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When CEO Jen-Hsun Huang stepped on stage at the Consumer Electronics Show to unveil the new Tegra 4 CPU for smartphones and tablets, he proved Nvidia isn't messing around in the mobile space. It claims its quad-core system-on-a-chip will out perform any other around, including the A6X chipset powering Apple's iPad.
That means your next generation of mobile gadgets could be noticeably faster.
If you've never heard of Nvidia's Tegra line, chances are you've used it. Countless Android, Windows Phone and Windows RT products are built around previous-generation Tegra guts, including Google's Nexus 7, Microsoft's Surface tablet, HTC's One X smartphone and the Sony PSP handheld gaming device.
Like the Tegra 3 before it, Tegra 4 features four discrete cores, along with a low-power fifth core that is used for light processing tasks such as email or messaging. (That extra core extends the life of any device's battery.) But this time around, Nvidia used 1.9 GHz ARM A15 cores -- the new cutting edge for speed freaks -- as its reference design. That power boost ensures blazing performance with 45% less power consumption.
And unlike any system-on-a-chip before it, the Tegra 4 has 72 graphics cores. Nvidia says will that will fuel a 3.5x performance boost over its predecessor and make the Tegra 4 faster than the chipsets powering both the iPad 4 and Nexus 10 tablets.
These specs are impressive on paper, but the question always remains: Will we actually notice the boost?
Nvidia (NVDA) has some showcases ready. The Tegra 4 can push video to the latest and greatest 4K resolution TVs, meaning you could see the Tegra 4 chip running in the next generation of Smart TVs and streaming boxes, powering ultra-high-definition video rendering.
Related story: 14 gadgets we want to see at CES
Nvidia also went out of its way to develop a new high dynamic range (HDR) photo processing engine that enables better photos in difficult lighting environments. In an on-stage demo, CEO Huang showed off a new trick: live HDR preview, which allows you to see what effect HDR will have on your image before you snap the photo.
Devices such as the iPhone currently lack this feature, and save two photos to your phone every time you snap an HDR image. That eats up storage space and drives avid photographers nuts.
Nvidia's splashiest CES announcement, though, was its cannonball dive into the gaming gadgets market.
To illustrate the power of the Tegra 4, Nvidia went and built Project Shield, an entire portable gaming device crafted around the chip, which is capable of pushing high-definition (HD) graphics to a 5-inch, retina-grade display or a full-size TV.
The Shield is Nvidia's first foray into a full-fledged consumer product. It's got controller components that the company says rival any console game pad, 14 hours of battery life, and a stock build of Android, which means it can be updated as quickly as Google (GOOG) allows.
Nvidia is positioning Shield as a tool to enhance the gaming experience for the hardcore crowd, and it shows. In addition to functioning as a portable device, or connecting to a TV, the Shield can link up wirelessly with a PC and stream the visuals to your TV, effectively turning it into a giant PC gaming display.
In terms of design, the device itself looks like the victim of Nvidia's quest to provide a compromise-free gaming experience -- which is to say, it's cumbersome and unattractive. Then again, there aren't many ways to cram a full console controller and a 5-inch display into a portable without sacrificing something.
Nvidia's gaming ambitions don't end there. It's also working on Grid, a cloud gaming service it believes will succeed where other services, such as OnLive, failed.
Here's Grid gist: Anyone with an Internet-connected TV, tablet, or Shield will have access to PC-caliber games thanks to cloud processing. Your input from the controller is sent to a server tucked away in some remote data center, which will do all the heavy lifting that a PC or an Xbox or a PlayStation would typically do. It then streams the visuals back to you.
The company claims Grid is performance-maximized and lag-minimized to a point where it's on par with a console. It offered no details on when the Grid service will be available to consumers or how much it will cost, but the idea that someone could get an up-to-date gaming experience without having to shell out hundreds of dollars for the latest consoles is one that will forever entice.


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At least, according to the New York Times: "The Obama administration has for now abandoned efforts for a diplomatic settlement to the conflict in Syria, and instead it is increasing aid to the rebels and redoubling efforts to rally a coalition of like-minded countries to forcibly bring down the government of President Bashar al-Assad, American officials say." Which is all very… nice. The Assad regime is, of course, a second-generation fascist regime that routinely brutalizes its own population and funds international terrorism on a regular basis. It's even been credibly argued that the Syrian regime has existing stockpiles of chemical and/or biological weapons – you know: WMDs. Eliminating another Baathist regime from the board would be, if you'll forgive the phrase, a mitzvah.
What I want to know is this: again, precisely who or what authorizes the executive branch to commit acts of war on other countries without the input of the legislative branch? – Because while the NYT article talks about how the administration is meeting with our allies' various civilian defense apparatuses (one hopes that we're at least going to get paid this time), and holding regular planning sessions in house on how to deal with Syria, and coordinating with the Syrian opposition itself… nowhere in this article is there any indication whatsoever that the President is meeting or planning or coordinating with, well, Congress. Congress, in fact, seems to be entirely out of the loop on this one. And it's going to be a race – just like it was with our Libyan adventure – to see who will be more hypocritically silent on this: Congressional Democrats, or the antiwar Left.
Moe Lane (crosspost)
PS: Let me just head this one off at the pass: George W. Bush received full Congressional authorization for military action against both the Afghan and Iraqi regimes, before actual hostilities commenced (and well before, in the case of Iraq). This basic respect for separation of powers, and the realization for the need for proper oversight, is in marked contrast to Barack Obama's unilateral initiation of hostilities against Libya, which was not authorized by Congress. It was also a full reversal of Candidate Obama's position on how to start a shooting war, but if you're not already gloomily aware that Barack Obama lies when it suits him then there's not much I can do for you.
So. We are not having the conversation about whether the War Powers Act is or is not constitutional (it's probably not); for that matter, we are not having the conversation about whether Muammar Qaddafi deserved to get shot in the head and then have his corpse stuffed in a freezer for a couple of days until everybody who wanted a look could get one (he did). No, what we are doing is having the conversation of exactly how many shooting wars we must enter into before Barack Obama's own political party gets around to telling him that they will not support any more unsupervised shouldering of the White Man's Burden.
Although I expect that they'll just run the clock out on that one.

subset: commoncrawl


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Engaging Student Materials · Purposeful Instruction
Engaging Student Materials - Purposeful Instruction
Meets State and Local Standards! Build the foundation for math fluency and instill the test-related language of math in young minds through our shared learning and math readiness program.
Five Topic Sets! The 26 Theme Units teach key math concepts and reinforce the NCTM Standards. The Complete Program includes 5 Topic Sets and introduces students to: counting; logical thinking and predicting; comparing, classifying, and problem solving; coins, bills, and money related vocabulary; measurement tools; sorting; grouping and place value concepts; spatial relations concepts; weight, length, and capacity.
The Newbridge® Early Math Program supports research-based instructional practices. For more information, call 800-867-0307.
Theme Unit components: Big Book, Student Book 6-Pack, Teacher Guide, and FREE Tote Bag.
Learn more about the 5 Topic Sets in the Newbridge® Early Math Program:


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Monday Morning Mirth
For one who is captured in toto at various bus stops around town, it is always entertaining to see what the advertising pundits want us to become…
I for one, if I could, would be a Dandy! (…read more about this phenom, also known to our beloved Brits as "the Peacock". Are you, or your man a Dandy? Take the quiz…)
This advertisement has been up for months (hence the expired xmas threads) but features none other than Tony Sinclair Socialite Extraordinaire! Bravo! I never tire of toasting Tony in the early a.m. Rush Hour.
But lately, an urban vandal has been *spoiling* all the tiny billboard advertising in my neighborhood by pasting little ovals over the eyes of any models in the pictures. This tagger goes by the name of Olivier Sipod – and if that isn't embarrassingly DANDY for a Tagger, I don't know what is. WTF is this world coming to?
And WHO is Olivier Sipod?


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ORANGEBURG, S.C. (Jan 21) - The Florida A&M Men's Basketball team snapped eight-game losing skid as they defeated South Carolina State, 89-77 here Saturday night at Smith-Hammond-Middleton Center.
FAMU (5-14, 2-3 MEAC) was led by Jamie Adams as he scored a game high 28 points. Behind him was Trey Kellum as he recorded a double-double scoring 18 points and pulling down 11 rebounds.
SCSU ( 4-14, 0-5) had a trio of Bulldogs to score in double figure as Matthew Hezekiah scored a team high 21 points, followed by Khalif Toombs with 17 and Darryl Palmer with 15.
FAMU grabbed the early 7-5 lead on an Adams three pointer with 17:30 to go in the first. SCSU used back-to-back field goals by Adams and Palmer, gave the Bulldogs a 10-7 lead with 15:45 to go in the first.
An Adams three pointer capped an 8-0 run by FAMU as they took a 15-10 lead with 12:32 to go in the first.
Hezekiah would give SCSU a 16-15 lead on dunk at the 10:38 mark, followed by back-to-back scores by Luka Radovic, giving the Bulldogs a 21-18 lead with 9:30 left in the half.
Adams would tied the contest at 25-25 on a made free thro at the 6:26 mark., sparking an 8-1 run as the Rattlers extended their lead to 33-26 on a D'Andre Bullard jumper with 4:02 left.
FAMU would go into the break leading SCSU 42-35 as they finished the first half shooting 40.5 percent (17-of-42), while the Bulldogs shot 36.7 percent (11-of-30).
In the second half, SCSU would take a 57-56 lead on Palmer putback at the 10:28 mark as they went on a 21-12 run to open up the second half.
The Rattlers regained the lead with a pair of free throws by Markee Teal with 10 minutes left in the game. Hezekiah cut FAMU's lead to 66-65 on a Hezekiah jumper with 6:50 to go in the contest as that would be closes that the Bulldogs would get as the Rattlers pulled away in the second half. FAMU finished the contest shooting 48.5 percent (32-of-66), while SCSU shot 43.3 percent (26-of-60). The Bulldogs held the rebounding margin over the Rattlers, 46-30.
The Rattlers will return to action on Sat. Jan. 26 as they will host Maryland Eastern Shore at the Al Lawson Center in a 7:30 p.m. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference game.


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1) Select STATE. 2) Type CITY name. 3) Click SEARCH. 4) Scroll list to find your SCHOOL, BUSINESS, or ORGANIZATION and select. 5) If not found, check the box at the bottom of the list, My School, Business, or Organization is Not Listed or I am Homeschooled.
The Educational Network
College Readiness & Scholarship Planning
Connects: Students, Educators, College Reps, Scholarship Providers, and Businesses
Provides: Learning Management System (LMS), Personal File Storage, Career and College Readiness, Scholarship Planning and Matching, and Path to Scholarships® e-Course
Free to All Users: High School and College Students and Educators


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Food and Dining in Laos
Laos travel guide
Laos restaurants tend to be local spots serving typical rice and noodle dishes, as well as French restaurants that offer baguettes and pastries. The local cuisine is similar to Thai and Vietnamese, with sticky rice, fresh herbs, and larb (spicy marinated meat salad) commonly served in most restaurants.
When travelling to Laos (and just about any foreign destination), having an open mind will serve you well. Street food is available throughout Laos, but be sure to check if the place is clean enough if you tend to have a sensitive stomach.


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1996 Toyota Supra
Photo Information (Width: 1024px, Height: 768px, Size: 122Kb)
Toyota Supra Problems
Trac off black smoke limpmode_mkiv A80 2jzgte tt.
1993, Trac control dash light
flashing~slipcount off. Sometimes the o/d light
also but rarely ...
Starting Problems
1987, I replaced the clutch and now it will not
start. In order to get to the bell housing bol...
Drivers seat motor not workin
1994, my drivers seat mechanism is not working
it will go forward but wont go back..will i be ...
|Engine size - Displacement - Engine capacity:
|3000 cm3
|Transmission Gearbox - Number of speeds:
|Fuel Type:
|Drive wheels - Traction - Drivetrain:
|FR or RR
|Price (out of date):
The Supra is available with a 3.0 liter V6 with 225 hp. There is option for a Turbocharged model with 320 hp. It comes with 4 wheel disc ABS and choice of 4 speed automatic or 6 speed manual transmission.
1996 Toyota Supra specs, Engine size 3000cm3, Fuel type Gasoline, Drive wheels FR or RR, Transmission Gearbox Manual
Used Toyota Supra
The Supra also traces much of its roots back to the Toyota 2000GT with the main instance being its engine. The first three generations were offered with a direct descendant to the 2000GT's M engine. All four generations of Supra produced have an inline 6-cylinder engine. Interior aspects were also similar.
Along with this name and car Toyota also included its own logo for the Supra. It is derived from the original Celica logo, being blue instead of orange. This logo was used until January 1986, when the MKIII Supra was introduced. The new logo was similar in size, with orange writing on a red background, but without the dragon design. That logo, in turn, was on Supras until 1991 when Toyota switched to its current oval company logo.
In 1999, Toyota ceased sales of the Supra in the United States and in 2002 Toyota officially stopped production of the Supra in Japan.
As an iconic sports car, the Supra has appeared in numerous video games, movies, music videos and TV shows. Some of the most notable appearances include the Gran Turismo and Need for Speed series of video games and the 2001 film, The Fast and the Furious.
» Read More About Toyota Supra


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Meet our Herbie of the Week, Sarah S.! Back in March, I heard from Sarah S. on Facebook — she had beaten gestational diabetes after transitioning to a plant-based lifestyle! I knew I wanted to share her wonderful story in our Herbie of the Week series, and she graciously agreed. Sarah found success with our meal plans, losing 40 pounds, and has more energy to chase after her two little ones. Enjoy Sarah's story, in her own words.
Lindsay, I want to share my story with you. I had such fantastic news this week that my heart is bursting with happiness!
In 2011, while pregnant with my first child I found out I had gestational diabetes. As a GF vegetarian, I was pretty shocked with the diagnosis. Although I was overweight, I considered myself healthy. Mothers with untreated gestational diabetes are at risk for having large babies necessitating c-sections, high blood pressure and delivering babies with a higher risk of juvenile diabetes. Just the diagnosis of GD itself puts a woman at higher risk for developing Type II down the road.
I monitored my blood sugar carefully and with the help of a nutritionist and doctor gave birth to a healthy, normal sized baby girl, Loretta, in May 2011. Determined to get myself on a healthier track, I had a few trial runs with veganism during my daughter's first year of life. After watching Forks Over Knives at the suggestion of a friend, I became permanently plant-based just after her 1st birthday.
With the help of your meal plans and cookbooks, I found this new, healthy path easy to walk. My energy level continued to grow and I felt and looked better than I ever had in my life. In September of last year, 40 lbs lighter than my pre-pregnancy weight with Loretta, I joyfully found out that I was pregnant again.
My midwife who I hadn't seen in over a year commented immediately on how great I looked. We talked about my lifestyle change and she remarked that GD shouldn't be a problem for me this time considering my weight loss and dietary changes. I was doubtful. Everything I read cautioned that once you have had a GD diagnosis, the likelihood of having it with subsequent pregnancies increases.
Fast forward to yesterday when I took my glucose tolerance test. I choked down the syrupy sweet orange drink and waited an hour. Back to the lab and within a few minutes, the nurse scurried in and said, "You are good to go, mama!" My blood sugar was 82, well under the cutoff of 135. I had passed with flying colors!!
Thank you for the significant part you had in my journey to a healthy self. I am looking forward to the last 14 weeks of my pregnancy (especially since I won't have to stick myself 4 times a day). And I'm especially glad the cloud of developing Type II diabetes is no longer hanging over my head.
I'm still about 20-25 lbs from my ideal weight. But I have full confidence I can make that happen after the baby is born. It's not a race or a diet, but a lifestyle. One to which I am very committed! And best of all, plant-based living is going to give me the energy to keep up with two kids under 3! :)
UPDATE (July 10): My son was born June 14 at a healthy 8lbs 10oz and measured 20.5 inches long. I'm adjusting to life with two kids (my daughter is now 2). Thanks to breastfeeding, I'm hungry ALL THE TIME! In the immediate weeks post partum, I'm listening to my body and eating constantly but focusing on lots of fresh fruits and veggies, nuts and avocado for healthy fats and lots of oatmeal for carbs (and to boost milk production!).
I'm confident that the 20 lbs or so I gained with this pregnancy and the additional weight I still would like to lose will come off as I continue my plant-based journey. Best of all (and despite the lack of sleep), I have more energy than I can ever remember having. And boy do I need it with these two!
Thanks so much for sharing, Sarah! You rock, mama!


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WASHINGTON, DC — The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) mourns the passing of NABJ Founder Claude Lewis, also a founder of the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists (PABJ). Lewis died Thursday, March 16, 2017 at Virtua Voorhees Hospital in Voorhees, N.J. He was 82.
Lewis was a highly respected journalist and mentor to many journalists. Born and raised in New York City, he attended public schools and graduated from City College with a degree in English. Lewis worked as an editor and reporter for newspapers and magazines, such as Newsweek, New York Herald Tribune, and The Philadelphia Bulletin.
He taught at Villanova University and also wrote a column for The Bulletin until it folded in 1982. Later, Lewis wrote a syndicated column for the Philadelphia Inquirer.
"This is a very sad day. Claude was a great mentor for me at The Bulletin. He always had time to talk with a young journalist trying to navigate the newsroom. He was the calm spirit that guided many of us," said former colleague and NABJ Founder Sandra Dawson Long Weaver.
Known as one of the "original three," Lewis along with fellow Philadelphia journalists Chuck Stone and Acel Moore laid the groundwork for and later founded the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists (PABJ) in 1973. Lewis and many of PABJ's early members contributed to the formation of NABJ in 1975 in Washington, D.C.
"Founder Claude Lewis was a gentle giant and kind soul whose passion for equality and equal opportunity can be seen in his columns and life's work. He had a personal impact on the trajectory of many NABJ members, myself included, showing us all the way," said NABJ President Sarah Glover.
"Claude lives on in all of us. I thank him for instilling in me, and my peers, a deep level of tenacity and commitment to the cause."
Lewis had an extensive career in broadcasting, writing and producing various TV specials and documentaries with NBC and Westinghouse Broadcasting. In 1982, he founded the first national African-American newspaper, The National Leader.
NABJ Founder Joe Davidson worked with Lewis at The National Leader and first met him when both worked at The Philadelphia Bulletin.
"Claude was an important force in journalism in the 1970s. He meant a lot to me personally and to a lot of black journalists professionally," Davidson said. "He lured me away from The Inquirer to work as managing editor at The Leader. It was an opportunity to serve the black community with high-quality journalism. I was really proud of the work we did together on that newspaper," Davidson added.
Lewis covered the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, meeting and interviewing such icons as Langston Hughes, James Baldwin, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. In 1968, Lewis left a meeting in Philadelphia to join the King family in Memphis immediately after receiving the news that King was shot.
"Claude was a journalist miles ahead of his time, and he achieved recognition long before many recognized him," said NABJ Founder Paul Brock.
Former NABJ President Vanessa Williams, a national reporter with the Washington Post, remembers Lewis fondly.
"I remember Claude as a friendly and encouraging colleague when we worked together at the Philadelphia Inquirer. His door was always open and he didn't hesitate to share his contacts, expertise, and advice to young journalists. He and Acel were like these twin towers of black journalism excellence in Philly. We should honor them by continuing their tradition of being fierce advocates for the truth, especially in this current political climate," Williams said.
NABJ extends its sincerest condolences to Founder Lewis's family and the countless friends within the journalism community who he leaves behind.
Lewis is survived by his wife Beverly, four children, five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. A memorial service is planned for a later date.


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Publicis Copenhagen Creates Singing Christmas Card
Not burdened by the strings of America's political correctness, Publicis Copenhagen has created a genuinely enjoying Christmas card that has the entire agency singing Jingle Bells. The card let's you listen to the entire agency at once or hear each department sing on its own. We have to admit, the creative department is the most energetic.
If you are so inclined, you can even eliminate staff one by one until you are down to just one lone singer. We just hope the boss isn't using this as some sort of performance evaluation tool.


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Following are his remarks, as released by the White House.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you so much. It is great to be back. ( Applause. ) I see a lot of friends in the house. I appreciate the chance to join you tonight. I also took a trip out to California last week, where I held some productive bilateral talks with your leader, Lady Gaga. ( Laughter. ) She was wearing 16-inch heels. ( Laughter. ) She was eight feet tall. ( Laughter. ) It was a little intimidating.
Now, I don't want to give a long speech. Cyndi Lauper is in the house. I can't compete with that. ( Applause. ) But I wanted to come here tonight, first of all, to personally thank Joe for his outstanding years of leadership at HRC. ( Applause. ) What he has accomplished at the helm of this organization has been remarkable, and I want to thank all of you for the support that you've shown this organization and for your commitment to a simple idea: Every single American -- gay, straight, lesbian, bisexual, transgender -- every single American deserves to be treated equally in the eyes of the law and in the eyes of our society. It's a pretty simple proposition. ( Applause. )
Now, I don't have to tell you that we have a ways to go in that struggle. I don't have to tell you how many are still denied their basic rights -- Americans who are still made to feel like second-class citizens, who have to live a lie to keep their jobs, or who are afraid to walk the street, or down the hall at school. Many of you have devoted your lives to the cause of equality. So you know what we have to do; we've got more work ahead of us.
But we can also be proud of the progress we've made these past two and a half years. Think about it. ( Applause. ) Two years ago, I stood at this podium, in this room, before many of you, and I made a pledge. I said I would never counsel patience; that it wasn't right to tell you to be patient any more than it was right for others to tell African Americans to be patient in the fight for equal rights a half century ago. ( Applause. ) But what I also said, that while it might take time - more time than anyone would like - we are going to make progress; we are going to succeed; we are going to build a more perfect union.
And so, let's see what happened. I met with Judy Shepard. I promised her we would pass a hate crimes bill named for her son, Matthew. And with the help of my dear friend Ted Kennedy we got it done. Because it should never be dangerous -- ( applause ) -- you should never have to look over your shoulder -- to be gay in the United States of America. That's why we got it done. ( Applause. )
I met with Janice Langbehn, who was barred from the bedside of the woman she loved as she lay dying. And I told her that we were going to put a stop to this discrimination. And you know what? We got it done. I issued an order so that any hospital in America that accepts Medicare or Medicaid - and that means just about every hospital - has to treat gay partners just as they do straight partners. Because nobody should have to produce a legal contract to hold the hand of the person that they love. We got that done. ( Applause. )
I said that we would lift that HIV travel ban -- we got that done. ( Applause. ) We put in place the first comprehensive national strategy to fight HIV/AIDS. ( Applause. )
Many questioned whether we'd succeed in repealing "don't ask, don't tell." And, yes, it took two years to get the repeal through Congress. ( Applause. ) We had to hold a coalition together. We had to keep up the pressure. We took some flak along the way. ( Applause. ) But with the help of HRC, we got it done. And "don't ask, don't tell" is history. ( Applause. ) And all over the world, there are men and women serving this country just as they always have -- with honor and courage and discipline and valor. We got it done. ( Applause. ) We got that done. All around the world, you've got gays and lesbians who are serving, and the only difference is now they can put up a family photo. ( Laughter. ) No one has to live a lie to serve the country they love.
I vowed to keep up the fight against the so-called Defense of Marriage Act. There's a bill to repeal this discriminatory law in Congress, and I want to see that passed. But until we reach that day, my administration is no longer defending DOMA in the courts. I believe the law runs counter to the Constitution, and it's time for it to end once and for all. It should join "don't ask, don't tell" in the history books. ( Applause. )
So, yes, we have more work to do. And after so many years -- even decades -- of inaction you've got every right to push against the slow pace of change. But make no mistake -- I want people to feel encouraged here -- we are making change. We're making real and lasting change. We can be proud of the progress we've already made.
And I'm going to continue to fight alongside you. And I don't just mean in your role, by the way, as advocates for equality. You're also moms and dads who care about the schools your children go to. ( Applause. ) You're also students figuring out how to pay for college. You're also folks who are worried about the economy and whether or not your partner or husband or wife will be able to find a job. And you're Americans who want this country to succeed and prosper, and who are tired of the gridlock and the vicious partisanship, and are sick of the Washington games. Those are your fights, too, HRC. ( Applause. )
So I'm going to need your help. I need your help to fight for equality, to pass a repeal of DOMA, to pass an inclusive employment non-discrimination bill so that being gay is never again a fireable offense in America. ( Applause. ) And I don't have to tell you, there are those who don't want to just stand in our way but want to turn the clock back; who want to return to the days when gay people couldn't serve their country openly; who reject the progress that we've made; who, as we speak, are looking to enshrine discrimination into state laws and constitutions -- efforts that we've got to work hard to oppose, because that's not what America should be about.
We're not about restricting rights and restricting opportunity. We're about opening up rights and opening up opportunity -- ( applause ) -- and treating each other generously and with love and respect. ( Applause. )
And together, we also have to keep sending a message to every young person in this country who might feel alone or afraid because they're gay or transgender -- who may be getting picked on or pushed around because they're different. We've got to make sure they know that there are adults they can talk to; that they are never alone; that there is a whole world waiting for them filled with possibility. That's why we held a summit at the White House on bullying. That's why we're going to continue to focus on this issue. ( Applause. ) This isn't just "kids being kids." It's wrong. It's destructive. It's never acceptable. And I want all those kids to know that the President and the First Lady is standing right by them every inch of the way. ( Applause. ) I want them to know that we love them and care about them, and they're not by themselves. That's what I want them to know. ( Applause. )
Now, I also need your help in the broader fight to get this economy back on track. You may have heard, I introduced a bill called the American Jobs Act. ( Applause. ) It's been almost three weeks since I sent it up to Congress. That's three weeks longer than it should have taken to pass this common-sense bill. ( Applause. ) This is a bill filled with ideas that both parties have supported -- tax breaks for companies that hire veterans; road projects; school renovations; putting construction crews back to work rebuilding America; tax cuts for middle-class families so they can make ends meet and spend a little more at local stores and restaurants that need the business.
Now, you may have heard me say this a few times before -- I'll say it again: Pass the bill. ( Applause. ) Enough gridlock. Enough delay. Enough politics. Pass this bill. Put this country back to work. ( Applause. ) HRC, you know how Congress works. I'm counting on you to have my back. Go out there and get them to pass this bill. ( Applause. ) Let's put America back to work.
Now, ultimately, these debates we're having are about more than just politics; they're more about -- they're about more than the polls and the pundits, and who's up and who's down. This is a contest of values. That's what's at stake here. This is a fundamental debate about who we are as a nation.
I don't believe -- we don't believe -- in a small America, where we let our roads crumble, we let our schools fall apart, where we stand by while teachers are laid off and science labs are shut down, and kids are dropping out.
We believe in a big America, an America that invests in the future -- that invests in schools and highways and research and technology -- the things that have helped make our economy the envy of the world.
We don't believe in a small America, where we meet our fiscal responsibilities by abdicating every other responsibility we have, and where we just divvy up the government as tax breaks for those who need them the least, where we abandon the commitment we've made to seniors though Medicare and Social Security, and we say to somebody looking for work, or a student who needs a college loan, or a middle-class family with a child who's disabled, that "You're on your own." That's not who we are.
We believe in a big America, an America where everybody has got a fair shot, and everyone pays their fair share. An America where we value success and the idea that anyone can make it in this country. But also an America that does -- in which everyone does their part -- including the wealthiest Americans, including the biggest corporations -- to deal with the deficits that threaten our future. ( Applause. )
We don't believe in a small America. We don't believe in the kind of smallness that says it's okay for a stage full of political leaders -- one of whom could end up being the President of the United States -- being silent when an American soldier is booed. ( Applause. ) We don't believe in that. We don't believe in standing silent when that happens. ( Applause. ) We don't believe in them being silent since. ( Applause. ) You want to be Commander-in-Chief? You can start by standing up for the men and women who wear the uniform of the United States, even when it's not politically convenient. ( Applause. )
We don't believe in a small America. We believe in a big America -- a tolerant America, a just America, an equal America -- that values the service of every patriot. ( Applause. ) We believe in an America where we're all in it together, and we see the good in one another, and we live up to a creed that is as old as our founding: E pluribus unum. Out of many, one. And that includes everybody. That's what we believe. That's what we're going to be fighting for. ( Applause. )
I am confident that's what the American people believe in. ( Applause. ) I'm confident because of the changes we've achieved these past two and a half years - the progress that some folks said was impossible. ( Applause. ) And I'm hopeful -- I am hopeful --
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Fired up!
THE PRESIDENT: I'm fired up, too. ( Laughter. ) I am hopeful -- ( applause ) -- I am hopeful -- I am still hopeful, because of a deeper shift that we're seeing; a transformation not only written into our laws, but woven into the fabric of our society.
It's progress led not by Washington but by ordinary citizens, who are propelled not just by politics but by love and friendship and a sense of mutual regard. ( Applause. ) It's playing out in legislatures like New York, and courtrooms and in the ballot box. But it's also happening around water coolers and at the Thanksgiving table, and on Facebook and Twitter, and at PTA meetings and potluck dinners, and church socials and VFW Halls.
It happens when a father realizes he doesn't just love his daughter, but also her wife. ( Applause. ) It happens when a soldier tells his unit that he's gay, and they tell him they knew it all along and they didn't care, because he was the toughest guy in the unit. ( Applause. ) It happens when a video sparks a movement to let every single young person know they're not alone, and things will get better. It happens when people look past their ultimately minor differences to see themselves in the hopes and struggles of their fellow human beings. That's where change is happening. ( Applause. )
And that's not just the story of the gay rights movement. That's the story of America -- ( applause ) -- the slow, inexorable march towards a more perfect union. ( Applause. ) You are contributing to that story, and I'm confident we can continue to write another chapter together.
Thank you very much, everybody. God bless you. ( Applause. )
HRC President Joe Solmonese released the following statement:
"Tonight President Obama reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to LGBT Americans. Two years ago when he addressed the HRC National Dinner, he made a commitment that he would end 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' and just last week we celebrated the end of that shameful law. It was a remarkable experience to see openly gay and lesbian uniformed service members in the audience be able to salute their commander in chief.
"This President has made tremendous strides toward improving the lives of LGBT Americans and while many others want to turn back the clock. With so much left to be done from repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act to passing inclusive federal employment protections the stakes are clear for the LGBT community. We remain inspired by his leadership and are ready to engage in the fights ahead."


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|The White House
President George W. Bush
|Print this document
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
January 17, 2003
President Bush Meets with Wounded Soldiers at Medical Center
Walter Reed Army Medical Center
Washington, D.C.
THE PRESIDENT: I want to thank the General for -- for his hospitality at this remarkable facility, which is full of healers and compassionate people, people who are trained with the very best of skills to take care of people who have been injured badly.
Laura and I have just met with five incredibly brave soldiers, five of America's finest citizens, who have been severely injured in the line of duty. We had a chance to tell them how much we appreciated their service to America, how much we appreciated their loved ones. And we had a chance to see -- some wives and a couple of moms who are anxious about -- about the fate of the -- of their child. And I had a chance to tell both soldier and loved one alike that their service to our country was noble and strong and good. And I appreciated that very much.
Having been here and seeing the care that these troops get is comforting for me and Laura. We are -- should and must provide the best care for anybody who is willing to put their life in harm's way. And I can report to the American people that these five soldiers -- badly injured in the line of service -- are getting the best possible care. And our government is providing it to them. And I want to thank you, all. Have a great weekend, and we'll see you next week. Thank you, all.


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VC Book CoverPosted: October 10th, 2011 | Author: Manuel Lima | Filed under: Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Many readers of Visual Complexity: Mapping Patterns of Information have been wondering about the cover design and its underlying meaning. Since there's no information about the piece in the book, primarily due to an oversight that will be fixed in a following edition, here's a bit of an explanation.
I always wanted to feature a visualization or bespoken illustration in the cover, and it would have to be something related to the book and its content. Talking to a friend of mine a while back, the idea of creating a piece based on the book's body of text came up. I thought that was definitely the way to go and started looking closely at some of my favorite textual visualizations out there.
It took me a while to decide on the appropriate style and method I wanted to feature, but then I payed a closer look at the amazing work of Boris Müller. For those who are not familiar with his work, Boris has created many great projects in the past, including Connected Communities and Knowledge Maps. But I have always been particularly impressed by his remarkable Poetry on the Road series. Since 2002, Boris has been commissioned to design a visual theme for the Poetry on the Road international literature festival, which is held every year in Bremen, Germany. For the various editions of the festival, Boris has created a poster with rich visual graphics generated by a computer program that turns selected poems of the participants into striking compositions. Every year has a different theme, and some are truly outstanding (e.g. 2003, 2006).
When I approached Boris to do something similar for the cover of Visual Complexity he was immediately on board. He ended up providing a simple java app that could be used with any text to generate a similar visual output to the one he created for Poetry 2008. I started playing around with it and this was the very first set of experiments:
There was still no information on the cover, it was pure visual exploration at this stage. I started by depicting individual chapters, simply because it was more manageable and easier to grasp the type of outcome provided by the app. Below is a second group of tryouts using different colors and including the title and author's name.
In order to reveal a bit more diversity, we also explored different colors in the same composition and one unique visualization featuring all seven chapters of the book.
Finally, and after a long discussion between myself and the design and marketing departments at Princeton Architectural Press, we finally agreed on the last version of the cover, this one including the entire seven chapters, or roughly 35,558 words. The final printed outcome has exceeded my expectations and sometimes it is easy to forget how much time, sweat, love, and dedication goes into a book cover.
In case you are still wondering how everything works, here's an extended description to be featured in a later edition of the book:
"Visualization featuring all 35,558 words displayed in the entire book, spread across its seven chapters. It was built by sorting all words based on their frequency in the text and representing them as lines. Lines are grouped in seven horizontal bands, representative of all chapters, from top to bottom, chapter 1 to chapter 7. Thicker lines depict most frequent words, which are placed on the left hand side of the diagram. As words are repeated across different chapters their lines flow vertically from one band to the other."
Here is a close-up of the final product:
And the book being displayed in two bookstores in NYC, respectively Strand (left) and St. Mark's (right):


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I have been looking at a specific recipe, Marbled Rye Bread, for the longest time but it just seemed really daunting and I would just pass over it. So let's start the New Year by diving in head first!
Working with two doughs, one remains light while the other is darker in color. Since I did not have any caramel coloring at home, I had to use coffee and cocoa so the darker rye is not as dark as I would have wanted. After kneading, the dough was supple and a little tacky. After resting, each dough is cut into 4 and then rolled into oblong pieces. 2 pieces of each color were stacked together, alternating colors. They are then rolled in a batard (torpedo) fashion and allowed to proof in loaf pans. After baking for about 20 minutes, I rotated the pans and the smell of fresh bread poured out of the oven. These gave off such a warm molasses aroma. Finally, they were done and now we had to wait a couple hours to take a slice. Here is what we ended up with.
A light egg wash gives a dark golden shell which, when cut into, yields a softer type bread that is great for hearty sandwiches. Caraway seeds are scattered throughout to lend a unique flavor to this rye bread. It is a big recipe to type up, so I'll try to get it posted within the next day or so.
The DVD from Netflix tonight will be Sliding Doors. I actually think I caught the end of this the other day on TNT while on the elliptical, but I'm not sure. I got the menu planning done for the week and I am anxious to get started. Stick around and see what we come up with for the first week of 2006!
Marbled Rye Bread


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Poll: Clinton, Christie in a draw
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie are in a virtual tie in a hypothetical 2016 presidential matchup, but Clinton holds a strong lead against eight other potential GOP contenders, according to a poll released Thursday.
The CNN/ORC International poll has Christie leading Clinton 48 percent to 46 percent among registered voters nationally, within the survey's margin of error. The New Jersey governor polls ahead among independent voters and men, while Clinton holds a strong lead among women. Neither Christie nor Clinton have announced their intentions to run for president, but both are widely considered to be strong potential candidates.
"[Christie] performs particularly well among independents, winning nearly six in 10 in that key group," said CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "He also wins a majority of suburbanites and older voters, something that no other GOP hopeful [that was] tested was able to do against Clinton."
( PHOTOS: Who's talking about Hillary Clinton 2016?)
Clinton polls far better when matched up against other potential Republican candidates: She is ahead of Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) by 8 points; Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) by 13 points; Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) by 18 points; and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush by 21 points.
Early presidential polls are heavily influenced by name recognition, Holland said, adding, "Keep in mind that polls taken so many years before an election have little or no predictive value."
The survey of 950 registered voters was conducted Dec. 16 to 19 and has a margin of error of plus- or minus-3 percentage points.


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(89) Upcoming Changes to the Mailing of Monthly Deposit Account Statements The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) currently mails monthly paper deposit account statements to all holders of active deposit accounts. The purpose of this notice is to announce that in the future the USPTO will not mail paper deposit account statements in certain situations. However, the USPTO will continue to make current and past deposit account statements available to all holders of active deposit accounts over the Internet at www.uspto.gov. In the upcoming months, flyers will be inserted with monthly paper statements notifying deposit account holders that in the following situations deposit account statements will be available exclusively over the Internet, and not mailed. 1. Account holder elects to discontinue paper statements. Account holders will have the option to discontinue receiving paper statements by mail. By obtaining the statements exclusively over the USPTO Internet at www.uspto.gov, account holders will be able to reduce paper clutter. 2. No deposit account activity to report. When there is no transaction processed to an active deposit account in a given month (i.e., no charges and no deposits), the USPTO will not mail a paper statement to the account holder for that particular month. 3. Paper statements returned by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). Account holders are responsible for maintaining their deposit accounts, including notifying the Deposit Account Branch of changes to the mailing address. In the event any mailed paper statement is returned by the USPS as undeliverable, the Deposit Account Branch will make a good faith effort to obtain the correct mailing address. If unsuccessful, mailing of paper deposit account statements will be discontinued. Questions regarding deposit accounts should be directed to the Deposit Account Branch at (571) 272-6500. Questions regarding this notice should be forwarded to Matthew Lee, Director of the Receipts Accounting Division, Office of Finance, by e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com or by fax at (571) 273-6500 marked to the attention of Matthew Lee. April 19, 2007 MICHELLE PICARD Director, Office of Finance [1318 OG 158]


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The basic idea is to adapt the various Agile practices for a team of one. Let's start by taking a look at scrum master, user stories, one piece flow, product owner, backlog, daily standup, iteration reviews, retrospectives, unit tests, and refactoring.
Scrum Master of One
Since there is only one person in your team, you are automatically the Scrum Master. Congratulations, but try not to abuse your new found authority over your team. Remember, the Scrum Master is a facilitator, not a boss! The key thing that the Scrum Master does is to facilitate Agile. The Scrum Master understands how Agile works, makes sure that all of the meetings are happening, and also looks for and removes impediments.
If you are going to be an effective Scrum Master, you need to understand Agile development. If you can get your company to sponsor you to take a Certified Scrum Master course, that's a great way to get started. If not, consider sponsoring yourself. It is expensive and will probably require you to expend two vacation days, but I assure you it will pay off in the end. Short of taking a CSM course, go and get a copy of "Agile Software Development with Scrum" by Ken Schwaber. You may also be interested in checking out my freely downloadable book "Do It Yourself Agile."
Reverse Engineered User Stories
The next step is to start working with User Stories. A user story is a simple statement in plain English (or whatever language you are primarily using) that describes the work that needs to be done from the perspective of the end user. They are generally of the form "As a user, I want X" where the "X" describes a goal that can be achieved with the software to provide value to the user. For instance, "As a user I want to be able to purchase anything that I am looking at with a single click." The user story doesn't describe the nitty-gritty details.
I realize that since you are not the product manager (or business analyst), you don't get to determine what you are working on or how it is described. The way that you can benefit from user stories is to reverse-engineer whatever description you have been given of the work you need to do into user stories. The benefit to you is that you will either have a better high-level view of what you are looking to accomplish, or you will immediately start to see holes in the description of the work you have been given. User stories give you a framework for thinking about your work.
Once you start using user stories, you will start having more questions for your manager or the product manager or business analyst. At first, folks may see your questions as annoying, but over time I believe they will see your questions as reflecting your interest in their success and the success of the company.
Divide and Conquer
Now that all of your work is described in terms of user stories, think about the size of those stories. Can any of the stories be further broken down? For instance, if you had a story that was "As a user I want a simple calculator function" you could break that down into "As a user I want to be able to add a number to an existing value," "As a user I want to be able to subtract a number from an existing value," etc. Breaking your work down into user stories has many benefits from an Agile perspective. We'll look at just a few of them here.
One Thing at a Time
Most Agile teams use iterations for organizing their work. As a team of one, that probably doesn't make much sense. Instead, as a team of one, try to do One Piece Flow. The idea of One Piece Flow is that you do all of the work required for a single user story before going on to the next one. Try to resist working on two stories at once.
Product Owner For a Day – Creating the Backlog
Ok, now you have a bunch of user stories that describe everything you've been assigned to do and they are as small as you can make them. It is time to put on your product owner hat. As product owner, you need to rank each of these stories relative to all the rest in terms of value. If you are not sure what the value of the stories is, ask around to see if you can gather enough information to make a reasonable guess. Perhaps you know one of the actual end users. Ask them what they think about the stories you have.
Over time, you'll get better and better at ranking your user stories. No matter what you do, having some sort of ranking is much better than none. Rank all of your stories from most value to least value and start working on the top story. This ranking is called a backlog.
The benefit of having a backlog of small user stories and working on just one story at a time comes into play when somebody taps you on the shoulder and asks you to do something other than what you are currently doing. When you are interrupted, you now have some options. You can point to your backlog and say "where do you think this new request fits in this backlog? Is it really more important than this task that I am currently working on?" If you are lucky, the person interrupting you will decide that their request has a lower priority than whatever you are currently working on. At the very least, the backlog provides a framework for discussing the relative priority of the new request.
If the new request does seem to be higher priority than what you are working on, you have one more tactic you can try. Since your stories are small, you can say that you only have one task in progress and how much work remains on the current story and suggest that you finish what you are doing prior to starting the new task. Over time, this tactic should work more and more often as you get a reputation for delivering higher quality work and being able to quickly change gears. The backlog examination exercise should also slowly train other folks on the value of user stories and the backlog. Your goal should be to have folks give you new requests and for them to say "let's see where this belongs in your backlog."
Even if you have to stop whatever you are currently working on and start working on a new task, it is much easier to change course if you only ever have one story in progress at a time and it is small. Don't forget to treat this new request the same as any other task. Create one or more user stories for the request and order them relative to each other at the top of the backlog.
Once you get the hang of maintaining a backlog, consider making your backlog visible to others. One way to do this would be to print out your backlog in a large font along with an indication of which stories you are currently working on and post it near you in a place that passersby can clearly see. You may even find that the number of interruptions goes down as people can see for themselves that you are clearly working on the most important thing and leave you alone to get it done.
Talking to Yourself
It may seem silly to do a "daily standup meeting" with yourself every morning. So don't stand up. But do go through the exercise of going through the three questions:
- What have you accomplished since the last meeting?
- What are you working on next?
- What impediments do you have?
This will help to keep you focused on your current story. If you find that you just aren't making the kind of progress you'd like to make, it is time to get some help! Let's face it, if you go work on something else in the meantime, you'll eventually have to come back to face whatever it is that is blocking you now. Yes, it is possible that you will solve the problem on your own, but why not at least find somebody to describe the problem to? Maybe the simple act of explaining the problem will provide a new insight. In any case, if you do end up working on something else, try to keep the total number of stories you have in progress to a minimum.
The Moment of Truth - Did it Work For You?
When you finish a story, now it is time to do an iteration review. Normally this would be done at the end of an iteration, but since you aren't doing iterations, you might as well do the iteration review now. It is simple. Find somebody to demo the story to. The idea here is to have an audience and get feedback. If you feel like you aren't ready to have somebody else see a demo of your work… then your story isn't really done, is it? Keep working on it until you feel ready for an audience.
In Retrospect, That Was a Good Idea
Once you have finished your story and done the "iteration review," it is time for the retrospective. Find a quiet place that you can spend 30 minutes or so to reflect back on how things went, from the time that you had the story ready to the time that you finished the iteration review. What went well? What didn't go so well? What could you do better in the future? Write down your thoughts for future reference.
Unit Tests
If you aren't already doing unit tests, now is the time to consider it. Unit tests are something that you can decide to do on your own for your own sake. At first it may seem that it is slowing you down, but consider all of the rework you have to do when QA finds problems with your work. Why not invest that effort into writing unit tests? If you are using Java, you can use JUnit. If you are using .Net, you can use NUnit.
Unit tests go hand in hand with refactoring. Refactoring is simply the practice of rewriting code to make it simpler to understand and change. The more unit tests you write, the more you will refactor the code and the easier it will be to understand the code and add new functionality.
Growing Your Team
See if you can get somebody in QA interested in what you are doing. You might look for their feedback on the ranking of your backlog or the quality of your unit tests. A QA person would also be a good person to invite to an iteration review. The more that QA sees the work you are doing as helping them, the more they will want to help make you successful. A close relationship with QA is an essential ingredient to Agile success.
As you practice these Agile techniques, I think you will find that you are producing higher quality results in less time as well as keeping focused on the work that the business cares the most about. You may also find that what you are doing gets noticed and appreciated. If you can get other folks to follow your example, you may soon find yourself part of a real Agile team. Good luck, and let me know how it works out for you!
If you enjoyed this post, you may also enjoy the freely downloadable book "Do it Yourself Agile."


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4 Best Writer's Block Infographics
In every blogger's/writer's life, there always comes a situation where he or she runs out of ideas and words for their next piece of article. It feels like a road end wherein the writing journey stops. This is known as "writer's block".
There are many ways to overcome writer's block, but it varies from one person to another on the types of writers' block they are facing. Like in my case, I sometimes get stuck in writing the 1st paragraph or a good start.
So today let us try to know what exactly is writer's block and how to overcome them from the following infographics:
1. Writer's Block
This infographic describes the proper definition of "writer's block" by pros and few tips to overcome them. It also includes a list of movies made with respect to this subject.


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The Eyes Are Watching
It all about me but why why can't it be about Maddy and what she has done she is the best she is [...] See book
We present you the books of Narrative, Stories and tales in Paper tagged in fiction free that match your search. In Bubok we have thousands of books that you can not find anywhere else, books by new authors that enrich your books with our works and that we offer you to enjoy.
Do you want to lear more on how to publish your work? Leave us your phone and we call you without obligation.


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text: The right to self-defense is not a privilege granted by government, it is an inalienable right--present at birth. Ergo, the right to bear arms to administer self-defense in the face of govt. JBTs falls under the right of self-defense. To give up arms is render yourself *defenseless.* Do not go quietly into that good night.....("night" here being a metaphor for govt. imposed slavery which can easily devolve into pogroms of what used to be patriots). CATO The Right to Self-Defense Judge Andrew Napolitano The Right to Self-Defense - Judge Andrew Napolitano - Page 1 In all the noise caused by the Obama administration's direct assault on the right of every person to keep and bear arms, the essence of the issue has been drowned out. The president and his big-government colleagues want you to believe that only the government can keep you free and safe, so to them, the essence of this debate is about obedience to law. To those who have killed innocents among us, obedience to law is the last of their thoughts. And to those who believe that the Constitution means what it says, the essence of this debate is not about the law; it is about personal liberty in a free society. It is the exercise of this particular personal liberty -- the freedom to defend yourself when the police cannot or will not and the freedom to use weapons to repel tyrants if they take over the government -- that the big-government crowd fears the most. Let's be candid: All government fears liberty. By its nature, government is the negation of liberty. God has given us freedom, and the government has taken it away. George Washington recognized this when he argued that government is not reason or eloquence but force. If the government had its way, it would have a monopoly on force. Government compels, restrains and takes. Thomas Jefferson understood that when he wrote that our liberties are inalienable and endowed by our Creator, and the only reason we have formed governments is to engage them to protect our liberties. We enacted the Constitution as the supreme law of the land to restrain the government. Yet somewhere along the way, government got the idea that it can more easily protect the freedom of us all from the abuses of a few by curtailing the freedom of us all. I know that sounds ridiculous, but that's where we are today. The anti-Second Amendment crowd cannot point to a single incident in which curtailing the freedom of law-abiding Americans has stopped criminals or crazies from killing. It is obvious that criminals don't care what the law says because they think they can get away with their violations of it. And those unfortunates who are deranged don't recognize any restraint on their own behavior, as they cannot mentally distinguish right from wrong and cannot be expected to do so in the future, no matter what the law says. When the Second Amendment was written and added to the Constitution, the use of guns in America was common. At the same time, King George III -- whom we had just defeated and who was contemplating another war against us, which he would start in 1812 -- no doubt ardently wished that he had stripped his colonists of their right to self-defense so as to subdue their use of violence to secede from Great Britain. That act of secession, the American Revolution, was largely successful because close to half of the colonists were armed and did not fear the use of weaponry. If the king and the Parliament had enacted and enforced laws that told them who among the colonists owned guns or that limited the power of the colonists' guns or the amount of ammunition they could possess, our Founding Fathers would have been hanged for treason. One of the secrets of the Revolution -- one not taught in public schools today -- is that the colonists actually had superior firepower to the king. The British soldiers had standard-issue muskets, which propelled a steel ball or several of them about 50 yards from the shooter. But the colonists had the long gun -- sometimes called the Kentucky or the Tennessee -- which propelled a single steel ball about 200 yards, nearly four times as far as the British could shoot. Is it any wonder that by Yorktown in 1781, the king and the Parliament had lost enough men and treasure to surrender? The lesson here is that free people cannot remain free by permitting the government -- even a popularly elected one that they can unelect -- to take their freedoms away. The anti-freedom crowd in the government desperately wants to convey the impression that it is doing something to protect us. So it unconstitutionally and foolishly seeks, via burdensome and intrusive registration laws, laws restricting the strength of weapons and the quantity and quality of ammunition and, the latest trick, laws that impose financial liability on law-abiding manufacturers and sellers for the criminal behavior of some users, to make it so burdensome to own a gun that the ordinary folks who want one will give up their efforts to obtain one. We cannot let ourselves fall down this slippery slope. The right to self-defense is a natural individual right that pre-exists the government. It cannot morally or constitutionally be taken away absent individual consent or due process. Kings and tyrants have taken this right away. We cannot let a popular majority take it away, for the tyranny of the majority can be as destructive to freedom as the tyranny of a madman.


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Read next
It's tough to argue that any Twitter app is as fast, feature-packed, and rock solid as Tweetbot for iPhone.
Today, Tweetbot for iPad launched, providing support for the iPad's larger screen, as well as a few slick new features.
But really, Tweetbot for iPad looks almost exactly like Tweetbot for iPhone. And that's not such a bad thing.
So why will you have to shell out another $2.99 for it?
We asked Paul Haddad (one half of the Tapbots duo that built Tweetbot) this question, plus a lot more about Tweetbot for iPad.
Here's what we learned. But first:
Check out a ton of huge screenshots of Tweetbot for iPad >
BUSINESS INSIDER: When we first dug through the new app, we noticed that just about everything was pretty identical to Tweetbot for iPhone. Were you tempted to do anything new, or did you just want to stick with what works?
PAUL HADDAD: We wanted the app to feel like Tweetbot, so that if you were coming from the iPhone you'd know exactly how to use the app. But I still think we use the extra space available on the iPad where appropriate. The user profile view should feel familiar but still make good use of the iPad screen space by letting you view the user's latest Tweets without having to go to a new screen.
Post is pretty different as well. It shows the thread that you are responding to on screen vs. the iPhone's "pull down to view."
BI: Considering how much people have been hassling you about building Tweetbot for iPad, do you think you're going to get hassled about not making this app universal (one price for one app that works on both iPhone and iPad)?
PH: I'm sure some people will complain. People complain that it isn't $.99 or free. But we never said we'd make Tweetbot universal. If you look at the other paid universal Twitter clients they are for the most part $5 and I think we have more features than those, so we're comfortable with the pricing and having separate apps.
BI: So what are you worried about most today? Launching an app must be stressful.
PH: Nothing really, pretty chill for a change. Often I'm pretty nervous but not this time. Tweetbot for iPhone is already successful, so I can't imagine the iPad version tanking. I'm curious as to what people will dislike about the app.
BI: What were the most frustrating parts of this app to build?
PH: I don't know if there was anything particularly frustrating. It's such a big app and there are so many different bits and pieces that probably the most frustrating bit is just going through everything and making sure that it all works.
BI: Is Mark (Mark Jardine, the app's designer) happy with how the app looks?
PH: Yeah we both are, it just feels really nice to use and we've got a lot of ideas for future features that'll make it even better.
BI: Anything about the app you're particularly proud of?
PH: I like the little bounce animations we've put in when you are switching views, like when you pull up the Post screen. Little touches like that are always fun to have.
BI: Any numbers you have in mind for how many units you're hoping to sell tomorrow? It seems like a lot of people have been waiting for this app to launch.
PH: No clue. We try not to set expectations and really have no idea what the iPad market is like. Hopefully we'll hit the top 10 iPad. Top X paid is based on a moving average of sales over some number of days. My belief is that it's three days but I don't have any solid proof of that.
BI: Now we have two random questions for you. First, which apps have you been most enjoying lately?
PH: Been playing around with Jetpack Joyride. Clear app (not yet launched To Do list app) is pretty cool as well.
BI: And lastly, are we ever going to see Tweetbot on the Galaxy Tab 10.1? (Question from SAI: Tools editor Steve Kovach).
PH: Sure, if Google buys us out for megabucks and let's me hire out someone else to do it. Otherwise no way in hell.


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Published: July 02, 2021
ColumbiaGrid Strategic Plan 2012-2016 Posted
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"Chelan PUD is a strong supporter of ColumbiaGrid and the work that's accomplished through the transmission Planning and Expansion Functional Agreement (PEFA). As a result of that process, the mid-C utilities (Chelan, Grant and Douglas PUDs) and Bonneville Power Administration were able to reach an agreement that defined the need for a new transmission line, as well as determine who will construct, own and pay for the facility. Those difficult decisions were made successful through the expert and independent expertise of the ColumbiaGrid staff."
~~ Chad Bowman, Director - Transmission and Compliance


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The IT job market is slowing down, use of contingency workers is picking up, and Congress has an unfinished fight ahead on the H-1B visa.
In sum, this is going to be an interesting year for IT employment, politically and on the job front.
In quick summary, here are five of the major IT hiring trends.
1. More electrical engineers do their own thing
IEEE-USA data shows that the number of electrical engineers declined by 35,000 last year, or about 10.5%.
What happened to them? This anecdote may give an idea of where electrical engineers are heading: Approximately 120,000 people attended a Maker Faire in the Bay Area last year, which draws many who are do-it-yourself (DIY) inclined.
An attendee study, commissioned by Maker Media, which runs the event, found that 31% of the attendees identified themselves as engineers. The five top areas of interest at the event were science, electronics, robotics, 3D printing and innovation.
Some engineers may have moved into management consulting, software engineering and other IT occupations. U.S. Labor Department data doesn't show where these workers may have ended up, if anywhere. But last year, government data reported that 15,000 electrical engineers were unemployed.
Employers, increasingly, are hiring workers on a contingent or contract basis, say IT labor analysts. IT research firm Computer Economics said the use of contingent workers is at its highest since 1998.
2. IT job growth slides
IT labor analysts agree that the pace of IT job creation began to slow late last summer. They don't agree on the number of jobs created in 2013, but that's because some use a broad set of labor occupations to track IT hiring, and others a more narrow set. But the hiring trend is clear.
TechServe Alliance, an industry group, said there were 197,000 IT jobs created in 2013. At the low end, Janco Associates puts this figure at 74,900. In the middle is Foote Partners, which said 128,500 jobs were added. Foote said that in the last five months of 2013, the pace of hiring declined by 60%.
The economy gets the blame for the slowdown in hiring. Victor Janulaitis, Janco's CEO, points to the declining labor participation rate, which fell last month to 62.8%, or 3.3 million fewer people in the labor force since 2007. This decline includes all occupations, but is nonetheless "causing many companies to consider whether they should expand IT staffs," said Janulaitis, in recent commentary about the hiring data.
3. Salaries flat for computer science majors
The average starting salary for humanities and social science majors who graduated in 2013 increased 2.9%, the National Association of Colleges and Employers recently reported.
For computer science majors, a category which includes a broad selection of IT degrees, starting salaries were down 0.2%. For those students with a specific computer science degree, starting salaries were up 0.5%.
The starting salaries for humanities and social science graduates averaged $38,045, compared with computer science graduates, whose starting salaries were still significantly higher at $59,084. For computer science degree holders specifically, the starting salary was $64,700.
4. Job ads that bury candidates with requirements
Employers want workers who understand the business and technology. This trend is increasing the mix of requirements to get an IT job. Gartner estimates that by 2017, 50% of the IT roles will require business knowledge.
Consider, for example, the job description for a senior developer analyst from the New York State Funeral Directors Association. Aside from specific technical requirements, which include a computer science or software engineering degree, the job description calls for strong financial knowledge -- someone who has a minor in "business, or accounting" although an "MBA is preferred."
David Foote, who heads Foote Partners, said employers are also seeking a unique combination of skill sets, for instance, " cloud administrators who are adept at automating the configuration and operations in a cloud environment by combining a variety of different skill sets around systems administration, virtualization, and storage and network administration."
5. More battles over H-1Bs
After the U.S. Senate passed its immigration bill last spring allowing the H-1B cap to rise as high as 180,000 (from the current 85,000 ceiling), the bill stalled in the House. But this bill may be having an impact on technology hiring.
Most of the job growth in IT last year was in consulting areas represented heavily by H-1B visa holders using IT outsourcing firms, both onshore and offshore. Outside of those areas, there's no evidence of galloping growth in IT employment.
The largest IT employment labor category, software developers, gained 19,000 jobs in 2013, bringing the total to about 1.1 million.
The Senate bill would impose new rules on large H-1B users. One key change is that if a company employs more than 50 workers, no more than half of its workers can be H-1B or L-1 workers.
Jimit Arora, a vice president at Everest Group, a consulting and research firm, said the threat of this restriction is prompting Indian IT companies to hire more domestic IT workers.
For instance, in a recent speech in Texas, the president of Cognizant, a U.S.-based offshore services provider, said the company will add 10,000 U.S. workers over the next three years, Bloomberg reported.
It's hard to tell how many of those U.S. workers will be added in response to the fear of H-1B restrictions because not all of these companies report the size of their U.S. workforce. Whether the House will endorse the Senate's visa restrictions in the immigration bill remains to be seen.
This article, 5 reasons why your IT job search is getting harder, was originally published at Computerworld.com.
Patrick Thibodeau covers cloud computing and enterprise applications, outsourcing, government IT policies, data centers and IT workforce issues for Computerworld. Follow Patrick on Twitter at @DCgov or subscribe to Patrick's RSS feed. His e-mail address is firstname.lastname@example.com.
See more by Patrick Thibodeau on Computerworld.com.
Read more about it careers in Computerworld's IT Careers Topic Center.


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NEW YORK – Android platform phones, or Droids, are helping kids cheat in school.
Smart phones are all the rage and Android platform phones, often referred to as Droids, are gaining traction in the Apple dominated market. Apple's iPhone App Store has over 100,000 apps to choose from but this figure pails in comparison to the 200,000+ apps that can be downloaded from the Android Market.
The Android Market offers a wide variety of games with popular titles such as Angry Birds, Jewels and Slice it! In addition to games, the market also offers applications to make your life a little bit easier such as email clients apps, Pandora , and social network based apps like Facebook for Android. However, one app in particular made life a little too easy for some children and created great concern for many educators.
The app "Give Me Your Answer" is one of the first apps of its kind to be offered with an ear piece. The concept behind this Russian designed app is that the user inserts the earpiece into the ear canal like one would do with a hearing aid. The user then simply asks a question out loud. The app incorporates Google's Voice Search tool, which comes pre-installed on all Droids, and searches the internet for the answer. It then relays the answer quietly into the ear of the user. The concern for educators here was that students were using the app to aid them with their exams.
"After the holiday break, we were noticing several kids coming into class with hearing aids and found it to be quite strange. What was even odder was that they were all continually mumbling to themselves. But when our F students became A students overnight, we new something was up," said Vice Principle Dilmer of PS 312.
Upon learning about the app, Google announced that it would remove the app from its Android Market.
"We very rarely will remove apps from the Market," said Google CEO Eric Schmidt, "but this is app is just plain wrong. We at Google believe that the children are our future. We have to teach them well and let them lead the way. We have to help to show them all the beauty, I mean intelligence, that they possess inside. We have to give them a sense of pride and make things easier, but not easier this way."
NEW YORK – Android platform phones, or Droids, are helping kids cheat in school.


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Posts Tagged 'Nicole from Bolivia'
Angela Harris & Friends – 07-17-13
The Songwriter Showcase last night featured three different performers… all talented performers and songwriters. The Evening started off with Angela Harris performing a mix of songs from her award-winning albums, as well as some new material. Angela then introduced us to (first) Savannah Quinn and (later) Amanda Thate – two singer/songwriters from Abbotsford. Each got up and performed a few of their songs. The Showcase was closed out with Angela performing a few more of her songs, before Bruce opened the stage for the Open Mic section of the evening.


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I first discovered binchotan charcoal when I lived in Japan, where it's been used for centuries both for cooking at home and for its purification and restorative properties. Made from oak branches that are fired in ceramic kilns at very high temperatures, binchotan is created when the kiln flames are rapidly smothered in dirt, carbonizing the wood. It was widely used in Japan before World War II, but with the advent of gas cooking, it declined in popularity until recently. Over the past decade, binchotan charcoal has been enjoying a renaissance both in Japan and overseas, with proponents touting its deodorizing and purifying virtues.
I've been using it at home since I came across Danish company Sort of Coal's products with clean, modern packaging. According to Sort of Coal, "What's fascinating about binchotan is its extreme porosity. It's filled with countless micro cavities, which means it efficiently absorbs impurities from water, air, and even skin." Here are 10 easy ways you can benefit from binchotan charcoal in the home.
Above: Sort of Coal Mizu Water Bottle with Binchotan Purifying Stick: $68 from Generate.
1. Water Purifier: Add a stick to a carafe of water and you have an instant filter. It also has the health benefit of releasing minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and iron into the water. Before you use the charcoal for the first time, you must rinse it, then place in boiling water for 10 minutes and allow to cool before adding to a carafe. The charcoal stays hard without discoloring the water and its highly porous surface makes it an effective purifier, removing chemicals and toxins from water. One stick will last for around three months if you boil it on a weekly basis.
2. Rice Additive: Inserting a piece of binchotan into a pot of rice during the cooking process will absorb impurities in the water and help retain the taste of the rice. (Note: The binchotan should be washed in the same way as mentioned above.)
Above: Kishu Binchotan Charcoal starts at $16 for a quarter pound of charcoal.
3. Toxin Remover: We tend to obsess about the impurities in the water we drink, but seem to forget that we bathe in the same water. Adding a stick of binchotan to the bath will remove impurities. Place in the tub as is or put in a muslin bag and add to bath. The far infrared rays in the charcoal will also enhance blood circulation, proponents say.
4. Air Purifier: Binchotan is believed to contain negative ions, which it releases into the atmosphere. Place a couple of sticks in a jar by your bed for a deeper night's sleep.
Above: Air-purifying Moso Bamboo Charcoal Bags from the Container Store; the small size is $9.99 and the large is $19.99.
5. Damp Defier. Place a piece of binchotan in a cupboard or a drawer to absorb dampness. Be sure to dry out and air the stick in sunlight every few weeks. One stick should last three years if cared for properly. If you would rather have your charcoal packaged, the Container Store sells the bamboo charcoal bags shown above.
6. Dental Hygiene Defender: Toothbrushes made with binchotan charcoal blended into each bristle give off negative ions and are helpful for removing plaque and preventing bad breath. The Binchotan Charcoal Toothbrush is available from Rikumo for $7.
7. Electromagnetic Wave Absorber: Worried about electromagnetic waves from computers, microwaves, and mobile phones? Placing a piece of binchotan nearby will absorb these waves in a room, according to Sort of Coal, which says, "Binchotan works as a balancing factor for body and mind through the flood of negative ions it emits, which turns nearby metals magnetic."
Above: Chikuno Cube Natural Air Freshner; $21.75 from Amazon.
8. Odor Neutralizer: Place charcoal, such as the Chikuno Cube shown above, in a refrigerator to absorb unwanted odors.
9. Termite Repeller: Termites thrive on heat and humidity. Since binchotan charcoal absorbs both heat and humidity, it also serves to repel the termites from wood.
10. Soil Booster: Binchotan is the ultimate composter. When you have finished with the charcoal sticks, grind them up and add them to your soil as an enricher.
For more of binchotan's benefits, see Black Magic, Japanese Charcoal. For other tips for the home, read our Expert Advice posts.


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Automotive technology is advancing at a startling rate. Consider game-changing features like in-vehicle LTE, a proliferation of telematics (telecommunications and infotainment), and smartphone apps. While entry-level car buyers are enjoying added-value infotainment systems, high-end manufacturers continue to roll out devices like high-speed in-car Web access and digital rearview mirrors.
Even the U.S. government has gone high-tech. A group of automakers have joined forces with the Department of Transportation in the largest Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) and Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) test to date. The task force could annouce as early as next year whether it will roll out a large-scale "V2X" (meaning both Vehicle-to-Vehicle and Vehicle-to-Infrastructure) project. The intended benefit would be fewer traffic accidents and fatalities, improved fuel economy, reduced emissions, and shorter commute times.
Vehicles Start Talking to Each Other
Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) is a two-way, short-range wireless communications technology designed for the auto industry. Similar to Wi-Fi, DSRC allows vehicles to wirelessly exchange data with other vehicles and traffic signals at a range of around 900 feet. The DSRC's primary function is to assess the surrounding environment, based on precise data exchanges with other DSRC-equipped vehicles and roadside hotspots.
The more vehicles equipped with DSRC devices, the more effective the technology is. When all cars in an area have V2X, the vehicles have 360-degree situational awareness. The embedded computing device in each car can use information about nearby vehicles to calculate its current and future positions. This can help predict hazardous situations, and then alert drivers of hazards to avoid crashes.
Cars with DSRC can also "talk" with traffic signals to tell you how many seconds you have left at a red or green light. It can also tell you what speed to drive (under the speed limit, of course) to make all the green lights. That could mean an automotive future with better fuel efficiency, fewer emissions, and reduced driving time.
Audi Premieres First Digital Rearview Mirror
Audi's digital rearview mirror technology will soon trickle down from the R18 Le Mans racer into the production R8 e-tron, making it the world's first passenger car with a digital rearview display.
The electric R8 e-tron, like the R18 racer, has no rear window, so it relies on a camera and monitor system for its rear views.
A small, built-in camera covers a much larger field of vision than a conventional rearview mirror.
The color, 7.7-inch display appears where a conventional rearview mirror would be, and features self-illuminating AMOLED (Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode) technology. Audi says that switching times are only a few milliseconds regardless of the ambient temperature.
Audi claims that the display produces a "consistent high-contrast, brilliant image," and prevents headlight glare from other vehicles during nighttime driving. The driver can also dim or deactivate the display at any time.
Small-scale R8 e-tron production starts at the end of this year.
BMW's ConnectedDrive 2012 Features Portable LTE Hotspot
BMW's ConnectedDrive 2012 navigation, infotainment, and Web system sits on the cutting edge of in-vehicle technology, and will be a hard act for other manufacturers to follow.
BMW touts its LTE Car Hotspot as the first production application of in-vehicle, high-speed mobile Internet. Passengers can enjoy LTE speeds on any connected device. While the standard USB power supply unit that allows charging away from the vehicle is great, a built-in battery pack and antenna that provides 30 minutes of use outside of the vehicle is even better.
A small, touch-sensitive pad on the iDrive Controller creates the iDrive Touch system. The big news here is the handwriting recognition function. Passengers can "write" words on the touchpad using their fingers, and the display's "Speller" letters will jump to the right point in the alphabet while an audible verification sounds.
The BMW Navigation system received several notable upgrades, including a 1.3GHz processor and 3D graphics chip that offer animations and real-time calculations. There's also improved route guidance graphics and map views, and a "3D City Models" view option with realistic street and building views. "High Guiding" shows important navigation information in the instrument panel displays.
BMW takes third-party app integration a step further with a Software Development Kit, to aid developers with guidelines and tools to create vehicle-adapted apps. And soon, BMW will integrate Android smartphone apps.
Production has already started for select 3, 5, 7, and M-series models, and the rollout will continue into 2013.
MyFord App Points Out EV Recharging Stations
Ford's iOS app shows charging locations for current Focus Electric and future C-MAX Energi and Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid vehicles.
MyFord Mobile uses MapQuest to power its database, which currently shows over 9,400 locations. It integrates up-to-date charging locations in real time, and features important details like station proximity, address, and hours of operation, as well as ways to increase EV driving range.
The U.S. has gone from around 2,500 public charging stations in 2009 to 9,445 public stations in July 2012, according to numbers from the U.S. Department of Energy.
The MyFord Mobile app is available through the App Store, and works with iOS 4.0 and later.
GM Developing Pedestrian Detection Technology
General Motors is building on its V2V and V2I research by developing a driver assistance feature that could detect pedestrians on busy streets or in poor visibility before the driver can.
This system would also integrate with sensor-based object detection and driver alert systems already in production. Wireless Pedestrian Detection will use Wi-Fi Direct, the peer-to-peer wireless standard that lets some smartphones communicate directly, rather than through a shared access point like a cell phone tower. This allows fast, one-second connections, as opposed to the seven or eight seconds needed for a conventional wireless system.
"Wi-Fi Direct's fast connections offer a distinct advantage in vehicle applications," said GM's Global R&D Senior Researcher Donald Grimm. "The quicker a vehicle can detect other Wi-Fi Direct users, the greater the potential for collision avoidance."
GM also wants to develop a complementary app for frequent road users, like bicyclists or construction workers, who own Wi-Fi Direct-capable smartphones. Once downloaded, the app would allow Wi-Fi Direct-equipped vehicles to identify them.
Wireless pedestrian detection is part of GM's ongoing development of V2X communication systems, which could soon provide advance warning about stalled vehicles or slippery roads.
HondaLink and Harman Create Personal Infotainment
HondaLink, Honda's new connectivity system, looks to connect drivers to thousands of cloud-based news, information, media, and social media feeds from around the world.
It features the first automotive application of Aha by Harman, an infotainment platform that organizes Web content into personalized, live, and on-demand radio stations on the audio system interface.
With the HondaLink smartphone app, owners add preset content to their phones. Once the user and the tethered phone are inside the vehicle, the content is accessible via voice recognition, steering-wheel-mounted controls, and in-dash audio system controls.
Future content additions will include Pandora radio and voice-to-text SMS text services with pre-programmed responses. HondaLink debuts this fall on the 2013 Honda Accord.