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If you have or know a solar project, please submit it to us for consideration as a featured project using Submit an Item. http://www.solaripedia.com/302/submit-an-item.html
Habitat for Humanity International is dedicated to the cause of eliminating poverty housing. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat has built more than 350,000 houses worldwide, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than 1.5 million people. Last year, Habitat for Humanity announced plans to build 5,000 green homes around the US for low-income families. These homes would be built over five years, and would meet EnergyStar guidelines or other green building standards, like LEED - whether features include extra insulation in the attic or solar powered hot water heaters. Although green building carriers higher upfront costs (approximately $5,000 for an EnergyStar and LEED certified home) due to the extra materials as well as the certification process itself and extra training, it's worth it in the long run. Increasing the typical Habitat home price tag of $75,000 by a mere five grand allows families to enjoy a rapid payback in terms of lower energy bills. From new energy-efficient water heaters and weather stripping to programmable thermostats and low-flow toilets and solar panels, families see immediate savings in their monthly utility bills. Knowing a family can afford to maintain and live in these new homes for years to come means so much to these new homeowners and to these communities.
Habitat Helps by Bringing Solar to Armenia
People in poverty often spend a greater part of their family income on energy services than wealthy households. In Armenia, rural communities in remote areas are particularly vulnerable due to the exorbitant costs associated with connecting to an energy grid. An average 20 percent of household energy use is for heating water. Families in need often barely produce enough hot water for their basic needs. Water is heated with homemade immersion electrical boilers and by burning wood in makeshift ovens. Immersion electrical boilers are extremely dangerous, especially for children: there is a constant threat of electric shock or explosion. In addition to these safety concerns, the boilers consume astronomical levels of electrical energy and are scarcely affordable for an average Armenian family, with a monthly household income of US$150-180. Wood-burning, kerosene and diesel oil heaters lead to health problems as well as degraded local forests.
According to the national gas supplier ArmRusGasArd, about 70 percent of the Armenian population has access to a natural gas supply; of Habitat's partner families, only 5 percent have access.
Expanding on its work to eliminate poverty housing, Habitat Armenia is introducing a traditionally expensive technology to vulnerable households: solar panels. Armenia has on average 300 sunny days per year, so using solar energy makes for a logical—and environmentally sound—alternative to other forms of energy. Quick and easy to install and maintain, the unique solar-powered systems will give affordable hot water access to 127 vulnerable households.
Families will repay the cost of the system in less than 8 years; once installed, families have no further recurring costs for heating water. 12 communities will be educated in clean energy sources, raising awareness of the positive effectives on income, health, education and the environment.
There is potential to scale this project up to reach more than 10,000 households throughout Armenia as well as easily replicate across the region and establish solar heating systems to the wider Armenian market. This project is an innovative commercial-non-profit partnership: a pioneer in social business.
Project Highlights
• Sustainable solar water heater systems will be installed into 127 safe, decent, affordable homes
• Families will save 20 percent of monthly household income in electricity costs
• Health complaints will be reduced
• Families will use 1.5 cubic meters less wood per year
• Sale of renewable energy systems will increase by 5 percent
• Clean energy awareness in our communities will increase
• By using the sun to heat water, a family will save an average of US$252 per year; that is equal to 740 loaves of bread, 222 kilos of tomatoes, or 55.5 kilos of meat.
Habitat Builds Solar Housing for Oakland, California
Habitat for Humanity is turning one Oakland brownfield into several green homes as part of its ongoing East Bay Project. With help from Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) and a slew of volunteers, Habitat is building a 54-home development of affordable housing for low-income homeowners. The development site, a former battery salvage yard, was labeled a "blighted property" by the EPA and California's Department of Toxic Substances.
Yet that did not stop Habitat For Humanity. Roughly 300,000 cubic yards of soil had to be removed and replaced, but you can bet the effort will be worth it for the new residents of Edes Avenue.
Some features of the green homes include:
• Solar power panels
• Double-thick concrete foundation for thermal insulation
• Passive solar design eliminates the need for air conditioning
• Exposed stained concrete floor, which both adds to passive solar design and saves on other flooring materials
• Concrete is 40 percent fly ash content, which lends added durability and requires less energy to manufacture
• Use of blown-in cellulose insulation made of recycled paper scraps for a tight thermal barrier within wood-framed walls
• Milgard fiberglass windows
• Rinnai on-demand hot water heaters
• Compact fluorescent lighting
• No or low-VOC paints throughout.
PG&E's Solar Habitat Program
Pacific Gas & Electric's Solar Habitat Program in California is a partnership between PG&E and Habitat for Humanity International to fund the full cost of solar electric systems on every Habitat-built home in northern and central California. The first-of-its-kind partnership brings solar energy to families with limited incomes, furthering PG&E's commitment to provide affordable, renewable energy in the communities it serves.
Since the program began in 2005, PG&E has provided more than $2 million dollars to Habitat for Humanity affiliates in northern and central California to fund solar installations. In addition to lowering energy bills for these families through solar technology, this program seeks to promote energy literacy throughout underserved communities and increase enrollment in PG&E's free energy assistance programs for low-income families.
The solar panels installed on Habitat-homes generate nearly 300kWh of clean, renewable energy from sunlight each month, saving the families approximately $500 a year on energy costs. Each panel will also help avoid the release of more than 132,000 pounds of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere over the 30-year life of the system.
In addition to solar panels, PG&E provides resources to Habitat affiliates to help them build green, with the eventual goal of having each home LEED certified.
Habitat Powers Washington Home with Solar
From the Kitsap Sun -
Up until a few weeks ago, Felicia Oliver-Johnson always ran out of hot water when pouring baths for her five children in their small Poulsbo apartment.
But since moving March 27 into her Habitat for Humanity home in Suquamish with its state-of-the-art solar water heater, the 24-year-old single mother said she can run the dishwasher and clothes washer and pour baths — all at the same time — without the water ever turning cold.
"We've never run out of hot water yet," she said proudly.
Oliver-Johnson's new home is the first Habitat-sponsored residence in Washington State to have solar energy.
The solar water heater, which costs approximately $7,500 in materials alone, was a gift. "It's not normally something we would install," Lori Oberlander, Kitsap Habitat executive director, said.
The solar water heater was provided by Community Energy Solutions, a local nonprofit dedicated to advancing sustainable energy practices, with funding help from the Humanlinks Foundation and Grace Episcopal Church on Bainbridge Island. Sun Wind Concepts provided the installation.
Joe Deets, Community Energy Solutions executive director, said solar hot water systems make sense for everyone, especially those with limited incomes.
"A family in need can really benefit from this type of system," Deets said. "Heating water is a huge part of any utility bill — easily 25 percent. Solar water heaters really lower utility bills... and can help families afford to stay in their homes."
Deets explained that Oliver-Johnson's hot water system has an electric component that "kicks in" as needed, such as on absolute gray days. But even a little sunlight can provide a full day of hot water — in part because the system reacts to light and not heat, and energy is stored in an insulated tank.
The water heater soon will be operating at peak capacity.
From May through September, the Puget Sound area gets a daily average of 5.22 hours of sunlight.
The family previously lived in a low-income, subsidized apartment with three bedrooms and one bathroom for her sons, ages 5, 3 and 2, and her two sisters she has adopted, ages 10 and 8. Three years ago, Oliver-Johnson landed a job at the Marion Forsman-Boushie Early Learning Center in Suquamish. The job turned out to be a mixed blessing. With the new income, her rent skyrocketed, and other program assistance diminished or disappeared altogether.
At the urging of her mother, Oliver-Johnson applied for a home through Habitat for Humanity, and soon learned that Habitat intended to build the home in Suquamish, near her workplace and where her children attend school.
Ground broke on Oliver-Johnson's home last July 18.
The home was built with funding from the Gavel & Hammer Society, a group of Kitsap lawyers who support Habitat, and by members of the community who volunteered more than 2,700 hours of labor. Wenzlau Architects of Bainbridge Island provided the blueprints.
Oliver-Johnson invested more than 420 hours of Habitat-required "sweat equity" by working both on her home's construction and another Habitat home nearby. She also completed a Habitat homeowner education program, including a class on home maintenance which covered a range of topics from caring for hardwood floors to handling plumbing problems.
Habitat on 22 May 2010 (broke) ground on property next to the Oliver-Johnsons. According to Deets, there is a verbal agreement between Kitsap Habitat and Community Energy Solutions to provide a solar water heater for the second home as well.
The partnership is a good one, Deets reported, and supports his group's mission to advance clean energy sources.
"We sometimes forget that solar energy is so freely available to us," he said, "but it's a solution that literally comes up every day."
Solar-Powered Habitat Home in Alabama Is a Hit
By THOMAS SPENCER, Birmingham News 2008 - When Diana Higley received the first electricity bill for her solar-powered Habitat for Humanity home in Tuscumbia, she was shocked. Instead of owing the power company, the company owed her. "I'm waiting for my next power bill," she said. "I used to dread it and now I am looking forward to it."
The energy-efficient Habitat home was the brainchild of University of North Alabama students, who organized the project, applied for grants and helped build it along with volunteers from the Shoals Chapter of Habitat. Higley lives in the three-bedroom house with her three grandchildren.
The house has 11 solar panels and a solar water heater. It was built with special insulation, rigid Styrofoam construction materials, and was outfitted with energy-efficient appliances and fixtures.
The home has been rated as 59 percent more energy efficient than a typical house and was awarded a 5 Star Plus rating from Energy Star, the highest energy-efficiency rating a building can earn.
A typical Habitat home in the Shoals costs $45,000 to build, but Higley's three-bedroom house cost $90,000 with all the green upgrades. The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs pitched in $26,000 from a federal grant program for energy-efficient improvements to housing for low-income residents. The Tennessee Valley Authority also contributed $20,000 to help make the project a reality.
In its first 45 days of occupancy, the home generated 250 kilowatts of solar power and used 292 kilowatts of power. Served by TVA's Sheffield Utilities, the house is connected to the power grid and excess solar power is sold to the utility for 15 cents per kilowatt hour. During the period covered by Higley's first bill, TVA charged about 10 cents per kilowatt hour for electricity consumed by the home, resulting in a bill of -$6.30.
Wisconsin Habitat Embraces Solar
In 2009 seven homes in Harambee, Wisconsin, got solar photovoltaic (PV) systems that produce electricity, as well as 18 solar thermal systems that supplement hot water heating using solar. The PV installation was a collaborative project among WisconsinHabitat for Humanity, WE Energies, and the Midwest Renewable Energy Association. The MREA utilized this partnership for a three-day advanced PV training installation class in Milwaukee. The training participants had previous classes and experience in the solar field, which was a prerequisite for participation, and included men and women from different fields, such as electricians, solar and wind installers, general contractors, and land surveyors.
Habitat for Humanity Solar Home (Denver, Colorado, USA) (867 kb)
Habitat for Humanity International


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Course Details
BUS415 Corporate Finance
A study of the principles of financial managerial decision making viewed as part of a broader management process linking the firm with external markets in which it must raise funds, purchase inputs and sell products. Topics include the financial environment, financial analysis and planning, investment risk and time value of money, cash flows and capital budgeting, and short-and long-term financing sources. Prerequisites:ACC 241
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: ACC241

subset: commoncrawl


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Since I last looked at this stone a number of years ago someone has painted it white. It does highlight the location, but unfortunately the painting has somewhat obscured the definition of the cross.
From The History Of Hyde
By Thomas Middleton
I think I've found the Quarry. It MIGHT have been one of the two shown due to their locations.


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In my environment I use mslogin security so the viewer must provide their windows credentials to login.
I would love to see the additional authentication options controlled by the server configuration. The options would need to be made available in the viewer of course as well.
Two Factor Authentication
MSLOGIN + Group Password
I am not sure if this already is in place or not, but it would be cool to force both the shared group key (view only or interactive) and login credentials. Since keys can be long, A historic list of keys would be a good idea like what is in place for recent computer/ip hostnames in the viewer.
MSLOGIN + Pre-Shared Certificate
This would allow for a wonderful level of security.
Complex group password
It would be wonderful if we could use up to a 128 character password (a-z, A-Z, 0-9, and Special Characters). While People are aware it would break compatibility with some weaker VNC products, I think it would be well worth it.
TLS (Requires Pre-shared Certificates)


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Four Bulldogs Score In Double Figures To Hand Crimson First Ivy Loss
NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Heading into the final weekend of the first round of Ivy League action, the Yale University women's basketball team appeared to be on the outside looking in on the race for the Ivy League's berths in the NCAA and WNIT postseason tournaments.
The Bulldogs entered the weekend tied with Columbia for third place in the standings at 4-2 in Ivy play. Harvard was unbeaten and in first place at 5-0 after handing second-place Princeton (4-1) its first Ivy loss since the 2008-09 season.
While there is still a lot of basketball left to play, it now looks as if there will not be a runaway champion in the Ivy League, thanks in large part to a stellar defensive effort by the Bulldogs and another standout performance from freshman forward Janna Graf Friday night.
Graf scored 12 of her game-high 21 points in the second half, dished out seven assists and grabbed six rebounds to lead Yale to an 82-71 win over Harvard in Ivy League action at John J. Lee Amphitheater Friday.
Four Bulldogs scored in double figures. Besides Graf, three other starters reached double digits. Sophomore guard Megan Vasquez scored 13 points, 11 in the second half, and grabbed six rebounds. Senior forward Mady Gobrecht and junior forward Michelle Cashen each added 11 points. Gobrecht also had six rebounds and Cashen pulled down five boards. Sophomore guard Aarica West matched her career-high with nine points. She also had seven assists and three steals.
"It's an awesome feeling," Gobrecht said. "Seriously, I have wanted to play this game since we lost here on Senior Night last year. It just means a lot to win this game. We haven't been giving a good effort against them the last two years. We haven't beaten them since my freshman year and they are our biggest rivals. It makes this win mean so much more."
Yale (9-12, 5-2 Ivy League) opened the game with a 9-2 run that proved to be a sign of things to come in the opening half. Harvard (13-7, 5-1 Ivy) pulled back into the game briefly behind an 8-4 run that trimmed the early deficit to 13-10 with 11:03 to play in the half.
Yale's offense returned to its early form and scored the next six points on 3-pointers from senior captain Yoyo Greenfield and sophomore guard Allie Messimer to take a 19-10 lead.
Harvard tried to respond, but with every Crimson basket, the Bulldogs seemed to respond with another run to extend the lead even further. The Bulldogs outscored the Crimson 20-7 over the final 8:09 to go into the halftime break with a 39-19 lead. Yale forced 10 Harvard turnovers behind six steals and scored 14 points off of those turnovers.
Defensively, it was one of the most dominating halves of the season for the Bulldogs.
"I thought we had tremendous defensive energy in the first half," said Chris Gobrecht, the Joel E. Smilow, Class of 1954, Head Coach of Women's Basketball. "They are an outstanding offensive team as you saw in the second half. They are the best offensive team in the league. I thought we were so energized in the way that we jumped on them at the start that they were just off balance offensively. You could see how much the game meant to us. It translated into what we were doing on defense in the first half."
Harvard did not go away quietly, however. Following the first official timeout of the half at the 15:47 mark, Victoria Lippert's layup capped a 12-6 run that cut the deficit to 45-31. The Bulldogs responded with an 8-2 run to reclaim a 20-point advantage at 53-33, but Harvard refused to give up on the game. The Crimson trailed by 20 points as late as 8:08, and that's where it began to make a move.
"We got a little soft in the second half because we got tired and we had a big lead and then they found their rhythm and you saw what they were capable of," Coach Gobrecht said. "I thought a big key to this win was our ability to answer in the second half. It seemed like they scored every time they came down the floor and we answered most of the time. That was huge."
Little by little, the Crimson chipped away at the Bulldogs' lead and got as close as eight points, 77-69, with 1:06 remaining. Forced to foul at that point, Harvard sent Yale to the line six times in the final 2:06. The Bulldogs went 7-for-11 from the free-throw line in that stretch to put the game out of reach.
Lippert led Harvard with 18 points, 14 in the second half, and eight rebounds. Brogan Berry added 16 points, 10 in the second half, and seven assists.
Yale returns to action Saturday when Dartmouth visits the John J. Lee Amphitheater for the final act of Yale's WBCA Pink Zone event. The Pink Zone event begins at 10 a.m. at Payne Whitney Gymnasium. Yale and Dartmouth tip off at 7 p.m.
"We have to do one of the hardest things there is in sports. We have to come back and play a very good team after an emotional win," Coach Gobrecht said. "I think our players know how important it is against Dartmouth. For the Harvard win to mean something, we have to come back and take care of Dartmouth Saturday. Dartmouth has won more Ivy championships than anybody. They know what they're doing and we know we're in for a tough game."
Report filed by Jon Erickson Jr., Yale Sports Publicity


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A Sea of Stories
The Arabian Nights, Scheherazade, Aladdin, "Open sesame!", Sinbad the sailor, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves: many Americans are familiar with parts of The Thousand and One Nights—or they think they are. In truth, many of the most familiar stories today were not in the original collection of ancient stories, but were introduced less than 200 years ago by translators. When you open the version of The Thousand and One Nights recommended by this series, you will probably find stories that you have never heard of. That said, the stories you do find will likely make the flying carpets and treasure caves you've heard of pale in comparison to the original tales of genies, sultans, spirits, and people high and low whose adventures fill The Thousand and One Nights.
Marin Alsop
Music Director, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra:
"We all know these stories. We're all familiar with these, even if you're not literally familiar with every single story. This idea of a shared narrative that's passed from generation to generation. I mean this is part of our DNA, as human beings."


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Los Angeles police want to talk to Suge Knight after a rapper initially accused the former Death Row Records chief of robbing him before recanting the story.
Detective Jeff Briscoe says 35-year-old Jerold Ellis, who uses the name Yukmouth, reported he was talking to Knight on Monday night in a Woodland Hills supermarket parking lot about a debt that another rapper allegedly owes Knight.
Yukmouth filed a police report saying 10 other men arrived, knocked him down and took his watch, medallion and other jewelry worth $92,000. He wasn't badly hurt and declined medical treatment.
Briscoe says Ellis identified Knight as a suspect but later recanted. However, the stolen items haven't been recovered and the investigation continues.
The Associated Press couldn't immediately reach Knight for comment.
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MORE ACCESS ON THESE TOPICS: Suge Knight - TV One - Crime


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Ray Bradbury, who died on Tuesday at 91, will be remembered foremost as a science-fiction novelist and short-story writer whose works "Fahrenheit 451" and "The Martian Chronicles" have transcended the genre to become literary classics. But Bradbury was also an enthusiastic playwright, making significant detours to the stage and bringing his futuristic sensibility to live audiences.
In Southern California, where he lived for most of his life, Bradbury was an active and familiar presence in the theater scene, adapting some of his popular fiction for the local stage while also penning original theatrical creations.
Bradbury had a five-year relationship with the Fremont Centre Theatre in South Pasadena. The company presented a number of Bradbury productions including a long-running stage adaptation of "Fahrenheit 451"; "The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit," which was adapted from Bradbury's short story; and "Yestermorrows," also adapted from some of the writer's short stories.
Lissa Reynolds, the co-artistic director of the Fremont, said the company served as Bradbury's theatrical home. She said the writer liked the small-town atmosphere of South Pasadena, and said that he would sign autographs and socialize with audiences after performances of his plays.
"He would always come on opening night," she recalled. He was "one of the loveliest people." The first play Bradbury presented at the Fremont was "Machineries of Joy" in 2006, adapted from his book of the same title.
The Fremont garnered attention in 2010 for presenting the premiere of Bradbury's "2116," a one-act stage musical that he originally wrote for actors Charles Laughton and Elsa Lanchester. The musical was presented at the Fremont under the title "Ray Bradbury's Wisdom 2116."
Bradbury headed the Pandemonium Theatre Company in Los Angeles for many years. The writer worked with the late Alan Neal Hubbs, Pandemonium's artistic director, to adapt some of his fiction for the stage and often presented them at the Fremont.
Prior to working with the Fremont, Bradbury and his company frequently produced plays at the Court Theatre in West Hollywood.
Among Bradbury's other stage credits was "Madrigals for the Space Age," a work for chorus and narrator, featuring music by Lalo Schifrin. The show was presented at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in 1973.


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Over 5 Million Copies of Final Fantasy 13 Shipped; Overall Franchise Hits 96 Million
In all, over five million copies of Final Fantasy XIII have shipped since the PlayStation 3 version hit Japan in December 2009. Of that sum, the North American and European shipments of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 editions make up over three million.
As for the overall Final Fantasy franchise, which made its debut on the Nintendo Entertainment System way back in 1987, it has now shipped over 96 million units.
Of course, shipped isn't the same as sold. Still, 96 million is an impressive sum, especially as the very first was, according to its namesake, a Final Fantasy.
From The Chatty


text: Hi, Not sure if anyone else is having these problems, but it seems that many of the features in ISPConfig 184.108.40.206 have to been done in a different, custom way...features not working. 1. Folder Protection - I am assuming this is supposed to possibly create an .htpasswd file? Generally the password is auto encrypted. This of course can be generated from numerous websites. I tried file protection in ISP and only get either 500 internal server error or it simply doesn't protect. 2. Set backups (folder zip daily, weekly, monthly). Every website on all three servers using ISPConfig 126.96.36.199 writes a folder or two and that's it. Example, I opened a back-up zip that was a wordpress site and it copied wp-content without themes, plugins...only uploaded images! Joomla site...same essential problem. 3. Trying to use suPHP causes 500 internal server error with any website stating "index.php" is smaller than min_uid" After Googling this, most recommendations were to set the uid to 0 (although don't leave it here). Just check and this should let it work. Tried everything...no go for suPHP...500 internal server error no matter the configuration. 4. Redirect option does not work....500 internal server error. Tried using full URL extension with and without http:// also with and without trailing / Then tried just the extension with and without first and trailing / Then I tried all of these with flag none, R, L, and both R & L. Internal Server error 500. What's going on with ISPConfig? I have clients dropping like a rock because they can't use any features at all. Regarding redirect, I had to code into index.php or index.html to force the redirect. Besides setting up the site (hoping all they require is plain CGI php) having a file system and access to phpMyAdmin, nothing really works. I have three servers now with ISPConfig 18.104.22.168 and they all have precisely the same issues stated above. Any suggestions? Man I do not want to lease cPanel, but ISP is always bugged or not working in some fashion or another.


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Happy treated crappy, all over a ball
I guess I'm still in shock over this whole Happy Youngster/ Chris Coghlan thing.
The media made Happy out to be some kind of extortionist and I know it's not like that at all.
Some of the hate comments he received were so bad it has me questioning my own ballhawking adventures.
Reading those hate comments could give someone the impression that if you're over the age of twelve you have no business with a glove at a baseball game.
Happy has since removed a lot of the threatening comments.
I can't speak for you but I don't know too many twelve year olds that can catch one of those BP homers. I took one of those baseballs square in the foot the other day and it still hurts.
Imagine if only kids brought gloves to games and tried to catch those missles, the end results could be scary—–>
The last Rockies game I was at I saw Robert deflect a BP baseball that was headed right into the middle of a group of teenage girls. These girls had no idea it was coming and Robert's quick thinking prevented an injury or worse I'm sure.
Happy all I can tell you as soon as Coghlan walked up to me and said "Are you gonna give me my ball?"
With that attitude brotha I'd have said "F'ck No" broke the hell out, went home, destroyed that baseball on video and then posted it to my blog.
Happy was disrespected, lied to and treated like sheet. In the end it didn't really matter what Happy asked for in trade for the home run ball. All the Marlins had to do was say no.
I didn't like the Marlins accusing Happy of swapping baseballs either. That wasn't a good way to begin the swap. I am curious as to the outcome of all this because it is likely sometime in my life I may be in a similar situation.
Personally, I would have asked for the bat Coghlan used to hit the home run autographed and a photo of the exchange.
But now that I know what kind of guy/player Coghlan is…If I ever catch one of his home runs, I'll save myself a HUGE headache and throw the f'king thing back.
Here is what I have learned so far:
Ranter's tips just in case you ever catch a home run ball that a player would like back.
1. Give it back or be reasonable with your requests (I still think Happy was reasonable).
2. Get everything in writing and on video 🙂 . Sometimes they'll tell you one thing and then later either deny it or say something different.
3. As soon as deal/exchange starts to flake or they change their tune on you,….just walk. You have lost nothing at that point.
4. Cover your Hass, have witnesses. Realize if it goes sour, the media will spin this against you. Be prepared to fire back with your proof. If possible keep the whole thing as low key as possible.
5. People who don't know you with nothing better to do will suddenly take time out of their day to pass some of their miserable existance onto you.
Remember,…In a player/fan situation the Associated Press may not be your friend.


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Qualification and preparation standards for entering and remaining in the teaching profession have long been under fire from both inside and outside the profession.
Programs have been criticized for allowing too many unqualified candidates to enter professional training programs, and then permitting them to graduate without meeting not just standards of excellence, but falling short of mere adequacy.
In addition, many systems are said to keep underqualified teachers through tenure. The New York City system removes challenged teachers from the classroom, for example, but keeps them on the payroll for years while their cases are appealed.
And as Education Week magazine reported recently, the cutoff scores on teacher exams in many areas are set far below the average test-taker's score, allowing many below-average teachers to qualify.
That's why it's heartening that one of the nation's top two teachers' unions has proposed a "rigorous professional examination" to become a teacher, similar to the bar exam lawyers must pass before they can practice.
The American Federation of Teachers says that its proposal, released this weekend, would result in "raising the standards of the profession and making sure that kids got teachers that are prepared."
It's not just an exam, either. The AFT would require that teacher candidates have college averages of 3.0 or higher, and get relatively high scores on college or graduate-school entrance exams such as the SAT or the ACT.
Candidates would have to show mastery of the subject matter they wished to teach, and spend a year in "clinical practice" before taking the exam.
There are about 1,400 teacher training programs in the country, and standards vary widely. But, just as lawyers from any law school all face one exam, so should teachers, the AFT says.
The group favors letting states, not the federal government, adopt the exam because they control the current accrediting process.
The AFT's rival, the National Education Association, has its own proposals for reforms that might dovetail with an exam, as well. The idea has great merit, but it won't go anywhere without widespread acceptance.
Still, what would be a good reason to turn it down?
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Hey guys,
Obviously we're a community from all over the world, and as such we don't all watch the races that we love when they're on live. I've noticed over the years that many posters have helpful links to highlight packages and even full-race replays not too long after the races themselves happen, which is always great and often includes stuff not on steephill or cyclingfans; but if I haven't seen the race yet, I usually don't have any way of knowing how to access that without going into the race thread, which is obviously spoiled since its purpose is to, well, talk about the race. That's a bummer, since for me the joy of cycling is in the tension of what might happen, and I'm not always gonna be there for it live. So I figured if other people have had this experience, this thread might be useful.
My idea is to create a thread that does the following:
1) Provide a thread that lists general resources that relatively new race fans might not know (see details below);
2) Post links to highlights/replays etc of races that have just happened, so people who haven't caught the race live can be easily linked to that, and have a gloriously unspoiled space on these boards to seek out that information;
3) Provide a thread where people who haven't yet seen the race can inquire about those things. Beyond where to find them, let's say I didn't see last week's Volta a Catalunya live, and on Tuesday I posted here and asked 'is it worth downloading the whole race or should I watch the last 4km on steephill'? People would tell me to watch the last 4km and I'd save a few hours. Or on Wednesday I could find out there was no live coverage due to weather without waiting and waiting for highlights/downloads before cluing in. Or if you've seen the race, you can pop in and say 'whoever's reading this - you HAVE to see today's stage to L'Aquila/Fuente De/Saint-Amand-Montrond'. Stuff like that.
For points 2) and 3), I hope this thread can be a place of information sharing. For point 1), here's some starter information for relatively new cycling fans:
Live Streams, Highlights, etc
steephill.tv is a fantastic source for live streams (they helpfully tell you which ones are geo-restricted and globally accessible, which ones have malware, etc), spoiler-free highlights (they have a non-spoiler mode for several hours usually) and other information, like startlists, parcours, etc.
cyclingfans.com is a similar source for live streams and highlights/videos, although all its videos (I think) are non-spoiler if you click the 'videos' link on the race page and not the 'results' page.
Subscription Services
cycling.tv is an english-language subscription website that offers live, on-demand, and highlight coverage of many races throughout the year. I was a subscriber for a few years, and found it to be both great and frustrating. It's great because having on-demand access, often quickly after a race, is very useful. It's frustrating because they are the worst customer-service business I've ever seen. Like, ever. Beyond that, their race schedule changes from year to year, and they often don't know at season's start which races they have rights to. However, to a new cycling fan that wants to do nothing but binge on races, their back catalogue - assuming they still have it, it's been a couple of years - is quite impressive and probably worth a temporary subscription alone.
Other Sources
cyclingtorrents.nl. That is all.
Anyway, I trust that I'm not the only one who will find this thread useful, as I've thought of it many times in the past but am finally deciding to do something about it. Please let me know if there are other resources that should be included in the links above as well. Enjoy watching, everyone.
Links to race videos
Tour of Cali 1-5: and Giro d'Italia 2-7: http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showpost.php?p=1462289&postcount=51
2014 Amstel Gold:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCmqZ...ature=youtu.be
2014 LBL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcjjjLH0t1M
2014 Tour of Norway: http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showpost.php?p=1470822&postcount=70


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Hey everyone, I live in VA in the USA, and I have become a fairly good wakeboarder over the past few years... Every summer my family goes to frisco, (cape hatteras) and I really want to learn to kiteboard this summer during the week I'm there. 2 real questions:
1) I know I want lessons, but with who ( good and close to frisco?)?
2) should I do anything to prepare in the coming months? (trainer kite, videos, or something like that?)
I'm already in great shape and have good board control with wakeboarding, so yeah... Also, I'm only there for a week each year.
Thanks in advance for any help.


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Hannah Donovan – Designing without the browser
Web Directions @media 2011, London, May 27th 11:45am.
Presentation slides
Session description
Innovation is intensifying off the browser — the things we use everyday are increasingly controlled by touch, gesture and voice. And we, as interaction designers, are faced with a challenge that's the opposite of our browser-based one-man-shop: there's suddenly a gulf of production between our concept and the final product; the means of production is as tricky to navigate as a roster of Tolstoy characters; mistakes are expensive; and everyone speaks a different language. Sound dangerous? Sound exciting?
Donovan argues the processes for the future lie in our more material-based graphic designer pasts, and our cousin disciplines of industrial design and architecture. After a decade of honing our newfangled browser-based skills, learn how to dust off and sharpen the tools of our roots.
About Hannah Donovan
Follow Hannah on Twitter: @Han
Great reading, every weekend.
We round up the best writing about the web and send it your way each Friday morning.


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Bloomington officials believe that if the long-planned biking and hiking trail along the Minnesota River gets a jump-start, it might attract new funding to fix or build an alternative to the now-closed Old Cedar bridge -- and perhaps even attract a new owner for a bridge that city officials do not want.
The first 80-mile segment of the Minnesota Valley State Trail was authorized by state law in 1969, but so far exists mostly between Shakopee and Belle Plaine, with little trail development between Fort Snelling and Eden Prairie.
Now, more than 40 years later, recreational trails are converging from Hennepin, Dakota and Scott counties. The bridge, which spans Long Meadow Lake in the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, is a critical link to crossing the river. Without it, there's a 15-mile gap between crossings.
"There are nice trails all around Bloomington, and then there's a hole," said Randy Quale, parks and recreation manager for Bloomington.
"The Old Cedar bridge would be a very nice connection with the trail," said Karl Keel, Bloomington public works director. While no formal discussions have taken place, he said, the city has talked with the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) at least three times about the importance of finishing the trail.
The Bloomington City Council is expected to discuss the fate of the Old Cedar bridge in November.
Proposed by Floyd Olson
Until it closed to all traffic in 2002, the rickety bridge was an important north-south water crossing for bikers and hikers. Representatives of Bloomington, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the DNR and others have met regularly to discuss the bridge's future.
Joining the discussion more recently have been people from cities like Le Sueur and Henderson, which would benefit from the tourism that a more complete biking and hiking trail could attract.
A trail system along the Minnesota River was first proposed by Gov. Floyd B. Olson in 1934. Today the only completed parts of the trail are a paved segment from Shakopee to Chaska and a natural-surface trail that runs from Chaska to Belle Plaine.
In 2001, the Legislature approved an extension of the trail west from Belle Plaine and Le Sueur to Big Stone Lake on the South Dakota border.
Joel Stedman, DNR regional parks and trails manager, said that the Minnesota Valley State Trail has been a priority for the DNR's central region for "many, many years." Even so, he said, it's not first on the list of trail developments in the state or metro area.
Barriers to development include funding and issues with the route. Stedman said the flooding that has occurred in the river valley in recent years has DNR officials wondering if trail segments should run along higher ground rather than down near the river. And while state Legacy funds can be used to build trails, they can't be used to buy land.
Adding to the complications is the need to cross private property at the trail's eastern end. Near Fort Snelling, land owned by the Metropolitan Airports Commission and the state Department of Transportation could be involved, and the U.S. Air Force operates a gun range near the river.
"They have been open for discussion and cooperation," said Bob Piotrowski, manager of Fort Snelling State Park. "We are all working together as close partners."
Stedman said partnering with U.S. Fish and Wildlife, which runs the refuge along the river where much of the trail would be built, is the best way to get things done.
Considering a berm
In the mid-1990s, officials discussed creating a river crossing in the refuge by bypassing the Old Cedar bridge by building a berm across Long Meadow Lake. That would allow access to the bike and pedestrian bridge that hangs from the side of the Hwy. 77 bridge, creating the desired river crossing.
But the berm idea died when the DNR refused to issue a permit because of concerns about the impact on the lake, said Jim Gates, Bloomington's deputy director of public works. The shallow lake, about 1,200 to 1,500 acres, is a key stop for migrating waterfowl in spring and fall.
The berm idea has come up again, and Stedman said officials are checking to see if the DNR still has environmental concerns.
Wildlife refuge manager Charlie Blair, who strongly supports the state trail, is not enthusiastic about a man-made strip of land that could inhibit water flow in the lake.
"From what I've been involved in, we've talked about repairing, replacing or restoring the bridge," Blair said. "Anytime you build a berm in a wetland there are concerns."
Questions about trail funding, routes and how to cross the lake seem to add up to big barriers. But Stedman said the steady growth of other trails that would link with the Minnesota Valley State Trail raise the possibility of collaboration rather than the DNR going it alone.
"It's already been decades, so it's difficult to say how much longer this will go on," he said. "But there's a lot of energy and interest in connecting people with the outdoors and recreational activity."
Lori Nelson, executive director of the Friends of the Minnesota Valley, also senses some momentum.
"I think there's a lot of interest in getting the trail done," she said. "There's real strong interest in linking the Mississippi River and Minnesota River corridors."
Mary Jane Smetanka • 612-673-7380


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'Mirror Mirror': What happened to the fairy-tale renaissance?
Of all the ways American pop culture defines itself in the early part of the 21st century, myths -- larger than life, older than time -- supersede them all. World-creation (usually based on the rules of a world someone previously created) is what we consume, as one glance at the "Lord of the Rings"-ish enthusiasm for HBO's just-launched second season of "Game of Thrones" demonstrates.
No world is getting (re)created these days more than the one shaped by the Brothers Grimm. And yet it's these myths we seem to want least.
This was supposed to be the era of the fairy-tale movie. Big studios threw big money at big stars to take us to the land of happily ever after. In part, this was -- let's be honest -- because the source material came cheap. But it was also happening for all sorts of cultural reasons, we were told, a metaphor for evil and escape in a post-9/11 world, children's folklore with a Christopher Nolan spin.
TIMELINE: Snow White through the years
Yet like Cinderella's slippers on the other women, none of them have quite fit. In fact, fairy-tale movies so far have been dismal commercial and creative affairs. This past weekend's "Mirror Mirror," starring Lily Collins as the put-upon princess Snow White, was the latest such disappointment -- a paltry $19-million opening, just a 53% favorable rating on Movie Review Intelligence. And though you can toss out specific reasons for its failure (mistimed marketing, the diminishing appeal of Julia Roberts), it's starting to feel like something larger is going on here.
Tarsem Singh's decision to spin a fairy tale into a bouncy, punny, girl-empowerment story has fared no better than the bending of the form to other genres, not to the earnest teen romance ("Beastly") nor the gory period thriller ("Red Riding Hood"), both of which struck out with critics and audiences as well. Over the river and through the woods, to the house of flopdom we go.
This is all in pointed contrast to other mythic cinematic offerings -- the kind, such as "Harry Potter" or "The Hunger Games," that take stories to the realm of the fantastic without the strictures and expectations of a direct fairy-tale adaptation. It's also in contrast to television, where the fantasy procedural "Grimm" and the fairy-tale adventure "Once Upon a Time" have both enjoyed at least modest success, suggesting that if you are indeed going to try to put your mark on the Brothers Grimm, perhaps you need more than 100 minutes to do it well.
TIMELINE: Snow White through the years
There's still time for others to reverse the tide: Universal Pictures has been parceling out pieces of this June's "Snow White and the Huntsman," for example, hoping that the straight-faced seriousness of an action movie will be the fairy-tale formula that finally catches on. Maybe it will. Or maybe we'd rather look to new, "Games of Thrones"-like horizons instead of continuing to gaze in the mirror.
Hollywood is churning out classic fairy-tales -- with a twist
"Mirror Mirror": Snow White tale is fair (not fairest), critics say
Box Office: Greek gods, Snow White no match for "The Hunger Games"
--Steven Zeitchik
Photo: Lily Collins as Snow White, surrounded by dwarfs, in "Mirror Mirror." Credit: Relativity Media


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Opening statements set to begin in Mich. porch shooting trial
DETROIT - After two days of jury selection, lawyers are poised to give opening statements on Wednesday in the trial of a Detroit-area man who opened his front door and shot an unarmed woman, killing her.
Theodore Wafer, an airport employee with no criminal record, is charged with second-degree murder. Wafer says he heard pounding at the door and fired his shotgun in self-defense in the death of 19-year-old Renisha McBride last November.
Opening statements are expected Wednesday. The judge and attorneys screened dozens of potential jurors before settling on seven men and seven women, including two alternates. Four are black.
Prospective jurors were asked their views on race. The victim was black, while Wafer is white.
McBride was drunk and had crashed her car a half-mile away, 3 ½ hours before the shooting.


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Student on Trial for Changing Grades
Read the story. Click the "LISTEN" button at the bottom of the page to hear the story. When you are done, click the "NEXT" button.
A young man is fighting to stay out of trouble. Authorities believe that he changed many grades through a computer when he was in high school a year ago. This 19 year old faces 98 felony counts.
The young man's attorney says that his client is innocent. He also says that he has alibis for most of the dates when the crimes were committed. The school was broken into five times and the computer was used to change grades. The young man claims that he was with people other places during those times.
As many as 84 grades were changed for at least 38 students. Administrators and prosecutors believe that this young man changed nine of his own grades but also changed others to cover his tracks. The attorney argued that lots of students had access to the classroom key and also knew the password needed to change grades.
This young man already had good grades. His attorney says that he would not need to change them. His overall grade point average was 3.76. Administrators said that these grades were not good enough to get into the college of his choice. That is why they think he did it.
Two other people that were suspected of being involved in the crime blamed this young man. He says that he is innocent. He has to go to court to see who the judge believes.
The young man was allowed to graduate from high school but could not go through ceremonies. He has now finished his first year in college.
Authorities say that they are pursuing this case because they believe that the financial aid he got was under false pretense. His transcripts were not good enough without his grades being changed.
He could be sentenced to the California Youth Authority until he is 21 if he is found guilty. This is the first case that has gone to trial.
(This was adapted from an original story provided by News10 KXTV Sacramento.)


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The Price is Right is Coming to South Dakota
The Price is Right Live! is coming to the Swiftel Center in Brookings on Thursday, February 21 at 7 p.m. Tickets go on sale Friday morning, January 18 at 10:00 a.m.
The Price is Right Live! is an interactive stage show that gives contestants from the audience the chance to "Come On Down" to win appliances, vacations and even new cars by playing your favorite games from the show like Plinko to Cliffhangers to the Big Wheel, and even the Showcase!
The host of the show is Todd Newton. You may remember him from the GSN trivia program "Hollywood Showdown." He also won a Daytime Emmy award last year for Outstanding Game Show Host for his work on "Family Game Night."
Tickets range in price from $30-$50. Get more info now.


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UPDATE: Go here for the latest on this tragic story
A pregnant woman and her husband en route to a hospital were killed in a hit-and-run car crash in Brooklyn early Sunday, but the baby survived.
Nachman and Raizy Glauber, both 21, were driving in a livery cab when a gray BMW sedan crashed into the side of the cab at the intersection of Wilson Street and Kent Avenue in Williamsburg, police said. A male driver and another passenger in the BMW then fled the scene of the accident on foot.
Raizy Glauber was thrown from the car and her body landed under a parked tractor-trailer, said witnesses who came to the scene after the crash. Nachman Glauber was pinned in the car, and emergency workers had to cut off the roof to get him out, witnesses said.
Nachman Glauber was pronounced dead at Beth Israel Hospital, while his wife died at Bellevue, police said. The couple's premature son was delivered at the hospital and was in serious condition.
"The baby has no worry at all about being well raised and well taken care of," said community activist Isaac Abraham, a neighbor of Raizy Glauber's parents. "There's going to be such community outreach from psychological to moral to financial assistance, that's the least worry, the child should just make it."
Police are continuing to search for the occupants of the BMW. No arrests have been made yet.
The driver of the livery cab was also taken Beth Israel Hospital, where he is listed in stable condition, police said.
On Saturday, Raizy Glauber "was not feeling well, so they decided to go" to the hospital, said Sara Glauber, Nachman Glauber's cousin.
Hundreds gathered in Williamsburg Sunday afternoon at a funeral for the Glaubers, both Orthodox Jews.
The Glaubers were married about a year ago and had begun a life together in Williamsburg, where Raizy Glauber grew up in a prominent rabbinical family, Sara Glauber said.
Raised north of New York City in Monsey, N.Y., and part of a family that founded a line of clothing for Orthodox Jews, Nachman Glauber was studying at a rabbinical college nearby, said his cousin.
"You don't meet anyone better than him," she said. "He was always doing favors for everyone."
She added that, of him and his bride, "if one had to go, the other had to go too because they really were one soul."
During the funeral, the sound of wailing filled the air as two coffins covered in black velvet with a silver trim were carried from a vehicle. A succession of men and women delivered eulogies in Yiddish, sobbing as they spoke into a microphone about the young couple. "I will never forget you, my daughter!'' said Yitzchok Silberstein, Raizy Glauber's father.
Afterward, the cars carrying the bodies left and headed to Monsey, where another service was planned in Nachman Glauber's hometown.


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General News
Update: Two dead after plane crashes at San Francisco Airport
Submitted: 07/06/2013
San Francisco
- An Asiana Airlines flight from Seoul, South Korea, crashed while landing at San Francisco International Airport on Saturday, killing at least two people and injuring dozens of others.San Francisco Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White said more than 60 passengers were also unaccounted for.She said it wasn't immediately clear where they were, but she said they weren't all presumed dead at this time.She said at least 48 people were initially transported from the scene to area hospitals. She said the investigation has been turned over to the FBI. Terrorism has been ruled out.The Federal Aviation Administration said Flight 214 crashed while landing before noon PDT. Television footage showed the top of the fuselage was burned away and the entire tail was gone.
Written By: Associated Press
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Only one word describes the effect of watching Ben Affleck slowly dial down the temperature one degree at a time in "Runner Runner": Cool. Frank Sinatra cool.
He stars as sociopathic online gambling mogul Ivan Block, and if that role doesn't sound cool, you haven't seen Affleck at the controls.
Justin Timberlake costars as Richie Furst, a Princeton whiz kid, also cool. Not as cool as Block. Nor as keen on the whole sociopathic lifestyle. The money's great, but feeding enemies to the crocodiles crosses some lines.
But we're not there yet.


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The venerable U.S. weather app Wx, named a Mac Gem by Macworld magazine, is now available for iPad! Wx displays current conditions, forecasts, alerts, and radar for U.S. locations using high fidelity XML data from the National Weather Service.
Wx is designed for two types of customers: serious weather watchers who want detailed information and facts with no fuss, and casual users who want a fast, clean, and functional weather app that has low memory overhead and low CPU/battery usage.
Wx lets you set up locations on an embedded map, guiding you to choose nearby NWS observation sites (over 1700 available in the U.S. and its territories), nearby NEXRAD radar sites, and nearby city- and county-based alert zones.
Wx is crafted with attention to detail by a pro developer. The app has multiple levels of redundancy to handle severe weather events, and offers network settings for both Wi-Fi and Cellular operation to fine tune performance and bandwidth needs. Wx operates in portrait and landscape orientations, and offers an efficient user interface design for each mode.
Wx for iPad runs on iOS 6.1 or later.
Wx sets up a 7-day summary "point" forecast customized for the specific latitude and longitude of each location, and a 7-day "pro" forecast that graphs temperature (actual and apparent), dew point, relative humidity, cloud cover, wind speed, wind direction, gust speed, 12-hour probability of precipitation, 6-hour liquid precipitation amount, and 6-hour snow amount. Wx's pro forecast is also latitude/longitude based, and is about as good as it gets if you need to plan work, sports, hobbies, and outdoor activities based on upcoming weather.
With their high spatial resolution, the point and pro forecasts are especially useful in coastal and mountainous regions, where typical zone forecasts can be inaccurate.
Wx also lets you bookmark and setup weather maps for quick reference. Choose from 18 default NWS maps and images, or provide the URL for any map of your choice and load it right in the app! If you have preferred weather providers, you can load your favorite maps and images right in Wx and keep them handy.
For service and data issues with Wx, please check the Status Blog to see if this is a known problem before contacting the developer.
For additional support, contact:
Feedback and suggestions are welcome.
Can the app display alternate units, such as temperature in Celcius or wind in knots? Right now the app only displays the US standard units available in the NWS data feeds. An option for alternate units may be added in the future.
How do I setup a custom weather map/image? When viewing a map/image in Safari, tap and hold on the image until a popup appears, then select "Copy". Go into Wx to setup a map, activate the text cursor in the URL field, press and hold until the copy/paste popup appears, and select "Paste".


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2013 marks the 50th anniversary of one of the most iconic sports cars to ever be produced – the Porsche 911. Of course the brand wants to celebrate this special occasion and has thus announced a variety of events for the coming months.
Starting March 7th, the Porsche Museum will have four special exhibitions, including an early-model 911 Turbo Coupe, 1981 911 Cabriolet concept, a 1997 911 GT1 and a Type 754 T7 which was a "milestone on the way to the 911 design. Later in the year, the Porsche Museum will host the official "50 years of the Porsche 911" exhibition, from June 4th until September 29th.
Next a vintage 1967 Porsche 911 will be sent on a world tour, being showcased at various locations and events around the globe, including the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and Goodwood Festival of Speed.
The 911 was originally launched at the 1963 IAA show in Frankfurt as the 901. Eventually it would be called the 911, due to a dispute with Peugeot. Up until today Porsche has sold 820'000 911s, making it the most successful sports car of all times.
Enjoy some great images of the old and the new Porsche 911 in the above gallery.


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If you have or know a solar project, please submit it to us for consideration as a featured project using Submit an Item. http://www.solaripedia.com/302/submit-an-item.html
Veljko Milkovic is an inventor and, as such, has created designs for an eco-house along with many other energy-saving devices. His self-heating eco-house – or Eko Kuca - building concept saves up to 85 percent on heating, 100 percent on cooling, 30 percent on lighting and about 20 to 40 percent on building materials, based on monitoring. Using passive solar design principles and earth-shelter techniques, he also employs reflective surfaces that unfold to capture and amplify solar gain into the home through the glazing. Milkovic says this design achieves the highest energy savings with a minimum investment. The Eko Kuca is covered with a sod roof that sweeps up over the earth-bermed house to provide additional insulation for an energy-efficient envelope. (Scroll to bottom for additional resources)
In 2009, the Eko Kuca won a First Place Award for Serbia and Montenegro as part of the international Energy Globe competition for worldwide sustainability.
With many patents to his name, designer Milkovic is a modern-day Nikola Tesla who also grows mushrooms, creates improved methods for food production and has developed a hand water pump that uses a pendulum for greater efficiency.
Ten Eko Kucas have been built around Serbia - the first in 1979. Since then, relevant factors concerning this construction method have been monitored, proving the solar sod house concept yields energy savings of up to 85 percent. Construction costs for these earth-sheltered homes have also been shown to be less than the construction of above-ground houses.
Instead of a traditional roof, the Eko Kuca has a layer of soil and vegetation that protects the house from cold winter and hot summer temperatures. Rainwater from the roof can also be collected in a cistern for later use. The earth berming also protects walls from erosion and reduces noise. These ecological houses do not require deep foundations, and a smaller footprint is possible because the houses do not require a large area for HVAC-related mechanical equipment.
Savings in heating is partly based on reflective surfaces that reflect direct and diffuse solar radiation into the home interior. Reflective panels or other hard surfaces are coated with glossy lacquer and milk-white paint, or covered with aluminum foils and sheet metal. The upper reflecting surfaces are fixed and built into the eaves of the building; the lower reflective panels are hinged under the windows and can double as shutters. These reflecting surfaces are an inexpensive solar device according to Milkovic, that, in addition to heating, also increase the presence of daylight within the home. An Eko Kuca in Novi Sad, Serbia, for example, has shown savings in electric lightning of 30 percent.
Veljko Milkovic has registered around 110 other inventions with Serbia's intellectual property office, with 36 patents issued. In addition to his eco homes, his ecological inventions include an autonomous battery charger, greenhouses, mushroom gardens, a forest for food production, eco barns, housing projects based on soil protection and a facility for purification and desalination of salt water and polluted water.
Veljko Milkovic also authored two books in Serbian on the Eko Kuca:
Ekoloske Kuce
Solarne Zemunice - Dom Buducnosti
To order copies, contact the Veljko Milkovic Research & Development Center
Eko Kuca Financial and Energy Savings Calculation Report 1994 (285 kb)
Veljko Milkovic Research & Development Center (Serbia)


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|Right: Arthur Homer Mylot
with his cousin Effie Van Hoesen
on the left
at Doyle City, Waterford. circa 1922
|This may be Arthur in the wagon and older brother pulling
|Arthur is the smallest kid in the group
The boy in black looks like older brother, Milo.
|Arthur Homer Mylott,
daughter with the earmuffs,
and Arthur's mother, Edith Lida Glode.
Around the holidays 1956.
Yes it was. Joseph Arthur Omer Mylott, son of Benjamin Mylott and Ida Glode, baptized on July 15th, 1918 in St Joseph's Church in Chamby, Québec!
|Edith Ida Glode
A strong woman, a survivor.
Giving birth to babies on boats!
A widow and
mother of Milo, Edgar and Arthur
and several children who did not live to adulthood.
Grandmother, Great grandmother too.
|St Joseph's, Chambly
The document states Arthur's father, Benjamin Mylott, is a navigator. Arthur Mylott was born on the canal boat while in the Chambly Canal!
Unfortunately, he never knew...it was a little too late.
Joseph Arthur Omer Mylott
July 15, 1918 - October 14, 2006
The Best of the Best
A hero, my "King Arthur"
|Poestenskill Creek
|Green Island, NY
|In Panama Canal Zone 1939
and finally below are images of the canal at Chambly....


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There will be a great deal of attention focused on Martin Laird's three putt on the 72nd hole, especially that lag putt that ran 7 feet past the hole, or the second putt that never touched the cup. Both strokes were obviously critical, as it lead to a devastating bogey and subsequent loss in the playoff for Laird.
But what about that swing on the first hole on Saturday, could that have determined the outcome of this tournament? No, not one from either Laird or eventual champion Matt Kuchar, I'm talking about Tiger Woods.
Tiger, as most people know, got off to a tremendous start at this year's Barclay's, and even with a lackluster second round, was right in the mix heading into the weekend. And then, playing it "safe" on the fairly easy straight away opening hole, he duck hooked a shot OB left and walked off the first hole with a horrific triple-bogey seven. Had he birdied that hole like he did in two of his four rounds, or even parred it like he did in the second round, he would have been right in the mix.
Even more, had he not had to spend so much energy trying to erase the damage of the triple bogey and instead, been able to focus on contending for the lead, I personally feel he had a great chance to run away with the tournament. And that leads us to the subject of this week's "A Lesson Learned."
Every shot counts and you have to focus on your first shot like it's the most important shot in the world, and maintain that focus for the entire round.
Did you know that Tiger Woods led the field in driving accuracy this week? It's true. But that one shot from the tee (a "safe" three-wood ironicially) was what might have cost him the entire tournament.
Miguel Angel Jimenez missed a five-inch putt, five inches!, late in the final round of the Johnnie Walker Classic this past Sunday, effectively costing him a shot at the win.
In tournament golf, there are no "gimmes", and every shot counts the same as that last putt on the last day. Laird's three putt on 18 was obviously heartbreaking for him, but he made a great birdie putt on the hole before to put him in the lead. How many times, at the end of a round, did you look back over your score and think about that one loose swing which led to a double, or the one three putt that you never should have had.
I tell my students constantly that to play your best golf, you have to be ready to play from the first hole. Too many students will try to experiment or "ease" into the round. That's fine for casual play, but if you care about your score, never let up on your concentration.
I feel bad for Martin Laird but he has a ton of talent, he'll be back in contention soon. And yes, so will Tiger Woods. But both showed great examples this past week of what can happen when your focus slips for even one shot. As you can see, it's often not pretty. We're hoping they concentrate better next time – and you should too in order to play your best golf.
John Crumbley is the Director of Golf at Mystery Valley Golf Club in Lithonia, GA.


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September 21, 2011
Julian Lim
Theme: Clubbin' — The first word of each theme answer can be a type of "club."
Theme answers:
- 17A: *Title role in the 2009 Tony winner for Best Musical (BILLY ELLIOT).
- 24A: *Advantage of some military goggles (NIGHT VISION).
- 45A: *Freetown is its capital (SIERRA LEONE).
- 11D: *Unauthorized stories written by devotees (FAN FICTION).
- 28D: *Pro shop freebie (GOLF PENCIL).
- 55A: "That's exactly how I feel" ... or what each starred clue's first word can do? (JOIN THE CLUB).
And would you look at all this awesome fill? Hard to pick a favorite, but I'm gonna go with FULL TILT, especially clued to the online poker site. The only problem, of course, is that the FBI has shut the site down. I even had a few dollars in an account with them. It looks like I should be able to get it back, but I don't know. When the FBI shuts down an illegal gambling operation, I'm not sure it's a good idea to just stroll back in and ask for your money back.
Other fun fill includes TETRIS (love me some TETRIS!), FILCH, and the Scrabblicious I.Q. TEST, LOGJAMS, JITTERS and IDIOT BOX.
- 30A: Not hard to grasp (BASIC). Love this clue.
- 36A: SkyMiles airline (DELTA). I spent some time in airports last weekend, so this came easily.
- 38A: Ethiopia's Selassie (HAILE). This is some pretty high-end crosswordese. If you've never heard of him, you might want to peruse his Wikipedia page just to help solidify his name in your brain.
- 40A: Creepy-crawly (BUG). Another great clue.
- 58A: Stat for Ryan Howard (RBI). For some reason, I had an inkling that Howard was a pitcher, but I didn't write in ERA right away because I just wasn't sure. Crosses showed me RBI, so it was a good move to wait.
- 13D: Confine again, as swine (RE-PEN). Clunk!
- 41D: Stormy weather gear (PONCHOS).
- 45D: Give the creeps (SCARE). This clue doesn't exactly work for me. Someone can "give me the creeps" without "scaring" me. But it's a fine distinction and likely just personal.
- 31A: Plaza Hotel imp (ELOISE).
- 50A: Actor Morales (ESAI).
- 4D: Gardner of mysteries (ERLE).
- 27D: Bar from a dairy case (OLEO).
- 46D: Sonnet line fivesome (IAMBS).
- 47D: Maritime birds (ERNES).
Everything — 1A: Its median score is 100 (I.Q. TEST); 7A: Weapon for Tyson (FIST); 11A: Christmas choice (FIR); 14A: Former drug giant (SEARLE); 15A: Sans employment (IDLE); 16A: Enjoyed hors d'oeuvres, say (ATE); 17A: *Title role in the 2009 Tony winner for Best Musical (BILLY ELLIOT); 19A: Drop off briefly (NAP); 20A: Shoe with a swoosh logo (NIKE); 21A: Tex-Mex snack (TACO); 22A: M-16, e.g. (RIFLE); 24A: *Advantage of some military goggles (NIGHT VISION); 26A: Bottlenecks (LOGJAMS); 30A: Not hard to grasp (BASIC); 31A: Plaza Hotel imp (ELOISE); 32A: Write quickly (JOT); 33A: Sports car roof option (T-TOP); 36A: SkyMiles airline (DELTA); 37A: Make, as a sandwich (FIX); 38A: Ethiopia's Selassie (HAILE); 39A: Like flannel and fleece (SOFT); 40A: Creepy-crawly (BUG); 41A: Tiered Asian temple (PAGODA); 42A: Butterfly's perch (PETAL); 44A: Noble headpiece (CORONET); 45A: *Freetown is its capital (SIERRA LEONE); 48A: Response to a dare (CAN SO); 49A: __ II razor (TRAC); 50A: Actor Morales (ESAI); 54A: Film buff's channel (AMC); 55A: "That's exactly how I feel" ... or what each starred clue's first word can do? (JOIN THE CLUB); 58A: Stat for Ryan Howard (RBI); 59A: Having the knack (ABLE); 60A: Tough leather (OXHIDE); 61A: Subj. that helps people assimilate (ESL); 62A: Niggling things (NITS); 63A: "Enough already!" ("STOP IT!"); 1D: Publisher's ID (ISBN); 2D: Royally named liner, briefly (Q.E. II); 3D: Heart-to-heart (TALK); 4D: Gardner of mysteries (ERLE); 5D: Shrewd (SLY); 6D: When strokes begin to count (TEE TIME); 7D: Rip off (FILCH); 8D: Couch potato's fixation (IDIOT BOX); 9D: Pavement warning (SLO); 10D: Game with tumbling blocks (TETRIS); 11D: *Unauthorized stories written by devotees (FAN FICTION); 12D: Author Calvino (ITALO); 13D: Confine again, as swine (RE-PEN); 18D: Trails (LAGS); 23D: "Did we get the bid?" ("IS IT A GO?"); 24D: Orion Mars mission gp. (NASA); 25D: Acid container (VAT); 26D: Some arena displays, briefly (LED'S); 27D: Bar from a dairy case (OLEO); 28D: *Pro shop freebie (GOLF PENCIL); 29D: Pre-speech obstacle (JITTERS); 32D: St. Patrick's Day dance (JIG); 34D: Ye __ Shoppe (OLDE); 35D: Bog fuel (PEAT); 37D: Big name in online poker (FULL TILT); 38D: March __: Carroll character (HARE); 40D: Sound at a shearing (BAA); 41D: Stormy weather gear (PONCHOS); 43D: USC athlete (TROJAN); 44D: Cold weather wear (COAT); 45D: Give the creeps (SCARE); 46D: Sonnet line fivesome (IAMBS); 47D: Maritime birds (ERNES); 50D: Footsteps-in-an-empty-hallway sound (ECHO); 51D: Blunder (SLIP); 52D: BMW rival (AUDI); 53D: "Yeah, sure!" ("I BET!"); 56D: Shizuoka sash (OBI); 57D: Phone no. addition (EXT.).


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Useful Resources for Looking at Library 2.0
I've been doing a lot of research lately into Libraries and their adoption of web 2.0 principles/technologies and also Enterprise 2.0. In my research I have come across some excellent information which I am going to share to those of you who are interested.
These resources all come from the Online Computer Library Centre website in the reports section. I cannot stress how complete, in-depth and useful these resources are. The OCLC team conduct huge environmental scans and collect masses of data on Library usage, social networking, emerging technologies, perceptions of libraries and so on with plenty of statistics and graphs to support their studies.
The website contains the following studies (of which can all be downloaded from the website in PDF format):
(Particularly useful documents to the Library 2.0 assignment for INB students are marked with *'s)
- Online Catalogs: What Users and Librarians Want *
- Sharing, Privacy and Trust in Our Networked World *
- College Students' Perceptions: Libraries & Information Resources **
- Perceptions of Libraries and Information Resources (2005) **
- 2003 Environmental Scan: Pattern Recognition **
- Libraries: How They Stack Up
- Five-Year Information Format Trends (2003)
- 2004 Information Format Trends
You can visit the reports homepage here.
Hope this helps others completing the Enterprise 2.0 RFP assignment as well as anyone looking for information and data to back up Library 2.0 implementations.


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Active surveillance (watchful waiting) is a good treatment choice for men who have prostate cancer that is low-risk and not likely to spread (early stage). Whether this is a good choice for you is something you will want to discuss with your doctor. Together you and your doctor will want to consider:
Your personal preference needs to be part of this decision.
With active surveillance, you and your doctor will watch your cancer closely to see if it causes any symptoms or appears to be growing. During this time, you will have checkups and tests, such as PSA tests and digital rectal examinations. You may also have prostate biopsies.
It may seem odd to have cancer and not have surgery to remove it or radiation therapy to kill the cancer. But unlike many other cancers, most prostate cancer grows very slowly. Slow-growing prostate cancer does not normally cause symptoms, so it is possible to have prostate cancer for years without ever knowing it.
Prostate cancer treatments like surgery, radiation, and hormone therapy have serious side effects. These side effects include bladder, bowel, and erection problems. With active surveillance, men who have low-risk prostate cancer can wait to start other treatment. Some men will never need more treatment. And others can delay dealing with any side effects until tests show their cancer is growing more quickly.
If you choose active surveillance, you are taking a chance that your cancer will spread and become incurable during that time. But this is not common. Regular checkups will increase your chances to find out right away if your prostate cancer grows. That way your cancer still can be treated in the early stages, when treatments are more successful.
Active surveillance may mean not having treatment to cure the cancer even if it grows. Some men choose not to have any treatment because they have another medical condition, such as a heart condition or diabetes. Or they may only have a short time to live. Either way, they may not be strong enough for treatments such as surgery or radiation. These men may choose to only have treatments to stay comfortable.
Unless you only have a short time to live, if your prostate cancer is faster-growing (higher-grade), your doctor probably will recommend other treatments. Each type of prostate cancer treatment has its pros and cons. And it is important that you and your doctor think about both when making your treatment decisions.
Active surveillance sometimes continues for years. In other cases, tests eventually show that the cancer is growing and needs to be treated.
Prostate cancer is typically a slow-growing cancer. In the United States, about 17 out of 100 men will get prostate cancer, only 3 of these 17 will die of prostate cancer. That means that 97 out of 100 of these men will die of something other than prostate cancer.1
If your cancer is caught before it has spread and it is a low-grade or slow-growing cancer, you may choose active surveillance rather than surgery or radiation. With active surveillance, men who have low-risk prostate cancer can wait to start treatment. Some men will never need treatment. And others can delay dealing with these side effects until tests show their cancer is growing more quickly.
Men who have newly diagnosed and slow-growing prostate cancer may choose to take a little time to make their decision about treatment.
Active surveillance appears to work as well as prostatectomy and radiation therapy for most men over 65 who have early-stage prostate cancer (stages I and II, also called localized prostate cancer). For men younger than 65, treatment with surgery may help them live longer.2
The main reason to choose other treatment (and not active surveillance) is to not miss the chance of being cured. With active surveillance, there is still a small chance that the cancer may grow quickly and spread.
Of course, even with surgery or radiation, there is a small chance that the cancer will spread. But after the cancer spreads, the treatment to get rid of it may be more complicated and cause more side effects. In some cases, it may be more difficult to have nerve-sparing surgery.
When prostate cancer is discovered very early because of a PSA test, symptoms usually do not appear for at least 10 years. This means that if your prostate cancer is small and slow-growing, you may have a few years to decide about starting treatment. Or you may decide to continue with active surveillance.
Early prostate cancer does not usually cause symptoms, but some men do have problems urinating. If you are having symptoms and have not yet had treatment, this is a time to talk to your doctor about treatment.
Complete the special treatment information form (PDF) (What is a PDF document?) to help you understand this treatment.
- Zelefsky MJ, et al. (2008). Cancer of the prostate. In VT DeVita Jr et al., eds., Devita, Hellman, and Rosenberg's Cancer: Principles and Practice of Oncology, 8th ed., vol. 1, pp. 1392–1452. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
- Lu-Yao GL, et al. (2010). Outcomes of localized prostate cancer following conservative management. JAMA, 302(11): 1202–1209.
Last Revised: April 27, 2012
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information.


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You are here
Higgins breaks Isle of Man car lap record
Big news from the Isle of Man: tank-slapping internet sensation Subaru driver Mark Higgins has just smashed his own record for a production car lap of the 37.3-mile TT course.
Higgins hauled the US-spec 2015 WRX STI around the island in 19m 26s - 11 seconds faster than his previous best time set in 2011. His average speed was 116.40mph.
But Higgins admitted his lap - like his Code Brown effort three years ago - was far from perfect. 'I overshot Signpost [corner] ran out of brakes and had to use the e-brake to get round - so good job we hadn't disconnected that!' Higgins told Top Gear.
Without that mistake - and a couple of gremlins in the traction control software - Higgins reckons he can go a whole chunk faster next time out.
'I think there's another good 15-20 seconds to be made up. We can definitely go even faster,' he said.
Higgins won't have to wait long before testing his theory. He is scheduled to run another lap this Friday.
TG is trackside at the IoM, so stand by for more news on that as it happens.
What do you think?
This service is provided by Disqus and is subject to their privacy policy and terms of use. Please read Top Gear's code of conduct (link below) before posting.


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Welcome to the Office of Human Resources at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH).
UAH is the educational hub of a thriving metropolitan area where professional satisfaction and career achievement are paired with optimal quality of life in a community that has received nearly unprecedented rankings and recognition for job growth and quality of life. Huntsville boasts a thriving economy and one of the highest per capita incomes in the Southeast. The city has the highest number of engineers on a per capita basis in the country with six percent of the workforce, and also has the highest number of Ph.D.'s per capita in America. TechAmerica Foundation reported that Huntsville's concentration of high-tech workers is second in the nation to San Jose's Silicon Valley. The local public school systems are rated among the top in the region, and residents enjoy year-round outdoor recreation in a temperate climate where relaxed hospitality reigns. Acclaimed museums, arts, and cultural events offer ample options for education, diversion, and entertainment. These factors reflect the values of a family-focused community characterized by an affordable cost of living and big-city amenities.
The city has generated several accolades during the last few years:
- USA Today: Huntsville is one of five communities leading the economic recovery
- Relocate America named Huntsville the country's Best Place to Live
- Forbes magazine: Huntsville is one of the Top 10 Smartest Cities in the World
- FDI Magazine (The Business of Globalization) named Huntsville one of the Top 5 Small Cities of the Future in North & South America
- Area Development named Huntsville a leading hotbed for high-tech growth
- Kiplinger's: Huntsville is one of the Top 10 cities for raising families
- CNNMoney.com: Huntsville is one of the nation's most affordable cities
In the middle of the city is The University of Alabama in Huntsville, a public co-educational, state-supported research university. UAH is the anchor tenant in Cummings Research Park, the second largest university-related research park in the United States. The campus is ranked among U.S. News & World Report's Tier 1 national universities, and is rated as a "very high research activity" institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, one of only 73 public universities in the nation holding that distinction. Learn more about UAH.
The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) is an affirmative action / equal opportunity employer of minorities / females / veterans / disabled.
Human Resources
Laurel C. Long
Associate Vice President for Human Resources
Sara Elenbaas
Coord I, Human Resources
Kathy Mullins
Human Resources Generalist II
Chelsea Gleason
Human Resources Assistant


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This is a list of the users who have been ReTweeted the most in the last hour, day or week. Click a user's name to see a search of ReTweets containing it. The database and indexing setup are new, so the older listings may not be very good. Check out the post I wrote releasing the ReTweet mapping tools.
I'm a social & viral marketing scientist; read my bio here. To get an idea of what I do, check out my portfolio, tools, and research reports. If you like my stuff, please subscribe to my feed, connect with me on LinkedIn, follow me on Twitter, join my email list or email me.
- Intro to Memetics: What is a meme?
- What is Viral Marketing?
- Applied Memetics
- How memes encode themselves on our brains
- Tipping Points do Exist: Informational Cascades
- Ideas do not spread because they are good
- Urban Legends
- The Goliath Effect
- Why people forward chain letters
- Gossip
- Homeric poems and the oral tradition
- How to make and spread rumors
- How to stop rumors
- The science, history and how-to of contagious laughter
- Viral Marketing Examples
- The Spoon Model
- Viral Seeding Must-Haves
Copyright © 2008 by Dan Zarrella, social media marketing and viral marketing consultant. All rights reserved. site map
DanZarrella.com, Social & Viral Marketing Scientist


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With a textbook tucked under one arm and a megaphone in the other, Totsapol Thaitrong marched in downtown Bangkok Friday with hundreds of fellow students, adding their youthful voices to the cacophony that is Thai politics.
Outside the national police headquarters, they rallied to denounce police brutality and demanded justice for two activists wounded Thursday by gunmen during a march. Some planned to join the occupation of the prime minister's offices, now in its 11th day, which has brought a volatile political situation close to boiling point.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, the target of the protests, declared a state of emergency in Bangkok after overnight street clashes left one person dead. But Army commander Anuphong Paojinda has let the occupation continue unchecked, arguing that a political settlement is required to restore order.
Across much of Asia, idealistic students are often on the frontlines when activists go to the barricades. But the current push to unseat the Thai leader hasn't followed this pattern, relying instead on middle-aged followers to keep up the pressure. Many of those camped out on the lawn of the compound are women, including retirees and business owners.
Yet the mobilization of students, while still small, is growing and could help broaden the campaign, while reviving memories of student-led movements of the 1970s and 1990s. It would also dispel the stereotype of a young generation obsessed with shopping and entertainment, the fruits of Thailand's export-led economic growth.
Mr. Totsapol, a law student, admits that many on campus are too busy or apathetic to march, even though he ignored his professor's advice to stay impartial. "I like to follow the news and know what happens in the country. I don't like bad politicians," he says.
Wanchalerm Sangwantond, a high-school student wearing his uniform, says his mother encouraged him to join Friday's march and the compound sit-in. We come here because we want to show our support [for this campaign]. We hate this government," he says.
Plenty of university students take an interest in social and political issues, says Giles Ungpakorn, a leftist politics professor at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, where Totsapol studies. But while students stood up to military dictators in 1992, joining the People's Alliance for Democracy - a coalition of royalists, businesspeople, and academics leading the current protests - may be less appealing.
"If students get active in politics, that would be a significant change. But the PAD is fighting on a conservative, reactionary platform. That's not necessarily something that stirs up young people," he says.
Samak often dismisses the group as an irrational mob. On Thursday, he proposed holding a national referendum to end the crisis, a move that could take weeks to organize. PAD leaders swiftly rejected the idea as a delaying tactic.
Adding to the uncertainty, the Election Commission voted Tuesday to recommend dissolving Samak's People's Power Party for campaign fraud during last December's parliamentary election. Party dissolution would trigger new polls that seem unlikely to heal the divisions exposed by the current stalemate.
"I think the problem in Thai society is much deeper than the conflict between the government and the PAD and whatever governments comes out [of elections]. There will be protests, large or small. It's inevitable," says Nidhi Eoseewong, a liberal historian in Chiang Mai.
Defining the ideological lines in Thai politics is complex. Ironically, some of the bitterest foes are former student leaders of the 1970s who now find themselves on opposite sides.
Supporters of Samak and his predecessor Thaksin Shinawatra, the original foe of the PAD who was ousted in 2006, say they are defending democracy against a reactionary minority that wants to turn back the clock. PAD leader Sondhi Limthongkul proposes diluting the power of elected politicians and inviting military intervention when needed.
That infuriates Thitirat Hoshi, a businesswoman in Bangkok who says the rural and urban poor stand to lose out. "The PAD is small but they are rich people and have education, so they can do anything," she says.
Not all PAD supporters are giving up on Western-style democracy, though. Some argue that Samak has gamed the electoral system and that his removal would clear the way for reform-minded politicians. Some activists recall Samak's role in violent crackdowns on street protests in 1976.
That pivotal year, when nationalist generals overthrew an elected left-leaning government, casts a shadow over the current conflict. Some leftists such as Finance Minister Surapong Suebwonglee went on to join Mr. Thaksin's party, injecting a social welfare agenda into its capitalist DNA. Others have now found common cause with the PAD, despite its elitist creed and links to military hardliners.
Both sides can play royalist cards. The PAD claims to be fighting for the crown against alleged republican plots by its opponents. But Samak is a nationalist who has a long association with revered King Bhumipol.
Little wonder that the Army is staying out of these murky political waters, says Mr. Nidhi, the historian. "The situation is so confusing that they don't know what to do," he says.


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Rolling Back a Quick-Install Application to a Previous Version
It's possible to roll back a quick-install application to a previous version within 14 days of upgrading.
To Roll Back an Application to a Previous Version
- Log in to your GoDaddy account.
- Click Web Hosting.
- Next to the hosting account you want to use, click Manage.
- In the Popular Apps panel of the Hosting Control Panel, click Show All.
- Click Manage My Applications.
- Next to the application you want to use, click View and manage details.
- Click Rollback Application.
We email you once the rollback completes.
Note: If your application uses a database, rolling back results in the deletion of all data created since your upgrade. To avoid unintentional loss of data, please back up your database before proceeding. For more information, see Backing up and Restoring MySQL or MSSQL Databases.


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New Car Review
2014 Acura TSX: New Car Review
The 2014 Acura TSX is slightly smaller than such well-known names as the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4, but it's also priced well below these midsize luxury sedans. With a base price starting just over $31,000, Acura loads the TSX with a bounty of standard features and offers only a handful of options. The result is a well-equipped, nimble and fun-to-drive luxury sedan brimming with Acura quality and resale value.
Although it arrives unchanged from the previous model year, the 2014 Acura TSX includes a Special Edition version that brings sportier touches inside and out, as well as a wagon variant. Though only available in a front-wheel-drive, 4-cylinder engine and automatic transmission setup, the TSX Sport Wagon extends 5-door versatility to the TSX model line.
What's New for 2014?
There are no major changes for 2014.
What We Like
Sporty acceleration; superior interior quality; exceptional reliability
What We Don't
Tight rear-passenger legroom; no manual offered with the V6; missing cutting-edge accident-avoidance systems found on other luxury brands
How Much?
Fuel Economy
The 2014 Acura TSX sedan is available with a choice of two engine and transmission options. First, a 2.4-liter inline 4-cylinder is mated to either a 5-speed automatic or, with the Special Edition package, a 6-speed manual transmission. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that, with the automatic, the TSX is capable of 22 miles per gallon city/31 mpg hwy. The larger and more powerful 3.5-liter V6 is mated exclusively to a 5-speed automatic. With the V6, the TSX achieves an EPA-estimated 19 mpg city/28 mpg hwy.
The TSX Sport Wagon, on the other hand, is available only with one drivetrain setup: 2.4-liter inline 4-cylinder and a 5-speed automatic transmission. According to EPA, it returns fuel economy of 22 mpg city/30 mpg hwy.
Standard Features & Options
The 2014 Acura TSX is offered in three trims: Base, Special Edition and Sport Wagon.
The base TSX ($31,530) comes standard with 17-inch alloy wheels, HID headlights with auto on/off, heated side mirrors with driver's side reverse tilt down feature, perforated leather seating, 8-way power driver's seat with lumbar support and memory feature, 4-way power passenger seat, heated front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, Bluetooth, a 360-watt 7-speaker premium audio with 8-in subwoofer, USB/iPod integration and auxiliary input, tilt/telescoping steering wheel with touch controls for audio and cruise control, a power glass moonroof and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.
The Special Edition ($32,530) adds sporty interior and exterior styling tweaks, such as unique 17-in wheels, a more aggressive front fascia, a rear spoiler, aluminum pedals and Luxe Suede seat inserts with red stitching. A 6-speed manual is a no-cost option.
The Sport Wagon ($32,880) includes all the features of the TSX sedan plus a rear cargo cover and under-floor storage.
A Technology Package is offered on both the sedan ($34,630) and wagon ($36,530) and brings a 415-watt, 10-speaker ELS audio system with DVD audio, HD radio and 15-GB hard-drive memory storage for music. Voice-active navigation with rear backup camera is also part of the package, as is a power rear tailgate for the TSX wagon.
A V6 engine is optional but only on the sedan and only with the Technology Package ($40,170). Eighteen-inch wheels are also standard on the TSX V6 sedan.
All TSX models feature a broad range of passive safety technologies, including six airbags. Head restraints are provided for all seats, and the front seats employ an active headrest-restraint system, limiting whiplash. Three-point seat belts are provided for all seating positions, along with seat-belt load limiters with an integrated automatic tensioning system for the driver and front-passenger seat belts.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has not crash-tested the TSX. However, the independent Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gives the TSX top marks in the frontal-offset, side-impact and roof-strength tests, and lists the TSX as a Top Safety Pick for 2013.
Behind the Wheel
No matter which drivetrain customers choose, each is peppy and exhilarating. For customers more interested in a thrilling driving experience, the 2.4-liter with the 6-speed manual is ideal. Customers who wish to simply harness a wave of power with a flick of the accelerator will prefer the 3.5-liter V6 with the 5-speed automatic transmission.
In fact, the 3.5-liter V6, producing 280 horsepower, is nearly overkill for the front-wheel-drive TSX. Put the transmission into Sport mode and hammer the throttle, and the TSX rockets forward. The sensation is certainly fun, but the engine's power proves too much for the front wheels, which quickly lose their grip. Traction control engages to keep wheelspin in check.
Once the tires regain traction, the TSX is easy and pleasurable to drive in the city, on the highway or on country back roads. Steering is light, acceleration is highly responsive, the transmission shifts smoothly and the cabin is quiet. Like most Acuras, the suspension is on the stiff side. But the firmer, sporty suspension suits the TSX well.
Other Cars to Consider
Kia Optima -- The Optima is newer, cheaper and bigger than the TSX, but it's not as composed in the corners. If driving dynamics isn't number one on your list, the Optima has sharp looks, plenty of amenities and an impressive warranty.
Volkswagen Passat -- The Passat is certainly more family friendly than the TSX, with softer suspension and a roomier interior. What it lacks in driving excitement, it easily makes up for with frugality. The Passat is big, relatively inexpensive and fuel efficient.
Buick Regal -- The Regal's styling is more dramatic than the TSX, and it offers the option of all-wheel drive. The Regal GS can be equipped with a powerful turbocharged engine and a manual transmission.
AutoTrader's Advice
Customers looking at the TSX will most likely be attracted to its sporting nature. Although the V6 is by far the fastest of the TSX variants, we suggest customers save their cash and stick with the base 201-hp 4-cylinder engine. Not only does the smaller engine save weight (which improves handling), but it also knocks more than $5,000 off the sticker price.


text: Princeton Review names Sellinger School one of "Best 295 Business Schools" for 2014 October 17, 2013 | By Nick Alexopulos Graduate business students told the Princeton Review they chose the Sellinger School because of Loyola's Jesuit "commitment to excellence" and "strong belief in business ethics." Loyola University Maryland's Sellinger School of Business and Management has been included on the Princeton Review's list of the "Best 295 Business Schools" for 2014. Schools on the "Best Business Schools" list are not ranked hierarchically. The Princeton Review instead publishes an extensive profile of each school based on graduate students' responses to survey questions about Loyola's graduate business programs. Loyola students who responded to the survey said they "love Baltimore" and that the Sellinger School offers solid preparation in doing business in a global economy. Students also said they "appreciate the Jesuit influence" and name Loyola's Jesuit "commitment to excellence" and "strong belief in business ethics" as reasons for choosing the Sellinger School. The surveys found that students value Loyola's part-time programs because they "cater to working individuals" and give them "flexibility and greater control" over the curriculum. Students said they were drawn to the Sellinger School because it offers classes at convenient times in locations close to the Baltimore area. The Princeton Review concluded, "When you consider Loyola's 'great reputation,' price, and willingness to support student success, it's no wonder students say going there is a 'great experience.'" More than 20,000 students from the 295 schools completed Princeton Review surveys online during academic years 2012-13, 2011-12, and 2010-11, answering question about their school's academics, student body and campus life, and their career plans. More information is available at princetonreview.com. About the Sellinger School of Business and Management: Loyola University Maryland's Sellinger School of Business and Management provides business education rooted in Jesuit traditions emphasizing strong ethical leadership, commitment to social responsibility and a global perspective. With more than 100 faculty members and 2,000 students, the Sellinger School offers undergraduate studies and graduate part-time, weekend, and full-time MBA, finance, and certificate programs on campuses in Baltimore, Columbia, and Timonium, Md.