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Happy Hump Day, Arsians! Welcome to a quick visit to Dealmaster Central. Our LogicBuy partners have put together a nice little package to help anyone feeling that mid-week shopping urge, featuring about $230 off a 27-inch 16:9 Dell Ultrasharp U2713H. This means you can be rocking your desktop at 2560x1440 resolution, and that is a lot of pixels!
If you're already good on desktop displays, there's a fine selection of other things to choose from, including some nice portables and a few office toys.
There's even a special deal this week for about 50% off a Wolfgang Puck coffee maker. If you're jonesing for a new caffeine delivery method, this might be just the ticket! (Sorry, looks like the deal on the coffee maker has expired!)
Top deal:
- 27-inch Dell UltraSharp U2713H LCD Monitor w/2560x1440, USB 3.0 for $765.88 with free shipping (normally $999.99 - use coupon code DMFVW8?GQ27MDX)
Laptops and tablets:
- 13.3-inch Apple MacBook Air Core i5 Notebook w/128GB SSD, 1440x900 LCD, USB 3.0 & Thunderbolt Port for $1,099.99 with free shipping (normally $1,199)
- 13.3-inch Apple MacBook Pro Retina Display Notebook w/Core i5, 128GB SSD, 8GB RAM, USB 3.0 & Thunderbolt Port for $1,575 with free shipping (normally $1,699)
Accessories and monitors:
- 22-inch Dell S2240L 1080p IPS panel LED-backlit LCD Monitor for $152.99 with free shipping (normally $199.99 - use 10% coupon code DMFVW8?GQ27MDX)
- 3TB Seagate Barracuda 3.5" Internal Hard Drive w/7200RPM, 64MB Cache, SATA III for $129.99 (normally $149)
Gadgets and portables:
- GigaBot Disc-Shooting RC Robot for $19 with free shipping (normally $68)
- 4.3-inch Garmin nuvi 2455LMT GPS w/Lifetime Map and Traffic Updates for $138.88 with free shipping (normally $159.99)
- Ruzzi Mid-Back Mesh Chair for $49.99 with free shipping on $50+ order (normally $99.99 - use coupon code 78498379)
- Sauder Velocity Computer Desk w/Cable Management Bin, File Drawer and 5-year warranty for $154.99 at OfficeDepot (normally $179.99 - use coupon code EBPJ2H338R4FWR)
- Realspace Mobile Computer Station Desk (Black) for $99.99 with free shipping (normally $109.99 - use coupon code 78498379)

subset: commoncrawl


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02 November, 2011 | (01 hr)
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Governance Watch is webcast that is produced by The Conference Board and sponsored by Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton.
Many boards are trying to resolve the tension among the competing objectives of: spending cash on capital expenditures and acquisitions to grow, returning cash to shareholders and maintaining a healthy balance sheet and liquidity outlook.
Shareholder activists have grown increasingly frustrated with the focus on balance sheet prudence and are pushing in a number of sectors for boards to accelerate growth through spending, to return greater amounts to shareholders and to fuel these activities through the use of debt.
This panel will examine the economic variables relating to these competing considerations, the appropriate way for directors and officers to approach this conundrum from a fiduciary duty perspective and how this approach may be supplemented when activists, with a special focus on acceleration of growth and returning cash to shareholders through extraordinary buybacks and dividends, enter the scene.
Kathy Bostjancic
Kathy has extensive experience providing insightful global economic and financial market analysis and forecasts to institutional and retail investors and Fortune 500 business leaders and professionals. She has a deep understanding of U.S. monetary and fiscal policy and its impact on the economy a...Full Bio
Glenn Eisenberg
Glenn A. Eisenberg, 49, is executive vice president, finance and administration of The Timken Company, a diversified industrial manufacturer of innovative materials, products and services providing friction management and power transmission solutions for any kind of mechanical application.<...Full Bio
Timothy Ingrassia
Timothy Ingrassia is co-chairman of Global Mergers & Acquisitions in the Investment Banking Division (IBD). He serves on the IBD Client and Business Standards Committee.
Prior to assuming his current role in 2011, Tim served as head of Mergers & Acquisitions in the Americas. From ...Full Bio
Ethan A. Klingsberg
Ethan A. Klingsberg's practice comprises corporate, public company board of directors, M&A and SEC matters.


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Day 7: What the jury won't hear
Following early morning testimony from a handwriting expert who concluded that Eric Abshire forged his then-fiancée's signature on a million-dollar vehicle insurance policy, day seven of the first-degree murder trial was more about testimony the jury won't be allowed to hear.
"Did you ever have sexual relations with Mr. Abshire?" Orange County Commonwealth's Attorney Diana Wheeler asked witness Amanda Morris. The query prompted Abshire's attorney, Charles Weber, to immediately object, and, without delay, Judge Daniel Bouton sent jurors from the courtroom. Then he allowed prosecutors to elicit Morris' testimony, which included her account of having sex with the 36-year-old dump truck driver in the month before his May 28, 2006, wedding and again just three days after Justine Swartz Abshire's mysterious death, even before her funeral.
"He called and came over," explained Morris of the pre-funeral sexual encounter. A tall brunette, she once worked at Wet Seal, a boutique offering "cute teen clothing" in Fashion Square Mall and was then known as Amanda Leathers. She testified she was dating Abshire's close friend and dump-truck business partner, and that the tryst with Abshire was a factor in the end of her relationship.
"He was a little upset," Morris said of Abshire, testifying that while she could tell he had been drinking when he arrived at her house, "he wasn't drunk." Morris also recalled being present when Abshire revealed on the day of Justine's death that he possessed naked photos of a female acquaintance. She testified that he ripped up the photos "so people wouldn't find out and make it look bad on him."
Prosecutors hoped to use Morris' account to portray Abshire as something other than the loving and grieving husband he has professed to be.
"It shows he wasn't too distraught," argued Wheeler of the pre-funeral fling, pointing to the contrast between Abshire's "hysterical" crying at the scene of his wife's death and the sexual encounter so soon thereafter.
"It goes to the heart," Wheeler said, "of whether a husband could kill his wife."
Judge Bouton, however, rejected the prosecution's argument and ruled Morris' testimony inadmissible, citing case law that requires that such behavior would have had to occur during Abshire's marriage to Justine in order to be introduced to the jury.
That ruling was not the only blow Judge Bouton dealt the prosecution. Earlier in the trial, Wheeler and Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Rick Moore introduced evidence of Abshire's connection to a Ford Expedition stolen from a nearby dealership a few days before Justine's November 3, 2006, death.
Abshire, several witnesses revealed, had visited the lot at least twice to look at that vehicle, and during one of those visits, the key went missing. Over the night of October 28-29, 2006, the SUV was stolen, only to turn up two weeks later on November 11 in a storage unit a mile and a half from Taylorsville Road, where Abshire reported finding Justine's body in what initially appeared to be a hit and run.
When it was recovered, the Expedition was missing its back seat, floor mats, and running boards. Fewer than 50 miles had been added to the odometer, and the ignition showed no signs of tampering, a scenario, prosecutors said, that suggested that whoever took it used the missing key and didn't go far.
The prosecution returned to the Expedition topic today, introducing new testimony from Virginia State Police Special Agent Mike Jones, who revealed that Abshire admitted during an interview to visiting that same storage facility on Toms Road sometime in the fall of 2006 before Justine's death.
"Nothing that I've heard has changed my view whatsoever," Bouton said of his ruling at the conclusion of the Commonwealth's late-afternoon motion, adding that "the only plausible way to make this argument is to imply that the defendant was involved in stealing."
The lack of any physical evidence tying Justine to the vehicle, the judge explained, renders the evidence inadmissible.
After six days of testimony, the Commonwealth rested at 4:50pm before making these motions. Bouton also denied a defense motion to dismiss the case, reeling off a litany of evidence in support of his decision, including evidence that Abshire was the last one to see Justine alive and the first one to see her dead, the couple's reported financial woes, the potential financial gain for Abshire, his conflicting accounts of events of the night in question, and the fact that there is no evidence to support the notion of a hit-and-run or stranger abduction.
The defense presents its case starting Friday, October 21.
4 comments
PODCAST: Courteney Stuart discusses this day's proceedings in the Abshire trial: http://bit.ly/nTh3jG
I think the jurors have heard enough evidence to show that Eric was not a loving, monogamous, family man. I'd like to read the case law that Bouton refers to, although I have to take his word that it is on point and primary authority. There is plenty of evidence to indicate that he lied about what happened that night. There's a lot of circumstantial evidence indicating he was involved in the murder. Even some evidence indicating he had planned this, although how far in advance is hard to say. Simply getting the ins. policies is not enough to show proof that he was planning to kill her.
But what is lacking is hard evidence that he planned and carried out the murder. Even though I think all the jurors think he participated in a murder, it only takes one to believe not enough evidence has been given to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he committed premeditated murder.
No conviction probably wouldn't help Ms. Wheeler's reelection prospects which is two weeks after the verdict.
Since the whole case is based on circumstancial evidence everything pretaining to the case should be allowed. He did forge her name, he did attempt or did obtain insurance for financial gain. His actions do imply he planned to murder her BEFORE he ever married her. What he did is PREMEDITATED MURDER PUNISHABLE BY DEATH.
This may turn out a Virginia O.J.Simpson case. Some legal jergon that allows him to walk free.
Mrs Wheeler is doing a great job and seems to try to get everything she can. The Judge acts a bit strange but seems to stay on top of everything. I guess its up to the 12 members of the jury to voice the verdict, GUILTY or NOT GUILTY.
He is a good con & if he takes the stand he will have them all crying, wanting to take him home with them....the younger women wanting him for themselves and the older women wanting to play momma to him. He does have a way with women...go knock em dead Eric.....aha....wrong choice of words or is it?????
Before some smart ass points it out to me, I know you can't tell guilt or innocence from a photo. However, look at Justine's eyes and tell me she didn't know something was very, very wrong. She was a beautiful, sweet person from all accounts. It is a shame she ever met this monster.


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One of the big beefs people have with all of Apple's latest 2012 releases -- including the iPhone 5, iPad Mini, fourth-gen iPad, and most new iPods -- is that the company switched from the tried and true 30-pin dock connector to the new Lightning connector. That meant any and all iPod and iPhone accessories you'd accumulated over the years were incompatible with the new models. Finally, though, various accessories that are Lightning-enabled are trickling onto the market; the compact JBL OnBeat Micro ($100) is one of the first speaker docks we've seen that works with the iPhone 5 and the new iPod Touch without the need for a pricey adapter.
The step-up $149.95 OnBeat Mini can also accommodate the iPad Mini, while the $199.95 Bluetooth-enabled OnBeat Venue LT has support for the iPad Mini as well as the fourth-generation iPad with Retina Display (and presumably future full-size iPads). Unfortunately, of course, the docks aren't compatible with older iPhones, but the OnBeat Micro includes a handy USB port for backward compatibility (more on that later).
Truth be told, I liked the Micro more than I thought I would. It's designed to sit on a desk or nightstand and it delivers pretty big sound for its compact size. It also charges your iPhone or iPod Touch and has a few other extras -- an extra USB charger and the option to go portable with battery power. Both of these add some value and make the $100 price tag seem more palatable.
Design and features
JBL has been making this type of compact speaker dock for iPods and iPhones for a while, starting with its doughnut-shaped On Stage products. This speaker is actually a little bigger and has some heft to it: pick it up and it's not as lightweight as you'd think, weighing in at 1.26 pounds. Still, it'll fit easily on a nightstand or next to your computer on a desk.
Since it has an audio input, you can use the Micro as a PC speaker (or to play audio from any other device, such as an Android phone or older, 30-pin Apple device). Yeah, there are two drivers inside the unit, which technically makes it stereo, but they're so close together the speaker offers barely any stereo separation so it's essentially a mono speaker. JBL's digital processing helps widen the soundstage a bit, but digital processing can only do so much.
Around back next to the audio input you'll also find a USB port for plugging in and charging other mobile devices. Using that USB connection, you can stream audio from another device. For instance, I plugged in an iPhone 4S using a 30-pin cable and was able to charge the phone or play music from it through the speaker. I also connected an iPad Mini and it, too, was able to output audio through the speaker or get charged.
That's a caveat: once you plug a cable into the USB port, you cannot play music from your docked iPhone or iPod Touch, though the device in the dock will charge. The same is true if you have a cable plugged into the auxiliary input.
I should also highlight of couple of design elements that some folks might find a little troublesome. First, unless you have an ultraslim case on your iPhone, you'll most likely have to remove it in order to dock your device on the Lightning "post."


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Home → Kits & Packs → hen
Kits & Packs - Items tagged as "Hen"
We sell needle felt kits and packs. Our needle felt kits contain everything you need for the craft project, (including felting needles and foam mat) and are nicely packaged, ideal for a gift. Our packs contain the materials and 'how to' instructions, you will need your own tools (available separately).
View all 2d 2d felting advent advent box angel animal animals arctic armature Artic august fairy autumn autumn sprite baby baby deer baby hedgehog baby jesus baby owls badger bare bare hug bare hugs bargain barn owl basic core wool basic needle felting batts bauble baubles bear bear hug begginer beginner beginner kit beginner pack beginner project bird bird feet birds blossom blue tit blue-tit bluetit british british seal brooch brooch pins bubblegum bumper pack bundle bunnies bunny butterfly butterfly painting pack calandars calander calanders calendar calendars calender calenders card Care care pack cat cats cattle chicken chickens child's toy christmas Christmas Decorations christmas gnome Christmas pudding christmas tomte Christmas tree coast coastal common grey seal cool country country living countryside cow craft crafts cuddle curled up curled up fox curled up hedgehog cute dachshund dachshund trio dark purple decorations deer design discount dog doggie doggy dogs doll doll for child domestic animals donkey doormouse dormice dormouse easy easy beginner easy project end of summer ewe fabric fairy fairy box Fall Fall Fest farm farm animals farming farmyard Father Christmas fawn felt felted felting Felting mat festive festive season fish fishing flat flower flowers forestr foxy mix frost frosty fun garden garden birds gel gelled german dog giant father christmas giant gnome giant santa gift gift pack gift wrapped gnome Gnomes golden yellow gourdes grey seal Halloween hand hands hannah hannes happy place harbour seal hare hares Harvest harvest festival harvest mice harvest mouse hat heather hedgehog hedgehog fabric hen hens hexit highland cattle highland cow hoggie hoggies hoggy hoglet holly homer hoof hooves horn horns hot pink hug hughie hugs humble humble-mchoggie I care for you ice image insect intermediate jesus July fairy kingfisher kingfisher painting pack kit kits lamb lambs landscape landscape picture large fox large hare large leaping hare large wire hare leaping hare leicester curls little owls live stream local wool locally sourced long-haired longhaired cow machoggie machoggy makers makerss makerss box makerss box fawn makerss box fox Making needle felted animals making soft dolls man mary and joseph material materials mchoggie mchoggies mchoggy medium blue mice mohair mole mole family moles mouse mr mole nativity nativity set nature Naughty gnome needle needle felt needle felt kit needle felt pack needle felted fox needle felting needle felting kit needle felting pack needlefelt needles noel November october owl owlets owls pack pack and tool kit packs painting painting with wool pansies pansy Pansy flowers party pattern peacock butterfly penguin pere noel pet pets picture pin cushion pincushion Polar Bear Poppies poppy poppy flower popular pose-able poseable pre order preorder pumpkin pumpkins rabbit rainbow rainbow of hope rainbow tops reindeer robin robin bauble robins ryeland Saint Nicholas sale Santa santa claus Santa Nick sausage dog scarf scene scottish cow seal sealife seals seasonal seasonalwinter September fairy share sheep short short-haired silk clay hooves Simple skiing skin sleeping sleepy snooze snoozing fox snoozy snow snowman snowmen soft dolls Soft dolls Materials pack spikes spikey spiky spring sprite squash st nick starter summer Sunflower Sunflower Fairy sunny surprise the Makerss thinking of you toadstool Tomte Tomten tools tops tree tree decoration trick or treat warm Weihnachtsmann white white mice white snow wild rose Wild Rose Fairy wildlife winter winter landscape wire wire armature wire hands wire-haired Witch Witch and Wizard wizard wood slice woodland wool wool pack wreath xmas


text: 2012 saw the launch of a hundred dazzling new products and services ... and more than a few stinky duds. Apple Maps sent us driving straight into the desert instead of our intended town. Security fail after security fail left us scrambling to change our passwords and keep our digital identities secure. And stunning, colorful industrial design couldn't save Nokia from another dismal year of finances. Gadget Lab collected this year's most splendidly horrendous products and events and rounded them up for you to groan over. Anything we miss? Sound off in the comments. Photo: Ariel Zambelich/Wired The Winner: iOS 6 Maps Let us all agree that Apple's Maps app is the biggest tech fail of 2012. Since its debut with iOS 6 in September, the mapping service, which took the place of the Google-built version included in previous iOS iterations, has had a no end of complaints for incorrectly labeling towns and landmarks, leading people wildly astray and generally being a hot mess. Bugs and problems aren't unusual with software and apps, but Maps is such a disaster that police in Australia called it "potentially life-threatening" after Australian drivers using it to find the town of Mildura were instead left stranded in the desert. Other snafus of note were the bridges that wouldn't look out of place on an acid trip and Maps directing people across lakes or oceans. GPS and maps are an inextricable part of the smartphone experience, something we've come to rely on. The sudden switch to a sub-par mapping service jolted iOS users, required Apple CEO Tim Cook to issue a formal apology, got an exec and manager fired, and sent us scouring for decent alternatives. With hundreds of millions of iOS devices out there, that's a problem of epic proportions. Photo: Alex Washburn/Wired The Password Gadget Lab's Mat Honan is the unfortunate poster boy for all that is wrong with today's digital security measures – namely, the password. His epic hack, which could happen to any one of us, made one thing clear: The password has got to go. The number of hacks and password leaks grows every year – LinkedIn, eHarmony, Yahoo and Paypal were among the high-profile hacks in recent months. The password is a big, fat fail as far as online security goes. Our accounts are typically daisy-chained – multiple accounts are linked to the same e-mail, passwords are re-used over and over, and a hacker can leverage public information from one account to take control of another. With our interactions and transactions increasingly taking place on mobile devices or across the cloud, our current security scenario is a fail that needs to be fixed, stat. Photo: Ariel Zambelich/Wired Blackberry 10 Delays RIM was supposed to deliver its latest and greatest smartphone platform, Blackberry 10, this year, but it keeps getting delayed. With each delay, more Blackberry users looking for a new phone turn to iOS, Android and Windows Phone instead ... and find they don't miss Blackberry at all. Particularly, Blackberry is hemorrhaging from its core users: People in IT and enterprise are abandoning the platform in droves. Even its last release, Blackberry 7, launched with nary a ripple when it debuted in 2011. Blackberry 10 is set to launch January 30. It can't come soon enough, and it had better be epically good. Photo: Roberto Baldwin/WiredNokia's Failed Resurgence Nokia announced in early 2011 that it would be shacking up with Microsoft to produce sweet, sweet Windows Phone babies. It would take some time for Nokia, the hardware-making half of that marriage, to start shipping the phones, but come 2012, we were ready – and excited – for the first wave of Windows Phone handsets from the Finnish mobile-phone giant. Windows Phone was a breath of fresh air to the mobile space, with a decidedly modern look that was a complete departure from the icon-filled homescreens and user interfaces of iOS and Android handsets. And Nokia had the design chops to create fun, unique smartphone designs, namely the brightly colored, polycarbonate Lumia series. But our excitement was short-lived. The Lumia 800 launched as part of a $900 bundle that was tough for even the most hardcore Windows diehard to swallow. It fell flat. And so have its other smartphone efforts thus far. The company is bleeding money and smartphone sales are way down. Here's hoping the $100 Lumia 920 will start to pick up momentum here in the U.S. and help give Nokia a happier 2013. Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired Google Nexus Q The Nexus Q was an oddball announcement at this year's Google I/O conference. The spherical $300-plus gadget was largely a flop, and it isn't even widely available. The Q is a music streamer, but it's uber expensive and extremely limited in functionality: It's designed to work only with Google Play and YouTube (Rdio, Pandora, and iTunes fans are SOL). We also found it difficult to set up. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of other streaming solutions you can use to pull music from the cloud, and most of them are dirt cheap. Perhaps Google realized that, because it has delayed the Q's launch to give it some additional features. We think the Nexus Q could make a sweet Nexus Google TV device, but we'll have to wait and see if Google decides to go in that direction. Photo: Ariel Zambelich/Wired The Path Address-Book Debacle In February, a software developer made a startling discovery about the iOS version of the mobile-only social networking app Path – it was uploading your entire address book to its servers without your permission. Users cried foul in a big way. Apple even said the action violated its policy. Shortly thereafter, a handful of other apps (mostly of the social media variety) drew fire for similar privacy violations, each quickly updating their app to amend the issue. Path CEO Dave Morin apologized and explained what happened – the data was used for the sake of simplicity in order for some of Path's core functions (connecting with your network) to work. The widely publicized issue did some good though, as mobile giants banded together to commit to better privacy practices on their networks. Photo: Ariel Zambelich/Wired AT&T Not Allowing FaceTime Over Cellular The nation's least favorite cellular provider got itself into even more hot water earlier this year when it announced one of iOS 6's most anticipated new features – FaceTime video chatting over cellular – wouldn't be available to subscribers unless they upped their data plan to a pricier shared option. AT&T's excuse: As the network with the greatest number of iPhone users, new features like this can have a greater, more immediate impact on its network than on its competitors, and without the ability to model the effect beforehand, they decided to take a "more cautious approach." Net neutrality activists quickly asked the FCC to weigh in, and AT&T partially backtracked in November, allowing 4G LTE users (iPhone 5 and 2012 iPad owners) to use FaceTime over cellular. It's better than nothing, but still lame for iPhone 4 and 4S owners. Image: Apple3-D TV Still Sucks CES has been pushing 3-D in a big way every year since 2010. Almost every new TV has a 3-D function built in these days, so you're kind of forced to pick one that provides some sort of 3-D experience. Case in point, roughly 25 percent of LCD TV panel shipments are 3-D now. But does anyone use it? Does anyone like it? No. "Our research shows that even though consumers own these 3-D ready TV devices, they haven't viewed a significant amount of content on them," NPD DisplaySearch's vice president of emerging display technologies Jennifer Colegrove wrote in a September report. "Before broader adoption can be expected, there is still a need for more 3-D content and a smoother set-up process for 3-D TV." Right, because no one really wants to have to put on a pair of glasses to enjoy their TV. Until the 3-D experience is as painless (read: not nausea-inducing) as your regular old 2-D experience, it's going to stay a major tech fail. Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired Laplets Windows 8 is all about the tablet-laptop, a hybrid monstrosity dubbed the laplet. Of the laplets we've gotten our hands on so far (a fairly decent number), only the Lenovo Yoga didn't suck. It's a rare talent to be able to master multiple, unique use cases in a single device. The notable exception is the iPhone (which Steve Job described as "an iPod, a phone, an internet mobile communicator" upon its initial release), and other smartphones. Few things have enjoyed such success, proving it can be difficult to combine seemingly disparate gadgets. As Apple CEO Tim Cook noted in April, "You can converge a toaster and a refrigerator, but those things are probably not going to be pleasing to the user." It was a subtle jibe at Windows 8 and its hybrid devices, but it's a valid point. Unfortunately, we're expecting a whole lot more of the craplet variety of laplet at CES this year. For most hardware, we have this advice: Pick a single job, do it well. Photo: Ariel Zambelich/Wired Amazon's Big Fat Outage Amazon's had quite a few outages this year, but none measure up to the big'un that took down popular sites and services like Netflix, Instagram and Pinterest. The outages revealed to businesses the dangers of not building a proper cloud-based infrastructure (one big storm, generators that fail to work, and pow! your site is down and there's nothing you can do). It also showed that you should probably make sure your backup generators are up to snuff before you actually need them. And of course, those of us that rely on such cloud-based services found that we really don't know what to do with ourselves when our favorite services get knocked down. Photo: Yuko Honda/FlickrZynga After filing for a $1 billion IPO in 2011 and purchasing top-tier games like Words With Friends and Draw Something, casual gaming giant Zynga has gone down the tubes. The company's stock tumbled and then tumbled some more as Facebook adjusted its policies with the largely Facebook-reliant gamemaker. Even in 2011, with 54 million active daily users, Zynga lost $400 million over the course of the year. And in October, Zynga laid off 5 percent of its workers and closed down 13 games. It looks like the whole Farmville craze was just a fad, and Zynga could be going the unfortunate way of so many other Internet upstarts (that is, totally nonexistent in a few years' time). Photo: Ariel Zambelich/Wired Twitter's API Changes Twitter made some big changes to its API this year, and we pretty much hate them. Most of you do too. In the past, Twitter's app design have left us wanting more, and third party developers stepped in to serve that need, offering varied user interfaces and useful tools that Twitter hadn't built itself. But Twitter wants those users back on Twitter, and wants third parties to "build into Twitter" rather than around the platform. Thus, the changes nix the existence of third party Twitter clients in their current form and generally sound pretty lame, although the rules, outlined in a blog post, are still somewhat vague. Apps like Twitterific, Echofon, Tweetdeck, and Tweetbot are just a few of the services affected by the changes. At least it opens up the possibility for some cool Twitter-free Twitter alternatives. Photo: Peter McCollough/Wired


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12 News Investigates: Disabled parking tags put dent in city revenue
A WISN 12 News investigation has uncovered a Milwaukee parking problem that one alderman said is costing the city $400,000 per year, and the problem may be perfectly legal.
Metered parking spaces in downtown Milwaukee are meant to generate thousands of dollars of revenue for the city. However, WISN 12 News found that dozens of prime parking spots near governmental buildings were being used all day by government employees and nearby workers at no cost.
WISN 12 News reporter Kent Wainscott monitored several metered parking spots for a four-week period in January and February and discovered downtown workers using disabled tags to park in the spots for free.
Drivers with a disabled plate or hanging tag do not have to pay hourly rates nor abide by the posted time limits.
A few employees we spoke to said they were told to park on the street because there weren't enough handicap-designated spaces at their places of employment.
"We were told these are the only handicapped spaces," said Sharon, who parked her car with a tag outside the courthouse. When WISN 12 News asked who told her, she responded that someone from the county must have said it, as she "wasn't told personally."
While the practice is perfectly legal, some lawmakers suggest the ability to get a disabled tag in Wisconsin may be too lenient and is costing the city revenue.
"We estimate at least $400,000 a year in lost revenue," said Alderman Mike Murphy, citing a one-week study performed for the city two years ago.
The city's study used an area near the lakefront, stating 12 out of 13 cars parked in the prime spots displayed disabled tags. WISN 12 News found the same results over our four-week period in 2013.
Some downtown spots WISN 12 monitored had a higher percentage of disabled-tag parking than was included in the city's study, including six city blocks where nearly every parking space was filled by vehicles displaying disabled tags.
Those six blocks of metered parking without a single cent of revenue has Murphy thinking that free parking may not be fair parking.
"You have employees who look around and say 'Hey, I'm making $30,000 a year and I'm paying $200 a month for parking," he said. "Then there is Joe Schmo over here who makes double what I'm making and is getting free parking."
Disabled tags can only be received with a doctor's approval, but can be obtained for a wide range of health issues from injuries to heart conditions -- essentially anything that makes it difficult to walk long distances.
Diana Sullivan of Independence First, a disability advocacy agency, would like to see more designated spaces downtown but agrees that free parking in standard spaces may be going a bit too far.
"Essentially the Americans with Disabilities Act says people with disabilities should have equal access, not better access," she said. "So if my co-worker is paying for parking during the daytime, I should be paying for parking as well."
Anthony Williams, who lost his leg six years ago, said the practice means he often has to park one block farther away.
When asked about finding an open disabled parking space downtown, Williams said "It's never easy. Not down here."
Murphy believes that many people are abusing the tags, but said that's tough prove or enforce. And Sullivan said that equal access means that those who have the means to pay for parking should pay like everyone else.
"You have a job, pay for your parking." She said.
Murphy is calling for changes in state laws to deal with the issuance of disabled tags as well as increased fines for their misuse.
There are also some who are calling for a better focus on enforcement. Tuesday on WISN 12 News at 10:00, Wainscott will explore where that enforcement is falling between the cracks.


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Commercial King Mackerel Season to Re-open Briefly on November 1
Today, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries announced the commercial season for king mackerel in Louisiana waters, previously closed on September 20, will re-open at 12:01 a.m., on November 1 until 12:01 a.m., on November 3 at which time the season will close and remain closed through June 30, 2014.
The re-opening was made based on data gathered by LDWF biologists and the National Marine Fisheries Service, that the annual quota for king mackerel of 1.07 million pounds for the western zone of the Gulf of Mexico has been under harvested by approximately 80,000 pounds.
Each year, a commercial quota is established for Gulf of Mexico group king mackerel by NMFS based on recommendations by the Gulf and South Atlantic Fishery Management Councils. That figure is then divided into allocations for various zones and fisheries. According to the best information available, the 1.07 million pound commercial quota of king mackerel for the western zone of the Gulf of Mexico was not fully harvested during the previous season.
While there are relatively few king mackerel harvested or targeted by Louisiana recreational anglers, a substantial commercial fishery does exist, which typically lands 800 to 900 thousand pounds annually at Louisiana ports. A significant portion of the king mackerel landed in Louisiana ports is shipped to markets in the northeast United States.
For more information, contact Jason Adriance at 504.284.2032 or [email protected]. For press inquiries contact Laura Wooderson at 504.430.2363 or [email protected].


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Why Do DWTS?
Season after season, celeb after celeb, it's always interesting to see what kind of mixed bag each cast turns out to be. Athletes, actors, comedians, models…it's the variety of stars the show pulls in that makes things really interesting!
But, as amazing an opportunity as the show might be for the celebs, with certain individuals, we have to kinda wonder what exactly their motivations were to do the show…are they really there for the opportunity, or is it something else entirely?
So it got me thinking…what might be some other reasons certain stars do the show, besides "just for fun"? Read on…
Reason #1: They're broke.
I'm sure they'd never say it publicly, but over time it's become a bit obvious that certain celebs probably do the show to offset some cashflow problems they've encountered as of late. I can't fault them – the $200K base pay for doing the show is nothing to sneeze at, and the possibility of getting another $100K on top of that if they win is just icing on the cake – especially if you're like season 9's Aaron Carter, who owed over a million bucks in backed taxes. No wonder the kid was crying after a mediocre rumba – he couldn't afford to get sent home! Or maybe you're season 10's Kate Gosselin, who claimed that she was "just trying to support her family" by doing the show (although I don't think she was motivated entirely by the money – there was some definitely attention whoring going on there). It's also likely the primary reason that Real Housewives of New Jersey cast member Terese Giudice is trying so hard to get on the show – she & her husband filed for bankruptcy last year after racking up over $11 million worth of debt. Granted, the pay from doing the show probably is probably a small fraction of what these stars are used to pulling in, but it's still more than enough for we common folk to live quite comfortably off of for a year or two…beggars can't be choosers 😉
Reason #2: They're doing reputation damage control.
Another less-than-savory motivation for doing the show, it's a good idea nonetheless – what better way to distract from a recent brush with the law or sex tape scandal than to show America how charming and talented you can be on DWTS? Take Lil Kim – she was fresh out of a year-long stint in prison for perjury. And she became one of the most popular contestants on season 8! She even took it a step further and managed to speak freely about her incarceration and even poke fun at it. Season 4's Heather Mills was likely trying to undo some the damage done during her long, messy divorce from Paul McCartney, which seemed to give her a rather nasty reputation as a vindictive gold digger. Or there was Mel B., who had just had a baby out of wedlock with Eddie Murphy. And of course, Kim Kardashian was still trying to live down her famous sex tape with Ray-J. Did the show help erase these indiscretions? Eh, some better than others. But if nothing else, it gave America something else to remember them by.
Reason #3: They're trying to breathe life into a dead career/jump start a new career.
You know those celebs whose names you have to google at first because you have absolutely no clue who they are? They likely fall into this category: they've either been inactive for so long that you can't remember them (or maybe they weren't that famous in the first place), or they're so new on the scene that you've never heard of them. Be honest: how many of you actually remembered who John O'Hurley was, without having to google him? Aside from his role as J. Peterman on Seinfeld, he really hadn't done anything else prior to DWTS – but after the show? His career blew up. Suddenly he was being offered hosting positions, roles in musicals, voice acting opportunities – all because he did some dancing show that ended up being a hit. Ted McGinley, another actor with a waning career, tried to do the same on season 7 – albeit unsuccessfully. On the other hand, those with new careers might be inclined to do the show just to get some exposure…take Gilles Marini. Most people didn't know his name, but they sure knew his face-er, body: he was just the "hot naked guy" in the Sex in the City movie. After a wildly successful run on DWTS, though, he was suddenly popping up everywhere – Brothers & Sisters, Nip/Tuck, Ugly Betty, Criminal Minds, you name it! Proof that if you play your cards right while on the show, the payoff will be far greater than just the money you make for doing it 😉
Reason #4: They're generating publicity for their next big project.
Ok, so maybe they're still famous, but they've been in the background for a bit and are getting ready for a "comeback" of sorts – maybe a new album, movie, TV show, etc. Getting their name out there by doing DWTS is almost a sort of "primer" – it gets their names on the lips of the American public again, so that when their latest labor of love drops, it's just that much more well-received. Ever wonder why Macy Gray was on season 9? Well, judging from her completely apathetic attitude, I think we can all agree it wasn't because she really wanted to learn to dance (hehe). However, she did have a new album due to come out not long after season 9 wrapped. Coincidence? Doubt it – sounds like some smart legwork by a savvy publicist. Louie Vito was only months away from competing in the winter Olympics (his first appearance there) when he did DWTS…probably didn't hurt getting his name out there early, to help separate him from the hoards of other famous snowboarders. Even Nicole probably did DWTS to generate some hype for the upcoming PCD album (and new lineup). Again, it's a savvy move – with DWTS' ratings reigning supreme, the contestants become household names, which helps generate interest when they do other projects after the show.
Reason #5: They've got a score to settle.
Sometimes, it's just all about sticking it to a former rival/family member/group member/etc…a sort of "bet I can make it farther than you can!" challenge. Almost all of the NFL stars that have done the show have had a sort of friendly rivalry with other former players that had done the show previously…the most well-known of these probably being the Jerry Rice vs. Michael Irvin challenge, which culminated in a face-off during the season 9 finale. Warren Sapp also sparred with ESPN commentator (and early season 2 castoff) Kenny Mayne on Sports Center. Joey Fatone also issued a challenge to fellow NSYNC group member Lance Bass to do better than he did – considering his reputation as the "worst dancer in NSYNC", I think Lance finishing 3rd (to Joey's 2nd) was pretty admirable! And then there's the family rivalries – Marie Osmond vs. Donny Osmond, George Hamilton vs. Ashley Hamilton, and Lisa Rinna vs. Harry Hamlin. Nothing like a little sibling/father-son/husband-wife competition to strengthen familial bonds 😉 Aside from the friendly challenge of sticking it to a family member, there's also the added security of getting advice from someone close who's done the show before.
So what do you guys think? Know of any other motivations some of the celebs might have to do the show, besides "just for fun"?


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X-FAB MEMS Foundry is based on over 20 years MEMS manufacturing and is now focused on two locations, Erfurt and Itzehoe, both in Germany. X-FAB leverages the operations of all five of its manufacturing sites located in Germany, the USA and Malaysia for the manufacturing of MEMS, which complements X-FAB's other foundry solutions addressing optical, CMOS analog/mixed-signal and high voltage applications. A core competency of X-FAB is the monolithic integration of MEMS devices with it CMOS technology to meet size and performance requirements. X-FAB also offers access to one of the broadest range of manufacturing materials in the semiconductor industry.
X-FAB MEMS Foundry is able to support customer's demanding supply chain management requirements as X-FAB is also an expert in supply chain logistics, delivering hundreds of thousands of finished wafers to customers every year.
4,000 employees worldwide support operations, quality, development, characterization, design support, applications, sales and marketing.
X-FAB MEMS Foundry Erfurt
Erfurt in central Germany, is home to X-FAB's center for MEMS manufacturing on 6-inch wafers as well as X-FAB's popular 1.0µm, 0.8µm and 0.6µm analog/ mixed-signal CMOS technologies. X-FAB MEMS Foundry utilizes both the CMOS and MEMS process equipment enabling high-volume and cost-effective MEMS production. The Erfurt site is also able to handle 8-inch wafers for some processes and enables monolithic integration of MEMS with X-FAB's advanced 0.35µm and 0.18µm CMOS technologies.
X-FAB MEMS Foundry Itzehoe
X-FAB MEMS Foundry Itzehoe GmbH is located in Itzehoe in the north of Germany. The facility has 1.000 m2 clean room area dedicated to MEMS manufacturing. The fab offers a broad range of specialty processes and technical capabilities all manufactured on 8-inch wafers. The site is being expanded with a further cleanroom dedicated to micro and nano technology and will be one of the world's leading state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities for MEMS.


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Used Pearl
About Pearl Drums:
For an instrument manufacturer, there's no substitute for experience. And, considering their 60-plus-year history, Pearl drums are designed and built with plenty of that. Chances are high that you're familiar with Pearl even if you're new to drumming; they're incredibly popular, well-respected instruments that go onstage with some of the most iconic drummers playing today. If you're considering a set of Pearl drums of your own, the first thing to say about that is "good choice."
One of the first things you're likely to notice about Pearl is that there are ton of instruments, parts and accessories to choose from. Looking through this lineup of products, you'll find a huge variety of individual drums and sets, as well as a few unexpected items such as their series of flutes. With so much to see, it's definitely worth your while to take your time and search carefully for the gear that's perfect for you.
Traditional drum sets are arguably the stars of the Pearl catalog, which makes sense when you consider that these are the instruments trusted by drummers like Chad Smith, Tommy Lee, Joey Kramer, Eric Singer and Mike Wengren. No matter your style and skill level, you'll find the right bass, snare and tom drums here for you. If you like to mix and match for total customization, check out the individual drums. Or, if you want a complete set to get started, look for a kit like the Pearl VBL Vision Birch 5 Piece Shell Pack.
Of course, playing drums onstage and in the studio with a band is only scratching the surface of what percussion can do, and Pearl knows it well. That's why they've also got a broad selection of world and marching band percussion, for instance. Want to try an instrument that's easy to learn but challenging to master, with tons of potential? That'd be the Pearl Boom Box Cajon. Need to keep a school band in step with great sound? Consider the 24x14 Championship Series Marching Bass Drum. These instruments are just the beginning of what you'll find up Pearl's sleeve.
No matter what sort of percussion you play (or, in the case of their flutes, even if you're into woodwinds), Pearl has a fantastic range of options for you. Their instruments are built to last and keep on sounding great, and they offer the right fit for any experience level or budget. The only thing Pearl drums won't do is pick themselves out, so it's up to you to dive in and find your favorites right now.


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A jailed Tunisian man is "strongly suspected" of being involved in the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi that killed four Americans, a top Tunisian official has confirmed.
Interior Minister Ali Larayedh said were "major assumptions" that Ali Harzi, who was arrested and repatriated from Turkey, had a link to the attack in the Libyan city that killed U.S. ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans on Sept. 11 this year. It was unusual for Larayedh to speak so publicly about the sensitive investigation in the television interview late Wednesday.
The image of a black leader heading the world's most powerful country has remained strong in European minds.
Harzi is one of two Tunisians arrested in Turkey. Any involvement of his raises the possibility that it wasn't just Libyans attacking the U.S. consulate. Egypt has also reported that a local militant believed to be involved in the Benghazi attack was killed by security forces.
"There are two Tunisians that were arrested by Turkish authorities, who then repatriated them. One of the two is still free, the other has been arrested and is strongly suspected to have been involved in the attack of Benghazi," Larayedh said, adding that an investigation was under way.
His comments came a day before the government decided Thursday to extend the North African nation's state of emergency for three months, reflecting the persistent unrest almost two years after a popular uprising overthrew long-ruling dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.
Since then, ultraconservative Muslims known as Salafis have held protests, claiming that Tunisian society is not sufficiently pious. There have been a number of violent incidents, including clashes Tuesday between police and sword-wielding Salafis that left two people dead.
Harzi is believed to have been a member of the Ansar al-Sharia, a Salafi group in Tunisia, according to an official close to the judiciary. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
A Libyan militia by the same name is believed to have been behind the Benghazi attack, according to witnesses who saw vehicles with the heavily armed group's logo participate in the assault.
Harzi's lawyer, Ouled Ali Anwar, told The Associated Press there was no solid evidence against his client and claimed he was being used as a "scapegoat to satisfy the Americans."
He said his client was told he has been charged with "membership of a terrorist organization" — a charge punishable by six to 12 years in prison.


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Why Entrepreneurs Like Jim Plante are so Determined to Apply AI to Medicine
Artificial intelligence seems to be the subject of many headlines these days, but the technology's
Artificial intelligence seems to be the subject of many headlines these days, but the technology's practical impact is not always as apparent. Some AI ventures are designed to support digital services in ways users will rarely notice.
On the other hand, there are also technologists and entrepreneurs dedicated to making sure the power of AI transforms human lives in clearly positive ways. Successful business leaders like Jim Plante are now leading others to make use of AI so health-enhancing medical breakthroughs are likely to follow.
Applying AI to the Most Challenging Problems in Modern Medicine
There can be no denying that medical care has made great strides over the years, with today's patients almost inevitably facing far better prognoses than those of the past. At the same time, certain related problems have become so well established it sometimes seems overcoming them could be unlikely.
Pioneers like Plante are now leveraging AI and machine learning to make progress in areas that had previously resisted it. Some of the ways by which AI promises to improve medical care for many relate to fundamental issues like:
- Affordability. Just about everyone will have noticed how expensive even many of the most common medical treatments have become. By bolstering efficiency and highlighting less-costly ways of supplying effective care, AI could help decrease spending.
- Personalization. Every patient is unique, both in terms of genetics and personal medical history. Unfortunately, very few types of treatments today account for the many related factors that could impact their effectiveness and suitability. AI could end up enabling far more personalized medical procedures and treatments that serve patients more effectively.
- Precision. Some types of medical treatments are effective at achieving their primary purpose but have undesirable side effects. AI could someday be used to design more precise types of treatment that are less likely to cause such problems.
Many Reasons to Hope for Even More Progress
Any type of progress made in these areas is virtually certain to benefit many patients. With the power of AI now being applied to such longstanding issues, tomorrow's patients will almost inevitably be better off for it.


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Garrett Jones at 1B. Neil Walker at 2B. Pedro Alvarez at 3B. Jose Tabata in LF. Andrew McCutchen in CF. Lastings Milledge in RF. Ryan Doumit at C (We can discuss his lack of defense another time). That's a pretty good lineup, or at least has the potential to be one if the young players mature as expected. What? I left something out? Oh yeah, a shortstop.
Shortstop is a big problem for the Pirates. Ronny Cedeno and Bobby Crosby have been inconsistent and below average. The front office knew this was a problem and tried to trade for J.J. Hardy in the off season, offering Matt Capps. Milwaukee opted for Carlos Gomez from the Twins instead. The closest options in the minors are not much better:
AAA: Argenis Diaz. Acquired from Boston in the Adam LaRoche trade. Stereotypical good glove/no bat type. Currently has an OPS of .600 after posting a .583 combined at Portland and Indianapolis last year.
Brian Bixler. Was called up in 2008 and 2009 with disastrous results. Was traded to Cleveland in the offseason for a low minors catcher. Recently reacquired for a PTBNL.
Brian Friday. Third round draft pick on 2007. 24 years old, decent prospect, hit well at Rice. Needs more seasoning though.
AA: Chase d'Arnaud. Fourth round pick in 2008. Currently OPSing .682 after going for an .852 clip last year at A and high-A combined. Best shortstop prospect in the system (#5 overall according to Buccofans.com) but obviously still needs some time.
With the internal options limited or unappealing, it time to look to other organizations for players who might be plundered. MLBTradeRumors.com recently posted a list of shortstops who could be available at the trade deadline. Alex Gonzalez and Yunel Escobar were traded for each other yesterday. Escobar projects as the kind of buy-low the Pirates should be in the market for, but I think the last thing they need is another head case player. (Jonah Keri just wrote a good article on perceived lazy players/head cases/etc. and their value.)
Here are the top outside options I see:
Stephen Drew – Hitting about league average this year which is good for a shortstop. Arizona is known to be in dealing mode but the Pirates probably don't want to give up the prospects it would take to get him. Detroit is said to be interested.
Ryan Theriot – Having a down year and the Cubs are looking to rebuild. The Riot doesn't have any power to speak of but can play second or short and will steal 20 bags while getting on base at a .350 rate.
Erick Aybar/Maicer Izturis – Not known to be available (Izturis is currently on the DL) but they seem like redundant pieces to me. The contending Angels are unlike to trade either of them now but I think one of them could be pried away in the offseason.
Getting one of these four players (and a cather who can , you know, catch) would greatly improve the Pirates fortunes for 2011. Did I leave anyone out? Know any other shortstops that would be a fit? Am I an idiot? Tell me in the comments below or on twitter.
Filed under: baseball, Pirates | Tagged: baseball, Bobby Crosby, Pirates, Ronny Cedeno, shortstop | Leave a comment »


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Here's what I am attempting to do :
I have a network of 6 computers at home. I have a collection of over 200 DivX encoded movies located on my fastest "server" computer (I say server, cuz I use this computer to stream video from my security cams, my home web page, etc--but does not implement Windows server edition, just windows XP). Now, this computer serves up a web page that shows an inventory listing of these movies, and I would like to place a control on this page that would open a new instance of Windows media player on the client computer (passing the selected movie's location as a parameter), and closing the original web page.
I suppose I COULD try streaming the movie, but that would limit the client computers to watching only one movie at any given time, not to mention slow the server computer down to a crawl. (not to mention that the server computer is already streaming output from my security cams).
I HAVE tried to implement this in a variety of ways, but the BEST I could do was to get the Movie inventory web page to open up an instance of WMP on the Server computer, rather than on the client computer.....
Any Ideas ? Please ?


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Save $3.00 on any TWO Dove Hair Care Products
(excludes trial and travel sizes and Dove Men+Care).
Limit one coupon per purchase on product/quantity specified and Maximum of two identical coupons allowed in same shopping trip. Void if reproduced, transferred, used to purchase products for resale or where prohibited/regulated by law. Coupon value may not exceed value of item purchased. NO CASH BACK. Consumer pays sales tax. Redeemable at participating retail stores. Valid only in the US. Not valid in Puerto Rico.


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Home > Benefits
The Benefits unit section assists faculty, staff, and graduate students in understanding their benefit programs. We work closely with the Department of Civil Service, Division of Employee Benefits, SUNY and Research Foundation Central Offices, and the various carriers to ensure that the programs work smoothly and employees receive their maximum entitlement.
The Benefits unit arranges seminars and conducts workshops and outreach programs. The Benefit's staff advises supervisors and department heads and counsel's employees, providing them with information about benefits programs offered by Stony Brook through the State, Research Foundation, and GSEU. These initiatives include health insurance; life insurance, state supported tuition assistance programs, retirement, tax-deferred programs, long-term disability plans; and short-term disability, workers compensation, and the Family and Medical Leave Act for Research Foundation.
Please select your employment type for detailed benefits information that applies to you.


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Category Archives: Books
Scottish Transport 66 – 2014 Edition
Scottish Transport 66 is the 2014 edition of the STTS's annual magazine. It comprises 48 A5 pages with card covers, and includes a variety of well illustrated articles covering tram, bus, and railway topics.
Posted in Books Tagged Ballater Branch, Cambuslang, Edinburgh Tramway, Glasgow, Gordon Casely, Ian Cormack, Liners, Liverpool Streamliners, Milnathort Station, Mussleburgh, Scottish Transport Annual, Stronachie Distillery, Stronachie Tramway Comments Off on Scottish Transport 66 – 2014 Edition
Scottish Transport 67 – 2015 Edition
The annual magazine of the Scottish Tramway and Transport Society was published in September 2015 and contains as usual a selection of articles covering a wide range of transport modes.
Posted in Books Comments Off on Scottish Transport 67 – 2015 Edition


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Activision Unleashes Call Of Duty: Black Ops Trailer
Activision and Treyarch have released a new trailer for Call of Duty: Black Ops, and it's filled with lots of interesting details. There are shots of some of the game's unusual weapons, including a crossbow with explosive bolts, and exotic aircraft such as the SR-71 Blackbird. There are also a few blink-and-you'll-miss-them moments, the highlight of which is a quick glimpse of the game's helicopter-piloting sequence.
Aside from that, it's also a nice overall look at the game in motion. If you're OD'd on FPS games, this one probably won't convert you, but if you're in the mood for more Call of Duty this should do the trick.


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MRI in Practice456
NOOK Book(eBook)
Available on Compatible NOOK Devices and the free NOOK Apps.
Since the first edition was published in 1993, MRI in Practice has become the standard text for radiographers, technologists, radiology residents, radiologists and even sales representatives on the subject of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). This text is essential reading on undergraduate and postgraduate MRI courses. Furthermore MRI in Practice has come to be known as the number one reference book and study guide in the areas of MR instrumentation, principles, pulse sequences, image acquisition, and imaging parameters for the advanced level examination for MRI offered by the American Registry for Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) in the USA.
The book explains in clear terms the theory that underpins magnetic resonance so that the capabilities and operation of MRI systems can be fully appreciated and maximised. This fourth edition captures recent advances, and coverage includes: parallel imaging techniques and new sequences such as balanced gradient echo.
Building on the success of the first three editions, the fourth edition has been fully revised and updated. The book now comes with a companion website at www.wiley.com/go/mriinpractice which hosts animated versions of a selection of illustrations in the book that are used on the MRI in Practice Course. These animations and accompanying text are aimed at helping the reader's comprehension of some of the more difficult concepts. The website also hosts over 200 interactive self-assessment exercises to help the reader test their understanding.
MRI in Practice features:
- Full color illustrations
- Logical presentation of the theory and applications of MRI
- A new page design
- A companion website at www.wiley.com/go/mriinpractice featuring interactive multiple choice questions, short answer questions PLUS animations of more complex concepts from the book
For more information on the MRI in Practice Course and other learning resources by Westbrook and Talbot, please visit www.mrieducation.com
Product Details
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About the Author
Catherine Westbrook MSc, FHEA, PgC (HE), DCRR, CTCert, is a Senior Lecturer and postgraduate pathway leader at The Faculty of Health & Social Care, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK where she is responsible for the postgraduate course in MRI. Catherine is also an independent teaching consultant lecturing on the MRI in Practice Course and other renowned international courses and conferences. She is also the author of Handbook of MRI Technique and MRI at a Glance, both published by Wiley.
Carolyn Kaut Roth RT (R) (MR) (CT) (M) (CV), FSMRT, is the CEO of Imaging Education Associates, Berwyn, Pennsylvania, USA, delivering a wide variety of learning resources in MRI and other imaging modalities.
John Talbot MSc, FHEA, PgC (HE), DCRR, is Senior Lecturer at The Faculty of Health & Social Care,
Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK, where he is responsible for delivery of undergraduate and postgraduate modules. John is also an independent teaching consultant lecturing on the MRI in Practice Course and developing the companion website animations.
Table of ContentsForeword ix
Preface to the Fourth Edition xi
Acknowledgments xiii
Chapter 1 Basic principles 1
Introduction 1
Atomic structure 1
Motion in the atom 2
MR active nuclei 2
The hydrogen nucleus 4
Alignment 4
Precession 8
The Larmor equation 9
Resonance 11
The MR signal 15
The free induction decay signal (FID) 16
Relaxation 16
T1 recovery 16
T2 decay 16
Pulse timing parameters 19
Chapter 2 Image weighting and contrast 21
Introduction 21
Image contrast 21
Contrast mechanisms 22
Relaxation in diff erent tissues 23
T1 contrast 25
T2 contrast 27
Proton density contrast 27
Weighting 29
T2* decay 31
Introduction to pulse sequences 34
Chapter 3 Encoding and image formation 59
Encoding 59
Introduction 59
Gradients 60
Slice selection 62
Frequency encoding 65
Phase encoding 69
Sampling 73
Data collection and image
formation 79
Introduction 79
K space description 80
K space fi lling 81
Fast Fourier transform (FFT) 86
Important facts about K space 90
K space traversal and gradients 96
Options that fill K space 98
Types of acquisition 101
Chapter 4 Parameters and trade-offs 103
Introduction 103
Signal to noise ratio (SNR) 104
Contrast to noise ratio (CNR) 123
Spatial resolution 126
Scan time 131
Trade-offs 134
Decision making 134
Volume imaging 137
Chapter 5 Pulse sequences 140
Introduction 140
Spin echo pulse sequences 141
Conventional spin echo 141
Fast or turbo spin echo 143
Inversion recovery 151
Fast inversion recovery 157
STIR (short tau inversion recovery) 157
FLAIR (fluid attenuated inversion recovery) 159
IR prep sequences 163
Gradient echo pulse sequences 164
Conventional gradient echo 164
The steady state and echo formation 166
Coherent gradient echo 169
Incoherent gradient echo (spoiled) 172
Steady state free precession (SSFP) 175
Balanced gradient echo 179
Fast gradient echo 185
Single shot imaging techniques 186
Parallel imaging techniques 193
Chapter 6 Flow phenomena 198
Introduction 198
The mechanisms of flow 198
Flow phenomena 200
Time of flight phenomenon 200
Entry slice phenomenon 203
Intra-voxel dephasing 206
Flow phenomena compensation 207
Introduction 207
Even echo rephasing 207
Gradient moment rephasing (nulling) 207
Spatial pre-saturation 210
Chapter 7 Artefacts and their compensation 225
Introduction 225
Phase mismapping 225
Aliasing or wrap around 234
Chemical shift artefact 243
Out of phase artefact (chemical misregistration) 244
Truncation artefact 249
Magnetic susceptibility artefact 250
Cross-excitation and cross-talk 252
Zipper artefact 255
Shading artefact 256
Moiré artefact 256
Magic angle 257
Chapter 8 Vascular and cardiac imaging 261
Introduction 261
Conventional MRI vascular imaging techniques 262
Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) 269
Cardiac MRI 290
Cardiac gating 291
Peripheral gating 298
Pseudo-gating 300
Multiphase cardiac imaging 300
Ciné 301
Chapter 9 Instrumentation and equipment 307
Introduction 307
Magnetism 309
Permanent magnets 312
Electromagnets 314
Superconducting electromagnets 317
Fringe fields 321
Shim coils 322
Gradient coils 323
Radio frequency (RF) 330
Patient transportation system 337
MR computer systems and the user interface 337
Chapter 10 MRI safety 341
Introduction 341
Government guidelines 342
Safety terminology 343
Hardware and magnetic field considerations 345
Radio frequency fields 346
Gradient magnetic fields 349
The main magnetic field 351
Projectiles 355
Siting considerations 357
MRI facility zones 358
Safety education 360
Protecting the general public from the fringe field 360
Implants and prostheses 361
Devices and monitors in MRI 367
Pacemakers 367
Patient conditions 368
Safety policy 369
Safety tips 370
Reference 371
Chapter 11 Contrast agents in MRI 372
Introduction 372
Mechanism of action of contrast agents 373
Molecular tumbling 373
Dipole–dipole interactions 375
Magnetic susceptibility 376
Relaxivity 378
Gadolinium safety 380
Other contrast agents 383
Current applications of gadolinium contrast agents 385
Conclusion 393
Chapter 12 Functional imaging techniques 396
Introduction 396
Diff usion weighted imaging (DWI) 397
Perfusion imaging 400
Susceptibility weighting (SWI) 404
Functional imaging (fMRI) 404
Interventional MRI 405
MR spectroscopy (MRS) 407
Whole body imaging 410
MR microscopy (MRM) 411
Glossary 413
Index 427


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Zipper Interactive and Sony are so excited about tomorrow night's first 256-player battle at the MAG-themed PAX meet-up that they're tossing out beta codes to followers of the PlayStation Twitter.
Tomorrow night at the Penny Arcade Expo, Sony's MAG finally achieves its full potential, showing off the massive, 256-player action gameplay that gave the game its name. In honor of the event and for the sake of the MAG fans that couldn't make it to PAX, Sony and Zipper have come up with a little trivia contest that could score several lucky players a spot in the beta test for the game.
Sony will be posting four MAG-related questions today on the official PlayStation Twitter account. The first six people to respond with the correct answer to each question to @SonyPlayStation will score beta access. Note that this only applies to U.S. residents, and you'll be agreeing to an NDA in order to play.
I hope everything goes well. While I'll be at PAX, tomorrow night is NCsoft's Aion launch party at the Space Needle, so I will be otherwise occupied.
MAG Meet-up at PAX Tomorrow Night! [PlayStation Blog]


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A collection of scholarly works about individual liberty and free markets. A project of Liberty Fund, Inc.
Harriet Martineau's Autobiography, ed. Maria Weston Chapman (Boston: James R. Osgood & Co., 1877). 2 vols. https://oll.libertyfund.org/titles/2010,
Thinking she was close to death Martineau wrote her autobiography in 1855 but lived for another 20 years. She recounts her activities in various mid-19th century reform movements, her struggle to become a professional writer, and her work in popularizing the ideas of free market political economy.
The text is in the public domain.
This material is put online to further the educational goals of Liberty Fund, Inc. Unless otherwise stated in the Copyright Information section above, this material may be used freely for educational and academic purposes. It may not be used in any way for profit.


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New Research Supports Concord Grape Juice and Healthy
Laboratory Study Finds Concord Grape Juice Outperforms Other Fruit Juices in Support of Blood Vessel Health
October 1, 2014
In addition to a healthy lifestyle, a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can help support a healthy heart. Fruits in particular contain a variety of health-promoting plant nutrients (or polyphenols) that can play a role in cardiovascular health, yet not all fruits contain the same types of polyphenols and not all polyphenols have the same effect on the body.
A new study, directed by Dr. Valérie Schini-Kerth at the Université de Strasbourg, shows that the type of polyphenol, not just the amount, is central to the effect on promoting blood vessel relaxation,1 which is associated with healthy circulation and cardiovascular wellbeing. Building off her previous work in this area,2 Schini-Kerth and colleagues sampled a variety of commercially-available fruit juices to determine their ability to induce endothelium-dependent relaxation in a laboratory model.1
Of the 51 fruit juice products examined, three products: a blackcurrant juice, a red juice blend, and specifically Welch's Concord grape juice had the most potent positive effect on blood vessel health. While these three products also had the highest polyphenol content of the juices, the data suggest that it's not only the polyphenol concentration that correlates to the relaxation effect, but also the types of polyphenols present. Additionally, the sugar concentration did not correlate with the blood vessel relaxation, which may suggest that sugars do not alter the beneficial effects of polyphenols in fruit juice.
This study builds on the author's earlier work showing that Concord grape juice has positive effects on blood vessel health3,4 and the nearly twenty years of research suggesting that this juice can support a healthy heart. In fact, the authors note that in the case of Concord grape juice, research has shown an improved endothelial function5,6 and a benefit on both systolic and diastolic blood pressure,7 in certain at-risk people who drink Concord grape juice.
Expert Outlook:
According to the authors: "The present findings are in good agreement with our previous work and indicate that the fruit-derived juices with the largest benefit on vascular activity are predominantly those from berries, including the Concord grape."
1Auger C, Pollet B, Arnold C, Marx C and Schini-Kerth VB. Great Heterogeneity of Commercial Fruit Juices to Induce Endothelium-Dependent Relaxations in Isolated Porcine Coronary Arteries: Role of the Phenolic Content and Composition. J Med Food. 2014. Epub ahead of print. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25009961
2Auger C, Kim JH, Trinh S, Chataigneau T, Popken AM, Schini-Kerth VB. Fruit juice-induced endothelium-dependent relaxations in isolated porcine coronary arteries: evaluation of different fruit juices and purees and optimization of a red fruit juice blend. Food Funct. 2011. 2(5):245–250.
3Alhosin M, Anselm E, Rashid S, Kim JH, Madeira SV, Bronner C and Schini-Kerth VB. Redox-Sensitive Up-Regulation of eNOS by Purple Grape Juice in Endothelial Cells: Role of PI3-Kinase/Akt, p38 MAPK, JNK, FoxO1 and FoxO3a. PLoS ONE. 2013. 8(3):e57883.
4Anselm E, Chataigneau M, Ndiaye M, Chataigneau T and Schini-Kerth VB. Grape juice causes endothelium-dependent relaxation via a redox-sensitive Src- and Akt-dependent activation of eNOS. Cardiovasc Res. 2007. 73(2):404-413.
5Chou EJ, Keevil JG, Aeschlimann S, Wiebe DA, Folts JD and Stein JH. Effect of ingestion of purple grape juice on endothelial function in patients with coronary heart disease. Am J Cardiol. 2001.88(5):553-555.
6Stein JH, Keevil JG, Wiebe DA, Aeschlimann S and Folts JD. Purple grape juice improves endothelial function and reduces the susceptibility of LDL cholesterol to oxidation in patients with coronary artery disease. Circulation. 1999. 100(10):1050-1055.
7Park YK, Kim J-S and Kang M-H. Concord grape juice supplementation reduces blood pressure in Korean hypertensive men: double-blind, placebo controlled intervention trial. Biofactors. 2004. 22(1-4):145-147.


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