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text: "Consider the matter dispassionately, Mr. Foster, and you will see that no offence is so heinous as unorthodoxy of behaviour. Murder kills only the individual- and after all, wha is an individual? ". . . ." We can make a new one with the greatest of ease- as many as we like. Unorthodoxy threatens more than the life of a mere individual; it strikes at Society itself."Aldous Huxley

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text: Attractive PowerPoint templates for project management in business presentations… Attractive PowerPoint templates for project management in business presentations. More at our shop at www.presentationl… Source by businessonlinecollegecourses. Share this:FacebookLinkedInTwitterPinterestEmail Related Take a class now! Project Management: Best Practices From 12 Years ConsultingLearn How to Increase Your Job Productivity on Projects Without Certification! Use Unique Time Management Techniques. 4.5$199.99$9.99Project Management With MS Project - Scheduling Master ClassManaging projects with Microsoft Project? Learn project management, planning, scheduling, and tracking best practices. 4.5$144.99$9.99How to Earn the Project Management Professional (PMP)A Super-Fast PMP Cram Session and Treasure Map of How to Earn the PMP 4.1€19.99€11.99


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text: If you want to get a nice close-up view of bugs, the innards of gadgets or boogers, this EyeClops Portable Microscope could do the trick for you. Rather than forcing you to stick your eye up to an eyepiece, it's got an LCD screen on board. It also comes with a thumb drive for storing your most exciting shots and then transferring to your computer for later viewing. It's completely exciting, and you can get one yourself when it comes out this spring for $80. [DVICE via SlashGear]


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Commissioners plan to commemorate September 11
Franklin County Commissioners Marilyn Brown, President Paula Brooks, and John O'Grady have created an event to commemorate September 11, 2001 on the tenth anniversary during the National Moment of Remembrance adopted by the United States Senate.
They ask that we join in the Moment of Remembrance on Sunday, September 11, 2011 beginning at 1 p.m. Local first responders, police and fire in cities and townships throughout our county are asked to sound their sirens and ring their bells for one minute to remember those lives lost and changed forever. For more information about the National Moment of Remembrance, you can go online to: www.FranklinCountyOhio.gov/NeverForget.
HPC newsletter online now
The Human Performance Center's September newsletter "Health & Fitness News" is online now with articles about back to school, including how to make healthy packed lunches, and how to keep kids active!
Former employee Lisa Karas dies
Lisa Karas, 51, passed away peacefully August 26, after a brief illness. She was born June 19, 1960 in Denver, Co. and moved to Huron, Ohio, graduating from Huron High School in 1978. She continued her education at Columbus State and earned her associate degree in Law Enforcement then went on to receive her bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Ohio Dominican University. A Celebration of Lisa's life will be held Saturday, September 3, 2011, 11 a.m. at The Vineyard Church of Delaware County, 101 W Cherry St., Sunbury, OH 43074. A scholarship fund has been established in Lisa's honor specifically for women pursuing a degree in law enforcement at Columbus State. Contributions can be made to: The Lisa D. Karas Memorial Scholarship Fund through the Columbus State Foundation. csccfoundation.org. Funeral arrangements have been made by O.R. Woodyard Co. Chapel.
Two offices move to Long Street location
Important to note: The offices of the Columbus State Foundation and Knowledge, Resources and Planning are now at 730 E. Long Street. The mailing addresses have not changed. Both departments were formerly located in Franklin Hall. The new offices are located directly across the street from The Lincoln Theatre.


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The crucial point is that even that which can't be capital isn't so because of an essence or property of its own, because of a fundamentally "uncapitalizable" content: if it had anything so unique, capital would be sure to find a way to make use of it. It is what simply doesn't compute in this relation, the material of the contradiction thrown to the side, the slag of the dialectic, what Adorno would call the "non-identical."The implication seems to be that "commons" are not an alternative to capital but are already implicated in reproducing capital as a social relation, in letting capitalism's organization of work and efficiency and precarity and so on persist. It doesn't do away with the abstractions involved with a capitalistic conception of work. So there is no going backward to pre-capitalist commons; instead, we must go through the different sort of common that capitalism generates -- that of "general equivalence" without specific content: "The full subsumption of experience to the law of equivalence, accelerated all the more during a period of the 'socialization of labor,' therefore produces with it a hollow identity that defines man, an echo chamber of value with itself." Subjectivity is conditioned as "labor capacity" -- we have in common the reduction to flexible employability, blank potentiality, something analogous to floating signifers.
What is common across us, the reserve of common ground to which those "without-reserves" could turn, the site on which the universal class begins, is nothing but the rendering of all things as formally common to each other (belonging to none, able to be endlessly circulated and reproduced) and of ourselves as the grounding unit of that dissolution of particular content.
I'm still not sure what to make of this, but for some reason it was bound up in my mind with critiques of meritocracy and various versions of the "crisis in value." The "value" of capital is not in its objective usefulness but in the social relations in reproduces -- the division of society's resources it sanctions. It enables an organization of work as exploitation under the ideology that not nearly as much would get done otherwise.


text:
get_option() provides couple of filters
'pre_option_'.$option and
However most times I tried to make use of these it usually explodes and not worth the trouble - either I need to check another option inside my filter, which triggers my filter, which triggers my filter...
Another common case is that I need to get current option that I am filtering and I cannot do that because I am filtering it.
Just curious - is there some practical logic to follow here? I know I could juggle my filter, but that is overhead that I don't like and filter removal is considered not too reliable by some. ;)
For recent practical example - I want to filter
posts_per_rss to my option, but provide WordPress value if my option is not set (for the record I know that recommended way to mess with it is via


text:
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The Big Heat A police detective whose wife... MORE > $11.21 Regularly $14.99 Buy Now
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Brief Synopsis
A police detective whose wife was killed by the mob teams with a scarred gangster's moll to bring down a powerful gangster.
After the suicide of detective Sgt. Tom Duncan, his wife Bertha takes his detailed notes on racketeer Mike Lagana's organization, then demands money and protection from the mob boss to keep the notes secret. Lagana places the Duncan situation with his right-hand man, Vince Stone. Homicide detective Sgt. Dave Bannion is assigned to investigate Duncan's death and upon questioning a bereft Bertha, finds her explanation that Duncan suffered a mysterious malady suspicious. Later at home with his wife Katie and young daughter Joyce, Dave reads that the police department has accepted Bertha's assertions without question. That evening Lucy Chapman, a fading B-girl, contacts Dave and they meet at The Retreat bar where Lucy debunks Bertha's story, claiming that she and Duncan dated and that Bertha had just agreed to give her husband a divorce. When Dave cautions Lucy not to attempt to blackmail Bertha, Lucy angrily threatens to take her information to the newspapers.
Dave then visits Bertha, who dismisses the divorce story, despite her knowledge of Duncan's relationship with Lucy. The next day at headquarters, Dave learns of the discovery of an unidentified woman who had been thrown from a car after being beaten and tortured. At the coroner's, Dave identifies the victim as Lucy, and the coroner reveals that she suffered numerous cigarette burns before being strangled. Department head Lt. Ted Wilkes summons Dave and advises him to stop harassing Bertha. Dave returns to The Retreat to question bartender-owner Tierney, who reveals nothing. That evening, Katie and Dave are interrupted by a phone caller, who insults Katie then threatens Dave. Furious, Dave goes to Lagana's house, where he accuses Lagana of corruption and Lucy's murder. The next day, Wilkes chastises Dave and insists he stop inquiring into Lucy's death as it is under the county sheriff's jurisdiction. Later, preparing for a night out with Katie, Dave angrily tells her that he should resign, but Katie encourages him to follow his instincts. Moments later, when Katie starts the Bannions' car, it explodes, killing her.
After Katie's funeral, Dave demands help from Wilkes and Commissioner Higgins, but when the commissioner airily assures him of his assistance, Dave accuses both of being paid stooges for Lagana and is suspended. Dave places Joyce with his brother-in-law Al, and moves into a hotel. Meanwhile, Lagana reproaches Stone for hiring Larry Gordon, who botched Lucy's murder and accidentally killed Katie instead of Dave. Stone claims he was not involved and fires Gordon. Lagana admits to Stone that Bertha is demanding more money and has arranged to have Duncan's notes sent to the newspaper in the event of her death. Concerned about the mounting publicity over the recent spate of deaths, Lagana hesitates at Stone's offer to kill Dave. After several days, Dave, acting on a tip regarding Lucy, goes to a junkyard, where the owner, Atkins, informs him that the man he seeks, Slim, is dead. Upon leaving, Atkins' secretary, elderly Selma Parker, stops Dave and reveals that shortly before his death, Slim was visited by two men, one of whom, "Larry," mentioned The Retreat. Dave returns to the bar and spots Stone and Debby Marsh. Stone is rolling dice with a woman and when he suspects her of cheating, he brutally burns her hand with his cigarette, provoking Dave's anger. Stone apologizes, gives the woman money and leaves, but Debby remains and offers to buy Dave a drink. Dave refuses, but when Debby follows him, he takes her to his hotel room in hopes of learning Larry's identity.
Debby reveals no information, and when her flirting upsets Dave, she leaves. Back at Stone's apartment, Debby finds him with several men, including Higgins. When Stone questions her about going off with Dave, she assures him that she said nothing. Outraged, Stone attacks Debby, then hurls a pot of boiling coffee into her face. Shortly afterward, Debby, her face swathed in bandages, returns to Dave's hotel, pleading for protection. She describes Stone's attack upon her and how Commissioner Higgins took her to the hospital. Realizing Dave's genuine concern for her, Debby divulges that "Larry" is Gordon, a hit man hired by Stone.
Armed with this information, Dave locates Gordon and through physical coercion learns that Duncan was on Lagana's payroll for years and that Lucy was murdered because she may have known about it. Gordon insists he does not know why Bertha has been spared, and Dave speculates she must have evidence with which she is blackmailing Lagana. Dave leaves, promising to make it known that Gordon has talked, and soon after, Lagana has Gordon killed. Stone repeats his offer to kill Dave, but Lagana is fearful about what Dave may have done with his newly acquired knowledge, so considers a plan to kidnap Joyce to gain Dave's silence. Later, a panicked Bertha telephones Lagana asking for help when Dave shows up at her house. Dave demands information on the papers Duncan left behind and Bertha initially feigns ignorance before taunting him with her secure position and his inability to prove anything. The police, summoned by Lagana, arrive, forcing Dave's withdrawal. Dave returns to the hotel and tries to answer Debby's questions about Katie before confiding his frustration that Bertha is unbreakable as long as she has Duncan's notes.
They are interrupted when Al's wife calls to say the police guard around the house has vanished. When Dave arrives, he discovers Al has rounded up several Army buddies to protect Joyce. Debby goes to see Bertha, who receives her coldly, then threatens to call Stone. Debby calmly shoots Bertha and leaves the gun behind. Meanwhile, Dave watches Stone's place and sees him arrive. Inside Stone's darkened apartment, Debby waits and throws a pot of boiling water into Stone's face and tells him she has just murdered Bertha. Stone shoots Debby in the back just as Dave bursts in. A shootout on the balcony ensues, then Debby manages to tell Dave about Bertha. Dave calls an ambulance and holds Stone hostage. After Wilkes and Dave's former partner arrive, Stone is duly arrested while Dave tells a dying Debby about Katie. A few days later, after the arrest of Lagana and Higgins, Dave is returned to duty.
Cast & Crew
Additional Details
|MPAA Ratings:
|Premiere Info:
|New York opening: 14 Oct 1953
|Release Date:
|Production Date:
|Black and White
|Distributions Co:
|Columbia Pictures Corp.
|Mono (Western Electric Recording)
|Production Co:
|Columbia Pictures Corp.
|United States
|not available
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Want cream with that coffee?
Foley Z 2019-07-01
Yowww! That coffee-hurling scene...brutal. Gloria Grahame is perfect as the frivolous, little party girl. Lee Marvin, so menacing. Glenn Ford, to me, he... MORE>
5 star
cindy 2018-03-04
one of my all time favorites. dont forget carolyn jones in retreat rolling dice. MORE>
gloria and lee ..banned from starbucks..forever.
a.morris 2018-03-04
the main character is a combination of ward cleaver and the comic book character known as the punisher. the plot parallels film noir but does not totally... MORE>


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2009 Pontiac Solstice Reviews and Ratings
Roadster 2D Club Sport
Expert Reviews
The Pontiac Solstice is a hot-looking, sports car that starts under $25,000 and for 2009 is offered in two different body styles: A new coupe version joins the line for 2009.
Coupe or convertible, Pontiac's little two-seater is all about fun, and the reward of affordable sports car performance. The Solstice is responsive and easy to drive, with simple controls and a comfortable cockpit. GM's StabiliTrak stability control system, standard for 2009, adds a safety margin, helping the driver maintain control.
Coupe or roadster, the Solstice comes standard with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 173 horsepower and a five-speed manual transmission or optional five-speed automatic. The power output of the engine is adequate, but the car's relatively high curb weight (2950 pounds) limits performance. The base roadster trends toward no-frills, with hand-crank windows and air conditioning optional, but it does include a nice stereo with XM Satellite Radio and an iPod interface, as well as a lined convertible top for the roadster.
The Pontiac Solstice GXP features a turbocharged four-cylinder that produces 260 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. The added power gives the GXP versions much stronger acceleration, capable of 0 to 60 mph in less than six seconds, and the base price includes more comfort and convenience features.
In addition to the new body style, all 2009 Solstice models come with anti-lock brakes, Stabilitrak and traction control, a limited slip differential.
To broaden the appeal of the coupe, Pontiac equipped it with a removable roof panel, rather than a solid top. The development team reasoned that the Solstice chassis was strong enough without the additional rigidity that goes with a solid top, and the removable panel, popularly known as a targa top, gives owners a wind-in-hair, sun-in-face option. Fashioned from plastic with a magnesium frame, the top is light (31 pounds) and easy to remove or install. However, there's no place to stow it on board. Pontiac addresses this issue with a soft-top option ($1100). It's supported by bows, and the entire package rolls up for stowage behind the seats.
Unfortunately, this diminishes one of the coupe's big advantages versus the roadster. With its soft top stowed, the roadster has almost no luggage space. The coupe boasts 5.6 cubic feet, about the same as a Mazda MX-5 Miata, with a pair of covered bins behind the headrests for keeping small stuff corralled. Both versions of the Solstice lack door pockets or center console storage.
Although the coupe has a slightly higher practicality index, neither Solstice is really suitable for long trips, due to limited onboard storage, and the idiosyncrasies of the soft tops.
On the other hand, cars like this aren't really about transportation. They're about driving as entertainment, and in this sense the basic Solstice, a traditional rear-wheel-drive sports car, is in many ways a match for the Mazda MX-5 Miata. Measured by objective performance benchmarks, the Solstice GXP can be compared with much more expensive sports car stalwarts such as the Porsche Boxster and Cayman, and the Audi TT. In practice, the Solstice doesn't offer the handling precision of these other sports cars, nor does it match their refinement, interior quality and general tightness. But the roadster's styling stands out, and the new coupe is a real head-turner.
The Pontiac Solstice roadster ($24,275) is powered by a 173-hp, 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. The standard transmission is a five-speed manual, and a five-speed automatic is optional ($995). Solstice comes standard with hand-cranked windows, manually adjusted outside mirrors and manual door locks, though the driver's seat features a power height adjustment. The glass rear window of both body styles has a defogger, and the padded, urethane-clad steering wheel has a tilt adjustment, but does not adjust for reach. The shift knob is leather-wrapped, but seats and door panels are covered in cloth. Tires are generously sized 245/45VR18 Goodyear Eagle RSA all-season radials on 18-inch painted aluminum wheels. The six-speaker AM/FM/CD/MP3 stereo includes XM Satellite Radio and an iPod interface. OnStar is standard, along with GM's Driver Information Center. And the acoustic lining for the convertible top is standard. Air conditioning ($960) is optional. The Convenience Package ($395) adds cruise control, an enhanced Driver Information Center, and fog lamps. The Preferred Package ($625) includes power windows, power door locks with remote keyless entry, and body-colored power outside mirrors.
Solstice GXP coupe ($30,375) and roadster ($29,485) are equipped with a turbocharged version of the 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, generating 260 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, matched to a five-speed manual transmission. The GXP comes with more standard features, including power windows and mirrors, cruise control, audio controls on a leather-wrapped steering wheel, remote keyless entry, fog lamps, and polished aluminum 18-inch wheels. Tires are the same size but are Goodyear Eagle F1 high-performance units. A five-speed automatic transmission is optional ($995). Air conditioning ($960) is optional.
Leather upholstery is available for the Solstice ($690) and GXP ($525) and comes as part of the Premium Package, which upgrades the base model with a leather-wrapped steering wheel that includes auxiliary audio controls. Audio upgrades include a high-watt Monsoon system with subwoofer ($395), an in-dash six-CD changer ($295), which retains MP3 capability and a separate input jack. Also available are aluminum-clad pedals ($115), a rear spoiler ($275), and carpeted floor mats ($80). The base model can be ordered with polished aluminum ($545) or chromed aluminum ($795) wheels.
A Club Sport package ($1095) for the Solstice roadster includes stiffened suspension components for track days and autocross events. There's also an SCCA SSB Championship Edition package ($6235) that combines nearly all available options except automatic transmission and the Club Sport suspension. Appropriately, Championship Edition models are available only in Victory Red.
The Solstice is equipped with the minimum passive safety features required by federal regulations, which means seat belts and dual front dual-stage airbags. Anti-lock brakes and StabiliTrak are standard on all models for 2009, as is a tire pressure monitor system.
When the Solstice stole the 2002 Detroit auto show, it was displayed in two body styles: the now familiar roadster and a sleek coupe. Both shapes were created by Franz von Holhausen, a young GM designer who went on to star at Mazda and now works for Fisker. The official assignment to GM's design staff, handed down by Bob Lutz, was for a compact roadster. Von Holhausen's sketches dutifully answered the assignment, and obviously emerged, from dozens of design submissions, as the choice for the show car. But he also submitted variations for a slick two-seat coupe, which he actually preferred over the roadster.
Both body styles were shown in Detroit, but the coupe was a mere fiberglass mock-up, with no interior, while the roadster was a complete car, capable of moving under its own power. And it was the roadster that went into production, while the coupe concept simmered on a far back burner, never quite abandoned, but never green-lighted for production. Until now.
Like the roadster, the coupe has classic sports car proportions: long hood, wide track, limited front and rear overhangs, a look that's sleek, low, and ready for action. The coupe's rear hatch blends nicely into the shape, and the glass rear hatch lends a distinctive touch.
There's not a straight line, flat surface or right angle on the body of this car. The only body panel formed by the traditional stamping methods is the small section behind the front wheel well. The rest are created with a process called hydroforming, which uses extreme water pressure to press sheet metal into a mold. Hydroforming increases rigidity without adding weight, which in turn results in a stiffer platform, the key to responsive handling, reduced vibration and a smooth ride.
The GXP versions of both body styles can be distinguished by their black honeycomb grilles and small chin spoiler in front. They also feature expanded brake-cooling ducts around the fog lamps, polished dual exhaust tips and standard polished aluminum wheels.
The coupe has a targa top, with a removable roof panel, adding versatility to the package. There's also a convertible top option, a squarish piece with support bows that fills the gap left by the absent roof panel.
The roadster's convertible top is a triumph, stylistically. Granted, this car looks best with the top down, but even top-up the profile is stylish. The key to the slick look is a couple of Ferrari Dinoesque sail panels, or buttresses, book-ending the vertical rear window and snugged down over the teardrop fairings behind the roadster's seats.
These sails have a downside, however. They add complexity to opening the trunk or raising and lowering the top, which tucks under the rear-hinged trunk lid covering the entire back part of the car. Click the remote or a button in the cockpit and three latches pop loose: one in the center for the trunk lid, the other two outboard beneath the roof sails.
When it works correctly, the sails pop up and the trunk opens of its own volition. However, an owner will sometimes find himself pushing the sails up and lifting the trunk lid. To close the trunk, reverse the process, remembering to re-latch both sails. The entire job takes less than a minute, but it can be cumbersome just to drop a bag into the trunk.
Also, since there's no warning light on the dash, to be absolutely sure the trunk lid closes you have to stand behind the car and put hands as close as possible to the far corners of the trunk lid, then slam. Then you have to walk from side to side and make sure both roof sails are attached. When they're not properly planted in their attachments, they can look wrinkled and awkward.
The same process applies to opening and closing the top. There's a single release lever inside the car in the center of the windshield frame. Unlatch it to pop the trunk lid and you can heft the top back and drop it into the trunk from the driver's seat, but you still have to get out to close the trunk. It's not conducive to opening the roof at a stoplight if the urge strikes, or raising it quickly when the rain starts. And with the top stowed, luggage space diminishes to almost nil.
Like all coupes and convertibles, the doors on the Pontiac Solstice are long, making climbing in and out relatively easy for a low-riding car, though not so handy in close-quarter parking lots. Driver and passenger sit hunkered down, with shoulders below the tops of the doors, Corvette-style. Some will love the feeling; others may feel uncomfortable with forward sightlines. The power height adjustment for the driver's seat will mitigate this problem for most.
We found the seats felt comfortable after two hours at the wheel. The seats are supportive in normal motoring, with a one-piece back and integrated headrests, but lateral support is just so-so for extreme driving such as a track day or autocross event.
For people space, particularly elbow room, the Solstice compares well with the Mazda MX-5 Miata, and its seats can accommodate fairly tall frames. The Premium Package leather in a Solstice GXP coupe we drove was well tailored, with GXP embroidered on the seatbacks.
Most materials are good quality, particularly the leather, soft plastic and trim plastic. However, the hard plastic on the doors and dash looks and feels too much like hard plastic.
The three-spoke steering wheel could be thicker, but the optional leather-wrapped rim feels great. Cruise-control and audio buttons are embedded in the spokes. The dash design is simple, handsome and effective. The panel sweeps up from the center console, over the gauges and into the door panels. The gauges sit at the bottom of deep tubes, and while they're nicely shielded from reflection, they could be better aimed toward the driver's sight line. Four circular vents move plenty of air.
The three climate control knobs are big and easy to find. The square stereo face plate stands out oddly from the flowing curves everywhere else in the car. The volume and tuning knobs are large and covered with the same soft, grippy material as those for the climate controls, making them easy to adjust when the car is in motion. A row of buttons sits to the right of these gauges for hazard lights, traction electronics, fog lamps and dash lights, right where fingers stretch from the right hand when properly wrapped around the steering wheel.
The window switches are awkward to reach. With forearm flat on the driver's door arm rest, and the left hand resting at the door pull, the window switches sit somewhere under the wrist. It's difficult to slide the arm back to reach them (or the mirror adjustor), because the elbow is blocked by the seatback bolster. The driver must contort his or her left arm to try to get fingers on the switches.
Although the coupe is better than the convertible in this respect, small object storage space is seriously lacking in this car, probably the biggest single strike against the Solstice as a daily driver or a long vacation drive. There's a decent-sized glovebox, and small a bin between the front seats on the rear bulkhead that will accommodate some CDs, but you can't get into it while driving and the plastic latch is easily broken. The coupe adds a pair of small covered bins behind the headrests.
The cupholders, which pull out from under the bin on the bulkhead, are as good as useless for the driver. Door pockets are conspicuous by their absence. And aside from the coupe's covered bins, there's no room directly behind the seats.
The roadster's trunk is tiny and the space is oddly shaped. Doubling as storage for the convertible top, it provides 5.4 cubic feet of space with the top up, and just 2.1 cubic feet of space with the top down. Those numbers don't truly tell the tale, however. The elephant in the trunk is the gas tank, a big box that leaves barely enough room around the edges for small, soft-sided, duffel-bag-type luggage. While storage space in other small roadsters may not look significantly greater by the numbers, the practical, usable space in most is significantly better.
There's no room for a spare tire. As with the MX-5, the Solstice comes with an emergency inflator strapped to the back wall of the trunk; in other words, air up that flat tire and continue. Or call a tow truck.
Stowage is better in the coupe. Because they didn't have to accommodate the large folding convertible top, the designers were able to move the fuel tank evaporative canister down several inches, creating a bigger storage well capable of holding at least a weekend's worth of clothing in duffels. However, this space diminishes substantially if the owner adds the convertible top option.
OnStar Turn-by-Turn Navigation is available on the Solstice. Turn-by-Turn allows subscribers to talk to a live advisor, who in turn sends complete step-by-step directions to the vehicle through the OnStar system. These audio directions automatically play through the vehicle's stereo as needed, triggered by OnStar's global positioning system capabilities and ultimately leading the Solstice to its destination. OnStar calculates the route and relays it to the car, rather than leaving the calculations to an onboard computer and displaying them as directions or a map.
The Pontiac Solstice has predictable handling, good reflexes, and an impressive amount of usable horsepower and torque. One of the notable positives about Solstice is its exceptionally solid, flex-free chassis; there's little of the windshield-frame flexing that's common on other convertibles. That's why the coupe development team decided a targa top was feasible; the extra rigidity of a solid roof was unnecessary.
The GXP's turbocharged four-cylinder engine produces 260 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque as low as 2500 rpm, yielding 0-to-60 mph acceleration in the low five-second range. A six-speed manual transmission might match the engine's power characteristics better than the five-speed, but its engagements are crisp, making it a pleasure to use.
If 260 horsepower doesn't seem sufficient, Pontiac offers a Stage II turbo kit that boosts engine output to 300. It's available through Pontiac dealers for $610.
With direct injection and other technologies, the more powerful GXP delivers better fuel economy than the base engine. Using the tougher 2008 tests, the GXP rates an EPA-estimated 19/28 mpg City/Highway compared with 19/25 mpg for the base Solstice. In both models, premium fuel is not required but recommended for maximum performance.
If you haven't tried a turbocharged engine in recent years, you'll be amazed at how evenly this one generates power. There is virtually no turbo lag (pause between flooring the gas pedal and surge from the engine). The GXP rolls its power on in such a smooth, linear fashion that some might be waiting for an obvious peak or kick.
There isn't one, but the driver quickly comes to appreciate the usable amount of acceleration performance available over a wide range of engine speeds. Driving at a good clip is easier in the GXP, and acceleration is less dependant on gear selection. This makes driving in urban conditions easy, and passing performance is excellent.
The shifter feel, and the plentiful torque combined with the hunkered-down driving position, contribute to a general feeling that the GXP is more muscular, more brutish, than the MX-5 and other small roadsters.
The GXP isn't tail happy, as you might expect in a light, high-powered, rear-wheel-drive car. Pushed hard, the Solstice GXP understeers. And with the traction electronics engaged, it resists any tendency for the rear wheels to slide.
The GXP responds promptly to inputs on the steering wheel, though with less enthusiasm than an MX-5. Near the center, the steering feels wooden. And the steering response isn't linear, meaning that it takes some practice to be sure how much the car will turn with a given input on the wheel.
The spring rates and damping are softer than some comparably priced sports cars, such as the Nissan 370Z, allowing more body roll in hard cornering, not a plus for high performance driving. And the Goodyear Eagle F1 tires don't generate as much grip as some of the competition. On the other hand, ride quality is exceptionally pleasant by sports car standards.
There are other identifiable traits in the GXP package that don't match up to class benchmarks. The brakes stop the car right now, with good pedal feel at first. But the harder and longer they're used, the more the pedal softens and its travel increases. In other words, hard driving can bring on brake fade. Also, the clutch engages abruptly, to the point that it's easy to stall the car during casual starts at low revs.
That said, the Solstice GXP makes a fine high-speed cruiser. It tracks straight and true at interstate speeds-plus, and it's quieter than many sports cars until the speedometer needle rotates north of 75 mph. At that point, there's wind noise around the coupe's targa top and windshield pillars.
Coupe or convertible, the Pontiac Solstice looks great, puts wind in your hair and is fun to drive. The base model starts under $25,000, though air conditioning, power windows, and the coupe's convertible top insert are extra-cost options. However, Pontiac has added ABS, stability control, and a limited slip differential as standard equipment on all models for 2009. GXP models add a turbocharged engine. There's a shortage of storage and cargo space here, particularly in the convertible. But the Solstice is a hoot to drive, and it turns heads fast and often. Those may be the two most important reasons to buy a small roadster. It does this at a reasonable price, with objective performance that matches that of cars costing considerably more.
NewCarTestDrive.com correspondent T. J. Cobb filed this report from Tehachapi, California; with Mitch McCullough reporting from Los Angeles.


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*CLOSED* Keurig Platinum Brewing System
From their site: "The Platinum Brewing System is Keurig's best single-cup brewing system for your home. This premium model offers discerning coffee drinkers the widest range of five cup size options for brewing.
The Platinum offers the full spectrum of features including Auto On/Off, Digital Clock, Adjustable Temperature Control and the "Set Your Favorite Cup Size" option. The largest available 60 oz. removable water reservoir holds up to ten cups before refilling and the removable drip tray allows for easy cleaning and the use of travel mugs. The sleek, award-winning design is a unique footprint among Keurig's line of home brewing systems and includes both a blue lit water reservoir and blue lit LCD display."
Great Features :
- 5 Cup Sizes: 4 oz, 6 oz, 8 oz,
10 oz, & 12 oz
- Removable 60 oz Reservoir
- Fully Programable Features
- Blue Backlit Display
- Quiet Brew™ Technology
- Award Winning Design
It's easy because Keurig single-cup brewing takes all the guesswork out of making a great cup of coffee. Each individually sealed K-Cup® portion pack contains the perfect amount of coffee ensuring the perfect amount of ground coffee to satisfy every taste profile. This superior K-Cup technology offers the perfect cup of coffee without the mess of grinding coffee beans and loading grounds into coffee filters. Keurig system offers hundreds of K-Cups varieties and multiple brew sizes on all our kitchen brewers. These choices give you the flexibility to find your perfect cup of coffee. Larger brew sizes do not provide as strong a cup of coffee as the smaller ones - so if you're looking for a stronger, more intense cup of coffee, we offer a smaller brewing size with more potency.
There are hundreds of K-Cup Coffee varieties available that include blends such as Light, Medium, Dark, Extra Bold, Flavored, Decaffeinated, Half-Caffeinated, Fair Trade, Organic and Kona. Also The Keurig brewing system also offers tea and hot cocoa in K-Cups. Fine teas are available from Bigelow, Celestial Seasonings, Gloria Jean's Teas, Timothy's Teas and Twining's. Keurig brewed hot cocoa is available in K- Cups from Green Mountain Coffee and Timothy's and is also available in specially developed packets from Ghirardelli.
You can buy a Keurig Platinum Brewer or any of their other models right on their website. They have free ground shipping.
Keurig is offering one of their Platinum Brewers to one of my readers !
One winner will receive a Keurig Platinum Brewer valued at $169.95 plus an assortment of K-Cups.
- Visit Keurig , come back and tell us one product from their site other than the Keurig Platinum Brewing System you would like to try.
To receive these extra entries, you must do the MANDATORY entry.
- Add Life In A House Of Blue Button to your blog (See sidebar)
- Add Life In A House Of Blue to your Blogroll
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- Subscribe to Life In A House Of Blue via e-mail. (See sidebar)
- Become a fan of Life In A House Of Blue on Facebook HERE
- Blog about the contest - add a link to this blog & Keurig
Multiple Additional Entries :To receive these extra entries, you must do the MANDATORY entry.
- Tweet this giveaway once each day (leave a link to your Tweet) - 1 EXTRA PER DAY
- Check out all of the available K-Cups brands and types. Each day until the end of this giveaway, you may come back here and leave up to 3 comments, each containing a K-Cups product you think you would like to try , For example: Colombia Decaf Coffee by Diedrich. Just the brand name will not count. Each day you can come back and leave up to 3 DIFFERENT K-Cups you like in separate comments, but they must be different from each other and from the ones you listed in previous comments.


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US warns of Uganda airport threat
The US Embassy in Uganda has warned of a specific threat by an unknown terrorist group to attack the country's only international airport.
The embassy said on its website that Entebbe International Airport in Kampala could be attacked by an unknown terrorist group on on Thursday between 9pm and 11pm local time. The statement urged US citizens travelling around that time to "review their plans in light of this information".
Ugandan police have issued several terror alerts in recent times, warning that the Somali Islamic extremist group al-Shabab may be plotting a major attack on Ugandan territory.
Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for deadly attacks in July 2010 that targeted restaurants and bars showing World Cup games in Kampala.
PA Media


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INDIANAPOLIS (Reuters) - The cause of an explosion and fire that killed two people Saturday night when it tore through a residential area of Indianapolis was under investigation on Sunday, authorities said.
"There's a significant number of homes that have sustained damage, including two that have been completely destroyed, no cause has been ruled out," said Marc Lotter, a spokesman for Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard.
"The investigation is ongoing," he said. He added that seven people had been injured in the explosion, which left a large debris field and damaged at least 18 houses in addition to the two that were destroyed.
An Indianapolis Fire Department spokeswoman said none of the injuries were life-threatening.
The identities of the victims have not yet been released, Lotter said.
Reporting by Susan Guyett; Editing By Tom Brown and Doina Chiacu


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Dzanga Sangha: New Hope in the Heart of Africa
By Alexandre Brecher, WWF-GHoA
In the midst of the ravaging armed conflict which tore Central African Republic apart, elephants, gorillas, leopards and chimpanzees found safety in an extraordinary place: Dzanga Sangha, a true natural sanctuary for the emblematic species of the Congo Basin. Hidden in the middle of the tropical forest, this World Heritage Site endured and prevailed, thanks in great part to the continuous technical and financial support WWF provided to the eco-guards protecting the park. This is the story of those who made it possible for Dzanga Sangha to triumph and recently – on July 1, 2014 - reopen for tourists.
May 6, 2013. Daybreak. A group of heavily armed poachers enter the Parc, heading for Dzanga Baï – a forest clearing, whose extremely rich soil in mineral salts attracts hundreds of forest elephants at any time of day or night. The rare clearings are the only places where we can easily observe these majestic animals, otherwise very difficult to spot in the tangled jungles of the Congo Basin. Unfortunately, such Bais are also the places where elephants are most vulnerable to poachers. Across Africa, their populations have dropped by a dramatic 60% over the past decade.
This fatal May day is no different. The country is already in chaos: since the end of 2012, unprecedented violence waged by the Seleka militias erupted in the north, then gripped capital city Bangui. The WWF offices in Bangui are raided; staff are scrambling for alternative ways to be able to continue their work: makeshift offices and storage places at their homes. They know one thing: they cannot give up, all the more as the Seleka advance towards Bayanga, a town bordering Dzanga Sangha. Protecting these areas is paramount to the conservation mandate of WWF in Central Africa Republic. The amazing biodiversity here on the one hand, and the vulnerability of wildlife to poaching on the other hand, make it enough of a reason to stand the course, even during times of deep distress. Even during a full-blown war.
It does not take long for the Seleka to reach Bayanga : they occupy the city in the beginning of April 2013. On April 7, then again on April 19, they violently attack the WWF offices here.
"I must confess I was terrified," recalls Jean-Bernard Yarissem, the WWF program coordinator, "The Seleka were specifically targeting me, as the programme coordinator. I had to hide in the forest for a full day, without water or food. My colleagues thought I was dead. "
Despite having to suspend most of its operations, WWF maintained its financial and technical assistance to the eco-guards at Dzanga-Sangha, allowing them to continue their patrols, especially at the Bai.
« We were fully conscious of our immense responsibility, » says Yarissem. "The Bai is a precious gift to the entire humanity. It was our job to do whatever we could to make sure it is protected."
It is on May 6 that everything dramatically changes. Taking advantage of the extreme volatility of the region, 17 poachers arrive from Sudan and enter the Parc.
"There was nothing we could do," recalls Yarissem. "They were armed through their teeth, with AK-47s and rocket launchers. The eco-guards were not a match. It was their life or the life of the elephants. They had to be evacuated."
For 48 hours straight, the poachers perpetrate a gruesome massacre, killing 26 elephants and snatching their tusks. They load everything on their pickup trucks and then leave undisturbed.
When the eco-guards return to the Bai, they find it bleeding. It is a ghastly sight, but one that only motivates them to pursue their work.
"My wife didn't want me to go back, she thought it was too dangerous" recalls Flavien Pany, one of the first guards to return on the job. "But I explained to her that we have a task to fulfill. We had to make the sure the Bai stays safe."
Meanwhile, in Bangui, Yarissem lobbies everyone, from NGOs to UNESCO to the government, to rally their support for Dzanga Sangha. He also engages with various rebel groups for the cause of the Park.
"We had to explain to all these armed militias that we were not part of the conflict, that our mission was simply that of protecting the natural heritage of their own children," says Yarissem.
In September 2013, interim authorities declare Bayanga as a military region. This new legal status allowed negociations with the local and central authorities asking for a clear commitment for protection of Dzanga Sangha. An agreement between the Park, the military region and WWF is signed at the end of November and ratified by the new authorities after the Seleka militias leave the area, on December 5, 2013. Despite the loss of 26 elephants, the Bai is now saved.
Six months later, the Parc reopens for tourism. For now visitors are scarce, but these timid first steps are already huge. When we visit, in September, it is Flavien who guides us towards the Bai – his clearing. We are instantly overwhelmed : a hundred, maybe more elephants, break the morning mist. Mothers teach their young ones to drink the salted waters, with gestures of infinite tenderness. Males in the distance majestically spot the brinks of the forest, sending the echoes of their deep voices far into the bush.
The ultimate beauty of the world is here, in front of our teary eyes, miraculously protected from the worst this world came to know.
"After the massacre, nature reclaimed its rights," says Flavien. "The elephants came back. Now that you see the Bai, do you understand why we gave all we had to protect it?"
Situated in the Northern part of the Congo basin, the Dzanga Sangha Protected Areas (APDS) are internationally known for their beautiful rainforests, host to a remarkable diversity of wildlife, comprising western lowland gorillas, forest elephants, bongo antelopes, forest buffalos and a multitude of bird species. Furthermore, a rich local culture, comprising the Sangha Sangha fishermen as well as hunting and gathering BaAka, are present in the area. Apart from conservation and local development efforts, Dzanga Sangha operates as an eco-tourism and research centre. A variety of well developed tourism activities and a beautiful hotel complex, overlooking the Sangha River, are at your disposal.
Sharing borders with Cameroun and Congo, the Dzanga Sangha Protected Areas are part of the Trinational Sangha (TNS) complex, currently in the process to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Roundtrips to the other National Parks (Lobéké in Cameroun and Nouabalé Ndoki in Congo) can be organized with ease.
Dzanga Sangha has a long tradition in research. In the right hand section you'll find all information related to past and ongoing research. The primate habituation program has its own section where a manifold of information is at your disposal. In case you are interested in volunteering please refer to this section before sending your application.


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by Michael Caruso
St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Chestnut Hill, hosted the third in its series of "Five Fridays: Concerts for Community" Feb. 1. In collaboration with Astral Artists, the church presented violinist Kristin Lee, cellist Lionel Cottet and pianist Michael Mizrahi in piano trios by Beethoven, Ravel and Smetana before a crowd that virtually packed the Parish Hall.
Friday evening's program was especially wisely chosen, particularly considering that it didn't follow chronological order, which has become the norm for classical concerts. Usually the work composed earliest goes first, followed in order by the next and the next. In chamber music recitals such as this one, Beethoven's "Piano Trio in D major, The Ghost," would indeed have opened the concert. But it would have been Smetana's "Piano Trio in G minor" that came next to end the first half. Most of the time it would have been Ravel's "Piano Trio in A minor" that was played after intermission to finish out the evening.
The three young Astral musicians, however, followed the Beethoven with the Ravel to end the first half and left the Smetana for the recital's finale. And it worked splendidly. The assembling of the program was proof of Astral Artists' success at safely ushering young musicians out of the conservatory into the real world of professional musicians. Hats off to its founder and director, Vera Wilson. Of course, none of Astral's expertise would mean a thing if Lee, Cottet and Mizrahi didn't play well. Fortunately for Friday's large audience, they played exceptionally well.
They chose a brisk tempo for the Beethoven's opening Allegro vivace e con brio, establishing an energetic dialogue between their three instruments. They caught the somber, almost spooky quality of the slow second movement – hence the nickname "Ghost"! – and invested it with dark intensity. They then "turned on a dime" for the spritely Presto, playing with technical aplomb.
The recital took place in the Parish Hall instead of the back of St. Paul's main sanctuary because work is being done on the latter. Although the Hall apparently doesn't have a particularly good reputation as a venue for concerts, I found its acoustics more than adequate, even if its sight lines aren't so good. "Five Fridays" continues March 15 with violist Born Lau and April 5 with the Trio Galilei, both at 7:30 p.m. The series benefits the Northwest Philadelphia Interfaith Hospitality Network and Face-to-Face Germantown.
Pianist Andre Watts, who grew up in Germantown and attended both Pierce Junior College and the Philadelphia Musical Academy before studying at the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore, returned Friday and Saturday to play with the Philadelphia Orchestra. The German/Spanish conductor Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos was on the podium in the Kimmel Center's Verizon Hall for a program that consisted of Leopold Stokowski's arrangement of Bach's Chorale Prelude: "Sleepers Awake," Beethoven's "Emperor" Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major, Hindemith's "Concert Music for Strings and Brass" and Liszt's Symphonic Poem No. 3, "Les Preludes."
Although the Philadelphians gave a sumptuous reading to Stokowski's orchestration of Bach's score for solo organ – Stokowski was, himself, a fine organist and knew the instrument intimately – their collaboration with Watts in Beethoven's most popular piano concerto was cautious rather than magisterial, controlled rather than spontaneous.
The rendition given the Hindemith, on the other hand, was spectacular. Liszt's "Les Preludes" may be a tad bombastic here and there, but it remains a tremendous crowd pleaser, especially when conducted with conviction and played with virtuosity, as it was Saturday night.


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Prince Harry woke up in a freezer and it had nothing to do with partying.
While the 29-year-old prince once made headlines for a wild night in Las Vegas, he is now focusing on charity work. The fourth in line to the British throne is preparing for a two-week trek across the South Pole with Walking with the Wounded.
Harry spent 24 hours on Monday night in a freezer that simulated arctic conditions, with temperatures reaching as low as -31F and wind speeds of 45 miles per hour, according to USA Today.
U.S. & World
The chilly stay was part of the prince's training for November's Walking with the Wounded South Pole Allied Challenge. The prince and his team of former military servicemembers plan to venture nine to 12 miles a day, according to USA Today.
Harry's team, which is made up of British soldiers who have been wounded in the line of duty, will compete against other teams from the U.K. and U.S., including one led by "True Blood" star Alexander Skarsgard.
It won't be Harry's first sojourn in the arctic. The Afghanistan war veteran went to the North Pole as part of a similar charity trek for Walking with the Wounded across the "Devil's Dancefloor," just one month before his big brother, Prince William, wed Kate Middleton in 2011.


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Google's annual developer conference, called Google I/O, is set to begin tomorrow in San Francisco. The event, which sold out in under 30 minutes when tickets became available earlier this year, has drawn over 5,500 attendees.
The conference offers an opportunity for independent software developers who build on top of Google's platforms and services to interact with the company's top engineers. The keynote presentations, which are typically the highlight of the week, often bring major newsworthy announcements and product launches.
Rumors about Google's plans for the event have been circulating for weeks. The search giant is expected to unveil Android 4.1, codenamed Jelly Bean, a significant new version of its mobile operating system. The software update could potentially include some user interface changes and might also swap out the platform's default browser in favor of Google's Chrome port for Android, which launched in beta earlier this year.
Google is also expected to unveil its own Nexus tablet product during the event. Leaked specifications that Gizmodo Australia published yesterday suggest that the device will have a 7-inch screen and a powerful quad-core Tegra 3 SoC. It's believed that the product will be priced to be competitive with Amazon's Kindle Fire tablet, which has a similar form factor but lesser specs. Gizmodo Australia also says that the device could potentially ship with Jelly Bean.
We also expect to see some Chrome OS news at the event. Google recently revamped the Chrome OS user interface, transitioning from a full-screen single window design to a more conventional overlapping window management paradigm. Samsung launched its latest generation of Chrome OS devices in May alongside the software update. It's possible that additional Chrome OS partners will unveil hardware during Google's event.
Google TV could also potentially get a boost this week in the form of hardware and software updates. As we reported this morning, Vizio launched an affordable new Google TV box with OnLive gaming support. Google TV is currently based on the Honeycomb branch of Android, but we wouldn't be surprised if Google decides to bring it back into line with its phones and tablets by bumping it up to Jelly Bean.
We're also intrigued by a reference to Google TV "second screen" app development in the I/O session list. It's possible that Google is going to show off some new development frameworks for simplifying interaction between Android touchscreen devices and Google TV boxes.
Ars Technica's Ryan Paul and Dan Goodin are going to be at Google I/O this week to catch all of the action. Keep an eye on the site for news from the event. You can also tune into our keynote liveblogs on the first two days of the event.


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Europe: Baltic Region: Baltic amber beds
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Francesco Sinibaldi left a lovely poem in reply to my own geopoem on Rosetta Stones. I know it's lovely because it's in French, and therefore by default is beautiful. I also speak just about enough French to be able to tell when the words sound good together, and these do.
Of course, I only speak enough French to translate one word out of three, so I had to turn to translation programs. Google Translate made a dog's breakfast of it, but Bing did an adequate job, and I can sort of put in the articles it missed. Thus, the literal translation according to the least worst automated translator:
In the smile.In thesmile [of] aFlower I seeeternity, thesound of thesnow and stillthe harmony thatsings
That could very nearly have been written for our mystery flower, inspired by our latest Rivers installment, couldn't it just? Love it!
Now, translation is an art, which the online translators don't have. And my French is atrocious. Je parle un peu français, très mal. The only thing worse than my French is my Spanish, and the only thing worse than my Spanish is all the other languages I speak only a few words of. Point being, I'm not confident enough with those words to translate it beautifully. So someone who speaks reasonable French should head on over there and have a go at it. And if the original poet wants to translate, why, that would be most excellent.
This is one of the reasons I blog, people. So many of you surprise me with interesting and beautiful things. Thank you!


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Cercle ART Gallery is an online art gallery from artist in Thailand.
All the paintings at our Art studio are 100 % hand painted with oil on canvas and other media.
We offer custom oil painting reproductions of Fine Art masterpieces, executed with museum quality and also oil portrait paintings.


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«Cody Wilson is a twenty-five-year-old former law student at the University of Texas at Austin. He is also the inventor of the Liberator, a gun made almost entirely from plastic pieces created with a 3-D printer; he also uploaded to the Internet a blueprint that anyone could use to print such a gun.
»Wilson, who espouses libertarian views, created the blueprint to make a point: information should be free. Not everyone agreed with him. In May, after Wilson successfully fired the gun at a range near Austin and posted the design online, the State Department requested that those files be removed from the Web site of his nonprofit, Defense Distributed.
»Wilson complied—but not before the files had been downloaded two hundred thousand times, igniting a debate about whether there should be limits to the free flow of information over the Internet, and over the role of the government in enforcing those restrictions.
»Wilson lives in "a utopian world in which contraband will be only a notional concept, because enforcement will require policing ideas and blueprints, not simply goods," Jacob Silverman wrote in a piece about Wilson and the Liberator in May.
»A native of Cabot, Arkansas—a small suburb of Little Rock—Wilson said that the State Department's action persuaded him to drop out of law school and pursue revolutionary activities full-time. In fact, he had been planning his next endeavor for a while. When Indiegogo, a crowdfunding site, booted Defense Distributed's campaign in August, 2012, for violating its terms of service—Indiegogo said the project related to the sale of firearms; Wilson said it was for the creation of information—Wilson began to raise money by asking people to support him using a currency called Bitcoin: encrypted, difficult-to-trace bits of code that function like cash and can be exchanged over the Internet without a bank or a PayPal account.
»Wilson said that he eventually raised two hundred bitcoins for the Liberator—the equivalent of twenty-seven thousand dollars, according to the current exchange rate. His efforts attracted the attention of a twenty-five-year-old Brit named Amir Taaki, who e-mailed him with an invitation to speak at the Bitcoin 2012 Conference, in London. He accepted.
»Wilson and Taaki met in person for the first time in January of 2013, when Taaki took Wilson to visit a workspace for hackers is Bratislava, Slovakia, and to anarchist squats in London. They reconnected in Berlin that July and began hashing out a plan to use the as of yet unregulated, untaxed, nearly untraceable currency in a way that would, like the Liberator, undermine the ability of governments to regulate the activities of their citizens.
»In the Bitcoin world, where banks no longer serve as intermediaries between people and their money, bank accounts have been replaced by online "wallets" that people can use to virtually store and send bitcoins.
»Wilson and Taaki's project, tentatively known as Dark Wallet, is a simple wallet designed to be easier to use for people who aren't tech-savvy; they hope that in turn accelerates the currency's rate of adoption around the world. The wallet will be open-source and free to use. Eventually, Wilson and Taaki hope to create a vast stable of Bitcoin-related tools.
»The goal, for Wilson, is similar to what he tried to do with the Liberator: use technology to remove government intervention from his life, and from the lives of like-minded people.
»Unlike many current Bitcoin wallets, which can be difficult to download and cumbersome to use, Wilson and Taaki are designing Dark Wallet, they told me, as an easy-to-install plug-in that sits discreetly on users' Chrome or Firefox browsers. Made for Windows, Mac, and Linux computers, Dark Wallet would move most of the energy-sucking process of insuring there's only one of each bitcoin in circulation, and that they aren't spent in two places at the same time, to separate servers.
»Wilson still lives in Austin, working remotely on Dark Wallet with Taaki, who lives in an anarchist compound called Calafou, outside of Barcelona, and writes most of the code behind the wallet. Taaki and Vitalik Buterin, the co-founder of Bitcoin Magazine, a periodical covering the currency, are part of a Calafou-based organization called unSystem, which came up with the idea for the wallet; they're working with a team of developers from around the world. Wilson, who will manage the development team behind Dark Wallet, making sure they meet their targets on time, is also producing a video and other material for a crowdfunding campaign to raise money for the project.
»Dark Wallet should be ready sometime in January or February of 2014, Taaki said, though he's not committing to anything. "It'll launch when it's ready," he said. And the details of an upcoming crowdfunding campaign have still yet to be solidified, though Taaki and Wilson expect it to launch sometime in October.
»The person or group that, in 2008, created Bitcoin—that is, released the protocol that defined what Bitcoin would be—called itself Satoshi Nakamoto. The online comments that Satoshi Nakamoto made before disappearing completely, in 2012, indicate that the creator of Bitcoin, like Wilson, was deeply mistrustful of economic institutions and designed the currency to be intentionally subversive.
»Bitcoin is created, or "mined," as it's called, by powerful computers that race to solve complex math problems and are rewarded for their work with the encrypted code that is a bitcoin. Today there are 11.7 million of the coins in existence, worth an estimated $1.6 billion, though their value fluctuates dramatically. Nakamoto set the number of coins entering circulation to halve every four years until 2140, when they will plateau at twenty-one million coins and never be produced again.
»Because no one can arbitrarily decide to print more bitcoins, and because no banks intermediate the storage and spending of the currency, the value of a bitcoin is determined by market demand. Wilson finds this very attractive.
»But where a currency exists, capitalism will inevitably find it. In recent months, Bitcoin has caught the attention of entrepreneurs, many funded by venture-capital firms, who have begun building Bitcoin-related start-ups. The companies include exchanges where people can trade bitcoins, along with services that let people store and spend the currency in places ranging from Amazon-style online markets to brick-and-mortar bars and restaurants.
»The mainstream entrepreneurs who are interested in Bitcoin have found a haven in a nonprofit called the Bitcoin Foundation. Writing about Bitcoin in April, Maria Bustillos described its executives as a "rational and sober group of adult administrators" who stand in contrast with the image of Bitcoin users as "wild-eyed kids camping out in half-deserted lofts." Members of the foundation met in August with several federal agencies, including the Federal Reserve, the F.B.I., and the Secret Service. On the surface, the meeting was an educational exercise, meant to explain how Bitcoin works, but many observers assume it was a step toward regulating the currency.
»The foundation, which celebrates its first anniversary this month, calls itself an advocacy group "dedicated to serving the business, technology, government relations, and public affairs needs of the Bitcoin community." One goal, according to Jon Matonis, its executive director of the Bitcoin Foundation, is to educate both public and private interests—including the government—about how the currency operates. ("The Foundation is not pro-regulation as some have claimed, but it is pro-education," Matonis has written, adding that he supports "bitcoin education for legislative and regulatory entities" and that "lobbying on behalf of Bitcoin is not necessarily anti-market.")
»Wilson, not surprisingly, sees working with the government as a betrayal of Bitcoin's fundamental purpose. "The public faces of Bitcoin are acting as counter-revolutionaries," he told me. "They're actively working to try to diffuse it, and to pollute it." He was referring, he said, not only to the Bitcoin Foundation but to venture capitalists and entrepreneurs in New York and Silicon Valley who increasingly embrace the currency as a way to profit, but don't share his revolutionary aims. (Matonis said he is aware of Wilson's concerns. "I don't see my role as advancing crony capitalism," he said.)
»Wilson believes Bitcoin should remain the backbone of a separate economy that undermines the government's ability to collect taxes and to control the value of currency—not be subsumed into the mainstream economy.
»"The state is basically allowed because we have all chosen to use these certain institutions to channel our activity and commerce," he told me. "But when we are enabled, through alternative means and technologies, to channel our commerce as we will, channel our production as we will, the state simply disappears."
»Not everyone agrees, of course, that society would benefit from the disappearance of governments. Wilson used the Liberator to make the point that the government shouldn't regulate the flow of information; he wants to use Bitcoin to help build an economy outside of the government's reach.
»But his ideology, taken to its logical conclusion, would also leave services like roads, libraries, fire fighting, and policing in the hands of the private sector—whose interests may not be aligned, Wilson's critics argue, with those of the public at large.
»Wilson knows that he could see blowback for his stance against the foundation: as a self-described "crypto-anarchist," perhaps he shouldn't be so concerned with who is or isn't determining the currency's future. And if the U.S. government attempts to regulate the currency, which seems likely, Wilson will also find himself once again in direct opposition to the government.
»Wilson and the suit-and-tie-wearing people at the Bitcoin Foundation share a common interest in bringing Bitcoin to as many people as possible. The foundation seems willing to play nicely with the establishment, and has been open to hearing about the interests of old-school players like venture capitalists and government regulators. Wilson, however, who was only recently firing an illicit gun into the desert, isn't looking only for a new currency but for another way to liberate himself—and others—from government oversight.»


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ETD Guide/Universities/Plagiarism
The issue of plagiarism often arises among the arguments used to express skepticism with regard to putting theses online. In short, many people tend to think that because a digitized thesis is easily copied in part or in whole, it can be easily plagiarized. Consequently -so goes the reasoning - it is better to keep theses offline.
The argument is largely false and can be refuted fairly easily. To begin with, it is easy to recall that the invention of the Philosophical Transactions (1665) by Henry Oldenburg, the Secretary to the Royal Society in London, was motivated by the issue of intellectual property. Oldenburg reasoned that if the research results of Scientist X. were printed in a journal (after being certified as being of good quality and original) and that journal was made widely available through the multiplication of copies, then Scientist. X would have a better chance to lie ownership claims than if he/she held back these results. By apparently giving away the results of his/her work, a scientist ensures his/her intellectual property most effectively. The ability to compare new results to already published work makes plagiarism a very risky business at best.
Theses are not so well protected at present. Widely dispersed across many institutions in many countries (and languages), they are so poorly catalogued on a national or international basis that they often disappear from sight. This means that someone taking the time to read a thesis in a remote university in a country where the cataloguing is poorly organized may well be able simply to use that thesis and make it pass for one's own. Occasionally, such cases emerge in the literature, even in the United States despite the fact that the cataloguing of theses is most advanced in that country.
The paradox of placing theses on line, especially if these theses can be harvested through some technique that involves full text searching can help identify analogous texts rather easily. As a result, far from placing the digitized theses at risk, putting them on line in a manner that optimizes their access, irretrievability and, therefore, visibility, offers a very efficient way to protect intellectual property and prevent plagiarism. In fact, it would probably be relatively easy to design software that could make periodic sweeps through inter-operable theses collections according to ever more sophisticated algorithms in order to ferret out such possible forms of plagiarism. With many languages involved, it is clear that no perfect solution will ever appear; however, those theses available online will be more protected than theses that remain poorly catalogued and are not readily available outside the institution from which they are issued.
In effect, putting theses on-line amounts to rediscovering Oldenburg's wisdom when it comes to scientific intellectual property. It provides what could arguably turn out to be the best deterrent to plagiarism, wherever it may arise. The more theses appear on line, the fewer will be the chances of carrying on successful plagiarism.
Next section: Assessment and Measurement Introduction


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Student or Learner
I'm studying on my own to do an exam in september and I'm sure this letter could be improved, but I don't know how!
Laura García Arenal
C/Mayor 8
The Manager
Lake Garda Ski Resort
Cáceres, August 23th 2012Dear Sir/Madam:
The aim of this letter is to request further information about Lake Garda Ski Resort. We have read the information leaflet in our travel agency, and there are still some points that we would like to clarify.
Firstly, we would like to know if there are any interesting cultural visits in the surroundings, as such villages of historical interest, museums, etc. As well, we are interested in natural landscapes and excursions in the nature near the Ski Resort. Particularly, we are interested in excursions that could be made with children. Regarding to both this kind of visits (cultural tours and excursions in the nature) we would like to know if there are guided tours.
Secondly, we are interested in nature sports near the Resort. In particular we would like to recieve information about canoeing and rafting in the area.
Lastly, we wanted to ask which are the months of the skiing season.
Looking forward to recieve all the information you could send us, we would like to thank you four your attention.
Yours faithfully,
Laura García Arenal
Last edited by billmcd; 24-Jul-2012 at 20:25.


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ORONO, Maine—UMBC junior forward Rachel McKee (Ellicott City, Md./Mt. Hebron) scored her fourth goal in the last three games, but Maine defender Sady Tobin scored twice to lift the host Black Bears (4-6-1, 1-3-0 AE) to a 2-1 victory over the Retrievers (0-11-2, 0-3-1 AE) in America East women's soccer action Sunday afternoon.
Tobin got Maine on the board first, as she headed a corner kick by defender Lisa Bijman over the head of UMBC sophomore goalie Lauren Kadet (Oakville, Ontario/St. Thomas Aquinas) in the 42nd minute.
But the Retrievers answered just 14 seconds later on a long goal by McKee to tie the game heading into halftime. It was McKee's team-best sixth goal of the season.
The score remained deadlocked at 1-1 for much of the second half before Tobin tallied the game-winner with 16 minutes left, hitting a perfectly placed ball from 35 yards out into the far corner.
Kadet made six saves between the pipes, while Maine keeper Meagan Price-Leibenzeder stopped four Retriever shots. Maine held a slight edge in shots, 9-7, as well as a 7-2 advantage in corner kicks.
The Retrievers return to action on Thursday, when they host America East rival Albany at 7 p.m.
Notes: McKee's six goals and 12 points this season are the most by a Retriever since Jessica Young (12 goals, 25 points) and Amanda Dicarlo (10 goals, 20 points) in 2005… Kadet moved into a tie with Christine Bacinski ('08) for fifth place all-time at UMBC with 173 career saves.


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Graduate Students
This page is for students interested in Whitworth's Master of Business Administration, MBA in International Management, Master of Arts in Theology, Master in Teaching, and Graduate Studies in Education programs. Students in a teaching certification program may be considered undergraduate students and should contact the Whitworth Financial Aid Office for more information.
We welcome your questions and comments, so please feel free to contact us.


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How do I change my email address that notifications of messages on this site are sent to?
Times Past
Change of email adress
Please post your thoughts, questions, bugs, etc here. I will post announcements here.
Moderator: Moderators
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Re: Change of email adress
Click user control panel then profile then fill in the relevant bits of the form--probably only the things you want to change plus the 'are you human' check
(not actually tried it you understand, but that looks right)
(not actually tried it you understand, but that looks right)
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Small Taupo rate rise pleasing
Small Taupo rate rise pleasing
Small Taupo rate rise pleasing
Veteran Environment Waikato pest plant contractors Colleen and Jeff Jeffery were farewelled at a ceremony at the council meeting in Hamilton on Thursday 26 June.
Canterbury University student Regan Robinson, who attended Hauraki Plains College, has won Environment Waikato's Roger Harris Scholarship this year.
Environment Waikato is concerned national farming lobby Federated Farmers is fuelling uncertainty about the future of farming in the Taupo area by misrepresenting regional council plans for protecting Lake Taupo.
As high petrol prices continue to bite, Environment Waikato is launching three new Direct bus services to help Hamilton people get to and from work during peak hours.
Environment Waikato has held its proposed increase in total rate revenue to just 5.5 per cent for 2008-09, with planned rate increases for a $350,000 house in the majority of local authority areas being just one to two per cent.
Bus patronage records continue to tumble in Hamilton as people look for transport alternatives in the face of high petrol prices.
A Tuakau company has been charged with 26 counts of discharging objectionable odour and breach of an abatement notice.
Environment Waikato is to be the sponsor of the Premier Feature at Fieldays next year to be entitled "My Land, Our Environment".
From humble beginnings as a three-school pilot trial launched in Hamilton in 1993, the Enviroschools programme has become a national success story, with more than 550 schools now involved.
The ongoing effects of the summer drought continue to cause concern in Waikato.
Environment Waikato is proposing to do extensive pest control work in the Te Miro Reserve, 10 kilometres north-east of Cambridge, as part of the Hamilton Halo project aimed at boosting tui numbers.
To help Waikato people kick the carbon habit and mark World Environment Day on June 5, Environment Waikato is launching a new project, the e-mission – planting our future.
Dairy processor Open Country Cheese (OCC) is being allowed to spread more wastewater irrigation on to farmland near its Waharoa plant, provided it complies with conditions aimed at managing potential odour problems and minimising extra nitrogen leaching.


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Rustic Outdoor Melamine Dinner Plates
- Only at Williams Sonoma
Easy, hassle-free returns online and in-store for eligible items.Learn More
Earn 5% Back in rewards4 plus free standard shipping3every day when you shop with your Williams Sonoma credit card at Williams Sonoma.Apply Now Learn More
- Summary
We've taken melamine to new levels of artistry with this collection. Our wide-rimmed dinner plates capture the beauty and dimension of antique earthenware, yet they're made of shatterproof melamine. New techniques allow us to re-create the subtle texture, rubbed edges and rich glazed finish of ceramics in durable, scratch-resistant melamine—the perfect choice for outdoor and casual meals.
- Made of exceptionally durable, BPA-free melamine.
- Dishwasher safe on top rack.
- Set of four.
- Dimensions & More Info
- 11" diam.
- Made in China.
- Use & Care
- Not recommended for use in microwave.
- Dishwasher safe on top rack.
- Not recommended for use in microwave.
- Shipping
Shipping Information
UPS can deliver most in-stock items within 3–5 business days. UPS is unable to deliver to P.O. boxes.
Shipping Rates
The shipping rate varies depending on your order total and shipping destination. View Shipping Options and Charges.
Next Day Delivery
For an additional charge of $26 per address, we can expedite delivery to most destinations. This service is not available for some oversize items, items shipped directly from the supplier (including perishable and custom-manufactured items), out-of-stock items and items to be shipped outside the contiguous 48 states.
Orders received by 9:00 p.m. ET Monday through Thursday will arrive the next business day; orders placed Friday through Sunday will arrive on the following Tuesday.
Return Policy
At Williams Sonoma, we take great pride in the quality and craftsmanship of our products. Attention to design, materials, safety and construction are our priority. Upon receipt, please inspect your purchase and notify us of any damage; we will arrange for a prompt replacement.
If within 30 days, you are dissatisfied for any reason, you may return your purchase for a refund of the merchandise value. An original receipt or gift receipt is required for all returns and exchanges. Returns with a gift receipt will be refunded in the form of a Merchandise Credit for the amount indicated on the gift receipt. Returns with original receipt will be refunded in the original form of payment, cash and check refunds over $100 will be issued as a company check (may take 14 business days from time of request).
For all cutlery returns (knife sets, single knives, cutting boards, knife sharpeners and knife storage), please contact us at 888.922.4108 to initiate the return.
We cannot accept returns on monogrammed, personalized, special-order items, custom upholstery, food, items shipped direct from the vendor or on items damaged through normal wear and tear. Final sale items ending in .97 or .99 cannot be returned.
Made to Order and Final Sale Furniture items are non-returnable and cannot be cancelled once the order is placed.
For returns of items purchased from your Williams Sonoma Gift Registry, we will gladly provide a refund or exchange for the merchandise within 90 days of your event or within 90 days of purchase, whichever date is later. View Full Returns Policy.
Pairs Well With
Rustic Outdoor Melamine Serving Bowl
Rustic Outdoor Melamine Platter
Rustic Outdoor Melamine Bowls
Rustic Outdoor Melamine Salad Plates
Rated 5 out of 5 by bistrogigi from Fabulous addition to my kitchen. Over a year ago I purchased 2 sets of these beautiful dinner plates for outdoor use. However I loved them so much they became my daily go to plates in the kitchen. I have no complaints...and believe me they get a workout. I do wash them in the lower rack of my dishwasher(Bosch) and everything is fine. They still look brand new. Love the colors...and they set a beautiful table. I have received lots of compliments from guests.Date published: 2017-07-28Rated 5 out of 5 by Penny Rose from The Chargers are more than a placeholder! I purchased 12 chargers in tan, the only color made. I have found they are perfect outdoor buffet plates. You can fit, a burger, sides and the salad -- all on one plate, that's large enough to hold on your lap. They 're not heavy...reallly perfect. I just wish W and S would make the chargers in another color. I just purchased yellow salad plates and bowls. I'm expecting my outdoor entertaining will be delightfully upbeat with these great plates. I've had no issue with cracking or scoring from knives.Date published: 2017-06-26Rated 2 out of 5 by Juliann from Careful with these! I thought these plates were fun colors, so I got a bunch of aqua dinner & yellow salad ones for my daughter. Unfortunately, 2 of the dinner plates cracked in half & all show cutting marks on them. Had to replace the set with china ones after only 9 months.Date published: 2016-08-09Rated 5 out of 5 by rini45 from Good quality plates We purchased 4 red plates. Wish I had purchased 4 more. They are beautiful.Date published: 2016-08-07Rated 4 out of 5 by bona from using everyday Really like these plates their tough and are pleasing to look atDate published: 2016-07-02Rated 5 out of 5 by Floggingwally from amazing plates Love these plates! They do not look like melamine, but look like a rustic Italian ceramic. The don't break or chip!Date published: 2016-06-21Rated 5 out of 5 by McWdy from Beautiful rustic dishes!!! It is hard to believe these are made of melamine. I have seen others at different retailers but as usual the products that you get from Williams-Sonoma are significantly nicer. These are beautiful.Date published: 2016-06-21Rated 5 out of 5 by Spinsterk from Love it but miss my favorite color I love this stuff. It's tough beautiful and looks just like ancient well loved provencal pottery we used in the south of France. But I went to buy more and find my color, azure, is missing? What happened? Is it gone forever? I hope not. It was perfect for summer tables in Sun and under stars.Date published: 2016-06-02


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