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Tuesday, July 20, 2010
'Phillies Talk' Podcast - Reds and Cards trouble the Phils
The Phillies haven't been playing that well lately, and we're talking about it on tonight's show. What can the Phillies do to improve themselves? Kyle Kendrick is banished to AAA and Amaro is talking like he's going to make some changes in the clubhouse.
Will Jason Werth be a Phillies player by the trade deadline? Join Rich and Jim on 'Phillies Talk' Podcast, the weekly independent internet radio show on the Phillies. Jim goes crazy on his "Get rid of Lidge" campaign, even though he was perfect in '08 - Rich has to restrain 'Jim Dog' from wanting to trade most of the team away on this exciting edition of the show.
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Posted by Rich Baxter at 9:27 PM
2 comments:
- AnonymousJuly 21, 2010 at 2:59 PM
I wouldn't be surprised if Kyle Kendrick was just sent down until his next start due to the expectation that long inning pitching relief might be necessary against the Cardinals this week (Moyer last night, Kendrick didn't go 5 on Monday, and Blanton hasn't had his best season this year). As such, I'm not sure banished is the right term.ReplyDelete
Yes, banished is a bit tough. I feel bad for Kendrick though, he has 29 wins for the Phillies over the years but he can't seem to pitch a whole season for them and get a chance at a decent contract.ReplyDelete
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Subscribe To Avatar Sequels To Start Production Next Fall Updates
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James Cameron created a sensation when he released Avatar in December of 2009. Holding the top spot at the charts for seven weeks in a row, the film wound up making nearly $750 million domestically when it was first released, and it continues to be the only film other than Titanic to make over $2 billion at the global box office. Fans have waited patiently ever since for Cameron to get around to making the sequel, and were excited back in August when the director promised Avatar 2 for December 2016. But when does that mean cameras will start rolling?
According to star Sam Worthington, the answer to that question is about one full year from now. Variety picked up on an interview that the actor did with an Australia radio station called NovaFM and revealed both when and how they will be shooting the sequels for Avatar. "We are going to start this time next year and we will do two, three and four," he said. "In one shot, we'll do them simultaneously. I'll be grateful if it finishes." He added, "I think Jim is building the ship to Pandora, to be honest."
This, of course, won't be the first time that a major blockbuster franchise has filmed a bunch of movies at the same time. Peter Jackson decided that this method was the best way for him to make his Lord of the Rings trilogy - a series that went on to become an unquestionable success - and he did it again when it came time to start filming The Hobbit. What makes this such a challenging way to shoot is that the production needs to have all of the scripts in place before production begins, which means that Cameron and his writers have to have three full scripts ready to go. This would also go a long way in explaining why it's taken so long for these sequels to get going.
Making three movies in one go could also suggest that all three will be playing out one big over-arching storyline while each of the individual movies have full narratives of their own. Hopefully this means that Cameron and screenwriters Josh Friedman (War of the Worlds), Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver (Rise of the Planets of the Apes), and Shane Salerno (Savages) are putting more thought into the story than what we saw last time. They'll certainly have a ridiculous budget to work with thanks to the box office earnings of the first movie, so we'll just have to hope that they use it appropriately.


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Holiday Inn Sao Paulo Parque Anhembi
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The Didache, one of the earliest Christian writings, commands, "You shall not murder a child by abortion nor kill that which is born." But when the Supreme Court ruled on Roe v. Wade in 1973, most evangelicals considered abortion a Catholic issue. By the 1980s, largely due to the efforts of Francis Schaeffer, C. Everett Koop, and others, it became the centerpiece of evangelical social action. Christians continue to debate what drives abortions in the U.S. and abroad and how best to end them.
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How Three News Organizations Are Optimizing Their Digital Content
By: Tim Sohn
It's no secret that newspapers and online-only news organizations are dedicating more and more resources to their websites and other digital products. At the same time, publishers are cutting back on print editions, and it looks like this trend will only expand over time.
Advance Digital is now down to printing three papers a week in Alabama, Louisiana, and Michigan, while it ramps up its online efforts. Journal Register Co., which filed for bankruptcy in September, has also bet its future on digital. However, advertising statistics released by the Newspaper Association of America reveal a dismal $798 million in losses on the print side for the first half of 2012, and only a $32 million digital ad gain. With this increasing focus on digital, it's critical for news outlets to refine their search engine optimization strategies to draw the most readership and lure potential advertisers.
Arkansas Times
The Arkansas Times, which updates arktimes.com with news and blogs on a daily basis, also publishes a 30,000-circulation alternative weekly paper. However, according to editor Lindsey Millar, the Times tries to stay away from using the word "weekly," because it is constantly publishing news online.
Arkansas Times senior editor Max Brantley, who has been in the news business for 30 years, writes more than 20 items each week for the site's Arkansas Blog.
"He has been a one-man news generator since we started the blog. So, for a long time, we have essentially been a daily newspaper. He publishes 20 items or so during the week, and then maybe 12 on the weekend, and we break news regularly before the daily paper and the TV station," Millar said. The Times also publishes entertainment, art, and food blogs.
According to Millar, all content published in the alt-weekly is posted online as individual stories. They use the Foundation content management system, which integrates both Web and print production and allows the art director to input Web headlines. In addition, the Times publishes a digital edition using issuu. However, the blog content gets much more traffic, Millar said. Reporters and editors who turn in copy are expected to write keyword-driven headlines for both Web and print. So what makes a good headline?
In addition to focusing on keywords, "Just like normal headlines, you want to be provocative as well as thoughtful," said Millar, who added that they use a tagging system that allows users to find content based on topics. Google's Standout tag feature allows publishers to suggest content that is featured in search results.
Millar said the Times' coverage of the West Memphis Three — three men convicted of murdering three boys in West Memphis who were freed in 2011 after 18 years in prison — was the "perfect storm" when it comes to SEO strategy.
"We had just piles and piles of articles … We had time to go through and write an explainer, and then we reported the hell out of it," Millar said, adding that the Times distributed coverage through Facebook, Twitter, and email alerts. In addition, a West Memphis Three topic category appeared on the top and bottom of every page, which linked to the explainer. Millar emphasized the importance of publishing news — and a lot of it.
"I think what places like The New York Times and Mother Jones have done with explainers is really obvious, but not nearly enough people do it, and it's incredibly useful not just for readers, but especially for SEO. That's really where I'm hoping that we can move — having all of these topic pages for all of the subjects that we cover most frequently, and each one of those would lead into something like we did with the West Memphis Three," said Millar, who added that the Times use Google Analytics and finds that readers are mostly drawn to news and politics coverage.
When it comes to referrals, arktimes.com sees the most from social media, especially Facebook, not search. Arkansas Times maintains six Facebook pages, updated mostly by the editorial department, in addition to Twitter and Tumblr accounts.
The Times editors receive support from a social media division, which also manages social media platforms for clients. Newspapers that offer SEO services to local businesses are becoming increasingly common. Tribune Co. has a digital consulting division called 435 Digital, and Dow Jones Local Media Group has a local online marketing division called Media Blacksmith.
International Business Times
The online-only International Business Times (ibtimes.com), which was launched in 2006 by chief executive officer Etienne Uzac and chief content officer Jonathan Davis, publishes 10 editions in seven languages in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Its content focuses on business news that's relevant to each local market. According to Uzac, IBT saw "significant growth" in 2010 after it added more coverage and honed its SEO strategy. Six million unique visitors from the U.S. went to ibtimes.com in August, and a total of 12 million visited worldwide. Davis said the articles that get the most traffic typically are technology, media, company, product, and business-related.
IBT uses a multipronged approach in its content strategy. "I think SEO is one part of the strategy that we're using. There's a number of ways that we're approaching development of our content and positioning that in front of our audience and making sure we're reaching the people we want to reach," he said, adding that they started weaving analytics tools into the newsroom workflow in 2010 — IBT uses Chartbeat, Webtrends, Google Analytics, and Statcounter.
In addition to SEO as part of its content strategy, IBT always includes a "global perspective" and "comprehensive insight," Davis said.
At IBT, editors and reporters are heavily involved in story development and selection strategy. They choose stories that they think readers will be interested in, and the analytics and editorial teams work together to help decide story placement on the websites.
"There's an editorial agenda we have for the day. Obviously, we have a whole calendar of things we need to cover on a daily basis, and for the most part, that's what we cover. However, as the content goes out, then we can immediately see how people are finding the content, whether it's through the websites, whether there's better positioning on the front page or on the section pages that can optimize it. And also what type of keywords people are using to come," Davis said.
Depending on those results, editors will make changes throughout the day to optimize the content for best positioning. For example, based on analytics, staffers will find out whether readers are looking for a particular story based on the name of a product or company.
Social feedback is also a key tool for the IBT in terms of developing and adjusting its content. The teams monitor what readers are saying on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and other platforms to get a good idea of what they are interested in content-wise. IBT has a partnership with LinkedIn Today, and stories get picked up daily by Reddit and Slashdot.
Davis said creating Web headlines is a trial-and-error process and called it an "art."
At IBT, the linking strategy isn't uniform across the newsroom. Some reporters link to external sources, but Davis said internal linking is "really important." IBT currently uses a proprietary CMS but will soon be moving to a Drupal platform.
Patch, owned by AOL, has 850 hyperlocal news sites across the U.S. According to chief content officer Rachel Feddersen, Patch focuses heavily on what she calls the localization of search.
"The search engines are increasingly personalizing results based on where you are searching from, and that's where Patch can really shine. So, we have to be smart about alerting the search engines to our location. We have some back-end technology that goes into that on our proprietary system," Feddersen said, adding that Patch's strategy is a combination of back-end technology and smart story structuring using local names and location.
For example, she said, a Patch local editor would write "Lower Merion" instead of Philadelphia, but without overusing the words.
Another example she cited was the localization of national news, especially this past August with the Aurora, Colo., shooting. According to Feddersen, analytics results showed that people were not searching for gun laws, but rather for specific local information, such as "Is there extra security at my local theater?" "Is my theater still showing this movie?" "What's happening in my ZIP code, and not only in my zip code, but maybe a mile from my house at the movie theater?"
Feddersen said that even though Patch gets most of its referrals from search, social does play a significant role in the ranking of articles.
"Search engines are looking at social cues for ranking various pieces, not how many times something was shared, but how influential are the people sharing it, how much was it commented on," she said. Because of this search engine behavior, Patch reaches out to local influencers to help distribute stories on social media. Feddersen said her editors know local coaches, principals, PTA presidents, parents, etc., so it isn't awkward to approach them to help out.
"We have relationships with people in the community that are natural to capitalize on or natural to highlight and just make the news very shareable, and that in turn, like being good neighbors and being good members of the community, happens to enhance our social SEO strategy," she said, adding that mobile is an important part of Patch's strategy, since search is the largest referrer to Patch's local and events listings.
In terms of keywords and tagging, Patch tags all its content with local names and things, and AOL headquarters provides trending terms to all the local editors for them to use when they tag. Patch also has its own audience and analytics team that local editors can make inquiries to about keywords and other concerns.
Feddersen emphasized the importance of using the keywords that people are actually searching for. For example, people search for police and fire, not public safety, she said.
July 4 is a big deal for Patch, so the network had to figure out what wording to use in its stories: July 4, July 4th, or Fourth of July. The result was July 4th, according to analytics tools.
Feddersen said coverage of the Perseid meteor shower was also big for Patch because of the importance of location.
In terms of analytics tools, Patch uses Omniture, Chartbeat, and has produced proprietary reports for its editors. Patch content appears on the AOL homepage and The Huffington Post, another AOL property.
"The most interesting challenge is how specific can we get around a search term that we can have a really significant impact on our ranking across the country," Feddersen said.
SEO Basics
The following SEO tips are excerpts from Google's Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide.
- Content: Creating compelling and useful content will likely influence your website more than any other factors.
- Keywords: Think about the words that a reader might search for to find a piece of content. Google AdWords provides a keyword tool that helps users discover new keyword variations and see the approximate search volume for each keyword. Also, Google Webmaster Tools provides readers with the top search queries for a site and the ones that led the most readers to a site.
- Images: All images should have a distinct file name and "alt" attribute. The alt attribute allows users to specify alternative text for the image if it cannot be displayed on the browser being used.
- Heading Tags: Heading tags are used to present structure on the page to users. There are six sizes of heading tags, beginning with <h1>, the most important, and ending with <h6>, the least important. For a news story, the name of the site could go into an <h1> tag and the topic of the story into an <h2> tag.
- Mobile: Publishers should verify that their mobile sites are being indexed by Google. If not, they can submit a mobile sitemap through Google Webmaster Tools.
- Google News: It's important that newspaper publishers' content show up in Google News to help drive more traffic. Go to https://support.google.com/news/publisher/bin/topic.py?hl=en&topic=2481294&parent=TopLevel&ctx=topic for more details on how.
Source: http://static.googleusercontent.com/external_content/untrusted_dlcp/www.google.com/en/us/webmasters/docs/search-engine-optimization-starter-guide.pdf
Tim Sohn is a freelance writer and editor focusing on technology and social media. Follow him on Twitter @editortim, email him at firstname.lastname@example.com, or visit his website at TimothyJSohn.com.


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SUNRISE, Fla. -- With Andrej Meszaros out for at least a third of the season, the Flyers are in the market for a defenseman.
This time, acquiring a depth defenseman isn't going to cut it. Bruno Gervais, Kurtis Foster and Andreas Lilja are serviceable third-pairing players. But a weak third pair, as they currently constitute by league standards, could hamper the Flyers' chances. Especially in a shortened season.
Having Meszaros healthy, or any Top 4 defenseman, to use on the third unit substantially changes the outlook.
So, what options does Holmgren have?
> The Flyers can trade for a defenseman. In Pittsburgh, Simon Despres seems to be available. Despres has failed to impress in the early goings this season, and word is circulating in the rumor mill that Ray Shero may be willing to part with him. Despres (day-PRAY) is a 1st round pick (2009, 30th overall) and might be a nice piece moving forward in a new system. He's 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, is a smooth skater and moves the puck well.
He's just one name.
Here's the problem: the Flyers don't have a position of strength to deal from. They're already thin at forward with Scott Laughton, Tye McGinn and others plugging important holes since Hartnell, Danny Briere and Zac Rinaldo are out. Holmgren is not willing to part with his young players, like a Sean Couturier.
> They could sign an unrestricted free agent. Brent Sopel is one name the Flyers could be interested in. Sopel, 36, hasn't played in the NHL since 2011. He's played in Russia for the last two seasons. He won the Stanley Cup in 2010 with Chicago.
> The Flyers can go after restricted free agent P.K. Subban in Montreal.
There have been rumblings of the Flyers' interest in Subban for quite a while. Heck, what teams are not interested in Subban?
Pernell Karl Subban, 23, is a tough, young defender who can skate like the wind. He can play the power play and plays a physical style which would make him a perfect fit in Philadelphia. He was famously able to agitate former captain Mike Richards with his on-ice pestilence.
During Hartnell's Hurricane Sandy charity scrimmage in Atlantic City in November, Subban was arguably the best player on the ice.
Subban, looking for his second NHL contract, is reportedly not close to a new deal with the Canadiens - and thus, has been sitting out this season. At this point, It's not exactly clear what it would take for the Habs to sign him.
Per Renaud Lavoie of RDS Canada, the Canadiens' offer has not changed since May: a two-year deal worth (a prorated) $2.3 million this year and $2.9 million in 2013-14. Subban wants a long-term deal. You can see why a two-year deal, especially at a prorated salary this year which shrinks with each day he goes unsigned, is an unpalatable option.
Could the Flyers possibly make a run at an offer sheet? Unlikely.
The Flyers have already tried the restricted free agent offer sheet game (see: Weber, Shea) and their poison pill wasn't successful against one of the NHL's least affluent teams. Why would another one work against one of hockey's proud, well-to-do franchises in Montreal?
Seemingly, the only way to nab Subban on a offer sheet is to throw a ridiculous offer out there. You'd have to presume that anything within reason will be matched by new GM Marc Bergevin quickly - and Subban will be back on the ice within days.
Would a ridiculous offer be worth it? He is not a $4 million per year player. Like all young players, he still has his shortcomings. Plus, the salary cap is decreasing next season, from $70.2 million to $64.3 million, and while the Flyers are in good shape, they don't have unlimited room.
There are a few creative approaches to try and lure Subban from Montreal, but a lot of those - like a max-offer for this season, which would be pro-rated because of the lockout, before dropping down to a more-manageable number - were snuffed out in the new, more strict CBA. The Flyers' hands are tied; a Weber-like offer is tougher to pull off.
One thing that is interesting: depending on the salary, the rebuilding Canadiens might ultimately be persuaded into not matching by the number of draft picks involved. Here was last summer's draft pick compensation chart (changing figure based on average league salary):
$1,110,249 or below - No Compensation
Over $1,110,249 to $1,682,194 - 3rd round pick
Over $1,682,194 to $3,364,391 - 2nd round pick
Over $3,364,391 to $5,046,585 - 1st round pick, 3rd
Over $5,046,585 to $6,728,781 - 1st round pick, 2nd, 3rd
Over $6,728,781 To $8,410,976 - Two 1st Round Picks, 2nd, 3rd
Over $8,410,976 - Four 1st Round Picks
Question number 3: is Subban worth a 1st and a 3rd round pick? I believe the Flyers would not mind parting with that. But they've drafted incredibly well in the first round over the last 2 years, with Couturier and Laughton making the jump directly to the NHL.
The Flyers could also work out a trade for Subban's rights, but again, what can they offer in return that doesn't weaken their team?
To me, all of those things make it unlikely that Subban receives an offer sheet from anyone, let alone the Flyers.
The longer the Subban saga goes on, the more interesting it becomes. Stay tuned.
For the latest updates, follow Frank Seravalli on Twitter: @DNFlyers
Odds from Bovada.lv: What will happen next for P.K. Subban?
Plays a Game for the Montreal Canadiens -200 (1/2)
Plays a Game for another NHL Team +150 (3/2)


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Future summer blockbuster Cowboys & Aliens—based on the 2006 graphic novel of the same name—may draw some influence from another Western, Rockstar Games San Diego's Red Dead Redemption.
Director Jon Favreau—of Iron Man film directing fame—says that he and star Daniel Craig "kicked off" filming of next year's sci-fi Western mash-up with a little Red Dead Redemption play time, according to /Film. Favreau equates directing his next movie with exploring the open-world tale of John Marston's revenge.
"I'm basically playing Red Dead Redemption every day, except I'm telling Daniel [Craig] 'go left, go right' instead of using a joystick," Favreau tells /Film. Seemingly referring again to Craig, the current James Bond, Favreau says "We were playing that game together, it's how we kicked off [the film]."
Given that Cowboys & Aliens is based on pre-existing work and star writers are responsible for its screenplay, it's doubtful that any Red Dead influence will be noticeable on the film. But we'll be keeping an eye out for undead horses, just in case.
For more on Cowboys & Aliens, don't miss io9's report from their own set visit.
Cowboys & Aliens Set Visit [/Film via Patrick Klepek]


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Rules of Taqlīd
To Learn the Islamic Law
If one's negligence in learning religious rules leads to forsaking an obligation or committing a ḥarām action, he will be a sinner.
To Perform Rituals without Taqlīd
The actions of a person who does not follow a mujtahid are valid provided that they are in accordance with caution, the actual rule, or the fatwā of the mujtahid to whom they must refer.
A Blameworthy/Unblameworthy Ignorant
A"blameworthy ignorant person" is the one who realizes his ignorance and knows the possible methods by which he can overcome his ignorance, but deals carelessly with learning religious rulings. An "unblameworhty ignorant person is the one who is not at all aware of his ignorance or he/she is aware of it, but there is no way out of it.
How to Know the Instance of a Ruling
The yardstick in specifying the instance of rulings is the determination of the mukallaf himself or his having a shar'ī proof to that effect.
Transmiting a Mujtahid's Fatwā
A person, who makes mistakes while transmiting a mujtahid's fatwā, is not allowed to undertak this task.
To Follow the Most Learned Mujtahid
If there are several mujtahids who are qualified for issuing fatwās and their fatwās are different, it will be of obligatory caution upon the mukallaf to follow the most learned one.
A Definition for 'Ādil
A person, who is so pious that he would not commit a sin deliberately, is considered as 'ādil.
To Change One's Taqlīd
By obligatory caution, it is not permissible to change one's taqlīd from a living mujtahid to another one unless the latter is/may be the most knowledgeable mujtahid.
To Follow Several Mujtahids Simultaneously
There is no problem with dividing one's taqlīd between several mujtahids who are equal in knowledge.
To Follow a Deceased Mujtahid
The permissibility of starting or continuing to follow a deceased mujtahid depends on the fatwā of a living mujtahid who is — by obligatory caution — the most learned one.
To Start Following a Deceased Mujtahid
By obligatory caution, it is not permissible to start following a deceased mujtahid.
To Continue Following a Marji' after His Death
Continuing to follow a marji'after his death even with regard to those issues which he has not acted upon during the life time of the marji', is permissible and valid.
To Follow a Deceased Mujtahid after a Living One
Before referring to a living mujtahid regarding a particular issue, it is permissible to continue with following a deceased marji'. However, once you change in that issue to a living mujtahid, it is not permissible — by obligatory caution — to refer back to the deceased one.


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EPA to Seek 30% Cut in Emissions at Power Plants
Plan Sets in Motion Main Piece of President's Climate-Change Agenda
WASHINGTON—The Environmental Protection Agency will propose mandating power plants cut U.S. carbon-dioxide emissions 30% by 2030 from levels of 25 years earlier, according to people briefed on the rule, an ambitious target that marks the first-ever attempt at limiting such pollution.
The rule-making proposal, to be unveiled Monday, sets in motion the main piece of President Barack Obama's climate-change agenda and is designed to give states and power companies flexibility in reaching the target. But it also will face political...


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Morning sickness is a combination of symptoms like nausea and vomiting sometimes accompanied by dizziness, backaches, headaches, lower abdominal cramps or constipation. It usually appears within the first trimester of pregnancy in the 4th or 6th week and most women don't experience a full relief until the 14th week. Morning sickness is normally the sign of a healthy pregnancy. According to a study published in the Journal - Obstetrics and Gynaecology showed that women who experience this unpleasant symptom have a lower risk of miscar... Read More


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BlackBerry Storm Typing Shortcuts
Speed up your typing on the BlackBerry Storm with these handy shortcuts. The typing shortcuts on your BlackBerry Storm are especially helpful when viewing an e-mail or a Web page or replying to an e-mail. To use the shortcuts with the letter keys shown in the table, the QWERTY keyboard must appear on the screen. To display the QWERTY keyboard, press the Menu key, and then touch-press Show Keyboard. You can use these shortcuts with any BlackBerry application:
|Turn on Num lock
|Alt+left Shift
|Turn on Cap lock
|Alt+right Shift
|Turn off Num or Cap lock
|Go to top of a page or list
|Go to bottom of a page or list
|Insert period
|Space twice
|Capitalize letter
|Letter and keep it held down
|Insert @ or period for e-mail address
|Type accented or special character
|Press and hold letter while you scroll trackball/trackpad left
or right
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FAIRFIELD, CT(February 26, 2012) - The Sacred Heart men's lacrosse team battled back from down seven goals in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter but came up short falling to Marist, 12-10, Sunday afternoon on Campus Field. The Red Foxes converted three-of-four man-up opportunities and got three goals from Jack Doherty in the win. The Pioneers fall to 0-2 to start the season with the loss.
Marist got off to a slow start, turning the ball over twice on failed clears to start the game. The Pioneers took the early lead as senior Aaron Lupo (Schenectady, NY) scored his first of two on the day at 8:28. Lupo beat his man to the near post and then tucked his shot in the top farside corner for a 1-0 lead. The Red Foxes got jump started with a four-goal run with four different players finding the back of the cage.
Marist used two quick goals, scoring at 5:06 off the stick of Brett Bernardo and then just six seconds later as Matt Dugan scooped up the face-off and buried if for a lead the Red Foxes would never give up. Colin Joka converted Marist's first man-up opportunity to close the scoring in the first quarter, burying a Kevin Dondero feed at 4:03. Jack Doherty gave his team a 4-1 lead at 6:59 in the second quarter.
Lupo tacked on his second of the day at 6:08 and Trevor Dauses (Glen Arm, MD) pulled the Pioneers to within 4-3 just 33 seconds later. Marist would grab the momentum back heading into the locker room as Doherty scored man-up at 1:12 and Connor Rice added his first of the day with just five ticks left thanks to a turnover by SHU on the clear deep in their own end.
Grad student Billy Skelos (Lynbrook, NY) opened the third quarter with a goal but Marist made it three for three on man-up opportunities as Evan Guarini scored less then a minute later. Marist took control using a 5-1 run that ended with Doherty scoring his third with 12:43 left in the fourth quarter to put his team up 12-5.
The Pioneers used the extra-man to try and pull themselves back in it, scoring man-up on Tim Caton (East Rochester, NY) and Mike Mawdsley (Innisfil, Ont.) goals at 8:15 and 7:47. Mawdsley tacked on his second, both being set up by sophomore Cody Marquis (Londonberry, NH). SHU added two more in the final two minutes from Pat Fletcher (Silver Spring, MD) and Shane Foley (South Brunswick, NJ)
The Pioneers held a 40-33 edge on shots but Marist goalkeeper Craig Goodermote earned the win in cage making nine saves and allowing just three goals in the first half.
Sacred Heart is on the road for two-straight against the Ivy League, facing Dartmouth on March 3rd and Yale on March 6th.


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Join your Contiki trip crew in New York & Boston before we get to the meat of the matter & explore incredible Canada. We take our trip to Jasper National Park, see waterfalls, lakes & mountains aplenty, & bust moves in Vancouver & Toronto to balance things out. Scenery & cities collide!
The dizzying city of New York is home to a whopping 8 million stories, and from the minute you meet up with your Contiki crew, you'll have your own to add to the mix. Today we make for Boston, stopping by New Haven, Connecticut on the way - home to Yale University, known its thriving student culture.Achingly cool Boston is a delectable mix of history, hipsters and – thanks to the world-famous Red Sox - baseball. Spend the afternoon with your Trip Manager getting acquainted with the city's core spots and distinct Irish flavour, then come night get friendly with the team over an included dinner and boogy round town.
Boston is steeped in history, so weave your way through the 18th century today on the Freedom Trail. This red-brick path winds past a plethora of sites integral to the revolution, and is guaranteed to inspire your inner rebel. Visit Harvard University (yes, the very same) and get a tour with one of the students. This hilarious look at student life will bring out the LOLs. Take well-deserved coffee breaks at groovy cafes, have a snooze in one of the nine parks that comprise the city's "Emerald Necklace" and reward yourself with a mouthwatering seafood feast.
With the luck of the Irish, we pack our bags without leaving anything behind and make for Quebec via the wilds of Maine. Whizzing by jaw-dropping scenery and spotting the occasional moose out the window is sure to give you a second wind before we cross the border to Canada.Quebec's capital – Canada's Paris – is the only walled city in North America, and once you cop an eyeful of its beauty, you'll see why they wanted to lock it away. We'll pull in late today, and tonight you're welcome to take a traipse through town and sample the local watering holes.
With its cobbled streets and ancient stone houses, Quebec City's UNESCO World-Heritage-listed old town is an open-air museum. After a history lesson with a Local Guide, get out and explore more of what the region has to offer: its vibrant art scene, Parisian-style eateries and quaint river boardwalk. If your tastebuds are feeling adventurous, try munching on duckling with maple syrup – a local delicacy. What else? You could check out the Chateau Frontenac - this red brick building built in 1983 is a landmark the city is definetely proud of. Champagne anyone? The city also boasts some pretty cool nightlife, so lets get out there and boozie, French style.
Bid Quebec au revoir as we head towards the jazzy island city of Montreal. Pretty scenic views, yes yes yes, we're talking panoramic. Camera at the ready.Together, we'll take a spin around Montreal's Old Port and quays before driving up to Mt Royal, which offers sensational views of the city that will leave your head reeling. Back on sea level, we'll familiarise ourselves with a few signature sites. If you're hungering for an adrenaline rush this afternoon, jump in a jet boat and get wet in the rapids of the St Lawrence River, or perhaps just take a wander around time trying out your best high school French.
Today is all yours - soak up as much of Montreal's creative juices and infectious joie de vivre as you can take. Add some cutting-edge threads to your wardrobe at The Main, munch your way through various countries at Jean-Talon market and dance the night away at a jazz bar downtown or in the Latin Quarter. It would be rude not to grab a serving of poutine on the way home, wouldn't it?
Still bopping along to the sax from the night before, we bid farewell Montreal.These 1000 islands are as pretty as a picture and a great way to relax and take in the views before we hit the city. On our stop, you'll have chance to board a boat and float your way along the water for an hour of bliss. These islands are dotted with historic buildings and castles. Back on land we make our way further into Canadian territory, with Toronto in our sights.Welcome to Toronto, the largest city in Canada. Your Trip Manager will fill you in on the hot spots of this fabulous city soon after we arrive, and will then give you the afternoon off to find your niche in its cosmopolitan melting pot.
Toronto is another one of Canada's mulit-cultural hotspots. Maybe catch a baseball game, Head to the of the CN Tower, visit Gallery 44 or Toronto Park for people watching. Tonight, feel the global vibe of this city's nightlife.
It's time to wash away the city grit at what is undoubtedly the best-known waterfall on the planet: Niagara Falls.You can't get much wetter than at the world's ninth-largest waterfall. Experience Niagara Falls' surging power first-hand on the Niagara Cruise boat by getting right up to its thundering base, then soar above the action in a chopper or just take in the scene from the safety of a viewing platform. And don't worry – the ponchos are our treatLater today we head back to Toronto where we will spend the night.
We'll whisk you the airport this morning and just a pre-warning - it's an early one. But because of what's in store, we know that despite the protests and yawns, you won't mind that much. Why? Because Vancouver awaits...How's that fresh air! The rugged, handsome landscapes of Whistler are gorgeous all year long, from the ancient mountain peaks to the alpine hiking trails. First up though, stretch out those legs for an optional zipline on the 'superfly'. One of the world's best, do it alone, or jump in a tandem with a buddy - 102km an hour is not for the faint hearted. Dinner's on us tonight – make sure you rest up, because adventure is on the cards all day tomorrow.
Come winter, Whistler may be a haven for snowbunnies, but when the weather is warm, it's activity central. Test your Popeye strength by canoeing along the River of Golden Dreams, zipline over churning rivers or take a hike through scenery that puts most postcards to shame. If you're feeling lazy, take a gondola or a chairlift to the mountain tops, but don't forget to explore the village itself – you'll melt at its cuteness.
Today it's out of the mountains and into Canada's Wild west interior. After a photo stop at idyllicSeton Lake, we'll stop in at the former gold-rush town of Lillooet just a few-hundred years too late to make our fortunes.Traders used to stop at Kamloops to swap tall tales about the one that got away (we mean the days' catch) and tonight, we'll be doing exactly that - the tales at least. Relax, go for a wander, or see if you can spot some local cowboys. Tomorrow there is much more in store when we leave the province of BC and into Alberta and the mighty Rockies.
Well rested, we'll take in some incredible scenes on our drive this morning, and you might even see the highest point in the Rockies if weather permits.Eating outdoors is essential in these parts, so we'll load you up with a picnic lunch against a backdrop that will insight some serious FOMO from friends back home. Full and happy, the great outdoors is then yours to explore. Want to take the adrenaline levels up a notch? Get involved with our optional white-water rafting excursion on the Frasier River. There's nothing like a rafting adventure to confirm that there is no 'I' in team.Jasper will be your home for the next two nights – convenient really, considering it's the perfect base to explore the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies.
Rise 'n' shine - it's time to get out there with an easy hike though Maligne Canyon. Towering limestone walls will watch over us as we take in the scene, making our way across bridges to the thrilling soundtrack of rushing water. Nature goals achieved, we'll jump on the coach and head to Maligne Lake, famous for the azure colour of its water, and today we'll show you why. Drink in the beauty of the surrounding snow-capped mountains from the shore, or take an optional cruise out to iconic Spirit Island, the most photographed image in the Rockies - we'll bet you know the one. Later, we'll leave you to your own devices to explore the cute town of Jasper.
On our way to Banff today, you'll be glued to the windows as we pass the waterfalls, lakes, meadows, glaciers and towering mountains that make up the Columbia Icefield Parkway. Take a walk to the Athabasca Falls, wheel across the Athabasca Glacier on the Ice Explorer, and cure that cotton-mouth with a drink of pure H2O – just be careful not to stick your tongue to the ice... Peyto Lake and Lake Louise (you're sure to have seen these on Instagram) are the perfect place to snap your next profile pic, and make sure those eyes stay peeled for wildlife.We'll roll into Banff – the unofficial capital of the Canadian Rockies. You're in cowboy country now, and who are we to buck tradition? Saddle up for a round of drinks before dinner and check into your chalet.
There's loads on the menu today in Banff: hop on a gondola up Sulphur Mountain, take a heli-tour of the high country. At night, toast the moon with a horseback ride through the back-country complete with a fire-cooked meal to round off the day.
Marvel at the change of scenery today as we cut through three national parks on our way to Vernon. First up is Yoho National Park with its valley of waterfalls and meadows, and home to the amazing engineering feat - the Spiral Train Tunnel. Next up is Glacier National Park, which boasts over 400 (wait for it) glaciers (surprise) and Rogers Pass. Lastly, we'll see Mt. Revelstoke National Park's towering peaks and raging waters.Dinner in Vernon tonight is our shout – after cramming three national parks into one day, really, you deserve it. You'll probably also be hankering for a beverage after such a long day, and fortunately, the city's array of traditional pubs are happy to help you out on that front.
We're sure you'll agree that meandering through Canada's wine country – the famed Okanagan Valley - is a great way to kill time on the drive back to Vancouver. It's time to see everything of this magical metropolis that you missed the first time around, we'll treat you to a whirlwind tour of the historic sites.It's time to see everything of this magical metropolis you missed the first time round. Vancouver's downtown is world class, and its locals' take immense pride in its multiculturalism. Stop for pics at the city's nine Totem Poles - these colourful carved sculptures stand tall in Stanley Park and are a must-see sight that were gifted to Vancouver City. Get out there and get local, do some boutique shopping or even rent a bike and explore the city on wheels. Tonight, give your ears a treat with some live music in the alleys of Yale Town.
A hidden grassroots art scene, eating adventures in abundance, and a pretty seaport setting - your free day in Vancouver will not be short of magic. If the galleries and cute cafes get old, roam one of the cities many parks or gardens or find a spot to take in the surrounding mountain vistas. Top off the day with a dinner cruise and your Vancouver experience is whole and complete.
All good things must come to an end, and so does our alpine adventure this morning. We wish you all a fond salute and bon voyage. We hope we'll be seeing you again soon...
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As if SEO does not have a bad enough rep out on the Internet, companies go and create link building schemes like this:
"In a nutshell, the WMC system will automatically create up to 5,000 unique search engine-friendly content pages (seen only by the search engines). Because your website will have so much content (which the search engines love to see), your site will rank very high (page one or two of search results) which will cause a flood of traffic." That is a direct quote from Cool Site of the Day.
When I went to WMC, they do not mention "cloaking" (at least, I didn't see it).
Am I too "touchy" on this subject? I do believe when you start talking about cloaking in any form (a.k.a. seen only by the search engines), you are now doing a great disservice to the SEO community. To top it off, I wonder how many people are actually going to purchase this software in the hopes of being on the first page of Google.
Just my two cents. What are your thoughts?


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Triangle Plone Boot Camps 2007
- Monday July 30 - Friday August 3 :: Plone Boot Camp
For the third time, we're coming back to where it all began: the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. This bootcamp is offered to the general public, and is aimed at people with HTML or web design experience, people with some or no Python experience, people with some or no Zope/Plone experience. It covers using Plone, customizing, and deploying Plone sites.
- Monday August 6 - Thursday August 9 :: Advanced Plone Boot Camp
Want to learn the professional techniques and advanced concepts of developing for Plone? This hands-on, advanced class covers the concepts that follow our popular Developer Bootcamp, and build on the skills learned in this course. The Advanced Bootcamp is intended for people who have taken our developer bootcamp, or who have a similar, advanced level of experience as Plone customizers and developers. This class is not appropriate for people who are just learning Plone, or looking to learn the core skills to build a Plone site or product.
- Friday August 10 :: Introduction to Plone
Interested in content management or web development, but not certain if Plone is for you? Or is your department/company using Plone, but you'd like a friendly hands-on course to help you use the system? This course is intended for you! This course is intended for:
- evaluators of content management systems
- students and developers looking at Plone as a solution
- content managers/editors who would like to learn how to use Plone
This course does not assume any web development experience, or knowledge of Plone. This course is taught hands-on -- so you'll have a chance to practice using Plone while learning about what it does, all in a comfortable, friendly setting. With dozens of active Plone deployments in the Triangle area at area Universities, this is the best time to evaluate and learn to use Plone!


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Concrete is a composite construction material composed primarily of aggregate, cement and water. Technically speaking, concrete is a heterogenous mixture that has several variations – it's recipe can include sand, ash, pumice, silica, quicklime, pozzolanic ash, crushed limestone, and crushed granite (to name a few). The chemical process in which concrete solidifies and dries is actually (and ironically) called hydration. The substance and invention actually date from the Roman Empire – indeed the word comes from the Latin word "concretus" (meaning compact or condensed). Apparently though, after the fall of the Roman Empire this technology became extremely scarce and all but forgotten until the 18th century – that's thousands of years people! HOW does something like that happen? The romans used the substance to shape domes, aqueducts, and archways. Several concrete bathhouses still stand from the era. That seems pretty advanced for the time period – and yet POOF! The discovery just disappears.
Via Knight Frank
In the town of Zwickau, Germany, concrete architecture peppers the rivers. Image found HERE.
License All rights reserved by Ty Cole.
Brutalism was an architectural style that flourished in Critics of the style find in the 1950's to the mid 1970's. Many viewers found it unappealing due to its "cold" appearance, projecting an atmosphere of totalitarianism (this was the Cold War, folks). Others were upset that the material of concrete was used in residential areas as it lent itself easily to urban decay and graffiti. Alison and Peter Smithson (British architects) coined the term in 1953, from the French béton brut, or "raw concrete", a phrase used by Le Corbusier to describe the poured board-marked concrete with which he constructed many of his post-World War II buildings. To learn more about the styles origins, go HERE.
Concrete is extremely susceptible to environmental damage. The mixes tensile strength can be damaged by wetness, sea water, freezing, and erosion. Today we have a bevy of materials that can hinder this process – however in the ancient days of yore – the Egyptians, and subsequently the Romans, learned to add horse-hair to the mixture in order to stop cracking.
A concrete wall becomes the new neutral.
Reflective, glossy, air, and bright. Concrete becomes a minimal lover's landscape. License All rights reserved by Stebbi.
Concrete floors found in the Dutch Mountains, image via Design Milk HERE.
Brutal concrete stairs via Sisters Agency, HERE.
Sideboards by Eric Degenhardt for Böwer, image found HERE.
As far as being a decorative material, concrete actually can come in colors other than a drab grey! It all depends on the initial mix. Concrete even takes to staining, just like wood! The rock is also extremely energy efficient because it does not allow air seepage (like wooden house frames) – it can help to insulate and keep a building's temperature constant.
A modern and white space complete with burnished and sleek concrete floors. The material takes on a natural and calming quality. Image found via House to Home, HERE.
This Spanish abode is 1/3 rustic cottage, 1/3 bohemian, 1/3 brutalist minimalism. Image found HERE.
Concrete loft in the West Village, NYC. Bricks, Concrete, Plastic, and Wood mingle in this airy space. Embrace materials. Found HERE.
For the record, there is an abstractionist art movement called "concrete art". It was first introduced by Theo van Doesburg in his "Manifesto of Concrete Art" (1930) – it has NOTHING to do with the rock mixture and EVERYTHING to do with casting off the strictures of interpretation. The art form aims to be devoid of symbolic influences or implications, in this way it is a concrete thought, not able to be read. Also affected by the varied uses of the word, "concretism", is a practice of poetry wherein the visual arrangement of words form a pattern on the page are more importance than phonetic aesthetic. Oh the joys of the English language, etymology, and homonyms!
Shop by the Numbers: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9


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Medium ProductMore Information
Grohe 31491000 Concetto Single Lever Kitchen Sink Mixer Pull Out Tap Chrome
The Grohe Concetto Professional single lever mixer tap has striking styling that will enhance any space. The spout turns to a full 360 degrees to reach every corner of your sink whilst the professional spray is ideal for cleaning veg, filling pots and even switching across a double sink.
Chrome finish
Fits easily onto island units or underneath wall mounted cupboards
Spout swivels a full 360o
2 spray options - a normal spray and a powerful jet spray
Contains Grohe EasyDock M system meaning that the solid metal spray head retracts easily and neatly by a powerful magent
Easy clean
GroheFlexx silicone hose
Monobloc installation
Contains Grohe StarLight chrome finish is scratch resistant for a dazzling surface that will last
Single lever mixer
Recommended water pressure 1.0 - 5.0 bar
Comes with a manufacturers guarantee
Specifications of the Grohe 31491
Dispenses: Hot & Cold
Depth (mm): 235mm
Height (mm): 510mm
Tap Style: Deck-mounted
Manufacturer's Guarantee: 5 Years
Colour: Chrome
Tap Holes: 1
Tap Type: Kitchen Mixer With Hand Spray
Pull Out Spray: Yes
Grohe products including Grohe Shower, Grohe Taps and Grohe Cisterns have a manufacturer warranty of a period of 5 years.
The warranty shall be granted for a maximum period of 5 years from the date of manufacture of the product, subject to the period of 5 years commencing from the date of purchase.
The warranty period shall not be extended by any repair work authorised by Grohe or exchange of the product or parts, nor shall it commence to run anew. The same shall apply if these warranty terms and conditions are enclosed with the replacement product.
If your Grohe product becomes defective in this time frame please call 0871 200 3414
For further details on the Grohe Warranty please check the Grohe Website
Buyaparcel offer delivery throughout the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland, Scottish Highlands and other Islands of the UK. In addition we can now also deliver through Europe.
UK Delivery Prices
£2.95 - Royal Mail Second Class (2-5 Days Approx - selected products only)
£3.95 - Standard UK Delivery (2-3 Days Approx)
£5.95 - Next Day UK Delivery (Orders placed before 3.30pm Monday - Friday)
£8.95 - Saturday Delivery (Orders placed before 3.30pm Friday)
£36.00 - Pallet Delivery (2-3 Days Approx - selected products only)
International Delivery Prices
In addition we now deliver through Europe on a 48 Hour Delivery Service as Standard
Zone 1 – £9.99
Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, France, Netherlands, Rep Ireland.
Zone 2- £14.99
Austria, Denmark, Czech Republic, Poland, Lithuania, Hungary.
Zone 3 – £19.99
Estonia, Spain, Sweden, Italy, Portugal, Latvia.
Zone 4 – £29.99
Bulgaria, Finland, Romania.
Zone 5 – £49.99
Bosnia, Croatia, Switzerland.
Zone 6 – £59.99
Norway, Serbia, Iceland.
Choose a Delivery Date to Suit You
You also now have the facility to choose a day you wish to have your order delivered on if your order is being delivered via courier or pallet. This can be done at the checkout stage where you will be shown a calendar if you select the book in option. You will have the option of booking in your delivery for a day that is convenient for you. Should you require the order the following day please select the next day option.
Is My Item Available for Next Day Delivery?
If your item is stocked in our immediate picking location it will available for you to choose a next day delivery. This will be highlighted by a green tick and a 1 day dispatch time on the item information.
You will have the option to choose this service if you are purchasing your item for delivery to mainland UK.
What courier will my item be delivered with?
If your item is being delivered in the UK or Ireland, it will be delivered by UK Mail or Royal Mail, with the exception of pallet items. The courier type is displayed on each item but will be confirmed at the checkout stage when you have completed your shopping.
If you are an international customer, your goods will initially be sent via UK Mail, and then exported to either Eurodis or DHL. The appropriate tracking can be provided when necessary.
Details of each courier service we offer are detailed in our Delivery Guide.
How do I track my delivery?
To track your order online, go to 'Your Account' and click on 'Purchase History' for an update on your order.
Our team work extremely hard to get your parcels to your door in the shortest possible time but please note that we recommend you do not book a plumber etc until you have received and checked your goods.
Please note:
- Delivery addresses cannot be changed once the order is placed except in the case of an error, which we will do our best to change, but orders are often shipped quickly after being processed.
- The couriers we use do not deliver to PO boxes or building sites.
Returns at Buyaparcel
We've simplified our returns process! We now offer a no-questions-asked, free returns service within the first 30 days (subject to T&Cs).
You can find our returns information in our Terms and Help page.


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Fred Meyers Community Rewards
Sign up for the Fred Meyers Community Rewards
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Sounds delicious!
I've been told by a professional chef (the one that actually invented some of the flavors for Frank's hot sauces) that the best way to make wings, is to boil your wings first. This makes the wings very tender. After that, mix them with spices and flour and such, then bake them. After they're baked, mix them with the sauce. The end result, he says, is a perfectly flavored wing that super-tender, has a crunchy layer, and tastes amazing with it's sauce.
When I get enough money, one of the very first things I'm going to do is make wings.
I'm never a fan of boiling meat, unless you're using the water in the mix, such as in stew. You end up leeching out many of the flavors and nutrients, and end up with a bland piece of meat. The meat will take the seasonings and sauces fine, but you end up with none of the natural flavoring from the meat. There's a technique of boiling meat in a vacuum-sealed bag, but I haven't really tried it, to be honest.


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Church Budget
Every month we publish an update on our church budget. These figures represent the grace of God at work in the members and friends of our local church...but only in part! Wouldn't it be great if we could publish a monthly report on your generous affections for one another, service to one another, or just time spent with one another? Thank you for living no longer for yourselves but for God and your neighbor!
December 2013
$ 10,824 General Contributions
$ 9,421 Total Expense


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My Baby Can Read…Play: How Productive Play Promotes Literacy
If you pay attention to the current toys, television shows, and materials for children like Your Baby Can Read! you should notice a cultural shift to the promotion of literacy, especially early literacy skills. From older shows such as Sesame Street and Between the Lions to newer shows such as WordGirl, WordWorld, and Super Why! we see the push for phonological awareness skills and reading skills, which encompass rhyming, letter/sound naming and identification, sound segmenting and blending, and so on.
The available research clearly shows the importance of promoting literacy skills early, and the overall consensus is that oral language provides the building blocks for literacy. So if oral language is the foundation, and if we achieve language through quality language input, how is that input provided for infants and toddlers? Through play!
Besides daily care-taking routines that parents and children engage in (feeding, grooming, sleeping), the next most important activity they engage in (where crucial language input is provided) is play.
So, if appropriate play skills predict appropriate language skills, and if strong language skills predict literacy skills, then I see a clear link between play and reading.
I'm not suggesting reading to infants and toddlers is not valid and necessary; I am suggesting that perhaps there should be a greater, or at least equal, push for promoting quality play. My meaning of play, however, is where the play partner of the child is engaging the child and providing quality language input naturally but purposefully.
In a nutshell, let's not bypass the building block of play because we're so concerned that children be able to read.
As a personal example, both of my toddlers love books. From the time my four-year-old daughter was one, she would quietly sit on the floor going through baskets I had set around the house full of little books, and she would flip through the pages "reading" one book after another. I often find my two-year-old son sitting in a rocking chair in his room surrounded by books "reading." He spontaneously points out characters and talks about the pictures. His big sister also helps him out, making up stories for him based on the pictures as though she is reading…and he believes every word!
As parents, my husband and I have read to them consistently, have made sure books are readily available and accessible to them, and have encouraged them to talk about the pictures and relate what they're seeing to experiences they've had, but I firmly believe their enjoyment of books would not have been fostered without purposeful play in our home.
Purposeful play is crucial in order to develop what I call the 4 C's: Concentration (attention), Curiosity, Creativity (imagination), and family Connection (through a shared activity). These four components are extremely important for promoting reading ability.
So as professionals, educators, and parents, let's evaluate where we're investing our time and resources and make sure the push for early literacy doesn't overshadow or do away with the need for consistent and quality play, not through the latest electronics or gadgets, but using good ol' blocks, dolls, cars, toy farms, puzzles, toy kitchens, playdough…and the list goes on and on.
For purposeful play suggestions, check out free tip sheets (known as P.O.P. sheets) entitled Purposeful Ongoing Play: Enhancing Language Skills Through Play.
(This post originally appeared on The Speech Stop)
Ana Paula G. Mumy, MS, CCC-SLP, is a multilingual speech-language pathologist and the author of various continuing education courses, leveled storybooks, and instructional therapy materials for speech/language intervention. She has provided school-based services, home health care, and private services for more than 12 years and thoroughly enjoys providing resources for SLPs, educators, and parents on her website The Speech Stop.


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There's been a lot of discussion recently around the changing face of manufacturing, the forces causing that shift, and how those forces are leading to a world that's smart and connected -- what some refer to as the Internet of Things (IoT). As defined by McKinsey & Company, the "IoT is embedding sensors and actuators in machines and other physical objects to bring them into the connected world."
There are many ways that end-users and manufacturers alike can benefit from such a world. For example, the IoT lets businesses manage assets, optimize performance of those assets, and even create new business models from those same assets. But perhaps what's most remarkable about this pervasive network of "things" is how much potential economic impact it carries.
A recent McKinsey Global Institute report, "Disruptive technologies: Advances that will transform life, business, and the global economy," estimates that by 2025, the economic impact of the IoT could be as much as $5 trillion to $7 trillion. A similar Gartner report is a bit more conservative, but still estimates a whopping $1.9 trillion worldwide economic value impact from the IoT by 2020.
So where does that economic value come from? Certainly there are the cool IoT consumer use cases that everyone is familiar with. The FitBit, which tells me at any point during the day just how active -- or lazy -- I have been, is a common example. My car's fuel gauge reminds me how many more miles I can travel before I am left on the side of the road hiking to the nearest gas station. Connecting that gauge to the navigation system can help me find the nearest gas station to avoid such a fate.
Industry experts agree that one industry sector poised to see great IoT impact is manufacturing. The first point of economic impact is in how products are manufactured. The "Industrial Internet" rapidly increases the complexity of creating ever smarter, connected products. By closing the loop between early-stage engineering design activities, production processes on the plant floor, and the service organization, manufacturers can reduce errors, increase flexibility in how they manage late-stage engineering changes, reduce work-in-process, and, ultimately, accelerate new product introductions with products they'll hope can be financially successful.
When you take it one step further though, that's when things really start to get interesting. When you manufacture that smart, connected product, it can then give you back real-time data to help maintain and service it at optimal levels. Being able to maintain a product after the point of sale gives manufacturers a "digital umbilical cord," which allows for remote visibility, where they can interact with products whenever and wherever.
Imagine if your washing machine itself were the diagnostician, as opposed to having to schedule a service man to come to your house to determine the problem -- and then hoping that he has the right part in his truck. Imagine if the machine could detect the problem, send information back to the manufacturer through a connected service system, and alert the manufacturer to deliver a new part, which is then replaced by a licensed company professional on the first service visit. This process would not only satisfy a customer in the short term by providing a product that performs successfully at all times, but that positive experience would help establish a loyal relationship over the long term. Meanwhile, the company would stand to slash the wasteful costs of repeated service visits and overstocking parts.
Today, all signs point to the value of the IoT. It's here, it's not going anywhere, and it has the potential for a multitrillion-dollar worldwide economic impact by giving manufacturers an opportunity to engage customers beyond the purchase, using service-based contracts to create a partnership built around product performance.
— Lee Smith is the divisional general manager, Service Lifecycle Management (SLM), at PTC.
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Last night, I attended the reopening of the South Street Seaport Museum and the print shop, Bowne & Co. Founded in 1775, Bowne & Co. is New York's oldest existing business under the same name and thankfully, it survived Sandy.
As I mentioned in my post about Sandy, my friend Ali Osborn is the Resident Printer at Bowne & Co. located in the South Street Seaport. The print shop filled with antique equipment was inundated with two feet of salt water. This would have been enough to damage any business, but with the thousands of historic wooden and metal type and the wooden drawers housing prints, it was a disaster.
So Ali, with the help of Assistant Printer Gideon Finck and other members of the museum staff, and volunteers, worked to recover and restore as much as they could. They had to go through more than 100 drawers, washing and drying off each individual piece of type. Then, they had to hope that the wood wouldn't bow – otherwise, the type would be useless for printing.
Almost three months after the storm, the print shop has reopened. Returning to its normal business of custom letterpress printing orders and creating original, hand-printed cards, posters, and coasters for sale in their shop and at the South Street Seaport Museum.
It was wonderful to see the shop restored with new prints lining the walls. Many people came out to show their support of the historic company and even Mayor Mike Bloomberg stopped by, reiterating the importance of this institution in New York City.
Among the various prints on display, there were posters that said "New York," a postcard of an art deco the New York City skyline, and a note card with a ship in a bottle. Bias aside, my favorite piece was Ali's There, There. With delicate humor and smart sensibility, the large text sits atop various maps in this edition.
All in all, it is great to see an organization dedicated to preserving the history of this technology and furthering it as an art form.


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|System: PS3, X360, PS2, PC, PSP, DS
|Review Rating Legend
|Dev: Juice Games
|1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid
|4.0 - 4.4 = Great
|Pub: THQ
|2.0 - 2.4 = Poor
|4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
|Release: Oct. 22, 2007
|2.5 - 2.9 = Average
|5.0 = The Best
|Players: 1-2
|3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
|ESRB Rating: Teen
|3.5 - 3.9 = Good
by Cole Smith
On the surface, you're bound to wonder what else you could expect from Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights. It seems to have it all: great graphics, lots of cars, tons of interesting tracks, and a good selection of modes including online racing. It's even streamlined some of the tedious gameplay elements of the original such as having to fork over your cash to enter races and pay to fix damages. But closer examination under the hood reveals a game that is little more than a rebuilt engine with a fresh paint job. It's not just my job to kick the tires, I can also piss on them.
It's difficult not to be impressed by the game's graphics at first. The car models look simply stunning. There are a host of customizable options, especially in the cosmetics department. Paint jobs, flares, flames, stripes, decals, scoops, chrome, and wild rims do nothing to improve your vehicle's performance, but it can sure make your carriage look amazing. Even moving at full speed down the track, you'll see features of the environments reflected in your machine's high gloss paint. You can almost do the same with your driver, although he doesn't come with a high sheen option. You can modify just about any body feature that you can imagine - in good taste. Drivers come with DNA stats which indicate their driving predilections. You can choose aggressive or calm-under-pressure drivers. Like an RPG, these skills will increase with each race won. Unfortunately, like a lot of the vehicle upgrades, these increased attributes seem to have little affect.
The closer you examine the game, the more flaws are exposed. Even the graphics start to betray your initial impressions. Some of the backgrounds are blasé, with little more than generic buildings and the usual trees-and-rolling-hills countryside environment. You'll even notice a lot of low-res textures that would be more acceptable on the PS2 than on these next-next gen super consoles. At least the tracks are interesting, and really, that's something that should never be overlooked. Unfortunately a great racing game also requires consistent control. Juiced 2 just doesn't give you the feeling of confidence when cornering and drifting. It's too touchy in some respects, and not responsive enough in others. This inconsistency makes what could have been a great game simply good. And that's not good enough for my money. Considering how much fun I had playing the Midnight Club games and the other illegal street racing clones on the PS2, I was more than a little disappointed to find that Juiced 2 does not give the majority of these games a run for their money.
Unlike the original Juiced, the gameplay here is less structured. You're not forced to follow a calendar of events. You have more control over your destiny by being allowed to pick which races or challenges you want to take part in. The gameplay could be thought of as two different racing games. There is racing and there is drifting. Both have different feels, but neither feel great with the default control scheme. You can change the configuration so that it feels more natural to you, and you can also change the perspective. I found that I was able to tighten the control system by using the cockpit view, as opposed to the third-person perspective. Since you'll start the game with a hundred grand, you'll want to buy at least two different vehicles to accommodate the two driving styles. A fast car doesn't necessarily make a great drifter as you'll find out. But even with the two different vehicles, the upgrades didn't seem to affect the car's performance enough to notice.
One improvement that you can choose is to make your vehicle weightless. That's obviously not something that you want for drifting, unless you want to feel like you're driving a bicycle on a hockey rink. Improvements can be made in performance, power, and handling. Each category will only allow you one point at a time, and you're not even sure what that one point means. I can't tell the difference between 1 and 5 points in any upgrade. But it could also be that the track and the A.I. have also increased in difficulty, thus rendering any of my improvements moot.