text:
" The Guinness breWedry / synonymous with its location at St James's Gate / has been in operation since 1759 when Arthur Guinness purchased and renovated the 'Rainbow BreWedry' and started to produce the porter that has since become renowned worldwide. St James's Gate / Dublin 8 / Tel: 01 453 6700 ext: 5155. "
When in Dublin, you can't avoid Guinness. Even if you choose not to drink any, it is everywhere - branded items in the souvenir shops, signs outside every bar, and tankers on every road. The brewery covers a huge area of land near Heuston Railway Station, and includes the Guinness Storehouse, one of the city's premier tourist attractions.
There is car parking available, however both the open-top bus companies stop right beside the door, which is how we got there. Entry is Euro14 for adults, and you can get Euro1 off with the Dublin Bus tour ticket. There is disabled access at the side of the building, and the whole place is wheelchair friendly, with lifts between all floors.
After paying for your ticket, you head up to the first floor where there are welcomes every five minutes - a cheerful Irish chap welcomed us to Guinness, told us a little of the history and what we would see on our visit. Also on this floor is the shop, which has a surprising array of Guinness-themed souvenirs - my partner was intrigued by the HP sauce with Guinness.
The first three floors of the attraction cover the making and history of Guinness. We learnt about the process and ingredients, and a little about the establishment of the brewery by Arthur Guinness in 1759, and the subsequent master brewers. One thing which really comes through in these areas is the dedication to perfection - only the best quality ingredients are used, and the product is closely inspected at every stage of the process.
The layout of the attraction throughout, but particularly in these early sections, is absolutely excellent. The building itself still very much has a feel of an old industrial building, with brick walls and steel girders. The displays themselves are well laid out, and hold your attention. There is a nice mixture of plaques to read and short videos to watch, and plenty of exhibits illustrating the making of Guinness - full size copper vats with swirling patterns projected onto them to show the brewing process is just one example. One of the first things you see when you enter from the shop and atrium is a large waterfall, showing the pure water used in making Guinness, which is all sourced from the nearby Wicklow Mountains; the availability of this water was one of the key reasons Arthur Guinness chose this site for his brewery. He signed a 9000 year lease for the land.
Once you have learned about the making of Guinness, you have a chance to sample the final product. The ticket price includes a pint of Guinness, but that comes later - this stage is a sample only. My partner chose not to have any as he knows he doesn't like it, but his mum and I decided to give it a go - she has never had it and it's a very long time since I sampled Guinness. When the lady serving up the samples heard that we were new to Guinness, she insisted on giving us a taste lesson, teaching us to use all five senses to get the best from the drink. We followed her instructions carefully, and were very pleasantly surprised to find that we both really enjoyed the taste! I was very glad we'd been taught how to drink it properly, as I didn't know that you shouldn't sip the foam, this being much more bitter tasting than the beer itself.
We continued making our way round the attraction, and saw some very interesting exhibits on cooperage (making the barrels) and advertising. Guinness advertising is of course very famous, and it is interesting to see how little the tone of it has changed over the years. There are also exhibits on transporting Guinness, complete with model ships and trains.
On the fourth floor, you have the first opportunity to have your pint of Guinness. The second choice is on the seventh floor, in the Gravity Bar, the highest bar in Dublin, offering 360 degree views of the city. This would be a great place to enjoy a pint, but for us what was offered on the fourth floor was a bit more interesting. Here we had the chance to pour our own pint, with the promise of a certificate if we got a perfect pint. The lady who had given us the taste lesson, Liz, was also teaching us how to pour a pint. As most people will know, there is an art to pouring Guinness. I have poured it before, when I worked in a local pub during uni holidays, but that was a long time ago and I was never properly taught. You have to inspect the glass, get the angle right, pour most of the pint then let it settle, and then top it off. It was good fun to pour our own, and we all got it right and got our certificates. The lesson takes place in a very nice bar, and we had a seat and drank some of our beer.
There are quite a few different places to eat through the Guinness Storehouse, from a cafe to a traditional Irish pub. We didn't visit any of them as we weren't ready for lunch, but they certainly looked nice. The attraction is spread over seven floors, but is fully accessible with lifts and ramps.
We spent about 2-3 hours going round the Guinness Storehouse, and it really was a highlight of our trip to Dublin. It was interesting, very well presented and good fun - plus I've learned that I like Guinness! Highly recommended, and a must for any visit to Dublin.
The Guinness Brewery can easily be reached in Dublin as both the green and red sightseeing hop on hop off buses stop there on their tour of the city. It costs 15 euro per adult to enter but if you buy online you will get a 10% discount. This is quite a popular attraction and we went early to avoid the crowds. Note, this isn't the actual real brewery now so you wont see any brewing. On the ground floor is a rather vast gift shop where you can buy almost anything endorsed by Guinness though it isn't cheap. The brewery itself has many many floors which brief you on the history of Guinness. You will learn about how the brewery was first created, how Guinness is made and the processes involved in making the black stuff. Further on up you get to learn about the numerous Guinness advertisements made over the years as well as all the different variations of drink that have been made. There are lots of multimedia tools designed to help the visitor learn and understand what it is that they are seeing.
The real treat though is the gravity bar at the top of the building. You get a 360 degree panoramic view of Dublin and can see all the sights of the city. What's more you get a free pint of Guinness when you're there!
There are lifts and escalators so it is quite disabled friendly. Allow at least a couple of hours for the tour.
I have now visited the Guinness store house on two separate occasions, the first time I was with someone who knew the manager therefore I had a personalised tour and I did not see it the way the usual tourists see it! The second time I was a tourist and went with my partner, we purchased a Dublin pass so we had quick entry and admission was free, however I believe the usual cost to enter is around 15Euro each and there are sometimes some queues.
When you reach the floor where the tour starts you can either wait until a tour is starting or go round yourself, we were on a day trip and did not want to kill time waiting therefore we went round by our selves.
There are 7 floors in the Guinness store house and if you are scared of heights I would avoid this museum at all costs as on the escalators you can see direct to the bottom floor and it is a very long way down!! There is a lift available for pushchairs and people with disabilities but you still can see the drop from the lifts.
The ground floor is where the shop is found and the tour starts its journey. This is the part of the storehouse where you learn about the ingredients that are used in a pint of Guinness. Barley, hops, yeast and water - there are some impressive displays and photo opportunities, i.e. there is a large fountain you can walk next to that represents water.
You then go up a flight of stairs that take you to the Arthur Guinness room which has a short film and explains how the original pint was created. You then follow up another flight of stairs to the tasting lab - I didn't see this the first time I went but was pleased it had been included this time as you got a small amount of Guinness to taste, which is ideal if you are unsure if you want to order the free pint when you get to the gravity bar. I was surprised how smooth it tasted as I am not a ale drinker and having had a sip of Guinness in England and hated it I found this taster direct from the brewery very tasty!
Then on to cooperage and transport, I found the cooperage part really interesting as it was fascinating to see how they managed to make the casks without using any adhesive and the skill involved was amazing, it's a shame trades like this had to come to a end. The transport section was as you would expect, a model train, boat etc - not very interesting.
Upwards and onwards and you find a small area showing some advertising pieces, it was nice seeing adverts you had long forgotten, but I feel this area was lacking something and could be expanded upon. On this floor you also find a coffee bar, however I can't rate this as I did not stop for this.
The museum then becomes very boring on floor 3, 4 and 5, and it feels that they have stuck things on the floor just to fill up the space. To be honest I would skip these areas! They do have a area to write messages...however they have no pens so unless you have one this is pointless.
The final floor is the gravity bar. This is a bar that gives you a 360 degree view of the city of Dublin, be warned it gets very hot up there, we went there on a freezing day in Dublin and it was a scorcher in the bar! The bar also gets very crowded with people enjoying their complementary pint of Guinness, soft drinks of Fanta, coke or lemonade are also available. This is also a pay bar so you can stay in the bar and enjoy additional pints if you wanted to.
All in all the museum was ok, but I strongly feel its needs some improvements, especially on floors 2,3,4,5. Also for some reason it doesn't have a floor 6 which is confusing and makes you thing you have missed something. Its well worth a visit but personally if you only have time to visit a few places it may be worth giving this one a miss, unless you are a big fan of Guinness!
The Guinness Storehouse is the main visitors section and museum at St James Gate, Dublin. It promises much and, for me, was one of the must see attractions when visiting Dublin.
Costing E14.00, about £10.00, the Guinness Storehouse promises a history of the company and the product, as well as the founder, Arthur Guinness, not to mention a free pint when you reach the top. The storehouse itself is within walking distance from the city centre, about 20-30 mins, and is on many bus routes as well as all of the tour bus routes. It is shaped like a (very) large pint glass with the head of the beer being the Gravity Bar where you get your free pint and a great view of the city.
You enter the large building, pay your money, and then take a self-guided tour up and up. Immediately, you are shown the process of brewing Guinness and each of the important ingredients. The large room is very dark and the rush of running water is ever present, showing its importance to the whole process; contrary to popular belief, it is not, and never was, the water of the Liffe that go into Guinness, but local water which was for the towns use. Large glass pipes filled with the ingredients, such as hops, are situated all over with descriptions of how they are changed / used in the process. However, due to the darkness, you cant really see what they look like, thus negating the need for the clear pipes. The information about them isnt very detailed, is difficult to read, and connoisseurs of brewery tours or brewing will be disappointed at the lack of real information. You do learn little bits, but nothing of great value. The LED shows ans subdued lighting do little to help this, and, indeed, often hider the would-be reader.
Up another level is the history of St James Gate and the storehouse itself. The information, again patchy and of little depth, tells you about the Storehouses original use as, er, a storehouse. It shows where it was situated in the original brewery and includes a couple of machines that were used there. Walking inside the giant copper brewing kettle is interesting, giving a great idea of the scale and size of manufacture. You are promised that you can inhale the fragrance of hops, which remains embedded in the metal, but any discernable and distinguishable odours have long since departed. This trip down the history of brewing is interesting, but far from gripping, and the quality of the information and lack of depth is a constant bother. It is a shame that, with such a magnificent name, history and provenance, Guinness couldnt do better for themselves.
Moving onwards and upwards the only gem of the Storehouse appears; the cooperage. This small area shows you the tools of the trade for coopers, or cask / barrel makers. Inset in barrels are TV screens showing a traditional cooper at the Guinness brewery making a barrel. This is truly a great thing to see. I never imagined the amount of time, skill and hard work that went into each and every barrel!
On the same floor is the history of St James Gate and brief, un-detailed accounts of how and when it grew. What is interesting is that some of the improvements and additions were of the Chicago school of architecture, which itself grew out of the great Chicago fire. And, if thats the most interesting thing I can remember about this section, it shows how interesting the whole this was!
On the next floor is a twee, saccharine homage to Arthur Guinness. You see a video about his life, well, little bits of it, and how he founded and adapted the St James Gate site and the product much loved today. It makes him out to be a great philanthropist, social redresser and family man. Who knows, maybe he was, but, coming out of a large building dripping in emblems, logos and product placement, I wasnt entirely convinced that this was a true, fair and well-balanced account. Of course, it also notes the most famous tenancy in brewing history; the 9,000 year lease at £45 per year that Arthur signed. It also tells of early difficulties, not least the city council trying to cut of his water supply! At the end, though, is the worst thing; a smooth, refined Irish accent appeals to you to raise a glass to Arthur hell appreciate it. I was glad to leave that section after that, only to be confronted with those words in foot high letters on the wall as I went through to the next section.
Upstairs is, possibly, the second most interesting part of the tour. A whole floor is devoted to memorabilia from the Guinness company, from small, novelty giveaways to a great section on advertising history. It shows examples of TV adverts, including Rutger Hauers bizarre, although appealing, turn as The Man with the Guinness, and artwork, such as the toucan and zookeeper. Delightfully mainly free of the poor informative posters in other sections, the Guinness people had the good sense to let these little pieces of advertising and memorabilia history talk for themselves, and, compared to the rest of the displays, they shouted.
Next section: Irish bars and interesting and amazing facts about them rubbish!
Finally, we reached the top of the pint and the Gravity Bar. We partook of a tipple and experienced, arguably, the finest part of the tour; no, it had nothing to do with the Guinness, or the fact that we could now leave and rest our aching feet. The view from the Gravity Bar is excellent, and you can see for miles, even to some of the green fields that Ireland is famed for. With a near 360degree view, the city lays out in front of you, with small signs etched onto the windows pointing out various points of interest, though I was never sure which was which; Is that St Patricks there or Trinity College? Perhaps Im not one for sightseeing at such sights.
Back down at the bottom is the gift shop tons of memorabilia covered head to toe in Guinness logos, harps and, of course, toucans. The quality is, generally, good, but it is quite expensive, but no more so than other outlets stocking their wares. On a lighter note, and I swear this is true, we went to the Information Desk. Wed got off one of the tour busses getting there, but were going to walk back into town. How long will it take to walk to the Gaiety Theatre? I asked. About 25 minutes, the young lady behind the desk replied. But if you walk quickly, it wont take that long. And, by the way, she wasnt Irish.
All in all, the Guinness Storehouse was a disappointment. It promised much and delivered little. The best parts for me seemed to be things thrown in to take up space and the main features were of little or no significance or interest. You walk through a tall tower of branding and product placement, hearing how great the brand, people and company are, but are given little evidence or information on why, exactly, Guinness is great. They say, often, the Guinness is good for you; Im guessing thats only if youre a chiropodist or share holder.
If in Dublin, well, you have to go, dont you? But dont expect it to be like they say in the brochure! Youll get tired feet and a headache from reading in the dark, and when you are let out into the light, not even the view and free pint can make it all better.
For a review on Dublin in general, please see http://members.dooyoo.co.uk/destinations-national/dublin-in-general/1004186/)


text:
What can you do here? Things that matter. Things that make a difference. Every day, you'll have the chance to learn, grow, and collaborate with amazing people who are innovating and redefining our insurance and financial services. Ready to do something great?
0 Financial Advisor Jobs in Louisville
Please try a different keyword/location combination or broaden your search criteria.
Featured Jobs
Related Jobs
- Claim Specialist III Claims Jobs
- Portfolio Solution Architect, ITS Information Technology Jobs
- Analyst IV, Operations Analytics Jobs
- Digital Media Strategist Marketing Jobs
- Relationship Management Analyst Other

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The websites supported by the Star, its writers and the organizations that receive its support are perhaps the source of your information, or perhaps it is the paper you follow and believe. I think, with all due respect, the facts, however, speak somewhat differently.
I won't go on ad nauseum, but let's just say it is very questionable that the Star has much influence with its readership. If it did, Ford would not have been elected Mayor of Toronto with 50 per cent of the vote, and Harper (our prime minister) would not have won a single seat in Toronto (he won more than a few). Other examples, are too numerous to mention. (As you have written to the Star, I am sure you are familiar with what goes on in Toronto.) I am not saying that the Star was wrong in its political position (maybe even it has been proved right), but if you want solid proof of that newspaper's influence, those are two good examples.
Its writers are like DiManno: there for entertainment, not to persuade. That is how they are read. They can write good articles as well as bad, but the nasty ones are taken with a grain of salt. It is well read, but, with social media, it has no longer the impact that it perhaps might have many years ago.
The nursing home and goverment legislation comment is a bit of a red herring, but:. Ya, newspapers pat themselves on the back and give themselves awards and, through marketing, call themselves things. (This brings back memories of The National Enquirer and its marketing campaign.) And anyway, my point is that where influence really matters is with the readership.
Regarding your comments about the Globe and Mail being right of centre, people who read it everyday might beg to differ. Both of its lead editorial writers, Martin Lawrence (who wrote the authorized biography of Jean Chretien) and Jeffrey Simpson are big L Liberals. John Stackhouse, the editor, is certainly no Tory either (and when he took over the editorship, he made significant changes in the columnists to bolster the slightly centre-left of centre slant. (Margaret Wente, who is painted right wing, voted Liberal in the last election, btw.) This is our "national paper" and it is read and thought highly of as a quality paper by people of all stripes. Now, this paper does have some traction. But again, my point is that what matters is the effect on the readership (and who that readership is). There is a reason why Starbucks carries Globe and Mail newspapers, but not the Star.
If you were to go to the Toronto Cricket Club (ie probably the demographic most interested in skating) and ask people which newspaper they read, the vast majority would tell you the Globe and Mail. That is no stretch.
Yes, everyone who really reads and follows figure skating will read at least the two newspapers in Toronto, combing for news of figure skating. Pretty well any press is good press given the state of coverage in Canada. But there is a difference between readership and influence.
The bottom line, going back to the purpose of this thread, is that no one took notice of the article or, if they did, were not influenced by it.


text: Who has some data on the average net clearance at the pro level on groundstrokes? It seems I heard Li Na averaged around 15 inches vs. Azarenkas 18 inches at the Australian Open. Also seems I read Federer averaged less than two feet? I will fire up the debate and say no way do pros get anywhere near 4-5 feet over the net as some proclaim!


text:
Max Greenfield does lovable jerk like no other as Schmidt on Fox's "New Girl." He's confident, he's got a great vocabulary, and he's a hard worker. Does Greenfield mind when fans think he's like Schmidt? "I could care less. I think it's nice. First of all, people seem to like Schmidt a lot," Greenfield told Ben Lyons of Yahoo!'s "The Sidebar," when they sat down to chat about the Season 2 finale, Taylor Swift's guest spot, and most important, Schmidt's killer workout routine and the "Veronica Mars" Kickstarter.
[Related: 'Veronica Mars': Where Are They Now?]
How and why did the hilarious, fitness-inspiring viral video come to be? It all started when Vulture came out with a faux workout-DVD meme using Greenfield's head on Richard Simmons's body, thus making a Schmidt fitness video. Greenfield wanted to up the ante, saying, "Well, all right, why don't I show you what the actual footage would look like? And then within three days, we shot that goofy Spin video. And it kinda took on a life of its own."
[Related: The Cast of 'New Girl' Previews the Season 2 Finale While Gushing About Taylor Swift]
If you haven't seen the video of Schmidt on the bike, you're so missing out -- and you're welcome.
"New Girl" clearly has a devoted fan base, but Lyons had to ask Greenfield about a previous show he was on with an incredibly diehard following: "Veronica Mars." If you haven't heard, fans donated nearly $6 million to a Kickstarter campaign for a feature-length movie based on the show.
[Related: 'Veronica Mars' Movie: Creator Rob Thomas and Star Kristen Bell Thank Fans in Special Video]
Greenfield, who will play his former character Leo D'Amato in the film, found it all to be kismet. "It was very odd, because about a week before, I was at a Kings game and ran into Kristen. And Kristen had taken a picture, and she tweeted it out, and then it got all this press. And you're thinking, it really is silly that somebody doesn't do a movie. I'm telling you a week later, the Kickstarter thing happened. ... One of the coolest things I've ever seen." The rest is history in the making.
"New Girl" airs Tuesdays at 9:30 PM on Fox.


text:
"The two most important days in your life are the day you were born, and the day you find out why" -- Mark Twain
The train to Portland is gonna be fun....
Can someone put up a poll asking what day/train they plan to be on?
2009 HD Ultra Classic
I'm all for the train, as I work for the Railroad and ride "free".
So...., who recommends who for my new R1200RT, from the Ocean State?
Sounds terrific, and will save my new tires I just put on last weekend.
Reel Job
Prices are starting to rise on the train fares.
In the last two weeks, the fare has gone up $300. The culprit seems to be the price for the Superliner Roomettes. This is on the Sunday departure from Chicago headed to Portland. The prices are still reasonable if you go in a day later, as well as a day earlier.
2009 HD Ultra Classic
The thing about traveling is, you never want it to end and you can't wait to get home.
I answer to Roy, Chief, or Sarg.
04 R-1150-RT current bike. 94 R-1100-RS74,383, Sold, 78 R-80/7, K.I.A by a D.U.I
There are 6 of us from Charleston SC. Does anyone know of a way that we can ship the bikes via rail road round trip? I can see that there is a rail trip to haul the people but not the bikes. Money and time are the two challenges for us. We can fly relatively cheap and we aren't upset if the bikes have to shipped well in advance. What we need is to ship our bikes inexpensively to Salem and home. Rail shipments are often 1/2 or 1/3 the price of pavement.
If someone can figure another way we are willing. We would like to be at $750.00 per bike round trip. We can guarantee a minimum of 6 bikes possibly 10.
We are open to suggestions!! Thanks in advance!!
I'm booking the train today.
Going to be on the Monday 15 July train out of Chicago to Portland. Going to ride back.
This train arrives in Portland at 10:10 am on Wednesday 17 July.
Anyone else in?
2009 HD Ultra Classic
I'm either going to ship or rent. Probably ship.
Through Uship, I found a great guy to haul my GSA back to Chicago after the Sedalia rally earlier this year. I just traded emails with him today asking if he'd be interested in taking a few out to Portland/Salem. He's going to do the math on cost. He said he can take 6 to 8 comfortably.
While at the counter booking my one-way train trip, I ended up booking a round trip just in case I wanted to train back instead of riding. Train tickets are like air fares, the cost goes up closer to departure date, and I booked a superliner roomette as well, which would probably be gone by rally time had I wanted to book the return.
2009 HD Ultra Classic
I looked at the Amtrak schedule and sent an email to the Rally Chairs but haven't seen any info about this. The Rally Train makes a stop in Cleveland on it's way to Chicago. It is very early in the morning but none the less it is another way for people to get on the train. It departs Cleveland at 2:59AM on Sunday July 14th. It is an ungodly hour unless you like to stay out for last call at a night spot then head to the train station.
Just want to put more info out there.
Patti B
From: Gray Buckley, Lakewood, CO


text:
(CNN) — The water rose and the people fled.
Flood sirens sounded overnight as Colorado emergency officials feared that debris caked canyons might give way and send another wall of water crashing through the city of Boulder and neighboring communities.
"All residents are warned to go to higher ground immediately due to the potential for flash flooding along the creek," Boulder's Office of Emergency Management said.
What's plugging the pipes? Mudslides, authorities say.
"There are mudslides at the mouth of Boulder Canyon 400 feet long and four feet deep as the sides of the canyon give way due to the saturation from the days long rain," according to emergency management.
It's been a struggle for emergency crews, made up of police, firefighters and the National Guard.
Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle said the "devastating storm" that started on Tuesday dumped more than a half a foot of rain on the region during a 19-hour period. The rain and runoff pushed into Friday morning.
The forecast was not encouraging. The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning "until further notice" for Boulder Creek.
Widespread flash flooding washed out roads, pushed dams to their limits and beyond and killed at least three people.
Late Thursday President Barack Obama stepped in.
Obama signed an emergency declaration for Colorado, an action that helps allocate federal assistance to the issue.
There were dramatic rescues Thursday, including a man pulled from an overturned car in rushing water on live television. But for much of the day, rescuers had to wait at the edge of impassable roads or for skies to clear enough for helicopter flights.
Boulder County takes a beating
The worst of the damage reported on Thursday was in Boulder County, where the National Weather Service said that a 20-foot wall of water roared down a mountain canyon north of the city.
One death was confirmed and another feared after a car stopped in the rushing water. Witnesses reported a woman emerged from the car and was swept away by the water. A man left the car and tried to reach her and also was overcome, Boulder County Sheriff's Cmdr. Heidi Prentup said. She said the man's body had been recovered, while the woman was missing.
Bodies also were found in a collapsed home in Jamestown and on a roadway in Colorado Springs.
Lyons, a small town of 2,000 near the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, was cut off by what city officials described as a 500-year flood.
National Guard rescuers in high-water vehicles reached Lyons with humanitarian aid Thursday night, Prentup said, but the town remained otherwise cut off.
Elsewhere, homes collapsed onto residents and a dam in Larimer County broke, flooding some homes and leaving three people trapped, a county spokesman said.
Larimer County Sheriff Justin Smith said some residents there face the dilemma of whether to try to move to safer shelters over bridges that may have been damaged. They will "have to use their own judgment," he said.
An emergency message from the sheriff's office to residents of Big Thompson Canyon said, "If you are cut off because of a compromised bridge, you need to stay at your residence but have a plan to get to higher ground at a moment's notice."
Pelle said emergency crews were worried about a Lyons Fire Department crew stuck on a mountainside near a washed-out road. Hypothermia from the cold, wet conditions was of particular concern, he said.
As of Thursday evening, authorities in Boulder had not been able to make contact with the Lyons Fire Department to confirm that the firefighters had been rescued, Herring said.
Dams threatened, roads washed away
Between 25 and 30 roads were closed Thursday afternoon in Boulder County, Prentup said.
Several roads washed away, including one near Lafayette — about 12 miles southeast of Boulder — where rescue crews staged the dramatic rescue of a man from an overturned, partially submerged car.
Lafayette Fire Chief Gerry Morrell said it appeared three cars driving through pre-dawn darkness and heavy rain plunged into the void left when water washed out the road. Two other motorists got out of their cars, at least one with the aid of firefighters.
At first, rescuers feared the last car's occupant may have died after more than 30 minutes in the partially submerged car, Morrell said.
The rescue — captured live on television — nearly went awry when the car, which had been pulled up so that it was on its side, turned back onto its roof in the swift water just as the man was preparing to climb through a window broken open by his rescuers.
"I was aghast," said Morrell, who watched the rescue unfold from the riverbank.
All three people were taken to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries, according to fire officials.
A firefighter in Boulder had to climb a tree to escape the initial surge of water. Although injured, the firefighter made it to a nearby home, Prentup said.
In Lyons, water was flowing over the tops of five dams, Boulder County spokeswoman Gabi Boerkircher said. The dams had not broken, but emergency officials were monitoring them very closely, she said.
The extent of the damage was widespread but difficult to pin down, Pelle said.
"We've lost roads, we've lost bridges, cars, homes," he said. "And we are just now trying to assess the scope of the damage."
Ed Payne reported and wrote from Atlanta; Ana Cabrera reported from Boulder, Colorado; CNN's Mike Pearson, David Simpson, Matt Smith, Sara Weisfeldt, Tina Burnside, Shawn Nottingham and Sherri Pugh also contributed to this report.


text:
Fremont Solstice Parade | Photo by Teresa C.
The 2012 Fremont Fair Street Festival is this weekend and that brings the annual Solstice Parade including the naked/body-painted bike riders. The parade is this Saturday at noon in downtown Fremont (Body-painting starts at 7:30AM). Below are more pictures, rules, schedule, and frequently asked questions.
2013 UPDATES: Our Seattle Events Calendar and Ticket Giveaways
Our new Seattle Events App is available for iPhones and Android! Now, you can have all of the great Seattle events from our website in the palm of your hand when you're out on the town.
Download iPhone Events App here
Download Android Events App here
More Fremont Solstice Parade Pictures (NSFW), Schedule, Rules, Body-Painting, & FAQs:
Fremont Solstice Parade
June 16, 2012 | Begins @ noon
Downtown Fremont, Seattle | More info: http://www.solsticecyclist.org/
7:00-10:30 Group paint party.
10:30-11:00 Clean up and organize for ride.
11:00-11:45 Ride to parade.
11:45-12:00 Enter the parade route (after 12:00, don't try to join up).
Parade-time details
Rendezvous at the start of the parade route – corner of 3rd Ave NW and NW 36th St – at 11:45am, painted and ready to kick off the parade!
Loop back through the parade route as often as you like, always keeping ahead of the parade, and always keeping to the right side of the street.
Painting parties
Lots of people organize their own painting parties. Smaller groups can be fun. If you are willing to share it with "new friends", please post to [email protected]. Make sure you get to the parade start on time; joining after that is difficult and dangerous.
Main painting party
In 2012, the main painting party will be at the Old Ballard Library, 5711 24th Ave NW, Seattle.
Please bring $10 ($15 if you want to share paint) to pay your share of the cost of renting and outfitting the site.
Please arrive early; it gets crowded towards the end. Get painted, then move outside to make space for others, unless you are helping others get painted.
Shared paint and paint brushes will be available (though the selection may be thin towards the end). Get some paint in a small container and move away from the table to paint up. Bring the left-overs back to the central table and get your next color.
Please clean up your paint area when you're done. Bring any usable left-over paint to the central table and throw the rest away.
You can leave stuff at the paint party, but it won't be available till the clean-up party on Sunday, and its security isn't guaranteed (though the building will be locked).
The Rules of the Cyclists
Don't be creepy. Seriously. Don't stare at people. Don't take photographs without permission. If you're not getting painted or helping someone get painted, don't come.
Be respectful of your fellow painters. The painting party is tight quarters, so try to be mindful of other people getting painted around you.
Be respectful of your fellow cyclists. We're a big group on a narrow street, and accidents may happen! Ride safely and try to be mindful of other cyclists.
Be respectful of other parade participants. We are just one part of the parade. Be sure to give room to the floats and dancers. Never circle back among the other participants!
Be respectful of parade spectators. The Fremont Solstice Parade is a family friendly event. Of course, folks expect the painted cyclists, but they may not want your junk in their kid's face. Use good judgment when interacting with spectators.
The Rules of the Fremont Arts Council
No Printed Words: Any printed communications, written words, recognizable logos, signage, leaf-letting, or advertising in any form are prohibited on the parade route. Participants must stretch to express their ideas visually, groups flow together in one juxtaposed whole, and we're all happily free of logos for the day.
No Motor Vehicles: People take back the streets! Creations are moved with human-power (motorized wheelchairs are always welcome); we're happily free of cars for the day.
No Live Animals: Dogs, cats and hamsters are happier and logistics are easier without poopers or pooper scoopers (aid dogs welcome).
No Guns or Weapons: Joy and love rule the streets. We are safe and free of guns and weapons for the day.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Fremont Solstice Parade?
The Fremont Solstice Parade is a community event created and organized by the Fremont Arts Council. It is a fantastic celebration of the return of the sun, complete with larger than life puppets, floats, and street performers. The Solstice Parade kicks off the Fremont Fair which is a benefit for the Fremont Public Association. The parade operates with 4 guidelines – no printed words or recognizable logos, no motor vehicles, no live animals, and no guns or weapons.
Do I have to ride naked?
Of course not, some cyclists chose to wear a little something. Try flesh colored undies for the ladies and speedos for the guys. Buy them cheap at Ross or Marshall's and you won't feel a bit of guilt covering them with paint.
Do I have to wear a bicycle helmet?
Yes, if you want to avoid a ticket. In August 2003, the King County bike helmet regulation was amended to include Seattle. Bicyclists in Seattle cited for violating the bike helmet regulation could receive a $30 fine. Creatively speaking, a bike helmet can be the foundation for a whimsical headdress. Think papier mache dragon heads, streamer flames, pinwheels…
How long does it take to be painted?
Depending upon the complexity of your design, painting can take from 45 minutes to 4 hours. If your design consists of a base coat with detail on top, you'll need to leave time for the base to dry plus time for the whole thing to dry before we ride.
What kind of paint can I use?
There are a number of choices: textile acrylics, theatrical body paint, temporary tattoo paint, the list goes on and on. Whatever you use check each color for the ASTM non-toxic label. I use Speedball textile acrylic. If you plan to sport your paint at apres parade parties you should look into temporary tattoo paint. It's more expensive, but if applied to clean, oil free skin (that means no sunscreen) it will stay put and look good longer than textile acrylics which are prone to flaking. Leaving flakes on someone's sofa will not make you a popular guest.
Where do I buy paint?
Daniel Smith and Artist & Craftsman Supply both have Seattle stores and a good selection of non-toxic textile acrylics.
At the paint party, a selection of textile acrylic paint will be available for a suggested contribution of $5.00.
Who will paint me?
Whomever you'd like. Ask your friends. You never know, they may also be interested in riding so you might arrange a painting swap. I'll paint your back, if you'll paint mine. Another option is to leave the painting in the hands of the new friends you'll make at the painting party the morning of the parade. Many people show up with their ideas and a couple of brushes and ask others to help them out. If you have a particular design in mind and it consists of repeating shapes (ex. starfish, angel fish, seahorse) you can speed things along by making stencils ahead of time.
Will the paint come off?
Eventually. Your best bet is lots of warm, soapy water, a washcloth, and a friend to scrub between your shoulder blades. Most paints come off in little flakes so I recommend using a hair snare in your drain to prevent them from mucking up your plumbing.
In 2004, I discovered the miracle of "pressure washing". I attached a spray nozzle to my garden hose, stood in the middle of my yard and turned the water on, adjusting the nozzle until the water was a concentrated jet. This essentially peeled the paint right off my body. Combined with some sea salt and Dr. Bronner's and I was clean in a record 30 minutes! It's probably not a bad idea to stand in a kiddie pool or on a tarp to keep the paint flakes out of your lawn. Last year, I experimented with dry scrubbing first. I used an old, rough washcloth to gently abrade the paint off and then lathered up and rinsed. Like a charm!
I'm a little, um, hirsute. Will my body hair affect my paint?
You can definitely be painted over body hair although it can be a bit trickier to get an even coat. Body hair also makes removing the paint more difficult and more painful. Some folks get into the hair removal aspect while others chose to go au naturel. It's up to you.
Where can I rent a bike?
Recycle Cycle rents bikes and they're very close to the end of the parade. I've not rented from them, but they've always been reasonable when I needed bikes, parts, or repairs.
Gregg's Greenlake Cycle is farther away, but it also has a good reputation.
More Seattle Solstice Parade Pictures:
Photo by offwithyourtv
Photo by offwithyourtv
Photo by offwithyourtv
Photo by TC.
Photo by sabersaigefl
Photo by TC.
Photo by deborahsemer
Photo by offwithyourtv
Photo by Joe Mabel
Photo by TC.
Photo by Joe Mabel


text:
Library funding prompts discussion
On March 1, the town will vote to appropriate $198,000 to the library, an increase of $44,800 from last year, to cover 42.5 percent of their operating budget. Some residents believe the money is going to a worthwhile cause while other believe the money would be better spent elsewhere.
Dick Kaaz, a library user and Manchester resident, said he doesn't mind the library asking for the additional funding. He was at the library with his grandchildren Qwynn and Calder, both students at Manchester Elementary Middle School. Both kids said they use the library to check out books - Calder said he especially likes books about reptiles.
Even though they are not voting age and can't be apart of the town's decision, both said they are very excited for the new library to be opened. "It's near our school!" Calder said, excitedly. "We could walk there!"
Betsy Bleakie, library executive director said the importance of the new library is that it will be able to serve as a community center and space for everyone. With the additional money the library is asking, the contribution from the median Manchester household would come in to about $52 of their taxes. This is less than the $65 a non-resident household pays to use the library and comes out to be less than 15 cents a day, she added. Linda McKeever, president of the library board said the new library will not be "your grandmother's library." It will be a place where people can go for technology help, adult programming and other services. Books are just a fraction of what the library will be able to offer, she said.
In building the library, McKeever said the board really looked at building a library for the future, including making the building as efficient as possible while keeping spaces open for the changes that may come.
"You don't build a library every 50 years," she said. "You build one every 150 to 200 years."
On the other hand, Steve Nichols, a member of the selectboard and a former member of the library board of trustees said that when he was on the board, he had concerns that the library's budget did not contain enough fundraising and grant money. He said the amount of money being asked by all the non profits is too much.
"They [non-profits like the library] need to be more concerned with the [cost of] infrastructure and the tax payers pockets," he said. "I'm not out to upset anybody, but you have to look at the town as a whole picture, you can't just say 'meme', it's 'we, we, we."
Nichols said he was airing his personal feelings on the subject, and was not speaking on behalf of the Select Board.
Manchester resident Barbara Comer said she too is not against the library, but is against the amount of money the library is asking from the town.
She said the town is under a lot of pressure to keep their budget low and that because town departments are asked to scale back, the library should not receive this extra funding.
"They should implement a different fee system, or approach other towns for funding," she said.
Comer made the argument that there is a diminishing tax base in Vermont and there are many stressors on that base, specifically educational funding in the state.
She also stressed the importance of utilizing the Park House at the rec park.
"We spent $1.5 or $1.6 million [dollars on a] recreational facility, which the town is still paying back," she said. "I wonder how much that is utilized." When asked about article five on the town warning [this article would require all social services asking for more than $2,500 to be voted by Australian ballot, not off the floor], she said the change to voting procedure would be a good thing. Comer said this would allow more people to have their opinion about large appropriations, like the $198,000 the library is requesting, heard.
John O'Keefe said it was the combination of voted appropriations going up and participation in town meeting going down that prompted this article, not the size of the appropriation for the library.
"We've seen voted appropriations grow well beyond the general growth of budgets in general...[article five] is not about one specific voted appropriation, but a different number of voted appropriations," he said.
If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us. We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom.


text:
Club 99
Located in the Cheel Campus Center, Club 99 is the cultural center for student life on campus. With such a variety of activities for students and faculty it offers a unique service to the community. Music, poetry, pool, foosball, and so much more makes it the best place to relax with friends for a while. Club 99 also has a large-screen TV and serves alcoholic drinks for those over 21 and non-alcoholic beverages! Club 99 is open to students of all ages.
During the Fall of 2010 Clarkson is excited to be opening a brand new Student Center. The new building will feature a state of the art cafe/bar/game room that will serve coffee during the day and alcoholic beverages at night to students of legal drinking age. Club 99 will also remain open as well, so the Clarkson community will have two Pubs on campus to utilize. Watch for announcements for changes to the hours of operation in Club 99 and the hours of the Cafe/Bar in the new Student Center next semester.


text:
Jason Collins, the 34-year-old center who revealed he was gay Monday in a Sports Illustrated story, said Tuesday in an interview he has been overwhelmed with support after becoming the first openly gay athlete in any major American sports league. As Chris Broussard notes in the video above, dissidents won't speak up in the "politically-correct climate." Broussard did some backpedaling Monday after comments he made about homosexuality during ESPN's "Outside the Lines" show.
— Four former Razorbacks were taken in the weekend's NFL draft, and several more signed free agent deals. Running back Knile Davis was taken by Kansas City in the third round; quarterback Tyler Wilson was a fourth-round selection by Oakland; wide receiver Cobi Hamilton was picked by Cincinnati in the sixth round; and tight end Chris Gragg went to Buffalo in the seventh round.
— After allowing the rest of the NFL to get its fill of free agents, the New York Jets cut Tim Tebow.
— A long read, but well worth the time: A recap of the 102-hour manhunt for the Boston Marathon bombers.
— Willie Nelson turned 80 either yesterday or today. Nelson and the state of Texas can't agree on his birth date.
— F. Scott Fitzgerald received $1981.25 for The Great Gatsby in 1925, according to Fitzgerald's handwritten ledger that was posted online last week. A film adaptation of the novel opens in theaters May 10.
— Google Now vs. Siri: Here's what they had to say.


text:
Pregame events make All-Star goosebumps
Everyday heroes, Steinbrenner, players honored before game
By Mark Newman / MLB.com
"Are you OK?" Derek Jeter asked her as the All-Stars mingled and shook hands with the 30 people recognized as everyday heroes on the field before the first pitch Tuesday night at Angel Stadium.
At least that's who she thought it was.
"He was a Yankee -- the cute one," she said.
The All-Star pregame festivities were a moving experience in every way. From the moment of silence and video tribute to legendary Yankees' owner George Steinbrenner, who passed away on a day devoted to baseball excellence, to the always-powerful player introductions, to the second annual celebration of ordinary people who do extraordinary things, it was a time to remember.
"It was such an honor to be down there, to showcase all our nonprofits and just inspire others that they can be All-Stars in the community," said Klein, the Athletics' representative who in 2007 established Loved Twice, a nonprofit that collects "gently used" baby clothing and donates them to newborns in need. Over the past three years, Loved Twice distributed more than 20,000 pounds of clothes to over 3,000 Oakland-area newborns, who have directly benefited from her work.
Innings later, she was sitting in Suite 77 with 29 other All-Stars Among Us, all having the time of their lives, all networking. Klein is starting a Facebook page so they can all continue to help each other after benefiting from the 1.7 million fan votes that made this occasion a reality.
Maybe you noticed Bob Bardwell sitting in his wheelchair at home plate as Alex Rodriguez shook his hand and said, "You are my hero." Bardwell, representing the Twins, founded a nonprofit youth ranch, Ironwood Springs Christian Ranch, in Stewartville, Minn., which hosts 23,000 people each year. He also founded The National Wheelchair Sports and Recreation Camp, attended by 1,000 campers over the last 22 years. The motivational speaker has also completed 100 wheelchair marathons.
"I was involved in a construction accident 37 years ago, leaving me paralyzed from the waist down," he said. "And on very rare occasions in life, I get goosebumps from the waist down. You figure that one out. The joy of this, you can't really put it into words. It's the memory of a lifetime. We certainly are honored by Major League Baseball for what they've done here.
"For me, it gives me a chance to go back home and spread more of my mission. My mission is called, 'Spreading Joy, Changing Lives.' That's what I do in life: be encouraging to people. I always say that pain, style and disappointment is inevitable, but misery is optional. This is just a big boost to all of us to go back home to our community and inspire other people."
The special tribute to the All-Stars Among Us was delivered by an A-list of celebrities, including Ben Affleck, Sheryl Crow, Harrison Ford, Salma Hayek, Matthew McConaughey, Julia Roberts and Charlize Theron. At the end of the video, Roberts said, "Congratulations to the 2010 People All-Stars Among Us," and a spontaneous ovation roared throughout the sun-drenched ballpark.
Tim Brosnan, MLB's executive vice president for business, said the pregame festivities further differentiated this All-Star Game -- one like no other.
"I know it sounds trite, but we're humbled by these people," he said of the All-Stars Among Us. "The fact that they got the level of recognition and appreciation they did, that's gratifying to us. We try to put on a pageant and make it look nice, but at the very end of the day, it's about recognizing these folks, and pushing the notion that everybody can contribute if they want to."
Rod Carew got onto the elevator with Amber Riley and signed a baseball for her. The Hall of Famer had just thrown out the ceremonial first pitch at the ballpark where he spent much of his career. The star of the Emmy-nominated TV show "Glee" had just belted out the Star-Spangled Banner. The Canadian Tenors -- Clifton Murray, Victor Micallef, Remigio Pereira and Fraser Walters -- performed Canada's national anthem.
"It was nerve-wracking and it was exciting all at the same time," Riley said. "It's really crazy. You can't really hear the crowd that much because I have the plug in my ear, but it was fun."
As for Carew, it has been a joyful week serving as Major League Baseball's honorary spokesperson for the All-Star Week, which began Friday. He rode in the lead parade vehicle earlier in the day during the sixth annual Red Carpet Show presented by Chevy, and he spent subsequent hours talking baseball with All-Stars, before throwing the first pitch. Carew said he was especially moved by the All-Stars Among Us celebration.
"It's a great celebration," he said. "They've done a great job. People are going to have a great night."
Another of the highlights in this ballpark during pregame: Jered Weaver and Torii Hunter introduced to the crowd dominated by Angels fans. Weaver was unavailable to pitch because he started on Sunday, but American League manager Joe Girardi had added him as a roster replacement, in the move that preceded the roster additions of pitchers Justin Verlander and Andrew Bailey.
Colbie Caillat was also on the entertainment list for the night, scheduled to perform "God Bless America" during the seventh-inning stretch.
The 81st Major League Baseball All-Star Game is being televised nationally by FOX Sports, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and Sportsnet HD and Le Reseau de Sport, and around the world by Major League Baseball International. ESPN Radio is providing exclusive national radio coverage. MLB Network, MLB.com and Sirius XM also are providing comprehensive All-Star Game coverage.
Mark Newman is enterprise editor of MLB.com. Follow @MLB on Twitter. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text: We lost 1215-1240 MHz to GPS and were required to accept interference from ISM devices on 2400-2450 MHz 25 years ago so further restrictions are possible in the future. 73, John KD6OZH ----- Original Message ----- From: <sco at sco-inc.com> To: <amsat-bb at amsat.org> Sent: Wednesday, September 20, 2006 18:30 UTC Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Why do the amsats get more and more complex? Looks to me that only the commercial service will possibly interfere with the Ham L band uplink. The open service signals will not be in the L band. Even then the Commercial service will be broadcast in three bands, only one of those is in our ham band. I would therefore assume if the commercial receiver was having interference on the CS channel (our L band) that it would switch over to one of the other TWO Open channels to gets its info. See the specs below. So what is the problem. Are we afraid that we might offend the Europeans if we are on one of their three channels? Sounds to me like Europe is building this system so they will have their own GPS if they decide to go to war with us. I hope they build it such that the Islamic Fascists can't use it to deliver bombs and missiles. Les W4SCO At 02:05 PM 9/20/2006, John B. Stephensen wrote: >Unfortunately, the Gaileo downlink covers >1258-1299 MHz, the first satellite has been >lanched and the satellites in the constellation >will be on over the entire world. Our uplink >antennas have sidelobes that are 10-20 dB down, >so a 1 kW EIRP SSB uplink results in 10-100 W >radiated towards terrestrial receivers. A 256 >kbps uplink would require 16 kW EIRP and be 0.5-1 MHz wide. > >P3E has a second L receiver tuned to a null in >the Galileo signal (there is only one null in >the 1260-1270 MHz band) but no one knows if this >will help. SSB users can move to the U uplink if >L is a problem. However, this only works for >narrowband signals. A wideband uplink won't fit >in the null and can't move down in frequency. > >73, > >John >KD6OZH There will be four different navigation services available: * The Open Service (OS) will be free for anyone to access. The OS signals will be broadcast in two bands, at 1164-1214 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MHz>MHz and at 1563-1591 MHz. Receivers will achieve an accuracy of <4 m horizontally and <8 m vertically if they use both OS bands. Receivers that use only a single band will still achieve <15 m horizontally and <35 m vertically, comparable to what the civilian GPS C/A service provides today. It is expected that most future mass market receivers, such as <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automotive_navigation_system>automotive navigation systems, will process both the GPS C/A and the Galileo OS signals, for maximum coverage. * The encrypted Commercial Service (CS) will be available for a fee and will offer an accuracy of better than 1 m. The CS can also be complemented by ground stations to bring the accuracy down to less than 10 cm. This signal will be broadcast in three frequency bands, the two used for the OS signals, as well as at 1260-1300 MHz. * The encrypted Public Regulated Service (PRS) and Safety of Life Service (SoL) will both provide an accuracy comparable to the Open Service. Their main aim is robustness against jamming and the reliable detection of problems within 10 seconds. They will be targeted at security authorities (police, military, etc.) and safety-critical transport applications (air-traffic control, automated aircraft landing, etc.), respectively. In addition, the Galileo satellites will be able to detect and report signals from COSPAS-SARSAT search-and-rescue <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_Position-Indicating_Radio_Beacon>beacons in the 406.0-406.1 MHz band, which makes them a part of the <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Maritime_Distress_Safety_System>Global Maritime Distress Safety System. >----- Original Message ----- From: <sco at sco-inc.com> >To: <amsat-bb at amsat.org> >Sent: Wednesday, September 20, 2006 16:16 UTC >Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Why do the amsats get more and more complex? > > >> >>Galileo (if it is ever built and launched and worked) would just be >>over Europe, right? That would leave the rest of the world the >>ability to use our L band uplink, right? If we hams are using a dish >>pointed at the sky with a narrow bandwidth how is that going to >>interfere with ground receivers some distance from us? We would be >>smart enough to not have the Eagle uplink on the same freq, right? >>And we would design Eagle such that we could (from ground control) >>move the Eagle receive freq away from any potential conflict with >>Galileo, right? And Eagle would be in orbit and operational long >>before Galileo, right? And Galileo receivers on the ground will have >>the ability to cut out any possible interference from us, right? >> >>Seems to me that we are planning to give up the L band (as an uplink) >>based on a lot of bad assumptions. >> >>Les W4SCO >> >> >>>The answer is in two parts. First, an L-band ground antenna would be too >>>large to disguise as a TVRO dish. Second, there is fear that over the >>>lifetime of Eagle that L-band could become unavailable, particularly in >>>Europe, if the Galileo system is deployed. Galileo would be a primary >>>service and Ham transmissions would likely interfere with low cost >>>commercial receivers. >>> >>>I don't wish to debate these points. I'm just telling you the reasoning >>>that >>>went into not choosing L-band. I assure you that every possibility was >>>considered. Lists were created and discussed on each alternative. >>> >>>Rick >>>W2GPS >>>AMSAT LM2232 >> >> >> >>_______________________________________________ >>Sent via AMSAT-BB at amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. >>Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! >>Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb > _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB at amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb


text:
In order to create light and ultra-thin ultra-mobile devices, panel makers are looking to thin down their LCD and touch displays to as small a mere 0.1mm, which is a major task. In addition, when ultra-thin, transparent and flexible OLED panel technology becomes more common, mobile device designers will be able to utilize the thin panels to look even more different.
Speaking at the recent DTF 2012 Ultra Mobile & Ecosystem Forum, AU Optronics (AUO) vice president & mobile product career group general manager, Wu Dagang, first played a short film depicting the future of display technology applications. In the film, a group of students sitting at an outdoor and discussing academics. One of students takes out a display device that resembles a transparent plastic plate. Not only can the device display clear images and videos, it is also flexible and bendable. A burst of wind then blows the display device together with a pile of paper to the ground; however, because of its thin, flexible and tough material, the device doesn't break. Another student comes to the intersection on a bicycle where the device has flown to, picks it up, clicks on the panel GPS's navigation option and gets directions. This is the new generation of flexible displays that AUO would like to introduce.
Returning back to his presentation, Wu talked about handsets and how they compare with present ones, saying that handsets were invented only 20 years ago and were as large as a kettle, whereas today, they can be held and controlled with one hand and can easily fit into a pocket. When a device's limitation has been changed, its technology creates many new demands, added Wu.
Device requirements: From movable, to mobile to 'pocketable'
Wu said when cloud computing and services become more widely accepted, all things can be shared, stored and accessed through a centralized server. More so, people will expect portable and mobile devices to be "pocketable." The most classic representation of this notion is the increase in mobility from personal desktop computers to notebook computers, and then from ordinary mobile phones to smartphones. But we still hope that devices can be even smaller, be pocketable, and able to access information anytime and anywhere.
The benefits of having a slimmer display panel are that it can increase battery capacity and battery life. The progress of existing lithium battery technology is rather slow but indispensable and its power storage capacity and supply time is proportional to the battery size. If an LCD module thickness is reduced by 25%, the leftover space will allow lithium capacity to be increased by 10%. If a smartphone has a 1,200-mAH lithium polymer battery, an extra 120mAH is equivalent to adding power enough for two hours of video watching, added Wu.
Another benefit is weight reduction. When a display panel's LCD module thickness is reduced by 10%, the weight of the whole device can be reduced by 15%, and will further push devices to become slimmer. Aside from Apple products having a simple-to-use interface, stylish designs are also selling points. A few years ago there was more emphasis on product features and specifications, but now that emphasis has gradually transformed into daily-life applications and even into stylish design products for women.
Flexible and bendable disaplay panel designs
According to statistics, 20% of mobile phones that are sent back for repair are due to screen rupture. To make display panels that are thin and not easy to break, in fact, is a challenge as the two features conflict with one another. AUO's Slim Solution targets four main areas: OLED (organic light-emitting diode) displays, slim touch solutions, flexible and bendable solutions and slim modules. Making OLEDs is a very delicate process and the thin display technology is very forward-looking and revolutionary.
Wu further elaborated that since LCD itself cannot emit light, it needs a filter glass coupled with a reflective sheet, which will increase thickness by at least 1.5mm. OLED on the other hand is a self-luminous device that can be reduced the 1.5mm. LCD modules also have the possibility of becoming thinner. Slim touch solutions allow touch panels to reduce the two-glass structure to a one-piece structure, and then become in-cell touch that further reduces the thickness by 0.4-0.5mm.
Ultrabook further drives panel thinness
Intel estimates that 40% of laptops will use the same standards as its ultrabook in the future, and that 10% of notebooks sold in 2012 will be ultrabooks.
Generally a notebook's cover thickness is 19-30mm, whereas the ultrabook's has dropped to 18-19mm and has a total body thickness of 21mm for 14-inch and above models and 18mm for models below 14 inches. The display module has also been significantly reduced in thickness to 3mm and is expected to drop to 2.8mm by 2013.
Taiwan-based companies have a positive attitude toward the ultrabook. Asus, Lenovo, Toshiba, along with other vendors have ultrabook products, indicating that the ultra-thin notebook will be an important selling point in the second half of this year.
The iPad is also becoming thinner. The first generation iPad had a thickness of 13.4mm, with a 3mm thick display panel; the second generation iPad2 saw the body thickness reduced to 8.8mm with a 2.5mm ultra-thin panel.
Key components of ultra-thin display panels
A display panel is composed of ITO, CF and TFT array glass on the upper layer, and film, LED/LGP components on the lower layer. First, the glass thickness has gone from 1.1mm 25 years ago all the way to 0.5mm at present and is predicted to drop to 0.3mm for tablets and 0.2mm for mobile phones in the future. In addition, light guide plates (LGPs) used in notebooks will have a thickness of 0.6mm from the present 0.8mm, whereas LGPs used in tablets will drop to 0.4mm. Notebook LED backlights will drop from 0.8mm to 0.6mm as well while tablet-use LED backlights will have a thickness of 0.4mm, a drop from 0.6mm.
AUO has key technology to solve the problem of luminosity when the current density is increased. AUO can reduce the thickness of LGP/LED components without increasing the current density.
In terms of touch panels, older cell phones adopted the glass-film (G/F) structure and tablets adopted a glass/glass (G/G) one. What once was G/G later became the one-glass solution (OGS) and then in-cell touch, with the sensor layer located between the CF and TFT array.
At present, AUO's thinner G/G structure has a cover glass of 0.7-0.55mm and sensor glass of 0.4mm, reducing the overall thickness by 1.2mm, and can be used in notebooks, all-in-one PCs and tablets. OGS can be reduced to a thickness of 0.4mm and can be used in tablets and 27-inch flat-panel displays. Wu estimates that 5 to 10% of ultrabook shipments this year will have built-in touch.
Wu added that designs of flexible displays and touch screens, as well as notebooks and digital cameras that have no protective glass, must adopt in-cell touch. The technology is compatible with existing TFT panel processing and only a few more steps need to be added for producing the sensor layer. However, currently it will be more suitable for touch panels of six inches and smaller due to the noise issue of in-cell technology.
AUO displays AMOLED panels, challenging Samsung's dominance of the technology
Wu also mentioned that last year the Samsung Galaxy S2 used an 8.49mm AMOLED panel to make the world's thinnest cell phone; but this year at the CES 2012 exhibition, China-based Huawei and Japan-based Fujitsu exhibited their Ascend P1S and F-07D handsets that are 6.68mm and 6.7mm in thickness, respectively, due to AMOLED panels that were used in the designs. According to data from DisplaySearch and TSR, up to 127-201 million AMOLED panels will be shipped in 2012, and approximately 320-455 million panels by 2016.
Last year at the FPD 2011, AUO exhibited its 4.3-inch qHD (540x960, 257ppi) high-resolution AMOLED panel, its 4-inch WVGA (800x400) AMOLED with on-cell touch, and its 6-inch transparent AMOLED panel. Technology for thinning AMOLED panels has gone from 1.2 mm in the form of encapsulation glass coupled with TFT OLED glass, to 0.6mm in the single-glass type that has an encapsulation film and TFT OLED glass, and further to only 0.3mm in a bendable, water-proof and anti-shock form adopting TFT OLED films. Moreover, at the FPD 2011 AUO displayed a plastic film-designed 4-inch VGA (640x480) high-resolution flexible AMOLED display that is 0.3mm thick.
Wu concluded that AUO offers a full range of thin panels and modules, and provides a full range of 3-27 inch OGS touch panels. He also said flexible AMOLED is the future trend for smartphones, and that embedded touch technology will add to the flexibility of displays.
Photo: AU Optronics (AUO) vice president & mobile product career group general manager, Wu Dagang


text:
Karrueche, Fabolous, Hit Boy, Teyana Taylor and DJ Drama hit Toxic Day Party in LA
Celebs were out in full effect this past Saturday (June 1) for Toxic Day Party, presented by LA's Finest Entertainment.
Draya, Fabolous, Hit Boy, The Game, Teyana Taylor, Too $hort, Karrueche and Christina Milian were among celebs and rappers who hit the party at Lure Patio. Ballers like James Harden, Nick Young and Brandon Jennings were in full effect, plus Diddy's son Justin Combs, Eva Marcelle, and NFL star DeSean Jackson.
Click through to see some crazy partying by your favorite famous folks.


text:
So this is going to be another post of Rome pictures. The last post of Rome pictures -- and by the way, if you're new to my blog, I assure you that I hardly ever post as many pictures as I've been posting. Really, you're all the victims of my fascinating new phone. I've never wanted to take pictures before, ever in my life, until I got this phone...
So. I adore the work of sculptor Gianlorenzo Bernini (1598-1680, Italy). It's one of the reasons Rome is one of my favorite cities – it's full of his sculptures. You can see them in museums; you can see them on the street. One of his sculptures, Apollo and Daphne, inspired one aspect of Bitterblue, which I'm sure I'll be talking about more on this blog at some point (I have lots to say about Bitterblue, but there's not much point in saying it until more people have it in their hands and have read it). In this post, I want to share some images of Bernini's famous fountain, Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi ("The Fountain of Four Rivers"), which sits in Rome's Piazza Navona.
|Look at how perfect he is. Look at his feet and hands.
|It's a statue with many emerging forms. Can you see the horse?
|This man is my favorite.
| Here's another angle. Takes my breath away.
Can you see the emerging alligator-type-thing?
|Horse again
|Emerging lion
On my last night, I went to Piazza Navona to see the fountain. My memory was working in its typical way – I remembered that I loved the fountain, but I didn't remember anything else about it, including what exactly it was about or even that Bernini had been the one to design it. The sight of it took my breath away. I thought in my head, "Wow, good as a Bernini." But still, I didn't remember that it was a Bernini – until I got back to the hotel and looked it up online. I was not particularly surprised.
To see a picture of the fountain entire, learn where I got my subject heading, and read about what all the figures in the fountain mean, go to the fountain's Wikipedia page. And if you're ever in Rome and want to see more Bernini, by all means, go to the Galleria Borghese.


text:
Go ahead, admit it. You've sung the song "Tomorrow" from the musical Annie, at least once in your life. (After a few straight days of non-stop rain, I'm singing it right now! The sun'll come out tomorrow, bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow, there'll be sun...)
Well, whether or not you know by heart the lyrics to "Tomorrow" or the other catchy tunes featured in the show, we are betting that you'll enjoy the free sneak preview of Cardinal Stage Company's performance of Annie, this Saturday, December 3, from 11-11:30 a.m. in the Main Library Auditorium. Cast members will present a couple scenes, and you'll have a chance to ask some of the children performing in the play what it's like to be in a musical.
In the meantime, here's a little trivia you can share with your friends: The title character of Annie stems from a poem called "Little Orphant Annie" written in 1885 by Hoosier poet James Whitcomb Riley. The poem inspired the name for the title character in the comic strip "Little Orphan Annie," created by Harold Gray and first published in the New York Daily News in 1924. The comic strip was very popular in the 1930s and enjoyed a long history before it was finally cancelled in 2010. But the character of Annie lives on in movies and musicals.
Cardinal Stage Company's production opens December 12. Check their website for details on show times and ticket sales. And reserve your seats now for the free preview performance on Saturday, Dec. 3 at the library. All ages are welcome!


text:
Leyland: Raburn reception 'not a big deal'
By Jason Beck / MLB.com
DETROIT -- As someone who remembers being booed when he first returned to Pittsburgh as a manager, Jim Leyland knows what it's like to be booed at an old stop. He thought Ryan Raburn's reception on Sunday as a member of the Indians was rather balanced compared to expectations.
"I didn't really think it was brutal or anything," Leyland said. "It really wasn't a big deal either way. Some people might have soured on him, obviously, but at the same time, I think for a lot of people, if you were a Tiger, you're a Tiger. They're pretty good about stuff like that, I think. They remember.
"Some people remember the good things, too, and they're pretty good about that here."
For most fans, Leyland believes, returns aren't a big deal. It can be a different situation if it's a high-profile player returning to a place after leaving as a free agent.
Hunter surprised by sacrifice bunt call
DETROIT -- Torii Hunter likes to believe he should be ready for anything as the No. 2 hitter in the lineup, especially batting in front of Miguel Cabrera.
Still, he couldn't lie. He was caught off-guard when the call came down for a sacrifice bunt in the ninth inning of a tie game on Sunday.
"No, I wasn't expecting it at all. I hadn't sacrifice bunted in, it might've been about 10 years," said Hunter, who went 1-for-4 with an RBI double in Monday's 7-2 win over Houston.
Actually, it wasn't that long. He actually laid down a successful sacrifice bunt last year for the Angels, moving Mike Trout from second to third base after a leadoff double in the opening inning August 2. He also bunted a runner over in an April 4 game in Minnesota, but it was ruled that Hunter was trying for a hit.
His sacrifice last year was his first since 2001. Even so, it's something he said he believes he should have been able to do Sunday, even against sidearming right-hander Joe Smith after Andy Dirks' single.
With a chance to move the Dirks into scoring position for Cabrera, Leyland said he had no qualms about putting the sign on.
"I did not give any thought to swinging away," Leyland said. "He just didn't get it down, and that happens."
After a first-pitch ball, Hunter tried bunting back-to-back sinkers, fouling off both of them. He stayed alive in the count before grounding into a double play.
"It was tough, but I've got to do my job," Hunter said. "I've got to get that guy over. Anything can happen if you get him over and put him in scoring position. I didn't do my job."
Leyland excited for Red Wings coach Babcock
DETROIT -- Among the many folks in Michigan staying up late Sunday night to watch the Red Wings in their first round Stanley Cup Game 7 against the Anaheim Ducks was Tigers manager Jim Leyland. He wasn't disappointed.
Leyland has talked several times with Wings coach Mike Babcock, and has invited him to Comerica Park whenever his season ends. Leyland said he was fascinated watching the strategy as the game unfolded.
"I really enjoyed it," Leyland said. "Like I've said, I don't know anything about hockey, but I thought it was really interesting. To be honest with you, I wasn't really sure they had timeouts in hockey, other than TV timeouts. They had that timeout at the end of the game, which I thought was interesting. It almost reminded me of a basketball game when the coach says, 'OK, this is what they're probably going to try to do. This is what we're going to do.'
"I don't know how you can do that with the puck flying around, how you can have a play for sure. But plays seem to be broken up, and the puck seems to be going around every place. They must have them, but it was interesting, because Babock was prepared for his timeout, whatever it was. He had something for them."
Leyland said he has seen what their coaches do for pregame preparation, and while he doesn't understand it all, he was impressed by it. He hopes Babcock has a chance to do the same.
"He'll be over here, hopefully not too soon," Leyland said. "He's a great guy."
Quick hits
• Members of the Detroit chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America presented former Tigers pitcher Steve Sparks with the Tiger of the Year Award -- from 2001. Sparks, who led that team with 14 wins and eight complete games, didn't receive a trophy at the time because the chapter didn't have one. When Detroit writers saw Sparks, now an Astros broadcaster, in Spring Training, they wanted to give him the trophy he deserved.
• Miguel Cabrera's 11-game hitting streak ended Monday with an 0-for-4 performance against the Astros. He was 19-for-47 over the stretch, nearly matching his season-high 12-game hitting streak from April 14-28. Hunter now has the longest active hitting streak on the team at four.
Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
hahaPatrick Ewing was to return to the court, continuing his illustrious career as a 10-minute a night backup to his pupil Yao Ming.
"I'm not making a comeback. I"m just here to help fill an injury hole," said Ewing... supposedly.
ClutchFans reported Thursday that Patrick Ewing was activated by the team, but instead it was the 8th straight year of an April Fools Gag done by the site
Every year a joke situation seems to present itself due to a situation with the team, and 'Ewing Activated' made sense. Jeff Van Gundy has been scooping up anything with New York ties and Kelvin Cato's injury has left the Rockets in need of some interior work.
I used the official Rockets site to backup the claim, renaming it to "ROOKETS.COM", and "photochopped" the press conference photo, adding background, shading, faded logos and microphones to a past Ewing photo.
It was funny to watch the reaction of some, both those who were fooled and those who weren't. This is the 8th straight year of an April Fools joke on the site, and it's expected/anticipated by the majority of the site's fans. As a result, trying to slide one by most is like trying to slow-pitch a cantaloupe past Mickey Mantle.


text: Concerning the Forcefield as an "add on" to ZAP. When does the one-year license clock begin--on the date you pay for the license, or the date you install the license number code on your PC? In other words, if you pay and receive the code, but don't install if for a couple weeks, do you lose two weeks of your year license, or does it start when you enter the code? Thanks for your info.


text: The windmill that is the entrance to the Founders Park has its own history, not profitable but certainly colourful. Here you can find out the range of activities on show on any one day, from train rides to "old style" baking. The restaurant in the middle of the village is a "must stop" for a cooling drink or a full meal- mine was as good as anywhere else in Nelson.


text:
OCEAN CITY — Two Delaware men were arrested on first-degree assault charges this week after allegedly beating another man on the Boardwalk early Sunday morning.
Around 12:15 a.m. on Sunday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer inside the police substation on Worcester Street and the Boardwalk was alerted by an employee a fight was in progress near the facility's ground floor bathroom. As the officer ran down the steps of the substation, he observed two suspects, later identified as Javon Tazewell, 20, of Woodside, Del., and Jamare Tazewell, 19, of Dover, striking a white male on the sidewalk area in front of the police station.
According to police reports, roughly 50 people were standing around watching the assault. The two suspects ran down Worcester Street, then fled north on Baltimore Ave. The officer noted in his report the victim was bleeding profusely from the facial area and appeared dazed. The officer pursued the two suspects on foot and was able to detain one of them, Javon Tazewell, in the area of Wicomico Street and Baltimore Ave. Another officer was able to detain Jamare Tazewell in the same area.
Javon Tazewell had fresh blood all over the front right pants leg of his jeans and blood on his shoes. Jamare Tazewell also had blood on his shoes, according to police reports. One witness told police the two suspects were kicking and punching the victim while he was on his hands and knees in the restroom. Another witness told police he saw the two suspects punching and stomping the victim's head and face on the sidewalk directly in front of the police station.
Yet another witness told police the two suspects were "curbing" the victim, a slang term used to describe using the bottom of one's foot to stomp another person's head and face into a sidewalk or curb, according to police reports.
Ocean City Emergency Services responded to the scene to treat the victim for his injuries. After paramedics arrived, the victim lost consciousness and had to be flown to PRMC via Maryland State Police helicopter. Jamare Tazewell and Javon Tazewell were each arrested and charged with first- and second-degree assault and disturbing the peace.
Loud Music Leads To Weapon
OCEAN CITY — A Dover man was arrested on weapons charges this week after playing loud music from his vehicle in a parking lot.
Around 11 p.m. last Saturday, OCPD responded to the area of 13th Street and Baltimore Ave. for a report of people playing loud music from their vehicle in a hotel parking lot. Officers arrived and met with the vehicle's owner, identified as Edward Allen Boyer, 18, of Dover. While speaking with Boyer, OCPD officer noticed a pen knife in the driver's side door pocket. Officers also learned Boyer had an active warrant out for his arrest from Delaware.
Boyer was arrested on the Delaware warrant and a subsequent search of the vehicle turned up another pen knife under the passenger's seat and a replica handgun under the driver's seat. Boyer was arrested on the outstanding warrant from Delaware and was also charged with wearing, carrying and knowingly possessing a replica handgun.
Life Without Parole For Murder
SALISBURY — A Fruitland man was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole for the first-degree murder of a Salisbury women whose remains were found buried on the suspect's family's property in April 2011.
William A. Hill, 25, of Fruitland, was found guilty after a two-day trial in April of first-degree murder in the death of Whitney Bennett. Back in court last Friday, Hill was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Bennett went missing in December 2010, touching off a massive search throughout the region.
Her remains were found buried in a plastic bag on property owned by Hill's family on April 1, 2011. Hill, reportedly the last person to see Bennett alive, was later arrested and indicted on first-degree murder and other charges.
Jail Time For Tazed Suspect
SNOW HILL — A Dundalk man who attacked a Worcester County Sheriff's deputy in March and had to be tased to be brought under control, pleaded guilty this week in Circuit Court to second-degree assault on a police officer and disorderly conduct and was sentenced to a year in jail.
Around 6:30 a.m. on March 18, a Worcester County Sheriff's deputy responded to the Alamo Motel in West Ocean City in reference to several disorderly individuals fighting out front. Upon arrival, the deputy observed three individuals fighting in the parking lot, including one suspect later identified as Isreal Christopher Haggerty, 19, of Dundalk. While the deputy was talking with Haggerty, he was approached by a juvenile female who said she had been assaulted.
The juvenile female then became disorderly, according to police reports, and when an attempt was made to take her into custody, the juvenile allegedly assaulted the officer. While the juvenile female was being taken into custody, Haggerty allegedly began attacking the deputy and the deputy had to deploy his Taser to subdue the attacker.
However, that was not the end of the fracas. The juvenile female then began to fight with another individual along with two other suspects later identified as Brent Monroe, 19, of Baltimore, and Stephen Stark, 44, of Ocean City. The investigation revealed had broken into a room at the motel, which triggered the fight in the first place.
This week in Circuit Court, Haggerty pleaded guilty to second-degree assault on a police officer and disorderly conduct and was sentenced to one year in jail, with all but one month suspended. He was also placed on probation for two years and fined $500. Stark is scheduled to appear for trial next week and Monroe has a trial date set for August.
Burglars Escape Jail
SNOW HILL — Two of the four suspects arrested last fall in connection with a residential burglary in Ocean City dating back to June 2010 pleaded guilty last week in Circuit Court to theft from $1,000 to under $10,000 and each received suspended jail sentences.
On June 30, 2010, OCPD officers responded to a reported burglary at a residence on Island Edge Drive. The investigation revealed the suspects had gained entry to the residence through the garage and had stolen a 42-inch flat screen television, a DVD player and various pieces of jewelry totaling over $1,000. The estimated total value of the items stolen, including the television and the jewelry came to over $2,000. The scene was processed for evidence and no suspects were immediately identified.
In November 2011, an OCPD detective received a tip from an anonymous source that as many as five people were involved in the break-in including Wesley Francis, 21, of Thurmont, Md., Nicholas McClain, 19, of Middletown, Md., Todd Rewolinski, 19, of Frederick, Md. and Kyle Tharpe, 19, of Middle River, along with a female suspect. The investigation revealed the five suspects were staying at a place in Sunset Island in June 2010 and that they had been kicked out for an unknown reason.
Because the suspects didn't have any money, they came up with the idea to break into an unoccupied neighboring residence, according to police reports. The investigation revealed the suspects broke into the residence and took the television and other goods and loaded the stolen property into a pick-up truck owned by Francis. In December 2011, OCPD detectives traveled to Thurmont to interview Francis and observed a white pick-up matching the description parked in the driveway.
Francis, who is deaf, told OCPD officers through an interpreter he was had been involved in the June 2010 burglary in Ocean City. Francis told police he entered the residence with Rewolinski, Tharpe and McClain and that he backed his truck up to the garage before entering the house. Francis told police the four men then loaded the television into his truck and that he later dropped Rewolinski off at another residence with the television. Francis was formally charged with first-degree burglary, theft and malicious destruction of property in January and now awaits a May trial date.
Also in December 2011, OCPD detectives interviewed McClain, also deaf, who admitted his part in the burglary. McClain said he and the other suspects got into the house through the garage and stole the television and other goods. McClain was also charged in January with first-degree burglary and other charges for his role in the break-in. In February, McClain pleaded guilty to fourth-degree burglary and in May he was sentenced to 18 months in jail with all but 15 months suspended.
Last week, Francis and Tharpe each pleaded guilty to theft from $1,000 to $10,000. Francis was sentenced to 90 days, all of which was suspended. Francis was placed on probation for 18 months and fined $500. Tharpe was sentenced to six months, all of which was suspended. He was also placed on probation for two years and fined $500. Each of the suspects was ordered to pay $2,575 in restitution to the victim. Rewolinski is scheduled to appear for trial in September.
Sibling Assault Case Forwarded
OCEAN CITY — A Washington, D.C. woman was arrested on first-degree assault and other serious charges in May after allegedly driving her car onto the sidewalk in the area of 39th Street and deliberately running over her brother with whom she had been fighting had her case forwarded to Circuit Court last week.
Around 6:30 p.m. on May 5, Ocean City Police responded to the area of 39th Street and Coastal Highway for a reported motor vehicle accident and assault. When officers arrived on the scene, they observed a 2011 Mazda parked across the sidewalk. The vehicle had struck an exterior wall, brick staircase, railing and mailbox of a real estate office on 39th Street.
The investigation revealed the driver, identified as Ladon Chimere Thomas, 28, had been in a verbal argument with her brother, which led to a physical altercation between the two siblings. After the altercation, Thomas got into her vehicle and turned north onto Coastal Highway. She then suddenly and deliberately swerved onto the sidewalk, striking her brother from the rear, according to police reports. The vehicle then collided with a real estate office, causing damage to the business.
During the course of the investigation, Thomas was highly agitated and continued to yell, scream and curse, according to police reports. She also allegedly assaulted a police officer while providing a description of the incident. The victim was transported by Ocean City Emergency Services to PRMC.
Thomas was also transported by Ocean City Emergency Services to Atlantic General and was later released. After her release, Thomas was arrested and charged with first- and second-degree assault for hitting her brother with the vehicle, along with second-degree assault on a police officer. Thomas' case was originally set for District Court, but was forwarded to Circuit Court last week.
Berlin House Fire Investigated
BERLIN — The Worcester County Fire Marshal's Office this week is investigating a fire at a residence on Burley Street early last Thursday morning.
Shortly after midnight last Thursday, the Berlin Fire Department responded to a reported fire at a residence on Burley Street. The fire was reported by a neighbor who was driving by the residence. The fire was quickly extinguished by firefighters from Berlin, Showell and Ocean Pines Volunteer Fire Companies.
The dwelling was occupied at the time, but all of the residents escaped without injury. The preliminary investigation revealed the fire started on a rear deck of the residence. The cause of the fire is listed as undetermined and the investigation is ongoing.


text:
Rangers prospect West has Tommy John surgery
By Christian Corona / MLB.com
Murphy finding success against lefties
ARLINGTON -- When this season began, outfielder David Murphy came to the ballpark knowing that he would not be in the lineup if the Rangers were facing a team that featured a left-handed starting pitcher.Now that Murphy is an everyday player, he starts against right-handers and left-handers alike. Despite being a left-handed batter, he is batting .408 with four doubles and five RBIs against southpaws entering Thursday's series opener with the Twins, who sent lefty Scott Diamond to the mound. Murphy's .408 mark against lefties is the fifth-best in the Majors among players with at least 49 at-bats against southpaws and the best among left-handed batters. "I'm definitely content with the performance and the results right now," Murphy said. "If I want to play every day, I need to show some results. I think it's all about the approach. Right now, it's been pretty consistent. Mechanically, everything is good." Murphy went 3-for-3 with a walk in a 12-3 win over the Orioles Wednesday, his third three-hit effort in his past seven games. His .387 batting average this month is the second-best in the American League, and his .315 batting average this season would be the fifth-best in the AL if he qualified, his .394 on-base percentage would be the fourth-highest in the AL.
Rangers prospect Skole returns from suspension
ARLINGTON -- Rangers prospect Jake Skole on Wednesday played his first game since being suspended 50 games by Major League Baseball for testing positive for an amphetamine, going 3-for-3 for short-season Class A Spokane.The Rangers selected Skole with the No. 15 pick in the 2010 Draft. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound outfielder hit just .185 with three home runs and 18 RBIs in 68 games with High-A Myrtle Beach before his suspension began nearly two months ago. But he singled three times out of the leadoff spot in his first game with Spokane this season. Skole, 20, batted .254 with two home runs, 27 RBIs and six stolen bases in 58 games for Spokane last year.
Young exits game to attend birth of third son
ARLINGTON -- Rangers designated hitter Michael Young left Thursday's series opener against the Twins in the bottom of the fifth inning to be with his wife, Cristina, who gave birth the couple's third child, a boy, shortly after he arrived at the hospital.
Mitch Moreland took over DH duties in the bottom of the sixth.
The Rangers made a late change to their lineup before the game, moving Elvis Andrus from designated hitter to shortstop and moving Young from shortstop to DH.Young was moved from shortstop because the Rangers did not have any other middle infielders to use should Young leave the game. Moving Andrus from DH to shortstop would forfeit the DH, forcing Texas to bat its pitcher. Alberto Gonzalez, who made two starts at second base this season and five others at shortstop, was designated for assignment Aug. 10 before being assigned to Triple-A Round Rock two days later. Before the change, Andrus was on track to make his second start of the season at designated hitter. "I'm great," Andrus said. "I tell [manager Ron Washington] all the time, 'If you don't want to give me a day off, I'll be ready to play every day.'" His only other start at designated hitter this season came in a loss to the Blue Jays on May 2, when he went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. All of the other 117 games he's started this season have been at shortstop. The last time he did not start was Saturday against the Blue Jays but he came in for Young at shortstop in the ninth inning. "I tried to get him a whole [day off] in Toronto, but we were playing a 2-1 ballgame and I needed him out there on defense," Washington said. "I can't afford to sit him right now. I'll put up with his loud mouth in the dugout tonight." Mike Olt made his fifth start of the year at first base while Young, who won a Gold Glove as a shortstop in 2008, started at designated hitter for the 56th time this year. Young has also made 34 starts at first base, 11 at second base, and 16 at third base this year.
Rangers bullpen hitting stride
ARLINGTON -- It's been a week since a Rangers reliever has allowed a run. And it's been more than four years since the Rangers bullpen has gone longer than its current streak of 15 1/3 innings without letting anyone cross the plate.Seven relievers have combined on the streak since Tanner Scheppers allowed a run in the sixth inning of Thursday's win over the Yankees, none of them throwing more than the three innings closer Joe Nathan has pitched over that stretch. "We're doing a great job," Mike Adams said. "The guys have been going out there and doing their job, one after another. I think, from a pitching standpoint, we've really hit our stride. August is usually a tough month for everybody, especially the pitchers, but the guys have done what they've needed to do to stay fresh and keep throwing zeros up." Over its last eight innings, the Rangers bullpen has surrendered only two hits while striking out eight. After picking up just two wins over a 27-game stretch, it has been credited with a victory in five of the team's past eight games. The Rangers' bullpen has posted a 1.04 ERA in its last 12 games and leads the Major Leagues with a 3.18 strikeout-to-walk ratio while walking 97, the fewest in baseball. "There was a point where it didn't matter who I brought in, I always had to go to Mike Adams and I had to go to Joe Nathan," manager Ron Washington said. "Finally things started clicking for them. ... I think you've got to give credit to [bullpen coach Andy] Hawkins and [pitching coach] Mike [Maddux]."
Worth noting
With three home runs in Wednesday's win over the Orioles, Adrian Beltre became the first third baseman in team history with three homers in one game and the fourth infielder, joining Brad Wilkerson, Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez. Mitch Moreland went 1-for-3 with five RBIs on Wednesday, becoming the second player in Rangers history to drive in that many runs in a game on only one hit. Ricky Ledee did it in 2000. Short-season Class A Spokane outfielder Royce Bolinger singled in his first at-bat of Wednesday's loss, extending his hitting streak to a Northwest League-best 23 games.
ChristianCorona is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
Here is a question I was asked at a job interview not too long ago.
'Explain what atoms are in simple terms'
Despite a degree in physics, I made a dog's dinner of this & gave some rubbish about really really small things.
I was thinking about it recently and looked up a definition & found:
atom: the smallest particle of matter which can partake in chemical reactions.
Sounds straight forward. But then I thought, what is a chemical reaction? Isn't it just an interaction between atoms (and collections of atoms). But that's recursive isn't it?
Any suggestions for answers?