text:
or Browse by Topic Sign In
Learn more about the healthcare finance industry's leading professional association. Find out why our members rely on HFMA as their go-to source for insight and information.
Members have many options for helping them advance their careers. Conferences, seminars, eLearning, certification, and more -- our education and events will keep you motivated.
Stay up-to-date in a rapidly changing industry in San Antonio (Mar.20-22) and Seattle (May 8-10). Register early and save.
Join us June 25-28 in Orlando, FL and prepare yourself to shape the future of health care. Register by May 5 and save $100. Learn more.
Learn how to increase receivables, reduce denials and work more efficiently with HFMA's new Certified Revenue Cycle Representative certification program.
Healthcare Cost Containment, Revenue Cycle Strategist, and Strategic Financial Planning provide truly actionable steps for healthcare finance leaders needing to stay informed about today's finance challenges.
Hear in-depth conversations with industry experts who face constant challenges and opportunities shaping health care. Start listening today.
Information about leading vendors helps your buying decisions.
Forum members can network during live webinars or access a library of past webinars on topics such as ICD-10 implementation, CMS audits, bundled payment, charity care, KPIs, and more.
An ever-expanding collection of spreadsheets, policies, job descriptions, checklists, and more that you can adopt and adapt.
Forum members can submit vexing questions to a panel of experts using our Ask the Expert service.
Your source for employment solutions.
Find new employment opportunities or reach out to qualified candidates.
Distinguish yourself as a leader among your peers and advance your career by earning certification in our healthcare finance programs.
Get an objective third-party evaluation of products and services used in the healthcare finance workplace.
MAP App is a web-based application that helps organizations improve revenue cycle performance based on industry-standard metrics called MAP Keys.
Find suppliers and products in this comprehensive vendor directory for healthcare finance professionals.
Guidance for understanding and communicating about the price of health care.
Transformation toward value-based healthcare is reshaping the delivery of care, patient expectations, and payment structures.
Improve your revenue cycle performance through standard metrics, peer comparison, and successful practices.
Revenue cycle departments can be more responsive to patients if they upgrade the role of the patient financial services (PFS) counselor to a patient business service executive, says Terry Armstrong, president of State Collection Service, Inc., Madison, Wis., a revenue cycle service company. This professional would have wide latitude to assist patients with both front-end and back-end revenue cycle processes.
The patient financial service executive would be the primary patient contact supported by other staff, including registrars, billers, coders, and call center staff. Complex patient accounts would be handled exclusively by the patient financial service executive.
Revenue cycle leaders who upgrade the PFS role need to consider the cost of training and higher compensation for staff with additional expertise. Armstrong acknowledges the challenge but says improving patient experience can lead to quicker payment from patients.
Armstrong also suggests that organizations consider changing the name of the revenue cycle department to something that patients can more easily understand, such as patient business services. "With everything that's happening in health care today, it's time to really look at your overall organization," Armstrong says.
"I'm more convinced than ever that hospitals have to organize as more of a service organization," says Armstrong. "Creating a better experience in the revenue cycle requires adapting or creating a new patient financial services role to respond to the rise in healthcare consumerism. As more and more patients become responsible for managing their healthcare services, they will have more questions," Armstrong says. "And, hospitals should have the answers."
Access the Related Tool: Patient Business Services Organization Chart
Armstrong says some hospitals have begun to adapt their patient financial services to reflect a higher level of service. For example, in a few revenue cycle departments, the work is divided. An assigned PFS counselor addresses patient questions from registration to discharge and another PFS counselor is assigned to handle patient accounts after discharge.
Other revenue cycle departments are assigning patients to specific PFS counselors, who then "follow" the patient from the front end to the back end of the revenue cycle. Some hospitals have expanded their patient counselor roles to include the duties of a navigator to assist with state exchanges, and some have even outsourced these navigator PFS duties to an outside vendor.
For many revenue cycle departments, the fundamental problem with customer service is that staff, especially those on the front end, lack the clinical and business knowledge required to handle complex patient questions, says Armstrong. The result is that patients calling with an eligibility question, for example, are too often transferred from one staff member to another to get an answer.
"I think the frustrating point for patients today is that you're always talking to somebody different," he says.
Not getting patient questions answered correctly or in a timely manner can have serious business implications if consumers choose to seek care from other providers, Armstrong says.
For organizations to provide higher levels of customer service, the frontline role must be given more prominence in the revenue cycle department structure, says Armstrong "You don't have to change your organization significantly, but you do have to create the position," Armstrong says.
Although many organizations have implemented a navigator role, Armstrong says these positions mainly address helping patients find coverage through the state and federal health insurance marketplaces. The new patient business service executive role would extend beyond the role of a navigator and report to the director of customer service.
"A few hospitals are already drawing clear reporting lines from patient financial services to a customer service director, and I predict others will follow suit," says Armstrong.
Staff in this role should have a wide range of knowledge in the following areas:
Revenue cycle operations. The patient business service executive should be familiar with processes at the front and back end of the revenue cycle. As a result, this staff member is equipped to address most patient questions in one phone call or during one in-person visit, Armstrong says.
Clinical terminology. The patient business service executive should be familiar with general clinical terms and care treatment.
External issues. The patient business service executive should be familiar with industry trends. For example, this staff member would have a general knowledge of health reform and its resulting impacts. Revenue cycle leaders would have to develop a comprehensive curriculum in clinical terminology and coding, customer service/public relations, and managed care/reimbursement.
To quickly address patient issues, the patient business service executive, whether internal or outsourced, would have the authority to obtain assistance from other areas of the revenue cycle (i.e., patient access, utilization review, health information management, and billing) and within the hospital or healthcare system (e.g., managed care, clinical operations, etc.).
Overall, the patient business service executive would have to be able to walk the patient through the revenue cycle process and foster a belief that "if you have to go in for a procedure or other healthcare service, this provider is the greatest place to go to," Armstrong says.
For example, one hospital reinforces patient trust by assigning patients to specific PFS counselors, who then follow the patient from the front end to the back end of the revenue cycle. The advantage to this approach is that a counselor who is familiar to the patient can address thorny payment-related questions at any stage in the payment process, Armstrong says.
If instituting one comprehensive role that addresses patient questions from the front end to the back end of the revenue cycle is not feasible, Armstrong says organizations can consider the following options:
Assigning patients to specific PFS staff. One staff member may manage patients with last names beginning with A through L, while another would cover patients with names beginning with M through Z, etc.
Triaging patient questions. Less complex questions can be handled by frontline staff and more complicated questions can be sent directly to staff with specific expertise.
Training back-end staff. Provide more comprehensive training to staff on the back end of the revenue cycle so these staff members can fill in when front-end operations needs assistance.
A rise in the number of newly insured patients as a result of health insurance exchange plans and Medicaid expansion, greater out-of-pocket patient costs, and increasing calls for price transparency require a fundamental shift in how revenue cycle staff view their roles.
"It may be too early to tell, but as Medicare and other payers reimburse partially on patients satisfaction, customer service and handling the patient right the first time, will be critical. Also, I think more patients are willing to pay a bill if they've had a good experience and if they understand the bill," Armstrong says.
Karen Wagner is a freelance healthcare writer and editor who contributes regularly to HFMA publications.
Interviewed for this article: Terry Armstrong, president, State Collection Service, Inc., Madison, Wis., and a member of HFMA's Tennessee Chapter.
Forum members: Please comment below (scroll down past the advertisements to the comment section.)
Publication Date: Thursday, April 17, 2014
In this Business Profile, Professional Credit's President Scott Purcell and Chief Marketing Officer Jeff Johnson discuss the value of having a comprehensive and responsive collections partner.
In this Business Profile, Michael Argir, CEO and president of Medxcel Facilities Management, discusses the value and benefits of insourcing facilities-management services.
In this Business Profile, Larry Volkmar, a managing director in the performance improvement practice at The Claro Group, discusses key strategies for improving clinical and financial performance.
In this Business Profile, Christine Santos, chief of strategic business analytics for Providence Health Services and Chris DeBeer, principal at Deloitte Consulting LLP explain the value of enterprise data analytics.
In this Business Profile, Sheila Schweitzer, founder and CEO of PatientMatters, offers insights on ways hospitals and healthcare systems can address rising patient receivables.
Patient financial engagement is more challenging than ever – and more critical. With patient responsibility as a percentage of revenue on the rise, providers have seen their billing-related costs and accounts receivable levels increase. If increasing collection yield and reducing costs are a priority for your organization, the metrics outlined in this presentation will provide the framework you need to understand what's working and what's not, in order to guide your overall patient financial engagement initiatives and optimize results.
No two patients are the same. Each has a very personal healthcare experience, and each has distinct financial needs and preferences that have an impact on how, when and if they chose to pay their healthcare bill. It's no longer effective to apply static billing techniques to solve the complex challenge of collecting balances from patients. The need to tailor financial conversations and payment options to individual needs and preferences is critical. This presentation provides 10 recommendations that will not only help you improve payment performance through a more tailored approach, but take control of rising collection costs.
This white paper, written by Apex Vice President of Solutions and Services, Carrie Romandine, discusses the importance of patient segmentation and messaging specifically related to the patient revenue cycle. Applying strategic messaging that is tailored to each patient type will not only better educate consumers on payment options specific to their billing needs, but it will maximize the amount collected before sending to collections. Further, targeted messaging should be applied across all points of patient interaction (i.e. point of service, customer service, patient statements) and analyzed regularly for maximized results.
This white paper, written by Apex President Patrick Maurer, discusses methods to increase patient adoption of online payments. Providers are now seeking ways to incrementally collect more payments due from patients as well as speeding up the rate of collections. This white paper shows why patient-centric approaches to online payment portals are important complements to traditional provider-centric approaches.
Increased electronic engagement between healthcare providers and patients provides significant opportunities for improving revenue cycle metrics and encouraging patients to access EHRs. This article, written by Apex Founder and CEO Brian Kueppers, explores a number of strategies to create synergy between patient billing, online payment portals and electronic health record (EHR) software to realize a high ROI in speed to payment, patient satisfaction and portal adoption for meaningful use.
Faced with a rising tide of bad debt, a large Southeastern healthcare system was seeing a sharp decline in net patient revenues. The need to improve collections was dire. By integrating critical tools and processes, the health system was able to increase online payments and improve its financial position. Taking a holistic approach increased overall collection yield by 10% while costs came down because the number of statements sent to patients fell by 10%, which equated to a $1.3M annualized improvement in patient cash over a six-month period. This case study explains how.
With the ICD10 deadline quickly approaching and daily responsibilities not slowing down, final preparations for October 1 require strategic prioritization and laser focus.
Read how Gwinnett Medical Center provides clear connections to financial information, offers multiple payment options for patients, and gives onsite staff the ability to collect payments at multiple points throughout the care process.
Read how Orlando Health was able to perform deeper dives into claims data to help the health system see claim rejections more quickly–even on the front end–and reduce A/R days.
To maintain fiscal fitness and boost patient satisfaction and loyalty, healthcare providers need visibility into when and how much they will be paid–by whom–and the ability to better navigate obstacles to payment. They need payment clarity. This whitepaper illuminates this concept that is winning fans at forward-thinking hospitals.
Financial services staff are always looking for ways to improve the verification, billing and collections processes, and Munson Healthcare is no different. Read about how they streamlined the billing process to produce cleaner bills on the front end and helped financial services staff collect more than $1 million in additional upfront annual revenue in one year.
Effective revenue cycle management can be a challenge for any hospital, but for smaller providers it is even tougher. Read how Wallace Thomson identified unreimbursed procedures, streamlined claims management, and improved its ability to determine charity eligibility.
Before launching an energy-efficiency initiative, it's important to build a solid business case and understand the funding options and potential incentives that are available. Healthcare leaders should consider taking the steps outlined in the whitepaper to ease the process of gaining approval, piloting, implementing, and supporting sustainability projects. You will find that investing in sustainability and energy efficiency helps hospitals add cash to their bottom line. Discover how hospitals and health systems have various options for funding energy-efficient and renewable-energy initiatives, depending on their current financial structure and strategy.
Health care is a dynamic mergers and acquisitions market with numerous hospitals and health systems contemplating or pursuing formal arrangements with other entities. These relationships often pose a strategic benefit, such as enhancing competencies across the continuum, facilitating economies of scale, or giving the participants a competitive advantage in a crowded market. Underpinning any profitable acquisition is a robust capital planning strategy that ensures an organization reserves sufficient funds and efficiently onboards partners that advance the enterprise mission and values.
The success of healthcare mergers, acquisitions, and other affiliations is predicated in part on available capital, and the need for and sources of funding are considerations present throughout the partnering process, from choosing a partner to evaluating an arrangement's capital needs to selecting an integration model to finding the right money source to finance the deal. This whitepaper offers several strategies that health system leaders have used to assess and manage capital needs for their growing networks.
Announcements from several commercial payers and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) early in 2015 around increased efforts to form value-based contracts with providers seemed to point to an impending rise in risk-based contracting. Rather than wait for disruption from the outside in, health care providers are now making inroads on collaborating with payers on various risk-based contracting models to increase the value of health care from within.
Yuma Regional Medical Center (YRMC) is a not-for-profit hospital serving a population of roughly 200,000 in Yuma and the surrounding communities. Before becoming a ZirMed client, Yuma was attempting to manually monitor hundreds of thousands of charges which led to significant charge capture leakage. Learn how Yuma & ZirMed worked together to address underlying collections issues at the front end, thus increasing Yuma's overall bottom line.
Kindred Hospital Rehabilitation Services works with partners to audit the market and the facility's role in that market to identify opportunities for improvement. This approach leads to successes; Kindred's clinical rehab and management expertise complements our partners' strengths. Every facility and challenge is unique, and requires a full objective analysis.
As the critical link between patient care and reimbursement, health information enables more complete and accurate revenue capture. This 5-Minute White Paper Briefing shares how to achieve cost-effective revenue integrity by your optimizing HIM systems.
Speedier cash flow starts with better CDI and coding. This 5-Minute White Paper Briefing explains how providers can improve vital measures of technical and business performance to accelerate cash flow.
Qualified coders are getting harder to come by, and even the most seasoned professional can struggle with the complexity of ICD-10. This 5-Minute White Paper Briefing explains how partnerships can help improve coding and other key RCM operations potentially at a cost savings.
The point of managing your revenue cycle isn't just to improve revenue and cash flow. It's to do those things effectively by consistently following best practices— while spending as little time, money, and energy on them as possible.
How Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford increased payments received within 45 days by 20% and reduced paper submission claims by 70% by using ZirMed solutions.
The reasons claims are denied are so varied that managing denials can feel like chasing a thousand different tails. This situation is not surprising given that a hypothetical denial rate of just 5 percent translates to tens of thousands of denied claims per year for large hospitals—where real‐world denial rates often range from 12 to 22 percent. Read about how predictive modeling can detect meaningful correlations across claims denials data.
Emergency Mobile Health Care (EMHC) was founded to be and remains an exclusively locally owned and operated emergency medical service organization; today EMHC serves a population of more than a million people in and around Memphis, answering 75,000 calls each year.
Since the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) introduction, CMS has paid more than $100 million in bonus payments to participants. However, these bonuses ended in 2015; providers who successfully meet the reporting requirements in 2016 will avoid the 2% negative payment adjustment in 2018, so now is the time to act! Included in this whitepaper are implications of increasing patient responsibility, collections best practices, and collections and internal control solutions.
Getting paid what your physician deserves—that's the goal of every biller. Yet even for the best billers, achieving that success can be elusive when denials stand in the way of success, presenting challenges at every turn. Denials aren't going away, but you can learn techniques to manage and even prevent them.Join practice management expert Elizabeth W. Woodcock, MBA, FACMPE, CPC, to: Discover methods to translate denial data into business intelligence to improve your bottom line, determine staff productivity benchmarks for billers, and recognize common mistakes in denial management.
Physician practices must improve organizational efficiency to compete in this era of reduced reimbursement and escalating administrative costs.
Many healthcare organizations are pursuing next-generation health information systems solutions. Learn more about Navigant's work with University of Michigan Health System.
The proper implementation of healthcare information technology systems is crucial to an organization's financial health.
As value-based payment models evolve, providers are challenged to maintain superior clinical outcomes while controlling costs.
Read more about factors contributing to the changes in the post-acute marketplace and what it means for manufacturers, physicians, clinicians, patients, and post-acute facilities as they anticipate the transition to the second curve.
HSG helped the physicians and executives of St. Claire Regional in Morehead, Kentucky, define their shared vision for how the group would evolve over the next decade. As well as, develop the strategic and operational priorities which refocused and accelerated the group's evolution.
The client was a nine-hospital health system with 14 clinics serving communities in a multi-state market with very limited access to care, poor economic conditions, high unemployment, and a heavy Medicare/Medicaid/uninsured payer mix. In most of these communities, the system was the sole source of care. Though the clinics were of substantial size (they employed 98 physicians) and comprised of multiple specialists, the physicians functioned as individuals and the practices lacked any real group culture.
Clinical integration can be expensive, but it doesn't have to be, as this four-step road map for developing a CIN proves. Does it have to cost millions to initiate a clinical integration strategy? Contrary to popular belief, we have clients who have generated substantial shared savings and a significant ROI over time, without massive investments. Yes, some financial capital is required for resources the CIN providers can't bring to the table themselves. But the size of that investment can be miniscule relative to the value it produces: improved outcomes and documentation for payers.
Today's concerns about physician compensation are the result of the changing healthcare environment. The transition to value is slow, but finally becoming a reality. Proactive hospitals want to ensure that provider incentives are properly aligned with ever-increasing value-based demands. This report focuses on the three big questions HSG receives about adding value to physician compensation; Why are organizations redesigning their provider compensation plans? What elements and parameters must be part of successful compensation plans? How are organizations implementing compensation changes?
Revenue Cycle Management has become an even more complex issue with declining reimbursements, implementation of Electronic Health Records, evolving local carrier determinations (LCD), and payer credentialing [The emphasis on healthcare fraud, abuse and compliance has increased the importance of accuracy of data reporting and claims filing). The efficiency of a medical practice's billing operations has critical impact on the financial performance. In many cases, patient billings are the primary revenue source that pays staff salaries, provider compensation and overhead operating cost. Inefficiencies or inaccurate billing will contribute to operating losses.
This publication identifies and outlines the necessary characteristics of a fully-functioning clinically integrated network (CIN). What it doesn't do is detail how hospitals and providers can participate in the value-based care environment during the development process. One common misconception is that the CIN can't do anything significant until it has obtained the FTC's "clinically integrated" stamp of approval. While the network must satisfy the FTC's definition of clinical integration before single signature contracting for FFS rates and contracts can legally start, hospitals and providers can enjoy three key benefits during the development process.
Nearly half of all Medicare beneficiaries treated in the hospital will need post-acute care services after discharge. For these patients, a stay in an inpatient rehabilitation facility, skilled nursing facility or other post-acute care setting comes between hospital and home.
With the proper process, tools, and feedback mechanisms in place, budgeting can be a valuable exercise for organizations while helping hold organizational leaders accountable. Having a proper monthly variance review process is one of the most critical factors in creating a more efficient and accurate budget. Monthly variance reporting puts parameters around what is to be expected during the upcoming budget entry process.
Managing the cost of patient care is the top strategic priority of most hospital CFOs today. As healthcare shifts to more data-driven decision making, having clear visibility into key volume, cost and profitability measures across clinical service lines is becoming increasingly important for both long-range and tactical planning activities. In turn, the cost accounting function in healthcare provider organizations is becoming an increasingly important and strategic function. This whitepaper includes five strategies for efficient and accurate cost accounting and service line analytics and keys to overcoming the associated challenges.


text:
Six months have now passed since a devastating earthquake ripped through Haiti. Every day since January 12, 2010, Partners In Health (PIH) and our sister organization Zanmi Lasante (ZL) have been working to help Haiti's people build their lives and their country back better.
Although not yet fully funded, the Stand With Haiti Fund we established in March has provided PIH and ZL with the resources and the strategic vision to begin the process of building back better in Haiti through a combination of: strengthened clinical services at our existing health centers and hospitals as well as in new facilities; expanded social and economic support programs for the most vulnerable patients and community members where we work; and investments in long-term, strategic revitalization of the public health and medical education systems.
Over the past 26 weeks, our efforts have saved lives through emergency critical care and surgical services; helped seriously injured patients regain mobility; resettled abandoned and disabled children into a safe group home; comforted communities in need of spiritual and emotional solace; and provided strategic planning assistance to Port-au-Prince's General Hospital (HUEH) as well as the Haitian Ministry of Health (MOH) leadership.
Hundreds of thousands of earthquake survivors across the Central Plateau and Artibonite Valley regions as well as in four large settlements of displaced people in Port-au-Prince have benefitted from the generosity of all those who supported and continue to give to PIH's Stand With Haiti Fund. This report summarizes what you have helped make possible since that terrible afternoon in January. For more detailed information and multimedia content, please visit www.standwithhaiti.org/six-months.
We have been able to respond to the disaster and embark on the work of building back better thanks to the extraordinary generosity and solidarity of individuals, organizations, and institutions who through June 30 had contributed a total of $85 million, including a substantial sum designated specifically for long-term rebuilding and strengthening Haiti's public health system.
Of that amount, we have expended $26.6 million to date. The table below (see link: PIH Six-Month Report: Overview) presents a summary of how that money has been spent and the graph provides a projection of how we intend to use the remaining $98.4 million of our planned $125 million fund over the next two years. These projections are consistent with the general parameters outlined when the Stand with Haiti Fund was established. They have been and will continue to be refined and adjusted regularly based on our understanding of shifting needs and priorities.
Our work is far from over. The rubble has yet to be fully cleared. More than a million people are still living under tents, tarps, and makeshift shelters in crowded encampments, with limited access to food, water, sanitation, schools, jobs, and social services. Many people are still in pain, hungry, and desperate.
But with over 25 years experience and a local staff of nearly 5,000 people working through an expanding network of public hospitals and health centers, we're committed to continuing to provide quality health care to those who need it most and striving to bring long-term strategic improvements to Haiti's public health and medical education systems. To do this, we will use the same values and approach that have guided our work for many years: solidarity with the Haitian people and the communities in which they live; partnership with the government of Haiti and other institutions and organizations; and a comprehensive vision of what is comprised by health care.
Project Reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you will get an e-mail when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports via e-mail without donating.
We'll only email you new reports and updates about this project.
Help raise money for this important cause by creating a personalized fundraising page for this project.
Start a Fundraiser

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The place to be....for the Characters, Places & Things on Television
In one commercial Johnny went fishing with his father and brother. Having finished his own supply of Bud Light Beer, Johnny cozies up to his father and in a bogus attempt at bonding says "I love you, Ma-a-a-n!" When his father says "Forget it, Johnny", the beaten but not defeated Johnny used the same line on his brother, but to no avail.
The Johnny character made two cameo appearances on David Letterman's CBS late night talk show in the fall of 1995 spoofing his character's affectionate but insincere commercial catchphrase.
Before finding success in commercials actor Roy Fitzgerald was a defensive back for the University of Missouri who was later signed by the NFL's St. Louis Cardinals in 1977. When he injured his hamstring, he abandoned football and headed to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career which included a bit part in the motion picture Thelma and Louise (1991) and a guest shot on the legal drama MATLOCK in 1993 (People Weekly 1/8/96 p.116).
TRIVIA NOTE: From 1977-1980 Bill Murray used the soppy phrase "I love you, M-a-a-a-n!" during skits on NBC's late night comedy show SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE.


text:
In it, but not of it. TPM DC
TPMDC Morning Roundup
Gates: Congress 'Part Of The Problem' On Afghan Civilian Aid Effort
The Associated Press reports: "Defense Secretary Robert Gates is calling for a 'change in attitude' on Capitol Hill in getting more civilian help in Afghanistan. Gates told an audience in San Francisco that resources given to the State Department for work in the war zone are 'woefully inadequate' and that Congress is 'part of the problem.' Gates noted that lawmakers approved the entire $550 billion budget he asked for this year, but shaved a few billion off the $50 billion Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton had requested."
DeMint's New Focus: Directing Dollars To Favored Candidates
CQ reports: "Sen. Jim DeMint ran up a successful record with the candidates he endorsed in Republican primaries. Now he's shifting his focus to the general election and preparing to support his favored Senate nominees with new and expanded fundraising initiatives. Through his Senate Conservatives Fund political action committee, the South Carolina Republican through Aug. 4 had directed more than $2 million in bundled contributions and independent expenditures to the various Senate primary candidates he has backed during this election cycle."
Sen. Schumer: 'Sour' Electorate Reluctant To Give Dems Credit
The Hill reports: "'Sour' voters reluctant to award Democrats for their legislative success are one of the reasons the party is trailing in the polls, according to Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.). But Senate leaders will keep trying to change that with a jobs-based September agenda, the Senate Democratic Conference vice chairman said Thursday. Asked why the Democrats are still expected to lose seats in November after passing major bills like healthcare reform, credit card reform, a fair-pay act and Wall Street reform, Schumer said voters are frustrated and don't feel the effects of the legislation."
Bush Surprises Returning Troops
Former President George W. Bush and former First Lady Laura Bush greeted a flight of troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, CNN reports: "A spokesman for Bush, David Sherzer, said they were 'honored' to take part in the welcome. 'President Bush often says that he doesn't miss much about being the President, but he does miss being the Commander in Chief of an incredible group of men and women,' he said."


text:
skipshot4 needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 295 designs submitted by 74 freelance designers.
We are starting a software company that will create open source software products for application developers and larger company. Our goal is to help developers spend less time and effort in order to build great systems-- we want to make them more productive by using our products.
Our culture will be heavily based on that of the open source community. We hope to build a community of users and customers who will help us improve our product as we grow.
A quick note on our company name. The word Kata is often used in Japanese martial arts to describe a model or refined form of movement.
Our target audience is software developers building application for larger companies either as employees or as contractors. The core of this audience are highly skilled lead engineers. These engineers will be building important systems on top of our products so they will be concerned about
The logo will be used on our website, our business cards, and our letterhead. The URL will be http://www.katasoft.com.
Here's what we'd like
1. Professional looking. We want businesses to be feel comfortable doing business with us and relying on our products.
2. The typeface should be easily read and bold. We want something that stands out
3. A low number of good colors because we want to easily put the logo on business cards
What we don't want
1. No logos that are too playful. (ie - No cartoons or bubble letters)
2. No clip art or stock photography
Example of a good logo: Fedex, Microsoft, Oracle, VMware
Thank you all in advance for your submissions! We look forward to seeing your great work!


text:
Honestly, I was a little negative about the idea of ratings extensions when they first started being syndicated. How will we manage the bad feedback? Will the swamp of reviews associated to aggregators ruin small-to-mid level advertisers' chances to benefit from this extension?
Consumer Driven Call to Action
After a little introspection and some peer debate, my attitude toward the product flipped. If anything this extension allows brands the ability to take over more space on the page while introducing a more dynamic call to action.
As mentioned in "Image Ads in Search – Yep, They Help" around Google's other extension products, we've seen an average increase in CTR of 13 percent while conversion followed at more than 14 percent. Should we expect to see similar increases for advertisers? If Google eventually picks up more onsite review content…you bet.
Onsite Review Partnerships
A majority of the ratings have been scraped from sources like Epinions, ResellerRatings.com, Viewpoints, and Bizrate. I traditionally skim these aggregators during research mode, however I prefer onsite consumer feedback.
Google's partnership with Bazaarvoice on the product search side of the business should tie in well with paid "ratings" enhancements. Will Google eventually allow advertisers the ability to filter onsite vs. comparison sites? Will advertisers be able to manage certain aspects of these ratings? Will ratings ever be involved in quality score?
Extension Stacking
Visual search will continue to evolve. Google's platform truly gives them the momentum to try anything. Their ability to stack extensions within the results is creating a better user experience through informative visual cues.
One of the better extensions is anything related to their plus box product (e.g., product plus box, local map extensions, form extensions, etc.). What about stacking ratings within the plus box extensions? Would it benefit retailers to have product plus box extensions that include product specific ratings under each product? What about hoteliers using the map extension to show property location plus associated ratings?
Real-Time Search
As more results shift to real-time search, expect the engines to also try integrating the same results into paid search. Could Microsoft leverage their Facebook investment by incorporating the "Like" functionality within their paid results (i.e., 15 People Like this product).
Pandora has already taken a step in that direction with their "Joe Smith Likes this artist" setting within the music interface. Your Facebook friends with similar musical taste are then pictured below the live artist. What if Microsoft uses their profile (and opt-in) information to match you with ratings created by your friends with congruent profiles?
Reviews are viral — good or bad. As advertisers do a better job incorporating such feedback within all digital channels, I believe we'll have the benefit of scale.
Join us for SES San Francisco August 16-20, 2010 during ClickZ's Connected Marketing Week. The festival is packed with sessions covering PPC management, keyword research, search engine optimization (SEO), social media, ad networks and exchanges, e-mail marketing, the real time web, local search, mobile, duplicate content, multiple site issues, video optimization, site optimization and usability, while offering high-level strategy, keynotes, an expo floor with 100+ companies, networking events, parties and more!
Related reading
Chrome Extensions: A vehicle for Amazon and Pinterest to compete with Google?
As Google's index goes mobile-first, consumers get to grips with voice search, and technology advances to avail of image identification in our predominantly visual culture, new opportunities are opening up for the competition.
How to turn off ad tracking in Google, Bing and Yahoo!
We all know that our favorite search engines track and collect a lot of data about us in order to personalize the results - and the ads - that they serve us. But that kind of tracking might not always be welcome.
Emoji appear in Google AdWords ads titles
Emoji have been spotted in the wild in Google AdWords ads titles, giving rise to speculation that this option may be rolled out globally for all advertisers soon.
How will Google's new 'Ad' label impact marketers?
Google started testing a new 'Ad' label in January this year, and late last week it was confirmed that this will now be rolled out globally.


text:
Product #: EI-1760HANDS ON 3D MAGNETS SKELETAL SYSTEM |
Build magnetic science models on your whiteboard large enough for the whole class to see!
Assemble the models in whole-class demonstration, then let students try it later to test their knowledge. Chunky 3-D pieces are easy to manipulate in hands-on discovery. Realistic skeleton set features textured pieces that feel like real bones. Great for introducing science vocabulary. Each set includes activity guide.
- Skeleton set includes 15 pieces detailing the major bones of the human body, 18 magnetic labels, plus blackline master in guide to label (33 magnets in all)
- Plastic and foam skeleton set measures almost 3'H when assembled
Customer Reviews:
Submit a review


text:
Chapter 31 Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E)
Benefit Summary:
This program's primary function is to help veterans who have service-connected disabilities become suitably employed, maintain employment, or achieve independence in daily living. VA will provide the cost of all tuition, books, fees, equipment, and will also provide a monthly subsistence allowance during training.
To Qualify:
- Veterans: ≥10% service-connected disability.
- Active Duty: ≥20% VA disability memo.
To Apply:
Apply online at http://www.benefits.va.gov/vocrehab/index.asp .
To Claim Benefits:
- Enroll through http://www.benefits.va.gov/vocrehab/index.asp .
- Meet with VR&E counselor to establish education plan.
- Have your VR&E counselor send the Veteran Services Office form 28-1905 Authorization for tuition and the school book store form 28-1905 for books/supplies.
Please provide the VR&E counselor with this information:
Information for tuition voucher:
Champlain College
163 South Willard Street
PO Box 670
Burlington, VT 05402-0670
ATTN: Veteran and Military Services
p (802) 865-5778
f (802) 860-2775
Information for books and supplies voucher: CHANGED EFFECTIVE 8/28/15
Champlain College Bookstore, Follett
375 Maple Street
Burlington VT 05401
fax: (802) 860-2754
(Manager is Kevin McCann (802) 863-8961 email@example.com )
Make 28-1905 specifically for the new bookstore in in order for the voucher to be accepted at the Bookstore. 28-1905 made out to Champlain College are not valid at the bookstore because the College and the Bookstore are separate business/billing entities.
If your VA regional office needs a new vendorization form completed, please send it directly Mr Kevin McCann (Manager).
School refunds of excessive funds due to other financial aid
Refunds are only made once:
1. Actual funds are received and/or applied to account.
2. Attendance for the session is confirmed (called census)
Questions about refunds should be directed to the office of Student Accounts.
Contact them at: (802) 860-2777
Additional Information:
Visit our What's Next page for more information regarding claiming your benefit.


text:
Whether for the public, private, or home school, Mardel's educational resources provide teachers and administrators with the tools necessary to achieve academic success. Search our expansive selection of materials to find options that suit your individual needs – from resource books, manipulatives, and incentives to decorations, art, and office supplies, we offer the support you need at the prices you crave!
Help students master a basic part of speech with this chart. All TREND Learning Charts feature vibrant and engaging artwork plus accurate, teacher-created content to reinforce learning. Charts help teach essential subjects and can be displayed year-round for reference. Each chart back includes reproducibles, tips, and additional information. 17" x22" size - sturdy and durable.
Weight (lb) | 0.14 |
Width (in) | 17 |
Length (in) | 22 |
Height (in) | 0.01 |
Vendor Part Number | T38131 |
Age Range | 6-10 |
Grade |
1st Grade 2nd Grade 3rd Grade 4th Grade 5th Grade |
Retrieving reviews...
Mardel guidelines for writing a review
Reviews submitted to Mardel.com are moderated. Acceptable review will appear on the site in 3-5 days. Thank you


text:
Man Alive
Transforming Your Seven Primal Needs Into a Powerful Spiritual Life
Author | Patrick Morley |
Publisher | RANDOM HOUSE |
Publication Date | 1/2012 |
Binding | Book - Paperback |
Retail Price | $14.99 |
Discount Price | $10.79 (28% discount) |
Over the last four decades, I've met one-on-one with thousands of men. Most of them know that Jesus promised "a rich and satisfying life" (John 10:10), but too many are confused about what that looks like. In fact, I'd estimate that 90 percent of Christian men lead lukewarm, stagnant, defeated lives--and they hate it. When men try to put into words what's holding them back, they invariably describe one or more of these seven symptoms:
- "I just feel like I'm in this thing alone."
- "I don't feel like God cares about me personally--not really."
- "I don't feel like my life has a purpose. In fact, it seems random."
- "I have destructive behaviors that keep dragging me down."
- "My soul feels dry."
- "My most important relationships are not working."
- "I don't feel like I'm doing anything that will make a lasting difference."
Do you see yourself in these statements? In my experience, these inner aches and pains correspond to seven primal God-given needs that all men feel deeply. And in "Man Alive," I'll show you something surprising--God's plan to harness that raw, restless energy you feel, pull you out of mediocrity, and propel you toward the life you were meant to live. I promise you...there "is "a way. No man should have to settle for half alive. You can become the man God created you to be. You can experience a powerful life transformed by Christ. In the book you're holding, I'll show you how.
"Patrick Morley, PhD. "


text:
Currently there are no items in your shopping cart.
New By Category
New! March Lookbook
Fashion for the Home
Shop >
The Cloud Sectional
3 Pieces. Infinite Possibilities. The Cloud Modular Sectional.
Curated Art Collections
Our art buyers hand-selected complementary art collections to give your home a designer look.
Pillows & Throws
Home Accents
Objects of Art
Refresh your home with new decor.
Rugs by Type
Shop by Category
Inspiration for Entertaining
Get inspired for you next soiree.
Refresh Your Bedroom
Revitalize and refresh your bedroom in 6 easy steps.
What's Your Style Personality?
Take our quiz and find your personal approach to style.
Sale By Category
NYC based Creative Director, Anthony, is inspired by timeless and classic design, and he consistently complements his love of vintage with a modern touch.
share it
Where do you live and where are you from?
Zio & Sons is based in New York City, but lately we are spending the majority of our time in the Hudson Valley.
What do you love about Z Gallerie?
I love the quality, and eclectic mix of items. They consistently offer unique design options for the modern dweller.
What's the inspiration for your favorite room in your home?
Our home is a mix of old and new. I am inspired by a feeling that a space can give someone. For our small NYC kitchen, functionality first and an open and inviting atmosphere. Finally, incorporating eclectic pieces helps keep the space feeling original.
What piece in your home is the most meaningful to you?
As a constant traveler, I tend to collect a lot of unique art, but especially paintings. Each one tells a story. Right now, it's a beautiful, 1920's oil painting of a woman in her wedding dress.
What's your Style Personality?
Traditional Twist
Tell us about your creative process.
I'm always interested in telling the story most authentic to the project. I start with research, and once I have my facts and needs for the project, I can start on the fun stuff. Pinterest and Instagram are two of my favorites.
Tell us about how you started blogging.
When I first started Zio & Sons, I was restoring antique furniture pieces in a studio in Manhattan. The company slowly morphed into a styling and creative agency, now offering creative services in the home, lifestyle and travel segments.
How do you keep on top of current design trends?
I try not to get too caught up in trends and stick with looks that are consistent and approachable. Sometimes we add a trendy element. I mean, who can resist a soft pink and succulents?
How would you describe your fashion style?
Quality, classic, relaxed, blue and white forever!
What items for the home do you recommend splurging on?
Light fixtures and a big, comfortable sofa.
What are your tips for keeping a home redecorating project affordable?
Do it yourself! Buy used, sale items, and salvage when possible. We just removed the doors off of an old cabinet, painted the inside navy and voila!
Salud Gift Set - Silver $29.95
Largo Rectangular Tray $39.95
Imperial Stemware - Sets of 4 $39.80
Arcadia Frame $29.95 - $39.95
Stella Frame $24.95
Bling Dominoes $29.95
Winston Cystal Salt And Pepper S... $29.95
If available, order online by 2PM local time for same-day pickup.
Qty: 1


text:
Maui College faculty/staff events
Intramural Sports - Basketball
October 13, 3:00pm - 7:00pmMaui Campus, Baldwin High School Gymnasium
Come join our Intramural Basketball Program today!
When: Every Sunday (9/15/13 - 11/3/13)
Time: 3:00pm-7:00pm
Location: Baldwin High School Gymnasium located at 1650 Kaahumanu Avenue, Wailuku, Maui, HI 96793
Final game and celebration potluck held on November 24, 2013 (3pm-7pm).
Students have requested to challenge faculty and staff at the final game.
*Participants must be a currently enrolled UHMC student or faculty/staff.
*Balls and pinnies will be provided. Please wear covered athletic shoes and bring your own water.
Event Sponsor
Student Life, Maui Campus
More Information
808-984-3434, email@example.com
Sunday, October 13 | |
3:00pm |
Intramural Sports - Basketball
Maui Campus, Baldwin High School Gymnasium |


text:
Going against Google
AltaVista, one of the leading search engines of the 1990s, has died. It was 18 years old. It had languished for years before its owner, Yahoo, finally pulled the plug.
Silicon Valley is littered with the graves of firms that tried and failed to gain traction in the search-engine market. Today, the U.S. market is dominated by two companies: Microsoft (whose technology also powers Yahoo's search engine) and Google (whose technology also powers the AOL and Ask search engines). Internationally, Yandex and Baidu have significant market shares in Russia and China, respectively.
Why does Google have so few competitors? Gabriel Weinberg is one of the few entrepreneurs who have managed to gain some traction in the search-engine market. His site, DuckDuckGo, touts industry-leading privacy features and "zero click info" boxes, which show instant answers pulled from sites like Wikipedia that don't require clicking on a site.
Why is it so hard to compete with Google? Are there large barriers to entry?
If you look at the search engines that died, especially the ones that raised a bunch of money in the mid-2000s, almost all of them tried to copy the indexing Google does. They tried to copy the whole Internet to their servers and then data-mine it. That is a very expensive proposition, both in human capital and physical capital. That is a large barrier to entry that only Microsoft, Yandex and Baidu have been able to do. All of those are public companies, and they all spend a lot of money per year on it. Way more than any start-up has ever raised.
Mahalo started as a human-powered search and eventually died. Cuil innovated on the design a bit, which was interesting, but couldn't get traction with it. Another one that innovated on design was SearchMe, which had a cover-flow look.
The problem with spending a lot of money is that companies only get a few years before they run out of money. We've been around for five years now. We're just now getting more understanding and mainstream adoption. It takes a while. If you have such high burn rate, you don't have much runway.
There are a few other competitors still on the market, right?
Blekko is still around. They developed the concept of "slashtags," where you can search phrases like "gun control/liberal" (to get a liberal perspective on the topic) or "gun control/conservative" (for conservative views). That's been interesting.
Other than them, there are not many new ones that are out there. Ask and AOL are still around, with 1 percent or 2 percent of the market.
Yahoo is trying to reboot itself now. And obviously, Microsoft has been the major competitor.
There used to be a lot of search start-ups in the 1990s. Why is it so much harder to enter the market today? Has the Web gotten that much bigger?
It's orders of magnitude bigger. It's insanely bigger. It's a power law. Just like you click on the top result way more than you click on the second result, most of those top results are covered by a small portion of the Internet: sites like Facebook or Twitter.
Even Google and Bing are structured this way. They have a primary index and a secondary index. Some of the companies are focused on getting the primary index better. It's still expensive even to do the primary index. I think you'd have to ask them, but it seems like they're spending on the order of $10 million per year on it.
There were a ton of search engines in the '90s. It was a much cheaper problem. AltaVista was the best one before Google.
How have you managed to gain traction given these challenges?
I make an analogy to the Web-browser market. Just a few years earlier, Internet Explorer had been dominant. All the sudden, you had Firefox come on the scene, then Safari and Chrome. That's because the underlying tech had reached diminishing returns. More and more browsers have the same underlying technology. They're differentiating by adding features.
When I started, Google, Yahoo, Yandex and Microsoft were all building indexes. We focused on doing things the other guys couldn't do.
One was instant answers. People were going directly to Wikipedia, Yelp and other large communities with user-generated content. Those answers were not appearing on conventional search engines. You were still getting links. We thought, why can't you aggregate that information, give people those results?
The reason the big guys can't do that easily is scale. They only like to work across billions of things. They have a culture of doing everything in-house. Instead of working with any third party, Google or Microsoft buys the company they want to work with. That is a limited strategy. They can't do that for smaller things.
The big guys also have legal issues. Google in particular could get in trouble for favoring their own stuff over other people, favoring one thing over another.
Most Popular
- Lakers crumble in fourth quarter of 119-108 loss to Wizards
- 3 dogs die in Anaheim house fire; residents unharmed
- Irvine looks to build USA Water Polo aquatics center at Great Park
- Prop. 13 reform key to affordable housing, policy expert tells Realtors
- San Clemente family upset, suing over the condition of L.A. diocese-run cemetery
User Agreement
Comments are encouraged, but you must follow our Privacy Policy Policy & Terms of Use
Keep it civil and stay on topic. No profanity, vulgarity, racial slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. By posting your comment, you agree to allow Orange County Register Communications, Inc. the right to republish your name and comment in additional Register publications without any notification or payment.


text:
Top Items:
Thom Weidlich / Bloomberg:
Apple Won't Face Lawsuit Over Limited Life of IPhone Batteries — Sept. 26 (Bloomberg) — Apple Inc. won't face a lawsuit claiming it didn't immediately tell customers about the limited life of batteries for its iPhone or their $86 replacement cost, including delivery.
ZDNet Government, MacRumors, Technology blog, AppleInsider, Macworld, MacNN, Gizmodo, Macsimum News and textually.org
Ina Fried / CNET News:
Ballmer on search: 'I don't like not being No. 1' — SANTA CLARA, Calif.—Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said his company may be the only one with a chance to rival Google in search over the long term, but acknowledged that it will take several more years and a whole lot of money.
Charlie Sorrel / Gadget Lab:
IPhone 2.2: Safari Redesign, Possible Cut and Paste — With the iPhone v2.1 software out of the door, Apple is hard at work on v2.2. From this first glimpse it looks like Apple, now that the major bugs have been squashed, is adding some new features. — The screenshot, unearthed by iPhone Atlas, shows a new Safari interface.
Michael Masnick / Techdirt:
The RIAA's Playbook: No New Business Models Without RIAA Ownership — Mathew Ingram covers the details of Muxtape's run-in with the RIAA. As you may recall, last month the rather useful site that let people create online "mix tapes" that could be streamed to others was shut down thanks to the RIAA.
Larry Dignan / Between the Lines:
Apple cuts iPhone 3G build plan; Suppliers to take a hit — Apple reportedly plans to build 14 million to 15 million iPhone 3Gs from a previous target of 18 million for 2008, according to a report from Pacific Crest. — Citing "supply chain channel checks" Apple's is cutting its iPhone 3G buildout.
Michael Arrington / TechCrunch:
What Is The Deal With This Stupid Lighter iPhone App? — Everyone keeps talking about Smule's virtual lighter iPhone application called Sonic Lighter (iTunes link). — I wasn't impressed: there are no less than ten different virtual lighter apps in iTunes, which is what I'd call a saturated market.
Tarmo Virki / Reuters:
Nokia to unveil touch-screen phone Oct 2: sources — HELSINKI (Reuters) - The world's top cellphone maker Nokia (NOK1V.HE: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) will unveil its first touch-screen phone at a media and analyst event in London next week, two industry sources told Reuters on Friday.
Eric Savitz / Tech Trader Daily:
Yahoo: Collins Stewart Says Fundamentals "Deteriorating" — More trouble lurks ahead for Yahoo (YHOO), Collins Stewart analyst Sandeep Agrawal warned this morning. — "We believe that the fundamentals at YHOO are deteriorating," he writes in a research note.
Dan Frommer / Silicon Alley Insider:
Where Is Microsoft's Smartphone? Everywhere, Says Redmond — The smartphone wars are set for this holiday season: Apple's (AAPL) iPhone 3G versus new BlackBerry gadgets from Research In Motion (RIMM), and now Google's 'G1' Android GPhone. Oh — and dozens of gadgets running Microsoft's Windows Mobile.
Maciej Stachowiak / Surfin' Safari:
Ian Lesnet / Hack a Day:
How-To: Web server on a business card (Part 2) — This mini web server is slightly smaller than a business card. There are a lot of tiny one-board servers out there, but this is probably the smallest you can etch and solder at home. Unlike many embedded web servers …
Barry Schwartz / Search Engine Roundtable:
Google Messes Up AdSense Exchange For Indian Rupee — A DigitalPoint Forums thread has a three page thread on the topic of Google messing up yet again with the exchange rate given to publishers. This time Google equated one US dollar to one Indian Rupee. The true current exchange rate is $1 US to 46.555 INR.
Charlie Sorrel / Gadget Lab:
Griffin iPod Dock Simplifies Cluttered Desks — Look what Griffin did! It's another iPod dock, but this time it's actually useful. The Simplifi comes in at $70, but for that you get to toss out your media card reader and your USB hub. There's also an AC adapter for juice-sucking …
Newlaunches.com, Macworld, CrunchGear, TOYS and GADGETs, Ubergizmo, GeekBrief.TV, Obsessable and Gizmodo
Jay Alabaster / Associated Press:
Japan's online social scene isn't so social — TOKYO - Like a lot of 20-year-olds, Kae Takahashi has a page on U.S.-based MySpace, and there is no mistaking it for anyone else's. — It's got pictures of the funky Tokyoite modeling the clothes she designs in her spare time, along with her name …
Pulse 2.0
Julian Sanchez / Ars Technica:
Larry Page blasts white space FUD on Capitol Hill — Google co-founder Larry Page says the time for delays has passed: he wants the Federal Communications Commission to open up fallow "white space" in the TV broadcast spectrum for unlicensed use, and to do it before November's presidential election.
BIZ / Twitter Blog:
Of The People, By The People, For The People — Politweets was one of the first to mix Twitter and politics. Other interesting mash-ups were created by C-SPAN for both the RNC and the DNC. There's also the amazingly cool Perspctv and of course there's Current TV's plan to Hack The Debate.
Feeds, Search Engine Land, TechCrunch, Silicon Alley Insider, SitePoint Blogs, Podcasting News, RotorBlog.com, Portfolio, The Social Times, WebProNews, TechBlog, Bits, AppScout, ReadWriteWeb, Lifehacker, Pulse 2.0, VentureBeat, The Social, Valleywag, The Social Path, blogs.telegraph.co.uk … and The Blog Herald
Toshiba Launches 256GB Solid State Drives with MLC — TOKYO—Toshiba Corporation today announced enhancements to its line-up of NAND-flash-based solid state drives (SSD) with the addition of an industry-leading 256-gigabyte (GB) SSD and the launch of a series of small-sized Flash Modules …
Eric Krangel / Silicon Alley Insider:
Wall Street's Blowup Shrinks The Tech Market By Billions. Could Be Worse — The Wall Street collapse is terrible for tech, obviously. But it could be worse. — Forrester Research says the financial sector's troubled firms (Lehman, Merrill, Bear Stearns, AIG, Fannie, Freddie) all together equal about 2% of tech spending.
PR Newswire:
Nanoradio WiFi Solution is Inside the World's First 3G UMA Mobile Phone — Nanoradio today announced that its "Always On WiFi"(TM) solution has been commercially launched inside the world's first 3G UMA phone. The same "Always On WiFi"(TM) solution was also recently launched in a 2.5G UMA phone.
Jacqui Cheng / Ars Technica:
Report: workers spend 25% of work time goofing around online — If you're reading this while your boss thinks you're hammering away on some code or updating that Excel spreadsheet, then you're likely one of the workers that spend about 25 percent of their work time doing personal stuff online.
Digital Daily
Stacey Higginbotham / GigaOM:
Can These Startups Beat Paypal? — Despite the acceptance of credit cards and services like PayPal, the issue of getting money from one person to another online still offers opportunities for innovation. Venture firms are continuing to fund startups that hope to offer better ways to pay online …
John Timmer / Ars Technica:
College bookstores turn to kiosks to stem e-textbook tide — This week, the National Association of College Stores announced a new initiative that that will see digital vending kiosks tested at a number of major college campuses. The college bookstore trade group will form a distinct subsidiary …
Ina Fried / CNET News:
Tellme for iPhone due by June — SANTA CLARA, Calif.—Microsoft is indeed working on an iPhone application. — As I predicted, it is the company's Tellme unit that is actively developing a program for Apple's iPhone. Tellme offers voice-activated search for a variety of phones, including the BlackBerry.
Apple Gazette
Arne Hess / the::unwired:
BROWSER: Microsoft's Internet Explorer Mobile 6 aka 6 on 6 is real and shows its face — The next, officially announced, big update for Windows Mobile will be - as Microsoft calls it - "6 on 6", which is Internet Explorer Mobile 6 on Windows Mobile 6.1. The current Internet Explorer Mobile code …
Amy Schatz / Wall Street Journal:
Two Wireless Mergers Top the FCC's To-Do List — WASHINGTON — The Federal Communications Commission has drawn up an ambitious to-do list, topped by review of two pending wireless mergers, for the last few months of the Bush administration. — FCC Chairman Kevin Martin on Thursday …
Russian retailers to start Apple iPhone sales Oct 3 — MOSCOW (Reuters) - Major Russian home electronics and cell phone retailers said on Friday they would kick off Apple Inc's (AAPL.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) iPhone sales in Russia beginning on October 3, and estimated that 150,000 units could be sold by year end.
AppleInsider, MacRumors iPhone Blog, iPhone Savior, Macworld, Macsimum News, Apple 2.0, O'Grady's PowerPage and iLounge
Kara Swisher / BoomTown:
"No Walls" Trademark Dispute (Maybe Microsoft Should Bring Back Seinfeld) — An unusual Israeli-Palestinian joint venture start-up, which makes a cloud-based Web operating system letting users access their desktops from any computer with an Internet connection, is alleging a trademark violation …
Microsoft Pri0
Business Technology:
Oracle: Customers Pay Us for Stuff We'd Do Anyway — What's good for a tech company's shareholders isn't always the same as what's good for its customers. That was clear at Oracle's analyst day Thursday. — Downtown San Francisco this week has been turned into a pleasure dome …


text:
[ Printer Friendly Version ] [ Report Abuse ]
Chapter 1 : 10 Flaws I Love About You
| Rating: 15+ | Chapter Reviews: 57 |
Background: Font color:
10 Flaws I love About You
December 10th.
Enough, James, I said holding up my hand.
He frowned. But why?
I sighed, taking the hand to my forehead. This would take all of my self-control. I had begun to practice that one. Ever since James and I agreed on the peace treaty two months ago it had only gotten better as we had a line now. Or a Time, we called it.
Because, I said slowly, I have already used all of my James-time today. That means that you have used all of your Lily-time. Ergo, we cant see each other or talk to each other more today. Okay?
No! I held up my hand yet again. James, I swear if you say the word love in the same sentence as the word you while facing me, I will hit you and I will hit you where it hurts the most. Understand?
James nodded mutely. But what if I smiled really sweetly and told you why?
I groaned. Oh, my temper cant handle this today! Another day maybe.
You wont give up before I say yes wont you?
Probably not, he said, grinning.
An idea suddenly came to my mind. If he said he loved anything about me, let him prove it. I raised an eyebrow and his grin faded.
I dare you!
He frowned, crossing his arms. Okay, what do you dare me to and whats the prize and what if I lose?
I smiled. Tell me ten things you love about me. If you lose, youll leave me alone forever! I waved with my hands to emphasise. If you win, Ill go to Hogsmeade with you, the one in eleven days.
He nodded. I can do that. How much thinking time?
You need thinking time? I asked, perplexed. I thought you didnt need that kind of thing.
Normally I dont, he said with a shrug. But I want to say the perfect things. Lets say one a day?
I sighed. All right then, I grunted. And no lying, you have to be honest.
Great, he grinned and strolled away before I could say anything.
Chris, I think Ive just made a huge mistake!
Christine looked up, facing me. Okay.
Not interested in hearing what kind of mistake?
Noooo, not particularly, she muttered looking down at her book. But according to the tone you used I guess it has something to do with James. And seeing that Ive stopped really caring about that a long time ago and decided to be neutral Im not really interested in hearing.
Tough but true.
I slumped down on my bed and crossed my arms. What a friend she was being.
December 11th.
I closed my eyes and turned with a sigh. Yes?
James stopped in front of me, smirking. First day, remember?
All too well, I mumbled
Care listening? he asked, a new sharp edge in his voice.
Not really, but theres no way stopping you, is there?
He smirked. No. So the first one He glanced quickly at me. I love the way you fall off the bench each morning when you lean backwards while we eat breakfast.
It took me a few seconds to really understand what he had just said. When I had finally turned it a few hundred times in my head, I frowned.
Thats very original. What happened to the good old I love the way you smile or I love the way you laugh?
He smiled. Whats the fun with that? he asked. Everyone can say that, everyone can be romantic and say a lot of crap, but not everyone can do it with their hearts. I cant and I want to be honest. These points will be personal and fit you.
I didnt know what to say so instead I just looked at him. After ten seconds the silence started to get awkward and James moved uncomfortably.
You can say something now, he said.
I raised a sceptical eyebrow. So you love the way I fall off the bench?
A faint blush crept up his cheeks and he smiled embarrassed. I guess.
I nodded. Okay.
Is that all youve got to say?
What? I asked. Do you want me to say I love the way you stumble when looking after me in the corridor?
He frowned. Thats either really sweet or really stalker-ish noticed Do you look after me too?
I blushed. I had just noticed. Dont push your luck, James.
Not pushing it, he smirked. I just asked. Have a nice day! He turned and strolled away before I could speak.
December 12th.
Christine was still not interested in hearing about my mistake and therefore no one knew about my deal with the devil. Maybe Sirius, Remus, and Peter, but if they did, they hadnt said it to anyone.
After class I was on the way back to the tower with Christine when someone grabbed my arm and pulled me back.
Hey! I exclaimed, making Christine turn.
Ive got something to say, James muttered in my ear.
I rolled my eyes and turned. Yes?
He smiled. I love when you accidentally tumble over when standing up too quickly.
I frowned. What?
He just looked at me, rising both of his eyebrows.
Oh, yeah, the points. I hit my forehead, and then I thought of his words. Um. Do I do that? I asked, Fall over when standing up too fast?
Often, he said with a smile. It didnt seem to amuse him in such a way itd amuse a lot of others who saw me fall.
Lily, whats going on? Christine asked, stopping at my side.
James just wanted to tell me something, I said quickly. Were we going?
I turned before any of them answered. Christine quickly caught up with me. What is going on, Lily?
You said you didnt want to know, I said, smirking. So Im not telling you.
Your mistake ? she asked slowly.
Exactly, I grumbled.
Which was?
Daring James. If he won Id go on a date with him.
What did you dare him to?
Tell me ten things about me which he loves, I closed my eyes, still walking. How could I have been so stupid?
I surely dont know, she said. But Im still neutral.
I know, I sighed. Tell me again, why you are?
Because, she said with a roll of her eyes. When you used to hate him, normal friends would be good friends and do too, but what if you suddenly change your mind about him? Then friends would do too, but theyve already shown they do not like him They show they dont have an opinion themselves. In this way Im loyal to myself, and dont just follow my friend. See?
I frowned. Oh, thinking hard this early in the morning would give me a brain damage.
December 13th.
Chris, I dont think Im going.
Christine turned and looked at me with a frown. Youre not going to class?
I shook my head. No.
I smiled. Because then hell lose.
James, I said with a roll of my eyes. If we dont meet, he wont tell me his next point and hell have lost.
Thats stupid, did you know that? She walked towards me and grabbed my hands. You do realize that Jamess a Marauder and even if you dont show your face today, hell find a way to tell you nonetheless, right?
I frowned. Dear Merlin, youre right. I have to leave the castle.
Oh, no! she hissed. Lily, stop being a chicken and get your butt down to the Charms classroom!
I fought against her, but she wasnt going to let me go. At last I gave up and let her drag me down the staircase, through the common room and ended up in the classroom.
James sat just in front of us, but that didnt prevent him from looking at me. I tried to ignore him, but it wasnt easy. He cornered me after class.
I groaned and motioned for Christine to move on. I turned to him, Yes?
He smirked. Okay. I love the way you click your tongue when being unsatisfied with something.
I tilted my head. I actually did do that. A bad habit of mine, it was really.
Thats a weird thing to like.
But its true.
All right then, I muttered.
Is that all youve got to say to it?
I frowned. You said so two days ago.
Thats because you dont have a comeback for the things I say.
What do you want me to say, James? I made a little outcome with my arms. We have a problem here. Thats you and me not feeling the same way about each other. I cant say I love things about you, because I know this will be tough to hear, but its true I dont love you.
Yeah, you think so, he said confidently.
I put a hand to my forehead. What does it take to push you off the broom, to break you down?
He shrugged. The unexpected maybe. I dont know really.
I nodded. Okay then. Am I free to go now?
Not if I was to decide, but Im not, so just go.
I smiled at him before I turned and walked away.
December 14th.
James was smiling. He was smiling waaaaay to brightly. He probably had all his ten points now, and only waited to torture me. I was sure.
Look at him, I muttered to Christine. He thinks hes soooo good. Soooo Smart! Soooo winning this.
He is, she said with a snort.
What do you know?
A hell of a lot more than you do.
I narrowed my eyes. Have you talked to James?
She smiled. No, but I talked to Remus Those guys are crazy. I had no idea they were so girlish.
I pursed my lips, trying to suppress a smile. I turned to look at him again. He was no longer looking at me, thank Merlin. I sighed, looking back at Christine.
Well, I muttered. We might as well get this over with.
What are you doing?
Taking the dragon by its horns. Wish me luck.
She said nothing, which was normal behavior. I strolled down the table, stopped behind James and poked his shoulder. He turned slowly, raising his eyebrows at the sight of me.
What? he asked.
Dont you have something to say?
The corners of his mouth turned downwards and he looked at me frowning, as if trying to remember something. No, he said at last.
What? I asked.
Nows not the time, Evans, he grinned.
With another weird glance I left and walked straight out of the Great Hall. I slowed down when out and then started the walk back to the Gryffindor Tower, still thinking of why hed let me wait.
It took me longer time than usual to make it back to the tower, but when I arrived a surprise was waiting for me.
James, I said, eyeing him in the corridor, leaning against the wall. How How did you get up here so fast?
He smirked, pushing away from the wall. Therere a lot of things you dont know about me, Evans.
Okay then, I said. Do you mind moving, I was actually about to pass here.
He smiled and stepped aside. I nodded and walked past.
I love that you always try to be ahead of things, but mostly failing when trying to.
I stopped right next to him. I slowly looked at him. So you were just waiting for now to say that?
He shrugged. Well, I think it was rather perfect timing
I thought about it and then nodded. Yeah, true.
I was trying to make a point.
Point taken, I muttered, smiling. I was about to leave. Ill try not to do that.
No dont, he said and placed a hand on my shoulder. Its one of those things that define you.
I sighed. I know.
Dont change for me.
I nearly giggled, but realized in the last second it wasnt something I did. Lily Evans did not giggle. I settled with giving him a smile and then walked past him. Of course I wouldnt change for him, not even if it made him like me less.
December 15th.
Look, I muttered. Snow.
Christine looked up and out of the window groaning, No way.
Yes way, I said with a smile. About time too.
December would be great without snow just once, she said. You do realize I wont join you if you want to go outside, right?
Yeah, I sighed.
She smiled. So what has James told you today?
I scratched my cheek. Nothing. But hes been gone all day too. I havent seen him. Maybe hes forgotten it!
She laughed, I highly doubt that.
Yeah me too.
Dont sound so sad.
What do you think hell do if I escape up to the dorm and stay there until tomorrow so he cant tell me?
We have talked about this, Lily. Hell try to get up there, she said.
So you think he could?
I was about to answer when someone spoke behind me, Yes, he could.
I closed my eyes. Hi James.
Hello Evans, he said and sat down next to me on the couch. Had a nice day?
Until now, yes.
Dont be mean. He moved so he could have a better look at me. I love the way youve arranged your hair today.
I looked at him. Was that a point?
Nope, he said and shook his head. But its true.
What are you? A girl?
He smirked. Do you wanna see?
EW! I exclaimed. James, get off this couch!
He grinned and jumped up. I love the way you often get too worked up over small things. See you.
I grinded my teeth hardly. Hes too damn good at this.
I know, Christine smirked.
December 16th.
Lily, I think youre overreacting.
I looked up. Why?
Christine rolled her eyes. Youre practically sweating Looking around nervously Hiding whenever a black haired person enters.
I glared at her. Shut up will you?
No. She shook her head. Youre totally overreacting.
Am so not, I denied.
So said James.
What?! You talked to James?
She smirked. Maybe
I crossed my arms. Youre stupid.
Youre overreacting.
Am so not! I said yet again.
Oh, hi James!
Shoot, I hissed and ducked.
Next she chuckled. I was only kidding. Overreacting fool. Please try to act normal.
But I was reacting normal, wasnt I? I slowly came up to the surface of the table again, glaring at Christine.
Youre an idiot, but youre an idiot whos right.
So are you acting mature now? she asked. I nodded. Good, because hes coming here.
I closed my eyes. Act mature, Lily, act mature.
When he and Remus sat down I tried to just ignore him, but found that would be immature too. I smiled pleasantly.
James nodded. Wearing a white shirt today, Evans.
What a strange kind of information. Um, yes.
You know youll spill, right?
I exchanged glances with Christine. Er, what? I asked, with a frown.
He smirked. You always spill when wearing white. Havent you noticed?
Its one of those things I love about you.
Whats that supposed to mean? I asked with a frown.
He rolled his eyes. So I have to make it official?
Now I was really confused. What?
He sighed. Okay. I love that you cant wear white clothes at dinner without spilling on it. All right?
I clasped my hand against my forehead. Oh, that. Sorry James. You got me confused there.
He smiled. Thought so too.
I sighed. Well, thanks then I guess.
I let my hand dump onto the table where it accidentally hit the spoon which was in the ketchup. James laughed and pointed at the red stain on my shirt.
December 17th.
I narrowed my eyes at the window in the castle of which I knew Christine was hiding behind. I mimed the word chicken before turning. Just then a snowball hit the side of my head.
I spun around to find Kate and Mary, but they were far away, and it couldnt have been them. My eyes stopped at James. I knew that straight away it was him. He waved and slowly walked to my side.
Idiot, I muttered.
He smiled. I was trying to get your attention.
Mission succeeded, I said. Youve got it.
So whats new? he asked, pulling off his gloves.
I raised an eyebrow, looking at him. Nothing. Whats with the attitude?
He shrugged. Figured that now that we have a date wed have to be able to keep a conversation going.
Youre pretty sure of yourself, huh?
You have to be, he said smoothly.
Even though I still found it kind of annoying that he was so bloody confident it was one of the things I actually liked about him. Guys with no confidence and thinking low of themselves were really not cute. Most girls thought so, but Id always wanted to have guys to be equal to me, and they werent if they had no self-esteem or tried to play so.
I sighed, looking at him. So whats my thing today?
You want to know now?
I shrugged. Might was well be now as never, right?
Yeah. He messed up his hair a bit. Well Um, I love when you laugh at yourself because youve accidentally made a fool of yourself.
I couldnt help smiling. Oh, yeah, I muttered. I do do that. Its because then its not so embarrassing.
It looks cute. He looked away while saying it. So wheres Christine?
I smiled. I liked how he changed the topic instead of shoving his points in my face.
Inside, I said at last. She said she wasnt finished with an assignment I know she finished it last weekend.
He grinned. Some just want to do anything to be free from snow.
Not me, I love snow.
So do I.
I sighed. Im going inside. Have fun.
He waved at me as I walked towards the castle.
December 18th.
Snow is overrated really. Who wants to throw around with frozen water to just have it slide down your back, turning into cold water? ...
Christine was jabbering with enormous speed about the drawbacks of snow. I wasnt really listening though; I had my eyes on James and Remus who sat at the other end of the library, wondering when hed come over. It was seven thirty and hed pulled it all day, not even speaking to me. Maybe hed forgotten it
Lily, Lily?
I shook out of the train of thought. Yes? I asked Christine.
She looked stunned. Wow, you actually came back first time I tried to make you. Wow. Progress.
I glared at her. I was thinking.
Wow, glad to hear youre trying something new, she mumbled. About what this time?
I scratched my neck. I think James has forgotten.
She frowned. You do know that thats not possible, right?
I shrugged, looking towards the table only to stop breathing almost. James was gone. Instead Sirius was sitting in his chair, talking to Remus.
Hes gone, I said in a monotone voice.
What? Christine turned.
He sat there before, I said. Now hes gone.
Not gone. James sat down in the only free chair at Christine and mine table. Just left for a few seconds.
Hi James, I said, trying to play it cool.
Evans, Jackson. James had a thing for last names, I think.
Christine nodded at him before turning to her work. James leaned back in his chair and flung his feet to the table. I studied him.
Well? I asked.
Well what? he asked back without looking at me.
The point?
He chuckled. I thought youd learned about patience and not trying to get ahead of things.
Just get it over with, James, I sighed.
Hmm He looked into the ceiling. I love that when youre daydreaming youre almost impossible to get back.
I suddenly smiled. You got that from our conversation?
He grinned. Not the slightest. I know you, Evans, and dont deny it. I simply notice these things about you.
I looked down. I guess.
I scratched a few doodles on my parchment and then looked up again. He was gone. Soundlessly and everything too. I frowned and saw him sit at their table, all four of them now. I shook my head. How he did it I had no idea, but he did have class.
December 19th.
I leaned grudgingly against the frame of the window. The snow was melting. Personally I had hoped for a storm so the Hogsmeade trip would be cancelled. As my possible date with James would. I wasnt stupid, I knew hed win. He always did.
A person slumped down next to me. I knew who it was without looking up. I could sense it.
A shame with the snow, huh?
I pressed my lips together.
You were hoping theyd cancel the trip, right?
I couldnt help smiling. Maybe
Youre so predictable. He looked away. I guess thats one more thing I like about you.
Is that the point?
Not exactly, he mused. But I love that your reactions to everything around you, theyre predictable.
I sighed. How do you do it, James?
He raised an eyebrow, stealing a glance at me. Do what?
This! You say it with perfect timing and its always taking me by surprise.
He grinned. Its a talent.
Uhu I mumbled. Cant we just get it over?
Get what over? He frowned.
Just say the point for tomorrow
Thats not as fun.
Youll win anyways.
He grinned and got up. I always win.
I know, I sighed.
And now youll be thinking about it until I find you tomorrow.
He smiled genuinely. See you later.
December 20th.
The day that had caused a few sleepless nights had approached. I knew James had won - how could he not? and Id long settled with knowing Id have to spend the next day in James company at Hogsmeade. Now the question was how I could make it short.
Hi Evans!
Hey Potter, I answered him in a monotone voice. So?
So what? he asked back with a grin and swung his arm over my shoulder. I didnt bother to push it off again.
Whatve you got for me today?
His grin grew at that, but he said nothing. We just walked in silence a few minutes.
Hmm, I muttered at last. You dont plan on saying something?
He shrugged slightly. When you ask like that He trailed off. I love the way you always fall over your own feet when trying to stuff your books into your bag while talking to Christine.
I smiled slightly. I wasnt good at doing more than two things at once. Talking, walking, and stuffing books away were three things. It was too much. A fault of many I had. I hated them as they made me feel clumsy and like an idiot.
Then I stopped. He did too, looking at me. He slowly removed his arm, frowning.
Youve pointed out all the sides about me which I hate, I mumbled, looking up at him. All of my flaws.
Exactly, he said and nodded shortly. You like people for their good sides, but love them for their flaws.
I turned the words a few times in my head. He made them sound so right.
I frowned. Wow, James, I said. Thats actually deep.
Its true.
I crossed my arms. Fine! You win! I scowled. Congratulations!
He looked away with a shrug. It doesnt matter.
What? I frowned.
He shrugged again. You dont have to force yourself on a date with me. I just wanted to make a point really.
He was on the way to leave when I grabbed his arm. You stay here James Potter! I dared you, right? I made a promise.
Dont do anything you wont, Lily. He seemed so depressed.
Oh, shut up, I grumbled.
No, really, Lily He shook his head, about to turn again.
I still had a hold of his arm so I pulled him back, but then let go of it to grab around his jaw instead. Im sure I looked pretty frightening, but didnt let it stop me. I forced his head down to mine and pressed my lips to him. He seemed utterly stunned and didnt react. Not even when I pulled away again. He didnt say anything, but just looked at me.
So! I said. With that settled, I think we have a date tomorrow.
He still didnt say a thing.
I expect you to be ready at eleven precisely, okay?
He gathered himself enough to nod.
I grinned and turned, leaving a stunned James Potter behind me.
Write a Review 10 Flaws I Love About You: 10 Flaws I Love About You |
Other Similar Stories
Shoe Fetish by mayday | trouver la l... by Pheonix_F... | Double Dare by SilverRoses |


text:
French DECO Porcelain Dresser Box
Click thumbnails for expanded view.
- $2,500.00
- Item Not Available
This large, antique porcelain dresser box features a hand-painted scene depicting the full length portraits of a couple and their dog. The work is signed "Deco" and the underside carries a blue "LS" mark flanked with blue stars, and a mark which reads "Chateau des Roses". This is possibly a work by Pierre-Leon Sazerat (1831-91) of Limoges France. Interior features hand-painted floral bouquets, and the exterior features extensive gilded decoration on a cobalt blue background. Likely dates from the mid to late nineteenth century. It measures 12.25" by 8.25" by 4.5" high (31.1 by 21.0 by 11.4 cm) and weighs an estimated 6-7 lbs. (2.7-3.2 kg). This item resides with our client on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York and may be seen by appointment.
Vintage Views
- West New York, New Jersey
- Seller Since 2002
- View Storefront
- View Seller Website
- View Store Policies
Payments Accepted:
Negotiated with SellerItem Details:
- Reference #
- ha_180
- Quantity
- 1
- Category
- Ceramics
- Department
- Antiques
- Year
- Late 19th Century
- Dimensions
- Width: 0 inch
- Height: 0 inch
- Depth: 0 inch
- Weight: 0 pound
- Condition
- Very Good


text:
We had to get up early for a Kentucky Delegation breakfast and commemorative photo session. It was fun to see everyone even though it was so early! We realized that this would be the last time we'd all be together. There was another luncheon today and then the last convention session with John McCain's speech!
If you currently subscribe or have subscribed in the past to the Spencer Magnet, then simply find your account number on your mailing label and enter it below.
Click the question mark below to see where your account ID appears on your mailing label.
If you are new to the award winning Spencer Magnet and wish to get a subscription or simply gain access to our online content then please enter your ZIP code below and continue to setup your account.
ZIP Code: | |


text: Minecraft Updated to v1.1 (Real Sheep! Better Bows!)Luke Plunkett1/13/12 12:00amFiled to: MinecraftPCKotakucore62EditPromoteShare to KinjaToggle Conversation toolsGo to permalink Those of you who still play Minecraft, the game's been updated to v1.1. What's new? All kinds of stuff, which may or may not be really important depending on what language you speak and how you feel about sheep. Advertisement The biggest improvements are probably the extra language support for Europeans, enhanced bows, reduced brewing times and sheep that actually re-grow their wool. Oh, and that annoying little wireframe around ladders, that's gone too.You can see the complete list of changes in the mildly-annoying video above.Reply62 repliesLeave a reply


text:
I can get an Arcam Solo mini at very cheap price (250$ canadian).
What I want to do is connect it to my computer to play music. If I do that, will it be using the DAC that can be found within the receiver? Is the DAC good? Or would it be better if I just bought the Arcam DAC (which I can also receive at a good price, 180$ canadian)?
I would like to have the Solo Mini because I'd like to have something I can manual adjust music with and things like that.
What do you guys think?


text:
David Krejci registered a goal and two assists, as the Boston Bruins scored four unanswered goals en route to a 4-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs Wednesday in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series at TD Garden.
Wade Redden added a goal and an assist, while Nathan Horton and Johnny Boychuk each scored once for the fourth-seeded Bruins, who took three of four meetings against the Maple Leafs during the regular season.
Tuukka Rask stopped 19-of-20 shots to help Boston draw first blood in this best-of-seven series.
James van Riemsdyk netted the lone Toronto goal, while James Reimer, making his first playoff appearance between the pipes, allowed all four goals on 40 shots for the Leafs, who qualified for the postseason for the first time since 2004.
"I just thought that we self-destucted," Toronto coach Randy Carlyle said. "I thought we had a good forecheck going early in the hockey game and then we stopped."
Game 2 of this quarterfinal series is scheduled for Saturday in Boston.
Van Riemsdyk's power-play marker 1:54 into the contest staked the Leafs to an early advantage, but the Bruins scored a pair of goals in a 3:28 span late in the period and never looked back.
"It kind of [took] all the noise out of the crowd and that feeling out of the building when they got that first one," said Boston winger Milan Lucic, who finished with two assists. "We knew we were going to have to score at least one goal to win, and we knew if we kept our composure and focused on what we had to do, we were going to get ourselves back in the game."
Redden started the flurry at the 16:20 mark when his blast from just outside the left circle snuck through the left armpit of Reimer and trickled across the goal line to knot the game.
Toronto defenseman Dion Phaneuf was whistled for slashing just 1:35 later, setting up Horton's go-ahead goal.
After van Riemsdyk rang a wrister off the post at the other end, the Bruins charged down the ice before Redden fired a shot from the top of the right circle that Horton re-directed out of mid-air from the low right side to make it 2-1 with 11.7 seconds left in the first.
Boston doubled its edge just past the midpoint of the second when Krejci came up with a loose puck between the circles in the Toronto end before wheeling around and sneaking a quick shot through the five-hole of Reimer for a 3-1 lead at the 10:25 mark.
The Bruins padded their cushion with another goal late in the frame, as Krejci made a nice drop pass to a trailing Boychuk, who skated into a one-timer from the right point that sailed past the glove of Reimer to make it 4-1 with 4:16 left in the second.
Rask made the lead stand by stopping all six shots he faced over the final 20 minutes.
Game Notes
This is the 14th time these Original Six teams have met in the playoffs, but the first since 1974, when Boston swept Toronto in the opening round ... Toronto's seven-season playoff dry spell was its longest in franchise history ... Boston improved to 45-45 in Game 1s of a best-of-seven series, with a 31-15 series record when winning Game 1 ... Horton missed the final five games of the regular season with an upper-body injury.


text:
Wear It Now
Read MoreGet Fitted: A Dress Shirt Manifesto
Ever pull on a dress shirt that makes you look fifteen pounds heavier, the kind that balloons out the back and with sleeves cut for a pirate? Now a range of labels is offering fitted dress shirts that perfectly contour to your body. Taylor Lautner of 'Twilight' shows you how to instantly slim down while buttoning up


text:
RALEIGH – Starting Tuesday, Oct. 30, three new instant scratch-off games will appear in stores. The instant tickets are called Cold Cash Lines, Triple Winning 7's and Fast $50!.
Cold Cash Lines is a $3 game with five top prizes of $50,000 and more than $6 million in total prizes. To win a prize, players scratch off their numbers and scratch off matching numbers in the grid below. If all matching numbers complete a row or column, the player wins the corresponding prize. More than 71,000 total prizes of $20 or greater can be won in the game. Odds of winning a break-even prize or better are 1 in 4.12. Triple Winning 7's offers players eight chances to win the top prize of $27,000. Players who reveal a "7" symbol win three times the prize shown. At $2 per ticket, Triple Winning 7's has more than $7.6 million in total prizes. Odds of winning a break-even prize or better are 1 in 4.40.
Fast $50! is a $1 game that features 20 top prizes of $1,000 and more than 1.3 million winning tickets. Players who reveal a "COIN" symbol win the prize shown. Those who reveal a "FAST" symbol win $50 automatically. Odds of winning a break-even prize or better are 1 in 4.87.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the winning numbers posted on this website are accurate; however, no valid claim may be based on information contained herein. In the event of a discrepancy between the numbers posted on this website and the official winning numbers, the official winning numbers as certified by the Multi-State Lottery Association and/or the NCEL shall control.


text:
Hello, i am a new member in this forum and that's all my introduction I am always proud to apple moreover all of its product become a trendsetter for every kind of a machine on earth. But.... Hikss... Sometime because most of people on the world using windows, i found some obstacles in it. Such as, my office is using a program database which is running on windows, it needs ms sql, sql server, visual basic as the program builder and crystal report as report viewer. I have browsing on the net that it could use filemaker or maybe a vnc such as citrix or paralel mobile. But, it is not the same as i am expecting to. I have tried to join the developer but i couldnt download the sdk and ipad simulator, because the big file it is. It just need time, but the signal in my country is like a beach. I have tried to connect my macbook pro to ms sql but still have no clue bout it. The point is, because i am working on a human resources, i think it would be nice if ipad could do the visual basic program and the sql server work on it. It is hard to bring a laptop even the thinnest one like macbook air. I know that it is impossible to install windows xp on ipad, but would you help me to work on it. So i could work with a database (ms sql) with some kind of interface program and it is not for sale to any one, just my office and get install it on every ipad on my office? Regard, Faad_s.
No, you can't install XP. It should be possible to run an SQL client. There are several in the App Store, at least in the US App Store. I don't know about Jakarta's. I just did a search for SQL and saw several, including MySQL database client. I don't have an enterprise SQL database to work with, so I can't help you with the setup. It's something you'll have to work out with your IT department.
Look for 'MySQL Database Client' and 'MySQL Admin' depending on your application. As twerppoet said in his post, it's not possible for us to know if these are available in your local App Store. Tim Scotland