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A New FCC Rule Might Change How You Watch TV
Nov 30, 2012 5:00 AM PT
The Federal Communications Commission passed a little-publicized order last month that changes how cable television providers can deliver basic broadcast channels. This rule change has far-reaching implications for those who legally grab their basic broadcast channels for free from cable, but don't buy a cable subscription. It also affects television streaming device set-top box makers, like Boxee and Roku.
The rule will change the methods that we use to watch basic channels, and it will likely kick-start further streaming set-top box development and adoption.
For years the U.S., and many other countries, have had "must-carry" requirements. Must-carry means that, with a few exceptions, multichannel video programming distributors -- specifically, cable operators -- have had to provide access to local broadcast stations.
This is considered good for the consumer because it provides wide access -- a consumer can get local television where radio signals don't permeate, for example. It can also be argued that it's not onerous to the cable operator because, by law, it doesn't pay license fees for that element of its product.
Historically, cable companies have encrypted premium channels to secure their product. But, because they're obliged to supply must-carry local channels to everyone, they haven't been allowed to encrypt the entire basic tier of channels that includes the must-carry channels. FCC 12-126, the new rule, is going to allow digital-only carriers to encrypt everything.
This will allow digital cable companies to remotely activate cable services, reduce truck-rolls and supposedly reducing costs that can be passed on to the consumer. It also improves security and stops theft of certain non-must-carry channels.
Not a bad idea. However, it also stops viewing of the mandated local channels on digital systems that have chosen to encrypt.
The Solution
The ingenious solution to this issue is a combination of set-top hardware and commercial software options defined by the ruling that potentially ties into streaming and other third-party, often startup, set-top box makers a la Boxee and Roku.
Protecting innovation was part of its thinking, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski explained when the order was released.
"We ensure that encrypting cable signals won't limit consumers from using an ever-growing number of Internet-connected, third-party video devices, and keep barriers low for video device innovators," he said.
The ruling ensures startups can continue to innovate in the connected TV market by allowing device makers to get hold of basic channels, said Boxee spokesperson Liz Dellheim. "In regards to the FCC rulemaking, we are pleased with the result."
The simple and obvious option of squirting the must-carry channels over the Internet to everyone isn't addressed in the policy -- box makers will still have to get the consumer to connect to the street cable.
Cable Provider Options
Cable providers have three options under the new rule:
- Not encrypting -- the status quo, which allows a consumer to receive basic tier channels by plugging a television into the street-fed cable.
- Adding an IP-based output on a box. This method would be a two-box solution -- the cable operator supplies one box, and then the consumer connects it through a device box to a television.
- The use of commercially available software-based security that a device maker can license.
In any newly encryption-enabled basic tier system, cable operators must supply a box to consumers for a period, until commercial options are available.
Some major systems are exempt. "The FCC's order to lift the ban on encryption of the basic service tier applies to cable systems that provide only digital service," Cox Communications spokesperson Todd C. Smith explained. "Cox currently provides both analog and digital service across its systems and the FCC's ruling would not apply to those systems at this time."
Streaming device maker Boxee was involved in the policy discussions at the FCC, along with cable-provider Comcast. Comcast did not respond to our request to comment for this story.
Could FCC 12-126 affect a startup like Aereo, which receives television signals centrally off-air using subscriber-allocated antennas, then sends the signals to each subscriber over the Internet? Aereo has been involved in copyright battles over its system -- and we're still not seeing a national TV over IP system partly because of it. [*Correction - Nov. 30, 2012]
"Aereo, as I understand it, receives television signals off the air using antennas, not from a cable system, and Aereo isn't a cable system itself. Free on-air TV, unlike cable, cannot be encrypted, so the order probably has no effect on Aereo," said Mitch Stoltz, staff attorney for the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
The leased set-top box concept is a hindrance to the consumer. "It would be much better if home video devices were more like computers and could be connected to any MVPD service without the need for a leased set-top box," Stoltz said.
Software-driven, commercially available security is one of the FCC 12-126 options available, and it could allow a cable operator to encrypt basic tier signals using commercial market-based security.
A set-top device maker would then license the keys, and thus provide the basic channels.
This would work similarly to how a Blu-ray player maker obtains an AACS license that allows it to unencrypt movies on Blu-ray discs-- all software-driven.
"In terms of basic TV over the Internet, we don't know what the future will bring," Dellheim said, "as the order permits cable operators to choose from several methods of compliance, and we don't have insight into which operators will adopt what methods."
*ECT News Network editor's note - Nov. 30, 2012: Our original published version of this article incorrectly stated that "FCC 12-126 could affect a startup like Aereo ... ." In fact, the order probably would have no effect on Aereo, according to Mitch Stoltz, staff attorney for the Electronic Frontier Foundation.


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Right Time, Right Place
Rod Stewart once sang, "Some guys have all the luck." He wasn't lying, because no matter what angle you look at it some really do seem to have all the luck. When it comes to Gary Naworski and his '56 Ford, luck seems to be an understatement.
Gary, a Bakersfield, California native, bought the Ford out of the classifieds for $3,600. For the next year he drove the Ford regularly, until one day the 429 Cad motor got hot and turned in its resignation. Upon the news Gary decided it was time to show the ol' Ford a little love, and that day marked the beginning of a new era for the Ford.
When it came to building the Ford, Gary didn't exactly break things down and build the truck over a certain period. Instead, the truck was driven regularly through the years, and built through the course of random "right time, right place" incidents. Not to mention it was built mostly with parts he had lying around. For starters, it so happened that when the Cad motor blew Gary had another chassis lying around that was always meant to find its way under the Ford, and now was the time. The new chassis was equipped with a Volare frontend and stepped No Limit A-arms. In the rear Gary had C-notched the frame and ditched the factory leafs. He also relocated a set of Nissan Hardbody leafs under the frame. For stability an ADCO 1 1/4-inch sway bar was installed up front and a Speedway Engineering sway bar was mounted in the rear. Seeing that the Cad motor was shot, Gary needed a Plan B, and he had just the idea. In his garage ready to go was a 351 Windsor, built by Marling's Machine. During the build Marling's installed forged 9.25:1 pistons, an Edelbrock Performer intake manifold and 625 carburetor, double-roller timing chain and theydeburred the exhaust ports on the heads and hard seals. Needless to say, the Windsor was ready to run. Gary choose a Ford AOD, built by AAA Transmission Doctor, to back the 351. On a Thursday night Gary and some friends began transferring the Ford onto its new running gear. They finished up Sunday night, and Gary drove the '56 to work Monday morning! Bored one day, and tired of moving stuff around in the garage in order to work, Gary decided to clear up some space and throw his Frankland quick-change rearend into the Ford. The spool in the rearend ate a set of tires in a few months; therefore, Gary installed a D.P.I. Black Gold Track Differential (stock car equipment he had lying around) into the Frankland, much better for street use. Gary also had to upgrade the master cylinder with a new No Limit unit in order to get the new rear disc brakes, outfitted with Hurst/Airheart calipers, to bite.
It wasn't too long before Gary began to look at the Ford and wonder what it would look like with a real paintjob on it. In order to make the transition from patina to gloss, first some bodywork was in order. The truck was taken to Ryan Hanshaw, where he made a few small repairs and fixed the usual suspects. Gary then installed a custom roll pan and widened the rear fenders 3 inches. The filler neck was also shaved, since the tank was relocated out back. The '56 was then taken to A&R Custom, in Bakersfield, California, where Adam laid down a custom blend of Aqua and Blue PPG paint. Then once again, Gary fell into the right place. Gary had done some work for a friend, and his friend offered him a proposal instead of ponying up the dough. Gary's friend offered to hook him up with a set of brand new Weld wheels of his choice for the work, and seeing that the wheels outweighed the amount of dough involved in the work, Gary didn't refuse. He decided to throw a set of Weld Rodlite XP 18-inch wheels wrapped in BFGoodrich rubber on the '56.
Inside the cab Gary restored the dash with parts from Sacramento Vintage Ford. As for the seats, he took them from a '97 Tahoe. Then the truck was taken down to be upholstered so the door panels, headliner, and carpet would match. A Southern Air A/C and heater unit was installed, due to the fact the '56 was meant to be driven in all conditions. (In fact, when we first spotted Gary's ride at a show he drove through multiple showers and snow just to get there!) For now Gary is pretty content with the Ford, but you know what they say, "Idle hands are the devil's playground," so who knows what's in store for the Ford. But our guess is probably some parts lying around Gary's garage.

subset: commoncrawl


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A Rainbow City man was arrested Thursday morning outside a Gadsden bar after allegedly resisting and injuring a Gadsden police officer.
A Rainbow City man was arrested Thursday morning outside a Gadsden bar after allegedly resisting and injuring a Gadsden police officer.
Chase Clay Cato, 24, is charged with second-degree assault, resisting arrest and both second-degree and third-degree criminal mischief stemming from the incident that occurred between 2:20 and 2:48 a.m. Thursday.
According to the police report, officers responded to an alarm call at Lucy's Afterlife on Chestnut Street and saw a security guard escort Cato across the street and release him in the parking lot.
The report indicates Cato left the scene, but came back.
The reporting officer said he saw a fight and was arresting a person involved in that fight when he saw Cato return.
The officer told Officer Steven Holcomb of the earlier incident and said he told the man to leave. Cato refused, according to the report, and approached the bar.
Holcomb attempted to arrest Cato, who allegedly resisted and fought back. The report states the two ended up on the ground, and Cato allegedly punched Holcomb, causing a cut.
Holcomb also injured both his knees.
After being put in the patrol car, Cato broke out the glass on the rear door using his head, according to the report.
Cato was taken to the Etowah County Detention Center, then to Riverview Regional Medical Center, where he was medically cleared and taken back to jail.
Holcomb was treated for injuries at the emergency room at Riverview and was released.
Cato was held on a $4,000 bond and has been released from the Detention Center.


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Clarendon Hills Hickinbotham Syrah 2006
95-98 Points - Jay Miller (erobertparker.com)
The 2006 Syrah Hickinbotham Vineyard delivers complex notes of pepper, spice box, bacon, blueberry and blackberry liqueur. It has gobs of fruit and a velvety texture.
- Vintage
- 2006
- Producer
- Clarendon Hills
- Region
- McLaren Vale
- Country
- Australia
- Appellation
- Grape Variety
- Syrah
- Style
- Full-bodied, complex red
- 14.5%
Taste & Aroma
The 2006 Syrah Hickinbotham Vineyard delivers complex notes of pepper, spice box, bacon, blueberry and blackberry liqueur. It has gobs of fruit and a velvety texture but there is enough concealed tannin to merit 4-6 years of additional cellaring.
Jay Miller on Oct 1st, 2007
Clarendon Hills live under the motto of 'purity and perfection' and Biochemist Roman Bratasiuk has been flattering the palates of consumers and critics alike since 1989. With no formal oenological qualifications, his obsession to attain a finished product of unrivalled quality has been fuelled by a personal love of exceptional wine. At this McLaren Vale property he is now joined by sons Adam and Alex who help with management and winemaking.
Production is dedicated to varietal wines from vineyards that have exceptional soils, aspect and climatic conditions that aid optimal berry development and expression of the individual grape variety. Most vine stock is original French cuttings of more than 90 years old, which are dry farmed to prevent dilution of juice concentration. Harvesting of fruit is done by hand followed by rigorous sorting before pressing. Roman insists on using indigenous yeasts in the fermentation process as a means of expressing a sense of place and identity. This philosophy carries through to the pre-bottling stage where the wine sees no fining or filtration for maximum flavour intensity. The jewel in the crown though is the Astralis label, which is seen as an iconic wine of quality and power coming from old bush syrah vines dating back to 1920. It was this very wine that led Robert Parker to name Roman as 'Wine Producer of the year' in 1996.
Explore by vineyard - Blewitt Springs, Brookman, Hickinbotham, Liandra, Moritz, Onkaparinga, Piggott, Romas
McLaren Vale is situated south of The Barossa Valley in South Eastern Australia. The local climates vary enormously according to altitude and exposure to the cooling sea breezes. Red grapes flourish here due to the warm climate and varied soil type and the region is best known for soft and juicy Shiraz, old-vine Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The climate is similar to that of the Mediterranean climate with four clear seasons. We can highly recommend the producers Kay Brothers, Clarendon Hills and Shirvington Estate from whom we have some fantastic wines.
Riedel Veritas Syrah / Shiraz (2 Glasses)
Enjoy your favourite wine the way it was meant to taste with these wonderful lead crystal creations from Riedel, which are shaped according to the character of the wine in order to enhance its rich, aromatic flavours.
Customer Reviews
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Ratings Summary
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- Type:
- Games > Wii
- Files:
- 1
- Size:
- Tag(s):
- WiiU Wii U donkey kong country tropical ARKE01 Loadiine NTSC
- Uploaded:
- Sep 22, 2016
- By:
- xganonx
This is one of many WiiU games to start appearing on thepiratebay. Here's what you'll find after extracting the 7z file: /Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze [ARKE01] ---/code ---/content ---/meta ALL of my uploads will contain the META folder (notoriously missing on many uploads you'll find on non-torrent websites - making your game collection look incomplete and unprofessional). ------- Q: How do I play this game on my WII U?? A: Please google a few items to get you started. "Wii U Hack Loadiine How to" is probably a good place to start. Once you know a little about what you're doing, you'll simply drop this download into your "Games" folder on your SD card. Have fun! And SEED. Wii U game torrents are rare as gold - help each other out. NOTE: I will change the category (if I can) from WII to WIIU once moderators have created a Wii U category. -xganonx


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Los Angeles foreign film fans have a chance to see the five Golden Globe foreign nominees at the American Cinematheque: including Biutiful (Mexico, Spain), The Concert (France), The Edge (Russia), I Am Love (Italy) and In A Better World (Denmark).
Many of the foreign Oscar submissions are showing at the Palm Springs International Film Festival starting this weekend, which has unaccountably not programmed its panel of foreign filmmakers this year–taking them on retreat instead. (What about the public?) One of the hottest tickets in L.A. is the February pre-Oscar Show interview conducted by the head of the Academy's foreign branch, Mark Johnson, with the five directors of the foreign Oscar nominees, which is only open to active foreign Oscar voters.
February's Santa Barbara Film Festival, which announced its line-up Thursday, also features a big selection of foreign fare.
Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.


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It looks like your browser is out of date.
To use all features of KLM.com safely, we recommend that you update your browser, or that you choose a different one. Continuing with this version may result in parts of the website not being displayed properly, if at all. Also, the security of your personal information is better safeguarded with an updated browser.
Hamburg has been endowed with parks, public gardens and playgrounds – there are almost too many to mention. These green oases of Hamburg have one thing in common: they are beautifully maintained and equipped with modern playgrounds so that children can safely play and have fun. From the vast Stadtpark in the north to the play islands in the south, take the whole family on an adventure in Hamburg's playgrounds.
Blue and green, these are the most striking colours on the map of Hamburg. In a major port city such as this the water comes as no surprise; in addition to the Elbe River, the city features many canals and lakes. But did you know that this Hanseatic city is one of the greenest cities in Germany? Children can play outside and get their knees dirty in the pirate parks, wading pools and climbing parks right in the very heart of the city. Here is a small selection of the best playgrounds in Hamburg.
The brand-new HafenCity district is packed with state-of-the-art buildings that will make the heart of architecture fans skip a beat. Children are however more likely to be impressed by the structures on the Piratenspielplatz. Fully decked out in pirate style, this playground is surrounded by a shallow moat which of course represents a raging sea. Crawl into the crow's nest of a wooden pirate ship and sail to the climbing island, but watch out for sharks!
Piratenspielplatz, Hübenerstraße, Hamburg
Wilhelmsburger Inselpark is an attraction in itself. The 5 playgrounds all have their own theme and each one is worth exploring. 'Mysterious Island', with a swamp, birch forest and a real volcano, is inspired by the homonymous Jules Verne's novel. The 'Desert' is all about sand and 'Wind' features a moving dune landscape. Future architects will have a blast in the 'Huts' and 'Palaces', and take a trip to 'Atlantis' to look for hidden treasures.
Wilhelmsburger Inselpark, Hamburg
With its 37 acres, the Stadtpark (City Park), north of Alster Lake, is Hamburg's largest and perhaps most popular park. On a sunny day the park is packed with children flying kites or sailing their miniature boats on the pond. The playground next to Planschbecken is the largest of the six. Rope nets, wooden structures and even a half sunken ship with a mast provide plenty of playful challenges to children of all ages. Those who want more excitement than the swings, slides and teeter-totters can also slide down various cable cars.
Stadtpark, Hamburg


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A bottle business pick-up
Adding water to redeemable list would cut litter, advocates say
It's an ironic routine that plays out nearly every day on streets throughout the state, in which a law designed to reduce litter ends up producing it.
Because the state's bottle law has not been updated in more than 30 years to allow noncarbonated beverages to be redeemed for a nickel, as it allows for soda, beer, and malt beverages, the legion of trash pickers who make their rounds to collect bottles and cans often toss the bottled water, Gatorade, and other containers not covered by the law into the street.
Advocates for an expanded bottle law, which passed the state Senate last week after 18 years of being proposed, argue that it would reduce litter and provide thousands of poor residents a means of increasing their income, as water, juice, and sports drinks now account for more than a third of all beverages sold in Massachusetts.
"There are a lot of people who supplement their income by picking up empty containers, and if the containers that don't have a deposit are included, they'll pick those up as well, which will benefit them as well as reduce litter," said Phil Sego, a spokesman for Massachusetts Sierra Club. "It's an unintended benefit."
The bill, which passed as an amendment to economic development legislation, faces an uncertain fate. It will be debated in the coming days by a conference committee of six lawmakers from the House and Senate.
Among them will be Representative Joseph F. Wagner, a Chicopee Democrat who chairs the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies and vigorously opposes expanding the bottle law.
"In my opinion, it would be viewed as a tax, even if it wouldn't fit the definition of a tax," he said, also taking issue with how the amendment passed the Senate by voice vote and without debate.
A chart by MassPIRG, a state advocacy group that has pushed to expand the bottle law, shows only one of the conference committee's appointees on record with the group supporting the bill.
The other five members did not provide their position on the issue when requested to by MassPIRG, which is planning a rally outside the State House on Wednesday in support of expanding the bottle law.
"I don't think the bill before us should include a provision to expand the bottle law," Wagner said. "It doesn't make a lot of sense to me."
On the streets this week, those who earn a living or pocket money from collecting cans and bottles said they would see a significant boost to their income if they could redeem water bottles and other containers not included in the current law, which passed in 1981 when few people drank such beverages.
"It would mean a lot," said Peter Pirtron, 50, while making the rounds going through trash and recycling bins in South Boston and loading soda cans and beer bottles in a cart. "I could really live good . . . board money, shopping, maybe look for a girlfriend."
When asked how much more he could earn if he could redeem water bottles, he said: "Twice as much, I think. They're all over the place."
At the East Boston Bottle & Can Return, Steven Tran, the owner, said updating the bottle law would have a huge benefit for his business, which has floundered in recent years like many of the state's redemption centers.
Since 1995, as the value of the nickel has fallen, the number of such facilities has plummeted by more than half, and during the same period, the redemption of cans and bottles has slid from 87 percent of eligible containers to about 68 percent last year.
Redemption centers, which have not had an increase since 1990 in the 2.25-cent fee distributors must pay them for every bottle returned, would get an additional penny a bottle if the bill becomes law.
"We've all been waiting for this to happen for a very long time," said Tran, who has been in the business for 12 years. "It would really benefit us."
Over the course of the morning on Tuesday, scores of customers came in with carts, boxes, and bags filled with thousands of cans, some of which were not redeemable. Those were tossed into the trash.
Nilda Cordoba, 67, of East Boston, said she has been collecting and redeeming containers for two decades.
She said the extra money — $10 to $20 per visit to the redemption center — was important to her.
"If we could bring in all the other bottles that stay in the trash, that would be huge — really helpful," she said.
For Arthur Dauwer, 49, of Revere, the benefits go beyond the extra cash.
"I would welcome a change to the law in a heartbeat," he said while unloading his bottles. "What kills me is that we're just throwing all these other bottles into landfills. It's a huge waste."
As she stacked her bottles and cans in neat rows to be counted by a redemption center employee, Brenda Stafford, 67, of East Boston, said she could not understand why some bottles were covered by the law and others were not, even though they looked identical.
"I could use every penny I could get," she said.
David Abel can be reached at email@example.com. Follow him on Twitter @davabel.


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New sports cars are a category of automobile with both a lot of breadth and a lot of depth. The definition of a sports car is rather flexible, hence the breadth. And auto manufacturers have a lot of potential strategies to making each model of sports car fast, powerful, and competitive; that's where the depth comes in. Owning a sports car is a pretty common item on a lot of peoples' bucket lists, and it might sound kind of generic, but it's not. A sports car can be anything from a spartan, lightweight coupe to a heavy and powerful muscle car. No matter how many people say they want to own a sports car someday, any given person's selection amongst all the news sports cars on the market was probably the result of a lot of thought and a lot of daydreaming.
New sports cars are a competitive vehicle segment because each brand's sports car models tend to play a big role in shaping the brand's overall persona and strategy. Even if the sports cars aren't the highest volume sellers, they're the aspirational cars that make people want to own something from that brand. The new sports cars are the ones featured in the advertisements and lined up front and center at all the dealerships. New sports cars also feature the latest technology and, of course, the highest powered engines. And some models, especially those designed to appeal to people who will use their new sports car for the daily commute, have nice, comfortable, thoughtfully designed interiors to make every moment behind the wheel as enjoyable as possible. Though they might be expensive, sports car drivers know they get a huge return on their investment, emotionally, at least, if not financially. Sports cars are expensive to own but a lot of fun to drive.


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Because no one reads the newspaper, and SportsCenter's anchors are too perky for this early in the morning, Deadspin combs the best of the broadsheets and the blogosphere to bring you everything you need to know to start your day.
• The Spurs dispatched Dirk Nowitzki to a long offseason of Teutonic handwringing and golf. Afterward, Mark Cuban said: "I'm not proud of the NBA. I'm not proud of my inability over the last 10 years to have an impact like I want to have. So I kind of feel like I owe fans an apology. But that's just the way this business goes." David Stern fined him $50,000 before he even got to "proud."
• The Capitals' Brooks Laich helped change a tire after losing Game 7.
• The NCAA's board of directors approved the 68-team men's basketball tournament, and I remain astounded by the outfit's sneaky brilliance in pushing this expansion through.
• Derby favorite Lookin At Lucky gets a bad draw and winds up on the rail. Adjust your boxed trifectas accordingly.
• Our pals at Sparty and Friends have put together a handy Derby primer, touching on such subjects as: how to lose your shirt on the Derby, how to get drunk during the Derby, and what to wear on your head during the Derby.
• Here's an awesome video of my boyhood hero Mike Royko, the great Chicago columnist, talking about softball:
Image via The Shoe Buff


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Available ebook formats: epub mobi pdf rtf pdb txt html
Deborah has divided her time between Scotland, England and Kentucky. She is a writer of Medieval Scottish Historical Romances for Kensington Books. She also writes Contemporary romances with a Paranormal theme for Dorchester Publishing. She will be doing a Scottish Historical for Highland Press in the future. Her stories with Highland Press are: Bad Cat; Getting It In The End; and Double, Double, Toil and Trouble in No Law Against Love; Rider in the Storm in Blue Moon Magic; Devil in Spurs in the P.E.A.R.L. nominated Blue Moon Enchantment; All I Want for Christmas is a Hula Hoop…and A Mother in Christmas Wishes; and Blue Christmas Cat in Holiday in the Heart. The short stories Double, Double, Toil and Trouble, Rider in the Storm, and Blue Christmas Cat were all P.E.A.R.L. nominees. Chicken What du Hell appears in Recipe for Love, A Very Special Man in Love Under the Mistletoe, and Detour to Love in Romance Upon A Midnight Clear. Her own Cat Romance anthology, Cat O'Nine Tales is now available through Highland Press Publishing.


text: Hi there. Recently I did an update on my server using aptitude, and lately I've noticed a problem. The problem could be related, but I'm not sure. For some reason, all files uploaded via PHP are showing as having the user and group set to www-data and not client1 as it should do. The site in question is set up to use FastCGI (I think that was the default) and not suPHP. Please could you tell me what I need to change to put it back the way it was? The Web site was shared over Dropbox, and at the moment, external changes won't sync because of the issue with permissions. Many thanks in advance.


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The Cabin
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)
Birds eye is a place where we can all share things and stories we see feel and experience in our lifes. please reply to whatever you can relate to that has been shared. we are all interested in what you have seen and experienced. Why Birdseye? Well there are so many reasons, birds are Free, birds huver above us and see all that we do, just like His Eyes see all. He is the Bird of Paridise beleive it. it's in your heart.
If you would like to reply to something you see on my blog page please email me at email@example.com I look forward to what you think. or just drop me a note.


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5) Do You Need a Credit Monitoring Service?
A look at potential benefits, limitations and your options for monitoring your credit report.
An increase in identity theft, coupled with an explosion of online "phishing" scams targeting personal information, has many consumers eager to take steps to protect their personal information and credit. Although you can learn how to recognize and avoid phishing scams and take other steps to guard your personal information, reviewing your credit report regularly for errors and unauthorized or suspicious activity is one of the best ways to detect ID thieves if they strike you in spite of your efforts.
Increased public awareness of the importance of regularly reviewing personal credit reports has produced an explosion of credit monitoring services. Subscription offers pop-up on computer screens and arrive by email, snail mail and phone daily. Would one of the reputable services be useful and worth the subscription price? Or can you do it yourself more easily, effectively, and economically? The answer can be yes, no, or maybe, depending on your individual circumstances and needs. To help you make the decision, this review looks at the basics of credit report monitoring, the potential benefits and limitations of services, and tips for making the choice that's right for you.
What is a Credit Report and Why is it Important?
A credit report details an individual's credit history. This history includes personal identification information, a listing of credit accounts and loans, payment record on those accounts (particularly late payments), defaults, charge-offs, repossessions, bankruptcies, and recent inquiries from third parties (such as potential lenders or insurers) about the credit report. Credit reports are compiled by specialized data aggregation companies called Credit Reporting Agencies (CRAs) or credit bureaus. The Big Three CRAs in the United States are Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Other smaller or more specialized CRAs typically need not concern an individual consumer.
The accuracy of your credit report is important because your credit history affects so many areas of your life. Planning to buy an auto or boat? How about a mortgage to buy your own home? Or maybe you just want to open a charge account or get a credit card. Lenders use your credit history to determine whether to give you the loan or account and how much interest you'll pay. Potential employers often check credit reports before offering you a job and landlords before renting you an apartment. Most insurance companies now use an insurance score based on your credit history to help determine the rate you'll pay for auto insurance, and some use it for homeowners insurance.
What's the Purpose of Monitoring your Credit Report?
Because your credit history plays such a big role in these areas of life, making sure that your report is accurate helps you manage your credit to accomplish your financial goals.
- First, every consumer should monitor his or her credit report to check for errors and false, misleading, or incomplete information. Various studies have found that as many as 70 to 80 percent of credit reports may have errors.
- Second, because identity thieves want your personal information typically to steal your money, they often open accounts in your name or co-opt your accounts (run up charges and don't pay) or they may do other things in your name that show up negatively on your credit record. Monitoring your credit report regularly won't stop identity thieves, but it is one way to spot potential ID theft as quickly as possible so that you can take steps to stop it.
What Do Credit Monitoring Services Do?
Most credit monitoring services offer their programs as "privacy protection" or "anti-ID-theft" services. But as we've just noted, monitoring your credit report is not a deterrent to identity theft, but simply a potential early warning.
The actual services provided for the subscription price vary widely among different companies. In general, the services promise to check your report regularly for suspicious activity and alert you. This checking ranges from daily to quarterly. They also provide you copies of your credit report and credit score (though not necessarily your FICO credit score) at stated intervals. You may be able to view your report online anytime, but the services typically update the report only at stated intervals, which can be lengthy. Some offer "fraud resolution" services and fraud insurance though just what those include again varies.
How Useful are Credit Monitoring Services for Most Consumers?
Both the credit industry and consumer experts in privacy and personal finance agree that individuals need to monitor their credit reports regularly. The U.S. Congress thought this was so important that it passed a law requiring each of the big three CRAs (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) to provide one annual free credit report to each individual upon request. The rollout is complete throughout the country. (Some state laws also provide consumers access to more than one free credit report annually.)
So would a credit monitoring service help you monitor your credit report more conveniently or effectively? The credit industry, of course, says yes. Many consumer groups feel that the monitoring services generally charge a high price for something most consumers can do for themselves for free (given the new law) or for considerably less than the relatively high subscription costs. Most everyone agrees that the services may be most useful for consumers who have experienced ID Theft and who are at high risk for it. The bottom line is that each consumer must do his or her homework and make the appropriate choice for individual circumstances. Here's a summary of a few potential benefits and typical limitations of credit monitoring services:
Potential Benefits of Credit Monitoring Services
- Early detection of errors or suspicious activity: choosing a service that monitors your credit report daily or even weekly (provided the report is also updated that regularly) and sends you regular alerts or "all clears" can help you spot problems early.
- Fraud resolution services: some services promise help with cleaning up your report when you've been hit by ID theft. But you need to check out the fine print of what those services are with an individual service.
- Identity theft insurance: Identity Theft insurance covers the time and money you spend restoring your identity and repairing credit reports if your identity is stolen. Covered items may include attorney fees, mailing costs, reapplication fees, phone charges, and lost wages for time taken off from work to deal with identity recovery. The deductible should be fairly low, about $100 would be good. Should you not use a credit monitoring service, you can purchase stand-alone identity theft insurance from various vendors for $25 - $50 annually.
Typical Limitations of Credit Monitoring Services
- Most services monitor only one CRA's report: although most services advertise their product by saying they provide access to all three reports, most generally provide this only to start; the regular monitoring covers just one agency's report. Information and errors in reports of the three CRAs can differ.
- The monitoring and updating may not be timely: the "gold standard" for monitoring services would be daily monitoring of all three reports with email alerts within 24 hours. Many services have much wider intervals. Although you may see your credit report online anytime, many services only update these online versions quarterly; some of the less reputable services may update even less frequently.
- Cost: the monitoring services we looked at charged between $44 and $130. Services offering daily monitoring and alerts typically cost about $100.
- User complacence: subscribers to a credit monitoring service shouldn't buy and then forget to review their credit report. Regular personal review is still a must because only you know what's accurate. Likewise, only you can take steps to correct errors or control the damage if you've been a victim of identity theft.
An Alternative to Services: Monitor Your Credit Yourself for Free (or at lower cost)
You can monitor your credit report regularly by taking advantage of the new law that requires each nationwide credit reporting agency to provide you with a free copy of your report every 12 months. By spacing your requests from each of the three agencies at four month intervals you can review your report three times a year. For example, request your report from Equifax today, from Experian in four months, and from TransUnion in 8 months; a year from today begin the cycle again.
If you live in any state you can order a report free today. If you wish to monitor your credit report more frequently than every four months (unless you live in a state that provides two annual reports), you can purchase your credit report and credit score from each national CRA for $15 on average.
If you wish to order your free reports online, the official website is www.annualcreditreport.com. Please note that this is the only official website, as required by law and sponsored by the three national CRAs. For safety we recommend that you access it by clicking on this link or linking to it from the Federal Trade Commission's fact sheet—in that way you can avoid unofficial sites (interested mostly in selling you something) and imposter sites (interested in stealing your personal info).
Your Access to Free Credit Reports, a fact sheet from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), explains how to use the service, answers questions, and provides contact information.
Information Edge Tip: If you would rather order your free reports by phone rather than online—thus avoiding the danger of encountering an imposter site, there is also a toll-free phone number, 877-322-8228. You may also order by mail using the order form included in the FTC fact sheet above.
The Final Decision is Up to You
In the final analysis only you can decide if a credit monitoring service would be helpful for you. Just remember that whether you use a service or not, keeping an eye on your credit reports is an important part of good personal financial planning and management. Because it's so important and interpreting what the information on your credit report means can be tricky, the Information Edge Report How to Review Your Credit Report details how to read and analyze your credit report and how to take steps to correct any errors.


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MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) The Grizzlies' new owner is defending the trade of his team's leading scorer and other moves to dump salary, saying he believes they can do some ``serious damage'' in the playoffs with the changes.
Robert Pera took part in a web chat Friday with Memphis' season ticket holders along with chief executive officer Jason Levien, and Pera's first question was about whether the new ownership group has the financial ability to run the team.
``This team was built for playoff basketball,'' Pera wrote. ``In playoff basketball, getting defensive stops and creating high percentage scoring opportunities under pressure becomes much more important. ... And that is what this team can do best.''
Pera hadn't spoken publicly since taking over the team Nov. 5.
His Grizzlies traded Marreese Speights and two players along with a future first-round draft pick to Cleveland last week for Jon Leuer and a trade exception. On Wednesday, the Grizzlies sent leading scorer Rudy Gay to Toronto in a three-team trade bringing Memphis Tayshaun Prince, Austin Daye and Ed Davis.
The first trade helped Memphis avoid a $4 million luxury tax hit this season. Trading away Gay clears up $37 million in salary committed by previous owner Michael Heisley, while Memphis now has a trade exception of about $7.5 million that can be used by Memphis over the next year to add another player if needed.
``We made the second trade because we feel it allows us to put a more competitive product on the floor this season and in future seasons,'' Levien wrote. ``We got better. We also picked up a valuable draft pick as well as trade exceptions that will allow us to be opportunistic in going on the offensive moving forward.''
Pera wrote that NBA teams have won titles with superstars and without, and he believes the Grizzlies as they are now built potentially can become the next example.
``Between Tayshuan's winning pedigree, the league's best perimeter defense, and Mark/Zbo returning back to the focal point of the offense; I believe we are a far more dangerous playoff team today,'' Pera wrote of Marc Gasol and All-Star forward Zach Randolph.
The Grizzlies lost 106-89 in Oklahoma City on Thursday night as they spent the first half trying to figure out how to play without Gay and with the new additions not having joined the team. They still rank fourth in the Western Conference with a 29-16 record going into Friday night's game against Washington that still is the best in franchise history at this point in a season.
Pera called the deal bringing Davis an added bonus and said he believes Levien and the front office has done an outstanding job to position Memphis for playoff success this year. Memphis has reached the playoffs each of the last two seasons and made its deepest run in 2011 to the seventh game of the Western Conference semifinals against Oklahoma City with Gay injured.
``We can do some serious damage in these playoffs,'' Pera wrote.
A former Apple engineer, Pera founded Ubiquiti Networks, a California communications technology company that makes WiFi networking equipment. He shared the news that new equipment is being added to the FedExForum to improve WiFi during games for fans.
Asked what has surprised him the most about being an NBA owner, Pera called the power of the media an ``eye-opener.''
``In today's world, social networking has enabled information to disseminate quickly, and in a vacuum, even inaccurate information and misunderstandings can spread fast,'' Pera wrote.
Pera said his business style is substance as an engineer and not a salesman or talker. Pera wrote he prefers to let results speak for themselves. But he did try to send a message to season ticket holders about his commitment to the Grizzlies.
``Although I am not one to speak out much or actively seek publicity, I want Memphians to know that what I want more than anything is to position this team to be wildly successful and do well by the city of Memphis both in the short and long term,'' Pera wrote.
Pera knows the Grizzlies have been heavily scrutinized for these moves with the new owner and changes in the front office.
``Although the way we get there might contradict traditional thought, we are both committed to building something great in Memphis that will hopefully set a new standard for how to run an NBA franchise successfully,'' Pera wrote.


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(This is my October column from the Red Dirt Pedaler's newsletter "Wheel Issues.")
Recently, the Large Hadron Collider has been in the news. Some are afraid that once it's operational, it will produce a black hole and the planet will be destroyed.
I'll admit to thinking about this, particularly in light of my own project, a small hadron collider which produces only medium gray holes rather than black ones. Unlike a true black hole which sucks in everything, medium gray ones are more selective, preferring hand tools, digital watches, eight-track tapes, and encyclopedia salesmen. My sixth grade teacher, Mrs. Tessmacher, was sucked into one, plugging it firmly and saving humanity in the process. She was a big woman, after all.
My spouse insists that there's a medium gray hole inside the local bike shop and it gobbles up too much of my money. Cyclists are accustomed to seeing money disappear just as if it had been thrown into a black hole. Besides supporting the bicycling industry, we supply tax money for transportation out of proportion to the benefits we receive.
You've probably read about the decline in federal highway funding due to decreased fuel consumption. For the first time, Americans are driving less. Some are switching to more fuel efficient cars. Fewer miles driven should equate to fewer injuries and fatalities on our roads, but we'll have to wait until next year for the data crunching.
But here's an interesting question - are fewer cars on the road a good thing for cyclists? At first, it would seem to be a no-brainer. Of course it's better! Fewer cars result in less noise, less pollution, and less risk for anyone else using the road. But as always, the devil is in the details.
For the most part, federal fuel taxes support highways and expensive infrastructure like bridges. The reduction in taxes means there's less money available for those projects. But almost all road projects rely on some federal funding, so even a county road can impacted by cutbacks. One side effect is to increase traffic on formerly quiet county roads as motorists avoid highways due to congestion which wastes fuel. Similarly, construction and maintenance delays waste fuel, and even if roads are in good repair, higher speeds consume more gasoline. All of this serves to increase motor vehicle traffic on roads shared with cyclists.
There's a solution to this, of course, and it involves some sacrifice and a little progressive thinking. It's time we cyclists hang our bikes on hooks in the garage, dust off our cars, and drive them. Drive them a lot. I'm going to do my patriotic duty by getting my old '64 Lincoln back on the road. If possible, I'll slap some bias ply tires on the beast. Singlehanded, I can reverse the downward plunge of the highway trust fund since the Lincoln only averaged about 3 miles per gallon. Now that I think about it, the Lincoln was black too. I should be able to fill those federal coffers with enough money to get all those motorists off the county roads I use.
I'll be generous, though. If one of you wishes to experience that same heart-swelling pride that comes from doing your patriotic duty, I'll offer this vehicle to you at a seriously discounted price.
Labels: bicycling humor


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Cradling the Nikon D4 in your hands, it's immediately obvious that this is a beast of a camera. It sits at the top of Nikon's DSLR line-up, offering professionals the best of what Nikon can pour into a camera.
But Nikon was keen to stress exactly where the modifications came from, saying that it wasn't a camera built by Nikon, but by photographers. It's a sentiment we often hear, but when you're talking about a professional shooting device at nearly £5000 - before adding any glass - then you have to mean it.
From the exterior the camera is very similar to the model it now supplants, the Nikon D3 and subsequent D3s. Ergonomically there have been a few changes to make access to controls a little easier. There are now mirrored controls for your thumb for landscape and portrait grips, as well as an additional thumb grip on portrait side, so it's more comfortable.
The shutter button also sees itself on a slightly different slope. It now sits on a 35-degree slope rather than 27, which is supposedly more comfortable. We can't say that in the brief time we spent with the camera we noticed much difference, but if you spend most of your day poised ready to shoot, it may well make a difference.
One thing that is more obvious are the backlit controls. Backlighting is triggered with a flick of the power lever. The effect is very nice and it's impressive that it extends up to the mode dial too. It makes perfect sense to include this on a camera that offers impressive low light shooting credentials.
The other noticeable change is the display on the back. At 3.2-inches it is slightly larger than the D3s, but offers the same 921k-dot resolution. It isn't the highest resolution display you'll find on the back of a DSLR, but it looks fantastic, with great viewing angles and wonderful colours - closer to sRGB is the claim from Nikon.
Nikon also tells us that a layer of gel resin sits between the glass cover and the LCD panel to reduce unwanted reflection and the effects of things like fogging due to temperature change.
Of course during our brief hands-on time with the camera (from which we weren't allowed to take away any shots) it's impossible to say much about the performance improvements that have been made. It's certainly swift in action, fast to focus and from previewed shots we took it didn't have any problems shooting in low light, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating as they say, and in this instance we have no pudding.
In the D4 video capture is taken seriously. The onboard HDMI will offer a clean uncompressed output of your video (i.e., without overlays) for professional quality editing and there are a host of audio controls too. A video capture button sits on the top behind the shutter button for easy instant access.
The full-sized Ethernet port doesn't look too out of place either, but gives professionals the chance to skip the computer from their workflow if they want to, connecting their camera direct to the network. We saw some of the networking in action, offering HTTP control via an iPad using the WT-5 Wireless Transmitter for wireless remote control (which you can read more about here).
You'll also find both XQD and CF card slots in the bay. The Nikon D4 is the first camera to support XQD and we expect to hear more about what will be on offer from the new standard of memory card very soon. We know it will come in 16 and 32GB sizes and offer data rates of 125MB/s.
Overall there is only so much you can say from the first tussle with a camera of this type. Its specs are hugely impressive (more detail can be found here) and Nikon are confident they'll be able to get this camera into the hands of professional photographers from 16 February 2012.
Read - Nikon D4 gives pro photographers something to shoot for
Read - Nikon D4 offers HTTP mode, optimised for iPhone control


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Home > News & Events > Wayland Press Release Archives > 2006 News Releases > June 2006 > Harral fly system upgraded
Harral fly system upgraded
PLAINVIEW -- Wayland Baptist University's Harral Memorial Auditorium is receiving a face lift, so to speak. Although the casual audience member may never see or appreciate the backstage work that is being done, they will benefit from a safer more professional environment.
The backstage area in the auditorium is being refitted with a new fly system used to control and maintain the onstage curtains and lighting systems. The project will cost approximately $150,000 to complete.
The auditorium had been operating with the original fly system that was installed in the mid 1970s. Wayland technical theatre director and auditorium supervisor Chris Moore said the old system was beginning to show its age.
"The lines hadn't been replaced and it was becoming a safety concern because it was getting old," Moore said.
Wayland ordered the new fly system from Texas Scenic, one of only a handful of companies who supply these products nation wide. A representative from Texas Scenic informed the school that the girder supporting the old counterweight system would have to be upgraded in order to support the new system.
Moore said the school contracted with a group in Levelland to replace the existing girder with a new, roughly 38 foot long, 22-inch wide, 8,000 pound steal beam that had to be bracketed to the existing steal reinforced concrete walls in the auditorium.
"It was a beast," Moore said. "They had to make a special dolly for it because we couldn't even get it in the building. Each caster on the dolly was a 2,000-pound caster and they spread out five of those just in case the beam weighed more than (8,000 pounds)."
The group wheeled the beam onto the stage, cut the old beam out, opened a 2 foot square hole in the roof for a crane to lower its cable and lifted the new beam into place.
With the beam in place, it will now take Texas Scenic about a week to install the new counterweight fly system, including all new rigging and cables.
"We are getting all new stuff except for the curtains," Moore said.


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You may not think of the greater Boston area as prime agricultural land, but — as Victory Garden demonstrates every day — the gardening of edible fruits and vegetables is a realistic, doable, and increasingly popular endeavor. One local leader of this movement is The Food Project, which gardens more than 37 acres across eastern Massachusetts, including plantings in central Boston, Lynn, Ipswich, Lincoln, and Beverly. Since its founding in 1991, The Food Project has built itself into a national model by engaging Boston's youth in personal and social change through sustainable agriculture.
It sounds like a lofty goal. But visit any one of the gardens or farms — from Boston's Dudley neighborhood to Long Hill Farm in Beverly — and you begin to see the elements of the Project's success. It begins with the people, who work the place, which produces the food, which feeds the hungry. Not to mention the souls of the people who work and visit there.
The photos in this essay were collected during a tour in May of the Long Hill Farm, which The Food Project operates in partnership with The Trustees of Reservations, and continues at the Glen Urquhart School and greenhouse. The photos start, as The Food Project does itself, with the people.
Cathy Huyghe writes for the WGBH Daily Dish blog. Read new WGBH Daily Dish posts every weekday, where you can explore myriad ways and places to experience good food and wine.
Filed under: Stories |


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Native American Collection to Stay at Arts Center
SIOUX FALLS - A collection of Native American artwork seized by the Internal Revenue Service will remain at the Washington Pavilion's Visual Arts Center.
The 16-piece collection on loan to the center for more than a decade was seized from the nonprofit American Indian Services in September because of delinquent tax bill of more than $118,000. The artwork includes sculpture, beadwork, ledger art and other pieces.
The Argus Leader reports that Pavilion President Larry Toll was the only bidder on the aggregate collection on Thursday, placing the minimum $24,750 bid set by the government.
Toll says Augustana College was a major donor to the fund to keep the collection together, and it will be named after the Sioux Falls school.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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(This post isn't directed at anyone in particular, and you know who you are.)
I've met a lot of authors. Some pre-published. Some seasoned pros. Some somewhere in between.
Most writers have some sort of publicity plan. They're going to set up local signings, or take out some ads, or start a blog, or have a contest, or get some big blurbs, or attend a lot of conferences, or send out postcards, or visit a lot of libraries, or print up 10,000 bookmarks, or pay to promote their website, or teach classes, or try to manipulate their Amazon numbers, or give away lots of free copies or their book, or have a large internet presence, or make vidlits, or all of the above (which is what I did, in one way or another.)
And most writers soon find out that their best laid plans, when executed, don't meet their expectations.
It's hard to sell books. Which is why 4 out of 5 published don't earn out their advance.
A lot of writers I know, when they find out their plans didn't pan out, become discouraged, bitter, depressed, and resentful.
This brings up an important point---one that many authors, both new and seasoned, fail to grasp: If you build it, they won't always come.
Having marketing ideas or strategies is good--enthusiasm and a willingness to experiment with publicity and marketing will help you in the long run. But too many authors think that an ad, or a contest, or a vidlit, or a blog, will automatically sell books. It won't.
There's no single path to success. Some authors do the bare minimum, and sell like crazy. Some try like crazy and still have poor sell-through.
I'm confidant in saying I self-promote a lot. I'm a minorly successful author. I believe I have very good name recognition in comparison to my sales (meaning I'm known by more people than simply those who buy me.) I believe this name recognition is based on all that I have done to promote myself, and that many sales have resulted from my efforts--sales that wouldn't have happened otherwise. My site and blog get a lot of hits. I get a lot of fan mail. My readership is growing. These are all good signs.
But still, as much as I'd like to take credit for the way my career is going, the fact is that luck plays a huge part.
Much bigger authors than me have done much less on the self-promotion front, but sell in much greater numbers. I can say, "Do this, do that, keep trying" but the fact is, none of my efforts have led me to the bestseller lists. James Patterson can say, "Do nothing but write a good book" and his path did lead him to the bestseller list.
For all of our efforts, there's still an X Factor that determines success. Some unknown, unteachable, unreachable thing determines who makes 7 million a book, and who loses their publishing deal due to poor sell-through.
You can increase your odds that Factor X happens by working hard, trying new things, and never giving up, but there are no guarantees.
So why even bother? If it's all up to fate, why spend 80% of your time trying to sell your books?
For me, it comes down to peace of mind. If one of my efforts falls flat, at least I can tell myself that I tried. If my career falls flat, it won't be because I didn't make an effort.
So I recommend that you try. You try everything. You try often. You keep at it, even when nothing seems to work.
But, luckily, sometimes things do work. I believe the failures outnumber the successes in marketing, but when the successes do happen, they make it all worthwhile.
Plus there's the unknown, cumulative effect of your efforts. You might have only gotten three people at your signing, but several hundred saw the sign promoting it. Factor X can come into play in small ways--you meet a TV producer at a convention, someone discovers your blog and wants to do a newspaper story on you, your website contest leads to a foreign rights sale. Your efforts yield more than book sales. They lead to word-of-mouth, brand awareness, and name recognition.
So next time you have a brilliant marketing idea, don't put all your eggs in one basket and count those chickens before they've hatched. The best stock portfolios diversify. Sometimes the sure-thing falls flat, and it's the penny stock that makes you rich.
If you know that a lot of your efforts will fail, you'll be a lot happier at the end of the day.
Thursday, November 17, 2005
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AMD has announced availability of a software driver that supports WebGL, which is designed to bring plugin-free 3D graphics to the Internet. The AMD OpenGL ES 2.0 driver is intended to help developers create 3D content that can be rendered more quickly for consumers using open-source web browsers
WebGL is a cross-platform, royalty-free web standard for a low-level 3D graphics API based on OpenGL ES 2.0, exposed through the HTML5 Canvas element as Document Object Model interfaces. Developers familiar with OpenGL ES 2.0 will recognize WebGL as a Shader-based API using GLSL, with constructs that are semantically similar to those of the underlying OpenGL ES 2.0 API. It stays very close to the OpenGL ES 2.0 specification, with some concessions made for what developers expect out of memory-managed languages such as JavaScript.
WebGL brings plugin-free 3D to the web, implemented right into the browser. Major browser vendors Apple (Safari), Google (Chrome), Mozilla (Firefox), and Opera (Opera) are members of the WebGL Working Group.
In addition to enabling 3D and application-like experiences on the web, AMD's new driver empowers software developers to use desktop PCs and workstations, as opposed to embedded systems, when creating applications based on OpenGL ES 2.0 for smartphones, tablets and other portable devices. And a common OpenGL ES programming environment makes it easier for developers to port applications between PCs and handhelds.
The OpenGL ES 2.0 driver from AMD will be generally available with the upcoming ATI Catalyst 10.7 beta for OpenGL ES 2.0.


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September 20, 2011
John Lampkin
Theme: Gimme an I! Gimme an O! Gimme … an A? Wait, what about the W?? — Each theme answer is a three-word phrase where each word has three of the same letters and the fourth letter alternates I to O to A. If that makes any sense.
Theme answers:
- 20A: Hullabaloo over a sudden policy reversal? (FLIP FLOP FLAP).
- 33A: Sign of table tennis tendonitis? (PING PONG PANG).
- 42A: Bit of applause for an equestrian event? (CLIP CLOP CLAP).
- 58A: Cry of frustration about a Hostess cake? (DING DONG DANG).
- 14A: Coif makeup (HAIR). A coif is made up of HAIR.
- 25A: Legendary Chicago cow owner (O'LEARY). I seem to recall some question about this entry last time we saw it. Mrs. O'LEARY is supposedly the owner of the cow that started the Great Chicago Fire of whatever year that was. I believe there is at least one song about it.
- 29A: Attack from above (STRAFE). I tried STRIKE first, thinking of the phrase "air strike."
- 32A: Co. bigwig (CEO). The abbreviation in the clue indicates that the answer will also be an abbreviation.
- 40A: Half of a double play (OUT). Did y'all see the baseball news yesterday? Mariano Rivera broke the career saves record with his 602nd save. He's so awesome. The New York Times had a picture of him smiling, which isn't really typical.
- 64A: Snug ... bug in ___ (A RUG). Now this right here? This is an ugh-ly clue. The clue couldn't use all the words in the first part of the phrase because they include the word "a," which is also in the answer. To get around that, someone thought it was a good idea to use an ellipses. Ouch!
- 70A: Iowa State's city (AMES). Sigh.
- 4D: Make ready, briefly (PREP). The clue doesn't mean that you would briefly make something ready, it means that the answer is going to be a brief (i.e., shortened) form of the word.
- 7D: Velcro alternatives (SNAPS). I tried LACES first. I guess when I think "velcro," I think "shoes."
- 39D: Yummy but fattening (RICH). I actually read this clue as "Yummy butt fattening." HAha!
- 57A: Inventor Whitney (ELI).
- 65A: "Exodus" author (URIS).
- 13D: Composer Rorem (NED).
- 27D: Actress Russo (RENE).
- 30D: For each one (A POP).
- 37D: High point (ACME).
Everything — 1A: Word on a red octagon (STOP); 5A: Tree trunk greenery (MOSS); 9A: Channel covering Capitol Hill (C-SPAN); 14A: Coif makeup (HAIR); 15A: Queen Boleyn (ANNE); 16A: Partner of well (ALIVE); 17A: Partner of willing (ABLE); 18A: Like tilted ltrs. (ITAL.); 19A: Moderated, with "down" (TONED); 20A: Hullabaloo over a sudden policy reversal? (FLIP FLOP FLAP); 23A: Ball supporter (TEE); 24A: Little mischief-makers (IMPS); 25A: Legendary Chicago cow owner (O'LEARY); 29A: Attack from above (STRAFE); 31A: __ Grande (RIO); 32A: Co. bigwig (CEO); 33A: Sign of table tennis tendonitis? (PING PONG PANG); 37A: Bushy coif (AFRO); 40A: Half of a double play (OUT); 41A: Inventor's germ (IDEA); 42A: Bit of applause for an equestrian event? (CLIP CLOP CLAP); 47A: Big thing at McDonalds? (MAC); 48A: Samaritan's offer (AID); 49A: Game one (OPENER); 53A: Meditation instruction (EXHALE); 55A: Crossword hint (CLUE); 57A: Inventor Whitney (ELI); 58A: Cry of frustration about a Hostess cake? (DING DONG DANG); 61A: Montezuma, e.g. (AZTEC); 64A: Snug ... bug in ___ (A RUG); 65A: "Exodus" author (URIS); 66A: Musical pace (TEMPO); 67A: Easy pace (LOPE); 68A: Waiter's handout (MENU); 69A: Cuts and pastes, say (EDITS); 70A: Iowa State's city (AMES); 71A: Stage accessory (PROP); 1D: Great Pyramid passages (SHAFTS); 2D: One of two Commandments holders (TABLET); 3D: More greasy (OILIER); 4D: Make ready, briefly (PREP); 5D: Letter carriers (MAILMEN); 6D: Winning (ON TOP); 7D: Velcro alternatives (SNAPS); 8D: Note to __ (SELF); 9D: Book of available products (CATALOG); 10D: Hillside (SLOPE); 11D: Exemplar of neatness (PIN); 12D: Hail, to Maria (AVE); 13D: Composer Rorem (NED); 21D: Fido's poodle amie (FIFI); 22D: Pork cut (LOIN); 26D: Military sch. (ACAD.); 27D: Actress Russo (RENE); 28D: Class using mats (YOGA); 30D: For each one (A POP); 31D: Campus military gp. (ROTC); 34D: __ Samaritan (GOOD); 35D: Little Lab (PUP); 36D: Organ whistle (PIPE); 37D: High point (ACME); 38D: Source of linen (FLAX); 39D: Yummy but fattening (RICH); 43D: Parti-colored cats (CALICOS); 44D: Bank's claim (LIEN); 45D: Sprawls, as by the pool (LOUNGES); 46D: Take down __: humble (A PEG); 50D: Less remote (NEARER); 51D: Cause of odd weather (EL NIÑO); 52D: Equips for use (RIGS UP); 54D: Highly capable (ADEPT); 55D: PC data disk (CD-ROM); 56D: Gem grader's aid (LOUPE); 59D: Festive event (GALA); 60D: Trash destination (DUMP); 61D: Ended a fast (ATE); 62D: Alphabet ender in England (ZED); 63D: 1979 Pa. meltdown site (TMI).


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|Offensive Line
|(916) 278-2462
|Previous College:
|California, '70
Veteran coach Bill Laveroni was hired in the spring of 2013 to coach the Sacramento State offensive line. Laveroni brought with him a wealth of experience ranging from high school to the National Football League.
Laveroni's offensive line helped lead the way for a record breaking Hornet offense in 2014. Senior Derek Nielsen and junior Aleksandar Milanovic each were named to the all-Big Sky third team. The pair were two of the four players who started all 12 games on the line during the season.
In 2013, Laveroni coached guard Tyler Worthley to first team all-Big Sky Conference honors.
Prior to taking the job at Sacramento State, Laveroni was the offensive line coach with the Florida Tuskers and Virginia Beach Destroyers of the United Football League.
His 40 years of coaching, includes six seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. Laveroni took control of the offensive line in 2004 with the retirement of longtime NFL offensive line coach Tom Lovat. Named assistant offensive line coach April 2, 2002, Laveroni was being groomed to create a smooth transition upon Lovat's retirement.
Laveroni has helped fashion one of the finest left sides of any offensive line in the NFL with a pair of Pro Bowlers in tackle Walter Jones and guard Steve Hutchinson in 2004 and again in 2005 with the addition of center Robbie Tobeck.
In his first season in charge of the line in 2004, his blockers paved the way for Shaun Alexander to set a club record and lead the NFC with 1,696 rushing yards. Alexander then broke that record with 1,880 yards and set an NFL-record with 28 touchdowns in 2005. He helped coordinate Seattle's 2002 offensive line that helped lead a record-setting offensive performance despite a rash of injuries to the line.
Laveroni broke into coaching as offensive line coach for the freshman team at California before coaching offensive line at the University of San Francisco. After two collegiate seasons, he became an assistant coach at St. Ignatius High from 1972-76, where he and current offensive coordinator Gil Haskell coached together. He then became head coach at Piedmont High for one year before rejoining the college ranks.
He coached linebackers and tight ends at his alma mater, California (1978), before leaving for Utah State to coach the linebackers and offensive line from 1979-82.
His third tour of duty at California saw him lead the offensive line from 1983-89 followed by the same position coupled with special teams coordinator for San Jose State from 1990-92. From 1993-94 he coached only the offensive line for the Spartans.
Laveroni joined the Arena League's San Jose Sabercats in 1995 and coached for one year leading to a five-year career at Rutgers where he served as offensive line coach and run game coordinator (1996-00).
He was a three-year starter for California at center (1967-69) where he earned a degree in criminology. He also holds a teaching credential from the master's program of the University of San Francisco.
Laveroni and his wife, Patty, have one son, Anthony (15).
Bill Laveroni's Coaching Career
1972-76 St. Ignatius High School-Assistant Coach
1977 Piedmont High School-Head Coach
1978 University of California-Linebackers/Tight Ends
1979-82 Utah State University-Linebackers/Offensive Line
1983-89 University of California-Offensive Line
1990-92 San Jose State-Offensive Line/Special Teams Coord.
1993-94 San Jose State-Offensive Line
1995 San Jose Sabercats-Offensive Line/Defensive Line
1996-00 Rutgers University-Offensive Line/Run Game Coord.
2001 Vanderbilt University-Offensive Line
2002-03 Seattle Seahawks-Assistant Offensive Line
2004-07 Seattle Seahawks-Offensive Line
2009-10 Florida Tuskers-Offensive Line
2011-12 Virginia Beach Destroyers-Offensive Line


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Katie Hazelton has joined the Duke swimming and diving coaching staff as a volunteer assistant diving coach, as announced by head coach Dan Colella Wednesday, Oct. 2.
Hazelton will assist head diving coach Nunzio Esposto, who took over the reins of the Duke diving program this summer.
A native of Harpenden, Hertfordshire, England, Hazelton joins the Blue Devils after serving as the program director for the Duke Diving club team for the past year. Prior to coming to Durham, she was a diving technical operations manager with the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, overseeing planning and development for the 2012 Summer Olympics.
Hazelton also worked as an aquatics officer with the American Swimming Association from 2010-11 and was previously a diving talent development officer with the organization from 2007-10.
A 2005 graduate of Leeds University in Leeds, England, Hazelton earned a bachelor of sports science and physiology degree.
She is the daughter of Jackie and Brian Hazelton, who are both involved with diving in Great Britain.
Hazelton currently resides in Durham.
This release was provided to swimswam by Duke Swimming and Diving.


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The Bengals have taken more cornerbacks in Round One (three) than any other position in Marvin Lewis' 11 years as head coach.
Of those three first-round corners, Leon Hall (2007) and Dre Kirkpatrick (2012) remain on the roster, with Johnathan Joseph having moved on to Houston in 2011. In addition, the Bengals have two other first-rounders — Terence Newman (2003, Dallas) and Adam Jones (2005, Tennessee) on the depth chart at cornerback.
At the club's press conference, Lewis went into some detail on why the club has added so much first-round talent at cornerback.
"Quarterback and cornerback are the toughest positions to play in the league, and if you're not good enough there, everyone else suffers," Lewis said, according to a transcript on the club's website. "And there's no way to mask it. It takes certain rare ability to play those two spots.
"To play cornerback on defense, to run with a guy that can be bigger than you, can be faster than you, knows where he's going, and you've got to run with him, and you've got to defend him and you can't touch him."
Added Lewis: "That's a tough position. I've been fortunate in the league to be around a bunch of good corners, and most of them came in the first round. I feel pretty good about that."
The Bengals select 24th overall on Thursday night. And, as it turns out, they could use a little help at cornerback.


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As an observer who has watched the effort to save the Cape San Blas Lighthouse play out over the past decade � not the past few months as some would assert � the recent wrangling has an echo of humor.
As an observer who has watched the effort to save the Cape San Blas Lighthouse play out over the past decade � not the past few months as some would assert � the recent wrangling has an echo of humor.
For much of the past decade the city of Port St. Joe and the Board of County Commissioners paid scant attention to the lighthouse and grounds.
The folks at the St. Joseph Historical Society put the shoulder to the wheel and did all the heavy lifting to restore a keeper�s quarters and the lighthouse and create a tour and gift shop.
That is their hard work; there is little other credit, at least locally, to spread around despite efforts otherwise.
But the effort to save the lighthouse has created just another rub between the city and county and no matter the efforts of citizens to disengage from that concept, the reality is there is little respect lost between the BOCC and city commissioners.
The BOCC has pretty much dictated that, as occured Tuesday when BOCC meeting time was again wasted on axe-grinding having nothing to do with county business, with a racial tinge for effect.
Some clarifications are required, however.
The city is not stealing the lighthouse � the ocean is doing that. If nobody locally lifts a finger the grounds will be under water within a year or two, at most.
The application process for taking possession of the lighthouse may be, like so much of government, deeply flawed, but it is what it is, the process. The process has produced a decision.
It was stated by the BOCC that it would live with that decision. Maybe, maybe not.
There is no clarity on what the potential costs of moving the lighthouse could be and therefore a comparison between county-proposed Salinas Park and city-proposed BayFront Park, a new creation, are moot, despite common sense that Salinas would be cheaper.
Until the process gets down to qualifications and specs on the job, until there is a certified quote and not guess work or an estimate, the exact cost is an unknown.
And, bluntly, neither city nor county can exactly afford to pull off the move on the backs of taxpayers, if pleas of poverty the last few years are to have credibility.
There is also the simple truth that there are compelling arguments on both sides of the equation for where the lighthouse should be relocated with passionate people providing those arguments.
At the most fundamental this is a debate about the economy, about creating a revenue stream and potentially jobs as well as a ripple effect throughout the county.
This is in significant measure about economic development and in this rare instance, when the city has, shall we say, a bit of the upper hand, there is a path for the city to make this work far beyond a lighthouse and museum and park.
The city could decide to back away and alert the U.S. Department of the Interior that it will defer to the county on the lighthouse.
This may very well not be the city�s call; the federal government tends to do what it cares to and that is why no one should be holding their breath on any RESTORE Act money.
But the city could back away with the same stipulation the county put in its letter of appeal to the feds� decision to award the lighthouse to the city � make it contingent on the county relocating the lighthouse within a certain period of time or the city moves ahead in line.
In return the city could demand, through interlocal agreements, two things that are in BOCC hands but could prove far more fruitful for economic development.
One, force an agreement in writing on the Economic Development Council, living to the original parameters agreed when the current director was hired more than a year ago.
In effect, compel the BOCC to live, for once when it comes to economic development, to its agreement with Barry Sellers on length of contract and level of funding with the city also contributing its agreed portion.
In other words, go back to the beginning before the spite train roared through the BOCC meeting room and let Sellers do his job.
Get out of the way. If, after the finite period of his contract, work remains, a decision can be fairly reached.
At this point, Sellers has been hired to develop the economy of the county with one hand and one leg tied behind his back.
Second, force a written agreement that any RESTORE funds coming to the county are first earmarked to pay off the mortgage on port land along the Intracoastal Canal.
If there is going to be real economic development, real job creation that benefits the entire county, it is likely to come from that port, which is within the city limits, with St. Joe as a partner and the state invested.
The significant stumbling block for the port is that mortgage with Capital City Bank. Facilitate paying it off with the RESTORE windfall.
The lighthouse is surely not worth continued bad blood � even within the Historical Society � that seems part of the local government DNA.
And it is a shame that saving the lighthouse has became a competition to begin with � particularly when the competition results only in wounds.
The argument could be fairly made that a replica lighthouse, using the original as a model, would fit the Bayfront Park concept just fine.
But the award of the lighthouse to the city has positioned the City Commission for the opportunity to use foresight and long-term vision that the BOCC can never seem to get its hands around to the benefit of the entire county.
Shine the light a little farther than Salinas Park or Bayfront Park.


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Registered Nurse Degree Info
Which schools offer Bloomfield RN Programs?
RN programs (both campus-based & online RN courses) are medical training programs offered by universities, vocational or technical schools, and community or junior colleges. Some hospitals even offer registered nursing training as an RN diploma.
How do I become an licensed RN?
Each state sets its own RN requirements. In order to earn your RN license, you must pass the NCLEX® examination. The NCLEX® is a comprehensive nursing exam that can only be taken by graduates of a nursing program approved by your state's board of nursing.
Do I need to complete an LPN program before I go to college to get an RN Degree?
No you don't need to complete LPN training before you can get your RN license. An accredited RN Associate Degree program takes 2 years. You can earn your RN Diploma in 3 years. (BSN - 4 years, RN to BSN can be 2-3 years)
Free Nursing School in Bloomfield?
The education necessary to become an RN is valuable, and registered nurses make really good money in New Jersey. However, students can lower the cost of RN school with financial aid. There are numerous grants and nursing school scholarships in New Jersey. They might not make your RN degree free but it can at least be more affordable.
Contact one of the accredited nursing schools listed here to get information about the financial aid you qualify for. Find out more about online nursing schools in New Jersey.
RN Job Description
Registered nurses (RNs), regardless of specialty or work setting, treat patients, educate patients and the public about various medical conditions, and provide advice and emotional support to patients' family members. RNs record patients' medical histories and symptoms, help perform diagnostic tests and analyze results, operate medical machinery, administer treatment and medications, and help with patient follow-up and rehabilitation.
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Bloomfield College
467 Franklin St.
Bloomfield, New Jersey 7003
Mountainside Hospital
1 Bay Avenue
Montclair, New Jersey 7042
Essex County College
303 University Ave.
Newark, New Jersey 7102
Rutgers University
123 Washington Street
Newark, New Jersey 7102
Seton Hall University
400 South Orange Avenue
South Orange, New Jersey 7079
Felician College
262 South Main St.
Lodi, New Jersey 7644
Passaic County Community College
One College Boulevard
Paterson, New Jersey 7505
Christ Hospital
176 Palisade Avenue
Jersey City, New Jersey 7306
Saint Peter's College
2641 John F. Kennedy Boulevard
Jersey City, New Jersey 7306
Bayonne Medical Center School of Nursing
29th St. & Avenue E.
Bayonne, New Jersey 7002
William Paterson University
300 Pompton Road
Wayne, New Jersey 7470
Fairleigh Dickinson University
1000 River Road
Teaneck, New Jersey 7666
Holy Name Hospital
718 Teaneck Road
Teaneck, New Jersey 7666
Trinitas Hospital
225 Williamson St.
Elizabeth, New Jersey 7207
Bergen Community College
400 Paramus Road
Paramus, New Jersey 7652
Fairleigh Dickinson University
285 Madison Avenue
Madison, New Jersey 7940
Englewood Hospital & Medical Center
350 Engle Street
Englewood, New Jersey 7631
JFK Medical Center - Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center
Park Avenue & Randolph Road
North Plainfield, New Jersey 7060
Hohokus School of Business and Medical Sciences
10 S Franklin Turnpike
Ramsey, New Jersey 7446
Charles E. Gregory School of Nursing
60 Washington Street
Perth Amboy, New Jersey 8861


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Cross Timbers School Supply List
Wide Ruled Filler Paper 200 Ct.
Small Glue Stick
Manilla Paper 12x18
Plastic Ruler 12"
1-Subject Spiral – Size 11 x 9
5" Pointed Scissors
Composition Book
3 x 5 Index Card Pkg
Highlighters 4 Pack
5-tab Dividers Pkg
Color pencils 12 Ct.
Washable Markers
No. 2 Pencils
Pocket Folder w/Brads
Enclosed Handheld Pencil Sharpener
Pocket Folder (no brads)
Dry Erase Markers (4 pk)
Pencil Bag
3" Vinyl Binder
Hand sanitizer
Paper towels
Disinfectant wipes (Canister)
** Please note that some supplies will need to be replenished as needed throughout the school year.
(CTIS supplies headphones for students to use with classroom technology, but many students prefer earbuds. It is recommended that each student bring a pair to keep at school for the year.)
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Age can't be barrier for acting: Thulasi NairJan 26, 2013 Haricharan Pudipeddi
Thulasi, raised in Mumbai, was in Class 10 when she was signed for the film. She wishes to complete her schooling at all costs.
"I had to discontinue school due to acting commitments, but I intend to complete it, come what may. I have been taking classes via Skype and I should really be grateful to my teachers for that. When I am not reading script on sets, I am reading my subject books," Thulasi told IANS.
Acting is in her blood - she is the daughter of Tamil actress Radha Nair.
"People ask me all the time 'Are you not too young to be an actress?', to which I only say that age can't be a barrier for acting. With constant encouragement and guidance, which in my case I received from my mother and director, I think one can be a better actor," she said.
She also looks up to her elder sister, Tamil actress Karthika Nair for inputs.
"My mother and sister are my source of inspiration, but they stepped back in the case of 'Kadal' as they believed I was in the right hands and needed personal grooming from Mani sir," said Thulasi.
She admits she didn't grow up wanting to be an actress.
"Mani sir was on the lookout for a young heroine and roped me in after he found that I possess the same qualities as his reel character," said Thulasi, who essays the role of Beatrice in the movie, which is about young love set in a fishing village in Tamil Nadu.
In "Kadal", she is cast opposite another debutant Gautham Karthik, son of yesteryears Tamil actor Karthik, in the film, also written and produced by Ratnam.
"The character I play is very dear to the director. It is complex in nature with different shades such as being rebellious and youthful. I remember there were a few expressions that Mani sir captured randomly when off shooting and asked me to re-enact them later. It was extremely challenging to remember and do something that I originally did a few hours back," she added.
The youngster reveals she spent nearly two months with Ratnam before the shoot in Chennai to understand the character in detail.
"Gautham and I also enrolled for a two-month acting workshop under the mentorship of (actress) Kalairani," she said.
"Kadal", which releases Feb 1, also stars Arvind Swamy, Arjun, Lakshmi Manchu and Thambi Ramaiah in important roles. It was shot in places such as the Andaman Islands, Rameswaram and other coastal areas of Tamil Nadu.
A perfectionist is what Thulasi calls Ratnam on sets and adds that it is a fun, yet difficult experience to work with him.
"I was told he is very relaxed and soft spoken on sets, but he isn't in reality. He is always on his toes trying to multitask and make everything look perfect. One needs to be mentally prepared to catch up at the pace at which he works and even though it is challenging, working with him is enjoyable," she said.
Thulasi has already started working on her second project titled "Yaan" with Jiiva.
"Since I was spoiled and pampered on the sets of 'Kadal', I found working for this film very different. I'm starting to get used to be independent because if I have to survive, I need to start doing things on my own," added Thulasi. Click the Movie button below for more info:
Thulasi Nair Pictures
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What Your Vintage Concert Tour T-Shirt Says About You
Nowadays it's easy to find a vintage t-shirt of your favorite band. Websites and online auctions make it simple to track down a rare, classic shirt that you couldn't find anywhere else, but it's going to cost you.
But what about the guys who didn't buy a shirt from the '70s to be trendy and just haven't gotten around to updating their wardrobe in three decades.
Here's a breakdown of what your vintage concert shirt says about you.
Van Halen
I placed in an arm wrestling tournament at a pub more than once. Never quite won the championship, but I definitely didn't finish last.
The Who
I didn't watch the halftime show of the 2010 Super Bowl because if I did it would have tarnished any memory I had of a one time great band.
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
I'm pretty sure my parents liked Springsteen so I bought this thing on eBay for $150. It'll make me cool, right?
Jimmy Buffett
I have spent over $100 at a Tommy Bahama on one visit and may or may not own a plush parrot that I bring out when I've had too many drinks.
I can sing into a hairbrush better than anyone on the radio, but if I'm in front of anyone I can't quite pull it off.
REO Speedwagon
I've watched episodes of MASH to try and find a deeper meaning or discover what the writers were really trying to tell us.
Elton John & Billy Joel
I support equal marriage rights and drunk driving.
Elvis Costello
I will only watch the first five seasons of The Simpsons. The other seasons are insulting.
Waylon Jennings
I have a tattoo somewhere on my body of a skull and crossbones, except the bones are replaced with pistols, and the skull is wearing a cowboy hat.
I got a few weird looks going to the Revlon counter asking for a lipstick that would match my skin tone, but that's the price of rock 'n roll.
Motley Crue
It's hard for me to reach the gas pedal in my Trans-Am because my leather pants made it difficult to move my legs from side to side.
The Police
I bought a saxophone when I was 19 because I thought one day I could be the final member of the band.
Phil Collins
I've daydreamed about how cool it would be if Phil Collins had me sit center, front row and sang a song to me about watching a teen drown.
Lionel Ritchie
I may or may not still own a pair of gloves with the fingers cut out of them. I also aspired to dance with those guys who perform in the subway. I also tried to dance on the ceiling once. Broke my tailbone.
Jeff Beck
My kids were conceived during a guitar solo while we were high.
The Band
I've ingested more breaths of marijuana than I have breaths that don't include marijuana.
Guns N' Roses
One time I asked one of my bros "How do my bangs look? Are they big enough?"
Monsters of Rock Tour
I was suspended from high school for smoking in the bathroom and telling the principal to "stuff it" more times than I made the honor roll.
Neil Young
I still listen to my music on a Walkman because I think iPods destroy the quality of the music.
John Cougar Mellencamp
I never stopped calling him Johnny Cougar. Ain't that America?
Ozzy Osbourne
I've at least contemplated biting the head off of a live chicken while being covered in blood.
Michael Jackson
I spent more time learning to moonwalk than I did watching MJ trial coverage.


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A mild color palette defines the look of Country Estate, which is inspired by the natural beauty of the English countryside: rolling hills, stone-made architecture and lush vegetation. View
Embark on a challenging adventure to the Klondike gold region with Klondike Landscape Fall/Winter 2014-15, an outdoor trend of dark blues, earthy colors and rugged designs. View
Fable Fall/Winter 2014-15 is a poetic escape to mythical lands where legend encounters a dream world, transporting us from the 21st century to eras only imagined. View
Elegant and opulent reflection is the leitmotif--the recurring theme--of the Sydney Opera House Fall/Winter 2014-15 trend. View
Named after the nation renowned for everything beautiful and delicious, our France Fall/Winter 2014-15 trend is a feast for the eyes with rich color and ornamentation. View
Magical moments, glitzy affairs and epic impressions abound in this season's hottest wedding jewelry designs and bridal style directions. View
Just waiting for your creative touch, these favorite materials and components will bring to life this season's jewelry fashions.


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1. BA Ferguson Shirley McLean
BA Ferguson Guitars made its first NAMM show appearance this year with a collection of acoustics and electrics built from recycled materials and repurposed wood. The Shirley McLean model pictured here features a chambered cherry body with a maple top, a maple neck with a persimmon fretboard, Heavy Air single-coils, and momentary mid-boost and kill switches made from '80s Nintendo Entertainment System controller buttons.
2. Mario Martin Serpentine 2
This Tennessee-based company's short-scale, Mustangesque Serpentine 2 uses TV Jones pickups and a super-lightweight paulownia body to create crazy-lively and overtone-rich sounds. At 5 pounds 7 ounces, it's like slinging a feather!
3. HeliArc Guitars Arc Light
Based in Santa Ana, California, this new outfit debuted its line of aluminum-bodied guitars that combine quasi resonator-style construction and Lace Alumitone pickups for tones ranging from fat, Tele-like bark to super-mellow jazz vibes.
4. Larrivée Bakersfield
The boutique veterans from Vancouver, Canada, unleashed their beautiful Bakersfield T-style solidbodies, which feature contoured bodies, chunky D-profile necks, an optional neck humbucker, and jumbo frets— they're sweet players, too.
5. J.D. Vokes Art Guitars
J.D. Vokes' Art Guitars made its NAMM show debut this summer with an eye-grabbing collection of customized production guitars from other manufacturers. The "Slashin' Assassin" Epiphone Goth Explorer (left) features an inlaid chainsaw blade and rusted-steel pickguard, while the "Home on the Range" Kona KE35 has hair-in cowhide and a leather-covered pickguard.
6. Burly Guitars
Burly Guitars builds ornately carved semi-hollowbodies that incorporate a patented Internal Resonance System to get a wide spectrum of growling tones. The company says the resonance system uses "tuning forks" carved into each guitar's core to "recirculate vibrations back into the strings" for added sustain.
7. Burns Dream Noiseless
US distributor Saga Musical Instruments debuted the Burns Dream Noiseless, which marries vintage Burns appointments such as the Rez-o-Tube tremolo and Gear-o-Matik truss-rod adjuster with new Burns Rez-o-Matik Noiseless pickups and locking tuners.


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By Brady Henderson
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll sounds like he's leaning toward elevating rookie Bruce Irvin into a starting role now that Chris Clemons has been lost to a season-ending knee injury.
In that case, Irvin would transition from a situational pass rusher to the weakside defensive end, a every-down position in which Clemons has thrived.
Less clear is which player would assume Irvin's role. Irvin led all rookies with eight sacks, seeing most of his playing time in passing situations opposite Clemons. Fellow rookie Greg Scruggs, a seventh-round pick, is one option. Scruggs had two sacks and six tackles in 11 games.
Danny O'Neil of The Seattle Times and 710 ESPN Seattle discussed this issue when he joined "Brock and Salk" on Tuesday. O'Neil thinks replacing Irvin is the bigger concern.
"I don't think the drop-off between Clemons and Irvin is as significant as what it does to your depth," he said.
The video below includes additional thoughts from Brock Huard and Mike Salk on how the Seahawks will proceed without Clemons.
You can listen to Tuesday's podcast here.