text:
The embattled smartphone maker BlackBerry announced today it has a $4.7 billion sale offer from Fairfax Financial to take the company private.
Fairfax has signed a letter of intent to buy BlackBerry for $9 a share. The buyout firm already owns 10 percent of the company, BlackBerry said in a statement.
"We believe this transaction will open an exciting new private chapter for BlackBerry, its customers, carriers and employees," Prem Watsa, chairman and CEO of Fairfax, said in a statement. "We can deliver immediate value to shareholders, while we continue the execution of a long-term strategy in a private company with a focus on delivering superior and secure enterprise solutions to BlackBerry customers around the world."
BlackBerry, once a leading mobile phone company, announced last week that it will lay off over 4,500 employees or 40 percent of its workforce.
After warning of a surprise billion-dollar second-quarter loss, the company's stock fell more than 20 percent Friday. BlackBerry said in a statement it expects to report quarterly revenue of $1.6 billion, compared with $3.04 billion that was expected, and a $950 million operating loss.
Brian Colello, analyst with Morningstar, said the offer from Fairfax was "expected" based on the company's warning on Friday.
"We saw little hope for the company as a standalone business," Colello told ABC News, adding that there is "no real hope" for the BlackBerry 10. Colello said Fairfax's offer is priced at Blackberry's cash plus its patents.
"If Fairfax and the consortium can turn around the company, then that would be a positive for them," he said.
The shares advanced to $8.92 when trading reopened today following a halt. It's not clear whether any other offers for the company have been advanced.
Read More: BlackBerry's Troubles Continue With Delay of BlackBerry Messenger Apps
University of Notre Dame visiting professor of marketing Brett Robinson said it will be "extremely difficult" for Fairfax to turn BlackBerry around.
"Smart device manufacturers have to be agile when it comes to delivering media content," he said. "BlackBerry's recent attempt to launch a software messaging service could have been a smart move in that direction but was derailed by a premature leak. It seems like the company is always taking one step forward and two steps back."
The news of the offer comes after a series of bad quarters for the company. While the company released its the new 5-inch Z30 smartphone this week and its new BlackBerry 10 operating system in January, it has been struggling to keep pace with other phone makers. In the last quarter the company only shipped 2.7 million of its new BlackBerry 10 devices. Contrast that with Apple, which analysts expect could sell six million iPhones just this weekend.
BlackBerry CEO, Once Full of Hope, During BlackBerry 10 Launch
The Wall Street Journal reported last month that BlackBerry's board was looking at alternatives for the company by November, including a possible sale. BlackBerry plans to release its once-popular BlackBerry Messenger or BBM for the iPhone and Android this weekend.


text:
Jared Arthur Roberts
Adjunct Professor
Law College Building
648 N. Shaw Lane Rm 368
East Lansing, MI 48824-1300
- Biography
Jared Roberts was an Adjunct Professor with the MSU Law RWA program from the winter semester of 2002 through the spring semester of 2012. During law school Professor Roberts was on Law Review, the Moot Court Executive Board, was a King Scholar, and was an extern with the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and with Legal Aid of Central Michigan. He is published in the areas of First Amendment law, employment discrimination law, and various statutory and constitutional issues in real property, zoning and land use. Professor Roberts was a law clerk and later an associate at the Lansing, Michigan law firm of Loomis, Ewert, Parsley, Davis & Gotting, P.C. from 1998 to 2002. He is currently a partner at the Martindale-Hubbell AV rated Lansing, Michigan law firm of McClelland & Anderson, LLP, where he has been since 2002.
Professor Roberts' practice concentrates on civil litigation, dispute resolution and trial practice in the areas of commercial and contract law, real property law, construction and building disputes, and commercial transactions of various sorts. Professor Roberts also counsels entertainers, sports related firms, real estate brokerages, trade groups and others on business issues, transactions, copyrights and other intellectual property matters including trademarks, internet issues, cybersquatting and branding. He has served on the Board of Directors for the Ingham County Bar Association Young Lawyers Section, the ABA Advisory panel, and is a member of the State Bar of Michigan Litigation and Arts, Communications, Entertainment and Sports Law sections. Professor Roberts is Martindale-Hubbell rated as a commercial litigator and is admitted to practice before all Michigan courts, and the United States District Courts and Bankruptcy Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan. He has also appeared pro hoc vice in the United States District Courts for the Southern District of Florida, the Central District of California, the Northern District of Georgia and District of New Jersey.
- Degrees
J.D. magna cum laude 1999, Michigan State University-Detroit College of Law; B.A. summa cum laude 1996, Saginaw Valley State University

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The Bachelorette's Jillian Harris continues to laugh of rumors of her fiance, Ed Swiderski's infidelities. When asked about the cheating allegations, Jillian delcares her love for Ed telling OK Magazine, "We have not even come close [to splitting]."
The couple is currently enjoying some time together in Canada. They both attended Jillian's cousin wedding this weekend. You can see photos of the wedding here.
"We've got a Jet Ski, so we've been spending lots of time on the lake," says Jillian, who is still planning to move to Ed's home city of Chicago in September.
Jillian's friends also back her decision to stay with Ed, "Jill was aware that there was a risk of this kind of tabloid attention when she got involved in the show," reasons Shannon Long, who speaks with Jillian every day.
It was reported a few days ago that money might be a motivation for Jillian and Ed staying together.
If you recall, the first Bachelorette Trista Rehn and then fiance, Ryan Stutter, got paid the amount of $1 million to have their wedding televised back in 2003. There's obviously a huge amount of money at stake if Jillian and Ed make it down the aisle.


text:
I've been spending a bit of time, on and off, over the last few months thinking about one of the most annoying bugs in wxHaskell, and how to fix it: that wxHaskell is now unusable from within GHCi.
There are actually two separate bugs: the first, which prevents things from working at all, is that on Windows, there is no DLL version of libstdc++; the second is that you cannot restart a wxWidgets session in GHCi after the application has terminated.
The first bug is a consequence of the fact that, on Windows, GHC uses the MinGW compiler suite to do C/C++ compilation and all linking (including with Haskell objects). The version of MinGW included in GHC does not support dynamic linking of libstdc++.
When wxHaskell was fully cabalized, one of the changes was to replace a complex and fragile build system for the C++ coe in wxHaskell with a much simple cabal-based build. The consequence of this is that the C++ code and wxcore Haskell 0bject code reside in the same library, which means that wxcore needs to be linked against libstdc++.
For compiled binaries, this is not so much of a problem: the static libstdc++ is linked with the other code and all works well. However, in the GHCi case, it is fatal: GHCi doesn't know how to statically link non-Haskell object code, although it can load DLLs. When you try to load load wxcore, GHCi complains that it cannot load stdc++ (Loading package wxcore-0.12.1.6 … <interactive>: stdc++: The specified module could not be found. can't load .so/.DLL for stdc++ (addDLL: could not load DLL))
The second problem: inability to restart a GUI, is a consequence of wxWidgets using static destructors. These are only executed when the application fully terminates, which is not the case in a GHCi.
It turns out that a good solution to both of these problems is to repackage the C++ part of wxHaskell as a DLL. The reasons are:
- The C++ code in the DLL needs to be linked with libstdc++, but this can be done at DLL link time. If libstdc++ is statically linked with the DLL, wxcore no longer needs to depend on linking to libstdc++ (only wxc.dll).
- If the DLL is dynamically unloaded, the C++ static destructors will be executed (as far as I can tell, this should be true for Linux .so shared libraries as well as Windows DLLs). This means that so long as the wxc shared library is loaded at application start-up and unloaded at application termination, we should be able to correctly restart a GUI.
- GHCi can load DLLs, so wxHaskell should become usable on GHCi again (since the libstdc++ requirement would have gone away).
The problem, and it has occupied quite a bit of my rather limited spare time, is that this requires quite a bit of re-architecture.
Changes to compile wxc as a DLL
This is probably the simplest part, since wxc was compiled as a DLL in an older version of the build system. The downside is that I would like to use cabal to do the building, since asking anyone to have prerequisites much beyond Haskell Platform greatly reduces the attractiveness of a library.
Changes to use dynamically loaded libraries.
Most usage of shared libraries is pseudo-static, that's to say that the addresses of functions exported from the shared library are fixed-up when the application is loaded by the linker-loader. In my case, I want to do things fully dynamically. The outline code is fairly straightforward (caveat: this is outline code – I haven't run it!).
On Windows, you need something like:
HINSTANCE dllHandle = LoadLibrary("wxc.dll"); ... if (dllHandle != NULL) { FnPtrType fnPtr = (FnPtrType) GetProcAddress(dllHandle, "functionName"); if (fnPtr != NULL) { return fnPtr(params...); } } FreeLibrary(dllHandle);
Code in Unix-land is very similar indeed:
void* lib_handle = dlopen("path/to/libwxc.so", RTLD_LAZY); ... if (lab_handle != NULL) { FnPtrType fnPtr = dlsym(lab_handle, "functionName"); if ((error = dlerror()) == NULL) { return fnPtr(params...); } } ... dlclose(lib_handle);
The problem is that I have about 2,000 functions which need to be exported in this way, and the only sane approach will be to automate things. I also need to find the correct locations to load and unload libraries, and to ensure that all function pointers are invalidated when I unload the DLL.
I now have most of the work done on changes to the build system, and my ideas thought through for the dynamically loaded libraries. In the next few entries (which will hopefully be more closely spaced than of late), we'll look at these in some more detail.
One aside: I mentioned doing some work to enable Swig to be used as a wrapper generator for the wxc wrapper layer. I still want to do this, but it has been put aside in the "too much work right now" pile. Doing things as I am planning is less maintainable in the long run, but stands a fighting chance of being finished sometime this decade, and I want people to use wxHaskell more than I need to have an awesome system for automating the generation of wrappers over C++ code.


text:
Music Major
The major is a part of the School of Music, an academic unit within the College of Visual and Performing Arts.
The Music major at JMU offers a broad array of courses that promote high quality music performance and academic study. The curriculum prepares students for careers in music performance, music education, composition, music theatre, or music industry. The various music areas have rigidly sequential course structures and few, if any, electives.
Studio instruction is at the core of students' success. Applied study (individual lessons) and large ensemble participation are required each semester. Performance areas include brass, percussion, piano, strings, voice, woodwinds, jazz, ensembles and theory/composition.
As a professional degree, there is no provision for a minor within the degree structure.
Interested Music majors may apply for admission into the jazz studies major.Music Education
The music education program consists of both instrumental and vocal concentrations. Students who choose a vocal concentration participate in applied study in either voice or keyboard and focus on the pedagogical aspects of teaching general and/or vocal music. Those who choose an instrumental concentration participate in applied study on their individual instrument and focus on the pedagogical aspects of teaching instrumental music. Both concentrations provide certification to teach kindergarten through 12th-grade music upon completion of the degree program. For more information, visit the pre-professional education programs website.
Degrees Offered
Music Industry
Music Theatre Emphasis
General Music
Music Industry
Jazz Studies
Declaring the Major
New Freshmen and Transfer Students
- Complete a School of Music application available online.
- Sign up for an audition and music aptitude test.
- If students passed their music audition and have been admitted to the School of Music, declare the Music major when they sign up for orientation.
Currently Enrolled Major Changers
Contact the School of Music for an audition and music aptitude test.
Progressing in the Major
Students must apply and be fully admitted to the School of Music to progress in the major.


text:
June 19, 2007
Deutsche Boerse Systems to Deploy in New Equinix Chicago Metro Area Data Center
Foster City, CA and Chicago, IL — June 19, 2007 — Equinix, Inc. (Nasdaq: EQIX), the leading provider of network-neutral data centers and Internet exchange services, and Deutsche Boerse Systems Inc., the U.S. based information technology operations center of Deutsche Boerse Group, today announced that Deutsche Boerse Systems Inc. will deploy operations in Equinix's third Chicago metro area Internet Business Exchange™ (IBX®) center, scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2007. The deployment will supplement DBS Inc.'s existing operations at Equinix's first Chicago metro area center, where DBS Inc. has operated since 2003.
Equinix's newest Chicago metro area IBX center, which will be interconnected to the existing Chicago metro area IBX centers through redundant dark fiber links, will offer even greater reach in providing Eurex and US Futures Exchange (USFE) with direct access to a critical mass of carriers, networks ISPs and financial trading exchange industry partners. It will also feature a physical infrastructure that provides financial-grade security and a high-performance, redundant power and environmental infrastructure.
With the expansion, DBS Inc. will continue to be part of the Equinix Financial eXchange (FX), a fast, reliable and convenient platform for banks, financial trading companies and financial exchanges to interconnect with each other and with multiple network service providers in order to execute financial transactions. The platform provides financial companies with faster transaction processing, lower costs and enhanced trading capabilities.
"The expansion of DBS Inc. to our new Chicago metro area center will make it an important Financial eXchange magnet for this center which will be opened later this year," said Steve Smith, CEO of Equinix. "Equinix's Chicago metro area IBX centers have become critical hubs for the financial community and electronic trading exchange providers such as Eurex and USFE."
About Deutsche Boerse Group
Deutsche Boerse Group is a leading service provider to the global securities industry with products and services for issuers, investors, intermediaries and data vendors. The Group covers the entire securities process chain from trading via clearing to settlement and custody. Deutsche Boerse Group is also a provider of IT solutions and an insourcing partner for the global securities industry as well as a leading provider of market data and analytics.
Deutsche Boerse Systems is a subsidiary of Deutsche Boerse AG. It maintains the world's largest exchange network and builds, maintains and operates all of Deutsche Borse Group's trading, clearing and settlement systems including Xetra and Eurex. With its high performance network, the Group connects some 2,000 market participants worldwide.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from expectations discussed in such forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such differences include, but are not limited to, the challenges of acquiring, operating and constructing IBX centers and developing, deploying and delivering Equinix services; unanticipated costs or difficulties relating to the integration of IXEurope into Equinix; a failure to receive significant revenue from customers in recently built out data centers; failure to complete any financing arrangements contemplated from time to time; competition from existing and new competitors; the ability to generate sufficient cash flow or otherwise obtain funds to repay new or outstanding indebtedness; the loss or decline in business from our key customers; the results of any litigation relating to past stock option grants and practices; and other risks described from time to time in Equinix's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In particular, see Equinix's recent quarterly and annual reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, copies of which are available upon request from Equinix. Equinix does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking information contained in this press release.
Equinix and IBX are registered trademarks of Equinix, Inc. Internet Business Exchange is a trademark of Equinix, Inc.


text:
I thought I was in 1:15 to 1:16 shape and the Girl wanted to PR. There were some good prizes, so the main objective was to win.
We have had terrible storms in Denmark this last month, and 20 seconds into the race it started thundering all around us. The RD, Charley Proedel, had stated before the race that no matter how bad the lightning got, he wouldn't cancel. Still, when lightning struck a few hundred yards to the left, I was wondering whether the lead-out bike would pull over and seek cover.
He didn't, and I was able to stay in the lead the whole race. I started out slowly, hoping that we could get a little group going, but no one wanted to come with me. A number of the runners looked really fit, including a lean, mean triathlete.
My time was 1:19 something. I lost some time from starting really slowly and had a crisis at 12-16K as the storm came from straight ahead. Still, 1:19 is a little disappointing.
Here I am, confused about what to with the finish line tape. It didn't seem like it was something I could run through, so I stood there looking stupid. Stupid and lean as hell, you have to admit.
The Girl ran in 1:39 and won. Her hip hurts a little, but she is in great shape.
She checks her Garmin every 20 seconds, which drives me nuts. She looks like this when she runs intervals:
Life outside running is good. El Guapo is gaining a pound a week and is almost able to defend himself when Christian tries to kill him in various ways. The Girl's mother is here to help us out, which makes all the difference. The Girl continues to work part time, which is very unusual for Denmark. Most women take a year off, where they focus solely on being mothers. This may be more unique to Northern Europe/Scandinavia than I had previously realized. My cousin, an ambitious star biochemist, took a whole year off with both her boys, and apparently loved that life.
The Girl hates that life. She is thinking about going back to Wisconsin early, just so she can find a daycare that accepts babies. It probably won't come to that, though, and we'll have to use our baby-sitters a lot, so she doesn't go crazy.
This weekend, we are running "Skovloeberen", a trail race. I'll do the half marathon and the Girl does the full. It's pretty competitive, but top 3 or 5 should be doable.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Half marathon race report
Posted by Fast Bastard - World's Fastest Hematologist at 8:15 AM
2 comments:
- SteveQ said...
You reminded me of my brother's first marathon, when there was a tornado and Don decided that hail, driving rain and a strong headwind wouldn't stop him and he'd get a better placing because of those who dropped. When he got to the finish line, I was the only one there; I had to contact the race director so that Don could get an "official" finish time.
That finish line tape does look a little too sturdy!
- September 2, 2011 at 8:19 AM
- Daniel Ditlev said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- September 10, 2011 at 10:20 AM
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text:
Parents need to know what their children are doing when using technology
Hauppauge, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/02/2014 -- According to a 2011 Pew Internet and American Life Project survey, 47 percent of parents worry about their child or children being exposed to inappropriate content while accessing the Internet or using a cell phone. In addition, parents express concern over data advertisers and what information they may collect from children using the Internet. "Parents need to know what their child is doing while using the world wide web and spy mobile phone software makes this an easy task," Patrick of Auto Forward declares.
"Parents, when providing their child with an Apple phone, often choose to make use of this sms tracker on iphone, and many others, those whose children don't own iPhones, declare Auto Forward to be the best android cell phone tracker on the market today. Never allow a child to make use of the Internet or a cell phone without this type of software. The risk is too great if they do so as parents needs to know what their child is doing at all times when it comes to this and all technology," Patrick proclaims.
Auto Forward works with a wide range of devices, including Android and Apple models, and is compatible with popular cell phone service providers, such as Sprint, U.S. Cellular, T Mobile and Alltel. Parents often worry that they can't keep up with their children, thanks to after school activities, work, and other extracurricular events, yet Auto Forward doesn't require one have a computer to access the information. This program comes as an app, allowing parents to monitor their child's activity while on the go, making it perfect for busy lives.
Parents aren't the only ones who benefit from this type of software. Approximately 80 of employers express concern over employee behavior, wondering if those they employ are disclosing business secrets to competitors or wasting valuable time while on the clock. Many also question where their workers are at various times throughout the day and Auto Forward helps with all of the above.
As Patrick explains, one no longer needs to worry about this either as Auto Forward helps here also, working to keep intellectual property contained and employees on track at all times. From a call history and GPS logs to WeChat and the ability to listen to the cell phone surroundings, parents and employer alike appreciate having this invaluable tool.
About Auto Forward
Auto Forward allows one to monitor cell phone usage from a variety of devices, including a tablet, cell phone or computer. One sees all calls, text messages and GPS requests from anywhere he or she is. Many consider Auto Forward to be the same as having another person's phone on their device, without the need for a computer, as this program operates as an app, allowing one to do all monitoring while on the go.


text:
New Google Book Settlement Tries To Appease Worries
from the doesn't-really-change-much dept
In my mind, the biggest news is the new restrictions on countries from which it will scan books. From now on, the book scanning project will only scan books that have registered copyrights in the US, UK, Australia or Canada. This was mainly to address ridiculous concerns by some in Europe that this project -- to help make all books more accessible -- was somehow a threat to European culture. I was in Europe on Friday (well, Saturday there) when the announcement was made, and it actually pissed off the folks I talked to about it -- who felt that their politicians were doing serious harm to European books by having them excluded from such a useful resource.
Separately, a lot of the focus on this new agreement, as with the old agreement, is over how Google treats orphan works. Again, I have to admit that I think most people are making a much bigger deal of this than it warrants. The orphan works stuff really covers a very small number of works. And giving rightsholders ten years to claim their rights seems more than adequate to me. I just don't see what the big deal is here. The real issue is that we have orphan works at all. Under the old (more sensible) copyright regime, you actually had to proactively declare your copyright interest. The only reason we have orphan works at all is that we got rid of such a system in the ongoing effort of copyright maximalists to wipe out the public domain.
Anyway, I think this is all something of a sideshow. I still stand by my original feeling towards the settlement, which is that I'm upset anyone felt it was necessary at all. Google had a strong fair use claim that I would have liked to have seen taken all the way through the courts. And, of course, this settlement really has nothing at all to do with the main issue of the lawsuit (that fair use question) and is really a debate over a separate issue: how to take the books Google scans and trying to turn them into a "book store" rather than more of a "library." And, in doing so, the important fair use question gets completely buried -- which I find unfortunate.


text:
Delmon Young, the Phillies' newest outfielder, has a rather checkered past. The 27-year-old's personal history includes dramatic statements, borderline incompetent defense and completely inexcusable behavior.
April 26, 2006: Delmon Young, playing for the Double-A Durham Bulls, takes a called third strike from Jon Lester of the Pawtucket Red Sox. Young gives the umpire a prolonged stare and walks toward the dugout. He then hurls his bat at the umpire, earning a 5-game suspension. There is video.
August 29, 2006: Young is called up to the Rays' Major League roster, and with the first pitch of his first AB, Freddy Garcia of the White Sox pegs him with a fastball. Later in the game, Young hit a 412-foot home run.
November 28, 2007: Young is traded to the Twins. His 2008-09 seasons lead to a .287/.322/.415 slash line.
November 6, 2009: Carlos Gomez is traded to the Brewers, allowing Young to take over as the every day left fielder for the Twins. Despite dropping 35 pounds over the winter (to an even 200) and being an AL All-Star finalist, he leads AL left fielders in errors (Currently, he is back up to 240 lbs).
August 15, 2011: After another trade, in his first at-bat with the Tigers, Young hits a home run. He goes on to lead MLB left fielders in errors, tying with Juan Pierre and Alfonso Soriano.
September 30, 2011: His first playoff at-bat with Detroit is a home run off C.C. Sabathia. Four days later, he hits one off Rafael Soriano to give the Tigers a one-run lead and the eventual win.
April 13, 2012: Young tries to catch a fly ball like this and is, to the surprise of no one, unsuccessful.
April 27, 2012: As a Detroit Tiger, Young is outside his hotel in New York City during a series with the Yankees. In a drunken stupor, he begins spewing anti-Semitic sentiments before tackling a man. He was sentenced to 10 days of community service and had to attend classes at the Museum of Tolerance.
October 18, 2012: After hitting .353 with two home runs and six RBI as the Tigers swept the Yankees out of the ALCS, Young is awarded the series MVP award.
October 23, 2012: Young throws a baseball like this from shallow left field during the World Series and puts the crowd at AT&T Park in a stunned, confused silence.
November 7, 2012: Young pleads "guilty" to his hate crime/aggravated harassment charge from the New York hotel incident.


text:
In each of the past two seasons, the Mets faced their season finale with hope and a definable tension. The Mets would either extend their season or see it end in a frustrating ball of fire. They flamed out both in 2007 and 2008 to suddenly face the winter.
There's none of that today.
This afternoon at Citi Field comes the official death of a season long since dead. It is a parent or relative who succumbs after a long illness. There's almost a sense of relief at the death, that most of the grieving has been done and it is time to for a new chapter.
The end of a sports season marks a passage of time, and like many passages there's a sadness because it represents unfulfilled dreams and the leaving behind of something special. There's nothing quite as sad as the death of dream.
Despite how each of the last two seasons ended, there was hope and optimism this spring in Port St. Lucie. This was Jerry Manuel's first full season as Mets manager and with it a return of hope this summer would be different.
There was attention paid to fundamentals, which was to provide a security blanket that even if there would be no power the team would somehow score, and with their pitching that would be enough. Surgery was to have healed John Maine's aching shoulder and Mike Pelfrey would continue his progress.
Most importantly from a pitching perspective, the bullpen, the Achilles heal the past two years, was fixed and was to be stronger with Francisco Rodriguez than it ever was with Billy Wagner.
Offensively, Carlos Delgado was back hitting home runs and Daniel Murphy was to be the answer in left field. David Wright and Jose Reyes, the homegrown part of the core, were to get better. Carlos Beltran would simply produce as usual.
The Mets entered the season with a chip on their collective shoulders after Cole Hamel's choke comments. Yes, this was to be a turnaround season for the Mets, and it was going to unfold in a brand new home.
It didn't happen that way.
The seasons of Maine, Pelfrey and Oliver Perez were a combination of ineffectiveness and injury, and injury also caused the unraveling of the bullpen. Bobby Parnell was good and bad in a variety of roles, and it remains to be seen whether his psyche is a permanent casualty. Rodriguez was not as good as advertised, and those who accepted his signing with caution were unfortunately rewarded in perhaps being right. We do not know how healthy he is and who doesn't anticipate unsettling offseason news?
Of all the injuries, losing Reyes was the most harmful as it took away the team's offensive catalyst. What should have been a few days on the bench turned into a lost season. It's still not over for Reyes as he faces surgery and an uncertain recovery program.
Beltran and Delgado were lost for large chunks of time, as was Wright's power stroke in a frustrating twist. Wright was never with us mechanically this season from a run production standpoint, but somehow he managed to hit over .300. He also managed to strike out over 130 times. He faces a long road in trying to become the player he once was. As far as Delgado is concerned, well, we'll never see him in a Met uniform again.
Unless the Mets hit five home runs today, they will be the only team in the major leagues to hit less than 100 homers this season. And, about those fundamentals that was supposed to keep the team afloat? We didn't see them and that is a reflection on Manuel.
There have been several crushing defeats this season, with the first being Murphy's dropped fly ball in Florida that cost Johan Santana a game. It also represented the failure of Murphy as an outfielder. Only after Delgado was injured did Murphy find a defensive home, and even then he was tenuous.
There were others.
Luis Castillo's return as a productive offensive player was tempered by his poor defense, with the dropped pop-fly at Yankee Stadium the signature loss to this season.
The Mets also lost a game on Sean Green's wild pitch in Philadelphia, a sign the bullpen wasn't quite fixed. There was also the game in which they blew a five-run lead to Pittsburgh and Rodriguez's disastrous five-run ninth at Washington. Rodriguez blew seven save opportunities, but was forever pitching on the edge. For good measure, twice in one week the Mets lost games on late-inning grand slams.
No, the bullpen is not fixed.
However, to me, the game that summed up the wreck that was the Summer of 2009 was Ryan Church's failure to touch third base in Los Angeles. Physical errors happen. But, this was a mental thing. Stepping on a base is as simple and fundamental thing a player can do in the sport and the Mets couldn't even do that right.
All that misery comes to an end this afternoon at Citi Field. The Mets will try to end their season with a sweep with a win. A win in each of the last season finales could have meant October fun. If they get it today, it will be hollow as winter will still come.


text:
'Peoplematters is playing a vital role in developing our staff and processes. Their professional attitude, but more important their ability to create and adapt bespoke service solutions delivered under our company umbrella and logo, gives Peoplematters a status of being something more than a supplier. Not just being a supplier gives Peoplematters a global audience with a high degree of integrity and trust, very much in line with our company values.'
'Peoplematters have played an integral part in the design and delivery of Leadership Development programmes at Rosyth for the last 10 years... Shona is the lead facilitator on this programme, coordinating independent facilitators and coaching support, providing value above and beyond the programme costs, and our delegates give excellent feedback on the content and delivery of the programme as well as the extremely high standard of coaching received. Most importantly, Peoplematters continually innovate to help us provide the bespoke requirement that we at Babcock believe is the key to excellence in leadership development for our business.'
'Most definitely a very positive experience which I would highly recommend.'
'… we are working closely with Peoplematters to design and deliver this important leadership programme and have found them to be highly committed to understanding our needs and the unique nature of our operations, and delivering a programme that meets these needs and those of our managers and leaders'.
'We have chosen Peoplematters to work with us on the basis of their strong track record in helping organisations in the public and private sectors to design and deliver highly effective programmes to help improve leadership and management performance.'
'Many thanks go to Peoplematters for making this an enjoyable and worthwhile experience.'
'To say the programme has changed the way I conduct my business in the Great Yarmouth base is such an understatement. I have learnt and put into practise, so many things from my training that I could not mention them all. My whole approach to management has changed. Our communications are better than they have ever been. My approach to managing people has possibly been the biggest achievement. I continue to use my documents as guides, and improving my skills on a weekly basis. A big thank you to Peoplematters and Swire Oilfield Services, for giving me this opportunity.'
'I thought this course was the best of its kind that I have attended. This is because it was tailored as we went along to keep it relevant and to make the best use of the time available. It achieved a degree of bonding within the group that had not happened previously. I think this was because the facilitators genuinely wanted to facilitate, rather than to teach 'theory'.
December 1, 2015
December 1, 2015
August 18, 2015
June 30, 2015
June 30, 2015
June 8, 2015
June 5, 2015
June 5, 2015


text:
Tina Faust photography
Exhibited December 1-30
can be stormy, dreary and grey but this month's gallery exhibit is anything
but - vivid images of ocean sunsets, southwestern animals and colorful butterflies
such as the monarch, a species that is currently the subject of a biological
research project here at the Arboretum. Meet our guest artist Tina Faust Dec.
4 at her gallery exhibit opening; visitors may browse her photographs of landscapes,
animals and butterflies - even enter a drawing where exhibit to win a free
framed print. The drawing will be held before 2pm on December 4th. The winner
will get to select from a range of prints chosen by the artist. No purchase
is required to enter, and the winner will need to be present when the drawing
is held. "My thought for having a December show was to include works
of art that would touch most people on some level, and offer something different
as a choice for gift-giving this year, said the artist. Tinas
artwork is available for purchase and orders can be placed during the opening
reception on Dec. 4, from 11am to 2pm. Tina is most passionate about capturing
that one special moment either with a sunrise/sunset, where the lighting
and conditions are just right on the landscape, or connecting with her subject
on some emotional level. The photographs of animals will share a feeling of
some kind with the
viewer. Tina got started with photography about five years ago with the purchase
of her first digital camera. What started as a means to escape from the high
price of film and developing turned into a newfound passion. Tina now uses
a digital SLR camera, and an assortment of lenses.
"The diverse landscape that our state offers, everything from desert to pine trees and fall colors in the North, serves as an inspiration for photography in Arizona. I enjoy taking pictures of everything, and the real excitement comes when I connect with my subject and it is evident in the photo." An example is her Sunset Surfer, taken when lighting and composition were perfect at the moment it was shot. I feel a connection in the photo with this surfer. Is he patiently awaiting the next wave, or is he in his own peaceful place with no one around to watch the sunset on this perfect evening? I love taking pictures, of anything and everything. This is the one outlet that allows me to do something fun, while creating works of art that people enjoy. The one in my show titled Wisdom" has rocked my world since the day I took that photo; to me, this image speaks volumes, and almost has the baboon looking human in his own
right. He looks wise; he looks like the protector of his group." The Sun on My Back features a Monarch Butterfly, and this image was captured this fall. I have found Monarchs to be somewhat camera shy, but this one posed nicely for me. Tina feels this is another great example of connecting with her subject. She says, Not to mention, since the life span of a butterfly is so short, I have forever preserved the beauty of this ephemeral creature. Tinas artwork will be on display at the Arboretum through Dec 30. With the wonderful weather Arizona experiences this month, Tina suggests planning to spend the day wandering around the Arboretum. With the miles of trails and picnic grounds, its easy to spend an entire day. Its very peaceful here. At the end of the day, dont forget to stop by the display and pick up a gift or a card to order a gift. A portion of the proceeds from sales during December go to the Arboretum." "I get my printing done in various places, but most recently a fried purchased a large format professional printer, so he has been doing my printing. My husband, who works as a Production Engineer for Boeing, makes all of my frames for me and we split the finishing tasks. Some of the finishes are his specialty, but the stained ones are mine. When I'm not
taking pictures, I work full time as a Realtor for Re/Max Achievers in Mesa. We have 2 wonderful Border Collies that take up the rest of our time and a cat. We are currently residing in Gilbert, but plan on moving to Queen Creek soon.
Next month the Arboretum visitors center gallery will feature botanical watercolors, BTA scenes, and desert landscape prints by Tempe resident Pam Smyth. February's guest artist will be Queen Creek resident Kathy McClure, with a photography. And in March we showcase photography instructor Edith Krueger Nye. Tina's show may be seen in the visitors' center gallery daily from 8-5. Arboretum non-members pay daily admission of $7.50 for adults and $3 for ages 5-12. To contact the artist about sales or commissions please email To contact the artist about her works, email firstname.lastname@example.com and if you'd care to see some of Tina's other works, in particular online galleries which showcase the Arboretum, CLICK HERE


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Emma Stone Covers 'Glamour UK' February 2013
Emma Stone is super cute on the cover of Glamour UK's February 2013 issue.
Here's what the 24-year-old actress had to share with the mag:
On being a child with a desire to act: "My parents knew that there was something a little off about me. So it made sense when I asked, aged 11, if I could take acting classes. Apparently I said to my mum, 'If I can't act, I'll die.' And then she knew – she knew that only an actress would say something like that."
On paparazzi: "It's weird in Los Angeles…[they] hiding out everywhere. The hardest thing is that it makes me act like an a**hole because I now have this weird level of paranoia that I never had before. It feels like having a private investigator on you or something. You find yourself walking around holding your head up like you're looking in the mirror – and your friends are wondering what's wrong with you. Then I feel like a jerk because half the time there's nobody there … still, I really don't want to be caught with a burger all over my face."
For more from Emma, visit GlamourMagazine.co.uk! Bigger cover inside…


text:
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PHILADELPHIA -- Two same-day call-ups helped the Giants stay ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Adam Duvall hit a two-run homer to spoil Cliff Lee's return from the disabled list as the Giants beat the Philadelphia Phillies 7-4 on Monday.
Hunter Pence had three hits and two RBIs, Buster Posey drove in two runs and the Giants are two percentage points ahead of Los Angeles for first place in the NL West.
George Kontos (2-0) gave up one hit and struck out three in two innings in relief to earn the win. Santiago Casilla pitched the ninth for his sixth save in nine tries.
Duvall and Kontos both arrived from Triple-A Fresno after midnight to replace Matt Cain and Brandon Belt on the roster.
"Any time you get up here, it doesn't matter how late," Duvall said.
Kontos hopes his third trip to the big leagues this season is his last.
"Every time I come up, I expect to be here for the rest of my career," he said.
Giants starter Ryan Vogelsong gave up four runs -- three earned -- and 11 hits in three-plus innings. But San Francisco's bullpen combined for six scoreless innings.
Making his first start since May 18 because of an elbow injury, Lee (4-5) had a rare rough outing against San Francisco. Lee was 5-0 with a 0.88 ERA in six career games against the Giants. He allowed five earned runs in 51 innings in those six starts before giving up six runs and 12 hits in 5²/³ innings in this one with several scouts watching in the stands.
If Lee shows he's healthy and pitches effectively, he is a prime candidate for a trade before the July 31 non-waiver deadline. The four-time All-Star and 2008 AL Cy Young Award winner already was traded once by the Phillies in December 2009 on the same day they acquired Roy Halladay in a separate deal.
The Phillies are headed toward their second straight losing season and will be looking to acquire young players from contending teams for some of their high-priced veterans.
"I could care less about the scouts or trade rumors," Lee said. "I've never cared about them. My goal is to go out there and give my team a chance to win. I'm in Philly and I want this team to win."
The teams combined to hit 21 singles before Duvall launched a homer to straightaway center to give the Giants a 5-4 lead in the sixth. Pence's RBI single with two outs made it 6-4 and sent Lee to an early exit. Pence hit an RBI triple off Jeff Manship in the eighth.
"It's pretty cool to hit a homer against a guy like that," Duvall said.
Ryan Howard gave the Phillies a 4-3 lead in the fourth on a checked-swing single to left that chased Vogelsong. Kontos entered with runners on first and third, struck out Marlon Byrd and Domonic Brown and retired Cody Asche on a liner to right.
Jimmy Rollins gave the Phillies a 2-1 lead with a two-run single with the bases loaded and two outs in the second. Posey hit a two-run single to center to make it 3-2 in the third.
Gregor Blanco's RBI single to right in the second gave the Giants a 1-0 lead. Byrd threw out Michael Morse trying to score from second base on the play. Morse ran into catcher Cameron Rupp and was upended over the plate before being tagged out. Giants manager Bruce Bochy challenged the call, but a video review confirmed he was out.
Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg had a successful challenge in the seventh inning when replays showed Asche beat a throw to first for an infield single. The game ended with a challenge when Brown grounded out to third and a review upheld the call.


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Farmingdale State 64
Merchant Marine 62
The men's basketball team improved to 13-5, 10-0 in the Skyline with a low scoring 64-62 victory over King's Point (10-8, 4-3). Kenny McMillan (Bronx, NY/All Hallows) and Damien McKenzie (Lakeview, NY/Malverne) led the Rams in the last eight minutes of play, scoring 12 of the final 18 points. McMillan scored the game tying lay-up on a fast break at the 2:20 mark and McKenzie sunk the game winning free-throw with 1:14 remaining. With 1.2 seconds remaining, Junior Dashawn Warren (Astoria, NY/W.C. Bryant) hit the first of two free-throws and would intentionally miss the second shot to run out the clock. McMillan finished with 16 points, eight rebounds and five steals for Farmingdale, McKenzie totaled 13 points and Warren chipped in nine points.
Josh Buck (Warsaw, IN/Warsaw) led the Mariners with 20 points and nine boards. Stephen McDade (Bellmore, NY/Kellenberg) tallied 13 points, including 3-for-4 from behind the arc. Zach Wyatte (Camp Hill, PA/Trinity) had nine points, eight rebounds and four blocks.
The Rams will get back into action at Yeshiva University on Wednesday night for a conference game at 8:00 pm.


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Fred Charlton Watercolors Of Arizona, The West,
New England And Europe Exhibited May, 2007
moving to Arizona in 1994, Fred Charlton has been fascinated by the colorful
and unique painting opportunities that the desert, rim-rock, mountains and
forests offer in his adopted state. These themes were reflected in his landscape
paintings exhibited in the Visitor Center Gallery at Boyce Thompson Arboretum
during May, 2007.
"The Southwest is only the latest region to stimulate my interest in painting. My wife, Janine, and I retired and then spent a year touring Europe, where I filled my sketchbook with scenes from our travels in France, Spain, Germany, Austria and Italy. Upon returning to the U.S., the travel bug bit even deeper. We purchased a Southwind motorhome and began a four-year odyssey across the United States, with forays into parts of Mexico and Canada. Those early sketchbook pages began turning into watercolor sketches - and I found an additional career writing travel stories for magazines and newspapers. Some of these were illustrated with my own pen and ink sketches. This current show includes watercolors from these European and North American travels."
three dozen original and framed works in Charlton's exhibit ranged
in price from $75 to $350. Matted and unframed prints were $25 for the 11-by-14
inch size, $45 for the 16-by-20 inch prints and $65 for the 18-by-24 inch
prints. To inquire about prices and commissioned works by the artist call
602-770-4238 or email firstname.lastname@example.com
"My paintings focus on landscapes. Nature provides a never-ending source of subjects. A drive up the Apache Trail, for example, opens up a lifetime of subjects to paint. And if that isn't enough, try visiting Sedona, Flagstaff or Canyon de Chelly! The real challenge in painting desert scenes is getting the colors just right. There's so much light, it intensifies everything that you see - a totally different painting experience for this Midwesterner."
Like many painters Charlton was first inspired by another artist: his architect grandfather, who was a noted watercolorist. Charlton studied painting and design at the University of Michigan and then worked t an advertising agency as art director. His interest in watercolors continued, first as a "Sunday Painter" and later as a full time artist.
The desert Southwest is one of two main seasonal sources of inspiration for Charlton. During the Summer he works in a Nantucket Island gallery and tours New England, exploring coastal highways from Maine to Connecticut. In the Fall, he travels to the Southwest to enjoy the warmer weather and the inspirational scenery. His photos and on-the-spot sketches provide material for new watercolors. Charlton is a member of the Mesa Art League, Apache Junction Society for the Arts, Scottsdale Arts League and the Chicago Society for the Arts. His works have been exhibited in Phoenix area shows as well as venues in Colorado and back East.
Boyce Thompson Arboretum is located at Highway 60 milepost #223, just three miles west of the town of Superior - a drive of about one hour east of Phoenix or two hours from Tucson (take Oracle Road North to Highway 79 past Florence to Highway 60, then East for another 12 miles). Monthly exhibits may be seen at our Visitors Center gallery daily from 6:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. during May, June, July and August. (Fall and Winter hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.). The Arboretum is an Arizona State Park and daily admission must be paid to enter the Visitor Center where the gallery is found. Admission is $7.50 for adults and $3 for ages 5-12. Annual memberships at the Arboretum begin at $45, and include a year's access, guest passes for your friends and family, along with many other benefits. A membership may be purchased in the gift shop on the day of your visit. To review other recent gallery shows from...
March-April, 2007 CLICK HERE
February, 2007 CLICK HERE
December, 2006 - January, 2007 CLICK HERE
November, 2006 CLICK HERE
October, 2006 CLICK HERE
September, 2006 CLICK HERE
July-August, 2006 CLICK HERE
June-July, 2006 CLICK HERE
April-May, 2006 CLICK HERE
March, 2006 CLICK HERE
February, 2006 CLICK HERE
January, 2006 CLICK HERE
December, 2005 CLICK HERE
November, 2005 CLICK HERE
October, 2005 CLICK HERE
September, 2005 CLICK HERE
July/August, 2005 CLICK HERE
June/July, 2005 CLICK HERE
May, 2005 CLICK HERE
April, 2005 CLICK HERE
March, 2005 CLICK HERE
February, 2005 CLICK HERE
January, 2005 CLICK HERE
December, 2004 CLICK HERE


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After endless speculation about the most minute details — like what year it might be or whether Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce sprung for the extra office space — Mad Men will finally begin its sixth season on Sunday night. This is exciting! It's more exciting if you can remember what happened last season. So here is a quick refresher course, along with our hopes and dreams for the characters this season.
Don Draper
Where he left off: Alone, at a bar, considering whether to accept the advances of a very pretty blonde woman who is very much not his wife. Don spent most of last season's finale dealing with ghosts — his brother Adam, who kept showing up in hallucinations; Lane, who committed suicide after being fired by Don (for stealing money from the company, it should be said); Megan, who finally prevailed upon her husband to help her get an acting job and effectively killed the supportive fantasy wife Don had been dreaming about all season. He watched Megan's commercial reel while she was out and looked as pained as he did during the Carousel routine. Outlook not good for Don's fidelity.
Where we hope he's headed: Do you want Don to be a good person, or do you want Don to represent the essential existential struggle of humanity? If you are rooting for change, then he should go home with his wife. If you are rooting for identity issues, he should go home with the blonde (or her friend. Or both).
Where we hope he's not headed: See above, and switch.
Megan Draper
Where she left off: After a season of acting classes and speeches about her true passion, Megan convinced Don to help her get a job in a commercial. She is thrilled!
Where we hope she's headed: To a life of fulfillment as an actress with a husband who supports her dreams.
Where we hope she's not headed: To bit parts in soda commercials and a husband who won't speak to her. We have seen that road before. It did not go well for Betty.
Peggy Olson
Where she left off: Watching stray dogs hump outside a motel in Virginia. But before that she'd made a triumphant — if bittersweet — exit from Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, been made copy chief at Ted Chaough's firm, and even made peace with Don in a movie theater.
Where we hope she's headed: The front page of Ad Age, the Oval Office. Whatever she wants. We believe in you, Peggy.
Where we hope she's not headed: Pete. Stay away from Pete, Peggy.
Pete Campbell
Where he left off: Pete fell hard for Beth (his real-life fiancée, Alexis Bledel), who did not seem particularly interested in his borderline-stalker behavior after their one afternoon tryst. Things change when you are about to get electroshock therapy because you're suicidal. Cue another sad romp in a hotel, after which Pete asked her to run away with him. She declined, got the procedure, and didn't remember Pete when he visited her at the hospital.
Where we hope he's headed: Back to Trudy, who is great (for him, anyway) and doesn't deserve this sort of treatment.
Where we hope he's not headed: Suicide. Look, we know Matt Weiner said it wasn't happening, but even Vincent Kartheiser isn't convinced.
Betty Draper Francis
Where she left off: Betty doesn't have cancer! Which, in Betty's world, means that she's just fat for no reason and still very upset about it. She also was not happy about Don's remarriage to a much younger woman, but at least Sally dropped the attitude and started speaking to her. For once in the finale, Betty actually acted like a mother, and she seemed to enjoy it. This is progress.
Where we hope she's headed: To mother-daughter boxing classes. It'll help her aggression and her relationship with Sally. It's also more fun than those Weight Watchers meetings.
Where we hope she's not headed: To a therapist who calls her husband
Sally Draper
Where she left off: She ran away to the Natural History Museum with Glenn, then ran away from the museum when she got her period. This was actually positive development for Sally on several levels: She reconciled with her mother; she got away from Glenn, who still worries us; and she is a woman now.
Where we hope she's headed: School, since we haven't seen her there since Don slept with her teacher.
Where we hope she's not headed: Boarding school. Especially Glenn's.
Roger Sterling
Where he left off: The LSD wore off, Jane is long gone, and now Roger Sterling is just another old guy trying to find the meaning of life before it leaves him. His temporary solution? Call Megan's mom, Marie (who famously gave him a blow job at the codfish ball and who was conveniently in town to celebrate Easter), for an acid-trip-slash-sexfest. She agreed to the sex part, at least.
Where we hope he's headed: Woodstock.
Where he hope he's not headed: Retirement.
Joan Holloway Harris
Where she left off: She had to sleep with a gross Jaguar executive to get there, but the ex–Mrs. Harris is now a legitimate partner at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce. She seemed pretty psyched about it.
Where we hope she's headed: To a giant corner office on the floor upstairs, with adjoining nursery and a new husband who will share child-care responsibilities. Lean in!
Where we hope she's not headed: Roger's bed, unless it's in a tent at Woodstock.
Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce
Where it left off: On a single floor, considering the acquisition of a second.
Where we hope it's headed: Upstairs!
Where we hope it's not headed: Bankruptcy.


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A White Bear Lake woman accused by her former neighbors of stalking and harassing them pleaded guilty Monday to violation of a harassment restraining order.
Since it was the fourth time Lori Elaine Christensen has been convicted of violating a restraining order involving Gregory and Kimberly Hoffman, the charge was a felony, a Ramsey County district judge told her.
Christensen, 50, lived directly across the street from the Hoffmans in the 2500 block of Homewood Place until a judge last year ordered that she stay at least a mile away for five years and have no direct or indirect contact with them.
In exchange for the plea, two charges of aggravated stalking will be dropped at the time of Christensen's Sept. 11 sentencing.
She will be ordered to stay away from the Hoffmans and their neighborhood for 10 years and remain on probation for 10 years.
The current case involved several events from 2012, according to the criminal complaint filed in May 2012. Christensen called a city housing inspector to complain that the Hoffmans had a car with a flat tire in their driveway; the inspector said the complaint was unfounded. She then complained that their home had damaged siding. The inspector found that some of the siding was deteriorating.
Gregory Hoffman said he would repair it.
Next, Christensen complained to White Bear Lake police about paper from the Hoffmans' recycling bin blowing into her yard. When an officer responded and found no paper in the yard, Christensen "became belligerent and verbally aggressive toward an officer … yelled and swore, loudly enough to wake one of the Hoffmans' children and to disturb another neighbor," the complaint said.
Christensen also videotaped the Hoffman residence.
Those incidents seemingly pale in comparison to some of her past deeds.
Christensen has repeatedly taunted the Hoffmans about Kimberly Hoffman's admitted struggles with alcohol, the prosecution alleges.
In March 2010, Gregory Hoffman called police to say that Christensen had put a 50-milliliter vodka bottle in their mailbox. Christensen denied doing so. She put postings on her own mailbox reading, "Losers." "Wine." "Scotch." "Drink till you drop or pass out and p–s yourself and couch," according to a court notice from the state. She made masturbatory gestures toward Gregory Hoffman while his 8-year-old daughter was present, made other lewd gestures and commented loudly about drunkenness.
Her attorney, Gary Wolf, said in court Monday that Christensen does not deny many of those and prior incidents, but that she also "has suffered setups in this back-and-forth war since 2006 or 2007."
The Hoffmans were not present for Monday's hearing.
Emily Gurnon can be reached at 651-228-5522. Follow her at twitter.com/emilygurnon.


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text: Sijun Forums :: View topic - a cool photoshop book! Log in to check your private messages Sijun Forums Forum Index >> Digital Art Discussion View previous topic :: View next topic Author Topic : "a cool photoshop book!" Wyatt TurnermemberMember #Joined: 18 Oct 2000Posts: 501Location: Everett, WA, USA Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2001 1:15 am I bought a good photoshop bool the other day. it has all sorts of cool painting tricks, stuff I haven't really played with. Probably good book for new users. it's called the Photoshop 5/5.5 WOW BOOK. All color pages. Cost about 50 us dollars. well later y@ Back to top Matt EldermemberMember #Joined: 15 Jan 2000Posts: 641Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2001 4:24 am The "Wow" books are usually pretty good but normally you can't be a 'beginner' with these books (the illustrator one has some kewl ideas too). Another one that I really liked for ideas was: "Bert Monroy - Photorealistic Techniques with PhotoShop and Illustrator" (ISBN 0-7357-0969-6 for those who are interested) ------------------ See ya on da flip side Matt http://www.mattelder.com Back to top Display posts from previous: All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First Sijun Forums Forum Index -> Digital Art Discussion All times are GMT - 8 Hours Page 1 of 1 Jump to: Select a forum Digital Art----------------Digital Art DiscussionWork in ProgressGallery/Finished Work Miscellaneous----------------Random MusingsArchive : Sep99 - Dec00 You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot vote in polls in this forum Powered by phpBB © 2005 phpBB Group


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The chairman of the marketing arm of the U.S. wheat industry says the U.S. government needs to do more on export promotion and food aid programs if it truly expects foreign trade to bring prosperity to wheat growers.
Henry Jo Von Tungeln, chairman of U.S. Wheat Associates, pointed out that while the United States remains the world's largest wheat exporter, there are "market forces coming into play that will affect America's future marketshare in wheat trade."
To meet the challenges, the wheat industry needs aggressive funding for the Foreign Market Development program and the Market Access Program, Von Tungeln said. He also stressed that the United States needs to "listen to our customers and put their needs first" when it comes to potential future commercialization of genetically modified wheat.
Von Tungeln testified before the Senate Committee on Agriculture's Subcommittee on Price and Production Competitiveness. The focus of the hearing, chaired by Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., was U.S. agricultural export marketshare and the competition U.S. producers face in the world market.
Other actions the government can take to help boost wheat exports, according to Von Tungeln, include granting trade promotion authority (previously known as "fast track") to the president, pursuing the Free Trade Area of the Americas and bilateral agreements, approving the U.S.-Vietnam bilateral trade agreement, and dropping the remaining unilateral sanctions against Iran and Cuba.
Von Tungeln also noted that there are actions the industry needs to take in order to increase the competitiveness of U.S. wheat. While applauding the export companies who have led the efforts in the Pacific Northwest to provide cleaner wheat, he noted that progress was slower at the other ports.
He said that although the grain trade "has been slower than our competitors to realize that we have to be marketers, not traders… we are starting to see them make a good effort" at developing better market relationships.
Von Tungeln also explained that growers have to produce a sufficient and reliable supply of hard white wheat for loyal U.S. customers who are beginning to go to Australia for noodle wheat. "It's an issue that is quickly reaching critical mass for certain markets," he said.


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DEE SNIDER's Son Releases 'Twisted' Single
Jesse Blaze Snider, the son of TWISTED SISTER frontman Dee Snider, has just released a new solo single, "Twisted", via Radley Records. An audio sample is available at Amazon.com.
Jesse Blaze Snider is currently working on his first solo album with producer Matt Squire (KATY PERRY, PANIC! AT THE DISCO, ALL TIME LOW). He is also the face of the Sony PlayStation network as the host of their signature show "Qore".
Jesse worked on his family's reality show "Growing Up Twisted" on AE, for which he wrote the show's theme song and composed other music for several episodes. He's also formerly well known for starring in the popular MTV show "Rock the Cradle" where he received acclaim from fans and critics alike for his "back-flipping" performances.


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Statistical Rules of Thumb, 2nd Edition
Statistical Rules of Thumb, 2nd Edition
ISBN: 978-0-470-14448-0 September 2008 304 Pages
In Stock
DescriptionPraise for the First Edition:
"For a beginner [this book] is a treasure trove; for an experienced person it can provide new ideas on how better to pursue the subject of applied statistics."
—Journal of Quality Technology
Sensibly organized for quick reference, Statistical Rules of Thumb, Second Edition compiles simple rules that are widely applicable, robust, and elegant, and each captures key statistical concepts. This unique guide to the use of statistics for designing, conducting, and analyzing research studies illustrates real-world statistical applications through examples from fields such as public health and environmental studies. Along with an insightful discussion of the reasoning behind every technique, this easy-to-use handbook also conveys the various possibilities statisticians must think of when designing and conducting a study or analyzing its data.
Each chapter presents clearly defined rules related to inference, covariation, experimental design, consultation, and data representation, and each rule is organized and discussed under five succinct headings: introduction; statement and illustration of the rule; the derivation of the rule; a concluding discussion; and exploration of the concept's extensions. The author also introduces new rules of thumb for topics such as sample size for ratio analysis, absolute and relative risk, ANCOVA cautions, and dichotomization of continuous variables. Additional features of the Second Edition include:
- Additional rules on Bayesian topics
New chapters on observational studies and Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM)
Additional emphasis on variation and causation
Updated material with new references, examples, and sources
A related Web site provides a rich learning environment and contains additional rules, presentations by the author, and a message board where readers can share their own strategies and discoveries. Statistical Rules of Thumb, Second Edition is an ideal supplementary book for courses in experimental design and survey research methods at the upper-undergraduate and graduate levels. It also serves as an indispensable reference for statisticians, researchers, consultants, and scientists who would like to develop an understanding of the statistical foundations of their research efforts. A related website www.vanbelle.org provides additional rules, author presentations and more.
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Preface to the First Edition.
1. The Basics.
1.1 Four Basic Questions.
1.2 Observation is Selection.
1.3 Replicate to Characterize Variability.
1.4 Variability Occurs at Multiple Levels.
1.5 Invalid Selection is the Primary Threat to Valid Inference.
1.6 There is Variation in Strength of Inference.
1.7 Distinguish Randomized and Observational Studies.
1.8 Beware of Linear Models.
1.9 Keep Models As Simple As Possible, But Not More Simple.
1.10 Understand Omnibus Quantities.
1.11 Do Not Multiply Probabilities More Than Necessary.
1.12 Use Two-sided p-Values.
1.13 p-Values for Sample Size, Confidence Intervals for Results.
1.14 At Least Twelve Observations for a Confidence Interval.
1.15 Estimate ± Two Standard Errors is Remarkably Robust.
1.16 Know the Unit of the Variable.
1.17 Be Flexible About Scale of Measurement Determining Analysis.
1.18 Be Eclectic and Ecumenical in Influence.
2. Sample Size.
2.1 Begin with a Basic Formula for Sample Size-Lehr's Equation.
2.2 Calculating Sample Size Using the Coefficient of Variation.
2.3 No Finite Population Correction for Survey Sample Size.
2.4 Standard Deviation and Sample Range.
2.5 Do Not Formulate a Study Solely in Terms of Effect Size.
2.6 Overlapping Confidence Intervals Do Not Imply Nonsignificance.
2.7 Sample Size Calculation for the Poisson Distribution.
2.8 Sample Size for Poisson with Background Rate.
2.9 Sample Size Calculation for the Binomial Distribution.
2.10 When Unequal Sample Sizes Matters; When They Don't.
2.11 Sample Size With Different Costs for the Two Samples.
2.12 The Rule of Threes for 95% Upper Bounds When There Are No Events.
2.13 Sample Size Calculations Are Determined by the Analysis.
3. Observational Studies.
3.1 The Model for an Observational Study is the Sample Survey.
3.2 Large Sample Size Does Not Guarantee Validity.
3.3 Good Observational Studies Are Designed.
3.4 To Establish Cause Effect Requires Longitudinal Data.
3.5 Make Theories Elaborate to Establish Cause and Effect.
3.6 The Hill Guidelines Are a Useful Guide to Show Cause Effect.
3.7 Sensitivity Analyses Assess Models Uncertainty and Missing Data.
4. Covariation.
4.1 Assessing and Describing Covariation.
4.2 Don't Summarize Regression Sampling Schemes.
4.3 Do Not Correlate Rates or Ratios Indiscriminately.
4.4 Determining Sample Size to Estimate a Correlation.
4.5 Pairing Data is not Always Good.
4.6 Go Beyond Correlation in Drawing Conclusions.
4.7 Agreement As Accuracy, Scale Differential, and Precision.
4.8 Assess Test Reliability by Means of Agreement.
4.9 Range of the Predictor Variable and Regression.
4.10 Measuring Change: Width More Important than Numbers.
5. Environmental Studies.
5.1 Begin with the Lognormal Distributions in Environmental Studies.
5.2 Differences Are More Symmetrical.
5.3 Know the Sample Space for Statements of Risk.
5.4 Beware of Pseudoreplication.
5.5 Think Beyond Simple Random Sampling.
5.6 The Size of the Population and Small Effects.
5.7 Models of Small Effects Are Sensitive to Assumptions.
5.8 Distinguish Between Variability and Uncertainty.
5.9 Description of the Database is As Important as Its Data.
5.10 Always Assess the Statistical Basis for an Environmental Standard.
5.11 Measurement of a Standard and Policy.
5.12 Parametric Analyses Make Maximum Use of the Data.
5.13 Confidence, Prediction, and Tolerance Intervals.
5.14 Statistics and Risk Assessment.
5.15 Exposure Assessment is the Weak Link in Assessing Health Effects of Pollutants.
5.16 Assess the Errors in Calibration Due to Inverse Regression.
6. Epidemiology.
6.1 Start with the Poisson to Model Incidence or Prevalence.
6.2 The Odds Ratio Approximates the Relative Risk Assuming the Disease is Rare.
6.3 The Number of Events is Crucial in Estimating Sample Size.
6.4 Use a Logarithmic Formulation to Calculate Sample Size.
6.5 Take No More than Four or Five Controls per Case.
6.6 Obtain at Least Ten Subjects for Every Variable Investigated.
6.7 Begin with Two Exponential Distribution to Model Time to Event.
6.8 Begin with Two Exponentials for Comparing Survival Times.
6.9 Be Wary of Surrogates.
6.10 Prevalence Dominates in Screening Rare Diseases.
6.11 Do Not Dichotomize Unless Absolutely Necessary.
6.12 Additive and Multiplicative Models.
7. Evidence-Based Medicine.
7.1 Strength of Evidence.
7.2 Relevance of Information: POEM vs. DOE.
7.3 Begin with Absolute Risk Reduction, then follow with Relative Risk.
7.4 The Number Needed to Treat (NNT) is Clinically Useful.
7.5 Variability in Response to Treatment Needs to be Considered.
7.6 Safety is the Weak Component of EBM.
7.7 Intent to Treat is the Default Analysis.
7.8 Use Prior Information but not Priors.
7.9 The Four Key Questions for Meta-analysis.
8. Design, Conduct, and Analysis.
8.1 Randomization Puts Systematic Effects into the Error Term.
8.2 Blocking is the Key to Reducing Variability.
8.3 Factorial Designs and Joint Effects.
8.4 High-Order Interactions Occur Rarely.
8.5 Balanced Designs Allow Easy Assessment of Joint Effects.
8.6 Analysis Follows Designs.
8.7 Independence, Equal Variance, and Normality.
8.8 Plan to Graph the Results of an Analysis.
8.9 Distinguish Between Design Structure and Treatment Structure.
8.10 Make Hierarchical Analyses the Default Analysis.
8.11 Distinguish Between Nested and Crossed Designs-Not Always Easy.
8.12 Plan for Missing Data.
8.13 Address Multiple Comparisons Before Starting the Study.
8.14 Know Properties Preserved When Transforming Units.
8.15 Consider Bootstrapping for Complex Relationships.
9. Words, Tables, and Graphs.
9.1 Use Text for a Few Numbers, Tables for Many Numbers, Graphs and Complex Relationships.
9.2 Arrange Information in a Table to Drive Home the Message.
9.3 Always Graph the Data.
9.4 Always Graph Results of An Analysis of Variance.
9.5 Never Use a Pie Chart.
9.6 Bar Graphs Waste Ink; They Don't Illuminate Complex Relationships.
9.7 Stacked Bar Graphs Are Worse Than Bar Graphs.
9.8 Three-Dimensional Bar Graphs Constitute Misdirected Artistry.
9.9 Identify Cross-sectional and Longitudinal Patterns in Longitudinal Data.
9.10 Use Rendering, Manipulation, and Linking in High-Dimensional Data.
10. Consulting.
10.1 Session Has Beginning, Middle, and End.
10.2 Ask Questions.
10.3 Make Distinctions.
10.4 Know Yourself, Know the Investigator.
10.5 Tailor Advice to the Level of the Investigator.
10.6 Use Units the Investigator is Comfortable With.
10.7 Agee on Assignment of Responsibilities.
10.8 Any Basic Statistical Computing Package Will Do.
10.9 Ethics Precedes, Guides, and Follows Consultation.
10.10 Be Proactive in Statistical Consulting.
10.11 Use the Web for Reference, Resource, and Education.
10.12 Listen to, and Heed the Advice of Experts in the Field.
Author Index.
Topic Index.
- New rules have been incorporated into the new edition addressing topics such as absolute and relative risk; ANCOVA cautions; dichotomization issues; and observational studies and clinical trials.
- A complete section on Bayesian topics has been added to the second edition.
- The references have been completely updated and expanded.
"For the applied researcher who does much of her or his own data analysis, this book is a must-have. Even the applied statistician would benefit from owning a copy of this collection. It is certain that some 'rules' will be new, and the descriptions in the text can come in quite handy when one i trying to explain a concept to a non-statistician. In short, this collection of 'rules' is highly recommended." (MAA Reviews, December 10, 2008)
"For the applied researcher who does much of her or his own data analysis, this book is a must-have. Even the applied statistician would benefit from owning a copy of this collection. It is certain that some 'rules' will be new, and the descriptions in the text can come in quite handy when one is trying to explain a concept to a non-statistician. In short, this collection of 'rules' is highly recommended." (MAA Reviews, Dec 2008)
- Each rule of thumb has a brief presentation, a simple statement of the rule, illustrations, theoretical underpinnings, and extensions.
- A related website (www.vanbelle.org) provides additional rules, author presentations and more.
- Additional emphasis has been placed on variation and causation throughout the book.


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Jobless Claims Drop 16,000
Michael Casey recaps last week's initial jobless claims, gives a trading day preview and three stocks to watch. Photo: Getty Images.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... the the ... the markets are poised for a higher open with investors looking at rings is and we just got some jobs data my Casey is here to break it all down for its like so ... it's important ... to see signs of resilient they are down sixteen found an abundance of another positive number in fact means the most in six weeks now jobless times gets back to level the wee wee was a really long before the really focused on how this was a symbol of ... the entry level market said ... this is perhaps the so the thing that bodes well for next ... fall of this month's ... jobless jobs number ... because the previous jobs in his analysis of ... a disappointment said ... today the outer yesterday headed to nine thousand so it's down sixteen thousand so that ... that number set this up for that to the notional east that ... last month's wasn't only does the job the job since I think this is positive for the market because we did see the Dow ... and its people give up a little while though we're already ... twenty door higher stock as it was a was ... this just to its momentum since the Phillies from London ... a lot of innings that to ... be digested ... some of the earnings season play a part of the dollar in a somewhat not yet it insists is it time to visit Delhi and we in areas of the book of the parts to the region ... there would be sitting on the edge of the sea waiting for the dollar to break through ... one hundred against the yen now for almost two weeks and I just refuses to give it will open that ... this of my nine point something right and right now ... and Dom you know we have a Bank of Japan meeting tomorrow that could be something that rubs is over but this is a lot of resistance of what a focus on that number it's ... it's it's a bit of a UN ... anti climax this but as the minutes A number to a lot of attention that ... they'll continue to watch that I know there are three stocks to be watching today saying that Yemen Syria and this is gonna happen is is a lot of them coming out today and in ... the citizen to citizen goes out last night on the number is ... ended up in these detention centers the bottom line extension of a surprise profit ... but ... the fun of the real story the the the bottom line the metaphorical sense is that that ... the company is is really not looking very broad sense of the outlook for dining ... aam and as result which is a down quite significantly said ... the warnings that we have about unit that the number of people who are really coming to decide to fight gangs ... the the the real issue fines for not being what was and so forth ... this was a troubling that saw so it ... here that of an ongoing story but Tommy just goes to show that it's getting a bottom line figured out without cost-cutting as they did ... isn't enough that if the revenue growth isn't that ... so yet at the Malala one-year takes on the road costs on the new the biggest oil come in the world of the behemoth Adelson ConocoPhillips out today as well ... I'm not a massive oil company ... in these guys are coming out with with numbers that that really can fend effective is something of a winding ... river new story out there for them as well ... Tom did that day ... it is ExxonMobil beat expectations ... on the prophesied Associates is up a bit higher ... of course ago weak demand in Europe in you have entered this downward pressure on oil prices them I'm that that the so-called Martin's ... of moderation story going on ... so you know that that's that's the that's the inevitable ... blow to the outlook and the good news story for those companies ... aam and then if that were most Infosys's Amazon ... unbeknown to really become such enormous important bellwether for ... a number of ... elements of a mock regrettable are seeing really is as it can seem apply of course because it's such a massive retailer ... so you know Amazon's importance of the up its results of the top of the bell ... aam and Dom it's also used in it to play cos I mean it innings being driven ... the significantly now but things like that ... in cloud computing and data and streaming it's a competitive Netflix ... sewed on their hands on it that the trades at a very high multiples was the lesser value but it's it's it's ... mostly Luca was up to the process of asking Apple salmon as I wanted something in the next day I get there some bassinet to overnight selling a ton of random ideas else that's another flows into this of the


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The list of what was fixed is a doozy, but hopefully it puts an end to the shamefully embarrassing problems that plagued the release of NCAA Football 09 — nearly a month after its release.
My favourite fix? "Ball carrier will no longer run out of bounds when changing hands and heading towards the sidelines". Also "WR screen routes improved". That's good, because your shithead coach in Campus Legend mode loves to call it on third-and-long. Xbox 360 Fanboy, among other sites, has the full list of what was fixed. This also means that roster files are working. I got mine last night via EA Locker.
While they're at it, maybe someone can explain to me why I do not have any announcers for any game in Campus Legend mode? I have gone through my settings back and forth. I've got the volume enabled. Did I miss a memo? I was amazed when Brad Nessler said my last name in the 2008 game (note to Mum, thank you for not marrying anyone named Krzystremski). Why can't I hear it this year?
Sure, Legend mode is for creepy, thirtysomething beer guts who are too antisocial for online play, and want to live vicariously through the vision of the younger man they never were. But if you're going to include it, you know, make a commitment to its AI and its production values. I'd be fine if they killed it altogether in next year's release.
EA Finally Patches NCAA 09 [Xbox 360 Fanboy]


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Posted on Sun, Dec. 14, 2008
Weston mother helps other parents
By JULIE LEVIN
Weston mother helps other parents
By JULIE LEVIN
When Sue Scheff was at the end of her rope trying to deal with her own out-of-control teenager, she admits she never could have imagined a time when she would become a leading voice in the field of parent advocacy.
Yet the Weston author is rapidly becoming a familiar face in the national spotlight speaking about just that.
''I never went into this to become a national voice or figure, but that is what I have become,'' said Scheff, author of Wit's End: Advice and Resources for Saving Your Out of Control Teen.
Scheff appeared last month on the Lifetime Network's daily television series The Balancing Act during an episode entitled ``Plain Talk and Straight Answers for Parents with Troubled Teens.''
A taping with the Oprah Winfrey show also is planned.
Wit's End, a 168-page book released earlier this year, is a tool for parents navigating the choices and methods available to help struggling teens.
Scheff, now a full-time parent advocate, said she wrote the book not as an expert or therapist but as a parent who endured a long and painful experience trying to help her daughter, Ashlyn.
Almost a decade ago, she watched her child go from promising athlete to troubled teen, repeatedly running away, being verbally abusive and having serious problems at home and school.
With no experience or help to fall back on, she enrolled Ashlyn in a residential treatment facility that wouldn't allow her contact with her daughter for six months.
She would later learn her daughter endured months of beatings, sexual abuse, starvation and neglect.
''It nearly destroyed her,'' Scheff said. ``It took us two years to deprogram her after what they had done.''
The experience led Scheff to her new purpose. She founded a group called PURE, or Parents Universal Resource Experts, which she said has served thousands as a parent advocacy group.
Through Wit's End, she provides parents with resources to help them sort out and evaluate treatment options, including therapeutic boarding schools and treatment centers.
''You step into an arena of teen help and you are bombarded with a barrage of information,'' she said. ``This is one way to help sort it out.''
In her newfound role as advocate, Scheff also has appeared nationally on the ABC news magazine program 20/20, The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet and Rachael Ray, among others.
Ashlyn, now 23, has seemingly rebounded and gone on to coaching gymnastics and becoming a mother herself.
Scheff said she would like their story to provide a light for other families.
''I think any parent out there struggling with a teen right now, you don't see the hope and you don't think you will ever come out of it. I didn't think I would,'' she said. ```But now I look back and see all those dark times have actually helped others.''
For information, visit www.suescheff.net .


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Get Him!!!!
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Introducing the Kino Bambino!
April 3, 2011 5:18 PM
Hundreds of submissions came to the Tucson Padres office via email, mail and Facebook, and our favorite friar now has a name - the Kino Bambino. The winning entry comes from Tucson resident Andrew Jones (not "Andruw" of Braves fame). Andrew wins four free Opening Night tickets, a free Tucson Padres cap and the opportunity to bring the Kino Bambino to an event of his choice.
The long lost brother of the San Diego Padres' Swinging Friar roamed the desert and arrived in Tucson for the March 25th Spring Training game. He dazzled the 11,000 fans that day, dancing and waving to screaming fans. The Tucson Padres front office marveled at their luck - the brother of the Swinging Friar showing up just weeks before the season!
Then the only question was - what to call him? After sorting through the hundreds of suggested names, one stood above the rest, the Kino Bambino. His name has a strong connection to the Tucson region, while also honoring the most famous baseball player of all time. The Kino Bambino, and Kino Stadium, are named after Father Eusebio Kino, the man who established 24 missions in the southwestern United States in the late 1600's.
"The Bambino" is the most famous of the nicknames attached to slugger Babe Ruth. Ruth's 714 career home runs and 60 single-season home run records stood for decades. Like our new friend, the Kino Bambino, Ruth was known for his charisma and sense of humor.
"What can I say?" said the Kino Bambino, in an unprecendented exclusive mascot interview. "I wandered through the desert, visited General Manager Mike Feder's office, and told him about my connection to the Padres. I said I was here to be the Tucson Padres mascot if he'll take me." Feder said "it was an easy decision!"
The Kino Bambino has been active in the Tucson community already. Yesterday he appeared at Coronado Little League's Opening Ceremonies, and tonight you can watch him on Fox 11 KMSB-TV Sports Force.
"The Kino Bambino has already become the face of the Tucson Padres," said Feder. "He has a name and he has energy. I don't know what I'm more excited about, watching our great team on the field, or watching the Kino Bambino's antics in the crowd."
The Tucson Padres first game is Thursday at 5:05 pm at Colorado Springs. Opening Night at Kino Stadium is Friday, April 15th at 7:00 pm against Salt Lake.
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.View More