text:
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Lady of America's recent acquisition of Ladies Workout Express makes perfect sense. Yes, both chains serve women only. They are both franchises. But the similarities don't end there. The companies are almost like siblings — sisters, so to speak.
Bill Landman, senior vice president of Lady of America, explained it like this. Bill Smith, the man behind Ladies Workout Express, was the protégé of Roger Wittenberns, president of Lady of America. While Lady of America was building its company to approximately 140 fitness centers in 23 states and four countries, Atlanta-based Ladies Workout Express grew to 88 clubs in the mid-Atlantic region. It was only a matter of time before the two companies joined forces.
"We've always had the intention of marrying the two companies together," Landman says.
Now, thanks to the acquisition, Ladies Workout Express operators can enjoy the same support as Lady of America operators — without losing their name. Smith has remained a vice president with the combined company, and he will continue to expand the Ladies Workout Express brand in areas where the name is strong, such as Georgia.
Together, Ladies Workout Express and Lady of America have big goals: to open a club a week through the middle of the year, then two clubs a week after that. "We have a distinct goal of having 1,000 locations by 2005," Landman said.


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Cotton planters were finally starting to roll in the Mid-South after delays due to lingering cold weather, cold soils and a lengthy corn replanting season.
By the end of April, cotton planting was just getting under way in west Tennessee, according to Extension cotton and wheat specialist Chris Main.
One reason for the relatively late start is that many producers were still dedicating time to their corn crops. After an Easter freeze which resulted in significant stand losses, cool temperatures persisted for seven to 10 days, delaying replanting, and subsequently pushing back cotton planting.
The freeze also had a chilling effect on cotton producers' time-honored inclination to start planting cotton too early, "so they have waited until there were warm temperatures."
But they'll be catching up quickly this week (first week in May), according to Main. "Don't be caught standing in a cotton field this week. You'll be run over."
West Tennessee producers can plant their intended acres in 21 days at full speed ahead, according to Main. "But we are getting dry. We have the moisture now, but could stand to have a nice general rain."
Main estimates that west Tennessee cotton acres will be up slightly from USDA's March 30 planting intentions survey. "There are several producers who decided not to replant all of their corn acres they had in the ground, and are going with cotton. I don't expect to see us back to last year's almost 700,000 acres, but I think we have the potential to grow 40,000 acres to 50,000 acres over intended plantings. I think we'll hover right around 600,000 acres."
According to USDA's weekly planting report, the state had planted 5 percent of its intended acres by April 29, compared to 10 percent last year and a five-year average of 8 percent.
Louisiana cotton producers have just about wrapped up planting one of the smallest crops in recent memory, according to Extension cotton specialist Sandy Stewart.
"We've had a decent planting season. We do not have to deal with a lot of acres, and we've had some good weather. Everything that's been planted in the last two weeks since the spell of cold weather is coming up to a good stand.
"The largest cotton I've seen has two true leaves, but most is still in the cotyledon stage."
Producers will be soon be applying their first application of Roundup on Roundup Ready and Flex cotton, and putting out sidedress fertilizer. "We're around 90 degrees here today and when weather gets like this, cotton is going to grow off quickly. So farmers have to be timely with Roundup applications."
Louisiana is expected to be down 40 percent to 50 percent from last year's cotton plantings of 635,000 acres.
Cotton planting in Arkansas had just gotten started by the last week in April, according to Tom Barber, the state's new Extension cotton specialist, who previously held the same position in Mississippi. "We've planted a little bit of cotton. We've had a lot of needed rain and a lot of fields are in pretty good shape with soil moisture.
"As soon as it gets good and warm, this cotton is going to take off and grow. So don't get in too big a hurry. We have plenty of time. Make smart decisions."
A popular question asked Barber has come from cotton producers needing advice on switching corn acres damaged from the Easter freeze to cotton. "In a lot of cases, we have a high rate of nitrogen out there. We don't want to plant a cotton variety that has a tendency for fast growth, especially in south Arkansas. If you put something like DP 555 BG/RR on good ground with high nitrogen, you won't ever slow it down."
The state had planted 16 percent of its intended acres by April 29, compared to 37 percent in 2006 and a five-year average of 24 percent.
Cotton planting was well under way in the state until rains slowed progress in mid-April, according to Angus Catchot, an Extension entomologist. By the fourth week of April, "we were wide open where it wasn't too wet. We're planting a lot of cotton this week (first week in May)."
USDA had pegged Mississippi cotton acres at 740,000 acres for 2007, a number Catchot believes may rise slightly. "A few farmers who had freeze-damaged corn or wheat are working through issues with that and could go to cotton. But in the end, we will move our numbers only a little bit."
Cotton planting progress is off the five-year average, according to Catchot. "The big reason is the Easter cold snap, but we've also had a rain or two in the middle."
The state had planted 15 percent of its intended acres by April 29, compared to 54 percent last year and a five-year average of 38 percent.
Cotton planters were rolling the last weekend in April in the Missouri Bootheel, noted Mike Milam, Extension agent for Dunklin County. "Last year we had 161,000 acres of cotton. This year, we think we'll have between 145,000 acres and 150,000 acres.
Missouri had planted 26 percent of its intended acres by April 29, compared to 40 percent last year and a five-year average of 28 percent.

subset: commoncrawl


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A's confident they can do it again
Last year, the Angels made the big offseason splash by signing Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson - but the A's were the surprise winners of the AL West.
This year, the Angels again were the big-news team, signing former Texas outfielder Josh Hamilton. And the A's feel just as capable of winning the division again.
"These guys feel good about themselves, and we feel good as well," A's general manager Billy Beane said during the team's FanFest at Oracle Arena. "If the script plays out the exact same way as last year, we'll be happy with that."
Outfielder Josh Reddick noted that the A's pitchers had decent success against both Pujols and Hamilton last season, and that Hamilton remains in the division, but with a different team.
"Expectations don't change. It's just a new crew and a new year," Reddick said. "We've been outcast like we were last year; everybody's throwing us out again. We have the firm belief we can do this again."
"We don't worry about what other teams are doing," new A's outfielder Chris Young said. "I'm sure confidence is high in this clubhouse. We'll just try to keep it rolling."
Outfielder Coco Crisp said the A's must find chemistry after some changes, particularly after losing Jonny Gomes and Cliff Pennington.
"We'll figure out a new identity," he said. "I'm confident we can be A's-mazing again."
Crisp said that might include a new dance this season. "I'm going with the 'Pee Wee Herman,' " he suggested, but said the "Bernie" will continue "until someone says, 'We've had enough, my back hurts.' "
Hairy: Crisp and Reddick are in a beard-growing contest that a shaggy Reddick appears to be winning handily. Crisp, however, gets style points for bringing back his "Fro-Co, Co-Fro whatever it is."
"His hair is definitely more impressive," Reddick said.
A's looking at reliever: Multiple sources told The Chronicle that the A's are considering signing former Red Sox left-hander Hideki Okajima.
Okajima, 37, had a 3.11 ERA in 261 relief appearances over five seasons with Boston. He spent last season with Fukuoka in Japan, putting up an 0.94 ERA in 56 appearances.
The A's also have been looking at Cuban defector Aledmys Diaz; their Cuban outfielder, Yoenis Céspedes, said the front-office folks had asked him for a scouting report and he told them Diaz is a great shortstop, hits and runs well and has some power. "I think he could help this team," Céspedes said.
Briefly: Manager Bob Melvin and his wife, Kelly, are full-time Bay Area residents again after purchasing a home in Berkeley. Melvin, who is from Menlo Park, signed a contract extension through 2016 earlier this month; he had been living in New York. ... The Beane-Hiro Nakajima mutual admiration society continues; on Sunday, Beane said that his new shortstop "has one of those faces that lights up a room." ... Nakajima is already learning phrases from his new teammates. Asked his favorite English word, he responded "For real." Young taught him that. ... Beane said that top draft pick Addison Russell did not have an invitation to big-league camp in his contract but that he earned one by wowing the team. Russell, who turned 19 last week, will be the youngest player at any major-league camp this spring.
Chronicle staff writer John Shea contributed to this report.
Susan Slusser is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer.


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Moderators: Three Stars, dagny, pfim, netwolf
farnham16 wrote:Another solid, playoff type game from the team. Great to see.
The Rangers look to be trying to get Torts fired.
Rylan wrote:The Pens were terrible at faceoffs today
jprolley wrote:Rylan wrote:The Pens were terrible at faceoffs today
thats every day
nocera wrote:Anything good from Tortz?
Allie C @Allie874
RT @emptynetters Fleury's friend and ex-teammate Brent Johnson in the press box. Did a fist pump when he found out Fleury got the record.
Henry Hank wrote:Didn't get to see the game today but looks like I missed a good one. Some nice secondary scoring today.
They're getting on a nice run. Not talking about the eight game win streak. Only four goals allowed in the last four games. They were struggling to just give up that few in one game for a little while there. Hopefully that's the last of that ugliness we'll see from this bunch. The next challenge is going to be maintaining this once they get Malkin back.
Kevin Paul Dupont @GlobeKPD
Gaborik, Nash, Richards go Full Thornton, 0-0--0, total 8 shots.
penny lane wrote:Kevin Paul Dupont @GlobeKPD
Gaborik, Nash, Richards go Full Thornton, 0-0--0, total 8 shots.
don't know who K P Dupont is referencing Joe or Shawn, but the zeros are great for the D!!!
*last evening going home from work, walked by the hotel where rangers were staying. There must have been 15-20 male groupies waiting with things to be signed. Richards swoops out and into a car to the dismay of all. He moved faster into the car, than today on the ice!
MRandall25 wrote:I think it's hilarious that mediocrity follows Rick Nash wherever he goes
nocera wrote:Anything good from Tortz?
Digitalgypsy66 wrote:nocera wrote:Anything good from Tortz?
Someone asked him about the level of Crosby's play right now, and Torts said he doesn't comment on other teams.
He got snippy with another reporter asking about Rangers line combos, but nothing incendiary.
KG wrote:Richards has another 7 years left on his contract. $6.6mill per....wow....have fun with that one.
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 13 guests


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Japanese politician's phone
"Election time"
Concept phone designs sometimes materialise into real products, so although Nokia's latest line-up of maybes seem unlikely, we can keep our fingers crossed eh? Last month we saw a few concept designs for Windows Phone 7 mobiles. In response, Nokia has put out five of its favourite mobile designs that will probably remain …
The folding phone... errrr, well it looks like a great way to show off flexible and transparent electronic components if they are ever invented, but that's about it...
The weeble phone on the other hand looks kind of fun. Pity it's bound to be crippled with an MS operating system which means it will slowly raise off the desk when a call comes in then topple over and land flat on its face!
Re. "Looks great if ever X is invented" Yes, that's what a "concept" often is.
"... gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or may not have a chance of being produced."
I guess all these car designers are just wasting time:
http://www.google.com/images?q=electric car concept
This reminds me of Apple in the mid-nineties: full of ideas, but none of them had any chance of becoming a reality.
Frankly, these ridiculous designs are a sign of designers run amok. There's absolutely nothing here that would make my life, and by extension everyone else's, more comfortable.
Also the comments nicely show why it's a bad idea to ask customers for their input. All of the replies were in the 'cool, I want it' segment, yet no one seems to have any inkling of the practicalities involved.
What they need to do is get back to the basics of what a phone is supposed to do.
If I were cynical, I might call this a desperate attempt to remain relevant after the lukewarm response to getting into bed with Microsoft.
"Hey, we're becoming irrelevant - raid the concept cupboard! A few hastily-rendered CG images of impossible products should do the trick!"
If I were cynical.
No-brainer is the breathalyser app for the mobile smellephone. Should also have a mode that tells you how many mints is enough to disguise the odour.
Wait, are you supposed to have two people with these phones and they can smell each other?
And you think the -other- concept phone is the kinky one?
These had better be... waterproof?
Nokia hardware has generally been pretty good but they tend to throw out ridiculous concepts that are perhaps a decade away from any chance of being a real product. Folding displays are around but not to the level that Nokia would need to make a real product from these concepts. If I was a shareholder I would really love to see how much money is wasted on this pointless crap.
Speaking of pointless crap, why the hell did they bother with the E7? It's an N8 with a keyboard and all the problems Symbian brings to a touchscreen and all the niggles (menus inside menus with more menus) that made me and many others finally give up on Nokia.
Some of them.
It's funny though, reading some of the comments (especially on the more outrageous designs on this page
http://blogs.nokia.com/nseries/2011/03/03/the-word%E2%80%99s-best-nokia-concept-phones/ )
It would appear that some people have no 'concept' of what the word 'concept' means.
Some of the tech in these concepts is outstanding, like the long, thin, bendy 888, but to say that it's even 10 years away is a massive understatement.
These concepts, certainly the kinect concept phone, have been around for a looong while, at least a year or more.[1]
Presumably with no real product to share for another 12 months Nokia are instead raiding the Nokia Labs archive and recycling old concepts to keep themselves in the news? Seems to be working...
1. http://designno.com/1272/Kinetic-Cellphone-Concept-for-Nokia/


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The head of Toyota Motor's (NYSE:TM) North American operations said it is unlikely the Japanese automaker will regain its peak U.S. market share, despite seeing improved sales in recent years.
Continue Reading Below
Toyota held a 17% share of the U.S. market in 2009, but Jim Lentz told reporters in Japan that he's "not sure 17% is a realistic number," according to Dow Jones Newswires.
He also suggested that external factors may have contributed a great deal to Toyota's surge through 2009, a time when overall sales in the U.S. slumped and American automakers were going through restructuring.
"I don't want to say we were ever that good. There were a lot of tail winds taking place," Lentz said.
Toyota has rebounded from its own troubles, including a massive recall and natural disasters in 2011 that set back production. In 2012, the company sold 2.1 million vehicles in the U.S. to take back from General Motors (NYSE:GM) the No. 1 spot among global automakers.
But its market share has recently narrowed to 14.2% from 14.5% a year ago, even though sales have climbed 5.2% on the year. Ford Motor (NYSE:F) reported a 13% rise in sales over the first five months of the year to bring its market share to 16.4%. GM's share rose to 18% on 8% sales growth.
Lentz also noted that Toyota is on pace to reach its goal of selling 2.2 million vehicles in the U.S. this year.
Shares of Toyota traded in the U.S. were up five cents at $119.97 in late morning trading Wednesday.


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Mike Dee never truly leaves a team behind. Not completely, at least not in spirit.
That's why you'll find the Padres new president catching the Dolphins in a Monday Night Football game in a conference room at Petco Park, why he was pulling for the Padres seven years ago in the last playoff push and why he hurt for his friends in San Diego when the front office carrousel began to spin after Dee first followed former Padres president Larry Lucchino to Boston more than a decade ago.
Four team presidents, three ownership groups and a number of front office personnel and philosophy changes later, the Padres are still recovering from organizational inconsistencies that have played a role in the franchise posting losing seasons in five of the past six seasons as a number of teams in similar small- to mid-size markets – Tampa Bay and Oakland – have found ways to contend year in and year out.
Both the Rays and A's are in the playoffs that began this week – as are the St. Louis Cardinals – as franchises propped up by strong player development systems and consistent leadership that the latest front office regime is trying to implement in its attempt to turn around the Padres' organization.
Looking back at 2013 Padres
What do you think?
What sunk this year's Padres? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
"We've been through a lot of turmoil and a lot of changes – whether you're talking about the owners or CEOs or (other front office personnel) – since my departure," said Dee, who has spent the last 12 years in the Red Sox and Dolphins front office after seven years as a top aide to Lucchino in San Diego. "It's been anything but stable. … It starts with ownership and their long-term commitment, but it's impossible if you don't have a stable, entrenched front office to have consistency year in and year out. It takes time for a team to mature, like it takes time for a team on the field to come together."
Tapped as the Padres' fifth president since Lucchino departed in 2001, Dee is stressing stability as he settles back into a franchise presented with all sorts of hurdles in the years following their second World Series berth in 1998.
Their payroll can't compete with the Yankees' or now even the Dodgers', they've routinely misfired at the top of their drafts and the revolving doors in the front office and owners box have made it difficult to hone in on a philosophy capable of contending with some of the game's more in-sync franchises.
In other words, catch-up hasn't been exactly easy, but the in-roads appear to be in motion as Josh Byrnes begins his third offseason as the Padres' general manager and fourth overall with the organization
"I've been around this organization for 30 years and at times we've been disjointed," said Randy Smith, a former general manger now overseeing player development and international scouting with the Padres. "Right now, as far as having everyone on the same page, it's as good as it's ever been. From scouting to player development to the major league staff, we're all on the same page."
Change of plans
That hasn't always been the case in San Diego, particularly in the years following Lucchino's departure in 2001.
Try to get your head around all this:
- Then-owner John Moores' immediate picks to run the club – CEO Bob Vizas and president Charles Black – didn't last past 2002.
- At first General manager Kevin Towers reported directly to Moores and then later to Dick Freeman, who had been brought back in the mix for his second stint as the team president.
- Sandy Alderson later came aboard in May 2005 as Freeman shifted his focus to the business side of the operation until Jeff Moorad's phase-in purchase of the club from Moores began in 2009. Of course, that sale ultimately fell apart in 2012, triggering a new ownership search.
All the while, even as the big league club finally opened its new downtown ballpark in 2004 and contended for N.L. West titles in 2005 and 2006, the philosophical fabric holding the front office together began to stretch thin.
"There was too much change in a short period of time," said Bill Gayton, the Padres' scouting director from 2001-09. "There wasn't enough stability. I think that you'll find that a lot of the real good organizations have a stable organization – not only from a baseball standpoint but from a business standpoint. We definitely went through too many team presidents over a short period of time."
That formula has helped some of the more successful small- to mid-market teams remain competitive as the big boys threw together rosters with payrolls exceeding $100 million.
Since its second ownership group took over after the 2004 season, the Rays have had one president (Matt Silverman) and one general manager (Andrew Friedman) crafting a build-from-within blueprint that has Tampa Bay in contention in the heavy-spending A.L. East despite an average Opening Day payroll of $57.9 million over the last six years.
Likewise, Billy Beane's $61 million Opening Day payroll in 2013 was again enough to field a contender in Oakland, where the A's have won six A.L. West titles and a wild-card berth during his 15 years as the Athletics' general manager.
The Padres? They've had three GMs in the last five years, many of them caked with uncertainty as Moores' divorce hamstrung the club's finances and Moorad's failed purchase left the franchise in limbo before Ron Fowler, the O'Malleys and Seidlers swooped in to buy the team last summer.
"If you're always changing at the top, that means you're changing at the bottom," said Grady Fuson, now a special assistant to Beane in Oakland after working in the Padres' front office from 2005 to 2009. "If there's a new GM and front office brought in, then there's new people around them. Then here comes a new plan. Here comes a new idea. Here comes a new way of doing things."
Added Rays scouting director R.J. Harrison, an original Tampa Bay employee: "I don't know that there's any magical recipes other than you have a plan, you have an owner patient enough to see it through and you stay with that plan. I think where you get in trouble is if you change it that much."
All the changing in San Diego sent rippling effects throughout the Padres' foundation at times as the cash-strapped organization struggled with identity crises that had the team focusing on college-aged players in some years and high-school players in others.
The club even sank a quarter million dollars into developing a scouting program as Gayton tried to build up his resources over his first 23 months on the job more only to have the first wave of changes, as well as tighter purse strings, threaten the organization's efforts to devote resources toward the best bet to close the competitive gap separating the haves from the have-nots:
Scouting and player development.
"We were understaffed from Day 1," Gayton, now a scout with the Diamondbacks, said of his earlier days with the Padres in 2001. "We were probably one of the smaller staffs, if not the smallest, in terms of running around trying to identify players. That took time to build up."
Arrested development
And the Padres – like most small- to mid-market teams – haven't have much margin for error when things go wrong, and they certainly have at the top of their drafts.
Their $68 million payroll on Opening Day ranked 25th in out of baseball's 30 organizations, they have been on average the eighth-cheapest roster over the last 14 seasons and they haven't supplemented their free agency deficiencies with enough top-tier talent from the amateur ranks.
Sure, the Padres have mined their share of diamonds from the later rounds – Tony Gywnn (third, round, 1981), Ozzie Smith (fourth, 1977), Mat Latos (11th, 2006) and Jake Peavy (15th, 1999), to name a few – but they haven't consistently come up with the stars that other teams develop out of the first round.
They whiffed on all six of the first- and supplemental-round picks they owned in 2009, have just Cory Luebke to show for their six top picks in 2007 and have had just three first-rounders from the last seven drafts – Luebke, Logan Forsythe and Jaff Decker – even reach the majors.
Having homegrown talent like Chase Headley, Jedd Gyorko, Will Venable, Nick Hundley starting on a daily basis has helped offset the Padres' first-round woes, but not adding premier talent – like Mike Trout, Justin Verlander, Jered Weaver, Gio Gonzalez and dozens of others first-rounders they passed on – has hampered the Padres' efforts to bridge the gap separating them from the bigger-spending organizations around the game.
"It'd be nice to hit on your first pick, period," Gayton said. "We signed a lot of players, a lot of guys that played in the big leagues for a lot of teams. But we didn't have success with our first-round selections. We had some difficulties for various reasons and it's taxing on an organization. You have to introduce that type of player into the system."
The Padres' best opportunity to do that came in 2004 after a 64-win season a year earlier.
They picked No. 1 that year and had dozens of future big leaguers – like Verlander, Weaver, Gonzalez, Stephen Drew and Homer Bailey – to choose from.
But Gayton learned less than a week before the draft that then-owner John Moores wasn't going to dish out the money to sign the top two players on his department's wish list, Drew and Weaver, both of whom were represented by super agent Scott Boras.
Instead, they signed local high school product Matt Bush for $3.15 million – Gayton wanted Drew, who eventually went to the Diamondbacks for a major league contract that could have been worth as much as $7.5 million – and watched him flame out as both a shortstop and a pitcher before the Padres, fed up with off-the-field issues, as well as his arrested development, finally cut their ties with him in 2009.
To this day, Bush is one of only three No. 1 overall picks – Steve Chilcott (1966) and Brien Taylor (1991) – to have never played in the majors and just one of a more than a dozen first-round selections who have yet to reach the majors since they selected Khalil Greene and Tim Stauffer with their top picks in 2002 and 2003.
"When you're a smaller-revenue team, if you go through a period in which you don't draft well, it comes back to bite you," said Jim Callis, a former executive editor at Baseball America now at mlbpipeline.com. "You don't have that safety net."
Turning a corner
The Cardinals are the kings of those safety nets these days.
They let Albert Pujols walk two offseasons ago, plugged Allen Craig in at first base and didn't look back. They lost their closer for the year, put Edward Mujica in the back of the bullpen and didn't skip a beat for most of the season. They've also brought along the likes of Matt Carpenter and Matt Adams in punching their second postseason ticket in as many years since Pujols left St. Louis.
That's precisely the kind of depth that the Dee wants to build in San Diego – and what clearly wasn't in place when the Padres made their own difficult decision to move on from Adrian Gonzalez as he approached 30 years old
"The perception of some is this organization is unable to retain its premier players," said Dee, who replaced Tom Garfinkel as the team's president earlier this summer. "Nobody accused the Cardinals of that when Pujols left. We need to earn that trust from our fans."
The first tangible step under the new ownership group is a promise to increase payroll – by as much as 20 percent, Dee said – to complement the behind-the-scenes improvements that have been in the works since general manager Jed Hoyer's regime pushed the scouting department from 15 to more than 25 when new ownership reshuffled the front office in 2009.
Although Hoyer left after the 2011 season, Byrnes has continued to place on importance on scouting and development efforts that have unearthed Jedd Gyorko as a second-round pick in 2010 and have turned up high-ceiling prospects like Matt Wisler, Austin Hedges and Hunter Renfroe that may one day complement the major league roster, or perhaps even add star value to manager Bud Black's lineup card.
Case in point: A year ago, when injuries struck the rotation, the Padres asked journeymen like Jason Marquis, Kip Wells and Ross Ohlendorf to fill the void. This year, they handed the ball over to kids like Tyson Ross, Burch Smith and Robbie Erlin when they lost pitchers to the disabled list.
And that Gonzalez trade is also starting bear fruit, too: Anthony Rizzo eventually fetched Andrew Cashner, who emerged as a top-of-the-rotation pitcher this year, and Reymond Fuentes and Casey Kelly can still develop into contributors for a front office that believes its readying itself for long-term contention.
"I don't think we can act like (change) is not part of the business," Byrnes said. "I think that some of the the players, staff, coaches, even the systems that we operate, have been in place for a year or two or three, and we're starting to hit our stride in a few ways.
"It's starting to show on the field."


text: Dean, As far as I can tell, RedHat's e1000 is a direct copy of Intel's, at least in the past this was true. But this adapter requires the 4.3.2 version of the driver, which isn't in there, and it's somewhat pointless anyways, since I'm frozen on the 2.4.19-pre5 kernels since I don't have the time to test any other kernel's stability in the moment. That's what happens when someone wants a cluster running stably in production, within a week, and then turns around and changes all the hardware ordered to the latest brand spanking new shiny totally unsupported bits. No, that doesn't sound like a resentment... Thanks for the responses I've gotten. Regards, Derek R. On Fri, 2002-08-23 at 09:27, Dean Johnson wrote: > On Thu, 2002-08-22 at 12:36, Mark Hahn wrote: > > > and TFTP ), but the machine I am trying to install has a very new Intel > > > motherboard, w/ dual onboard Gigabit NICs. This adapter requires the > > > latest Intel e1000 driver, so I have to build it into the initrd ( the > > > modules are contained w/in a gzipped cpio archive w/in the initrd image > > > > I'm running 2.4.20-pre2 or 5 on my dual/xeon/gigabit machine; > > the driver that's in those kernels is a cleaned up version of Intel's, > > I think. it certainly seems to work well, and seems to be recommended. > > > > The stock Redhat 7.3 versions of e1000 seem to work just fine and we > have been beating on them alot as of late. > > -Dean > -- Jr. Linux Administrator Office 713-781-4000 Cell 713-817-1197 Neuroses are red, Melancholia's blue. I'm schizophrenic, What are you?


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APOLOGIES for this very late post. There were some domestic problems that had to be addressed. Influenced by what she saw in the news, my mother's personal manicurist quit her job to apply as a member of the board of Pag-IBIG Fund. A day later, our gardener left saying he's confident of landing a job in the Luneta Park administration.
These people have been serving us for years! My mother felt betrayed. While delivering a speech in a community event, she broke down, openly cried and said, "Tao lang din ako, nasasaktan." You know what happened next after her tearful speech? Malacañang offered her the job of justice secretary!
But things slowly returned to normal. After posting 'Help Wanted' ads, several people flocked to our house and applied for the two vacancies. My mother is finalizing the list of candidates now. To determine who's best suited for the job, she plans to do a survey in our community… unless of course Sen. Richard Gordon intervenes, and slap her with a lawsuit.
Can you believe it? There are only 15 days left before the national elections! The tension is killing everyone. With the seemingly endless mudslinging between and among candidates, people are getting more confused. Take the case of Noynoy Aquino. The guy has two vice presidents!
During a campaign sortie up north, Sen. Noynoy Aquino reveals that when he marries, he wants vice presidential candidate Jejomar Binay to be his ring bearer saying, "'Di ba dapat ang ring bearer ay may pinagdaanan kayo, may meaning. Maaasahan mo talaga" … to which Mar Roxas replied, "At least you know naman pala kung bakit hindi kita kinuhang ring bearer."
As the election approaches, presidential candidates intensify their attacks against their perceived biggest rivals:. Noynoy Aquino vs. Manny Villar; Joseph Estrada vs. Manny Villar; Noynoy Aquino vs. Joseph Estrada; Gilbert Teodoro vs. Lakas leaders, and Richard Gordon vs. survey firms.
"Killing" Kris
The Aquino family has reportedly requested that Kris Aquino's character in her primetime soap be "killed" so that she could devote more time campaigning for Noynoy. Grateful viewers lauded the Aquino family's request and called it "heroic."
Jamby's Threat
Presidential candidate Jamby Madrigal threatened to go on a hunger strike unless the Commission on Elections agrees to conduct a parallel manual count of votes in next month's automated polls. The Comelec dismissed the threat as political gimmickry claiming that Jamby was actually having weight issues and had to go on a diet.
Sen. Jamby Madrigal threatens to go on a hunger strike if the Comelec won't conduct a parallel manual count of votes in next month's automated elections. If that doesn't work, she'll do something more improbable: eat galunggong and itlog na maalat.
Quiboloy's Birthday
Cult leader Apollo Quiboloy reveals he has not yet received any vision on the "chosen one" for the May 10 elections. Quiboloy was expecting a clear sign from Heaven last week… but Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull Volcano erupted.
Cult leader Apollo Quiboloy who turns 60 on April 25 claims a following of six million… making him a strong candidate for spiritual adviser to the president.
Presidential candidates Noynoy Aquino, Richard Gordon, Gilbert Teodoro, Manny Villar, Bro. Eddie Villanueva and Jamby Madrigal are in Davao now for the birthday celebration of cult leader Apollo Quiboloy. Reports say the festivities include an unlimited supply of ice cream, cotton candy, and birthday cakes, as well roasted pigs and roasted cows… prompting Sen. Jamby Madrigal to abandon her threat of a hunger strike.
Reports say the very single Pastor Apollo Quiboloy has invited his closest friends and some 50,000 children to his mini-theme park in Davao for his birthday party. Among those who confirmed attendance were Elizabeth Taylor, Diana Ross, Reverend Al Sharpton, and Macaulay Culkin.
"The only difference between a cult and a religion is the amount of real estate they own."
~Frank Zappa
Survey Says
Naniniwala ba kayong may basbas ni Pangulong Arroyo ang pagkakabasura ng charges laban sa dalawang miyembro ng pamilya Ampatuan?
Oo! Halatang-halata! 86%
Hindi naman siguro. 13%
Anong isyu? 'Di ko alam. 2%
We have a new survey. Please vote now.
Jejemons are taking cyberspace by storm. Know more about them, and then try to translate 'normal' phrases to Jejenese.
Manila Standard Today: How much does a TV executive earn yearly?
GMANews.TV: Celebrities who are running in the May 10 polls
Have a great week ahead!


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Food is more than a passion for Linda Hjerth and Gavin Kaysen; it literally brought them together. A top chef at the Rancho Bernardo Inn's El Bizcocho restaurant in San Diego, where the couple lives, Gavin was completing a culinary internship in Switzerland in 2003 when he met Linda, a Swedish student. The menu quickly became a major factor in planning their August 7, 2005, wedding, to take place in Gavin's home state of Minnesota. The groom never considered preparing the 150-person dinner himself ("Linda would have killed me if I'd cooked," he says), but the couple designed an elaborate five-course menu with the help of some culinary friends, and even flew back to Minnesota for numerous tastings at Minneapolis' Minikahda Club, where they'd be holding the reception. Ultimately they decided on such delicacies as seared sturgeon with fois gras ganache, lamb loin in a prosciutto-and-Cabernet jus, and a cheese plate served on apple-hibiscus geleé—all paired with fine wines. "Many of our guests had never had a tasting menu, so it was a new experience," says Linda.
The two-hour feast followed a late-afternoon ceremony at St. Alban's Church and a cocktail hour on the club's outdoor terrace, where guests enjoyed rabbit confit and salmon rillette hors d'oeuvres, and a view of the Twin Cities. Inside the neoclassical dining room, Linda, a designer, was able to express her other love: decorating. The reception colors revolved around the hydrangeas in Linda's bouquet and the antique table arrangements. "They remind me of summertime in Sweden," says Linda. "We had them in our garden growing up." The pale-blue hue was also reflected in the sash of her three-piece Monique Lhuillier ensemble and the fondant ribbon on their Meyer lemon–flavored wedding cake.
The reception began poignantly: Linda's Swedish father, who wasn't comfortable being in the spotlight because he doesn't speak much English, had mastered the introduction, "Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Mr. and Mrs. Gavin Kaysen." After the last mouthwatering morsel was savored, the newlyweds and their guests turned to dancing; a live band kept them going until the wee hours of the morning. Says Gavin, "It was everything I could have imagined and ten times more." That's a rave review.
Learn From Linda and Gavin
Cater to out-of-towners: Because a number of their guests had traveled from England, Sweden, Switzerland and France, the couple organized shopping, golf and other excursions for the days preceding the wedding, in addition to the bridal luncheon, groom's (rehearsal) dinner and send-off brunch.
Relish the meal: If food is important to you, separate the dinner from the other wedding moments. At their reception, Linda and Gavin arranged for speeches and dancing to take place only after everyone had eaten.
Put personal flavor into favors: As a special touch, the groom used his culinary skills to make the chocolate-covered almonds that the couple sent home with their guests, while Linda designed the labels and packaged the favors.


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by Hugh Gilmore
Everyone is invited to suggest books for our annual roundup of reader recommendations of books "Most Enjoyed" this year. Your "enjoyed" books can be, but do not have to be, published recently. In fact the older and more "rediscovered" the better. This is not a "best of" competition. It is an opportunity to share rediscoveries with fellow lovers of the printed word. Email me by Dec. 18. – HG.
If I could change the title of this column, I might like to call it "Procrastinated Reviews." When I began writing for the Local six years ago, my editor told me he wanted cultural commentary, not reviews of recently released books. Okay, I thought, but that's a shame. It would be good to help boost the careers of writers who are just getting started.
On the other hand, I wondered: How does a book that's had its day ever find readers again? Perhaps, I thought, I could write about my rediscovery of some books that "had their day" and now linger only in libraries, the Internet, and used-book stores.
The lingering aspect always seemed to be something you could assume about books. The book trade has always trailed behind other businesses that sell durable goods. Bakeries, fish mongers, and flower sellers, for example, all know they can't keep displaying merchandise that hasn't sold.
In fashion, seasonal garments that haven't sold are quickly removed from the floor and sent to wholesalers and thence to a variety of other places. Electronics are always superseded by newer models. Eventually the older models are destroyed and recycled. Eventually, some of them would reappear as museum items.
Not so, the case with books. Once a unique set of words and ideas assumed book form, the object seemed worth preserving. When their retail life ended, books would go to used book stores, or to libraries. Years would come and go, but millions of books would sit on shelves as ready for use as ever.
But shelves must be in cases, and cases within rooms, and rooms within buildings and buildings are set on land. And the books must be cleaned, and the shelves kept straight, and the rooms maintained, and the buildings kept warm or cool, and clean, and illuminated, and staffed, and the land must be taxed, or maintained by charging taxes to all those who dwell within its reach.
Eventually, certainly by the 1880s, the basic limitation on a book's shelf life was lack of space. Most of the world's libraries are overstuffed, but more books keep coming in. Millions more each year.
Some of the books obviously must be removed. But which ones? The easy answer is, Get rid of the ones that have had their day. The junky ones. But who, in a democracy, a taxed democracy, decides what is junk? Who is to say that someone who pays taxes does not have a right to have his/her taste reflected in the books acquired and housed in a public library? In the good old days librarians or library committees decided, but such decisions are made democratically now.
This fact was brought freshly to mind by a brief conversation I had with one of my favorite librarians last Friday afternoon. I won't use her name this week because the subject we discussed is somewhat controversial. She told me that the Free Library of Philadelphia has been working on this overcrowding issue for years. Its latest solution comes in the form of a very sophisticated, very powerful software package.
"What does this program do?" I asked.
She said, "It identifies all library books that have not been checked out at least once by a patron within a certain period of time."
"What happens then?" I said.
"They're plucked from the shelves and put on the sale tables."
"What's the 'period of time'"? I asked.
"It varies a little by genre, and there is some librarian discretion, but basically, it's four years."
"Gee," I said, that's not much." I was thinking of all the times I received an old inter-library loan book that had an old fashioned pocket with checkout card and that it hadn't been taken out since 1964, or 1943. I liked the special feeling that somehow I was linked through time with another person who'd wanted to read this author, or learn about this subject.
I said, "I'm disappointed. I kind of thought of libraries as repositories for learning. I'm always disappointed when I can't find a classic book in the library."
She said, "Well, Central Library still tries to play that role, but the branch libraries cannot, so we need a winnowing system."
So that's it, folks. If you write a book and it doesn't get checked out of your branch library for four years, it will be removed and sold. If not sold, recycled. If there's a favorite old book you like to revisit every now and then, you'll have to make your get-togethers a bit more frequent or your old friend won't be there when you stop by next time. Kind of like a Rest Home you revisit only when you're in the neighborhood. Time flies. So do people and books.
More on "Rediscovery" next week.
If you enjoy Hugh Gilmore's writing, Amazon.com offers five e-book-formatted titles of his work, two of which are also in paperback. Also available wherever good books are sold.


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Rihanna Parties With Cara Delevingne on NYE, Shares MAC Viva Glam Ad, Balmain BTS [VIDEO]
Rihanna usually releases an album every year, even though she didn't in 2013. But with all the OTHER stuff she has going on in 2014, we wonder when and where she'll find the time to grind out her eighth record!
For New Year's Eve, she partied with her British bestie, supermodel Cara Delevingne at Jay Z's 40/40 club in NYC. RiRi wore a pretty white pantsuit paired with a black, cleavage-showing bustier, while Delevingne donned all black. The singer also had a private party at her NYC pad before heading to the club with her crew after midnight.
An attendee said that RiRi was dancing with her gal pals and not interested in any of the dudes in the room. Maybe, somewhere deep beneath that sexy exterior, she harbors a crush on Breezy still? She appears to be over him, outwardly, but what about underneath it all? You never know.
That is a sexy snap of RiRi and Dele staring one another down, though, right?
There's more of RiRi's NYE celebrations on her feed.
Ri also shared her first MAC Viva Glam ad. She is the new spokesperson for the brand's AIDS initiative. Every cent of the selling price of the Viva Glam lipstick and lip glass is donated to those living with AIDS.
Click the blue button above the videos to see RiRi's white hot, heavy banged, platinum bob in the pic. Oh, she's topless, too. Rihanna? TOPLESS? Come on! Say it isn't so. If she were wearing a shirt, we'd be shocked.
Behind-the-scenes footage of her Balmain shoot also landed online. See RiRi in hair and makeup as she gets ready for her debut for one of the luxury's markets most beloved brand's.
Watch Rihanna Balmain Behind-the-Scenes Part 1
Watch Rihanna Balmain Behind-the-Scenes Part 2
Watch Rihanna Balmain Behind-the-Scenes Part 3


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Beyond the Numbers
September 16, 2011
The story behind our admissions success.
The competition among colleges to recruit talented students is now so intense and widespread that the Chronicle of Higher Education recently dubbed it "intergalactic." Using that adjective as a starting point—hyperbolic as it may be— I can say that our achievements this year boldly take Lewis & Clark into uncharted territory of success and opportunity.
From the largest number of applicants in its history, the College of Arts and Sciences is enrolling the largest first-year class on record: 611 students in the class of 2015 plus 54 students transferring from other schools. Most importantly, these new students join us with the same high academic distinction as other recent classes. Their grades and test scores continue to be the envy of many of our peers.
The incoming class also sets records for diversity. We are welcoming the college's highest-ever percentage of U.S. minority students, including the largest number of African American students ever, and the largest number of students eligible for Pell Grants.
Additionally, we made significant progress in our other admissions priorities, reaching greater gender balance (43 percent male versus 37.5 percent last year) and enrolling an impressive roster of student-athletes. More than 100 new Pioneers will compete this year.
Our law school and graduate school are also experiencing strong enrollments, evidence that our excellent faculty and innovative programs continue to attract dedicated professionals despite difficult job markets.
A larger-than-expected incoming class demands we use our resources even more wisely than before. The students we seek are passionate to learn in a place where learning is as personal as it is global. They join us because they are eager to study and collaborate with our renowned faculty. So we have spent the summer working to ensure that close interaction between student and professor continues to be our hallmark.
I'm pleased to announce that moving forward our College of Arts and Sciences admissions and financial aid offices will operate as an integrated unit under the leadership of Oregon native Lisa Meyer. Lisa joined us in July after serving as vice president of enrollment at Whittier College in California. We're excited to have her on board and to learn from her proven expertise.
And we've already begun implementing some strategic changes in undergraduate admissions: Assistant Dean Peter McKay is now based permanently in New York City, championing Lewis&Clark year-round among East Coast students and families, and helping them navigate the college-selection process.
Enrolling a new class is always a comprehensive and collegial endeavor, the result of effort by scores of faculty and staff. But surely this year's gain is also representative of something else as well. Highly qualified students from all walks of life choose us for many reasons, not least of which is the success of our alumni—the generations of students who have come before the class of 2015.
When each of you talks about your own experiences on Palatine Hill with your family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues, you strengthen Lewis & Clark. When you tell them you know where to find people who believe that advancing knowledge goes hand in hand with being engaged in local communities and around the world, you increase our ability to attract the most promising students.
This year's admissions results tell me that we are well on our way to becoming known as a top destination for students and scholars from across the Northwest, the nation, and the globe. Please continue spreading the word about Lewis & Clark on your travels and through your own social and business networks. Only together will we create opportunity for the next generation of leaders.
On behalf of the entire Lewis & Clark community, thank you.
Barry Glassner


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Falsifiability of God
The Falsifiability of God is often cited by some scientists, philosophers, atheists, and others as being evidence that God does not exist.[Citation Needed] However, that those who make such claims misunderstand the quality of falsifiability.
Just because something is not falsifiable does not make it incorrect. For instance, if a person says "I had pork chops and applesauce for dinner on July 12, 1987," their statement is not falsifiable because there is no test that can be done to prove the contrary. However, that does not by any means mean the statement is necessarily false. Thus, claiming that the concept of God is not a falsifiable one does not mean the concept is incorrect. Thus, while it may be impossible to use Erscheinung (to use Kant's term) to prove God's existence, this does not bear any relevance to the Ding an sich of God's existence. What the falsifiability of god actually means is that God does not lie under the realm of science, since all scientific matters must be falsifiable.


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Terrell Suggs will set a new career high for sacks
With six sacks so far, Suggs is on pace to tie his career-high 12 from his rookie year. And with the Ravens blitzing from all angles, he will finish with 13.5 -- just shy of Peter Boulware's single-season record of 15 sacks.
Reuters photo
Copyright © 2019, Sun Sentinel


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Chick From (SmartHustlers) Addresses Money VS Respect In Hip Hop Issue & K-Dot Pt. 2! - "You Have To BE Living At Home W/ Yo Mom"
(SmartHustlers Owner) Addresses Money VS Respect In Hip Hop Issue & Throws More Shots At K-Dot&IP=22.214.171.124
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
Comments will only be displayed by verified emails. No Spamming or Racism.


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Basic Marketing & Financial Planning
Business Information Point
Tuesday, 19 June 2018 from 10:00 to 13:00 (BST)
This free workshop will cover two vital areas for creating a successful business and give you the basic fundamentals of financial planning and marketing.
Financial Planning:
By the end of this session you should be have a good overview of business financial forecasting as well as applying for and managing loan repayments.
You will cover:
The easy to understand workshop will give you knowledge and confidence to deal with your business finances.
This session will take you through the basics of marketing to give you the tools to attract more customers. You'll learn how to understand your target market and customer's needs.
You will also be given some sure-fire ways to generate excitement for your products and services. This will include advertising methods, local media as well as developing an online presence including social media.
An experienced business advisor will be running the workshop and there will be a Q&A session at the end of the workshop should you have a specific questions.
We've been helping people start and stay in business throughout the South West for over 20 years. Since setting up as an enterprise agency in 1993, we have worked tirelessly to support self-employed individuals and small businesses with our blend of practical, down-to-earth advice and interactive workshops.
We also provide over 2,000 people regular advice, news and information via our fortnightly newsletter which you can sign up to here.
Join millions of people on Eventbrite.
In order to purchase these tickets in installments, you'll need an Eventbrite account. Log in or sign up for a free account to continue.


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DRC: Women take brunt of human rights abuse: Amnesty
Wangari Maathai in Kenya
Gertrude Mongella in Tanzania
Winnie Byanyima in Uganda
Last year, Bishop Desmond Tutu said women should rule the world. Media baron Ted Turner said men have made such a mess of things, women should rule for 100 years. Note AFPs report on the latest from London-based Amnesty International. Here is a copy:
Women and girls faced "horrific" levels of abuse in 2004 worldwide, Amnesty International said in its annual human rights review, blaming widespread rape and violence on a mix of "indifference, apathy and impunity".
From honour killings carried out by the victims' families to sexual violence used as a weapon of war, abuse frequently went unpunished and survivors were often abandoned by their own communities, the London-based group said.
Amnesty said it had sought in the past year to argue that violence against women in conflict situations was "an extreme manifestation of the discrimination and abuse they face in peacetime", notably domestic violence and sexual abuse.
"When political tensions degenerate into outright conflict, all forms of violence increase, including rape and other forms of sexual violence against women."
The annual report, covering 131 countries, noted abuse across the world but highlighted several grave examples: in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), both armed groups and UN forces are guilty of rape; in Turkey, family abuse of women is widespread; in Darfur, Sudan, gang rape is systemic; and in eastern Europe, economic need fuels the trafficking of women.
In Darfur, where a local rebellion sparked a brutal government backlash, Khartoum-backed militias have staged mass rapes, including of schoolgirls, and "frequently abducted" local women into sexual slavery, Amnesty said.
Tens of thousands of women and girls were also subject to rape and sexual slavery in the DRC, and as in Darfur, victims were often then abandoned by their husbands and families, "condemning them and their children to extreme poverty".
All parties in the ongoing conflicts in the eastern DRC have committed the abuses against women, including military and police officers, and United Nations peacekeepers charged with the protection of civilians.
The two African cases were "not exceptional", Amnesty warned.
Latin America had the highest risk of all types of sexual victimisation, according to UN report findings cited by Amnesty.
In Colombia, the group said, security forces, left-wing rebels and paramilitaries targeted women and girls to "sow terror, wreak revenge on adversaries and accumulate 'trophies of war'."
In Turkey, between one-third and one-half of all women are estimated to be victims of physical violence by their families - raped, beaten, murdered or forced to commit suicide - while the country sorely lacked shelters and legal protection for victims.
Amnesty noted some progress in Ankara, with legal reforms that recognised marital rape as a crime and did away with the possibility that a rapist's prison sentence could be reduced or annulled if he agreed to marry his victim. Still, authorities largely failed to investigate most women's complaints of abuse.
Serbia and Montenegro "remained a source, transit and destination country" for women and girls who were trafficked to the West into forced prostitution, while the problem existed throughout the poorer countries of Eastern Europe.
"With clients including international police and troops, the women and girls are too afraid to escape," Amnesty said. -AFP
- - -
"When our resources become scarce, we fight over them. In managing our resources and in sustainable development, we plant the seeds of peace."
WANGARI MAATHAI, of Kenya, winner of the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize.
Tags: Congo Wangari+Maathai Winnie+ Byanyima Gertrude+Mongella Africa


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Naughty girls need to get the right kind of attention!
Our new earnings are made by us and especially for you.
Made in shiny metal, the naughty earnings come as a pair, but your also able to mix and match them for a unique look.
The earring is approximately 1.2cm wide (12mm wide) and comes in a smart protective box.
Sold as a pair in a choice of deliciously naughty words.
One size, fits all.
Please note these earrings are made for pierced ears only!


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Naturex Energy Chews Demonstrate Functional Candy Concepts
Naturex has introduced a new Energy Chew concept, developed specially for the IFT Food Expo. The chews have been created to show confectionery manufacturers the potential for creating functional candy concepts, especially the growing numbers of consumers who are looking for a natural pick-me-up.
Set for launch at IFT 2013, the citrus-flavored Energy Chews contain the naturally energizing extracts guarana and panax ginseng root, from Naturex's NAT healthy range. In addition, they are colored with natural paprika from Naturex's NAT color range and texturized with pectin from the NAT textur range.


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logixcentral is the Multiple Award winning route planning and schedule optimisation web-based service based on leading edge route planning and optimisation technology, delivered to you in a simple, easy-to-use system in a cost effective SaaS package.
The route Uplink to WEBFLEET has been designed with ease of use in mind. Once optimised routes are completed in LogiX just upload them to WEBFLEET & the InCab TomTom PRO device directly by simply logging onto the Uplink with your WEBFLEET credentials and selecting the Route and allocating it to the vehicle or operative of your choice.
DPS is the technology leader in vehicle Route and Schedule Optimisation, with products and services ranging from our multi award winning hosted service www.logixcentral.com for real subscription based access, the Integrated 'black box' Engine for inbuilt automated evaluation, sequencing & optimisation, the traditional on premise PC Suite for daily planning, with a point and shoot/drag and drop option, manual to dynamic optimisation, plus Strategic and Business Development capability.


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Torre pleased with progress of replay testing
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Major League Baseball's chief scientist stepped into the replay expansion laboratory Wednesday night, and Joe Torre liked what he saw.
"It looked like it went off smoothly," said Torre, MLB's executive vice president of baseball operations, of the first two trial games to test the process and technology of the proposed replay system, which, if approved, will be run from MLB Advanced Media's replay operations center in New York. "The Commissioner [Bud Selig] has wanted this for a couple of years, but we certainly didn't want to go knee-jerk on it.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Major League Baseball's chief scientist stepped into the replay expansion laboratory Wednesday night, and Joe Torre liked what he saw.
"It looked like it went off smoothly," said Torre, MLB's executive vice president of baseball operations, of the first two trial games to test the process and technology of the proposed replay system, which, if approved, will be run from MLB Advanced Media's replay operations center in New York. "The Commissioner [Bud Selig] has wanted this for a couple of years, but we certainly didn't want to go knee-jerk on it.
"We wanted to make sure to do something that wasn't going to affect the rhythm of the game. [Tuesday] night looked good," Torre said of expanded replay's debut game.
Wednesday night's encore game, between the visiting Salt River Rafters and the Scottsdale Scorpions, looked more complex. Though all four calls challenged in the Tuesday game were upheld, the first two on Wednesday -- and three of seven total -- were overturned upon review.
Kyle Kubitza also emerged as a replay magnet. The Scottsdale third baseman, an Atlanta prospect, was involved in four of the challenged plays.
Replay's value as a tool was vividly demonstrated in the bottom of the fifth of the Scorpions' 7-4 Arizona Fall League victory at Scottsdale Stadium.
With men on first and second, Scottsdale's Alen Hanson drilled a ball to left-center on which center fielder Kenny Wilson made a fabulous diving catch. As the runners put on the brakes and reversed course, Wilson rolled over and sprang up for a throw -- but dropped the ball on the exchange into his bare hand.
A challenge was issued -- not by the hitter's manager but by Salt River skipper Mike Shildt. He contended that Kubitza, who was running from second and had rounded third, did not retouch the third-base bag on his way back to second. With the base umpires' eyes on the outfield, plate ump Sean Barber was too far away with the wrong angle for a proper view.
Enter the replay official: Kubitza was called out for an inning-ending double play.
A situation in the bottom of the second also introduced a wrinkle that could validate the biggest concern about replays: Slowing the pace of games. When Kubitza led off with a triple, it triggered two challenges by Shildt -- one at a time.
Shildt challenged third-base umpire Trip Gibson's call that Kubitza beat the tag, then returned to his third-base dugout to await the verdict. When that came upholding the call, Shildt came back out to challenge that Kubitza had missed second base on his way to third. That, too, was upheld.
You can do that. In fact, you have to do that, since replay rules permit challenging only one aspect of a play at a time. In a good-old fashioned argument, the manager does not have to make two separate visits to make points; it's all-you-can-beef.
So, did someone say "Work in progress?"
"What we're doing here is very important," Torre said. "It gives you some sense of how it's going to work. We are forcing the issue here, because we want to look at how the technology works. There's still a lot of housekeeping we've got to do. Hopefully, in the next month or so, we'll have it all."
The way the issue is being forced in the AFL lab is by not limiting the number of challenges. Everything but balls and strikes is fair game here. By contrast, in the Show, reviewable plays will be limited and clearly defined.
"We will have a list of plays that will not be reviewable -- like stuff that affects the placement of runners," said Torre, acknowledging MLB umpires had a big voice in coming up with that list. "They have a great deal of input. It's their livelihood."
Torre revealed that the previously reported quota of challenges -- one within the first six innings, two thereafter -- is not a sure thing. MLB may want to protect managers against their own impetuousness.
"If a manager loses his challenges," Torre said, "we don't want a game to be decided on a play that can't be challenged."
It sounds like, then, that consideration is being given to having any questionable play automatically reviewed after a defined point late in a game -- as the National Football League does in the final two minutes of each half.
That would be the only thing baseball's replay system could possibly have in common with football or with the other sport that has used liberal replays for years, basketball.
"Baseball is not like other sports. Basketball and football have boundaries, they're limited in what can happen to affect a game," Torre said. "We don't really have that. A lot of fans think, 'What's so tough about this? You look at a picture and you change a call.' But there are so many different things that can happen, especially in the course of a season. There's a lot of aspects we have to be aware of and figure out how to handle it.
"We always have people waking up in the morning and thinking, 'What happens if this happens?'"
Torre is confident they'll get it right -- and get the public's approval.
"I think this will satisfy the public that we're addressing the wishes of those who think replay should be part of our game," Torre said. "We can't ignore the technology that's out there."
Tom Singer is a reporter for MLB.com and writes an MLBlog Change for a Nickel. He can also be found on Twitter @Tom_Singer.


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therman needed a new other design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 31 designs submitted by 6 freelance designers.
Power Yoga for Sports
Gwen Lawrence and Power Yoga for Sports is a unique training program for athletes with customized videos for various sports.
We specialize in keeping athletes bodies strong and help them to prevent injury and recover from injuries quickly.
The market for this dvd is Soccer players. So they're obviously active and would be from ages 13-25 male and female.
Because we have other DVD's coming out for other sports -we'd like the design to be consistent. Please don't make it highly customized to soccer.
Essentially we'd be replacing the custom elements for soccer - with golf, football, baseball, tennis and so on later.
The title would be "Power Yoga for Sports: Soccer Edition"
There could be a soccer ball or something on it... And, if there is... we'd replace it later with a tennis ball, football or whatever depending on the sport.
Something cool might be a soccer ball bursting through a broken paper effect with the title overlayed on the ball. That way whatever sport we use - the design element can be easily switched out.
(Background preferred would be black...)
Here are the dimensions for the DVD disk for artwork:
Here are the dimensions for DVD case:
Here is a link to our site: http://poweryogaforsports.com
You'll find our logo and other photo's of Gwen there...
Please note: We'll need a image of the set to be used on the site as well for marketing.
We are going to be on NBC Today Show on Aug. 31st so we will need a very quick turnaround! Plus your work will be featured on national television! :)


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Faiza Saqlain has introduced his latest bridal wear dresses 2015 recently. Faiza Saqlain is one of the most talented and well-known fashion designers of Pakistan fashion industry. This bridal collection is full of with classy styles, elegant color shades and pretty designs. So, today we will bring you to the dreamland of bridal wears where you found the interminable fashion of latest bridal dresses decorated with fashion designs. Faiza Saqlain is a fashion designer who has introduced so many other collections. She is a fashion designer that has been working since many years ago. The colors you can look in this bridal wear collection are lovely and beautiful. Now, Faiza Saqlain is come back with her added most pretty collection for brides. this is not shocking; this is due to the stagy and enormous bridal wear designed by the Faiza Saqlain for fashion lovers.
Faiza Saqlain launched casual, formal, party and bridal wear dresses for women and girls as well as. This collection comprises of complete embroidered dresses for brides. Faiza Saqlain bridal wear dresses 2015 have decorated with modernism and stylish look. You can see all the dresses are looking delightful and smooth. Faizan Saqlian designing idea rotates around the difficulty of improved native embroidery and modernly improved clothing designs; and therefore the faiza has launched this Bridal Wear Collection 2015. These bridal dresses are considering awesome and modish. This collection consists of bridal wear dresses such as lehenga, churidar frock, sharara, maxis and so many others. These bridal wear dresses 2015 contain of pretty dresses to wear on barat, valima and other wedding functions. The long shirts with bridal lehenga, churidar pajamas and sharara are added in this beautiful collection. Faiza Saqlain bridal wear dresses 2015 have been designed with creative cuts, embroidery work use in modernity and high ends. The embroidery, thread work, gotta work kora and so many other stone work are look in these dresses. Hope you will like this bridal wear collection 2015.
Faiza Saqlain Stylish Bridal Collection 2015
Please add circle on Google+, like ourFacebook page, connected with Twitter, follow us on Pinterest and leave your precious comments…! Keep in touch with us on Clothing PK to change your life style


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Alberto Short
Sporty, light grey sweatshorts with a wide elastic waist, side pockets and a single back pocket.
90% cotton, 10% polyester
Made in Denmark
Sporty, light grey sweatshorts with a wide elastic waist, side pockets and a single back pocket.
90% cotton, 10% polyester
Made in Denmark
Life's a sprint. We know it's important to you to get your order quickly, and we make every effort to ship it within 1 business day. Standard shipping is free on all U.S. orders over $50 and all Canadian orders over $200!
At Minou Kids, we carefully select all our products and we want to be sure that you are happy with your purchase. If you are unhappy with your order and want to return it for any reason, returns are easy!
You can track your package at www.usps.com using the tracking number at the bottom of the pre-paid label.
Refunds will be processed within approximately 7 business days after we receive your return.
Original shipping charges are non-refundable.
Returns for a refund to your original payment method (i.e. credit card) will require a shipping and handling fee of $4.95, which will be deducted from the amount to be refunded. Original shipping charges are non-refundable.
Please email us at email@example.com or call us at 1-802-999-5247, to obtain your order number. All messages, whether by phone or email, will be returned within two business days.
A packing slip or order number must be included in your return.
If you don't have your PRE-PAID RETURN LABEL, send your return to this address:
Minou Kids
Att: Return Dept.
401 Innovation Drive
N Clarendon, VT 05759
Minou Kids is not responsible for reimbursement or compensation of lost packages without proof of delivery to our returns facility. Also, we maintain the right to refuse credit of any return that does not comply with our return policy. Please review the policy or contact Customer Service with any questions prior to shipping a return.
Please follow the instructions on the packing list included with your purchase. You must return your items to the address below within 30 days of purchase. Please write your Order Number on the outside of the package. You will receive your refund in the original form of payment. Unfortunately we cannot refund duties, taxes or shipping charges.
Minou Kids
Att: Return Dept.
401 Innovation Drive
N Clarendon, VT 05759


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The Cosby Mysteries Complete Series on DVD
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To buy you must make an offer of $15.00 to purchase this item by clicking on Make an Offer. Please read all the listing description prior to making the offer. US shipping and handling by priority mail with delivery confirmation $9.00. International shipping and handling by global priority mail $38.00. To ask questions please click on Contact the seller.
~~~Payments accepted by~~~
1. Major Credit and Bank debit/check cards through google checkout and Propay ~ (must provide me a with a email so I can send you a invoice to your email with link to my merchant account to submit payment)
*NOTE: There is NO checkout from this site on any of my listings to pay online you will need to contact me with your email for a invoice.
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4. Personal Check (Must clear before item ships (5 to 10 business days)
Picture quality is considered good-to-excellent, unless otherwise noted. Just keep in mind that many of these old films may show some signs of deterioration over the years, so please do not expect "PERFECT" quality. The cost to you is for the Media (blank disk we use), shipping, and time it takes us to do them for you. We do all we can to keep our cost as low as possible to help everyone enjoy the shows we offer.. Many Sites charge lots more than we do for exactly the same sets.. We do not do artwork on dvds and they are shipped in individual sleeves to assure they arrive safe and with delivery confirmation on all orders. DVDs are recorded in DVD-R format, which is compatible with most new DVD Players. Please check your owner's manual or contact the manufacturer to make certain these discs will work with your system before buying. Please check the compatability of your dvd player to play this media. You can go to the website: http://www.videohelp.com/dvdplayers.php and type in your make and model and check the box that says dvd-r and look down the list to see if your player is compatible.
****Our Policies and Terms you agree on when buying****
1. Please do not purchase if you do not intend to pay.
2. If you wish to pay online by credit/debit card please provide a email when making a offer a invoice will be sent to your email to pay by credit/debit card within 24 hours or less. Please check your spam/junk folder for the invoice if you do not receive the invoice please contact us wewill resend the invoice or send one from one of our other merchant accounts.
3. If paying by mail please include a handwritten note with the item name purchased and your shipping address to ship too.If you want a shipping confirmation sent when the item ships please include your email for a shipping notification from the usps website.
4. If you pay online by credit card a shipping notification will be sent to your email when your package ships again please check all spam and junk folders for the invoice especially with yahoo and aol emails as there have been reported delivery problems with those emails.
5. Your order will be processed in the order in which we receive it. Processing times varies depending on the amount of orders we have ahead of yours. Generally individual orders are processed and mailed within 1 to 3 days business however if you order is large processing time may be 5 to 7 business days or more.
6. Express/overnight shipping is available on orders please ask for a price quote before making your purchase.
7. Please ask any and all questions prior to making your purchase. Please do not submit offers with questions or purchase then ask questions.
8. We do not accept returns or give refunds on this item our policy is to ask the buyer to inspect and check all their items upon receipt if any or defective we will replace them. They buyer must email us directly for replacements of any defective items received.
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10. When making a purchase with us you are stating you have read our listing and terms prior to making the purchase and fully understand what you are buying and our polices.
All 20 episodes of the cosby mysteries on 10 DVD-R disc with no artwork/labels or cases. DVDs shipped in paper sleeves. Quality is 8.5 out of 10 with menus. No refunds replacement of defective disc only.
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The Federal Reserve "clearly missed" a chance to begin tapering its massive bond-buying program in September, Philadelphia Fed President Charles Plosser told CNBC on Friday.
Wall Street had widely expected the Fed to scale back its $85-billion-a-month asset purchase program known as quantitative easing (QE) in September, but held off—citing the uncertainty surrounding joblessness and the Washington fight over funding the government and increasing the debt ceiling.
"I thought we missed an opportunity to make a small gesture to begin signaling that in fact this is a dial we can move and we can adjust it and fine tune it," he said in a "Squawk Box" interview. "The economy outlook hadn't changed that much since June."
No action was taken at the central bank's two-day October meeting that ended Wednesday. Many economists now believe that tapering is off the table for the rest of this year, with March 2014 emerging as a new target for scaling-back asset purchases.
By not starting to taper, Plosser said it "signals that thinking of QE3 as some kind of thing we can move around with some precision is a very difficult thing to do." The Philadelphia Fed president is not a voting member at the Fed this year, but will be come January.
(Watch more: McCain threatens to block Yellen nomination)


text:
BBC News
- Sri Lanka attacks: British dad's tribute to 'amazing' family
- Brexit: Cross-party talks to resume
- Prince Louis: Catherine's pictures mark first birthday
- Lyra McKee killing: 'New IRA admits responsibility'
- Campaign to tackle 'botched' cosmetic procedures
- More than half of British firms 'report cyber-attacks in 2019'
- 'I feel refreshed': Brits embrace multiple careers
- Wigan hit-and-run: Murder arrest after mother dies
- New aircraft rises 'like a balloon'
- UK weather: Hottest Easter Monday on record
- Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protesters at Natural History Museum
- Marsden Moor fire 'started by barbecue'
- 'Dark kitchens': Are they the future of takeaways?
- Deaf boy finds his voice after brain implant surgery
- The enthusiasts bringing classic cars back from the dead
- Disposable nappy recycling: How soiled nappies can be reused
- Alopecia: I lost my hair aged one
- How making bars of soap 'started my life again'
- Thunberg: 'Climate fight will never stop'
- BBC Breakfast
- Newspaper headlines: 'A nation broken' by bombings
- Extinction Rebellion: How might ministers win over the protesters?
- 'We're judged for being black'
- Autistic football fan on 'sensory overload' of match day
- Your next new car will try to stop you speeding
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Local Pubs in WINTERBORNEKINGSTON:
BeerInTheEvening.com search for pubs in WINTERBORNEKINGSTON
TheGoodPubGuide.co.uk search for pubs in WINTERBORNEKINGSTON


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About the Author: Sarah Goldfarb serves as DipNote's Associate Editor.
Today, Secretary Clinton addressed the unfolding events in Egypt during interviews with ABC, CBS, CNN, FOX and NBC. The Secretary said, "…[T]his is an intensely complex situation. It does not lend itself to quick yes-or-no, easy answers, but instead, I think the path that President Obama has charted, that we are pursuing, that calls for no violence, that supports the aspirations and human rights of the Egyptian people, that stands behind concrete steps toward democratic and economic reform is the right path for all of us to be on."
Secretary Clinton then traveled to Haiti to consult with members of civil society, political actors, Haiti's president, and international partners on the ongoing electoral situation, as well as reconstruction efforts.
Earlier in the week, Secretary Clinton joined President Barack Obama in condemning the terrorist attack at Moscow's Domodedovo Airport. U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Beyrle paid his respects to the victims of the bomb attack in a video.
Ambassador Goosby reinforced the President and Secretary's statements on the tragic loss of David Kato, who was at the forefront of the fight for human rights for all Ugandans, including members of Uganda's lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community.
President Barack Obama outlined his foreign policy goals in the 2011 State of the Union Address, noting that it will require us to approach that world with "a new level of engagement in our foreign affairs."
Throughout the week, Secretary Clinton held a number of high-level meetings at the Department of State, including bilateral meetings with Spanish Foreign Minister Trinidad Jimenez, Sudanase Foreign Minister Ahmen Ali Karti, Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, and Colombian Vice President Garzon. She also traveled to Mexico last weekend, where she met with Mexican Foreign Secretary Patricia Espinosa to discuss regional and global issues.
With the unfolding events in Tunisia, Assistant Secretary Jeffrey D. Feltman traveled to Tunisia to meet with government officials, political party leaders, and civil society advocates in order to convey U.S. support for the Tunisian people. In Syria, Ambassador Robert Ford presented his credentials to President Bashar Assad.
After last week's visit by Chinese President Hu Jintao, Obama Administration officials created a high-tech bridge across the Pacific to discuss the recent trip and other important issues with Chinese bloggers.
In Pakistan, U.S. Ambassador Cameron Munter honored the winners of the Pakistan Fast Growth 25 Contest and highlighted their role as job creators. The Ambassador and his wife, Dr. Marilyn Wyatt, also held an open and candid conversation with 29 university students from underserved areas of Pakistan and covered issues such as U.S.-Pakistan relations, efforts to combat terrorism, and U.S. civilian assistance.
One year after the devastating earthquake, the first American Corner was inaugurated in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, giving Haitian children access to books and educational materials to help them prepare for the challenges ahead. We also saw award-winning writers from around the world converge on Jaipur, India, for a literature festival.
In Tanzania, we learned how microfinance is empowering Tanzanians, and in Washington, the Albanian-American Enterprise Fund (AAEF), recipient of a U.S. government grant, returned $15 million to the U.S. Treasury. This marks the successful completion of a 1995 USAID program to promote growth of the private sector in Albania and assist the country's transition to a market-based economy.
In Afghanistan, USAID is collaborating with the Ministry of Public Health to support midwifery education programs throughout the country, and is increasing the number of skilled midwives in an effort to reduce infant and maternal mortality. USAID Administrator Raj Shah announced this week that the United States and Russia are partnering to eradicate polio around the globe.
Captain Franchetti, mission commander of Pacific Partnership 2010, visited the State Department to express her gratitude for the Department's assistance in carrying out the mission of the Pacific Partnership -- to enhance relationships with host and partner nations through medical, dental, and engineering outreach projects.
Here at DipNote, we regret the postponement of the "Conversations With America: Recent Trends in Anti-Semitism Around the World," but we will be sure to let you know when it is rescheduled.
We appreciate your feedback and comments, and we look forward to hearing you from you.
Palgye in South Korea writes:
In a volcanic eruption in Japan, nearly 11cm of ash I've piled on the news. The ash is buried in a difficult situation, the activities of people difficult, coming through the roof of the basalt caused mass fear to think.
However, the number 11 is one of the numbers, but always maintained a parallel fall I think. Uncooperative, but a number of,
Now Japan's political world is experiencing a similar situation, I think. Not that much, but I think you want to reform the Democratic Party of Japan Prime Minister and been has led the Democratic Party of Japan by the court - the politics of the past have been accused of lack of funding forced saw the news.
However, the political capital of Japan and Asia, with a long history of problems, problems that nobody could be free, but now Japan's prime minister and some politicians in the political money issue I think is very free. that there was not at fault, the coalition government in the form of two people - one is to reform the Democratic Party's largest faction is the one person. The U.S. political system to build a new wind, do you want to evoke, if forced indictment, the current government emphasis on cleanliness, but the political structure of Japan is a very old structure, fat can not imagine a political and economic relations of the adhesion to form a think, are you going to have significant headwinds, this is gonna be hard to stick to easy, expectations are significant to the Prime Minister .
Someone to mediate the riders, will have created a new political history. I own a few attempts to stop the prosecution by the court? That, but others think for themselves, this view is that it was acting funny.
Any suggestions?
Mark in Iowa writes:
I find it interesting that the United States has called for a continuance of Mubarak's rule in Egypt while waging a war in Iraq for 10 years to overthrow another authoritarian regime. Do we only like democracies if we create them?
Jen in Virginia writes:
Thank you to DipNote for keeping us updated on the unfolding events around the world - it's been a busy week!
Pamela G. in West Virginia writes:
This week has been full of events that affect the whole world. We wait anxiously to hear further reports.
Dr. G. in West Virginia writes:
Great summary. Egypt and Mexico is where the action is.
Eric in New Mexico writes:
...and if the Dipnote staff & State isn't having enough fun yet dealing with crisis in the world at large,
SNOWMAGGEDDON II - "The Dip-sickle" will be comming to your neck of the woods in about 36-72 hours.
Wed. forcasted low here in my neck of the woods is -11F ( not allowing for wind chill )
Layer-up and check your anti-freeze folks.
Ron in New York writes:
Escape from Tyrannies...........
This is the week of witness for the break-out by Arab Nations from the Tyrannies of the West and their surrogates. The people are hungry for freedom now.
John P. in Greece writes:
@ Eric in New Mexico
Do you mean an "alert 5"? (CHUCKLE)
Cross check OK captain! (LOL)
Eric in New Mexico writes:
@ John,
Nah, winter of 72-73 ( give or take a year, my memories of dates is like a faulty hard drive), it got down to -31F for a solid week here in the Southern Rockies, not allowing for wind chill which made it much worse.
It was "warm" compared to what the northern plains went through.
It's possible the Potomac river will soon look comparable to when Washington and his volunteers crossed it.
I just gassed up the 4x4 in a 45 mph "breeze" that took the temp down to at least -15...oh the joys of winter!
@ Sarah Goldfarb,
Idea #457;
RE: Dipnote sponsored games in diplomacy.
Or..."the great international snowball fight." If you'd like to bill it as such.
Query; Why leave Dupont circle to just the average citizen to conduct cold wars, when if there was to be found an interested sponsor to host it, one could perhaps watch all the diplomats of all the various embassies from around the world, residing in DC, on C-span.., Engaged in WW-III???....well Sarah, I will just let you picture the public response in you mind, and then ask yourself how much yopu'd be willing to bet that diplomacy would be well served, and I suppose the taxpayer wouldn't feel slighted if the Whitehouse picked up the tab for the "thawing out party" afterwards, as we'll definately have gotten our entertainment value's worth.
...and all those nation's repressed grievances won't be so suppressed, but in the non-supression of the use of good aim and propper packing, quite the bombardment of mirth will rein.
Then folks will compare notes for the next year while conducting more serious business.
Talk about a "reset button"...
Think of this more as physical therapy for a disfunctional world that needs to have a little fun for a change.
And if there's comercial advertizing for network air-time paid via a donation to disaster victims around the globe, then every nation taking part has done a small service for Humanity.
Now if Dipnote were to sponsor this as MC, with the interns as referees, that puts the blog on a whole new level of public diplomacy.
On a level playing field.
Turning the "Great Game" into an art form, because hey folks!....anything's possible right?
Looking forward to your thoughts on the matter,