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Evan Mobley's basket as time expired gave Georgia Southwestern a thrilling 84-82 win at UNC Pembroke on Saturday afternoon.
The Hurricanes were in control most of the game, but almost let it slip away at the end.
Southwestern shot 64 percent from the floor in the first half and took a 19-point lead (47-28) into the break.
GSW picked up where they left off to start the second stanza, building their largest lead of the game, a 24-point advantage (57-33) with 15:55 remaining.
UNCP chipped away at the lead the rest of the way and eventually tied the game at 79-79 with 50 seconds to go.
Southwestern's Dannie Hunt made a layup and converted on an and-one play to put the Hurricanes back up by three with 40 seconds to go. UNCP missed a trey with 26 seconds left but David Moore was able to pull down the rebound and the Braves took a timeout to regroup. It was with seven seconds left that Marcus Heath tied the game up at 82 with a 3-pointer that ignited the home crowd but Mobley's bucket as time expired left the Jones Center in a state of shock.
The Hurricanes had five players score 10 or more points with Chris Rawls recording a team-high 18. Anthony Sargent scored 14 while Mobley, Ric Roderick and Marcus Scott each added 12 to the Canes' total. GSW finished the game shooting 62.8 percent from the floor and converted on 23-of-29 free throws.
Tyler Egli scored a game-high 27 points for UNCP including 19 in the second half in helping the Braves come back from the 24-point deficit. Three other Braves scored in double figures in the game with Demarcus Lyday scoring 20, Marcus Heath scoring 18 and David Moore scoring 11.
UNCP held a 22-0 second-chance points advantage over Southwestern.
The win for GSW secured a spot in the Peach Belt Conference's men's basketball tournament on March 3-8 in Aiken, S.C., and officially eliminated the Braves from the postseason. The Hurricanes now stand at 10-16 overall with a 6-13 mark in the PBC. Pembroke drops its 10th consecutive game to fall to 5-20 on the season with a 2-16 mark in conference.
The Hurricanes return home next Saturday, February 28 to wrap-up the regular season with a homecoming tilt against No. 6-ranked Augusta State.


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Why Choose Swingline's Stack & Shred Shredders?
Shredders have become an indispensable part of your office stationary – what with the increasing need to dispose of confidential papers and other official documents every now and then.
Considering its growing importance, shredders – both manual and automated ones – have flooded the market space. But will manual shredders live up to your expectations? Yes and No. So, instead of risking your valuable money and time on manual shredders, why not opt for automated ones that are easy to use and super fast in their processes as well. Swingline is America's no.1 brand in offering HANDS-FREE SHREDDERS. Named as Stack & Shred Shredders, these auto-feed machines are one-of-its-kind and are specifically engineered to save businesses of their valuable time and money. Given the company's experience, today it engineers different types of shredders for different types of businesses. They are:
1] SWI1757571 Swingline Stack-and-Shred 100X
Ideal for micro and small-scale businesses
Automatic shredding of 100 sheets
Manual feed shredding upto 6 sheets
7-gallon pull-out bin
2] Swingline Stack-and-Shred 200X
Ideal for small and medium-scale businesses
Automatic shredding of 200 sheets
Manual feed shredding upto 7 sheets
9-gallon pull-out bin
3] SWI1757576 Swingline Stack-and-Shred 300X
Ideal for small and medium-scale businesses
Automatic shredding of 300 sheets
Manual feed shredding upto 8 sheets
11-gallon pull-out bin
4] SWI1757577 Swingline Stack-and-Shred 500X
Ideal for medium and large-scale businesses
Automatic shredding of 500 sheets
Manual feed shredding upto 10 sheets
21-gallon pull-out bin
5] SWI1757578 Swingline Stack-and-Shred 750X
Ideal for large-scale businesses
Automatic shredding of 750 sheets
Manual feed shredding upto 12 sheets
31-gallon pull-out bin
All these shredders are far more efficient and reliable than any traditional shredder. Plus, they come with a 2 year warranty. If these weren't enough, the shredders also help refeed stuck papers, and is fitted with self-cleaning cutters to remove shreds that cause jams, and ensures auto shut down. So, if you want to have any of these shredders installed in your office space, go for it right away. Why? Because AceDepot – the leading supplier of office equipment – in association with Swingline is offering big cash back on all these shredding machines, that too until September 30, 2014.
Until September 30, 2014, when you purchase a:
$500.00 cash back on SWI1757578 Swingline Stack-and-Shred 750X
$250.00 cash back on SWI1757577 Swingline Stack-and-Shred 500X
$150.00 cash back on SWI1757576 Swingline Stack-and-Shred 300X
$100.00 cash back on SWI1757573 Swingline Stack-and-Shred 200X
$50.00 cash back on SWI1757571 Swingline Stack-and-Shred 100X
Now make haste before the offer ends. Visit Acedepot.com right away to know more about the cash back offer.

subset: commoncrawl


text: On Thu, 16 Jan 2003, Subba Rao wrote: > > Has anyone deployed clusters in a production environment? I am trying to find > out what software is widely used to manage clusters. > > Any info or pointers appreciated. > There are hundreds and hundreds of clusters in production. There are several packages of software used by different people. It's a FAQ. Look in the archives. -- Rocky McGaugh Atipa Technologies rocky at atipatechnologies.com rmcgaugh at atipa.com 1-785-841-9513 x3110 http://1087800222/ perl -e 'print unpack(u, ".=W=W+F%T:7\!A+F-O;0H`");'


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BMC Certified Professional: BMC Footprints Service Core 12.x Practical Exam
Practical Exam
Companies implementing FootPrints service desk realize full value only when their solution is effectively implemented. To ensure implementations are performed to best practice standards, BMC Software maintains a technical certification program.
The BMC Certified Professional for FootPrints service desk 12.x exam will validate the technical competencies and implementation methods needed to successfully implement out-of-the-box baseline functionality for FootPrints service desk 12.x.
Steps to Certifications
Step 1. Register and pay for the BMC Certified Professional: BMC Footprints Service Core 12.x Practical Exam
Step 2. Register for and pass the end-of-course exam, BMC Accredited Administrator: FootPrints service desk 12.x Exam. You will receive access to the online exam after attending the Administering course.
Note: Participants will have access to the online exam for a period of 24 days after completing the Administering course and will have two opportunities to pass. Participants who do not pass the end-of-course online exam after the second attempt may register and pay to regain access to the online examination.
Step 3. After passing the end-of-course exam, study and prepare for the BMC Certified Professional: FootPrints service desk 12.x Professional Certification Exam. Allow a minimum of six weeks to study and prepare for this exam.
Step 4. Register and pay for the BMC Certified Professional: FootPrints service desk 12.x Professional Certification Exam.
Examination Details
- Exam duration is 2 days
- Exam will be offered in a BMC Education Services training facility
- Classroom environment with individual servers
- Proctored by BMC Education Services
- Participants must bring a laptop


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What is a able corporation(PC)?
A PC is a association endemic and operated by one or added associates of the aforementioned profession (e.g. physicians, lawyers, accountants, dentists). The casework provided by the association are about belted to the convenance of the profession.
Professional corporations are now accustomed in every arena and area above Canada. In anniversary province/territory, the able authoritative physique usually determines whether its associates may incorporate. For example, the authoritative physique for physicians, in all ambit and territories, allows physicians to incorporate.
How does it alter from a accepted corporation?
There are some cogent differences amid a able association and a common
corporation such as:
Alone associates of the aforementioned profession can be shareholders of a able association in abounding (but not all) provinces.
The admiral and admiral of a able association accept to about be shareholders of the association as well.
The able association is about accountable to the analytic and authoritative admiral of the authoritative physique administering the profession.
A able association will not assure a able adjoin claimed accountability for able negligence.
As a aftereffect of these differences, some of the allowances frequently associated with a association may accept a bound appliance for a able corporation. This is added declared below
Advantages of application a Able Corporation
Potential tax savings
A bargain federal and bigoted accumulated tax bulk is activated on the aboriginal $400,000 of able assets becoming by a able corporation. Some ambit administer the bargain tax bulk on assets of up to $500,000. The bigoted absolute varies by province. For 2010, the accumulated federal and bigoted tax on assets accountable to the baby business absolute will ambit amid about 11% and 19%. As a aftereffect of this lower rate, the accumulated accumulated and actor taxes paid on able casework assets is hardly lower than if such assets were to be becoming by you directly.
Potential tax deferral
Perhaps the a lot of cogent advantage of application a PC is the adeptness to adjourn taxes. Able assets becoming through a association is burdened at two levels – already at the accumulated akin and afresh again at the actor akin if the profits are broadcast to you as allotment income.
Since assets at the accumulated akin is burdened at a lower bulk than your claimed income, a tax cessation befalling exists if the assets is burdened in the association (at the lower rate) and is not broadcast to the actor (i.e. you). The cessation ceases if a allotment is paid to you and you pay the tax on that dividend.
Let's illustrate. If you admission a able assets of $500,000 per year as a sole freeholder and alone charge $200,000 of pre-tax assets for claimed expenses, you will be larboard with $300,000 that will be burdened at the accomplished bordering rate. Assuming a bordering tax bulk of 47%, you will be larboard with $159,000 to invest.
On the added hand, if you absorb the practice, the $300,000 will be larboard in the association and burdened at the baby business rate. Assuming a accumulated tax bulk of 18%, the association will be larboard with $164,000 to invest.
That's $87,000 more.
Sole freeholder Able corporation
Income $500,000 $500,000
Personal needs ($200,000) ($200,000)
Remaining funds $300,000 $300,000
Taxes ($94,000) ($54,000)
Net funds $159,000 $246,000
Additional funds in the
professional association $87,000
The added funds in the association may be acclimated to pay off debt, acquirement basal assets, admission investments or armamentarium an allowance policy
Flexible agent benefits
As an agent of a able corporation, you can admission assertive types of agent allowances that would contrarily not be accessible if you were a sole freeholder or a accomplice in a partnership. For example, the association can authorize an Individual Alimony Plan (discussed after on) or a Retirement Advantage Adjustment (RCA) for you. These retirement accumulation cars can aswell accommodate you with accessible creditor-protection benefits. An agent bloom and abundance assurance can aswell be created to accommodate bloom allowances for you and your family.
Capital assets exemption
The Canadian tax rules admittance that up to $750,000 in basal assets arising from the auction of the shares of a able baby business association may be absolved from tax. This $750,000 basal assets absolution is aswell accessible for shares of a able corporation, provided assertive altitude are met. However, the buying of a able association may not be as calmly communicable since, in abounding provinces, it can alone be transferred to associates of the aforementioned profession.
Flexibility in remuneration
You can accept to accept a aggregate of bacon and assets from a able corporation. The accommodation is based on the accumulated accumulated and actor taxes paid in your arena of residence.
Limited bartering liability
A able association does not about assure you from claimed accountability for able negligence. About shareholders of a able association will accept the aforementioned aegis as added accumulated shareholders if it comes to barter creditors.
Income splitting
You can breach assets through a association by paying assets to developed ancestors associates who are shareholders of the corporation. This action may be beneath applicative to able corporations anchored in ambit area allotment buying is belted to associates of a accurate profession. About added assets agreeable strategies, such as hiring ancestors associates to plan in the business and paying them a reasonable allowance for casework rendered, are still accessible through a able corporation.
Multiple baby business deductions
As a aftereffect of a Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) ruling, it is accessible for professionals operating through a able affiliation to cede their casework through a able association and be able to admission assorted Baby Business Deductions (SBDs).
Income becoming up to the SBD absolute of $400,000 is accountable to a best tax bulk (some ambit accept a college SBD). Historically, the SBD had to be aggregate a part of all accumulated partners. Given CRA's new ruling, professionals currently operating as a affiliation should accede the allowances of ambience up a able association to yield advantage of assorted SBDs.
Individual alimony plan
An Individual Alimony Plan (IPP) is a authentic account alimony plan that a able association can set up for the professional. The IPP provides bigger anniversary contributions than RSP banned for those over 40. Assets in an IPP are adequate from creditors; however, they may be accountable to locking-in accoutrement during retirement. If you would like added admonition on IPPs, amuse argue your advisor.
Disadvantages of a Able Corporation
Costs and complexity
The costs for establishing and advancement a PC are usually college than those of a sole proprietorship. Also, a able association will acquire added costs to book a accumulated tax return, adapt T4 block for salaries and T5 block for dividends. A association is aswell accountable to greater adjustment and acquiescence than a sole cartel or partnership.
Employer bloom tax and EI premiums
Corporations in several ambit accept to pay a bigoted bloom tax burden already the accumulated bulk has exceeded a assertive threshold. Fortunately the basal bulk you are not burdened on is adequately top (e.g. $400,000 in Ontario) so the appulse of this tax on able corporations may not be that significant.
Business losses
You cannot affirmation business losses incurred by a PC on your claimed tax return; whereas, in a sole proprietorship, you may use the business losses to account your claimed assets from added sources.
Liability for malpractice
As mentioned above, a able association will not assure you from claimed accountability for able negligence.
Who should use a able corporation?
A PC can accommodate abeyant tax accumulation and tax cessation benefits. This may address to you if you do not crave all of your assets to reside on. Able corporations may aswell address to you if you ambition to save for your retirement through another means, such as a alimony plan or retirement advantage arrangement, or if you would like to absolute your claimed acknowledgment to bartering liability.
Before incorporating, you should accede the cash-damming strategy, which converts all your non-deductible claimed debt into tax-deductible business debt. Find out more
If you accept questions on any of the issues discussed in this article, amuse allege with your advisor.
Paul Jespers – Investment Advisor
RBC Dominion Securities
100 King Street West
Suite 1500
Hamilton ON
As an Investment Adviser at RBC Dominion Securities, Paul specializes in banking strategies alone for business owners and Medical Professionals. Whether you're advance for your business, alignment or yourself, Paul's aggregation will adapt a portfolio to accommodated your specific needs. You will accept admission to the abounding spectrum of investments, including stocks, bonds, alternate funds and insurance.
Wealth administration is a absolute access to allowance you accomplish your goals in life. It gives you the aplomb you charge to accomplish complete banking decisions, additional the abandon to reside activity the way you want. It aswell provides a bright roadmap for your approaching by acclamation all aspects of your banking bearings at anniversary date of your life. Every footfall of the way, you are guided by Paul's aggregation who will admonition you apprehend your claimed aspirations.
Wealth administration extends above investment admonition and money management, allowance you assure your lifestyle, administer your backup egg, plan your retirement and actualize your legacy. Paul will adviser you – and your ancestors – through anniversary activity date by allowance you accept the assorted banking issues, apropos and opportunities you face.


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Mr. Redwood. Seriously asking this.
Can you make a case for choosing an Apple over a Windows machine/system?
I'm currently using a Windows 7 laptop and have had zero issues. No viruses (they may be coming), no slow startup, no video issues, no update issues. Just honestly, nothing. Pretty boring and nothing to bitch about.
But I'm open to change and have been considering Apple. So, I was just curious as to what makes them your preferred equipment.
Thanks for any input.


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August 13, 2012
Ready Pac has issued a recall of almost 300,000 apple slice packages, which were distributed to nationwide retailers and fast food chains, including McDonald's and Burger King. The recalled apple slices may be contaminated with the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes. Affected packages include those with the use-by dates of July 8, 2012 through August 20, 2012.
Check the Ready Pac website for a full list of recalled product descriptions and use-by dates.
While no illnesses have been reported, Listeria monocytogenes can cause serious illness in people, especially pregnant women or adults with weakened immune systems. Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, nausea and diarrhea.
If you have a package of the recalled apple slides, immediately dispose of them and contact Ready Pac Consumer Affairs Department at (800) 800-7822, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Pacific Time) to get a full refund.
Categories: Conscious Parenting


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Scout, Dill, Atticus and Boo those names can only mean one thing. It's over 50 years since Harper Lees To Kill A Mockingbird, the ultimate literary one-hit wonder, was published by J. B. Lippincott & Co. So much has been written about this novel that it is hard to provide facts that further illustrate Lee and her famous story of childhood in the American South.
A bright girl from Monroeville, Alabama, works as an airline reservations clerk in New York and then quits to finish her novel, which becomes an immediate bestseller, wins the Pulitzer Prize, is adapted into a wonderful movie starring Gregory Peck, is translated into more than 40 languages and sells over 30 million copies. The book has been read and reread by millions of people around the world and is taught by countless tutors of English literature (although there is always a lunatic who wants it banned every year). We dont blink when it shows up on our bestseller lists here at AbeBooks.
The character of Dill was famously inspired by Lee's childhood friend, Truman Capote. Lee went with Capote to Holcomb, Kansas, when he was researching the details behind the murder of a family for a New Yorker feature a story that eventually began In Cold Blood.
Harper Lee is now an octogenarian. Apart from a few magazine articles in the 1960s, she never published anything else although she did work on a second novel that never saw the light of day. She has stayed, mostly, out of public life.


text:
Related Topics:
Related Suppliers
Methods Machine Tools offers the 300 series of VisionGauge digital optical comparators developed by Visionx. According to the company, the optical comparators are cost-effective desktop measurement systems that are well-suited for parts measuring as large as 1.7" × 1.2". The comparators have an extended depth-of-field to accommodate tall parts, and a long working distance between the part and the lens provides ample clearance and room to work, the company says.
The desktop instruments have all of the functionality of the 500 series, including CAD auto-align and auto pass/fail tools. The auto-align tool automatically aligns CAD data to the part in less than 2 sec., producing repeatable and accurate results that are operator-independent, the company says. The auto pass/fail tool determines in real-time whether a part is within tolerance. The tool can be point-based, or it can consider complete geometric entities. It can perform both simultaneously on the same part.
The comparators work directly with the part's CAD data and don't require any overlays or templates. The fully digital comparators are designed to efficiently collect complete digital records of inspections including images, measurements and other statistical data that are critical for statistical process control (SPC) for documenting quality compliance. The 300 series has no moving or consumable parts.
The desktop comparators are a Windows-based solution that is delivered network-ready. They are said to be easy to set up, and the company provides training so that the systems can be ready to run on day one.
Editor PickL.S. Starrett Co. Appoints North American Director of Sales, Industrial Products
Jon-Michael Raymond succeeds Tony Aspin, who will be retiring June 30 after serving the company for 28 years, the last 18 of them as vice president of sales.


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The outrage in at least one corner of the Bluegrass State today has been over Calipari's comments, beginning at the two-minute mark, in which he seems deliberately not to mention UK's in-state rivalry with Louisville. cn|2 "reporter" Will Mapes, whose station's coverage area includes Louisville, doesn't seem to notice, at least until he's back in the studio re-applying his blue and white face paint. But then again, cn|2's sports editor, Matt Jones, is a Kentucky sports blogger, and Mapes' own bio says he is "crazy about the Cats." Getting weak at the knees and passing it off as news is apparently what they do.
CORRECTION: So in my haste to take a shot at Matt Jones, Will Mapes and cn|2, I missed the point completely. The program is meant to be a haven for UK fans, and the bio of Will Mapes (who was not involved with the segment whatsoever) is meant to be ironic. They take shots at Louisville all the time. What I wrote was neither journalism nor legitimate media criticism. It was just stupid. My apologies. — Dom Cosentino


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What Happened to Red Hat Exchange?
Selling Open SourceThree years ago Red Hat launched an effort to sell partners open source solutions -- it didn't work out as well as they had originally planned, proof that an open source app store doesn't actually work.
As it turns out, Linux vendors selling their open source partners solutions directly isn't always a recipe for success. Just ask Red Hat, or its rival Novell.
In 2007, Red Hat launched an effort called the Red Hat Exchange (RHX), a marketplace for selling open source solutions from Red Hat's partners. RHX was in part Red Hat's response to competitive pressure from the Novell Market Start program.
Now in 2010, neither of those sales programs is still operational.
"When we came out with RHX we were hoping for more ambitious adoption but we've learned that selling third-party applications via a marketplace is challenging," Mike Evans, Red Hat's vice president of corporate development, told InternetNews.com."When you've got marketplaces that offer buyers the choice of buying in the marketplace or directly from the vendor themselves, which is what our marketplace was, there isn't a real efficient marketplace."
Evans noted that Red Hat put the Exchange out and quickly found out that the ISV partners were getting the biggest value from the visibility they got from being on the site. He added that ISV partners appreciated the publicity aspect of the program, and the lead-generation aspects that followed.
"As we were working through [RHX], we started working with SYNNEX and the Open Source Channel Alliance and it became clear in talking to ISV partners [that] what they wanted was visibility into our user base and sales channel," Evans said.
The Open Source Channel Alliance launched in April 2009 as an effort to make it easier for VARs to distribute and support open source software. In August 2009, Red Hat expanded its channel efforts, adding a new premier partner level as well as specialization programs for virtualization, JBoss middleware and Red Hat Enterprise Linux infrastructure technologies.
"So we decided to change our approach and have those people be the core in the open source channel alliance, and that has been more valuable to them than the Red Hat Exchange ever was," Evans said. "So we're going to keep going down that path to help open source ISV partners get aligned with our selling channels."
Evans added that Red Hat's channel effort through VARs and system integrators is now growing nicely, and that's why Red Hat Exchange is no more.
"We no longer believe that it is productive for Red Hat to try and front end the sale of third-party open source products," Evans said. "It's more effective for them to line up in sales channels with our partners."
In Evans' view, enterprises that are going to buy an open source application at scale will want to buy it from its source.
"If I'm going to buy a thousand Alfresco content management servers, what value is Red Hat as the front-end guy there?" Evans said. "I'm going to want to have that Alfresco throat to choke."
Red Hat's experience trying to grow an open source solutions marketplace is not unique. Rival Novell has a somewhat similar effort called Market Start, though Novell says that effort was intended to be more channel-friendly from the outset. As is the case with Red Hat Exchange, however, Novell Market Start no longer exists.
"Our Market Start program ended when Novell enhanced its worldwide channel program in 2009," Novell Vice President Scott Lewis told InternetNews.com. "The Novell PartnerNet Program now offers a variety of enablement materials online, which are constantly updated. Our focus is on bringing ISVs, VARs, solution providers and integrators together in the market both through our own partner program and through focused programs with value-added distributors."
Sean Michael Kerner is a senior editor at InternetNews.com, the news service of Internet.com, the network for technology professionals.


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KINGSTON, R.I. – With a brisk wind blowing in from centerfield, the conditions at the URI Softball Complex on Wednesday didn't seem conducive to a big offensive day. Still, Yale managed 11 hits in the first game, but unfortunately for the Bulldogs it wasn't enough. Rhode Island was a bit more economical, scoring five runs on nine hits en route to a 5-3 victory. The Rams completed the sweep with a 7-0 win in the second game.
Yale nearly pulled off a big comeback in the opener. Trailing by four entering the seventh inning, the Bulldogs rallied. Meg Johnson and Jennifer Ong singled to start the inning. After Tori Balta's sacrifice bunt, Christy Nelson singled home Johnson. Kylie Williamson's infield single knocked home Ong and put the tying run on base. Hannah Brennan then hit a liner that looked like it might be headed to the gap, but URI rightfielder Alison Hartzell was able to make a running catch to end the game.
The Bulldogs (7-17) struck first in the game, using a two-out rally to score in the first. Nelson singled and scored when Sarah Onorato followed with a blast to left field. On most days it probably would have been a home run, but the wind knocked it down so it one-hopped the fence and went for an RBI double.
URI tied it with a run in the bottom of the first and scored again in the second. The Rams scored twice in the third and added a single run in the sixth.
Ong, Nelson, Williamson and Johnson all had two hits for Yale. Brennan and Virginia Waldrop also had hits.
The Bulldogs' bats were kept silent in the second game by URI pitcher Erika Szymanski, who limited Yale to one hit.
Szymanski retired the first 12 hitters before Onorato reached on an error leading off the fifth.
The Bulldogs were only down 2-0 when Ong singled up the middle with two outs in the sixth. It looked like that might be the start of a rally when Balta reached on an error. Instead, Szymanski retired the next hitter to get out of the jam.
Rhode Island (13-16) then put the game away by scoring five times in the bottom of the sixth.
The Bulldogs return to the friendly confines of Dewitt Family Field on Friday with a doubleheader against Princeton. The first pitch of the first game is slated for 2 p.m. Fans can listen to free audio of the game by clicking here.
Report filed by Tim Bennett, Yale Sports Publicity


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As families gear up for summer vacations and the weather begins to heat up, there's no better time to let your inner (or outer) child run free. And what better place to feel young than at a theme park designed for just that? From testing your skills as a wizard to leaping off a tall building, here are the best new attractions and death-defying rides of 2010.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Universal's Islands of Adventure
For the first time ever on June 18, muggles (non-wizards or witches) are invited to step behind the enchanted curtain and enter the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. You will get the chance to explore the streets and shops of Hogsmeade, including familiar places like the "Three Broomsticks" and "Hog's Head," before testing your bravery with three new rides.{{{SmarterBuddy|align=left}}}In "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey," you will tour the hallowed halls of Hogwarts Castle, where you can see first-hand Professor Dumbledore's office, the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, Gryffindor common room, and so much more. From there, you will join Harry and his friends as you soar high above the ground, encountering many magical creatures. This attraction uses state-of-the-art technology to bring the well-loved characters to life.
Next, you can visit Hagrid's hut, where the burly groundskeeper will give you very specific instructions on how to approach a mythical Hippogriff (a creature with the head of an eagle and the body of a horse). Once you have mastered how to say hello, you will take a "training flight" aboard "Flight of the Hippogriff," a magical wicker coaster that spins and dives through the pumpkin patch and zooms past the hut.
Finally, the ultimate test awaits you at the "Dragon Challenge," where you will choose between a Chinese Fireball and a Hungarian Horntail "dragon," and then hang on tight as the two twist, loop, and come dangerously close to colliding. This ride is actually two different high-speed roller coasters that intertwine at dizzying heights.
Before you head back to the uneventful world of the magically-challenged, stop in one of the many stores in Hogsmeade, and pick up Quidditch necessities, a Screaming Yo-yo, and a few Fizzing Whizzbees.
One-day one-park access tickets start at $79 for adults and $69 for kids.
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Kim Kardashian has some blond ambition, circa 1980-something. The new mom has dyed her hair a lighter hue.
The "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" star debuted the shorter, layered look over Labor Day weekend when she was photographed going to a friend's barbecue in Beverly Hills. A concealed baby North was in tow, and the new mom was followed closely by elder sister Kourtney Kardashian, according to E! News.
The new 'do is golden toward the ends, a bit darker toward the roots and totally Kanye-approved, according to Kardashian's hair squad.
PHOTOS: Kim Kardashian and Kanye West
"He loves it. He was a big cheerleader for her to go blond," her colorist George Papanikolas said.
Kardashian, 32, has kept a low profile since the June 15 birth of her daughter with Kanye West, but has expressed desires (via her reality show) that she wants to be "cool again."
The brunet fashionista has experimented with lighter tresses in the past. In 2009 and 2012, she went lighter. About five months ago, while she was still pregnant, she posted a throwback photo on Instagram stating that she was, "Missing my blonde."
Apparently, Kardashian has been wanting to lighten up for a long time.
"I brought up her length and layered it around her face to grow her bangs out," her stylist Chris McMilian told E! "The swooped up-and-over bang is kind of what we're doing with her too -- very '80s-ish. It's a bit asymmetrical [and] Cindy Crawford-esque. The color only helps make that more amazing."
And perhaps another way to distract people from her baby weight?
Robert Pattinson brood brilliantly in Dior Homme ad
Miley Cyrus: 'Like, I didn't even think about' the VMA spectacle
Kate Bosworth marries Michael Polish in Montana ranch wedding
Follow Ministry of Gossip @LATcelebs.
PHOTOS: Celebrity portraits by The Times
PHOTOS: Royal visit to New Zealand and Australia
PHOTOS: 2013 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show


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Job Search / What do you call a judge during an interview« on: January 26, 2008, 08:34:25 AM »
I have an interview with a trial judge. Do I call him Judge X? Your Honor? Something else?
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Author Notes: This is a simple and delicious summertime salad to have up your sleeve. When creating it, I intended to grill the avocado, corn, poblano, and red onion but then turned to my broiler instead. Broiling is a much underappreciated method of cooking in my opinion, and it works beautifully for this salad. Using the broiler versus the grill enables you to easily char the corn off the cob and the avocado, poblano and red onion in small pieces, resulting in more surface area to pick up that delicious charred flavor. It's also incredibly easy -- all you have to do is preheat your broiler and assemble your ingredients on a sheet pan, with the avocado needing the least amount of time under the broiler. (If grilling, I'd recommend charring the corn on the cob and the red onion, poblano, and avocado in large pieces, then cutting them to size off the grill.) Once they're done, all you have to do is toss them with halved cherry tomatoes, fresh mint and basil, and lime vinaigrette. You're left with an incredibly versatile salad that could be served alongside grilled meat or fish, tossed with shrimp or crab, or spooned over tostadas, tacos, or quesadillas. —EmilyC
Food52 Review: EmilyC's salad is a statement of summer in a bowl – the corn stays crisp but has a nice smoked char (I never thought to listen for the popping noise before – it gave me perfect corn) likewise the onion and pepper. I loved the char on the avocado as well, a new trick for my arsenal! I used the grill (too hot here for the oven and my broiler doesn't work anyway) and made quick work of the prep – the salad comes together in a snap once the grilling is done – and is an excellent balance of crispy sweet and creamy nutty. Turning to basil and mint rather than cilantro was so smart, they are the perfect herbal compliment. I added just a bit more lime and a bit more cayenne than called for, but that is a matter of personal taste. We had this as a side for 4 (it's excellent with grilled chicken thighs) and I had some to share with the neighbors as well. Everyone agrees and a double thumbs UP! —aargersi
Serves: 4 as a side dish, more as a topping or garnish
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
ears of corn
poblano pepper, cut into small pieces
red onion, thinly sliced
teaspoons olive oil
pinches kosher salt + freshly ground black pepper
large or 2 small avocado, cut into small dice
cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
tablespoons lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
teaspoon honey
teaspoon cayenne or Aleppo pepper, to taste
cup extra virgin olive oil
handful fresh basil and mint leaves, roughly torn
- Preheat your broiler to medium-high and place your oven rack about 4" to 6" from your heating element.
- Shuck your corn and remove the silks. Cut the kernels from the cob using your favorite technique and set them aside in a bowl. Add the diced poblano and sliced red onion. Toss with a teaspoon or two of olive oil to evenly coat, and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a sheet pan (you can line with foil for easy cleanup) or large skillet and spread out in an even layer. (Use something that's nice and sturdy -- flimsy pans may warp or buckle under the heating element.)
- Broil the corn, poblano and red onion for 3 to 5 minutes, shaking the pan a few times, or until charred in spots. You're looking for some noticeable char, but be mindful to not overcook. Remove the pan, add the avocado, and broil for a minute or two longer. (If you don't like your avocado warmed, just skip this step and add it at the end.) In the process of broiling, you may hear or see a few corn kernels starting to jump around on the hot pan -- a good indication that they're done. Remove sheet pan from oven.
- To make lime vinaigrette: whisk together lime juice, honey, and cayenne, and then slowly drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil, whisking until emulsified. Season to taste.
- Transfer contents to a serving bowl, add cherry tomatoes, mint and basil, and drizzle in the lime vinaigrette, a few teaspoons at a time. You may not need the full amount. Toss and taste for seasoning. Serve with lime wedges.
- This recipe is a Community Pick!
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Recipe for Lettuce-Free Salad
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Recipe with Avocados
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Recipe with Corn
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Avocados
More Great Recipes:
Chili|Salad|American|Mexican|Lime Juice|Mint|Tomato|Vegetable|Poblano|Avocado|Corn|Honey


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If you want to learn computer programming but don't have any prior experience, you'll enjoy a tour of Java, one of the most widely used computer languages in the world. It's a breeze to learn in a friendly and supportive environment. Start with the basics of programming and go on to write your own programs and integrate input and output, calculations, decision making, and loops. Build your knowledge and confidence with easy-to-understand examples and plenty of skill-building exercises. So whether you just want to try it out to see if you like it or plan on doing more with Java, this is a great place to start!
We'll use the latest release of Java, from Oracle, the company that maintains and supports the language. We'll also use BlueJ, a graphical development environment designed especially for students. Both are free open-source products, and I'll give you the proper instructions to download them. By the time we're done, you'll be comfortable with Java programming and ready for more!
Michael Hall
Michael Hall is a software engineer with more than 12 years of experience in consumer and marketplace startups. Over the course of his career, he has led teams of engineers building apps that support tens of millions of users. He holds a Master of Science degree in Computer Science from UCLA.
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Turn 103 – What a Shame he's not a Whole Guy
November 5, 2013 Leave a comment
Livestream: http://www.twitch.tv/carouselpodcast
Featuring John MusiM, Scott "Artisan002", and Stretch.
Music by MusiM. Buy the music at musim.bandcamp.com
Its been a while and I might not have done that much editing but we're back! This turn we discuss Remember Me, Borderlands 2, Assassin's Creed 2, Infamous, Dragonage Origins, The Stanley Parable, Hawkeye, X-Men, Continuum, and Agents of Shield.


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Can You Benefit from Executive Coaching?
The following self-assessments will give you an opportunity to determine your need and/or the needs of your organization for the services that have been described. Respond to the questions candidly and receive the results as a gift of insight into life and work issues that may be worth resolving in the interests of your own success, well being, and peace of mind.
Please respond to the following questions by clicking on the appropriate button in the YES or NO column. Then refer to the scoring section for a generic interpretation of your score. REMEMBER, only you will see your score and no one will contact you unless you make a specific request, so feel free to honestly express your views on the issues. If you do not understand a question give it a NO.


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Gluten Free Friendly Restaurants and Health Food Stores in Eugene, Oregon: Cafe Yumm Review
Last year when I wrote about gluten-free restaurants in Portland, a reader told me about a great restaurant in Eugene with many naturally gluten free options called Cafe Yumm. This Spring when we drove from San Francisco to Portland, we stopped in Eugene for a tasty and healthy lunch at the Cafe Yumm. They have locations in Beaverton, Bend, Corvallis, Springfield as well as Eugene.
The Cafe Yumm menu is based around healthy rice bowls with beans, but the inspiration for the name comes from what they call Yumm sauce- a creamy sauce made from nutritional yeast, soy, and chickpeas that happens to be gluten-free. The sauce contains no wheat, dairy, gluten, eggs or sugar, so it works well for additional allergies as well as a vegan diet. Unfortunately the Cafe does not have a gluten-free menu as such, but they do have a book at the counter with all of the ingredients of each dish, and the servers are really helpful about looking through the book with you and helping you find a dish that will work for your diet.
When we walked up to the counter, I was a little nervous and had no idea what to order, but the really sweet girl at the register helped me look through the book. The Yumm rice bowls are most suitable for a hearty gluten-free meal, and the DH and I chose the Original bowl as well as the Smoky Bowl. All bowls come with Tillamook® cheddar, diced tomato, fresh avocado slices, sour cream, black olives, & cilantro as a topping. The Original bowl has brown rice and organic black beans with Original Yumm! Sauce® and organic salsa. The Smoky bowl has Organic brown rice, Original Yumm! Sauce, house-made chipotle chili, and organic salsa. The DH considered getting tofu skewers, but we couldn't find them in the ingredient book and the server said they were made off site, so we didn't order them as they seemed likely to not be gluten-free.
What did we think when the bowls came? I was quite hungry, and it was really nice to get a big bowl of brown rice with lots of yummy tasting, fresh toppings. I liked the fact that almost all of the ingredients were simple and fresh, and I knew that the one ingredient that was more complex (the yumm sauce) was confirmed gluten-free. That being said, I did find the original Yumm bowl to be a little plain for my taste, and the DH and I both preferred the Smoky bowl with the added kick of chipotle chili sauce. The restaurant did make a great, hearty and gluten-free food stop, and best of all, I felt great after eating there. I've always enjoyed the health food stores and cozy college atmosphere in Eugene, and now I have one more reason to stop there- Yumm Cafe. The Yumm sauce IS one that is based in a vegetarian or vegan flavor palate, so not everyone may love it, especially if they aren't use to the flavor of nutritional yeast. I thought it was great, though, and was happy to purchase a bottle of the Yumm Sauce to take home with me to make my own tasty rice bowls and to use as a topping for baked potatoes. The only thing I wish was that the cafe had a gluten-free menu or easily accessed gluten-free menu chart as it would make it faster and easier to find an appropriate dish. Also, even though the sauce IS gluten-free and is advertised as such on their website and in their literature, the serving girl did not know that it was gluten-free, so I actually had to tell her that it was safe- but I really did appreciate how helpful and patient she was, even untrained, at helping me find something safe to eat from the menu.
Have you eaten a gluten-free meal at Cafe Yumm? Tell me about it in the comments!
List of Gluten-Free Restaurants in Eugene, Oregon
*of special interest: Chinese restaurant Lok Yaun has a Gluten-free Menu*
List of Natural Health Food Stores in Eugene, Oregon
One of my favorites is
748 E. 24th Ave.
Eugene, OR 97405
7am -11pm
While they don't have an especially fancy gluten-free selection of prepared baked goods or anything, they do have a good vegetarian, mostly vegan deli that "features many raw foods entrees. The prepackaged cooler is available from 7 AM until closing time at 11 PM. The soup, green salad, raw entrée, and prepared salad bar is open from 9 AM until 9 PM, and the hot buffet is available from 11 AM until 9 PM". (from their web site, confirmed in person) Offerings are generally labeled with ingredients and staff is great about helping you confirm ingredients. Some offerings are from local places, so they might have to call them to confirm some things- and that will require them to actually be open and answer the phone. However, I've gotten some very tasty and safe vegan/vegetarian meals from Sundance that I thoroughly enjoyed.
What are your favorite gluten-free stops in Eugene? Tell us about it!
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TMZ has published a letter that Aaron Hernandez sent a "pen pal" from the Bristol County House of Correction, where he's awaiting trial on murder charges.
He writes that he's going to be found not guilty and his faith in God is helping him through tough times in prison.
He also admits that he "fell off" when he got a big NFL contract.
Before it came out, Barstool Sports reported that they were offered the letter for $20,000, and said the seller told them it was between them and TMZ.
Who knows if that was the final price.
Here's the full text of the Hernandez letter:
Your letter meant alot and was very true!
I know everything happens for a reason and I know "GOD" has a plan for me and something good will come out of this. The world just makes this out of false accusations and it will all die down especially when they say NOT GUILTY and all the people who turned on me will feel like crap.
I've always been a great person and known for having an amazing heart! I am a strong person and nothing will break me! A C.O. will never nor can they say now for one day have I been down or not with a smile on my face.
I know there is a reason I'm going thru this and I will figure it out through my relationship with the Lord. I fell off especially after making all that money but when its all said an done "GOD" put me in the situation for a reason! I'm humbled by this ALREADY and this will change me forever. At least I'll know my true supporters. Thanks for being one of them!
Aaron 81, can't wait to sign this again when I'm playing again and prove all the haters and the talkers WRONG
P.S. the pictures are definitely hangin on my wall and def meant alot! Thanks again brotha!
*keep this off social media PLEASE!


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Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Tuesday's Overlooked Films: Popatopolis (2009)
3 comments:
Even the B-listers have the attitude of A-listers...ReplyDelete
Here's a selection of films that might be up your low-budget alley:
Thanks for the link, Brian. Those films definitely appeal to my trash sensibilities.ReplyDelete
Dan Zukovic's "THE LAST BIG THING", called the "best unknown American film of the 1990's in the film book "Defining Moments in Movies" (Editor: Chris Fujiwara), was recently released on DVD and Netflix by Vanguard Cinema (http://www.vanguardcinema.com/thelastbigthing/thelastbigthing.htm), and is currently debuting on Cable Video On Demand, including Fandor. Featuring an important early role by 2011 Best Supporting Actor Oscar Nominee Mark Ruffalo ("The Avengers", "Shutter Island", "The Kids Are Alright"), "THE LAST BIG THING" had a US theatrical release in 1998, and gained a cult following over several years of screenings on the Showtime Networks.ReplyDelete
TRAILER: http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi856622873/
"A distinctly brilliant and original work." Kevin Thomas - Los Angeles Times
"A satire whose sharpest moments echo the tone of a Nathaniel West novel...Nasty Fun!"
Stephen Holden - New York Times
"One of the cleverest recent satires on contemporary Los Angeles...a very funny sleeper!"
Michael Wilmington - Chicago Tribune
"One of the few truly original low budget comedies of recent years." John Hartl - Seattle Times
"'The Last Big Thing' is freakin' hilarious! The most important and overlooked indie film
of the 1990's!" Chris Gore - Film Threat


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While the majority of singers who entered the Boston and Austin audition rooms on Wednesday's "American Idol" Season 13 premiere seemed starstruck by glamazonian returning judge Jennifer Lopez — leaving poor newbie panelist Harry Connick Jr. to whine about his relative anonymity as clueless contestants confused him with "Robert Downey Jr., or someone like that" — there was one hopeful, Pakistan-born jazzbo Munfarid Zaidi, who was just wild about Harry.
"I read your Wikipedia page every day before going to sleep," the 19-year-old Connick fanboy gushed. (To which Harry's co-star and budding bromance partner, Keith Urban, quipped, "Oh, so he's the one who's been reading it!" Zing!) Harry, delighted to finally get some love, promised to rock Munfarid in his arms like a baby if he liked Munfarid's audition…and honestly, Munfarid seemed more excited about that prospect than about receiving an actual golden ticket.
Luckily, Munfarid's performance of Adele's "Crazy For You" was one of the best auditions of the entire episode — jazzy, scatty, and just plain cool — prompting J.Lo to remark, "I see a cradle coming on!" And sure enough, the brawny Harry swept up the elfin auditioner in his welcoming arms and carried him out of the room, An Officer and a Gentleman-style, as Munfarid (with golden ticket in hand, of course) crooned Alicia Keys's "No One" with his head on Harry's shoulder. Aw.
Clearly, Munfarid realized that Harry is the real star of "Idol" Season 13. And soon, all of America will realize this too, if Harry's stellar Wednesday debut was anything to go by. While Jennifer was surprisingly astute, and Keith was his usual pleasant self, it was Harry who brought the comedy, who brought the necessary tough love ("To send someone out of the room crying is a terrible feeling, but if it's the right thing to say, I think you have to say it," he explained), and who brought the knowledge, teaching all the laypeople out there about pentatonics and minor scales. "What's wrong with challenging America?" he said.
Yes, yes, yasssss. Great attitude! "American Idol" NEEDS a judge like Harry Connick Jr. He won't be the "least famous 'Idol' judge" for long.
But as awesome as all three judges were on Wednesday, sharing an easy-breezy chemistry that was glaringly missing from last season's disastrous panel, Wednesday's episode really was all about the contestants. An impressive 45 singers made it through to Hollywood; only three William Hung-esque rejects' auditions were shown in full; and the competition was stiff, as several hopefuls who probably would've advanced in previous seasons instead went home golden-ticketless. (Unsurprisingly, Harry was the dissenting judge most likely to say no. That'll make things interesting in Hollywood Week, when a new first-day twist will require all contestants who didn't get three yesses at their first audition to sing in a sudden-death round.)
Munfarid was a definite standout Wednesday, but he was just one of many promising contenders. Here's a rundown of the others — the good, the not-bad, and the funky:
Marrialle Sellers, 17 – Marielle was the one contestant shown Wednesday who didn't try out in Boston or Austin; she was a teaser from the Detroit auditions. But "Idol" producers clearly already have her pegged as a frontrunner, since they featured her in the cold open, then had her stare down the camera and declare herself the Next American Idol. I can see why this girl got such a coveted chunk of prime time. She was off-the-charts charismatic and absolutely adorakble, a sort of Rihanna-meets-India.Arie type, and her guitar-strummy cover of Bruno Mars's "Grenade" really set the tone for an exciting episode. "You are going to be a nightmare for the other competitors," Harry predicted. I'm already predicting she will at least make the top 20.
Troy Durden, 28 – At first this guy seemed like one of those joke contestants. He asked former Fly Girl J.Lo to twerk with him, and after she politely declined, he tried to do his best twerky Miley impression. He wasn't as good as Miley, and Jennifer admitted she could've done it better herself. But then Troy crooned "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," and he actually could sing. Three yesses followed. I don't really know how far Troy can get on this show (J.Lo warned him that he'll be hard to take seriously), but it'll be fun to watch him try. And, to quote the "Idol" judges, it just might twerk.
Sam Woolf, 17 – I almost want to predict right here and now that Sam Woolf will win Season 13. He's adorable, he's sweet and self-effacing, he plays guitar, and he lives with his loving, doting Florida grandparents, taking care of them while his proud grandpa acts as his "agent" and unofficial fanclub president. Little girls, their mothers, and their grandmothers will fall in love with this kid. ("My daughters are going to go absolutely crazy for him," Harry admitted.) The fact that Sam's sped-up cover of Ed Sheeran's "Lego House" showcased his creativity and what Keith called "incredible pitch" sealed the deal. Just give him the record contract now.
Ethan Thompson, 23 – Actually, maybe Ethan will win. When he walked into the audition room, I nearly thought I was watching a surprise cameo by Season 11 winner Phillip Phillips; the resemblance was uncanny, right down to the floppy haircut and plaid shirt. In what is looking to be the most guitar-centric season of "Idol" ever (for the first time, singers can try out with their six-strings), Ethan is definitely one to watch.
Lindsey Pedicone, 18 – Lindsey is a marketing genius. She wore a cat T-shirt to her audition, and anyone who's ever watched Miley Cyrus's American Music Awards performance or hit "Like" on one of Grumpy Cat's Instagram photos can tell you that FELINES RULE THE INTERNET. Luckily, Lindsey had a lovely purry, kittenish voice to match her shirt. She even made "Hatchet Harry" smile, so that's promising.
Jillian Jensen, 21 – Jillian may look familiar to regular reality-watchers: About a year and a half ago, she was all over Fox's other singing competition, "The X Factor," sobbing on coach Demi Lovato's shoulder about her bullied past, then sobbing again when she got cut right before the live shows. Of course, "Idol" producers made no mention of all that, but at least there was no rehash of her sobby backstory, either. Instead, we just saw a side of Jillian that we didn't see on "The X Factor," as she sweetly strummed a guitar while warbling Gavin DeGraw's "Not Over You." It seemed like she'd grown up a little. If Jillian's diehard fanbase (nearly 160,000 followers on Twitter) has grown up with her and followed her to "Idol," she could have a strong advantage in the voting rounds.
Stephanie Hanvey, 16 – This Jersey girl was one of the day's J.Lo superfans; she was practically in tears while still waiting in the "Idol" holding pen, just knowing that her own idol was sitting on the other side of the door. She pulled it together to sing Jessie J's "Price Tag," and while her audition showed raw promise, she didn't seem quite ready for Hollywood. Even J.Lo called Stephanie "emotionally lacking" and "inconsistent." Eventually the judges all said yes (even the hard-to-please Harry), and Stephanie dropped to her knees, sobbing gratefully. I'm afraid, though, that she'll end up sobbing again during Hollywood Week — when she gets cut early on. I think she'll get eaten alive in Hollywood.
Morgan Deplitch, 15 – This J.Lo stan was even younger than Stephanie, but she exhibited an incredibly womanly confidence. She was a little too womanly, almost: Concerned dad Harry, who has daughters around Morgan's age, sternly disapproved of Morgan's sexy song choice, Grace Potter's "Ooh La La," which he said "creeped him out." (When Morgan repeatedly told Harry, "My mother loves you" while she fawned over Jennifer, it didn't seem to help matters.) But Harry was willing to overlook the creepy song selection because there was no denying her preternatural pipes. Let's hope Morgan chooses her tunes wisely in Hollywood.
Austin Percario, 17 ("soon to be 18, so if I go to Hollywood I will be alone without my mom!") – Austin was one of my favorites of this episode. The stage-mother-smothered teen had me cracking up as he sassily plotted his golden-ticketed-assisted escape and ignored his mother's advice to audition with "Valerie," singing the more rebellious "Titanium" instead. With his raspy pop voice (aptly described as "Justin Bieber at 5 a.m." by Keith) and "great look" according to J.Lo, this kid will go far, with or without Mom's meddling.
Kaitlyn Jackson, 15 – This sweet teen tried out with "Another Angel," an original she wrote for her grandfather after he suffered a heart attack. She had a nice voice, but her song was way too literal, definitely the work of an amateur (at least lyrically). The judges were impressed, but I'll reserve judgment until she's in Hollywood singing more established artists' better material.
Keith London, 21 – Oh, man, this guy is going to give Sam Woolf and Ethan Thompson some stiff competition. Another guy with a guitar — with a Phillip Phillips/Kris Allen-like ability to turn Katy Perry's "Roar" into a coffeehouse/Bonnaroo folk jam, a faux British voice not unlike Season 7's Josiah Leming's, and a look that seems inspired by the cast of The Outsiders — this heartthrob is sure to be a favorite with the ladies. Jennifer certainly loved him, saying, "I like that song, but you just made me like it more."
Shanon Wilson, 24 – A football player and a big ole mountain of a man, Shanon surprised everyone, especially J.Lo, with his pretty, delicate, almost girlish falsetto. (He also surprised Ryan Seacrest, when a waiting-room game of amateur tackle went awry and Ryan suffered the sort of injury that can cause a man to end up with a falsetto, if you catch my drift. Seacrest ouch!) Jennifer didn't even wait to tally other two judges' votes — she just immediately handed Shanon a golden ticket, and it was a done deal. But I have a feeling Keith and Harry's would have said yes anyway.
Stephanie Petronelli, 22 – It seemed gimmicky for this New England Patriots cheerleader to show up in her skimpy uniform, shaking her pom-poms for all of America. She also did Grace Potter's "Ooh La La," and while the song was much more appropriate for someone her age, and it suited her ragged voice (roughened up from too much singing practice, and probably too much cheerleader screaming), her audition was ultimately underwhelming. J.Lo and Keith gave her a chance, but Harry gave her a big fat no…and then instantly regretted his decision once Stephanie's equally scantily clad fellow cheerleaders came rushing into the audition room. Ha. But I think Harry was right the first time. Stephanie wasn't a singer to cheer about.
Terrica Curry, 20 – This soul belter barely got any screentime, but she certainly could sing, and she was the only straight-up female R&B vocalist, in a Candice Glover/Jennifer Hudson mold, shown all day. Let's see how she does in Hollywood.
Justin Fira, 24 – His briefly shown acoustic cover of Maroon 5's "This Love" seemed like fodder to me. I predict he'll get lost in the shuffle of more memorable guitar-boy types this season.
Shelby Comey, 15 – I found his country girl's yodely vocals shrill and grating, but J.Lo compared her to a baby Miranda Lambert, and the panelist's resident country expert, Keith, adored her. She's a real all-American girl (daughter of a cowboy, lives on farm, etc.), so she could do well with heartland voters…but only if she picks songs that work with her voice.
Madelyn Patterson, 24 – This more seasoned country girl came to her audition with a huge voice, a huge amount of poise, and a huge marketability factor. But I thought she oversang Patty Griffin's "Up to the Mountain" (she's no Crystal Bowersox), and Harry wasn't impressed by her gratuitous licks and runs. I'm still not quite sure why J.Lo gave her a "double yes."
Jordan Grizzard, 27 – A worship pastor, new dad, and regular-Joe type, likable Jordan brought the element of surprise. Said Harry: "If I saw you walking down the street, I wouldn't think of you as a guy who'd audition for 'Idol.'" Said Jordan, smartly: "I'm banking on that!" Then Jordan delivered a surprisingly soulful cover of "Ain't No Sunshine" that made Harry flash a rare smile and wax poetic about minor scales. With Harry already on his side, Jordan could go far.
Savion Wright, 21 – Savion was another one of my favorite this Wednesday. An ADHD sufferer who found an outlet and salvation in music, he waited eight long years to audition for "Idol" until he thought he was truly ready. (A far cry from the many deluded, unprepared auditioners who've tried out for this show in the past.) Maybe he was just waiting till Harry joined the cast, since he said he's been a fan of Harry's since age 10. Anyway, it was worth the wait. Savion's original song, the brooding but folksy "Dark Side of Me," was actually great. "The other competitors are going to be very intimidated by you," Harry predicted.
Viviana Villalon, 19 – She covered Maroon 5's "Love Somebody" on the ukulele. Not since the awesome Lilly Scott in Season 9 has such a thing been seen on "Idol." Let's hope Viviana continues the awesomeness in Season 13.
Savannah Young, 17 - Britney Spears's "Toxic" has become a predictable cover-song choice by now, but Savannah's sultry performance showcased some soul. She may be one to watch.
Ben Boone, 22 – Jennifer said this audition gave her the "first goosies of the season" (ugh, yes, she's still saying "goosies"), but I didn't think Ben's cover of Alex Clare's "Too Close" packed nearly the same wallop as the intense original. His rendition felt lazy and throwaway. My goosies remained unraised.
Malcolm Allen, 19 – I ADORED this dude. He came in playing an invisible guitar, complete with imaginary whammy bar, to Stevie Wonder's "Superstition" (if "Idol" doesn't work out, he can always try the U.S. Air Guitar Championships), but he wasn't some nutter: He was good and funky! And funny, too! "I'm literally love with music; if I could marry it, I would," he declared. I fell in love with Malcolm. And so did J.Lo, who called him a "natural" and gave him a "triple yes."
So there you have it. I think this was a pretty superb episode, packed with promising talent (especially Sam Woolf, Austin Percario, Malcolm Allen, Viviana Villalon, and Munfarid Zaidi), solid judging, and good humor. If "Idol" can keep this up, then Season 13 will definitely shake off last season's curse.
What did you think of Wednesday's premiere? Let me know in the comments section below!
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text: The industrial sector accounts for approximately 31 percent of all energy consumption in the United States—consuming just over 21,000 trillion Btu annually—and much of this energy is used for manufacturing processes. On average, manufacturing facilities use 95.1 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity and 536,500 Btu of natural gas per square foot annually, though actual consumption varies widely depending on the subsector. Figure 1 shows a breakdown of energy use for the five manufacturing subsectors that consume the most overall energy. The petroleum and coal subsector is the largest consumer of energy, accounting for 25 percent of the entire manufacturing sector's energy use. The chemicals subsector is second, consuming about 20 percent of the sector's energy. The paper subsector accounts for about 10 percent of sector energy use, followed by primary metals and food, each of which represent about 5 percent of consumption. Average energy use data Figure 1: Manufacturing end-use energy consumption by subsector Process heating, drivepower, cogeneration, and conventional boiler use generally consume the most energy in manufacturing facilities, regardless of subsector. Top technology uses Drivepower Refrigeration Heating Although the energy consumption of these manufacturing subsectors varies, there are four common categories identifying the top energy users for the manufacturing sector as a whole. Process heating, drivepower, cogeneration, and conventional boiler use collectively account for over 85 percent of the energy used in the top five subsectors. Facility HVAC and lighting are the next-largest categories of energy consumers, and, though both account for less than 4 percent of total energy consumption, these categories offer proven improvement opportunities for energy efficiency that won't interrupt plant processes. To better manage your facility's energy costs, it helps to understand how you are charged for energy. Most utilities charge manufacturing facilities for their natural gas based on the amount of energy delivered, in therms. Electricity, on the other hand, can be charged based on two measures: consumption and demand. The consumption component of the bill is based on the amount of electricity (in kWh) that the building uses during a month. The demand component is based on the highest (or peak) usage in kilowatts (kW) occurring within the month, or, for some utilities, during the previous 12 months. Demand charges can range from a few dollars to upwards of $20 per kilowatt-month. Because energy costs can be a considerable percentage of your bill, care should be taken to reduce peak demand whenever possible. As you read the following recommendations for energy cost management, keep in mind how each one will affect both your consumption and your demand. Quick fixes this section Most manufacturing facilities can benefit from low- or no-cost energy-reducing actions. Turn things off Turning things off seems simple, but remember that for every 1,000 kWh that you save by turning things off, you save $100 on your utility bill (assuming an average electricity cost of 10 cents per kWh). Walk-through audits. For facilities that don't operate constantly, one method to identify energy-efficiency opportunities is a walk through the facility after hours. Much of the equipment that is left on overnight or over the weekend in an empty building is a good candidate for saving energy by switching it off. Consider recruiting volunteers from each shift as monitors. Motors. Identify motors that are operating unnecessarily and shut them down. This could be as simple as ceiling fans running in unoccupied spaces or as complicated as cooling tower fans still running after target temperatures have been met. Computers and office equipment. Use of information technology in manufacturing facilities is increasing. The typical desktop computer and monitor together can draw as much as 270 watts, and a notebook computer can draw 50 watts; if left on overnight and on weekends, a single computer and monitor could add over $100 to the annual energy bill. Most of the equipment sold today can go into a low-power sleep mode after a period of inactivity. Unfortunately, most users don't take advantage of this feature, but desktop computers shipped since 2008 should have these options enabled by default. If a facility has networked computers, an administrator may be able to control power settings at the server level with group policy objects (GPOs). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has created a free tool, EZ GPO, to assist network administrators in creating GPOs. In addition, if your system has multiple types of hardware and operating systems on the same network, it may be worthwhile to purchase a computer power management software solution. Other plug loads. Items such as computer speakers, radios, and coffee pots can burn a significant amount of energy. Like computers, other office equipment such as printers and faxes will also have energy-saving settings. Smart strips sense when devices are in "off" mode and will cut all power to the devices plugged into them, eliminating phantom loads. Smart strips that control loads based on occupancy are also available. Supplying power strips to employees also gives them an easy way to switch off all their often-forgotten energy users at the end of the day. Space heaters. Space heaters are energy hogs, drawing 1 kilowatt or more of power. As a first step, plug heaters into power strips controlled by occupancy sensors (other loads, such as task lights and monitors, can also be plugged into the power strips). Beyond that, recognize that the perceived need for individual space heating usually signals poor HVAC system control. Lights. Turn lights off when they are not in use. For larger facilities that have lights covering vast floor areas, only turning lights on when they are needed can have a substantial impact on consumption. Occupancy sensors and timers can capture these savings, but they need to be combined with lighting systems that can be effectively controlled. A no-cost option is to simply train staff to turn off lights as part of closing procedures (you can also help by identifying the location of light switches on a posted notice). Outside-air intake controls. Many facilities have rooftop units for heating, ventilation, and sometimes cooling. Some are equipped with exhaust fans that bring in outside air for ventilation. Set these to run only when spaces are occupied. Turning things down Some equipment cannot be turned off entirely, but turning it down to minimum levels when possible can save energy. HVAC temperature setbacks. If building temperatures are not controlled by an energy-management system, a programmable thermostat can increase energy savings and enhance comfort by automatically adjusting to preset levels. It can also lower temperatures on weekends and holidays. Dimmable lighting controls. For larger facilities that might have lights on across the whole facility, lighting controls such as photosensors and dimmable ballasts can save energy by reducing lighting levels and helping to reduce maintenance costs. Photosensors adjust the light output based upon the amount of light they sense, and dimmable ballasts allow each fixture to adjust light levels as needed. It's important, however, to combine these technologies with appropriate lamp types. For example, high-intensity discharge (HID) light sources have long start-up and restrike times and so can't be shut off based on occupancy, but they can be dimmed to about 50 percent of initial power. Fluorescent lamps are a better choice for dimming due to their faster startup time, but frequent on-off switching can reduce their life span. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) can be effectively controlled this way, but they come at a significant cost premium. For common areas, a recommended strategy is to use a combination of scheduled lighting and dimming, plus occupancy-sensor controls after hours. Vending machine controls. Use occupancy sensors to power down vending machines when the area is unoccupied. Sensors can save nearly 50 percent of the $170 to $250 in annual electricity costs needed to operate a single vending machine. Perform regular maintenance and cleaning Keeping the facility and equipment in good working order is important, both to save energy and to protect equipment. Process heating. There are a variety of ways to improve energy efficiency in process heating. Optimizing the ratio of air to fuel with flow metering or flue-gas analysis is one of the simplest ways to maximize burner efficiency. For indirect heating systems, inspect and clean heat-transfer surfaces regularly to avoid soot, scale, sludge, or slag buildup that can significantly reduce system efficiency. Reduce air infiltration into the heating process by repairing system leaks and keeping furnace doors closed whenever possible. Motors. Mechanical problems are the main cause of premature failures of electric motors. Routinely lubricating, checking for adequate and clean ventilation, and ensuring motors aren't suffering from a voltage imbalance will help them achieve their full-life potential while simultaneously minimizing their energy consumption. Fans, bearings, and belts. Inspect fan blades, bearings, and belts at least once a year to prevent failure and maintain efficiency. During the inspection, fan blades should be cleaned, bearings should be checked for adequate lubrication, and belts should be adjusted and changed if needed. Boilers. Develop a program for treating makeup water to prevent equipment damage and efficiency losses. Buildup inside the tank will decrease heat transfer to the water and necessitate more-frequent blowdown, which wastes both water and energy. In addition, the air-fuel ratio has the largest impact on combustion efficiency, so check it periodically to ensure that the combustion process is operating efficiently. Air compressors. Check air compressor hoses and valves for leaks regularly, and make repairs if needed. A poorly maintained system can waste between 25 and 35 percent of its air due to leaks alone and can effectively double the cost of compressed air. Because leaks also result in lower pressure at the endpoint, operators can compensate by setting pressure levels higher than would otherwise be necessary, thereby increasing energy consumption. A leak detector can provide long-lasting benefits and can pay for itself in less than six months. Cleaning intake vents, air filters, and heat exchangers regularly will increase both equipment life and productivity. The Compressed Air Challenge, a collaboration of compressed-air users, offers a wealth of experience regarding compressed-air systems. Building envelope and seals. One major source of energy loss is air leakage, such as through gaps around doors on the receiving and loading docks. Regularly check and repair gaps in door seals, and make sure employees keep the doors closed. Lighting. Cleaning lightbulbs and fixtures can increase lighting output levels that have been reduced by dirt and dust. According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), cleaning light fixtures can boost indoor light output by 10 percent. The plastic diffusers that cover most lamps need to be periodically replaced because, over time, they can turn yellow or brown, significantly reducing light output. Lenses can have the same problem. Replacing discolored diffusers or lenses will boost output by up to 20 percent. Calibrating occupancy sensors and photocells to restore correct operation can reduce energy use by up to 50 percent. For more information on lighting maintenance, see the Illuminating Engineering Society's Recommended Practice for Planned Indoor Lighting Maintenance. Economizers. Many air-conditioning systems use a dampered vent called an economizer to draw in cool outside air when it is available to reduce the need for mechanically cooled air. The linkage on the damper, if not regularly checked, can seize up or break. An economizer that's stuck in the fully open position can add as much as 50 percent to a building's annual energy bill by allowing hot air in during the air-conditioning season and cold air in during the heating season. Have a licensed technician calibrate the controls; check, clean, and lubricate your economizer's linkage at least once a year; and make repairs if necessary. Air filters. Change air filters every one to three months. More-frequent filter changes may be required for filters handling a heavy particulate load or large size of particulate. Air conditioners that are located next to highways or construction sites or that are using an economizer will also need more-frequent filter changes. Leaks. A leak in an HVAC rooftop unit can cost $100 per unit per year in wasted energy. On a quarterly basis, cabinet panels and ducts on rooftop HVAC equipment should be checked for leaks. A check should also be made to ensure that the units are secure, with all screws in place. On an annual basis, inspect all access panels and gaskets—particularly on the supply-air side, where pressure is higher. Condenser coils. Cleaning the condenser coil is one of the most cost-effective maintenance steps that can be done on HVAC rooftop units. A dirty coil that raises condensing temperatures by as little as 10° Fahrenheit (F; 5° Celsius [C]) can increase power consumption by 10 percent—resulting in about $120 in electricity costs for a 10-ton unit operating 1,000 hours per year. Condenser coils should be checked for debris on a quarterly basis and cleaned at least once a year. Longer-term solutions this section Although the actions described in this section require more implementation efforts and costs, they can dramatically increase the efficiency of your facility. Process heating Process heating is the largest energy consumer within the manufacturing sector, averaging almost one-third of facility energy consumption. Monitoring the heating process from start to finish and maintaining the equipment can have a large positive impact on facility energy costs. Waste heat recovery. In most fuel-fired heating equipment, the largest heat loss occurs when spent combustion gases are exhausted, because these gases still contain a significant amount of thermal energy. This waste heat can be recovered and used in a variety of processes, including preheating combustion air before it enters the system, preheating load material before it enters the heating process, steam generation for secondary processes, and hot water or space heating. Furnace pressure controllers. When hot combustion gases are exhausted into ambient air that is a significantly lower temperature, negative pressure builds within the furnace. This allows cooler ambient air to infiltrate the furnace through the flue or through other leaks and openings within the system. This additional air will then be heated and exhausted, wasting process heat energy and lowering system efficiency. Furnace pressure controllers adjust within the furnace to maintain a positive pressure, reducing cool-air infiltration into the heating system. Lower flammable limit (LFL) monitoring equipment. Process heating applications that have removal processes for flammable solvents should consider LFL monitoring equipment. When flammable solvents are used in production processes, high oven temperatures evaporate them, emitting flammable vapors. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standard 86 sets LFL guidelines for concentrations of low-vapor solvents and requires proper ventilation ratios to reduce solvent-vapor concentration to appropriate levels. Although solvent vaporization rates are not uniform, NFPA ventilation guidelines are calculated on the theoretical peak ventilation needs for safety. LFL monitoring equipment tracks the solvent-extraction rate in real time and adjusts the ventilation rate according to system needs, maintaining a safe ventilation ratio while saving the energy to run the equipment at higher levels. Motors Motors are responsible for almost 70 percent of electricity consumption in the manufacturing sector. Proper maintenance, sizing, and overall system care can help eliminate waste losses. Properly size motors. Though motors often operate under varying load conditions, they are generally selected based on the highest anticipated load. This leads to the purchase of more-costly motors than necessary and adds the risk of underloading them. Consider selecting a motor based on the load duration curve (LDC) of its specific application rather than its highest anticipated load. The LDC shows the relationship between motor capacity and utilization, indicating the average load demand for the motor. Using the LDC to select appropriately sized motors results in smaller, less-expensive motors that will operate more efficiently over their lifetimes but that are rated slightly below the highest anticipated load. This method risks overloading and overheating the motor, but most manufacturers design motors with a service factor above the stated rate that allows motors to temporarily overload without harm. Improve power quality. Motor performance is greatly affected by the quality of input power and voltage imbalance. Improving the former and minimizing the latter will increase performance efficiency. Because industrial facilities can receive additional charges for poor power factor, adding capacitors to improve power factor is an easy way to reduce your energy bills. In addition, voltage imbalances can further disrupt motor performance. In a three-phase system, the voltage of all phases should be equal; balancing these single-phase loads equally among all phases will reduce performance losses from voltage imbalances, and isolating any disruptive loads and feeding them from a separate line will help improve power quality. Use high-efficiency motors. Improve motor efficiency by rebuilding existing motors or by upgrading to new, higher-efficiency models. Rebuilding old motors can improve efficiency by a few percentage points. Motor shops will install new bearings, rewind the core, and "dip and bake" the motor (to keep the core electrically insulated). As of 2010, federal standards mandate premium-efficiency levels for virtually all new motors. Thus, although buying a new, high-efficiency motor may cost more than repairing an existing one, new motors can more than make up for the cost in energy savings, higher service factor, longer bearing and insulation life, lower vibration levels, and diagnostic maintenance systems. Some new motors draw a larger start-up current, so verify that your system has the appropriate capacity before you buy, and remember that the cost of electricity to operate a motor for its lifetime far exceeds its purchase price. In general, replacing a standard motor with an energy-efficient motor is usually only cost-effective once the standard motor has failed—doing so before motor failure may not provide the cost savings needed to justify the measure. Install VSDs. When loads change, variable-speed drives (VSDs) can alter the speed of a motor accordingly, often significantly reducing electrical consumption. VSDs can be installed in most existing systems because they are designed to operate standard induction motors. Compressed air Although compressed air is often viewed as an essentially free resource, these systems account for nearly 10 percent of overall electricity consumption and are often poorly designed or maintained. Match your supply to your load. Generate compressed air at the pressure required, and no higher—halving pressure can result in energy savings of more than 50 percent. Additionally, sequence your machines to ensure that, when the demand is at less than full capacity, one or more compressors are shut off entirely (instead of having several operating inefficiently at part load). Switch off compressors. Turn compressors off when production is down. Also, consider making piping changes to enable the shutoff of supply to production areas when there's no need for compressed air. Review operations. Look for applications where a more appropriate alternative technology could replace compressed-air use. For example, atomizing or aspirating processes with compressed air could be modified to use more-efficient low-pressure blowers or fans. Boilers Boilers account for the largest nonprocess consumption of natural gas within the manufacturing sector. Optimizing operational setpoints and regular maintenance will ensure that boiler systems are performing efficiently. Add boiler controls. Take advantage of a boiler control system's onboard efficiency strategies, such as outside-air reset and outside-air high-temperature shutoff. If none exist, consider retrofitting boiler controls onto the system to optimize performance and eliminate unnecessary cycling. A particularly effective new control system measures real-time heat load using a flow meter and temperature sensors in conjunction with an advanced software algorithm to enable the boiler to deliver only enough heat to match the load. By reducing short-cycling losses, this control strategy can reduce boiler energy consumption by as much as 45 percent. At the moment, the only company selling this type of control system is Thermodynamic Process Control Inc. Install a waste-heat recovery system. On average, stack loss from boilers is around 15 percent. Blowdown also produces waste heat that is lost through drainage. Consider installing waste-heat recovery systems for both of these processes. The heat released within the boiler room, from the boiler and stack, can also be captured to preheat the intake air or makeup water for the boiler. Use steam traps. Steam traps are automatic valves that release condensed steam from the boiler while preventing the loss of live steam. According to the Boiler Efficiency Institute, a one-eighth-inch steam trap with a valve that is stuck open on a 150 pounds per square inch gauge (psig) steam line will lose 75.8 pounds per hour of steam. Unnoticed, a leak of this nature could result in thousands of dollars worth of wasted energy. An ultrasonic leak detector can effectively detect faulty traps—it isolates sound frequencies, compares the frequencies to those of a properly functioning steam trap, and shows the results to users via a digital display. Operate boilers at peak efficiency. For facilities with more than one boiler, optimizing load management across boilers can help save energy by operating them at peak efficiency. The most efficient units should be utilized first as demand increases, and the least efficient should drop off first as demand decreases. Scheduling loads across boilers to minimize short-cycling can also improve system performance. Lighting Broadly speaking, lighting savings can be found in two areas: installing the most appropriate lighting technology and controlling it effectively. Upgrade to more-efficient lighting. HID light sources, such as metal halide and high-pressure sodium lamps, have long dominated the market for lighting indoor spaces with high ceilings, but today other technologies have proven more efficient under many common situations. Fluorescent fixtures using high-performance T8 lamps and ballasts can replace older fluorescent or HID fixtures at heights of less than 20 feet (6 meters). For locations requiring greater clearance, and for many high-bay areas, high-performance T8 systems or high-output T5 systems are effective. In cases where temperature extremes may be experienced or where color quality is especially important, ceramic metal halide lamps are a good choice. Induction lighting, which boasts very long lamp life, can be a good choice where access for maintenance is difficult or would disrupt manufacturing processes. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are getting to the point where they can offer significant efficiency, controllability, and performance benefits, but LEDs generally come at a much higher initial cost. LED performance is also sensitive to ambient temperature—high temperatures can reduce efficiency and lamp life. The best application of LEDs is in cold-storage areas. LED product quality is also very uneven, so products must be chosen with care. Retrofit wireless controls. A fairly new lighting control strategy, wireless controls offer users significant control capabilities and savings opportunities. These systems generally involve the installation of sensors that measure factors like occupancy and ambient light levels. Users can control the lighting settings (either at the fixture level or by groups of fixtures) through sophisticated software portals on a computer. This approach can save energy by only having light fixtures turned on when they're actually needed, and by changing light levels based on actual user needs and ambient lighting conditions. These systems may also be configured to react to demand-response events (either automated or manual) by dimming lights as much as possible based on previously established settings and on real-time occupancy and ambient light levels. The use of wireless mesh networks also allows these systems to be installed much more quickly than wired systems, thereby reducing downtime and upfront costs. Use smart lighting design in parking lots. Parking lots are often overlit—an average of 1 foot-candle of light or less is usually sufficient. The most common lamps used for outdoor lighting are HID sources—metal halide and high-pressure sodium. In recent years, fluorescent lamps, compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), and induction lamps have also become viable sources for outdoor lighting, offering good color quality and better control options than HID sources. LEDs are also rapidly becoming a good choice because they can reduce light pollution while offering efficiency and long life. LEDs are expensive, but costs are decreasing and performance continues to improve. Dimming and occupancy-sensing controls can also lead to energy savings in parking lots. Install LED signage. According to current U.S. federal standards, all exit signs manufactured after January 1, 2006, must draw no more than 5 watts per illuminated face of the sign. LEDs used in exit signs and other applications can cut energy costs and also reduce maintenance costs compared to incandescent, CFL, neon, and other options. To see what your building could save by replacing aging exit signs with contemporary models, use the exit signs savings calculator from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Energy Star program. HVAC Improving HVAC systems through these measures will help facilities reduce wasted energy while increasing occupant comfort. Air infiltration. Air infiltration through open loading docks and doors can be a major source of energy loss for manufacturing facilities. The loss can be minimized by making sure that the doors are closed and sealed whenever possible, but that can be easier said than done. People working on loading docks can find it tedious to open and close doors several times a shift, so they save time by leaving the doors open. One solution is to install specially designed doors that open and close quickly (but safely) and encourage employees to use them whenever possible. There are also doors that automatically close if left open. In doorways with so much traffic that even rapidly opening doors would be too slow, adding strip curtains has proven to be an inexpensive way to reduce energy losses. Radiant heaters. One challenge with efficiently heating a manufacturing facility is the wide range of functions and spaces in the facility. If a large facility has a small section used as an office, people working there will expect a reasonable indoor room temperature year-round. The same applies to individuals working on a loading dock on a cold winter day. Maintaining a comfortable temperature throughout the entire space can be costly and inefficient. In these situations, gas or electric radiant heaters (also known as beam radiant heaters) can be mounted above the areas that require heat, keeping workers comfortable even with the building air as low as 40° to 50°F (4° to 10°C). These devices provide thermal comfort to people directly in front of them, but they are not designed to bring the overall air temperature up. Large ceiling fans. Improving air circulation with large fans can be an effective way to save a substantial amount of energy. If the space is cooled, ceiling fans save energy by improving air circulation, which can allow the facility to raise the temperature by as much as 4.5°F (2.5°C) while still maintaining occupant comfort. If the facility is heated, warmer air will naturally stagnate near the ceiling where it won't do much good, but changing the direction of ceiling fans will vertically circulate the heated air. Several case studies have shown that a few large ceiling fans provide better air circulation and greater energy efficiency than multiple smaller, high-velocity fans. Reflective roof coatings. If the roof of your building needs recoating or painting, consider white or some other highly reflective color to minimize the amount of heat the building absorbs. This change can often reduce peak cooling demand by 15 to 20 percent. For a list of suitable reflective roof coating products, check out the Energy Star Roof Products page. Cogeneration If your facility does not already have a cogeneration system—also called combined heat and power (CHP) systems—consider installing one. These systems simultaneously supply heat and electricity from a single fuel source. By design, they are very efficient and produce power at double the efficiency of delivered power from a central plant. Cogeneration systems are commonly found in plants with large heating needs, such as oil refineries and paper mills. Building systems and O&M programs Making improvements to building systems and operations and maintenance (O&M) programs are vital to the success of any energy-saving strategy. Track your energy use. Use the Energy Star Portfolio Manager to track your energy consumption. Once you've entered basic data such as building floor area and utility bill data, this tool calculates an index of energy consumption per square foot that will enable you to compare individual buildings, either across your portfolio, against their past performance, or to other similar facilities. Armed with such comparisons, you can identify and prioritize the plants with the biggest energy-consumption problems or track your progress for those plants in which you've implemented energy-efficiency measures. Upgrade your O&M program. One simple way to improve the energy efficiency of facilities with little or no capital investment is to ensure that the building shell—and the expensive systems within it—are properly operated and maintained. Implementing a rigorous O&M program requires the buy-in of senior management and O&M staff alike. Ensuring that O&M activities are thoroughly documented and that staff are well-trained and -equipped also helps. FEMP's Operations & Maintenance Best Practices, Release 3.0, has an entire chapter (PDF) dedicated to major equipment common to industrial facilities. Retrocommission your facility. Retrocommissioning (RCx) is a process performed on facilities already in operation that identifies facility performance objectives, tests and verifies that those objectives are being met, and provides documentation of the process. Though most RCx programs focus on HVAC and lighting improvements, RCx objectives for an industrial facility will also focus on other process systems within the building. Commonly evaluated areas that typically offer energy improvement opportunities include compressed-air, steam, chilled-water, process-ventilation, pump, and fan systems. One industrial RCx program participant saved $26,000 in annual energy costs through measures including a rooftop unit (RTU) night setback adjustment, computer-room air conditioner (CRAC) unit setback, compressor adjustments, and an RTU economizer. Facility upgrades performed through retrocommissioning provide an initial efficiency boost, but an effective O&M program is essential for maintaining those improvements. Recommissioning every few years will also keep a facility operating efficiently. Install an enterprise energy management (EEM) system. It is impossible to optimize what you don't measure, so you might consider an EEM system to track your facility's use of electricity, water, compressed air, gas, and steam. An EEM system is a combination of data-acquisition hardware and software that allows for a broad-based understanding of how energy is used in a facility. The information an EEM system collects allows energy managers to track costs, identify anomalies, and automate demand-response reactions. These insights on performance can be used to compare one facility against another or to look at how performance varies over time. An EEM system would be useful for determining the actual payback periods of any efficiency measures implemented. Consider electric forklifts. Diesel- or propane-fueled forklifts require extra ventilation in the facility, which adds to the HVAC load in conditioned spaces and increases overall energy use. Electric forklifts have higher initial costs (capital plus installation) but lower energy and total operating costs, so the total lifecycle costs are comparable. One often-unexpected cost when deploying electric forklifts is increased demand charges, but these can be avoided by using a timer to only charge the forklift batteries during off-peak hours. In addition, some electric forklifts use regenerative braking technologies to increase the useful life of each battery charge. An emerging option is the use of fuel cell–powered lift trucks, which are just entering the market. Upgrade materials-handling control systems. Some facilities have sophisticated systems in place for conveying and sorting manufactured items and work in process; these systems can offer additional savings opportunities. If conveyors constantly move at top speed regardless of how loaded they are, there is potential for savings. Custom equipment to control the distribution system can be designed to meet the functional requirements but slow down or switch off when possible to save energy.