text:
Men's Junior Volleyball Team Overcomes Puerto Rico
Becky Murdy
Coordinator, Communications
Phone: 719-228-6800
E-Mail: email@example.com
@USA_Volleyball - USAV Facebook
Unofficial DataVolley Stats - MJNT Press Kit - Events Page - Photos
Feature Story: All in the Family for Men's Junior National Team
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 31, 2012) – The U.S. Men's Junior National Volleyball Team secured its spot in the 2012 NORCECA Men's Junior Continental Championship (U-21) finals by defeating Puerto Rico 25-15, 25-16, 25-20 in Friday evening's semifinal match at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Opposite Ben Patch (Provo, Utah) led the U.S. with 16 points off of 13 kills and three blocks. Middle blocker Nick Olsen (New Berlin, Wis.) posted a personL-tournament best 11 points off of eight kills, two blocks and a service ace.
"We really wanted to come out tonight and prove ourselves against this team," Olsen said. "We were focused on transitioning better and staying focused during plays that haven't been going our way. We wanted to keep improving and prove that we were the better team."
With the win the U.S. (4-0), defending tournament champion, secured a spot in Saturday's finals match against Canada at 5:30 p.m. MT. The top three finishing teams in the NORCECA Men's Junior Continental Championship earn berths into the 2013 FIVB Volleyball Men's Junior World Championship.
"Since we are playing Canada tomorrow we are going to have to focus a lot more on defense," Olsen said. "Canada is a big physical team like us and the offense will be there. We have played them a few times and it will be a good matchup.
U.S. Men's Junior National Volleyball Team Head Coach Peter Hanson started Greg Petty and D.J. White (Hermosa Beach, Calif.) at outside, Micah Christenson (Honolulu) at setter, and Matt Tarantino (Van Nuys, Calif.) and Olsen at middle blocker, Patch at opposite and Tony Ensbury (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) at libero.
The United States out-served Puerto Rico with a 7-0 ace advantage. The U.S. added an 8-6 block advantage and 45-27 kill margin with a 57.0 kill percent and .380 hitting efficiency.
Petty and Tarantino each posted 10 points. Petty talled eight kills and two service aces while Tarantion had six kills, three blocks and a service ace. White charted six kills for six points and Christenson contributed five points off of three kills and two service aces.
Scott Rhein (Pleasant View, Tenn.) subbed in all three sets and posted a service kill for a point. James Shaw (Woodside, Calif.) saw playing time in the second set and connected on the set-winning kill. Matt West (Seattle, Wash.) and Michael Henchy (Ventura, Calif) both subbed in the third set.
"Congratulations to Puerto Rico for a hard fought match," United States captain Micah Christenson said. "We were able to serve the ball well, which helped our block defense. Overall, we had a good team effort. We know Canada well as we have played them a lot including at least four scrimmages (in August). We will need to execute our game plan and focus on our side of the net."
"My congratulations to USA on a great match," Puerto Rico captain Cristian Rivera said. "Tonight we couldn't handle USA's serve. I hope we go home knowing we will be in Turkey in 2013."
"My congratulations to USA for a great match," Puerto Rico head coach Ramon Hernandez said. "Puerto Rico is having a hard time passing. Tomorrow we have to pass better and play our best match of the tournament to beat a good Mexican team."
USA posted the first three points including an ace from Tarantino. Tarantino then served into the net but a kill from Petty gave the U.S. the ball back and a 4-1 lead. A drifted dig from Ensbury gave Puerto Rico the one-over at 4-2. A Puerto Rico service error sent Petty back to serve at 5-2. Patch took a huge swing from the right side for a kill at 6-3. Puerto Rico answered back with a kill down the middle. Patch delivered a soft lob over the net into blank space for a kill at 7-4. Puerto Rico served into the net before the first technical timeout at 8-5. Puerto Rico got within one of the U.S. at 9-8 before a kill from Olsen stopped the run. Patch's serve went long and Puerto Rico sided out at 10-9. Patch delivered a kill from the right side and Petty's serve hit the net for an error at 11-10. White shot a bullet into open space for a kill and a two-point U.S. lead at 12-10. A huge set from Christenson on the right side of the net set White up perfectly for a lift-side kill at 13-10. Puerto Rico called a timeout at 14-10. Puerto Rico posted a kill only to be responded to by a rocket off the arm of Petty at 15-11. Starting with a huge dig from Ensbury and ending with Petty's third kill and a Puerto Rico timeout. Tarantino's block went wide before he connected on a kill at 18-12. Patch and Tarantino worked together to get the team and stands roaring with a textbook double-block at 19-12. Puerto Rico gave the U.S. its 20th point with a long attack but a cross-court from Patch missed by an inch and Puerto sided out at 20-13. Rhein subbed in for Tarantino and served into the net at 21-14. Olsen connected on a middle set from Christenson to side out at 22-14. Patch's serve went long and Puerto Rico took the ball at 22-15. Patch attacked through a triple block for a kill followed by a triple block from White, Christenson and Olsen to give the U.S. set point at 24-15. The U.S. took the first set 25-15 after a Puerto Rico attack went long.
Patch stopped a quick 2-0 Puerto Rico lead with a kill from the right side to side out at 2-1. Puerto Rico served into the net but they recovered with a kill to take a 4-2 lead early in the second set. Sparked by a kill from Olsen and back-to-back service aces from Petty, the U.S. went on a 5-0 run over Puerto Rico to take the lead at 7-4. The first technical timeout of the set came at 8-5. Puerto Rico was unable to control Olsen's serve for point, U.S. at 9-5. Olsen remained serving as Puerto Rico over shot its attack. Patch's kill-attempt was stopped by the block and Puerto Rico sided out, down by four. A miscommunication for the U.S was made-up for by a kill off the arm of Tarantino. Petty found a gap in Puerto Rico's block and Patch capitalized on the momentum with a kill off the right side at 14-8. Puerto Rico served long and Patch went back to serve at 15-10. A Puerto Rico attack found open space on the U.S. side of the court for a kill and the U.S. retaliated with the same before the technical timeout at 16-11. Olsen charted his third kill followed by a service error from Petty. Rhein subbed in for Olsen after a kill and Puerto Rico called a timeout at 18-12. The U.S. hit 20 points off of Petty's fourth kill. Christenson tallied back-to-back aces to give the U.S. a nine-point lead at 22-13. Tarantino and Shaw formed a wall against a Puerto Rico attack and a service change-up from Christenson caught the Puerto Rico defense off guard at 24-13. Puerto Rico went on a 3-0 run before the U.S. called timeout at 24-16. Coming off the timeout Shaw delivered his first kill and gave the U.S. the second set at 25-16.
The U.S and Puerto Rico climbed the scoreboard together up until 3-all. Puerto Rico clocked the fourth point off a U.S. hitting error and Olsen responded with a line drive too much for the Puerto Rico defense to handle. Petty's first attack went long but he recovered with a kill. A U.S. service error followed by a kill from Olsen gave the U.S. the ball. White's attack was denied by triple block from Puerto Rico at 7-7. White responded with a kill before a technical timeout at 8-7. Tarantino posted his sixth kill at 10-9 and Puerto Rico tied it up with a kill of their own at 10-10. Patch connected on his 11th kill from the right side followed by a kill from White to bring the set to 14-13. A net call on the U.S. followed by a net call on Puerto Rico brought the set to 17-15. Petty swing for the fences and charted his seventh kill before a Puerto Rico timeout at 18-15. Puerto Rico capitalized on a wide U.S. block followed by a wide attack to gain two points and come within one at 18-17. Puerto Rico tied it up at 18s with a double-block but couldn't take the lead with a service ace. Rhein subbed into the match for Tarantino at 19-18 and delivered a service ace. Olsen posted a kill at 21-18 before Puerto Rico took a timeout. Rhein was iced by the time and served into the net. Puerto Rico's attack went long and West subbed in for Patch to serve. Christenson connected for a kill and the U.S. went up 23-19. A missed block by the U.S. brought Puerto Rico to 20. Puerto Rico gave the U.S. set and match point at 24-20. The U.S. secured the final-match spot with a 25-20 finish off a Puerto Rico attack that went long.
2012 U.S. Men's Junior National Volleyball Team
# - Name (Position, Hometown, Grad Year, Club, Region, College Status)
3 - Micah Christenson (S, Honolulu, Hawaii, 2011, Outrigger Canoe Club, Aloha, University of Southern California)
4 - Tony Ensbury (L, Manhattan Beach, Calif., 2011, SCVC, Southern California, Princeton University)
5 - Driss Guessous (MB, Pasadena, Calif., 2012, Manhattan Beach Surf, Southern California Signed at Ohio State)
6 - Michael Henchy (OH, Ventura, Calif., 2011, Spectrum VBC, Southern California, Ohio State)
8 - Nick Olson (MB, New Berlin, Wis., 2012, West Allis Lightning, Badger, Signed at University of Chicago-Loyola)
9 - Ben Patch (Opp, Provo, Utah, 2012, Utah Elite, Intermountain, Signed at Brigham Young University)
10 - Greg Petty (OH, Downers Grove, Ill., 2011, Sports Performance, Great Lakes, Lewis University
11 - Scott Rhein (OH, Pleasant View, Tenn., 2011, Impact Volleyball Club, Southern, Pepperdine)
14 - James Shaw (S/Opp, Woodside, Calif., 2012, Mountain View Volleyball Club, Northern California, Signed at Stanford)
16 - Matt Tarantino (Opp, Van Nuys, Calif., 2011, Santa Monica Beach Club, Southern California, Pepperdine)
17 - Matt West (S, Seattle, Wash., 2011, Space Needle Volleyball Foundation, Puget Sound Region, Pepperdine)
18 - DJ White (L/OH, Hermosa Beach, Calif., 2011, Manhattan Beach Surf, Southern California, Harvard)
Head Coach: Peter Hanson
Assistant Coach: Jonah Carson
Assistant Coach: Jay Hosack
Statistician: Jake Schick
Team Leader: Collin Powers
Schedule and Results
Pool A
Aug. 27: Mexico def. St. Vincent and the Grenadines 25-7, 25-10, 25-15 (Live Stats - Final Stats - Photos)
Aug. 27: United States def. Honduras 25-12, 25-12, 25-16 (Live Stats - Final Stats - Photos)
Aug. 28: Mexico def. Honduras 25-15, 26-24, 25-14 (Live Stats - Final Stats - Photos)
Aug. 28: United States def. St. Vincent and the Grenadines 25-8, 25-8, 25-9 (Live Stats - Final Stats - Photos)
Aug. 29: Honduras def. St. Vincent and the Grenadines 25-17, 25-11, 25-20 (Live Stats - Final Stats - Photos)
Aug. 29: United States def. Mexico 25-18, 25-18, 25-20 (Live Stats - Final Stats - Photos)
Pool B
Aug. 27: Puerto Rico def. Curacao, 27-25, 25-13, 25-23 (Live Stats - Final Stats - Photos)
Aug. 27: Canada def. Guatemala 25-15, 25-13, 25-21 (Live Stats - Final Stats - Photos)
Aug. 28: Canada def. Curacao 25-13, 25-7, 25-22 (Live Stats - Final Stats - Photos)
Aug. 28: Puerto Rico def. Guatemala 25-20, 25-19, 25-20 (Live Stats - Final Stats - Photos)
Aug. 29: Guatemala def. Curacao 25-14, 23-25, 25-19, 25-18 (Live Stats - Final Stats - Photos)
Aug. 29: Canada def. Puerto Rico 25-13, 25-15, 28-30, 25-12 (Live Stats - Final Stats - Photos)
Aug. 30: Puerto Rico def. Honduras 25-16, 25-16, 25-11 (Match 13) (Live Stats - Final Stats - Photos)
Aug. 30: Mexico def. Guatemala 25-23, 25-17, 25-23 (Live Stats - Final Stats - Photos)
Classification 5/8
Aug. 31: Guatemala def. St. Vincent and the Grenadines 25-12, 25-16, 25-16 (Live Stats - Final Stats - Photos)
Aug. 31: Honduras def. Curacao 25-27, 25-19, 27-25, 25-19 (Live Stats - Final Stats - Photos)
Aug. 31: Canada def. Mexico 25-17, 25-18, 24-26, 25-21 (Live Stats - Final Stats - Photos)
Aug. 31: United States def. Puerto Rico 25-15, 25-16, 25-20 (Live Stats - Final Stats - Photos)
Final Classifications
Sept. 1: St. Vincent and the Grenadines vs. Curacao, 11 a.m. (7th Place) (Live Stats - Final Stats - Photos)
Sept. 1: Guatemala vs. Honduras, 1 p.m. (5th Place) (Live Stats - Final Stats - Photos)
Sept. 1: Mexico vs. Puerto Rico, 3 p.m. (Bronze) (Live Stats - Final Stats - Photos)
Sept. 1: Canada vs. United States, 5:30 p.m. (Gold) (Live Stats - Final Stats - Photos)


text:
It actually took my breath away. It made me cry. It filled me with love. It made me realize how precious life is. It made time freeze.
Yesterday was day like so many others. I sang with Voce Regales, a female vocal group formed about 4 years ago by our church's music minister, Peter Smith. I have been singing in choral groups since I was in 4th grade, so, that makes it…4 plus 5 minus 52…a really long time!
When I was a kid, my father used to clear his throat. This way I knew he was there (never always sure about that – he worked a lot and had lots of things going on) and where he was sitting in case I could glance over and smile, wink or discreetly wave.
But my mother was always there having already dressed me in the appropriate outfit, baked the requisite item for the punch and goodies afterward and delivered me to the appropriate venue with minutes to spare after the boots were removed and choir chair found.
If Dad was the wild card, Mom was the Queen. If Dad was the variable, Mom was the absolute.
Have you ever noticed how little we think about the absolute and how the wild card gets all of the attention. Yesterday that thought was like a punch in the stomach for me. My lovely lively mother sat at St. Peter's Church staring at me with the most devoted face of love I have ever witnessed and all I could do was cry.
To gain composure I looked a little further in the distance, several rows behind me and saw the parents of one of my favored choir members. What did I see? I saw the look of absolute love for their daughter.
Most profound for me, however, was the reality that I still had the opportunity to see that look of love and how lucky I am to have at least one of my parents. To have made it into middle age and still have a parent is a lovely thing.
If your parents are alive, give them a call today for no reason, only to ask about them and offer love.
Life is good!
Twitter: MidMajorMom
Twitter: JudeCaserta

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Quality of NMT Undergrads Ranks Highly, Aug. 29, 2000
SOCORRO, N.M., August 29, 2000 -- A recent report released by TheCenter at the University of Florida, titled The Top American Research Universities, lists New Mexico Tech as tied for 38th among the top 100 public institutions in terms of median SAT scores posted by their entering undergraduate students.
Students entering New Mexico Tech were shown to have a median SAT score of 1180, placing the state-funded research university in a tie with the University of California at San Diego, slightly ahead of James Madison University and the University of Iowa and slightly behind Michigan Technological University and the University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire.
Statistics on SAT scores used in TheCenter's nationwide survey and report were compiled from The College Board's College Handbook 2000, which reflects SAT scores posted by the 1998
freshman class.
"The median SAT, while not a complete measure of student quality, is relatively standard because most institutions use it as part of the admissions process, and it is also less influenced by differences in undergraduate population size or financial aid practices," TheCenter's report states.
Median SAT scores are one of ten quality measures used by TheCenter in its structured report which identifies key characteristics of the top research universities in America, and "helps institutions understand the characteristics of the marketplace and the opportunities for improvement."
The Top American Research Universities is an occasional paper published by TheCenter in conjunction with the Lombardi Program on Measuring University Performance.


text:
Click a link on the left to get information specific to your school.
For information regarding tuition and costs, please refer to the Biola graduate admissions website.
1. Students complete FAFSA at www.fafsa.gov. Biola University federal code (001122) must be entered on the FAFSA to send the information to Biola.
2. Biola Financial Aid Office (FAO) receives FAFSA, reviews student and family information and sends notification to students of documents to complete and submit. New students will also receive an estimated financial aid offer based on the FAFSA information (Students must be accepted to Biola University by the Office of Admissions before the FAFSA will be reviewed.)
3. Students complete and submit requested documents. Financial aid forms can be found here . Forms are interactive, when opened with Acrobat Reader.
4 Biola FAO reviews submitted documentation. At this time, additional information or clarification may be requested. Once all information is complete, Biola FAO will award confirmed financial aid.
5. Biola FAO sends confirmed Financial Aid Award Letter to students.
6. Students complete loan applications as necessary. Note: Loan applications should be completed no later than July 1st -- even if aid is not yet confirmed -- if the loan is needed for enrollment down payment.
7. Students must notify Biola FAO of any changes to housing plans.
8. Confirmed aid will automatically be used toward your school bill during Enrollment. Please see Accounting Downpayment Info for more information on how the Accounting office considers Financial Aid during Enrollment.


text:
City Manager's Office
The City Manager's Office manages City affairs while supervising policy and program implementation and enforcement activities. In addition, the department provides policy and program development support to the City Council. The City Manager's Office also oversees the City Clerk's Office, Public Affairs, the Mayor's Community Youth Support Network and the Cultural Arts programs.
Midori Lichtwardt, Interim City Manager


text:
Casper Gathers For Parade Day 2012 [PHOTOS] [VIDEOS]
One of the biggest things to look forward to in Casper each summer is Parade Day! All different kinds of people and businesses put together the most eye-catching floats they can and they arm themselves with candy, prizes, and lots of water for the townsfolk. Everyone in town seems to come out on Parade Day. Indeed, this tradition seems to grow with each passing year. Check out these pics from Parade Day 2012 and let us know what you thought!


text: This strikes me as a very dangerous situation. A cute situation, but also: a dangerous one. And is this the same cat? If so, this cat really puts up with a lot, and I nomiate him or her for Cat of the Year! (Please note, I award a Cat of the Year award at least once a day, your turn could be next.)


text:
Five Easy Pieces Actress Karen Black Dead at 74
Aug 8, 2013 6:16 PM EDT
Karen Black, who earned an Oscar nomination for Five Easy Pieces, died Thursday, her husband announced on Facebook. She was 74. "It is with great sadness that I have to report that my wife and best friend, Karen Black has just passed away, only a few… Read more


text:
Durham News: Opinion
Terry McCann: I will not teach the Common Core
Several years ago when Common Core was in its planning stage, in theory it sounded wonderful.
As a teacher, I thought some uniformity in our mobile society would bring some sense of calm as parents move from city to city and state to state. It also reminded me of the California Achievement Tests I took in elementary and middle schools with their emphasis on the basics: reading, writing and arithmetic.
I was fooled!
Whether you are on the left or right politically most believe that local control of education is important. The Department of Education has had supremacy over the educational lives of our children to the point that parents find it hard to even help their children anymore. Parents, don't give up. Your children need you now more than ever.
President Obama and Secretary Duncan often say the Common Core standards were developed by the states and voluntarily adopted by them. That is far from the truth. They were developed by an organization called Achieve and the National Governors Association, both funded by the Gates Foundation. This atempt by the DOE and the Obama administration to focus more on higher-order thinking skills rather than emphasizing the basics from which this pattern grows, places our educational system in dire straits. For example, these standards are getting our K-2 students to spend more time writing rather than reading. You cannot become a good writer unless you are a good reader.
So why did so many states sign on to the Common Core standards?
Coercion. States that accepted the new standards would not lose out on federal funds including the Race to the Top grants ($4.35 billion) that Duncan and Obama pimped us for. Forty-six states plus the District of Columbia signed on not because the standards were better than their own but because they wanted a share of the federal tax dollars. States, so eager for additional funds, created and administered assessments for our children that were not even norm referenced prior to being given. Scores nationally dropped as students and teachers alike worked to adjust to the new standards, but in the end the Core standards did nothing but place another layer atop our educational monopoly. The Bush era No Child Left Behind was not successful mainly due to lack of funding, but the Common Core standards are no better.
Supporters say the Common Core standards will allow our students to be more competitive with the rest of the world. I beg to differ. Common Core may be the final straw in the decade's demolition of our educational system as "progressive" thought, subtle as it may be, continues to take a stronghold and destroy our great land from within.
As a teacher, a parent, a conservative and as an America I will not stand for it. As a proud member of the Durham County Republican Party BRC (Black Republican Committee) Common Core is not a partisan issue when you really think about it, however, when you allow progressive ideology to permeate our society we reap what we sow and as an educator it's time to spray for weeds. I will not teach the Common Core!
Terry McCann lives in Durham.


text:
Published on
This exercise will familiarize students with the operation of a PIN diode under the conditions of forward and reverse bias. It will be seen from the electric field plots under the condition of reverse bias that one can use this structure to generate a constant electric field region.
Sponsored by
Cite this work
Researchers should cite this work as follows:
- www.eas.asu.edu/~vasilesk


text:
Formulario de Inspección de Cabina de Pilotos en Ruta
More templates like this
Customer Satisfaction Survey FormFeedback Forms
Knowing the overall satisfaction of your customers on your provided services helps improve your services. This customer satisfaction survey form allows getting feedback from your customers. By using this feedback form, you can collect your customers' comments.
Restaurant Evaluation FormEvaluation Forms
Customers satisfaction is important for every business and to determine that you need to survey your customers. This restaurant survey form is designed for this purpose. This restaurant evaluation form let your customers rate or evaluate the quality of your services, this includes food quality, overall service quality, cleanliness, order accuracy, speed of service and others. To deliver the highest level of service, this restaurant review form will help you easily understand your customers and their tastes based on their feedback. So if you own a restaurant and you want the quickest and hassle-free to collect feedback, this restaurant review template free is all you need!
Medical History FormTracking Forms
If you want to track your patients' medical history, you can use this patient medical history form template. By using this health history form template, you can collect your patients' contact information, you can check the illnesses that belong to your patients, you can learn if they currently taking any medication. If they have any medication allergies, your patients can notify you with this template for medical history.


text:
You'll Like The 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 If...
If you want to tailor your pickup truck to your exact requirements, the 2008 Chevrolet Silverado enables you to do just that with a wide variety of configurations, bed lengths and trim levels. The Silverado's V8 engine lineup offers Active Fuel Management technology and Flex-Fuel E85 capability.
You May Not Like The 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 If...
The only quibble we have with the Silverado is the baffling array of choices buyers have - multiple trim levels, cab sizes, bed lengths and even instrument panels. Plus, the continued availability of the Silverado Classic (the previous design) further muddies the waters for potential buyers.
What's New
Changes are limited to a few interior upgrades, the addition of XM Satellite Radio and an available integrated trailer brake control.
Interior Features
The Silverado features two distinct interiors. The WT and LT trim levels feature the "pure pickup" interior with larger controls and a double glovebox, while the LTZ trim has a "luxury-inspired" interior. Both instrument panels are mounted lower and farther forward for an increased feeling of spaciousness and visibility. The back-seat area in the Crew Cab models offers significantly improved room and comfort, and the stadium-style rear seat has a 60/40-split design and folding center armrest. A lockable storage bin is built into a new 40/20/40-split bench front seat. The bin can accommodate a laptop computer and features a 12-volt power outlet.
Exterior Features
With the widest track in the segment, the 2008 Chevrolet Silverado is substantial but it eschews the bulbous but juvenile muscularity of some of its competitors. Instead, it looks tailored and subdued front to rear. Highlights include narrow gaps between body panels, enabled by the new version's significantly stiffer frame that limits body flex. The new horizontal grille is divided by a thick bright metal bar that flanks a bold Chevrolet "bow tie" symbol. Designers also took special pains to integrate the pickup box while at the same time making it taller. Entry to the rear seat/storage area of Extended Cab models is eased with new rear access doors that open 170 degrees, and power-operated rear side windows lower completely into the access doors.
Driving Impressions
Because it rides on the new GM full-size truck platform, the 2008 Chevrolet Silverado offers a markedly better ride-and-handling combination than the previous generation. The new platform includes a fully-boxed frame (for more chassis stiffness), coil-over-shock front suspension and rack-and-pinion steering, and the result is a surprisingly maneuverable and comfortable vehicle. A lengthy test drive over rough, washboard gravel roads revealed a quiet and composed cabin. While the available 4.3-liter V6 could probably get most jobs done, the Silverado can also be equipped with a variety of V8 engines, most with 5.3-liter displacement. A 6.0-liter 367-horsepower aluminum-block V8 is available as well. Power delivery with each V8 engine is more than ample, and the electronically-controlled Hydra-Matic automatic transmission delivers it smoothly and without hesitation. GM's StabiliTrak electronic stability control system is standard on Crew Cab models, and is available on Extended Cab models as an option.
Pricing Notes
The 2008 Chevrolet Silverado has a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) starting around $18,000 for a base two-wheel drive Regular Cab, a somewhat spartan work truck. The LT Regular Cab with substantial equipment starts under $25,000, while the top-of-the-line, four-wheel drive LTZ Crew Cab with all the options can run as high as $46,000. The popularity of Chevrolet's new truck keeps pricing very close to MSRP. We advise that you check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to see the typical prices consumers are paying now. As the segment sales leader, the Silverado offers very good resale value, higher than the projected residual values for the Dodge Ram, Ford F150 and Nissan Titan and similar to that of the Toyota Tundra.
Notable Equipment
The 2008 Chevrolet Silverado WT includes a four-speed automatic transmission, tire pressure monitoring system, anti-lock brakes (ABS), air conditioning and two auxiliary power outlets. The 1LT adds cruise control, compass and temperature-display rearview mirror, power windows, door locks and mirrors, remote keyless entry and CD/MP3 player audio system. Opting for the 2LT level nets you the 5.3L V8, automatic dual-zone air conditioning, six-way power front bucket seats and 17-inch wheels. The LTZ adds 12-way power heated front bucket seats, leather seating, power-folding power-adjustable heated mirrors, Bose audio with MP3-compatible six-disc CD changer and auxiliary input jack, remote starting system and heated washer fluid system.
Notable Options
Depending on trim, the Silverado can also be optioned in several ways. It offers five suspension systems, each tailored to suit specific driving requirements. They include Z83 for a solid, smooth ride, Z85 for enhanced handling and trailer towing, Z71 for enhanced off-road capability, Z60 for street performance with 20-inch wheels and NHT for maximum towing capacity. The StabiliTrak electronic stability control system is standard on Crew Cab models and available on select Extended Cab models. A choice of two- and four-wheel-drive models, various cabs and bed lengths and a variety of axle ratios are also offered.
Favorite Features
Big knobs
In a welcome bow to those who work hard to earn their keep - and who live in frigid climes - the Silverado has knobs, switches and door handles that can be easily operated while wearing gloves.
Active Fuel Management
The Active Fuel Management system available in four different V8s cuts the operation of four cylinders when they are unneeded and enhances fuel economy.
Under the Hood
While we expect the 4.3-liter V6 and 4.8-liter V8 to be more than adequate in work truck applications, we recommend the 5.3-liter V8 engines, some with cast iron blocks and some with aluminum. And for those who want more power (or towing capacity) the 6.0-liter with Active Fuel Management and variable valve timing is a gem. It offers significantly more power and torque (pulling force) with very little penalty in fuel economy.
4.3-liter V6
195 horsepower @ 4600 rpm
260 lb.-ft. of torque @ 2800 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 15/20 (2WD), 14/18 (4WD)
4.8-liter V8
295 horsepower @ 5600 rpm
305 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4800 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 14/19 (2WD), 14/18 (4WD)
5.3-liter V8 Flex Fuel
315 horsepower @ 5200 rpm
338 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4400 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 11/15 (2WD, E85) 15/20 (2WD, Gas), 11/14 (4WD, E85), 14/19 (4WD, Gas)
5.3-liter V8
315 horsepower @ 5200 rpm
338 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4400 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 15/20 (2WD), 14/19 (4WD)
6.0-liter V8
367 horsepower @ 5500 rpm
375 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4300 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 13/18 (2WD), 13/17 (4WD)
Editors' Notes
The Ford F150 may hold the title of best selling individual pickup truck (and vehicle, for that matter) in the country, but when you combine the sales of the Chevrolet Silverado with the nearly-identical GMC Sierra, it's a different story. The General Motors pickups outsell the Ford handily and also outsell all the import label pickup trucks combined. Fresh from its complete remake in 2007, the 2008 Chevrolet Silverado sees major advances in its chassis, more precise steering and a quieter, more upscale interior. Thanks to the new line of Active Fuel Management-equipped V8 engines the Silverado offers segment-leading fuel economy. And, for those with an ecological bent, a Flex-Fuel E85-capable engine is also available.


text:
The Vanished Downtown
Leah Rawls Atkins of The Birmingham News takes on a trip back downtown--the way it used to be. Even though this is an Alabama story, a lot of East Mississippians shopped in Birmingham on occasion and so many of us have memories just like this.
Labels: Alabama, Birmingham, downtown


text:
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (PlayStation 3)
Published by
Developed by
Also For
ESRB Rating
Critic Score
100 point score based on reviews from various critics.
User Score
5 point score based on user ratings.
Not an American user?
DescriptionThe modern-day Assassins, including Desmond Miles, make their escape and go into hiding from the Templars. They take refuge into modern-day Monteriggioni, which has been preserved as an historical site. There, they setup the Animus for Desmond to explore deeper into Ezio's past and discover more about the missing Pieces of Eden. Ezio's story takes place immediately after the end of Assassin's Creed II, and has him leaving Rome to head back to Monteriggioni. There, he is ambushed and the Piece of Eden he has found is stolen. He must head back to Rome, which has since been seized by the Borgia, rescue its people, and recover what has been lost.
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood continues the story from Assassin's Creed II. Players take on the role of Ezio as they use their assassin skills to liberate Rome and fight against the Templars. Players take on missions to progress the story, earn money and gradually free the city from the influence of the Borgia. Specifically, by burning down the thirteen Borgia towers that are being used to enforce their rule, Ezio can reclaim areas of Rome back for the people, and use his money to restore shops, shortcut tunnels, and even Roman landmarks. By doing this, players also earn a regular income from Rome, which they can claim from any of Rome's banks.
New to the Assassin's Creed series is a multiplayer component. The backstory behind the multiplayer mode is that that Abstergo, the Templar organization, is using Animus devices to train their recruits to become Assassins. You take on the role of an Abstergo recruit, and must find and assassinate your target while being tracked for assassination yourself. You must make sure that you do not arouse suspicion, otherwise it will become obvious that you are an assassin rather than a citizen, making it easier for you to be spotted and taken down. As you play, you earn points which allow you to level up and upgrade your character's skills and abilities.
The Windows version, both on Steam and the boxed retail package, includes two bonus maps: The Trajan Market and The Aquaduct.
Promo Images
Alternate Titles
- "Assassin's Creed: La Hermandad" -- Spanish title
- "アサシン クリード ブラザーフッド" -- Japanese spelling
Part of the Following Groups
- 3D Engine: Anvil
- Assassin's Creed series
- Gameplay Feature: Body Dragging
- Gameplay Feature: Equipment Quick Slots
- Gameplay feature: Horse Riding
- Gameplay Feature: Pickpocketing
- Games made into books
- Japanese Xbox 360 game releases with full English support
- Middleware: FaceFX
- Middleware: Wwise
- Physics Engine: Havok
- Setting: City - Florence
- Setting: City - Rome
- Setting: City - Venice
- Ubisoft Club / Uplay supported games
User Reviews
There are no reviews for this game.
Critic Reviews
|Nov 16, 2010
|Nov 16, 2010
|9.5 out of 10
|Nov 16, 2010
|Nov 16, 2010
|9 out of 10
|Nov 25, 2010
|9 out of 10
|Nov 16, 2010
|8.5 out of 10
|Nov 23, 2010
|8.5 out of 10
|Nov 17, 2010
|85 out of 100
|PlayStation Official Magazine - UK
|Dec, 2010
|8 out of 10
|Feb 14, 2011
|16 out of 20
There are currently no topics for this game.
DLC inaccuracies (mild spoilers)It is interesting that if the player decides to play The Da Vinci Disappearance DLC alongside the main story he will eventually meet two versions of Leonardo Da Vinci. The first Leonardo will show up in the main game and offer his help and some quests. The second Leonardo is the one who's been captured by the mysterious cult. So it is absolutely possible to be playing the DLC quest of searching for Leonardo while chatting with the other Leonardo sitting on a bench in Rome. Talk about parallel worlds!
- GameSpy
- 2010 – Stealth-Action Game of the Year
- Spike Video Game Awards
- 2010 - Best Action/Adventure Game
- 2010 - Best Dressed Assassin (for Ezio Auditore da Firenze)
Related Web Sites
- PS3trophies.org (Trophy guide for Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood)
- Wikipedia: Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (Article in the open encyclopedia about the game.)
- X360A Achievement guide (X360A's achievement guide for Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood. (English))
Ben K (23920) added Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (PlayStation 3) on Dec 05, 2010
Other platforms contributed by Ben K (23920)
Producer Ubisoft Montréal:
Game Director:


text:
Viega 1/2 inch by 100 foot roll of Viega Plumbing PEX Tubing Red - 32121
- Non-Oxygen Barrier - Type PEX-B
Product ID • PXR3C1000007
Viega Pex Tubing ViegaPEX is a durable product made of cross-linked polyethylene. The Viega Plumbing PEX has No Oxygen Barrier, is 1/2 Inch, 100 foot length and color is Red. The cross-linked polyethylene, or PEX, is stable for higher temperature applications such as plumbing and radiant heating.
Viega Pex Tubing Type-B PEX offers a superior chlorine resistance and protection against corrosion and is resistant to ultra violet (UV) light for up to 60 days.
Manuals & Docs
Technical Specs
ViegaPex Plumbing PEX Red - 32121
- PEX Size
- 1/2 inches
- PEX Length
- 100 feet
- Color
- Red
- PEX Type
- Non-Oxygen Barrier PEX-B
- Chlorine resistance ratings
- Resistant to ultra violet (UV) light
- Up to 60 days
- Standards
- ASTM F877, ASTM F879 and NSF Certified
- Warranty
- 10 Years
Info & Links


text:
U.S. Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission
'Stranger Than Fiction' Production Companies to Pay $75,000 to Pregnant Job Applicant
CHICAGO – Crick Pictures, L.L.C., and Mandate Pictures, L.L.C., will pay $75,000 to settle a federal pregnancy discrimination suit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today. The EEOC's suit had charged that movie production companies Crick and Mandate refused to hire a pregnant job applicant, Cynthia Castillo-Hill, for a position as an extras casting assistant after they learned that she was expecting a baby. Castillo-Hill sought work on the film Stranger Than Fiction, which stars Will Ferrell.
"The EEOC's evidence in this case – which included an e-mail from the hiring supervisor – showed that the defendants believed that Castillo-Hill's pregnancy would prevent her from being able to handle the stress and long hours associated with the job though her own doctor had indicated that the job was appropriate," explained EEOC Chicago District Office head Jack C. Rowe.
EEOC Regional Attorney John Hendrickson, who oversees all litigation for Chicago District Office, added, "It is just this sort of stereotypical decision making by an employer that is prohibited by federal law, and for good reasons." Pregnancy discrimination violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978.
The consent decree settling the suit, signed by Judge Gottschall of U.S. District Court in Chicago today, provides that the defendants will pay the pregnant applicant and her attorneys a total of $75,000, less applicable taxes. The decree enjoins the companies from future pregnancy discrimination and retaliation. It also requires the defendants to provide training to their managers about the obligation to avoid discrimination. The EEOC suit was originally filed and captioned EEOC v. Crick Pictures, et al., Case No. 08 cv 5005, N.D. Illinois E. Div.
EEOC Trial Attorney Deborah Hamilton, who worked on the matter, said, "The Pregnancy Discrimination Act makes clear that pregnant job applicants must be judged on the basis of their job skills and abilities, not on the basis of their pregnancy. We are pleased that the defendants have joined in a voluntary resolution of this suit. All parties thus have saved further time and expense"
EEOC Supervisory Trial Attorney Gregory Gochanour, who managed the agency's litigation of the case, added, "Ms. Castillo-Hill will receive meaningful compensation, and through the consent decree, protections are in place to ensure that future discrimination is avoided."
Federal Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Cole in Chicago had presided over a settlement conference that led to the resolution of this case.
The EEOC is responsible for enforcing federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination based on race, color, gender (including sexual harassment and pregnancy), religion, national origin, age, disability and retaliation. Further information about the EEOC is available on its web site at www.eeoc.gov.


text:
JesterHawk wrote:A quick search through my grammar knowledge reveals that three consecutive commas doesn't mean anything. Next time you proofread your post, fix your ellipses.
Seahawk Sailor wrote:The "interobang" has to be my favorite punctuation mark. I wish like hell it would gain popularity.
For asking a question in an excited manner, or expressing excitement in the form of a question.
BlueThunder wrote:Oh, you were talking to Les! lol Yeah, three commas is crap. C'MON MANNNN!!!


text:
A look at the five international players currently on the Rice roster:
Here is the story that appeared in Wednesday's Chronicle.
• Hometown: Brampton, Ontario.
• Class: Freshman.
• Position: Point guard.
• 2011-12 stats: 8.6 ppg | 4.3 rebounds | 112 assists | 43.7 percent shooting | 22 starts
• Road to Rice: Ennis grew up outside Toronto before moving to New York with his uncle when he was 14 years old. He attended Wings Academy in the Bronx, but the long daily commute eventually took its toll and he eventually transferred to Lake Forest Academy, a prep school in Chicago, for his final two years of high school. He gave a verbal commitment to Akron (the first school to offer him a scholarship) before switching to the Owls during his junior season.
• Quote: "I didn't want to just be another player who came through a program. Even though Rice hadn't had great years in the past, I think if a player can come in with a good freshmen class and good supporting cast and can change a whole program, people will remember that more than they remember the guy who was just at a big school."
• Hometown: Beirut, Lebanon.
• Class: Freshman.
• Position: Forward.
• 2011-12 stats: 6.0 ppg | 2.1 rebounds | 8 starts
• Road to Rice: Ibrahim moved around prep schools on the East Coast, playing one season with current teammate Arsalan Kazemi at The Patterson School in North Carolina.
"The first day I saw Arsalan was one of the hardest days of my life," he said. Why? "First of all he doesn't speak Arabic and he couldn't speak English. So we used signs to do things. After awhile we got to know each other better."
Ibrahim spent his junior season at Mountain State Academy in Beckley, W. Va., before moving to Humble Christian Life Academy as a senior. Ibrahim first began to draw interest on the international scene while playing at the FIBA Asia Championship. He scored 49 points against Kazakhstan before posting 34 points in consecutive games against China and Syria.
• Quotable: "Sometimes when I score four points I don't get a lot of phone calls from back home. When I scored 23 points (earlier this season against Tulane) I got a lot of phone calls. That's life."
• Hometown: Esfahan, Iran.
• Class: Junior.
• Position: Forward.
• 2011-12 stats: 12.3 ppg | 10.4 rebounds | 57 steals | 29 blocks | 59.3 percent field goal shooting | 43 career double-doubles (tied for C-USA record)
• Road to Rice: When Kazemi's family made the decision to send him to the United States for basketball and study they originally considered Rice. But after playing at The Patterson School, a private boarding school in North Carolina, Kazemi signed with Rice and became the first Iranian-born basketball player on the Division I level in 2009.
The path hasn't always been easy.
Kazemi said he remembers the isolation, being homesick, not having any friends. For two semesters he had his own dorm room. "I wanted my own room, my own privacy," he said. "I would go to practice and run back to my room and talk to my friends or mom on Skype. (My teammates) tried to talk to me but t was my fault. I was ignoring them. They were all really nice. I was really homesick."
Kazemi had a breakthrough when a few teammates invited him over to play video games.
"I started enjoying it and started hanging out with them more and more," he said. "They took me out of whatever I was going through."
By the second semester, Omar Oraby, also Muslim, arrived on campus and Kazemi helped him make the transition to living in the U.S. They became roommates. Then followed Ahmad Ibrahim.
"The we had our own Rice gang now," he said.
Kazemi was a star for the Iranian national team at last summer's FIBA Asia Championships, which led to some pro offers from overseas clubs. At Rice, Kazemi has emerged as a perennial All-Conference USA forward and one of the top rebounders in the nation.
His mother, Roya, watches every Rice basketball game online – back home the games start around 4 a.m. – and calls her son afterward.
"I keep telling her to go to sleep," he jokes. "She doesn't listen."
Kazemi said he likes to go home as often as his schedule permits, which is usually for a month in late July after his summer class session. That allows him to spend anywhere from 3 weeks to a month with his family. But there are risks. With no American embassy in Iran, Kazemi had to go to Dubai to apply for a visa to play basketball in the U.S. He had not heard back after a month and began to worry after missing the first week of fall classes.
"I didn't hear anything, so I started contacting whoever I knew to see what was going on because it was a week past school starting," he said.
With the chance he may be denied, Kazemi said, "it's a risk I'm going to take."
• Quotable"I was the first one here. It's really hard when you come to a place that you basically don't have any friends, don't know anyone, you're homesick and don't have any family here. It was a really tough time for me."
• Hometown: Cairo, Egypt.
• Class: Sophomore.
• Position: Center.
• 2011-12 stats: 6.1 ppg | 3.5 rebounds | 46 blocks (school record) | 63.7 percent shooting
• Road to Rice: Unlike his other international teammates, Oraby never lived in the United States before arriving on the Rice campus. The 7-2 center was playing for Egypt's junior national team when first approached by the Owls coaching staff at the FIBA World Championship in New Zealand in 2009.
The Owls contacted his national team coach and from there cultivated the relationship with Rice assistant coach Marco Morcos, an Egyptian native, serving as the point man. Once he arrived at Rice, he quickly became friends with Arsalan Kazemi and the two are currently roommates.
"That was the first time I lived by myself and it was a totally different country on the other side of the world," Oraby said. "It was very difficult for me at the beginning to leave my family and my home and all my friends to come here. I've made a lot of good friends here and everybody has been very warm welcoming me. I got used to situation very quickly here and it hasn't been very hard since."
• Quotable "Rice is very diverse. There are people from all over the world, so that doesn't make me feel like I'm strange or anything. It makes me feel normal."
• Hometown: Frankfurt, Germany.
• Class: Freshman.
• Position: Forward.
• 2011-12 stats: 5.4 ppg | 2.7 rebounds | 11 starts
• Road to Rice: While basketball has always been his first love, Reischel spent his Sunday afternoons playing soccer in Frankfurt.
"Soccer is such a big sport in Germany," he said. Reischel, who was a defender, says he received a couple offers to play on junior club teams.
Reischel, whose father was in the U.S. military, moved to Point Pleasant, N.J., when he was 16.
"When I first came over here the language was a big problem," he said. "I spoke a little English but it wasn't good."
The Owls have established recruiting contacts on the East Coast, most recently with the signing of guard Tamir Jackson (St. Benedict's Prep).
• Quotable: "Wherever you're from our common language is basketball."
David Chadwick (Charlotte, N.C.), Julian DeBose (Washington), Connor Frizzelle (DeSoto), Seth Gearhart (Wilsonville, Ore.), Emerson Herndon (Houston), Tamir Jackson (Paterson, N.J.), Lucas Kuipers (Rochester, Minn.), Dan Peera (Concord, Calif.), Nate Schwarze (Chelsea, Mich.).


text:
I've learned a valuable lesson these past few weeks.
Writers are fearful creatures. The joy of being paid to be creative, and the unavoidable side effect of egotism that goes along with it, is easily tempered by the constant paranoia that everything will be taken away from us.
We worry about sales, fret over decisions our publisher makes, question the effectiveness of our agents, compare ourselves to peers, and eke by contract to contract, wondering if the ride is going to end.
My attitude has been that of a shark---keep swimming, or I'll drown.
That means non-stop touring, a constant web presence, a steady release of new product (books and stories), and keeping in touch with fans and peers.
These last two months have changed my attitude somewhat.
I've been writing a lot. In fact, in the last 75 days, I've plowed through about 150,000 words.
It's been great, and made me remember why I became a writer in the first place.
But I've been concerned that my writing time has been at the expense of my self-promotion time, and that I'd lose a lot of what I've built up.
It's nice to be shown I've been wrong.
My website hasn't been updated in months, and I've only been able to post a handful of blog entries. Yet, according to Statcounter, my unique hits have stayed consistent.
I'm still getting a decent amount of email.
I'm still getting requests for stories and articles.
Google Alerts and Technorati have shown me that I haven't left the public eye, even though I've made very few public appearances.
And though I've slowed down seeking out MySpace Friends, more and more folks are approaching me first.
In short, I haven't been forgotten in the last few months.
This has made me revise my original analogy. Instead of comparing a writing career to a shark, I'm going to instead compare it to a locomotive.
It takes a lot to get started. A lot of effort, time, and money.
But once it starts, it takes a lot to stop it.
Careers have momentum. And momentum wants to keep things moving, even if you're no longer stoking the boiler.
How does a writer build momentum? How long does it take for momentum to die?
The easy answer is: the more you do, the more momentum you build, the tougher you'll be to stop.
Every event, every signing, every interview, every short story, every appearance, every email, every newsletter, every blog, keeps you in the public eye. And many of these things keep you there long after you've put in the effort. Old blog posts get new visitors. People pick up an anthology that you were in three years ago. A speaking engagement last year leads to three more this year.
There are countless ways to build momentum. And the more you do, the harder you are to stop.
I've often believed that I'm not reaching for success, rather I'm running from failure.
But it seems like I'm able to take a rest from time to time and simply coast on what I've already done. It's a good feeling. And perhaps when I finish this book, and return to actively pursuing self-promotion, I won't be quite as gung-ho.
It isn't about how quickly it takes for you to reach 100mph---six seconds or six years. Because once you reach that speed, you're going to be hard to stop.
The goal is getting up enough speed.
What are you doing to build momentum?
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)


text:
Build Your Robot Family Car Decals
Building a family, piece by piece
- Finally build your dream family!
- Talented, reliable, and always stylish - robots!
- Who wants to be a puny meatsack, anyway?
Doesn't everyone always dream of building their own robot? It would cook, clean, empty the dishwasher, do the laundry. Maybe it could drive so you could nap in the car or maybe it would do the grocery shopping. Alas, the chances of building that dream robot are pretty slim once you've got three kids, a minivan, a dog...and a mortgage.
But it's not too late! Now you can build your own family of robots with these mix and match robot family decals. Unlike those boring "look how happy and nuclear we are" traditional family decals, these nuts and bolts decals show the world that you are still cool, hip and rebellious! Now imagine if your children were actually robots. No more arguing about picking up their rooms, no more talking back. Straight A's. But, hey, one thing at a time.
Product Specifications
- Build your own robot family with these mix-n-match decals
- More than 50 decals for endless combinations
- Decals for mom, dad, kids and pets
- Stick easily to any clean and flat surface
- Enough for two cars, a few windows, and some other places
- Each set includes 2 Dogbots and 2 Catbots (but with scissors, you could easily build additional Petbots from the parts of other robots!)
- Invented at ThinkGeek!


text:
Innovative technology has always been a Honda trademark, showcasing pioneering engine and chassis design that has set the standard for excellence for more than 60 years. Our founder Soichiro Honda always stayed true to his desire to do things differently while never missing an opportunity to improve his products.
Take the 1959 Super Cub, Honda's first foray into the U.S. market and the model that changed motorcycling in America forever. Genius in its simplicity, the 50cc four-stroke Super Cub was a utilitarian dream. More quiet and convenient (no more mixing of gas and oil) than the traditional two-strokes of the day, with a step-through design and automatic clutch, Americans flocked to it for its ease of use and value.
The Super Cub was bulletproof, too, proving much more reliable than the trouble-prone motorcycles of the era. In short, it brought accessible, dependable motorcycling to America and the rest of the world, establishing Honda's reputation for reliability while building a launch pad to becoming one of the largest motor companies in the world.
Today, Honda's technology continues to lead the industry with our truly unique brand of high-quality, high-performance powersports products.
Refining the performance of our powersports line-up is a never-ending job, and Soichiro Honda realized early on that competing at the highest level was the best way to put his machines to the ultimate test. The racetrack is the ultimate proving ground, and just two years after the first Super Cubs hit U.S. shores, Honda shocked the racing world with victories in both the 125cc and 250cc classes (with moto-legend Mike Hailwood in the saddle for both) at the 1961 Isle of Man TT.
The Honda Motor Company had arrived, with nearly 600 international and U.S. race wins to follow. More important, many of the tech innovations and product advancements conceived and tested on the racetrack were finding their way onto production machines available to the public.
All it takes is a quick glance down today's lineup of Honda's performance products to note components and features that were first bred in competition: the Honda Progressive Steering Damper (HPSD) on our CRF motocross racers; Honda Electronic Steering Damper (HESD) on the CBR 600RR and CBR1000RR; MotoGP-derived Unit-Pro Link Suspension; Programmable Fuel Injection (PGM-FI); Unicam® cylinder head construction; and Hollow Fine Die Cast frame design, just to name a few.
Man Before Machine
At Honda, we never stop looking for ways to maximize power, sharpen handling, minimize weight and optimize fuel efficiency while reducing emissions. No component is ever too minor to escape Honda's R&D microscope, be it more ergonomically placed switchgear or slightly higher (or lower) footpegs.
Every technological and design advance is made with you the rider in mind, the ultimate goal being to ensure the most rewarding and enjoyable riding (and ownership) experience possible. And that means not only striving to maximize our products' performance capabilities, but their durability and dependability as well.
From our industry-leading ATVs with Power Steering, Electric Shift Programs (ESP), and torque-sensitive differentials to the revolutionary hull design and GPScape systems on our AquaTrax watercraft, innovative technologies and engineering drives each product's ultimate design.
Engineering for Safety's Sake
Forall the performance-enhancing breakthroughs Honda's engineers have made over the years, several have also provided improvements in perhaps an even more important area: rider safety.
Case in point: Honda's revolutionary airbag system, which is currently in use on the Gold Wing tourer. An industry first for a production motorcycle, the Honda Airbag System raised the bar (as Honda has done so many times in its history) for on-board rider safety.
Honda's Anti-Lock Braking (ABS), Combined Braking (CBS) and Linked Braking (LBS) Systems are three other exclusive Honda features that deliver a safer riding experience, helping improve both braking and handling by providing more control in less than ideal riding conditions. Variations of one or more of these systems can currently be found on models ranging from the Gold Wing, ST1300, Silver Wing scooter, and now the new 2009 CBR600RR and CBR1000RR sportbikes.
What Lies Ahead?
Honda would be the first to agree that one should never rest on one's laurels — even if those achievements have put one at the forefront of the powersports industry for decades — so the R&D Dept. never tires in its quest for pioneering new technology.
Honda's (and soon-to-be-Stateside) DN-01 is one such vehicle, a radical new sport-tourer featuring a fully automatic Constant Variable Transmission (CVT) with Combined ABS braking and a low, deeply stepped rider seat.
News of cool new tech ranging from supersport-spec VTEC Valve Control Systems and Smart Card Key Systems to an all-electric bike are also on the near horizon.
You can stay tuned in to all the latest technological developments and revolutionary new features by signing up for Honda's email newsletter here http://powersports.honda.com/on-the-go/email.aspx. If you live to ride red, you'll want to be the first to know.
Meantime, if you'd like to learn more about the Technology behind Honda's current generation of groundbreaking features, go to www.hondanews.com.
Developing our powersports products with an eye toward both maximum performance and bulletproof reliability is paramount, but there's a third credo to which Honda is dedicated just as seriously as the first two: delivering the safest ride possible.
At Honda, we believe in performance and leadership. And that's exactly why we're taking a leadership position when it comes to the environment.
A smart rider is a safe rider, and we can help you get smarter.
Get the inside line on what's going on in the world of Honda racing.
The only thing better than riding a Honda is owning a whole dealership full of them!


text: I've been reading some of the older TOS novels, and note that this pair, who had done the 2 Phoenix novels (which I found utterly incomprehensible when I read them as an adolescent) also wrote a Pocket book, Triangle. I'm sure this has been asked before, but whatever happened to them? Seemed like they were mantle-holders for a while and then pfft.


text:
Fettling Knives
by Kemper
These knives are used to trim the pour hole waste and to remove mold marks from cast greenware. They are also useful for many trimming, carving, and sculpting tasks. The soft steel blade may be bent as desired, while the hard-tempered blade has the spring-like feel of conventional knife blades. Blades on both knives are 4 1/2 in. long and are set in smooth wooden handles for a total length of 8 inches.
Ask a question about Fettling Knives Ask a question about this product
Average User Rating: Based on (1 Review)
5 1
Melissa E. from Bar Harbor, ME says:
An absolute must for the studio! These knives have the right amount of give, and are weighted perfectly.
Please wait...
You May Also Like...
How to get VIP Club Prices
Anyone can be a VIP Member with:
Only $25/year
Your email will not be shared. We will only use your email address to respond to your question. When asking your question, please be as descriptive as possible, it will allow us to give you the most accurate answer possible.
Please wait...
Please wait...


text:
The Newport Pendant Necklace features a flat slice of the monkey fist hanging from an 18" chain. Each piece of Crusoe Jewelry has been meticulously created by hand. As a result, your piece is completely unique and may vary slightly from the style featured. Hand-crafted in a distinctive matte finish, Crusoe Jewelry develops its own patina overtime.
Care: To clean your Crusoe Jewelry, wash gently with a mild soap and warm water, drying with a soft cloth, and finishing with a Scotch-Brite pad. Do not use jewelry cleaners or polishing cloths, as that will change the color and finish of the piece.
AHAlife is committed to help you live a conscious and inspired life.
Many of the items you discover here are exclusive to AHAlife, which is what makes our community of designers and artisans so special.
If you find one of our products anywhere else for less than it's being sold on our site, we will match it.
Our dedicated Support Team is here to help. Reach out any time at:


text:
NRA ally could win Jackson's seat
A white ex-congresswoman with an "A" rating from the National Rifle Association is the front-runner to replace former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. in a majority-black Chicagoland district with inner-city neighborhoods wracked by gun violence.
At first glance, Debbie Halvorson should have no business winning the Feb. 26 special election. The former Democratic congresswoman was crushed by Jackson in a primary last year. She's a white Democrat seeking to represent a district in which 54 percent of voters are African-American.
Story Continued Below
(PHOTOS: Jesse Jackson Jr.'s career)
And she's an unapologetic Second Amendment backer — with endorsements from the NRA in two of her previous congressional campaigns — despite an outpouring of concern among voters and her campaign rivals about gun violence.
Yet there's reason to think Halvorson could eke out a win. She is a known entity in much of the district thanks to her time in Congress and earlier rise to state Senate majority leader — the first woman to hold the post. Sixteen other candidates are vying for the Democratic nod, and all of her formidable competitors are African-American. That creates a possibility that the black vote will splinter, opening a path for Halvorson.
(Also on POLITICO: Jesse Jackson, Jr. resigns from Congress)
She enjoys a narrow but critical base of support in the suburban and rural parts of the sprawling district, which stretches from the South Side of Chicago to rural Kankakee County about 50 miles to the south. The former congresswoman doesn't need to win a majority: The crowded Democratic field means it could take as little as 20 percent of the vote to clinch the Democratic nomination, which is tantamount to winning the seat given the district's liberal makeup.
Halvorson received 29 percent against Jackson last year.
Now, black leaders — concerned about Halvorson's position atop polls — say they're prepared to make gun control the central issue in the contest. The goal is to paint her as an NRA ally who's too conservative for the seat and insensitive to Chicago's rising tide of gun violence.
"The NRA gives Debbie Halvorson an 'A' rating," said Michael Pfleger, a Roman Catholic priest and gun control activist in Chicago who is supporting one of Halvorson's opponents. "That tells me she should not be the representative from the 2nd District. If she gets an 'A' rating from the NRA, she gets an 'F' from me."
Though she has described herself as a conservative Democrat, Halvorson voted with her party more than 90 percent of the time in Congress. She backed a cap-and-trade bill as well as President Barack Obama's health care and economic stimulus measures. The onetime cosmetics saleswoman is pitching herself to voters as an experienced hand who can hit the ground running in Washington after Jackson's long-running troubles that ended with his resignation in November.
But it's her stance on guns that's drawing the most attention.
Though her primary rivals haven't attacked Halvorson head on — in a 17-way primary, they have to focus on promoting themselves — the campaign's heavy focus on guns is seen at least in part as a way to draw a contrast with the front-runner.


text:
Oracle shares slide after earnings miss
NEW YORK Oracle (ORCL) on Wednesday reported flat earnings for its fiscal third-quarter, hurt by a drop in sales of hardware systems and new software. Shares tumbled in after-hours trading on the weaker-than-expected results.
Revenue from new software licenses and online or "cloud" subscriptions, a closely watched figure, fell 2 percent year-over-year to $2.3 billion. The company had predicted that number would rise by 3 percent to 13 percent. Sales of hardware systems products dropped 23 percent.
- Oracle buys telecom gear maker for $2.1B
- Oracle to pay three of next year's dividends this year
- Oracle CEO Ellison to experiment on his Hawaiian island
As one of the world's largest makers of business software, Oracle's numbers help Wall Street gauge the direction of corporate technology budgets. When Oracle's earnings are lackluster, it's often a sign that companies are concerned about the economy.
But Oracle also depends on international markets for a major part of its revenue. Europe's economy is still limping amid worries about unwieldy government debts and China's economic growth has been slowing.
Oracle earned $2.5 billion, or 52 cents per share, in the December-February quarter. That compares with $2.5 billion, or 49 cents per share, in the same period a year earlier, when it had more shares outstanding. Adjusted earnings totaled 65 cents per share in the latest quarter.
Revenue fell 1 percent to $8.96 billion from $9.04 billion, hurt in part by the stronger dollar.
Analysts polled by FactSet had expected earnings of 66 cents per share, excluding charges for past acquisitions and other costs, on revenue of $9.38 billion.
Shares of the Redwood City, Calif., company fell $2.76, or nearly 8 percent, to $33 in after-hours trading following the announcement. The stock had closed the regular session up 8 cents at $35.76 before the report.


text:
Can you believe that Thanksgiving is this coming Thursday? Where did the year go? Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of year; everyone in our house chips in to prepare our Thanksgiving meal.
The kids tear the bread to make the stuffing; the house is filled with the wonderful smells of pumpkin pies, turkey, stuffing and all the trimmings. But best of all, I get to spend it with my favorite people, my family.
Growing up, I couldn't wait for Thanksgiving. We all gathered at my grandparent's house and I would wait anxiously for my cousins to arrive. Even as a child, I looked forward to this holiday more than any other holiday because it meant our family would be together.
I would like to wish you and your family a blessed Thanksgiving.
Prepare that Thanksgiving
meal as cheaply as possible
I have compiled a list of common items that my family purchases each year at Thanksgiving and searched the store circulars for the best prices available.
At the time my article went to press I didn't have the Kroger ad to review, so make sure you look at it closely. They have been having some awesome deals and you may be able to score some of these items even cheaper.
Remember, if you aren't able to get to each store you can always price match, but then you miss out on double coupons and other specials the stores have to offer.
• Turkey: If you haven't already picked up your turkey, there are some great deals this week. Publix has its frozen young turkeys on sale for just 59 cents a pound. There is a limit of two, so you can pick one up for now, and freeze one for later. If you prefer a fresh turkey, Publix has them on sale for $1.69 pound. If you prefer a certain brand, be sure to compare all of the ads to make sure that you get the best price. You can always price-match at Walmart if you can't get to that particular store this week.
• Stuffing: If you are making your own stuffing this year, be sure to get a great deal on the ingredients that you will use.
• Bread: The Derst Baking Co. Discount Bread Store in Pooler at 1285 U.S. 80 E. has a wide variety of breads for just 79 cents on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The variety of bread they sell there is amazing. You will find popular brands made by Flowers Foods, Sunbeam, Nature's Own, Cobblestone Mill, European Bakers, John Derst, Bunny and many more. They are open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays. The Dollar Tree also sells certain varieties of bread cheaper than the average price at the grocery store. But keep your eyes peeled at the grocery stores, too. They often mark down bread that would be perfect for making stuffing.
• If you prefer to use a stuffing mix, Pepperidge Farms Stuffing is on sale at Walmart for $2.48, Harveys and Food Lion for $2.50, Bi-Lo for $2.69 and Publix for $2.
• Margerine or butter: Bi-Lo has Blue Bonnet margarine on sale for just 88 cents. Publix has I Can't Believe It's Not Butter on sale for $1.70. If you prefer butter, you can pick up Land O'Lakes for just $2.49 at Walmart or $2.99 at Piggly Wiggly, or $3 at Food Lion. Publix has its store brand on sale for just $2.
• Celery: Piggly Wiggly has celery on sale for $1.25, or you can pick it up for just 99 cents at Harveys.
• Spices: Be sure to check out Jones Red & White dollar aisle for some great spices. The Dollar Tree also carries various spices, and Bi-Lo has McCormick Spices on a Buy One, Get One free deal this week.
• Potatoes: You can pick up a 5-pound bag of potatoes at Harveys for $2.99.
• Yams: Bi-Lo has Bruce's Yams on sale for $2 (29-ounce can) or $2.50 at Food Lion (40-ounce can) or Food Lion brand is just $1 at Harveys (15 ounces). Harveys and Food Lion are affiliated and sell each other's store-brand items.
Make this Thanksgiving about building traditions and memories
With Black Friday up next, it's very easy to skip right over Thanksgiving and get caught up in what we are going to buy for the holidays.
Instead, take the time to reflect on what you have. Make this year about spending time with those you love and making memories that will last a lifetime. You don't have to spend tons of money to make this happen.
• Break out those board games, turn off the TV.
• Tell the kids what you remember about Thanksgiving
• Start a "thankful" tablecloth. This doesn't have to be expensive. You can use one you already have or look for sales. Have your family members use permanent marker and write down one thing that they are thankful for each year. It will be fun to bring that tablecloth out each year and reminisce about last year.
• Take a meal to someone you know may not be have one, or invite them to dinner.
• Bring out the home movies and see how much everyone has changed over the years.
Stock up on items for your
pantry and be sure to share
with those who need it
This is the best time of year to stock up on many items, from turkeys and hams to canned vegetables, gravies, spices and many more items. Watch for those great prices and stock up.
Consider donating items to your local food pantry, animal shelter and, of course, Second Harvest. There are many people who need a variety of items in our community, not just food. Break out that stockpile of toiletry items and donate some of them.
Share your great
finds on Facebook
Be sure to share any great deals that you run into on the Savannah Savvy Shopper Facebook page at www.facebook.com/savannahsavvyshopper.
It's a great community to ask questions, share deals that you have found and see deals that others have found so you can scoop them up, too. Like the page and start participating today.
Hopefully, I will see some of you out on Black Friday. I will be hitting the stores with my husband and daughter. (My sons do not like shopping.) Be sure to share those great deals that you find on Facebook. If you would like to email me some of your finds and want me to post them without your name so you can keep those gifts a secret from the recipients, feel free to email me at email@example.com.
And, please don't forget to pick up the Thanksgiving Day paper. It is huge this year! Please be careful shopping, be aware of your surroundings at all times, park in a well-lit area and be careful not to leave any of your bags behind.
Contact Savvy Shopper Michelle Rubrecht at email@example.com.


text:
There's an interesting online debate currently ranging about whether Sweden can grant Julian Assange any assurances that he will not be extradited to the USA. The debate erupted after the New Statesman's legal commentator David Green wrote an article entitled Legal Myths about the Assange extradition. The article made several points, all of which merit further analysis, but the most contentious was his claim that it would not be possible for the Swedish government to give any legal guarantee about possible future extradition. Green claimed that:
Any final word on an extradition would (quite properly) be with an independent Swedish court, and not the government giving the purported 'guarantee'.
This is supported by Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt who recently said that the government could issue no assurances:
The Swedish court system is independent. I cannot make any declaration that bind the court system in any way. I would then be violating the Swedish constitution.
American critic Glenn Greenwald picked up on Green's article claiming it was false and demanded that Green issue a clarification and apology to New Statesman readers. Greenwald quoted Swedish legal professor Mark Klamberg who had earlier addressed the issue on his personal blog saying:
Even if the supreme court has found that there are no obstacles, the government can refuse extradition. This is because section 1(1) provides that if certain conditions are fulfilled, a person 'may' not 'shall' be extradited. In other words, even if the prosecutor-general and the supreme court finds that all conditions for extradition are fulfilled the government may veto such extradition.
Klamberg then hit back saying he had been misquoted by Greenwald. In a post entitled Sequencing and the discretion of Government in extradition cases, he claimed that the situation was not as straightforward as Greenwald claims. Klamberg writes:
In essence (Greenwald) is arguing that the Government should have the first and the last say with the Supreme Court in the middle. That would make the Supreme Court redundant which is contrary to the sequence that is provided for in the Extradition Act which I have tried to describe. It may also violate the principle of separation of powers.
Klamberg also quoted fellow international law professor Ove Bring interviewed in Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter who says:
The Supreme Court can not predict its own decision. If such a request is asked for it must be processed pursuant to the established manner. Subsequently the Government may deny extradition even if the Supreme Court has said yes but the Government can not issue any guarantees at the current stage. That would mean that the Government bulldozes the judicial system and says that it is irrelevant. It does not work that way in a democracy.
Finally, Klamberg also highlighted US-Swedish extradition treaty obligations which may complicate the issue further.
Greenwald wrote a repost to this on his personal blog this time quoting the Swedish government website which seemed to agree with Klamberg's original assessment. Greenwald later took aim at Klamberg on Twitter questioning his objectivity on this issue because he is married to a Swedish government minister.
It does seem therefore that although the Swedish government would have final say, it can't do anything until an extradition request has been made and the Swedish Supreme Court has considered that request. The question is then, can the Swedish government even issue any kind of worthwhile statement to Assange? Perhaps a simple public statement of the law is all that's possible.
I suggested this possibility to Klamberg several days ago in the comment thread of most recent post:
Thanks for this detailed analysis Mark. Would it be fair to say then that the Swedish government could issue a statement along the lines of: "The government has discretion on any Supreme Court ruling on extradition but it should be remembered that it is also bound by international extradition agreements that may take precedent."
So far there has been no reply. Greenwald made a similar point in his post:
Swedish authorities could, for instance, publicly state that they view espionage charges for the "crime" of reporting on government secrets to be a "political crime" not subject to extradition, but still reserve the right to formally decide upon any extradition request if and when they receive one.
However, you can understand the Swedish government's reluctance to simply state Swedish law. In their view, the law is the law and it would be applied to Assange the same way as it would anyone else. Making an exception for him with some kind of public statement would be simply unnecessary in their eyes. If Assange really is asking for something impossible from the Swedish government, it seems the situation will remain deadlocked for a very long time to come.


text:
This campaign is on haitus and being converted from Gurps 4e to Fate Core. It will take some time to update everything.
Welcome to Zeroed – A (somewhat-post) cyber-punk setting with a heavy dosage of sci-fi fantasy. This particular campaign follows a group known as the Major Crimes Unit – a highly specialized advanced crime fighting and counter-terrorism team. They operate under very little restriction throughout the nation of Japan, with Los Angeles as their base of operations. The game will explore the concept of heroes in villains in a new light – in a world where everything is a shade of gray, just who is the hero and who is the villain?
Check out the database!
Corporations run the show now. Tonkatsu and RLD enforce more law than the police do (which is a lot). Cyberdyne has made it their mission to turn people into machines, replacing parts limb by limb. Jackets are the men to fear – not the men with the guns – the men who control the men with the guns, then turn to the press conference, appearing as the pinnacle of a good citizen. But the people know better. They make their cynical remarks and go back to their gruel – cause what can they do? They're at the mercy of those with wealth and influence to do whatever they want.
- R. Buckminster Fuller
Today aliens wander the streets, all kinds of weird things…but not as weird as they should be. They don't care about us – about any humans really. Mostly, they're here for themselves – they want something only Earth has, and just like anybody else they'll exploit whatever they need to to get a hold of it. Yeah the aliens taught us psionics, whatever – its just another way for the rich to control the poor. Hows your every day Joe Schmoe on the ground supposed to get an Archon to teach him? Its all diplomats, and jackets.
But oh no, no, no! Your dangers don't stop there! Theres also contractors – earth's unique resource, thanks to some weird asteroid. They look like bacteria to our scientists, but they're bacteria that can think, and can communicate. And can give magic powers. God knows how. Hah! Who am I fooling? Nietzsche said over two centuries ago "God is Dead". Look at the state of things – he was both right and wrong. God is dead – and he's been replaced. Money is god now. Money can perform miracles – with money the blind can see, the deaf can hear, and the crippled can walk. Can't believe those humanist protesters can't see that.
This world's a shit hole, so I decided to play by my own rules. I live under the radar. I pay for my place in cash. My landlady knows better than to ask me what I do for a living. I stay out of sight of the cameras. I'm anonymous in 2.0. Yeah, I'll do work for a jacket – long as he pays me, and he knows I do the job my way. No stuffy office buildings for me, no toiling day and night looking for some missing semi-colon in a sea of VR code. I do my jobs with my guns. I'll do jobs for the Yakuza, hell I've done jobs for the police before. I don't give a damn who hires me, really. I'm a zero. That's what I do.
— Jessica Han, a zero.


text:
Rice selects Karlgaard as next athletic director
Joe Karlgaard, the senior associate athletic director for development at Stanford, will be named the new athletic director at Rice, a person familiar with the situation said Sunday.
Karlgaard will be introduced at an 11 a.m. news conference Monday. He will replace Rick Greenspan, who stepped down June 30.
Karlgaard was athletic director for six years at Division III Oberlin College, helping raise $8 million for improvement to athletic facilities. Eleven varsity sports achieved their highest conference finish in school history.
He received a bachelor's degree in history at Stanford in 1996 and was a four-year letter winner on the school's track and field team and later assistant coach. In 2011, Karlgaard returned to his alma mater to serve in his current position.
Karlgaard received his doctoral degree in educational policy and administration from Minnesota in 2005.


text:
Posts tagged Flushed Away
Out of the Hugh Jackman Cannon0
4 years
Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed
This week we've got two new movies this week. He Named me Malala is a great documentary by David Guggenheim about the insanely brave Malala. Pan also came out but nobody seemed to notice. I'm not even sure the filmmakers realized they were making a movie. It is however Hugh Jackman's birthday so Happy Birthday Hugh, here's the biggest bomb of your career.
Rather than an Undisputed Classic we decided to challenge ourselves by checking out a Hugh Jackman film we hadn't seen which included Prisoners, X-Men: Days of Future Past and Fountain.
In 1985 we take on Sliver Bullet & Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins
Our trailers this week are:
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
Hail Ceasar
Amanda Seyfreid An Inconvenient Truth Atonement Blade Runner Boba fett Brett Ratner Bridge of Spies Christopher Nolan Daniel Logan Darren Aronofsky David Dastmalchain David Guggenheim Denis Villeneuve Disney Flushed Away Garrett Hedlund George Clooney Goosebumps Hail Caesar He Names Me Malala Hugh Jackman Ian McShane Jack Black Jake Gyllenhaal Joe Wright Josh Brolin Kate and Leopold Les Miserable Levi Miller Maria Bello MC Hammer Mel Gibson Michael B. Jordan Pan Paul Dano Pride and Prejudice Prisoners Rachel Weisz Reese Witherspoon Requiem for a Dream Robert Pattinson Rooney Mara Scarlett Johansson Scoop Star Wars Swordfish Temeura Morrison Terrence Howard The Coen Brothers The Fountain The Prestige Vanilla Ice Viola Davis Woody Allen XMen XMen 2


text:
Tricia Cast
My absolute favorite Y&R moment was when Jill and Katherine had Nina locked in the attic for all those months of her pregnancy and then finally, Nina had had enough! She was going to tell Phillip the whole ugly story and she let the two of them have it but good! It was a knock down drag out to remember. Working with Jess and Jeanne on those scenes was one of the highlights of my career! - Tricia Cast Photo credit: JPI Studios


text:
Who's Hot/Not | Track Trends | Horses to Watch | Much More
Home | News | Entries | Results | PPs & Data | DRF Store | Video | Community | About DRF | Customer Service | Web Site Policies
Copyright © 2011 Daily Racing Form, LLC and Equibase Company, all rights reserved
Data provided or compiled by Daily Racing Form, LLC. and Equibase Company generally are accurate but occasionally errors and omissions occur as a result of incorrect data received from others, mistakes in processing and other causes. Daily Racing Form, LLC. and Equibase Company disclaim responsibility for the consequences, if any, of such errors, but would appreciate their being called to their attention.


text:
Getting Started
LR Data Services
What Was Data Services?
- Make it easier to get relevant data.
- Get clean data.
- In depth scrutiny of the LR data.
- I.E. Schemas & Signatures validated, envelopes filtered.
- Mostly external, complementary to a LR Node.
What Is LR Data Services Now?
A Way to Get the Data You Want
Only interested in one specific kind of data? Data Services aims to provide a way to extract the data that's relevant to you through simple customization.
It's A Design Pattern, With Some "Batteries Included".
- Follow simple conventions to identify discriminators within the LR documents
- Reuse or modify community-sourced libraries to aid in extracting data for your use case
- Install your data service code into a LR Node's CouchDB
- Access your custom solution via the
extractHTTP service API installed on the node.
A Path Towards Making LR use Fewer Resources
We know LR can potentially hold mountains of data, and has a few data extraction services that utilize loads of storage space. This is a way to extract data in a very focused manner, which will result in substantial storage savings.
What Is a Discriminator?
Discriminators in Data Services are the characteristics of the data that you've identified that you want to capture.
- This allows you to exclude data you do not know how to process or recognize as quality information.
- For example, if you were only interested in ASN urls contained within the <conformsTo> element of XML metadata that uses a Dublin Core Terms schema, the identified ASN url becomes your discriminator.
What Can Data Services Do?
Following the conventions outlined, you will be able to extract data using:
- Resource Locator by Discriminator
- Resource Locator by start of Discriminator
- Resource Locator by Timestamp
- Discriminator by Resource Locator
- Discriminator by start of Resource Locator
- Discriminator by Timestamp
- Discriminated Resource Locator by Timestamp
- All Discriminated Resources
The Alignment to Standards Prototype Example
The prototype implementation can provide a Data Service that will allow use of the extract service to request resource data and aggregations where ASN's are Discriminators, `resource_locator`'s are Resource resource_locator, and `node_timestamp`'s are Timestamps, which will enable us to get:
- `resource_locator` by ASN
- `resource_locator` by start of ASN
- `resource_locator` by `node_timestamp`
- ASN by `resource_locator`
- ASN by start of `resource_locator`
- ASN by `node_timestamp`
- ASN `resource_locator`s by `node_timestamp`
- All ASN `resource_locator`s
To follow the K.I.S.S principle, we're adopting a set of conventions to make adding new data services simple. These conventions are part of a CouchDB design documnent.
- A field named
dataserviceso the extract service can locate the implementation. The field will contain a map that indicates the name and description of the data service. More details for this TBD!
- Views must follow a specific naming convention.
- View functions must emit specific keys according to the view they implement.
- Timestamps must be represented as seconds from epoch.
- List should be named respective of their output format. Included in the prototype is a reference sample for to-json.
"_id": "_design/standards-alignment",
"dataservice": {
"name": "Standards Alignment Data Service",
"description": "This is where I would document how this data service works."
"views": {
"discriminator-by-resource": {
"map": "function (doc) { emit([doc.resource_locator, getDescriminator(doc), getEpochTimestamp(doc)], null); }",
"discriminator-by-resource-ts": {
"map": "function (doc) { emit([doc.resource_locator, getEpochTimestamp(doc), getDescriminator(doc)], null); }",
"resource-by-discriminator": {
"map": "function (doc) { emit([getDescriminator(doc), doc.resource_locator, getEpochTimestamp(doc)], null); }",
"resource-by-discriminator-ts": {
"map": "function (doc) { emit([getDescriminator(doc), getEpochTimestamp(doc), doc.resource_locator], null); }",
"resource-by-ts": {
"map": "function (doc) { emit([getEpochTimestamp(doc), doc.resource_locator], null); }",
"discriminator-by-ts": {
"map": "function (doc) { emit([getEpochTimestamp(doc), getDescriminator(doc)], null); }",
"lists": { "to-json": "function(head, req) { ... }" }
How Map Functions Work
In LR, each record is JavaScript object, much like the one displayed below. The map function will process each individual object once for each view.
A Resource Data Document
How Map Functions Work: Try It
A map function takes takes one argument, the Resource Data Document. The function should perform the following tasks against the document:
- Evaluate the document to determine if the document should be included in the index. Does it meet some set of criteria specific to your use case?
- If the document should be included, define the structure of the keys and values in the index. Remember to follow the key conventions defined earlier.
Below is a sample implementation of a data services map function. Try editing and click run to learn what get's created in the index.show sample resource data
The Extract Service Output Specification
The basic JSON format for the extract service will is as specified in JSON Schema Internet Draft.
The Extract Service Example Output
This is an example of the data service output with doc_ID's being returned.
List Functions in Detail
List functions are responsible for formatting the response for the service output.
As the previous slides defined and displayed there are two basic parts to the response, the response wrapper, and the results.
Data Service Response Wrapper
The list function will need to group each result in the
"documents" property of the response wrapper.
Review of Prototype List Implementation
List functions group results and embed results into the Extract service's format for records in the documents list. Because the amount of data requiring processing could be large, we must try to always design list functions to buffer little and mostly stream.
Customize or Make your Own List Function
The prototype implementation should suffice as an adequate skeleton for making enhancing the prototype or building your own from scratch
- Start out by copying one of the samples.
- Don't forget any required files withing the lib folder. These helper functions have been abstracted to accomodate varied discriminator formats. In most cases unless you need supplemental_data, you can use the default to-json as is without modification.
- Remember to stream as much as you can, this will help keep your system resources under control.
The Extract Service
Provides a common HTTP interface to access data services with simplified parameters.
- What it does is create a bridge between the raw CouchDB view and list functions and query parameters, so you don't have to fully understand much of the complexity of CouchDB's query solution. The Extract service transforms your parameters into the equivalent query for CouchDB
- If running your own node, and you understand CouchDB's API, nothing prevents you from using the views directly for doing queries not supported by the extract service.
The Extract Service HTTP Request Format
The Basics
GET /extract/<data service name>/<view name>[?<DS Query Params>]
Custom List functions (AKA Roll Your Own Output Format)
GET /extract/<data service name>/<view name>/format/<your function name>[?<DS Query Params>]
The DS Query Params
|ISO 8601 formatted timestamp for start range.
|ISO 8601 formatted timestamp for end range.
|The resource locator you wish to harvest data.
|The discriminator you wish to harvest data.
|A partial resource locator you wish to harvest data that uses the specified value as a prefix. (i.e.
resource-starts-with=http://shodor.org will return all resources from http://shodor.org.
|The partial discriminator you wish to harvest data to be used for find the range that uses the specified value as a prefix.
|Presence of the value will cause the resource_data values to be a list of doc_ID's instead of full resource_data documents (default behavior)
Extract Service Parameter Matrix
Data services aims to allow you to narrow in on your data. So not all parameters work as expected with all data service views. Here is a breakdown of what parameters work together with specific view. Remember not to be concerned about the characteristics of the data returned, because the map functions have already taken care of that for you. If the data-service map functions only emit keys for documents that contain the word "exciting", that means anything this service returns will be at the very least, "exciting". The parameters just control how much to return.
|Parameter Set
|Get a list of discriminators for a specific resource locator.
|Get a list of discriminators that where the resource locator starts with a specified prefix.
|resource, from, until
|Get a list of discriminators for a specific resource locator between for a specified period of time.
|Get a list of discriminators that where the resource locator starts with a specified prefix, include the timestamp in the result
|from, until
|Get a list of discriminators for a specified time period.
|Get a list of resource locators for a specified discriminator.
|Get a list of resource locators that start with the specified discriminator as a prefix.
|discriminator, from, until
|Get a list of resource locators that for a specified discriminator for a specified period of time.
|Get a list of resource locators that start with the specified discriminator as a prefix. Timestamps are included in the output.
|from, until
|Get a list of resource locators for a specified period of time.
Extract Service API - Try It
Here are some example requests that you can try against a real data service install. Click on the line to populate the example into input box or edit by hand. Click Run to execute the request. This can take a bit of time, and cause your browser to complain. It's okay to click "Wait" or "Continue" if prompted by your browser until it completes.
GET /extract/standards-alignment-lr-paradata/resource-by-discriminator?ids_only&discriminator=["matched"]
GET /extract/standards-alignment-lr-paradata/resource-by-discriminator?ids_only&discriminator-starts-with=["matched","http://purl.org/ASN/resources/S"]
GET /extract/standards-alignment-dc-conformsTo/discriminator-by-resource?resource-starts-with=http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/activities/Advanced
GET /extract/standards-alignment-lr-paradata/resource-by-discriminator-ts?ids_only=true&discriminator=["matched","http://purl.org/ASN/resources/S1000132"]&from=2012-02-28T16:59:31Z&until=2012-02-28T16:59:31Z
Next Steps
- Check out the code on Github:
- Ask Questions on the LR Dev Google Group:


text:
Several residents attend Fiesta Bowl
Contributing writer
Jim Srajer and his son, Cole, and Steve Svoboda and his son, Cody, left for Phoenix on Dec. 31 to attend the Fiesta Bowl football game Thursday between Kansas State University and the University of Oregon.
Glenn Kerbs of Dodge City was an overnight guest Dec. 29 of his mother, Lucille Kerbs. Others joining them Dec. 30 for a post-Christmas family celebration were Reuben and Cristy Kerbs, Charlotte and R.J., Wichita; Tim and Marchelle Kerbs, Molly Kerbs, and Raymond Deiser, all of Salina; April Reidy, Cierra and Gracie, Manhattan; Doug and Connie Thompson and Taylor, Allison Sluder and Brooklyn, and Clayton and Leah Kerbs and Porter, all of Abilene; Jesse and Ashton Smith and Sydney of Pilsen; and Russ and Julie Kerbs and Rustyn. A special cake was served in celebration of Clayton and Leah's wedding anniversary. They opened gifts in the afternoon.
Adeline Bernhardt spent Christmas Day evening to Dec. 28 with Barney and Linda Bernhardt of Wichita. Joining them Dec. 26 for a Christmas dinner were John, Hailey, and Heather Haynes; James Haynes; Josh, Megan, and Joy Martin; Jim Miller; and Misty Jones, all of Wichita; and Carrie Bernhardt, El Dorado.
Many Tampa people attended an open house Dec. 30 at the Hillsboro Senior Center to celebrate Willis and Eleanor Herbel's 50th wedding anniversary. Among them were Leona Kleiber, Adeline Bernhardt, and Tom and Dee Duggan. The Herbels moved from Tampa to Hillsboro in 2011.
Tom and Lori Moldenhauer and Ronnie and Lisa Hanschu and Anna joined Frank and Anna Mae Stika at their home for a New Year's Day dinner.
Visitors at the homes of Jerry and Jeanne Rziha and David and Katarina Rziha, Isabel, Samuel, and Kathrine on New Year's weekend were Wayne Rziha, Cecilia, Anthony, and Daniel, Tulsa, Okla.; John and Jeanne Rziha, Michael, Christopher, Joseph, Timothy, Thomas, Charles, Anna, and Henry, Atchison; Diane Herron, Andrew, Peter, Maria, John, Michael, and Juliet, Chippewa Falls, Wis.; Susie Rziha, Lincoln, Neb.; Emilio and Janie Aita, Antonio, Sebastian, Raphael, and Mariana, Glen Carbon, Ill.; Cecilia Rziha, Dallas, Texas; and Julie Rziha, Sabetha.
Ron and Twyla Brown of Wichita visited Jane Vajnar on Dec. 29. Ashton Smith and Sydney of Pilsen visited Lucille Kerbs on Dec. 29 and gave her a Christmas gift.
Adeline Bernhardt spent Dec. 23 to 25 with Carl and Kathy Hubbard of Wellington. On Christmas Eve, they attended a candlelight service at Calvary Lutheran Church in Wichita. Additional Christmas dinner guests of the Hubbards were Chris, Dee Anna, and Gabby Stout, and Donna Hubbard, all of Wellington; and Clint Hubbard, Wichita.
Leona Kleiber's family spent Christmas Day with her. Those attending were Terry and Cindy Vinduska, Marion; Sara Vinduska and Matt Frazier, Sandpoint, Idaho; Daniel and Melissa Stuchlik, Tanner and Allie, Pilsen; Jill Vinduska, Orlando, Fla.; Lynn and Peggy Kleiber and Nick, Salina; Tim and Amanda Baxa and Sophia, Wichita; Dale and Andrea Klenda, Elijah, Evan, and Silas, Lincolnville; Dean and Becky Routh, Melody and Danielle, Augusta; and Chris Granzow, Lakeland, Fla. The Rouths and Chris stayed overnight and spent the next day with Leona.