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Afren 'Could Materially Surprise' in 2013
Oil sector analysts at Merrill Lynch said that production from the mainly Africa-focused independent oil and gas firm Afren "could materially surprise" in 2013 after it issued an operations update in which it revealed net production for last year was in line with guidance at 42,830 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd).
Afren's management has forecast a similar production range of between 40,000 and 47,000 boepd for 2013.
The firm achieved three significant exploration discoveries in 2012, including the Okoro field extension, offshore Nigeria, where the first production well came on-stream at 5,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd) and Simrit-2 in Kurdistan, Iraq, where oil flow has tested at 13,584 bopd.
Afren added that seismic data acquisition and ongoing prospect maturation has upgraded its East Africa exploration prospectivity to 5,838 million boe net to the firm.
Meanwhile, the firm continues its 14-well exploration and appraisal drilling campaign that is targeting net resources of 670 million boe. The Okwok-10 appraisal well in Nigeria, the Simrit-3 exploration well in Kurdistan and the Paipai exploration well in Kenya are currently drilling, it said.
"2012 saw record production and financial performance combined with significant exploration success in Nigeria and the Kurdistan region of Iraq. In 2013 we expect to further grow our reserves base through a multi-well exploration and appraisal drilling campaign in both established and new basins, while continuing to grow our production base," Afren Chief Executive Osman Shahenshah commented in a statement.
Merrill analysts commented Afren's forecast of up to 47,000 boepd for 2013 "excludes any production volumes from the Kurdistan region of Iraq, which offers the potential for material upside surprise".
Generated by readers, the comments included herein do not reflect the views and opinions of Rigzone. All comments are subject to editorial review. Off-topic, inappropriate or insulting comments will be removed.


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The brunette in the dark SUV caught me off guard. "I like your car!" she hollered. "Uh, thanks," I muttered, though I doubt she heard me. The light changed, and off she went. Damn — I should have asked where she was going.
Such was the attention Nissan's 370Z roadster drew out on the road — not bad for a car that's been around two years.
The 2011 Nissan 370Z roadster costs a pretty penny, but it's a pretty car that storms on-ramps and manhandles corners far better than the average soft-top.
Redesigned for 2010, the two-seat 370Z roadster carries over with few changes. It's a soft-top convertible version of the 370Z coupe, which was redesigned for 2009 to succeed the 350Z. (Read our review of the 2010 Z coupe, or compare the lineup here.) Like the coupe, the roadster comes in base and Touring editions with a six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic. We drove a six-speed manual 370Z roadster Touring.
Driver's Delight
The 370Z roadster moves out from a stop and thunders ahead as the tach needle flies clockwise. Similar money can get you more punch in a V-8 Ford Mustang GT or Chevy Camaro SS convertible, but the 332-horsepower Z rivals their fun. Graced by a short-throw stick shift and Nissan's SyncroRev Match option, which blips the throttle automatically to rev-match downshifts, the Z encourages you to dart between traffic gaps and generally haul ass whenever possible. No teenager belongs within reach of the keys.
Like the Infiniti G, its platform sibling, the Z resists premature understeer. It sets on its rear and allows you to drift the tail with little practice. Like in the 350Z, however, things get squirrely if you nail the gas coming out of a turn, and mid-corner bumps perturb the chassis more than I'd like. As $40,000 droptops go, the BMW 1 Series convertible stays more planted.
The Z's steering settles in at higher speeds but starts into turns with a hint of mush. It isn't a deal-breaker, but I expect more from a car of this caliber. At low speeds, the wheel doesn't always unwind to center naturally, but city drivers will appreciate the car's 32.8-foot turning circle with the standard 18-inch wheels.
Our tester's optional 19-inch wheels came with the Z's Sport Package, which includes SynchroRev Match, a limited-slip differential, Bridgestone Potenza high-performance summer tires and beefier brakes. The 19s add 1.3 feet to the car's turning circle, as larger wheels often do, but the Sport Package's brakes feel linear and fade-free. Given the hardware — 14-inch front discs and four-piston calipers, versus 12.6-inch front discs on the base 370Z — I'd expect nothing less.
Like the 370Z coupe, the roadster's suspension isolates minor bumps, but larger disruptions knock you about. At highway speeds, the Z has all the insulation of a shower curtain — the tires drone and the wind howls. Editors were split on top-down wind disruption. I found it livable thanks in part to a fixed wind deflector between the Z's roll bars, but another editor said the wind beat him up at highway speeds. The payoff comes in the convertible's solid structure, which minimizes jiggle over broken pavement.
The Inside
The Z's cockpit is snug, with stiff cushions, limited seat travel and no telescoping adjustment for the steering wheel. It's handsome, though, with padded surfaces down to thigh level and convenient knee pads flanking the center controls. I wish Nissan had swapped out the cabin's silver plastic accents for chrome or metal — as it does in the Murano crossover — but all told, this is one of the brand's better interiors.
If you must ask, the Z roadster has all the utility of a decorative fireplace — you'll want to annex the center console's single cupholder before your passenger beats you to it. Behind the front seats is a miniscule cargo ledge and storage cubby. The cloth top doesn't intrude on trunk space, but all you get is a precious 4.2 cubic feet, top up or down. That's about half the space of a Mustang, Camaro, 1 Series or Audi TT convertible.
Safety, Features & Pricing
The Z has not been crash-tested, and given its low production volume, it probably won't be. Click here for standard safety features. The Z roadster has insufficient reliability data to quantify, but its coupe sibling is abysmal in that department. The 1 Series is a reliability sinkhole, too, but the Mustang and Camaro fare better.
The base Z roadster starts at $38,200, which is $6,750 more than the identically equipped hardtop Z. That's a hefty premium for a powered cloth top, even in the $40,000 club.
|Droptop premium (amount)
|Nissan 370Z Base
|21% ($6,750)
|Chevrolet Camaro 2SS
|16% ($5,355)
|Ford Mustang GT Premium
|15% ($5,000)
|BMW 135i
|12% ($4,300)
|Audi TT Premium Plus
|8% ($3,000)
Standard features on the Z include automatic climate control, keyless access with push-button start, one-touch power windows, a power cloth top, and a CD stereo with an MP3 jack and steering-wheel audio controls. Another $4,000 gets you the 370Z Touring, which adds a decent Bose stereo and partial-leather power seats with heating and ventilation. The automatic transmission, a navigation system, USB/iPod compatibility, a backup camera and the Sport Package are optional. Check every factory option, and an automatic Z roadster Touring tops out near $50,000.
370Z in the Market
What the Z roadster lacks in hardcore performance and value it turns out in refinement: The tidy soft-top, smooth-shifting stick and cabin materials all deserve Infiniti badges.
The flat-backed 350Z roadster always looked awkward, but with this version Nissan has righted the styling ship. Even in the car-indifferent city where I live, the Z roadster drew looks and occasional comments. Such qualities may help owners justify dropping at least 40 large on a two-seat weekend toy. Their spouses, of course, may differ on the value of the shout-outs.
|Send Kelsey an email

subset: commoncrawl


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Heart Care Team Leads The Region In Quality
Home » About Us » News » 2011 News » Heart Care Team Leads The Region In Quality
March 31, 2011
Catholic Health's Heart Center at Mercy Hospital of Buffalo leads the region in safe outcomes for interventional cardiology procedures, including angioplasty and stent placement, according to a recently released report by the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH).
In addition, Salvatore Calandra, MD, Medical Director of the center's interventional cardiology program, was ranked best in the state out of 181 interventional cardiologists with a perfect (0.0% mortality) score in the report.
Mercy Hospital achieved a risk adjusted mortality rate (RAMR) of 0.79%, which was significantly better than the Buffalo area's three other interventional cardiology programs. As a group, the physicians in the Mercy cardiac program led the region in best outcomes or lowest overall mortality rates.
"Our team at Mercy Hospital has worked hard to improve quality outcomes," Dr. Calandra said. "Our intense cardiac performance improvement program and the coordinated efforts of our dedicated and talented team have been key factors in raising the bar on quality."
"It is no longer a secret that the Heart Center at Mercy ranks among the top cardiac care programs, not only locally, but among our peers in New York State and the nation," Calandra added. "We strive to take advantage of the latest technology and advancements in cardiac care to better serve our patients."
The Heart Center offers a full range of cardiac care services, including open heart surgery, cardiac catheterization, electrophysiology services for irregular heart rhythms, cardiac implants, and a comprehensive ventricular assist device (VAD) program.
The center is recognized for its expertise in minimally-invasive cardiac treatment, including an advanced radial (wrist) artery approach for interventional cardiology procedures that Mercy physicians have been performing for over 15 years.
In addition, the center features the only robotic assisted da Vinci® heart surgery program in Western New York.
The Heart Center at Mercy Hospital led the region in safe, quality outcomes for interventional cardiac procedures, according to the latest New York State cardiac report. Cath Lab team members are, from left, Ann Manzella, Patricia Glascott, Lois Ganshaw, Joseph Gelormini, MD, Sue Charles, Enrino Fabrizi, Salvatore Calandra, MD, Pat Fulcher, and Karen Actyl.


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We love when bloggers use our products to create special pieces for their wardrobes and homes. We really began to blush when we got a copy of New Dress A Day blogger, Marisa Lynch's new book The Ultimate DIY Guide to Creating Fashion Dos from Thrift-Store Don'ts. Marisa was kind enough to send it along with a little note letting us know how much she loves M&J Trimming but the real 'melt our hearts' moment happened when we saw her shoutout to M&J in the book!
We can read her shoutout over and over and never get bored with it (Thanks Marisa!). In the book, she gives detailed tutorials on how to fix and update your wardrobe with various trims.
We can't wait to see all of you try out these New Dress A Day DIYs with our lace, beaded, feather, fringe, leather, and ribbon trims! Some of our ribbon trims are now half off, too! Make sure to tweet us your pictures if you do.


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I came across XULrunner (GUI rendering backend used by Firefox and Thunderbird), and thought the concept is really interesting - building GUIs in XML. I read the Wikipedia page, and thought it was as clear as mud. I read the intro documentation and tutorial too on the Mozilla Developer Centre.
They all emphasize that XUL is only for the GUI, and has nothing to do with the application logic. The tutorial on MDC only covered how to create a simple UI, but my big question is, how do I interface the UI with code? In what language? The tutorial seems to suggest Javascript... but I find it hard to believe that Firefox is written in Javascript entirely.
Anyone has experience using XULrunner?


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ATLANTA - Eli Tomac will take the final step in his professional evolution Saturday at the Georgia Dome when he makes his debut in the top tier of motocross aboard a GEICO Honda CRF 450R.
"I'm fired up and excited to race this 450," Tomac said. "I don't think I could have picked a better place to make my debut because Atlanta is always a packed house and the fans are loud. I love that crazy feeling you get in that building.
Tomac further added.
"It'll be fun racing against some different guys and this also will be the first time in my career that I'll be running in the east in Supercross, so I'm anxious to see how the tracks are set-up."
Tomac will contest four 450SX races while the tour is in the east - Atlanta, St. Louis, Daytona, Fla., and Indianapolis - before returning to 250SX when the west series completes its final three races in Seattle, Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. He currently ranks second in the 250SX West standings after winning four of the first six races. Tomac is the defending 250SX West champion.
"I love the new Honda 450," Tomac said. "I rode it at the Monster Energy Cup and came away in third place overall, so I hope I'll be able to contest for some podium finishes in these four races. The 250 class is very fast and a lot of times, we're running the same lap times as the 450s, so I expect to feel fairly comfortable right from the start. I really can't wait to run 450s full time. I'm ready."
Saturday's racing action will be shown live beginning at 5:30 p.m., on SPEED TV. The 450SX race will repeat at 9 p.m.


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Hepatic vein obstruction is a blockage of the hepatic vein, which carries blood away from the liver.
Budd-Chiari syndrome; Hepatic veno-occlusive disease
Hepatic vein obstruction prevents blood from flowing out of the liver and back to the heart. This blockage can cause liver damage. Obstruction of this vein can be caused by a tumor or growth pressing on the vessel, or by a clot in the vessel (hepatic vein thrombosis).
Most often, it is caused by conditions that make blood clots more likely to form, including:
Hepatic vein obstruction is the most common cause of Budd-Chiari syndrome.
One of the signs is swelling of the abdomen from fluid buildup (ascites). The liver is often swollen and tender.
Tests include:
Treatment varies, depending on the cause of the blockage.
Your doctor may recommend the following medicines:
Surgery may be recommended. This may involve:
Hepatic vein obstruction can get worse and lead to liver failure, which can be life-threatening.
Call your health care provider if:
Hauser SC. Vascular diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Cecil Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2011:chap 145.
Stevens WE, Patil A. Vascular disease of the liver. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ eds. Sleisenger & Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2010:chap 83.
1000 Johnson Ferry Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30342
(404) 851-8000
450 Northside Cherokee Blvd.
Canton, GA 30115
(770) 224-1000
1200 Northside Forsyth Drive
Cumming, GA 30041
(770) 844-3200


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The following story was published in the Revolution's "Match Day" program for the June 15 game against Toronto FC
When midfielder Zak Boggs suffered a concussion last June, forcing him to miss the final 17 matches of the MLS regular season and all five SuperLiga matches, few people would assume the 25-year-old would spend his time skipping rope and practicing Taekwondo, or even shooting marbles. Even fewer people would assume that Boggs is an accomplished champion in all of these events, leaving soccer as the only sport in which he doesn't have a world championship.
An undefeated marble shooting champion when he was in just the fifth grade, Boggs' competitive nature was a driving force behind his unconventional hobbies. He also explained that growing up in West Virginia carried with it certain traditional pastimes and he owes his cultural upbringing to his knack for knocking around marbles.
"In West Virginia, once you reach the fourth grade in gym class, everyone starts playing marble shooting," he said. "There's a national tournament and so [in West Virginia] there's county championships and then they come together and there's a state championship and you get a scholarship if you win.
"So there I was, in fourth grade and I had never played and in fifth grade I played a little bit and then I caught the bug and decided to compete and went all the way and won. Didn't lose a match either, that was pretty wild."
Despite being a world-class marble shooter by the age of 10, Boggs already had higher aspirations while he was in grade school. Beginning at the age of seven, Boggs was a student of Taekwondo, eventually earning his black belt in the Korean martial art that loosely translates to "the art of foot and fist."
After earning his black belt in an art that focuses greatly on the power and ability of the practitioner's legs and feet, Boggs continued to practice Taekwondo competitively across the country, eventually earning a spot on the United States Junior Olympic team. Naturally, Boggs competed at a high level, becoming the Junior Olympic Taekwondo Champion in both fighting and sparring. Shortly after, however, Boggs gave up the martial arts to pursue his interests in soccer.
"Unfortunately, I kind of let that one go to the wayside," Boggs said. "It's way too hard on the body to continue doing every day."
The impressive athletic résumé attached to the Revolution midfielder does not end there, however. Boggs continues to compete on a competitive jump rope team during his time away from Major League Soccer.
"I live in the Mid-Ohio Valley, so there's a team there," he said. "Whenever I go home I'll do it. There's a team there and I do whatever I can."
When asked how he started to get into the niche sport of competitive jump roping, Boggs' intense desire to compete again reared its head.
"My sister [Tori] got into it when she was five and she's 18 now and she's like seven-time world champion. She's unbelievable," Boggs continued. "And so, obviously I had to try it. So I started jumping and started competing a little bit."
While it comes as no surprise that Boggs does possess exceptional athletic prowess as a professional soccer player, he has worked hard to hone that athletic ability since he was a young child and, although it is obvious Boggs is gifted in many ways, his work ethic and preparation is second to none.
"I definitely always try my hardest in whatever it is I'm doing," Boggs said of how he acquired his multiple talents. "If I'm going to do something then I'm going to make sure that I do it the best that I can and execute to the best of my ability. There's no reason to not give something your best effort."
In spite of the fact that Boggs is able to boast such distinguished athletic credentials and recently added "starting midfielder" for the Revolution to his growing list of accomplishments, he remains humbled and focused by his experiences, constantly aware of his potential for success and to contribute to the success of others around him.
Already known around New England for his tremendous energy and his reputation for his intense work ethic, Boggs reinforced this opinion of the budding soccer star when giving credit to his upbringing and background support for his athletic gifts while diverting any ideas of selfish natural ability to the sidelines.
"Well, stuff you learn in Taekwondo - the discipline and the work ethic and motivation - that definitely sticks with you," Boggs said, while explaining that his success is owed to the values he learned as a child.
"The repetition of moves to perfect them and all the times you're doing stuff and doing stuff and doing stuff to get it right, that definitely sticks with you," he continued. "And definitely, Taekwondo and being involved in the Boy Scouts were the most influential on my personality and work habits and all those kinds of traits."
Certainly Boggs must take some credit for the position in which he has now found himself, but if he does he declines to show it, preferring to praise the help he has received from others.
"I try to listen to what others are telling me and what I'm told by my coaches and teammates and take information and go from there," he said. "I owe a lot to them."
Perhaps it's this sense of selflessness that is inherent within the Revolution's second round pick from the 2010 MLS SuperDraft that drives his immense contributions to the world outside of professional sports. While working towards a major in biomedical sciences at the University of South Florida in Tampa where he was a Rhodes Scholar candidate, Boggs was a constant volunteer at the world renowned Moffitt Cancer Center and the Shriners Children's Hospital.
After his move to New England to join the Revolution, Boggs wanted to continue his volunteer work and took advantage of Boston's multiple hospitals and research centers. Coincidentally, Boggs was able to reach out to the hospital during a beautification project that the entire Revolution team took part in last year.
"When I came here, obviously Children's Hospital Boston is the best in the world, so I volunteered there with the team last year and got some people's information," Boggs said about how he became involved with Children's Hospital. "I actually met a guy who was from West Virginia who worked with the hospital's Trust, so it was pretty serendipitous to meet him."
After this chance encounter, Boggs got to work contacting the hospital about volunteering in their cancer research center and putting his science degree to use. Working closely with doctors several times a week in the hospital's cancer research lab, Boggs contributes to hands-on research in an effort to unlock the mysteries related to the spreading of cancer cells within the body.
"It's all hands-on, it's all research at Children's but when I've been to other places, it's always been patient contact that was more geared towards medical care," Boggs said. "But I wanted to get some more laboratory-type work and see what it's like because I have a science background and I wanted to get a chance to be in a lab.
"I help the technicians," he continued. "There's a principle research investigator and there are doctors and then there are technicians and they've all been great about it. They show me around and how to do everything."
The lab Boggs volunteers at specializes in the research of what is referred to as tumor angiogenesis, which is an investigation of what causes cancer cells to promote the flow of blood vessels within the cells, effectively facilitating the spread of cancer throughout the body. The greater the blood flow and angiogenesis, the quicker the cancer cells are able to metastasize and transform the tumors from a dormant state to a malignant one. In particular, Boggs helps to discover new ways to prevent this from occurring in patients that have been diagnosed with prostate cancer and breast cancer.
"The research I've been involved with is prostate and breast cancer and brain cancer," Boggs explained. "The brain cancer research is mainly with very young children, like four years old. It's very sad."
Boggs was inspired to devote his time to cancer research while he attended an IMG Soccer Academy in Florida and lived with a family whose mother suffered from liver and lung cancer.
"I think, definitely, because of her I wanted to start volunteering more in cancer hospitals and cancer related studies because I saw firsthand how it affected not only her but her family," Boggs recalled. "She was a mother of two boys and they were a very happy family."
The woman recently passed away, leaving Boggs ever the more dedicated to his research and time devoted away from the soccer field. Although now gone, the memory of his time spent with the family and the way each family member battled for each other sticks with him to this day.
"Everyone was sad but they try to be strong for her and she tries to be strong for them and it really just put things into perspective," Boggs said, reflecting on the impact the family had on him.
"You really realize how lucky you are," he continued. "Here's a woman who has countless tumors and she still puts on a smile every day. She was amazing."
This season, Boggs continues to volunteer at Children's Hospital at least once a week, providing important assistance to research that helps in the battle against cancer. Recently, Boggs visited patients at Children's Hospital, along with teammates Kevin Alston, Darrius Barnes, Ryan Kinne, Otto Loewy and Stephen McCarthy to decorate beach balls with the children as part of the team's monthly visits to the hospital.
Similar to his endeavors both on and off the soccer field, Boggs continues to excel and prosper within his volunteer work, as he constantly strives to better the community around him that he has come to call home. While many athletes lend their time and philanthropic fundraising to help promote awareness of a charity or specific cause, Boggs dedicates his free time quietly working behind the scenes on much bigger, life-saving work: finding a cure for cancer.


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Alpenglow on Mt. Whitney
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NEW YORK (AP) — New York City mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner met Superstorm Sandy victims on Staten Island as he tried to move past the sexting scandal threatening to derail his attempted political comeback.
The former congressman traveled to the furthest reaches of the city Friday to tour the ruined home of Joseph Cardinale, who is still struggling to rebuild after the deadly storm knocked his house off its foundation.
But even in that setting Weiner couldn't escape the scandal. Neighborhood resident Peg Brunda confronted the candidate, telling him he didn't have the "moral authority" to lead the city.
Weiner said he just wants to give residents a chance to decide for themselves.
So far Weiner has resisted calls for him to abandon the race.


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ACHICA / Artistic Wood Panels
Artistic Wood Panels
Artistic Wood Panels
These retro wooden wall art panels are highly sought-after when it comes to recreating the retro look at home. They are fresh designs with a vintage appeal, and have become fashionable both sides of the pond. We love the nod to nostalgia and the shabby-chic styling that's perfect for most spaces around the home. Beautifully finished and ready to hang, these artworks have an authentic feel whether your pad is made for contemporary loft living or perhaps you are lord or lady of your own manor. Choose your favourite and embellish your space with some vintage inspired visuals.
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Meet Charlize Theron's Baby Boy Jackson!
Since announcing her son's adoption on March 14, Charlize Theron has kept little Jackson out of the public eye -- until now!
The 36-year-old Oscar winner showed off her pride and joy while walking through the Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris on Tuesday. It's the first time her son has been photographed in public.
"She has always wanted to be a mom," a source told Us Weekly in March. "She is glad to be able to do it on her own now and is so happy to be a mom.
PHOTOS: Charlize Theron's hottest looks ever
Speaking to Vogue UK's May issue, Theron gushed that Jackson is "incredible" and "the coolest kid ever."
"I've always been very honest in saying I wanted a family," the never-married "Young Adult" star said. "I've always known I wanted a family. I don't think my mom could wait anymore!"
Theron hopes the relationship she creates with her son mirrors the one she has with her mom, Gerda.
"[I hope] to be like my mom. Fair, tough, loving and supportive. My mom has made it possible for me to be who I am. Our family is everything," she told the magazine. "Her greatest skill was encouraging me to find my own person and own independence."
PHOTOS: More stars who have adopted
Theron -- who hasn't been in a serious relationship since ending her nine-year partnership with Stuart Townsend in 2010 -- next appears in "Snow White and the Huntsman" (alongside Kristen Stewart and Chris Hemsworth) on June 1, and "Prometheus" (alongside Michael Fassbender, Noomi Rapace, Guy Pearce and Idris Elba) on June 8.
This article originally appeared on Usmagazine.com: Meet Charlize Theron's Baby Boy Jackson!


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Here is quick list of the tools which are available for SQL Server and Sharepoint. These are recently updated resources from Microsoft.
External Collaboration Toolkit for SharePoint
This solution allows users to create collaboration environments that use the familiar SharePoito deploy a SharePoint-based environment for collaboration with people outside your firewall. The accelerator allows users to create collaboration environments that use the familiar SharePoint interface. Because the solution is easy to use, end users are more likely to use it rather than revert to e-mail.
SQL Server Reporting Services Add-in for SharePoint Technologies
The Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services Add-in for Microsoft SharePoint Technologies is a Web download that provides features for running a report server within a larger deployment of Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 or Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007.
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services August 2009 CTP Add-In For Microsoft Sharepoint Technologies
The Microsoft® SQL Server® 2008 Reporting Services August CTP Add-in for Microsoft SharePoint® Products allows you to take advantage of new SQL Server 2008 R2 Reporting Services report processing and management capabilities in SharePoint integrated mode.
High Availability of SharePoint Server Using Virtualized Environments and Database Mirroring
This paper highlights the lessons learned from a proof of concept configuration of Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 across two data centers that included database mirroring.
Reference: Pinal Dave (https://blog.sqlauthority.com)
3 Comments. Leave new
Thanks Pinal, it was very useful.
Awesome List Pinal :)
Hi Pinal!
Here's a post that expands more on Reporting Services you mentioned:
Also, there's a nice add-on for SharePoint to use PowerPivot – https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee210682(v=sql.105).aspx


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$50m towers planned for South Brisbane
South Brisbane could soon have a $50 million twin-tower apartment development by joint Australian and Japanese trust fund Galileo.
If approved, two 12-storey buildings, known as Arena apartments, will replace Cellarbrations bottle shop on Edmonstone Street, directly behind the Melbourne Hotel.
Galileo, which developed Sydney's Metro Residences above the large Chatswood transport interchange, submitted an application to Brisbane City Council on November 12 last year. The developer expects approval soon.
Paul Marshall of Galileo said the design of the multi-purpose complex, which comprises 191 one, two and three bedroom apartments, as well as ground-level retail space, considers the city views of residents in neighbouring buildings.
"What was initially a challenge for us has resulted in a very different and exciting design," he said.
"We're finding we're getting a very, very strong response from the market with respect to the design."
The project is the Sydney developer's first foray in the Brisbane market.
"We were very much attracted by the South Brisbane story," Mr Marshall said.
"We were very impressed with the fantastic infrastructure and the proximity to the city. And we think that site is probably the best site in the South Brisbane and West End market."
South Brisbane has proved a pocket of prosperity in southeast Queensland's property sector in recent years.
Nestled between two flanks of the winding Brisbane River, medium-rise apartments have been popping up among the easy-living environs of Southbank and West End.
However Darren Godwell, president of the West End Community Association, said it was a "brave developer" who decided to build more apartments in the suburb.
"It would be a foolhardy decision to ram through further hundreds of apartments without properly consulting the community," he said.
Mr Godwell said further residential development would have significant impact on a suburb "already at bursting point".
Aria Property Group has made the area a focal point of its activities, with construction of its 18-storey Artisan building on Merivale Street, and its eight-level Vine complex on Russell Street under way.
Aria's Station 16 development, also on Merivale Street, was completed last year and now houses about 120 residents.
The developer, which began buying land across South Brisbane about a decade ago, also has approval to build a 30-storey Aria Tower on Edmonstone Street.
Mr Marshall said he hoped construction of Arena apartments would begin within the next six months.
"It's got a 100-metre frontage, facing the CBD, on a very nice north-easterly aspect," he said.
Marissca Calligeros covers breaking news for The Age
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I have read all the pages on this post ... and it's deeply saddening. I can't imagine the pain and suffering of loosing a child. As regards gun control and the killer's Mom owning these guns ... I have no answers only a deep endless sense of loss. It is a long time since I thought about God but I will say a prayer for those little souls tonight.
These mass killings by disgruntled, perturbed youth seemed so far away in the past but Newtown, Connecticut, I know. Like a cancer it spreads across America ... it feels hopeless.
You can't fire a SEMI automatic at 6 rnds a second. Just saying
As a police officer, I replay the incident in my head 100 times as if it happened in the town I work in. My wife also teaches in the same town. We usually have 2-3 sometimes up to 5 SWAT guys working the shift, which is a great thing. Disregarding any orders, in an instant, I would gear up and go inside and deal with any gunman, in ANY school.
It's not like we haven't been talking about this for decades. It's ridiculous that no one has done anything about it. President Shepherd said he was going to get the guns, but he couldn't get it done either.
Again, we get mired into these "all or nothing" sink holes. How about we make a small start? As I said, take away the ability to buy or own assault rifles or pistols with magazines capable of holding, and discharging, massive amounts of rounds.
I do not have the legal knowledge, or intellectual ability, to create legislation or feasible policy regarding gun control issues. I'll leave that to the experts who we elect and charge with this responsibility.
But here's what I want our legislators to do: Get off your asses and propose something...anything. Write the documents, then debate it amongst yourselves until you have fashioned a concept which can be proposed to the American people. Then, let us vote on it. If more people than not want the system to remain as it is, then so be it. At least the general public has spoken.
In the end we all still have our kids, and generally are a good group of mofo's from what I can tell from this board.
WOuld hate to see this turn guys here against eachother, thats why we have been pleading to not get into the gun debate here in the hampur...and I guess the mental health issue is just as hot-button.
But hey, I get your point and I'll recuse myself from the MH aspect of the thread from hereon. Apologies to anyone that was offended by my ire.
And now, none of that matters.
It's just after midnight at the end of a long day of shaking, crying, worrying, and telling several concerned friends that I'm fine. It's only true in the narrowest sense, of course. Yesterday, 20 children were shot and killed in my old elementary school. I'm sad, confused, infuriated, and I want to do something about it. The problem is, I can't think of anything that would actually matter.
I think that's where a lot of the confused anger and despair I've been trying to deal with over the past 24 hours stems from: sheer, overwhelming impotence. The town and school where I have innumerable positive memories have both been suddenly torn away from me in the most grotesque way possible. I say that without exaggeration: we're talking about a gunman who opened fire in an elementary school. That can't be a real event.
When talking to friends and family about this, the one phrase that keeps coming up is "I can't believe." It's a cliché, but also true in a very literal sense. I spent all day reading the headlines and the body counts, but part of me is still waiting for the grand reveal that none of this really happened because how could any of it have really happened? How could the elementary school where I wrote my first story and got in trouble for calling Ross Perot a butthead also be the site of the nation's second-deadliest school shooting? I can't reconcile the memories I have of Sandy Hook School with the events of today. They simply aren't the same place.
In other words, the feeling of helplessness isn't just coming from the fact that I can't do anything about the murders on Friday. If anything, I'm still far too baffled as to how and why a fellow human being could kill 27 people--20 of them schoolchildren -- to feel much of anything besides inchoate shock and rage. The helplessness comes more from the fact that my hometown doesn't belong to me anymore.
Over the course of just a few hours on a crisp Friday in December, I saw my humble town become infamous. I saw its name plastered on the front pages of The New York Times and The Washington Post. I saw it trending on Twitter. I heard it come out of Barack Obama's mouth. (Although I'm pretty sure you said "Newton," Mr. President. I tried to ignore that because it was a good speech, but come on. We're very proud of that second "w.") It belongs to the world now, not to me. And this is all and only because of the shooting.
I don't know how you make sense of an event like this, where even words like "abominable" and "sickening" come off as understatement. I don't know what type of person decides to kill 20 elementary school students. If Columbine is any indication, the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary will likely be the main if not the only thing that people think of when they hear the word "Newtown" for decades to come. This is eminently understandable, but I can't help but feel angry about how unfair it seems as well. Because there is more to my hometown than one horrific shooting, and I want people to know that. I want them to know about the Labor Day Parade and the General Store sandwiches, about Newtown High School soccer and the $2 movies at Edmond Town Hall, about how we put a giant flagpole in the middle of a busy four-way intersection that everyone seems to both love and hate at the same time. I want them to know that St. Rose of Lima isn't just a place for candlelight vigils but for weddings and baptisms, and I want the Times to know that the adjectives "wooded" and "bucolic" don't begin to do my town justice, and I want to chastise my adolescent self for devoting so much of his existence to complaining about a place that never showed him anything but family and friendship and love, and, damn it, President Obama, that really was a moving speech, but it's Newtown.
Sounds like a great guy, AJ.
Thank you for your service and keep us updated on your Afghanistan deployment.
May God watch over you.
From the Washington Post. I started to get a gut feeling about this yesterday...that it will likely turn out the mother of the shooter was ****ed up somehow.
NEWTOWN, Conn. Adam Lanza lived among guns.
His mother, Nancy, collected them. She showed them off to her landscaper. Guns were her hobby, said Dan Holmes, the landscaper of Nancy Lanzas sprawling yard here on the edge of town. She told me she liked the single-mindedness of shooting.
Holmes said she even spoke of taking her son to the firing range to practice his aim.
As details of her sons troubled life trickled out Saturday, the day after he gunned down 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School and his mother at their home, the portrait emerging is one of a detached killer who knew his way around a trigger and of a family that feared outsiders in the home.
Holmes said Nancy Lanza, who was divorced and had reportedly worked in finance, never invited him inside. She would pay him in the yard. The landscaper never laid eyes on Adam Lanza, a skinny, withdrawn, socially awkward 20-year-old who excelled in academics but apparently not in forming deep friendships.
I would ring the bell on the front door, and she would come out the side and meet me, he said. It was a little weird. Its stranger now thinking back on what happened.
When she wanted to show Holmes an antique rifle, she proudly brought the gun in its case outside. How many guns Nancy had is not clear, though authorities say several were registered to her, including the ones used in the massacre.
Her former sister-in law, Marsha Lanza, told the Chicago Sun-Times outside her home in Crystal Lake, Ill., that Nancy Lanza wanted guns for protection. She prepared for the worst, Marsha Lanza told the newspaper. I didnt know that they [the guns] would be used on her.
Members of Nancy Lanzas regular neighborhood dice game never got inside her home, either not in 15 years of regular games. Rhonda Collens, a frequent player in the game, said that while the groups weekly get-togethers moved from house to house, Nancy Lanzas was always skipped. She never met Adam Lanza, and Nancy never spoke of her children. Adam has an older brother, Ryan Lanza, who lives in New Jersey and works for the accounting firm Ernst & Young.


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© 2012 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. All rights reserved.
Plenty of Padres setting stage for Street
By Tim Powers / MLB.com
SAN DIEGO -- While the back end of the Padres' bullpen, most notably All-Star Huston Street, has gotten some well-deserved attention this season, some of the names setting up for the closer are starting to stick as well. Luke Gregerson has been a familiar late-inning option over his three-plus years with the Padres, as has left-hander Joe Thatcher, despite currently residing on the disabled list, but Dale Thayer and Brad Brach are starting to be used more frequently in high-leverage innings for San Diego. Such was the case on Monday night, with the Padres holding a 2-0 lead when Brach and Thayer turned in perfect sixth and seventh innings. Gregerson and Street followed with flawless frame of their own, showing the depth that Padres manager Bud Black has seen developing since the start of the season. "I think a number of guys are starting to settle in now," Black said. "The standard is set by Joe and Luke, they've been here. There are some good guys to look at for our younger pitchers. They set a great tone for the guys who will eventually be part of our bullpen in the future." Thayer, for his part, has allowed only three earned runs in his 19 innings since June 25, and Brach has not given up a run in 13 of his last 17 outings. Thayer spoke about the interchangeability between Brach and himself setting up the eighth and ninth innings. "For a while it has been me and Brach switching off back and forth," Thayer said. "It has been going well. Street's having a great season so far, so if me and Brach can get the ball to those guys, we're going to win a lot of games." Having also collected five saves when Street was on the disabled list, Thayer acknowledged that Monday's progression of Brach, Thayer, Gregerson and Street could be a successful one for the Padres. "That's picture perfect right there," Thayer said. "Hopefully we can do that more often than not and win some games."
Short hops
Catcher Yasmani Grandal, shut down since July 31 with a strained right oblique, was feeling well enough to take some swings prior to Tuesday night's game. The blister on right-hander Edinson Volquez's finger does not appear to be serious enough to jeopardize his start on Friday. Volquez exited his last outing in the second inning having allowed four runs. First baseman Yonder Alonso was held out of the starting lineup on Tuesday with hamstring soreness.
Tim Powers is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer's Twins' Names Revealed: Poppy and Charlie
When Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer's reps confirmed the couple welcomed twins in September 2012, the actors kept many details private -- including their children's names and genders. Though it was later revealed that Paquin gave birth to a boy and a girl, it wasn't until the June 11 "True Blood" Season 6 premiere in Hollywood that Moyer finally opened up about their babies.
PHOTOS: More stars who have played vampires
E! News asked the actor, 43, about his Father's Day plans, and Moyer said his 10-year-old daughter Lily (from a previous relationship) was leaving for sleep-away camp this weekend. He then added that he'll be spending Sunday "hanging out with Charlie and Poppy."
PHOTOS: Flashback! Anna Paquin's baby bump
Paquin, 30, was tight-lipped about what's in store for Moyer this Father's Day. "I can't tell you because that would ruin the surprise," she laughed. "I don't know about [it being a] big surprise, but yes, there are plans."
PHOTOS: 'True Blood' stars, then and now
That same night, Moyer spoke to Us Weekly about his dual role as an actor and a director during the sixth season of "True Blood" (returning June 16 at 9 p.m. EST on HBO). "It was a lot of fun doing three hours of makeup ... and then directing my fellow actors naked," he said. "That was a lot of fun."
VIDEO: Another 'True Blood' star tells Us how he stays in shape
Moyer and Paquin tied the knot on Aug. 21, 2010 in Malibu, Calif. Us broke the news that Paquin was expecting twins in June 2012.
Most expensive celeb engagement rings
Countdown: 20 Most Revealing Celeb Maternity Styles


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© 2007 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. All rights reserved.
Notes: Young gets back in the game
All-star shortstop sees first action since plunking
By T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Michael Young struck out but also threw out Vladimir Guerrero trying to score from first base on Garret Anderson's double. That was it before a rainstorm delayed the Rangers' game with the Los Angeles Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium on Thursday. They played 1 1/2 innings before the rain hit and the game was called after two innings. But it was the first time Young had been on the field since getting his on the left side of his head by a pitch. He was originally supposed to get his sutures out on Wednesday, but he only got half of them out. The rest will stay in for another week, but he has still been cleared to play. "If you reach up there and grab them, it will hurt," Young said. "But it's fine. It's pretty much healed. They just didn't want to run the risk of anything being pulled apart." He is able to wear a batting helmet again, so the Rangers didn't wait until Friday night to put him back in the lineup. "The only worry is getting hit in the head again, but that's not a good thing anyway," Young said. Rangers wait on Loe: Rangers manager Ron Washington said that Kameron Loe wanted to pitch on Thursday against the Angels. Loe suffered spasms in his neck and back on Wednesday while stretching and was scratched from Thursday's start. He did show improvement, but the Rangers weren't interested in pushing him. "He thought maybe he could do it, but I didn't want to mess with his progress," Washington said. "He has progressed well. To go out there and push it and hurt it even more doesn't make sense. Once he gets the soreness out of there, we'll figure out a way to get him on the mound." One possibility is Sunday against the Chicago White Sox in Tucson. That's Robinson Tejeda's day to pitch, but he's scheduled to start a Minor League game rather than make his third trip to Tucson.
News and features:
MLB.com coverage | Schedule | Ballpark | Tickets
Multimedia:Spring Training info:
Ron Washington on Millwood: 350K
Kinsler, Rangers ready to go: 350K
Michael Young at Rangers camp: 350K
Ron Washington interview: 350K
Brad Wilkerson interview: 350K
MLB.com coverage | Schedule | Ballpark | Tickets
Pitching update: Eric Gagne is expected to pitch on Friday night against the Milwaukee Brewers. It will be his second appearance in an "A" game, and he'll likely get two or three more before Opening Day. Gagne won't pitch in consecutive games before the season starts, but Washington hopes his closer will be able to do that once the season begins. Kevin Millwood, staying back in Surprise, pitched five-plus innings in a Minor League game on Thursday. Pitching for Triple-A Oklahoma against Tacoma, Millwood allowed one unearned run on two hits and two walks while striking out three. His final start of the spring will be on Tuesday against the San Diego Padres in Surprise. Washington said he still expects to open the season with a 12-man pitching staff, including seven relievers. Said Washington, "You can never have enough pitching -- especially at the start of the season, when you don't what you really have. Once you get into the season and see what you can do, you might think about it. But we're going to start off with 12." Mike Wood and Scott Feldman each pitched an inning on Thursday before the game was rained out. Wood pitched a scoreless inning, and Feldman gave up a solo home run to Shea Hillenbrand. He said it: I'll let you guys know who shot J.F.K. in five minutes. -- Young, getting grilled for the details on his ear injury Batting practice changed: Fans will have a better chance of watching the Rangers take batting practice at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. The Rangers will now take batting practice after the visiting team. For night games, the visiting team will begin batting practice 2 1/2 hours before the game, and the Rangers will take batting practice 1 hour, 45 minutes before the game starts. Opening times have also changed for all gates except the Season Ticket Holder Gate, which will continue to open 2 hours, 30 minutes prior to game time. For night games, First and Third Base Gates will open 1 hour, 40 minutes prior to game time, and Home Plate and Center Field Gates will open approximately 1 hour prior to the start time. For day games, all gates will open 1 hour, 30 minutes prior to game time. The exceptions will be Opening Day, when all gates will open at 10:00 a.m. CT, and the series against the Yankees and Red Sox. Prior to Yankees and Red Sox games, First and Third Base Gates will open 2 hours prior to start time and Home Plate and Center Field Gates will open 1 hour, 30 minutes prior to the game to accommodate fans wishing to watch visiting batting practice. Up next: Left-hander Bruce Chen pitches for the Rangers at 9:05 p.m. CT on Friday against the Milwaukee Brewers at Surprise Stadium. Ben Sheets will pitch for the Brewers.
T.R. Sullivan is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Edward Norton + Fiancee Shauna Robertson Are Expecting a Baby
Edward Norton is expecting his first child with his fiancee, producer Shauna Robertson. And she's due to pop any day now.
What, no months and months of attention-grabbing talk about her growing midsection? You're doing celebrity parenting all wrong, Mr. Norton.
"Ed is really excited for fatherhood. He helped pick out a stroller for the baby!" an insider revealed to Us Weekly of the Oscar-nominated actor's pristine accessory selection skills.
The couple got engaged in 2011 after six years of dating, and together they founded the fundraising site CrowdRise, which uses "crowd-sourcing and incentives" to raise money for charitable organizations. So there's some serious karmic points there.
Maybe even enough to ensure their kid sleeps through the night from day one.


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Vanilla Ice's Domestic Battery Arrest Reminds Local News Anchor of a Song
Nothing gets us in the mood for a jam like a has-been pop icon arrested for domestic battery — a sentiment to which KTLA morning staffer Jessica Holmes stylishly related this morning. Barely finished with her report of Vanilla Ice's jailing in Florida on charges of kicking and hitting his wife, the bubbly entertainmentard summoned a trio of back-up "dancers" for an impromptu run through "Ice Ice Baby." Reaction in the newsroom was mixed, with a vigorous defense from seasoned veterans who recalled the time Walter Cronkite and a young Dan Rather punctuated revelations of Ike Turner's domestic abuse with a loosely harmonized performance of "You Should'a Treated Me Right." Skin-crawling video after the jump.


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State commission sends 'cease and desist' to Bluffton address
A Sun City resident in the Jasper County portion of the development has received a "cease and desist" letter from the S.C. Commission on Higher Education.
It pertains to an online learning website called www.keplerspaceuniversity.com .
Do you think the state was warranted? Or too heavy handed? Would you sign up for "space faith" class?
Read more in this weekend's Bluffton Today. Or get a snapshot of what has been going on by scrolling down to Kepler Space University here , where you'll see other entities that have been flagged by the state commission.


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MLB owners approve sale of Padres
Group headed by businessman Fowler includes O'Malleys, golfer Mickelson
By Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com
"It was an out-of-body experience," Moores told MLB.com about how he felt as the owners voted for the transfer. "It was more emotional than I thought it would be. I was on the phone afterward and I couldn't keep my voice from cracking. It's been 18 years."Peter O'Malley and his father, Walter, owned and operated the Dodgers in Brooklyn and Los Angeles from 1950-98. Because of a scheduling conflict, Peter was not at the meetings, Kevin O'Malley said. "My cousins, Kevin and Brian O'Malley, and my brother, Tom, we're a combination thrilled to be in this position," Seidler said. "But we also feel a great sense of responsibility to the game and community of San Diego. We really look forward to going to work and doing everything we can to make the city of San Diego happy with our leadership, particularly the fans." Fowler, the CEO of Liquid Investments, a San Diego beer distributorship, is the first locally-based control person of the Padres since founding owner C. Arnholdt Smith. Smith, a banker and transplanted San Diegan, originally bought the team, and he later sold it to McDonald's founder Ray Kroc in 1974, saving it from a move to Washington, D.C. Kroc was a Chicago native. The next ownership group was headed by current Red Sox chairman Tom Werner, a New York native and Hollywood television producer. Moores was born and still resides at least part of the year in Houston. He bought a majority share of the Padres at the end of the 1994 season from Werner and his group of 15 owners for about $80 million. Under his watch, the Padres helped build Petco Park, which opened in 2004. They went to the playoffs four times with Moores, including the 1998 World Series, which they lost in four games to the Yankees. Seidler said neither he nor any member of his family wanted an out-front role in the ownership group. Thus, they agreed to make Fowler the face of the franchise because of his standing in the community. "We wanted to put together local ownership, supportive people to maintain long-term stability for the franchise," Seidler said. "We've spent a lot of time with Ron, really getting to know him, talking about our philosophy in owning a baseball franchise, the responsibility that comes with that. It was a very, very easy decision for all of us to make." Fowler, 68, has long had an impact on the San Diego sports community. He was an owner of the indoor soccer team, the Sockers, on the tail end of their run of 10 championships in 11 years. He was also chair of the city's first Task Force charged with selecting a site for what turned out to be Petco Park, and he chaired the host committee for the 2003 Super Bowl, the last of three to be staged at Qualcomm Stadium. Fowler said he is thrilled with his new position. "At 68, I'm starting a new career," he said. "I'm the old man of the group here. These guys are young people. The O'Malley family had a great history, obviously, with the Dodgers. We're looking for a long, consistent ownership group here.
"As a San Diegan -- been there for 30-plus years now -- I think it's great for baseball in San Diego that the O'Malley family and the Seidler family are going to be the owners. I'm looking forward to having some fun over the next 5-10 years."
Barry M. Bloom is a national reporter for MLB.com and writes an MLBlog, Boomskie on Baseball. Follow @boomskie on Twitter. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Hamilton elaborates on Dallas comments
By Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Josh Hamilton has caught some heat from a Texas fan base that's still fresh off seeing him slump through the second half and sign with the division-rival Angels the ensuing offseason.
In a Sunday TV interview with CBS-11 in Dallas/Fort Worth, the former Rangers outfielder said: "It's one of those things where Texas, especially Dallas, has always been a football town. So the good with the bad is they're supportive, but they also got a little spoiled, at the same time, pretty quickly. You can understand like a really true, true baseball town -- and there are true baseball fans in Texas -- but it's not a true baseball town."
Hamilton elaborated on those comments after Monday's workout at Angels camp.
"I said there's true baseball fans and then there's others that's not. I said the ones that are true baseball fans won't boo when I come back, and the ones that are not, will. It's just like last year, when I got booed after going 2-for-4 in a game, driving in a couple runs, and I struck out the other two times. You understand the Yankees, Boston, Cubs, Phillies -- baseball towns. If they were doing that, that's one thing. But the Rangers ... "
Hamilton added that by "spoiled," he didn't mean fans were spoiled by his individual play -- more so the entire team, which reached the World Series for the first time in the franchise's 38-year history in Texas in 2010, then got there again the following season.
"It's not saying I don't still appreciate them, and thank you for cheering for me and all that," Hamilton said. "But reality's reality. I think I've always spoken the truth in what I said and not beat around the bush. But I loved my time there."
"There were 3.5 million fans that came through the turnstiles," manager Ron Washington said. "That answers it right there, but I have no comment on Josh's comment."
Hamilton had a great run in Texas, starting five straight All-Star Games, reaching two World Series and establishing himself as one of the game's best outfielders by batting .305 with 142 homers and 506 RBIs from 2008-12.
But it didn't end pretty.
Hamilton slumped mightily in the second half last season, batting .259 and striking out 86 times in 69 games. In the final regular-season game, which the Rangers lost, costing them an American League West division they led by five games with nine to play, Hamilton dropped a routine fly ball in Oakland. Then, after going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts while losing the Wild Card game to the Orioles, he was booed by the home fans.
Hamilton will return to Texas on April 5, when the Angels travel to Rangers Ballpark for their second series of the season.
"We had a good team [in Texas], and they still have a good team," Hamilton said. "But we did some things that had never been done before in Texas, so obviously they want to keep doing those things. They have young guys coming up and they're going to have to get it done."
Alden Gonzalez is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Gonzo and "The Show", and follow him on Twitter @Alden_Gonzalez. MLB.com reporter T.R. Sullivan contributed to this report. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Red Dead Redemption was a smash hit when it released back in early 2010, topping the charts and blowing critics away. Now, PSLS've uncovered a job listing from the game's developer, Rockstar San Diego, that shows that they are working on a new open world game with combat and pathfinding elements. - PSLS
In other news, Rockstar looking for cougar for motion capture
would love to have Bully 2 or Manhunt 3 but i doubt we will. would love them to go on the ps store as PS2 classics though.


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Discussion in 'Gaming' started by PsychoPere, Dec 10, 2010.
I think 2 of the 3 are dead by the point where you're allowed to start the DLC...
Yeah, from what I hear, it starts after the Cerberus attack on the Citadel, so that's Mordin and Thane gone at that point. Although Legion could conceivably show up if you don't rush straight down to Rannoch after recovering it from the geth dreadnought. I guess it all depends where they decided to put in the hooks to main the story and when stuff becomes active.
I think I'll do a run through of this DLC with my Femshep first since that's the one that has everyone alive (everyone that can be alive anyways). The only other game I have available is missing Garrus after he took a rocket to the face on the Collector Base in ME2.
Completely agree - it's what the final DLC should always have been, character-focused.
It should have been really, yes. Would have made sense. Having said that, the new character, who does deliver the news, looks like she's going to be heavily involved in the plot.
The Drell is Kolyat - The hooded Salarian, the Dalatrass?
It's one of the new mini-games, you get to brand it on!
Yep, The Normandy appearing to do nearly as much damage to the Citadel as the Reapers do later on!
Well, I've prepared a save ready for this. After much deliberation, I'm going to pick it up directly after the Cerberus coup attempt on the Citadel. It says that you can start the DLC anywhere between then and before you start the Cronos Station mission, but, it also says that the character/LI stuff unlocks naturally as you progress the back half of the game. Post-Cerberus-Coup it is then!
I just found the first save that I could that was just after the Cerberus Coup attempt and then gibbed it. Also took the opportunity to swap out Ashley in favour of Kaiden, given how fucking miserable she is for most of the game. Don't want her spoiling the mood during fun-times at mega casino!
Given the relatively narrow window in which Legion *could* conceivably appear, I doubt they went to the trouble of including him at all. Indeed I suspect half the point of setting the DLC story post coup is to help cut down on the number of characters appearing.
Right now I'm just wondering what happens if Wrex is dead already, given how active his role appears to be. I mean I can't exactly see Shep hanging out with Wreave in quite the same way. I actually might now have a reason to import my old "looser Shepard" save file as he got as just about every killed who could be killed. The permutations might be interesting.
For my first playthrough at least, I'll just load up my main Shepard right before Cronos Station, as that's where I left her off after Leviathan and Omega. With later playthroughs I plan on waiting until just before Thessia. Should be enough time to lock-in any romances and having a light hearted romp after that point just seems wrong to me.
I wonder if that means those of us that romanced Liara will get to watch Vaenia...
[EDIT] Oh look, it seems like the ANN twitter feed is doing the viral marketing shtick again.
That was probably the best DLC I've ever played. A much nicer note to go out on. If you were a fan of ME1, it's well worth your $15. Lots of callbacks, and lots of humor.
A few spoilery comments/thoughts as I was playing...
Spoiler: rambling
Why was there a squad selection screen? Who would not choose Wrex as the one non-forced party member?
I think I now have my second-favorite volus, behind the Biotic God.
Go Team Mako!
FINALLY I GOT A REAL GUN BACK. Oh integrated-heatsink guns, how I missed you...
Shepard has good advice for her hamster. I squeed at it.
Hello, elevator conversation!
It was pretty much perfect. There's really only two more things I would have liked to seen:
Spoiler: desires
1) Using the Mako. (Given the plot, I see why this wasn't an option though....)
2) I don't remember what my original #2 was, so I'll say this instead: Cut out Wrex's newly-found sexism. I don't recall him calling everyone "princess" before...
Yep, this one tops even LOTSB for me. Absolutely brilliant.
Fan service in absolutely buckets and spades and I freaking loved it! The "Calibrations/I Should be going" conversation was great!
Also, absolutely loved Zaeed's scene in the Silver Sun. Very bittersweet, but sooooo typically Zaeed. Awesome.
Having all the writers onboard really shows with this one, the squad interaction and banter is absolutely flawless, and there's so much love and affection gone into this one.
I've bashed BW for getting things wrong with the original ME3 game, but a big thumbs up for this one, a sheer genius way to sign off with Shepard and the gang.
That. Was. FANTASTIC!
Just shows what Bioware are really capable of when given the opportunity. Yes it was often silly and chock full of fan service, but really, if you've stuck around this long how are you not a fan by now?
Bloody hell there's so many little references and easter eggs in there I wouldn't even know where to start...so I won't. Finding them for yourself is probably half the fun anyway.
I'm just glad I had the steam overlay running so I could capture this.
You can tell what a generous mood I was in because i actually invited Jacob.
Now I'm off to try the combat arena!
I can appreciate that there are going to be those that don't like certain aspects of the DLC - it's cheesy in places, the plot has a few goofy points, but for me, personally, this was almost perfect DLC.
BW Montreal will be picking up development of ME4, if this was BW Edmonton's final hurrah with ME, then bravo, take a bow, you've done yourselves proud.
My only regret, is not with this DLC per se, but that it shows what BW are capable of when they're given the time to do something right. EA, FFS, just leave them to it for Christ's sake.
This poses an interesting quandary for me now. I loathed the ending, and I'm really not digging the idea of no more Shepard, Garrus, Joker, the Normandy etc, but then, if BW could recapture this kind of form in the next game.....AAARGH!
I hope to get Citadel sometime soon. I love these games. EDI is so so cool in ME3. Fell in love with that character big time on my last run through.
There are some nice EDI scenes in the Citadel DLC.
I think I found a bug in the Citadel DLC: Shepard refuses to play the Towers of Hanoi game in the arcade.
Well that was... interesting.
I was half expecting the end to reveal it all had been a vid or something.
Played some more last night - love the idea of the combat arena, the whole 'gameshow' presentation of it. Good customization around it as well. Had a couple of quick goes, got two silver awards so unlocked the Reaper units and Elites.
Went to the arcade and played some of the mini-games, didn't realize that there were so many! Won a load of music tracks and a plushie for the apartment.
Ended up going back to the Normandy, progressing my next mission, which was the Geth Dreadnaught, and then had a load more hookups unlock via email.
Not a bug. An in-joke.
I know - I was being sarcastic. And mildly disappointed that they played it straight instead of reviving and old friend.
(It showed up in several other Bioware games too, before Dragon Age had a tombstone for the "unmourned" T. Hanoi.)
Just finished it... that was some damn fine DLC. I haven't had that much fun in a while. Nearly every moment was perfect. Some touching moments, many hilarious ones.
It was a good way to wrap up ME3 and you can tell the effort they put into this pack.
Some of my favourite moments:
-Joker's story to the bartender in the casino about how he "helped" defeat Cerberus during the attack on the Citadel. It was just so over the top that I had to support it.
-Coming across Shepard's hamster on the Normandy. "Oh... that is not okay! She messed with my hamster guys. Now it's personal!" "All right, sit tight little guy. Anybody gives you trouble... go for the eyes."
-Shepard dancing in front of the crew at the party and their comments.
Oh... and all the conversations you overhear from the "N7" soldiers on the Citadel about their missions and dealing with their squads. Nice little jabs at the multiplayer folks there.
Probably one of the most satifisying is the soft romance stuff as I felt that my choice of an ME2 romance was really sidelined in ME3 and this extra stuff made it seem like it matter now.
I have to admit, I've only played the Citadel DLC with a character who (sort of intentionally) got ALL of the Cerberus personnel on the Normandy killed in ME2. Yes, even Jacob and Miranda. Yes, I made sure to put off the suicide mission long enough to watch Kelly Chambers get chopped into smoothie, just so I could take Legion to Tali's trial and watch the Quarians shit bricks.
I almost feel like I'm not really missing anything, but now I'm curious...
My favorite by far:
Shepard: Glyph, did you find the target yet?
Glyph: He is accessing a secured archive. He does not wish to be disturbed.
Shepard: What?
Glyph: I thought he was you.
Shepard: Argh! Find him again!
Jaavik: Stupid machine...
Close tie for second place:
"I don't wanna talk about it!!!"
One save file after the Cerberus coup attempt on the Citadel and the gibbed save game editor is coming in soooooo handy at the moment.
Is it possible to do that and have Chakwas survive? If so, I have a new playthrough to do...
Separate names with a comma.


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Seriously, over 90% of the time when I see someone with a phone they have it in a plastic case.
The uproar of the S5 is annoying...if it bothers you that much then get the HTC One which will probably end up in a plastic case.
According to AndroidCentral, the S5 screen is now as bright and good as the Note 3 (which has one of the best screens I've ever used), a better camera, and waterproofing, not to mention theyre still one of the few phones to offer a micro sd slot.
If anything it should have had 3GB ram and started at 32GB instead of 16GB, but in every other instance it looks like a solid device.


text:
Submit News
Apple Marketing Head Trash Talks Android on Eve of Galaxy S IV Launch
Tiffany Kaiser
March 13, 2013 10:22 PM
Recipient E-mail
Sender E-mail
He said Android devices are the kind of phones that are given as free replacements to feature phones, and that the iPhone offers a more seamless experience
Samsung's hardware and Google's Android operating system have become the peanut butter and jelly of the tech world -- they're a great fit, and it looks like this popularity is starting to
make Apple nervous
Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, told
The Wall Street Journal
today that the iPhone is better than any Android-powered phone in terms of both hardware and software, and that iPhone users are happier with their devices than Android users.
Schiller said that four times as many iPhone users switched from an Android device in the fourth quarter in 2012 than the other way around. He also mentioned a survey from ChangeWave, which stated that three-quarters of iPhone users say they're "very satisfied" with their experience while only half of Android users say the same.
Schiller's rant didn't end there. He said that Android's fragmentation was "plain and simple" and that Android-powered devices are the kinds of phones that are given as free replacements to feature phones.
Schiller added that the iOS experience on an iPhone is much more smooth than that of an Android phone because Apple is responsible for both the hardware (iPhone) and operating system (iOS).
Apple's Phil Schiller
"When you take an Android device out of the box, you have to sign up to nine accounts with different vendors to get the experience iOS comes with," Schiller said. "They don't work seamlessly together."
He then took a more hardware-directed hit, saying that no other Android smartphone screen compares to that of the iPhone 5's.
"Given the iPhone 5 is so thin and light, the reason that people are making their devices bigger is to get up to the battery life the iPhone 5 offers," Schiller said.
What's interesting is that Schiller's comments come on the eve of
the Samsung Galaxy S IV's release
, which is Samsung's flagship smartphone. The new device will feature a 5.0-inch 1080p display, a 1.9GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor (or a 2GHz quad-core Samsung Exynos 5450 processor for the international version), 2GB of RAM, 16/21/64GB storage options, a removable SD card slot for up to 64GB, a 13MP rear-facing camera with Orb technology
for compressed panorama shots, a
2MP front-facing camera with eye scrolling technology
4G LTE connectivity,
Bluetooth 4.0,
3100 mAh battery and of course the Android 4.2 Jelly Bean operating system.
The Samsung Galaxy S III was a wildly-popular Android phone, and with the added specs of the Galaxy S IV, Apple is likely feeling nervous about its own popularity in the market.
Apple has hard a
hard time keeping up the momentum
of its products, and it shows in the company's shares. Shares have fallen from $702.10 in September to $428.35 as of today. Also, Apple's iPhone only represented about 19 percent of worldwide smartphone shipments in 2012 while all Android-powered smartphones accounted for about 70 percent.
Android will even beat Apple in the tablet sector
this year, according to a new report from IDC.
According to IDC, iPad shipments are expected to make up 46 percent of the tablet market for 2013, down from 51 percent in 2012. Android-powered tablets are expected to increase their market share to 49 percent in 2013, up from 42 percent in 2012
Apple and Google are even branching out to another competitive realm in mobile electronics: wearable technology. Google is now offering its
Google Glass headset
(which is an augmented reality device) for $1,500 to early adopters and Apple is developing a smart watch, which could be
released as early as this year
The Wall Street Journal
"Game reviewers fought each other to write the most glowing coverage possible for the powerhouse Sony, MS systems. Reviewers flipped coins to see who would review the Nintendo Wii. The losers got stuck with the job." -- Andy Marken
Related Articles
With Better Camera and Hardware, Galaxy S IV Looks to Put iPhone on the Ropes
March 13, 2013, 1:16 PM
IDC: Android Army of Tablets to Surge Past Apple's iPad This Year
March 13, 2013, 9:00 AM
Apple's Wearable Device to be Released Later this Year
March 4, 2013, 1:09 PM
Quick Note: Google's Sergey Brin Trash Talks Smartphones, Praises Google Glass
February 28, 2013, 11:47 AM
"Uncool" Apple iPhone Loses Ground in Asia
January 28, 2013, 9:29 AM
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West Yorkshire Police and the Business Crime Reduction Centre (BCRC) will host a crime prevention roadshow to demonstrate how businesses can be more vigilant against crime.
The roadshow will tour around Yorkshire, stopping in the Lowfields Business Park, in Elland, on September 2.
Businesses will be given impartial security advice from their local Police Community Support officer and a business crime specialist will warn people about the latest crimes affecting businesses in the area, including fraud and cybercrime.
BCRC's West Yorkshire team leader, Carl Lovett, said: "This is a wonderful opportunity for the business community in West Yorkshire to learn about the best techniques to protect their business against crime. "It also gives people the chance to ask the questions which are important to them and have them answered by an expert in business crime. Prevention is always better than cure for many types of crime and BCRC aims to promote this mind set across the business community."
As well as Brighouse, the roadshow will begin at Bridge Mills, Huddersfield on August 27 and will be followed by Whitwood Enterprise Park, in Castleford, on September 1.
Admission is free and further information can be found at www.bcrc-uk.org/events.


text:
Guest Opinion: In Mobile, Winner Takes All
A revolution is brewing in the payments industry. The future of payments technology is now in the hands of consumers in the form of their mobile devices and smart phones.
The growth of mobile devices that support Internet access and a rich set of applications have changed the way people communicate. These same devices are now poised to transform the way consumers handle their financial services as well. This rapidly evolving payments world necessitates that credit unions embrace emerging new technologies into order to retain members.
Bank Transfer Day cast a national spotlight on the unique cooperative structure offered by credit unions and their consumer-friendly practices as an alternative to big banks. This sets the stage for credit unions to gain membership and revenues but only if they offer consumers the payments options they desire.
Maximizing the revenue generated by credit and debit transactions is essential to the survival of every credit union. Statistics within our cooperative indicate that on average credit cards account for only 20% of the loan portfolio, but generate 75% of interest income. Credit and debit cards also help maintain stronger member relationships, which enables the credit union to cross sell other services.
No matter what type of payment method is being used, mobile technology will be the driving force for the future because consumers are exhibiting an increasing appetite to use their mobile devices to conduct almost every financial transaction. The future of credit unions rests on the ability to offer current mobile tools and technologies to members. This is why we are focused on our role to develop and deliver new technologies that equip credit unions to effectively compete with major banks and non-traditional players like Google and Apple.
Today, consumers can perform limited banking functions from their mobile devices. Current triple play technology delivers financial applications via two-way SMS text, mobile Web browser and device-specific applications that support Blackberry, iPhone and Android mobile phones.
By the end of the year, however, it's likely that most users of mobile and smart phones may be able to access a holistic wallet of versatile applications with a single log-on. This new mobile wallet is a quantum leap forward that will satisfy users' demand to securely perform financial transactions anywhere, anytime.
Future development of mobile applications will expand beyond the silo approach to merge banking, commerce and payment functionality – all from a single platform and single user interface. Consumers will gain exceptional flexibility and convenience with a single log on, a comprehensive view of their accounts and an intuitive, easy-to-use interface and presentation.
This technology leap is daunting but lucrative enough to attract the research and development efforts of powerhouses such as Google, Apple, Visa, MasterCard and others. It's important for credit unions to embrace current mobile banking applications to establish a foothold and address member demand.
Future mobile wallet platforms are expected to include access to all of a member's accounts, online bill payment, remote deposit capture, person2person payments, point-of-sale payments and e-commerce tools such as couponing and gifting.
Creating a platform that offers convenient, consolidated consumer access to financial data will require advanced processes for user authentication and security.
Maintaining a status quo approach to financial services is a losing proposition for credit unions. Mobile banking is quickly becoming a deal breaker for consumers, and credit unions need to get into the game.
A consolidated platform not only delivers convenience for consumers, it delivers exclusivity for primary financial institutions. Make no mistake – mobile banking is a winner-take-all product.
Michael Kelly is president/CEO of PSCU Financial Services.
Contact 727-571-4656 or email@example.com


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The Russellville City Council will be voting on initiated Act No. 5 Fireman's Retirement and Relief, a tax of four-tenths (.4) of a mill at the next regular meeting. They now receive (.4) mill and are asking for an additional (.4) mill. As I see it, they have made unwise investments in the past by investing in risky stocks and securities and therefore lost a percentage of their capital. I have a problem with investing taxpayers' money in risky securities, losing some of it, then asking taxpayers for more money. When I invest in risky securities and lose money, nobody replaces that money (and I'm sure lots of people have lost money in the last three years and after 9/11) but yet we are being asked for additional millage to fund their account. According to information obtained from the City Department of Finance, they have 2.6 million dollars in their fund. With good investing, this should sustain itself. Of course, their manager/broker gets his percentage regardless if the fund makes or loses money. We don't need this extra millage placed on property owners along with the cost of living increasing every day. I understand it is the responsibility of the city to fund this account, but there should be other means to accomplish the funding. Contact your council member for more information and attend the next meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 15, 2011.
The Arkansas River Valley Fraternal Order of Eagles No. 3928 recently held its 15th Annual "Charity Ball" Golf Tournament. The participation was superb and the weather was beautiful. Many of the members of our Aerie and Auxiliary helped to get ready for this tournament and you are truly appreciated. We would like to especially thank all who cooked the luncheon and helped work the golf course along with many people who played and donated items. Also, thanks goes to Brian and his crew at Galla Creek Golf Course for allowing us to once again hold this worthwhile event at their course. Through the efforts of the above-mentioned workers, we are proud to announce that a check will be presented to the Diabetes Research Center in Iowa in the amount of $1,500. This 16th Annual Tournament will be held on May 19, 2012. It is a two-person scramble format and all are invited to play. If you are interested in playing next year, look for the informational flyer at Galla Creek Golf Course.