text:
Realty Executives Mexico is growing and you owe it to yourself to join the winning team. While other franchised real estate brands continue doing business the same old ways, Realty Executives Mexico has launched a new and innovative process unmatched in the history of Real Estate. But only the best need apply! If you are a successful Real Estate Broker / Agent currently residing and doing business in the Real Estate market in Mexico, we want to show you how to get more business with less hassle, more tools with lower franchise fees, and more brand recognition equating to more revenue.
Why Your Future in Real Estate is Secure with Realty Executives…
- New Innovations: While most franchised real estate brands continue doing business the same old way, Realty Executives Mexico has a new, innovative process that attracts Property Owners and soon to be Property Owners to YOU. If you aren't part of the new Realty Executives Mexico, your future in Real Estate in Mexico may be in jeopardy.
- Trusted Brand: Most franchised real estate brands build 'their brand' and their focus is on 'their sign.' Realty Executives Mexico builds YOUR BRAND and we provide the tools and support to build a TRUSTED BRAND together. You can work for 'a sign' or you can work with us to build YOU, as a trusted brand with us. If you aren't associated with 'our sign' you may be in jeopardy.
- Trusted Executives: Most Real Estate Agents are just that – "Agents." But not ours! At Realty Executives Mexico our team of Real Estate professionals are EXECUTIVES! Executives are professional, market knowledgeable, highly trained, well equipped with the latest technology and trusted. Not all agents qualify to be Executives! If you aren't a Realty Executives Mexico Executive, you may be in jeopardy
- Brand Management: Realty Executives Mexico manages the BRAND so YOU can focus on what you do best – Real Estate! If you are working with the 'other guys' you may be in jeopardy.
- Brand Investment: Realty Executives Mexico is the ONLY franchised brand re-investing in YOU, for YOUR local market, to build YOUR BRAND while building ours. No other real estate brand will do for YOU what we do for YOU. We invest in YOU…do they? If not, you may be in jeopardy.
Realty Executives Mexico is looking for the best because we are the best. We aren't the biggest and we don't try to be the biggest. Big isn't important – being the BEST is important. We have the international brand, the training, the tools, the systems and the support similar to other international brands, but others can't compare to our knowledge of the Mexican market nor do they have the experience in building a national brand in Mexico. Why jeopardize your future when you can join THE Realty Executives Mexico family and secure a bright future in Real Estate today.
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Call or email us today for a CONFIDENTIAL, NO RISK – NO PRESSURE conversation on why being a Realty Executives Franchise in Mexico may be right for you. We will evaluate together what you have, how we compare, and leave you with the proof of why joining Realty Executives is the ONLY CHOICE. Email Realty Executives Mexico at email@example.com to set an appointment. No Risk. No Pressure. Confidential. For even more information about the Realty Executives brand, visit www.realtyexecutives.com/franchise


text:
KRASNAYA POLYANA, Russia — Ski jumper Kamil Stoch completed a gold medal sweep of the normal and large hills at the Sochi Olympics on Saturday despite a mistake on his final jump that nearly made 41-year-old Noriaki Kasai of Japan the oldest-ever Winter Games champion.
The Polish jumper joins Simon Ammann and Matti Nykanen as the only men to win both individual events at the same Winter Olympics.
Kasai took silver while Peter Prevc of Slovenia, who took silver in the normal hill, earned the bronze Saturday.
Jumping last in the first round after the trial round was canceled due to fluctuating winds, Stoch jumped 139 meters and totaled 143.4 points to give him a three-point lead over Kasai, a margin the Japanese veteran whittled down to 1.3 points after the final round.
"I did such a big mistake in the second round, I don't know how I jumped so far," Stoch said. "I was too aggressive. That's why I flew so far, but hey, what the heck? That's why I won."
Kasai, whose first Olympics was at Albertville, France in 1992, now has Olympic medals 20 years apart — he won his first, a team silver with Japan in the large hill — in 1994 at Lillehammer, Norway.
Kasai finished eighth in the normal hill last week, but said Saturday he should have done better.
"I took the medal that I didn't take in the normal hill," Kasai said. "Then I felt regret and now I feel happy."
Gregor Schierenzauer of Austria, who won bronze on both the normal and large hills four years ago, finished seventh.
Amman, the defending champion from 2010 — he also won the normal hill that year in Vancouver — had a chance to win a record fifth Olympic gold medal. But the 32-year-old Swiss jumper, who has said he will likely retire soon, never looked the part in training or on Saturday and finished 23rd.
"It's hard preparing for three years … I have to take it easy for the rest of the season," Ammann said. "It's not the greatest feeling right now."
Thomas Morgenstern of Austria, who had a bad crash in early January and was touch-and-go to be fit for Sochi, failed to qualify among the 30 advancing to the final round, finishing in 40th place.
"I had a good feeling on the in-run and the takeoff, but it was strange, there was wind from the front and back," Morgenstern said. "Today I had no luck."
Three Americans who qualified for Saturday's final — Nicholas Alexander of Brattleboro, Vt., Anders Johnson of Park City, Utah, and Nicholas Fairall of Andover, N.H., didn't make it to the second round. Fairall was 35th, Alexander 48th and Johnson was disqualified — along with Canadian Matthew Rowley — for suit violations.
The 7,500-capacity crowd didn't appear to mind waiting while the wind ribbon zipped sideways in alternate directions for a while, forcing the first round to start 15 minutes late. Men with Viking helmets, kids dressed up in bunny costumes and one optimistic local wearing a hat with three podiums — all flying Russian flags — added to the atmosphere.
The men return to action on Sunday with training rounds for the team event to be held Monday night. Austria is the defending champion.
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
|Instrument(s): Orchestra: Flutes, Oboes, Clarinets, Bassoons, Horns, Trumpets, Timpani, Violins, Viola, 'Cello, Bass
|Style: Classical
|Lyricist(s): n/a
|Arranger(s): n/a
|Opus: Op. 92
|Date of composition: 1811-12
|Source: Litolff Verlag
|Copyright: Public Domain
|Last updated: 2005/Aug/21. View change history
|Music ID Number: Mutopia-2005/08/21-595
|Typeset using: LilyPond, version 2.6.3
|LilyPond files (zipped)
|MIDI file
|A4 PDF files
|Letter PDF files
|Maintainer: Stelios Samelis
|1zante (at) otenet.gr


text:
SAP co-founder Hasso Plattner is set to revisit the topic of in-memory databases during a keynote address at the vendor's upcoming Sapphire conference on May 19.
The news was revealed this week in a video interview with Plattner, who interviewed himself with the help of some camera trickery and costumes.
[ Managing backup infrastructure right is not so simple. InfoWorld's expert contributors show you how to get it right in this "Backup Infrastructure Deep Dive" PDF guide. ]
In-memory databases store information in a system's main memory, instead of on disk, providing a performance boost. The technology, which Plattner also discussed at last year's Sapphire event, is now beginning to be reflected in SAP BI (business intelligence) products, such as BusinessObjects Explorer.
During his self-interview, Plattner indicated the German software giant has ambitious plans in the works.
Powered by ever-increasing amounts of RAM, in-memory computing will usher in an era of "completely new applications" in areas such as predictive analytics, Plattner said. Users will be able to conduct "multi-step queries at human speed, I mean less than one second. I think there's a revolution coming on the application side based on the speed."
Plattner described a hybrid approach to database management and data processing. For example, in the event of a power failure, information held in-memory would be lost. But the data could be quickly reloaded and restructured from permanent storage, using solid-state drives instead of traditional disk, according to Plattner.
Plattner is "working now on how the programming models have to change" with the growth of in-memory technology. "The changes now will be significant in the application code," he said.
Plattner faces a high-profile skeptic in the form of Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, who openly mocked SAP's goals during an event in January.
"Get me the name of their pharmacist," Ellison said at the time. "I mean, I know a lot about in-memory databases. In fact, we have the leading in-memory database, TimesTen. This is nonsense. There is no in-memory technology anywhere near ready to take the place of a relational database. It's a complete fantasy on their part."
Ellison also implied that SAP simply doesn't have the technical chops to deliver on its vision.
"An in-memory database is enormously complex. We do a lot of in-memory database work. It's an enormously complex job," he added. "If they've been working on it for a decade or so, or a couple of decades, maybe they'd be getting close. It's just so absurd that it's very hard for me to comment with a straight face. They should just keep to accounting."
In his self-interview, Plattner offered a measured response to Ellison's withering assault.
"As an expert, as he is, I'm pretty sure he reads all the publications in the field of databases," he said. "I think he knows about this, and knows that this is coming, so I can't really comment on his comment."
Others are skeptical that SAP can become a major player in databases.
"SAP has introduced various niche data management technologies over the years that might work well for them in an application or a BI product. But there's no evidence that SAP can be a leader in any form of [database] platform software," said Curt Monash of Monash Research.
However, rumors have persisted for years that SAP will acquire its partner Teradata, maker of a data warehousing appliance and its own database. Such a deal could color the competitive stakes significantly.
But Monash doesn't think that will happen, as both SAP's BI division and Teradata take pains to position themselves as agnostic offerings. "The negative effect on each of the businesses would probably outweigh the synergies," he said.


text:
BELLOT, dit Lafontaine, governor of Plaisance (Placentia), 1664–67.
After the brief governorship of Du Perron, who died by an assassin's hand during the winter of 1662–63, only a few months after his arrival, the king sent a new governor, Bellot dit Lafontaine, to Plaisance. French fishermen had frequented the shores of Newfoundland for a long time, but the resident population of Plaisance did not yet exceed 200. To help them subsist, the king had to send them food and munitions every year; a fort and a small garrison assured their defence.
Far from working towards strengthening the colony, the new governor contributed rather to weakening it through his negligence, his exactions, and his misuse of his power. The only official document concerning him that has been preserved notes that he "has discharged his duty badly." He was recalled in 1667 and replaced by La Palme (or de Palme).
AN, Col., C11C, 1, f.24 (copy in BN, MS, NAF 9282 (Margry), f.230). BN, Mélanges Colbert, 144, f.523. La Morandière, Hist. de la pêche française de la morue, I, 417–18.
© 1966–2023 University of Toronto/Université Laval
Cite This Article
René Baudry, "BELLOT, Lafontaine," in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 1, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–, accessed October 3, 2023, http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/bellot_1E.html.
The citation above shows the format for footnotes and endnotes according to the Chicago manual of style (16th edition). Information to be used in other citation formats:
|Author of Article:
|René Baudry
|Title of Article:
|BELLOT, Lafontaine
|Publication Name:
|Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 1
|University of Toronto/Université Laval
|Year of publication:
|Year of revision:
|Access Date:
|October 3, 2023


text:
Click on items in the calendar below to see basic information for each. There is a link in each box to take you to the individual page and registration for that event.
Once you have clicked on the "Register For This Class" button, our system will step through a few pages and will ask you to pay for the class online via our secure payment system. Your space in a class is not guaranteed until we have received your payment. If you prefer to pay another way, please call us at 865-980-0237.
The nitty gritty details about what's included, what happens if you need to cancel, and other stuff:
What you get: Read your description carefully to see what's included for a particular class. Class fee does not include supplies unless otherwise noted.
How to get Guaranteed Seating in a class: Your fee must be paid in full in order to have a guaranteed seat in the class.
Age limits: Classes are for age 13 and over unless otherwise noted.
Please – no guests or children with you in the class.
Minimum Attendance: Some classes are subject to cancellation due to low enrollment, so we appreciate when you register early.
GDPR and Privacy Policy: By completing the class registration you are agreeing to your data being stored and processed in line with our Privacy Information Notice. Wherever we collect information on the site you can verify security and encryption by looking for the green lock icon in the address bar and for "https" at the beginning of the address of the Web page.
Cancellation policy: No refunds will be issued unless we cancel a workshop. If you are unable to attend a class, we ask for 2 days notice in order to issue a store credit, and your credit may be limited to another class with the same instructor. In the case of visiting instructors, class fee may be forfeited entirely. In the case of illness or inclement weather, we will do the best we can to make it possible for you to take another class.


text:
Problem 44756. Lights Out 5 - 5x5, 10 moves
Solution Stats
Problem Comments
8 Comments
There seems to be a problem with Lights Out 5. Test cases 4 and 11 can be solved in fewer than 10 moves. Case 4 is solved by [1 3 5 21 23 25], which is easily verified by hand. Case 11 takes 9 moves -- [1 3 7 12 15 16 22 24 25].
1 William is right.
2 Next problem of this series could be "Lights Out - 5x5, from 3 to 10 moves", I think it is more difficult than this one.
@goc3 Sorry for misspell your name, but I can not delete the comment because of bug of cody.
@William: thanks for catching that. Actually, test case 4 was intentional, as it can also be solved in 10 moves. But, to prevent future confusion, I have replaced it. And, test case 11 was indeed an error—it has been fixed.
@li haitao: the test suite has been updated. Also, problem #7 in the series (not out yet, but will be soon) is similar to what you suggest. Thanks for the comments.
A piece of advice, measure the running time(using tic, toc, for example) in the test suit to see which solution is fast.
@li haitao: I got 3.838179s (total time for test suite) for William's solution and 0.986936s (1/4 the time) for your sped-up version. Impressive.
i am surprised about the fact that some test admit a shorter solution than 10 moves :S
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text:
The New York State attorney general has sent letters to the chief executives of Apple, Microsoft, Google and Samsung asking them for help in combating cellphone theft and hinting he may pursue legal action if they don't cooperate.
The theft of expensive smartphones is on the rise across the U.S., and police chiefs and state and district attorneys have been pushing the cellphone makers and carriers to do more to combat the problem. So far, they've had little success.
In the letters, New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman cites two parts of state law that deal with deceptive trade practices and asks for each company to designate a representative to work with him in New York on the problem.
"I would like to know what Apple is doing to combat this growing public safety problem," Schneiderman said in his letter to Apple. He asks the same question to the other cellphone makers.
"In particular, I seek to understand why companies that can develop sophisticated handheld electronics, such as the products manufactured by Apple, cannot also create technology to render stolen devices inoperable and thereby eliminate the expanding black market on which they are sold," he wrote.
For many in the law enforcement community, this is a fundamental question. Smartphones rely on an Internet connection, have security measures to facilitate e-commerce and stop unauthorized users from accessing the phone, and in many cases include GPS positioning, yet it remains all too easy for thieves to steal phones, wipe them and resell them.
In reaction to pressure last year, the cellphone industry created databases that would hold the network identification numbers of stolen cellphones. In theory, a stolen cellphone is blocked from being used on any U.S. network, but the databases are not yet universally used and don't have good international coverage, so a stolen phone, even one that's blocked in the U.S., could be used overseas.
Schneiderman's letter notes claims each company has made toward the security of the devices.
"Apple has made repeated public representations with regard to safety. On the first page of Apple's website promoting the features of Apple's mobile operating system 'iOS,' Apple proclaims 'safety and security by design,'" he wrote.
Schneiderman then notes his "concern" that the companies might have fallen foul of state law.
"The impression to the consumer is that Apple devices include an array of features that, together, ensure safety and prevent unauthorized use," Schneiderman wrote. "This drives sales and creates goodwill with customers. I am concerned, however, that Apple may have failed to live up to these representations, limiting its focus to information security, without providing safeguards that would truly deter theft and thereby protect the safety of your customers."
In New York, 11,447 cases of stolen iPhones and iPads were recorded in the first nine months of this year, a rise of 3,280 over the previous year. In those robberies, at least one person had been killed for their iPhone and others have been stabbed or violently attacked.
The picture is similar across the U.S. An IDG News Service investigation into cellphone thefts in San Francisco found one-quarter of the 579 robberies that took place between November and April this year involved a knife or a gun. Half of the robberies involved physical force.
Martyn Williams covers mobile telecoms, Silicon Valley and general technology breaking news for The IDG News Service. Follow Martyn on Twitter at @martyn_williams. Martyn's e-mail address is email@example.com


text:
This picture was submitted to "Black & White Wednesday", an event created by Susan at "The Well-Seasoned Cook". This week it is hosted by Lynne "Cafe Lynnylu" (click here in order to see who is hosting the next roundup).
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
This picture was submitted to "Black & White Wednesday", an event created by Susan at "The Well-Seasoned Cook". This week it is hosted by Lynne "Cafe Lynnylu" (click here in order to see who is hosting the next roundup).
37 comments:
I couldn't live without my eggsReplyDelete
So true, a good egg is worth a lot!ReplyDelete
Eggs-cellent. (Sorry, couldn't resist!)ReplyDelete
How true. I could eat eggs all the live long day, and often do. Needless to say, I'm also coveting your pretty bowl!ReplyDelete
I like "eggs-cellent". And I love the picture! :) ela@GrayApronReplyDelete
I cooked some eggs for my grandsons to paint..they brought them home..had nevr had a hard boiled egg..
The little one LOVES them..So happy I made the eggs!
Je craque pour le bol et l'assiette!ReplyDelete
Ah, the beautiful, healing, egg! Lovely. Lovely!ReplyDelete
A wonderful click!ReplyDelete
Très belle photoReplyDelete
As you know, eggs are featured on my blog this week too…but not in so beautiful a way as here. I love your B&W Wednesdays. xoReplyDelete
I love eggs and this gorgeous picture, Rosa!ReplyDelete
Im agree I love eggs too and I love yourReplyDelete
Lovely and beauty bowl Rosa!
It looks so delicate Rosa. A lovely good feeling pictureReplyDelete
The beautiful spring egg.ReplyDelete
Very unique photograph, Rosa, indeed!ReplyDelete
- Anonymous1:38 AM, April 24, 2014
Wonderful egg image!ReplyDelete
Love the pattern of the dishes the lovely eggs are in Rosa!ReplyDelete
So true, what would we do without eggs.ReplyDelete
Ta vaisselle est superbe et ta photo aussi:)ReplyDelete
I agree!A perfect pic!ReplyDelete
Kisses,dear Rosa!
Wonderful! Love the mood!ReplyDelete
Hugs, Sandy
Nice how you combined the ornament with the egg photo.ReplyDelete
And, yes, why does the cook break his best friends all the time?
Cheers, Eric
- Anonymous6:44 PM, April 24, 2014
beautiful photograph Rosa...we are in awe looking at how lovely that egg looks in that delicate bowl,thanks for sharing :-)ReplyDelete
eggs ARE perfect--i can't think of a better way to describe them or a finer way to depict them. :)ReplyDelete
Such a nice picture Rosa...ReplyDelete
Hope you are having a great week :D
Lovely as always. I adore eggs, farm fresh eggs are so beautiful and unappreciated. I never had the pleasure of having a REAL farm fresh egg as a kid. Now that I buy from farms I can't go back!ReplyDelete
Agree with you. Eggs are so previous! Lovely picture.ReplyDelete
Le noir et blanc renforce le grain d'une facon exquise.ReplyDelete
Bonne fin de semaine Rosa.
Lovely photo of one of my favorite things to eat!ReplyDelete
You've said it all through your picture. Pretty!ReplyDelete
Love the eggs and the props :)ReplyDelete
Eggs are so cool to photograph! I love how you have nestled them in your blue and white bowl which photographs so well in black and white. Thanks for your contribution to BWW #126.ReplyDelete
Indeed they are!ReplyDelete
Don't know how to call it, but I love the layer of the photography... so unique and elegant!ReplyDelete
We eat a lot of cooked eggs in my home. So delicious looking!ReplyDelete


text:
Rejoice, because there's a new MPEG video standard coming. It's called High Efficiency Video Coding and it will be twice as efficient as current standards. This means downloading movies twice as fast. Or doubling their quality. HEVC will arrive next year.
According to Per Fröjdh—manager for Visual Technology at Ericsson Research— the new standard "could be launched in commercial products as early as in 2013." He doesn't specify which kind of products, but he probably means processors for cellphones, tablets, graphic board and set top boxes.
The new format will be able to keep the same quality as the most advanced video today but only using half of the internet bandwidth. This is important because "video accounts for the vast majority of all data sent over networks, and that proportion is increasing: "by 2015, it is predicted to account for 90 percent of all network traffic," says Fröjdh.
But that doesn't only mean that providers can cram more content into the same pipes they are using now. It also means that your streaming will be less prone to failure and, more importantly, it will allow you to consume less bandwidth while watching video in your phone or tablet computer. With the extinction of unlimited bandwidth plans, this is great news.
For those people who share large video files *COUGH*torrent*COUGH*, this is great news too. They would be able to do it in half the time or, if they want, the new format will double the quality of current HD video using the same internet connection they are using now. This can result in a better experience while watching streaming high definition movies.
According to Steven Crowley, a white paper by Motorola observed that "history has shown that technological evolution typically results in ~10% – 20% annual improvement in encoder efficiency, with the efficiency doubling every 6 – 8 years as a result of technological breakthroughs."
Looks like we have just arrived in time for a new 2x boost. I wonder which will be the first phone with HEVC decoding baked on its CPU—an iPhone 6 with some magic Apple A10 processor perhaps? [Ericsson via Steven Crowley]


text:
From one lead, a sea of questions emerges in missing jet saga
BEIJING -- When will we know whether the debris that's been spotted in the southern Indian Ocean is from missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370?
John Young, general manager of emergency response for the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, says it will be a lengthy process.
"We have to locate it, confirm that it belongs to the aircraft, recover it and then bring it a long way back to Australia, so that could take some time."
Satellites captured images of the objects Sunday about 14 miles (23 kilometers) from each other and about 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers) southwest of Australia's west coast. The area is a remote, rarely traveled expanse of ocean far from commercial shipping lanes.
Would pieces of the plane still be floating?
If the plane crashed into the water, large pieces would not still be floating by now, according to Steve Wallace, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration's former director of accident investigation. But pieces of lightweight debris, not aircraft structure, could be floating days after the aircraft struck the water, he said. That could include life jackets and seat cushions.
Is it possible that the plane would have gone that far?
Mitchell Casado, a flight instructor on a 777 flight simulator, said that running out of gas would be a big concern. "There's such few options," he said. "As long-range as this aircraft is, it's a long way to any suitable airport out there. There are some small islands, you know, that you could possibly land at, but that would really be pushing your -- the limits of the airplane. So I would really be worried about running out of gas."
The 777, when fully fueled, can go 16 to 18 hours. Flight 370 wasn't.
Some planes flew over the area, and a ship went there. What did they find?
Four aircraft -- two from Australia, one from New Zealand and one from the United States -- flew into the search area but found nothing of note. A Norwegian cargo ship also arrived in the area Thursday afternoon but had not found anything as of nightfall. The searches were hindered by low visibility and rough seas in the region, a wild and remote stretch of ocean rarely traveled by commercial shipping or aircraft. A second merchant ship is steaming to the area, as is the HMAS Success, an Australian naval vessel that is still several days away. China and Malaysia are also sending vessels to the area, they said Thursday.
If it's not the plane, what else could it be?
Almost anything big and buoyant. The objects were spotted in a part of the Indian Ocean known for swirling currents called gyres that can trap all sorts of floating debris. Among the leading contenders for what the objects might be, assuming they're not part of Flight 370: shipping containers that fell off a passing cargo vessel. There are reasons to doubt that theory, however. The area isn't near commercial shipping lanes, and the larger object, at an estimated 79 feet (24 meters), would seem to be nearly twice as long as standard shipping containers.
If it is the plane, would its location tell us anything about what happened on that flight?
If it really is the wreckage of the Boeing 777-200, its far southern location would provide investigators with precious clues into what terrible events unfolded to result in the disappearance and loss of the airliner, according to Robert Goyer, editor-in-chief of Flying magazine and a commercial jet-rated pilot. "The location would suggest a few very important parameters. The spot where searchers have found hoped-for clues is, based on the location information provided by the Australian government, nearly 4,000 miles from where the airliner made its unexpected and as yet unexplained turn to the west," Goyer wrote. The first obvious clue is that the airplane flew for many hours.
What do the satellite images show?
Two indistinct objects, one about 79 feet (24 meters) in length and the other about 16 feet (5 meters) long. Though they don't look like much to the untrained observer, Australian intelligence imagery experts who looked at the pictures saw enough to pass them along to the maritime safety agency, Young said. "Those who are expert indicate they are credible sightings. And the indication to me is of objects that are reasonable size and are probably awash with water, bobbing up and down out of the surface," he said.
How old are the satellite images?
They were taken by commercial satellite imaging company DigitalGlobe on Sunday.
Why are we just hearing about them now?
Basically, the Australians say, it's because the Indian Ocean is a very big place. The maritime safety authority said it took four days for the images to reach it "due to the volume of imagery being searched and the detailed process of analysis that followed."
How did they know to look in this area?
This southern area is where searchers believe there is the most likelihood of the plane being found. U.S. officials have also said the southern corridor is where the plane is most likely to be.
The searchers used mathematics to narrow the likely area to a square -- and that is where these images have emerged.
Who is running the search?
The Australians are in charge of the search in their area of responsibility, which includes a large area of the southern Indian Ocean off Australia's west coast. Malaysia remains in overall control of the search.
How long does the flight data recorder ping?
It would be difficult to pick up ultrasonic "pingers" from the data recorders. In this vast expanse of ocean, the range of the pingers in the best conditions may be about 2 miles. If they are at the bottom of the ocean, that really limits how far they can go, especially in warm waters. The warmth of the water may impede the pingers because of the presence of thermoclines, or layers of different temperatures in the water that affect the ability of the pingers to be heard. The recorders' batteries die after about 30 days.


text:
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Lin Coming In
58 comments:
- AnonymousNovember 11, 2010 at 5:44 PM
Perfect situation. Warriors getting killed on the road after two wins. Even if struggles, it won't receive too much scrutiny. And if he helps lead a mini comeback, then it'll raise his confidence.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 11, 2010 at 5:48 PM
Damn. Lin ran a nice play...and missed the layup. Gotta finish strong, JL.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 11, 2010 at 5:53 PM
C'mon Jeremy, make something happenReplyDelete
Or else you'll be DNP again
- AnonymousNovember 11, 2010 at 5:55 PM
Damn it. GREAT drive...missed the open layup. This is kinda concerning. Not he sits -- probably cause he can't drop the layups.ReplyDelete
To be fair, everyone on the Warriors is missing right now.
- AnonymousNovember 11, 2010 at 5:55 PM
how can we watch? the website provided doesnt seem to have viable linksReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 11, 2010 at 5:59 PM
- AnonymousNovember 11, 2010 at 6:01 PM
tried it. it's blocked by the admin. :*( Video not found.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 11, 2010 at 6:01 PM
Warriors look tired.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 11, 2010 at 6:02 PM
lin has to finish those drives. he was yanked early.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 11, 2010 at 6:03 PM
- AnonymousNovember 11, 2010 at 6:06 PM
I hope the W's can break 70 points 2-night.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 11, 2010 at 6:10 PM
Needs to learn how to shoot better... no jumper, & close-ups aren't going in. probably whats holding him back.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 11, 2010 at 6:16 PM
The jumper will come. But the layups should already be there. He's lacking confidence offensively because he's been focusing on running the point and not turning it over (which he's done well). He needs to walk and chew gum at the same time.ReplyDelete
He's missing fairly open layups. He should just dunk it or something -- which he can do.
- AnonymousNovember 11, 2010 at 6:17 PM
Hopefully Smart plays him some more in the 2nd half. The whole Warriors team is garbage tonight, so might as well let JL get some time. Lin needs to see the ball go through the hoop on a drive. Sounds stupid, but it'll help big time.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 11, 2010 at 6:35 PM
The game is streaming on ATDHE.net again. Lin is/was? in. Ugly game for everyone including him. Still hustling though. And he swatted Noah...but it was called a goaltend (no way).ReplyDelete
That was an amazing block..ReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 11, 2010 at 6:43 PM
that was a block. refs probably think no way an asian american can do that so they just call it goal tending.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 11, 2010 at 6:44 PM
Won't go down that way, though. Lin has looked great on D -- even against D-Rose he wasn't any worse than Ellis and was better than Curry.ReplyDelete
But offensively, he is a mess. He can/will get better, but right now, he has no confidence. Unless he can finish those drives, defenders will be up in his grill all night. And that means TOs and sloppy offensive sets.
- AnonymousNovember 11, 2010 at 6:54 PM
For once, if JL doesn't make it back into the game, it's his own fault. Sometimes you just need to put the ball in the hoop. Nice energy as always, but you need to execute or you can't play serious minutes.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 11, 2010 at 7:13 PM
Back inReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 11, 2010 at 7:18 PM
Got in for the last two minutes of garbage time -- nice gesture by Smart. Didn't take a shot, but got a nice steal (the guy is a steal machine, seriously) and got his +/- up a little.ReplyDelete
Lin needs to finish -- simple as that. So many parts of his game will improve if he can finish on a drive -- Monta needs to teach him in practice.
- AnonymousNovember 11, 2010 at 7:19 PM
lol another stealReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 11, 2010 at 7:20 PM
Keith Smart definitely doesn't know how to develop young players. GSW was losing by almost 40, Lin made some mistakes but jesus christ, everyone makes mistakes, plus he's a rookie. You can't develop him by letting him play 2-3minute slices 2-3 times a night.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 11, 2010 at 7:28 PM
Thanks for the link...finally caught some JLin action tonight. Agree with the most of the comments above. JLin had a nice steal at the end, and really shows is ability to play defense. I think he just needs more play time to get settled in...he still looks a bit timid on offense and passing the ball a bit too often and not looking for his own shots. But given the few minutes he's played that is expected. Let's hope he gets another 10-15 minutes of PT next game. It sure is fun watching him play.ReplyDelete
You guys need to chill on the Smart hate. Lin's lucky to get playing time at all. Most undrafted players are sent to D-League or are inactive for every game. He's a good player and I'm a fan, but some guys on here are acting like he's a 1st round lottery pick.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 11, 2010 at 8:46 PM
Jeremy Lin does have a knack for getting steals.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 11, 2010 at 9:18 PM
Smart's priority is to win. He may only be around for one year. JLin will replay those layups in practice. He'll eventually hit them.ReplyDelete
- brah brah from the 5th flowNovember 11, 2010 at 9:38 PM
warriors got blown out and smart really thought that we still had a chance to win, but smart is still a rookie head coach. all the jlin fans i feel u guys but we need to chill b/c he God will make a way for him, slowly but surely. u already see the injuries to curry and ellis, its just a matter of God timing!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 11, 2010 at 9:44 PM
Cut it out with the God stuff. Besides, God only opens the door -- JL has to walk through it.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 11, 2010 at 11:07 PM
Lol at Jeremy Lin for saying he doesn't have freak athletic abilities. He lied to us all. Those blocks are unreal for any point guard. He gets so damn high and fast. The steals are also unreal. Those are the kind of steals you only see in nba2k11 played by a total beginner like myself. And then there are those jump ball wins vs. much taller guys.ReplyDelete
- asiancaucasianNovember 11, 2010 at 11:08 PM
jlin will do better without monta and possibly also without curry on the floor, but particularly without monta. You saw it tonight when monta and jlin almost grabbed the same rebound but monta got it and jlin jumped ahead of him on the wing. monta should have kicked it ahead to jlin instead no kick up and no fastbreak. monta doesn't trust jlin and probably won't because he really wont understand jlins game. monta understands and appreciates one thing. scoring. but he doesn't truly understand team play or the nuance and timing of it. jlin's ideal line up is biedrins lee wright and either reggie, carney, or radmonovich. he needs to be part of a defensive minded package that can get steals and boards and run and where jlin can be the one controlling the ball in the open court. ideally he would get a chance with this type of line-up for a few minutes a quarter or half and if they do well leave them in a little longer. if they don't, then bring back the monta and curry. jlin WILL NOT be able to score anywhere near the level of curry or monta so why even think about it. BUT, he will be able to run a defensive minded squad for a few minutes a game with some overlap with the regulars if his squad were to start flowing -- on a squad like this he will apt to be more offensive minded too becuase he won't have to defer to monta or curry. hopefully, keith is smart enough to realize this. When he jlin did such a nice job in the Laker game, monta and curry were not factors in the come back -- in fact when jlin went out and monta came back the warriors immediately went into the tank. monta is not a good 10pts+ down player.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 11, 2010 at 11:20 PM
I think monta ellis and curry are playing streetballish kinda...ReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 11, 2010 at 11:21 PM
yeah i noticed that play when monta and lin went for the rebound and lin ran ahead.. he was wide open and monta could and should have made the easy pass for possibly a dunk.ReplyDelete
i replayed the steal he got in the NY game where he stripped the ball from Amare and then Anthony. he has to have some serious strength to do that. both of guys are BIG players who had TWO hands on the ball when Lin stripped it away from them with just his right hand. i think Lin have REALLY been under-rated in the strength, speed and athleticism categories.
- AnonymousNovember 11, 2010 at 11:23 PM
would love to see lin play with the likes of kobe, rose, paul, and lebron. but not wade who a master at 1 on 1 basketball.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 11, 2010 at 11:47 PM
jesus christ can he be more aggresive offensively and make a damn bucket. i'm rooting for him and all...but he just cant make these simple layups. shouldnt playing basketball your whole life make you better than .143 field goal percentage? this...is...frustrating.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 12, 2010 at 12:23 AM
Wade went 2-12 in 40 minutes and he's been playing in the NBA for years now. besides were you watching? those aren't easy lay-ups. they were acrobatic, hand in the face type attempts.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 12, 2010 at 12:25 AM
It's a tiny sample size -- basically one starter's game worth. But yes, he needs to start hitting them before it becomes mental.ReplyDelete
The funny thing is that his efficiency is supposed to be his saving grace. He may never have Monta's moves or Steph's shooting stroke, but he'll never take a bad shot and make the ones he takes. To be fair, his job right now is to run the offense -- not BE the offense.
- AnonymousNovember 12, 2010 at 1:43 AM
he is shooting guard being asked to play the point guard position as a rookie from day 1. so far i think he has been doing quite well. not a lot of shooting guards in the nba can make this conversion no matter how long they play.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 12, 2010 at 8:31 AM
Totally agree with Anonymous 1:43ReplyDelete
That was one of his scouting reports weaknesses: No true position.
He's a shooting guard with playmaker abilities. He scores best off the ball, but he's able to make plays with the ball.
Heck, but if Warriors were able to make the conversion with Stephen Curry, Jeremy Lin should be just fine.
- AnonymousNovember 12, 2010 at 9:05 AM
I know this is asking a lot, but since this is "the" JLin fan site, can the webmaster/owner work with some people to try to get highlights of him for the games? Looking for highlights is what keeps me coming back here.ReplyDelete
- asiancaucasianNovember 12, 2010 at 9:38 AM
Jlin is a natural point guard. That was his position in high school. if you saw him play, you know this is his position. he is NOT a shooting guard nor really a point scorer ala curry or monta. he is best when getting an outlet pass and managing an open floor. only curry can manage the open floor like he does (see the trail pass to wright for a three a couple games back.) you are not going to see monta throw trail passes for threes. a guy who averages 13pts a game in the IVY league is not going to step in and start pouring in points in the pros. Bill Bradley averaged 30 points in college and 13 in the pros. Jlin needs to lead a second team of defenders and role players not play with curry and monta who want to pound the ball and put it on the deck where Jlin has to float around on the perimeter watching the show.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 12, 2010 at 9:38 AM
"asiancaucasian" has excellent points. Lin does play and flow better with the second team. Lin also does a good job setting-up easy shots for D. Wright, B. Wright, A.B, & D. Lee. It is a "mind" game for Lin now.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 12, 2010 at 10:48 AM
I agree with getting highlights www.youtube.com/mmzzyeahhReplyDelete
great comments here love it, i have his first game on my siteReplyDelete
- asiancaucasianNovember 12, 2010 at 11:09 AM
addendum: actually jlin may be even better when getting his own board and pushing.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 12, 2010 at 12:38 PM
hm..i actually think that positions don't really matter too much. they're basketball players first and foremost. i dont think playing a position dictates how much you can score. So there isnt really an excuse for his low shooting percentage (.111) other than the fact that he doesnt have enough playing time and he's too unselfish (1.8 assists per 9 minutes isn't bad). hopefully he can get comfortable knocking down outside shots soon. it's sad to say but scoring does help you stay in the nba longer since that's the number that most people pay attention too. If not scoring..great efficiency sure does help.ReplyDelete
- mr chucklesNovember 12, 2010 at 1:16 PM
The problem with him playing his best only when certain other teammates are on the floor with him is that it is too limiting for the coach. Smart isn't going to change the players on the court to suit Lin. Lin needs to make those layups and develop a more consistent mid-range shot if he wants any sort of minutes other than garbage time.ReplyDelete
The blocks, steals, and assists have been a lot of fun to watch and do show that he has some nice skills.
Also, I'm not sure if I am imagining this or not but it seems like Monte doesn't like Lin much. Even in the Raptors game where he split the defenders and drove in for an easy assist, just before the play Monte was in the corner gesticulating angrily at Lin. Perhaps it is just like what someone commented earlier that Monte just doesn't trust Lin yet.
- asiancaucasianNovember 12, 2010 at 1:37 PM
jlin needs to score and be efficient when he is presented with the opportunity I agree, but jlin doesn't not NEED to score to help this team. They don't need him to come of the bench and be a primary producer. If you saw him in the Laker game or Raptor Game you saw what I like to call the "Jlin Effect." Steals, Boards, Some Points, Tempo Control, and Will to Win. It's the cumulative effect he will have on the game over time. Basketball is a game of chemistry, and good point guards create chemistry. Monta is a hard guy to create chemistry with. In fact, i think he even hinders good chemistry. But he is a necessary evil -- an amazing scorer and finisher -- with this team because they don't have great scorers at other positions. The point-scorer has changed the game of basketball for the worse I believe. Everything is either pick and roll and spacing or post up and spacing. There is no offense, no real flow or chemsitry with several people touching the ball per posession. Jlin would do better in Jazz type of setting AND when hes allowed to control the break. (A High Level Euro Squad might truly suit Jlin better to be honest.) You will often see Monta or Curry get the outlet and dribble it up with Jlin off the ball and this just limits the "Jlin Effect". Again, I don't think he should be a starter -- monta and curry are better at what they do -- but he should be allowed to LEAD at second team who's primary role is to defend and create scores with their defense and rebounding. And, his minutes should be limited... unless we are seeing the Jlin Effect ... which we will see! You saw it in the Laker game and you saw it in the Raptor game.ReplyDelete
- asiancaucasianNovember 12, 2010 at 1:58 PM
monta doesn't trust jlin because lin isn't scoring. if monta were more of a catch and shoot kind of guy he would love jlin... but monta needs to pound it to score. he should have kicked it up on the break to lin the other night... if you've done any coaching or know the game you know that was a clear sign of no trust -- kick it ahead should be automatic -- unless there is an absence of trust. monta and jlin are oil and water. there may even be jealousy on monta's part because jlin is earning applause without doing much. monta is carrying the heavy load and but does he really feel the same amount of love from the warrior crowd??? i bet not... which has to promote some jealousy without a doubt.ReplyDelete
- mr chucklesNovember 12, 2010 at 2:21 PM
I completely agree that Lin doesn't need to be a "scorer" and simply needs to take advantage of the opportunities given. That being said, not having an outside shot will limit his effectiveness at the point if defenders know he can't shoot.ReplyDelete
I also agree with the over-enthusiasm of the Lin supporters creating a slight air of jealousy from the true stars of the team. Monte in particular is a spectacular player but always seems to not get as much glory for it (no All-Star teams, Baron and Stack-Jack hogging the spotlight).
- asiancaucasianNovember 12, 2010 at 2:59 PM
i'm fully with you mr. chuckles... and yep got to knock down the outside j. doesn't have to take a lot but keep them honest for sure.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 12, 2010 at 3:13 PM
brian, and your website is ....ReplyDelete
- cablanasian3November 12, 2010 at 3:16 PM
click on brian!ReplyDelete
I'm a HUGEE Monta fan, I'm one of the few/only fans who actually felt that GSW should REALLY keep him instead of trading him last year. He's definitely one of my favorite players to watch since he has such a creative ability to score.ReplyDelete
However, I agree, Monta sometimes does "hinder" offensive flow, but it's all a matter of gaining his trust.
Last year, he didn't trust Stephen Curry at the beginning of the season. But this season, you actually see him throw trail passes to Stephen Curry for 3 pointers all the time. When teammates gain Monta's trust, he's actually really amazing with the offensive flow; he's actually the one running the tempo. I mean, come on, he IS the team leader. However, if he doesn't trust certain teammates, offensive efficiency sometimes isn't optimized to its full potential.
Nonetheless, you can't really blame him with the trust issues based on how he was treated last year with Don Nelson n' franchise, practically a lame duck or scapegoat. Plus with his dynamic ability to score, kinda made sense.
However, he's changed in many areas already entering the season, so hopefully we'll see more even more changes as the season goes on.
- asiancaucasianNovember 12, 2010 at 5:04 PM
alright rchao i'm gonna keep an open mind!ReplyDelete
alright i see some names around here and that's good. for the rest of you anonymous poster, please use a name we can identify you with. i feel there is a community here now.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 12, 2010 at 9:48 PM
brian, i don't see what vid you're talking about. i just see about 100 vlogs that you made about random things.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 12, 2010 at 10:23 PM
Here's a highlight reel of the raptor game. Jeremy comes in at 1:01-2:41.ReplyDelete
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOhbOHOIh4I and unlike that brian guy, this one's REAL.


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Steve's Deal of the Day – Maria Diaz Gabriela: Project IdeasFriday, June 13th, 2014
Steve's Deal of the Day for this weekend is Maria Diaz Gabriela – $18.99/hank (reg $39.99), an 80%Baby Alpaca/20%Merino Wool blend that knits up at a chunky 3.5 stitches per inch on a US 10.5 needle for quick and cozy projects.
Ravelry user Ladybird88 used Gabriela to make Jen Geigley's GAP-tastic Cowl, the Tunbes River color would be perfect!
Roberta Soleri's temporale dorato looks so bright and perfect for spring in the Sapote Leaf color, as knit by Ravelry user 4Kfamily.
And don't forget! Maria Diaz Gabriela is Steve's Deal of the Day through 11:59pm EDT Sunday, June 15, 2014. Use Promo Code FBGABRIELA2 at checkout to get the special price, $18.99/hank (reg $39.99).


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Embellished Votive DIY and a Harvest Party!
- find trim*
- glue to votive, starting at top
- keep twirling trim around until you get to the bottom, glueing as you go.
Your autumn decor is extremely elegant! Thank you for all the tips :) The leaves on the wall are a great detail!ReplyDelete
I love your decor, beautiful ideas!
Wow, such pretty decorating! So inspirational.ReplyDelete
These are lovely! And the idea is amazing, simple yet chique :D I've got to try these out some time! Thanks for being inspirational <3
i love the decorations!!!! they look really great. i got married in sept and we took mason jars and emblished them w lace, feathers, twine, all in natural colors. i have about 30 of them, some are -meh- and some are so lovely!!! i really want to re-paint my whole entire house with clean white paint and bring in so much nature with vintage goodies!!! speaking of your husband- i think its time we see him again! lolReplyDelete
How did you stick the leaves to the wall? They're so cute!ReplyDelete
So pretty! If I had stuck leaves to the wall, they would've ended up looking so odd! You make them look gorgeous! (:ReplyDelete
I just love how you make everything look fantastic with what you have at hand! (I also have things hoarded that predate the arrival of my daughter, who is now 5.;)ReplyDelete
Disney, the decoration is simply beautiful and reflects your fine sense for an unobtrusive but impressive style. ...AND congratulations to 10,000 readers! WOW! You deserve every single! I love your blog! XO from Germany, NiciReplyDelete
I love the way you used the leaves as a decoration on the chandelier! The look like they are just floating in mid-air! Such inspiration for fall!ReplyDelete
Love this, especially the pumpkins. You have great taste! :)ReplyDelete
Wow Disney ur ideas are superb!!! I wish autumn comes here to maldives. Heheh. Its beautiful.
Xoxoox nau
You are so creative! Beautiful job as always! And, how sweet that they did a thank you for you guys. I know I don't attend your church, but thank you for serving the Lord and being His hands to those around you.ReplyDelete
these are so beautiful and festive! I adore them!ReplyDelete
What a lovely party it was!! You are so amazingly talented, and always come up with such beautiful ideas. God has truly blessed you with such talent. Let's have a party every season, not only to enjoy, but to also see what new and creative decorating ideas you can come up with. Thank you again...the Harvest Party was wonderful!!ReplyDelete
Hi, Disney!
Your "Love you, Disney" actually should be right-aligned, like one would align it if they were writing a personal note to someone. It looks better that way rather than left-aligned or centered. :)
Lovely! All of it.ReplyDelete
This all turned out so stunning. I love the way you randomly embellished everything to get an end result of sheer genius and perfection. It all looks amazing :] Autumn is my favorite season as wel - I just dislike the cold LOL. Wonderful job here.ReplyDelete
Such prettiness! I love Autumn and decorating with nature too! And those votives are absolutely darling! But my favorite is the old books with pumpkins, pears and pinecones! Ha! It even sounds cute!
Thanks for the great ideas and sweetness as always!
Oh my goodness! The house is completely autumnitized!! Gorgeous!!
Oh! This is SO pretty, creative, and happy looking. It is the best autumn party decor I've ever seen!


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Ben Bernanke has joined the 100-year-old Brookings Institution as a distinguished fellow in Residence at the Washington-based think tank's Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy. The announcement Monday from Strobe Talbott, Brookings' president, came on the same day that Bernanke's successor as Federal Reserve chief, Janet Yellen, was sworn in at the Federal Reserve building in Washington.
David Wessel, the former Wall Street Journal editor who runs the recently established Hutchins Center, said in a note that the scholars at Brookings are "looking forward to helping Mr. Bernanke with the book he plans to write, and to getting his advice as we work to improve public understanding of fiscal and monetary policy and improve the quality and effectiveness of those policies."
Bernanke became chairman of the Fed in 2006 following his nomination by President George W. Bush; President Barack Obama nominated him to a second term in 2010. Bernanke previously was a professor of economics at Princeton University and chairman of the economics department at Princeton.


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text: For prospective Xoom buyers, the news just keeps getting better.Earlier today, we heard Verizon had come to its senses and gotten rid of the ridiculous data plan requirement it had originally attached to Motorola's new Honeycomb tablet. Up till this morning, Big Red had said you'd have to sign up for at least a month of 3G service to get a Xoom, even if you only wanted to use Wi-Fi -- a catch that would've cost you an extra 55 bucks at checkout. Thankfully, that condition is history.Now, I'm happy to confirm that another potential pitfall for the Motorola Xoom has been averted: The tablet is untainted by Verizon's typically unavoidable bloatware.That, my friends, is a mobile miracle.Motorola Xoom and Verizon: No Heavy MeddlingPlenty of us have been plagued by Verizon's notorious smartphone bloatware -- you know, the crap the carrier loves to load up on its phones and make difficult for us users to uninstall. Devices like the Droid X are packed with junk like Visual Voicemail (a less-good, subscription-based version of Google Voice), VZ Navigator (a less-good, subscription-based version of Google Maps), and random services like Amazon MP3 and Blockbuster that you may or may not actually want. It's a way for Verizon to make extra money, of course, but from a user perspective, it's incredibly obnoxious.(To be fair, other carriers are guilty of this, too -- but the Xoom's a Verizon device, so we'll focus our bloatware-induced rage at them for today.)The Motorola Xoom, amazingly, escaped the production line unscathed by the claws of Verizon's bloatware beast. The tablet does come with the standard suite of Google's Android apps, such as Gmail, Maps, Places, and Latitude. But when you're buying an Android device, you expect that; these apps are essentially part of the Android operating system, and with the exception of maybe Latitude, they're pretty damn good. Visual Voicemail? Not so much.Now, the Xoom does have a bit of bloatware, but only in the form of two preloaded games: Cordy and Dungeon Defenders. Back at Google's Android Honeycomb event, the Android team talked about plans for including tablet-optimized games on the Xoom. The practice wouldn't bother me as much if the programs could be easily removed -- both Cordy and Dungeon Defenders are oddly designated as "system applications" -- but they're still far less objectionable than the useless upsell-driven clutter like City ID and V Cast Media Manager.The only other unusual thing I've noticed lurking in the Xoom's storage is a small collection of music -- a couple dozen MP3s, all of which can be easily deleted. I guess it's an aural starter pack of sorts, designed specifically for the kind of person who likes Cheap Trick, Kenny Chesney, and Los Lonely Boys (sorry, guys -- no Bieber).All in all, it's a welcome surprise to see a largely meddle-free precedent being set for the new generation of Android tablets. Here's hoping the trend continues.JR Raphael is a PCWorld contributing editor and the author of the Android Power blog. You can find him on both Facebook and Twitter.


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Award winning, wedding hair stylist and makeup artist in Key West Florida. Providing individually designed hairstyling & makeup that lasts & photographs beautifully. We are one of the best makeup artistry team, that work for your special moment and that can accommodate all your beauty needs with their best stylist hair and makeup expert.
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1000 Hours Deluxe American Superwar Gold!
cooled by haze
|Pentagon denies GPS to Taliban
|When being chased by CIA trainees, don't mention Belgium to the waffle house physicist
|From Baghdad, with Britney Spears and Toby Keith, it's the Iraq War Halftime Show!
|Peace be with you
|What does nuclear fusion smell like?
|Are you a REAL American?
|I do not apologize on behalf of my country
|white phosphorus
|A Sniper in Every Minaret
|Three McDonald's: The Myth of Regeneration Through Violence
|The smell of burning wires every astronaut fears
|God Bless America
|Oceania has always been at war with Eastasia
|Frank Gehry
|Natalie Maines
|People's Republic of Maryland
|Why the United States rules
|20mm sniper rifle
|Baring Witness
|The United States should go to war with Iraq
|End of History


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Whether it's being encased in an egg or wearing slabs of meat, there's never a question of whether Lady Gaga will make a spectacle of herself at an awards show — the question is just what kind.
So when the MTV Video Music Awards came around this year, Gaga didn't disappoint. Though she dressed somewhat conservatively in short black hair, a dingy white t-shirt, a black blazer and pants, it was whom she embodied that made headlines — a man, whom she called Jo Calderone. The temporary gender switch marked yet another act in Gaga's strange pop odyssey.
But what made the VMAs so noteworthy was that Gaga wasn't the only oddity who graced the stage. In one corner there was Katy Perry, sporting pink hair and a giant yellow cube on top of her head. And then there was Nicki Minaj, who wore a colorful surgical mask, a rainbow-colored wig, a mini-tutu made out of cubic designs, with an attached string of stuffed toys.
It wasn't too long ago pop's top ladies were likely to try to out-sex each other, from plunging necklines to gyrating stage performances.
But Gaga, Minaj and Perry are part of a group of contemporary pop stars who are finding success by defying the conventional definition of sexiness with oddball tactics and wacky outfits, recalling pop stars from the past, from Cyndi Lauper to Annie Lennox to Grace Jones.
"All three are emblematic of the millennial generation, who are constantly remixing and reshaping their identities," said MTV president Stephen Friedman of Perry, Gaga and Minaj.
"It used to be all about the jocks and the beautiful women, and now the nerd is the new jock," Friedman continued. "The currency is about being smart and funny and different and I think that's what they're playing into — (it) is how can they be different than what you can expect the day before."
Ke$ha, who was absent from this year's VMAs, has also rebelled against the norm. She burst on the scene with her sideshow style singing about brushing her teeth with Jack Daniels; she now wears a necklace of her fans' teeth. She wears her disheveled look with pride: At last year's VMAs, Minaj sported a fitted dress and pink wig, Perry also sported a sexy dress with pink and purple highlights in her hair — Ke$ha rocked a trash bag.
"People are like, 'Oh, maybe you should tone the homeless thing down?' It's just not going to happen," Ke$ha said from Council Bluffs, Iowa, where she performed her "Get $leazy Tour." "I like looking homeless sometimes. I like looking like a drunken grandma sometimes. I like looking like a tribal warrior from the future sometimes and I'm not going to stop playing with my style for anybody."
Being the "weird" girl has definitely enhanced these ladies' platinum profiles. But Gaga, Minaj and Perry didn't always appear to be oddballs.
Gaga started off with a "Jersey Shore"-esque tan and straight blonde extensions. The weirdest part of her look was oversized — yet trendy — sunglasses. Her music matched her style: Her debut CD, "The Fame," is filled with mostly safe-sounding pop songs that are club-friendly and radio-ready.
As Gaga became edgier (her "Paparazzi" video featured her dancing in crutches), so did her music. Her follow-up disc, "The Fame Monster" featured songs like the "Bad Romance," with bizarre lyrics like, "I want your ugly, I want your disease." The photo that graces her latest album, the top-selling "Born This Way," features her as a hybrid of a person and a motorcycle; on it, she sings of Judas, of being a government hooker, and in German.
"You look at Lady Gaga and she's reinvented herself more times in one year than Madonna did in 20 years," Friedman said.
Minaj evolved from an image as an oversexed street rapper to an animated R&B-pop singer and a bona fide pop star, with a penchant for Barbies and wild outfits and wigs that make her seem cartoonish, by design. Though Perry's first breakout hit was "I Kissed a Girl," the singer has infused her sexuality with an often silly, farcical persona that makes her an accessible, fun pin-up.
Ke$ha says their wackiness is a reflection of their confidence and individuality.
"I feel like the way I dress and the way I speak and the way I sing and the kind of music I make — it all comes from me," she said. "I'm connected to people because I'm not just parading around like I'm the sexiest thing on the planet, 'cause I'm not."
Mesfin Fekadu covers entertainment for The Associated Press. Follow him at http://twitter.com/musicmesfin


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In this week's parasha, Shemini, we read of the sudden death of Nadav and Avihu, the sons of Aaron. The Torah states that they brought an incense offering that God "had not commanded them" (Leviticus 10:1) and as a result were consumed in a blaze of fire. The simple meaning here is that they had performed a priestly service that they were not supposed to, or were not worthy of performing, and this is why they were consumed. Rashi brings a number of other opinions as to why they perished: One is that they brazenly "rendered halachic decisions before Moses". Another is that they had brought the offering while intoxicated, which is why just several verses later the Torah prohibits priests from being inebriated while serving in the Temple (Leviticus 10:9).
The Arizal, in Sha'ar HaGilgulim, brings a number of explanations, too. One is from an older Midrash that Nadav and Avihu refused to get married, believing that no women were worthy to marry them. Based on this, the Arizal states that Nadav reincarnated in Samson (ch. 36). Samson, too, didn't marry any Jewish girls, and instead married Philistine women that brought him nothing but trouble. This may have been his punishment for refusing to marry a good Jewish girl in a past life. The Arizal adds that because Nadav had served while drunk, Samson was born a nazir, and was forbidden from consuming even a drop of alcohol his entire life. The proof that Samson was a reincarnation of Nadav comes from Scripture, where in one instance (I Samuel 12:11) Samson is actually referred to as "Badan" (בדן). This name is the reverse of Nadav (נדב), hinting to their spiritual connection.
Having said all that, the Arizal gives another reason for the deaths of Nadav and Avihu, and in this case not because they were sinful. Instead, he explains that Nadav and Avihu correspond to the sefirot of Netzach and Hod, emerging from the highest level of Adam's soul (ch. 33). They died to atone for the sins of the nation, and to remove the zuhama, the spiritual impurity that the Serpent (Nachash) in Eden injected into the world. (For a deeper analysis of exactly which sin Nadav and Avihu died for and why, see 'The Holy Souls of Nadav and Avihu' in Garments of Light.) This idea predates the Arizal, and is found in the Zohar (III, 56b), which compares Nadav and Avihu to the two goats sacrificed on Yom Kippur. The Zohar states that the two brothers were equal in greatness to the entire Sanhedrin of seventy elders, and their deaths atoned for the sins of Israel.
The Zohar's description brings to mind a similar one from the Talmud (Sanhedrin 44a), where the Sages discuss the deaths of 36 Israelites in the Battle of Ai (Joshua 7-8). Recall that Joshua led the Israelites into battle to conquer the Holy Land. The first battle, for the city of Jericho, was a flawless victory, with not a single Israelite casualty. The second battle, however, was initially a defeat, with 36 Israelites losing their lives. While this is certainly a small number in military terms, the fact that there was any casualty at all was a shock for the nation. The Sages state that, in reality, it wasn't even 36 soldiers, for "surely it was said, 'about thirty six men' [Joshua 7:5] which refers to Yair, the son of Menashe, who was equal to the greater part of the Sanhedrin."
The Sages state that actually just one person was killed in the Battle of Ai, and he was equal to 36 of the 70 wise and righteous elders of the Sanhedrin. They extract this from the words of the Tanakh itself, which states k'shloshim v'shisha ish, literally translated as "like 36 man". In other words, the casualty of the Battle of Ai was one man likened to 36. The Sages use the same expression elsewhere, in describing Avishai, the nephew of King David (Berakhot 62b):
…"Satan stood up against Israel and stirred up David to number Israel." [I Chronicles 21:1] And when he did number them, he took no ransom from them and it is written, "So God sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed." [I Chronicles 21:14]
… And He said to the Angel that destroyed the people: "It is enough" [I Chronicles 21:16] Rabbi Elazar explained: "The Holy One, blessed be He, said to the Angel: 'Take a great man among them, through whose death many sins can be expiated for them.' At that time died Avishai son of Zeruiah, who was equal in worth to the greater part of the Sanhedrin."
The Torah forbids taking a census of the Jewish people. The only way it is permitted to count Jews is if each person gives some kind of "ransom", such as a half-shekel coin, and the coins are counted, not the people. In an infamous episode from the Tanakh, Satan enticed David to sin by taking a census without collecting any ransom. As a result, a plague struck the nation, taking the lives of 70,000 people, shiv'im elef ish [I Chronicles 21:14].
Following this, God told the Angel of Destruction to stop by saying rav, "it is enough". The Sages interpret rav to mean "rabbi"—that God actually told the angel to take the life of one righteous rabbi instead. Again, the Tanakh uses the word ish, as if a single person was killed; one man equal to 70,000. This is a beautiful teaching of the Sages, and transforms what one might read as God's strict, merciless judgement, into God's kindness and mercy. Although 70,000 may have deserved to die, God took the life of one righteous man instead to spare all the others.
The fact that such people—Yair, Avishai, Nadav, Avihu—are always compared to a greater part of the Sanhedrin, meaning 36 people, is not a coincidence. As we've written before with regards to Chanukah (when we light a total of 36 candles), the number 36 is of huge significance in Judaism.
Greater Than Thirty-Six Tzadikim
The Talmud (Sanhedrin 97b) states:
Abaye said: "The world must contain no less than thirty-six righteous men in each generation who are worthy to receive the Shekhinah, for it is written: 'Blessed are all they that wait for him' [Isaiah 30:18]; the numerical value of 'for him' [lo, לו] is thirty-six."
But that is not so, for did not Rava say: "The row [of righteous men] before the Holy One, blessed be He, consists of eighteen thousand, for it is written, 'It shall be eighteen thousand round about?'" [Ezekiel 48:35] That is no difficulty: the former number [thirty-six] refers to those who see Him through a bright speculum, the latter [eighteen thousand] to those who contemplate Him through a dim one.
In every generation, there must be 36 perfectly righteous people in the world. There are an additional 18,000 very righteous people in each generation. The former can behold the Shekhinah—God's Divine Presence—clearly, while the latter only dimly. The idea of the 36 righteous people, lamed-vav tzadikim, plays an important role in Judaism, especially in Kabbalistic and Hasidic texts.
The number 36 corresponds to the 36 hours that the Divine Light shone uninterrupted at the start of Creation. It is through this Divine Light that the Tzadikim are able to behold the Shekhinah. And just as this Hidden Light continues to uphold all of Creation, so too are the 36 Tzadikim said to uphold the world, as it is written: "The tzaddik is the foundation of the world" (Proverbs 10:25).
Meanwhile, we know that the Torah, too, is the foundation of the world (see, for example, Avot 1:2). Indeed, we find that there are exactly 36 individual texts in the Tanakh: the Five Books of Moses, nineteen books of Prophets, and 12 Holy Writings. (The 36 texts are usually combined into "24 Books of the Tanakh" for the sake of convenience. So, for example, the "Twelve Minor Prophets" are combined into one book, Trei Asar.) Each of the 36 Tzadikim corresponds to one "hour" of Divine Light, and to one of the Holy Scriptures. As such, they are the 36 pillars of the world. (It just so happens that there are also 36 sins for which the Torah prescribes the death penalty, though we shall leave that discussion for another time.)
From the words of our Sages, we can extract that in addition to these 36, there is one more, even greater individual who is equal to all 36 of them, to the "greater part of the Sanhedrin". Between the two of them, Nadav and Avihu were greater than the Sanhedrin of seventy elders in their own day, as were Yair and Avishai. And it is such people that, ever so rarely, God chooses to take away to atone for the sins of many others.
The spiritual math is simple: if you have a thousand people, each with a "kilogram" of sin, and one person with 1000 "kilograms" of merit, the merit of the one can be "taken back" in order to neutralize the sins of a thousand. In this way, a great many lives can be spared. The idea makes sense in principle, and a person who is truly the most righteous of his generation would undoubtedly have no problem giving up his or her own life to save a multitude of others.
And yet, the idea is sometimes hard for modern Jews to digest because it has been hijacked, abused, and taken to an illogical extreme by Christians.
The Death of the Messiah
All of Christianity rests on the idea that Jesus, the supposed messiah, died for the sins of the world. We have already addressed the issues with Christianity on several occasions (see here, here, and here) so there is no need to do that again. What needs to be understood is where the idea comes from, and what it originally meant. The Talmud (Sukkah 52a) records the following:
What is the cause of the mourning [at the End of Days, as described in Zechariah 12:12]? Rabbi Dosa and the other Rabbis differ on the point. One explained: "The cause is the slaying of Mashiach ben Yosef" and the other explained: "The cause is the slaying of the Evil Inclination." It is well according to him who explains that the cause is the slaying of Mashiach ben Yosef, since that agrees with the Scriptural verse, "And they shall look upon Me because they have thrust him through, and they shall mourn for him as one mourns for his only son" [Zechariah 12:10]. But according to him who explains the cause to be the slaying of the Evil Inclination, is this an occasion for mourning? Is it not rather an occasion for rejoicing? Why then should they weep?
Rav Yehudah explained: "In the time to come, the Holy One, blessed be He, will bring the Evil Inclination and slay it in the presence of the righteous and the wicked. To the righteous it will have the appearance of a towering hill, and to the wicked it will have the appearance of a hair thread. Both the former and the latter will weep; the righteous will weep saying, 'How were we able to overcome such a towering hill!' The wicked also will weep saying, 'How is it that we were unable to conquer this hair thread!' And the Holy One, blessed be He, will also marvel together with them, as it is said, 'Thus says the Lord of Hosts: If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, it shall also be marvellous in My eyes.'" [Zechariah 8:6]
First, we must remember that according to tradition there are two messiahs (or possibly one messiah in two phases): Mashiach ben Yosef, and then Mashiach ben David. The former dies amidst the great battles of the End of Days. For this, the people at that time will mourn. Zechariah describes a great mourning like no other, with all the families of Israel in tears. This is enough to debunk Jesus' identification with Mashiach ben Yosef: Jesus did not die in battle, and was not mourned by all of Israel (quite the contrary). The fact that Jesus' "father" was named Joseph means nothing, for Jesus supposedly did not have an earthly father anyway.
Now, the more important event that will happen at that same time, with the death of Mashiach ben Yosef, is the destruction of the Evil Inclination. This is, after all, the very purpose of having an "End of Days" to begin with: to destroy evil for good and usher in a perfect world. When Evil will be crushed, the people will weep. As our Sages explain, those who overcame evil and did good will weep because they will be amazed at how they were able to conquer the great temptations, while those who were evil will weep because they will realize how weak they were in falling to mere temptation. Again, Jesus' death did not end Evil on Earth. On the contrary, one might argue that even more horrible evils were done since then, many of which were done, ironically, in the name of Jesus!
Finally, the Talmud goes on to say what will happen to Mashiach ben Yosef next:
Our Rabbis taught: The Holy One, blessed be He, will say to Mashiach ben David (may he reveal himself speedily in our days!), "Ask of me anything, and I will give it to you," as it is said, "I will tell of the decree… this day have I begotten you, ask of me and I will give the nations for your inheritance." [Psalms 2:7-8] But when he will see that Mashiach ben Yosef is slain, he will say to Him: "Master of the Universe, I ask of You only the gift of life." He would answer him: "As to life, your father David has already prophesied this concerning you, as it is said, 'He asked life from You, You gave it to him…'" [Psalms 21:5]
After his death, Mashiach ben David requests of God to bring Mashiach ben Yosef back to life. It is important to remember that this is followed by a Resurrection of the Dead of all righteous souls, not just the messiah's. From the wording of the Talmud, we might conclude that there is indeed just one messiah: Mashiach ben Yosef dies and is resurrected as Mashiach ben David. (We can extract this from the fact that ben David seems to be asking for life for himself, and God replies that it had already been granted to you.)
In the case of Jesus, he was apparently resurrected, but then supposedly ascended to Heaven, and hasn't been heard from in two millennia. This is not how prophecy describes the coming of Mashiach. He is supposed to come once, at the End of Days, and needs no "second coming". He comes once, and then reigns on Earth as king of Israel. Nowhere does it state that he will come and disappear for any long duration of time. He comes once, fights great battles that engulf the whole world (as described in detail by Ezekiel and Zechariah, among other prophets), might die for the sins of Israel specifically (like Nadav and Avihu did), is mourned by all of Israel, and is then resurrected, finishes the great wars, brings peace to the world, reigns as king of Israel, regathers the Jews to the Holy Land, rebuilds the Temple, facilitates a Resurrection of the Dead, and completes his task once a perfect world is re-established.
There is no more need for him after that. He is not a god, and is never described as such. He is not supposed to be prayed to, or worshipped. He is a man. And although Scripture describes him as a child of God (as in the Psalm above), it clearly describes all of Israel as children of God (as in Deuteronomy 14:1, for example).
To summarize, the concept of unique righteous people dying to atone for the sins of others is an ancient Jewish one, and a valid one. Christians adopted it, to an extreme (ie. not to a specific generation of Jews, but for all mankind for all time) in describing Jesus. This is not surprising, for as we've written before, the character of Jesus was carefully constructed from Jewish texts, both Scriptural and extra-Scriptural. This is how some Jews unfortunately succumb to Christian missionaries who bring "proof" from Jewish texts. These prove nothing but the eventual coming of the true messiah—may we merit to see him soon.


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JAMB: 59,000 to retake examination
JAMB: 59,000 to retake examination
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board on Friday said the board would reschedule examination for candidates who missed the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination because of relocation of centres by the board.
The board said it relocated 59,000 candidates in 15 states because of problems in some of the centres.
It also said candidates who had system failure during the examination would retake it, if the board finds their complaint to be genuine.
The Registrar of the board, Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, who said this at a press conference in Abuja, added that the new development does not affect candidates who missed the examination deliberately or failed in the examination.
Ojerinde said among the 1,546,633 candidates that sat for the 2016 UTME, 145,704 had issues of multiple results, which have been resolved by the board.
Prof. Ojerinde added that 23,577 candidates were absent on the day of the examination.
"We relocated candidates where the board had challenges. The board is looking at some of the issues raised during the examination, but most of the excuses raised by candidates are flimsy," he said.
"We relocated about 59, 000 candidates due to the problems in various centres which vary from town to town. There are about 59,000 of them spread across 15 states of the federation.
"Those that were relocated never suffered any setback or inconvenience. For all these two sets of people, I want to apologise sincerely for what happened to them, but we are going to put on a redress for those whose relocation affected them in missing their examination.
"Let me use this opportunity to offer explanation on the issue of the much-publicized two results. The process of our marking involves transformation and other qualitative programming. In the process of these configurations, we had a little challenge which we quickly corrected and ensured that this never happened in subsequent results. This challenge was only associated with the candidates that sat for this examination on Saturday, 27, and some candidates of Monday, 29 February, 2016."
Prof. Ojerinde said the board found out that some of the over 500 centres used for the CBT was compromised by the operators.
He said that one of its centres in Uromi, Edo State was invaded by mercenaries during the examination.
He blamed the education consultants for mobilizing candidates to protest against the conduct of the examination by the board, adding that the quality of the centres used for UTME would not be compromised.
He said: "In our quest to have adequate and effective centres for the exercise, we approved over 500 centres, but unfortunately, some of the centre operators were not sincere in proving us with the true position of their facilities.
"They hired equipment during the period of accreditation and other necessary apparatus and on the examination day, they were found wanting. This led to relocation or rescheduling of candidates from some of them to more suitable centres."
Ojerinde said Nigeria was ready to take the CBT examination, adding that reverting to the PPT as directed by the House of Representatives would amount to lack of progress.
According to him, the CBT would be improved upon.
He said: "Even the physically challenged are taking the CBT examination. One of the blind candidates scored 286, so why should others complain?
"Going back to the Paper and Pencil Test will amount to taking one step forward and two steps backwards."


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"The shark's not working! The shark's not working!" That report, piped in through walkie-talkies off the coast of Martha's Vineyard during the shooting of Steven Spielberg's 1975 classic Jaws, open The Shark Is Still Working, a feature-length documentary included on the new Blu-ray edition of the film. Among the many trials of this famously cursed production, the failure of the mechanical shark is the most instructive, a "happy accident" that demanded innovation and proved that old-fashioned cinematic trickery—like the use of off-screen space, misdirection, and ominous sound design—was better than any special effect. That's one of the ironies of Jaws' success: It heralded the dawn of the blockbuster event, yet its big effect, the terrifying spectacle of a great white shark, had little to do with what makes the movie great. Spielberg could have made the shark work with nothing but a guy in a rubber zipper suit.
There's a sequence in Jaws where a couple of locals, looking to claim a hefty reward for catching the shark, hook a piece of raw meat on the end of a long chain, attach it to the end of a dock, and hurl it out into the Atlantic. The shark takes the bait and tears away the end of dock, leaving one of these yahoos in the water, but rather than show the creature, Spielberg simply follows the movement of the dock as it heads out to sea and then suddenly back toward shore. It's a telling indicator of Spielberg's aesthetic: Time and again, Jaws finds ways around the obvious and explicit, some simple piece of invention that's more surprising and arresting than it would have been otherwise. The '70s "film brat" renaissance introduced a lot of great directors, but Jaws makes an argument for Spielberg as the most intuitively gifted of all of them.
Working from Peter Benchley's pulp thriller—Benchley and Carl Gottlieb scripted, though production started with an unfinished draft—Spielberg balances terror on the water with a rich portrait of an island police chief (Roy Scheider) torn between public-safety concerns and a community that thrives on the tourist dollar. After a skinny-dipper becomes the shark's first victim on the sleepy Atlantic island of Amity, Scheider is advised to write it off as a "boating accident," but he keeps his eyes on the water and witnesses another death. With town officials pleading for the shark's capture before the July Fourth weekend, Scheider gets some help from two experts with wildly varied temperaments: Richard Dreyfuss, a college-educated marine biologist, and Robert Shaw, a grizzled seaman who agrees to hunt the shark at a premium.
The first glimpse of the shark doesn't happen until over an hour into Jaws, and the trio's harrowing adventure at sea occupies only the final third, yet the escalating, agonizing tension is present from the start. John Williams' iconic score does its share of the heavy lifting, but what's really striking about Jaws is how much Spielberg gets from reaction shots, especially the eyes. Production headaches caused the schedule and the budget to balloon—55 days to 159 days and $3.5 million to $9 million, respectively—but its most masterful scene involves Scheider simply sitting on the beach, fretting over every scream and splash, imagining the worst. The worst finally arrives, but it's resided in our heads well before it happens.
Key features: A magnificent Blu-ray transfer makes the film look clean but not plastic or antiseptic. Beyond that, there's an abundance of special features, including The Shark Is Still Working, Laurent Bouzereau's two-hour-plus making-of documentary from 1995, a nifty nine-minute look at the restoration process, and deleted scenes, storyboards, and original featurettes.