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Get control of NAS systems
File storage is growing very quickly, leaving storage shops to grapple with multiple disparate NAS systems. But a number of technologies can make file storage more manageable.
With file storage sprouting up like weeds, data storage shops are grappling with managing multiple disparate NAS systems. But you can fight NAS sprawl with a number of technologies.
At the end of 2008, Framingham, Mass.-based research firm IDC reported that for the first time ever, more data was stored on network-attached storage (NAS) systems or filers than on storage-area network (SAN) storage. In addition, IDC's more recent forecasts predict an acceleration of this trend. It's not only the number of files growing, but their size as well.
All of this translates into more installed NAS systems. Adding more NAS systems is an understandable reaction to file growth as network-attached storage systems are typically self-contained and preconfigured for rapid installation, and are easy to implement, operate, manage and use. But most traditional NAS systems are also silos, so they contribute to NAS sprawl. The consequences of NAS sprawl can be summed up by the often-repeated adage, "I loved my first NAS filer, I really liked my second, but by my tenth I was pulling my hair out."
Five ways NAS sprawl causes problems
NAS sprawl generally creates five major IT challenges (these are the biggies; there are others as well). All of them are complicated by the limited number of tasks a data storage administrator can complete in a given time, and they're all pretty difficult.
1. System management. Even though NAS management is far simpler than SAN storage management, it still requires some care, feeding and time.
2. Managing client and application access to data. Each NAS system must be mounted on every server and workstation that requires access. Mounts are application disruptive so they require scheduling downtime for the server applications. With more NAS systems you have more mounts, and that adds up to more scheduled downtime.
3. File location. Policies for file placement must be set based on performance, accessibility, age, access frequency, storage cost, availability, data protection and so forth. Policy setting is the easy part, but actually moving the files to the appropriate NAS system is a time-consuming manual data migration process. And it's an ongoing one. When the migration is done, the originating application must be re-pointed at the correct NAS system; this isn't such a big deal with a couple of NAS systems, but it's compounded as NAS systems are added.
4. NAS load balancing. Load balancing is required to get better utilization or to meet applications' performance requirements. Because load balancing is also a manual process to set up and manage, it becomes a major time sink even if you have identically configured NAS boxes.
5. Protecting, replicating and/or backing up files. Different NAS systems have different methods for snapshots, continuous data protection (CDP), mirroring and replication. Some are well integrated with common backup vendors, such as Windows Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS), VMware or Citrix Systems Inc.'s XenServer, but others aren't. So there are more tasks requiring more time, training and experience. Even with identical NAS systems, they still require separate touch points for each data protection setup, operation and management.
These challenges get more difficult, take more time and make it more likely that errors will occur as NAS sprawl grows.
Technologies that can help with NAS sprawl
The industry took note and recognized this sober situation. The result is the current availability of four technologies designed to solve some or all of these challenges, albeit in completely different ways. They include: operating system built-ins such as Microsoft's Distributed File System (DFS) for CIFS as well as Linux/Unix automounters for NFS; file virtualization systems; clustered NAS systems; and private cloud and grid storage. A brief analysis of each of these technologies illustrates what they do and don't do to meet the aforementioned challenges.
1. Operating system built-ins
Microsoft Distributed File System (DFS) is part of Microsoft's Windows 2003 and 2008 server operating systems; DFS was developed for the small- and medium-sized business (SMB) Windows-only (CIFS) market. DFS Namespaces enables multiple file servers' shared folders to be grouped into one or more logical namespaces. Users see the namespace as a single shared folder and are automatically connected to shared folders in the same available Active Directory domain services site. This sidesteps the need for LAN or WAN routing. DFS Replication can automatically synchronize folders between local file servers or remote NAS systems on a wide-area network.
- Easy integration with Windows environments
- Familiar to Windows administrators
- No additional licensing costs
- Low upfront total costs
- Solves user access, mount/unmount, load balancing, data migration as well as some data protection challenges of multiple CIFS NAS systems
- Requires a relatively high level of Windows expertise
- Loose file synchronization among different servers, especially when geographically dispersed; a user at a remote location may access a file before it's updated
- Only works with CIFS (not NFS)
- Limited scalability; not architected to scale to large numbers of file servers
- Doesn't provide file-level granularity
- Doesn't work with non-Windows-based NAS systems
- Poor storage utilization because of large numbers of duplicate files
- Can require additional hardware infrastructure to meet performance requirements
- Doesn't solve issue of managing multiple NAS or filer systems; doesn't address data migration and many of the data protection challenges
Linux/Unix automounters are intended for NFS users. Automounters mount and unmount directories from other systems on the network as they're needed. They get their mounting instructions from centralized maps, which can be flat files, NIS maps or sections of an LDAP directory. Automounters are far easier to use than managing multiple static NFS mounts. Automounter advantages are readily apparent when there's a service failure. If a remote file server becomes unavailable, an automounter will simply time out and unmount the directory without alarming users. With static NFS, mounts will hang until the file server is back up and running again.
- Easy integration with Linux and Unix environments
- No additional licensing costs
- Low upfront total costs
- Eliminates server hangs when the mounted service fails
- Works in conjunction with most NFS NAS systems
- Solves many of the user and mount issues with multiple NFS NAS systems
- Requires significant Linux or Unix expertise
- Not easy to set up
- Only works with NFS
- Lacks built-in replication capabilities
- Doesn't work with Windows (CIFS)-based NAS systems
- No file-level granularity
- Doesn't solve many of the management problems with multiple NAS systems
2. File virtualization systems
File virtualization systems separate the physical location of a file from the representation of that file. File virtualization systems essentially eliminate the requirement for a user or application to know exactly where their files are stored as they see only a single global namespace (GNS.) Depending on how it's implemented, file virtualization allows transparent file access, load balancing, data storage tiering, file migration, and even snapshots and replication for multiple homogeneous or heterogeneous NAS systems.
File virtualization implementations can usually leverage Microsoft's DFS and/or Linux/Unix automounters by acting as a management layer. This allows them to automatically update the DFS Namespace to include NAS filers and file servers, while also providing common management for multiple dissimilar NAS systems. F5 Network Inc.'s ARX file virtualization appliance also provides available disk space monitoring, while others (Avere Systems Inc.'s FXT Series and EMC Corp.'s Celerra NS with FAST) provide storage tiering.
No additional software is required to leverage DFS Namespace and Linux/Unix automounters. If the file virtualization technology fails, the file maps for Windows and mounts for Linux/Unix remain intact, allowing users and applications access to their files. Not all the file virtualization systems work with DFS or automounters, and some that do don't necessarily require them.
There are two types of file virtualization products: shared path and split path.
Shared-path file virtualization systems share the control and data path, which means that all connections to the NAS and all data to/from the NAS flow through the virtualization system. Shared-path file virtualization systems are full proxies that touch every file and every packet in the path before it's written or read.
- Allows files to be migrated in real-time even when in use; the file virtualization system updates the global namespace with the new physical location of the file
- Intuitive
- Easy to operate
- Protects current investment
- Transparent retirement of older NAS or file systems
- Individual file-level granularity
- Heterogeneous NAS and/or file server support; eliminates NAS system lock-in
- Definable policies using file metadata such as file type, creation date or when last accessed
- Added latency to pass through file virtualization system can be a bottleneck affecting response times and IOPS
- Single point of failure; a dead-box failure cuts off all access to the NAS and/or file systems
- Scalability is limited by the throughput of the shared-path file virtualization system
Split-path file virtualization systems separate the control and data paths, so the NAS connections and all data to/from the NAS don't pass through the file virtualization system. Split-path file virtualization is typically deployed as an x86 appliance connected to the LAN switch. They manage the namespace to direct files to the appropriate NAS or file system without intercepting any packets.
- Nondisruptive implementation for applications/users
- Highly scalable
- File virtualization system failure won't cut off access to data
- Protects current investment in NAS and file systems
- Relatively easy file migration
- If it uses Microsoft DFS for the namespace, DFS will always have the most recent namespace configuration allowing users and applications to access their files
- Heterogeneous NAS support
- Easy to operate
- Usually requires agents on application servers and workstations for transparent file migration; agents must be managed and maintained
- Tends to be Windows (CIFS) focused with limited NFS support
Shared-path and split-path systems are typically mutually exclusive. But EMC's Rainfinity is primarily a split-path system except when moving files when it's configured as shared path. That eliminates the need for split-path agents for file migrations and the shared-path scalability, performance and single-point--of-failure issues.
Shared-path systems include Avere Systems' FXT Series and F5 Network's ARX series, and EMC's Rainfinity when performing data migration. Split-path options include AutoVirt Inc.'s AutoVirt 3.0 and EMC's Rainfinity.
File virtualization systems have continued to evolve, solving more network-attached storage sprawl issues. Avere Systems' FXT automates NAS storage tiering by hosting the most active files requiring the highest performance on its system of solid-state disk and 15K rpm SAS drives. Using policies, it automatically moves files to heterogeneous back-end NAS systems based on access frequency, performance, age, etc. EMC's Rainfinity provides similar functionality within its Celerra NS NAS systems. FAST (fully automated storage tiering) on Celerra NS uses the Rainfinity engine for transparent file movement (it currently doesn't support heterogeneous systems). F5 Network's ARX uniquely solves NAS sprawl data protection by managing snapshots and replication for distributed heterogeneous NAS systems.
3. Clustered NAS systems
Clustered NAS systems use a distributed file system running concurrently on multiple NAS nodes. Data and metadata can be striped across both the cluster and underpinning block (direct-attached storage [DAS] or SAN) storage subsystems. Clustering also provides access to all files from any of the clustered nodes regardless of the physical location of the file. The number and location of the nodes are transparent to the users and applications accessing them.
Although clustering appears similar to file virtualization, the key difference is that all system nodes must be from the same vendor and often configured similarly. Some exceptions to this include BlueArc Corp.'s Titan and Mercury series, and NetApp's Ontap GX.
Clustered NAS systems typically provide transparent replication and fault tolerance, so that if one or more nodes fail, the system continues functioning without any data loss. Clustered NAS systems are distinguished by their large file systems that can scale to hundreds of terabytes (or more) of addressable capacity.
Clustered NAS systems include BlueArc's Titan and Mercury series, EMC's Celerra NS-960 with Multi-Path File System (MPFS), Exanet Inc.'s ExaStore, Hewlett-Packard (HP) Co.'s Ibrix Fusion and StorageWorks Scalable NAS (previously known as PolyServe), Hitachi Data Systems' HNAS and 3200 series, IBM Corp.'s Scale-out File Services (SoFS), Isilon Systems Inc.'s IQ, NetApp's Ontap GX, Panasas Inc.'s ActiveStor and Scale Computing's SN Series.
- Linearly scale to many nodes and high capacities, with millions to billions of managed file objects; aggregate throughput and IOPS independent of one another
- Easy to grow
- Pay-as-you-go architecture
- Built-in fault tolerance
- Centralized management
- Easy data protection
- Simple file access
- Rip-and-replace solution; can't reuse current NAS systems
- No support for heterogeneous NAS systems
- No ability to migrate files from current NAS systems to the clustered
- Higher hardware and license costs, but may be offset by significantly lower management costs
Clustered NAS does a very good job of resolving most network-attached storage sprawl challenges. It eliminates or at least mitigates the multisystem management issue depending on the scale of the environment. User and application access is simplified with load balancing built in, and data protection and replication is also part of the architecture. Clustered NAS does fall a little short on storage tiering; it does make it easier, but doesn't automate the process (with the exception of EMC's Celerra NS-960 with FAST using Rainfinity).
4. Private cloud or grid storage systems
Private cloud or grid storage systems are somewhat similar to clustered NAS systems, but grid storage provides peer-to-peer clustering that enables it to provide single-image files over geographically dispersed, long-distance and cross-domain operations.
Geographic location "awareness" adds another dimension to NAS sprawl management by centralizing control, management and access for distributed environments. Based on access performance and/or data protection policies, files are replicated and moved to the geographic location that best meets the policy. Whether you have only a few remote or branch offices or hundreds, grid or private cloud storage can make a lot of sense.
There are currently two commercially available private cloud storage systems: Bycast Inc.'s StorageGRID and EMC Atmos. The Bycast StorageGRID runs on x86 nodes that sit in front of standard DAS or SAN storage, so it can use already installed block storage. EMC Atmos also runs on x86 nodes but can only use its own JBOD storage. Bycast's product is a bit more mature with hundreds of installations and OEM deals with HP and IBM.
- Same pros as clustered NAS
- Same or lower cost than clustered NAS
- Management of geographically dispersed locations
- Distributed geographically aware access with centralized management, protection and replication of all files
- Geographically aware, policy-based file replication and movement
- DAS and SAN investment protection or use of very low-cost storage
- Limited number of vendors with mature technology
- No automated storage tiering at this time
- Startup costs can be more than other technologies (but long-term costs will likely be less)
Click here to view a PDF of the antidotes to NAS sprawl.
Summarizing NAS sprawl solutions
File storage growth is bordering on the out of control, with many companies struggling to get a handle on their network-attached storage systems. This NAS sprawl creates serious management problems that can tax overworked IT staffs and jeopardize users' access to corporate data. But the four different technologies described above are available today and can resolve many of the issues and challenges created by NAS sprawl.
Take a pragmatic approach, and implement the least amount of new technology that best meets current and forecasted requirements. That will help minimize risk, lessen the strain on CapEx and OpEx budgets, and can make a world of difference with NAS management.
BIO: Marc Staimer is president of Dragon Slayer Consulting.


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Can farmers help revive Costa Rica's forests? Elusive wild mammals hold clues.
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Discover how Costa Rica is making conservation part of everyday life for farmers.
In many places, developed land intertwines with wilderness. People clear trees to plant crops, or use pesticides that can harm nearby forests. So any meaningful effort to protect wild landscapes requires the help of farmers.
Make a lasting contribution to one such effort by exploring a stretch of privately owned land that connects national parks and other protected areas. Such stretches, known by scientists as biological corridors, let wild animals move freely between the places where their natural habitat remains healthy and relatively undisturbed. Costa Rica's government encourages farmers to maintain these swaths of land by, for example, paying them to plant trees among their crops.
By interviewing farmers and monitoring camera traps and hair traps, you'll track monkeys, tapirs, foxes, and other mammals in the Paso de Las Nubes Biological Corridor to learn how many different species and how many individual animals are around. If these numbers mirror the numbers in national parks and other protected areas, Costa Rica's policies are working. If not, the data you collect will help researchers recommend strategies for improvement. This is your chance to make a concrete impact on all who depend on forests in Costa Rica—plants, animals, and people.
All forests deliver crucial ecosystem services—they filter our water, store carbon, and provide beautiful places to for us to work and play.
This research can improve life for both farmers and forest mammals in Costa Rica.
You'll help researchers evaluate Costa Rica's Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) program, which means your work can have a direct impact on Costa Rican farmers and the natural world. But what exactly are these "ecosystem services" that the government pays landowners to protect? Healthy forests give us clean water and support diverse forms of life (that's the part you're assessing). They're also beautiful, which especially matters in a country where many depend on tourism for income. These ecosystem services have both local and global importance: for example, many Costa Ricans rely on clean streams for drinking water, while Costa Rica's forests help regulate the planet's climate by keeping carbon out of the atmosphere.
An Earthwatcher checks a trap for small mammals.
These researchers also want to know how PES works for farmers. They know farmers benefit from the extra income they can get from participating. Through interviews, you'll help tease out other benefits: education on how to manage land sustainably, the sharing of that knowledge with friends and neighbors, and a sense of connection to and pride in Costa Rica's natural heritage.
You'll encounter an array of different ways to manage land; some work better than others to preserve the health of the natural world. This is your chance to help figure out what works and what doesn't, and to shape these practices for the good all of us.
You'll live and work in Costa Rica's Alajuela Province, home to six of Costa Rica's national parks, in the midst of hundreds of thousands of acres of cloud forest. The village of La Fortuna and the active Arenal Volcano are approximately 12 miles away from your accommodations. There, visitors can soak in the hot springs, hike the volcano, tour an organic farm, and shop. Your team will probably make a visit or two to La Fortuna's town square, home to a church designed by the famous Costa Rican artist Teodorico Quirós, to get a glimpse of local culture.
Costa Rica boasts a range of tropical environments: rainforests, wetlands, beautiful beaches, and towering mountains. With its huge array of plants, birds, and other animals living in an area smaller than England, it is one of the most biodiverse countries on Earth.
This is a summary:
On fieldwork days you may arise early for an optional guided bird walk through the cloud forest or a little later for breakfast. Then your team will drive to the Paso de Las Nubes Biological Corridor, where you will:
In afternoon the team will return to the research station to assist with data entry and camera trap photo identification. Those more adventurous might even find time to hike the forest to look for snakes and frogs. After dinner, participants can enjoy lectures from the research staff or simply recline with a book.
The team records data on plant populations.
As an Earthwatch scientist, Margot Wood studies ways to balance agriculture with biodiversity.
Your team will stay in a field research center in San Isidro de Penas Blancas, a small farming community of 60 families located near La Fortuna. The Soltis Research and Education Center has comfortable, shared cabins and dorms and offers modern conveniences like wireless Internet and conventional plumbing. During recreational time, you can take guided nature walks in the surrounding forest.
Rice and beans are staples of the Costa Rican diet, and you'll also feast on fresh fruit, empanadas, cheese, avocado, and meat. Excellent cooks prepare meals, which are served family style in open-air dining rooms at both locations.
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Lindi Lagman | Monday, September 01, 2014
This was an amazing experience. I enjoyed every aspect of the research we were doing. I especially enjoyed seeing and hearing the animals, especially the sloths. One of my favorite moments in Costa Rica was when I found sloth scat inside one of our vegetation plots.
Tracking Costa Rica's Mammals is easy to moderate in terms of physical ability. The humidity and temperature is very similar to what you find in the eastern US, especially the southeast. At least the weather in Costa Rica in August is very similar to the weather in the US and is probably a little more comfortable at times. There are some steep hills, but is doable for all ages (teens, adults - including seniors). I would say that this is definitely a great expedition for first time Earthwatch volunteers or for seasoned Earthwatch volunteers.
Margaret Maguire | Thursday, August 28, 2014
Tracking Costa Rica's Mammals was an amazing program with unforgettable experiences that happened each day. The program was extremely well run and organized. The Soltis Center was a beautiful facility with wonderful accommodations and food. This trip got each of its participants out into the rainforest each day to hike and explore the area while fostering teamwork through mammal tracking and vegetation data analysis. The team of researchers were educational, helpful and quick to guide all of the group members through their work. I look forward to my next trip with Earthwatch!
Pamela Mashburn | Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Tracking Costa Rica's Mammals was a great project.The A & M Soltis Center is a wonderful base for research any volunteer will be amazed as you ascend the tree line drive and arrive at the amazing Soltis Center.
What a feeling it is to see an Ocelot on a field camera your team placed or view a waterfall so amazing and unique. When making your volunteer choice please consider Tracking Costa Rica's Mammals.
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Climb aboard a motorboat and sail a tropical "inner sea" in search of endangered dolphins and whales in Costa Rica.
How much can the lowly caterpillar tell us about the world we live in? More than you might imagine.
Help conserve wildlife within the Amazon Basin, while seeking pink river dolphins, primates, macaw, caiman, giant river otters, piranha and exotic fish.
Scientists expect to see the greatest effects of global warming in the Arctic. What, exactly, will these effects be?


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Time : Sunday September 15th 2019, 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm.
Location: Ryerson University – Recreation and Athletics Centre, 50 Gould St, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3
This two hour beginner's course focuses on basic paddling strokes, safety and rescue. Whether you are new to paddling or have just never had any formal training, this course offers the skills and knowledge to keep you safe and comfortable on the water. The class will begin with on land introductions and a safety chat where we will go over proper safety equipment, Transport Canada regulations, weather, and proper paddling clothing. Once we get in the pool we will then learn the basic strokes needed to get you going. Strokes covered are: Front stroke, sweep stroke, draw stroke, and low brace.
The second half of the lesson will be spent on rescues. We cover both group and self rescues with and without a paddle float. This part of the course requires you to capsize the boat and get wet, so be prepared!
Participant/Instructor ratio is 3:1 with a max of 6 students
What to bring: bathing suit and towel. Nose plugs, goggles or mask if wanted all other equipment will be provided but you are encouraged to bring your own boat and gear if you have it.
Cost $100.00 plus tax for one two hour course per person. We have dropped the price from $120 so as to offset any parking costs.
We recommend parking at the parking lot at the red circle in the provided map.
Note: The pool is located at the end of the red line in the basement of the facade of the building. Walk down the stairs to the lobby and show your photo ID to be granted entrance.


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Project Management Professional
By: JK Michaels Consulting
Lagos State, Nigeria
09 - 23 Sep, 2017 15 days
Venue: LAGOS
PMP training at JK Michaels is focused on preparing you to pass the PMP exam at first Sitting as well as equipping you with the skills and techniques in delivering projects successfully ,predictable and consistently.JK Michaels, is accredited as a Global Registered Education Provider (REP) by PMI® Project Management Institute USA,that guarantee the quality of our pmp training,and you are sure of what you will get. We regularly conduct practical ,high impact,fun-filled pmp training Project management professional Exam Preparatory Course filled with success Secrets that makes you an expert in project delivery.We have both Public schedule and Corporate bespoke program structured in the week ends / weekdays totalling 35 hours of Contact education covering all 10 knowledge areas of New PMBOK® Guide-5th Edition .Other customized timings can also be worked out depending on the corporate clients' convenience.
|Sep 09 - 23 Sep, 2017
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Pacifying the population by listing anti-authoritarianism as a mental illness
Paul Joseph Watson
Prison Planet.tv
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Clinical psychologist Bruce Levine is the author of Common Sense Rebellion and Surviving America's Depression Epidemic. He regularly deals with "anti-authoritarian" clients who would be diagnosed by the health care authorities as suffering from "oppositional defiant disorder" or ADHD, and helps them to deal with adjusting to their societal, work or school environment without rebelling in a self-destructive manner.
In a psychiatric context, Levine explains how successful political movements like the American Revolution and the more recent populist uprising are historically led by people who have individual self-respect, something very much lacking in today's society, as well as collective confidence and trust in one another. "When you're living in a society that breaks people's self-respect and breaks their bonds of trust with one another, it makes it very difficult to have any kind of democratic revolutionary movement," remarks Levine.
Levine identifies the process of "learned helplessness" as one of the primary factors that has led to society feeling broken, demoralized, hopeless and defeated. He cites an experiment involving dogs where both groups of animals were subjected to electro-shocks, wherein one group of dogs was able to stop the electro-shocks and the other was not. The dogs not able to stop the shocks moved into passivity and depression, and even when presented with the opportunity to escape did not even try to take it because they had learned helplessness. Levine compares this to national elections, where people vote for either Democrats or Republicans but still end up with the same consequences, or don't vote whatsoever but still end up with the same consequences. "That's learned helplessness," explains Levine, "No matter what you do you're going to get that same degree of pain."
Levine compares the apathy and the lack of demonstrations against the 2000 election fraud controversy in the U.S. to similar examples in Mexico in Iran, where millions of people protest even though in doing so they are risking their lives. He identifies debt as a central contributor to people's apathy and how populations are broken. Unlike previous generations, every young person who leaves education is now saddled with an average of $20,000 of debt, and so are petrified of losing their job or having their benefits taken away, thus are far less likely to go out and protest against the system that holds them in bondage.
Three other major factors that have broken an entire generation of young people are the influence of television, the education system, and the mental health profession. Because kids spend all their spare time watching TV and playing video games, they are losing their interest in reading, points out Levine, the perfect cocktail for an authoritarian regime that needs helpless, dumbed-down victims who will tolerate any amount of intellectual and political disengagement. In turn, by forcing children to read books they are not interested in, schools discourage kids from becoming individual readers and restrict their capacity for critical thinking.
School is an authoritarian pacifier, states Levine, while television also teaches young people that the only way to get entertained is through some authority. Meanwhile, kids who rebel become victims of the mental health industry, an inter-personal police force where the pacifying weapons are medication and drugging. Any form of individualistic behavior is increasingly being characterized as aberrant, warns Levine, as part of the process of suppressing a general rebellion against the status quo, as the list of mental disorders listed by the American Psychiatric Association grows and grows with each re-issue of the DSM Manual, which is the bible for the mental health industry.
Levine explains how prior to 1980, there was no "oppositional defiance disorder" listed in the DSM Manual, and how psychiatric conditions listed in the manual are for the most part added for cultural and political reasons, not for genuine health concerns. As we have documented, the process of identifying those who question authority as mentally ill is rooted in some of the most brutal authoritarian regimes in history. Critics of the state were branded mentally ill and sent to psikhushkas – mental hospitals – in the former Soviet Union.
Speaking on the subject of the most common mental illness – depression – Levine notes how the condition was very rare as recently as 25 years ago, but that since an industry grew up around bombarding people with medication, over-prescription of depression became a very lucrative business, with normal human behavior being medicalized as a form of depression. However, perhaps the major reason for skyrocketing rates of depression is the cultural shift towards social isolation, lack of support and lack of community, with around 25 per cent of Americans now living alone and 25 per cent also saying that they now have no confidants whatsoever in their life whom they can trust and receive empathy from, a figure up from just 10 per cent in 1980.
We encourage all our subscribers to watch this interview now at Prison Planet.tv by visiting the "video reports" section. Not a member? Please click here to subscribe and get instant access to this interview, along with thousands of hours of material, including daily access to the live video stream and video archives of The Alex Jones Show.
The Prison Planet.tv Holiday Special is now running – with new subscribers able to become a member for just $39.95 for a whole year – which represents a near 50 per cent discount on the normal month to month price.
By the way, people who know what's coming are taking advantage of our healthy & delicious storable food!


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mbatt necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 294 diseños de 70 diseñadores freelance.
This logo will be seen by the highest of profiled companies and individuals - from the studios, to the networks, agents, managers, production companies, top driectors, producers, etc.
Blink or BLINK
Desired Color Scheme:
earth tones, or different shades of orange, red, black.
Desired Style:
classy and intelligent. Not cartoonish.
Accepted File Formats:
Standard Web Formats (.jpg, .gif or .png)
Looking for a creative design for my company name -- Blink Entertainment. Want the word Entertainment to be beneath the name Blink. Want the word Blink with the letter B to be in a bit of a larger font than the rest of the word "link" so that "link" does not become the focus of the word or easily like just as much the entire word to be in all caps so decide for yourself which way looks best in your opinion. Do not want anything cartoonish. Needs to look intelligent and creative.
Years ago, one of my mentors said to me "One day you're going to blink.......and it's all going to be over. Look how fast the past 5 years have passed you by. So get out there and focus, be determined and make something happen because one day you're going to wake up and it will all be over. Don't have any regrets".
That stayed with me and BLINK or Blink is the name I want for my production company -- as a reminder to me forever.
For the most part, this production company will be producing motion pictures but may move into the television arena as well. When thinking of a design, I want something smart and intelligent. Whatever is created needs to be memorable without being cartoonish in any way. Needs to have a respectable and classy look.
The first letter - B on Blink the and the letter E on Entertainment needs to be a capital letters and not a lower case letter. Not opposed to the letter B being a little bigger font than the lower cased letter L after it. Also, do not like block like lettering, which some of the previous submissions have had. Prefer sharper corners on the letters.
Of the first 20 posted, I have responded more favorably to the ones with white backgrounds, similar to what you will see on a business card or letterhead so avoid submitting any with black backgrounds.
Don't mind if there is some sort of abstract art involved with the logo but not sure whether that is the route to go either.
Regarding colors -- I like earth tones (tans, browns, etc) only in the background for like a business card but lean toward white backgrounds. Not black. Also like bright or very strong shades of red, orange or black for the fonts. Not anything that resembles burnt orange. No blues, greens or yellows. Though I'd like to see your suggestions with color, the logo needs to also work with simple black on white in case I only make a one color business card. Do not do the letter with a star. And remember, I'm trying CREATE A BRAND AWARENESS WITH THE NAME OF THE COMPANY "BLINK" ENTERTAINMENT AND NOT THE DESIGN, PICTURE OF ABSTRACT. THE NAME IS THE FOCUS.
This logo will most likely be used for business cards and letterhead but may also be used for coffee cups, t-shirts and hats.
As I said, this logo is going to be seen by the who's who in Hollywood and I would imagine that the winner of this contest could very well receive additional high profiled clients in the entertainment field, based on their work.
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


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Ipod Parts
|When your parents find out you are not doing well in school, they are usually very angry. But do they usually smash your ipod? I love my ipod, I use it all the time. It cost me 300 bucks, and if my dad smashed it, he would get a big wupping! So do you feel like helping this guy buy a new ipod? What he is asking is that someone pay enough for his broken one that he can buy a new one. Yeah, that is going to happen!
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Session Schedule for Architect Factory on June 2nd
An update to my earlier post, the schedule has been set for The Architect Factory event coming to NERD on June 2nd. IASA New England, {Code Right}, Microsoft, and O'Reilly are sponsoring this half day multi-track event for senior developers and aspiring architects. Hear from seasoned architects on what you need to know to become an architect.
There will be a keynote by Rob Daigneau followed by 9 sessions organized into 3 tracks (Architecture in Action, Leadership, and Head in the Clouds). Sessions will cover practical techniques, current methodologies, patterns, cloud computing, security, how to work with IT stakeholders.
Register at arcfactory.eventbrite.com
This event will be held at the Microsoft New England Research and Development (NERD) Center in Cambridge, MA from 1:00 - 7:15 PM with dinner afterward. So come join your peers and network with some of the most influential architects here in the northeast!
Event Agenda
1:00 – 1:30 - Arrive, Meet and Greet
1:30 - 2:45 - Keynote: "Becoming An Architect", Rob Daigneau
2:45 – 3:00 - Break
3:30 - 4:15 – Sessions
"The Dangers of Over Architecting Solutions" - Bryan Tuttle
"The IT Architect and Technology Leadership – where are we and what next?" - David Leonard
"How the Cloud Pattern is Changing Enterprise Architecture" - Todd Bremner
4:15 - 4:30 - Break
4:30 - 5:45 – Sessions
"Establishing Developer Practices" - Dennis Perlot
"Working with Business Stakeholders" - Ian Dicker
"The Architect and the New Identity Paradigm" - Curt Devlin
5:45 – 6:00 - Break
6:00 - 7:15 – Sessions
"Architecture of Collaboration Systems" - SB Chatterjee
"Using LAAAM to Make Good Architectural Decisions, Fast!" - Jeromy Carriere
"Application Patterns for the Cloud" - Igor Moochnick
7:15 -8:30 - Evening Dinner Event
O'Reilly Media has generously donated copies of 97 Things Every Software Architect Should Know, and we'll raffle off a copy or two in each session.


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Mavis Harper eBooks
eBooks found: 1
Raising Game Birds: Storey's Country Wisdom Bulletin A-93
Mavis Harper & Monty Harper
Storey Publishing, LLC, January 1984
Format: ePub
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PureFlex System
The PureFlex™ System is a fully integrated system with unified management of compute, storage, networking and virtualization resources that utilize built in Patterns of Expertise based on IBM's decades of experience and thousands of client deployments.
These components are pre-configured and pre-integrated to make up three editions of the PureFlex System offerings: Express, Standard and Enterprise that provide "ready-to-go" cloud infrastructure.
Take the next step in reducing IT expenses
IBM PureFlex System: the next smart step in Enterprise IT evolution.
Charles King
Principal Analyst and President, Pund-IT, Inc.
PureFlex System
Pre-configured, pre-integrated infrastructure
The IBM PureFlex System combines compute, storage, networking and virtualization capabilities under a single, unified management console into an infrastructure system that is expert at sensing and anticipating resource needs for your enterprise.
Up to40%
Energy cost reductions2
Up to50%
Reduction of management costs by integration of resource pools across compute, storage and networking4
- Footnotes
1. Based on IBM testing and documented in IBM System x Virtualization Server Consolidation sizing methodology. IBM Flex System x240 supports 2.7X more Peak Utilization Virtual Machines (VMs) than previous generation BladeCenter blades. PureFlex System provides better scaled performance than blades due to higher total memory capacity of Flex System x240 Compute Node.
2. 40% less energy is required on Flex System Compute Node x240 compared with earlier generation Intel x86 processor technology.
3. Based on customer interviews and IBM development estimates of utilization and performance for PureFlex System when compared to older generations of existing systems.. Customer's existing installation comprises prior generation Unix and x86 servers which contain a total of 2010 processor cores. The PureFlex System scenario to support the same application set requires 448 cores, a 78% reduction. Source: International Technology Group (ITG) paper on PureFlex System. Specific client environments and results may vary.
4. From an International Technology Group (ITG, a third party) interview of a group of companies. "Before" PureFlex System and "after" PureFlex System. The results from the group of 6 companies had a peak predicted administrator efficiency improvement of 57% and an average of 42%. Sourced from whitepaper "Value Proposition for IBM Next Generation Platform System", International Technology Group.
5. IBM internal Research and Development estimate comparing VMControl's ability to automatically provision storage to a VM (90 second duration) vs. 2 administrators (storage and server admins) allocating the storage manually without VMControl (2 hour duration). Specific client environments and results may vary. 6. Based on IBM internal Research and development estimates and measurements. The management server setup for IBM Flex System takes 131 minutes. Equivalent setup for BladeCenter takes 388 minutes. This is based on the "build to order" approach, and is therefore very conservative, i.e. if we were to consider the pre-configured options (Express, Standard, Enterprise), the savings would be far larger. Solely the 66% saving claimed for conservatism. Compared with to previous generation blade servers. Specific client environments and results may vary.
Power of Infrastructure Patterns
Automated management across pre-integrated compute, storage and networking resources enabling faster time-to-value and reduced operational expense so your IT resources can be dedicated to more value added tasks. A PureFlex System comes with Patterns of Expertise built in and tuned to fit your enterprise.
Jeff Howard
Vice-President, Marketing, IBM PureFlex
Customize PureFlex with Open Choice
Open Choice gives customers the ability to configure their PureFlex System with a wide variety of elements from IBM and their partners. Choices in critical areas such as architecture, storage, operating systems, hypervisors and networking allow systems to be optimized and tuned to the enterprise.


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Ridiculously fun mobile game Jetpack Joyride is now available for free on Facebook, which means you probably won't do much work today. Check it out, if you haven't already. It's a simple idea, executed brilliantly.
Also I totally got to like 5,000 once. Just saying.
Jetpack Joyride [Facebook via Gamasutra]


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Carri Munden on her new collection video...
This season is a mini collection of women's and men's – digital print, knits and tees featuring all my favourite graphic inspirations: future animal prints (inspired by geckos, tree frogs and 70s sci-fi fantasy art!), Jim Philips, Deadline Comics and Memphis! My favourite piece for women is the wool and neoprene Lolita dress: killa cute! And the Crusader merino wool jumper with stripey sleeves for men – 2012 knight/thug!
The video was inspired by Gregg Araki films. All supersaturated colours, overactive hormones and drug fuelled close-ups! Two teens getting ready in a bedroom to go to an 'end of the world' party. It was directed by Grace Ladoja who also directed my last video and worked on "I can haz ur nightmarz turnz 2 dreamz" with me for Pitti Uomo in 08. It was styled by Anna Trevelyan – perfect powerbabe team!
Toby Boyo and Jade had the perfect energy, I wanted the video to be positive, playful and sexy. The soundtrack 'Go 2 Hell' from Araabmusik/Dipset Trance party reflects this too: thug but euphoric!
I love the immediacy and accessabilty of the video format – for an A.D.D generation in a digital age it's the perfect way to express your ideas and for others to access your world.


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Wrecked tanker dumps 4,000 gallons of gas on Loveland Pass
A tanker truck that crashed on a hairpin turn on Loveland Pass Saturday night dumped at least 4,000 gallons of gasoline on Highway 6 above Arapahoe Basin Ski Area, closing the road and potentially causing serious environmental damage, Lake Dillon Fire-Rescue officials said Sunday.
"It's bad," LDFR spokesman Steve Lipsher said. "There is a lot of fuel spilled and certainly the environmental repercussions could be long lasting."
The truck, a Solar Transportation vehicle that was hauling diesel and unleaded fuel into Summit County, tipped over, rolled onto its right side at approximately 8:15 p.m. Saturday as it rounded a switchback and ruptured, sending a cascade of unleaded gasoline down Highway 6 that officials said was 3 or 4 inches deep in places.
The spill did not spark a fire.
The driver of the truck, 38-year-old Michael Johnson of Thornton, suffered minor injuries.
Local and state hazardous materials teams joined LDFR and Red, White and Blue Fire Protection District firefighters at the scene and worked through the night.
Hwy. 6 was reopened to traffic at 9 a.m. Sunday and clean-up efforts have been turned over to a private environmental clean-up company.
Gasoline has the potential to disintegrate asphalt, but it does not appear there was any lasting damage to Hwy. 6 from the spill, Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) officials said.
But it's still unclear what the ultimate impacts to the environment in the area will be. Firefighters attempted to contain the fuel first by plugging the holes in the tanker and, when that was unsuccessful, by building retention ponds at the bottom of the hill, Lipsher said. Despite their efforts, they are concerned that much of the fuel may have soaked into the soil.
"Fuel that's seeped into the soil is very difficult to clean out without removing the soil," Lipsher said. "It's going to require monitoring, I'm sure, for a long time in terms of ensuring that fuel isn't reaching the Snake River."
CDOT officials said crews may be continuing to work on clean up and containment on the shoulders along Hwy. 6.
"The first priority always is, obviously, to secure the site and get the road open," CDOT spokesman Bob Wilson said. "Then they can do whatever clean-up operations they need."
The truck was prevented from going over a steep cliff on one side of Hwy. 6 by jersey barriers installed after a prior accident in which a large diesel truck crashed in the same area.
"I was told that those served their purpose perfectly," Lipsher said.
Johnson, who reportedly lost control, was cited for careless driving, according to a statement from Colorado State Patrol.
Start a dialogue, stay on topic and be civil.
If you don't follow the rules, your comment may be deleted.


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Bu efekt, yüksek çözünürlükte bir görüntü oluşturabilir
Bu efekt otomatik yüz algılama kullanır
Horses have been around as a main mode of transport for millennia. Our ancestors were excellent riders and owing a horse was a status symbol. If you ever wondered how you or your friends might look like riding a horse as a professional equestrian, look no further than our equestrienne effect.


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Find Our Latest Video Reviews on YouTube!
If you want to stay on top of all of our video reviews of the latest tech, be sure to check out and subscribe to the Gear Live YouTube channel, hosted by Andru Edwards! It's free!
Monday October 19, 2009 8:08 pm
Barnes & Noble Nook e-reader set to launch tomorrow, color touchscreen, $259
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Handhelds, Rumors
Looks like Barnes & Noble is set to take the wraps off of their ebook reader tomorrow, and according to the Wall Street Journal, it'll be the Barnes & Noble Nook that they'll be unveiling. The Nook, pictured above (thanks Giz,) is unique because it has a standard e-ink display like the Kindle, but also sports a color touchscreen beneath the traditional display. Why? Well, try typing anything of length on an Amazon Kindle, and you'll quickly realize that even that task could use some help. The Barnes & Noble Nook will sell for $259 (same price as the Kindle,) and will also allow users to lend e-books to friends. Obviously, we can't wait to see it. We've got one more image for you after the jump.
Read More | WSJ
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Holt. Who goes there....
We all know Oliver Holt. We've followed him on twitter, we've read his columns and we've all got his opinions on him. We might criticise him, we might disagree with him, but you've got to give the guy credit for sticking his opinions out there and, like all the best folks on twitter, he's prepared to engage with those who disagree with him, and often to notable effect.
And so over in EFW headquarters we decided he'd be perfect to face the European Football Weekends treatment. With a recent twitter spat with Rio Ferdinand (In which he published a Direct Message sent to him by Rio calling him 'a fat prick') making waves in the twitterverse, the timing was perfect. And so, over an hour in a North-West London pub, this opus occurred. Enjoy.
EFW: I guess the obvious place to kick off is the Rio incident. What was your take on that, is there anything you'd do differently?
Oliver Holt: I suppose maybe, when I flagged it up on twitter, before the article came out, maybe I wouldn't have flagged up the 'you fat prick thing (the DM)' straight away, maybe I would have flagged up him saying 'you cock' in the mixed zone (after England/ Switzerland). They're effectively the same thing, but by me doing that it allowed the debate to morph into a debate about privacy or confidentiality, which I thought was a bogus debate. And maybe I was slightly culpable in that. I think it allowed people who wanted to shift the debate, the chance to shift the debate. Aside from that, I wouldn't change anything. In terms of the confidentiality aspect, it took me by surprise to be honest, I didn't see that there was any confidentiality to be broken. It would have been different if he'd been giving me a sensitive piece of information, a phone number, or said 'this is between you and me' then fine, but none of that was the case.
I guess if I, or anyone else on twitter, got a message from Rio calling me a fat prick, we'd tell everyone.....
I talked to a lot of people about it afterwards and, confidentiality is a two-way street, if I send an abusive letter to you, have I got the right to expect you to keep that confidential? For one thing, he didn't ask me to keep it confidential, but has he got that right to expect him to keep it confidential? If I'd done that I wouldn't expect it to be kept private, apart from anything else, I just don't see what confidence there was to break. There was just that piece of abuse, which didn't really offend me. What annoyed me about his tweets and DMs was the accusation that I'd never fronted him up about the drugs issue and that I'd had many opportunities to do it. Technically I've had opportunities in press conferences to do it, but in reality it would be hijacking a pre-match press conference, or an impromptu press conference in a mixed zone when other journalists want to talk about a match, something like that isn't feasible. The last time I'd seen him in a casual setting was at the 2006 World Cup, I've got no problem with him personally, and I still don't.
I think where I do have some sympathy for him, is that the missed drugs test was some time ago, and he's served his punishment, and that his name has been dragged back into this (over the Kolo Toure) incident. Ironically it was Man United fans that brought it up because they were annoyed that Kolo only got 6 months, quite rightly, and that Rio got 8. And I understand why he was annoyed, but his name was in that debate, and I entered that debate. Rio was obviously angry that I'd entered that debate, but without getting pretentious about it, that's what twitter is about, I like getting involved with the debate. I don't just want to say something and let everyone else talk about it, I like to get involved too. He seemed to think that I had some sort of vendetta, which I don't. But he's probably not going to be persuaded of that.
How has twitter changed your relationships with players?
I'm not sure if it's changed them that much yet, maybe it will. I think the change twitter has brought so far, is that it's given fans and media alike better understandings of players. I think someone like Wayne Rooney comes across incredibly well on twitter. It feels like you're seeing the real him, and he comes across as a really likeable and actually quite a bright bloke. I think he's been one of the biggest beneficiaries of twitter, and OK, he got involved in a bit of scrap with someone, but that's a bit of an irrelevance to be honest, as that Rio abuse was an irrelevance.
I'm not sure whether it's had any effect on the relationships with press and players, but going back to Rooney it allows players to bypass the media. If you think about Rooney and the hair-transplant, it came out in The Sun, and then he talked about it on twitter, and it was him that posted the picture of it. If he hadn't done that there would have been an absolute feeding frenzy to get the first picture. By doing that he just cut out that avenue. The papers the next day printed the picture he had posted up and suddenly there's no scramble for the picture anymore.
You're not going to get a situation where you see a player and it's like 'Hello mate we've been talking on twitter' I don't think that's gonna happen. But from my own experience I enjoy having conversations with players such as Michael Owen, whom I know, and like. It's nice to have some form of debate, same with people that I know like Phil and Gary Neville, but I don't think it would open up relationships for people I didn't know.
Is a twitter ban for players inevitable?
Well I hope not. I think it's been good for all of us, players too. People talk a lot about the democratisation of the media that blogging and social media has brought, and I think there's a big element of truth to that, and that part of that is a feeling of greater accessibility that twitter brings. Players are criticised a lot by the media for being untouchable and living their lives behind tinted windows and I think twitter is the opposite of that. It shows something of themselves to fans and media. I think it's a great thing and it would be a really shame if clubs or the FA tried to hit too heavy on that.
You mention the rise of new media. Has twitter changed the way you do your job?
I think, at a very basic level, it's a news source. I think a lot of people are on twitter, you look at the amount of stories generated on twitter. It's a primary source. I'm not talking me and Rio, or Rooney, but just what players say casually.
I suppose it has changed the job a bit, it's another form of interaction. I keep going back to the Ferdinand thing, but one of the few interesting about it is that it was an example of how 'new media' works in that I started feeding out elements of a column that goes in a paper on a Wednesday morning at about 7pm on a Tuesday evening. Then The Mirror flag it up on their website at 10pm or whatever, and then I get involved in a kind of hectic night of tweeting with people, and obviously mainly enraged Man Utd fans. The sort of upshot of it is that my entire article is dissected and chewed over by midnight, before it's even appeared in the paper. Hopefully it encourages people to buy the paper as well, but it's certainly an acceleration of the whole reading process. I think it was a good example of the ways papers can use twitter and interact.
What about the way you interact with 'new media,' blogs, podcasts...
I read blogs but I suppose I'm semi-traditional in that I read a lot of established journalists blogs rather than fans blogs. I find it hard to distil what I should read and cut through the mass of what's out there. I know there's a lot of good stuff out there but I guess because I'm not particularly technically adept I don't necessarily know where to find it. I mean look, I love fanzines, stuff like 'United We Stand' and the stuff Andy Mitten does for instance, someone like him is a terrific journalist, and I'm obviously aware of that kind of thing.
I've got a great deal of respect for some of the people on twitter, some of the fans who are prolific tweeters, on behalf effectively of their respective clubs. And at the risk of sounding too pretentious, I find that it's for me anyway, it's educational and keeps you honest in a way. If you tweet something about a player, for example, I said something, when England were playing Switzerland, about what a nightmare game Johan Djourou was having, and how it highlighted the need for Arsenal to strengthen at the back. I had a lot of tweets from Arsenal fans saying 'don't be so ignorant, he had a fantastic season for us.' Or ' He's one of the reasons we had a good defensive record.' I saw arsenal play as much as anyone I saw last season, but probably a maximum of 10 times. So I thought, ok, obviously I got that wrong. So it keeps you abreast of things, it's a source of information as well as a tool for communication.
The line comes there I guess between partisan club nature and actual insight? There's so many voices, for example the Villa/Martin O'Neill thing. I'd disagree with your view, but the interesting thing is that anyone who's not a villa fan would agree with a lot of your criticism of the club and support for O'Neill.
I think that's a good example. You're right, I'm a fan of O'Neill. I like him personally and I've also been a fan of his professionally. But you're right the volume of tweets from Villa fans that are anti-O'Neill is fairly big, and I have to say that many of them make a persuasive case, and so, from an educational position, a lot of tweeters are incredibly forensic in their kind of knowledge so you go through the buys O'Neill made and the one's that flopped and I can see there is a point there. My counter argument to that would be that under him Villa still finished 6th 3 season in succession. I remember saying, one of the few things I get right, on Sunday supplement that I'd guarantee Villa wouldn't finish 6th this season, and you can go round in circles, and that's partly because he left on the eve of the start of the season. He was given a lot of money, and achieved a fair degree of success, they flirted with success. So I think, I've got a lot of time for O'Neill but I can see the point that villa fans are making and again it fits into that category of keeping you honest as a journalist.
As someone who divides opinion, do you thrive on it, and ever look to do it on purpose of 'heighten' your opinions to get a reaction, on twitter for example?
Well, the first part, do I thrive on it? I suppose when you're a columnist for a tabloid, you can't be grey. You can't do an 'on one hand this....' kind of piece, you've got to go for it. Whatever your opinion is, it has to be strong and the whole point of a column is that is an opinion. So it's kind of obvious that some people will agree and some won't, and it's part of that.
I don't set out to be provocative, but if you've got strong opinions about stuff, then they necessarily will be provocative. So recently I wrote a piece about Nani, about how I'd never vote for him to be player of the year, and why. Now I didn't write that to win up United fans, I genuinely felt it , but as it happens, I was aware that it would wind up United fans. But the worse option would be to shy away from something because it's provocative.
Has that changed from going to The Mirror from The Times and being in a more tabloid setting?
I suppose it has. I loved every moment of my time there (at The Times) but I never really had that outlet there, I never had a column, an opinion piece as such. And I did more reportage, reporting from events, which I still do now, but I didn't have a sports column which I really enjoy having at the Mirror. So I suppose it's been a change in as much as it's something I didn't do before.
The thing I enjoyed doing with the Rio piece was that I thought it was a reasonable piece and that sometimes it's nice to talk about things that the fans don't see. That's what I found strange about the whole affair. If he was going to write that DM, what was he concerned about? Why didn't he just tweet it? And obviously the whole exchange in the mixed zone, obviously there were 100s of journalists there, so everybody was aware of that and others were tweeting about that before I did. I think personally those kind of pieces are worthwhile
How does neutrality as a journalist fit alongside growing up as a football fan? Does being a Stockport fan makes that aspect a bit easier?
When I was growing up I'd watch Stockport on a Friday night and either City or United on a Saturday. When I was in my teens I went through spells of watching City or United more. 83, 84 and 85 I watched a lot of United, both home and away. I think journalists differ, and it's wrong for me to generalise and some still feel an allegiance to a club as fiercely as they ever did. But maybe it's because I did have those divided loyalties (between City, Utd and Stockport), but I found fairly quickly when working as a sports journalist that it kind of diluted my allegiances. I started not to care whether City or United won or not and started to see the story really, and think about the match as part of a story, and what the angle to take. I started to look at games professionally rather than personally I guess. And maybe that's a fault, I don't know. I feel more dispassionately about watching games now, but I think you have to be dispassionate up to a point. I still believe that most reporters are, but every fan thinks that you are against their club, and I understand that because you don't feel the same passion for that club that a fan of that club feels. So if we're sitting in the press box at OT, and someone shouts "Are you going to write something nice about us this week?" (not specifically to me, but to the box in general), and you think, mate we write something nice about you every week because we have to because you're always winning! And yet fan of individual clubs feel persecuted by everyone. And sometimes rightly so, some of the treatment Man United have had recently has been ugly, the warning to Fergie of praising Howard Webb for example was very harsh. So I can see there are individual instances where clubs are victimised but I don't think reporters for national newspapers are biased.
But you're right, it was easier for me, being a Stockport fan has meant I've never had to report on them, I've written pieces on them when they've been in financial difficulty, but never had to report on them. But even journalists I know who are Arsenal or West Ham fans, when they report on them, I don't think it impacts their match report. You can be bias on twitter, someone like John Cross, who I've got the upmost respect for, his match reports on Arsenal would be scrupulously fair, but on twitter he's got more licence to talk about his allegiances, talking at fans forums.
You mention being a Stockport fan, what have you made of their recent difficulties?
I'm slightly wary of bigging up my Stockport credentials, I feel slightly fraudulent, I know how incredibly committed a lot of Stockport fans are and I'm keenly aware that I only went to 10 or games last season, mostly away games, due to necessity of work at times. I've got a season ticket for me and one of my daughters, mainly as an expression of support for the club. But I'd be nervous to speak on their behalf, as one friend there comes up from Devon for games home and away, so he's far more qualified by comparison!
I felt more deeply in touch with it the season before when we were threatened with extinction after being in receivership for 18 months. And I felt extremely deeply about that, as every fan would, it's every fans worst nightmare really. But once the club was saved, I understood the anger going on about mismanagement of the club, but a lot of clubs are mismanaged, so I found it easier to deal with us slipping out of the league on footballing terms rather than because we'd been booted out financially. Again when I was growing up, it was always my worst nightmare that Stockport would lose their league status. But I guess now there's automatic promotion from the conference it's happened to other clubs and other clubs have survived it, so it's just getting used to a new reality I guess and the conference is such an incredibly difficult league to get out of.
The football match I enjoyed most last season, out of everything I covered both professionally and personally was Port Vale Vs Stockport. That was the one that I got the most enjoyment out of. I took my little boy who's 3, he didn't watch the game but he just pottered about the away end. For Stockport if we'd lost we could have gone down that day. But Port Vale were pressing for the playoffs so we expected to lose. We won 2-1, the winner was at our end. It was just brilliant. Nothing you do professionally compares to that feeling of being a fan, it was just brilliant, absolutely brilliant.
If I wasn't a journalist and I had my weekends free, I wouldn't go to the Premier League I live in North-West London you know, I think I'd to go Barnet, I've been a couple of times recently, and I liked it there. It's more intimate (at that level), you get intimacy you don't get at the Premier League level, there's something that feels real, more real and intimate about it.
As a fan of a lower league club, what do you make of the recent cut in funding for Supporters Direct?
I'm a massive fan of what David Conn does at the Guardian, and I've read all the stuff he's written about it. And again as a fan of a lower league club I'm aware of the stuff that work that Supporters Direct have done. I saw what Dan Johnson from the Premier League said, how they never got any credit for the money they put into them, and he's right, they do deserve credit for that, but equally I find it a bizarre decision. At worst those tweets that Dave Boyle sent were ill-considered, but I wouldn't even say they were sacking offenses, let alone a reason to cut off the funding.
I think what Supporters Direct have done is entirely appropriate, told him to watch his future tweets, and I don't think anything more needed to be done, he's a guy that's done an awful lot of good work, and he didn't deserve to be sacked for a one off incident. To further compound that by withdrawing their funding is bizarre frankly and very sad. I thought it was the saddest story of the week to be honest.
Do you feel you can use your column to write about that side of the game?
To a point I do. To be fair to the Mirror, if I'd wanted to write about that in my column I could have done, but I kind of thought that the Villa story (his column that day) was more interesting and mainstream. I think that Supporters Direct have a lot of very good champions amongst some of the broadsheet papers who have written about it superbly, but I'm pleased I at least have a platform to at least register an opinion on the Supporters Direct thing, and I'm glad they've had a lot of support.
What about all the recent shenanigans at FIFA? Do you wish you'd done and said more, earlier?
I think it was difficult to do more earlier, because well, I liked Andy Anson the head of our bid but he made an appalling mistake for labelling BBC unpatriotic for doing that Panorama, and the more time has gone on and the more stuff has come out about FIFA the more you can see that what the BBC was trying to do was right and they were castigated for it by a lot of people, and in fact they were castigated by other media.
The Sun did a back page absolutely slaughtering it. And so, I think it was a very difficult kind of thing, when you've got people at the 2018 bid people accusing you of being unpatriotic and saying you're going to ruin the bid, it was difficult, I mean, we all wanted us to get the World Cup, it would have been brilliant. I think you're called jingoistic but I think we deserved the World Cup, we've got great stadiums, great supporters, good infrastructure, hotel rooms and I think we deserved it. It's less easy to complain about our treatment given that Russia won and I suppose that's a new territory, but the whole bidding process is just a sick farce. If you want to go to new territories, say you want to go to new territories, don't let us spend however much it we spent on a doomed bid. But actually, you know, I was really proud of the BBC for doing that thing and it was a really good bit of journalism.
Is there some stuff then that you wouldn't write about (at risk of causing some kind of harm)?
I find it uncomfortable to be overly critical of an England team going into a major tournament, and I think that's probably wrong and probably a weakness in me. Someone like Steve Howard in The Sun, I think has called things extremely well recently, and wrote off our chances of succeeding pre-World Cup and got it right.
I think sometimes I feel, wrongly, wanting to give them the benefit of the doubt, and I end up trying to persuade myself that we have got a chance. I mean, you look at our individual players and you think Ashley Cole, may be the best LB in the world, John Terry and Rio are both fantastic centre halves. You've got Gerrard, and Lampard, who then looked like 2 world class central midfielders, you've got Rooney etc... and you start to convince yourself.
And sometimes you have moments of clarity, like the England/Spain under-21s recently and you see us belting balls 40 yards upfield and hoping for a knockdown and you then see the way Spain pass it around and you think that we're looking at our under 21s and we're looking at years of this kind of football, and we're kind of kidding ourselves. It's the hope that kills you and you need to be totally dispassionate and say we've got no chance of winning Euro 2012, but the nearer it gets to the tournament but the more we'll start to tell ourselves that we do have a chance and we get into this cycle of boom and bust.
Clearly you've got a love of other sports, will you fill your summer with those or will you still be on football duty?
When you work for an English tabloid it's kind of difficult during the season to look at anything else. 70% of what we do is football, I love football so that's hardly a chore. But you know, I spent 3 weeks in Australia watching the Ashes, in terms of work trips that has been my favourite. I love covering football but I love writing about and covering boxing so I'm going out to David Haye's fight in Hamburg. For the under 21s we've got someone there and most paper's view is that it's a one man job and probably we'd send someone else out if England got to the final. (EFW note- Ah the joys of hindsight). But you know Wimbledon starts next week and I'd rather be at Wimbledon than at the under 21s. Football has become something bigger. As soon as the season ends you get this mania with transfers and rumours and the managerial merry-go round.
Yourself and Barry Glendenning were talking recently about the hoop-la that surrounds football, what role you think yourself, the press as a whole plays in perpetuating that?
I think it's self-perpetuating to be honest. I don't actively set-out to big up the Premier League, sometimes the opposite, I sometimes feel that I'm sometimes negatively about it as an entity. Sometimes I feel that the Premier League with its money should do more to help the lower league. So I don't set out to big it up, but I guess as a result of writing so much about it that may go some way to perpetuating it, so it's not something I actively think about bigging it up. I think I write more about the sport rather than what goes on around it.
But I guess the media as a whole is responsible for this but footballers have become you know the equivalent of pop-stars and movie-stars, they're a-listers now and we can't get away from that. And I guess that's largely to do with Sky and the money that they have pumped into football and the knock on effect on the wealth that has been lavished onto footballers that has turned them into these celebrity beings.
What's been your favourite moment watching football as a journalist?
I'd have to say 2. The 1999 champions league final- United Vs Bayern, just for that finish. And, it sounds slightly obvious but the 2005 final, Liverpool in Istanbul. Those were both amazing things to cover, amazing emotional nights. Two great nights professionally with just fantastic scenes, and seeing both clubs succeeding in incredibly dramatic circumstances. So yeah, I'd have to go for those two.
As someone who travels to watch football, where are your favourite places in the UK to watch football, and where would you recommend for a European Football Weekend?
Over here, on a personal level I would say Edgeley Park, season ticket there, next to the press box, because when I was a kid I'd look up at the press box (not just at Edgeley Park) like it was some kind of magical place and how incredibly lucky people were to be doing that job, and sometimes I'd try and blag a programme off them if they'd sold out before the game. So I got myself and my daughter season tickets there.
I love watching Arsenal playing football, and as a club but I like the older grounds. I like Villa Park, Goodison, I like Old Trafford. But I suppose the best atmosphere I've been at in recent years was at the Liverpool/Chelsea Champions League semi final second leg in 2005, the 'ghost-goal' game. That night was the best atmosphere I've ever seen. So I suppose for your question, Anfield on a big night game is pretty hard to beat.
The Bernabau is my favourite stadium, I love it, you can feel the history of it, I like the steep sides of it and I just think it's a brilliant stadium. It's slightly tempered for me by the experience of being there when England played there and there was the racist abuse of SWP and Heskey, it was so widespread. I've never seen anything like that, even in the bad-old days of English hooliganism, it was everywhere, and that has tainted it for me. Thought it's wrong to condemn everyone because of that, I love the stadium, I love the city. I suppose that's my favourite. The San Siro is fantastic as well.
I'd say that watching football in Brazil is pretty hard to beat. The Maracana is a pretty special place to go. There are 3 stadiums I haven't been to that I'd love to go. One is Eden Gardens in Calcutta to watch cricket, I've not been to the Chicago Cubs' stadium Wrigley Field and I'd love to go there. The one place in football I'd love to go to would be the Bombonera in Buenos Aries where Boca Juniors place. A few of my friends have been there. Matt Dickenson from the Time said it was the most unbelievable experience.
Thanks a million to both Jamie Cutteridge and Oliver Holt for their valuable time.
You can follow Jamie Cutteridge, Oliver Holt and European Football Weekends on Twitter.
Discuss this and more on the brand new EFW forum


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Vargas delivers as KC earns fourth straight win
Lefty fires seven shutout innings; Moustakas belts two-run homer
KANSAS CITY -- Left-hander Jason Vargas didn't look like he knew where he was going. Certainly not cruising toward a shutout. Not to Royals manager Ned Yost anyway.
"The first two innings, he was all over the place," Yost said.
Then, Vargas got his sense of direction, found the plate and got the Royals through the first seven innings of their 5-0 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Friday night at Kauffman Stadium. It was their fourth straight win.
Mike Moustakas backed him with a two-run homer, Alcides Escboar was 3-for-3 and scored twice, and Omar Infante had two RBIs. Left fielder Alex Gordon stole the show on defense.
When the 21,192 fans left the ballpark, the Royals not only had won four in a row, they'd gone over .500 (8-7) for the first time this year, and they were in a virtual tie with Detroit for first place in the American League Central standings.
Quite a turnabout from just five days ago when they left Minnesota burdened by three losses to the Twins and lodged in last place.
"You can't look in the past in this game," Moustakas said. "Whatever happens, happens, and you can't go back and change anything about it. So, we look forward to what we've got today and what we've got the next day."
What they'd have on Saturday, in a very few hours, was an afternoon rematch with the Twins and Yost liked the way his hitters were perking up as they approached that game.
"We're swinging the bats better, there's no doubt about that," Yost said. "Moose is finally starting to get some results, he's putting some good swings on the ball. Esky is up to .294 with three hits again tonight, he's really swinging the bat well. Omar with two RBIs and two knocks tonight, so those things are big for us."
All that damage came against right-hander Ricky Nolasco, who beat the Royals with eight strong innings just last Saturday.
"I thought I did a decent job for the most part," Nolasco said. "But they did a good job finding holes and the homer was big, kind of putting it out of reach there."
Moustakas opened the season 0-for-21 and now his seven hits include two home runs in the last three games. Escobar began 0-for-16 and since is 15-for-37 (.405). Infante's seven RBIs are second-most on the club.
Although Moustakas still is batting just .140, Yost sees a more mature Moose as he slowly gathers steam.
"At this point in the season last year, he was struggling and it was killing him," Yost said. "I mean, he didn't know how to handle it. He was real intense -- he was screaming, yelling, going crazy. There's none of that this year. That's helping this transition along. I think he knows he's in a good spot, he just needs to get some hits."
As for Vargas, he emerged from his fourth Kansas City start with a 2-0 record and a 1.24 ERA. But he had Yost wondering for a while.
"It wasn't easy. The first two innings, he really battled his command. He was up to almost 50 pitches after the first two innings and then he gathered it back in," Yost said.
Vargas was clear about what helped him the most.
"The defense really saved us," he said. "I got that pitch count up early and was fortunate enough to have some short innings, but the defense helped out with that. Gordo made that throw and that catch, and we turned that double play. It was just a good all-around defensive game."
Sure enough, Gordon was in full bloom as a three-time Gold Glove Award winner in left field.
In the fourth, Josmil Pinto stroked a drive to the left-field wall, but he was thrown out at second by Gordon. It was his third assist this year and his Major League-best 57th since switching to the outfield in 2011.
Given those stats, why do runners keep testing Gordon?
"That was a legitimate double. I don't really think that's a test," Yost said. "That's more a testament to Alex's Gold Glove ability to make a play like that and throw a guy out. I think 10 out of 10 guys are going to try on that ball."
Yeah, they keep going which doesn't surprise Vargas.
"I'm never really surprised," he said. "Everybody wants that little extra edge, but he gets the ball in, puts it on the money and it's good to have him out there."
Gordon again aided Vargas in the sixth, leaping high into foul territory and banging into the side wall to catch Joe Mauer's line drive.
The double play came in the third inning when Infante and Escobar collaborated with Eric Hosmer on an artistic enterprise.
Vargas has pitched at least seven innings in each of his four starts. He forced the Twins to strand six runners.
"He has a good plan and sticks to it," said the Twins' Chris Colabello. "It seems like every time we get runners on, he finds a way to get out of it. He's a pitcher, not just a thrower. He thinks his way through things. He kept us off-balance with the changeup for a lot of the game."
Aaron Crow and Louis Coleman followed up with a scoreless inning each to complete the shutout. Afterward, Vargas was the picture of confidence.
"I expect to go out every time and give us a chance to win. Is that going to happen every time? Hopefully, most of the time," Vargas said. "But, I definitely feel I'm capable of going out there and continuing to pitch like this."


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Yeah, it's got some bright work.
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*Price, if shown, is Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) and does not include government fees, taxes, dealer vehicle freight/preparation, dealer document preparation charges or any finance charges (if applicable). MSRP and/or final actual sales price will vary depending on options or accessories selected.


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So many lovely-looking cookbooks seem to come from the little town of Big Sur, on California's Central Coast. The Big Sur Bakery Cookbook and My Nepenthe spring immediately to mind.
Here's a new one to add to the list: The Homesteader's Kitchen: Recipes From Farm to Table by Robin Burnside with photographs from Kodiak Greenwood (Gibbs Smith, $19.99).
The book's images highlight locally grown produce at its luscious best in more than 100 recipes designed to nourish body and soul. We're talking simple recipes, made from scratch, with homegrown or farm fresh products as the focus.
Author Burnside's premise for this book is her passion for whole foods, lovingly prepared and well presented. Who can argue with such a common sense approach? Burnside is a well-known local entity; for the past two decades she has been homesteading and practicing a sustainable lifestyle — including growing her own food and body surfing at the beaches in beautiful Big Sur. She's also the former co-owner chef of Carmel Cafe in Carmel, ran Cafe Amphora at Nepenthe in Big Sur, and managed the kitchen at Esalen Institute, the wellness retreat center, for several years.
There's a lot to like in this cookbook. Novices may appreciate basic recipes such as grilled whole fish, hummus, and oatmeal, along with simple stocks, sauces, and salad dressings.
But there's enough here to whet the appetite of more experienced home cooks as well. I particularly like the sound of the Creamy Mango-Coconut Smoothie (with soaked cashews), and Kale and Sea Vegetable Salad with Sesame Citrus Dressing.
You'll find several nods to Asian-influenced offerings, including Bali Toast (a breakfast treat similar to French toast), Gado-Gado (a traditional Indonesian peanut sauce), and Thai Cilantro Pesto. And dishes that just sound delicious, like Fresh Summer Fruit Tart with Honey Citrus Cream or Spinach, Fennel, and Tangerine Salad with Maple Pecans.
I like the handy tips sprinkled throughout the pages, such as "I always use the highest quality oils and vinegars for my salad dressings because they tend to have considerably more flavor than cheaper brands, and a little goes a long way." And: "The wonderful flavor and texture of freshly made tortillas is well worth the extra effort, and once you try them, it might be tough going back to eating the commercially made varieties." Agreed.
To win a copy of The Homesteader's Kitchen leave a comment below telling me about one fruit or vegetable you'd like to learn how to cook.
Entries must be received by Thursday, July 22, PT by 10 pm.
Winner chosen at random.
I'll announce the winner on Friday, July 23. Reminder: you'll have exactly one week to claim your prize.
Thanks to Romney (Nani) Steele, author of My Nepenthe for the heads up on this book.
Update: Apologies, peeps, a day late getting to this giveaway, crazy busy week. Thanks to all of you for chiming in and making this my most popular giveaway to date. A copy of The Homesteader's Kitchen, chosen at random, is going to Rachel Higgs. Stay tuned for a pending post responding to some of your recipe requests below. And do stop by next month for another great giveaway.
Updated update: Repeated attempts to reach Rachel Higgs were unsuccessful, so the book goes to Ellen Ring, chosen at random from among the comments. Ellen wrote back right away with her snail mail address and The Homesteader's Kitchen is on its way to a new home. Enjoy!


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Last week I asked readers to give me their most repellent celebrities of the past 100 years. I nominated Dean Martin. Others piled on. The results are above, but it's a work in progress.
Aside from Martin, the people listed are readers' choices. Some I agree with, some I understand but don't agree with, and some I can't even begin to understand.
We have more than we need, and at least half the people on this list don't belong, not even slightly. First of all, there are too many comedians. How did that happen? Plus, the gallery is too long.
So let's hear some of your nominees, and let's get this down to, at most, 100, by tonight or tomorrow morning at the latest. To make things easier, for every person you nominate, suggest taking someone off the list, so that, in this way, we can grow it and cut it down at the same time.
Update: Well, the good news is there was no consensus for 100 repellent celebrities, and many among the 50 we have here, chosen by readers, are debatable. So perhaps there is less repellence in American life than we have been led to believe.
Finally, just because of the inundation of requests, I went ahead and added, by popular demand, political commentators. I tried to leave off politicians, because then we get into the realm of bringing in people who are truly and horribly repellent, rather than repellent in the sense of rubbing you the wrong way.


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text: Event date: 9/16/2019 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM Export event Monday, February 18, 2019 / Categories: Events Barre - Vana @ Lotus Living Arts Studio Beginning March 4th, join every Monday & Wednesday at Lotus for Barre-Vana from 6 p.m.-7 p.m. ! Barre - Vana is a total body workout inspired by the movements of Pilates, yoga, ballet aerobics, and strength training. This one-hour isometric workout features movements that will majorly improve posture, muscle definition, flexibility, and help lower stress levels. Classes include modifications for any fitness level, so you can feel accomplished while doing an amazing workout that will lengthen, strengthen, and tone your body! Cost: $10 Lotus Living Arts Studio 30 Union Street, South Concord, NC 28025 For more information: firstname.lastname@example.com Event date: 9/16/2019 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM Export event Print 32187


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AURORA, Colo., July 25 (UPI) -- "The Dark Knight Rises" star Christian Bale Tuesday visited with seven people wounded in a movie theater massacre in Aurora, Colo., a hospital official said.
Bale and his wife, Sibi Blazic, went to the Medical Center of Aurora, where the hospital's interim president, Bill Voloch, said they visited with five people who are still in treatment for wounds and two people who came to the medical center from Swedish Medical Center, The Denver Post reported.
"The patients were really happy to meet Bale," Voloch said. "They are obviously big fans of his movies. They wanted to see Batman and were really pleased to see Bale.
"It was good for the patients. We hope it was therapeutic for them, and all the staff really appreciated him coming."
Bale and Blazic spent time with doctors, police officers and emergency medical personnel who were among the first responders when the shooting broke out early Friday at a screening of "The Dark Knight Rises."
Bale and Blazic stopped by a memorial to victims and visited with Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper.
A spokeswoman for Warner Bros., which is distributing "The Dark Knight Rises," said Bale was "not representing" the studio in Tuesday's visit, the Post reported.
Bale's "Dark Knight Rises" co-star joined him earlier in expressing sympathy for those involved in the mass shooting.
"My most sincere sympathies go out to the families of the victims in Aurora," Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who plays a Gotham policeman in the blockbuster Batman movie, said via Twitter Monday.
"My heart aches and breaks for the lives taken and altered by this unfathomably senseless act," Anne Hathaway, who plays Catwoman, said in a statement during the weekend. "I am at a loss for words how to express my sorrow. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families."
"Words cannot express the horror that I feel. I cannot begin to truly understand the pain and grief of the victims and their loved ones, but my heart goes out to them," said Bale.
James E. Holmes, 24, is to be charged next week in the deaths of 12 people and the wounding of dozens more when he allegedly opened fire at the Century 16 Movie multiplex where the third and final installment in Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy was showing in a midnight screening.


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Quote:10 months? 2nd kub? It took me 11 years to become black belt hahaha (ok I took a break of 2 years when I was 14) but still... damn
Quote: we do not enter into competition at all.
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Robin Roberts' mother dies
The mother of Good Morning America"co-host Robin Roberts has died. Jeffrey W. Schneider, senior vice president of ABC News, said 88-year-old Lucimarian Roberts died Thursday night.
ABC's Facebook page said Robins traveled "home to Mississippi just in time to see her."
The death came on the same day Roberts said goodbye to her co-workers and audience before starting medical leave for a bone marrow transplant. Her departure had originally been set for Friday. But in a last-minute change of plans she told her viewers she was leaving a day early to visit her ailing mother.
Read more:
Robin Roberts exits 'GMA' one day early
Robin Roberts takes medical leave from 'Good Morning America'


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|Instrument: LIDAR : Light Detection and Ranging
Instrument Category:
Earth Remote Sensing Instruments
Instrument Class: Active Remote Sensing
Instrument Type: Profilers/Sounders
Instrument Subtype: Lidar/Laser Sounders
Related Data Sets
View all records related to this instrument
Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) is an active remote sensing system
that can be operated in either a profiling or scanning mode using
pulses of light to illuminate the terrain. LIDAR data collection
involves mounting an airborne laser scanning system onboard an
aircraft along with a kinematic Global Positioning System (GPS)
receiver to locate an x and y position and an inertial navigation
system to monitor the pitch and roll of the aircraft. By accurately
measuring the round trip travel time of the laser pulse from the
aircraft to the ground, a highly accurate spot elevation can be
calculated. Depending upon the altitude and speed of the aircraft
along with the laser repetition rate it is possible to obtain point
densities that would likely take months to collect using traditional
ground survey methods.
Additional information availabel at
[Summary provided by NOAA]