text:
While the measures are unlikely to satisfy the downtown residents looking for immediate fixes, council members agreed that they are a good start to what promises to be a long and complex search for solutions. Mayor Yiaway Yeh called the Tuesday actions "the start of what I know is a significant undertaking."
In approving the set of proposals by a 8-1 vote, with Karen Holman dissenting, council members emphasized the challenges inherent in solving the glaring and often-cited problem. Residents in the Professorville and Downtown North neighborhoods have been particularly adamant in recent years about downtown workers increasingly taking their street spots to avoid the time limits on parking in other areas of downtown.
Over the past two years, representatives from the neighborhoods have been meeting with downtown business owners and city planners in hopes of finding a solution all parties can agree on. In July staff recommended a residential-permit-parking program that would limit visitor parking to two hours in a section of Professorville. The council struck down the proposed parking restrictions and directed staff to consider more holistic and comprehensive solutions.
Russ Cohen, executive director of the Palo Alto Downtown Business and Professional Association, expressed support on Tuesday for the parking study and said downtown businesses are behind the city's effort to solve the parking problem. The business community, he said, "has recognized the need to provide a parking study to meet demand, having spent millions upon millions of dollars to build parking garages."
"We continue to explore new ways to meet parking demand," Cohen said.
Residents were far less thrilled. Richard Brand, who lives on Addison Avenue, urged the council to focus on the major parking shortages in the residential areas and not to conflate Professorville's problems with those of downtown as a whole. The time for gathering data, Brand said, "is quickly coming to an end."
"What we have is a development situation in the city that's out of control," Brand said. "Too many developments with too few parking spaces are being approved by the city and that, I think, is the crux of the problem."
Ken Alsman, a Ramona Street resident who has long lobbied the council to create a residential parking program in his neighborhood of Professorville, compared the parking problem in his area to a flood and told the council members that they should be ashamed for letting the parking problem get so out of hand on their watch. The process for finding parking solutions, he argued, "has been horribly mismanaged and horribly planned." He urged the council to focus on what he called the "core issue": Is there a systemic deficit in parking downtown? And how big is that deficit?
"There is no viable data in anything," Alsman said, referring to the staff's proposed approach.
The city hopes that its parking study will address the issue of inadequate data, though the answers aren't expected to come for some time. Palo Alto's Chief Transportation Official Jaime Rodriguez said the city wants to get reliable, independently verified numbers. Staff is scheduled to return to the council next week with a proposed contract for a consultant to conduct the study. The council directed staff to return in six months with a report on the progress of the study.
At the same time, city officials plan to establish the parameters of the "downtown cap" study, which according to Rodriguez' report will consider the "land use types, densities and recent and projected development around the downtown to determine future land use and parking needs/strategies to support land use changes." Planners look to hammer out the scope of the downtown study in the next month or two, Planning Director Curtis Williams said.
The council also backed staff's recommendations to study installation of more electric-vehicle and bike-parking stations and to discuss with Professorville and Downtown North residents the potential for short-term solutions such as loading zones and on-street parking permits for Professorville residents whose homes don't have parking or driveways. The lattermost proposal proved the most controversial, passing with a 5-4 vote (Vice Mayor Greg Scharff and Councilmembers Larry Klein, Gail Price and Nancy Shepherd dissented).
Scharff made the motion to endorse most of the proposals in the new staff report, including the two major studies. He also suggested that the city's Planning and Transportation Commission review the progress of the various initiatives before they return to the council for further consideration. Most of his colleagues agreed.
"I think this is a preliminary approach by staff," Scharff said. "It's a good one, and I'd like to see it move."
Karen Holman said it was a "systemic problem" that needs a near-term solution. She argued that the city should create a residential-permit-parking program in the downtown neighborhoods and urged staff to consider more immediate revisions to the zoning code, including changes that would roll back some of the parking exemptions for new developments.
She dissented because the proposals didn't come with a firm timeline.
Councilman Greg Schmid called downtown parking a "critical issue" and agreed with Alsman's point that staff should devote its near-term efforts to accurately pinning down the scope of the parking problem. It is "essential," Schmid said, that staff resources get spent on the issue of figuring out whether the city has a "systematic deficit." That should be the starting point, he said.
"You cannot leave the City Council here making decisions one application at a time without having a notion of what that deficit is and what it means to everybody downtown," Schmid said.
What do you think of the parking situation downtown? Share your experiences and ideas on Town Square, the community discussion forum on Palo Alto Online.
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text: Dr. Cynthia Bansak is currently a Professor of Economics at St. Lawrence University. Prior to her current position, she was an Assistant Professor at San Diego State University and an Economist at the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. She received a Ph.D. in economics from the University of California at San Diego and a B.A. in economics from Yale University. Her research and teaching interests fall broadly within the area of applied econometrics, with a particular focus in the fields of labor economics and monetary policy. She has published research on immigration, regarding the effect of employer sanctions on wages and examining the relationship between banking and remittances. In addition, her current work explores aspects of poverty alleviation programs in the U.S. such as the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) and the impact of remittances on educational attainment in Nepal. At SLU Dr. Bansak is offering courses in econometrics, macroeconomics, the Fed Challenge, and money and banking.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
After 45 years as professor, dean and mentor, Clary is retiring June 30 from his post in the education department at Arkansas Tech University.
Seated in his large office filled with books, papers and awards in the Crabaugh building, Clary remembers his first office at the college. It was in the same area, but a different building.
"Old Main was here," he said, referring to one of the first buildings constructed for the university. Crabaugh, which resembles Old Main in style and even window and door placement, was constructed in the 1970s to replace the aging and termite-infested building that housed the education and psychology departments.
"One day we heard this thunder," Clary said. "It sounded like a herd of horses. It was the people across the hall coming out of the room. The termites were swarming; they were coming out of the walls."
Clary said he has seen lots of changes in the university in the four and a half decades since he moved from McKinney, Texas, to a small town with his wife and two children in tow.
"McEver [Hall] was not very old then," he recalled. "Dean [Hall] was here, Bailey, Williamson was the band building, Old Main. I think that was all the classrooms."
Seven divisions of study with dozens of majors, became seven colleges, with hundreds of majors offered, from accounting to welding, with master's programs and community classes thrown in. Student population has increased ten-fold, and the education department has changed as well.
"I think we are doing a better job of preparing the teachers then we did when I first came," he said. "That should be true of any profession."
In 1967, the state had just begun requiring teachers to have a bachelor's degree in order to be licensed. He said there were still teachers who were teaching on 60- and 90-hour certificates. "Those teachers were supposed to go on and get their degree," he explained.
Education in Arkansas has also seen variation — some good, some not, in his opinion.
"I think that even some of the smaller more rural schools have greater opportunities than they used to," he said. "But the high-stakes testing has really increased and I'm not sure it has helped overall," explaining that some schools put more concentration on subjects that are included in state-wide student testing, to the detriment of subjects that aren't. "You can hardly blame the schools, though, because that is how they will be evaluated."
Requiring kindergarten for all children, he said, was a good move for the state.
"When we first came here, the only kindergartens were private," he said. "The state put some money in and they put a kindergarten in each of the communities that had a state university. Russellville's was at Sequoyah [Elementary]."
The success of those kindergartens eventually led to a mandate for all students to attend kindergarten.
Clary moved to Russellville for several reasons, one of which was geography.
"I came here ABD — all but dissertation," he said.
Clary wanted to be near his college, North Texas State University, which is now University of North Texas at Denton, in case he had to return to finish his dissertation.
A green hard-bound copy of the document graces a shelf in his office.
"I was trying to predict student behavior," he said, smiling. "I don't think I did very well."
During his time at Tech, he has been a full-time professor, department head, director of teacher education, head of curriculum and instruction and dean of graduate studies. He will retire as Dean of the College of Education and Professor of Secondary Education. He's even teaching a class this semester.
Clary was the first member of his family to attend college.
Since 1967, hundreds of teachers have sat under his teaching, leadership and mentorship.
Clary said he chose to be a teacher because "that was the way I thought I could make the world a better place," he said. "The thing that you really like to see is when your former students are successful. You like to think you had a part in that."
Clary began his career at McKinney High School, teaching chemistry, while his wife, Juanita, taught elementary school. During that time, he earned a master's degree, and began working toward a doctorate.
Two of their children were born in Texas, while his younger children were born and raised in Russellville. Two of his daughters, Donna Milligan and Cathy Bradshaw, are in education as well, one in administration, and the other a kindergarten teacher. His son Bill Clary works for Acxiom and his daughter Cindy Thompson is an accountant. Clary and his wife have 10 grandchildren.
Mrs. Clary taught second grade at Pottsville Elementary School for 25 years before retiring 10 years ago.
"She was in school all that time and never got past the second grade," Clary joked.
Dr. Clary said he is most proud of receiving the Faculty Excellence Award for Service in May 1996, the first year the awards were given. He was chosen for the award by other faculty members. Clary also serves on the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association, which visits colleges and universities for accreditation purposes. He will remain on that commission for a year after his retirement.
The Arkansas Tech Board of Trustees accepted Clary's retirement during a recent meeting.
"You are to be commended for your 45 years of exceptional service to the university," wrote Dr. John W. Watson, vice president for academic affairs, in his letter accepting Clary's retirement. "Very few people attain the level of respect and admiration that you have earned. Your distinguished career has benefited numerous students, the Tech community and education in Arkansas at all levels. An educator can leave no better legacy."
Tech President Dr. Robert C. Brown also commented, "Eldon Clary has been a loyal and dedicated member of the Arkansas Tech faculty for 45 years. His kind and thoughtful nature has made him a trusted mentor for our students and a valued colleague among our faculty. I extend my gratitude to Dr. Clary for his service to our institution and wish him well in retirement."
Clary said he has some plans for retirement, such as traveling, sleeping late and catching up on reading. He and his wife will also be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary on June 2.
"I think she ought to get me something really nice for our anniversary," he said, smiling.


text:
Im reading "Sams Teach Yourself C++ in 21 days" and Im on day 6 now, but its one simple thing I just dont get.
How do you know when to use like:
int, void, float, double etc etc
There are diffrent things in all examples but I dont get how you know which one to use.
int MyFunc();
void Myfunc();
//Which to use when?


text:
I came across a very interesting article in Parenting magazine: "Boys vs. Girls: Who's Harder to Raise?" If you only had one or the other, your answer would simply be whatever you endured as a parent! If you had both, well you probably have strong opinions based on which kid gave you the most grief, stress, and challenge.
According to the article, parents of boys complain about dealing with "fights, farts, and video games," but parents of girls complain about "fussy fashion, prickly social navigations, and a far greater capacity to hold a grudge."
They're both right. Boys are girls are equally "harder" – just in different ways. Of course, every child is unique and environment counts for something, but there is such a thing as a male brain and a female brain, and they operate quite differently!
Here are some categories to look at:
1. Discipline
Boys are harder. Boys are less verbal and more tactile. Telling them to "stop" is not as powerful as picking them up and plopping them back in their rooms. Boys respond to physical cues. Girls respond to verbal ones. And at least while they are young, girls tend to want to please more; boys are simply into their own worlds and are more impulsive.
Five times as many boys than girls are singled out for medication or diagnosis with some disorder when it is likely just the result of a male brain requiring more opportunities to expend innate energy and aggression (which is why sports is more important for boys than girls – there, I've said it). Boys need firmer limits too (which is why I think boys and girls should be educated separately, and boys should have alpha male teachers.
2. Physical Safety
Boys are harder because they are inherently more physical and risk-taking. Taking risks for boys is "hard-wired" in, whereas girls are more careful. Boys need to be guided into limits; girls need to be encouraged to take risks (this is usually what a father does for his daughter).
3. Communication
Girls are hard wired to be people-oriented, while boys are hard wired to be action oriented. Boys talk later than girls and have more trouble connecting feelings with words. Girls talk, talk, and talk some more and get involved in drama, drama, drama; boys will fight with each other and then it's over – off they go to do rough and tumble.
4. Self-esteem
Girls are harder, because they're people oriented and therefore people pleasers. Boys march to their own drums. Girls worry more about what friends think and say about them and they try to achieve perfection in how they look, becoming absorbed in who likes them. This is why sports and creative arts are important for girls – when girls use their bodies with strength, and their talents with creativity, they gain a positive sense of themselves.
The bottom line? Parenting claims that boys are harder early on (girls are cute and compliant at this stage, but boys are impulsive and rowdy), while girls get harder later on, with all their relationship and self-image turmoil.
So no matter what gender your children are, "fasten your seatbelt" – you're in for a bumpy ride, but one which is also emotionally rewarding.


text:
Comments made by justices in an ongoing landmark case have been heralded as a "victory" for the individual right to bear arms by the media and embraced by self-proclaimed conservatives, but in reality gun owners are the victim of a mammoth hoax and the second amendment is being destroyed.
As Gun Owners of America point out today in a USA Today op-ed, the second amendment is the very bedrock of America and shouldn't even be the subject of a Supreme Court debate.
Individual Right to Bear Arms Wins Favor in Court Argument, the headline from the New York Law Journal, was typical of the media output after most of the nine Supreme Court justices hinted that the right to bear arms is a "general right."
However, the case is likely to conclude with the introduction of several new regulations on hand gun ownership at the very least, and, if the government gets its way, a total ban on handguns.
The outcome will set the precedent for gun laws nationwide.
The NY Law Journal writes:
(Article continues below)
In a USA Today op-ed piece, Herbert W. Titus and William J. Olson, attorneys for Gun Owners of America, outline how thee second amendment was intended to apply to individuals and that it's pre-eminent reason was for the purposes of defense against a tyrannical state or invading army.
Click here to listen to Alex Jones and Gun Owners' President Larry Pratt discuss the case.
The case, DC v. Heller, stems from proceedings filed by lawyers for security guard Mr Dick Anthony Heller, which state that the District's categorical restrictions are so broad that they cannot comply with the Second Amendment's protection of the right to bear arms.
An amicus curiae brief filed by U.S. Solicitor General Paul D. Clement, on behalf of the Bush administration and the government, says that federal gun control measures should not be limited and proposes that a court may determine that a full scale ban on almost all self-defense firearms may be upheld as constitutional if it constitutes a "reasonable" restriction of constitutional rights.
Lawyer Alan Gura, opposing the law and representing Mr Heller said "We have here a ban on all guns for all people in all homes at all times in the nation's capital."
Read the transcript of yesterday's argument.
Read briefs in D.C. v. Heller.
Advocates of the ban and the representatives of the District of Columbia have attempted to argue that the history and context of the second amendment applies to the rights of militias and not to individuals.
However, there are thousands of quotes from the founding fathers that pour water on this weak argument. The founders said over and over that when a government seeks to take away individual weapons it constitutes tyranny and that government must be removed.
Here are a few choice quotes:
Furthermore, even if you argue that the second amendment applies to militias, the very definition of the militia, according to the founders and their contemporaries, is THE PEOPLE:
Last month a majority of the Senate and more than half of the members of the House issued a brief in which they urged the Supreme Court to uphold it's previous ruling that the District's handgun ban violates the second amendment.
The brief asked the Supreme Court to uphold the lower courts decision and allow the precedent of applying a stricter standard of review for gun control cases to stand.
In a separate letter, other representatives, including Congressman Ron Paul, called for the Clement/Bush administration brief to be withdrawn as it sets a precedent for further erosion of individuals' Second Amendment rights to keep and bear arms.
Citing Constitutional concerns the letter stated:
Essentially the government is saying "You have the right to bear arms, unless we say so."
Where there is individual ownership of weapons there is liberty, where there is not there is tyranny because powerful organizations and governments will have a monopoly on it. The latest developments in this case are not a "victory" for the second amendment, on the contrary, they constitute its very undoing.


text:
Read the full story here Web Link posted Tuesday, September 17, 2013, 2:30 PM
Town Square
Stanford welcomes newest crop of freshmen
Original post made on Sep 17, 2013
Read the full story here Web Link posted Tuesday, September 17, 2013, 2:30 PM
a resident of Midtown
on Sep 18, 2013 at 12:22 pm
"Passion and commitment" are wonderful qualities, however I'd like to suggest that they include and encourage "integrity and compassion."
Stanford has been exhibiting a lack of both qualities in recent years, always willing to abandon both for the big bucks.
I've always felt a personal pride in our community campus, but that feeling has been eroded in the extreme in recent years.
What they teach is our future and I'm thinking they are leading students down the wrong (completely mercenary) path.
a resident of Ventura
on Sep 18, 2013 at 1:34 pm
If the content of these programs is half as clever as the acronyms (ITALIC, SIMILE), the freshman class should be in for a wild ride. As Marshall McLuhan once wrote, "A man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a metaphor?"
Make that METAPHOR.
a resident of Palo Verde
on Sep 19, 2013 at 6:51 pm
Here's another recently coined acronym Stanford is working on...
BRAIN (Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies)
"Obama's $100 million brain research initiative taps several Stanford scientists" -- Web Link
a resident of Stanford
on Sep 23, 2013 at 6:49 pm
There's no such ethnic group as "Native American" let alone "Native American or Hawaiian". At least there aren't any for which Stanford would be able to cite statistics. The ethnic categories used by the federal government for reporting ethnic statistics are "American Indian and Alaska Native" and "Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander". Why does Stanford continue to cite stats for these fake categories? More important why does the press continue to repeat them. A quick check of the Common Data Set provided by Stanford to the US Department of Education will show that the figures in this article for those ethnic groups are greatly inflated.


text:
8 Dem slams against the Ryan budget
Mitt Romney's running mate Rep. Paul Ryan, (R-Wis.), has dished out his fair share of criticisms against President Barack Obama. But Ryan has also taken hits from his political opponents, especially his budget plan:
1. "This thing has to be snuffed out. The public needs to know that this is what [Republicans] would do left to their own devices … They would end Medicare for seniors." House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, March 6, 2011.
Story Continued Below
( PHOTOS: Scenes from Romney's running-mate announcement)
2. "You may remember the first Ryan budget. Nothing subtle about it. It dismantled Medicare. Within 10 years it was a voucher system. It dismantled the system and meant that the average senior would be paying another $6,000 out of pocket for the Medicare benefits they now receive," Vice President Joe Biden in Coconut Creek, Fla., March 23, 2012.
3. "It is a Trojan Horse. Disguised as deficit-reduction plans, it is really an attempt to impose a radical vision on our country. It is thinly veiled social Darwinism. It is antithetical to our entire history as a land of opportunity and upward mobility for everybody who's willing to work for it," President Barack Obama in Washington, D.C., April 3, 2012.
4. "Medical costs will continue to go up, and older people will use less health care and die," former President Bill Clinton, May 26, 2011.
5. "This is exactly the same rhetoric, exactly the same kind of plan that was offered in 2001 and 2003, and it led to the deepest recession this country has seen; extraordinary loss of jobs and a tanking of the stock market. Very frankly, that's not a path we want to go down again." Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), April 6, 2011.
6. "… ends the Medicare guarantee while providing tax breaks to millionaires…" Rep. Chris Van Hollen, (D-Md.), in a statement releasing his own alternative to the Ryan Plan.
7. "I don't think it does nearly enough to deal with the debt. It doesn't balance until 2063, and in the meantime, it runs up trillions of dollars in additional debt." Sen. Kent Conrad, (D- N.D.), chairman of the House Budget Committee, to The Weekly Standard, Jan. 25, 2011.
8. "I can't help but think about the fact that in these same budgets, we are talking about, they give tens of billions of dollars in subsidies to Big Oil to drill when they are making a trillion dollars over 10 years in profits, that we are giving tax breaks to companies to send jobs overseas. We're doing that as we say to seniors, homebound seniors: "You no longer will have food coming to you in your homes," Pelosi in Washington, D.C., April 5, 2011.


text:
Video: Watch sledge-hammer test on carbon fiber hoods
When the new Generation-6 car made its on-track debut in 2013 at Daytona, there was a lot of talk about the new lines and the fact that the new Ford, Chevrolet and Toyota resembled the actual production cars.
They weighed less, too, which is important. Less weight means a better power-to-weight ratio, and better power-to-weight means more speed -- theoretically, anyway. It definitely has helped lower the car's center of gravity, which was higher when the Gen-5 was introduced.
A savings of 160 pounds -- 100 on the right side and 60 on the left -- might not sound like much, but it makes a huge difference in trying to get one of the cars through a corner.
Part of that weight savings came in the form of different materials in the body panels. Yes, NASCAR has entered the world of composites on the outside of the car instead of just inside the mainly sheet steel skin.


text:
"Bombardier reserves all its rights with regard to these defamatory accusations," the company said.
DB is suing Bombardier for 350 million euros, or roughly $455 million, in damages, citing defective brakes and engines, which it says has occurred regularly since 2009. Out-of-court efforts by the two entities to settle the matter were attempted, but failed.
The supplier said the general warranty for the S-Bahn Berlin 481 series ended in 2007 by mutual agreement. Up to that time, Bombardier said, availability had regularly exceeded 98%, favorable compared with similar rail systems in Europe. From the start, S-Bahn Berlin has been responsible for its own maintenance. Bombardier Transportation has no contractual obligations regarding the maintenance and repair of the 481 series, the company said.
Bombardier Transportation believes that prolonged litigation is not in the interests of either company, and stressed that it remains open to dialogue with DB.


text:
Migrating from Player 1.6 to Player 2.0
Collaboration diagram for Migrating from Player 1.6 to Player 2.0:
- Fundamentals
- Details
- Low-level details (how to update your driver)
FundamentalsTwo core aspects of Player have changed:
TCP server vs. robot programming frameworkPlayer 1.6.x was many things:
- A state-based message model.
- A list of interfaces, specifying the messages used to interact with a device.
- A format for transmitting these messages over a network.
- A TCP/IP client/server protocol for developing robot control programs.
- A C++ API for developing device drivers.
- A collection of device drivers that control common hardware and implement useful algorithms.
- A server that loads, configures, and provides client access to device drivers.
- A collection of libraries in various languages that facilitate the development of client programs.
Though we tried to keep these aspects of Player separate, they were really inextricably intertwined. While Player was useful to a lot of people, it couldn't easily be extended or reused.
Player 2.0 aims to clarify and compartmentalize its components in such a way that they can be extended, resused, and replaced, as the situation demands. At its core, Player 2.0 comprises 5 components:
- interface: The world of robotic devices is carved up into a set of interfaces. Each interface defines the syntax and semantics of the messages that a conforming device can consume and produce. This specification is written as a C header file, <player.h>, in which the messages are defined as C structs.
- libplayercore : A C++ library that defines a device driver API, facilities for instantiating drivers, and the message queues used to move messages around between drivers. This library also provides methods to parse configuration files and load plugin drivers from shared objects.
- libplayerdrivers : A C++ library that contains the device drivers that are included with the Player distribution (the drivers that were formerly "built-in" to the player server). The exact contents of this library vary from system to system, depending on which drivers' prerequisites are satisifed, as well as the user-supplied options to the configure script. Each driver is also built as a standalone C++ library.
- libplayerxdr : A C library that provides functions to translate Player messages between the native C struct format and the XDR-encoded format that can be safely sent over a network. This code is autogenerated by a program that parses <player.h>.
- libplayertcp : A C++ library that provides the facilities for servicing clients over TCP. This library moves messages between TCP sockets and message queues (as defined in libplayercore). All messages are XDR-encoded (with libplayerxdr) before network transmission.
Because it's just so darn useful, Player 2.0 still contains a TCP player server. As you can imagine, this server is a short C++ program that uses the above libraries to provide the ability to parse a configuration file, load/instantiate device drivers, and allow clients access to these devices via XDR-encoded messages over a TCP socket.
Use the player server if it's what you need, but don't hesitate to use the various components however you like. For example, currently in development are SWIG-generated Java bindings to libplayercore. Using these bindings, you can write a native Java program that instantiates and control device drivers. You might then plug that Java program into a Jini network and exchange Player messages as serialized Java objects, instead of XDR-encoded structs.
State-based vs. message-passingFrom its inception through version 1.6.x, Player was a state-based system. In this model, each device is presumed to have some time-varying state, and the goal of Player is to provide the ability to read and (sometimes) write this state. The content of a device's state and whether it is mutable is defined by the interface(s) that the device supports. For example, a mobile robot that supports the position2d interface maintains as its state the robot's position and velocity. These data are reported in the data messages produced by the robot and can be changed by command messages sent to the robot. This model is conceptually simple but is inflexible and not always appropriate.
Player 2.0 employs a more general message-passing model. In this approach, each device can produce a certain set of messages, and it can consume a certain set of messages. These messages are still defined by the interface(s) that the device supports, but they no longer need to report the entire state of the device. For example, in addition to periodic updates on its current position and velocity, a mobile robot might send out a different message when it has reached a goal or when a motor current limit was exceeded.
DetailsA variety of details have changed, including:
Message formatsBecause of the techniques used to encode messages for network transmission, Player 1.6.x had frustrating limits on the data types that were allowed. Specifically, floating point values were not supported, so real numbers were represented as integers in fixed point.
Player 2.0 is far more flexible in this regard. Virtually all C data types are supported, as are nested message structures and fixed- and variable-length one-dimensional arrays. Multi-dimensional arrays are not supported.
Unless otherwise noted, all message fields are represented in MKS units.
ArraysSome arrays in message structures are fixed-length and some are variable-length. An array 'foo' is variable-length if the message structure containing 'foo' also contains a uint32_t called 'foo_count' ('foo_count' must appear before 'foo' in the structure). Otherwise, it is fixed-length. Basically, small arrays (2 or 3 elements) are fixed-length and bigger ones are variable-length.
The name 'foo_count' is special. It tells you how many items are actually in the array 'foo'. This information is used by the XDR functions during (de)marshaling. As a result, you must *always* fill in this field when sending a message containing a variable-length array (and you should always consult this field when receiving such a message).
For example, when sending a camera image, put the data in 'image' and fill in 'image_count' with the actual size of the frame. Then only those bytes will be transferred. Another example: when asking for the list of available devices, you send a player_device_devlist, with the field 'devices_count' set to 0. The server responds with it filled in.
Message type namespacePlayer 2.0 defines a 2-level namespace of messages. At the first level, there are 7
- data (PLAYER_MSGTYPE_DATA) : A message emitted by a device, usually communicating something about the state of the device. Data messages are not acknowledged.
- command (PLAYER_MSGTYPE_CMD) : A message sent to a device, usually changing something about the state of the device. Command messages are not acknowledged.
- request (PLAYER_MSGTYPE_REQ) : A message sent to a device, usually requesting a configuration change or querying some information. Each request message is acknowledged by a response message.
- positive response (PLAYER_MSGTYPE_RESP_ACK) : Sent in response to a request message, a positive response message indicates that the request was successfully processed by the device. Any requested information is contained in the body of the message.
- negative response (PLAYER_MSGTYPE_RESP_NACK) : Sent in response to a request message, a negative response indicates that the request was received by the device but could not be processed (e.g., the request was incorrectly formatted, the device doesn't support that requst, or the underlying hardware refused to make the requested configuration change). The body of this response will be empty.
- error response (PLAYER_MSGTYPE_RESP_ERR) : Sent in response to a request, an error response indicates that the request was never sent to the device (e.g., the device's address is invalid, or the device's message queue is full). The body of this response will be empty.
- synch (PLAYER_MSGTYPE_SYNCH) : This message will likely be deprecated.
Each message also has an interface-specific
subtype. For example, the laser interface defines 2 data messages: one contains a scan, while the other contains both a scan and a pose. The
subtype field of the message header allows the recipient to disambiguate the two. The
subtype of a response message will be identical to the corresponding request message.
Dynamic libsAll libraries are now built using libtool in both static and dynamic versions (assuming your system supports building and loading shared libraries).
Low-level details (how to update your driver)The amount of work required to update a Player 1.6.x driver to the Player 2.0 API varies greatly from driver to driver. Simple, single-interface drivers tend to be pretty easy to update, whereas complex, multi-interface drivers can be quite tedious. There is no tool for automatically updating driver code; writing such a tool would be very difficult indeed.
Because each driver can be structured differently and use different parts of the Driver API, I don't have step-by-step instructions for updating a driver. Instead, below is a list of tips, hints, and things to look out for. I find that a combination of systematically following the items on this list and compilation by attrition (i.e., fix each problem as the compiler finds and complains about it) does the job.
libplayerxdr/functiontable.cmust be updated manually to handle each message. The array
init_ftabledefined in that file contains a (interface, type, subtype, XDR packing function) tuple for each message. Any message without an entry in that table will not be sent or received.
- The player_device_id_t structure has been replaced with the player_devaddr_t structure. The
codefield is now called
interf, the
portfield is
robot, and a
hostfield has been added.
- The player_msghdr_t structure has changed:
- The addressing information formerly stored in
indexis now contained in
addr, which is of type player_devaddr_t.
- As explained above (Message type namespace), the message header has
typeand a
- The timestamp is a double, containing the number of seconds since the epoch.
- The addressing information formerly stored in
- ConfigFile::ReadDeviceId is now ConfigFile::ReadDeviceAddr.
- The
positioninterface is now the position2d interface, and its code is PLAYER_POSITION2D_CODE.
- The driver no longer specifies an allowable access mode, in either the Driver constructor or in Driver::AddInterface. The READ, WRITE, and ALL access modes have been collapsed into OPEN. A subscriber can simply OPEN or CLOSE a subscription to a device.
- The data/command buffers and request/reply queues have been replaced by general-purpose message queues, of type MessageQueue. Each driver has an incoming queue, Driver::InQueue. All messages to the driver, whether commands or requests, arrive on this queue. The queue has a maximum length, set in the Driver constructor or in Driver::AddInterface.
- All external access to a driver is done via the appropriate Device, NOT the Driver itself. For example, to subscribe to another device, call Device::Subscribe on the Device* (which you can retrieve from the deviceTable with DeviceTable::GetDevice).
- It is no longer to possible to block on another device to wait for data from that device. Instead, a driver can, via Driver::Wait, block on its own queue (Driver::InQueue). If any message are pending on the queue, Driver::Wait returns immediately; otherwise, it blocks until a new message is pushed onto the queue (or until the specified timeout).
- The Get/Put Data/Command/Config/Reply methods have been replaced with methods for pushing and popping messages on queues. To process incoming messages, override the default implementation of Driver::ProcessMessage; this method should handle a single message. The method Driver::ProcessMessages will pop all pending messages from Driver::InQueue, calling Driver::ProcessMessage once for each message. Driver::ProcessMessages facilitates sending replies and should be used in place of calling MessageQueue::Pop directly on Driver::InQueue (although you can certainly do this if you want). To send a message to a device (i.e., to push a message onto a device's queue), call Device::PutMsg.
- Non-threaded drivers MUST override Driver::ProcessMessage, and they MUST respond to each request message in place in this method. Driver::ProcessMessages will be invoked periodically on each non-threaded driver. Forwarding requests to an underlying driver from a non-threaded driver is tricky; look at the lasercspace driver for an example.
- Device::Request provides an easy way to send a request to another device and wait for the reply. Do NOT call this method inside Driver::ProcessMessage in a non-threaded driver, as it would block the caller, which could be a very bad thing.
- No more byte-swapping or unit-conversions in driver code. Drivers are transport-independent modules, and as such send and receive all messages in their native C struct formats (host byte-order, MKS units), as defined in <player.h>. Nobody should include <netinet/in.h>.
- Only one file should be included from Player: Use pkg-config (i.e.,
#include <libplayercore/player.h>
pkg-config --cflags libplayercore) to get the appropriate compiler flags.
- For "built-in" drivers (i.e., those included in the Player distribution, NOT plugin drivers), the Makefile.am layout has changed:
- All drivers are now built as libtool libraries, with the extension
- An automake conditional tells you whether your driver should be built.
- All drivers are now built as libtool libraries, with the extension
- As an example, if your driver is called
foo, and is built from
foo.cc, then your Makefile.am might look like this:
noinst_LTLIBRARIES = if INCLUDE_FOO noinst_LTLIBRARIES += libfoo.la endif AM_CPPFLAGS = -Wall -I$(top_srcdir) libfoo_la_SOURCES = foo.cc


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LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) -- The lawyer for a woman arrested a few days after Christmas on the University of Kentucky campus with a small child says his client will fight extradition to California where she allegedly abducted her granddaughter in Los Angeles.
Fayette County District Judge Julie Goodman scheduled a hearing for 62-year-old Maria DeJesus-Baltierra to be held Tuesday on charges of custodial interference and endangering the welfare of a minor and on the extradition. Baltierra's attorney, Ben Cabuay Jr., said she won't waive extradition.
The Lexington Herald-Leader (http://bit.ly/VvojBM ) said Baltierra pleaded not guilty when she appeared in court Wednesday.
University police arrested Baltierra on Friday after officers saw her pushing a stroller on campus with a 17-month-old child who wasn't dressed properly for the cold weather. The child is in state protective custody.
Information from: Lexington Herald-Leader, http://www.kentucky.com


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The infamous black friday came early in Helsinki this year in the form of the fourth Black Flames OF Blasphemy festival. And in the black friday you must spend your money. (Un)fortunately there was not that many sellers around, just one distro and the table with band merchandise, so the real soul of the underground metal scene, the hoarding of vinyl records and the other merchandise was not omnipresent like in some other festivals. We came to hear and see the latest goodies from the black/death scene and we did just that. Here is the brief article of the Black Flames Of Blasphemy festival.
Article by Arto Lehtinen and Timo Hanhirova
Pics by Arto Lehtinen Read the rest of this entry »


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Discussion in 'Miscellaneous' started by Candlelight, Sep 26, 2009.
I'm keeping this avatar. I'm being James Bond for Halloween.
I once asked for Kame (as in 'turtle hermit') Hell 2, but it was considered a no-no...
I can't draw -not for the life of me... but I can copy'n'paste... how about something like this:
Or this:
Or perhaps the top one just with a blinking spider?
Thank you very much trekkiedane, that avatar is just what I need.
I'm keeping my avatar too because IMO this avatar is candy and it looks good enough to eat.
Thanks for adding to more avatars, trekkiedane. I think I will use the middle one.
It is appropiate because Miss Chicken is my eldest cat, Spider is my second cat, and the youngest cat is Georgy so that is what I am going to name the punpkinhead in the av.
Pumpkin -the cat formerly known as Georgy
Glad you like it
Since we are not supposed to chat in the request thread, I had to bring this thread up to publicly compliment PSGarak's Halloween name.
Enabran Tainted.
Given the fanfic he writes, this is incredibly appropriate on SO many levels it's frightening--the pun, the theme, the meaning, SO perfect.
Just to remind people that tomorrow is the final day to get names in. After that, too late.
I went for a classic horror reference ("DiaboliKate"). Now to come up with an av...
I really wanted to do "Abbott and Costello Meet Kate," but I knew that would be too long. Dang it.
Me too! I was here last years, but I never got caught in the frenzy: but this year, I will join the fun!
Edit to add: if anyone wants to halloweenize my avatar, feel free!
I saw your hallowe'en name request - what does it mean?
Isn't it 'scary' enough as is
I think iguanas are cute not scary.
Maybe it needs red, glowing eyes and horns.
mine is pretty simple.. spookha
and i even have ghost bunny to go with it.
Really? Not "Fyghar"?
I added horns after my inital post. I think she needs either horns or vampire fangs.
Found a couple of Horned Lizard Horns:
Separate names with a comma.


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Power tool mounts...
Simple, easy thing to do with those old dead NiCads from your One+ tools: Take the battery cells out and dispose of them according to your local requirements, then use the plastic shells as mounts for your tools. Once your NiCads die and you want to replace them, instead of throwing them away re-purpose them. There are 6 (six) Philips-head screws that hold the shell together. Take those out, pull the orange top off, and remove the battery cells. Put the shell back together, and find a good spot to hang your tools. I used the cabinet over my workbench, plus I built a small mount for a couple of other tools to hang on. For the cabinet I simply drilled a couple of holes through the bottom, countersunk them, then screwed two 1 5/8" drywall screws through the holes and into the battery shells. Then just snap your tool onto the shell. To take it off just hold the tool, then press the buttons on the shell.
Comments (6) Sign In To Follow Project
Well Organized
Great idea. Thank you.
Thanks. There's now 8 tools hanging from the cabinet... http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3771/12375166113_c00770871f_h.jpg
nice idea
please send products drill batterry to mail : firstname.lastname@example.com
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I have been to the Orkut site but of course I can't get in. What is the attraction? Is it the features of the site? The other members? The fact that it is exclusive (at least somewhat)?
I know you are on at least one other site where you can socialize even if the male/female ratio is a bit lopsided. And there are many places on the net to socialize that don't require an invitation.
This is not a knock on Orkut. It is just my curiosity meowing.
I don't know how I feel about that -- kind of like I've been brought into a country club, as if it's elitist -- but on the other hand, I generally think I'm an elitist anyway...and I don't know many people I haven't invited to Orkut at this point, informally or otherwise, so I don't really feel like I'm excluding anybody speci
Frankly, I don't know wether I want an invite or not, although I do thank you for the opportunity. I spend most of my 'web time' either here or at PerlMonks. On the other hand it might be nice to talk about something other than Perl once in a while(did I say that?).
Yes, please arrange the invitation. If nothing else I would like to see what they say about themselves. Do you need anything from me? Once again, I appreciate the offer.


text:
Antiphonal FanfareAleks Sternfeld-Dunn - FJH Music Company Inc
Antiphonal FanfareAleks Sternfeld-Dunn - FJH Music Company Inc
This outstanding contemporary fanfare is based on phrases that overlap throughout the ensemble. �The work carries a sense of triumph and power as the sweeping phrases continue to build in intensity under spectacular woodwind runs. �A middle section contrasts the first with long melodic lines before returning to the opening material in a truncated form to bring the work to a stunning conclusion. �Incredible use of counterpoint and harmony make this an exceptional work that will set your group apart from the rest!
Select a Product
My Library
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text:
Rep. Bob Filner tied himself closely to President Barack Obama and the Democrats during his successful campaign for San Diego mayor, while Councilman Carl DeMaio didn't even endorse his party's standard-bearer, Republican Mitt Romney.
But an analysis of the votes cast on Nov. 6 suggests that Romney voters were significantly more likely to vote for DeMaio than Obama voters for Filner.
Almost 20 percent of Obama voters took a pass on Filner — about 10 percent skipping the mayor's race, and about 9 percent picking DeMaio.
By comparison, about 2 percent of Romney voters sat out the mayor's race — and less than one fifth of one percent of them voted for Filner.
Filner was able to beat DeMaio — despite the falloff in support from top-of-the-ticket voters — because Obama did so well in the city. The president received 59.8 percent of the vote in San Diego, so Filner was able to eke out his victory of 51.5 percent of the vote.
The U-T estimated these voting patterns using a statistical model that attempts to infer individual voting behavior from election-night results.
The results of the analysis throws into sharp relief Filner's high-wire act to win the election, said Vlad Kogan, an assistant professor of political science at Ohio State University.
"In any other big city, Filner or another candidate would have done a much better job of maintaining those Democratic voters," said Kogan, a UC San Diego graduate who assisted in this analysis and reviewed its results for the U-T. "He came very close to not making it."
Much was made of the mayoral candidates striking less-partisan tones as they campaigned to lead the eighth-largest city in America. After advancing in the June primary, both took pains to stress their willingness to work across party lines and build coalitions for the good of San Diego.
At the same time, Filner went to greater lengths to spotlight his partisan affiliations, including embracing his working relationship with Obama and highlighting the endorsement of former President Bill Clinton.
That wasn't a surprise given the city's political makeup: 40.5 percent Democratic, 27.6 percent independent and 27.1 percent Republican.
"Voter drop-off is a problem in any race and it's believed among most consultants that it's a real problem for Democrat candidates with low-propensity Democrat voters, who have a greater likelihood of voting only for the top of the ticket and then essentially closing the book and walking away with it," said John Hoy, Republican political consultant. "For Filner to succeed, and I think his campaign did this fairly effectively, they needed to link him with President Obama but also partisanize the race. And then it came down to pushing his voters, and I assume that was a function of their turnout operation, to get their lower-propensity voters to focus not only on voting but voting all the way through the ballot book."
Larry Remer, a Democratic political consultant who steered to victory San Diego's $2.8 billion bond, said there were other reasons the mayor-elect was eager to embrace traditional Democratic symbols such as education funding, Obama and Clinton.
"They are who he is," Remer said, adding he was surprised DeMaio didn't find Democratic symbols that he could embrace in the campaign.
Remer said DeMaio "didn't have any popular or populous causes that he favored that were salient in this election. The spending and pension issues were fine for a low-turnout primary, but they got swamped and lost in a general election."
The U-T analysis used a process known as ecological inference, which attempts to infer discrete individual behavior from data available on groups of individuals. It provides a unique view on the election that is otherwise not possible to obtain since voters' ballots are confidential.
The statistical model was developed by Harvard University Professor Gary King, who heads the university's Institute for Quantitative Social Science.
Filner, aware that he was underperforming Obama among Democrats, made a major focus of his late field operation reinforcing with less-likely Democratic voters the need to vote in the mayoral race.
Filner also benefitted because Democrats and their allies from labor turned out in droves to help defeat an anti-union ballot initiative and pass Gov. Jerry Brown's temporary tax-increases.
Led by Lorena Gonzalez, head of the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council, outside groups targeted Democratic voters and urged them to vote down-ballot. With a particular focus south of Interstate 8, they distributed mail and door hangers to infrequent Democratic voters so they'd know the party's slate and where to vote. They also handed out slate cards at workplaces the night before and morning of Election Day.
Several factors might explain why DeMaio was able to capture more of the Obama vote than Filner did the Romney vote, including DeMaio having more name recognition and some voters being unaware he's a Republican because of how he campaigned.


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Weather conditions in Montezuma County remain hot and dry, and recent forecasts predicting rain havent panned out for the area.
Jim Andrus, a cooperative weather observer for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, presented county commissioners with an updated weather report Monday morning and stressed that the dry weather may continue, though some portions of the county may be more fortunate than others.
Really, lately we are looking at the luck of the draw in terms of weather, Andrus said. The western half of the county has had more rain than the rest of us, but we are still struggling.
This years precipitation readings show a picture quite different than last years monsoon season. June and September of 2010 saw precipitation levels right at average, while July and August of last year recorded 197 and 144 percent above average respectively.
This years numbers are a far cry from normal, Andrus said.
The monsoon season last year was very generous, and so far this monsoon is the polar opposite of that situation, Andrus said.
Precipitation for June 2011 was recorded at .01 inches, roughly 2 percent of average. No measurable precipitation has appeared in Cortez this month.
Im wondering if the drought that has slammed Texas, New Mexico and Louisiana is slowly working its way north this summer, Andrus said. Low precipitation levels like this will go a long way in driving us toward exceptional drought conditions.
Forecasts the past few weeks have predicted rain in the region, but while the atmosphere seems to be filling with moisture, most of it isnt making it to the ground.
Montezuma Commissioner Steve Chappell asked Andrus if a dry atmosphere impacts the ability of rain to reach thirsty crops and dry grasses.
Is it possible for it to be so dry that the atmosphere just cant get it done, Chappell asked.
Absolutely, Andrus responded. When the atmosphere gets extremely dry, storms might develop overhead but you have to think in terms of priming the pump and the lower levels of the atmosphere may be so dry the rain evaporates before it reaches the ground. But those storms do add humidity and might help later storms get their rain to the ground.
Andrus noted the bulk of the monsoon flow has been west of the region. While the La Nina weather pattern characterized by cool and wet northern regions and hot and dry southern regions has officially ended, Andrus wondered if the present conditions may be stuck in a similar holding pattern.
The rest of this week is supposed to be a little warmer and dryer by the end of the week, Andrus said. We are looking at a neutral situation in the 30- and 90-day outlooks, so hopefully we will start seeing normal precipitation.
Forecasts call for a 60 percent chance of precipitation today and tonight with a 20 percent chance of showers Wednesday morning, Andrus said. Temperatures should remain in the upper 80s and lower 90s the rest of the week.
Reach Kimberly Benedict at email@example.com


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English Channel port,
Carrick district, administrative and historic county of Cornwall
Cornwall unitary authority
, England. It lies at the head of the River Penryn's estuary. The town owes its development to the bishops of Exeter, who granted the first charter (1265). James I (reigned 1603–25) granted and renewed the charter of incorporation. Penryn is the principal English port for the shipment of granite, which is extensively quarried in the district. Pop. (2001) 6,227.


text:
"Jens Pulver: Driven," an intimate documentary focused on the life of one of MMA's most colorful and beloved figures, has been given a nationwide release.
Produced in 2010 following a public pledge drive for financial backing, the documentary focuses on Pulver's preparation for a WEC 47 bout with Javier Vazquez.
As Pulver looked to snap a four-fight losing streak in what he felt might be his final comeback fight, filmmaker Gregory Bayne was there to document the process and learn more about what made "Little Evil" one of early MMA's fan-favorites – including the tumultuous childhood that formed the former UFC champion's inner character.
"It was scary at first, only because the emotion in this is not fake, and I am [putting myself] out there for all to judge and have an opinion about me," Pulver stated in an official release. "It's dead on."
Earlier this year, "Jens Pulver: Driven" appeared at the Beverly Hills Film Festival and Oklahoma's deadCENTER Film Festival. Now, fans can download the documentary on iTunes, AmazonVOD, Blockbuster, CinemaNow, DirectTV, PlayStation Network, Shaw Cable, Xbox LIVE and Zune, among others.
Additionally, a limited-run Fan Edition DVD will be available in September for just $19 at Amazon.com and JensPulverDriven.com.
Since the initial screenings of "Jens Pulver: Driven," Pulver has also screened the film in front of several at-risk youth audiences, according to today's release. Pulver stated he hopes the film, which also reveals his childhood experience as a victim of child abuse and witness to domestic violence, can ultimately have a positive impact.
"It makes me feel like I am contributing," Pulver stated. "I want this movie to be there to help and to motivate those who are stuck in life, stuck at a crossroads. I hope it helps set the wheels in motion so that they can find a direction, and a purpose."
(Pictured: Jens Pulver)


text:
This is a running campaign as apposed to one-off session. I will be using the Tri-stat rules system. Words associated with the campaign are: Hard, gritty, machiavelian, bizarre, occult, grotesque, macabre, sinister, apocalyptic.
You have no memory of how you got there or why you are in hospital.
I prefer players creating their own characters but for this campaign characters are created by me with one exception; YOUR BASE STARTING CHARACTER IS YOU. There is no player knowledge because what you know is what you know. There will be some poetic licence on my part based upon discussion with each player for setting up base skills but I prefer these to be in person [yes, we don't want players to know certain things about each other].
One last thing to think about as you answer a question of mine:
If you could be any comic character, mythical being, creature, monster, character from a film/book/history, what would it be?
Chapter two
Having discovered some information of what they are and how they came to be, players now need to ensure that they stop someone from a secret society from stopping the players coming into being.
A case of: A STITCH IN TIME WILL SAVE A HELL OF A LOT MORE THAN NINE.
And they find that secrecy is their best defence against the enemies they do not yet know.
Chapter 3
What to do now?
How do we survive, who is after us and ... what card are you?
Having started paying back favours owed to justice, the group find themselves hunting demonic priests, killing cultists in an old Rumanian Church, owing an emperor a favour and realising it's not 'Shelak's hill', but 'The hill that is Shelak'.
What does the future hold? As the puzzle begins to build one asks: 'Where is the the Valley in the Shadow of the Watchers?'
Chapter 4
What the living forget, the dead remember forever. All praise the redemptive claw.


text:
Joel Sherman just broke the news on Twitter that the "Yankees tried for Soler, but lost out to Cubs"
Stay. Tuned.
[UPDATE] MLBTradeRumors.com is confirming Soler to the Cubs, but siting the same tweet we did, still unconfirmed as far as I'm concerned.
[UPDATE] Ken Rosenthal has confirmed the Soler to the Cubs rumor as well, looks like it's official.
Multiple reports now confirm… Jorge Soler is a Chicago Cub!! Tons of details to follow obviously. Stay Tuned.
– George


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Kinsler scores on unusual three-error play
By Jason Beck / MLB.com
DETROIT -- One of the better lines about Miguel Cabrera around the Tigers clubhouse the last few years is that a runner at first base is a runner in scoring position, the way he drives runs in. They've never come home from there on a Cabrera walk, though, until Sunday.
"Miggy's still taking off his shin pad," Ian Kinsler said, "and I'm running to third."
It's another new scoring method for the go-go Tigers, though this one had more to do with a three-error play from the Angels defense.
"A lot happened on one play," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "It was obviously a strange play. We thought we had Cabrera struck out, and all of a sudden they have Cabrera on second base with a run in. Just a poor play."
Kinsler, batting second in front of Cabrera on Sunday, started his trek around the bases with a four-pitch walk with one out in the opening inning. In a leadoff spot situation, he might have tried going. With Cabrera up, he wasn't about to open up first base, especially when Angels lefty Hector Santiago fell behind on another 3-0 count.
Once Santiago recovered to get the count full, that was the chance for Kinsler to go, and that's where the Angels defense turned shambolic.
Faced with the unenviable task of a 3-2 pitch to Cabrera, Santiago tried to catch Cabrera on a changeup. Kinsler took off on the pitch.
"I wasn't sure if there was going to be a strike three or a ball four," Kinsler said, "so I had to go, and the catcher obviously came up and threw. I had to continue to run just in case he called it a strike."
It was close enough at the knees that Angels catcher Hank Conger had reason to anticipate a called third strike, which would've put Kinsler in play for an out at second. Conger stepped up and threw as Cabrera awaited the call.
"You know where the pitch is," Scioscia said. "You can't wait for an umpire's call. You have to get your throw off. The umpire called it low. Hank thought it was a good pitch and he's going to follow through on his throw."
The throw sailed into center field, sending Kinsler on his way to third as Mike Trout ran down the ball. That's where the play seemingly stopped until Trout's throw missed the cutoff man at second base.
Kinsler, having held up past third base, took off for home as Santiago retrieved the ball on the third-base side of the mound. Santiago seemingly had a chance to get Kinsler at the plate, but his throw went wide and to the backstop.
Official scorer Ron Kleinfelter assigned three different throwing errors on the play -- Conger allowing Kinsler to get to third, Trout allowing Kinsler to score, and Santiago allowing Cabrera to take second base.
According to STATS, it was the first time a team made three errors on one play since the Orioles did so against the Rays on April 16, 2007. Two of those errors, however, came from the same player, Aubrey Huff.
"That's a little unusual," Kinsler said. "Maybe a strike three call, he throws it into center field and I'm able to move up to third. But ball four, Miggy's still taking off his shin pad and I'm running to third. It was an unusual play, got kind of lucky there at the end. I've never seen it before from anyone else, and I've never been a part of something like that, so it was definitely an unusual play."
Romine to have opportunity to contribute at short
DETROIT -- When Andrew Romine started at shortstop Friday night against the Angels, manager Brad Ausmus said he was working off the theory that a player has extra motivation when he faces his old team for the first time. Two days and two more starts later, Romine has a lot more motivation than that.
With Alex Gonzalez gone, Romine now has something to prove to his new club, too.
"Absolutely," Romine said. "I don't know any guy in baseball who wouldn't take it as an opportunity to show what you've got. It's a great spot for me to showcase what I can do. And at the same time, if I can do what I'm capable of, then it's going to help the team win. It works both ways."
Two things he clearly showed this weekend that he can do are field and run. The fielding part was the reason they brought him in after the extent of Jose Iglesias' injury became clear. The speed has caught them by surprise.
After two games of limited action, Romine made one play after another Sunday behind sinkerballer Rick Porcello. His four assists on groundouts included a key sixth-inning double play on Albert Pujols to erase a leadoff walk from Mike Trout in what was then a 1-1 game.
"He's a very consistent shortstop," second baseman Ian Kinsler said. "I think, just by his actions, you might not think that he has that much range, but he definitely has a good amount of range and he has a very, very strong arm. I don't think people understand how good of an arm he has, but he's a good player. He's going to continue to work hard and if he continues to get opportunities, he's going to get better."
At the plate, he enjoyed his best game of the season, reaching base all three times up with two singles and a walk. He stole second base the first two times, setting up RBI opportunities for the top of the Tigers batting order, though he was stranded each time.
"If I can get to second with Kinsler and Rajai [Davis], not to mention Torii [Hunter] and [Miguel] Cabrera, that's huge," Romine said. "I've been a leadoff guy my whole career coming up, and then when I made it to the big leagues, I was in the nine hole as a second leadoff guy. It's a familiar spot.
"I know what I'm supposed to do. I get on as the nine-hole. Obviously we have a bunch of guys at the top of the lineup that are going to hit. I just pick the right times. Certain guys, obviously, you let them hit."
That fits into Ausmus' offensive style.
"He's much faster than reported," Ausmus said. "We knew he could run, but he's actually fast. I'd say he's not an above-average runner, he's well above average. That's kind of an added bonus."
He'll get his chances. Though the switch-hitting Romine is expected to platoon at short with right-handed hitting Danny Worth, Ausmus suggested it won't strictly be a righty-lefty mix. With no additional moves seemingly imminent, Romine will get an opportunity.
Tigers expected to swap reliever for bench bat soon
DETROIT -- While the Tigers shuffled their shortstops, that was the only move they made Sunday. Their expected move to bring back a fourth bench player and pare back their bullpen to seven relievers didn't happen Sunday.
That said, it shouldn't be long. While Ausmus indicated a move could be near, he said Sunday morning that they wanted to see how Sunday's game played out before doing anything. Rick Porcello's seven quality innings Sunday likely alleviated any hesitation.
By rule, the Tigers can't recall outfielder Tyler Collins -- the man optioned to Triple-A Toledo to make room for an extra reliever -- for another week. He must stay in the Minors for at least 10 days unless the Tigers have to place someone on the disabled list. Given Collins' limited playing time in Detroit, though, another bench guy might have been likely anyway.
Two veteran candidates at Triple-A Toledo made their case Saturday. Speedy outfielder Ezequiel Carrera, who made an impression on the Tigers in Spring Training, went 5-for-8 with a home run in a Mud Hens' doubleheader at Columbus. J.D. Martinez, meanwhile, homered four times in the twin bill, three times in the opener, to raise his total to 10 home runs in 17 games this year. He's 20-for-71 (.282), with half of his hits leaving the yard.
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:
Top Items:
Ezra Klein / Wonkblog:
A 'fiscal cliff' deal is near: Here are the details — All at once, a "fiscal cliff" deal seems to be coming together. Speaker John Boehner's latest offer doesn't go quite far enough for the White House to agree, but it goes far enough that many think they can see the agreement taking shape.
Derek Thompson / The Atlantic Online: Why Liberals Should Learn to Like the Emerging Fiscal Cliff Deal
Jonathan Cohn / The New Republic: A Fiscal Deal Is Emerging—But Is It Any Good?
Bernard Finel / Balloon Juice: As far as half-measures go...
Bill McBride / Calculated Risk: Fiscal Cliff: Chained CPI
Peter Suderman / Hit & Run: Is a Fiscal Cliff Deal on the Way?
Greg Sargent / The Plum Line: Still a bad deal
Allahpundit / Hot Air: Report: Fiscal cliff deal emerging …
Jennifer Rubin / Right Turn: Boehner's office is mum on 'fiscal cliff' talks
Digby / Hullabaloo: Chained CPI of fools
J. Bradford DeLong / Brad DeLong: Can't Obama Play This Game?: This Is a Lousy Fiscal Cliff Deal Weblogging
Obama makes new offer to narrow gap on cliff — President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner made significant progress Monday toward a fiscal cliff deal, as Obama's new offer on tax rates moved the two sides close to agreement. — But questions remained over whether Boehner …
Discussion: Guardian and Weasel Zippers
Brian Beutler / Talking Points Memo:
Hill Democrats Warm To GOP-Backed Social Security Concession In Fiscal Cliff Talks
Hill Democrats Warm To GOP-Backed Social Security Concession In Fiscal Cliff Talks
Discussion: Daily Kos
Erik Wasson / The Hill:
Conservative groups slam reported Boehner concessions in talks
Conservative groups slam reported Boehner concessions in talks
Discussion: Politico, CNN and National Review
Patrick Brennan / National Review: Surveying the Fiscal Cliff Plans
Jack Mirkinson / The Huffington Post:
Joe Scarborough: Newtown Shooting Made 'Ideologies Of My Past' On Guns Irrelevant (VIDEO) — Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy … REACT: — FOLLOW: — Morning Joe, Morning Joe, Video, Joe Scarborough Gun Control, Joe Scarborough Gun Rights …
Discussion: Addicting Info, Bluestem Prairie, msnbc.com, The Raw Story, Business Insider and Eschaton
Sally Jo Sorensen / Bluestem Prairie: Guest post: Sandy Hook and working our way toward sane regulation of gun ownership
David Schoetz / msnbc.com: President Obama, guns and the Newtown distinction
Arturo Garcia / The Raw Story: Pro-gun Democrat says NRA must be 'at the table' for gun control talks
Brett LoGiurato / Business Insider: Here's Joe Scarborough's Stirring Soliloquy On Gun Control
Zack Beauchamp / ThinkProgress:
Six Extreme Policies That Prove The NRA Is Out Of Step With America
Six Extreme Policies That Prove The NRA Is Out Of Step With America
Discussion: ABCNEWS
Kevin Robillard / Politico:
Pro-gun Sen. Joe Manchin: Time to act
Pro-gun Sen. Joe Manchin: Time to act
Sam Stein / The Huffington Post: Gun Control Legislation From Frank Lautenberg Would Ban High-Capacity Magazines Post-Sandy Hook
Jonathan Chait / New York Magazine: The Bracing Political Reality of Gun Control
Alec MacGillis / The New Republic: Gun Politics Can Change. They Have Before.
Jane C. Timm / msnbc.com: NRA-endorsed Senator calls for assault weapons ban
Glenn Kessler / Washington Post: Do concealed-weapon laws result in less crime?
Communications / OpenSecrets.org: Capital Eye Opener, Dec. 17: Manchin on Gun Control, S.C.'s New Senator and More
Meenal Vamburkar / Mediaite: NRA-Endorsed Sen. Joe Manchin Urges Action On Gun Laws: 'Everything Has To Be On The Table'
Neetzan Zimmerman / Gawker: In Emotional Monologue, Joe Scarborough Changes Long-Held Gun Debate Stance: 'Nothing Can Ever Be the Same Again'
Michael O'Brien / First Read: Pro-gun Dems warm to tigher laws, but GOP stays silent
Greg Sargent / The Plum Line: The Morning Plum: Is 'God, guns, and gays' losing its peril for Democrats?
Jed Lewison / Daily Kos: More talk of gun control as gun lobby goes silent
Gary Langer / ABCNEWS:
Most Back Ban on High-Capacity Clips; Many See Societal Issues in Connecticut Shootings
Most Back Ban on High-Capacity Clips; Many See Societal Issues in Connecticut Shootings
Discussion: The Caucus, Business Insider, ABCNEWS, The Huffington Post, The Hill, Outside the Beltway, ABCNEWS, Hot Air, Mediaite, CNN and Daily Kos
Brett LoGiurato / Business Insider: More Americans Support 'Stricter Gun Control Laws' Now Than At Any Point In The Last Five Years
Susanna Kim / ABCNEWS: Gun Control Buzz Follows Shootings
Emily Swanson / The Huffington Post: Gun Control Laws: After Sandy Hook, Poll Finds Bump In Support For Greater Restrictions
Jonathan Easley / The Hill: Poll: School shooting seen as sign of larger societal problem
Doug Mataconis / Outside the Beltway: Poll Shows Slight Majority Support For Some Forms Of Gun Control
Meenal Vamburkar / Mediaite: White House Press Secretary On Gun Control Legislation: 'Part Of' The Solution, But 'Far From All Of It'
Ashley Killough / CNN: TRENDING: Manchin on gun control: Newtown has 'changed me'
Scott Wise / WTVR-TV:
'Enough is enough' Sen. Warner calls for 'rational gun control'
'Enough is enough' Sen. Warner calls for 'rational gun control'
Discussion: First Read, PoliticusUSA, WUTC, Business Insider, The Hill and Mediaite
Michael O'Brien / First Read: Pro-gun Dems warm to tighter laws, but GOP stays silent
Jason Easley / PoliticusUSA: The Tide is Turning : Senator With A Rating From NRA Calls for Rational Gun Control
David Welna / WUTC: Some Senators Show Willingness To Take On Gun Laws
Brett LoGiurato / Business Insider: A Democratic 2016 Contender And Pro-Gun Rights Senator Is Now Calling For 'Rational Gun Control' Measures
Daniel Strauss / The Hill: Sen. Warner calls for Congress to pass new 'rational gun control' legislation
Christy Wampole / Opinionator:
Guns and the Decline of the Young Man
Guns and the Decline of the Young Man
Discussion: Althouse
Meenal Vamburkar / Mediaite:
Scarborough Questions 'Long-Held' Beliefs After Newtown: 'Ideologies Of My Past Career' No Longer 'Relevant'
Scarborough Questions 'Long-Held' Beliefs After Newtown: 'Ideologies Of My Past Career' No Longer 'Relevant'
Discussion: Alan Colmes'Alan Colmes' and The Raw Story
Peter Boylan / Senator Inouye's Press Feed:
Statement on the Passing of Senator Daniel K. Inouye — United States Senator Daniel K. Inouye, World War II veteran, Medal of Honor recipient and Hawaii's senior Senator, passed away from respiratory complications at 5:01 p.m. Eastern Standard Time today at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
Discussion: The Atlantic Online, Weekly Standard, Addicting Info, Business Insider and NBC4 Washington
David A. Graham / The Atlantic Online: Daniel Inouye, Long-Serving Hawaii Senator and War Hero, Is Dead at 88
Michael Warren / Weekly Standard: Hawaii Senator Daniel Inouye Dies
T. Steelman / Addicting Info: Senator Daniel Inouye Of Hawaii Dies
Brett LoGiurato / Business Insider: Hawaii Sen. Daniel Inouye, The Second-Longest Serving Senator In American History, Has Died
Emily Feldman / NBC4 Washington: Senate Democrat Daniel Inouye Dies at 88
Catalina Camia / USA Today:
Hawaii Sen. Daniel Inouye, 88, dies — Inouye hailed by President Obama as "a true American hero." — STORY HIGHLIGHTS — Had represented Hawaii continuously since it achieved statehood in 1959, first in House and then Senate — WASHINGTON — Democrat Daniel Inouye …
Discussion: Towleroad News #gay, AMERICAblog and Moe Lane
Chris Cillizza / The Fix:
Hawaii Sen. Daniel Inouye dies at age 88
Hawaii Sen. Daniel Inouye dies at age 88
Ed O'Keefe / 2chambers: Daniel Inouye dies: What it means for the Senate
David Dayen / Firedoglake: RIP Daniel Inouye
Nick Wing / The Huffington Post: Daniel Inouye Dead: Hawaii Senator Dies After Fight With Respiratory Complications
Natalie Jennings / Post Politics: Sen. Daniel Inouye dies at 88
Isolde Raftery / U.S. News: 'Aloha': Sen. Daniel Inouye of Hawaii dies at 88
Patrick Howley / The Daily Caller: Dem senators attack their ailing colleague
Robert Kessler / Gawker: Long-Serving Hawaiian Sen. Daniel Inouye's Last Word: 'Aloha'
Mary Katharine Ham / Hot Air: Hawaii Sen. Daniel Inouye dies at 88
Emily Goodin / Ballot Box:
OVERNIGHT CAMPAIGN: Inouye's death leaves opening in Senate
OVERNIGHT CAMPAIGN: Inouye's death leaves opening in Senate
Alex Isenstadt / Politico: Hanabusa seen as favorite for Inouye seat
Sunlen Miller / ABCNEWS: Sen. Dan Inouye Dies; In Office Since '59
Jonathan Chait / New York Magazine:
McArdle Wins Worst Newtown Reaction Award — In what can only be seen as a malicious plot by Newsweek's editors [Update: this is a long blog post, not a magazine piece] to ensure Megan McArdle's reputation does not outlive Newsweek, the Daily Beast has published a 4,000 word essay by its new hire …
Discussion: TBogg and Lawyers, Guns & Money
Megan McArdle / Asymmetrical Information:
There's Little We Can Do to Prevent Another Massacre — The things that would work are impractical and unconstitutional. The things we can do won't work. … There just aren't good words to talk about Newtown. It is a crime that literally defies imagination—hell, it flings imagination down and dances upon its head.
Robert Leider / Wall Street Journal: Breaking the Gun Control Stalemate
Robert Wright / The Atlantic Online: A Gun Control Law That Would Actually Work
Amelia McDonell-Parry / The Frisky: Thoughts On Liza Long's Viral Post, "I Am Adam Lanza's Mother"
Imani Gandy / Balloon Juice: Megan McArdle Suggests We Train Children to Act as Human Body Shields — Seriously.
Kathy Gill / The Moderate Voice: Read this now: "I am sharing this story because I am Adam Lanza's mother. …
Wall Street Journal:
Shooter's Persona Drew Concern at School
Shooter's Persona Drew Concern at School
Discussion: Telegraph
Timothy Birdnow / Tea Party Nation:
Barbarians at the Gates of Sandy Hook — Popular culture has made murder, rape, mayhem, hatred, and violence "cool" — The recent massacre at an elementary school in Connecticut (the ironically named Sandy Hook - it's been a bad year for anything named Sandy) has, predictably …
Discussion: Firedoglake, Right Wing Watch, msnbc.com, Gawker, Mediaite, Daily Kos and Business Insider, more at Mediagazer »
Pam Spaulding / Firedoglake: The Tea Party Nation's Answer to Newtown Massacre: Put Armed George Zimmermans in the Classroom
Clare Kim / msnbc.com: Are more guns the solution-or the problem?
Neetzan Zimmerman / Gawker: Tea Party Nation: Lack of God, George Zimmerman to Blame for Sandy Hook Shooting
Anjali Sareen / Mediaite: Tea Party Group: 'Had George Zimmerman Been At' Sandy Hook, 'Those Children Would Still Be Alive'
Abby Rogers / Business Insider: Tea Party Group Says George Zimmerman Would Have Stopped The Sandy Hook Gunman
Jeff Spross / ThinkProgress:
Tea Party Group Blames Connecticut Shooting On Teachers, Unions, And Sex — In a lengthy screed that's essentially a round-up of every major cultural and policy grievance the American right holds with the rest of the country, author Timothy Birdnow cited concerns about the mental health …
Discussion: Shakesville
Melissa McEwan / Shakesville: Quote of the Day — [Content Note: Guns; violence.]
Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
Dukakis seen as possible Senate replacement if Kerry tapped for State — Former Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis, the 1988 Democratic presidential nominee, may be headed back to the political spotlight as he's considered a likely interim replacement for Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.).
Ryan Cooper / Washington Monthly: Who Will Succeed John Kerry in the Senate?
Elizabeth Hartfield / ABCNEWS: How Will Washington Respond To Tragedy? (The Note)
Doug Powers / Michelle Malkin: Senator Dukakis? Update 'That's a no'
Ed Morrissey / Hot Air: Hey, how about filling Kerry's seat with another failed presidential candidate?
ZIP / Weasel Zippers: Report: Mass Gov. Deval Patrick May Appoint Mike Dukakis To Fill John Kerry's Senate Seat...
Jim Treacher / The Daily Caller: "There are no second acts in American lives," F. Scott Fitzgerald once wrote.
Daniel Halper / Weekly Standard: Dukakis Could Be Appointed 'Placeholder' to Fill Kerry's Senate Seat
Dean Esmay / The Moderate Voice: Senator Michael Dukakis?
Deanreddington / CBS Boston:
Michael Dukakis Will Not Be Interim Senator If Kerry Resigns
Michael Dukakis Will Not Be Interim Senator If Kerry Resigns
Jonathan Easley / The Hill: Dukakis says he's not a potential replacement for Kerry in the Senate
Erika Johnsen / Hot Air: Dukakis: No, I won't take Kerry's interim Senate seat opening
Erwin Chemerinsky / LAW.com:
Assault weapons in the cross hairs — Congress should re-enact the Federal Assault Weapons Ban and repeal a law protecting gun manufacturers from civil liability. — The National Law JournalSeptember 17, 2012 — Imagine a product that serves no purpose but to kill people and each year causes many deaths.
Discussion: Crooks and Liars and Suburban Guerrilla
Timothy P. Carney / Washington Examiner:
Media myths on 'assault weapons' and 'semiautomatic firearms'
Media myths on 'assault weapons' and 'semiautomatic firearms'
Discussion: Hit & Run, New York Times, Wonkblog and National Review
Jacob Sullum / Hit & Run: How Do We Know an 'Assault Weapon' Ban Would Not Have Stopped Adam Lanza? Because It Didn't.
Erica Goode / New York Times: Rifle Used in Killings, America's Most Popular, Highlights Regulation Debate
Clayton E. Cramer / National Review: Preventing Mass-Murder Tragedies: What Works, What Doesn't
Ascrouch / CBS Dallas:
Austin Gun Store Owner Offers Teachers A Discount — AUSTIN (CBSDFW.COM) - An Austin-area gun store owner is joining the gun rights debate with a controversial offer for teachers in light of the tragic shooting in Connecticut. — Crocket Keller of Kellers Riverside Gun Store says if educators …
Discussion: The Raw Story, Rush Limbaugh, The PJ Tatler, The Daily Caller and The Hinterland Gazette
David Edwards / The Raw Story: Texas gun store owner calls to arm teachers, offers them concealed-carry discount
Bryan Preston / The PJ Tatler: Texas Gun Store Owner Offers Teachers Discounts for Concealed Carry Permits
Jessica Stanton / The Daily Caller: Texas gun store owner offering discount to educators: 'Our personal safety is our responsibility'
The Caucus:
Tim Scott to Be Named for South Carolina Senate Seat, Republicans Say — Updated Gov. Nikki Haley of South Carolina has chosen Representative Tim Scott to replace Jim DeMint in the United States Senate, according to three Republican officials. The move will make Mr. Scott the first black senator …
Peter Montgomery / Right Wing Watch: DeMint's Double: Rep. Tim Scott, for All the Right-Wing Reasons
Lori Ziganto / Twitchy: Gov. Haley picks Rep. Tim Scott to replace DeMint; Vile cries of 'token,' 'Uncle Ruckus' begin
Hunter Walker / Politicker: South Carolina's New Senator Has a 'Team' of Prayer 'Warriors' on His Side
David Dayen / Firedoglake: Republican Tim Scott to Become Only African-American Senator, Replacing Jim DeMint
Erin Delmore / msnbc.com: Haley will name Rep. Tim Scott to DeMint's Senate seat
Robbie Cooper / UrbanGrounds: Tim Scott Appointed to the US Senate to Replace Jim DeMint
Anjali Sareen / Mediaite: SC Gov. Nikki Haley To Appoint Rep. Tim Scott To Replace Jim DeMint, Per Report
Ryan Cooper / Washington Monthly: Tim Scott Named to DeMint Senate Seat
Alexandra Jaffe / Ballot Box: Haley picks Rep. Scott to replace DeMint
Doug Mataconis / Outside the Beltway: Congressman Tim Scott To Be Named To Succeed Jim DeMint
Peter Hamby / CNN: Haley names Tim Scott as DeMint's successor
Kyle Peterson / The Spectacle Blog: Tim Scott to the Senate
Bryan Preston / The PJ Tatler: Breaking: Gov. Nikki Haley Names Tim Scott to Succeed Jim DeMint in the US Senate
Scott Keyes / ThinkProgress:
Meet Sen. Tim Scott: The Tea Party Lawmaker Who Wanted To Impeach President Obama And Kick Kids Off Food Stamps
Meet Sen. Tim Scott: The Tea Party Lawmaker Who Wanted To Impeach President Obama And Kick Kids Off Food Stamps
Discussion: Addicting Info, Wonkette, Truthdig and The Raw Story
The Rambling Fool / Addicting Info: South Carolina Replaces Crazy With More Crazy: Rep. Tim Scott In For Jim DeMint
Jesse Taylor / Wonkette: In Bout Of Not-Affirmative Action, GOP To Promote Party's Lone Remaining Black Representative
Mark Heim / al.com:
North Alabama player tweets racist Obama comment after speech pre-empted NFL game, now gone from team — A North Alabama football player posted a racist tweet about President Barack Obama tonight in response to NBC pre-empting the 49ers-Patriots game on Sunday Night Football to show Obama's speech …
Discussion: Deadspin, theGrio, Wonkette, Eclectablog, Mashable!, The Raw Story and Twitchy
Tom Ley / Deadspin: Roundup: What You Missed The Weekend Football Fans Said Racist Things About The President
Marquise Francis / theGrio: 'Take that n-word off the TV, we wanna watch football!': Twitter community erupts to Obama's NFL preemption
Doktor Zoom / Wonkette: New Victims Of Newtown Identified: NFL Fans Whose Games Were Pre-Empted By Villain President
David Edwards / The Raw Story: Alabama football player booted for calling Obama 'n*gger' during Newtown speech
Thisistwitchy / Twitchy: University of North Alabama football team boots player for racist tweet about Obama
Timothy Burke / Deadspin:
"Take That Nigger Off The TV, We Wanna Watch Football!": Idiots Respond To NBC Pre-Empting Sunday Night Football
"Take That Nigger Off The TV, We Wanna Watch Football!": Idiots Respond To NBC Pre-Empting Sunday Night Football
Discussion: The Hinterland Gazette and Crooks and Liars
John Cook / Gawker:
Richard Engel is Missing in Syria; NBC News Enforces News Blackout — NBC News chief foreign correspondent Richard Engel has gone missing in Syria, according to Turkish news reports. The reports also say that Aziz Akyava, a Turkish journalist working with Engel, is unaccounted for.
Discussion: NZweek, Business Insider, Twitchy, Weasel Zippers, The Jawa Report and Outside the Beltway, more at Mediagazer »
Thisistwitchy / Twitchy: NBC News tries, fails, to eliminate tweets about Richard Engel's disappearance
Doug Mataconis / Outside the Beltway: NBC's Richard Engel Missing In Syria?
CBS St. Louis:
County Police Chief Recommends Arming School Personnel — St. Louis County Police Chief Tim Fitch — ST. LOUIS COUNTY (KMOX) - St. Louis County Police Chief Tim Fitch says it is time to talk about arming civilian school personnel following Friday's massacre in Newtown, Connecticut …
Discussion: The Gateway Pundit, Nice Deb and UrbanGrounds
Andrew Belonsky / Towleroad News #gay:
I'm Gay: The 50 Most Powerful Coming Outs of 2012 — "The fact is, I'm gay." Anderson Cooper's long-awaited announcement sums what it meant to come out in 2012. Again and again we heard the same sentiment — from pop singer Mika's equally anticipated confirmation, "If you ask me am I gay …
Discussion: Firedoglake
Rush Limbaugh:
We're Living the Collapse of Our Culture — RUSH: Oh, no, no, no, no. It's very frustrating because we're now immersed in many circumstances and situations where the last thing that anybody wants to hear are facts. The last thing anybody wants to contemplate is the real truth about something.
Discussion: PoliPundit.com


text:
Albert Kane, DVM, PhD, MPVM, et al.
Albert Kane, DVM, MPVM, PhD, is a Post-Doctoral Fellow in Biomedical Sciences in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Colorado State University
Articles by Albert Kane
Care for Adopted Wild Horses and Burros
July 01, 2006
Wild horses and burros adapt well to changes in their natural environments. The same holds true for their transition to domestic life. With a few preventive measures, they should have few health problems and won't need veterinary care beyond that Read More
Shoeing Wild Horses
December 01, 2005
I've just adopted a wild horse and have heard that they often don't need shoes. Do we need to shoe her? Read More
January 01, 2002
"Be it enacted by the Senate and Horse of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, The Congress finds and declares that wild free-roaming horses and burros are living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of Read More


text:
Less of more and more of Jesus | Blog 8 of the 12 blogs of Christmas
Back before the days of flip cameras and high-definition video cameras, my parents recorded some of our early Christmases on tape. Well, I don't even know what they used to record it, but they made a cassette tape for me with the recorded memories. Yes. I am old.
Anyway, on one particular Christmas, my parents had gotten 2-year-old me what they assumed would be the hit of the year -- my very own play kitchen. The tape documents me coming down the stairs Christmas morning and discovering all the gifts Santa had left behind.
I quickly tackle my stocking and exclaim as only a 2-year-old can, "UNDERWEAR!!!" (In my head, I can hear that voice perfectly. I can't say my r's). My parents giggle a little and say, "Jill, what else did you get?" And I am sure they are gesturing in the direction of the large kitchen. I look next to the underwear I have just opened and gasp, "MORE UNDERWEAR!!!"
My parents literally have to point at the big kitchen to get me to notice, at which point I say, "OH, A TOVE!!" (Apparently, I am not so great with the 's,' either.)
For the past several Christmases, I have been feeling less and less joy at Christmas. I really want to be joyful at Christmas. I mean, isn't joy what the season is about?
But I think the problem is that, all around me, I see people getting excited for "underwear" and missing the stove.
This could be another post about consumerism and how evil it is, but the fact is, as a parent, I love giving my children gifts. I love picking out a gift that I know will mean a lot to my child and seeing their face when they open it. Giving gifts is one of the best things about Christmas. And if we are created in God's image, wouldn't it only make sense that we were made to love giving good gifts?
But I long for a Christmas with gifts that are more meaningful -- and with a whole lot less of them. More homemade, local gifts, and less plastic junk from who knows where. And I long for a Christmas with a whole lot more giving to others and a whole lot less of getting for myself.
Less, less, less of so much, and more, more, more of Jesus.
This post is part of World Vision's 12 Blogs of Christmas project about the true spirit of Christmas. To learn more about how you can help meet real needs this Christmas season, check out the World Vision Gift Catalog.
* * *
This post originally appeared on Jill's blog: Giving the Best Gifts.
Jill Anderson is the author of The Diaper Diaries. She has been changing diapers for 6+ years as a stay-at-home mom of three children. You can (almost always) find her on Twitter: @DiaperDiaries.


text:
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Pornstar Name:
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text:
From Lake Powell to Valley of the Gods. Utah
The real Utah is our stage again. I told myself that we will skip this State on our upcoming adventures for a couple years, it is now for that reason holding a special space in my heart. From a rough winter we have fallen into such complete perfect weather. The winds howling often are keeping the 80's nearing 90's tolerable, the red so familiar dust is again in our faces and being dragged around with each step taken. We spend a couple days around Lake Powell upon returning from Overland Expo. The forecast gave way for some nice shots of the Lake under different cloud formations, always more attractive than a clear blue sky. Just living out here in the Desert. Riding, cooking and also realizing that I never took care of my phone situation. Tomorrow we will ride to Farmington, and visit a Verizon store to get back on track as I should have never joined AT&T who has kicked me out from total roaming, meaning no cell service for the past few days. Some photos, my thoughts on our sense of freedom and a link of an interview video from Overland Expo.
You be well... always.
Ara & Spirit