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Dorothy Helen Benson, age 94 of Delavan, WI, passed away Sunday, Dec. 1, 2013 at her home in Delavan, WI. She was born on Feb. 22, 1919 in Delavan,the daughter of Kurt and Dora (Billings) Plewe. She was a 1937 graduate of Delavan High School and attended UW-Whitewater for one year. Along with her mother and her brother Wally, she was the owner and operator of Eat'n Time restaurant in Delavan, until their retirement in 1990. In addition to being a homemaker, Dorothy was a member of the American Legion Auxillary, the Monday Morning Alumni Club, the Episcopal Church Women, and Friends of the Aram Public Library. She was a volunteer at Lakeland Hospital and Willowfield Nursing Home for many years. Of all her community activities, she was most proud of being Director of the Christ Church Altar Guild for more than 40 years. She is survived by her daughter, Pat Benson of Delavan, her three sons; John (Susan) Benson of Ohio, Richard Benson of Delavan, and James Benson of Georgia, five grandchildren; Kimberly (Matt), Christopher (Jeanette), Ben, Sam, and Zack, four great-grandchildren; Katie, Alex, Karl, and Tyler, and five special nieces and nephews. Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, one brother, Wally (Helaine) Plewe, Jack Benson, life long friend Enny Swanke, several precious cats, and her beloved Syd.
Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2013 at CHRIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH in Delavan, WI, with Fr. John Splinter officiating. Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. until time of service at the CHURCH. In lieu of other expressions of sympathy, contributions may be made to the Christ Episcopal Church or any of the area animal rescue shelters. MONROE FUNERAL HOME, in Delavan, WI, is assisting the family. Visit us at monroefh.com.


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We surveyed 1,200 individuals across Europe to help us understand how investors are managing their finances digitally. What we found was that high net worth individuals present unique opportunities for firms through these investors' use of digital technology. We spoke with Alfredo Avila to dive into this area further.
What was the most surprising finding from the study on Generation D, digital generation, investors in Europe?
When we look at the findings, it was abundantly clear that the growing reliance on digital technology is making its way into the wealth management industry. In fact, 80 percent of Gen D investors log on routinely for simple services, such as online bill pay and other banking services. More than 75 percent use social media more than once daily.
So, why the focus on high net worth investors in this paper?
High net worth investors represent 30 percent of all individuals we surveyed and their net worth totals eclipse a threshold of $750,000. They're a segment that's worth paying attention to.
How are high net worth investors similar to mass market and affluent investors?
Like other investors, a large percentage—87 percent—of high net worth investors uses digital for financial services. Two-thirds are weekly users of social media and more than 40 percent consider themselves early adopters in technology. High net worth investors also prefer face-to-face interaction.
How are high net worth investors different?
High net worth investors are even more interested in learning about investing than affluent and mass market survey subjects – despite the fact that they already consider themselves as knowledgeable about investing. Here's where they also differ: high net worth investors see educational and planning tools and services as true difference makers, and they also place greater value than their peers on socialization avenues.
How can advisors appeal to high net worth investors?
I'm glad you asked. It's important that advisors get familiar with the tools and services high net worth investors value. These investors call out education on long-term goals, account category setting and a 360-degree account view as some of the difference makers. Firms can make traction with high net worth investors by offering customized solutions. A one-size-fits-all approach won't cut it in today's market.

subset: commoncrawl


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Olde English Babydoll Southdown Sheep
Our farm is located in southwest Missouri and is home to a flock of "Olde English Babydoll Southdown Sheep". For such a long name, they are actually quite small creatures. In fact they are often called miniature sheep. They are actually a heritage breed that has been around for a very long time! A quick search through the Internet will verify there are not many to be found, although some of us are working to change that. But I am getting ahead of myself…
My adventure as a shepherd began in an unusual way. We had been searching for an organic solution for grass and weed control in vineyards. I learned of these miniature sheep and that they had been used in orchards and vineyards successfully, but could not find much that had actually been written about any problems, complications, methods and timing for grazing, etc. So we decided to take our chances and eventually located a small flock for sale in a nearby state.
The vineyard experiment was the practical reason we obtained our flock. There are several other practical reasons for raising Babydolls, but we soon learned there is something about shepherding them that has nothing to do with practicality, yet is even more satisfying. My first clue about this was from the previous shepherd of the flock. She asked on my second day with them, "Have you fallen in love with the Babydolls yet?" The question seemed strange to me since we also had two other breeds as part of the flock we bought from her, yet she did not mention them. But in the days that followed, the question seemed less and less strange. On our farm we have many different animals, and I am accustomed to finding myself becoming attached to, and enjoying certain ones more than others. But the Babydolls definitely have a special quality about them. Before you know it, they have woven their way into your heart.
So, no matter how the vineyard experiment turns out, these fuzzy little smiling faces are here to stay!


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(c'mon - someone had to to make that pun)
Yeah, so, I guess I ought to knock off a few of those things on my to do list.
Let's start with the one that will get me lots comments. (yeah, right.)
Y: The Last Man roxxx!!!!!! Ok, well, not so much. But it's amusing. Er....at least, issues 1-5 and 37-42 are anyway. The rest may be as well, but I haven't read them yet. (so...I may be revising my opinion later on)
The premise is, of course, idiotic. It is assumed to be every (hetero) man's fantasy (all the women in the world to myself mwahahaha...) and what every idiot assumes is every feminist's fantasy (no more men - almost, anyway - let's throw a party!). For some reason this comic is supposed to appeal to women, and despite the fact that I actually do like it, I have no idea why people assume that I would.
Very little possibility of beefcake? check
Leading female characters that are only leading because there are no men to take their rightful place as leaders? check
A storyline that manages to be all about men (especially one in particular) even though all but two of the characters are female? check
"Nice guy" character being chased by feminazi's, protected by la femme Nikita in dreadlocks, and occasionally sparing time from his busy schedule of tracking down his girlfriend (oh, sorry, fiance) and saving the world by his mere existence to put the womenfolk in their place? check
Remind me again why women are supposed to like this?
Remind me again why I ever broke down and picked this up?
Oh, yeah, because it's written by Brian K. Vaughan.
If you haven't ever read anything else by Vaughan - and I'll admit Runaways and a few issues of Ex Machina is pretty much all I've read - then I should probably tell you that he and Joss Whedon are mutual fans of each other's work. Which has you either suddenly intrigued or rolling your eyes. I most definitely fall into the former group.
When I saw how Vaughan handled the practically all-female Runaways, I started to wonder if maybe Y wasn't so bad after all. Every time Gertrude opened her mouth, it became that much harder to imagine Y as the completely sucky comic I had presumed it to be.
So, I picked up the first trade paperback, and found it both surprisingly good and predictably bad.
Y: the Last Man is not an interesting look at what the world would be like without (almost any) men; it can be rather annoying when it comes to that. (The Washington Monument? Seriously, Brian. I, personally, would end up parking myself in front of the statue of Lincoln and bawling my eyes out; I would not be lighting candles in front of a big phallus.) It is, however, an entertaining (and at times infuriating) look into the mind of a feminist leaning man in a misogynist world. Y: the Last Man is not really about women at all. At most it is about Yorick's/Vaughan's perception of women and his struggle to be fair and respectful of women in a world that pushes him not to be.
Franny at So So Silver Age wrote:
Ultimately, Vaughan is using the unmanned scenario to explore manhood and masculinity through a character who is decidedly not the American ideal superdude, who is a composite of anxious shortcomings thrust from being a guy to not just being a man but the man. And ultimately, it serves feminist purposes to reevaluate and reflect on the meaning of masculinity.I think she has it exactly right and that this is the underlying and unspoken reason why people think women would be more interested in this comic than men: men aren't supposed to question these things (but all those feminists secretly wish they were men, right?)
When we are first introduced to Yorick he is practicing his escape artist skills. It's obvious - anvil sized obvious - that this is meant to foreshadow future events: in the near future he will be constantly hunted and must constantly escape capture. Throughout the story, pretty much everyone wants to tell him what to do. Those that don't usually simply don't bother telling, they just do.
I suspect it is also meant to by symbolic of Yorick's attempts to escape the constraints of gender - his struggle throughout the story is not just to escape physical capture but to resist being defined solely by his biology. His most valuable asset to society is his ability to help create the next generation (not that way - get your mind out of the gutter). He understands this and generally agrees that this needs to be his number one priority. He is often frustrated however, with the fact that he no longer matters as an individual - to everyone fighting over him he is an object, really. He spends much of his time trying to contact his girlfriend and is a constant advocate for the idea of romantic love, the importance of personal relationships, and the validity of emotions.
Of, course, Yorick being an escape artist is also a nice plot device; it makes it hard for people to keep him locked up - which would have made the story either really boring or forced Vaughan to focus on other characters. If it was possible to keep Yorick locked up, Vaughan might have actually had to write about a world run by women. Instead, he gets to write about about a man trapped in a world run by women.
Y: the Last Man does not turn the world on it's head by creating a world in which women fill men's shoes, it turns the world on it's head by putting a man in a traditionally feminine role. Sometimes the story shifts and it becomes the usual, annoying "nice, average guy searching for the perfect woman" but most of the time Yorick's story fits very nicely into the "fiesty heroine who is being forced to marry for the sake of the family reputation/younger siblings/war torn kingdom, but believes in true love anyway" cliche that pops up again and again in Romance novels. He's even got the taciturn bodyguard, the emotionally cut-off elder sibling who starts out as a hinderance but later becomes an ally, and the whole "physically weak but usefully clever" thing going for him.
Which explains why I like it: I read Romance novels. I'm not completely sure why everyone else is so into it, though.
I also find it odd but interesting that so much of the buzz about the book centers on not only it's gimmicky premise but on the Amazons - and the idea that they are stand-ins for radical feminists. With so many other examples of strong - feminist even - women in the series, it seems quite obvious to me that, in this world without men, they are meant to represent the unapologetic violence that men are supposed to embrace, not Andrea Dworkin and every woman who fails who disown everything she says. They are more than Rush Limbaugh's fictional feminanzi's brought to life, even if Vaughan has trouble shaking such stereotypes. Despite being women, they are "real men" who do what needs to be done and respond to heartache with destruction and anger, not tears. They understand that violence is needed and that the rest of the world "can't handle the truth." In some sense this is meant to be commentary on the human condition and the not so big differences between men and women. Mostly though, they are there to provide a foil for Yorick and create scenarios where he has to choose or reject violence.
It seems quite normal to me that a group like the Amazons would exist; anger is one of the stages of grief, after all. However, it also seems really abnormal that there wouldn't be other radical groups: ones that claim that the end is here and women were found unworthy, ones that blame women, liberals, the church etc. for the disaster, and so on. To me, it's the fact that such groups are almost non-existent in his world and the apparent focus on the Amazons that is troubling, not the mere existence of the Amazons alone - or even any of the actual interactions between Yorick and the Amazons (that I've seen). However, the Amazons exist and the religious fanatics don't because Vaughan sees the former as useful foils for Yorick, not because Vaughan thinks that feminists are evil, nasty, and out to get men. That doesn't mean his writing is any less flawed because of his lack of conscious intent, just that it's useful to keep that in mind when picking the story apart.
But, then, like I said, I met Gertrude first. It's hard to read a comic in which the fat, nerdy, cynic gets the hunk and think that the writer has it in for feminists.
(ps - don't worry about spoilers in the comments - I've obviously skipped ahead anyway.)


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St. Charles City-County Library District
Board of Trustees
Including Closed Session
September 11, 2012
The St. Charles City-County Library District Board of Trustees met at 7:00 pm on Tuesday, September 12 at the Administrative Offices located at 77 Boone Hills Dr., St. Peters, Missouri
Board Members present:
· Myra Crook
· John Thoelke
· Mary Reese
· Gary Heggs
· Georganne MacNab
Board members absent:
· Joann Leykam
· Jerry Cook
· Debbie Haupt
· Lisa Pelikan
Library Staff present:
· Jim Brown, Director
· Maggie Preiss, Children's Resources and Marketing Coordinator
· Richard Schultz, Finance and Support Services Coordinator
· Kristin Williams, Planning & Development Coordinator
· Frank Noto, IT Coordinator
· Sara Nielsen, Community Branches and Adult Programming.
· Ann King, Branch Manager, Kathryn Linnemann Branch
· Martha Radginski, Branch Manager, Middendorf-Kredell
· Laurie St. Laurent, Branch Manager, Spencer Road Branch
· Tim Deghelder, Branch Manager, Deer Run Branch
· Vivienne Beckett, Branch Manager, Kisker Road Branch
· AsiaGross, Branch Manager, McClay Road Branch
· Diana Tucker, Branch Manager, Corporate Parkway Branch
· Lucy Lockley, Collection Development Manager
President Myra Crook called the meeting to order at 7:04 pm with the Pledge of Allegiance. Five members responded to roll call. Ms. Crook opened the floor for public comments. No requests for time were received.
The following reports were included in the Board packet.
· Financial Report—Rick Schultz
· Director's Report—Jim Brown
Jim Brown pointed out that the District's legal counsel, John Shaw, had provided an opinion on fund-raising activities in library facilities and the opinion is stated in his report to the Trustees. Based on the information in the opinion from Mr. Shaw, Mr. Brown's recommendation is that he will "assign three staff members to draft a policy prohibiting fundraising activities in library facilities with an exemption for the Library District and its three affiliated entities: the Library Foundation, Friends of the Library, and Library Building Corporation".
It is the consensus of the Board to proceed with Jim Brown's recommendation.
· Monthly Statistical Report
· Activities Report for February and March—Maggie Preiss
· Correspondence
· An updated copy of the District's Organizational Chart and an initial copy of the Library Bill of Rights, the Freedom to Read statement, and the Freedom to View statement were distributed at the meeting.
Every Child Ready to Read2—Maggie Preiss
The Every Child Ready to Read (ECRR) program is in libraries across the nation to help parents prepare their children to learn to read. Parents are a child's first and most important teacher. ECRR, though successful in some ways, has also uncovered some need for improvement especially in regard to how the early literacy skills are presented to parents. Skills are developed through five practices: singing, reading, talking, playing, and writing.
Children learn in two separate, unique ways—with unconstrained skills and constrained skills. Constrained skills are learned skills for reading. An example of a constrained skill is the alphabet. It is a "constrained" skill because once letters are taught, there is nothing else to learn about them—an "A" is an "A". Unconstrained skills are skills needed for learning and to lead to better understanding and learning overall. Some examples of unconstrained skills are vocabulary, comprehension, and background knowledge. ECRR focused on constrained skills; ECRR2 focuses on unconstrained skills. That being said, one new initiative being introduced to the branches in support of ECRR2 is play kits. The play kits are being donated to the branches by the Library Foundation. This is just one initiative; there will be many more initiatives implemented in support of the program.
Another way in which the Library Foundation is helping to promote early literacy and in support of ECRR2, "Take 20 and Read" is a new initiative to help bring the early literacy focus and the library to families who may not otherwise engage in library tools, activities, and programs. Our new Extension Services Specialist will play a key role in the implementation of this new program as well as all early literacy programs, and taking the focus outside the four walls of the library and into the community. The branches will work in each of their own communities to promote "Take 20 and Read" and teach the importance of early literacy in places like the Crisis Nursery, Birthright, WIC Office, and Family Services with programs such as "reading parties". Reading parties are similar to what we have known in the past as Tupperware parties and, obviously, are gatherings in support of reading and bringing adults and children together to read! The St. Charles City-County Library District staff has really discovered their importance in promoting early literacy and teaching other individuals their roles as well.
For more information on ECRR and ECRR2, their website is www.everychildreadytoread.org.
Rick Schultz announced the LAGERS 45th Annual Meeting in Springfield, Missouri on October 25, 2012. If you are interested in attending the conference or have any questions, please contact Mr. Schultz. There is no staff attending at this time.
Consent Agenda
· Minutes from the August 14, 2012 Board Meeting.
Lisa Pelikan should be added to the list of absent Board members.
· Minutes from the August 14, 2012 Work Session, Closed Session
· Minutes from the August 27, 2012 Work Session, Closed Session
MOTION: Mr. Heggs moved to approve the Consent Agenda as amended. Mr. Thoelke seconded. Motion approved five affirmative, zero negative, zero abstentions, and four absent.
Formal Agenda
Myra Crook moved to Formal Agenda Item
13-07 Policy D032 Collection Management Policy
Lucy Lockley, Collection Development Manager, presented a draft of the newly revised Policy D032—the Collection Development Policy. As stated in the Agenda Memo, the current policy was approved in 1997, and was in need of updating. The taskforce formed to review the current policy was a multi-level team of staff and management. The taskforce reviewed the policy and researched other libraries with well-represented policies in place. The new proposed policy combines current Policies D032, D040, and D080. It is more flexible, more representative of the current collection in our branches, shorter, and proposes including the Freedom to View statement. The current policy already includes the Library Bill of Rights and the Freedom to Read statement, but does not include the Freedom to View. The proposed policy also excludes a lot of details that will be found in a procedure manual that is currently being created by the same taskforce, allowing more flexibility within the policy.
Mary Reese commented that the proposed changes and the new policy are easy to read and easy to understand. John Thoelke would like to see the procedures that will accompany the policy, as well as additional time to review the policy, prior to approval of the proposed policy. Ms. Lockley indicated that she can present the procedures to the Board Members upon completion by the taskforce.
13-06 Setting the FY13 Tax Rate
MOTION: John Thoelke moved to open the public hearing to set the FY13 tax rate. Ms. Reese seconded. Motion passed by a roll call vote with the following votes: Myra Crook-yes, John Thoelke-yes, Mary Reese-yes, Gary Heggs-yes, Georganne MacNab-yes.
Ms. Crook opened the floor for public comments or questions. No requests for time were received.
MOTION: Mary Reese moved to close the public hearing and move back into the Formal Agenda. Mr. Thoelke seconded. Motion passed by a roll call vote with the following votes: Myra Crook-yes, John Thoelke-yes, Mary Reese-yes, Gary Heggs-yes, Georganne MacNab-yes.
Rick Schultz provided the newest financial figures in a letter from the County Registrar of St. Charles County. There was some discussion regarding the figures contained in the letter as well as the explanation in the Memorandum from the Missouri State Auditor. In Mr. Schultz's original agenda memo to the Board, he recommended setting the tax rate at $.2287. However with the receipt of the updated financial figures today, Mr. Schultz is recommending that the Board of Trustees set the FY13 tax rate for the St. Charles City County Library District at $.2181, no increase, or the certified rate by the Missouri State Auditor.
MOTION: Gary Heggs moved to set the FY13 tax rate for the St. Charles City County Library District at $.2181, no increase, or the certified rate by the Missouri State Auditor. John Thoelke seconded. Motion passed five affirmative, zero negative, zero abstentions, and four absent.
MOTION: Mr. Thoelke moved to go into a Closed Session pursuant to RSMo Section 610.021 (3) for Personnel. Ms. Reese seconded. Motion passed by a roll call vote: Myra Crook-yes, John Thoelke-yes, Mary Reese-yes, Gary Heggs-yes, Georganne MacNab-yes.
The open session adjourned at 8:10 p.m.
(Closed Session)
13-08 Human Resources Coordinator Information Review—Closed Session
Members of the Human Resources Coordinator search committee (present: Vivienne Beckett, Ann King, Rick Schultz, Jim Brown; absent Maggie Preiss) reviewed the process used by the committee and provided information on the experience and qualifications of each of the finalists. Following the presentation the Trustees had an opportunity to ask questions. This portion of the closed session concluded at 9:00 p.m. Members of the Human Resources Coordinator search committee were excused.
Director's Evaluation
The Trustees discussed with Jim Brown the three action plans.
MOTION:Mr. Thoelke moved to end the closed session and adjourn the meeting. Ms. MacNab seconded. Motion passed by a roll call vote: Myra Crook-yes, John Thoelke-yes, Mary Reese-yes, Gary Heggs-yes, Georganne MacNab-yes.
The meeting adjourned at 9:40 p.m.
Respectfully submitted
April C. Wootten, Recording Secretary
Secretary Board of Trustees Date


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Musings on the NBA Draft Prospects from the Kentucky-North Carolina Game
What a game of college basketball on Saturday at Rupp Arena, as Kentucky edged North Carolina 73-72. And what a concentration of prospects on one floor with six of the Top 13, and 10 of the Top 40 on Chad Ford's Big Board, and a full eight players who Jonathan Givony projects as Top 11 picks in his Mock NBA Drafts for 2012 and 2013.
Of course, that kind of talent concentration created a unique opportunity to evaluate these prospects in matchups against other elite talents. As such, I wanted to take a moment to play the role of dilettante draft evaluator and offer my observations on the many Wildcat and Tar Heel prospects, coming out of Saturday's classic in Lexington.
In general, my feeling about the potential 2012 draft class is this: I think there is a deep pool of about ten players who could potentially be Top 50 or so guys in the NBA, but I don't know if there are any players who are Top 10 guys. I question how high the ceilings are for even the top guys in the draft, several of whom played prominent roles in the Kentucky-North Carolina game.
Obviously, it's still very early, as many of these guys are freshmen who've played but a handful of college games. I suspect a lot will change between now and March, but here are some early-season thoughts on prospects from the big game at Rupp:
Anthony Davis was the ultimate headliner of the game, as his wingspan proved to be just a fraction more impossible than John Henson's on an impressive game-sealing blocked shot in the final seconds. Even after a game in which he scored just seven points (3-6 FG, 1-1 FT), Davis still seems to be entrenched as the consensus choice as the no. 1 overall pick for 2012.
I have no doubts that Davis is an elite defensive prospect, but when I read quotes like this, from a scout in a recent Chad Ford blog post, I have to ask if Davis is being overvalued:
- "Davis is the only person in this draft who I'm sure can change a franchise.... Davis is the only sure thing to me. He has such a unique game. He'll be a great pro."
My concerns can be summed up like so: I never see him create offense in the halfcourt. Against Kansas, Davis had six field goals, five of which were dunk finishes. Against St. John's, Davis had six field goals, comprised of four assisted dunks, one assisted layup, and one tip-in. Against North Carolina, Davis' three FGs consisted of one nice post move, one spectacular finish of an alley-oop, and one assisted lay-in.
The main reason that I suspect Davis may be overvalued is actually narrative-based, relating to his point-guard past. Davis famously experienced a seven-inch growth spurt in one year which transformed him from a marginal Division I prospect into the consensus no. 1 pick he is today. He is, as the lore now goes, a big man with point-guard skills, because he spent most of his career as a young guard.
The problem I have with that is this: I have yet to see this narrative translate into actual playmaking ability on the floor. Davis is averaging 1.1 assists per game, as has one assist total in 99 minutes in Kentucky's three games against decent teams (Kansas, St. John's, North Carolina) so far. He also had just 2 assists in 73 minutes in the three main high-school postseason all-star games last year (McDonald's All-American, Nike Hoop Summit, Jordan Brand Classic), in which he played very well overall, averaging 20 and 9 plus three blocks.
Obviously, it's still very early, and Davis is still growing into his new body. He has plenty of good tools - he's smart, has really good hands, shooting form that's good enough to suggest he can eventually knock down outside shots, and already has some decent post moves down low.
But as of now, I have questions about whether Davis is a guy who can create a bucket for you in the halfcourt of an NBA game, and I really wonder if he's a playmaker at all, or if that's just a function of narrative that's actually a crock.
Davis certainly doesn't look like an All-NBA 1st or 2nd teamer to me based on what I've seen so far. He looks more like a Camby than a Garnett. Don't get me wrong, Marcus Camby is a guy who's had a long, productive career, winning a Defensive Player of the Year award, and probably deserving to make a couple All-Star games even though he never has, but I'd guess that "lower-tier/borderline All-Star" is more than teams and fans expect to get out of a no. 1 overall pick, and out of Davis.
Speaking of players I think are overvalued, let's move on to Harrison Barnes.... Barnes seems like a great kid, and I really want to believe in him, but I just haven't seen signs that Barnes will be a truly elite NBA player in more than a season at North Carolina, and felt that way again after watching his matchup against Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.
This summer, Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted this: "An NBA scout gushing over Harrison Barnes battling KDurant in Chicago last night. 'Top pick in the next draft -- by far.'" It makes me wonder what I'm missing, because I don't see Barnes as anywhere near a guy who projects to Durant's level.
To me, Barnes' main strength is knocking down outside shots - and a willingness to do so in pressure situations - but I have major concerns about the fact that he doesn't seem to do much else well. I rarely see him get to the rim (Barnes shoots just 48% on two-point shots), he is a middling rebounder, and a downright poor passer.
Let me say that again, because it's a facet of Barnes' game which I don't think is discussed enough: he is a terrible passer. Awful. He has six assists in eight games so far this season, and his A/TO rato has dropped from a subpar 1.4/1.9 to a dreadful 0.8/2.5 to date this year. But beyond the numbers, I offer my observations that Barnes doesn't seem to see the floor well and rarely seems to make productive passes, so-called hockey assists or passes which put the Tar Heels in a better position to score.
All of this was on display vs. Kentucky. Barnes scored 14 points in 24 minutes, powered by 4-5 shooting on threes. But he made just 1-7 on twos, and had just two rebounds, zero assists and zero FTA, and never made it to the rim once all day. To be fair, Barnes did have a turnaround jumper move in the low post which looked pretty smooth and promising, and got him good looks vs. Kidd-Gilchrist, and the ball just bounced out on him a couple times.
I've seen the Joe Johnson comparison for Barnes a few times, which seems like a reasonable ceiling for Barnes, though I'd note that Joe has averaged 4.5 assists for his NBA career, with a high of 6.5. Of course, NBA assists are handed out more freely, and it's worth nothing that Johnson's career A/TO ratio in two years at Arkansas was just 2.4/2.5, so it can be improved, but even those pedestrian assist numbers are well ahead of Barnes. But again, I see Johnson - a lower-tier All-Star - as Barnes' ceiling. I don't see him as an All-NBA 1st/2nd teamer, and I don't think he should be going no. 2 in the draft.
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist seems like the opposite of Barnes in some ways. He's a guy whose floor game is outstanding, but whose major weakness is that he is not a consistent scorer or shooter. Kidd-Gilchrist was the leading scorer (17) and rebounder (11) in Saturday's game, and I thought he was the key player for Kentucky in powering a second-half run after gutting his way through a separated shoulder.
I thought that Kidd-Gilchrist gave Barnes fits with his strength and athleticism. I think that he's superior to Barnes as a defender, a driver, a rebounder and a passer, though it's worth noting that MKG's early numbers at Kentucky don't back up my observations (which include watching Kidd-Gilchrist multiple times in high school). Kidd-Gilchrist averages just 4.4 FTA and makes just 51% of his twos so far, and his A/TO is just 1.5/2.6, though he does average 7.1 rebounds in 29 minutes (as opposed to 5.6 in 29 minutes for Barnes career).
Still, I'd point to plays like the gorgeous alley-oop he threw to Davis to spark Kentucky as an example of Kidd-Gilchrist's court vision. And with his athleticism, size (he's listed at 6-7/232), strength and toughness, I think that Kidd-Gilchrist will be an elite wing defender in the NBA. It's a little weird, most young players seem behind the curve on defense, but like Davis, Kidd-Gilchrist seems far more advanced on defense than offense (including filling the defensive stat sheet with more than a block and a steal per game).
But how just high should a guy like Kidd-Gilchrist go in the draft? It certainly gives one pause when he puts up a stink bomb like his 5-points-on-1-of-7-FG job vs. St. John's. Again, it's tough for me to project Kidd-Gilchrist as an elite NBA player if he can't score consistently. But man, I just love the way the kid plays the game and his versatility on both ends - there's a Pippenesque feel to his game, but of course, he's a long way from being able to produce offense like Scottie. I liked Kidd-Gilchrist better than Barnes coming into Saturday's game, and still feel the same way now.
JOHN HENSON and TERRENCE JONES
While guys like Davis and Barnes were the big headliners coming into Saturday's game, it was two players with freakish wingspans, John Henson and Terrence Jones, who were probably the most impressive players in the first half.
Henson may have helped his draft stock as much as anyone. The potential to be an elite defender has always been there (he's averaging about 10 boards and more than three blocks, like last year), but his expanded offensive repertoire was quite impressive on the big stage in Lexington. Henson looked comfortable knocking down midrange jumpers and showed some post moves including a lefty hook. All in all, he just looked more comfortable and fluid on offense. Still, he only shot 4-11, and needs to play well offensively on a consistent basis, but if he can, I can finally see why Henson may deserve a Top 5 pick (given how strong his defensive potential is).
Jones was sensational in the first half, showcasing the versatile inside-out game he has at his best en route to scoring 14 points. But he didn't necessarily give his draft stock a boost because his performance only raised the same old questions about why he doesn't play that way more consistently. Sure enough, Jones disappeared in the second half, going without a point on 0-3 FG, all of them three-pointers, which is not a strength of his game. It's hard to think Jones warrants more than a late-lottery pick based on his inconsistency.
MARQUIS TEAGUE and KENDALL MARSHALL
Thanks to Chad Ford, who was kind enough to re-tweet my moment of inspiration when I tweeted during the game that "Teague's body + Marshall's head might = CP3. Teague's head + Marshall's body might not even be a D-I player." And really, that's the crux of what really makes it hard where to place these guys on a draft board.
Marquis Teague was atrocious in the early-going, making about seven terrible decisions before the first TV timeout, but he settled down a bit, and somehow only had one turnover on the day. Still, his shot selection was horrendous (he shot just 3-11 on the day, 0-4 on 3s) and seems to have a long, long way to go as a decision-maker.
Kendall Marshall, on the other hand, had about four passes which displayed world-class court vision (which seems to be average for him), including a thoroughly gorgeous cross-court in the final minute to set up Reggie Bullock for three to close Kentucky's lead to 73-72. It was also nice to see Marshall knock down a couple threes, but shooting percentages remain very low, and questions about his athleticism has been raised anew after he's been torched on defense early in the season.
I tweeted earlier this season that I'd take Marshall over more-athletic guys like Teague or Myck Kabongo in a heartbeat, but I'm wondering if that's wishful thinking. I absolutely love watching Marshall, but he does have some glaring deficiencies, including physical ones, whereas point guards can learn how to cut down turnovers. I'm not sure that he'll ever be an NBA starter, but for now, I'm keeping him above Teague as a late first-rounder on my mythical draft board because I've never been impressed by Teague in multiple viewings in college or high school.
Tyler Zeller somehow ended up with pretty decent numbers on Saturday (14 points on 4-9/6-6, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, but 4 TOs) even though he seemed to be in duress on the low block all day long.
I was surprised that Kentucky played Zeller with such aggressive NBA-style double teams in the low post, given that it opened up space for Carolina on the perimeter - it seemed like Kentucky's no. 1 defensive objective was to stop Zeller.
Zeller seemed to struggle against Kentucky's tough D, having trouble making his moves fast enough to beat the double, or having enough strength to operate against or pass out of the doubles effectively. All told, it was a reminder that Zeller is what he is - a player who does not have a terribly high ceiling, but who is suitably reliable and fundamentally-sound to potentially develop into a rotation player. Somewhere in the first round after the lottery seems about right for him.
JAMES MCADOO and P.J. HAIRSTON
I feel like I'm already eating crow for suggesting that I thought James McAdoo was the best prospect in the class in my review at the end of last season. McAdoo clearly wasn't ready for the big stage of Saturday's game. Givony currently has McAdoo at no. 2 in the 2013 Draft, and indeed, it's probably a good idea for McAdoo to spend another year at Carolina in a more primary role.
Don't get me wrong, there were some glimpses from McAdoo on Saturday, with some impressive rebounds and a good passing sense in the post, but his shooting looked absolutely horrendous on a couple bad misfires. The two-hand shooting style looked atrocious, but McAdoo did knock down 3-4 threes in the McDonald's/Jordan Brand game, so he can hit the shots. I'm still high on McAdoo in the long-term, but he certainly doesn't look like a lottery pick with the way he's playing now.
Try not to be scared, I mean this in the best way, but I think P.J. Hairston has some J.R. Smith in his game, with a combination of deep shooting off a quick release and athleticism (even if he's not as explosive as J.R.). Hairston scored 11 points in 14 minutes on 4 shots, firing in 3-4 threes without hesitation off his quick release. Givony has Hairston going no. 10 in 2013. As with McAdoo, it probably makes sense for Hairston to come back in a more prominent role next year, and those two will certainly be major prospects to watch if they do so.
Whew, we've already written about *10* guys who have great shots to go in the first round, and there are still more guys worth talking about, like Doron Lamb, Reggie Bullock, Dexter Strickland and Darius Miller. 14 guys or more from this one college game could end up playing the league. Just crazy.
What an amazing collection of prospects, and what a fun game to watch. Let's hope we get a rematch in New Orleans at the Final Four.


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Value Line is regarded as the best independent research available. More than just recommendations, Value Line provides the rationale behind its picks for greater understanding.
The e-Commerce Industry is comprised of companies that produce and sell software to businesses and corporations of all sizes. The wide range of products and services offered work to improve and expand customers' information technology (IT) capabilities, by enhancing such internal tasks as inventory management, tracking purchases, and operations management.
Although the Value Line page for an e-Commerce stock appears in our standard format, it is important to focus on certain key factors to gain a better understanding of the company and its shares. The current and future prospects of the economy also play a prominent role when analyzing these equities. In addition, new product releases are continuous, with many companies providing similar offerings and services. Thus, stiff competition, enhanced by merger and acquisition activities, is present.
When analyzing an e-Commerce company, one needs to focus on a few key metrics. First, since members of this industry are constantly introducing new products and services, research & development plays a prominent role. Accordingly, heavy investment in R&D, ranging from 10%-15% of revenue, is a characteristic of note. If a company scrimps on R&D, it will likely rapidly lose customers and market share. Second, a company's financial position should be closely monitored. Debt can often help fund operations and R&D, but if it is used too liberally, interest and repayment requirements may hamper operations and profits instead. The strength of a company's balance sheet should be given careful attention before taking a position in an e-Commerce stock; an average debt to total capital ratio for the industry is 30%. Lastly, most e-Commerce companies incur large stock-based compensation expenses, which can often cause steep share losses from one quarter to the next. It is important to factor in share-based compensation in an investment analysis, since those companies that post related losses may prove more risky than profitable competitors.
Although many industries struggle during weak economic periods, e-Commerce companies, overall, fare relatively well. Typicallly, during lackluster economic times, most corporations aggressively seek cost-cutting strategies. As such, they are often eager to upgrade their IT capabilities, which usually leads to improved operations and expense reduction. Thus, e-Commerce companies can receive large orders during lean economic times, and a few may even post record revenue and profits. In addition, several companies within this group derive a good percentage of their profits from outside the U.S., which can help them weather domestic challenges.
Industry players often offer similar products and services, leading to an aggressive fight for customers and market share. In addition, most in the e-Commerce space must directly compete with IBM, Microsoft, Cisco, and other IT giants, who can often offer customers more services at lower prices. Thus, it is difficult to determine which e-Commerce corporations will become, and remain, successful from one quarter to the next. This competitive dynamic can lead to inconsistent revenue and profit streams from year to year. Not surprisingly, then, a number of stocks within this group carry low scores for Earnings Predictability. To repeat, e-Commerce companies should invest heavily in R&D, targeting new software offerings at customers' needs in order to better compete with larger competitors.
This industry also possesses low barriers to entry. Indeed, new companies offering a quality suite that is well received can take a sizable bite out of another firm's existing business. This industry continues to grow at a rapid rate. With more and more corporations focused on improving their IT capabilities and bolstering their presence on the Internet, this group should continue to achieve record revenue and profits over the next several years. However, discovering which companies will perform well over that time frame has become very difficult.
M&A activities play a major role in the e-Commerce space. Microsoft, IBM, and other large players are constantly seeking new technologies that can bolster their product offerings and market reach. In many cases, it is cheaper for them to purchase smaller firms, rather than internally fund the development of software suites. For instance, this appears a part of Microsoft's current strategy. Thus, e-Commerce companies are constantly getting picked up by the larger players. Indeed, during weak economic periods, their stock prices are usually down from previous highs, and the IT giants are likely to be active on the acquisition front searching for bargains. In turn, when the economy is performing well, financing can usually be procured under favorable terms, which can also fuel purchases despite higher valuations. In sum, e-Commerce companies are often acquisition targets, and rumors of a purchase can lead to wide swings in stock prices. That, along with inconsistent revenues and profits from one quarter to the next, causes most e-Commerce stocks that are covered in the Value Line Investment Survey to possess Below Average ranks (4 and 5) for Safety, and low scores for Stock Price Stability.


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Specifies whether database tables that were automatically created when the bean(s) were last deployed are dropped when the bean(s) are undeployed. If true, drops tables from the database. If false (the default if this element is not present), does not drop tables.
This element can be overridden during deployment. See Generation Options for CMP in Oracle GlassFish Server 3.0.1 Application Development Guide.
cmp-resource (sun-ejb-jar.xml)
none - contains data


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New Industry Springs Up Overnight: Filing Patent Marking Suits Over False Patent Claims
from the patent-marking deptA few years back, we wrote about some lawsuits that were filed against companies who were still listing expired patents on their products, implying that those products were still protected by the patents. The practice of claiming patent coverage over something that isn't patented is known as "patent marking," and it's become very popular lately. AdamR alerted us to the news that Activision was recently sued for patent marking, in listing out patents on certain games that don't cover what's in those games. But that's just the tip of the iceberg.
Joe Mullin points us to the news that, in just the past few months, it looks like a bunch of lawyers have started going around filing patent marking lawsuits. In at least some of these cases, totally different groups of lawyers have sued the exact same companies over the same patents.
What's going on?
Well, as we noted a few years back, there had been a few such cases filed under the law covering patent marking, and as they made there way through the courts, there was a question of how the penalties should be calculated. The law notes that anyone found to have been patent marking "Shall be fined not more than $500 for every such offense." But, if you were selling products -- say Solo plastic cup lids (which one such case is about) -- is that $500 fine for all the lids (considering all the cups with the marking together to be a "single offense") or does each cup lid constitute a separate offense? Clearly, the difference matters in a big way.
Without going into all the details, an appeals court ruled, at the end of last year, that the $500 should apply to each item, rather than to the product as a whole -- massively increasing the liability for false marking. This particular ruling, the Forest Group ruling, applied to construction stilts, and greatly increased the liability -- but in some of the other cases, the difference is even more striking. As some have noted, with Solo cups lids, there are supposedly 21 billion (with a b) cup lids with the allegedly falsely marked patent out there, meaning that a ruling like the one in Forest Group, if applied to Solo, turns a $500 liability into a $10 trillion liability.
That's real money.
And here's the next part of the law that makes things tricky. Unlike many court cases, anyone is allowed to bring a patent marking case. Yes, anyone. You just have to split the award with the US government. As the law notes:
Any person may sue for the penalty, in which event one-half shall go to the person suing and the other to the use of the United States.So, with the Forest Group ruling last year, suddenly a bunch of lawyers realized that there could be good money in finding anyone with a falsely marked patent -- especially if it's on a consumer product of which there are tons in the market. Hence the sudden rush of patent marking cases, including duplicate suits against the same companies over the same patents.
There are some concerns, obviously, that this is a dangerous situation, with a bunch of lawyers basically scouring the country for anything marked with a patent that might be expired or doesn't cover the product in question. In fact, I've seen some start calling them "patent marking trolls," playing off of the "patent troll" concept. But, at the same time, as with copyfraud, falsely claiming a gov't granted monopoly right over something that is not protected is a pretty serious problem -- and a law that makes it profitable to punish such an abuse seems like it should be a good thing. Now, if there were only a similar setup for copyrights...
Filed Under: patent marking, patents


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Teacher resources and professional development across the curriculum
Teacher professional development and classroom resources across the curriculum
Observing Student Reasoning and Proof
|Introduction | Completing Patterns #1 | Problem Reflection #1 | Completing Patterns #2 | Problem Reflection #2 | Classroom Practice | Observe a Classroom | Questions and Answers | Your Journal
We begin this session by looking at an activity in which children take note of and describe patterns using "attribute blocks." (Note: If you haven't worked with attribute blocks before, this activity will help you become familiar with them.) Since patterning and classification form the basis of early mathematical reasoning in the primary grades, the student work in this session involves pattern recognition and classification.
Before beginning this type of activity, students should have time to explore the attribute blocks with a partner for several minutes while the teacher informally observes what the students do with the blocks. This provides the teacher with an opportunity to see whether the students are engaging with the attributes of the blocks, which helps the teacher determine how to interact with the students during the activity. Some students may already be able to sort the blocks by the values of a chosen or designated attribute, such as size, shape, or color, and others will need to have their attention called to these aspects of the shapes.
Let's begin by looking at the set of attribute blocks that students will use for this activity:
These are just some examples of how attribute blocks can be sorted. There are many other characteristics around which sorting and classifying can be done, for example, shapes with straight lines and shapes with curves. Can you think of other examples?
Now that you are familiar with the blocks, let's take a look at some students who are working with this problem.
|Teaching Math Home | Grades K-2 | Reasoning and Proof | Site Map | © |
© Annenberg Foundation 2017. All rights reserved. Legal Policy


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Web Design Showcase: Faith Lutheran Church and Druid Hills United Methodist Church
This week concludes "Design month", so we wanted to finish it off with two more of our Template Personalization Service clients. These two churches literally received their new template in the past 2 days and started the personalization a week ago. We are proud to be a part of their ministry.Read more


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It Sounds Like Something Of The Past
The statistics are hard to comprehend. In a world where the focus of pregnancy and birth seems to be more on what kind of birth experience a woman wants (all-natural with candles lit or epidural all the way?) instead of wondering if she will survive her labor and delivery, it is simply hard to imagine that in the U.S. and worldwide, childbirth is still a risky business.
Just how risky is childbirth?
According to the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN), 2 to 3 women die every day in the U.S. of complications from pregnancy or childbirth. Even more shocking, AWHONN states that almost half of those deaths are preventable.
Amnesty International's 2010 report, "USA: Deadly delivery: The maternal health care crisis in the USA" lists the five top causes of death for women during pregnancy and childbirth:
- Embolism. An embolism is a blood clot or bubble of air that gets trapped in a blood vessel and most always leads to death. Unfortunately, embolisms that aren't the result of immobility following a surgery are very hard to prevent.
- Hemorrhage. As we will discuss, postpartum hemorrhage is largely preventable and is a huge source of focus worldwide to improving maternal health and care.
- Preeclampsia and eclampsia. Disorders relating from dangerously high blood pressure.
- Infection
- Cardiomyopathy. A heart disorder.
But there's more
Unfortunately, AWHONN also cautions that there is much more to the picture than deaths alone, as almost every 10 minutes a complication arises that causes a woman to face death in childbirth. The most common complication? Postpartum hemorrhage, which affects almost 3 percent of all women after childbirth.
Not only are complications in, during, and following childbirth very serious, but for some reason they have also increased in recent years. AWHONN states, "The U.S. is one of the only countries where maternal deaths and injuries have increased." Shockingly, with the U.S. ranking 46th in the world for maternal morbidity, it falls just above countries like Iran and Hungary.
Who is at risk?
When you look at the data, there is racial disparity in the outcome of postpartum complications, especially related to hemorrhaging. One study showed that although black and white women are equally likely to have postpartum hemorrhaging, black women are 2 to 3 times more likely to die as a result.
Because postpartum hemorrhages is so preventable, The California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative also lists specific care guidelines and screening processes for mothers at risk, such as women...
- with anemia
- who have prolonged labors
- on Pitocin
- with severe high blood pressure who have been treated with IV Magnesium Sulfate
- who have given birth more than 4 times
- who have had previous C-sections
- who are obese
- with placenta previa or a low-lying placenta
All the leading women's health organizations agree on one thing however — care for pregnant women across all income levels needs to improve. And the No. 1 way to keep you and your baby safe?
Regular prenatal care. Keep those appointments, ladies!
More on childbirth
Benefits of natural childbirth
Why is nobody talking about the risks of hospital birth?
Dangerous birth: Is childbirth becoming over-medicalized?


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Sandwich a Day: Turkey Delight at Petite Deli in San Francisco, CA
A different sandwich profiled every single day.
In this great country of ours, one could eat a different sandwich every day of the year—so that's what we'll do. Here's A Sandwich a Day, our daily look at sandwiches around the country. Got a sandwich we should check out? Let us know. —The Mgmt.
Don't be fooled by the size of this tiny deli or the even tinier old woman who runs it. The sandwiches at Petite Deli are big on flavor, especially the Turkey Delight ($5.70). A substantial pile of sliced turkey is topped with provolone, lettuce, tomato, mustard, mayo, cranberry sauce and avocado.
Inside, the space is so small that you can watch the owner slide your sandwich into her toaster oven and leave it there just long enough for the sharp provolone to start melting into the layer of creamy avocado. Her special blend of Dijon and honey mustards strikes that perfect balance of spicy and sweet. My favorite part, though, is the cranberry sauce, which brings a sweet, fruity tang.
The toasted Dutch Crunch roll may look big at first, but it doesn't overwhelm the sandwich like at many other delis. Instead it becomes the perfect toasty container for this deliciously sweet and savory sandwich.
Petite Deli
752 Columbus Ave San Francisco, CA 94133(map) (415) 398-1682


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SOwFI Conference
24 October 2012
The Faculty of Agriculture and Environment will be hosting its annual honours undergraduate student conference - 'Stepping Outwith Fresh Ideas' (SOwFI) on 8 & 9 November 2012 in the New Law Building Lecture Theatre 101. The Conference will feature the honours projects of students completing degree programs in the fields of Agricultural Economics, Horticulture Science, Land and Water Science, Resource Economics and Science in Agriculture. These honours students have undertaken individual research projects under the supervision of Faculty academic and research staff, producing their research theses to a journal article standard.
The research projects to be highlighted over the two days encapsulates the learning journey of the students as well as their research and analytical skills developed throughout their candidature under the Faculty's applied degree programs covering a broad range of agricultural, economic, resource management and environmental areas, addressing issues of today from a scientific and economic perspective.
To register for the Conference, please RSVP to firstname.lastname@example.com by 2 November 2012.
Contact: Ms Fortunee Cantrell or Dr Daniel Tan
Phone: 02 8627 1001 or 8627 1034


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STOCKTON - The 60-day movement to occupy downtown has reached a pivotal moment.
STOCKTON - The 60-day movement to occupy downtown has reached a pivotal moment.
After two months of off-and-on camping across from City Hall, of confronting city officials - including one notable dustup with City Manager Bob Deis - and of holding up signs to passing motorists, Occupy Stockton is re-evaluating the delivery of its message.
The group of a dozen or so protesters is still bivouacking overnight in the city's core, but they're not saying exactly where and they're no longer as easy to find.
"It felt like people were just hanging around," said Diana Buettner, 52, the group's de facto spokeswoman. "We need to be more active. We're in transition."
She admitted her return to full-time teaching this week at Chavez High School was a factor Tuesday in a smaller group of protesters and a slower start to the day. By noon, five people sat quietly under shade trees.
The group started as an offshoot of the Occupy Wall Street movement and made its Stockton presence semi-permanent at the start of summer. Participants camped in Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza, at first in the shadow of City Hall and more recently at Oak and Center streets across from the Cesar Chavez Central Library. But recently, smaller in numbers, they've made themselves less conspicuous at night.
"We want to change," said Buettner, who has resumed her classroom job teaching American government and English.
In late July, she was involved in a battery complaint against Deis, claiming he intentionally bumped her while she was drawing in chalk on the sidewalk outside City Hall. On Aug. 7, the San Joaquin County district attorney said the contact was "unintentional and inadvertent." No charges were filed.
There was no comment Tuesday from city officials about the Occupy Stockton group's diminished profile.
"It's time to try a different flavor," said Buettner. "We don't want to be part of the problem. We want to build a sense of community and end the divisiveness - in race, in economics, in religion. We want to ramp things up with a different focus."
She said marching in the streets will not be part of the loose-knit organization's future. "That's not us," Buettner said. "The other marches have been by out-of-towners."
She said her role as a community activist has irony.
She is a member of the Stockton-based, all-volunteer Western Farm Workers Association, she teaches at a high school named for activist Cesar Chavez and she had a walk-on role in "Bound for Glory," the 1976 biographical film about Woodie Guthrie and the dust-bowl migration of poor farmers to California.
Contact reporter Kevin Parrish at (209) 546-8264 or email@example.com.


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Engaging Student Materials • Purposeful Instruction
Sundance Newbridge Publishing is a supplemental publisher of ELA print and digital resources for PreK-8 students, especially in the areas of reading comprehension and early literacy. Our standards-aligned literacy programs are designed to provide meaningful, interactive experiences with informational and literacy texts, supported with purposeful and explicit instruction.
Welcome to SundanceNewbridge.com!We encourage you to explore our new combined Sundance Newbridge Publishing site.
- Easily navigate the site to learn about ALL Sundance Newbridge products and find just the right supplemental ELA solution for you.
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A few years ago, Apple held a remarkable competitive position in the tablet market.
The company was not only was first-to-market (Apple basically invented the tablet category). Apple also had both the premium product AND the lowest price. As competitors scrambled to catch up with the iPad, most of the early competitive tablets were both worse than the iPad and more expensive.
That is an extremely rare position for a company to be in. And it's no surprise that Apple basically had the tablet market to itself for a couple of years.
But in the last year or so, those competitive dynamics have changed.
The launch of smaller, lower-priced tablets by Amazon, Google, Samsung, and others opened up a vast new tablet market. And Apple's original thesis, that any tablet under 10 inches would be a horrible user experience, proved wrong.
Consumers liked the $100-$400 price points on Kindles and other smaller tablets. And the success of these tablets forced Apple to cut prices on its large iPad and then introduce an iPad Mini.
With the Mini, Apple is now playing in the smaller/cheaper tablet market, which is good. Importantly, however, Apple is no longer the price leader in this category. The iPad Mini is considered by some to be the best of the smaller tablets--the premium choice--but it's certainly not the cheapest. And that difference is one reason that Apple's share of the tablet market is now shrinking fast.
(Another reason is that, as happened in smartphones, the competition is catching up. Several of Apple's competitors have released tablets that even Apple fans admit are pretty darn good--especially when one considers that they cost a third or more less than the iPad Mini).
According to new data from IDC, Apple's market share of the global tablet market has dropped from 52% in the fourth quarter of 2011 to 44% in 2012.
Meanwhile, Samsung's share of the market has doubled, as has that of Asus, which makes Google's Nexus 7 tablet.
Both Samsung and Asus still have relatively small share--Asus especially. And Apple is still the world's dominant tablet maker, by a mile.
But the same trends that played out in the smartphone market are beginning to play out in tablets, and these trends aren't positive for Apple.
By choosing to protect its profit margin and price the iPad Mini above the competition, Apple is likely sacrificing market share.
In the short term, this doesn't matter--it's a fine short-term strategy to sacrifice market share for per-unit profit. But the tablet market, like the smartphone market, is a "platform market"--which means that third parties build other products and services that run on top of tablets. And Apple's dominant market share in this platform market is a major advantage (iTunes libraries, for example, don't play on Samsung and Amazon tablets).
Every point of market share that Apple loses weakens its competitive position as a platform. And if the market share dynamics in the tablet market continue to play out the way they did in the smartphone market, Apple's decision to protect near-term profits at the expense of market share may hurt it in the end.
SEE ALSO: Apple Absolutely Has To Make An iPhone With A Bigger Screen


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For the second time in as many years, the Ravens head on the road for Wild Card weekend to take on the AFC East Champs, who are quarterbacked by the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year. A season ago, it was Chad Pennington and the Miami Dolphins. This time around, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots – a bit of a step up, no?
Tom Brady and Bill Belichick were 8-0 in Foxboro this season, and have NEVER lost a home playoff game together.
Whoopdie do.
The past is the past, and as Ray Lewis says, the Ravens aren't going to play "the mystique of the Patriots," they are going to play the Patriots. The Patriots, who, by the way, are not the 3 Super Bowls in 4 years team of earlier this decade. Look no further than the fact that they are even playing on Wild Card weekend to prove that they weren't as dominant in 2009 as they have become accustomed to. Mike Vrabel, Rodney Harrison, and Tedy Bruschi are nowhere to be found on the defense. Their leading receiver, Wes Welker, was injured in Week 17 and will miss the entire postseason. They were only one game better than the Ravens this season, and if Mark Clayton could have held onto that fateful pass, the records of these two teams could easily be reversed.
None of this is to say that the Ravens will go up to Foxboro and make mince meat out of the Pats. Of course not. However, there is more than a glimmer of hope for our purple and black.
Adding to that hope is the fact that the Ravens have played the Patriots extremely close in their last two meetings, only to fall short in the waning seconds. They don't seem, for instance, to present the kind of match-up problems that the Colts historically have for the Ravens.
Still, the Ravens will likely need a perfect game from all 53 players (and however many coaches) on Sunday to advance to the AFC's divisional round.
As Drew Forrester points out, Joe Flacco and John Harbaugh will need to be on point.
The running game will be crucial – ball security and yards after contact from Ray Rice and Willis McGahee will go a long way.
The Ravens' receivers will have to get open, and not have balls bouncing off their hands in critical situations (see: the aforementioned Clayton, Derrick Mason in Pittsburgh).
The pass rush and secondary will need to come together. Without Welker, the Ravens will be able to turn their attention to Randy Moss. Doubling Moss all day will obviously be the way to go, as the Ravens have no defensive backs who can even dream of containing #81 one-on-one. Welker's replacement though, rookie Julian Edelman, is no slouch. Edelman caught 37 passes for 359 yards and one score this season, and is basically Wes Welker Light. He doesn't worry me nearly as much as Welker would, but if the Ravens' corners, especially Dominique Foxworth, have another bad day tackling, the WR screen to Edelman could prove plenty effective for Brady.
As far as the pass rush, there have been signs of life recently (3 sacks in Oakland, 4 in Pittsburgh). Bringing down Brady though, is a bit more difficult than tracking down Fat Ben and Ja-suckus Russel. He went down only 16 times in 16 games this season. The key won't necessarily be sacking him a bunch of times, but forcing him to throw before he is ready, and, hopefully, making those (rumored) injured ribs just a bit more painful. If Brady has time to throw, it won't matter how many guys the Ravens put on Moss, or how many torn ligaments Patriots receivers have – he will CARVE UP this secondary. If the Pats are facing a 3rd-and-15 or something equally preposterous, and Greg Mattison again decides to bring his patented 3-man rush…well, Ravens fans might as well just turn off our TVs.
All of the Ravens will have to keep their heads in the game and focused to avoid stupid penalties. B'More ended the regular season as the most penalized team in the NFL, showing that through two years of John Harbaugh, the zebras still see Brian Billick's band of thugs when they see those purple jerseys. Of course, some of the same guys that were getting stupid penalties under Billick are still doing it under Harbaugh, so they are to blame more than the coach is.
Terrell Suggs and Haloti Ngata, we're looking at you. There WILL BE a roughing the passer flag on Sunday. Bank on it. When it comes, accept it and move on. Don't argue about it. Don't change the way you are playing. Just move on to the next play, and hit him again.
As far as Joe Flacco, well, if Natty Joe's day resembles in any way the afternoon he had in Oakland, he'd better have his golf clubs ready. Flacco will need to do a much better job of recognizing the blitz, moving in the pocket, and above all, GIVING HIMSELF SOME TIME AT THE LINE. It's been a season-long issue, so there is really no reason to believe it will be corrected this week, but, when the Ravens' offense is huddling, there are routinely 5-8 seconds on the play clock by the time they reach the line of scrimmage. Methinks this is another reason that Joe does so much better in the no-huddle – he has TIME to make reads at the line. When the play clock is winding down, you can tell that he doesn't even scan to see where the pressure is going to come from. Without turning it into a hurry-up (which could hurt the cause of keeping Brady on the sideline as much as possible), Cam Cameron should plan to use plenty of the no-huddle on Sunday.
If the Ravens can put a full game together – control the clock with an effective running game, move the chains on 3rd down, keep Flacco upright, make sure tackles, avoid stupid penalties, be smart with timeouts – there is no reason they can't go up to New England and keep their season alive.
Brady and Belichick have another gear for the Playoffs. It's time for Harbaugh and Flacco to prove that they do, too, by taking what has been an underachieving, up-and-down team, and hitting their stride at the perfect time.
Ravens 28 Patriots 24


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About Us
Sunrise Marine is a family owned and operated business established in 1984. We are a sales and service facility specializing in Hurricane deck boats, Sweetwater pontoons, and NauticStar fishing boats. Having our roots grounded in service, we know the importance of good customer service and the value of repeat business. When you buy a boat from us we make a commitment to you, as our customer, to provide you with the best in customer service, and this goes for both warranty work and regular maintenance.
We sell all our products rigged and installed by professional technicians. All our boats and engines have been water tested in the St. Johns River prior to delivery. This ensures that they are propped correctly and that all systems are functioning properly when you get your new boat or engine.
Sunrise Marine is located in East Palatka, Florida near the St. Johns River. Our customer base is primarily northeast Florida, with many customers in Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Orange Park, Ponte Vedra, Palm Coast, Daytona, Gainesville, Ocala, and the surrounding area. Although we do have some very nice customers all over the country, we primarily cover an area that we can readily service. This is because we believe in servicing what we sell!
You buy a boat once, but have it serviced many times. Make sure you have an honest dealer that will take care of you after the sale! If your dealer is hundreds of miles away, they can't provide you with the service you deserve after spending thousands of dollars with them. If you live in the above-listed areas, you are less than a one-hour drive away from us and we can provide you with the best products on the market and the best service to go along with them! Thanks for your consideration.


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- Details
The Concern about B-Vitamins Affecting the Oxidant Effect of Intravenous Ascorbate for Malignancy by Maiko Ochi, ND, James Hetherington, ND, and Davis W. Lamson, MS, ND
The use of intravenous ascorbate has a long history in complementary medicine. Its efficacy against malignant cells via a pro-oxidant mechanism has been previously demonstrated. In some quarters, B-vitamins have been included with intravenous ascorbate therapy. Because of the antioxidant effect of some B-vitamins, the question arose as to whether their presence could decrease the anti-malignant effect of ascorbate. The data regarding the direct ability of several B-vitamins to decrease the concentration of the active agent providing the anti-malignant effect are summarized. The individual case of cobalamin in this regard is more complex than other B-vitamins, in that cobalamin and ascorbate generate hydrogen peroxide and kill tumor cells in vitro. The implications of this result certainly warrant in vivo studies. The overall conclusion is that data do exist demonstrating that some B-vitamins do have the capacity to decrease the concentration of the anti-malignant agent from ascorbate at the tissue of concern. The authors recommend that B-vitamins or other antioxidant materials not be included with intravenous ascorbate intended for anti-cancer purposes. (Altern Med Rev 2011;16(Supp):1S-5S)


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Less than 100 years ago scientists didn't know if the universe was coming or going, literally. It even fooled the great mind of Albert Einstein. He assumed the universe must be static. But to keep the universe from collapsing under gravity like a house of cards, Einstein hypothesized there was a repulsive force at work, called the cosmological constant, that counterbalanced gravity's tug. Along came Edwin Hubble in 1923 who found that galaxies were receding from us at a proportional rate, called the Hubble constant, which meant the universe was uniformly expanding, so there was no need to shore it up with any mysterious force from deep space. In measuring how this expansion was expected to slow down over time, 11 years ago, two studies, one led by Adam Riess of the Space Telescope Science Institute and the Johns Hopkins University and Brian Schmidt of Mount Stromlo Observatory, and the other by Saul Perlmutter of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, independently discovered dark energy, which seems to behave like Einstein's cosmological constant.
To better characterize dark energy, Riess used Hubble Space Telescope's crisp view (combined with 2003 data from NASA's Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe, WMAP) to refine the value of the universe's expansion rate to a precision of three percent. That's a big step from 20 years ago when astronomers' estimates for the Hubble constant disagreed by a factor of two. This new value implies that dark energy really is a steady push on the universe as Einstein imagined, rather than something more effervescent (like the early inflationary universe) that changes markedly over time.
NASA, ESA and A. Riess (STScI/JHU)
Australia Science (Google Plus)
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Astronomy & Space exploration (Facebook)


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Glad to see an honest review. I'm looking to get some 2XU compression tights and this has swayed me, I'm going to ramp up my training in the winter months and I think these will be going on the christmas list!
Compression wear is all the rage these days. 2XU's compression tights are a well made and reasonably priced way to jump on the compression bandwagon, offering faster recovery, improved circulation and a reduction in muscle fatigue.
It's easy to be put off by these tights straight out of the box. I imagined that compression wear would be, well compressive and thus tight. It still came as a shock when I held them up and looked in the mirror like a girl with her favorite pair of "skinny" jeans which she hasn't actually fitted into in years. Thankfully the 50 denier lycra was suitably stretchy.
The quality of the material and the flat lock seams are excellent. According to 2XU the tights have a circular knit which helps achieve a 360° graduated compression. At the ankle the garment has a neat and clean hem. This is both comfortable and does not leave any marks on the skin when taken off. The waist has a narrow elasticated band with drawstring. This is my only gripe with the comfort as it tends to dig in a little, a thicker band would be better. Having said this they are pleasant to wear giving some warmth too. I personally find the graphics a little overkill but they may be to some peoples taste if not mine. Durability wise the compression has not deteriorated, however if you do like the graphics you may be disappointed to hear they haven't lasted as well. By 2XU's own admission logos "may crack and discolour".
2XU put forward plenty of advantages for using the tights, some more applicable to cycling than others. For example I do not feel I have "heightened agility" whilst using the tights nor have they saved me from deep vein thrombosis. I can say however that they do give a noticeable improvement to the speed of recovery. Given the technical application of the garment I was expecting to have some kind of instructions explaining how to get the best results, the 2XU website has no advice on the matter either. With or without instructions I have noticed improved recovery between sessions, albeit unquantifiable.
Completely unnecessary for the casual cyclist but if you're training seriously and want to get an edge on your rivals then the 2XU compression tights are well worth considering.
If you're thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website
road.cc test report
Make and model: 2XU Compression Tights
Size tested: M
Did you enjoy using the product? Very much so, these have become an integral part to my post ride routine
Would you consider buying the product? Yes
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Would happily reccomend to anyone who takes training seriously
About the tester
Age: 22 Height: 5\'10\" Weight: 78kg
I usually ride: Carrera My best bike is: Rotwild RCC 1.3 Topeak Ergon team
I've been riding for: 5-10 years I ride: Every day I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, mtb,
5 comments
Do compression tights help recovery, or just mask fatigue?
I used them for a couple of months and straight away began to overtrain. I'm no expert so maybe my basic knowledge is confusing me, but as I understand it pain and fatigue is caused by lactic acid, which is a by-product of muscle cellular breakdown. If we remove the by-product, we don't "hear" (i.e. feel) the cellular breakdown damage, ignore it, and therefore are at risk of overtraining?


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NYC Fashion Runway makes fashion dreams come true in NYC and SYDNEY!
NYC Fashion
Runway is a leading event for classic & independent fashion designers to
their collections in NYC and Sydney, offering press, publicity, buyers, stylists, industry influencers and brand opportunities.
Top media,
bloggers, buyers and photographers are invited to the venue.
With our professional team of models, makeup & hairstylists, you can be guaranteed media attention
and a show to remember!
designers create amazing collections and no-one really gets to see
It is so expensive to show at the main fashion weeks - NYC Fashion Runway
provides a platform to do all that at an affordable cost. Be the next famous face!
All the designers have to bring is their collection and not worry about anything else.
All shows are in NYC and Sydney.
Get onto the stage as a world-famous fashion designer now!
Nobis designer pink dress
for Being Born Again Couture
NYC Fashion Runway is an exclusive event, made accessible to registered buyers, agents, media & fashion industry representatives.
Vogue Press
On the Runway in New York City
NYC Fashion Runway is passionate about assisting classic and independent fashion designers collections so you can be in the spotlight!
Our event will be used as a marketing tool for independent labels gaining media attention, so you can concentrate on your collection.
fashion show has video and photographic exposure and is heavily
marketed to the public and media.
Fashion Runway will provide:
• Models from famous and well-known agencies
10 to 20 models cast to your specifications to your requirements
• Top Press: top online & print magazines including Vogue Online, CNN, Black Tie
Mag, The Fashion Channel, Global Fashion Wire partnered with Wall Street
Journal, The Examiner, Runway Mag, Asian Fusion Mag, NY Daily News,
Fashion TV, Bloomberg TV, FashionONE TV, ChanceTV, New York Post,
Fashion Avenue News Mag, Getty Images etc
• Celebrity and professional makeup artists & hair stylists
• Venue capacity up to 800 people (previous venues included The Empire State Building, Waldorf=Astoria, Copacabana,
The Gansevoort Park Avenue Hotel, Bombay Palace,
Hudson Terrace,The Dream Hotel etc)
• DJ and live entertainment including Broadway singers and pop sensations
• Optional Video
• Dressers/stylists
• Backstage photos
• Optional lookbook
What the
fashion designers need to provide:
• Garments (and that's it!)
Solo catwalk show - This showcases a collection to an audience of 350+, media and buyers.
Group catwalk show - This showcases collections to an audience of 450+, media and buyers.
Media attention & publicity - Need we say more?!
Lookbook - Fresh, simple, focused on movement to fulfill your fashion inspiration requirements.
Press releases &
invitations - Publicists and media
professionals create press releases
and invitations to get key industry contacts watching your show.
Professional hair & make up
teams from NY, Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks - Designers
are able to bring their favorite models to walk in their show too if desired.
Tailored packages - We would love to hear from you. Please Apply.
Upcoming Events
Backstage at Maria de Guzman's fashion show
Michael Lo Sordo (L to R): Lookbook, Runway
Skirt on Natalie Imbruglia, Collection shown at Australian Fashion Week


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Funding from Arts Council England, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, the McKenna Charitable Trust and Ingenious Media.
MeWe360, an incubator for British start-up businesses and entrepreneurs, launched this week with a £2 million investment, backed by public funding from Arts Council England, development funding from Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, philanthropic giving from the McKenna Charitable Trust and commercial investment from Ingenious Media.
Financial offerings of up to £250,000 will be injected into investor-ready businesses that show significant commercial promise.
According to the partners, profits that MeWe360 sees back from investment will ploughed back into the charity to support other upcoming entrepreneurs.
The brainchild of social entrepreneur Kevin Osborne, MeWe360 is in discussions with children's boots company Spats, which would represent its first investment.
CEO Osborne, said: "The UK's cup of creative talent is brimming over but it needs to be nurtured and invested in or it will simply go to waste – a missed opportunity for society and the economy.
"MeWe360 is a smart new way of developing and funding untapped creative talent; made possible with the backing of Ingenious Media and Arts Council England.
"It is this unique fusion that will give our home-grown entrepreneurs the best chance at creative and commercial success and a future new talent pool for investors: a win-win for everyone."
Patrick McKenna, CEO, Ingenious Media added: "The need to build more business capacity in the UK's cultural and creative sectors is vital to our future competitiveness.
"That is why Ingenious is backing Kevin Osborne and MeWe360. Kevin has a proven track record of being able to discover and cultivate new talent – both creative talent and entrepreneurial talent. MeWe360 is a truly innovative form of collaboration between the public and private sectors."
Moira Sinclair, executive director, Arts Council England said: "MeWe360 is more than a members club. It has an investment strategy built on a new business model and is an interesting example of private money working with public funding to create robust creative businesses."


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The Office Building Of The Future
Every new office building constructed these days seems to be made at least partly of glass. If glass walls are a metaphor for transparency, reflection, and clarity, then the offices of mortgage bank Nykredit in Copenhagen are a metaphor for taking a lot of Percocet and going ice skating with God.
The 10-story cube of glass, "The Crystal," perched right on the waterfront, is like the flagship Apple Store on steroids. It's one of the city's most towering office buildings, with two wings divided by a light-flooded atrium, and three meeting rooms that appear to be suspended in the air.
The structure was the work of architects from schmidt hammer lassen, consultants from Grontmij, and contractors from Promecon. Soon after construction, the team was awarded a 2011 European Steel Design Award.
Grontmij's steel-construction expert, Gunnar H. Isleifsson, said the day when they removed the provisional columns -- to see if the whole thing would actually stand up -- was "an exciting one."
"This is a question of remarkable geometry featuring a steel construction with six glass facades set at different angles and thus giving full rein to the play of light from the skies above," said Lars Bork Hansen, the department director at Grontmij.
Glass is wonderful, the modernists were right about that. You might feel a little bit like a moth in a jar, as folks walk by during your Q1 wrap-up meeting. But the natural light! You can almost hear the angels sing!
But there is one problem with glass: The light that escapes can take a lot of energy with it. "The Crystal," however, is in Low Energy Class 2, which in Denmark means that its energy performance is 25 percent better than the minimum requirement for new buildings.
The architects also toyed with how sound bounced around the structure. Nykredit's group chief executive, Bente Overgaard, called the building a "sound work climate," which optimized "light, air and acoustics."
An employer could probably expect a boost in productivity, what with their employees toiling in a 25th century cathedral. The real question is, do we want the mortgage providers of the world to feel like they're soaring above the rest of us mere mortals?
Next:Study: Millennials' Facebook Use Melds Work, Personal Lives
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text: Italian Vogue's "all-black" issue has been selling out on New York newsstands, prompting Condé Nast to reprint the issue, reports Folio. There are 10,000 copies polybagged with the tagline "Most Wanted Issue Ever" and "First Reprint" banded across the front. Vogue Italia editor Franca Sozzani says she was inspired by Barack Obama: "America ... is ready for a black president, so why are we not ready for a black model?" she asks. Sozzani plans to use more black models in the future and is trying to persuade advertisers to feature them too. "I know that they're already asking for more for shooting and I know that already some are thinking to use more even for the shows," she says. "But you never know what is in the minds of the designers." [Folio, Reuters]


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Advertisers » Account Management
What is a Negative Keyword?
7Search advertisers have an option to match keywords using "Broad", "Phrase", and "Exact" matching. Negative keywords help prevent your ad from appearing for search terms that are unrelated to your website. To help you identify which negative keywords to add to your account, the Detailed Keyword Report contains the original searched keyword that resulted in the click.
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The Franklin County Office on Aging will ask homeowners to pay a little bit more to help local senior citizens stay in their homes longer.
The Franklin County Office on Aging will ask homeowners to pay a little bit more to help local senior citizens stay in their homes longer.
The agency, which supports independent living among seniors, is seeking voter approval of Issue 56, a five-year, 1.3-mill senior-services levy that will appear on the Nov. 6 ballot.
If approved, the issue, an increase from the 0.9 mills set to expire at the end of the year, will cost homeowners $39.81 a year per $100,000 in home value -- a $12.79 increase. It is expected to raise $34 million annually for Franklin County Senior Options, the name of the program.
The agency is facing the "silver tsunami" -- an expansion of the senior population by 25 percent to 33 percent by 2020, said Antonia Carroll, director of the office. The agency also is facing a $1.62 million annual deficit because of the state's elimination of the tangible personal property tax and declining property values, she said.
"We expect to have a lot more demand for services," she said. "Even with the increase it's very small, but historically it has not kept pace with demographics."
The agency, whose yearly budget currently is $31 million, annually provides 550,000 home-delivered meals, 1.3 million miles of medical transportation and 18,000 days of adult day care. In 2011, the office on aging served 56,000 people.
"So this community has a lot invested in these services to help seniors stay safe at home," she said.
Carroll said Senior Options has demonstrable value: It costs $6,000 a month for nursing-home care, compared to $1,000 a month for home care.
"For the taxpayer and from a public-policy standpoint, it is less expensive to keep people at home as long as possible -- and it's their personal preference," said Carroll, whose office has 70 employees working for Senior Options.
Cindy Farson, director of the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging, which partners with the Franklin County Office on Aging, said she's seen the success of home health-care programs such as PASSPORT, a statewide alternative to nursing-home care. When it was launched in 1984, 92 percent of Ohio seniors got their health care at nursing homes. Today, that number is 58 percent, while 42 percent receive care at home, she said.
"I think most people realize there is a comfort to having your things around you," she said. "It just makes a difference in the quality of your life. And technology has changed so much, health care can be done at home."


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With a full count on Brendan Ryan of the Seattle Mariners, Philip Humber threw a slider that missed the strikezone by a wide margin and would have been ball four, ruining his bid for a perfect game. However, Ryan swung at the pitch in the dirt for strike three.
Or did he?
Some have questioned the legitimacy of the perfect game, believing that Ryan did check his swing in time, and that the pitch should have been ruled ball four.
The play is reminiscent of when Armando Galarraga lost a perfect game in 2010 when umpire Jim Joyce blew a call at first base on what would have been the final out.
Unfortunately, Fox never provided us with a definitive replay of the final strike in Humber's perfecto.
On the next few pages, we will take a closer look at the swing, including an angle not previously seen on any of the highlight shows...