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SANDY, Utah — Marco Pappa scored a hat trick and the Chicago Fire made a huge statement at sold-out Rio Tinto Stadium on Wednesday night, spoiling Javier Morales' return with a 3-0 victory and keeping their playoff hopes very much alive against a stunned Real Salt Lake.
The Guatemalan scored his first goals since late June and carried the Fire to their third straight win and within three points of the 10th and final playoff spot. In the process, they put a huge dent in RSL's Supporters' Shield hopes and sent the hosts — who lost captain Kyle Beckerman to an early red card — to their second consecutive three-goal loss.
Chicago opened the scoring in the ninth minute against the run of play with a combination play setup by Patrick Nyarko and Daniel Paladini on the left side of the penalty area that set up Pappa squarely in the box for an easy shot that went past a helpless Nick Rimando.
Two minutes later, Beckerman was shown red, changing the trajectory of the match. Salt Lake's holding mid appeared to head-butt Paladini, who had given him a nudge from behind just moments prior, and the RSL captain was sent off by head official Baldomero Toledo.
The Fire took advantage of the situation, spreading the ball around and making RSL chase. The tactic paid off in the 39th minute when Pappa netted his second score of the night. The play came after a missed tackle by defender Yordany Álvarez, and Pappa again found himself unmarked in the area and was able to pick out his spot on the left side of the net, making it 2-0.
Real Salt Lake received a boost of energy in the 60th minute when Morales was introduced for his first game action since his broken ankle in May. His first touch was a free kick from 30 yards away that found the head of teammate Fabián Espíndola, but the redirect went astray. Morales showed his quality on a couple of other passes, but none of them led to the elusive goal that the team was searching for all night.
But the night belonged to Pappa, who broke free in the 75th minute from the right wing and lifted it past Rimando to complete his hat trick, taking his goal total to eight for the season.
The victory keeps Chicago's playoff hopes alive as they climb to 36 points on the season. They travel to Houston on Saturday before heading to Seattle for the US Open Cup final on Oct. 4.
The loss keeps Real Salt Lake in third place in the Western Conference with 51 points and all but puts the Supporters' Shield out of reach as they travel to the first-place LA Galaxy on Saturday.
Scoring Summary:
CHI -- Marco Pappa 6 (Daniel Paladini 1, Patrick Nyarko 8) 9
CHI -- Marco Pappa 7 (Pavel Pardo 4) 36
CHI -- Marco Pappa 8 (unassisted) 75
Misconduct Summary:
RSL -- Kyle Beckerman (ejection; Serious Foul Play) 11
RSL -- Fabian Espindola (caution; Unsporting Behavior) 16
CHI -- Dan Gargan (caution; Unsporting Behavior) 16
RSL -- Yordany Alvarez (caution; Tactical Foul) 56
Chicago Fire -- Sean Johnson, Dan Gargan (Michael Videira 78), Josip Mikulic (Jalil Anibaba 70), Cory Gibbs, Gonzalo Segares, Marco Pappa, Daniel Paladini, Pavel Pardo, Logan Pause, Patrick Nyarko (Corben Bone 81), Dominic Oduro.
Substitutes Not Used: Orr Barouch, Diego Chaves, Baggio Husidic, Jon Conway.
Real Salt Lake -- Nick Rimando, Robbie Russell (Chris Schuler 46), Jamison Olave, Nat Borchers, Chris Wingert (Javier Morales 60), Andy Williams, Kyle Beckerman, Luis Gil (Yordany Alvarez 15), Will Johnson, Fabian Espindola, Alvaro Saborio.
Substitutes Not Used: Paulo Araujo Jr., Ned Grabavoy, Collen Warner, Tim Melia.
Referee: Baldomero Toledo
Referee's Assistants: Fabio Tovar; Ian Anderson
4th Official: Juan Guzman
Time of Game: 1:50
Weather: Clear and 80 degrees


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I love this modern take on the granny square with The Purl Bee's new pattern to make a granny stripe blanket. The photo above is a great detail shot showing the different color options but I love the idea of even making the stripes closer together and having a shade of lovely colors to add in the mix.
Joelle from The Purl Bee writes:
The Granny Stripe is a crochet pattern that is made just like the iconic Granny Square, but instead of stitching around and around a center square, it is made by stitching back and forth in rows. The beauty of the Granny Stripe pattern is how effortlessly it lends itself to graphic elements, like bright stripes or big blocks of color.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Wood Designs™ High-Pressure Laminate Table - Round - 36 in. dia. x 18 in. - 29 in. H Adjustable Leg
Product Number: Z49203
This item is shipped directly from our supplier. Allow extra delivery time.
Quality wood table made from 1 in. thick MDF core with high-pressure laminate and matching heat-sealed edge banding. Carefully rounded and sanded corners and edges for maximum safety. All surfaces and backs are constructed from 100% environmentally friendly birch plywood with no added formaldehyde that can diminish air quality. GREENGUARD® Gold Certified. Made in the U.S.A.
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It's been a banner year for Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency teams in the United States Soccer Development Academy (USSDA), and they're hoping things only get better with playoffs set to begin this week.
Whitecaps FC have taken the league by storm in just their first season competing in America's premier youth academy system. As the lone Canadian club in the league, the U-18 and U-16 'Caps claimed the division titles in their respective age groups and now they're both off to Frisco, Texas to compete in the USSDA round of 32.
Both squads have been placed into one of eight groups of four teams and will play three matches over the span of four days with a berth in the USSDA Final Eight Championships on the line.
"Every team that's in that playoff bracket has obviously earned the right to be there," Residency head coach Craig Dalrymple told whitecapsfc.com. "I don't think there's any game you look at and think that'll be an easy game. We need to be at our sharpest and at our best to go out there to win the group in both age groups."
After finishing first in the West Conference, Northwest Division, Whitecaps FC U-18 Residency (18W-5L-3D) earned the top seed in Group 2, which also consists of Texans SC Houston, Weston FC, and Pateadores.
All season long, the U-18 'Caps have consistently found ways to score. Led by Caleb Clarke (24 goals) and Yassin Essa (18 goals), who notched a hat-trick in the squad's regular season finale, the 'Caps scored 80 goals in 26 matches this season — second to none in the entire West Conference.
"That group will always score goals," Dalrymple said. "They've got a lot of creative attacking-minded players in the group. The balance between that group and some of the more defensive-minded players is good."
Coming off two of their most dominant performances of the season, in which they outscored their opponents by a combined total of 15-2, the 'Caps enter the postseason with no shortage of confidence.
"They're a confident group, and they've always been confident," said Dalrymple. "The last two results, they've obviously hit peak form and they'll look to continue that in the playoffs."
Their first test will be June 25 against a familiar West Conference foe.
Pateadores (13W-9L-5D), based in Rancho Santa Margarita, California, is the lone Group 2 club the 'Caps have faced this season. The California outfit, which finished fourth in the West Conference, SoCal Division, is unbeaten in five matches. Their last loss came at the hands of Vancouver on March 31 in Surrey. Essa scored the lone goal of the match as the 'Caps claimed a 1-0 victory.
Vancouver will be right back at it the following evening against Weston FC (14W-9L-2D), based in Weston, Florida. Although they dropped their final two matches of the season, Weston FC scored more goals than any other team in the South Conference, finishing fourth in the Southeast Division.
Finally, the 'Caps conclude their spell of three matches in four days on June 28 against Texans SC Houston (16W-5L-10D), who finished third in the Central Conference, Texas Division this season. Texans SC enter the postseason riding a six-match unbeaten streak.
Having won six of their last seven matches, Whitecaps FC U-16 Residency (17W-6L-3D) will be the second seed in Group 3, which also consists of South Carolina United Battery, FC Greater Boston, and Charlotte Soccer Academy.
The 'Caps, who have conceded the fewest goals in the entire West Conference, lost just one match in divisional play this season on their way to a first-place finish in the West Conference, Northwest Division.
On the other end of the pitch, striker Brody Huitema has led the squad's attack. His 20 goals in 22 appearances account for more than a third of the team's offensive output this season.
Despite losing their final match of the season, Dalrymple said he believes the U-16s are in good shape heading into next week.
"I think the players need to recognize and focus on the process of winning games, rather than winning games," he said. "The process of doing all the right things at the right times is more important and will enable them to go on and be successful."
The U-16 portion of the tournament gets underway June 26, when the 'Caps have a date with FC Greater Boston (14W-7L-5D) from Waban, Massachusetts. FC Greater Boston finished first in the East Conference, Northeast Division, after losing just one match in divisional play. They enter the postseason having won four straight.
Two of the top-ranked defences in the league will go head-to-head the following evening when the 'Caps meet Charlotte Soccer Academy (11W-8L-6D) from Matthew, North Carolina. Both squads have only conceded 22 goals this season, and Charlotte, who placed second in the South Conference, Atlantic Division, have only lost one of their last eight matches.
Things won't get any easier for the 'Caps when they conclude their playoff round on June 29 with a tilt against the top-seeded South Carolina United Battery (17W-5L-3D). The Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina side earned the top seed after finishing first in the South Conference, Southeast Division. They're led by striker James Carlin, who has scored 22 goals in 21 appearances this season.
The winner of each group will advance to the USSDA Final Eight from July 16 to 23 at BBVA Compass Stadium, home of Major League Soccer's Houston Dynamo.


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08-07-21 Saltoluokta and Piteå
Eva, Leo and Ron visited the Saltoluokta Mountain Station in Lapland for five days and four nights. Then we visited Max in Piteå for one day where he is working for the summer as a junior physician. Leo arrived Saltoluokta one day after Eva and Ron. We took an overnight train from Stockholm and slept in a compartment with only one other person. We were not so lucky on the way back--the compartment had the full complement of 6 people sleeping in a very small space. Eva and I were on the top bunk (of three) while traveling in both directions. The rain left us in the town of Gällivare (pronounced like yelli-va′-reh) where we boarded a bus for the trip inland. After around 2 hours we were left at a boat landing where we took a short trip over the lake to the mountain station. Eva and I took three hikes, a different one each day. The first day was a reprise of a hike we took three years ago to the Sami village next to Pietsaure (a lake), 6 kilometers from the Mountain Station; this time we visited the cafe at the village that is advertised along the way. We had a nice chat with the owner of the cafe, a Sami woman. Her husband showed up as we were leaving and we took a picture of them both. They and their daughter are the only summer residents of the village. They run the cafe and the boat rentals, and rent out cabins. The other sami in the area use this village for the birthing of reindeer in the spring months. The local couple live otherwise in the Sami village next to the Mountain station. The second day Eva and I walked partway up a nearby peak, one that we had topped three years ago, via a slightly different route. The third day we walked south on Kungsleden (royal road) down which Leo had traveled the day before. Leo stayed overnight in a tent at a spot 20 kilometers away from the mountain station. Eva and I turned back after we had gone passed the high point of this portion of the path, not wanting to duplicate Leo's trek, but hoping we might meet him on his return to the mountain station. He arrived later, after we had returned. Along the return trip we saw some beautiful rainbows which are shown in this set of images. On the last day We took the same boat and bus back to Gällivare where we caught a train to Luleå, and then a taxi to Piteå. The train company provided the taxi, in lieu of the bus seats we had reserved, because the train was four hours late and we missed the bus. After staying overnight in a travelers' hostel, we spent most of Sunday with Max, touring the town of Piteå and chatting at his rented house where he stays with four other junior physicians--for the summer. On our return trip, we took a bus to a little town, Älvsbyn, where the train passes through from larger towns to the north on its way to Stockholm. This train was also late, by about 2-1/2 hours. It was a long wait in the middle of almost nowhere. The last picture in this album shows the train arriving. We were always North of the Arctic Circle in this visits, so the sun set no earlier than 10:30 PM, and still gave us light a long time afterward as it slid under the horizon. we arrived Stockholm 90 minutes late.Read More
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Dale Earnhardt Jr. flourishing in crew chief's last season
LONG POND, Pa. — They snapped selfies with wide smiles while leaning over the gargantuan bronzed trophy of an eagle awarded to the winner at Pocono Raceway.
They laughed while pushing brooms around victory lane and posing for photos with fans, family and track officials.
They goofed around in an upbeat postrace interview, playfully trading placards along with quips.
The impending split of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and crew chief Steve Letarte essentially was cemented last Wednesday when Greg Ives was chosen by Hendrick Motorsports to lead the No. 88 Chevrolet next season.
But Earnhardt's win in the GoBowling.com 400, which completed his first season sweep of a track since Talladega Superspeedway 12 years ago, didn't have the vibe of a team whose crew chief carries a 15-race expiration date (Leterate will move to NBC Sports as an analyst next season).
Instead, the celebration was of a loose and confident crew that has rejuvenated the career of Earnhardt, who is enjoying his best season in a decade while "everything has been great. I got my professional life good, and the personal life's doing good."
But it starts with "performing well on Sunday is No. 1 in my life," and Earnhardt constantly credits the cohesiveness of a team that reflects the ebullience of Letarte.
"This group really enjoys each other," he said. "We all have a vested personal interest in each other to be better, and we want to help each other, and we want to see everybody happy.
"We all do that for each other, and I think the team clicks on all cylinders."
After firing at each other nonstop during a team-building paintball outing Saturday ("just a wee bit sore," Letarte said), the team turned its sights on the opposition at the 2.5-mile track where strategy is always critical.
That places a premium on the decision-making atop the pit box, and Letarte was on top of his game with tactical calls Sunday that helped move Earnhardt into second behind teammate Jeff Gordon, who led a race-high 63 laps.
"I got a lot of faith in Steve and the strategy that he used gave us the opportunity to get by some guys that we probably weren't going to pass on the racetrack," Earnhardt said.
Two more calls helped seal his third win of the season and 22nd of his career.
Halfway through a nine-lap caution, Letarte pitted Earnhardt for fuel and four tires on Lap 121 of 160. Four laps after the green flag flew again, Letarte brought the No. 88 back to the pits for its final stop.
The moves helped cycle Earnhardt ahead of Gordon, and it brought a satisfied fist-pump from Letarte, who had spent several laps formulating the strategy with engineer Kevin Meendering.
"Every once in awhile there's a moment in time that it all kind of became clear that, 'Man, we might have somewhat of a clue what we're doing,' " Letarte said. "And it was awesome. Then you just kind of sit back, and I'm really no different than you guys. I'm watching the race."
Earnhardt took it from there, snatching the lead from Greg Biffle with 14 laps left and then holding off a charge by Kevin Harvick on a restart with three laps remaining.
"Definitely the pressure's on that last restart, when you got Kevin lining up beside you," Earnhardt said. "I knew how confident Kevin was going to be going into turn one and I had to have that same confidence in my car."
He fell back on some of the qualities that Letarte has instilled in NASCAR's 11-time most popular driver, who has been calmer and more composed on the radio over the past four seasons.
When Letarte made an adjustment Sunday that left his car ill-handling for a few laps, Earnhardt managed it.
"When you're in the car and it's not working, you just bite your tongue trying not to be a fool on the radio," he said. "I think that 10 years ago I would have screamed, 'What the hell are you doing? But they're just trying to help get the car better. In years past I probably was a little bit immature about how I handled the situation. So I've grown up a lot.
"We got a great team, and Steve's done a good job getting us to this point. He runs the whole thing. So we're just going to keep trying to do a good job and win some more races."
This win will be remembered as an ideal bookend to Ives' introduction four days earlier.
"I think that the timing was spectacular," Letarte said. "I think it really helps ease the guys."
Follow Ryan on Twitter @nateryan


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Land adjacent to Baxter State Park opens for hunting and recreation
Private foundation hopes to build support for national park
More than 100,000 acres of land next to Baxter State Park in northern Maine are being opened to the public this week for recreational purposes.
Elliotsville Plantation Inc., a private foundation based in Portland, hopes the move will generate public support for a national park and recreation area in northern Maine.
The land was previously owned by businesswoman Roxanne Quimby, who is best known as the co-founder of Burt's Bees, a personal care products company.
Quimby was met with opposition from sportsmen when she purchased tens of thousands of acres and closed the land to snowmobiles, ATVs and hunters.
David Farmer, a spokesman for the foundation, said Quimby serves on the foundation's board of directors. Her son, Lucas St. Clair, is the board president, Farmer said.
St. Clair, is an avid hunter and fisherman, and he is now leading Quimby's effort. He said Monday's announcement shows he is listening.
Starting this week, hunting will be allowed on 40,000 acres of land located east of the East Branch of the Penobscot River near Shin Pond, Patten and Stacyville and land southwest of Baxter State Park between Greenville, Monson and Brownville Junction, Farmer said.
St. Clair said Monday's announcement means EPI is "making good" on its commitment to expand public access and increase recreational opportunities on the land. St. Clair said he has been meeting with people around the state, including those in the towns that surround Baxter State Park, for more than a year.
"What I've heard is that people want to protect access for activities like snowmobiling, hunting and fishing, and they want the additional economic activity that a national park would bring," St. Clair said.
Although no specific plan has been created for a national park, Farmer said a proposal under discussion would create a national park of up to 75,000 acres west of the East Branch of the Penobscot River, where visitors could fish, hike, paddle and sight see. The proposal also would set aside a similar amount of land on the river's east side for the same activities plus snowmobiling and hunting.


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Now entering the tablet wars: the BlackBerry PlayBook, a contender from Research In Motion, maker of the iconic smartphone.
Unlike most tablets aiming to take on the iPad juggernaut, the PlayBook, which I've been testing for five days, doesn't run on Google's Android operating system, nor does it run on RIM's own aging phone software. It uses a new tablet OS that is handsome and quick, and looks different from Apple's and Google's. I enjoyed the user interface.
But that isn't the biggest distinction between the PlayBook and the other tablets. This first edition of the PlayBook has no built-in cellular data connection and lacks such basic built-in apps as an email program, a contacts program, a calendar, a memo pad and even RIM's popular BlackBerry Messenger chat system.
To get these features with your $500 PlayBook, you must use it with a nearby BlackBerry phone connected to it wirelessly over a short-range Bluetooth connection. Once this link is made, these critical applications pop up on the PlayBook's screen, via a system called Bridge.
But these are essentially ghosts of the same apps on the phone. In my tests, I could use them from the tablet, where they looked nicer, and they did synchronize with the phone. But when I broke the connection, the apps became grayed-out and the data they held disappeared. It is all stored on the phone.
This odd system, aimed at pleasing security-concerned corporate customers, doesn't work with other smartphones. So, in my view, even though Bridge is a neat technical feat, it makes the PlayBook a companion to a BlackBerry phone rather than a fully independent device. That may be fine for dedicated BlackBerry owners, but it isn't so great for people with other phones. PlayBook owners with other phones must do things such as email and calendar tasks on the tablet using Web-based apps like Google's or Yahoo's via the PlayBook's browser. All other phones can do is provide the PlayBook an Internet connection using their hot-spot features.
The PlayBook, which goes on sale April 19, will match the prices of the Wi-Fi versions of the Apple iPad, starting at $499 for a base model with 16 gigabytes of storage—albeit with a screen that, at 7 inches, offers less than half the surface area of the iPad's.
RIM says it is planning to add built-in cellular data, email, contacts, calendar and the other missing core features to the PlayBook this summer, via software updates. But until then, I can't recommend the PlayBook over a fully standalone tablet, except possibly for folks whose BlackBerrys never leave their sides.
There are other reasons for my hesitation. For one, unlike the iPad, which can run almost all of the 350,000 iPhone apps, the PlayBook can't run any of the 27,000 BlackBerry apps. It will launch with only about 3,000 apps designed for tablets, compared with 65,000 tablet-optimized iPad apps.
RIM also plans to release this summer special players or emulators that will allow the PlayBook to run BlackBerry apps and even Android apps. But the latter, while numerous, will be apps designed for the smartphone versions of Android, not the newer tablet version. It's too early to say how these apps will perform via the special player.
I got the strong impression RIM is scrambling to get the product to market, and that it will be adding other features already offered on competing devices for months, through software patches.
For instance, although the PlayBook has very nice front and rear cameras, it comes without video-chatting software. That will be added soon after launch, RIM says. The same goes for a video store, even though the screen renders videos beautifully and a built-in connector outputs gorgeous high-definition video to a TV over a cable.
The built-in Photos app offers no functions for sharing pictures, another feature the company is considering adding later. There is no one-touch icon for airplane mode. You can't yet add Web bookmarks to the home screen, though some ship with the device.
Battery life also fell short in my tests. With the screen brightness at about 75% and Wi-Fi on, I played a movie I had transferred from a computer over and over until the juice ran out. The PlayBook lasted a bit over five hours, well short of the company's claim of eight to 10 hours for mixed use. In mixed use, and on a second test of watching video with Wi-Fi off, I did better, over six hours, but well short of the 10 hours on the iPad 2. Plus, I ran into a few bugs, including a scenario where the memory ran out prematurely. This persisted after a major software update that was supposed to fix it. RIM is now blaming the bug on a single app, which it says will be fixed by launch.
So is there anything good about the PlayBook? Actually, yes. I really liked the user interface of the new operating system, which is based on software RIM bought called QNX. It's smooth and fast, and makes excellent use of multitouch gestures. An area at the bottom of the screen holds the icons, which are divided into sections like "All," "Media," "Games" and "Favorites." When you have multiple apps open, large images of them appear at the top of the screen, and you can scroll though them. It's a very clean, attractive approach.
The browser, while sometimes slow to load, is highly capable, even on sites designed for a regular computer, and does the best job with Flash video and Flash sites I have ever seen on a tablet—far better than on any Android device I've tested. I couldn't find a Flash video the PlayBook couldn't handle, and it even breezed through a site written entirely in Flash, which other Flash-capable mobile devices couldn't. The iPad, of course, can't use Flash at all.
The hardware is sturdy and the back has a nice rubberized feel. While the PlayBook is 14% thicker than the iPad 2, it's about one-third lighter. This lower weight, combined with its smaller overall size, will appeal to people who find the Apple product too large.
The screen is beautiful, even though it has a lower resolution than the iPad's. And the cameras are better than the iPad's.
Still, unless you are constantly glued to a BlackBerry phone, or do all your email, contacts and calendar tasks via a browser, I recommend waiting on the PlayBook until more independently usable versions with the promised additions are available.
Find all of Walt Mossberg's columns and videos at walt.allthingsd.com. Email him at email@example.com.


text: Motorweek Selects Chevrolet Corvette Stingray as the 2014 Driver's Choice Award February 6, 2014 04:30 PM MEDIA INFORMATION Contact: Mark Bilek Director of Communications and Technology Chicago Automobile Trade Association Office: (630) 424-6082 Cell: (847) 652-0632 Email: email@example.com Contact: Jennifer Morand Senior Public Relations and Social Media Manager Chicago Automobile Trade Association Office: (630) 424-6084 Cell: (630) 391-1986 Email: firstname.lastname@example.com FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CHICAGO (February 6, 2014) – MotorWeek named Chevrolet's Corvette Stingray as the 2014 Drivers' Choice Award during the Media Preview of the 2014 Chicago Auto Show. The Chevrolet Corvette Stingray was recognized for its exotic car performance and realistic price. Host, Executive Producer, and Creator of MotorWeek John Davis said this award represents the pinnacle of automobiles. "On behalf of Chevrolet and Corvette, we are honored to accept the Drivers' Choice Award," said Jose Gonzalez, lead designer of the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. "It is amazing to see the fruit of our labor come to fruition and to see General Motors come together through engineering, design and marketing." The 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray is the seventh generation Corvette and boasts a generation-four LT1 V8 engine, magnetic ride suspension and a seven-speed manual transmission. This is the second year that a General Motors vehicle has won the Drivers' Choice Award. The MotorWeek Drivers' Choice Awards represent the best automotive picks for a range of lifestyles. The editorial staff selects the best vehicle in every segment, including cars, trucks and utility vehicles, based on evaluations of performance, technology, practicality, fuel efficiency and dollar value. To watch complete coverage of the 2014 Chicago Auto Show Media Preview press conferences, please visit http://www.ustream.tv/channel/chicago-auto-show-2011. The manufacturer press conferences are also available at www.youtube.com/chicagoautoshow. For more information about the Chicago Auto Show, please visit www.chicagoautoshow.com. ### About the Chicago Auto Show The Chicago Auto Show is the largest on the continent, spanning more than 1 million square feet of production, concept, and exotic vehicle exhibit space. In addition to hosting multiple world and North American vehicle debuts, the Chicago Auto Show's First Look for Charity raises more than $2 million annually for 18 worthy Chicago organizations in a single night. The 2014 public show will be February 8-17. For more information, visit ChicagoAutoShow.com or Facebook.com/ChicagoAutoShow. Media can register for the Chicago Auto Show Media Preview at chicagoautoshow.com/media/. About The Chicago Automobile Trade Association Founded in 1904, the Chicago Automobile Trade Association is the nation's oldest and largest metropolitan dealer organization. It is comprised of more than 400 franchised new-car dealers and an additional 150 allied members. The group's dealer members employ nearly 20,000 people in the metropolitan area. The association has produced the Chicago Auto Show since 1935. For more information, visit CATA.info. Back to News


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Creating custom fields in my address book
You can create a custom field in your Workspace Webmail Address Book so that you can include additional information about your contact, such as the contact's birthday. You can add up to four custom fields.
To Create a Custom Field in Your Address Book
- From the Address Book menu, click Contacts.
- Click the Add Contacts icon.
- Go to the Custom tab.
- In one of the Custom fields, click the Rename hyperlink.
- In the Rename Field dialog box, enter the field name.
- Click Update.
For more information about adding contacts, see Adding Contacts to Your Address Book.


text:
Shellac UV Polish Sweet Lovely Cream
Prices incl. VAT plus shipping costs
Ready to ship today,
Delivery time appr. 1-3 workdays
- Order number: SH-175
The trendnails Shellac UV Polish Sweet Lovely Cream varnish makes your nails look perfect and flawless for weeks. With its thin-medium-viscosity consistency, it can be super easy to apply directly from the brush bottle and ensures long-lasting neat-looking nails. With the Shellac Base-Coat and an additional sealant with Shellac Top-Coat, you can achieve a perfect natural nail reinforcement in just a few minutes, which neither flakes off nor splinters due to its flexibility.
Our Shellac is soak-off and can be easily removed even without a milling cutter, so it is particularly suitable for a quick home-style manicure. Of course, the UV varnish can also be applied like a color gel over your gel modeling.
• with a sticky layer
- Push the cuticle back with a rosewood stick and remove from the nail plate
- Lightly roughen the natural nail and apply Ultra Bond Primer (1036-10)
- Apply Shellac Base-Coat and cure
- Apply Shellac colour in 2 thin layers and cure each time
- Seal with Shellac Top-Coat and cure
- Remove the sweat layer with cleaner
- Optionally, apply a nourishing nail oil and massage
• Nude / Beige
• Milchig
• Transparent
• Dünnviskos
• LED härtend 30 sek
• Maniküre geeignet
• Mit Schwitzschicht
• Mittelviskos
• Pediküre geeignet
• Soak-Off
• UV härtend 120 sek


text:
Fill out this form and start a face to face conference call with one of our experienced sales team members. You will receive an email and/or text message with a secure link to start your Zoom call as soon as a representative is available. Schedule for now or later.
Tax, Title and Tags not included in vehicle prices shown and must be paid by the purchaser. Dealer installed options not included. While great effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information on this site, errors do occur so please verify information with a customer service rep. This is easily done by calling us at (252) 557-1462 or by visiting us at the dealership. By submitting your information, you consent to receive all forms of communication including but not limited to; phone, text, email, mail, etc. Message and data rates may apply. Consent to these terms is not a condition of purchase. You may opt out at any time. Lifetime Warranty available on vehicles 2015 and newer and under 80k miles and does not include European makes.
**With approved credit. Terms may vary. Monthly payments are only estimates derived from the vehicle price with a 72 month term, 4.9% interest and 20% downpayment.
*Dealer doc fee $698, vehicles and state offers not included.
*Mention this advertisement to the dealer to receive the advertised price.*
MPG Disclaimer: Based on model year EPA mileage ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle.
an Automotive Advertising Agency


text:
All STINGRAY performance test data is provided by motor manufacturers and other third parties
such as marine publications.
The Z-Plane Hull mitigates the air and water turbulence and delivers clean, smooth water to the
propeller. It means we can attain fast speeds with a lighter engine, which translates into a very
economical boat in terms of fuel economy. [MORE INFORMATION]


text:
In April, managed account provider Curian Capital released its annual survey of advisors' attitudes about the future. No surprise, most mentioned alternative investment and tactical allocation strategies as keys to client success in a still-turbulent global economy.
But in the wake of 2008, advisors are also sensitive to criticism about hyping hot, new investment ideas. They recognize the need for non-correlated asset classes in client portfolios, but also that the accompanying due diligence is now more crucial than ever.
Enter Private Client Resources, a Connecticut-based research and reporting firm, whose expertise is in "delivering faster, ever-more accurate data on complex wealth, and doing so with the highest level of client service."
No fly-by-night outfit is this. PCR counts Goldman Sachs' James Gorter, former Assistant Treasury Secretary Thomas Healey, as well as Herbert Aspbury, chairman of the board of trustees at Villanova University, as members of its advisory board (among others).
Robert Fiore, president and CEO of Private Client Resources, sat with Investment Advisor for a revealing interview about the alternative space.
What does the increase in the use of alternative investments say about the corresponding need for quality research in the space?
We see a primary need in transparency for the end client, and more and more advisors are looking to distinguish themselves with this transparency, especially post-2008. Pre-2008, client statements and reports were not very detailed or transparent. It looked like something you might receive from an accountant that was largely performance-driven.
Today, clients are looking for a greater level of oversight and governance: to be in partnership with their advisors. For that reason, advisors are looking to be better about explaining what's going on and the added value they bring to the relationship.
We know that the more sophisticated the client is, the more likely he is to have alternative investments, and [advisors will] need a mechanism for collecting, aggregating and reporting on the alternative investment portion of the portfolio, in conjunction with the rest, which is a science in and of itself.
Managed futures were (and still are) all the rage in the alternative investment sector. Any other trends that you are seeing?
We know that multi-currency strategies are key. It's necessary for advisors and clients to have the ability to check that box, and it will be increasingly so as time goes by, but we aren't seeing the adoption of such strategies yet. It's still too early.
You said alternative investments are more likely to be seen in sophisticated portfolios. Are they beginning to move downstream?
Alternative investments are moving downstream. We have $20 billion in assets in the alternative space, and we're seeing as much as 40% to 60% of the portfolio in alternative assets.
Who is your main competitor?
Our main competitor is the status quo. Other companies are using software, spreadsheets and people to handle their alternative investment business. But it's a secondary business for these companies; it's not what they specialize in. Unseating software and internal processes takes a long time, and you have to be patient. But we are seeing more advisors recognize that outsourcing is the way to go.
You often employ a yoga and mixed martial arts metaphor when describing the company. What gives?
Yoga and MMA require an understanding of one's strengths and weaknesses. In business, inefficiency, stagnant growth and low profitability can be improved the same way a yoga participant enhances his flexibility and an MMA fighter improves his offensive skills. Repetition and a varied skill set—in the case of business, improving a company's efficiencies and building client relationships—adapts the body to conquer those challenges the next time they are faced with them. These are the exact methods that have helped PCR excel and continue to rapidly grow.


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Lance Armstrong said he finally cracked after he saw his son defending him against allegations from anti-doping authorities.
Authorities and disillusioned fans might have wanted it differently -- perhaps while expressing deep remorse or regrets, though there was plenty of that in last night's second part of Armstrong's interview with Oprah Winfrey.
Armstrong didn't break over the USD 75 million in lost sponsorship deals, or after being forced to walk away from the Livestrong cancer charity he founded and called his "sixth child."
He didn't crack after his lifetime ban from competition.
It was another bit of collateral damage that Armstrong said he wasn't prepared to deal with.
"I saw my son defending me and saying, 'That's not true.
What you're saying about my dad is not true,'" Armstrong recalled.
"That's when I knew I had to tell him."
Armstrong was near tears at that point, referring to 13-year-old Luke, the oldest of his five children. He blinked, looked away from Winfrey, and with his lip trembling, struggled to compose himself.
It came just past the midpoint of the hourlong program on Winfrey's OWN network. In the first part, broadcast Thursday, the disgraced cycling champion admitted using performance-enhancing drugs when he won seven straight Tour de France titles.
Critics said he hadn't been contrite enough in the first half of the interview, which was taped Monday in Austin, but Armstrong seemed to lose his composure when Winfrey zeroed in on the emotional drama involving his personal life.
"What did you say?" Winfrey asked.
"I said, 'Listen, there's been a lot of questions about your dad. My career. Whether I doped or did not dope. I've always denied that and I've always been ruthless and defiant about that. You guys have seen that. That's probably why you trusted me on it.' Which makes it even sicker," Armstrong said.
"And uh, I told Luke, I said," and here Armstrong paused for a long time to collect himself, "I said, 'Don't defend me anymore. Don't.'
"He said OK. He just said, 'Look, I love you. You're my dad. This won't change that."
Winfrey also drew Armstrong out on his ex-wife, Kristin, whom he claimed knew just enough about both the doping and lying to ask him to stop.
He credited her with making him promise that his comeback in 2009 would be drug-free.
"She said to me, 'You can do it under one condition: That you never cross that line again,'" Armstrong recalled.
"The line of drugs?" Winfrey asked.
"Yes. And I said, 'You've got a deal,'" he replied. "And I never would have betrayed that with her."
Armstrong said in the first part of the interview that he had stayed clean in the comeback, a claim that runs counter to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency report.
And that wasn't the only portion of the interview likely to rile anti-doping officials.
Winfrey asked Armstrong about an interview in which USADA chief executive Travis Tygart said a representative of the cyclist had offered a donation that the agency turned down.
"Were you trying to pay off USADA?" she asked.
"No, that's not true," he replied, repeating, "That is not true."
Winfrey asks the question three more times, in different forms.
"That is not true," he insisted.


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My attack's STOPPED !
April 13, 2013, 01:02
Post: #1
My attack's STOPPED !
Dear targeted individuals of the world.
I am a targeted individual from the United Kingdom,
I would like to confirm that the DEW (directed energy weapon) abuse part of my attack which is the most important part of the attack because its was meant to kill me, has now stopped.
The way I have stopped it is by not allowing the microwave beams used to burn me, get to me. (These beams are definitely coming from small UAV's drones above me which I can actually see at night when the sky's clear)
So, how I have I done this?
To find out, please go to the following link:
I promise that this information has worked absolutely 100% to stop the DEW assault and I'm okay again. Believe me folks you need to do the same.
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"But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream…its leaves are always green…"
—Jeremiah 17:7-8b (NIV)
Trees were not plentiful in Israel and most grew by sources of water like an oasis or a stream. Jeremiah's simile indicates a person with confidence in the Lord is like a deep-rooted tree by the stream whose leaves never die but are always green.
Aunty Esther was the first Christian I met inside China thirty years ago. She was a diminutive elderly Chinese medical doctor with a soft, kind voice that masks the many years of suffering through which she has passed.
"During the Cultural Revolution," she says, "I was called in by my superior one day. At that time I was in charge of eight large pediatric wards in my hospital. "The communists were cracking down on people who did not toe the current party line. My superior warned me that I should deny my faith and join the communist party or I may have to face the serious consequences of job demotion and salary reduction.
"A few days later, I was rudely awakened by four nurses who roughly pulled me from my bed and marched me to the hospital. En route, they stopped at a barbershop and shaved off half of my hair. In front of the rest of the staff, I was confronted to renounce my faith in Christ and join the communist party.
"I responded, 'I can't deny Jesus. I love Jesus!' At the mention of his name they threw me down on the ground and cursed. Later, the communist cadre at my hospital tore the stethoscope from my neck and said, 'You are no longer Esther; you are now The Fool.'
Esther continues. For the next eleven years, she lived in the basement of the hospital and obediently submitted to her new task—cleaning the floors and toilets of the hospital wards that she previously headed. Her already meager salary of 50 dollars per month was reduced to 15 dollars. And she had to buy the cleaning materials from it. The rest was used up on food.
But Esther practiced the presence of Jesus in her job. She sang as she toiled. With a twinkle in her eyes, she adds, "My hospital had the cleanest floors and cleanest toilets in all of China!" Hospital staff would come to her and with great envy question her source of joy in spite of her troubles. Esther responded, "When you have Jesus in your heart, it doesn't matter what job you do or what position you have. It only matters that you love Him and are faithful and loyal to Him!"
When the Cultural Revolution period ended, Aunty Esther was reinstated in her original job and given back pay for all that she had been deprived during those eleven years. This amount enabled her to send one of her children to the USA for higher education. She faithfully carried on her public witness for Jesus until the day she died in her late nineties.
RESPONSE: I will allow my roots to grow deep in the Lord so that my leaves will always be green.
PRAYER: Lord, thank You for the example of faithful Aunty Esther whose life reflected Your love.
Standing Strong Through The Storm (SSTS), a daily devotional message by SSTS author Paul Estabrooks. © 2011 Open Doors International. Used by permission.


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AUGUSTA, Maine — A long-debated bill that could have banned the use of corn-based ethanol in motor fuel in Maine passed unanimously through the Senate Thursday evening.
The original bill banned ethanol in fuel on the condition that two other New England states do the same. The Senate amended the bill so that the ethanol prohibition will take effect only if 10 other states with a collective population of at least 30 million ban it.
LD 115, An Act to Join in a Prohibition on Motor Fuel Containing Corn-Based Ethanol, faces more votes in the House and Senate. It was one of several bills dealing with ethanol that were debated by the Legislature this session in light of the possibility that the federal government will begin to require the use of more ethanol-heavy gasoline. Ethanol in fuel became more common beginning in 2007 with the passage of the federal Renewable Fuel Standard, which required fuel producers to increase the amount of renewable fuels in gasoline. The law required the use of 9 billion gallons of renewable fuel in 2008 but that number will rise to 36 billion gallons by 2022.
In order to send the message that the state is against the use of so-called E15 gasoline, which includes 15 percent ethanol, the Legislature passed LD 453, An Act to Prohibit the Sale of Gasoline That Contains Ethanol as an Additive at a Level Greater Than 10 Percent by Volume, which was signed into law by Gov. Paul LePage on May 7.
According to AAA, approximately 95 percent of vehicles currently on the road could have their warranties voided because auto manufacturers have said E15 doesn't comply with their vehicles' fuel requirements. The Renewable Fuels Association, which represents the ethanol industry, disputes that and claims that some 62 percent of light-duty vehicles can use E15.
As of the beginning of this year, according to the association, the E15 blend was available at 10 gas stations in Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska.


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Tokyo Flash has turned another watch from concept to reality, and this one's 3D! Well, kind of. Using an optical illusion rather than the kind of 3D we normally see on Giz's pages, the time appears to leap out in a 3D cube.
It comes in seven different color combos with a stainless steel strap, and will cost $119 until tomorrow, and then $145 thereafter. Just don't attempt to read the time wearing a pair of anaglyph glasses—you may stop time completely. [Tokyo Flash]
You can keep up with Kat Hannaford, the author of this post, on Twitter or Facebook.


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Though the person who invented MTV Unplugged is owed at least a light thwack in the genitals for inspiring Radio 1's execrable Live Lounge, the show was, ultimately, one of the classier things about the channel in its pomp – a fair few of the acoustic concerts staged under its auspices were very good, with Nirvana's contribution pretty much validating the series in and of itself.
So I was a little sad to note while, er, 'researching' this review that Unplugged has now been relegated to a very occasional online thing - which I suppose is inevitable given MTV doesn't really play music anymore, but still, I'd vaguely hoped all my favourite indie-rock bands had been doing Unplugged shows, only I hadn't noticed.
One of the few bands to appear twice were R.E.M., and it's interesting – well, if you're a terrible nerd it's interesting – to note the shared fortune of band and broadcaster. The first time, in 1991, R.E.M. were skyrocketing towards being the biggest band in the world and MTV was their vehicle to the heavens. Tarsem Singh's evocative video propelled 'Losing My Religion' to global ubiquity, and the band's MTV concert was essentially in lieu of touring seventh album Out of Time, the time off the road giving the band the room they needed to bash out the monumental Automatic for the People just a year later.
The second time R.E.M. appeared, in 2001, things were different. MTV hadn't quite given up on music yet, but it had kind of de-aligned itself with any scene - it had been the New Romantic channel, it had been the hair metal channel, it had been the grunge channel, it had been the alt rock channel… now it was just MTV, not really standing for anything. The launching of specialised channels was part of that, but the fact is MTV had parted ways with the zeitgeist, and the golden age of the music video was probably over – the most expensive videos of all time were overwhelmingly made in the Nineties.
R.E.M. had, by this stage, ceased being anything like the biggest band in the world, having followed Automatic for the People with the three weirdest albums of their career (Monster, New Adventures in Hi-Fi and Up). They were still a jolly big act, especially in Europe, but 2001's Reveal - the record their second MTV concert was promoting - probably also marked the point where their hitherto unimpeachable run of artistic form began to wobble.
REM Unplugged from Record Store Day on Vimeo.
Does any of this actually have any impact on Unplugged: The Complete 1991 and 2001 Sessions, a first audio-only release for the concerts, now given a wider release after being issued as a Record Store Day vinyl last month? Weeeeeell maybe, maybe not:, it's definitely notable that while the 1991 performance is a relaxed, crowd-pleasing set largely based around an album (Out of Time) that was acoustic anyway, the 2001 concert has a real air of elegy to it, old standards like 'The One I Love' pointedly reworked into slow, skeletal dirges, Michael Stipe's voice low and rich and weary. A notable 1991 omission, ten years on Out of Time's colossal, elemental 'Country Feedback' dominates. And it's hard to hold back a small sniffle at a set that ends with Up's pained 'Sad Professor' and its final, repeat line, "I hate where I wound up".
The second concert feels a bit better realised, basically, but they're both pretty good: R.E.M. were a great live band, and the acoustic format is a fine showcase for Stipe's remarkable voice. And 1991 and 2001 complement each other well, as contrasting mood pieces and because by accident or design, there's very little overlap between discs ('Losing My Religion' is the only song to appear on both).
That accepted, Unplugged is another in a very long line of R.E.M. live releases you wouldn't exactly call essential, if only because they set the bar so high with their concert films Tour Film and Road Movie.
But things don't have to be essential to be worth owning. The Stipe-designed cover art – an alluringly shitty series of photographs of a television screen showing the MTV broadcasts – sets out this release's stall, as a lovingly assembled historical record, the beginning and the end of a bygone era.
7Andrzej Lukowski's Score


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Marbled Rye Bread
Long time no post.
I wanted to try something different and a good friend said that she really like Marbled Rye (Hi, Grandma Phyllis) so that is the reason for this bake (like anyone here needs a reason to bake bread). So I pulled out Peter Reinhart's :The Bread Baker's Apprentice" (aka BBA). This is the Marbled Rye Bread from there (page 183). I followed the recipe pretty much exactly. I scaled the recipe for a batch and a half, two loaves to give away and one to make sandwiches thru the week.
In this recipe you make tow doughs, which are identical except for the coloring that is added to one to make it darker. I used Cocoa as the coloring agent. One more change to the recipe, we were out of molasses so I used Karo corn syrup.
I was pretty pleased with the results. However next time I will add a bit more water as the dough was very stiff. Just like when I make a Cinnamon loaf I like to see lots of spirals (see http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/20417/cinnamon-loaf).
Roll dough of each color out into a long rectangle.
Straighten edges as needed.
Place one dough on top of the other. Next time I will have one loaf with the darker dough on the bottom (outside).
Begin to roll up the dough, keep it tight and eliminate any air pockets.
All rolled up. Check to see how it will fit into the baking pan. If needed elongate the loaf to fit nicely.
Elongated and ready for the pan.
All ready for the final rise.
Fresh from the oven.
Buttered and ready to be sampled.
I will be making this again.
Happy Baking, Dwayne


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TV en Français, Sous la Mer
It's been a few years since New York-based We Are Scientists released a new offering. With a new record label in tow, Toronto-based Dine Alone Records, Keith Murray and Chris Cain are giving fans the kind of songs that put them on […]
It's been a few years since New York-based We Are Scientists released a new offering. With a new record label in tow, Toronto-based Dine Alone Records, Keith Murray and Chris Cain are giving fans the kind of songs that put them on the global map and that we've been missing from our playlists – a five-track EP entitled Business Casual, which will be released on October 15. The duo first hinted at an oncoming release when they put out a double A-side record in July 2013, exclusively to fans through their website with the tracks "Something About You," and "Let Me Win."
Murray & Cain recently trekked down south to the Everglades and Miami, FL and took a break from vacationing to film the music video for their new song "Return the Favor". The video was directed by Dan Monick. Business Casual illuminates the full range of We Are Scientists, from the big chorus of "Return the Favor" to the visceral rock track "Dumb Luck"- both songs were produced by Chris Coady (Beach House, Smith Westerns, Yuck) at Magic Shop in NYC. Fans of the band Berlin will be pleased to hear a smooth, pedal steel version of the classic love song, "Take My Breath Away." The track and "Good Answer" were recorded at Atomic Heart in NYC with Claudius Mittendorfer (Franz Ferdinand, Arctic Monkeys, Muse, Interpol).
The band has always been known for their on-stage antics and humorous personalities. Some have even ventured to call them "intelligent indie-pop," after they created a 7-episode series of television shorts entitled Steve Wants His Money, which aired on MTV UK.
We Are Scientists shocked themselves and impressed many others with their 2005 debut With Love & Squalor, which sold over 100,000 copies in the UK, and led to a sold-out UK tour, including two nights at Brixton Academy. They have since released two full-length albums Brain Thrust Mastery (Virgin Records, 2008) and Barbara(Masterswan Recordings, 2010). All three albums charted in the UK, with singles "After Hours," "Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt," "The Great Escape," "It's a Hit" and "Chick Lit" all charting in the US/UK. They have appeared on US late night talk shows, The Late Show with David Letterman, Conan and Carson Daly and performed at Coachella, Sasquatch, and All Points West festivals. In the UK, the band played the Reading and Leeds main stage and Glastonbury Festivals among other world-wide touring.
- Keith Murray
- Chris Cain
Dine Alone Records
Dine Alone Records


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How to Rent Movies With a Very Happy Ending
So in this installment of the Savings Experiment, allow us to sift through the abundant, popular rental options, because hey: We're all thumbs .. as in thumbs up or thumbs down, a la Siskel and Ebert.
Now then: In terms of the plot synopsis, imagine if you will a movie buff who begins by scoping just a few flicks every now and then--let's call him Fast-Rent Freddy. Then, through a gripping and dramatic transformation worthy of a Spielberg epic (okay, a "South Park" episode) he eventually morphs into Cinemaphile Fred. Here's how the deal goes down.
Based in the Chicago area, Redbox has become a huge favorite among those who want to pick up a movie on the go, see it for a night and return it the next day, without ever having to brave the aisles at a conventional rental store. With more than 20,000 locations nationwide, Redbox kiosks--which resemble soda machines with an attitude--can be found at major supermarkets, shopping centers, convenience stores and McDonald's locations. (Would you like fries with that?)
Here's how it works: You can reserve movies online at Redbox.com (you need to start an account first). Then you can find where you can pick up the movie by entering your zip code after you hit the "rent" button. I did this, and found 20 locations within two miles of me in Chicago.
Each Redbox kiosk holds 630 DVDs that span a total of 200 different titles, almost all of them new and recent releases that rotate weekly. The same films are available at every Redbox, so at any one time, you have just 200 films to select from.
How much does it cost to rent? $1. Yup, that's it. That buys you a night's worth of entertainment. But be forewarned: late fees apply if you don't return the film by 9 p.m. the next day--and will cost you $1 a day. So a week's worth of absentmindedness is going to set you back a total of $8, original rental included.
Still Redbox has its advantages, including convenience, and an iPhone app that allows you to locate kiosks. All in all, a pretty good deal for Fast-rent Freddy.
Ah, but let's say Freddy is becoming more accustomed to that comforting glow from his big-screen TV, and the reassuring scent of popcorn wafting from a Tupperware bowl. He wants more--as in more movies a month.
In that case, Netflix could be his flick fix. With this immensely popular mail-in service (which has a third more subscribers in 2010 than in the first quarter of 2009) you can rent unlimited movies, one at a time, for $8.99 a month. You can either stream or view via DVDs by mail.
Netflix also offers graduated price plans that allow you to rent out up to 8 DVDs at a time for $47.99 a month. There are no late fees, but you can't get new films out until you return the old ones in the handy, pre-paid mail-in envelopes Netflix provides you.
Nowhere does Netflix say how large its catalog spans, but company reps tell us they stick more than 100,000 different titles. They also have a 24-hour customer service line (1-866-636-3076) and offer 1-month free trials. An added bonus: You can collect frequent flyer mile bonus points with United's Mileage Plus through subscription specials.
Netflix has also made some noteworthy moves into the digital realm. You can instantly watch movies (some new releases) and TV episodes (including current season) streamed from Netflix to your PC or Mac. Netflix users can also view films on the Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii (starting this spring) and the Roku digital video player for Netflix, a Time Magazine Gadget of the Year in 2008.
So in terms of deals, Netflix beats Redbox price-wise if you take their introductory deal at $8.99 a month, and rent out and return more than 9 films in that monthly period.
And so Freddy--who's starting to look more and more like a couch potato, to the consternation of his sexually frustrated wife--is beginning to think about playing the field. He gathers he's more sophisticated than he used to be, with hints of Cinemaphile Fred showing through in his smoking jacket and Jean Renoir beret. Is there something more for him out there, he wonders.
There is at least one other big mail-in choice that also has bricks-and-mortar stores to boot: Blockbuster. They used to be the King Kong of movie rental chains, until Netflix came along with a model that crushed those Blockbuster late fees. Blockbuster now has its own mail-in system, which words in quite similar fashion to Netflix, except that it allows you to mix mail with store visits. In all, Blockbuster carries about 95,000 video titles (with considerably less in stock, of course, at their store locations).
If you choose their by-mail option, you'll pay $8.99 (1 DVD at a time), $13.99 (2 at a time) or $16.99 (three at a time) per month. The "All Access" model, which allows users to to use a combination of mail and up to 5 in-store exchanges, costs $11.99 (1 DVD at a time), $16.99 (2 at a time) or $19.99 (3 at a time.)
You can also rent in-store, of course. And though Blockbutser loudly announced "The End of Late Fees" in a highly-publicized ad campaign, that's not quite true. In fact, the chain agreed to pay out $630,000 to 47 states in 2005 for misleading advertising.
Mostly movie rentals are $5 for 5 days, a probably sign of competition from Redbox. The movie is due back by store closing on the 5th day. If you keep the movie after the 5th day, you will be charged an additional daily rate of $1 per day up to 10 days. After 10 days, the movie will be auto-sold to you at the retail price. (If you forget the due date, it's printed on the receipt.)
But as with anything involving Hollywood, there's intrigue afoot. Blockbuster is in trouble--big trouble--with the company losing retail stores left and right. It has even resorted of late to openly attacking Netflix's streaming selection, as documented by Consumerist.
Also known as pay-per-view, the on-demand systems offered by Verizon and Optimum/Cablevision allow you to order a movie and watch it in your home with all the convenience of a DVD rental. This system only makes sense i you already have cable in your home, or plan on getting it, as the monthly fees for most cable services surpass Netflix's highest-priced rental plan, for example. Some options include:
Verizon FiOS TV offers a video-on-demand service consisting of current studio releases and library of approximately 1,800 titles, with 2,000 titles planned over the next couple of months. New studio releases can be viewed for $3.95 per movie; library movies for $2.95. A subscriber generally has 24-hours to view the selection. Subscribers can start, stop and pause the selection at will. Those prices compare favorably to Optimum/Cablevision, which charges slightly more ($4.95) for new movies, and the same $2.95 for catalog films.
Though Fred is feeling frisky, he's probably not going to go this route--unless he's absolutely too lazy to haul his butt to a Redbox, or find something on Netflix or Blockbuster.
Still, after watching "Lawrence of Arabia," Freddy of Suburbia has decided to explore some more exotic realms of the video rental landscape. Armed with a machete and a bologna sandwich, he sets off for the Silicon Valley...
MOVIES ON iTUNES
From "Crazy Heart" to "Avatar," iTunes has a good many of the new releases movie watchers want to rent. Their system requires that you have an iTunes player; TV shows run $1.99 standard, $2.99 high-def, $39.99 gets you a season pass for all episodes (standard) or $59.99 (high-def). In the movie realm, "Crazy Heart," for example, costs $3.99 to rent and $14.99 to own. It's also 1.54 GB, so depending on your download speed, it could take you hours to download. Speaking of time, you have 30 days from the time of your download to watch the movie, and 24 hours from the time you start watching to finish it. Then the film disappears from your iTunes library.
Either inspired by some Mandarin ("a hollowed-out gourd used to hold precious things") or the Indonesian word for "butt" (no lie), Hulu is a joint venture of NBC, ABC and Fox. To view it, you need a Flash Player 10.0.22 and Java Script. But if you have that, it's perhaps the easiest option: Simply go to hulu.com, and click on a video to watch right away.
Though Hulu allows free streaming of TV shows and movies, experts continue to speculate that Hulu will soon go to a paid model similar in pricing to Netflix, as reported by AOL's Daily Finance. Currently Hulu airs about 10,000 hours of TV and movie content, including 18 titles from the Criterion Collection, popular with cinema buffs. But Hulu also recently lost two of its most watched shows, "The Daily Show" and "The Colbert Report."
When his wife walked out and took the ATM card, Fred found himself hard up for cash, and thus embraced Hulu's free stuff. There's not nearly the selection he's used to as a newly minted cineaste, but hey: Hulu will do-lu in a pinch.
Blockbuster may have 95,000-plus titles available, and Netflix some 100,000-plus. But will they have cult classics such as "Let's Scare Jessica to Death" or "Putney Swope"? Probably not. That's where stores such as Odd Obsession come in.
The Chicago store stocks some 20,00 titles of this ilk, with very reasonable rates: DVD Rentals: $3 for 3 nights; $4 for 1 week; rare VHS films: $2 for 3 nights, $3 for 1 week; and Monday and Tuesday specials that allow you to rent 3 movies for $6 (3 nights) or $8 (1 week). Another such store in Chicago that's known the world over--and will rent to you anywhere, by mail--is Facets Multimedia. Renting from the staff at Facets is like visiting a boutique coffee shop with baristas who are going to coach you, with brio, on the most exotic cup of joe. Want to know the store where Chicago film critics and historians love to hang out? Facets is it.
Facets will rent you 4 movies at a time, unlimited, for $23.99 a month (their most popular plan), or 2 movies at a time unlimited for $14.99 a month, and 1 movie at a time unlimited for $8.99 a month. The 42,000 titles run the gamut from popular Hollywood films to Polish director Krzysztof Kieslowski's stunning "Decalogue," 10 films based on the Ten Commandments (no, not the Charlton Heston flick).
Well, it all turned out happier than expected. After a brief separation, Cinemaphile Fred's spouse became a film fan, too, and the two agreed to reconcile and live happily ever after--provided they can agree on the right rental strategy. Will it all work out in the end? Here's what we recommend:
- If it's money that matters, Hulu is free and easy to use. You have a very limited selection compared to what major rental services offer, meaning you'll likely be taking a chance on movies you don't know. But this is a Savings Experiment, and free is free, oui?
- For occasional rentals of new films, Redbox remains the game to beat with that $1 price tag and super-convenient kiosks. Yup: No rental cash registers manned by clueless clerks. But it only long as you can avoid late fees. If you're worried about that, consider the $5 for 5-day rental from Blockbuster, though it's not likely to be a brand-new film to DVD. Also keep in mind that Redbox works best if you only rent a film five or fewer times a month, and are content with a selection in the hundreds as opposed to the thousands.
- For frequent rentals of films--that is, nine or more a month--we like Netflix over Blockbuster because of the larger selection, though it's extremely close. Not only are the rates similar, but Blockbuster offers you store locations that integrate into their mail-in plan. That said, Blockbuster basically copied the model from Netflix, which has earned raves for it. And it's hard to say how much longer Blockbuster will be around; I just saw a Blockbuster a few hundred yards from my home close up in 2009.
- And for the movie mogul in you, a "double feature" could work. That is, consider going with Netflix as your basic service, supplemented by "boutique film" rentals from Facets Multimedia. You can't put a rice on good taste in film, and unlike Netflix--or any other rental service for that matter--Facets is staffed from top to bottom by people who are passionate about their film, and want to turn you into an educated viewer.


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Automation and integration for your entire print workflow. On-premise or in the Cloud.
FreeFlow Digital Publisher dramatically extends your reach by creating interactive, impactful, electronic communications. Configurations include On Premise and Cloud Solutions.
FreeFlow Print Server is an intuitive, easy-to-use print server that delivers unparalleled flexibility, advanced workflow operability, and state-of-the-art colour management for Xerox production printers
FreeFlow™ Variable Information Suite offers a powerful portfolio of tools for maximum production efficiency of variable data print and electronic presentment.


text: ZTE is getting into the phablet, or smartphone-tablet hybrid, market with a new device: the Grand Memo. The 5.7-inch phablet reportedly sports a 1.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, a 13-megapixel camera and the Android Jelly Bean 4.1.2 operating system. The device also comes with 2 GB of RAM plus microSD support and a "one-hand" T9 keyboard that can attach to either side of the Grand Memo's screen. No word yet on pricing and availability.


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Poplin Fabric
Poplin is a fabric with a similar weave to broadcloth but the rib is larger and the fabric heavier. Poplin in its early days was made by using a silk warp weave and a worsted yarn weft. The result is a sturdy fabric that has noticeable ridges. Today, poplin is popular in shirts, skirts, dresses and is often a combination of softer and heavier grades of cotton. Because of its manufacturing process, it tends not to wrinkle easily, and is somewhat water and stain resistant. The higher quality the fabric, especially when it is 100% cotton, the greater the price. The expense is usually considered worth it, since poplin tends to wear well and is easy care. Poplin is also widely used for patchwork and quilting projects. At Minerva Crafts we stock a huge range of poplin prints and a lovely range of colour in plain poplin.
Cotton Poplin Fabric
HURRY! Almost Sold Out.
£7.99More Info


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|Version 23 (modified by 10 years ago) (diff),
Orchestrates AWS cloud resources using boto and pychef
Notice: This plugin is unmaintained and available for adoption.
WARNING! This plugin is in alpha.
I recommend you not use this plugin yet on production instances. Although you likely won't lose ec2 instances or chef data, it's still quite immature and the config interface is likely to change. It would be best to try out on dev instances to help test the plugin and generate ideas for new features. I'm actively putting it through its paces now at Juju.
- robguttman, 2011 Jan 28
This plugin is meant to fill the coordination gap between AWS and Chef, especially:
- Launch an ec2 instance and apply one or more chef roles
- Terminate ec2 instances and delete its chef node
There are additional features and quite possibly more to come, but my intention is to keep the scope down to what's needed to orchestrate between AWS and Chef (and not re-implement either the AWS Management Console or the Chef Server webui).
This plugin relies heavily upon boto and pychef. Special thanks to coderanger for his work and responsiveness on pychef.
- Install the plugin (after downloading and unzipping):
cd cloudplugin/0.12 sudo python setup.py bdist_egg sudo cp dist/TracCloud*.egg /your/trac/location/plugins/
See TracPlugins for more installation details and options. You'll likely need to restart Trac's web server after installation.
- Enable the plugin in
[components] cloud.* = enabled
You can alternatively use the Trac Web Admin GUI to enable any or all rules.
- Configure the main
[cloud] label = Cloud aws_key = <aws-access-key> aws_secret = <aws-secret-key> aws_keypair = <ec2-key-pair> chef_instancedata_file = /path/to/instance-data.json
label option above is the name to be used in the top navigation - see screenshot above.
AWS credentials
aws_* options are your AWS credentials and the key pair used by your ec2 instances.
Chef configuration
chef_instancedata_file option is the absolute path to the ec2 instance/user data generated by chef's knife command:
% knife ec2 instance data role[<desired-role>] > /path/to/instance-data.json
The plugin will use this file for the instance data replacing the role information as needed. As the file contains the
validation.pem data, be sure to secure it accordingly. In cases where you need different credentials and/or chefserver url, you can use the following option to specify a base directory which must contain the typical
.chef directory and its contents plus (optionally) a
validation.pem file within the
.chef directory:
[cloud] .. chef_base_path = /path/to/dir/that/contains/.chef
It's currently assumed that you're using one of Opscode's AMIs or a homegrown AMI derived from it. These AMIs use the instance's id as the node name. However, you may have recipes which for one reason or another change the node's name after the first chef-client run. If so, you need to specify the boto field that maps to the final node name using this config option:
[cloud] .. boto_field_node_name = private_dns_name
Adding this option will cause the plugin to create a new node of that name upon launching a new ec2 instance and once it checks in will remove the original node. Otherwise you'll have two chef nodes for the same ec2 instance - something you likely don't want. Yeah, this is a bit complicated - an area ripe for improvement.
The plugin is intended to support multiple AWS resource types in addition to instances as needed for orchestration with chef. You specify the default resource to view using this config option:
[cloud] .. default_resource = instance
Each AWS resource type such as
instance above is configured independently. See the examples section below for how to specify these resources.
Bugs/Feature Requests
Existing bugs and feature requests for CloudPlugin are here.
If you have any issues, create a new ticket.
Download the zipped source from [download:cloudplugin here].
You can check out CloudPlugin from here using Subversion, or browse the source with Trac.
Each supported AWS resource is configured independently in a separate section in
trac.ini. (The plugin currently only supports ec2 instances.) Each section must be named as follows:
[cloud.<resource_name>] ...
For example, a section named
[cloud.instance] defines a resource named
instance. The resource name is used in the uri, so for example, this
instance resource would be accessed at:
You can name resources whatever you want as long as they're unique.
Here's how to configure ec2 instance resources. It's best to explain the configuration by example and piecemeal:
[cloud.instance] class = Ec2Instance title = Instances order = 1 label = Instance description = AWS EC2 instances.
class- must map to the exact python class name for that instance. For ec2 instances, it's
title- used in the sub-navigation (aka contextual) menu - see screenshot above.
order- defines the order in the contextual menu (much like custom field ordering).
label- used in several views to describe a single one of these resources.
description- used in the grid view - see screenshot above.
Now it gets a bit more intense (the following should really all be on one line in
[cloud.instance] .. fields = name < NameHandler, ec2.instance_id as Instance ID, run_list_ as Roles < RunListHandler, created_by as Created By < AuthorHandler, created_at_ as Created At < EpochHandler, ohai_time_ as Last Check-in < AgoEpochHandler, ec2.instance_type as Instance Type, ec2.hostname as Private Hostname, ec2.public_hostname_ as Public Hostname < SshHandler, ec2.placement_availability_zone as Availability Zone, ec2.ami_id as Image ID, supervisord.ssl_port_ as supervisord < HttpsHandler
Whoa! The
fields option is a list of those chef attributes (aka fields) where you want to provide either a display name, a format handler, or both. So for example,
ec2.instance_type as Instance Type above will use 'Instance Type' wherever the name of the
ec2.instance_type field is to be displayed. This
as notation should be familiar to those who have written Trac report SQL (although no quotes should be used here).
Only slightly more complicated are handlers to format fields. So for example,
ohai_time_ as Last Check-in < AgoEpochHandler has a display name as we've seen plus the
< AgoEpochHandler directs the plugin to use a specific handler to format the
ohai_time field's value. In this example, the
AgoEpochHandler handler converts an epoch to a string format such as "0:08:36 ago" meaning "8 minutes and 36 seconds ago" as shown in the screenshot above. But wait, what's up with the underscore after the
ohai_time_? In most cases when using a handler, you should postfix the field's name with an underscore (
_) so that the re-formatted value doesn't get written back to the field's value. [I'm likely to get rid of the underscore business to make it simpler, but that's what it is for now. - rhg] See the
handlers.py file for a full list of provided field handlers.
grid_index = node grid_columns = name, run_list_, created_by, ohai_time_, ec2.instance_type, ec2.placement_availability_zone grid_sort = created_at_ grid_asc = 0
grid_* options configure the grid view of the resource - i.e., the view shown in the screenshot above:
grid_index- must map to the chef search index name. For ec2 instances, this is
grid_columns- the list of chef attributes to display in order. The column names will use any display names from
fieldsand its cell values will be formatted using any handlers from
grid_sort- the default sort attribute/field. You can resort the grid by clicking on the column name.
grid_asc- the default sort direction. You can change the sort direction by clicking on the same column name.
crud_resource = nodes crud_view = name, ec2.instance_id, run_list_, created_by, created_at_, ohai_time_, ec2.instance_type, ec2.hostname, ec2.public_hostname_, ec2.placement_availability_zone, ec2.ami_id, supervisord.ssl_port_ crud_new = run_list_||, created_by, ec2.instance_type|, ec2.ami_id|, ec2.placement_availability_zone|us-east-1a|us-east-1b|us-east-1c|us-east-1d crud_edit = run_list_||, created_by, ec2.instance_type*, ec2.ami_id*, ec2.placement_availability_zone*
crud_* options configure aspects for creating, reading updating, and deleting (i.e., CRUD) the resource:
crud_resource- must map to the chef resource name. For ec2 instances, this is
crud_view- the list of chef attributes to display in order. The field names will use any display names from
fieldsand its cell values will be formatted using any handlers from
crud_edit- the list of augmented chef attributes to display for editing in order. The field names will use any display names from
fieldsand its cell values will be formatted using any handlers from
The field names in
crud_new and
crud_edit are augmented to provide additional metadata so the plugin knows how to properly configure the form. So for example:
The pipe (
|) after the field name indicates that the form should use a select/dropdown menu for this field. If the select/dropdown should support multiple selections, then use two pipes instead of one as in
run_list_||. The remainder of the definition is a pipe-delimited list of options for this field (much like how custom field options are defined). If there's no list of options, then the plugin will search a chefserver data bag of the same name as the field for the list of options. So for example,
ec2.instance_type| will direct the plugin to search for a data bag on the chefserver named
ec2_instance_type (periods are invalid and so are replaced with underscores). The individual data bag items should be formatted like this:
{ "id": "m1_large", "value": "m1.large", "name": "m1.large - Large (64-bit)", "order": 3 }
name will be used as the option's displayed name and the
value will be used as the option's value. If
order fields are provided, then they'll be used to order the options accordingly (much like custom field ordering).
Lastly, if you want to have a field displayed but as read-only, then the field name should be immediately postfixed with an asterisk as in
ec2.ami_id* above. The
crud_new config example above results in the following screenshot:
Any regular (i.e., non-handled) fields in the
crud_new and
crud_edit lists will get added as attributes to the chef node such as
created_by above.
Recent Changes
- 14004 by rjollos on 2014-07-12 18:27:48
licensekeyword argument in
setup.py. Refs #11832.
- 13996 by rjollos on 2014-06-25 00:56:32
Fixed author in COPYING file. Refs #11832.
- 13994 by rjollos on 2014-06-25 00:51:36
Changed to 3-Clause BSD license with permission of author. Refs #11832.
Author: robguttman
Maintainer: robguttman
Attachments (4)
- nav.png (2.2 KB) - added by 10 years ago.
- instance-new.png (28.5 KB) - added by 10 years ago.
- progress.png (15.6 KB) - added by 10 years ago.
- instance-grid.png (118.5 KB) - added by 9 years ago.
Download all attachments as: .zip


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Don't you just hate it when you're speaking in public and your voice starts shaking? There's nothing that screams NERVOUS!! like a trembling voice. Trying to control a quivering voice just makes it worse. Here are three broad techniques that enable you to channel that energy constructively.
January 2, 2020
Stop My Voice from Shaking! – Public Speaking and a Trembling Voice
November 7, 2011
STAYING POWER: Cultivating Vocal Stamina
I recently did a consultation with someone who worked as a corporate trainer, so she spoke frequently, for extended periods of time. She reported that her voice was usually gone by the end of the day, sore, raspy and almost inaudible.
What's happening here? The most likely cause is that she's overworking her voice, and that can happen in two ways. The most obvious possibility is that she's consciously trying to "speak up" and "project" her voice, so she ends up pushing and straining. The muscles of the voice are not big, strong muscles, so they don't perform well under a lot of pressure and fatigue quickly under those conditions.
Another culprit can be unconscious tension. Muscular tension creates resistance on your voice, much like friction creates resistance for moving parts in a machine. You have to exert more force to overcome that resistance and that wears on your voice.
One very common source of unconscious tension is the tongue. Many speakers unconsciously pull their tongue back and down every time they make a sound. The tongue is a fairly large muscle, especially in comparison to your vocal folds, which are about the size of your thumbnail. When your tongue pulls back and down, it's like an elephant sitting on a mouse. It becomes a lot harder for your vocal folds to vibrate under those conditions, so you have to use more force to overcome that pressure. Once again, your vocal folds quickly fatigue and become irritated.
So what's the right way to cultivate vocal stamina? To paraphrase Kristin Linklater, the strength of the voice does not lie in muscular effort, but in breath and resonance. You're a wind instrument. Your voice is powered by breath. To find more voice, you must move more breath. (The tricky part is doing that without tension.) At some level, everyone knows this, but few people have actually experienced real breath support, as it relates to speaking.
While breath is the power of your voice, resonance is the amplification. Resonance takes the small buzz produced by your vocal folds and expands it into the unique sound that is your voice. In a perfect world, you want every open space and every square inch of your body vibrating with the sound of your voice. That way, you spread the effort around, rather than making your vocal folds do all the work. Not only do you strengthen your voice, you also make it deeper, richer and more expressive.
There's no reason why you shouldn't be able to speak all day, in a fairly large room, without frying your voice. You accomplish that by making sure your breath is doing all the work and your whole body is acting as a giant sounding board. In this way, you produce the maximum amount of sound with a minimum of effort. Your voice easily fills the space without you feeling as though you're yelling. Your listeners are drawn into the experience because you are fully engaged, fully available and powerfully present.


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Raptor Free Flight!
The most extraordinary birds of prey exhibition in the United States!
Daily October 19, 2019 through February 29, 2020 — 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
Daily March 1, 2020 through April 12, 2020 — 10:00 a.m. only
(All dates and times subject to weather-related change)
(It is recommended that visitors arrive at the Museum at least 30 minutes prior to the presentation times to allow time to park, enter, and walk to the demonstration area.)
Why this presentation is so impressive …
- The birds fly so close you can feel the brush of feathers as they whiz by!
- The birds fly completely untethered, without any jesses (leg straps) and most often without bracelets.
- Presentations occur in the open desert, not in an amphitheater!
- It features the only raptor species in the world that hunt as a family using strategy, like wolves!
- Only birds native to the Sonoran Desert region are flown in the demonstrations.
- Different birds fly in each show (10 a.m. and 2 p.m.) so each show is unique.
Watch as these amazing aerialists soar and swoop in their native desert habitat while a narrator describes their attributes, habitats and behaviors.
Bring your cameras and get ready for some supercharged action!
See our full Raptor Free Flight photo gallery here
See a selection of birds flying from the following species currently in the Museum's collection:
Chihuahuan Ravens • Great Horned Owl • Ferruginous Hawk • Caracara • Peregrine Falcon • Red-tailed Hawk • Barn Owl • Gray Hawk • Harris's Hawks
In the wild, Harris's Hawks fly in family groups of three to seven birds. Watch as they ascend and hunt together! Family dynamics change throughout the season and you might just witness the female assert her dominance by ousting the smaller males off the tops of the saguaros!
© Walt Thomas
Arizona is one of the only states where Harris's Hawks can be found in the wild.
© Kenny Don
Fun Gray Hawk fact: Found in lowland riparian areas and mesquite bosques
See more Fun Facts here!


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Waiting in line at the DMV or getting a root canal are just a couple of things that sound more pleasant than finding a new smartphone plan.
If you've ever tried to make sense of all the different carrier plans, you know it can be confusing. Between the individual and shared plans and the different levels of data packages, the experience is maddening enough that you might feel resigned to stick to your current plan. But suffering through horrible service is a far worse alternative.
In this week's column, I outline the smartphone data plans offered by AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon, along with some of their pros and cons. With so many factors affecting pricing — the number of individuals on a plan, devices and geographic location — it's hard to pick a "winner," but this guide should make the decision easier.
AT&T offers both individual and shared data plans, and the carrier lets you choose one or the other. This is particularly good news for those grandfathered in with an unlimited data plan, since you won't be forced to switch to a shared package and give up your unlimited data.
Individual voice plans start at $40 per month for 450 minutes of voice and unlimited mobile to mobile calls to other AT&T customers, and go up to $70 per month for unlimited voice and mobile-to-mobile calls. For texting, you can pay per message, or $20 per month for unlimited texting.
Data plans range from $20 per month for 300 megabytes of data to $50 per month for five gigabytes of data and the ability to use your smartphone as a mobile hotspot, which allows you to share an Internet connection with other devices.
In some instances, AT&T's individual plans are more expensive than the competition. For example, it costs $120 per month for unlimited voice and text and 3GB of data, whereas Verizon charges $110 per month for unlimited voice and text, 4GB of data, plus hotspot capability. Meanwhile, Sprint trumps both with a $110 plan for unlimited everything.
But with people spending less time talking on the phone, unlimited voice for individuals may not be as important.
The story is different for families, and, in that case, AT&T's Mobile Share plans might be more economical. They offer unlimited voice and text, and let you share a bucket of data, ranging from 1GB to 20GB, among up to 10 devices on one account, instead of paying for multiple individual plans.
Mobile Share plans start at $40 for 1GB of data, and a fee is applied to each device on the plan. Just be aware that if you go over your monthly data allotment on either plan, you will be charged overage fees.
Sprint trails AT&T and Verizon in customers, but offers competitively priced smartphone plans with unlimited data.
Individual plans start at $80 per month for 450 anytime voice minutes, unlimited voice calls to any mobile regardless of network, unlimited messaging and unlimited data, and top out with a $110 monthly plan for unlimited voice, text and data.
Sprint also offers similar plans for families. The Everything Data Family plan starts at $150 per month for 1,500 anytime minutes for one to two lines, while the Simply Everything Family plan costs $210 per month for unlimited everything for one or two lines.
Sprint does not slow down data speeds — a practice known as "throttling" — once you reach a certain data limit, so you're getting true unlimited data.
As such, Sprint offers a lot of bang for your buck, but its 4G LTE coverage area is significantly smaller than what AT&T and Verizon offer. Sprint's LTE service is currently available in only 32 markets, but will be rolling out to 100 more cities in the coming months. By comparison, Verizon's LTE network is the biggest, available in 410 markets, while AT&T has launched LTE in 80 markets.
Of the four carriers, T-Mobile has the cheapest data plans, but also the most confusing.
Individuals and families can choose either a Classic or Value plan. Classic plans with unlimited voice (including T-Mobile to T-Mobile calls), text and data, start at $80 per month, but the carrier also starts to throttle speeds once you reach 2GB. If you choose the $95 or $125 Classic Unlimited bundles, T-Mobile will begin throttling after you hit 5GB and 10GB, respectively, and adds mobile hotspot capability.
Meanwhile, Value plans allow you to bring your own phone to the network, or buy a handset at full price in exchange for a lower monthly rate. For example, the Unlimited Plus Value plan, which includes unlimited text, voice and data (throttling begins at 2GB), costs $20 less than the Classic plan.
The same plans are available for families, with pricing starting at $140 per month for the Classic Unlimited Plus Family plans, and $100 per month for the Unlimited Plus Value plan.
But wait, there's more.
T-Mobile recently introduced an Unlimited Nationwide 4G Data plan. It costs $90 per month under the Classic plan and gives you true unlimited data without throttling or overage fees. The price is $70 per month when subscribing under the Value plan. The only catch is that you can't add mobile hotspot capability to this plan at all.
One other thing to note about T-Mobile is that it doesn't have a 4G LTE network yet. The carrier may advertise its "4G" speed on TV, but technically it's an enhanced 3G network.
Verizon did away with its unlimited data plans earlier this summer and switched to a tiered data plan called Share Everything. Now it's the only option available for new and existing customers. Those who previously had unlimited data plans can keep them, as long as they keep their old device or pay full retail price for a new handset, which is not cheap.
Share Everything pricing is based on the number and types of devices, and the amount of data you want per month. Monthly fees range from $40 for a smartphone to $10 for a tablet, and shared data options start at $50 per month for 1GB of data and go up to 20GB for $150 per month. All include unlimited talk and text and mobile hotspot capability. But Verizon also charges overage fees.
I did a cost comparison of AT&T and Verizon's shared data plans, and pricing is similar. For families of more than two, AT&T is slightly cheaper at the 6GB and 10GB plan level, but Verizon is more affordable at the 20GB level.
My advice: Take the time to calculate the costs yourself. Use tools on carriers' Web sites to determine how much data you will need, and ask friends and neighbors about their experiences with carriers in your area.
Updated on Nov. 2 with clarifications to the T-Mobile Unlimited Data plans.


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When an industrial or corporate environment is in need of flooring in Winston Salem, commercial flooring options are available. This type of flooring is offered in a wide variety of materials and is often desired for its durability, cost-efficiency, and low-maintenance. Commercial environments are often exposed to high volumes of foot traffic, making it essential that a resilient floor is placed in this environment in Winston Salem. Commercial flooring types include laminates, concrete, vinyl, stone, rubber and carpet.
To determine the most effective commercial flooring for a given space, the routine demands that will be placed upon it should be carefully considered.
Types of Commercial Flooring
Vinyl and Linoleum Flooring – These types of Winston Salem commercial floors are the most affordable when comparing up-front costs. They require minimal maintenance and are fairly stain resistant for any commercial environment in Winston Salem. Commercial flooring, using vinyl or linoleum, is available in a wide assortment of styles and colors to create a specific look and feel.
Carpet – Carpet flooring is often used in offices, hotels, and retail environments because of its visual appeal and sound insulation. However, it is subject to stains and is less moisture resilient than other types of Winston Salem commercial flooring. If you prefer the look and benefits gained from commercial carpet, carpet tiles may be an excellent alternative to allow for tile replacement if damaged.
Stone – Commercial flooring made of stone, including concrete, slate, and marble, is very durable and resilient to high traffic areas in Winston Salem. Commercial flooring made of stone flooring has a long lifespan as well.
Rubber – This type of flooring is most often found in sporting and industrial facilities, hospitals and schools in Winston Salem. Commercial flooring with rubber material is naturally hygienic and allows for easy cleaning and maintenance. It is also waterproof and stain resistant, while providing a natural insulation and cushioning to high volumes of foot traffic.
A Winston Salem commercial floor can be found in shopping centers, office buildings, hospitals and any other space that is subjected to repeated, high-volume traffic. For a free consultation, contact the experts at Floor Coverings International serving Winston Salem today!


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A beautiful array of allover garden flowers printed on a crushed voile. The matching swagger valance will complete your window. 100% Polyester. Machine wash warm water, gentle cycle. Do not bleach. Line dry. Warm iron if necessary. Available in Ivory or Antique.1 Panel per package. 1 Swag pair per package.
Shown: Two 84" panels and one swagger.


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Unsurprisingly, 82% of readers felt that $433 was a truly righteous price for a ready-to-go LeMons-winning BMW 535i. However, we can't stop thinking about Fiat, so that means we're going to look at one now.
While Fiat never has had a powerful North American presence, some of their cooler machines have made it to these shores. The 124 Sport Coupe, for example, the 130, and- it goes without saying- the 8V. You've got to add the Fiat Dino to that list as well; easily confused with Ferrari's Dino, the Fiat Dino had a Ferrari V6 but was otherwise all Fiat (and Pininfarina or Bertone, depending on whether you got the convertible or the coupe version). They're seriously rare, but we've found a pretty nice one in Los Angeles. You want it, of course- just look at it!- but do you think 15 grand is a good price for it?
[Craigslist Los Angeles, go here if the ad disappears]