windshield mounting is not permissible.
The TomTom XXL 540 features Advanced Lane Guidance, a new feature to the XL line that shows detailed illustrations of complex freeway interchanges, complete with lane information. Arrows overlaid on the illustration notify drivers of what lanes will keep them on the chosen route.
Text-to-speech functionality lets the XXL 540 S announce street and POI names aloud. The unit comes bundled with 14 English, French, and Spanish voices. More voices can be downloaded from the Web, including celebrity voices. (Our personal favorites are Mr. T and John Cleese!)
The XXL 540 S comes with TomTom's Latest Maps Guarantee, which allows users one free map update within 30-days of purchase. After that you'll have to pay for quarterly updates or use the free TomTom Map Share service. Map Share lets users make corrections to street names, directions, road speeds, POIs, and so on and upload those changes to be approved and shared with other TomTom Map Share users. If you don't trust the hive mind, you can choose to opt out of this service.


text:
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. - For more than 30 years, watching the bright flame of a space shuttle rocketing toward space until it was no more than a blip in the sky was one of the joys of living in Brevard.
Starting Saturday, you can get an up-close and personal view of space shuttle Atlantis at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in a setting that shows off just how magnificent that blip really is, according to Local 6 news partner Florida Today.
The newest attraction at KSC, joining its already popular Shuttle Launch Experience and Angry Birds Space Encounter, opens with great fanfare. Friday, as part of the VIP experience, there will be refreshments and music with guest speakers. The same goes for Saturday morning. Close to 50 astronauts are on the guest list with at least one from each of Atlantis' 33 missions. Apollo astronauts also are expected to attend.
"Atlantis is on display as she would be normally in flight. It's the first time ever that a lot of people are going to see her this close," said Tim Macy, director of project development and construction for Delaware North Companies Parks and Resorts.
"Here we are dealing with a national treasure," Macy said. With a price tag of $1.66 billion, "it's a priceless artifact."
Through logistical and engineering feats, the shuttle was tilted at a 43-degree angle with her payload doors open. Visitors can walk under, around or "nose level" to the massive craft. During the planning phase, thousands of pictures were taken. Those images later helped organizers choose the blueprint for how Atlantis would be displayed.
The result displays the view an astronaut would get as he or she looked out the International Space Station window as Atlantis was pulling away.
How it began
Although KSC wasn't officially announced as Atlantis' permanent home until April 2011, the idea for the Atlantis exhibit came about five years ago, with development starting a couple of years later and construction going on for the past 17 months. Delaware North worked with engineers from NASA, a design team and technical adviser.
The $100 million project was funded through money borrowed from Space Florida, money generated from KSC Visitor Complex admission fees and money made from food and merchandise, Macy said. No government funds or tax dollars were used.
Atlantis was wrapped in plastic before its big move from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the state-of-the-art exhibit facility last fall. That 90,000-square-foot building boasts an impressive theater, giant LED screens and 1,700 light fixtures. Quotes from people who played a role in the Atlantis program line the walls along with breathtaking photography of the shuttle and its glory.
"This building was huge, then on Nov. 2, the building got very small very quick," said Macy. "The bird itself, everyone thinks it's slick and going to be pretty. But we're showing you what it looked like when it landed after STS-135. It went straight from the landing strip, over to the orbiter processing facility, and then in November, we rolled it over here and lifted it up 30 feet and tipped it at 43 degrees."
NASA offered to clean it up and make it pristine, Macy said, but the team wanted the space dust to remain.
The exhibit originally was set to open May 2014, but opening date was accelerated to December 2013, then mid-July.
What to expect
Along with Atlantis, the exhibit features more than 60 interactive displays, continuous films in a theater and in the display area. An impressive mockup of the Hubble Space Telescope hangs near the gift shop. Videos show the history of Hubble and the role Atlantis played in fixing the telescope.
Just past Hubble is an exit from the Shuttle Launch Experience.
A 1983 airstream used by astronauts for various events is on display, as well as an astrovan, the vehicle used to ferry astronauts to and from launches and landings. The gift shop features space-themed artwork by children and an area where guests can dress up like astronauts for photo opps.
The play zone features a giant slide and "astronaut training" exercises.
Pop culture phenomenon Stephen Colbert of "The Colbert Report" on Comedy Central makes a special appearance in the exhibit — via a NASA treadmill. In 2009 during a NASA contest, the political pundit lobbied to name one of the rooms at the ISS after him. "Colbert" beat out NASA suggestions Serenity, Legacy, Earthrise and Venture. As a compromise, NASA introduced the Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill. The treadmill is used for exercising in space. You can see Colbert's "mission patch" at KSC.
'Her next mission'
"We say this is her next mission," Macy said. "Her mission is to tell the story.
"We don't know really what's next in terms of manned space flight," he said. "Nobody's absolutely sure, but what we do know is that this shuttle and this shuttle program got us to where we are today."
Today's opening offers KSC visitors a unique experience and a chance to learn about a real mechanical superhero.
"Transformers are cool, but this is real," Macy said. "This is the real Transformer. This thing opens up and transforms itself from a rocket into a glider. That's a pretty cool transformation, I think."
WHAT: Atlantis exhibit
WHEN: The park is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Starting Saturday, KSC guests will get to check out the new Atlantis exhibit.
WHERE: Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex on State Road 405
COST: Admission is $50 for adults, $40 for ages 3 to 11.
INFO: Call 866-737-5235 or visit www.kennedyspacecenter.com. Send a Tweet to @exploreksc
Copyright 2013 by ClickOrlando.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Instead, Ricky Wonder Bread choked (for at least the first half of the debate), confirming the worst fears: unprepared for attacks he should have known were coming, uncharismatic, unconvincing as a debater- while unsettlingly showing flashes of temper and immaturity, serious flaws in a candidate for what is sure to be a brutal, negative battle.
Not only did Mittens have him on the ropes (in a hall stuffed with Romney supporters by the AZ GOP), Santorum was easily ruffled and repeatedly put back on his heels both by Mitt and Ron Paul, appearing quite angry for being asked to defend his past decisions and actions. As heard here time and time again, this one ain't got what it takes to make it in The Bigs, so glaringly obvious after watching him whiff like this... maybe after a few years on the farm team, but not this season.
Hey, Santorum seems like an OK guy, I myself am a church-going Catholic and yes I do like most all his platform... he simply will not beat Obama in November if nominated, that's all.
Newt Gingrich -while laying off RS completely- actually delivered one of his better performances, hitting Romney as a hypocrite re. earmarks while mainly focusing on Obama, in particular his great enthusiasm for abortion. Combined with Santorum's failure to deliver in the clutch, it will be interesting to see how it plays out in the polls as ST approaches.
But catch this: Ron Paul again joined with Romney in trashing Santorum... while nary a peep about Mittens' (99% opposite of his) foreign policy. Hmmm, well if that strikes you as exceedingly odd, you're not the only one: some see a pattern in this over the last few debates: since Paul's positions on Iran and such make him nonviable as a candidate himself, speculation is growing that he's in the race as a spoiler at this point, in order to split the right and drag-down Gingrich and Santorum. chokes debate face plant
Why would über-idealist Ron Paul want to go and do a thing like that... collaborate with Flipper, you ask? Rumors also rife the (unprincipled after all) old man is maneuvering to get Rand Paul on the ticket as VP (with unabashed statist Romney!). If true, this would be a hypocrital sellout of the first order... bet you Paulbots never saw this one coming-
Now we're back to asking all of you take yet another fresh look at Newton Leroy Gingrich: all I can tell you is if Newt is unable to capitalize on Super Tuesday, I will be looking to an open convention in order to nominate a candidate who can go out there and lay into the Obama in the way that it needs to be done: Dear Leader's whole gig is based on maintaining his smiley-faced-mannequin facade while ramming-through a hidden (Marxist, racist) agenda as fast as possible, by-hook-or-by-crook... this reality needs to be exposed thoroughly in order for the Republican Party to win back the White House (as demonstrated by the Former House Speaker last night):


text:
He couldn't even handle the Jose pass from 9.5 inches away today.
Whenever Landry Fields frustrates you, just remember that he makes $550,000 every 2 weeks all season.
He couldn't even handle the Jose pass from 9.5 inches away today.
Whenever Landry Fields frustrates you, just remember that he makes $550,000 every 2 weeks all season.
It's still early. Fields probably still has some nerves (new team, expectations, that huge salary). I would hope by mid season he has most of this worked out, we'll just have to wait - we have no choice HAHAH
The fast-break Dunk/Layup that he bobbled last night was almost worse than the one this thread is about!
bumbling play sure, but you could make a longer youtube of Bargs hitting front iron or airballing.
How about Hoffa losing the jump ball to Nate Robinson.
So much negativity on the fan's own team. There's a reason why fans are getting called out as well, our fan base is very impatient and not very 'fan-like.'
*sigh* It is what it is.
Twitter: @ReubenJRD NBA, Raptors writer for Daily Hive Vancouver, Toronto.
Part 2:
I can't blame the fanbase for running out of patience. MLSE should be thanking their lucky stars they still have a fanbase to sell tickets to.
Even if we look at the "neo" raptors in the Colangelo era, all we've got is 3 playoffs wins to brag about. It's been an incomprehensible run of awful basketball.
There is no reason why a fan can't or shouldn't have an independant opinion, think differently, not be supportive of poor decision making or stick their head in the sand.
The only ones 'calling out' fans, are the ones who think wearing rose coloured glasses over their blindfold is a good thing.
I personally think the fans who are unwilling to criticize, are blindly supportive, and who spend money regardless of the product or direction are the single most dangerous issue to an organization. I always hear leaf fans (and raptors fans) talk about the MLSE not caring about winning and are solely focused on $.... yet where do they think those dollars come from? So why would they change if fans are going to keep throwing dollars, attention and support their way regardless of results? Consumers vote with their wallets, if one is consistently spending money on a poor product your telling the company you like it.
In fact I'd argue fairweather fans, in their own way, do alot more good for an organization than anyone else; because they force a team to put a good, exciting, interesting product on the floor before they are willing give the team a positive vote.
I certainly don't think MLSE is going that far with the Raptors, as I believe the post-Bosh rebuild has been pretty well followed. The Fields signing was bad and the DeRozan re-signing was 50/50 at best (time will tell). Aside from those moves, neither of which are really that bad, I think this is just a decent young team that is suffering through the typical growing pains associated with a young team that is rebuilding, especially with so many new faces this season. I also don't think there should have been any expectations for anything more than what they've shown... I think a successful pre-season unfairly raised the expectations of too many fans.
Just roll around these boards and you have many, many people supporting a GM who has one winning season in 6 years (likely 7) and who want to give him more time. How much more? Would another 10 years be long enough? I would argue there is way too much patience in Raptorland and we accept failure and excuses way too much. All it's been for 17 years is one excuse after another for this organization.So much negativity on the fan's own team. There's a reason why fans are getting called out as well, our fan base is very impatient and not very 'fan-like.'
*sigh* It is what it is.
Plus, understand that, at least in my case, my frustration isn't so much with the players as ownership and management. I don't blame Bargnani, for example, cause he is what he is. He's been that way for 6 years. I blame management for not understanding that. I don't blame Landry Fields, I blame Colangelo. Same with Turk, O'Neal, Ford, Marion, Bayless, Jack, Kapono and all the other failed roster moves. I like many of our players and cheer for them to play well and win but, at the same time, I understand that, as long as this management team is in place, the roster is never going to be good enough to really succeed. It's just reality.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)


text:
STARmeterTop 5000
Up 811 this week
Alexander Gould
Gould was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, to parents Valerie and Tom Gould. He began acting at the age of two and is perhaps best known for providing the voice of the title character of Disney/Pixar's Finding Nemo (2003). His on-camera credits include guest spots on the television series Ally McBeal (1997), Malcolm in the Middle (2000),... See full bio »
Born:in Los Angeles, California, USA
More at IMDbPro » Contact Info: View agent, manager and legal


text:
Card Management School Broadens Offerings
Ondine Irving has added sessions on scoring card portfolios, card risk management and new approaches to loyalty programs to her card management schools scheduled for Dallas in December and Las Vegas in January.
Irving, a consultant for credit union card programs, has long used her credit card management schools to address cost cutting and more efficient card portfolio management, but now she has added presentations from TransUnion, CUNA Mutual Group and Breakaway Incentives, a new loyalty program firm, to the familiar sessions on reducing portfolio costs and finding innovative ways to grow a card program.
"This class is beneficial for all card-issuing credit unions and also ideal for those credit unions re-entering the credit card market. It is an opportunity for live discussion with peers, processors and all staff levels. It is also a good opportunity to hear unfiltered information regarding experiences with other card processors," Irving said.


text:
Social media crises on the rise – yet most companies are ill-prepared. Companies are quick to deploy the latest social media technology, yet most have not prepared for the threat of social media crises, or long-term effects on business. While the incidence of social media crises is on the rise, we found that more than three-fourths (76%) could have been diminished or averted had companies invested internally.
Altimeter's Social Hierarchy of Needs: Foundation, Safety, Formation, Enablement, Enlightenment


text:
House's very clean, beautiful scene .furnished kitchen .TV , 2 girls 1 guy share the house. We looking for one more ppl to share the house and keep it comfortable.
Modern large unit in nice suburb. Quiet and friendly neighbours. Room has the option of a queen bed if you desire. Built in wardrobes with hanging space and shelves. Main bathroom has bath and shower, separate toilet.
Beautiful period home.Lots of space. Walk to CBD and Gorge. Close to transport. Large garden. Friendly resident dog and cat. Relaxed mature residents. Clean and tidy with all furniture already here. Separate self contained downstairs with modern kitchen and lovely lounge room. Warm in the winter. Unlimited NBN included Drama free !!
If you are planning ahead and looking for somewhere to stay during your AMC or the Newnham Campus of Utas study year in 2018 then we might be the home you are looking for. For students, the room rates are $145 or $150/week (I have two different homes, only one is featured here) and have different inclusions and there is no room sharing unless you are a couple. Contact me for couple rates. The home featured and pictured here is fondly called VB and it has been home to students from around the world for over 10 years...so you will be joining a family that spans the globe! Both homes have had similar history and have a wall of fame to join. When you see our VB kitchen wall.....you will see the variety of people who have shared this home with you - get your pic up on our wall and make history with us. We also share family dinners with our other share home family...so you will be part of a new network when you walk through our door. The home is two story, has a wonderful balcony overlooking a pretty garden, full of roses during summer, and looks out to the Tamar river, with the fabulous setting sun on a warm day. Each room in VB has in-room heating, all linen and bedding supplied - if you need it - with everything you would need for your study time here in Launceston and a fully equipped kitchen. What's included in both homes, if you are a student? Study desk/lamp/chair, and rooms have double or queen beds other than our fondly-called Sunroom. AND we are just under 3km from the AMC/Uni...people staying here have walked, ridden bikes or used their cars/caught the bus. There is a large wifi internet down-load you share with your housemates, and all the water and some of the power is included in your weekly rent. For VB, because your landlord lives in, you get to have someone who keeps your toilet/bathroom clean and the common areas clean too...now that is fairly amazing ;). Clothes and dish detergent is also included. Most of the students who have stayed here have been PhD students, ocean or marine engineers, valuing the quiet space and ability to focus on getting their studies done vs dealing with share house politics which can happen in some homes. So, if you like space to enjoy your down time reading a book in the sun or watching a movie, AND a quiet environment to study, this is probably a great place for you. The home is a home for you while you are away from your own, with a great lounge that also overlooks the river and the sunny garden, with a large TV for times when you are over study and want to veg out. My other home is also a great space and somewhat larger - and there are rooms still available there too, for 2018 uni/AMC year. If we sound like the sort of place you would like to share with us, call us or drop Suz a line and we can see if we both have a fit. We can't wait to hear from you!
A large house on Foch Street, Mowbray, Launceston, 3 minutes of walk to University of Tasmania and Australian Maritime College. 5 minutes of walk to Mowbray shopping centre including two major supermarkets. Three rooms are available for lease. The house has a ducted gas heating system to keep you warm in the winter, two bathrooms and is furnished with bed, wardrobe, and large desk in bedrooms; fridge, microwave, dining table suite in the kitchen, wash machine in the laundry; and internet. The house is fully fenced, secure and quiet. The garden is maintained by the owner. Weekly rent: $110 for large rooms and $90 for the smaller room.
The house has a great location. It is really close to the tranquil UTAS campus of Launceston (5 minutes' walk). Shopping is easy here, just walk for 10 minutes and you're at Coles, Woolworths or Target. Transportation is also easy here, we have a bus stop right across the road. The house is also pretty close to the highway. 5 minutes' drive to down town Launceston and you can get to all the North-eastern scenery spots within an hour. The house is all furnished and all kinds daily necessities are available. Kitchen is shared. Feel free to use any of the equipment in there. You will also share the washing machine with you flatmates but they don't use the machine much. The room is furnished with a single bed, a desk and a wardrobe. Other essentials such as tissue paper,soap, and detergent will also be there. The best thing of this room is that you'll have a bathroom of your own! Everyone is welcomed and hope you enjoy the room!
Close to everything. shops walking distance, old home but nice yard, have everything but its a bit old...bed and sheets etc lots of kitchen stuff 2 TV's old computer. vegetable garden and friendly cat. good heating, open fire for winter, brother brings me wood free! I like cooking and have 2 part time jobs, lock on shower and bedroom lounge and chairs cane, house phone and happy home. would like quite person and clean person its old home but I'm sort of house proud.
A 6-bedroom house on two levels: This house is located on George Town Road, Newnham, about 20 minutes of walk to Australian Maritime College and University of Tasmania. There are bus stops in front of the house. In addition, there is a bicycle lane on the George Town Road and thus safe to ride on your bike if you like. You can leave your bike in the shed. The house was built for student accommodation and has been renovated with new floor, painted walls, and new bathrooms. There are three toilets and two showers. There are three rooms on each level with their own living room. All rooms have large built-in wardrobes (some are walk-in wardrobes), and room sizes vary from 13 to 20 square meters. The house is furnished with bed, desk, and chair in the bedroom; fridge, microwave, dining suite in the kitchen; lounge suite, coffee table in the lounge room; 9kg washing machine in the laundry. The garden is maintained by the owner. Internet is available on NBN.
Our house is in a beautiful location, looking over almost all of Launceston. It used to be a doctor's house back in the early 1900's, and now houses 4 very comfortably. Only 10 minute walk into the CBD, but very quiet and peaceful regarding noise levels. There is a sunroom, outdoor courtyard, kitchen, one bathroom but a separate toilet adjacent to the laundry, and a beautiful back yard. All jobs are shared equally in a weekly roster system.
A large two-bedroom flat, located on George Town Road, Newnham, about 20 minutes of walk to Australian Maritime College and University of Tasmania. There are bus stops in front of the house. In addition, there is a bicycle lane on the George Town Road and thus safe to ride on your bike if you like. You can leave your bike in the shed. Both rooms are large (about 15sqm) with a large dinning/sitting room. The flat is furnished with bed, desk, and chair in the bedroom; fridge, microwave, dining suite in the kitchen; lounge suite, coffee table in the lounge room; 9kg washing machine in the laundry. The garden is maintained by the owner. You can rent the whole flat for $220 per week, or find a friend to share each paying $110 per week. lounge, dining suite, coffee table and white goods
Large rooms, great space, awesome views, close to CBD and a pool.
The room available is unfurnished with a built-in robe. The property is a 3 Brd townhouse in the CBD with a 5-minute walk to Coles, Kmart, Central Park, and 10-15minutes walk to literally everything else in town. There is a bus stop at the front door. Only I and my 3 indoor only cats will be living at the property with you. You would only be sharing the guest bathroom with visitors and the rest of the house is completely furnished (with plenty of space to be filled). NBN internet is available. Potentially the 3rd bedroom could also be rented. I also have an automatic car I won't mind lending out.
Beautifully furnished room with garden views. Huge house, 4 large bedrooms, lounge room, fire place, dinning room, lovely alfresco dinning and outdoor day bed.
Nice, reasonably quiet place with decent views. Close to Heritage Forest and the levy bank, which makes it an easy ride/walk to UTAS Inveresk campus. Bed not included in room, sorry. Room will only fit a single bed (unless you don't care about being able to move). Parking in the driveway/carport may be possible depending on schedules.
The house is located on a quiet street in Youngtown, featuring fenced off-street parking and a secure garage which is currently only being used for storage. The room for rent comes unfurnished and contains a built in robe able to house clothes. (All furniture in the photos will be removed prior to moving in). There are a number of shared living areas which are already furnished. The house has a reverse cycle air conditioner in the lounge-room, and a washer and dryer in the laundry. As briefly mentioned in my about me, my super friendly and loving Golden Retriever Emmy lives at the house also, spending most of her time outside roaming the garden. Should the above sound like it might be of interest to you, feel free to get into contact with me!


text:
Celtics Coach Brad Stevens '99: Leadership Course at DePauw Was Impactful
December 22, 2013
A Boston Globe story previewing the return of Brad Stevens to Indiana, where his Boston Celtics face the Pacers tonight, examines the leadership style of the Celtics head coach. Baxter Holmes writes, "Actually, one of the biggest influences in how Stevens leads was a course he took during his sophomore year at DePauw." (top image: Stevens in action as an undergraduate)
Stevens is in his first season leading the NBA team after coaching at Butler University. A 1999 DePauw University graduate, he tells the newspaper, "From my upbringing, from where I saw things, the loud, vocal, demanding voice in the room was the leader. And then I started learning more about, and studying servant leadership."
Holmes notes, "Stevens learned more about the subject during an internship at the Hartman Center for Civic Education and Leadership, where he studied the work of Robert K. Greenleaf, a 20th century proponent of servant leadership. The principal value behind that leadership style could best be explained through an example involving Stevens and his teams at Butler. When the Bulldogs' bus would pull up to a hotel on the road, he'd be the first one to start unloading bags. His players, in turn, would help, as would others. 'It's not for everybody,' said Stevens, who would put on an apron and serve pizza to elementary and junior high students at Butler basketball camps. 'I'm sure there are plenty of people who have led without that. But it's a great way to lead. It keeps you grounded in what's important.' " (photo at left: Rob Goebel/Indianapolis Star)
Access the complete article, which also quotes DePauw head men's basketball coach Bill Fenlon, at the Globe's website.
"My experience at DePauw was about as beneficial as any experience I've had," Brad Stevens told ESPN.com last month. A Management Fellow and economics major at DePauw, Stevens was named the head coach of the Celtics in July, becoming the youngest current head coach in the NBA. At DePauw, Stevens played four seasons for Fenlon, earning all conference and academic all conference honors all four years. You can learn more about his college playing career here.Back


text:
There were two things that Delray Beach (Fla.) American Heritage School Greg Bryant and everyone else in the recruiting knew coming into his unofficial visit to Oklahoma this weekend, he'd be there on Friday, and he wasn't going to commit.
Well, Bryant said after spending about 36 hours in Norman he simply couldn't think of any reason not to.
The nation's No. 23 overall player and No. 4 running back took the trip with his cousin, uncle, and father and admits that when he arrived the idea of committing was the furthest thing from his mind.
"Yeah, I committed," Bryant, a four-star, admitted. "It just snuck up on me, I came in thinking I wasn't going to commit. I was planning to wait until signing day but as I stayed there it just made it seem like Oklahoma was the place for me.
"Just spending time there and feeling comfortable, listening to what coaches had to say, watching practice and that made me see that I could be there and that it's the place to be."
The 5-foot-11, 200-pound back made the announcement just after Oklahoma's Saturday scrimmage and the first person to know was none other than Sooners head coach Bob Stoops.
"I went to go get some Oklahoma clothes that I could wear back to Florida and when I got back I told him right on the field," he recalled.
"He was happy and he started hugging me and he yelled for the players and the players, they came in a circle and when he told them everybody went crazy."
Unlike many official visitors Bryant actually had some time to spend around the Sooner players, most notably ace player-recruiter Kenny Stills, and he says that after things settled down the message from the players was the same as it had been before hand.
"They were just telling me that it's a place that they show you a lot of love and it's all about Oklahoma football in that state and it's a good environment to be in," he explained.
The man largely responsible for Oklahoma getting Bryant on campus is Sooner running backs coach Cale Gundy. But Stoops didn't want to spoil the moment of the long-time Sooner assistant and his prize target, instead choosing to let Bryant inform Gundy.
"Actually he wasn't there when I committed, then he came up walking, and he didn't have any idea and Stoops told me to tell him what I told him and that's when he started going crazy," Bryant laughed.
Since SoonerScoop.com broke the news of Bryant's commitment earlier this afternoon there has been wild speculation about just how solid Bryant's commitment might be and if there could be future visit plans. Such chatter was something he shot down quickly.
"I'm done with recruiting, this is what I needed so I can focus on my high school team, my academics, and just my senior year. I know I'm definitely going to be going to Oklahoma, that's why I committed," Bryant stated.
For many running backs the appeal of playing for Oklahoma has long been the chance to be the 'next Adrian Peterson' but after the emergence of Demarco Murray for the Dallas Cowboys last season that recruiting tool has become two-fold for the Sooner coaching staff.
"While I was there, watch some highlights of Adrian Peterson, Demarco Murray," Bryant said. "Actually, earlier the coaches said I can catch out of the backfield and either way they are going to get the ball in my hands. Coach Gundy said I remind him of Demarco and Stoops said Adrian Peterson."
While the people around Norman were a big element of his decision he admits that when he returns to Norman he'll have a new vocabulary to get his head around.
"On the visit I got to walk around and chill with the players and actually education wise I spoke to the academic counselor and we went on a tour and then we were just watching practice," he said. "Talking to (Kenny Stills), he didn't have to tell me nothing, it was just telling me how everything is, it's different, it's way different from Florida, but I like it. For one, they talk way different, it's a whole new language (laughing)."
But the language barrier is something Stills can certainly help Bryant with, that is if Stills remains for his final year in Norman in the 2013 season. If he doesn't, that may also be to Bryant's advantage as he'll hope to grab Stills' No. 4 during his time in Norman.
"Oh yeah, that's a lucky number, I've got to have that talk with him," Bryant chuckled.
A big part of going so far from home is the support of a recruit's family, and apparently that's not something the Sooner staff will have to worry about in regard to Bryant's father who joined him in Norman over the weekend.
"Oh my dad, he loved it, he helped me make the decision. He went on some of the tours with me and saw everything, he said it's going to be hard to see me but he said it's no big deal and that I have a big future at Oklahoma," he said.
With a decision made, Bryant will now turn his focus to leading his American Heritage School to a second straight state title in 2012 with a roster he says is 'better than last year'. However, he knows that all year long he will be hearing about how he should have stayed in Florida to play his college ball.
"I already got some texts, 'I can't believe you're not going to Florida and Florida State', stuff like that. But I'm ready for it, I know where I want to go," he said.


text:
Victoria College teaches study skills, degree planning in Student Success Workshops
Sept. 14, 2013 at 4:14 a.m.
Eight workshops will be offered this fall to help Victoria College students set goals and succeed in their studies, finances and careers.
The workshops are free to Victoria College students and high school students taking VC courses.
"Students currently enrolled in EDUC 1300 will be given a College Success Factors Index assessment to determine in what areas they could be at risk," said Eliza Welder, Title V academic adviser. "The CSFI determines students' strengths as well as areas in which they need improvement. It then proposes interventions to help them succeed in higher education."
She said future workshops will focus on strengthening areas in which students may be at risk.
Victoria College student Natalie Rodriguez attended a recent workshop dealing with personal finances and found it very useful.
"It helped me figure out a better way of understanding my money," Rodriguez said. "This is a good workshop, especially for those just starting out."
Upcoming workshops and locations this semester
• Conquering Math Anxiety, 3-4 p.m. Tuesday, will be conducted by Academic Foundations Coordinator Brian Hutcheson in Johnson Hall, Room 205.
• Career Exploration, 10-11 a.m. Sept. 24, will be conducted by academic adviser Lisa Elsik in the Academic Building, Room 206.
• Degree Planning, 11 a.m.-noon Oct. 9, will be conducted by Advising and Counseling Services Director Bobby Cubriel in Johnson Hall, Room 205.
• Conquering Math Anxiety, 3-4 p.m. Oct. 16, will be conducted by Hutcheson in Johnson Hall, Room 205.
• Social Media 101, noon-1 p.m. Oct. 22, will be conducted by Elsik in Johnson Hall, Room 205.
• Setting and Achieving Your Goals, 2-3 p.m. Oct. 30, will be conducted by Student Success chairwoman and instructor Gail Janecka in Johnson Hall, Room 203.
• Resumes/Cover Letters, 2-3 p.m. Nov. 13, will be conducted by Elsik in Johnson Hall, Room 203.
• Time Management, 10-11 a.m. Nov. 20, will be conducted by Title V Director Kim Smith in Johnson Hall, Room 205.
These workshops are hosted by VC through a Title V grant from the Department of Education and are held every semester. The $2,720,931 Title V Program is 100 percent funded by the Department of Education.
For more information on upcoming Student Success Workshops, contact Welder at 361-573-3291, ext. 3428, or at firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
About the Blogger
John Myers is Sacramento Bureau Chief for KQED's The California Report, heard on public radio stations around the state. More about John ...
Have a news tip? Email John.
Sponsored by:
Search This Blog
Recent Posts
Recent Comments
Browse By Date
Key California Politics & Public Policy Sites
- Around The Capitol: Track News & Legislation
- Blockbuster Democracy
- CA Budget Project
- CA Majority Report
- Calbuzz
- California Progress Report
- California Watch
- California's Capitol
- Calitics
- Calpensions
- Capitol Weekly
- FlashReport
- Fox & Hounds Daily
- KQED's News Fix
- LA Times California Politics
- Legislative Analyst's Office
- Political Blotter
- Rough & Tumble
- Sac Bee's Capitol Alert
- Sac Bee's The State Worker
- SF Gate: Politics Blog
- Steve Frank's CA Political News
- Ventura County Star 95% Accurate
More From KQED
Subscribe to Capital Notes and you'll never miss a post!
Daily Archives: April 17, 2009
Podcast: Power Plays
Comments Off on Podcast: Power Plays
Powerful players and the special election. A powerful pol considers jumping into a new contest. Power brokers at the Capitol. Ah, it's so great when a theme comes together. This week's Capital Notes Podcast runs down the new endorsements and … Continue reading


text:
"It's as though we have opened a door on another world. Here is a man singing entirely comfortably in the two octaves above middle Cthat's about a sixth above a countertenor's range
. Maniaci says his vocal cords did not thicken in the way of most men and this allows him to sing works specifically written for the great castrati of the baroque and classical eras
. The voice is effortless, with no hint of a break into falsetto."The Observer


text:
In the near term, stock market action has been rocky, with the major indexes posting two straight weeks of losses. But the recent weakness was a mere bump on an otherwise smooth third quarter, as the major indexes continued to coast higher.
It was, of course, the quarter when central banks saved the day. Action by the Fed, the ECB, the Bank of Japan and others lifted risky assets throughout the globe even as economic conditions worsened.
The Dow ended the quarter up 557 points, or 4.3%, to close at 13,437. The blue-chip index has risen in 11 of the past 12 months.
The biggest gainers included Home Depot (HD), up 14%; JPMorgan Chase (JPM), up 13%, and Procter & Gamble (PG), also up 13%.
Home Depot has benefited from the recovery in the housing market, as well as its consistently strong performance come earnings time.
JP Morgan is trading right around where it closed the day before CEO Jamie Dimon revealed the bank's large London Whale losses. Dimon's steady performances in front of Congress and the company's not-awful second quarter earnings report has helped it climb out of that hole.
Procter & Gamble rose after activist investor Bill Ackman took a stake in the company, whch was revealed in July. Ackman's intentions are still not entirely clear, although some analysts like the idea of a restless shareholder prodding the lumbering consumer giant.
The S&P 500 ended the quarter up 78.5 points, or 5.8%, to end at 1,440.7.
Was everything up? Not by a longshot. Coal and steel continue to get pummeled as Chinese demand fades. And industrials have been struggling on weak global demand: Boeing (BA) ended the quarter down 6.3%. FedEx (FDX) fell 4.7%; and railroad company Norfolk Southern (NSC) was down 9.2%.
For a review of the quarter in ETF-land check out this post from Brendan Conway.
Earnings reports, corporate strategies and analyst insights are all part of what moves stocks, and they're all covered by the Stocks to Watch blog. We also look at macro issues, investor sentiments and hidden trends that are affecting the market. Stocks to Watch gives you the full picture of the U.S. stock markets, all day long.
The blog is written by Ben Levisohn, a former stock trader who has covered financial markets for the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg and BusinessWeek.
Write to Ben at email@example.com


text:
A Roman fort, Segontium, was built about 75 ce on a low hill southeast of the present town and was the seat of local chieftains after the Roman withdrawal (c. 380–390). A Celtic church was founded there, probably in the 5th century. Norman penetration (11th century) was brief, but it produced a motte (fortified mound), and subsequently the Welsh Gwynedd princes set up a maenor ("manor") there. The township was completely transformed by the English king Edward I immediately after his conquest of Wales in 1282–83, for he built a large new stronghold around the motte and a walled borough adjacent to it, with a grid pattern of streets. The borough, to which he granted a charter in 1284, was made the capital of North Wales, and it was at the castle that his son, prince of Wales and later Edward II, was born in 1284. Only since 1911, however, has the castle been used for the investiture of the prince of Wales. Both castle and town walls are exceptionally well preserved and attract many tourists. The castle is one of several structures erected by Edward I in northern Wales that were collectively designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1986.
The town has grown considerably beyond the original walls. A small harbour was important mostly in the 19th century as an outlet for slates from nearby quarries. Caernarfon is the administrative centre of Gwynedd and the historic county town (seat) of Caernarvonshire. Pop. (2001) 9,611; (2011) 9,615.


text:
The chain, which specializes in chicken wings and hamburgers, describes itself as a "family sports pub," Chief Development Officer James Walker said.
"When you see those three words, each of those means something to us," he said.
He said the restaurants aim to be family friendly, a place where "moms and dads should feel comfortable bringing their kids." The restaurants also offer arcades and "reasonable" kids meals, he added.
Beef 'O' Brady's is also an excellent place to watch sports, Walker said.
"We've got state-of-the-art television and best-in-class sports programming," he said. "So, if you're looking for a location to see the big game, we're a great place to go."
The "pub" aspect carries two meanings, Walker said. Most Beef 'O' Brady's restaurants carry a full bar, but a pub is also indicative of the chain's laid-back atmosphere. He said the restaurants are casual and patrons should feel free to "come as you are."
Food offerings specialize in burgers and chicken wings and Beef 'O' Brady's strives to "have best in class food," Walker said.
"We're known for our chicken wings, but I would say we're equally known for our burgers," he said. "... We just try to have the best possible burgers and wings we can have."
Beef 'O' Brady's currently has Arkansas franchises in Conway, Maumelle, Fort Smith and Bentonville, as well as a planned expansion to Batesville.
One of the reasons the restaurant is considering Russellville is because of its proximity to Fort Smith, which Walker said has been an extremely successful location.
"Based on the success of that location and the demographics that support that, we started looking at Russellville as a natural next step within the Arkansas market," Walker said.
He said Beef 'O' Bradys likes smaller cities such as Russellville because the level of community involvement tends to be higher. He said the franchise participates in fundraisers for local charities and civic clubs and provides meeting space for local organizations.
"We try to participate in any local events any way, shape or form that we can," Walker said.
In addition to scouting possible locations within Russellville for a restaurant, Beef 'O' Brady's is also seeking a franchisee for the location. One thing that is different between the chain and other restaurant franchises is that Beef 'O' Brady's does not require franchisees to have prior restaurant experience.
"That's typically something that sets us apart from the Applebee's and Chili's of the world," he said.
The company seeks potential franchisees who have business experience, a certain amount of capital and who are "enthusiastic and hardworking," Walker said.
Information about franchise opportunities at Beef 'O' Brady's can be found at www.beefobradysfranchise.com. The chain's main site can be accessed at www.beefobradys.com.


text:
Full name Tony Hanks
Born date unknown
Major teams Waikato, Wasps
Hanks renewed his acquaintance with Wasps after replacing Ian McGeechan as director of rugby in May 2009. Hanks initially linked up with Wasps in 2002 during Warren Gatland's coaching reign. He left in 2005, returning to New Zealand, and was latterly Waikato's head coach. He also spent time with Wasps during the 2009 season, working on secondment between November and April to support the coaching staff of McGeechan, Shaun Edwards and Leon Holden while McGeechan and Edwards prepared for the 2009 British & Irish Lions tour.
But following a reasonable first year in the post, Hanks was dismissed in February 2011 following a run of just one win in six games. He would make a swift return to the Premiership as first team coach at Sale but his time with the Sharks came to an abrupt halt in March 2012 in the wake of a 45-9 defeat at the hands of defending champions Saracens.
Communication error please reload the page.


text:
Exclusive Holiday Cottages
Find your cottage
Your search returned 1167 cottages.
Just show me Exclusive Cottages
Looking for somewhere special to stay, perhaps to spend your honeymoon or anniversary? Or it might be a place to gather family and friends for a 'big' birthday or Christmas celebration. We've travelled the length and breadth of Britain and Ireland looking for exclusive holiday cottages for you and we've found some real gems at the coast and in the countryside.
Welcoming interiors will be beautifully dressed, with attractive
colour schemes, high quality furniture and fine attention to detail
throughout. There may be a few outstanding features too. For
instance, oak beamed ceilings, stone flagged floors and open fires
in older, traditional properties. State-of-the-art kitchens,
plasma-screen TVs and hot tubs in swish designer pads. Four-poster
beds, games rooms - the list goes on. Outside brings flower-decked
terraces and immaculate lawns, often with a view. You'll find
unusual conversions, impressive timber lodges and elegant
residences with swimming pools and sweeping grounds. All kinds of
private luxury holiday homes whatever your party's taste.
How to find an exclusive place to stay
Below we highlight our selection of top-class self-catering
properties. To refine your search to a particular location, please
click on the map to your left. Imagine...in just a few simple steps
you could be on your way to that 'somewhere special'!


text:
Over on Prawfsblawg yesterday, Roll Tide Law prof Frederick Vars noted that a recent survey found only 29% of Americans could name one of the five rights guaranteed by the First Amendment. He then asked the obvious question:
[B]ut should we care?
Well asked, professor. His reasoning is that another survey found that 99% of Americans think the right is very important, and if you want to argue First Amendment protection in court, saying "Free Speech" will get you there, you don't need to name the amendment.
Comments were closed on his post, so no one got to offer an alternative answer to the "should we care" question, but we think perhaps the answer is yes.
There are a lot of rights out there, they don't exist in a vacuum, and unlike folks, not all rights are created equal. There are God-given natural inalienable rights, and their close relative the Constitutional rights (ie: the God-given natural inalienable rights deemed important enough to be mentioned in the Bill of Rights). Then there are statutory rights, which you have only by virtue of the government saying so, things like social security benefits or early voting. These things can be taken away without violating your core natural rights. And then there's other rights existing out in the aether, like the right not to be offended, or to walk from your dorm to class without hearing something you deem to be hate speech. When you start throwing the word "right" around (round round) willy nilly, weird and stupid things happen.
For instance, in a HuffPo op-ed, Celia Buckman writes regarding the Hobby Lobby decision:
What someone should or should not do for their health is between them and their physician, not their boss. This also specifically targets female workers' rights to their bodies, as Hobby Lobby exclusively refuses to pay for female contraceptives.
For a brief period between the implementation of the ACA and the ruling in Hobby Lobby, women did have a right to have their employer provide specific types of contraceptives. But that's a statutory right. The outrage coming from the Hobby Lobby decision though acts as if it infringed on one of the more important God-given natural inalienable rights, specifically the right to control your own body. But women still have the right to control their body, what they've lost is the right to make someone else fund their control.
If you're familiar with the Motte and Bailey style of argument, this is it at work. The insurance coverage right is a weak right, it's the Bailey, and it's very hard to defend. When attacked, women retreat into the bodily autonomy argument, that's the Motte, the fortified keep in the center of the Bailey that's virtually impregnable (har!). Without understanding how rights can differ, women like Celia Buckman (and like a hundred million others) will think that the Bailey is just as defensible as the Motte. Fortunately for Ms. Buckman, she's just a rising high school sophomore. We can forgive the lack of nuance in her case.
But then there's people like Nan Aron, President of the Alliance for Justice, "a national association of over 100 organizations, representing a broad array of groups committed to progressive values and the creation of an equitable, just, and free society" with an annual budget of four million dollars. She writes for HuffPo regarding the McCullen decision (the abortion clinic buffer zone one people stopped talking about once Hobby Lobby came down):
The Chief Justice gives away the game when he writes that the anti-abortion activists bringing the case "are not protestors," and expresses sympathy with their complaint that they haven't been as successful in persuading women to change their minds as they would be if the buffer zone didn't prevent them from sidling up to within an arm's length and whispering their gentle words of persuasion. Ah, you see, anti-abortion activists aren't actual protestors, like you might see outside a political event or on the public sidewalk in front of, let's say, a bank. Those kinds of people can be forced into far-distant "buffer zones" that have chain-link fence around them. But when it comes to abortion and women trying to enter a medical clinic to exercise their constitutional rights, well, that's another story. [Emphasis added]
Alright folks, get out your Constitutions and find for me the right to an abortion.
"It's in the penumbra!" ...Go fuck yourself.
Calling it a constitutional right doesn't make a lot of sense, with or without the penumbra. When we say "constitutional right" we mean the enumerated ones, not the penumbra. The penumbra has a whole other name, and it's God-given natural inalienable rights. The only difference between natural rights and constitutional rights is that the constitutional ones have been written down. An unwritten constitutional right is a meaningless term. It'd be like referring to the IMDB top 100 movies not listed on the IMDB top 100 movies list (and not just the films bumped off over time).
So why does McCullen refer to constitutional rights in her op-ed? Probably because it makes for good rhetoric, and because she hasn't stopped to consider what it means for something to be a constitutional right versus a natural right.
Going back to professor Vars's question, should we care? We think so. The origin of rights matters when it comes to how we treat them, and we're moving towards a society where people think the hierarchy of rights comes down to nothing more than how passionate they are about the issue. If you're going to make more use out of your free contraception than your religious freedom, then you know which right trumps the others. Next you'll be saying your right to not be offended trumps another's right to free speech, not based on any concrete theory of rights, but just on how you feel about their relative importance.


text:
Candy Cane Unwrapped
Who am I?
I'll give you a clue: I am the sort of person who would spell "candy cane" as one word.
I'm also a bookworm, an animal and strawberry-cheesecake smoothie lover, very international, and a rain dancer. Sometimes I ponder on the meaning of life. Other times I ponder on how exactly it would be possible to smuggle a tube of toothpaste on my carry on bag. I check mugglenet every ten seconds. I quote the Harry Potter books randomly.
No, I am not Harry Potter obsessed.
I ship Hermione/Ron and Harry/Ginny, but rarely read or write fanfiction that includes these pairings.
The Un-Striped Stories
Currently, I only submit one-shots for fear of starting a story, getting to the point of interest, then losing interest. No-one would like that.
If you are interested in reading my work, I would recommend starting with Shades of Black, as it has the best characterisation. As a general rule, my more recent stories will be better than older ones.


text:
Hello Lexers!
It's great to be back.
How did you pick your screen name? It's an oldie-but-goodie from college. It's a play on Mandalay Industries, which in turn is a play on both my name and Vandalay Industries (a fictional company in Seinfeld).
How did you come to read Twilight and which book is your favorite? I found Twilight in a bookstore one day this spring and the image on the front cover caught my eye. It sat on my shelf for a while (I know, the horror!) until I decided to pick it up. I think a part of me knew what I was in for, obsession-wise. In order of favorites:Twilight, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, New Moon.
Who do you like best: Edward, Bella, or Jacob? Go Team Edward.
Who is your favorite minor character? Alice. I want to have an Alice. I want to be an Alice.
What are your hobbies? I like to make things: crochet, stenciling, sewing. I like to read, watch tv and play with my dog. I love all things sci-fi and pop culture. I'm addicted to the Internets.
Where are you from (general area like Montana, not exact town!)? I was born in California, grew up in Oregon, moved to Connecticut after high school, went to college at the University of Massachusetts and now live in central Texas.
How old are you? (In general, like teen, 20s, 30s, 40s, etc.) I'm in my 20s. Almost exactly in the middle.
Anything else you'd like to share? I write long posts. Beware.


text:
Friends usually help each other out in different ways. But what if you agreed to help out your friend and now feel you are being taken advantage of? Watch:
Read the transcript.
Friends usually help each other out in different ways. But what if you agreed to help out your friend and now feel you are being taken advantage of? Watch:
Read the transcript.
Friends are really important. They make you feel anchored to the world, and without them, you feel lonely, isolated, and depressed. They care about you and do things with you. You can talk to different friends about different things – you can blow off steam, you can get feedback, or you might receive a badly needed dose of comeuppance and become a better person. But most importantly, it feels good knowing it matters to other people that you exist.
But even when people have great friends, they somehow still manage to screw it all up. Here are some steps you can take to prevent losing a friend:
The best way to ruin a wonderful friendship is to make negative assumptions. If a friend doesn't call you for four days, you assume they don't like you, they forgot you, or they are being rude and insensitive. You lament that they should know you are going through stuff. However, instead of making negative assumptions, you could just pick up the phone and say, "Hey, are you OK? I haven't heard from you, so I was concerned about you."
That's a friend – the other is a parasite.
Gossiping and betraying someone's trust is another way to ruin a friendship. Talking to anyone about your friend's personal issues, feelings, and thoughts is a huge betrayal.
Failing to reciprocate. One of my main definitions of a friendship is that it's reciprocal. Now, that doesn't mean you have to do the same things back and forth, that's sort of silly (i.e. you got me a piece of bread, so I need to get you one). Reciprocating means making an effort to do something benevolent for the other person (e.g. getting your friend bread if they're hungry, or helping them untangle their hair if their hair is tangled).
Talking and not listening. Somebody ruined a friendship with me by not listening and only talking. She didn't even listen when I tried to talk to her about not listening. I took her hands in mine, sat really close to her so that we were almost nose to nose, and told her that I loved her and enjoyed doing things with her, but there was an issue. I told her that I couldn't talk to her about anything without her stopping me and talking about herself. I talked about how it always got either intrusive or competitive (i.e. I couldn't talk to her about a toe without her stopping me to tell me that she had 20 toes). She said she was sorry and that things would change, but they never did. So we took a break. The break has lasted two years, and it has been good. It's not that she is a bad person, she's just not a good friend.
You need to have an attitude in life that your problems are not more important than anyone else's. There are a lot of people who have a problem hither and thither, and they are just horrible to everybody. We all are a little grumpier or more reserved when we are stressed out, but when that happens, just hold up a Post-it note that reads, "I'm stressed out beyond comprehension, don't take anything I say seriously." Just communicate it any way you can, and make it fun.
Another way to ruin a friendship is failing to stay in touch. With technology these days, there is almost no excuse for not staying in contact. You can send a text or an email if you don't want to lick a stamp, or you can video chat.
You also lose friends by only making use of them when you need them. When you don't need them, they get dismissed. You have to do things to nurture the friendship. Think of cute things to say to them and do with them. Ask them how they are doing. If they have a lot on their plate, tell them that you're worried and ask if there is anything you can do to lighten the load. Even if they say no, talking to you may be just what they needed.
If you know your friend is having an exhausting time with a new baby or some other crisis, come over one night with a fully prepared dinner in Tupperware, hand it to them, and then turn around and leave. Little things like that show you are thinking of him or her. Don't be stingy. Give more than you get.
Don't sneak around with your friend's spouse, boyfriend, or girlfriend. I can't even begin to tell you how many people say that their husband or wife left them for their best friend. Excuse me? "Best friends" don't become intimate with each other's boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands, or wives. You just don't do that.
Another tip: learn to compromise and don't be competitive with their other friends and family. Just because they don't do A, B and C with you, appreciate that they do L, G and H with you. Don't make them feel stressed out to the point where they feel like they have to choose between you and the rest of the universe. And if your friend wants to try something new, don't say no. People get a little compulsive about their comfort zones. Both you and your friend should stretch out and try new things.
Don't make fun of their errors all the time. I have a friend named Sam who I play tennis with. One day he was eating dinner at our house after a game, and we started making jokes. Because he had missed a shot, he sighed and said, "Does that mean I can't have salad?" It has become a running joke between the two of us. Whenever we miss shots we should have made, we keep going back and forth with which parts of dinner we should and shouldn't get. You can have a good time poking fun, but don't belittle each other.
Lastly, act like a friend, not a parent. You can't control how other people behave. If you see your friend being self-destructive in any way, tell them, "It just kills me to see you hurting yourself like this because this is in your control. It doesn't feel like it, but it is." That's not being a parent, that's being a friend. If their self-destructive behavior becomes more typical, then you have to draw a line. You're not telling them how to act – you're telling them what your expectation of a friend is. If they don't fall into that category, then they're not a friend and they're not somebody you should put effort into.
Let's say, for example, that you have a friend who is married with little kids and is flagrantly having an affair. I would discuss it with them several times, talk about the impact on the kids, their marriage, etc. If that doesn't work, I would ultimately say, "I don't have friends who betray the people who love them and are willing to have fun at the expense of their kids' well-being. I am not interested in putting effort into somebody like that as a friend." If they respond by saying, "Oh, well you're just being judgmental," you just say back, "Damned straight I am, except I'm judging you as 'friend' material. Whether you're 'mother' or 'wife' material is certainly not in my venue. All I'm judging is whether or not I want to call somebody who is doing this my friend."
That's the kind of discussion you should be having and feel no guilt about.


text:
Can't win with 'em
Can't win without 'em
I feel there is a real failure of the sabermetric community for not quantifying the impact of many of the changes in the steroid era such as smaller parks, maple bats, juiced balls (even Tango agrees the ball was livelier) and smaller strike zones. The few studies I have seen have been weak.
There is a perception that the inflated offense was due primarily to the steroid use of a handful of players known or suspected to have used, and statistically thats not possible.
When you consider that Tony Gwynn at age 37 and 38 had career highs in HR then something besides steroids was going on. Consider also the drastic jump that occurred almost overnight in the early 90′s. The distribution of HRs hit shifted to the right so guys who used to hit single figure HR were hitting HR in the teens, tens to twenties, twenties to thirties, etc. BABIP likewise jumped across the board.
If this becomes clearer, folks will be more likely to discount steroid use. Especially if they were to become aware that the number of players who used steroids was likely far higher than the number of known suspects and not limited to HR hitters or power pitchers. It was probably across the board so much so that using was not cheating as much as leveling the playing field.
Right now there is a perception that steroids caused more of an effect than they probably did. And while there is no question individuals benefited, how much was from the steroids alone and how much the motivation that caused them to use steroids which also meant spending more time in the gym during the offseason.
Since steroid testing began, has anyone noticed players getting smaller? HRs being hit shorter distances? Pitchers velocities dropping? Sure, HR are down and so is offense, but that could be attributed to a less livelier ball (the specs are so large the difference in how far a ball travels in the 400 ft test at the high and low end of the spec is 50 ft).
MLB has sought to encourage the belief that steroids were the root cause of the jump, but thats probably to cover up their juicing the ball to increase attendance and revenues.
That's a pretty incredible feat in itself, not likely to ever be repeated.
This "first ballot" stuff really just makes the voters look silly, IMO.
Biggio should've gotten in on this vote (and Larkin should've gotten in the first time too).. It's just so silly the voters feel the players have to "Bide their time" when they've already been retired so long.
Thank you Walt and Bob for bringing winning baseball back to Cincy -- it was nice while it lasted..
Nov. 13, 2007: One of the greatest days in Reds history: John Allen gets the boot!
We know three things happened that had nothing to do with steroids:
1) The game expanded twice, which meant a lot of iffy pitchers were suddenly throwing a lot of innings. Not coincidentally, 1998 was the second of those two expansions, and that's the point at which the homers really blasted off.
Even during the pitching heavy '60s, we saw power spikes every time there was a round of expansion. That's how Maris got 61. The difference between the '90s and '60s is that there was a greater depth of hitting talent in the '90s and a greater depth of pitching talent in the '60s. So overall scoring went in different directions during those eras.
2) Smaller parks came into vogue.
3) Hitters learned to hit the other way for power (thanks to growing up with aluminum bats). Suddenly you couldn't rob a guy of his power by pitching on the outer half of the plate. Mix that with a higher number of bad pitchers and smaller parks and you've got a recipe for a power explosion even without a single chemical enhancement.
And there's probably a lot of credence to the lively ball theory. We saw MLB experiment with the ball in the late 80s. In 1987 offense suddenly exploded like it was the 1930s all over again. Then, just as suddenly, in 1988 it was like the return of the Deadball Era. It split the difference after that, but it's entirely possible that after 1994 the league placed a bet on chicks digging the longball.
So a lion's share of the power spike very well could have been non-PED-related. After all, if pitchers and hitters were using roids in fairly even numbers, then you'd be looking at a bit of a cancelling out effect.
Wait until the year after next year.
"MLB has sought to encourage the belief that steroids were the root cause of the jump, but that's probably to cover up their juicing the ball to increase attendance and revenues."
like traderomor, I was sympathetic till this came out. The notion that baseball is in any way benefiting from this pr black eye is pretty silly.
"Even a bad day at the ballpark beats the snot out of most other good days. I'll take my scorecard and pencil and beer and hot dog and rage at the dips and cheer at the highs, but I'm not ever going to stop loving this game and this team and nobody will ever take that away from me." Roy Tucker October 2010
All those things are still true. The only thing changed has been the crackdown on the PED's. Still have small parks and expansion pitchers, etc..
0 Value Over Replacement Poster
"Sit over here next to Johnathan (Bench)...sit right here, he's smart."--Sparky Anderson
1930 Juiced
1943 - dead
Both balls were replaced when they were too extreme
This article covers the latest juiced ball thoughts
Physicist Alan Nathan is among those who believe that the ball has changed. Nathan, whose credentials include chairing the Society for Baseball Research's Baseball & Science Committee and serving on a scientific panel advising the NCAA on issues related to bat performance, is quite familiar with Sherwood's study and his laboratory, having served as part of a scientific advisory committee for a 2002 study of bats (more about which below) that was done at the Lowell lab.
Of the Zavagno scans, Nathan says, "What he shows is that the construction of baseballs has changed. There's no question that the construction has changed, the pill has changed, the percentage of wool in the windings has changed, some of it's synthetic now. There are structural differences between the baseballs." In Nathan's eye, showing that isn't enough. "Structural changes do not necessarily imply performance changes."
Also some of the newest parks - Citi Field, Petco, Target Field - are pitching havens.
And it should be noted that HR levels are still really high. NL teams averaged 152 HR last season. In 1992 (the last season before the double expansion and it conveniently ends with a 2), NL teams averaged 105 HR. Interestingly scoring is only up to 4.22 from 3.88 despite that, which makes a great case for the importance of speed (OB and BA are essentially flat, SB are down 25 per team). NL teams averaged 162 HR in 2002 (the last season in which there was no PED testing of any kind and it conveniently ends with a 2). So if everything else was flat and the only difference was PEDs are gone, then the power difference is pretty small.
Last edited by M2; 01-10-2013 at 06:45 PM.
Wait until the year after next year.
For those who somehow-someway are in denial over PEDS...
"I think it's kind of unfair, but it's the reality of the era we played in," Biggio said. "Obviously, some guys are guilty and other guys aren't. It's painful for the ones that weren't, and hopefully this situation will all pass and move on and we'll have something possibly good to talk about maybe next year."
Please do not act like it did not happen. Please do not act like many players would take something that is all BS in helping them (LOL). Please do not act like all those 60+ HR seasons were not relative to PEDs. Oh yea, probably just a coincidence and related all to a juiced ball. Please do not act like places like BALCO were not in existence and did not have a line of athletes wanting their products. I guess Lance Arnstrong's blood tranfusions were health related and not relative to hiding something that made him a 7-time Tour de Franace champion too.
We all have our opinions, but the denial thing (that it does not matter or help) just amazes me.
Small market fan... always hoping, but never expecting.
Board Moderators may, at their discretion and judgment, delete and/or edit any messages that violate any of the following guidelines: 1. Explicit references to alleged illegal or unlawful acts. 2. Graphic sexual descriptions. 3. Racial or ethnic slurs. 4. Use of edgy language (including masked profanity). 5. Direct personal attacks, flames, fights, trolling, baiting, name-calling, general nuisance, excessive player criticism or anything along those lines. 6. Posting spam. 7. Each person may have only one user account. It is fine to be critical here - that's what this board is for. But let's not beat a subject or a player to death, please.


text:
Notes: This soup is excellent dairy-free. Simply use half the corn kernels and omit the cream. Its also wonderful with some crab placed on top before serving.
Servings: 4
1 garlic clove, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 potato, 6 to 8 ounces, peeled and diced small
2 tablespoons butter or good olive oil
1 cup clam juice
1 cup stock (either half chicken broth and half water or water simmered with the corn cobs for 20 minutes)
½ cup dry white wine
2 to 4 tablespoons sherry
1 cup cream
2 cups corn kernels
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Melt butter or olive oil over medium heat; sauté vegetables except corn until softening.
Add clam juice, stock and wine and bring to a boil. Turn down to moderate heat and cook for 10 minutes.
Add cornkernels and cream, salt and pepper totaste and cook on low for 5-8 minutes.
Puree half the mixture in a blender or food processor and add back into soup. Add sherry and basil and let sit with lid on for 5 minutes.


text:
Prospect Lamb among three spring cuts by Royals
SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Three left-handed pitchers were assigned to Minor League clubs on Tuesday by the Royals.
John Lamb, ranked fifth among Royals prospects by MLB.com, was sent to Double-A Northwest Arkansas. Chris Dwyer, ranked 16th, and Justin Marks went to Triple-A Omaha.
"They're all making great strides forward," manager Ned Yost said. "They've shown enough. We like the progress these kids have made, but it's time to get them built up for their season."
Lamb, 22, missed most of the last two seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery. He pitched six games last year at the rookie level. In the Cactus League this year, he worked two innings and gave up five hits and one run.
"He's right on schedule," Yost said. "Generally, at the end of this year, he's going to be as strong or stronger than he was before he hurt his arm -- right back on track."
Dwyer, 24, was 3-4 with a 6.97 ERA in nine starts last year for Omaha after starting the year in Double-A. He pitched in just one Cactus League game, giving up two runs in 1 2/3 innings.
Marks, 25, spent most of last season with Northwest Arkansas, going 3-5 with a 3.80 ERA in 17 starts. In three Cactus League games, he pitched four innings and had a 2.25 ERA.
Mendoza returns to Royals following stint in Classic
SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Pitcher Luis Mendoza joined catcher Salvador Perez in rejoining the Royals on Tuesday after their respective teams were eliminated in the World Baseball Classic.
While Perez was playing in Puerto Rico, Mendoza didn't have far to go -- just down the road to Scottsdale for one game, and then to Chase Field in Phoenix for two games.
"I was there for the experience and the excitement of the tournament," Mendoza said.
It got very exciting at Chase Field, where Mexico fans raised the roof.
"It was almost like all of Mexico was there," Mendoza said. "Every game you saw a lot of people cheering for Mexico, and I had a lot of friends and family there. It was good."
In the game against Team USA, Mendoza faced teammate Eric Hosmer.
"I saw him in the clubhouse when we came to the stadium, we said 'Hi' and we talked about how exciting this was. But I told him, 'Changeups.'" Mendoza said.
Mendoza wasn't kidding. That's what he threw, and Hosmer rapped a ground ball right back to the mound, ending the inning.
He and his wife Monica each had their parents in town for the excitement, which also included an on-field brawl with the Canada team. Mendoza was careful.
"I just tried to stay out of trouble. I just tried to calm everybody down," he said.
Mendoza, who pitched two innings in one game, doesn't think his absence will hurt his chances to win a spot in the rotation or the bullpen.
"Not really. I missed like one week. We got eliminated early, and I can keep pitching and keep showing KC what I can do," he said.
Moustakas, Escobar scratched on Tuesday
PHOENIX -- The left side of the Royals' infield was scratched from Tuesday's lineup against the Athletics.
Third baseman Mike Moustakas had a sore foot after being hit by his own foul ball in Sunday's game against the Angels. Shortstop Alcides Escobar had a slightly stiff back.
Manager Ned Yost said that during the regular season, Moustakas probably would be in the lineup.
"But we're going to give him a day to get treatment on it," Yost said. "Nothing needs to be nagging this time of year."
Likewise, Escobar is also expected to miss just one day.
Elliot Johnson replaced Escobar at shortstop, and Anthony Seratelli took over for Moustakas at third.
Royals' pitchers show well in 'B' game
SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Four Royals pitchers combined for a mini-perfect game -- well, almost -- on Tuesday.
In a 4 1/2-inning "B" game, which the Royals won, 3-1, over the Rangers, Blaine Boyer, Francisley Bueno, Michael Mariot and Brian Sanches each retired three straight batters. But wait, each team was permitted an extra batter in the third inning, and the Rangers' Julio Borbon used the opportunity to belt a homer against Mariot.
The Royals scored two runs on four hits against Rangers starter Matt Harrison. Non-roster outfielders Willy Taveras and Endy Chavez each had a double for the Royals.
Shields fine after experiencing stinger in fifth
PHOENIX -- There was only momentary concern after Royals starting pitcher James Shields felt a twinge in his neck while lunging for a bouncing single by the Athletics' Derek Norris in the fifth inning on Tuesday.
"I had one of those stingers -- I guess it's a football thing. That's what they were saying in the dugout," Shields said. "I kind of jumped this way [to his right] a little bit and it gave me a little stinger, but it went away right away."
He stayed in the game for one more hitter -- Eric Sogard doubled for the sixth hit against Shields -- driving in the fourth run. He went 4 2/3 innings in his third start.
"The first three innings felt really good, the direction to the plate was really good. I was putting the ball where I wanted to, and then in the fourth inning, I got a little bit tired there at the end and tried to do too much," Shields said. "I overthrew a couple of pitches and left the ball up. Those are things that obviously can't happen during the season but, for the most part, I felt good health-wise and I got my pitches in."
Shields came out before the fifth inning ended when his pitch count reached 59, one shy of his allotment for the afternoon.
"I had 50 pitches after four and they wanted me to go about 10 more," Shields said. "I felt really good. It was nice to ramp it up a little bit, get a little tired at the end, get the pitch count and get into shape."
Shields was tagged with the loss as the A's went on to a 6-3 victory.
"The first three innings he was really sharp," manager Ned Yost said. "He started laboring and started getting pitches up in the fourth -- the same thing in the fifth -- but the positive is he got to 59 pitches and got his work in. That develops arm strength so he can continue in the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh innings like he did today."
Dyson, Royals defense continue stellar play
PHOENIX -- Royals center fielder Jarrod Dyson made the defensive play of the game on Tuesday when he banged into the wall to take extra bases away from the Athletics' John Jaso in the eighth inning.
"Dice made a great play. That's what he does," manager Ned Yost said. "He can roam the outfield with a lot of range, and can get to balls that most center fielders can't get to."
The Royals also pulled off a fine relay play -- right fielder Jeff Francoeur, to second baseman Johnny Giavotella, to third baseman Anthony Seratelli, to catch Eric Sogard trying for a triple in the fifth inning.
"Defensively, we continue to play very well," Yost said. "Our relays have been spectacular. That's always something you try to iron out in Spring Training but, man, we can run a relay with the best of 'em."
Dick Kaegel is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
Jennifer S. Thom
Jennifer S. Thom is an assistant professor of mathematics education and curriculum studies in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia.
Wolff-Michael Roth
Wolff-Michael Roth is the Lansdowne Professor of Applied Cognitive Science at the University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia.
Alfredo Bautista
Alfredo Bautista is a post-doctoral fellow who is working with the first two authors on the research project, Embodied Knowing and Learning in Elementary Mathematics.


text:
Watch Rare Footage of Pre-SNL Chris Farley Performing Iconic Character
Before Chris Farley starred on Saturday Night Live, he was a featured improv performer at Chicago's famous Second City. And while there, alongside Bob Odenkirk and Tim Meadows, Farley began perfecting his beloved SNL characters.
On Monday, Second City uploaded a grainy VHS video from July 1990, the same year Farley began his run on SNL, but three years before he would debut his beloved character Matt Foley, a "motivational speaker" who lives in a van down by the river. The video shows an early glimpse of Farley's Foley, as he enters the stage two minutes in, telling the children:
My name is Matt Foley, and I am a motivational speaker. Now, let's get started by me giving you a little bit of a scenario of what my life is all about. First off, I am 35 years old, I am divorced, and I live in a van down by the river!
The yelling, pants-pulling, and enthusiasm are all the same; the only thing missing is broken furniture.
Here's Farley's first appearance as Foley on SNL:
Farley died in 1997 at age 33.


text:
Gramps 4.0 Wiki Manual - User Directory
The location of your GRAMPS user directory depends on the operating system you are using and how you have set up your computer. In the table below <~username> should be replaced by the name you use to log in to your computer.
The default location for an installation of GRAMPS in a POSIX-style environment is:
This is true for BSD, Linux, Solaris, Unix and OS-X when using Mac OS X Build from source.
On Macs, filenames starting with "." do not show up in Finder. To make access to the Gramps user directory easy, open a terminal window with Finder-Applications-Utilities-Terminal and type there
ln -s .gramps gramps_user_directory
which will allow Finder to show the contents. Or simply click on Go -> 'Go to Folder...' in the Finder, and type
in the Go to Folder dialog box.
The default location for an installation on a Windows system is
C:\Documents and Settings\<~username>\Application Data\gramps
On Windows7, it is
The default location for the Mac OS X:Application package is
/Users/<username>/Library/Application Support/gramps


text:
Said chapter 8 is hereby further amended by striking out section 9A, as appearing in the 2010 Official Edition, and inserting in place thereof the following section:-
Section 9A. The superintendent of the state house shall establish and charge a fee or service charge to nongovernmental individuals, entities and groups using the state house for meetings, receptions or exhibits, which may be reduced at the discretion of the superintendent. The superintendent or a designee shall establish such fee or charge based upon the actual cost of use, including personnel, requests for security, preparation, equipment replacement, cleanup, utilities used and compensation for wear on the building. The superintendent, or a designee may, in the superintendent's discretion, require a nongovernment entity to enter into a written agreement indemnifying the commonwealth against any claims for casualty liability and may require the posting of an insurance bond. All monies received by the superintendent under this section shall be by check made payable to and deposited in the State House Special Event Fund, as established in section 35P of chapter 10; provided, however, that the superintendent may retain funds to be expended after consultation with the committee on rules of the 2 branches, acting concurrently, for restoration, equipment repair and replacement and educational and cultural programs and tours at the state house.


text:
Brian Killian/WireImage
While most of our houses might fit into the closets where The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills store their shoes, Michael Bloomberg, New York's low key billionaire mayor, has only six pairs of loafers! During a speech at QVC's FFANY shoe sale event on Wednesday, Mayor Bloomberg joked, "A story emerged recently that shocked many in your industry, leaving them confused, perplexed, maybe even a little bit hurt. I'm talking about the stunning revelation in the September 20th edition of the
New York Post
, that I, Michael R. Bloomberg, 108th Mayor of the City of New York, may not have purchased a new pair of work shoes in ten years…if it's in the Post it must be true." So when PEOPLE encountered the thrifty mayor the next night at the Empire State Pride Agenda fall dinner, we had to ask if the story in the Post was true."You have to talk to my press secretary who made up the story," said Mayor Bloomberg with a smile. So does he actually have a lot of shoes? "Yeah, I do probably have half a dozen pairs, but it is true. I probably only wear one black and one brown and that's about it," he said. "I'd love to tell you I'm a big fashionista," admitted the Mayor. "But it was really embarrassing, Ken Cole [shoe designer Kenneth Cole] happens to be a very close friend of mine, and I was with him the night before [the article appeared]." — Jeffrey Slonim


text:
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT, SEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR ST. JOHNS COUNTY, FLORIDA Case No DR 02-1568 Division: 57 IN RE: THE MARRIAGE OF BENJAMIN E. WALKER, PETITIONER, VS. ELEANOR F. WALKER, RESPONDENT NOTICE OF ACTION TO: ELEANOR F. WALKER (RESIDENCE UNKNOWN) YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an action for MODIFICATION OF ALIMONY AND ATTORNEY FEES has been filed against you, and you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to the petitioner, whose name and address is BENJAMIN E. WALKER, P.O. BOX 4324, ST. AUGUSTINE, FL 32085 on or before AUGUST 2, 2004, and file the original with the clerk of this court either before service on plaintiff or immediately thereafter; otherwise, a default will be entered against you for the relief demanded in the complaint or petition. WITNESS my hand and the seal of this Court on JUNE 30, 2004. (Official Seal) CHERYL STRICKLAND As the Clerk of the Court CARLA P. CHASE Deputy Clerk L1606-4 July 7, 14, 21, 28, 2004
Posted from 7-Jul-04 to 28-Jul-04
© 2018. All Rights Reserved. Contact Us


text:
Monitoring Fetal Growth via Ultrasonography
- Oct 4, 2009
- Topics:
Ultrasonography is a valuable tool for detecting pregnancy and establishing pregnancy loss, but it can also be used to evaluate equine fetal growth, said W.K. (Karin) Hendriks, DVM, Dipl. ECAR. Veterinarians could use a combination of transrectal and transabdominal ultrasounds to provide good information about fetal development.
Because it is difficult to define normal development for gestational age in a fetus, Hendriks and her colleagues in the Department of Equine Sciences at Utrecht University in The Netherlands evaluated 32 Dutch Warmblood mares from 100 days of gestation until parturition to see which maternal factors influence fetal development and to find parameters other than fetal aorta diameter to predict gestation length.
"Maternal age and parity both affect fetal development," said Hendriks. "For example an older mare (greater than 15 years of age) will bring a smaller foal to term than a young (around 5 years of age) mare."
The researchers found that the ventral uterine wall and placenta (CTUPv) close to the cervix was thicker in mares carrying their first foal (primiparous) than in multiparous mares between 100 and 250 days of gestation. After day 220 the cross-sectional area of the eye orbit and cranium was greater in primiparous than in multiparous mares.
The fetal aorta diameter was smaller in older mares than in younger mares. The cross-sectional surface area of the cranium and the aorta diameter increased linearly throughout late gestation and could be used to predict gestation length.
"The parameters CTUPv, eye orbit diameter, eye orbit cross-sectional surface area, biparietal diameter, biparietal cross-sectional surface area, aorta diameter, and fetal heart rate are relatively easy to evaluate with simple, portable ultrasound machine of a type affordable for most practices," she said.
The aorta diameter, biparietal cross-sectional surface area, and CTUPv increase linearly during late gestation. While these parameters could be useful for monitoring fetal growth and development, they are influenced by maternal age or parity, and varied considerably among horses in the study. Taking measurements through gestation might more accurately predict gestation length or better identify abnormal fetal development.
The study, "Maternal age and parity influence ultrasonographic measurements of fetal growth in Dutch Warmblood mares," was published in the October issue of Animal Reproduction Science. The abstract is available on PubMed.
About the Author
Marie Rosenthal, MS
Related Content
Ultrasound Beats X Rays for Identifying Articular Lesions
Ultrasonography for Evaluating Colic Cases?
New Method for Collecting Equine Cerebrospinal Fluid Samples
Study: ECGs for Maternal and Fetal Heart Rate Evaluations
Researchers Examine the Secret Life of Equine Embryos
Improve Equine Small Intestine Ultrasounds: Try Oil and Fasting (AAEP 2010)
Assessing Abdominal Abscesses (AAEP 2010)
Ultrasound Helpful For Diagnosing Infected Joints in Horses (AAEP 2010)
Manual Reduction of Twins in Mares (AAEP 2010)
TEM Aids in Understanding Developing Horse


text:
Open Box (Blemished) Behringer B-Control Deejay BCD2000 886830577871
Sku #802026005000020
DJ Controllers & Interfaces
- Write a Review
45 day price guarantee, 45 day return policy, 100% secure shopping
- Buy New
- Alerts
Item Note:
This product has been discontinued but may be available as a Open Box item.
Similar Items
A DJ control surface with an audio interface for a price that won't sink your wallet.
The Behringer BCD2000 connects 4 channels of audio to your computer via USB and features high-resolution 24-bit A/D and D/A converters, 2 phono preamps to connect turntables, and a pair of scratch wheels for scratching, cue searching, and pitch bending audio. Use this DJ controller as the foundation for your mixing setup in your DJ equipment rig and connect up to 2 turntables, a CD player, or a hand-held media player. The B-Control DJ lets you play, mix, and scratch any MP3, OGG, and WAV files; CDs; and vinyl records (no time code records needed), so you can, for example, mix a vinyl track with an MP3 track. The included Behringer B-DJ software or most other MIDI DJ software (Windows XP only) gives you powerful hands-on control over DJ mixer, player, and effects functions.
The integrated full-fledged mixer features 3-band kill EQ per channel, ultraprecise faders, super-smooth crossfader with adjustable curve, and a premium-quality mic preamp with its own level and EQ controls plus a talkover function. The Behringer BCD2000 is equipped with 2 internal phono preamps (one selectable as line input) for mixing your vinyl records with MP3 files or using the Behringer B-Control as a digital DJ mixer with full effects control for your dual vinyl performances. Its sophisticated headphone section includes PFL Mix, Split options, and direct listening to master output mix. Play/pause, cue, loop, and pitch bend functions are regulated via dedicated controls for intuitive DJing, and 4 user-assignable controls and buttons are available for an integrated FX section. The DJ control surface lets you run up to 4 effects simultaneously in real time, including any DirectX effect plug-in and record your live performance straight to your computer's hard disk. Take advantage of the enormous processing power of modern PCs and mix, scratch, and manipulate digital music in real time"regardless of the format.
- Play, mix, and scratch MP3, OGG, and WAV files with a real vinyl feeling
- 4-channel full-speed USB audio interface with 24-bit converters, awesome sound, and ultralow-latency ASIO driver
- Your complete DJ setup in a single controller/audio box: mixer, dual player, effects section, microphone preamp, 2 phono preamps, plus a full-fledged monitor section
- Perfect control over DJ mixer, player, and effects functions with the included Behringer B-DJ software or most other MIDI DJ software (Windows XP only)
- Run up to 4 effects simultaneously in real time, including any DirectX effect plug-in
- Record your live performance straight to your computer's hard disk
- 2 jog wheels for scratching, pitch bending, and cue searching
- Total performance control through 3-band kill EQ, loop buttons, pitch and level faders per channel
- Ultrasmooth gliding crossfader with adjustable crossfader curve
- Internal microphone preamp with own level and EQ adjustments
- Talkover function
- 2 internal phono preamps (one selectable as line input)
- Dedicated control elements for play/pause, cue, loop, pitch bend, effects section plus freely selectable cue logics with several cue points per song support intuitive performances


text: Spoilt for choice! Our range of girls tops and t-shirts are perfect for the everyday adventures of a little girl exploring the world! Gentle on their skin, the organic cotton is also hard wearing meaning it can be washed as much as is needed - you may want a few of these! View all of the Frugi Baby Girl Tops & T-Shirts collection and buy online today.


text:
Hey folks, it's Dark Sky Week, a time to extinguish the lightbulbs, switch off the smartphones, and consider the impact light pollution has on our planet and our ability to enjoy it.
One artist has taken the time to reimagine a slew of famous skylines without the endless human-made lights — lights in skyscraper windows, car headlights, millions of phone and tablet screens, laptops, neon signs, TV screens, even those giant, glowing billboards you see next to the freeway.
Check it out:
The artist behind the series is Thierry Cohen, a Parisian and longtime professional photographer. Since the 2000s, he's taken a lot of time and talent to focus on the impact of digital technologies on our world and our future. In addition to the Darkened Cities series, he also created a series of images called Binary Kids, which puts a metaphorical overlay of technology on portraits of humanity's next generations.
Limited edition prints of the Darkened Cities series are available via Cohen's site; you can buy 66-centimeter and 100-centimeter versions.
Light pollution is the next big green crusade — and given the rapid proliferation of glowing screens, it makes total sense. Researchers at the International Dark-Sky Association say it's causing cancer, increasing insomnia, spurring sexual dysfunction, and hurting the migratory patterns of animal species — all that in addition to robbing urban-dwelling people of one of our greatest treasures: our view of the rest of the universe.
Image credit: Thierry Cohen


text:
My my, Sarah, they do like asking you questions about Star Wars!
Hello my little England Buddy! Good luck looking after the RD all by yourself (although Marie will always be here, in spirit, and possibly in person as she is still a member of the boards.)
What Question would you really like to be asked but never have?
What is the answer to that question?
How many times have you said "lol" or used a smily face today?
If you could have anything for Christmas, what would that thing be?
Chat to you soon, my little Honourary Hufflepuff!
~ Roxy