text:
Read the full story here Web Link posted Thursday, June 28, 2012, 7:44 AM
Town Square
Parents protest plan to bring back staggered reading
Original post made on Jun 28, 2012
Read the full story here Web Link posted Thursday, June 28, 2012, 7:44 AM
Comments (52)
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Jun 28, 2012 at 9:06 am
So what happens next year as the PE section has been officially cut and will not be in the budget next year? Are we back to the regular schedule? What's the point of doing this for one year?
Are you planning on the basis that taxes will be passed in Nov or that parents will fundraise to allow their children the privilege of 45 minutes less school and disrupted schedules?
a resident of Amberwood/Wood Meadows
on Jun 28, 2012 at 11:32 am
The District seems to be doing all it can given the current budget crisis to ensure all kids have adequate instructional time for learning the basic fundamentals of reading. Give them some credit!
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Jun 28, 2012 at 12:08 pm
so what happens next year when the last minute PE funding that was provided for this year is gone?
a resident of Stoneridge
on Jun 28, 2012 at 12:20 pm
What if I just show up early and pick up my child every day? Is this a graded class? Can't my child read at home too?
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Jun 28, 2012 at 12:31 pm
Once again, the School District forgets they work for the people, not the other way around. As long as they collect their salaries and pensions, have a tremendous amount of time off, have their car allowances, free health insurance when you retire, and other benefits, they are happy.
This last minute negotiation that they could not plan for and talk with the public about is nonsense. The administration has been talking with the union leadership for a long time on all of this and there have been hours of closed sessions at the school board before each meeting; so this is not something that ended in their lap that they did not know about.
I acknowledge it is difficult to plan with the way the state finances the schools. However, they should have been doing some longer term planning and contingency planning. The administration failed there. Instead they are focusing on a school master plan and asking parents whether they think the schools need better service access roads and better curb appeal. They should not be spending a minute of time on that. That is like asking the passengers of the Titanic what kind of curtains would be best in their rooms.
a resident of Bridle Creek
on Jun 28, 2012 at 3:33 pm
local is right: since the district works for the people, they should indulge the wishes of each varied individual, even if there's no way those wishes can be paid for. Anything else would be irresponsible. Just like how, since I pay taxes that pay the police's salaries, the Pleasanton police department should do my bidding. It's called democracy, people!
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Jun 28, 2012 at 4:36 pm
Staggered reading will cost money (yard duty, after school care, crossing guards), not save it. There is no cost benefit.
a resident of Bridle Creek
on Jun 28, 2012 at 4:42 pm
I heard a lot of people complaining that the drug-sniffing dogs at the high school parking lots would cost money too, but that turned out to be false. So my question to the previous poster is, do you actually have numbers that compare the costs, or are you just making assumptions and passing them off as facts?
a resident of Stoneridge
on Jun 28, 2012 at 4:55 pm
I didn't realize the staggered reading would save money. Maybe it's a good thing then. (Big N) Nurse Shark, how will it do that?
I was under the impression that crossing guards would be needed for an additional hour, buses would make double runs, office admin will process double attendance, all teachers and staff will work an extra hour (at no cost?), before/after school care will end later in the morning and start earlier at night, school drop-off/pick-up will be doubled, etc.
Is all that going to be no cost? If so, that's very nice of everyone to volunteer their time. I really do appreciate it if it will be.
a resident of Bridle Creek
on Jun 28, 2012 at 4:59 pm
Impressions are wonderful things, Steve. But back to my question: what are the actual facts about the costs? I've already seen the assumptions, thanks.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Jun 28, 2012 at 5:04 pm
There are no cost savings. Teachers work the same hours. Kids get out or start 45 minutes late or early so they lose part of their school day. But it's just a change of the kid's schedules, it's all on their back, so no cost savings to the district.
Steve has outlined some of the extra costs the district / city will incur. If you had been to the meeting you would have heard about the many head office staff hours that will be spent on this change. And because one session of PE will be dropped next year, it will all have to change back. Or they will just mess around more with the kid's schedules now that they've got this change in though the gates.
a resident of Bridle Creek
on Jun 28, 2012 at 5:07 pm
Repeating someone else's assumptions does not make them facts. So no actual data, then? Strange indeed.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Jun 28, 2012 at 5:14 pm
Nurse shark, in other districts they do things like talk to the community and show cost / benefit differences between different plans. Not here.
You implied it would cost money if we didn't make this change:
" . . . they should indulge the wishes of each varied individual, even if there's no way those wishes can be paid for".
These wishes don't need to be paid for - they just need to leave things alone and not cut the school day for the students. The schools will be open exactly the same amount of time - the students just have to start late or leave early, therefore losing 3 hours of education a week.
a resident of Bridle Creek
on Jun 28, 2012 at 5:16 pm
I apologize--having re-read Steve and "strange"'s posts, it is clear that "strange" is not repeating Steve's assumptions. Their assumptions are very different.
Where Steve claims that teachers and all staff will work an extra hour, strange claims that they will work the same hours. Steve claims the need for more pick-ups and drop-offs and extra bus runs, but are these costs the district pays for? I wasn't aware Pleasanton had its own school buses these days. In addition, strange says that the head office staff will have to spend time on this change, but aren't they salaried anyway? They're not getting raises for this, are they? If not, sounds like we're getting more work for the same price. Are we complaining about getting more from our money?
As I said--totally different assumptions. I'm sorry for misrepresenting their imaginings in my last post.
a resident of Stoneridge
on Jun 28, 2012 at 5:54 pm
Lydiksen has at least one bus, maybe two.
Are we imagining this change? Whew, now I'm relieved. However, I think Nurse Shark is trying to be funny (insulting?).
Otherwise, it's interesting that the teacher's union has agreed to more work for teachers and staff without increased salary. Like I said, I thought that's very nice if they are actually taking on more work for the same pay.
I think part of the problem is that we're guessing at facts that only the school board and teacher's union possess. It makes these discussions pointless and we generally are forced to accept whatever is shoved down our throats, unless a whistleblower leaks something.
Which is why I asked earlier if my child is scheduled for the late reading (which I find next to useless), can I take them home instead? I find that my child reads far more at home than at school anyway.
a resident of Bridle Creek
on Jun 28, 2012 at 6:44 pm
"the problem is that we're guessing at facts"
Exactly. I knew you'd get there!
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Jun 28, 2012 at 6:46 pm
Steve: the hours for teachers stay the same. They will have 1.5 hours a day now with the smaller class sizes 15-1 and the rest of the day is now 30-1 student to teacher ratio. So it is the same start and finish and breaks as in previous years for teachers.
The students have to arrive 45 minutes late or leave 45 minutes early to accomodate the smaller classes at the beginning / end of the day. Therefore the students benefit from 15-1 for 45 minutes but also lose 45 minutes of their school day. It's a lot of days lost if you extend it to the school year.
a resident of Bridle Creek
on Jun 28, 2012 at 7:01 pm
@strange: I'd like to be wrong about this, but I get the feeling Steve's not going to be swayed by the facts (just one example: he can't seriously think that the D.O. administrators are actually part of the teacher's union--I think he's being a little disingenuous there). Might not be worth your effort.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Jun 28, 2012 at 7:38 pm
Nurse shark, only a call to the district will quantify financial costs. It was not designed as a cost savings measure as you implied.
There will be a group of students (the late group) who may cost the district money by having extra staff for the second drop off period. The ones going home early may need an extra time period with crossing guards (a city cost I know) and staff outside to guide pickups, but maybe the district will drop those services for those students, I'll give you that.
There was talk in the meeting about expanding the already full kids club areas so more kids could fit in, but maybe they won't do that either. Maybe parents will run the after school homework clubs and activities being planned by the district and it will be deemed legal. Maybe all kids bussed in (the ones that need extra help) will be placed in a morning or afternoon session, so no extra cost there.
There will be considerable financial costs and stress to working parents who will not know their children's schedule until a couple of weeks after the school year has started, but I understand that isn't a district consideration. "We can party like it's 1999 . . . ". It has cost parent goodwill, and that is worth something here.
The change only appears to be valid for a year as the PE session (see the article) that enables all this was brought back for a year at the "last minute" and is a one off save, there is no funding for it next year. If the Nov. taxes don't pass, more cuts are projected for next year.
a resident of Stoneridge
on Jun 28, 2012 at 7:39 pm
Nurse - You're wrong about me as usual! :)
I didn't understand how the plan worked. It would have been nice if I received something from the school that described it. I'm just working off confusing news articles and this crazy rumor mill.
So nobody is volunteering to work longer hours, it's just a shorter school day for the kids. Now I'm starting to understand.
a resident of Bridle Creek
on Jun 28, 2012 at 8:00 pm
"Nurse - You're wrong about me as usual! :) I didn't understand how the plan worked."
No, doesn't sound like I was wrong at all. I've been saying you don't understand.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Jun 28, 2012 at 8:01 pm
@ Steve,
Did you actually READ the article? It clearly says in the second paragraph that teacher hours would be the same and that kids' days would get cut by 45 minutes ...
a resident of Vintage Hills
on Jun 28, 2012 at 10:35 pm
Kathleen Ruegsegger is a registered user.
There are costs, none more important than the loss of instructional time to these students.
a resident of Bridle Creek
on Jun 28, 2012 at 10:45 pm
Nice posturing, Kathleen. Unfortunately for you, people do remember that you led the mob in voting down the parcel tax that would have avoided this. Still, coming here and saying "I lament for the children" makes for nice PR. Especially now that you no longer have children in our schools.
a resident of Vintage Hills
on Jun 28, 2012 at 10:47 pm
Kathleen Ruegsegger is a registered user.
NS, the parcel tax would not have prevented this. I do have a child in the schools.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Jun 28, 2012 at 11:27 pm
Just exactly what did you all think was going to happen when Jerry Brown took over? Ha, oh i guess you all just thought what he did before and how he destroyed oakland schools was just an accident. You all voted for him now you're all crying because your kids are getting the shaft. You got what you wanted ! hope you're all happy now!!! and for the rest of us that had some common sense and knew better, Well i guess we had better get out the books and start teaching our kids ourselves because the handle on the toilet has just been flushed and the education system is going down the drain!
a resident of Lydiksen Elementary School
on Jun 29, 2012 at 8:34 am
The number of children in 1st - 3rd grade classes will be moving up to an average of 30 this coming school year, when it was 20 just four years ago. I have been volunteering in the class for the last 4 years, and you can directly see the challenges with the increase to 25 the last two years. This move from 25 to 30 will make a huge impacting including the challenge of having enough physical space to accommodate all those young, wiggling bodies, behavior management, and the ability to have focused time with individual or small groups regardless of their capabilities.
Reading is key to the foundation of each child's learning, and having the staggered reading programs (early and late start) allows teacher to have only an average of 15 children for 45 minutes on M, T, Th, and F and work in small groups on reading activities. During this small group time, I think teachers will also be able to better learn about each child's abilities, what drives and motivates them, etc. which will benefit that student and the whole class when they have the remainder of the day with the 30 kids.
This type of schedule is already in effect in several Kindergarten classes here in Pleasanton with success, and in several districts around us, and this program was in effect in Pleasanton prior to the Class Size Reduction measure that was implemented about 15 years ago. Pleasanton will still be over in the required minutes for instructional time, and the teachers are working the same # of hours. I do recognize the challenge it will be for some families, especially those working if their daycare isn't already a full day, and I think setting up some community task forces to look at options to relieve this would be beneficial (i.e. onsite and offsite enrichment programs, co-op babysitting, increase in child care offerings, etc.)
For me, it boils down to quality vs. quantity, and we'll do whatever it takes to manage our schedule for our daughter and other students to benefit from this time with their teacher. It seems to be the best option during these very lean times where the state continues to pull away needed funding for schools that we used to receive in the past. .
a resident of Stoneridge
on Jun 29, 2012 at 10:13 am
Okay, I finally understand! I'm still not sure how it can be done without increased costs, but we'll see.
I also really can't see how this will hurt the kids. They've currently got so much extra time that's dedicated to parties, fun days, days returning from holidays, days before holidays, weeks before breaks, etc. that 45 minutes/day less isn't a big deal. It seems like most of their work is done at home anyway.
My takeaway is that coordination of dropoffs and pickups will be the most difficult part, and I think we all hope the schools will be helpful and work with parents.
In the end, we all need to do our part to support over 500 state agencies; each of which are vital to our state infrastructure. Education for our kids may need to change to allow these agencies to survive this short, 4+ year downturn in the economy.
a resident of Vintage Hills
on Jun 29, 2012 at 10:33 am
Kathleen Ruegsegger is a registered user.
Steve, the parties and all that you list will not end. I think the value added for reading will be lost in other subjects. Time will tell.
There were many enrichment programs when this program was used in the past--after school care which was often run by the parent/teacher groups (now mainly PTAs). Some of the offerings were excellent. Some schools, not surprisingly, were better than others at putting the after school enrichment in place. The rules about who can be in contact with kids and how a campus can be used have changed, so this may not be as easy to do this time. Again, we'll see how families adjust.
a resident of Stoneridge
on Jun 29, 2012 at 11:16 am
In case I have'nt made myself clear. Im against anything that raises my taxes. We should be cutting not adding. Teachers and administrators don't contribute anything positive to the economy like people in the private sector (bartenders, hedgefund managers, bankers). Anything that cuts from the vial evel growth called the public secter is a plus. All else is a miness.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Jun 29, 2012 at 1:18 pm
Julie is a registered user.
Applauding Holly Sanders. Thanks for a great post!
I really don't understand all the opposition. I'd be happy for my child to have the opportunity to learn reading with 14 other children, rather than with 29 others. Yes, the scheduling might be a challenge. A few years ago I had a hard time with "Late Start Day" when I went back to work. It was a headache, but we made it happen.
I'm only sorry that the CSR is gone. Teaching 20 young ones can be a challenge, but 30? I'd support any opportunity to have a smaller class size, even if for just 45 minutes.
I also think a lot is made of "instructional time". I agree with the idea, "quality over quantity". For "quality" you need talented, skilled, teachers. It's not really about the "minutes", it's about what is accomplished during those minutes. I work with preschoolers. It's amazing what I can accomplish in even 15 minutes because I am highly skilled. I have seen other teachers who simply sit and do nothing with the children during that same 15 minutes. If they had 30 minutes of that type of interaction compared to my 15, it would not be "better".
a resident of Parkside
on Jun 29, 2012 at 2:22 pm
I wish steven wouldn't speak for me. We need schools to drive the point home to parents that Sac-town needs your money. Our Democrat politicians can only remain in office as long as their campaign coffers exceed the Repugs, and "you know who" funds the Repugs: Corporations, Banks, Big-OIL, Big-Tobacco!
You see, it works like this:
1. A big donor contributes to a patriotic Democrat.
2. The patriotic Democrat nominates the donor or family member to an agency board.
3. The agency receives state funding.
4. The state funding more than pays back the donor.
So we certainly can't remove even 1% of 500+ state agencies that have overlapping responsiblities because it's payback! And we certainly can't reduce any of our patriotic political staffs.
Instead, we tell the voting public that we need more tax money because we can't fund our Police, Firemen and Teachers because that's the only cuts people really notice. If we cut anything in Sacramento, the only people who'd suffer are the patriotic politicians and their influencial donors. Then we'd have less money, and no one would understand why we needed so much before. Who does that benefit? The Repugs that's who!
Our complicated campaign financing system needs a multitude of agencies and cuts to schools, police and fire to keep the politicians, lobbyists and donors flush.
If those tea-partyers deny the cash our patriots need, then our schools will simply die on the vine. Sac-town doesn't need our schools, they need our cash. So step up and contribute more!
A parcel tax is vitally needed because prop 13 has severely restricted the ability to increase property taxes, and the parcel tax would hide the future reductions in education funding and keep our politicians from angering the teacher's union.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Jun 29, 2012 at 4:56 pm
"Steve, the parties and all that you list will not end."
That's a pity, because there really are far too many parties and the climate they create doesn't send the kids the right message about the fact that learning, while fun, also requires self-disciplined effort.
The end-of-year daycare-type nonsense (after STAR testing is done) is also non-productive time.
Being "118 minutes over the state legal minimum" is not something to be proud of as a city. That's less than 1 minute per school day...
I also fail to understand why the teachers cannot place the 2nd and 3rd graders into reading groups based on their prior year's effort. I can see how kindergarteners and incoming students might have a burst of learning over the summer, but I suspect that 1st grade and 2nd grade scores could be used to place 2nd and 3rd graders with relatively few issues. If a placement turns out to be inappropriate, a consultation with the parents can lead to a new arrangement.
a resident of Mohr Elementary School
on Jun 29, 2012 at 7:26 pm
Anonymous, I agree with you about the after STAR daycare nonsense, but it is actually a year round disaster at some schools. We send children to school for weeks to have the teachers do nothing more than push the play button for cartoon after cartoon that the kids are forced to watch. That is, that is the case when they aren't busy rehearsing for endless musical performances and plays and talent shows.
Can we have Pleasanton hire real people who are qualified who know how to run real schools?
All the TVs need to be taken out of each classroom. In the old days, one TV was wheeled around the school for occasional use. No more. Now the kids are forced to watch TV and see internet videos most of the day.
No wonder the kids can't read.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Jun 29, 2012 at 10:17 pm
There is a deal. Educate the kids after the star tests and turn the damn tv's off and msybe this is a change we can believe in.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Jun 30, 2012 at 11:36 am
"A parcel tax is vitally needed because prop 13 has severely restricted the ability to increase property taxes, and the parcel tax would hide the future reductions in education funding and keep our politicians from angering the teacher's union."
It would be hilarious if it weren't sad that there are people in Pleasanton who think that not passing a parcel tax in Pleasanton will have any effect at all on what politicians in Sacramento spend money on or how they raise funding. I've got news for you. It hasn't made the slightest bit of difference to them one way or the other. You aren't "starving the beast" or forcing the whole system to crash so that it can be rebuilt. One little school district without a parcel tax isn't amounting to a hill of beans in Sacramento. The effects of our one little school district not having a parcel tax are:
A) People in Pleasanton don't pay a school parcel tax (school parcel taxes are defined in proposition 13).
B)Pleasanton schools have cut programs and fired teachers that they would otherwise not have cut and fired.
Those are the effects of Pleasanton not passing are parcel tax. Sending a message to politicians in Sacramento is not one of those effects.
a resident of Vintage Hills
on Jun 30, 2012 at 2:16 pm
Kathleen Ruegsegger is a registered user.
The parcel tax most likely (you'd have to ask those that voted No) didn't pass because of the past bad stewardship of the district's finances and a lack of transparency/honesty about things like the cash out refinancing of the facilities bonds. I believe this community is smart enough to realize that there was no impact to Sacramento. They certainly don't pay much attention to voters on any topic unless they are running for election/re-election.
a resident of Bridle Creek
on Jun 30, 2012 at 2:27 pm
Kathleen is right--people like her voted down the parcel tax because of the past, and so the only right (and righteous!) thing to do was to punish children to make a point. And boy, those people at the district have learned a harsh lesson! Hooray!
a resident of Stoneridge
on Jun 30, 2012 at 2:36 pm
I don't appreciate Kathleen Roosinubber speaking out for me. In fact, I wish she'd keep her big nose out of my affares. I voted against the parcel tax because I think Atlas shoulnt of been made to shrug again. Each new tax does that. No new taxes I say.
a resident of Vintage Hills
on Jun 30, 2012 at 6:07 pm
Kathleen Ruegsegger is a registered user.
I don't know that the administration learned anything either. And many people are donating instead. Happy to pay the tax, NS and "steven," under, you know, the specific language. I'll be unhappy to pay the tax, but would be made to do so, if one should pass under some other scenario. So, find 300 grand and a few hundred hours of volunteer time and run the experiment again.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Jun 30, 2012 at 8:24 pm
Julie is a registered user.
When did all the TV watching start? My kids have been out of grade school for a while...I don't recall them talking about movies, etc.
This is what I mean - the minutes themselves are not as important as what is done with those minutes.
If TV/screen viewing is rampant, then it seems there is a lacking in supervision. Principals should circulate around classrooms to ensure quality.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Jun 30, 2012 at 10:10 pm
"When did all the TV watching start? My kids have been out of grade school for a while...I don't recall them talking about movies, etc."
As far as I know it hasn't. I've volunteered in my younger kid's class and haven't seen it, and my older one says hasn't seen much TV. Could be some classes are doing it, or it could be someone is exaggerating.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Jun 30, 2012 at 10:14 pm
" I believe this community is smart enough to realize that there was no impact to Sacramento."
Based on what? Go back and look what a lot of people posted on PW back when both measures were up for vote. There was all kinds of talk of sending a message.
a resident of Vintage Hills
on Jul 1, 2012 at 8:19 am
Kathleen Ruegsegger is a registered user.
John, Okay. Here is the total message: "There are 1,042 public school districts in California[1] and between 1983-2009, about 245 of them have adopted a parcel tax.[2]"
Web Link I only glanced at the results since 2009--you'd have to look at how many were renewals and how many were new. Not all are for K-12 districts.
I don't think it matters whether there are parcel taxes or not. If Sacramento wants to pass a tax in November, or most any other time, they threaten education using children as shields.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Jul 1, 2012 at 8:07 pm
I was really asking why you thought "this community is smart enough to realize that there was no impact to Sacramento." People I talked to, and many who posted on PW forums seemed to think otherwise.
a resident of Vintage Hills
on Jul 1, 2012 at 9:26 pm
Kathleen Ruegsegger is a registered user.
A few people posted comments on the PW. All I'm saying is that is my belief--of the 6500 people who voted no, most understood Sacramento wouldn't really care. An assumption to be sure.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Jul 1, 2012 at 9:38 pm
Haven't been here for that long, but I didn't see / hear anything about Sacramento at all in the last parcel tax. It seemed to be a dispute about whether the money raised by the parcel tax would pay for escalating costs, salary increases via step and column, in a downturn or whether it would pay for programs for the kids. Simple as that.
If costs were controlled and people knew that their money would go on defined things that would benefit the children, people seemed likely to vote yes. People aren't going to vote for salary increases. Many places that have parcel taxes are facing similar problems with needing to make cuts - it's never going to be enough if costs are going up and the state isn't paying for the escalating costs the way things are stuctured here.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Jul 2, 2012 at 10:37 pm
to "hmm",
Go back and read what a lot of people posted during all the Measure G business. There was plenty of talk of sending a message to Sacramento.
" People aren't going to vote for salary increases. "
San Ramon did. Palo Alto, Walnut Creek, and many others did. I don't know of any instance of a school district in the Bay Area comparable in quality to PUSD that passed a parcel tax under the condition that automatic, scheduled salary increases would be frozen.
a resident of Mohr Elementary School
on Jul 2, 2012 at 10:55 pm
And I don't know of any instance of a school district in the Bay Area comparable in stupidity to PUSD that have wasted $15 M of taxpayer money for lawsuits.
After all, what other gov agency is idiotic enough to violate State law in not putting a construction contract out for public bid (Neal)? PUSD.
And who also goes out of its way to throw away a deal for a developer to advance up to $8.5 M for a school that became null and void because after the first week of June 2001 and an initial agreement was signed, all the PUSD big wigs went on summer vacation and wouldn't return Signature Properties calls? PUSD.
And also after the Neal agreement is signed, takes out 2 huge loans to build non-critical facilities which pretty much guarantees PUSD will default on the $8.5 M loan from Signature and never pay Signature back? PUSD.
And who has squandered the Sycamore Fund from the sale of South Pleasanton property to Greenbrier because it can't get its act together? PUSD
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Jul 3, 2012 at 9:06 am
If the aim is to keep S&C, that is fine with me. But if it is marketed as paying for the student's programs, reducing class sizes etc., you will then have to calculate the cost of S&C to the budget over the time of the parcel tax and then add on the cost of the programs that we would like to save over the same time. Then it can honestly be said that the parcel tax will help the students and teachers in this town.
So if S&C adds 12 million to the budget over 4 years and we would like to save 12 million of student programs, the parcel tax needs to raise 24 million over this time. As someone else mentioned, it's probably best to see what happens with the other tax initiatives in Nov. I personally like Molly Munger's plan more than Jerry Brown's as it will provide more direct funding for the schools.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Jan 16, 2013 at 7:54 pm
a resident of Ridgeview Commons
on Apr 26, 2017 at 9:00 am
Due to repeated violations of our Terms of Use, comments from this poster are automatically removed. Why?
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0. phoneArena posted on 15 Aug 2012, 06:30
We've received some info regarding the upcoming Motorola DROID RAZR HD for Verizon, which isn't necessarily all good, but at least it confirms many of the details that we knew previously...
This is a discussion for a news. To read the whole news, click here
1. nnaatthhaannx2 (Posts: 820; Member since: 19 Oct 2011)
Aww..... Moto... The only reason the Razr Maxx is selling over other phones is that battery!!!
10. MISTER.H (banned) (Posts: 167; Member since: 03 Aug 2012)
You'r Avatar make's me laugh! Sad panda.
12. LionStone (Posts: 908; Member since: 10 Dec 2010)
That larger battery is not necessary with the S4 processor. Even the Droid Inc4, with the S4 and 1700mAh, is insane with battery life. Granted the Dinc4 has a smaller screen and qhd but I still think the 2530mAh should be just fine.
17. KingKurogiii (Posts: 5713; Member since: 23 Oct 2011)
i agree with LionStone and this'll also get us a thinner phone. remember this is a Razr not a Razr MAXX, we're supposed to be thinking thin here.
22. ObjectivismFTW (Posts: 211; Member since: 03 Jul 2012)
Remember the Incredible 4G LTE has an S4 clocked at 1.2GHz instead of the 1.5GHz and has a smaller, qHD resolution screen, I think that be enough to run on 1700mAh.
2. mtajulmuluk (Posts: 18; Member since: 15 Jun 2012)
Still like this phone gen. I have my razr, strong. Hope u will coming with nice desing and proccesor
3. redmd (Posts: 1588; Member since: 26 Oct 2011)
2530 mAh is already decent. 5000mAh is what we need.
6. sid07desai (Posts: 290; Member since: 03 May 2012)
5000mAh? yeah, why not use it as dumbell?
36. redmd (Posts: 1588; Member since: 26 Oct 2011)
It's so light to be used as dumbbell.
But i know it will last a day or two on heavy usage. After all it is Motorola, they are capable of shrinking the battery size to accommodate around 10mm thickness. I really prefer this because i don't want to have my phone on dextrose every now and then.
4. FoneAddict (Posts: 259; Member since: 05 Jul 2011)
Talking about shooting yourself in the foot! WTF Motorola!?
5. PimpStrong (Posts: 310; Member since: 25 Jul 2011)
Next is the Motorola Krazr with similar specs but with a 3400mAh battery.
7. networkdood (Posts: 6330; Member since: 31 Mar 2010)
ok, enough of this release of multiple similiar devices - release just the maxx with quad core, 12 MP camera, 5MP front, 1080p resolution HD for pics and video with a 5000mAH battery and around 4.8 inches in size - no pentile.
I am looking forward to when moto creates a device under google's watchful gaze.
8. networkdood (Posts: 6330; Member since: 31 Mar 2010)
2gb ram, too.
14. Mr_Carter2 (Posts: 13; Member since: 19 Jun 2012)
You have your hopes up way to high...
9. Commentator (Posts: 3722; Member since: 16 Aug 2011)
So basically this is shaping up to be an Atrix with a larger battery and a 0.1" larger screen? What will Verizon charge for this, I wonder?
11. maxican16 (Posts: 364; Member since: 29 Sep 2011)
October-November with ICS??
WEAK moto, SO WEAK. Might as well call this Bionic 2, as it will be DOA.
13. Droid_X_Doug (Posts: 5993; Member since: 22 Dec 2010)
This sounds more like an incremental improvement over the RAZR. Yeah it gets a better screen, better processor, bit larger battery. But if you already have a RAZR, one might be tempted to wait 6 months and get something better from Sammy. Or, maybe just get something from Sammy right now. Hmmm.
16. KingKurogiii (Posts: 5713; Member since: 23 Oct 2011)
why would that mean i'd want something from Sammy? this is still more compelling to me than the SIII and that'll set the bar for Samsung for at least the rest of the year.
27. jinwons (Posts: 95; Member since: 24 Nov 2010)
Setting the bar for samsung in what way? I don't see that except a little bigger battery size. They should put S4 pro or OMAP4470 with 2Gb RAM at least for sammy to take notice.
29. KingKurogiii (Posts: 5713; Member since: 23 Oct 2011)
you misunderstand, i meant the SIII sets the bar for Samsung. with as long as the Razr HD has taken to come out it's hard to really say anything for certain like we used to be able to when we were getting benchmarks and photos taken from it's camera instead of the word from tipsters. for all we know this could be going the way of the Bionic and it's getting an OMAP replacement and speaking of OMAP the 4470 is out of date dude, it's not that much better than the 4430 in the current Moto crop and the 4460 that's in the Nexus.
34. jinwons (Posts: 95; Member since: 24 Nov 2010)
I see. But Samsung will probably launch new Exynos or S4 pro based devices toward end of year that will raise the bar again above SIII. So coming out with regular S4 in October seems weak when SIII, One X had been around with such spec for several months.
As for OMAP4470, it has much faster SGX544 GPU and higher clock like 1.5Ghz vs old 4430. But I think that chance of that making into Razr HD is almost zero. 4470 is just dead as OMAP5 is coming soon but probably not before the end of year.
38. KingKurogiii (Posts: 5713; Member since: 23 Oct 2011)
i doubt that. Samsung doesn't operate like that. they won't show up the SIII or the Note II so soon after they're released. they'll want to maximize sales of the dynamic duo for at least another quarter.
it has the same clock frequency as the 4460, all it adds is a dedicated 2D Graphics core. this is an overclocked single core GPU that's been around since the Galaxy S. the same GPU that beats in my Razr beats in the Hummingbird variants of the Galaxy S just clocked higher. it's still a very good GPU but it has no business in anything new anymore. it's reached it's limit. i would actually anticipate the OMAP5 by the end of the year, especially if you're expecting a Nexus. remember the OMAP series is Google's reference platform. i'm certain the next Nexus will use an OMAP5.
39. jinwons (Posts: 95; Member since: 24 Nov 2010)
Well, SGX544 is not just overclocked 540. It's got some architectural improvement from it. SGX543 in iPhone4S, iPad3 is still top performing GPU only beaten by quad Exynos 4 by small margin. Even SGX540 in Gnex is still on par with adreno 225 in S4.
And we don't know what processor Note 2 will have. Even if it's 1.5Ghz quad Exynos 4 as rumored, it will be top performer until the end of year. Only S4 Pro can touch it but won't beat it. If Exynos 5, there will be no contest for quite some time.
40. KingKurogiii (Posts: 5713; Member since: 23 Oct 2011)
noooo, the 4S has a dual-core GPU, it's newer, hence the MP2 in the name which is why i always separate it in parentheses. the new iPad uses a quad-core GPU. the upclocked single-core GPU is still good but keep it out of the Razr HD.
the S4 Pro would beat the Exynos 4412 and that's probably what the Note II will have in International Markets and it'll probably have a regular S4 in the States. Samsung wouldn't want to 1-UP the SIII with the Note II, they'll probably want it to be equivalent in terms of specs.
20. Jimstar (Posts: 259; Member since: 24 Oct 2011)
Incremental? It's an entirely new device internally and an entirely new screen. How much does an OEM have to change for it to be major?
That's effictively an entire new engine and transmission and upholstery for your car....I'd say that's pretty major.
And incremental change would be possibly keeping the same screen as the Razr, bumping up the clock speed on that OMAP chip or even upgrading slightly to the 4460 and calling ti a day, but that isn't what they've done here.
23. MISTER.H (banned) (Posts: 167; Member since: 03 Aug 2012)
Please Omap 4470. If not, no point buying this.
26. jinwons (Posts: 95; Member since: 24 Nov 2010)
It's a little more than incremental but still too weak for October release if this spec is true. Problem is One X, GS3 came out several months ahead of it with similar spec.
30. KingKurogiii (Posts: 5713; Member since: 23 Oct 2011)
spec-wise the Razr wasn't really out of date but it wasn't exactly the freshest thing on the block but it was still a top seller. the trick will be how Motorola is implementing these specs if these are even the correct specs anymore.
15. InspectorGadget80 (unregistered)
I hate for Verizon getting all the good Motorola phones. RAZR/RAZR MAXX/HD how bout the rest of us?
18. ObjectivismFTW (Posts: 211; Member since: 03 Jul 2012)
I really don't know why Motorola would wait so long to release a device as unimpressive as this one. Sure, it definitely sits as a worthy competitor to the GS3 and the soon to arrive One X, but it is by no means a clear-cut winner. Lol, October-Novemeber release date????? No ones missing out


text:
Shooting was gang-related, Victoria police say
Dec. 28, 2012 at 6:28 a.m.
Updated Dec. 29, 2012 at 6:29 a.m.
The shooting in the 1300 block of Levi Street on Thursday was gang related, Lt. Mike Hernandez, of the Victoria Police Department said Friday.
Two shots were fired from a 12-gauge pump shotgun in the drive-by, Hernandez said. No one was injured, though projectiles did hit the clothing of the victims.
Four Victoria teens were arrested about 1:30 p.m. Thursday in the 1200 block of South Navarro Street in connection to the incident.
Bianca Ramirez, 19; Darian Luna, 17; Cyrus Cardenas, 17; and Alexia Flores, 17, were all charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, engaging in organized criminal activity and possession of marijuana, Hernandez said.
Police did not find the weapon in the search of the white Nissan Altima the teenagers were driving but in the 500 block of East Third Street later in the afternoon.
Each suspect is being held in the Victoria County Jail on a $151,000 bond.


text: Most of you on this blog have likely already heard plenty about Chris Johnson and his "A Better Life" project (AKA "The Atheist Book"). The book was published, orders taken, and product shipped. And if you haven't seen it—you're missing something really gorgeous on your coffee table. The book provides photos and stories from the lives of 100 atheists, explaining what brings them joy and meaning in their lives.


text:
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Diffusion of holes and electrons
15 Apr 2010 | Animations | Contributor(s): Saumitra Raj Mehrotra, Gerhard Klimeck
Diffusion is a process of particles distributing themselves from regions of high- to low- concentrations. In semi-classical electronics these particles are the charge carriers (electrons and...


text:
Author Using Kickstarter To Offer His Book To The Public Domain, And Help Other Creators To Do The Same
from the needs-better-production-values,-but... dept
Pogue is kicking this off with an attempt to raise $30,000 for the third book in his trilogy. If he hits the goal, he'll release the book into the public domain, allowing anyone to do whatever they want with it. Make a movie out of it? Go for it. Do a fan edit of it? No problem. Whatever you want, once it's in the public domain.
That said, it's not clear if he'll make the goal, though it is an interesting project. I'm wondering why it hasn't raised that much and I have a couple of theories: first, the production quality on the video with the Kickstarter project isn't great. I know this isn't always easy, but for some reason, projects with better quality production seem to just do better on Kickstarter. The other thing is that I'm wondering how many of the buyers of Pogue's first two books in the trilogy even know about this offer. In fact, I wonder if this is one of the limitations of relying on a platform like Amazon -- in that it can put a wall between an author and his or her fans.
Either way, I'm really interested in these types of projects. And it's great to see people like Pogue out there -- a successful artist -- not just explaining that copyright isn't "the only" way to make money as a creator, but almost certainly not the best way to make money. And then to take that even further, and to help other artists make money without relying on the crutch of copyright, is a very cool thing to see, whether or not this particular Kickstarter campaign succeeds. In the meantime, though, if you would like to show some support for this type of project, check out the Kickstarter campaign and see if you think it's worth backing.


text:
After sitting out a two-game suspension, the point guard will be back in the lineup on Wednesday night when the Celtics host the Minnesota Timberwolves at the TD Garden.
Rajon Rondo is known to have a dry sense of humor, and he put that on display when discussing his recent suspension.
Speaking to reporters for the first time since receiving a two-game ban from the NBA last week, the Celtics' point guard was asked after practice on Tuesday afternoon how he spent the time off.
"I went to Mexico a couple of days, watched the games,'' said Rondo with a straight face. "It was cool. Yeah, why not?''
In all likelihood, Rondo probably spent most of the time at his home not far from the team's practice facility after being suspended by the league for his involved in last Wednesday night's altercation with Kris Humphries of the Brooklyn Nets.
The Celtics went 1-1 in his absence and could have swept both game, but an early 17-0 lead disappeared and they lost to the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night.
Rondo will be back in the starting lineup tonight when the Celtics face the Minnesota Timberwolves at the TD Garden (7:35, TV: Comcast SportsNet; radio: WEEI-93.7 FM), his third suspension since last February having been served.
"Days off allowed my body to get a chance to rest,'' said Rondo. "I wanted to be out there with my teammates, but obviously, (there was a) two-game suspension and like I said, I was glued in front of the TV.
"It was difficult. You know, I love being around the guys. I love coming in to practice, just being around them, on the team plane. But I had to miss that for a couple of days. But other than that, everything's back to normal.''
Asked if there was a lesson to be learned from the latest suspension, Rondo quickly replied, "No.''
Coach Doc Rivers, asked the same question, responded in a more expansive manner.
"You'll have to ask Rondo that one,'' he said. "I don't want to get into that head. The obvious lesson that you all know is that you can't miss games. The way you can't miss games is he has to control his emotions better. But that's me saying that. That means nothing.''
Getting tossed out late in the first half against the Nets brought an end to Rondo's streak of having double-digit assists in 37 straight games, tying him with John Stockton for the second-longest run in NBA history and nine behind Magic Johnson.
"It's over with,'' said Rondo. "I may be (thinking about it) once I get 40 or 50 (years old), but right now, it's a record. Records are meant to be broken. I think I was second, tied with John Stockton, so that's a great accomplishment. But nevertheless it's about wins and losses.''
The Celtics got a pair of strong performances from Courtney Lee and Jeff Green in Rondo's absence, which was a positive to losing their playmaker for two games.
"Throughout the course of the year, guys are going to miss games due to certain circumstances,'' said Paul Pierce. "When your opportunity is called, you have to go out there and show the coach what you're capable of so he can develop a confidence in you.
"A couple of guys were able to do that, so now that Rondo is back, maybe coach can see them in a different light and see what they're capable of and now the secret is no longer a secret. We know you can play this way so we need you to go out there and try to do it every night.''
Rondo is hoping the Celtics can get things going in a new month after being barely above .500 since starting the season in late October.
"I want to run off eight or nine games straight,'' he said. "It starts in practice and it starts with staying in the game, so I just want to go out there and give it all for my teammates and try to get some wins.
"We've got to get this show on the road. We've got to have a great December. November is behind us. I think we're 9-8, but it's a new month and I'm ready to go.''


text: "This unique title uses geometry to discuss the varying strengths and capabilities of different animals. In a chatty tone, [Nicola] Davies starts off by describing the strict rules that control what bodies can and cannot do. She goes on to explain how the strongest animals are much smaller than humans. 'Some important features of bodieslike how much food and air they needdepend on volume and weight. Otherslike the strength of musclesdepend on cross section or surface area.' This is the basis for the BTLT (Big Thing, Little Thing) Rule: 'If you DOUBLE the length of something, its surface area and cross section go up FOUR times, while its volume and weight go up EIGHT times!' BTLT is used throughout to explain why humans cannot fly, yet Arctic terns can travel 20,000 miles every year from pole to pole and back again. Humans cannot lift buses, but the rhinoceros beetle can lift 850 times its own weight."School Library Journal


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At what point can a team (that would lose a pick) sign him without losing a draft pick?
At what point can a team (that would lose a pick) sign him without losing a draft pick?
There is no reason to pay a premium for a fourth/fifth starter. The Reds would be better off staying away from expensive veteran free agents like Lohse and letting Arroyo walk after 2013. I would be very comfortable with a combination of Chapman, Leake, LeCure, Cingrani, and Corcino filling out the bottom two spots of the Reds rotation in 2014.
No, we'd probably only get Bad Kyle.
Early 2018 prediction: 1. Cubs 2. Brewers 3. Reds 4. Cardinals 5. Pirates
The Cardinals made Lohse a one-year, $13.3 million qualifying offer to ensure that they received draft-pick compensation once he signed with another club.
That compensation, however, will disappear if Lohse waits until after the draft - which takes place from June 6 to 8 - to reach agreement with his next team.
Lohse's agent, Scott Boras, has downplayed that possibility, saying that he is talking with clubs that are interested in his client. But Lohse has been a free agent for 4½ months. And the draft is only about 2½ months away.
If Lohse held out until after the draft, the Cardinals would lose not just a pick between the first and second rounds, but also the accompanying pool money. Lohse would bring the Cardinals the No. 29 selection, which last year was valued at $1.625 million. Additional pool money allows teams greater flexibility when signing their picks.
Last edited by klw; 03-18-2013 at 12:35 PM.
With Leake struggling in ST, although it's only ST...........and Chapman and his dad, Dusty Baker, using the media to get him back to the Closer position........I wouldn't mind this move at all.
I see no way financially it could be done. But the Reds never fail to surprise.
And if it hurts the Cardinals, I'm even more for it. LOL.
"I can't take this homerism anymore." - 10xWSChamps, August 11, 2010. A Cardinals fan having a problem with all the homerism on Redszone. Classic.
"Man do I miss the days where were didn't need a calculator and an encyclopedia of baseball metrics to enjoy a baseball game ... - MikeS21" - 8/2/12 game thread
I'm all for it on a one year deal reasonably priced. He's been very good the last two years. And St. Louis doesn't have as good of a defense as Cincy, either. That being said, obviously GABP is a hitter's park and he struggled here the first time around. But he's added a sinker since then, and should be able to be fairly productive. If he bombs, we still have Leake. The more depth the better. I'm all for it.
I'll leave the rest of your Chapman/Dusty snark be. It speaks for itself.
But signing Lohse would be utterly foolish and an absolute waste of resources, IMO.
In the same way that a baseball season never really begins, it never really ends either. - Lonnie Wheeler, "Bleachers, A Summer in Wrigley Field"
The Baseball Emporium - Books & Things, that's Rallyonion.com
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Here are Leake's spring starts to date:
1. Feb 28th, 2 IP, 1 ER, 3Ks
2. March 5th, 3 IP, 0 ER, 2Ks
3. March 11th, 3 IP. 0 ERs, Simulated game vs. Reds AAA team, doesn't count in spring stats.
4. March 16th, 3.1 IP, 5 ERs, 1K
So, one bad game. Small sample size. No worries about Leake....
""Baseball, it is said, is only a game. True. And the Grand Canyon is only a hole in Arizona." George Will
RadfordVA (03-18-2013)
On the 16th, Leake gave up 10 hits and 0 BBs. There was also an error by Votto and one by Hanigan. Hence only 5 of the 7 runs were earned. Still, it was one bad outing in one spring training game.
""Baseball, it is said, is only a game. True. And the Grand Canyon is only a hole in Arizona." George Will
I am of the belief thst this staff will look a bit different in 2014....no Bronson, no Homer and depending on how Leake does this year we could move him if he don't start pitching like a first round draft pick......if we can get Corcino and Cingrani to pitch like the starters we want them to be then I think we will be ok with Latos and Cueto manning the top spots but we really need a good AAA year from the 2 youngsters.....not to mention Stephenson, we truly need him just as bad to grow into a stud......
My opinion is you stay far away from Lohse, you let Bronson walk unless he takes a discount for 1-2 years and you trade Homer before the deadline this year and bring up one of the youngsters to fill Baileys void....hopefully homer can land us a stud in return if homer continues to mature like he did ala 2nd half 2012....I just don't see us paying 3 starters top end money and Homer is in line to start making money.....
In NONE of those cases do I see a need for Kyle Lohse.....I see no way he truly helps this team this year or next.....we have talent that is just as good as Kyle, why pay a premium for a guy who isn't going to help you more then the guys we already have on staff....and that's assuming chapman goes back to closing.
Lohse as fifth starter is probably value until you consider the money.
I don't think a requirement of employment should be that you can never offend people. It's high time folks deal with being offended. It's another example of how we're becoming a bunch of wimps. - Person offended by NFL players not standing for national anthem.
How could Lohse possibly be a bargain at OVER $13.3 million for 2013? Even if the Reds went 2/$20 or 3/$25 I want no parts of that...
Smells like a stinky agent placed story, I agree with those who caught the Boras ploy
wlf WV (03-19-2013)
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text: IMO, it might have a tad bit to do with it. I like to think of it like this: The power of suggestion and marketing strategy employed by the good folks at Wilson was on full tilt for the K90 and K series in general. Remember these ads?: Couple that with the fact that Federer was so utterly successful with this PJ, and I'm not talking about just collecting GS after GS, but achieving record-breaking and milestone-achieving ones, such as the elusive French, the record-breaking 14th, and the epic 5th setters at Wimbledon (with Nadal and Roddick), you have a racket that has been burned in the image of diehard and casual tennis fans alike. This is very influential, dare I say powerful, in affecting one's perception of the very subject at issue: the racket. Then again, what do I know, I'm not a pyschologist nor an advertising exec! All I know is that I like the K90 PJ the best.


text:
The proposed budget will come back to the school board at its June 20 meeting. A final budget must be approved by the end of June.
Meanwhile, the San Mateo County Board of Education on June 6 unanimously approved a $300,000 bridge loan to the school district — money that could be tapped if the district's cash runs out before June 30.
The loan must be paid back by September 30. Interest will be at the rate the money would have earned on deposit with the county treasurer's office, which changes from month to month but has been running at about 1 percent, according to Anne Campbell, the county superintendent of schools.
Board members were already struggling to address a projected deficit of about $854,000 for the next school year when auditors informed them in late April of more fiscal uncertainty due to bookkeeping irregularities and the possible misappropriation of funds during the tenure of Tim Hanretty as superintendent. Mr. Hanretty resigned in January after the county District Attorney's Office launched an investigation into alleged misdeeds stemming from his earlier work with the Woodside Elementary School District.
Several community meetings have been held to address the fiscal crisis, but understanding the magnitude of the problem has been a slow process, with figures changing frequently as auditors "keep finding things buried under rocks," according to Mark Bonnett, the district's interim finance official.
The latest estimates are that the district will end this fiscal year on June 30 with a $1.65 million deficit. With only $11.4 million in revenue, the district is expected to spend $13.08 million this fiscal year, the latest audit figures show.
The proposed 2012-13 budget outlines a spending plan of about $10.97 million, with projected revenues of just over $11 million.
In addition to summer school and K-5 Spanish, the proposed budget assumes cuts that include: reduction or elimination of contract technology staff for an $84,000 savings; a 25 percent cut in the facilities maintenance budget for a $25,000 savings; a 15 percent cut in all supply budgets for a $58,300 savings; a reduction in the district office staff to save $30,000; and elimination of $25,000 in funding for the traditional eighth-grade trip.
The district will "work with community representatives" to either restructure the eighth-grade trip or find alternative funding, according to a report by interim Superintendent Carol Piraino.
Ms. Piraino said in an earlier interview that the district is also talking with leaders of the nonprofit Portola Valley Schools Foundation about increasing the amount of privately donated funds the foundation gives the schools each year.
The district will try to make further cuts that would require agreement with employee unions. These recommended cuts include a salary freeze to save $110,032; elimination of up to 10 school days to save $300,000; and elimination of the summer technology institute for teachers to save $28,000.
At the June 6 meeting, a number of parents and teachers pressed board members for explanations about how the financial mess developed without their notice, clarifications about what cuts the educational program would suffer, and plans for policy changes that would ensure that such a crisis would be prevented in the future.
Although board members initially were generally silent in response to questions directed at them, deferring to staff, board member Ray Villareal at one point told the group that "for all of us on the board, it was pretty awful to learn" about the unexpected funding shortfall. He acknowledged that board members realize "we haven't collectively done the job we needed to do."
Speakers challenged board members for not being transparent about plans for program cuts and other matters related to the fiscal crisis, and encouraged district officials to talk more openly with the public, especially if they expect the community and school foundation to help staunch the district's unexpected financial wound.
Mr. Villareal and other board members agreed that they need to keep the school community better apprised about developments. But they noted that, after the financial problems were revealed, the board and district "went into triage mode" to try to figure out just what happened, and to ensure that classroom education and day-to-day school operations wouldn't be affected by the crisis.
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text:
A new study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that manufacturing in China is responsible for some of the air quality issues throughout the western portion of the U.S. While outsourcing production to the Asian country has reduced emissions in certain regions of North America, about 12 to 24 percent of the pollution on the West Coast can be traced back to Chinese production, CNN reported.
Despite the fact that areas such as the U.S., Japan and Europe have decreased emissions over the past decade, global emissions of air pollutants have remained high during that time. Much of the pollution can be attributed to the rising emissions produced from China, the study found.
"Outsourcing production to China does not always relieve consumers in the United States - or, for that matter, many countries in the Northern Hemisphere - from the environmental impacts of air pollution," the researchers wrote, as quoted by the Los Angeles Times.
Regardless of location, most individuals will be able to enjoy the benefits of a professional-grade device such as the IQAir GC MultiGas. The air filter is capable of clearing the air of a wide variety of irritants, including pet odors, cooking smells, secondhand smoke and more.


text:
SB Nation Owner to Make Purchase
Vox Media, Which Also Runs Verge Tech Site, to Acquire Curbed.com
Vox Media Inc., which owns The Verge, a technology website, and the sports site SB Nation, is buying Curbed.com LLC, the home to several digital properties that cater to high-end audiences.
The acquisition offers a new sign of consolidation in the market for digital content, where niche Web publishers are expanding their audiences by merging with rivals and buying providers of other genres. Alloy Digital and Break Media, both of which...


text:
Chernell Bizzell's first night spent in an old, abandoned yellow-brick house was a reality check.
"I had a hard time sleeping," says the Birmingham native as she stares into the distance. "It was drafty and dark, like my life."
At 16, she had hit rock bottom. Her addiction to crack-cocaine had her living in squalor among addicts who were 30 years in, eating out of dumpsters and wandering the streets during the day.
Yet even in her drug-induced haze, her dream for a better life never dulled.
"I was high as a kite but would say, 'I am not going to be here forever.'" She told herself, "If I can look toward the mountain, there is no reason why I cannot get there. I don't have to settle for the rubble on the ground."
Today, the 35-year-old readies herself for Dec. 17, 2011, the day she tops the summit. She will receive a bachelor's degree in African-American Studies from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She plans either to go to law school or get an advanced degree in counseling.
"An education seems to have given Chernell the knowledge and ability to be confident in herself," says George Munchus, Ph.D., interim director of African-American Studies in UAB's College of Arts and Sciences. "She has a dogged determination."
"The whole African-American Studies program breathed life into me," Bizzell says of being inspired by its lessons. "If African-Americans can deal with slavery and racism and still triumph, then there is no limit for me."
Bizzell's dance with drugs started at a young age. Growing up in a home with an alcoholic mother and an abusive father, she searched for an escape, she says.
She dropped out of school in the eighth grade and started dating a 21-year-old drug dealer. By age 13, she was living on her own.
"The money was flowing," she says. "We could drink all night and just have fun."
Then, a girl introduced her to "primos," a mix of tobacco and crack cocaine wrapped in cigarette paper.
"It took away all the pain."
That began her addiction; by 15, it was full-blown.
By the time Bizzell was 21, she had given birth to seven children, and all of them were taken from her custody. She became the person that the old women in the neighborhood warned their grandchildren about, she says. "They would say, 'You don't want to be like Chernell."
Then, her mother died in 1998.
"It was a devastating blow when I saw her in that casket," Bizzell says. "My aunt said, 'Your mama is dead; now what are you going do?'"
The question hit her like a ton of bricks.
"I said, 'Yeah, what are you gonna do?' I made a decision to get out of there and get off of drugs at all costs."
Bizzell got on a Greyhound bus and went to Oakland, Calif. She enrolled in the Berkley Adult School and got her GED.
Then, a GED wasn't enough, she says. She had always been fascinated with African-American history and researched online to find an undergraduate program.
"A link took me to UAB," she says. She applied with no expectation that she would be accepted.
"The next thing you know, I was sitting in freshman orientation," says Bizzell with a smile. She was admitted conditionally. A boatload of student loans and some vocational rehabilitation funding helped her pay college costs.
Now, Bizzell is married and working to repair the relationships with her children. When she's not in class or studying, she works in the African-American Studies office and as an adolescent HIV researcher. She also partnered with her pastor to start a GED study program that meets twice a week at her church.
"UAB definitely has done a lot of things for me," she says. "I have learned to see the bigger picture and get an understanding of what happened to me in academic terms, psychologically and sociologically."
She hopes to use the knowledge she gained from UAB to work with others to create remedies for people suffering with drug addiction and also help those lost among the red tape within the judicial system.
"If I put my mind to it and put in the work, I can do it," she says.


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Thanks to round-trip Cruz, Rangers sink Sox
Slugger belts first pitch he sees in 11th over left-field fence
By T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com
Cruz hit a first-pitch knuckleball high and deep over the left-field fence off Tim Wakefield to lead off the 11th inning, giving the Rangers a 10-9 victory over the Red Sox at the Ballpark in Arlington on Friday night.
The Rangers, playing from a sellout crowd of 47,195 fans, rallied from being down 8-2 after 3 1/2 innings to earn their eighth walk-off victory of the season and second of this homestand.
"It was a good game, a very good game, a fun game," Hamilton said. "Those type of games are why you play the game: battling back and forth and coming out ahead."
The Rangers now lead the Angels by 8 1/2 games and the Athletics by nine games in the American League West with 48 games left to play.
"Tonight was a total team effort," manager Ron Washington said. "It took everybody. We fell behind 8-2 and those guys didn't quit. They kept fighting and took whatever they could get. Anybody wonders what kind of hear those guys have in the clubhouse, it showed tonight."
Hamilton's night only included four hits, including a home run, four runs, a stolen base and an outstanding leaping catch while crashing into the center-field fence to grab Jed Lowrie's long drive in the sixth inning.
"He's playing like a 12-year-old boy," third baseman Michael Young said. "That was the total package on display tonight. That was fun to watch."
Two of Hamilton's four runs were scored only because of his excellent speed. He scored from third on David Murphy's shallow sacrifice in the seventh and from second base on Vladimir Guerrero's infield single in the eighth. That was the tying run.
"That's what he does: a five-tool guy," Washington said. "A five-tool guy -- run, throw, field, hit and hit with power -- that's what Josh does. He can do it all."
The Rangers were put in an early hole because starter Tommy Hunter couldn't get through the fourth inning. He started off fine on a night when the game-time temperature was 99 degrees but then got hit hard by a bad stomach bug and it zapped his strength.
"I don't know. ... I just got sick," Hunter said. "I had no idea, but it was bad. I don't know what happened."
He was given a 2-0 lead early but allowed four solo home runs, including three in a row to start the fourth. That gave the Red Sox a 4-2 lead and then Scott Feldman replaced him on the mound.
"[Hunter] just kept getting the ball up," Washington said. "We knew it wasn't right when they went back-to-back-to-back."
The Red Sox, taking advantage of a key error by second baseman Andres Blanco, added four more runs off Feldman that inning to give them an 8-2 lead.
"We really didn't feel anything," Hamilton said. "Obviously we were not going to give up. Skip said just to pick and peck, get one run here and one run there. You don't have to get it all at once."
The Rangers started cutting into that lead in the bottom of the inning against Red Sox starter Josh Beckett. Murphy led off with a double to left, and with one out, Mitch Moreland went deep to right-center for his first Major League home run.
That made it 8-4 and the Rangers scored two more in the fifth on back-to-back home runs by Young and Hamilton. It's the fifth time Rangers hitters have hit back-to-back home runs this season, and Hamilton has been involved in all five.
"It's a shame I couldn't go out and do better than I did in the fourth and fifth innings," Beckett said. "Wakefield should have never been in that situation at all if I had done my job."
J.D. Drew hit his second home of the night in the seventh inning, this one coming off Texas reliever Darren Oliver that gave the Red Sox a 9-6 lead. But the Rangers came back with two more in the bottom of the inning against Red Sox reliever Felix Doubront. One scored on Murphy's sacrifice fly and Bengie Molina brought home the second run with a two-out double.
The Rangers finally tied it up in the eighth after Hamilton doubled with two outs against reliever Daniel Bard. Guerrero followed with a grounder up the middle that Lowrie fielded behind second base and threw off-balance to first.
But his throw was off the bag to the inside, Guerrero slid in safely and Hamilton kept on coming at the urging of third-base coach Dave Anderson, scoring from second base on the play.
"Dave did a great job sending me," Hamilton said.
That tied it up and the Rangers' bullpen kept it that way. The combination of Alexi Ogando, Neftali Feliz and Darren O'Day combined to retire the last 11 Red Sox hitters.
That left the Rangers needing just one run, and they got it after Wakefield took over for Jonathan Papelbon in the 11th. Wakefield is the Red Sox's long reliever, and he was the last pitcher out of the bullpen Friday night.
"Wake was going to pitch until we won or lost," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. "The good news is he won't be tired."
That's because Cruz jumped on the first pitch and hit his 16th home run of the season to bring it all to an end. It was the ninth home run hit in the game.
"I was just battling and looking for a good pitch high," Cruz said. "I was looking for the first pitch, because he has a history of throwing the first pitch for a strike. It was great to come back and win that game. Everybody contributed, especially Josh. What else can you say about him?"
T.R. Sullivan is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Who is more capable of determining what should be done with your money: you or the government?
This is the simple question that author David Westrom uses to center the debate on a larger, even more universal national question: what role should the government have in the economy? Challenging the assumption that the government's role is incredibly complex with many variables that are difficult to understand, Westrom explores the underlying beliefs and thought processes that advocate an activist role for government, questions the philosophy, and investigates alternative approaches that would steer the country away from the abyss of financial ruin and insolvency.
Born not from years of being a cog in the machine—or even a ghost in the machine—but from concern as a citizen tired of the endlessly overcomplicated debate, Westrom streamlines the issue into a single, understandable concept. Using this fundamental baseline as a touchstone, he takes a well thought out journey into the role of government. He explores and challenges the underlying beliefs, logic, and thought processes that form the basis of a position that advocates a continued expansion of the role of government in the economy. He refers to this position as 'Big Government Love'. Westrom presents a cogent argument that delivers new possibilities for the financial ills we face as we run headlong into the twenty-first century.
Westrom's simplified approach is an eye opening and thought provoking treatise on the ills of big government. Clear, cogent, and full of enlightening insights, Big Government Love and Your Money will forever change the way you view our government and the role it plays in your financial life.


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Get the sneakers & goods you want, shipped to your part of the globe. Int'l Shipping details.


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UIS usually has sufficient housing for all international students who desire to live on campus. However, the number of openings in each type of housing is limited. Prospective students that apply early are more likely to receive a housing assignment that matches their preferences. Those who wait until late to apply may have only one type of housing from which to choose, or, some semesters, may have no option but to choose off-campus housing.
There are many advantages to living on campus as opposed to finding your own off-campus housing, not the least of which is knowing that you will have a place to live as soon as you arrive. Although some off-campus housing may be available at a lower cost, the difference will seldom offset the cost in transportation expenses, time commuting each day, the general inconvenience of living far from where you study, and the loss of campus social life. You should seriously consider living on campus at least until you have gotten settled in the U.S.
If, after you have paid your housing deposit, your student visa should be denied, your deposit will be refunded. Simply contact the Housing Office, request the refund, and send them a copy of the denial letter issued by the U.S. consular official. So, please do not wait until late to request your campus housing. Doing so will make things much more difficult for the Housing Office and for you. Contact Housing as soon as you receive your admission.
As you plan your travel to the U.S., keep in mind that some offices affecting your housing arrangements are only open Monday-Friday, 8:30-5:00. For example, all residence hall rooms require the use of your university ID card in order to gain access to both the building and your room. The ID card office will close at 5:00 on Friday and will not open again until 8:30 on Monday. You will not be able to move into your room in the residence hall, or leave and return without your card. The Housing Office also needs to make sure that they have staff available to assist you with your check-in. Therefore, they require that you make an appointment with them at least 24 hours prior to the time that you would like to move into your on-campus housing. You will want to contact them to make that appointment before you leave your country.
Once your housing assignment is made, unless you follow the correct procedures for obtaining permission to break your contract and that permission is granted, you will be obligated to pay for the entire cost of the period under contract. Please read the Housing application carefully and contact the Housing Office with any question you may have before submitting the application.
If you should prefer to live off-campus, you will want to consider the following: application requirements, whether the housing is near a bus stop, the contract period, furnishings, etc. You should contact the apartment managers as soon as possible, since most of them fill quickly. (Note: Neither the University of Illinois Springfield nor the Office of International Student Services recommends or endorses any of these apartments. All arrangements are between the apartment management and the occupants.)
Although most students will want to make their housing arrangements several months in advance of their arrival, we do understand that some will have valid reasons for waiting until they actually get to Springfield. For you, a few nights in a hotel may be required. The Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau has complied a list of hotels divided by areas. The university is in the Southeast part of the city.


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Summer 2011 Deans' List
September 29, 2011
Each semester, undergraduate students who have earned at least 12 credits and a grade point average of 3.65 or higher are recognized on the Deans' List. Saint Leo University publishes the list as a PDF on the university website after the end of each term. Students are listed alphabetically by their last name.
View the Summer 2011 Deans' List as a PDF.
Some newspapers and online news organizations publish the names of local residents who earn the Deans' List distinction. If you would like to send such a release for publication to a news organization in your area, Saint Leo University offers a standard press release form for your use. Please contact the Office of University Communications at firstname.lastname@example.com for assistance.
Beginning Fall 2010, the Dean's List distinction will be noted on the student's official transcript.


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XEquals today announced blueSLR, a Bluetooth accessory made for everyone who loves to take pictures along with a companion blueSLR App available now on the App Store. Whether you are on a paid photo shoot or simply want to snap a photo of a loved one, you can now use your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad to remotely control your camera shutter and geocode any photograph. Discover a new way to both map your memories and wirelessly control your digital SLR camera from up to 300 feet away. blueSLR connects to your camera and is then controlled remotely by your compatible iOS device. blueSLR joins a growing list of accessories to use Bluetooth to interact with compatible iOS devices. blueSLR is compatible with 11 different Nikon camera models, including the latest D3100, D7000, and the ever-popular D200. Visit http://blueSLR.com/ for a list of supported cameras. Key Features of blueSLR include: GET IN THE PICTURE
Pricing and Availability blueSLR is available for $149 from http://www.blueSLR.com. Customers who pre-order by December 10, 2010 get free shipping. Included in each shipment is the blueSLR accessory and Quick Start Guide. The blueSLR companion App is available for free from the App Store on iPhone, iPod touch and iPad, or at http://www.itunes.com/appstore.


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Discussion in 'Sports and Fitness' started by MacLeod, Dec 12, 2011.
Can't really complain, seeing as it's an anti-Vettel measure, which is the best type of measure.
Well a great drive by Lewis to take the chequered flag.
Pretty good race overall, and the track turned out to be rather awesome. Hopefully it'll still be as fun next year with the surface worn in a bit.
Also lol @ Vettel's whine on the radio. "HOW DARE SOMEONE OVERTAKE ME WAH WAH WAH"
Great drive from Lewis as well. He's easily the driver of the year, along with Alonso and Kimi.
As Ferrari obviously checked with FIA before they did that (at least according to an interview Domenicali had with German TV), there will be no consequences.
@Geckothan: I'm not Vettel's biggest fan either and think he's severely overrated, but you come off as very petty since all you seem to be able to do is harp on him.
If he was half as bad as you make him out to be, he wouldn't be able to compete for the Championship no matter what car he sits in.
Would Alonso and/or Hamilton beat him if they had the same car? Most likely, but I doubt it would be quite as clear-cut as you make it out to be.
Well I can see a very simple change to the rules to prevent a re-occurance of trying to get on the odd number side of the grid, just change the penalty from 5 places to 6.
By my calculation team errors/failures have cost Lewis somehere in the region of 100 or so points.
Looking forward to watching the highlights in a few minutes. Already got spoiled on the result earlier but still I love the new track's layout and want to see it in action.
In terms of result, nice to hear Lewis won and it's always great when a championship goes to the final race of a season.
Yeah I don't even mind so much if Vettel wins the triple next week, so long as it's gone to the final race to decide the championship
I'd still prefer Alonso to win the Drivers Championship than Vettel, but a last race title decider is always nice. Though do we want it to come down to the lasp corner of the last lap for it to be decided like in 08?
Sorting it out at the last corner would be a little too tense for me. I'd rather someone smash Vettel out at the first corner and get it over with. I have a feeling that the finger-waving prick is going to end up winning it anyway though, sadly
Well we'll find out in less than a week. Perhaps Ferrari will suprise us with an upgrade package that works.
Whatever happens, it'll probably be a decent race at least. Rain please!
Well The Brazillian GP has thrown up a few decent races.
That was worth watching. Austin really is a fab track; I love the massive elevation changes around turn 1.
Enjoyable first race there; here's to many more there to come. It's vital the F1 beds down well in the USA to maintain a truly worldwide presence. Hopefully New Jersey will also become a permanent fixture on the calendar alongside it.
Talking of which, the calendar really has exploded in recent years. There are just so many races, with hardly any off-season for development work. I like the long racing years but wonder if we now need more in-season testing time to compensate for these changes?
The question is how big can the calender get, we have places like Mexico, Russia, a 2nd pssoible a 3rd GP in the US. Will the teams allow it to go beyond 20 races and if not which races will get dropped?
i'm going to say Go Vettel! for brazil just to balance out geckothan. sure he's been lucky and his cars good, but then name a champion thats still won having a bad car and no luck.
I wonder if it'd occur to Seb to pull a Senna-on-Prost on Alonso... (i.e. take himself and Alonso out and so win by default)
Or even a Prost-on-Senna move.
Indeed. (Prost did it first, in 89, but Senna did it more effectively a couple of years later!)
I think they would; in F1 money tends to do the talking. More races would mean more money (from TV deals, sponsors, winnings, etc). Obviously it would need negotiating but I think they'd eventually go for it. The problem would be finding time to adequately develop & test the cars so every weekend doesn't become just a race of attrition due to unreliability.
If they did start dropping races instead, some of the European races would be under threat. Hungary would probably be top of the list, I'm guessing.
in terms of European races, aren't we approaching he minimum whats left to cut
Not a lot left to cut, As those are some of the most historic races and tracks that can provide interesting races.
Separate names with a comma.


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Tagged: Reburial
The Phillies have finished reburying their 100th Anniversary capsule.
But the plan changed. The team moved from Veterans Stadium into Citizens Bank Park before the 2004 season, and the time capsule was unearthed 79 years ahead of schedule.
On Tuesday, members of the Phillies organization gathered for a small ceremony on Pattison Avenue, outside the team's administrative offices at Citizens Bank Park.
The original time capsule had suffered some damage, so its contents were moved to a new capsule, which was lowered into its new home. It will rest there for the next 75 years inside a marble ledge and beneath layers of metal and concrete, topped off by a bed of flowers.
"In 1983, we weren't factoring in that we might not be at Veterans Stadium that long," said David Montgomery, the Phillies' president, as he stood with his arm resting on the maroon-and-white capsule, adorned with the Phillies' logo.
The Phillies originally buried the time capsule in 1983 to commemorate the team's 100th anniversary. At the time, the capsule was filled with a 1983 team media guide, yearbook, calendar, a baseball autographed by the entire '83 squad, Mike Schmidt's uniform from that season, a bat autographed by Pete Rose, copies of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News, among many other items.
Before the new capsule was placed in the ground Tuesday, the team added several items, including: a piece of artificial turf from Veterans Stadium, a 2008 team yearbook and media guide and tickets to the final game at the Vet in 2003 and first game at Citizens Bank in '04, along with many other items.
"Michael warned me that it was heavy," Montgomery said, referring to Mike DiMuzio, the team's director of ballpark operations.
Montgomery joked that he probably won't be around to see the capsule come back out of the ground in 2083. But he hopes that, when it does, baseball will still resonate with Philadelphians like it does today.
"I would hope and assume that, 75 years from now, the game will still be played," Montgomery said, "and people will be able to relate to what was put in there." (H/T Phillies.com)
I'd been wondering whether they have reburied the time capsule from the 100th Anniversary celebration. Now I know. 🙂


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I am Harry-centric. I eat, breath, and do everything potter-ish!!!!
This is an unofficial site and is not supported or recognized by any of the publishers of the Harry Potter books. The author J.K. Rowling created this world and owns all the names and characters in it; this is a humble fan site run by teenagers who are scared of lawyers and don't wish to break any laws. E-mail us at mnffstaff3 at gmail dot com if you have any questions or concerns.


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Mets honor 9/11 responders by donning hats in BP
By Anthony DiComo / MLB.com
Though the Mets did not petition Major League Baseball to wear the hats during the game, they will wear them again on their plane ride back from Milwaukee this weekend. They will also autograph the hats and auction them off at mets.com/gameused, with proceeds distributed to 9/11-related organizations. The auction will begin Wednesday and run through Sept. 23 at 8 p.m.
In addition, the Gies family threw out Tuesday's ceremonial first pitch to honor FDNY firefighter Ronnie Gies of Squad 288 in Maspeth, Queens, who lost his life on 9/11. Two of Gies' three sons are FDNY firefighters, and the third is training to become one.
"It's one of those dates in history where we all know where we were when the attacks came," said Mets manager Terry Collins, who attended the first game played at Yankee Stadium following 9/11. "The bravery that those guys showed ... I'm not sure that I could have done that."
Collins held a team meeting prior to Tuesday's game and told his players to speak to any first responders in attendance if they could, "because it was a life-changing incident, and certainly it means a lot for us to wear the hats for a while."
Collins goes with Bay in left behind Dickey
NEW YORK -- For the first time in nearly a month, Jason Bay started in left field Tuesday against a right-handed pitcher.
The decision was based upon more than a hunch. Following a meeting with his coaching staff earlier in the day, Mets manager Terry Collins decided to back R.A. Dickey with his best defensive outfield in an effort to help Dickey pursue 20 wins and the National League Cy Young Award. That meant replacing regular left fielder Lucas Duda's power bat with Bay's superior speed and glove.
"No disrespect to Lucas, because he's done very well out there, he's played very well out there, but we have a guy who is an outstanding left fielder," Collins said of Bay. "If there's a ball hit out there that could lead to a decision-making play, I want to make sure our best guy is there."
Collins said that similar strategies will come into play for each of Dickey's starts down the stretch, knowing how critical every outing will be to his Cy chances. The knuckleballer entered Tuesday's play leading the NL with a 2.64 ERA, five complete games and three shutouts, ranking second with 18 wins and tied for sixth with 195 strikeouts.
Mets going to get looks at young arms down stretch
NEW YORK -- The Mets are no longer using a five-man rotation, a six-man rotation or, really, any sort of regular rotation at all.
Instead, at least eight different pitchers will make starts down the stretch for the Mets over their final 18 games, including top prospects Jenrry Mejia and Jeurys Familia. Mejia is in line to make multiple starts beginning Saturday against the Brewers, followed by Familia at some point later this month.
"We will obviously monitor his workload," manager Terry Collins said of Mejia, who underwent Tommy John surgery last May.
Collin McHugh will also appear at least once more for the Mets, as will Jeremy Hefner. And Matt Harvey will make two more starts before the Mets shut him down for the season.
The only constants will be Chris Young and Jon Niese, who will remain on relatively regular schedules, and R.A. Dickey, who will continue to pitch every fifth game.
Anthony DiComo is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @AnthonyDicomo. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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An official Sony document that compares next-generation consoles has been floating around the 'net lately, which we first spotted on Engadget. The document claims that the actual total cost of the Xbox 360 is $698, which apparently has much of the Xbox fan community up in arms.
Much of the controversy stems from the fact that Sony built Microsoft's console setup by starting with a Core system ($299) and then adding on a 20 GB hard drive ($100), a wireless controller ($50), an Xbox Live Gold subscription ($50) and the optional HD-DVD drive ($199), all of which add up to $698. (See figure 1.)
The argument against Sony's method is that it could have started with the Xbox 360 Premium package which, while $100 more than the Core, includes the 20 GB HD and wireless controller, shaving $150 off Sony's figures. The inclusion of the Xbox Live Gold subscription is debatable, as it is still unclear as to how Sony's online service compares to Microsoft's free Xbox Live Silver service.
The $199 HD-DVD drive, though not essential to gaming on the Xbox 360, is added to Sony's comparison on the basis that the PlayStation 3 also doubles as a Blu-ray movie player. Thus, the HD-DVD add-on is 'required' in order for the Xbox 360 to stay competitive in the HD movie space. To shed more light on this reasoning, Engadget received the following response from Dave Karraker, Senior Director of Corporate Communications for SCEA:
"Through our comparison chart we are not implying that you must purchase the myriad of peripherals and add-ons that Microsoft offers to play your Xbox 360. You don't. However, if you want to attempt to come close to the performance of the $499 PlayStation 3 by using your Xbox 360, Core or Premium, you could only do that through expensive add-ons -- that is what our chart is demonstrating. Once you add it all up, it would cost you more than our $499 unit, and you would still not come close to everything we offer, ie: free multiplayer gaming, 50GB storage capacity of Blu-ray disc, Blu-ray disc player for games AND movies, processing power of the Cell Broadband Engine."
One glaring omission from Sony's price comparison is that in order to take full advantage of PlayStation 3's high-definition capabilities, gamers will have to purchase HDMI cables that are not included with either versions of the console. On the other hand, Microsoft includes component cables with every Xbox 360 Premium.
Our own analysis of Sony's document also turned up other peculiarities. Under the "Wireless Communication" field, Sony lists its own machine to have 802.11b, making us scratch our heads at the missing "g". (See figure 3.)
A quick call to Sony, however, cleared up this small matter and we were sent an updated spec-sheet that restores the missing letter and confirms that the 60 GB PlayStation 3 does indeed come standard with IEEE 802.11b/g. (See figure 4.)


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Today's Showbiz Countdown – forgive & forget?
They're some bad boys in Hollywood we just love to hate, but is time for us to give them a break?
Rihanna just threw a huge 25th birthday bash in Hawaii and Chris Brown was right there! So, if Rihanna forgives Brown, should we?
And we all know that Kim Kardashian's marriage to Kris Humphries only last 72 days, but now it is Kris who is holding up the divorce proceedings. Is it time for him to let the past go and give Kim the divorce she wants?


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Hello, everyone.
I'm working on a project that has several related tables, and is currently using a large query with a LOT of LEFT OUTER JOINs to grab the data. I'm getting most of the stuff I need, but I have one roadblock that I can't seem to get around.
There can be more than one developer associated with a job. How can I convert (arbitrary number) 3 developers into a comma-delimited list and keep it in one column of a record?
I've tried wm_concat() with zero success.
Thank you,