text:
Research and Quality Consultancy
MACS provides the following services in improving airport service level standards:
- Airport Service Quality Benchmarking Programme
- Airport Customer Satisfaction Performance Program (ACSPP)
- Measurement of Service Level Standards
- In-depth Customer Satisfaction Study
- Management Systems Application
- Business Excellence Practices
- Socio-Economy Study
- Self-Development Program in Service Improvement
- Shariah Management for Services & Products
Quality Service Monitoring (QSM)
Quality Service Monitoring is a tool to help users identify key performance indicators, to measure customers' satisfaction levels and to highlight corrective actions and improvements. QSM assists airports to gauge their level of service performance in context of the International Airport Industry and set benchmarks for Service Quality Standards.
Management System
Manages the Quality Management System, Risk Management System and monitor the Lean Initiatives of MACS:
- To ensure compliance towards ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management System and MS 1900:2005 Quality Management System in Shariah Requirements.
- To identify, monitor and mitigate all risks for MACS.
- To identify, monitor and maintain the momentum of Lean improvement initiatives results delivery by completing the assigned projects as per action plans.
- To develop the airport business excellence practise model based on the best airport practises worldwide.


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Members of the 2014 Under 23 Team participated in a Fourth of July Parade in Orinda, Calif. Photo by Anne Rauschert.
PRINCETON, N.J. – The United States Rowing Association today announced the 59-member 2014 Under 23 National Team that will compete at the upcoming 2014 World Rowing Under 23 Championships from July 23-27, in Varese, Italy.
The five-day competition will feature U.S. crews in 20 events including the men's and women's single sculls, lightweight men's and women's single sculls, men's and women's double sculls, lightweight men's and women's double sculls, men's and women's quadruple sculls, lightweight women's quadruple sculls, men's and women's pair, lightweight men's pair, men's and women's four, lightweight men's four, men's four with coxswain, and men's and women's eight.
Complete press coverage, athlete bios and links to event information can be found at www.usrowing.org and www.worldrowing.com.
2014 World Rowing Under 23 Championship Roster

subset: commoncrawl


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I'm impressed, not to say flabbergasted. OK, I'm flabbergasted.
You're right - I was never consciously aware of how different my background colors were from the others, but my message here is to stress my own admiration of YOU, that you would notice and comment on them. I'd call that super aware and sensitive. I applaud you. Some time ago I was emailed a page from AWM where you mentioned me in the same sentence as Ed Benedict and Walt Clinton and used words like "absolutely amazing, more subtle, more harmonious colors". Very lofty heights! Thanks. And while I'm on the topic, let me say that I really, truly praise what you, yourself, are doing. Happy continuation!
Here's the beginning of a series of interviews with early Hanna Barbera color stylist and BG painter, Art Lozzi:
We were at the first studio of theirs, the Charlie Chaplin Studio on LaBrea. Bill Hanna had me installed at Disney's after my short time with them at MGM, telling me that he and Joe were planning their own studio, a first of its kind, doing limited animation for television. Cartoons made especially for TV!!! When the time was right he'd call for me to start up the background department with Monte and Bob Gentle. I was delighted.
But this is how I actually got into the field: In-betweener at MGM, lured by Bill Hanna (who told me that my portfolio was exceptional) NOT to return to UCLA, and to join him and Joe B as soon as the studio was ready, and to help form the background department.
As mentioned, this studio was at the Charlie Chaplin Studio on La Brea. Great. Fantastic history. There was space for only 14 people to work there; the rest worked at home and brought their suff in. I was in a corner room with Montealegre (Montie). Bob Gentle worked at home, bringing his work in a couple of times a week. Wonderful guy, Bob Gentle!
You'd be very surprised how little was preplanned, studied, discussed, reviewed, exchanged with Monte, Bob Gentle or the layout department. Esp. at the start there simply was not enough time. "Here are the layouts. Get busy. A new batch is coming up."
Since each layout artist drew differently from one another, it was up to the bg painters to established a unity among all the cartoons.
Just as Yogi had to look like Yogi in all of the shows, so did the bg's have to look recognizable for the most part....with allowable variations. Yogi's Jellystone park had to look like it.
Color Keying Considerations
I can't remember doing sketch ideas and tests with colors or textures or lines. I made sure that I knew which characters were working in these scenes, what their colors were, and what other animated objects were there.
A few times I'd discuss this with the head of Ink and Paint (Roberta) just to be on the safe side, to make sure that a movable chair, the opening-shutting front door, the telephone or a pair of shoes was going to be legible.
Forests and Flowers
As for forests, that's easier. A rose is a rose is a rose, without going wild. If I paint them differently from Monte or Bob G, it's because that's the way I paint forests, with a wide range of styles included....for the most part. As I say, there wasn't the time to do sample tests.
Me, I love using textures, I enjoy the many shades of one color. I avoid monotone (monotony)...even in my speech. (John, you showed some of the most beautiful photos on the blog, the colors of Nature. Absolutely Beautiful. That was great! And I hope that your people picked it up, got the message.).
Was there a boss? No. There was simply the fact that Monte and I, in the beginning and still later as we grew, worked standing right next to each other, about 6 feet apart. I used some of his brushes and he used mine. Together we adopted a certain style that was approved by Bill and Joe and by the layout guys -altho they kept their noses out of backgrounds- and we stuck to it. Bob Gentle did a similar thing at home.
Disney doing the same kind of thing for more money-just for contrast sake, this is a BG in a similar technique done at a much higher cost for Disney. In my opinion it is a lot less appealing, both color wise and compositionally. The colors are more garish and it looks less like a background than a potato painting.
If you had blue right beside red, then the two areas would clash and cancel each other out as they do all through Disney's Alladin.
Pure bright colors seem brighter when they are framed by neutral colors because the neutral colors don't compete with them.
Do You Remember Anything About Ruff 'N' Reddy?
Ruff and Reddy? I have very little recollection of it. It was early, it was great fun - those voices! And the bgs were simple, flat and direct. A fence was white. Sidewalks were toned grays.
John: This rooftop may look simple, but to me, I love it just because it is not typical. Each sort of primary is mixed with organic (non-mathematical) proportions of other tints and greys.
The sky is slightly violet blue, the roof is not red, it's red mixed with purple and brown-I guess you could call it burgundy or even funnier-maroon.
The chimney is one shade of greyish reddish brick on the light side and bluish shadow on the dark side.
This pretty combination of colors was done fast and looks a million times better than the more expensive fruity looking fuzzy tasteless mess below.
BG Painters Selected The Paints-Cell Paints
The paints were selected by us. The paint supplier was somewhere in the neighborhood. We used plastic squirt-type containers with spouts... that you can see in the photo of me that I sent you.
As you know, we painted the bgs so that they didn't appear too heavy and dark. The characters were painted with exactly the same paint as the bgs. Acrylic. We worked out all the hundreds and hundreds of colors and shades for all the cel levels, labeled them, and according to the number of cels, the density of the bg colors was determined. Paint colors were named with the initials of the color. Ex: Y was yellow, YO was yellow orange and OY was orange yellow, etc. ...obviously.
Then there was OY1, OY2, OY3, OY4, OY5, for the different cel levels. That "yellowish'' picnic basket that appears next to the table, by the way, was that color because it was also animated in other scenes...it was one of the Ink and Paint department colors, not a bg color.
The Painting Tools and Brushes
Rollers, brushes, colored pencils, sponges, cut-outs, tape; these were the basics. I still have a couple of those old brushes here...Finepoint....expensive. I wish I could find that great bg paper here....maybe if I look around. I'm sure that all of this is deep-ingrained in you but maybe it could be useful in explaining it to others.
Thanks To The Commenters
I want to thank those young bloggers for the the flattering comments. I could never really understand why they thought the bgs were SO good. I never analyzed them. They just seemed to happen. One of them -Akira- said, "Any idea how Art Lozzi learned to paint like this? besides a god-given talent, i'm guessing lots of actually observing and painting the real world." Very good commentary. Akira, thanks, but not to sound disillusioning, very little was studied. The bg's were the result of painting them. Lots of enjoyable experimentation too of course. Looking at work from other studios could also be an inspiration where you love what you saw and try to do a variation. The same would be for music too, or whatever else creative. Mozart, I'm sure, was influenced by Bach, etc. The Flintstones by The Honeymooners. Etceteraandsoforth.
-Art Lozzi
...more to come...Art will talk about his fellow artists and how and why Hanna Barbera became standardized and less experimental later


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Difference between revisions of "Fort McMurray"
Revision as of 16:12, 9 June 2013
Fort McMurray is a city in Alberta, Canada. It is the largest settlement in Athabasca Oil Sands. Although it looks and feels like a city, it lost its city status in 1995 when it merged with a large rural area to form the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo [4].
Neighbourhoods which may be useful to the traveller include:
Get in
By plane
Fort McMurray Airport (YMM) [5] has several flights daily between Edmonton and Calgary and one daily flight between St. John's, Newfoundland which stops in Toronto en route. (The St. John's link exists due to the fact a large percentage of the region's oil patch workers "commute" regularly between Fort Mac and their homes in Newfoundland. New service began as of June 2013 from Denver, Colorado USA.
By car
Highway 63 is the main road to Fort McMurray, about 450 kilometres NE of Edmonton. It it parallelled by Highway 881 for about 200 kilometres. The road is one lane in each direction for the vast majority of the trip. Twinning has been promised, but progress is slow. Some passing lanes have been installed. While large, wide loads and truck traffic both use the highway, traffic counts are low except Thursday nights (southbound) and Sunday afternoons/evenings (northbound).
Be ware that Highway 63 has recently become notorious for vehicle accidents. This highway is a two lane highway, and many people commute to the oil sands from communities south adding to the strain. In addition most structures for the oil sands are built in Edmonton and trucked up north, which can take up the entire highway. The Alberta gov't plans to twin the highway in the near future but in the meantime, please obey all speed limits and have respect for these huge modules being trucked up. If you aren't accustomed to long drives with limited services between centres, consider flying or taking a bus instead.
By train
Passenger rail service ended in 1986. While there's been some talk about upgrading the existing rail freight corridor, there's no real prospect of bringing it back at this time.
By bus
Fort McMurray is served by Greyhound [6] and Red Arrow Motorcoach [7] from Edmonton.
Get around
Fort McMurray is in fact, a loose cluster of several dozen subdivisions, many having only one entry/exit. Most subdivisions are pedestrian friendly, however to travel from one part of town to the other end, a vehicle is definitely recommended.
Fort McMurray has an extensive public transit system that reaches all areas of the city. It is common however for the buses to be late or have long waiting periods between each service.
Taxi cabs are easily available. Taxi cab companies include:
The Oil Sands Discovery Centre, 515 MacKenzie Boulevard, +1 780 743-7167, [8]. September 4 - May 13, 10AM-4PM, closed Mondays. The Centre offers an insight on the rapid pace of development happening north of the city. In addition it explains the history of the oil sands, how the oil sand is mined and converted into product, and future ways of extracting the oil sand. The Discovery Centre also shows exhibits of machines that are used to process the oil sand.
Fort McMurray Tourism, 1-800-565-3947, [9], schedules tours of Syncrude or Suncor, the main oil sand plants, from May to September. Reservations are required 24 hours in advance (one week to 10 days advance booking recommended). Children under 12 are not allowed on the tour.
Aurora Borealis, the "Northern Lights" are a must see in Fort McMurray. Tours guides such as Alta-Can Aurora Tours 1-780-452-5187 [10], Aurora Adventures 1-780-799-3329 [11], and Aurora Tours 1-780-334-2292 [12] can arrange viewings of the elusive lights.
Points North Adventures, +1 780 743-9350, [13], offers canoe trips and rentals, river tours, and jet boat rides.
Souvenirs of Fort McMurray and the oil sands can be found at the Discovery Centre and specialty retail outlets. Some places, you can purchase small vials of actual oil sand, and different products that are associated with the process all the way to the final product - synthetic crude.
Fort McMurray has several shopping areas and malls, the largest being Peter Pond Shopping Centre, 9713 Hardin Street, +1 780 791-4044, [14]. It is, however quite small for a city of 80,000 people. A larger 250,000 sq ft mall is planned to be developed in Timberlea, however no start on construction has occurred.
The Keg Steakhouse
Boston Pizza two locations in the downtown and Timberlea area
Moxie's Classic Grill
Tio Mario offers Italian food.
Yoshi Japanese Restaurant
Fuji Japanese Restaurant has the finest Japanese food in town.
Kozy Korner Family Restaurant The best place for home-cooked style food.
The Fish Place offers fine seafood.
Hearthstone located in the Sawridge Inn and Conference Centre, the Hearthstone restaurant and lounge feature incredible breakfast and lunch buffets, as well as exclusive dishes highlighted by local specialties. Jiggs Dinner featured every Sunday.
The legal drinking age in Alberta is 18.
The Whiskey Ultra Lounge - Popular nightclub for the younger croud. Located in Thickwood- 380 Silin Forest Rd. Previously named Diesel Lounge.
Black Horse Pub - located in Thickwood.
Club NV - Steps away from the Peter Pond Shopping Center, Club NV opened up in September of 2009 at the former site of the Cowboys Country Saloon. Like it's predecessor, it is more popular with the 18 to 25 crowd.
The Fort McMurray Newfoundlanders Club - A very popular spot with the locals. All kinds of music are played here. Club mix, country, rock, and yes, Newfie music. Be sure that if you're going to show up on a Friday or Saturday night, come early, as this place fills up quickly.
Paddy McSwiggins - an Irish pub located in Thickwood.
Tavern On Main a smaller tavern located next to Club NV and Smitty's Family Restaurant in the Peter Pond Shopping Center.
Showgirls Adult Night Club - located at 8124 Franklin Avenue with an $6.00 Entertainment Fee / $10 Special Events, Showgirls prides itself on being the ultimate in adult entertainment in Fort McMurray for over 10 years. Bringing you the most beautiful women in the adult industry every week for your viewing pleasure. New Management, new renovations for your comfort, great music and open 7 days a week. This is the only place you need to be! Hours of Operation ~ Sunday to Thursday 6 - 2 ~ Friday and Saturday 4:30 - 2
Mid Range
Fort McMurray has a very strong economy and very low unemployment, with an economy driven primarily by the oil sands industry. Most of the jobs are located in the oil sands, north and southeast of town. Most people work at Suncor, Syncrude, Albian Sands, CNRL, OptiNexen and Deer Creek.
Stay safe
Fort McMurray can be known for its brutally cold winters. Temperatures can drop to minus 35 to minus 45 Celsius at times. It is very important that your vehicle is winterized as well as the engine block heater is plugged in. Don't forget to bundle up! As for crime, Fort Mac is generally a very safe place. Franklin Avenue, between Hardin and Morrison as well as Main Street between MacDonald, and Fraser in the downtown area after dark after the bars close on a Friday and Saturday night can be a little rowdy at times but not dangerous.
Get out
North of Fort McMurray
South of Fort McMurray


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Product Details
GMC Jimmy 1996, 1-Click Autospecialty OE Replacement Plain Front Brake Kit by Power Stop®. Sold as Kit. Engineered for spirited daily drivers looking to upgrade their vehicle's stopping power, this brake kit is a fast, easy and affordable solution for improved braking. It includes a complete set of Autospecialty OE replacement brake rotors and high performance Z16 Evolution ceramic pads.
|Bolt Circle: 120.65mm (4.75")
|Nominal Rotor Thickness: 26.3mm (1")
|Outside Diameter: 267mm (10.5")
|Rotor Construction: 1-Piece
|Rotor Material: Cast Iron
|Rotor Type: Vented
|Lug Quantity: 5
- A perfect combination of OE replacement rotors and high performance ceramic pads
- Higher coefficient of friction than OE
- Low dust ceramic formula for superior braking power and cleaner wheels
- Powder coated backing plate for corrosion resistance and longer lifespan
- Rubberized shims provide great noise insulation
- Chamfered and slotted like OE pad for noise-free braking
- Pad surfaces are thermal scorched for fast break-in
Rotor Benefits:
- Perfect for non-aggressive driving
- Ensure quiet operation
- Offer low dust and long pad life
- More resistant to warping or cracking
Designed to deliver superior stopping power, low-dust operation, and noise-free braking, this OE replacement brake kit which includes OE-like brake rotors and high performance Z16 Evolution ceramic pads is a perfect solution when you need to upgrade your vehicle's braking performance. Ceramic pads ensure consistent braking power and low wheel dust generation thanks to the Evolution ceramic low dust formula. Power Stop uses enhanced poly-ceramic formula with dual layer rubberized shims that ensures quiet braking and cleaner, dust-free wheels.
Power Stop Ceramic Brake Pads are chamfered and slotted like OE pads to provide noise-free braking and feature a powder coated backing plate that extends pad lifespan thanks to high rust and corrosion resistance. According to SAE/ISO test results, Power Stop Ceramic Brake Pads provide as much as 20% more stopping power than other leading aftermarket brands. The premium carbon-ceramic compound is made using OE positive mold technology which is utilized to ensure more consistent material density, resulting in superior fade-free braking performance.
Founded in 1997 in Southern California, Power Stop® began with the goal of bringing the benefits of superior brake components at a reasonable cost to street performance and backyard performance enthusiasts everywhere. Company management and engineers believed then, as they do today, that better brakes make driving more enjoyable and safer for any vehicle, terrain, and driving style – not just street performance. They developed a philosophy that while brake components cannot be superior without the most advanced materials, they also cannot perform in a superior fashion without matching the exact tolerances of each and every individual vehicle they are created for. Relentless development and testing led to brake pads, rotors, drum shoes, and other related components that delivered uncompromising fit and operation, and Power Stop's customer base grew exponentially from positive word of mouth. The company still has its original passion for creating the best products at the best possible prices, so when it comes to replacement brake components for your vehicle, Power Stop is the only name you need to know.
California Residents
WARNING Cancer and Reproductive Harm. www.p65warnings.ca.gov


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Welcome to PHCorner Forums. Take a moment to Sign up and gain unlimited access and extra privileges that guests are not entitled to, such as:
- Ask support for computer & mobile issues.
- Learn internet tricks for your android phone, mobile network, and computer.
All that and more! Registration is quick, simple and absolutely free. Join our community today!
Help Injector
Discussion started by andipot0305, Aug 1, 2016.


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Embedded programmers traditionally use C as their language of choice. And why not? It's lean and efficient, and lets you get as close to the metal as you want. Of course C++, used properly, provides the same level of efficiency as the best C code. Moreover, you can also leverage powerful C++ features to write cleaner, safer, more elegant low-level code. In this article, I present a C++ scheme for accessing hardware registers in an optimal way.
Most embedded code needs to service hardware directly. This seemingly magical act is not that hard. Some kinds of registers need a little more fiddling to get at than others, but you certainly don't need an eye-of-newt or any voodoo dances. The exact mechanism depends on how your circuit board is wired up. The common types of register access are:
- Memory-mapped I/O. The hardware lets you communicate with a device using the same instructions as memory access. The device is wired up to live at memory address
n; register 1 is mapped at address
n, register 2 is at
n+1, register 3 at
n+2, and so on.
- Port-mapped I/O. Certain devices present pages of registers that you have to map into memory by selecting the correct device "port." You might use specific input/output CPU instructions to talk to these devices, although more often the port and its selector are mapped directly into the memory address space.
- Bus separated. It's harder to control devices connected over a nonmemory-mapped bus. I2C and I2S are common peripheral connection buses. In this scenario, you must either talk to a dedicated I2C control chip (whose registers are memory mapped), telling it what to send to the device, or you manipulate I2C control lines yourself using GPIO ports (General Purpose Input/Output, assignable control lines not specifically designed for a particular data bus) on some other memory-mapped device.
Each device has a data sheet that describes (among other things) the registers it contains, what they do, and how to use them. Registers are a fixed number of bits wide; this is usually determined by the type of device you are using. This is an important fact to know: Some devices will lock up if you write the wrong width data to them. With fixed-width registers, many devices cram several bits of functionality into one register as a "bitset." The data sheet would describe this diagrammatically.
So what does hardware access code look like? Using the example of a hypothetical UART line driver device, the traditional C-style schemes are:
- Direct memory pointer access. It's not unheard of to see register access code similar to Listing One, but we all know that the perpetrators of this kind of monstrosity should be punished. It's neither readable nor maintainable.
Listing One
*((volatile uint32_t *)0xfffe0004) = 10; *((volatile uint8_t *)0xfffe0001) = 3;
- Pointer usage is usually made bearable by defining a macro name for each register location. There are two distinct macro flavors. The first macro style defines bare memory addresses (as in Listing Two). The only real advantage of this is that you can share the definition with assembly code parsed using the C preprocessor. As you can see, its use is long winded in normal C code, and prone to error; you have to get the cast right each time. The alternative (see Listing Three) is to include the cast in the macro itself; far nicer in C. Unless there's a lot of assembly code, this latter approach is preferable.
Listing Two
#define UART_TXBUF 0xfffe0004 #define UART_TXCTL 0xfffe0001 *(volatile uint32_t *)UART_TXBUF = 10; *(volatile uint8_t *)UART_TXCTL = 3;
Listing Three
#define UART_TXBUF ((volatile uint32_t*) 0xfffe0004) #define UART_TXCTL ((volatile uint8_t*) 0xfffe0001) *UART_TXBUF = 10; *UART_TXCTL = 3;
- Macros have no overhead in terms of code speed or size. The alternative, creating a physical pointer variable to describe each register location, would have a negative impact on both code performance and executable size. However, macros are gross and C++ programmers already smell a rat here. There are plenty of problems with this fragile scheme. It's programming at a very low level, and the code's real intent is not clearit's hard to spot all register accesses as you browse a function.
- Deferred assignment is a technique that lets you write code like Listing Four, defining the register location values at link time. This is not commonly used; it's cumbersome when you have a number of large devices, and not all compilers provide this functionality. It requires you to run a flat (nonvirtual) memory model.
Listing Four
extern volatile uint32_t UART_TXBUF; extern volatile uint8_t UART_TXCTL; UART_TXBUF = 10; UART_TXCTL = 3; // compile this with: // gcc listing4.c // -gUART_UART_TXBUF=0xfffe0004 // -gUART_TXCTL=0xfffe0001
- Use a
structto describe the register layout in memory, as in Listing Five. There's a lot to be said for this approachit's logical and reasonably readable. However, it has one big drawbackit is not Standards-compliant. Neither the C nor C++ Standards specify how the contents of a
structare laid out in memory. You are guaranteed an exact ordering, but you don't know how the compiler pads out nonaligned items. Indeed, some compilers have proprietary extensions or switches to determine this behavior. Your code might work fine with one compiler and produce startling results on another.
Listing Five
struct uart_device_t { uint8_t STATUS; uint8_t TXCTL; ... and so on ... }; static volatile uart_device_t * const uart_device = reinterpret_cast<volatile uart_device_t *>(0xfffe0000); uart_device->TXBUF = 10; uart_device->TXCTL = 3;
- Create a function to access the registers and hide all the gross stuff in there. On less speedy devices, this might be prohibitively slow, but for most applications it is perfectly adequate, especially for registers that are accessed infrequently. For port-mapped registers, this makes a lot of sense; their access requires complex logic, and writing all this out longhand is tortuous and easy to get wrong.
It remains to be seen how to manipulate registers containing a bitset. Conventionally, you write such code by hand, something like Listing Six. This is a sure-fire way to cause yourself untold grief, tracking down odd device behavior. It's easy to manipulate the wrong bit and get very confusing results.
Listing Six
#define UART_RX_BYTES 0x0e uint32_t uart_read() { while ((*UART_RXCTL & UART_RX_BYTES) == 0) // manipulate here { ; // wait } return *UART_RXBUF; }
Does all this sound messy and error prone? Welcome to the world of hardware devices. And this is just addressing the device: What you write into the registers is your own business, and part of what makes device control so painful. Data sheets are often ambiguous or miss essential information, and devices magically require registers to be accessed in a certain order. There will never be a silver bullet and you'll always have to wrestle these demons. All I can promise is to make the fight less biased to the hardware's side.
A Note About Using volatile
This low-level purgatory is where you use C's
volatile keyword.
volatile signals to the compiler that a value may change under the code's feet, that you can make no assumptions about it, and that the optimizer can't cache it for repeated use.
This is just the behavior you need for hardware register access. Every time you write code that accesses a register, you want it to result in a real register access. Don't forget the
volatile qualification!
A More Modern Solution
So having seen the state of the art, at least in the C world, how can you move into the 21st century? Being a good C++ citizen, you'd ideally avoid all that nasty preprocessor use and find a way to insulate us from our own stupidity. By the end of the article, you'll have seen how to do all this and more. The real beauty of the following scheme is its simplicity. It's a solid, proven approach and has been used for the last five years in production code deployed in tens of thousands of units across three continents. Here's the recipe:
The first step is to junk the whole preprocessor macro scheme and define the device's registers in a good old-fashioned enumeration. For the moment, I'll call this enumeration
Register. Although you immediately lose the ability to share definitions with assembly code, this was never a compelling benefit anyway. The enumeration values are specified as offsets from the device's base memory address. This is how they are presented in the device's data sheet, which makes it easier to check for validity. Some data sheets show byte offsets from the base address (so 32-bit register offsets increment by 4 each time), while others show "word" offsets (so 32-bit register offsets increment by 1 each time). For simplicity, I write the enumeration values however the data sheet works.
The next step is to write an inline
regAddress function that converts the enumeration to a physical address. This function is a simple calculation determined by the type of offset in the enumeration. For the moment, presume that the device is memory mapped at a known fixed address. This implies the simplest MMU configuration, with no virtual memory address space in operation. This mode of operation is not at all uncommon in embedded devices. Putting all this together results in Listing Seven.
Listing Seven
static const unsigned int baseAddress = 0xfffe0000; enum Registers { STATUS = 0x00, // UART status register TXCTL = 0x01, // Transmit control RXCTL = 0x02, // Receive control ... and so on ... }; inline volatile uint8_t *regAddress(Registers reg) { return reinterpret_cast<volatile uint8_t*>(baseAddress + reg); }
The missing part of this puzzle is the method of reading/writing registers. I do this with two simple inline functions
regRead and
regWrite (Listing Eight). Being inline, all these functions can work together to make neat, readable register access code with no runtime overhead whatsoever. That's mildly impressive, but you can do so much more.
Listing Eight
inline uint8_t regRead(Registers reg) { return *regAddress(reg); } inline void regWrite(Registers reg, uint8_t value) { *regAddress(reg) = value; }


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This year, two local properties will be highlighted by the Local Government Commission on Historic Preservation.
The winners of these awards will receive a bronze plaque to mount to the property.
Annually, the Missouri Historic Preservation office names the month of May as a time to recognize and honor historic preservation in communities throughout the state.
The Commission urges everyone to look out for Moberly's outstanding historic businesses, homes, or other buildings, and to nominate those structures that are at least 50 years old. Earlier this year, the building owner or another interested person nominated properties (They do so prior to January of each year). City Hall provides the public with the application for such, along with the rules and regulations. Once completed, persons were asked to return the paperwork to City Hall, who then turned the paperwork over to the Commission for review and judging.
A reception to award the plaque presentation to the two winners, and to hear about the winning properties, will take place on Monday, May 20, at 6 p.m., at Moberly City Hall.
A special recognition and presentation recognizing the efforts and work of Kay Cleavinger, now deceased, will take place Monday evening. Cleavinger's work and expertise as an architect continues to influence the Commission's goals. Cleavinger's unique skill set helped to found the Commission, and it continues to aid in the success of the Local Commission on Historic Preservation, said Carolee Hazlet, of the Commission.
The public is encouraged to attend and congratulate this year's winners. The Commission will also feature information on the new historic district that has been established for downtown. For more information on how to nominate a property or about this year's presentation, contact Hazlet at 660-263-3345 or by email at firstname.lastname@example.com, or Shirley Olney at City Hall at 660-269-8705, ext. 8.
Historic properties to take center stage
This year, two local properties will be highlighted by the Local Government Commission on Historic Preservation.


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26 June 2014
Kuala Lumpur, 26 June 2014 – Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (Malaysia Airports) announces today the official signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sepura's local partner Comintel.
The MoU is intended for the cooperation between Comintel and Malaysia Airports. The system is to provide Malaysia Airports Tetra System users data applications with the intent to improve their operational efficiency and to provide Malaysia Airports Tetra System users the support for portables, that is Sepura's terminal including the sale, programming and after sale support.
TETRA is short for "TErrestrial Trunk RAdio". TETRA is a specification for Professional Mobile Radio and two-way transceiver (more generically known as a walkie talkie). TETRA was specifically designed for use by mission critical users both in public safety and commercial space i.e. airports, government agencies, emergency services (police forces, fire departments, ambulance) for public safety networks, rail transport, train radios, among others.
The MoU aims to strengthen the current relationship between the three organisations and lay the foundation for future collaboration.
YBhg. Dato' Azmi Murad, Senior General Manager Operation Services for Malaysia Airports commented: "Malaysia Airports is pleased to form a strategic partnership with Sepura and Comintel towards further enhancing the communications solution for our airports. Malaysia Airports selected Sepura's end-to-end critical communications solution with one main objective in mind: to achieve greater efficiency through centralised management of all of the airports' resources. Today we are pleased to note that, since its implementation, the new solution has already further improved our customer experience, and increased the safety of passengers and staff in our airports". Dato' Azmi Murad added: "The system has evolved; it now features specifically developed data applications and has also become a popular case study for the airport business at critical communications conferences around the globe".
Mr Lim Keng Hock, CEO for Comintel said: "With our extensive knowledge of the market and Sepura's outstanding expertise in the airport sector at global level, we created an ideal partnership to benefit Malaysia Airports' new and existing users and enabled Sepura to become the supplier of choice within Malaysia Airports".
Terence Ledger, Regional Director for Sepura concluded: "This is a momentous occasion for Sepura: we are honoured to have been chosen by Malaysia Airports and owe this achievement to our solid partnership with Comintel. Our growing product offering and our latest suite of applications, comprising a selection of proven airport- specific applications, will help us cement this partnership as we work together to address Malaysia Airports' evolving and unique communications needs for airport operations".
Sepura was chosen to provide an end-to-end critical communications solution at four international airports in Malaysia: KLIA, Penang, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu. Comintel was awarded the contract and carried out the installation and commissioning of the network. Sepura's communication solution deployed by Comintel includes TETRA infrastructure and a total of over 1,000 market-leading Sepura radio terminals. In March 2013 this project, presented by Sepura, was Highly Commended for the Best Use of TETRA for Transport Award at the 2013 International TETRA Awards.


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Posted on November 5, 2012
We are going to be strong and ignore tomorrow's national championship game, and discuss an entirely unrelated matter: things that are not what they seem to be. (That's the funniest line I've written all week, but it IS only Monday.)
See, I'm working on this estate, and one thing the lady collected is objects that LOOK like books but are not. It's fascinating, really, besides being remarkably frustrating. You pick up what you think is an ancient leatherbound book and you find that it weighs a tenth what you expected because…surprise!
Now, books that have been hollowed out to make them into book safes are kind of fun, and good, clean fun to sell, too. (I try to write something like "See page 120" next to the price, so people know they're not going to have to read the whole thing if they buy it.) Then there are the kind of book safes which never were books: instead of being a book hollowed out to make it into a box, you have box which has been built to look like a book.
Book bookends come in similar formats. There are plenty where real books have been glued shut and attached to a base to support their friends who still are useful as books (lots of room for metaphor here, but I'm leaving it alone because Santa Claus is watching). AND there are bookends which have been molded to look as if someone has taken old books and varnished them. The lady has both kinds, with the latter being available in wood, plaster, and bronze.
She also has candy boxes made to look like books (some of which still have the candy in them after twenty years: this is NOT a grand idea), hip flasks made to look like books (if you happen to read tin books), reading lights made to look like small books, and even a pencil sharpener made to look like a stack of small books.
There are document boxes made to look like books, complete with three ring binders inside. She had a pair of perfume bottles in the shape of locomotive engines sitting on books, which simulate a pair of bookends but are way too light to serve that way. I found small plastic books which are actually slide viewers (you hold them up to the light and peek through the hole at the base of the spine…another metaphor we're just going to let sit). There is a footstool which looks like a stack of large books, a spy camera hidden in a book, three books which conceal decks of playing cards, and a book which really contains an assortment of Christmas cards.
Board games and jigsaw puzzles in boxes which look like books have been popular for a number of years, and many people reading this blog will have, somewhere in a drawer or desk cubbyhole, a tool kit or sewing kit which looks for all the world like a small leatherbound book. My favorite gimmick so far is a tiny zippered book, oh two inches square. I was expecting a New Testament, or the Psalms, but it turns out to be a shaving kit, containing one razor blade and a razor that comes apart into two small pieces to fit inside the cover. (This was probably for the man disguised as Mata Hari who was going to use that camera shaped like a book to take pictures of the documents hidden inside the document box shaped like a book. AND I found one of those little books which open into opera glasses. Coincidence? I don't think so.)
When is a pop-up book not a book? Some of these open out into dollhouses or the Metropolitan Museum of Art or, in one case, a cow. (Collapsible Cow is the title of the book.) And I have run into one book that I cannot open at all, so I may never know what it was meant to be. I do intend to sell that one at a very high price to kids who have to do a book report but don't have time to read.
To my amazement, the Newberry wants only a very few of these for the collection. I had suggested they could be used in an exhibit called "Books Not For Reading", but I was told the collection has plenty of those without resorting to nonbooks. Well, it was worth a try, and it distracted me from this election tomorrow. Since I am ignoring it, of course, I cannot conclude this column with some joke about not judging a book by its cover. If you are truly grateful that I let this go by, notes of gratitude—in large denominations—may be sent to me in care of the institution named at the top of the page. Put them in a book safe.


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New Orleans Saints15. Kenny Vaccaro, free safety, Texas. 75. Terron Armstead, left tackle, Arkansas-Pine Bluff. 82. John Jenkins, nose tackle, Georgia. 144. Kenny Stills, receiver, Oklahoma. 183. Rufus Johnson, defensive end, Tarleton State. Overview: GM Mickey Loomis was working without a second-round pick due to Bountygate, but still landed two day-two values in Armstead and Jenkins and arguably a third on day three in speedster Stills. Vaccaro can team with Malcolm Jenkins to give Rob Ryan two safeties with range and one-on-one matchup skills, likely pushing overpriced box SS Roman Harper out the door. Jenkins is a mammoth athlete with a Haynesworthian ceiling. Johnson is a dominant small schooler with plus measurables, and Loomis has hit on that kind of player before (Akiem Hicks, Jermon Bushrod, Jahri Evans, Marques Colston). The Saints only added five players, but they were all quality picks. The Saints are going to be much better than they were last year. Grade: C+New York Giants19. Justin Pugh, guard/tackle, Syracuse. 49. Johnathan Hankins, defensive tackle, Ohio State. 81. Damontre Moore, defensive end, Texas A&M. 110. Ryan Nassib, quarterback, Syracuse. 152. Cooper Taylor, safety, Richmond. 224. Eric Herman, guard, Ohio. 253. Michael Cox, running back, UMass. Overview: Much like Ted Thompson in Green Bay and Ozzie Newsome in Baltimore, Giants GM Jerry Reese is a best-available drafter. If he'd have selected his first three players in January and you didn't know the rounds, you would've figured he traded up for three first-round picks. Each player has a flaw -- short arms for Pugh, motor for Hankins, and translatable production for Moore -- but they're all great football players. Moore dominated in the SEC; 8.0 of his 12.5 sacks last year came versus conference opponents. Pugh permitted a half-sack of Nassib and otherwise didn't allow a single hurry. Hankins offers elite potential as a 4-3 nose guard. Nassib was a sheer value pick, while Taylor, Herman, and to a lesser extent Cox offer versatile, "multiple" skill sets and plus measurables. This draft gives the G-Men a needed infusion of young talent, even if only Pugh and perhaps Hankins are surefire first-season contributors. Grade: BPhiladelphia Eagles4. Lane Johnson, right tackle, Oklahoma. 35. Zach Ertz, tight end, Stanford. 67. Bennie Logan, defensive tackle, LSU. 98. Matt Barkley, quarterback, USC. 136. Earl Wolff, free safety, North Carolina State. 212. Joe Kruger, defensive end, Utah. 218. Jordan Poyer, cornerback, Oregon State. 239. David King, defensive end, Oklahoma. Overview: The draftnik community should love this group because aside from seventh-rounder King every member has a big name. They are all identifiable. The first two picks look like surefire hits; Johnson is an outstanding match for Chip Kelly's fast-paced offense as a well-oiled athlete with second- and even third-level blocking skills. Ertz can stretch the field vertically and creates downfield separation better than consensus top tight end Tyler Eifert. Logan and Barkley were odd picks because the former's fit is questionable in Philly's new three-man front and Barkley lacks athleticism in addition to starting-caliber arm strength. All of Philly's rookies look like good values -- particularly Kruger and Poyer -- but this haul included a lot of head scratchers. I still feel confident saying the Eagles' roster improved with this draft, and quite possibly significantly. Grade: C+San Francisco 49ers18. Eric Reid, free safety, LSU. 40. Tank Carradine, outside linebacker, Florida State. 55. Vance McDonald, tight end, Rice. 88. Corey Lemonier, outside linebacker, Auburn. 128. Quinton Patton, receiver, Louisiana Tech. 131. Marcus Lattimore, running back, South Carolina. 157. Quinton Dial, defensive end, Alabama. 180. Nick Moody, linebacker, Florida State. 237. B.J. Daniels, quarterback, South Florida. 246. Carter Bykowski, tackle, Iowa State. 252. Marcus Cooper, cornerback, Rutgers. Overview: The rich got richer. The 49ers entered Thursday with an NFL-most 13 picks. GM Trent Baalke turned them into very arguably the most impressive haul in the league, along the way picking up a 2014 third-rounder in Friday's trade with the Titans. Only Reid and McDonald may be definite first-year contributors, but that's far more a testament to Baalke's roster building than his individual selections. Carradine is a to-the-whistle edge rusher who along with Lattimore could be "redshirted" as a rookie due to knee woes, before emerging as plus 2014 starters. Patton is a silky smooth route runner with ball skills and insurance on contract-year No. 1 wideout Michael Crabtree. Lemonier might have been a first-rounder had he not played on such a bad Auburn team. San Francisco is filthy rich with pass rush. Baalke is constructing a dynasty. Grade: ASeattle Seahawks62. Christine Michael, running back, Texas A&M. 87. Jordan Hill, defensive tackle, Penn State. 123. Chris Harper, receiver, Kansas State. 137. Jesse Williams, nose tackle, Alabama. 138. Tharold Simon, cornerback, LSU. 158. Luke Willson, tight end, Rice. 194. Spencer Ware, fullback, LSU. 220. Ryan Seymour, guard, Vanderbilt. 231. Ty Powell, defensive end, Harding. 241. Jared Smith, defensive tackle, New Hampshire. 242. Michael Bowie, tackle, NE Oklahoma State. Overview: Per GM John Schneider, the Seahawks spent Thursday night watching Percy Harvin's YouTube highlight reel after sacrificing the Nos. 25 and 214 picks, and next year's third-rounder in exchange for the NFL's premier slot receiver. Understandable. The Harvin acquisition is factored into Seattle's grade. Schneider finally went on the clock Friday night and simply made picks straight off his board. Marshawn Lynch and Robert Turbin? Who cares. Michael is the best player. He's ours. Harvin, Sidney Rice, Golden Tate, Doug Baldwin? We'll take Harper and his Boldinian skill set. Williams is an immovable beast who makes us better in the trenches. Pick him. Simon is a press-man corner. Perfect scheme fit. Draft him. Late picks were primarily reserved for small schoolers and test freaks. Upside players who don't hurt you if they bust. The Seahawks have drafted just like this every year under Schneider and Pete Carroll. Seems like it's working. Grade: A-St. Louis Rams8. Tavon Austin, receiver, West Virginia. 30. Alec Ogletree, linebacker, Georgia. 71. T.J. McDonald, safety, USC. 92. Stedman Bailey, receiver, West Virginia. 113. Barrett Jones, center/guard, Alabama. 149. Brandon McGee, cornerback, Miami. 160. Zac Stacy, running back, Vanderbilt. Overview: A year after unearthing small-schoolers Brian Quick, Greg Zuerlein, Trumaine Johnson, and Daryl Richardson, GM Les Snead took an all-big-school approach. This draft was dedicated to playmakers, and St. Louis accomplished its goal even if some members (McDonald, Jones, to a lesser extent Stacy) may struggle with the college-to-pro transition due to major flaws. Austin was the premier offensive-skill player in the 2013 draft, and Snead offset his losses in the trade up to No. 8 by trading down from the 22nd spot. He still came away with a day-one starter in Ogletree, whose character issues are concerning but not as much under coach Jeff Fisher. Bailey was a great value late in round three and fortifies St. Louis' receiver depth behind Austin, Quick, and Chris Givens. The McDonald pick lowers the Rams' grade because he is a tight-hipped, straight-line safety with inconsistent physicality. Jones projects as no more than an NFL reserve. Grade: B-Tampa Bay Buccaneers43. Johnthan Banks, cornerback, Mississippi State. 73. Mike Glennon, quarterback, North Carolina State. 100. Akeem Spence, defensive tackle, Illinois. 126. William Gholston, defensive end, Michigan State. 147. Steven Means, defensive end, Buffalo. 189. Mike James, running back, Miami. Overview: Not forgotten in the Bucs' grade is the acquisition of Darrelle Revis for the 13th pick, plus a 2014 third-rounder. He is a Hall of Fame talent capable of masking multiple defensive weaknesses and every bit worth the cost. GM Mark Dominik otherwise came away with a slightly questionable draft, noticeably failing to add a pass-catching tight end. Banks is a cornerback/safety 'tweener who was beaten deep too frequently as a senior. Three-technique prospect Spence has ability, but was not a finisher in the Big Ten and is ultimately an underachiever. Same goes for Gholston, who is Vernon's cousin. Means is probably a special teamer at best. James is a plodder on tape, and I wouldn't expect him to make the 53. Glennon is a schematic fit in Tampa's vertical offense. His selection puts Josh Freeman on notice. Grade: BWashington Redskins51. David Amerson, cornerback, North Carolina State. 85. Jordan Reed, tight end, Florida. 119. Phillip Thomas, free safety, Fresno State. 154. Chris Thompson, running back, Florida State. 162. Brandon Jenkins, outside linebacker, Florida State. 191. Bacarri Rambo, free safety, Georgia. 228. Jawan Jamison, running back, Rutgers. Overview: GM Bruce Allen and coach Mike Shanahan's draft focus was on ballhawks, and they came away with three in 2011 NCAA interceptions leader Amerson, 2012 NCAA picks leader Thomas, and Rambo -- who ranked second to Amerson in INTs two years ago. But Rambo and Thomas can't tackle and Amerson got beat deep more than any cornerback in college football last season. Both running back picks are potential throwaways; Thompson broke his back in 2011 and tore his ACL in 2012, and Jamison doesn't do anything well. Jenkins was a big-time sack specialist in 2010, but is coming off a Lisfranc fracture. Reed is a potential "Joker" tight end who could contribute on passing downs. Washington drafted a slew of big names and added productive collegiates, but I'm not sure they got more than one or two productive NFL starters. Grade: C
The 2013 NFL draft concluded Saturday evening. Rotoworld blurbed every single selection, picks one (Eric Fisher) through 254 (Justice Cunningham). After a grueling three days of "work," we'll put the finishing touches on our intensive draft coverage with post-draft grades. But let's be clear: We don't believe in assessing draft hauls immediately after the three-day event. This is for your pleasure. If you're reading this intro, you're interested. And we want to appeal to you. Don't take these grades too seriously. We'll know a lot more about this draft around 2016. I'll break down the AFC on Sunday. Here are the NFC Draft Grades: Arizona Cardinals7. Jonathan Cooper, guard, North Carolina. 45. Kevin Minter, inside linebacker, LSU. 69. Tyrann Mathieu, free safety, LSU. 103. Alex Okafor, outside linebacker, Texas. 116. Earl Watford, guard/center, James Madison. 140. Stepfan Taylor, running back, Stanford. 174. Ryan Swope, receiver, Texas A&M. 187. Andre Ellington, running back, Clemson. 219. D.C. Jefferson, tight end, Rutgers. Overview: Rookie GM Steve Keim's first-ever draft looks solid on paper. In Cooper, Minter, Mathieu, and Okafor, Keim secured as many as four immediate starters for a roster that needed them. Sixth-rounder Ellington is a better back than fifth-rounder Taylor and will add juice to Bruce Arians' offense should injury-prone Rashard Mendenhall and Ryan Williams break down again. I would like to have seen the Cardinals add a developmental quarterback like Tennessee's Tyler Bray, although Arians may believe he already has one in Ryan Lindley. A lingering concern in Arizona is offensive tackle play. The Cards attacked guard instead -- and in Cooper got an outstanding player -- but Levi Brown is still a worrisome proposition on Carson Palmer's blindside. Grade: C+Atlanta Falcons22. Desmond Trufant, cornerback, Washington. 60. Robert Alford, cornerback, SE Louisiana. 127. Malliciah Goodman, defensive end, Clemson. 133. Levine Toilolo, tight end, Stanford. 153. Stansly Maponga, defensive end, TCU. 243. Kemal Ishmael, safety, Central Florida. 244. Zeke Motta, strong safety, Notre Dame. 249. Sean Renfree, quarterback, Duke. Overview: The Falcons may receive universally mediocre draft "grades," but there is a method to GM Thomas Dimitroff's madness. Beyond day-one starter Trufant and 2014 hopeful Alford, Dimitroff targeted players for specific on-field roles. Goodman is a classic 4-3 strong-side end with vine-line arms and powerful performance on tape. He's an edge container. Toilolo isn't Tony Gonzalez's heir apparent; he's an in-line tight end who'll push for snaps as a rookie if he blocks well in practice. Maponga is an edge-rushing specialist. Ishmael and Motta should both be immediate core special teamers. Renfree could develop into Matt Ryan's long-term backup and a future trade chip if his arm gets stronger while riding the bench. Ultimately, Dimitroff wasn't trying to load up on stars in this draft. He added role players to upgrade the bottom third of his roster. Grade: C+Carolina Panthers14. Star Lotulelei, defensive tackle, Utah. 44. Kawann Short, defensive tackle, Purdue. 108. Edmund Kugbila, guard, Valdosta State. 148. A.J. Klein, linebacker, Iowa State. 182. Kenjon Barner, running back, Oregon. Overview: Rookie GM Dave Gettleman entered his first draft with five picks and emerged with five players. He clearly prioritized upgrading in the trenches and delivered by securing the draft's premier defensive tackle in Lotulelei. Short's motor ran alarmingly hot and cold in the Big Ten, but he can be an impact interior pass rusher working in waves with Lotulelei, Dwan Edwards, and Sione Fua. Klein is solid insurance should Jon Beason's numerous surgical recoveries experience a setback. I think it's fair to wonder if the Barner pick foreshadows a DeAngelo Williams transaction. At the very least, it's a confirmation 2013 will be Williams' final season in Carolina. While he continues to build one of the NFL's most underrated defensive front sevens, Gettleman displayed a surprising amount of faith in his shaky receiver and secondary corps. Grade: CChicago Bears20. Kyle Long, guard, Oregon. 50. Jon Bostic, inside linebacker, Florida. 117. Khaseem Greene, outside linebacker, Rutgers. 163. Jordan Mills, tackle/guard, Louisiana Tech. 188. Cornelius Washington, defensive end, Georgia. 236. Marquess Wilson, receiver, Washington State. Overview: I expected GM Phil Emery to stay true to his board on the draft's first day. I'm not sure he did with the Long pick -- it seemed like need-based reach on an inexperienced, boom-or-bust lineman -- but Emery went value searching on days two and three. Bostic is an athletic thumper who'll give D.J. Williams a run for his money at inside 'backer, replacing Brian Urlacher. Greene's pre-draft measurables disappointed, but he is fast to the football and NFL-ready after earning back-to-back Big East Defensive POY awards in Rutgers' pro-style system. Washington is an explosive edge pass rusher with starting-caliber tools. He was robbery toward the back end of the third day. If Wilson's head is on straight, he's capable of earning an immediate spot in Chicago's three-receiver package with Brandon Marshall in the slot and Alshon Jeffery outside. Grade: B-Dallas Cowboys31. Travis Frederick, guard/center, Wisconsin. 47. Gavin Escobar, tight end, San Diego State. 74. Terrance Williams, receiver, Baylor. 80. J.J. Wilcox, safety, Georgia Southern. 114. B.W. Webb, defensive back, William & Mary. 151. Joseph Randle, running back, Oklahoma State. 185. DeVonte Holloman, linebacker, South Carolina. Overview: Owner/GM Jerry Jones' draft strategy seemed very needs- rather than value-based, spurning better players in favor of theoretical hole-fillers. The Cowboys were needy on the interior offensive line, but I'd be willing to wager they could've gotten Frederick with the 47th pick. Escobar can create passing-game mismatches, but offers zero as a blocker and isn't necessarily an upgrade on incumbent No. 2 tight end James Hanna. Williams and Holloman were probably the only two true value picks in this group. Randle is a stiff, straight-linish runner with an awfully long way to go in pass protection. I watched tape on him before the draft and found him to be a whiffer in blitz pickup and thoroughly lacking in elusiveness. It would be difficult to say with any confidence that Dallas' lineup improved with this draft. And they entered it with a mediocre roster. Grade: DDetroit Lions5. Ezekiel Ansah, defensive end, BYU. 36. Darius Slay, cornerback, Mississippi State. 65. Larry Warford, guard, Kentucky. 132. Devin Taylor, defensive end, South Carolina. 165. Sam Martin, punter, Appalachian State. 171. Corey Fuller, receiver, Virginia Tech. 199. Theo Riddick, running back, Notre Dame. 211. Michael Williams, tight end, Alabama. 245. Brandon Hepburn, linebacker, Florida A&M. Overview: Left tackle seemed to be GM Martin Mayhew's biggest need entering the draft, but his selections indicate he feels otherwise. Mayhew must have a lot of faith in 2012 first-rounder Riley Reiff. He bypassed Menelik Watson for Slay. Rather than Terron Armstead, Mayhew selected Warford to add a mauling presence at right guard. I still found this to be a value-heavy draft. Ansah, Slay, and Warford are Week 1 starters. Taylor, Fuller, Williams, and even versatile Riddick could make year-one impacts. Ansah has been knocked as a possible bust by some observers, but the Lions' coaching staff has special insight after coaching him in Mobile. I thought Mayhew stayed true to his board and -- aside from perhaps the punter -- drafted the best available at each pick. Grade: B-Green Bay Packers26. Datone Jones, defensive end, UCLA. 61. Eddie Lacy, running back, Alabama. 109. David Bakhtiari, guard/tackle, Colorado. 122. J.C. Tretter, guard/center, Cornell. 125. Johnathan Franklin, running back, UCLA. 159. Micah Hyde, defensive back, Iowa. 167. Josh Boyd, defensive lineman, Mississippi State. 193. Nate Palmer, outside linebacker, Illinois State. 216. Charles Johnson, receiver, Grand Valley State. 224. Kevin Dorsey, receiver, Maryland. 232. Sam Barrington, linebacker, South Florida. Overview: GM Ted Thompson annually dominates on draft day; it's where he butters his bread. The Packers are not a free-agency team. Jones is a relentless, potentially special inside rusher who finally gives Green Bay a legitimate replacement for Cullen Jenkins. Lacy and Franklin can form a Thunder & Lightning backfield with the former as a light-footed wrecking ball and latter in the big-play, change-up role. Both rookies can pick up the blitz and play on all three downs. Bakhtiari is a heady, athletic mover and fit for the Packers' zone scheme. Hyde, Palmer, and Barrington are core special teams guys. Johnson abused his competition at small-school Grand Valley State and has Julio Jones-like measurables. The value on Lacy, Franklin, and Johnson was sensational. Chalk up another draft-weekend "win" for arguably the top GM in the sport. Grade: B+Minnesota Vikings23. Sharrif Floyd, defensive tackle, Florida. 25. Xavier Rhodes, cornerback, Florida State. 29. Cordarrelle Patterson, receiver, Tennessee. 120. Gerald Hodges, linebacker, Penn State. 155. Jeff Locke, punter, UCLA. 196. Jeff Baca, guard/center, UCLA. 213. Michael Mauti, linebacker, Penn State. 214. Travis Bond, guard, North Carolina. 229. Everett Dawkins, defensive tackle, Florida State. Overview: Keep in mind GM Rick Spielman dumped game-changing slot receiver and return specialist Percy Harvin for the 25th and 214th picks, in addition to a 2014 third-rounder. That deal must be factored into Minnesota's grade. Spielman acknowledged the big loss and responded by targeting big-play ability from his hat trick of first-rounders. Floyd is a penetrating three-technique tackle ideally suited for Leslie Frazier's 4-3 scheme. The Vikings paired Rhodes (6-foot-2, 210) with Chris Cook (6-foot-2, 212) to form one of the NFL's biggest, longest corner duos as they attempt to slow Calvin Johnson, Jordy Nelson, James Jones, Brandon Marshall, and Alshon Jeffery in the NFC North. The Patterson pick at the very least offsets Harvin's special teams value because Cordarrelle offers similar game-breaking return skills and arguably just as much receiving upside. Patterson is a freak. I liked athletic mover Baca as a late-round value. Grade: B-


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If you're looking for something to do this weekend, you don't have to look far. With St. Patrick's Day on Sunday, there's plenty to do that will keep you giddy and green.
WHAT "Hairspray" the musical
WHERE Dover High School (in auditorium), 1 Pat Lynn Drive, Dover
WHEN 6 p.m., Friday and Saturday
COST $6 (students); $8 (parents); $24 family of four
INFO doverhigh.capital.k12.de.us or (302) 672-1525
Big hair and big attitude is all the rage this weekend at Dover High School. And, while the attitudes would never be acceptable in class, it's definitely acceptable on stage in the drama students' production of "Hairspray," which hits the stage tonight.
Directed by Julius Robinson — "Hairspray" spotlights the pleasantly plump teen Tracy Turnblad and her big bouffant during the early 1960s in Baltimore, Md. The girl is a dancing machine who dreams of gracing the popular teen dance program, the "Corny Collins Show," hosted by the hunk Link Larkin. However, Turnblad's plus-sized mom, Edna, worries her bubbly daughter will get mocked for being big boned if she appears on the show.
Still intent on dancing her heart out on the show, "Hairspray" uses sugary tunes and stylish footwork to remind people how silly racism and prejudice is.
"It's such a good message," said senior Cesar Martinez, 17, cast as Edna. "I love how they put this really deep message into this fun musical. It's not a drama; it's this fun comedy that has such a good message in it."
WHAT "Beauty and the Beast"
WHERE Caesar Rodney High School, 239 Old North Road, Camden
WHEN 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday
COST $5 to $8
INFO www.crhs.cr.k12.de.us or (302) 697-2161
As the song goes, "Beauty and the Beast" is a "tale as old as time," which is probably why the classic Disney fairy tale continues to delight audiences of all ages.
Caesar Rodney High School students have spent the last 14 weeks rehearsing the Disney staple and audiences can expect to see and hear all the characters that the cartoon made life-like.
The production is no run-of –the-mill high school production, either. Keith McCarthy, the productions director, estimates that the cast and crew of 70 students have put in around 200 hours' worth of work.
"The kids have really done a nice job of taking hold of their characters," McCarthy said. "They've made them their own while remaining true to the story."
The play actually opened Thursday night but the whole cast and crew is looking forward to each night's performances.
"There's always an extra buzz in the air when we bring people in for the performance, where there are people there to laugh at the jokes," said McCarthy.
Tickets are $8 for general admission or $5 for seniors and students, children younger than five are free. Tickets can be purchased from cast members up until Thursday, or at the door.
WHAT 18th Annual Dover St. Patrick's Day Parade
WHERE downtown Dover
WHEN 2 p.m., Saturday
COST fee
INFO www.dowtowndoverpartnership.com
Saturday will mark the 18th anniversary of Dover's St. Patrick's Day parade. The event has become a Dover tradition, drawing hundreds of spectators who join in by dressing up in festive green garb.
The event is sponsored by the Downtown Dover Partnership and is expected to draw more than 90 entries this year in categories like "anything with wheels," "best float" and "best musical group."
While there is no registration fee, entrants had to register by Monday in order to participate. This year's Grand Marshal will be Terry McGinty, a retired school teacher with strong Irish ties. John W. Kennedy, president of the Irish Society of Delmarva, considers Mr. McGinty the resident expert on Irish history and culture, including Irish music.
The parade will be held rain or shine at 2 p.m., Saturday, beginning at Spence's Bazaar, then will head north on Queen Street, turning east on Loockerman Street and finishing at Federal Street.
WHAT St. Patrick's Day Jam
WHERE The Green Stinger, 492 Walnut Shade Road, Dover
WHEN 2 to 6 p.m.
COST No cost to participate. There will be charges for food and beverages
The Green Stinger Sports Bar and Grill will host its first ever St. Patrick's Day jam Sunday afternoon.
The event requires no registration and very little planning. Just show up and play, regardless of your skill level. The house system will be set up (including the drums) but musicians are asked to bring their own guitars, voices, tambourines or whatever instrument they want to use.
"As always, The Green Stinger is making an effort to support local music in Dover," said co-owner Erin Sebastian. "Planning and hosting this event is just another way to allow these musicians a venue to showcase their talents."
The Stinger will also be serving up some serious St. Patrick's Day fare like corned beef, potatoes and cabbage. There will also be Reuben sandwiches for $6.99 to $9.99, domestic drafts for $2 and $3 Bloody Marys and Mimosas for the early birds who hit Sunday brunch (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.).
"Since we opened the doors, we have cultivated and formed strong ties with local musicians," said Sebastian. "We enjoy providing a place for them to network and an opportunity for them to play with bands other than their own."


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Environmental Consciousness
As part of the company's overall business planning, Runway to Success: (2015-2020), the Sustainability related plans, initiatives and targets were developed by the Resource Management Task Force that was managed and coordinated by the Sustainability and Transformational Management Office (TMO). The task force was formed in cross-functional manner involving subject matter experts from various divisions pertaining to the four focus areas of resource management (Energy, Water, Waste and Carbon).
The development of strategic action plans for each focus area were guided by the fifth pillar of the Strategy Themes & Objectives of Runway to Success: 2015-2020, "Sustain Our Environment and Community". Strategic action plans were developed with the aim to achieve the following outcomes; cost savings and/or avoidance, reduction of carbon emissions, as well as an opportunity to promote our PR value as a "green" airport company.
Our employees are encouraged to adopt an environmentally responsible behaviour to promote environmental consciousness in business operations. Henceforth, related activities such as Engineering Seminar, ACI Environmental Seminar and a monthly recycling programme have been held to support the commitment towards environmentally sustainable development.
MAHB Carbon Management Plan


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CHICAGO (AP) – Attorneys involved in a lawsuit aiming to block term limit and political redistricting initiatives from the ballot made an initial court appearance Monday, the first step in a case that could affect voter turnout in November.
The brief hearing essentially set a loose timeline for the weeks ahead, with both sides and the judge urging a quick result ahead of the election. Another hearing was set for Wednesday.
It was a gathering of some of Cook County's most prominent attorneys, adding to the spotlight on initiatives that are popular with voters and have become campaign issues for Illinois' hotly contested gubernatorial race. Republican businessman Bruce Rauner, who's leading the term limits ballot initiative, is challenging Gov. Pat Quinn, a Chicago Democrat who's championed term limits in the past.
The lawsuit, which argues that state election officials shouldn't spend public money on the proposals, was filed by election attorney Michael Kasper. He's represented many top Democrats over the years, including House Speaker Michael Madigan. Lawyer Lori Lightfoot, once a finalist to head the U.S. attorney's office in Chicago, represented those fighting the lawsuit claiming that yet more money will be spent to adjudicate the case.
Cook County Circuit Court Judge Mary Mikva, daughter of former federal judge and former congressman Abner Mikva, disclosed in court that she was connected to people on both sides of the case if attorneys wanted to raise objections, though it appeared neither side did. She said Kasper represented her during her election, which he confirmed in court.
Kasper declined to comment to reporters after the hearing.
Representatives for both ballot initiatives questioned the timing of the lawsuit, which was filed last week as both groups delivered hundreds of thousands of signatures to the State Board of Elections.
"That smells of politics to me, but it'll really be up to the court to decide," Michael Kolenc, campaign manager of Yes for Independent Maps, told reporters after the hearing.
His group wants an independent commission to determine Illinois' political boundaries. Rauner's group wants to limit state lawmakers' time in office.


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Utah ranks as 11th safest state nationwide, website says
06/17/2014 6:48amIn an analysis of the safest states to live in, Utah is No. 11, according to the WalletHub personal finance website.
Vehicle fleeing police crashes, driver arrested
06/17/2014 7:07amRoad spikes and patience gave police the upper hand when pursuing a stolen car in Midvale.
Caffeine has negative effect on older teen boys
06/17/2014 7:40amA new study indicates boys may have a more negative reaction to caffeine than girls after puberty.
2 Utah sisters receive 'rare' lifesaving award
06/17/2014 8:00amTwo sisters recently received the bronze cross lifesaving award from the Girl Scouts. It is only the second time the award has been given in Utah in more than 90 years.
Teen creates app to keep visitors safe at Lake Powell
06/17/2014 8:59amA Utah teenager has created an app that could provide a safer experience for the 3 million people who visit Lake Powell each year.
Zion trail closures begin; will allow for repairs
06/17/2014 9:51amThe National Park Service has started part-time closures on popular Zion National Park trails as they work to improve the paths.
Utah workers seek to set largest safety demonstration record
06/17/2014 10:15amSenator Karen Mayne is encouraging all employers and workers to join her at the State Capitol to set a Utah record for the state's largest safety demonstration.
3 accused of robbing pharmacies in Utah, Idaho
06/17/2014 10:57amThree people, including a father and son, have been arrested in connection with pharmacy robberies in Utah and Idaho.
4 tips to prevent ATV fatalities throughout Utah
06/17/2014 11:59amATVs are the leading cause of Off-Highway Vehicle fatalities and officials are working to decrease the number of deaths with a few tips for riders.
How do I get my man to the doctor?
06/17/2014 2:15pmJust because men often don't like visiting the doctor doesn't mean they shouldn't. Here's how you can get your man to the doctor if you think he needs a visit.
Provo falls to Duluth, Minn., in 'best place to live' contest
06/17/2014 3:01pmIn a close voting battle of being crowned as the "Best Place to Live in America," Provo lost to Duluth, Minnesota, in the final round.
User photos: This week in news
06/17/2014 3:28pmSome of this week's user photos include: fires of all kinds - house, field and car - wind damage and firefighters rescuing ducklings from a storm drain.
Police: Bicyclist who ran red light found with meth
06/17/2014 3:38pmA man who police say ran a red light while riding a bicycle was arrested for investigation of drug possession.
2 children remain hospitalized from Orem cannon accident
06/17/2014 4:36pmOne of the children injured in a weekend cannon accident during Orem's Summerfest Grand Parade has been released from the hospital.
Alleged voyeur may have more victims, Logan police say
06/17/2014 6:04pmA suspected voyeur was arrested Saturday at Logan's Summerfest Arts Faire.
Trailer filled with $8K of jewelry stolen
06/17/2014 6:21pmA woman who sells inexpensive jewelry for a living is missing about $8,000 of inventory and a trailer after the trailer went missing overnight Sunday.
Police identify mother, son in apparent murder-suicide
06/17/2014 6:40pmPolice on Tuesday said they still had not determined a motive for the apparent murder-suicide of a woman and her adult son.
Police seek man who robbed gas station with a gun
06/17/2014 6:50pmPolice are asking for help to identify a man who confronted a clerk at a gas station with a gun and demanded money.
Woman with fake mustache robs bank, police say
06/17/2014 7:12pmA woman wearing a fake handlebar mustache robbed a Zions Bank Tuesday, police said.
Tooele mom pleads guilty in overdose death of toddler
06/17/2014 7:24pmA Tooele woman whose 2-year-old son died after drinking methadone from a sippy cup pleaded guilty to child abuse homicide Tuesday.
Man found dead in tent identified
06/17/2014 7:40pmPolice found the body of Lew Kyle Bryant, 63, in a small tent in Diamond Fork Canyon.
LDS Family Services changing its role in adoptions
06/17/2014 7:55pmLDS Family Services will no longer operate a full-scale adoption agency, instead shifting all of its adoption-related resources to counseling for birth parents and prospective adoptive parents.
5 essentials to keep a man's mental health in check
06/17/2014 8:04pmDepression is an emotional disturbance that affects a person's whole body and overall health. Poor mental health is listed among the leading causes of death in men. Here are five essentials to keep a man's health in check.
Cougar discovered in American Fork garage
06/17/2014 8:14pmAn American Fork family got quite a shock after discovering a cougar in their garage Tuesday afternoon.
Utah woman, former Disney artist create children's book
06/17/2014 8:31pmA Utah blogger and a former Disney illustrator collaborated to create a children's book that teaches children morals.
Ancestry.com attacked, down for several hours
06/17/2014 9:17pmAncestry.com has experienced outages and site failures after being attacked Monday.
Officials prepare for Rainbow Family Gathering near Heber
06/17/2014 9:30pmThe annual Rainbow Family Gathering is being held in the Uinta- Wasatch-Cache National Forest, just east of Heber City.
Police name new Public Enemy No. 1
06/17/2014 9:52pmThe Metro Gang Unit is in search of its new Public Enemy No. 1
2 SL County gas stations robbed within 10 minutes
06/17/2014 10:14pmPolice are searching for a person who robbed two Conoco gas stations within 10 minutes of each other Tuesday night.
Unexpected June snowfall surprises Utahns
06/17/2014 10:20pmResidents around the state made last-minute adjustments as weather forecasts turned from clear skies and warm weather to ominous clouds that included valley rain and mountain snow.
Dash-cam documents 125 mph pursuit, threats to officers
06/17/2014 10:38pmA 19-year-old man threatened to track down and kill troopers, hurt their families and blow up the troopers' police station, according to Utah Highway Patrol dash-cam video exclusively obtained by KSL.
We're sorry, currently this live video stream is only available inside of Utah or an approved RSL broadcast territory.
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Light snows Thursday and Saturday and this weekends cooler temperatures mean Durango Mountain Resort is keeping Purgatory open an extra weekend, with closing day now set for April 7.
Purgatory originally was slated to end its season next Sunday, and daily operations will end then, spokeswoman Kim Oyler said. That day, DMR will host a beach party sponsored by Ska Brewing Co. and featuring music by Ralph Dinosaur.
There were traces of new snow on the mountain Saturday morning, and it was continuing into the early afternoon, Oyler said.
She said special discounts will be in effect during the extra weekend. Adult lift tickets April 5 to 7 will be $59, senior citizens will be $50, young adults $47 and tickets for kids will be $35. All season passes will be accepted those extra days, including the weekday-only passes, Oyler said.
The weekends weather included some record-low temperatures in Southwest Colorado, said meteorologist Travis Booth with the National Weather Service.
Temperatures are about 20 degrees below normal, Booth said in an interview Saturday.
Normal average highs this time of year are around 54 degrees, with lows in the 30s, Booth said. But this weekend saw lows around 10 and highs around 30.
Booth also said there would be only an inch or two of snow in the San Juans, with isolated snow showers around the Durango area.
The storm that dropped occasional snow on Durango before the weekend left a few inches of snow in the central Rockies and hit Colorados Eastern Plains much harder, causing accidents and closing roads, the Colorado Department of Transportation reported.
Portions of Interstate 70 between Denver and the Kansas border as well as westbound into the mountains were closed either for weather or weather-related accidents. Portions of Interstate 25 also were closed for weather-related reasons, CDOT said.
Temperatures will be warming up and the atmosphere drying out as the week progresses, Booth said. There is the possibility of some unsettled weather for Easter weekend.
Booth said the Climate Prediction Center expects warmer and drier weather for April through June.


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Dear Dave,
Should term life insurance be purchased based on your current earnings or future, projected earnings?
Dear Dan,
I usually recommend people have 10 to 12 times their current annual income in a good, level term life insurance policy. However, if you have a solid reason to project your income jumping significantly in the near future, there�s nothing wrong with basing your amount of life insurance coverage on that figure � as long as you can afford it.
Now, when I say a solid reason, I�m not talking about having an attitude of, �I�m smart. So, I�m going to make tons more money soon.� That�s ego, not reason. But if you�re in a residency finishing your medical degree, you can realistically look at making $40,000 to $50,000 for another year or two then making the jump to $200,000. That�s the kind of logical thinking and planning I�m talking about. In that scenario, a huge jump in income is almost assured. There�s nothing wrong with going ahead and getting more coverage.
The purpose of life insurance is to take care of your family if something unexpected should happen to you. You don�t want to go nuts and buy too much unnecessarily, but you should have enough to ensure that they�re well taken care of when you�re not around.
� Dave
Budgeted fun
Dear Dave,
My husband and I are debt-free except for our house. I�ve been having a discussion with a coworker over how much money to allow for fun in your budget. I think $100 for a bottle of wine is OK, but she says something like that is unreasonable. What do you think?
Dear Elizabeth,
It depends entirely on your financial situation. Paying $100 for a bottle of wine is pretty dumb if you make only $20,000 a year. But what if you make $200,000 a year? Quit worrying and buy the wine! When you have a great income-to-asset ratio � and you�re living debt-free, have control of your money, and are saving and investing for the future � that�s the time to relax and enjoy a few things.
You�ve got to take the whole picture into account. Otherwise, you�ll get caught up in the whole envy and jealousy thing. I know a guy who makes $15 million a year, and recently he bought a $400,000 car. Now, I grew up in a small town in Tennessee. I can�t wrap my head around the idea of a $400,000 automobile. But as a ratio, that�s a very small part of his income. It would be like someone who makes $150,000 a year buying a $4,000 car.
That�s a good rule of thumb for determining if something constitutes an outrageous purchase. If it�s a big-enough percentage of your income to rock your world and mess with your finances, then you�re spending too much. But to say that a certain item is too expensive or an irresponsible purchase based on price alone, that�s kind of silly.
� Dave
Dave Ramsey is America�s most trusted voice on money and business. He�s authored four New York Times best-selling books: �Financial Peace,� �More Than Enough,� �The Total Money Makeover� and �EntreLeadership.� The �Dave Ramsey Show� is heard by more than 5 million listeners each week on more than 500 radio stations. Follow Dave on Twitter at @DaveRamsey and on the Web at daveramsey.com.
Dave Ramsey: How much term life insurance do I need?
Dear Dave,


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Bolivia: London's World of Food: an A to Z
London is an international city; one of the world's vital hubs. So is it possible to travel round the world without even crossing the M25? This is a journey round the world foods of London. Eating in one restaurant from a nation representing each letter of the alphabet. An A to Z of world food.
For more information visit www.atozlondonfood.com
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Taken on December 13, 2010


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I will take your above post as a compliment even though it comes from an internet troll who has nothing better to do. Your incessant wanting-to-be-right-attitude is overshadowed by your obvious intelligence. If you were my friend, I wouldn't go out of the house often.
Thanks, groupie.
Isn't it obvious I thrive with all the attention.
You know, it's pretty bad when I have to start making you guys' arguements. Time to step up the attack plan.
You are a disgrace to mankind! That poor cocktail was chewed out by an imbicile, and I bet you had bad breath to boot!
Don't you know that most service people are working for minimum age? Don't you care about their kids or drug habits?
If you tipped me 45 cents, I'd punch you in the face . . . unless it was Canadian 45 cents, then I'd kick you in the groin . .
Signed, Anonomous
You are the scum of the earth! You tipped her only 45 cents? Why you are tighter than Madonna when she was 13 years old! I'd rather sit next to Pee Wee Herman in a dark movie theater than sit next you in a church!
Vegas isn't big enough for the two of us, especially since you hustle buffets! Do you think that make you a big man? You have until 12 noon to leave town, what happens after that, I'm not responsible for.
OK, OK, I want to try another one . . .
You are a loser! Anybody who tips a cocktail waitress 45 cents should not only give up on gambling, he should give up on life~!
Why can't you be more like mafioso who was the inspiration for the Dos Equis "Most interesting man in the world" commercial. He tips the maids five bucks, how much more interesting than that can you get?
If you and I were on the Stratosphere Tower, I'd have to do Vegas a favor and push you off.
This just reminds me of the many times I have saved a buck after placing a drink order.Latest being at the Borgata this past Derby Day..had gotten into AC 30 minutes before..Dying for a beer and during and after the race the bars were deep.
Bought in at a Sic-Bo table for maybe $60 (Whatever cash I had on me before hitting an ATM)..Get about 2 beers playing for awhile including any trips every roll (30-1)...but going down fast and last bet saving the buck tip and damn if the trips don't come out...I get my beer ,tip the girl and watch 2 more trips in the next 3 spins come out...darn me..even the dealer said she's never hit so many at once..
That was the Gambling gods telling me it was not going to be my night..but I was not a douche and stiff the girl..if I did I think the die would have changed anyway..haha..
Bottom line I pay for my comped drink or do not order one.
Well, the free drinks are a given at the Flamingo, but the book is rather small and crowded. I really dig the book at the Venetian, they have the clearest screens and offer much more props than Ceasars or Mgm books.
The big problem with Venetian's book is they will not comp you a drink unless you bet $500 on a sporting event or $100 on a horse race. Cantor sportsbook leases out the Venetian, as well as the Tropicana and Cosmopolitan books. The sportsbook manager told me that they get charged full face value of the drinks they comp, so they are tight. But the atmosphere is top notch, especially on NFL Sunday.
I spent one Saturday afternoon at Ceasars book. There were many out of town college football fans there, and there seemed to be cheering sections for the big games.
Bellagio, dull. MGM, very bad, it's set up bad where the customers walk right in front of the TV screens.
Tropicana, very nice. Once again, it's a Cantor book, and the managers there are a bit more friendly with the drink comps. But at the Tropicana, you can walk to MGM's book in 3 minutes and walk to Hooters book in 5 minutes, price shoppers would like that action.
Note: MGM has ten strip properties, all having the exact same odds, so no shopping around. Cesars Entertainment has 8 books, same price. Cantor has three. Treasure Island is independent as well as the Wynn.
classic schizophrenia
When the book is leased out, the comps aren't as easy to get. If you want to get drunk, cheap, Flamingo is the place to be, the waitress doesn't even ask to see your race or sports betting ticket.
I was treated bad at Planet Hollywood's book. Aria has a nice book. Monte Carlo's is comfy too,


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I love mountain biking. And the trails I ride in Western Colorado are as good as anyplace you can boast about. But it's no secret that throughout much of the western United States, many of the mountain bike trails used today were created illegally, only later "grandfathered" grudgingly into our public land system by whatever federal agency had been "managing" the land. As a matter of fact, that's still the pattern.
I have to confess that I'm grateful to those early outlaws, some of whom I've gotten to meet in my area around the city of Grand Junction. The way they see it, "bandit" trail-builders wanted somewhere to ride and just doing it themselves was the quickest way to make it happen. As an about-to-be retired public land ranger, I'm well aware that it can take a frustratingly long time to get the Bureau of Land Management or Forest Service to respond to the public. It can take decades for a federal agency to work through its planning process and build trails in areas that would tolerate riders well.
But having admitted that, I have a message for the mountain biking community here in Colorado and elsewhere, and it's short and sweet: Enough already! Over 200 miles of legal mountain bike trails now exist on lands managed by the Grand Junction BLM, for instance, and many were constructed in the last three or four years. More are coming aboard all the time. These are excellent trails that have begun to lure bikers - and their wallets - from around the country. It's true that millions of acres of nearby open public land seem to beckon to riders, but while it's unlikely for a rider to get caught striking out across public lands, creating new trails is not only wrong, it's just plain stupid and irritating.
Here's why. First, it perpetuates an obnoxious philosophy that can be summed up as, "This is public land; I can do whatever I want on it." Yet I don't know of one mountain biker who doesn't turn up his or her nose at illegal dumping, the illegal taking of game, or driving ATVs all over the sacred landscape. Many mountain bikers are even righteous about how destructive motorized users are. But how is creating bike tracks and trails all over the place for one's personal benefit somehow different behavior from what these other slobs do?
Second, we ride where we do because we love passing through beautiful landscapes - and then we defile them with casually carved-out trails. Some mountain bikers may think that a plethora of crisscrossing trails is beautiful; most probably would admit that it's an eyesore.
Third, solid reasons exist for allowing our land management agencies to plan and construct new trails. The West is rife with Native American cultural sites that need to be preserved. Part of the federal planning process is to survey and identify cultural sites so that a proposed trail can go around, rather than blasting through. Our region is home to many rare plant species that also have to be surveyed and identified so that, again, the trail can be routed around and away from them. If mountain bikers are so environmentally concerned - which seems to be something we're happy to proclaim - shouldn't we care about where we ride? In addition, we are always sharing our trails with wildlife, and while most of us would probably agree that the potential impacts to wildlife from proposed highways, drill sites or hydro-electric dams should be considered and addressed, isn't that also the case with mountain bike trails?
Hypocrisy is such an unattractive trait.
Finally, proper trail construction is important. A badly constructed trail becomes nothing more than a useless, destructive, un-bikeable hazard.
I think that these days federal agencies have become more responsive and more reasonable to work with, though, of course, this is not true everywhere. But just as the off-highway vehicle community came together to protect the values of what they enjoyed, as well as to keep open areas open to them, the mountain biking community can and should do the same.
So here's my advice to today's bandits: Come in from the cold and make federal agencies your allies. It's for the good of the land and riders everywhere.
Wayne Hare is a contributor to Writers on the Range, a service of High Country News (hcn.org). He is a grumpy, soon-to-be-retired ranger with the BLM and lives in Grand Junction. The opinions he expresses are often not shared by the BLM.