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Each of the following 20 propositions are, I think, true:
1. Either there will be a deal between President Obama and the Republicans or there will be no deal and we will go over the "fiscal cliff." This choice can be postponed until next year, but it probably can't be avoided altogether.
2. In all likelihood, Obama won't agree to a deal unless the tax rates of very top earners are increased.
3. An increase in the tax rates of very top earners would likely would slow the economy down.
4. Voting to increase the tax rates of very top earners (or voting "present" on a proposal to raise these rates) would hurt Republicans because those who vote "yes" or "present" might well be challenged in primaries and the resulting division would be harmful to the Party.
5. Republicans should only accept (or permit) an outcome that that entails the negative consequences described in propositions 3 and 4 in exchange for very significant concessions from the White House on spending cuts and entitlement reform OR if not accepting that outcome would send Republicans over the political cliff.
6. Going over the financial cliff would be bad for the country because it very likely would slow the economy down significantly and because the resulting defense cuts would be harmful.
7. Going over the financial cliff might or might not hurt Republicans, depending on which party receives most of the blame for not having reached a deal.
8. The Republicans have a great deal to lose if the public assigns primary blame to them for not reaching a deal. In that event, the Republicans likely will lose control of the House in 2014, leaving the Democrats in control of the White House and both chambers of Congress.
9. The extent to which the public assigns primary blame to Republicans for not reaching a deal, and thus for going over the fiscal cliff, will depend on how reasonable the Republicans' last best offer seems to the public.
10. In the battle over public perception, the Democrats have a built-in advantage, thanks to media bias. But media bias is not necessrily a decisive advantage for the Dems, as we have seen with respect to Obamacare. Nor should Obama's electoral victory overly cow Republicans. It does not entail the kind of popularity that will convert a losing policy hand into a winning one, as we saw following the elections of 2004 and 2008
11. The public favors an approach to debt reduction that includes meaningful spending cuts. After all, Obama was reelected on a promise to reduce the debt through a "balanced approach."
12. Most Americans, including even a significant number of Obama voters, want to get control of the deficit primarily by cutting spending.
13. Most Americans also like bipartisanship and bipartisan commissions.
14. Bowles-Simpson is a bipartisan proposal that springs from a commission appointed by Obama.
15. Bowles-Simpson provides a balanced approach to debt reduction, and one that relies mostly on cutting spending.
16. Given propositions 11-15, there's a good chance that, if Bowles-Simpson is the Republicans' last best offer, the public will consider it a reasonable one, and thus place most of the blame for failure to reach a deal on Obama.
17. Because proposition 16 is by no means a certainty, and because going over the fiscal cliff would be bad for the country (see proposition 6), the number 1 option for Republicans should probably be a negotiated deal that raises tax rates for very top earners (but by less than what Obama proposes) in exchange for very significant concessions from the White House on spending cuts and entitlement reform.
18. Option 2 should be going over the financial cliff with Bowles-Simpson as the Republicans last best offer to avoid the cliff.
19. Option 1 is probably a non-starter for Obama.
20. Though far from ideal, option 2 probably would not be a bad place for Republicans to end up.


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I just got a really good review from Publisher's Weekly for my latest book, DIRTY MARTINI, and it got me thinking about something:
Reviews sell books.
I know this for a fact, because I buy books after reading reviews. It doesn't even matter if the book was given a thumbs up or thumbs down. I read reviews for content, not opinion, and reviews alert me to the existence of the types of books I normally buy.
If this works on me, I'm guessing it works on other people. As a counter example, I've never bought a book because I ate a piece of candy with the book cover image glued to the wrapper. Because of this, I don't pass out snacks to potential fans. But I do try to get reviews.
Unfortunately, getting reviewed is becoming harder and harder.
The first reason: Too much competition. There are 200,000 books being released every year, and too little space to review them in. The bestsellers get preferential treatment, leaving the rest of us midlisters to fight for scraps.
The second reason: Too few publications review books. As newspaper circulation dwindles, so does advertising by publishers, which reduces or eliminates the book review pages.
I haven't gotten a lot of print reviews. No big ones like the NYT, ET, or People, and not many by bigger newspapers. My big hometown paper, The Chicago Tribune, has never reviewed me, even though my books are set in Chicago. Though my other two Chicago papers, The Sun-Times and the Daily Herald, have reviewed me, but in both of those cases knowing the reviewer probably had something to do with it.
Genre mags have been good to me, and I've been reviewed in EQMM, The Strand, Mystery Scene, and Crimespree, but they've each missed a few titles.
The trade mags (Booklist, Kirkus, Library Journal, PW) have all reviewed me, but again they've missed a title here and there.
The Internet has been very kind. Lots of book review sites and blogs have mentioned my books, and Amazon.com reviewers continue to post their comments about my oeuvre.
How does a writer get reviews?
Usually a publicist, either in-house or independent, sends out galleys or ARCs to reviewers along with a brief letter and perhaps a press release. Reviewers can receive over a hundred books a week, even though they only have space in their column to review six books.
Sometimes an author will send books directly to reviewers, and this personal touch may improve their chances. But it's expensive, time consuming, and there is still no guarantee you'll be reviewed.
A good way to get reviewed is to already be a bestseller. Then reviewers will seek out the book, because they know their readers are anxious to hear it. But even then, some reviewers might pass on reviewing the latest Patricia Cornwell if given the chance, and might embrace a smaller author whose book they adored.
Since competition for print reviews is so stiff, many authors are concentrating on the Internet. The World Wide Web has the advantage of being Googleable forever, which can lead people to your book for years after it's been published. But most of the review sites are small, getting very few hits. While it may be great that you're reviewed on 100 blogs, you have to consider the cost-effectiveness of it. Sending out 100 ARCs will cost about $500 (double if you have to pay for your own ACRs), and you may only be reaching an audience of 50,000 people total. Two million people read the Tribune, and it only cost you $5 to send the ARC.
I've seen authors offer free copies of books to Amazon reviewers, which seems silly considering the very small number of books Amazon actually sells.
I've also seen authors give free books to bloggers, which is a somewhat better prospect, but even then you have to consider cost-effectiveness.
It's a dismal situation.
Writers and publishers spend big money on ads and fancy multimedia websites, with unspectacular results.
They spend big money on galleys and ARCs, even though the overwhelming majority of them don't lead to reviews.
More and more books are being released, with less and less print venues to review them in, and Internet reviews are probably not cost-effective to procure.
So what's the answer? Here are a few:
1. Buy reviews. I'm not talking about paying a reviewer. I'm talking about asking a more famous peer to review your book, then using that as the basis for print ads. If your publisher has an advertising budget, it's a much better use of their money if they run 200 words about your latest, reviewed by a known writer, than the standard book cover/author photo/blurb.
2. Schmooze. Reviewers are people. Meet them. Be nice to them. Chances are they'll remember you, and you'll have a better shot at being reviewed than the thousands of authors they don't know.
3. Give away ebooks. While mailing out review copies to people with small blogs probably isn't cost effective, you can email them a pdf file of your latest for free. You'll have to clear this with your publisher first. Remind them how much they spend on galleys.
4. Enlist your fans. Why not use a portion of your marketing budget to reward the folks who already buy your books? If you have a blog, MySpace, website, and/or newsletter, tell your fanbase if anyone writes and posts a review of your latest book on their website, blog, MySpace, Amazon, BN.com, etc, you'll send them something. Maybe a signed bookplate. Maybe a signed magazine you have a story in. This could run a few hundred bucks, but it will reach more people and cost much less than going to an out-of-state writing conference. You can do this for several weeks after your book comes out, or you can do it forever.
5. Become a reviewer. I've written several dozen of Amazon reviews. I've also posted reviews on various sites, and have even had a few reviews published. We need to help each other, and you reap what you sow.
And on that note, DIRTY MARTINI will be out July 3. To paraphrase a bit of PW's lovely review:
"Konrath's latest is a particularly potent mix of equal parts mirth and mayhem with a dash of sex and a twist (or two) of plot. It should be taken straight, no chaser needed."
Want to review DIRTY MARTINI? Email me at email@example.com.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
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Licence & Club for 21km
Licence Requirements
SA entrants must possess a valid Athletics South Africa (ASA) licence to enter and run the race. This is obtained through an athletics club affiliated with ASA. If not, it is compulsory to buy a temporary licence when entering the race at a cost R35 each and it is valid for race day only.
Club Colours/Running Gear
All South Africans must wear the clothes of the athletics club (affiliated to ASA), they belong to (as indicated in their entry). Temporary licence holders must run in plain colours without advertising on their attire. Age category tags must be clearly visible on the front and back of the running vest, if competitors are to be eligible for any age category prize apart from the open category. No identification of sponsors of individual athletes may be visible inside the competition area. Branding/marketing tattoos or any branding/marketing markings on any part of the body is illegal. The domicilium rule will be strictly enforced. No athlete may run for a club other than a registered club in the Province in which they are domiciled unless they have been declared a National athlete by ASA.


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CMD Network eNewsletter
CMD Network eNewsletter
The Computational Materials Data Network (CMD Network)—founded by ASM International—supports, facilitates, and promotes the collection, dissemination, and management of materials data. Launched in response to the U.S. Materials Genome Initiative, the network aims to advance materials development and deployment by facilitating information sharing within the materials community.
Looking for an archived copy of one of the ASM eNewsletters? Contact us.


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Customer Service Agent
R.V. College of Engineering
Corporate Account Executive
Pls Financial Services
The hiring industry is continually evolving. If we compare the scenarios of the past to the present, we can find an increase in competition in the overall industry. Nearly 250 resumes are attracted on an average by any job opening. In these resumes, more than half are rejected by the Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). Just as you might know, these systems are automatic, and they only select people with the right keywords. Thus, for the purpose of not having yourself rejected, you need to focus on crafting a better resume that has all the essential elements of the job description.
Glever provides hundreds of example resumes in various industries.


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I have been riding a 'new to me' Ozone 15m R1V1 for a couple of weeks on 20m lines. I am looking to get a little quicker kite response coming out of foiling tacks. I would like to get some shorter lines, and am looking for some advice on what works best on this kite based on the experience of others or what they have seen local riders have success with.
Thanks in advance.


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Bubble Trouble
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Most seasoned investors are familiar with the great company/bad stock phenomenon, in which a fast-growing, innovative business becomes so well appreciated by the market that its shares become quickly and chronically overvalued. The rapidly emerging social-networking industry is approaching the status of great sector/bad stocks, much as dot-com companies did about a decade ago—even if, so far, there are only a few social-media stocks that are publicly traded, issued by secondary players in the industry, at that.
There is no set definition for a social-media company, but all involve large networks of individuals directly sharing and customizing information, or accessing tailored consumer offerings, via the Internet or email. The recitation of 10- and 11-figure implied values for several companies founded just a handful of years ago has become familiar to anyone paying even a little attention.
Depending on how you carve up the industry, eight leading companies that have either gone public, filed plans for an initial stock offering or are widely expected to do so by the end of next year are now estimated to be worth a combined $200 billion. Together, these eight companies—Facebook, Groupon, Zynga, LivingSocial, Twitter, LinkedIn (ticker: LNKD), Pandora Media (P) and Zillow (Z)—collected $3.5 billion in 2010 revenue. That's $1 billion less than, say, Washington Post (WPO), whose market value is $3.4 billion. Leaving aside Facebook, which seems to have the best shot at supporting its hypothetical $100 billion value through its market position, growth and profit margins, the rest have negligible profits at this point.
ADMITTEDLY, IT'S AN OLD TRICK to compare fast-growing embryonic (or, in some cases adolescent) businesses to venerable but mature ones, to make the former appear wildly, recklessly valued. How about comparing the social-media kids to Google (GOOG), then, as the search-engine giant is hardly an Old Economy graybeard? Google's market capitalization is approaching $200 billion, but the company had $29 billion in revenue last year, on which it earned more than $8 billion.
For sure, Google was an expensive stock when it went public in late 2004 at 85 per share, although that price, in retrospect, is rightly viewed as a bargain. Yet Google has never traded at more than 29 times sales, and it approached 100 times earnings only for an instant. Its median price-to-sales ratio as a public company is 11; the current ratio is 7.0.
Based on Google's median price-to-sales ratio, the eight social-networking companies are between 20% and 100% overvalued—even assuming that some can grow into dominant franchises like Google.
This represents, if not a bubble, a bubble-in-waiting, but only because just a sliver of the sector is publicly traded. Once a broad set of investors gets its hands on these stocks, the companies are likely to attain vastly higher values than those currently anticipated and discussed.
Some might argue fairly that social-networking companies haven't reached bubble proportions, in part because social media represents an entirely new wave of innovation and commerce enabled by the existence of more than five billion Internet-enabled mobile devices. Also, unlike the tech craze of 1999, the companies raising capital now aren't mere gimmicky concepts but, for the most part, real businesses with revenue and, in most cases, a path to profitability. Finally, we aren't seeing—yet—the sort of broad-based, greed-propelled speculative frenzy among small investors that helped things get way out of hand a dozen years ago.
So, this isn't a straight replay of the '90s tech bubble, and therefore not a once-in-a-century misallocation of capital that will collapse a broad swath of the U.S. stock market by 80% before it's all done. But in a market where, as Sector & Sovereign Research's Paul Sagawa points out, 20% of large tech stocks trade at single-digit price/earnings ratios, the social-media group looks to be an overheated microclimate in a generally temperate investing zone.
CONSIDER LINKEDIN, the professional-networking service that went public in May. Priced at 45 each, its shares immediately doubled, then retreated to the low-60s in late June. At that point analysts for the deal's underwriting firms issued Buy ratings, igniting a surge in the stock that has carried it to 101 in the past three weeks. Its current price affords the company, which is expected to have revenue of $470 million this year, a market value of $9.7 billion.
Doug Anmuth at JPMorgan, one of the deal's underwriters, downgraded LinkedIn to Neutral last week on a valuation basis. His current $85 share-price target is the product of a discounted-cash-flow analysis that foresees 20% annual revenue growth and 30% cash-flow increases from 2012 through 2020, at which point the stock will trade for 23.5 times cash flow.
So, if you are confident enough to look out nine years and see that LinkedIn will be among the most successful growth companies of our or any era, and assume it will trade at about double Google's current multiple of cash flow, even then the stock is worth 15% less than what the market is paying. Anmuth notes that LinkedIn's market value isn't much lower than the $15 billion afforded Netflix (NFLX). But Netflix is expected to have seven times LinkedIn's revenue and cash flow next year.
LinkedIn's rather gargantuan valuation suggests that investors eager to play the stunning growth, popularity and near-ubiquity of Facebook are grabbing at anything that faintly resembles it, even if that means paying up for a far more limited opportunity in a site whose users aren't remotely as engaged as Facebook's.
Even companies only tangentially attached to social media are being lifted by this tide. Last week Zillow, a Website that allows people to get home-price estimates and check recent real-estate transactions, soared 80% in its first day of trading following its IPO. The stock ended the week at around 34, having attained a $890 million market value. That compares with Zillow's 2010 revenue of $30 million.
Pandora Media affords a similar example. The company, an online competitor to radio that promises to customize playlists based on individual tastes, went public at 16, ran to 26 and now sits at 18.50. Pandora's $3 billion market value amounts to more than 16 times expected 2011 revenue.
FIRST COMES exclusivity, buzz and thus, status. Facebook used to be restricted to university e-mail addresses, and the new Google+ is offered only by invitation. Investment in private companies initially comes only from the plugged-in, such as venture capitalists. And when such companies go public, only a narrow slice of the business is floated. In LinkedIn's case, only 7.8 million shares of a total 94 million outstanding were sold. The public stock was passed around madly, with daily volume routinely exceeding two million shares.
For sure, each social-networking stock needs to be evaluated on its own merits. Lou Kerner, a longtime Internet analyst at Wedbush Securities, covers Facebook even in its pre-IPO state, and makes a plausible case that it can support its rumored worth of $100 billion.
Based on forecasts of a steadily increasing share of global ad revenue. and rapid increases in other revenue sources such as its share of online gaming and other transactions, Facebook should approach $4 billion in revenue this year, growing to $6.6 billion in 2012. Its cash-flow margin is near 50%, Kerner estimates, which would give the company $3.3 billion in cash flow next year. A multiple of 30 times cash flow, well below what Google traded at following its IPO, gets you to $100 billion.
Facebook is increasingly the way people find their way to other corners of the Internet. Its News Feed directs about 70% as much traffic to the rest of the Web as Google's search feature does, says John Aiken, head of equity research at ITG Investment Research. In May, 12.7% of all the minutes spent online globally were spent on Facebook. There's been some chatter that Facebook's domestic-user growth has plateaued, and Google+ has received fond reviews and grown quickly to 10 million users.
But the broad and deep economy of applications for Facebook, and the massive "installed base" of users, make it hard to bet too strenuously against huge growth projections for the company. Barclays Capital's Anthony DiClemente related last week that John Wren, CEO of the giant ad agency Omnicom, said social media is now part of almost every advertising, marketing-services and store-promotion campaign the company does. Facebook will get a disproportionate share of this incremental spending.
ASSUMING FACEBOOK SATISFIES hopes and expectations by going public next year, the stock immediately will rocket to an eye-watering valuation. Tech partisans like to compare this crop of IPOs to Netscape's debut exactly 16 years ago, which kicked off the multiyear boom that preceded the dot-com bust. Yet in July 1995, there were only 40 million Internet users in the world. Facebook alone has 700 million users, and its pervasiveness means the world already appreciates its power and is readying to pay top dollar to own a piece of it. After all, before Netscape went public, an Oscar-winning movie based on its founding hadn't netted $220 million in worldwide ticket sales.
We might get a preview of this manic dynamic born of pent-up excitement for Facebook when Zynga, the social-gaming player, comes public. It created FarmVille, Mafia Wars and related online games, and users collectively spend a reported two billion minutes a day playing them. Zynga is entirely entwined with the Facebook economy, using its platform and online currency to sell virtual goods. Revenue is running at a $1 billion annual rate, cash flow is on pace to exceed $400 million and the company turned a small bottom-line profit last year. Valuation talk is around $20 billion.
WHEN IT COMES TO TWITTER, fixing its potential value is almost entirely an exercise in conjecture. It has grown stupendously to 200 million users who "tweet" brief messages to "followers" who choose to track their musings in real time, all at no cost. But the company has only gingerly attempted to monetize its reams of message-traffic via advertising. Revenue last year was around $50 million. Trade publisher eMarketer figures it can get to $150 million this year.
"Looking at Twitter, it's harder to do the same kind of analysis because it's so early in the development of its business systems," says Kerner of Wedbush. Yet he points to the $8 billion Microsoft (MSFT) paid for Skype, noting Twitter "potentially could have more users who are more engaged than Skype."
And then there are the "group buying" networks such as Groupon, which has registered IPO plans and could perhaps attain a $30 billion valuation. Groupon offers e-mail subscribers "daily deals," discounts for local stores and restaurants, and takes some 40% of what the merchants charge as a bounty for introducing them to a new customer. Growth has been astounding, from zero revenue three years ago to $713 million last year and $644 million in just this year's first quarter. Losses are widening as well: They were $456 million in 2010 and $146 million in the first quarter of 2011.
Consumers seem to love the deals, and the idea of allowing local businesses to reach new customers in bulk is innovative. Yet, as Barron's reported this month (Preview, July 11), a study has shown little loyalty among merchants in an increasingly crowded sector. Google and Facebook, Amazon (AMZN) and eBay (EBAY) have now joined in. And close on Groupon's heels is LivingSocial, a daily-deal site, which counts Amazon among its investors. LivingSocial was valued above $3 billion last spring after its latest funding round, and Sector & Sovereign and others are citing potential valuations of $15 billion.
Aiken, the Internet analyst, notes that Groupon's take on transactions seems unsustainably high relative to the others. He even goes so far as to say one can view Groupon, in some cases, as providing short-term loans to struggling businesses that get cash up front when the groupons are sold, but don't deliver the product until they're redeemed. Groupon's business is also not particularly virtual: It has 9,000 employees, up from 7,000 several months ago, many of them hoofing around to recruit new retail locations. No doubt the IPO will make quite a splash given the buzz, but it probably won't represent a great deal for investors.
WHENEVER A NEW and exciting sector catches investors' fancy and raises their animal spirits, yesterday's darlings suffer at least some level of neglect. As the nearby table shows, a number of established Web-related companies also exploiting social networks to one degree or another are afforded comparatively prosaic valuations.
Possibly no company is more starkly underloved in this context than Google, which even after the latest spurt in its stock fetches less than 17 times this year's expected earnings. It's true that Facebook's encroachment on Google's role in dispatching eyeballs across the Web is a modest concern. Yet Google is perhaps the best play on the whole mobile-computing megatrend, via its Android smartphone operating system. And, as noted, it has answered with the Google+ social network, which likely will be cleverly integrated with the company's Gmail and YouTube properties. And management has been an admirable acquirer. When it paid $1.65 billion in stock for YouTube five years ago, it was considered a fat sum for an outfit without a real business.
Imagine what YouTube would fetch now, when the similarly viral and profitless Twitter is "worth" $8 billion.
E-mail: email@example.com


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Tactics for Maximum Acceleration With Limited Traction
Pure and simple, drag racing is an acceleration contest, not who goes the fastest. You win by being the quickest car through the measured quarter-mile, not the fastest at the end. Of course speed is important, but it is more a by-product of acceleration. Here's some tips on how to accelerate quicker and more effectively than your opponent.
Let's start with some simple physics. Drag racing, in fact most vehicle dynamics, are governed by Newton's Second Law (NSL) with the basic equation, F=ma, stating the relationships of force, mass and acceleration of a body. How does this NSL formula apply to your rear-drive rod, and how can you us the factors under your control to tune for maximum acceleration?
Let's start with some fundamentals. To accelerate your car, you've got to apply the force from your engine to the drive wheels, which grip the racing surface and accelerate the mass of your car. A tire's grip is dependent on the vertical force exerted on the tire and the coefficient of friction between the racing surface and the tires' contact patch. When you accelerate, weight transfers from the front of your vehicle to the rear. This transfer has a direct effect on the vertical force exerted on your vehicle's tires and thus how much grip they have to accelerate your hot rod down the quarter-mile.
Understanding this equation and others, and being able to manipulate them is extremely important. This application will give you the ability to tune your machine accurately for given track conditions and/or observed vehicle behavior.
The Limits of Traction
Most hot rods have more power than the traction, at least in the lower gears. As you modify your engine to make more power, this situation gets extreme. Where you used to spin the tires in first gear, now you're spinning them in second and third. This traction-limited acceleration can be made better or worse depending on your setup and combination.
Ultimately acceleration is limited by the tires' coefficient of friction and the vertical force, i.e., the weight on the tire and the mass you are trying to accelerate with drive thrust developed at the wheels. This is expressed in a variation of NSL (see Figure 1 at right):
The equation in Figure 1 is true because the coefficient of friction determines the magnitude of acceleration and the weight of the vehicle is mass divided by gravity. Since the tire's vertical force changes as the chassis transfers weight, we know we have two basic systems we can manipulate to get more grip and therefore more acceleration. Getting the most from each of them is the way to quicker e.t.'s. (Note that in this article we're not addressing the effects of aerodynamic downforce, so all weights referred to are the static weights and the weight transferred under acceleration. For more on weight transfer see the sidebar.)
Stating the obvious, the way to a quicker e.t. is twofold: First, generate more grip by using a stickier tire. In drag racing, drag slicks and various D.O.T. legal drag tires are designed for this very purpose. Second, manage the weight transfer in such a way as to optimize the vertical force on the drive tires while the car is accelerating. The latter is easier said than done, but that is the craft of chassis tuning. It requires doing the math and plugging in the equations to predict the behavior of the vehicle. In other words, good chassis tuners work smarter, not harder, by knowing the influences that the various suspension components have on each other. We'll start by going over the basic formulas used by chassis tuners, and then show how to apply them to your hot rod.
The Formulas You'll Need
The formulas at right (please see Figures 2 and 3, and Figure 4 for and explanation of the symbols) quantify the tractive force limits for rear drive vehicles. The one in Figure 2 is for vehicles with an open differential, the one in Figure 3 is for vehicles with a locking differential.
Both of these equations are further variations on NSL with the dynamics of weight transfer appropriately expressed. The quantity of the numerator of both equations is simply the coefficient of friction multiplied by the static weight on the rear wheels. The quantity of the denominator accounts for the dynamics of weight transfer. The equation describing the dynamics of a vehicle with an open differential are more complex because the effects of weight transferring laterally across the axle in response to driveshaft torque must be represented.
The effect of weight transferring laterally across the axle reduces the amount of tractive force if the vehicle has a non-locking differential. As the driveshaft imposes a torque on the axle, the frame reacts in the opposite direction. The driveshaft torque on the axle and the frame's reactions combine to reduce the weight on one tire. A non-locking differential directs torque to the tire with the least traction, thus the maximum tractive force is limited by the drive tire with the least load. In other words, the weight transferred across an axle is equal to the difference of the torque reactions of the suspension and axle divided by the track width. That dynamic is stated by the equation shown in Figure 5.
Because driveshaft torque is influenced by the final drive ratio and the radius of the tire, these factors need to be represented in the equation. A formula for this dynamic is in Figure 6. This formula states driveshaft torque equals the total drive force from the two rear tires multiplied by the radius of the tire (a lever arm) with the product then divided by the final drive ratio.
Since the driveshaft torque reaction also involves the suspension (the engine and trans are bolted to the frame), the amount of lateral weight transfer is affected by the roll stiffness of the suspension. This is why spring rates and anti-roll bars influence dynamic traction. It is logical that roll torque at the suspension is proportional to the roll angle given that springs are involved. To make the equation reasonably accurate we need to add terms that describe the roll stiffness. (Note Figure7.)
We've just discussed several terms and how they represent the various systems and functions of a vehicle as it accelerates with a limited amount of traction. These are combined in the larger equations we presented further above. Now let's begin to gather the information we'll need to make those equation work for us.
How to Find the Variables
Before we can calculate max force, and from there calculate the potential acceleration rate, we need to fill in a couple of variables. The weight of the vehicle is fairly easy—just take it to a scale and measure it. Be advised that the published figures from the factories are sometimes on the light side, but are good to start with if you haven't physically weighed your car.
The distance from the front axle to the cg can be calculated if you know the front-to-rear weight distribution, i.e. how much weight is on each axle. Typical values for front-engine, rear-drive cars are 55-51 percent front/ 45-49 percent rear.
For the following examples, we'll split the weight distribution difference and assume the car has a manual trans and so use a f/r weight distribution of 53/47 percent and that the car weighs around 3700 pounds with a1/2 tank of fuel and a driver. In addition we'll assume the car has 108-inch wheelbase. Here's the equation that gives us the length to cg from the front axle (use this formula only if you plan to move your vehicle's cg—see comment below):
cg distance = rear wt.. / total wt.. x wheel base
To find the weight on the rear use this equation:
Wt. rear axle =Total Wt.. x rear distribution percent
1732 lbs.=3700 lbs. x .47.
Once we have that data then we substitute numbers for variables:
cg dist = 1732/3700 x 108
cg dist= 50.56 inches behind front wheel centers.
However, since the numerator on right side of the equation (see Figure 8) is simply the weight on the rear wheel multiplied by the coefficient of friction between the tires and the road surface, if you actually weigh the rear, you can dispense with the above calculations and put the weight on the rear axle into the formula. But if you plan to tune the launch by moving your vehicle's cg, then you should know these extra calculations.
The next variable we need is the height of the cg. This value is difficult to obtain, not so much because of the math, but the physical aspects of weighing the vehicle. You'll see quickly the lengths you have to go to get this value. Here's the equation, or at least one tactic to arrive at the cg's height. We take this equation from John Lawlor's Auto Math Handbook:
cg height = (Wb x raised Wb x Wt. transfer) divided by (height raised x total weight)
If you're up for some trigonometry, get a copy of Fred Puhn's classic How to Make Your Car Handle and just follow along. But perhaps the best and easiest way is to just take the height of the cam as the cg height. This works nicely for most pushrod V engines and will get you close enough to do probably 80 percent of your tuning. Be sure to use inches for your unit of measurement.
You'll also need to measure your track width. Track width is simply the distance in inches between the centers of the tire treads.
The last variables you'll need are the front and rear roll stiffness rates in ft-lbs./degree of roll. Unfortunately these values are very hard to find. Fortunately roll stiffness has only a relatively small influence on vehicle traction.
To estimate roll stiffness rates in ft-lbs/degree of body roll, simply double the spring rates. For example if you have 600 lbs/inch spring on the nose, you'd use 1200 as the value for this equation. This method should be pretty close. However, a good compromise for your modeling efforts is to use the values of the variables you know, then adjust the roll stiffness values to approximate the tested performance of your car. These will give you a baseline from which to model potential tuning changes.
These traction equations are very useful because they show you how changes to your set up affect the system. For example, if you have a car with an open differential, what are the best tuning moves you can make regarding chassis set up? Is installing an air bag or stiffer rear springs the right move? Plug in the numbers and check it out.
A Case in Point
To illustrate how to use these equations, lets plug in a few values for an average car, and see what we get. For this model we'll use the values shown in Figure 9.
After we plug the values into a calculator or spreadsheet program, we get the following value for F in pounds of force available to accelerate the car:
Non-locking Diff
Locking Diff
What should we change to improve that? What if we lower the car two inches? It'll look good, but how will that affect its performance? When we lower the car two inches the cg height drops to 19 inches. Here's the result:
Non-locking Diff
Locking Diff
As you can see from the lower figures for pounds of force, that is not a good tuning move—you lost traction. How about adding roll stiffness to counter the torque reaction that takes weight off one of the drive wheels? This trick is usually reserved for cars with open diffs, but lets see what happens when we increase front roll stiffness in 100-pound increments.
Non-locking Diff:
Locking Diff
This tactic barely improves traction on the open diff car and adds nothing to the vehicle with the locked diff. Let's reverse course and increase roll stiffness to the rear suspension in 100-pound increments.
Non-locking Diff:
Locking Diff
As rising traction levels indicate, this is a much more efficient tactic. We're almost back to the tractive force levels achieved with the cg height at 21 inches instead of 19 inches.
Since the tractive force of non-locker differential cars is affected by gearing, let's take a look at what happens when we install a 3.90 gear, increasing the torque multiplication from the 3.47s used above. All we'll change is the gearing, and we'll leave the roll stiffness where it is.
Non-locking Diff
Locking Diff
The deeper gears made a slight improvement in the non-locker car. Now let's cut to the chase and make a change that'll really increase the launch force of this combination comparison. Let puts some slick on this piece and increase the coefficient of friction. We're using .8 as the coefficient now, about what a reasonable performance radial will give on a street surface. But on a drag strip with average prep of the launch pad and a set of wrinkle walls that'll fit under the fenders, you can expect that value to jump 1.25-1.30 easily and perhaps more. Let's use 1.30 just for fun:
Non-locking Diff
Locking Diff
Very impressive. It's no secret that tires are one of the most cost-effective pieces of equipment. Bang for the buck, a properly chosen set of tires make it happen quick.
Modeling a suspension combination and trying various what if scenarios with a spreadsheet gives you a powerful edge in your pursuit of quicker e.t., s. If you're familiar with spreadsheets you already know this. If you're not, then you may want to learn how to insert spreadsheet performance formulas. You have to type in the formulas in a specific way that isn't necessarily intuitive. For your convenience we've included the formulas for the math used in this story in a sidebar below to help you model and tune your own combination.
Keep in mind that these formulas are inexact models of your vehicle's dynamics. They assume a perfectly stiff frame and zero friction in the suspension bushings, and do not account for rolling resistances such as bearing friction, tire to road contact friction or aerodynamic drag. Even though they are imperfect models, they are accurate enough to give you more power and control over your machine's performance than just about any other method short of a full on computer program. So spend some time changing the variable to see what effect various tuning combinations have on your machine. Then go out and try a few of the changes in the real world. We confident you'll pick up the pace, hopefully in a big way.


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>>>Full Field
INDIANAPOLIS – The No. 6 Georgia College golf squad and head coach Jimmy Wilson earned the top at-large bid to the NCAA Southeast Regional, the organization announced late Friday.
The Southeast Region joins the South Region for a SuperRegional round May 2-4 at Victoria Hills Golf Club in DeLand, Fla. The event will be hosted by the Sunshine State Conference and the Central Florida Sports Commission.
GC is the top seed among the 10 chosen from
the Southeast, including five other Peach Belt Conference (PBC)
schools. Barton College is ranked No. 2, followed by Armstrong
Atlantic, then Columbus State University. South Atlantic Conference
Champion Newberry College is fifth, with UNC Pembroke No. 6. PBC
champ Flagler College comes next, with Conference Carolinas
Champion Queens University (N.C.) in eighth. USC Aiken and Belmont
Abbey College round out the last two.
The Bobcats will need to finish in the top five of the 20 teams at the SuperRegional in order to advance to the NCAA Finals. The 'Cats most recently made that trip in 2009 and have made eight trips to the finals in school history. GC last won the SuperRegional in 2008.
Adding in the teams in the South Region, the SuperRegional will feature five teams from the GolfStat Head-to-Head Rankings top-10, including No. 3 Lynn University and No. 5 University of West Florida, the Gulf South Conference Champions. The tournament depth doesn't stop there, as 11 of the top-20 come from this star-studded region as well.
The Bobcats will play their practice round Sunday, May 1, and look to take a SuperRegional title beginning May 2. Live scoring will be available at www.GolfStat.com .
The Georgia College Department of Athletics, back-to-back winners of the PBC Commissioner's Cup, sponsors 10 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. As a Division II program, Bobcat Athletics prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the teams' multiple appearances in post-season competition as well as documented academic success and community-service involvement. Sign up at www.twitter.com/BobcatSports and www.facebook.com/gcbobcats for up-to-the-minute reports, and visit www.GCBobcats.com for more information, and to nominate your favorite former Bobcats and Colonials to the GC Athletics Hall of Fame.


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Blogs and Blogging...
Here's what I was blogging about at the end of March a year ago:
Playing the Piano -- This topic may return soon because they've been talking about starting a Thursday night service at church and they recently asked me to play the piano for it. Aaaaack! (I can do it. Of course I can. Or at least, I'm telling myself that.)
Kentucky Farmhouse -- Photo and a bit of commentary about a big old farmhouse that was looking rough but now has received some much-needed care.
A Big Flock of Wild Turkeys -- When I saw these turkeys, one of Isaac's Scout leaders told me it was unusual to see such a large flock in spring. I think he was mistaken because I've seen a big flock in this same spot this spring, and in another place along the river, I've seen big flocks several times in the last few weeks.
Mennonite Barn -- Photo and a few comments about a new barn that was being built. It's now finished and in use!
Maternal Instincts and Little Rabbits -- A year ago, I was wondering if the big, not-very-wild rabbit we were seeing on the lawn might be Costello, a baby rabbit that our cat Skittles brought to us. We bottle-fed him until he was big enough to survive alone. This spring we're still seeing a big, unusually tame rabbit, and I'm still wondering if it might be my little rabbit baby. Here's a photo of him that I took a few days ago.


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###Contact: Lynette Lundy-Beck, 315-646-1000 x203


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Former FBI agent John Guandolo is interviewed on Tom Trento's radio show in the video below saying John Brennan, the Chief Counterterrorism Adviser to Obama (currently in the process of being confirmed for Director of the CIA), converted to Islam while Station Chief for the CIA in Saudi Arabia in the 1990s. The focus of the video is not just his conversion, but that he was targeted and "turned" by the Saudi government. In other words, how convenient to have high-placed CIA agents following the "holy struggle" of "jihad." Quoting John Brennan, "Jihad is a Holy Struggle." Guandolo cites two sources, whom he says he is "close" to, and who shall remain unnamed due to their current and continued active duty. He specifically says, one or maybe both of these men "witnessed" the conversion but refused to elaborate. Guandolo is being very careful to explain that the problem is not that Brennan converted to Islam but that he was "turned" by the Saudi government. Perhaps Sarah Palin said it best:
John Brennan, the President's top counterterrorism adviser, bizarrely claimed "there are no downsides or
upsides" to treating terrorists as enemy combatants. That is absurd. There is a very serious downside to treating them as criminals: terrorists invoke their "right" to remain silent and stop talking. Terrorists don't tell us where they were trained, what they were trained in, who they were trained by, and who they were trained with. Giving foreign-born, foreign-trained terrorists the right to remain silent does nothing to keep Americans safe from terrorist threats. It only gives our enemies access to courtrooms where they can publicly grandstand, and to defense attorneys who can manipulate the legal process to gain access to classified information.
The first outcry will be that these are unnamed sources, but this is about National Security and as Guandolo points out, there is more than the Saudi government working hard and succeeding with our CIA Station Chief, but that we already know Brennan is a sympathizer and an Islamist working to islamized our country, whether he prays to Mecca or not. Source: Sarah Palin
In the early portion of the 2-1/2 hour video Guandolo makes these three central points (my loose transcript – not word for word, but close).
1. Brennan has interwoven his life, personally and professionally, with individuals we know are terrorists. Has given them access, not only senior leaders inside the government but has given them access to the National Security Council, the National Security Staff, has brought known Hamas and Muslim Brotherhood operatives into known positions in government. He has overseen, approved and encouraged leaders of Hamas and Muslim Brotherhood into the government to advise on counterterrorism strategy as well as the over-all "War on Terror."
2. Brennan has proven through his own comments, publicly, that he is clueless and grossly ignorant of al-Qaeda's strategy. He said al-Qaeda is the enemy. We know that is not the total threat. When he discusses al-Qaeda, he doesn't know what he is talking about. He is ignorant of their strategy and how they operate.
3. Many believe most disturbing is his conversion to Islam when he served in an official capacity on behalf of the United States in Saudia Arabia. "That fact alone is not what is most disturbing, and makes him unfit for duty. What makes him unfit for duty is his conversion to Islam was the culmination of a counter-intelligence operation against him, to convert him. The fact that foreign service operatives recruited Mr. Brennan when he was in a very sensitive and senior government position in a foreign country, means that he is either a traitor, which I'm not saying but that's one of the options, and he did this all willingly and knowingly or he did it unwillingly and unwittingly, which means he is naive, does not understand…he has the inability to discern and understand that environment, which makes him completely unfit to be the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
Whether Brennan was "turned" or converted willingly or didn't convert and/or was not "turned," we have his own public comments. Guandualo's first two reasons above for Brennan's unfitness for National Security is enough and been long known.
Remember that not long after 9/11/01, the Pentagon invited Anwar al-Awlaki to dine, and Capitol Hill invited him to pray, knowing that he had purchased airline tickets for three 9/11 hijackers in July and August before the attacks. Nevertheless, he dined on my dime and prayed publicly for something that in his heart he did not believe.
It would be interesting to know if the current Senate confirmations have referred to his CIA Station Chief status in Saudia Arabia because there are no in-depth reports of that important time in his background. It is mentioned, but barely. The following is the one time I can find that service dated, other than Guandolo also saying it was in the 90s. Brennan has referred to his service numerous times, but always without a date, and used it only to praise Islam. Brennan's bio on WhiteHouse.gov is a blank page. I'm not saying there isn't more out there, I'm just not finding it and that's odd. The Senate should be asking.
Mr. Brennan has had a 25-year career in intelligence, much of the time focused on terrorism. At the time of his appointment in 2009, he had been chief of staff to George J. Tenet, then director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and was the C.I.A.'s station chief in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in the 1990s. Source: New York Times
View just a few bios and articles on Brennan lacking a date for service: here, here, here, here, here, This article in Politico, a "bio and resume," shows Brennan as "CIA deputy Executive Director 2001 – 2003.
Our government is rife with Muslims – no doubt some Islamists. The halls of Capitol Hill escort them as they lobby the Muslim staffers placed throughout the building. Dittos for the Whitehouse and Homeland Security. That we have been infiltrated is not in doubt. And yes, I distrust any Muslim in government service. It's a shame, but I am not ashamed to say it. I know what the Koran says. Whether a Muslim chooses to follow every chapter, verse or the hadiths, is not the issue. The fact that Jihad against infidels disqualifies Muslims for government service. Come here, enjoy this country, have your children here, give them and yourselves a wonderful life, and work in the private sector, not the public sector. What? No cushy government jobs with lifetimes pensions for Muslims, paid by my tax money and yours? Yes, that's my position and I understand that some will be unfairly caught in that safety net…but the Koran is the Koran. It's not my fault.
From my perspective, and in my opinion, if Brennan follows the Koran, he doesn't follow a religion, but a government which is a religion and calls for infidels to die or submit. Everything within Islam is governed by the Koran. We can discuss the talking points of "Jihad is a Holy Struggle," a comment made Brennan, when he clearly states that the "Holy Struggle" does not condone "the killing of innocent men, women and children," but if National Security is any issue at all, it is past time to do what Dr. Benjamin Carson suggested at the National Day of Prayer this week, and trash the politically correct nonsense (transcript).
Another point I need to make here is the woman you hear speaking the video brings up the fact that she cannot find whether or not Brennan is married, and there is some talk that he is gay. Brennan introduced his wife Katy (of quite a number of years if I remember correctly) at the hearing. They have three children. A gay issue was not a part of Guandolo's conversation. H/T Bare Naked Islam and Creeping Sharia
Brennan clogging intelligence pipeline. 7 CIA killed in Afghanistan due to Brennan and Tenent's lack of courage to defend Americans.
Panetta's 5pm meeting with Obama on 9/11/12 – Brennan knew Ambassador Stevens and Chris Smith were dead at 5:30 pm, Obama not notified until 4 am next day. What about the 5 pm meeting? Brennan didn't publicly call Benghazi a terrorist attack for 17 days
John Brennan briefed about underwear bombs and Yemen in October before Christmas Day Bombing
Gloria Borger Grills Brennan on Christmas Day Bombing and Turf Battles
Brennan stopped the capture of bin Laden in 1998, Said Jihad is a Holy Struggle, Ignored Intelligence on Christmas Day Bomber
Brennan refers to Jerusalem by Arabic name, al-Quds, Defends Jihad
Brennan a part of White House coverup on waterboarding?
Of National Security advisor John Brennan, Scheuer says his career has mostly consisted of "ass-kissing" and "clogging the intelligence pipeline."
Linked at BadBlue – the baddest news on the planet!
Linked at Grumpy Opinions – read essential news here, i.e. "Jewish Students Ejected from Anti-Israeli Formum t Brooklyn College; BDS and the Jewish Studies Trap
Linked at LittleBytesNews – thank you!


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Welcome to our Presidio/Ojinaga forum. Please feel free to use it for any questions or messages related to our area (Other messages will be deleted.). For further useful information go to presidiotex.com, ojinaga.com, ojinaga.com.mx or presidiotx.com. Enjoy!


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"I can't believe we did it. I can't believe we made it." Those were the first thoughts of the Seattle woman who, with her younger brother, reached shore after swimming for 14 hours off the coast of St. Lucia Sunday.
"It was incredible," Kate Suski, 39, said today on " Good Morning America" in her first live interview since being rescued with her brother, Dan Suski, 30, last week. "It was hard to believe."
The siblings' journey to survival began just as Dan Suski was reeling in a nearly 400-pound marlin aboard their chartered fishing vessel.
"I was getting tired about 45 minutes in and heard a loud noise and looked back into the cabin and the captain looked back at us and went in and saw that there was some water in the fore cabin and then looked in the engine compartment which was basically probably about 70 percent full," Dan Suski, of San Francisco, said on "GMA." "And then minutes later, it seems like, it was going down."
As the 31-foot boat sank, the Suskis and the crew members on board - the captain and first mate - strapped on their life jackets and jumped into the open water. The foursome floated next to the boat for one hour, at the captain's suggestion, until they all decided to swim for land.
"I actually felt very anxious just sitting and waiting," Kate Suski said. "I was starting to get very cold so when I was moving I felt a lot better."
"Eventually we all decided together to start swimming and then we saw a plane fly over and then a helicopter so we figured they were looking for us," she said. "They were between us and land so we started swimming faster to try and reach them but they disappeared and flew, I think, back to land."
As the plane overhead disappeared from the siblings' sight, so too did the captain and first mate, lost from their view in the swelling waters.
Nearing 14 hours in the sea, the Suskis kept their eyes on searching for land, all the time just hoping they were swimming in the right direction.
"We knew based on the wind direction that we were going pretty much towards land but when it would disappear the fear set in and we just didn't know where we going and then any number of things the sharks, hypothermia, dehydration," said Dan Suski. "All those things crossed our minds, I think, as we were swimming in."
Finally the siblings made it to a sliver of beach but knew their journey was not yet over.
"We knew we had a ways to go because we were at a pretty remote part of the island when we landed," said Kate Suski.
The pair said they spent the night eating bananas and mangoes. The next day they hiked until they found a farm worker who alerted authorities.
The Suskis were hospitalized and treated for dehydration and various injuries. The captain and first mate were in the water for nearly a day before a private boat owner plucked them to safety.
"We're doing pretty good all things considered," said Kate Suski, adding their only lingering injuries are "some joint pain, especially the ankles and the shoulder."
St. Lucia's maritime affairs unit is investigating the cause of the shipwreck.


text: DO NOT USE ROM MANAGER OR ANY OTHER APPS TO FLASH ROMS OR RECOVERIES IT WILL HARD BRICK YOUR PHONE AND IT WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BE FIXED Root I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANYTHING YOU DO (bricks, bugs) TO YOUR PHONE IT IS CONFIRMED THIS METHOD WORKS AND MOST HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS OF COURSE FOR SOME THERE WERE BUGS (they were eventually fixed) BUT FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY AND IF THEY ARE HARD THERE'S THE LINK BELOW WHERE YOU CAN FOLLOW THEM EASILY THERE. THIS HAS BEEN TESTED AND IF YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEMS PLEASE DO NOT BE INPOLITE PLEASE IF YOU BRICK YOUR PHONE YOU CAN FIX IT THROUGH sammyz UNBRICK GUIDE AT THE BOTTUM [GUIDE][ROOT] How to Root your LG Optimus 4X HD (O4X P880) - xda-developers 1. Install these drivers from here LGUnitedMobileDriver_S4981MAN37AP22_ML_WHQL_Ver_3.7.2.exe - 4shared.com - online file sharing and storage - download 2. Download the attached zip file called "o4xr" from here ([GUIDE][ROOT] How to Root your LG Optimus 4X HD (O4X P880) - xda-developers) once downloaded put the extracted files under C:\ 3. Then download the app "IS11LG_SystemBackupTest.signed.apk" from that site/post as well and copy it to your phone to the root of your sd card 4. Now open Settings>scroll down to security and check unknown settings 5. Then go to developer options in settings and check usb debugging 6. Now on a file explorer on the root of your sd card install "IS11LG_SystemBackupTest.signed.apk" 7. Once the app is installed open it and then open the power options (hold the power button for 3 seconds) and click power off & restart 8. Once phone turns back on (should be running slow) connect your phone to your computer through USB (charging only). 9. Open the command prompt and enter the command "cd C:\o4xr" then typr "root" (or whatever is the root of your windows system) (no parentheses) 10. Next wait for the script to run and your phone will reboot when that happens uninstall SystemBackupTest DO NOT OPEN IT you will have to run the script again if you do The script will say this which means your phone has been rooted it should take a few minutes thats it and it's done * daemon not running. starting it now on port 5037 * * daemon started successfully * 1958 KB/s (2005736 bytes in 1.000s) 1916 KB/s (91980 bytes in 0.046s) 2148 KB/s (996704 bytes in 0.453s) rm failed for /data/local.prop, No such file or directory REBOOT (KB/ bytes in xxxxs may vary) 11. You are done your phone has been successfully rooted The files you can find here [GUIDE][ROOT] How to Root your LG Optimus 4X HD (O4X P880) - xda-developers Brick Your Phone? Thanks To Sammyz Theres An Unbrick Guide To Fix Your Mistake Below http://androidforums.com/motion-4g-...nroot-getting-1-5ghz-kdz-wip.html#post4893875 SERIOUSLY Thanks to: please thank qaz753 who posted the method for this here. (xda-developers - View Profile: qaz753) atipon for reducing the reboots to 1 (xda-developers - View Profile: atipon) and thanks to alexp999 for having that thread on the lg sub-forum (xda-developers - View Profile: alexp999) also thanks to sammyz for the link to the drivers and the upload and the unbrick guide Sources: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1818502


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May 2, 2011
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Senior outside hitter Jeff Menzel has been named UCSBgauchos.com Athlete of the Week for the second straight week after he led UCSB to the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation championship and the program's first berth in the NCAA Tournament since 1988. Menzel was named the tournament MVP.
Menzel, a First Team All-American and All-MPSF choice, collected a season-high 27 kills as the Gauchos knocked-off second-seeded BYU in the first round of the tournament last week, 3-1 (25-21, 23-25, 26-24, 25-22). The Santa Barbara native hit. .373 and added a match-hight eight digs. BYU entered the contest having won seven in a row.
On Thursday night, in a semifinal match at USC's Galen Center against sixth-seeded Long Beach State, the Santa Barbara native had 23 kills, seven digs and four block assists while leading the Gauchos to another 3-1 win (25-17, 26-28, 25-20, 25-23).
In the championship match against top-seeded and No. 1 ranked USC, Menzel was at his best. He registered a season-high 28 kills and hit .396. Overall, in the three matches, he had 78 kills and UCSB had its first NCAA Final Four appearance in 23 years.
The fourth-seeded Gauchos will play top-seeded USC for the second straight match when the two square-off in the NCAA Semifinals on Thursday, May 5. The match will start at 4:00 p.m. (PDT) at Penn State's Rec Hall in University Park, Penn. The winner of that match will take-on the winner of the Penn State-Ohio State showdown which will begin at approximately 6:00 p.m. (PDT).


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Re: Solution Explorer activation doesn't work
I just upgraded to 2.0.53 from an old 1.4 build, and my shortcuts to open the Solution Explorer no longer work. I typically have that pane pinned and hidden on the side, and activation will slide it into view. It still works if I use the menu option, but keyboard commands do not work. It was originally ctrl-shift-L, and I've tried other key mappings that also do not work. Any ideas?


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Water Symposium Dedicated To Dr. Rob Bowman
SOCORRO, N.M. July 10, 2009 – The Water Resources Research Institute has announced that its annual symposium in Socorro will be dedicated to former New Mexico Tech professor Dr. Rob Bowman.
Dr. Rob Bowman -- 1950 - 2009
"Having this meeting in his memory is very appropriate," fellow Tech hydrology professor Dr. Fred Phillips said. "It's fair to say that he was one of New Mexico's most widely respected hydrological experts. He devoted considerable portion of his professional life to researching the water resources and water concerns in the state of New Mexico."
Bowman was instrumental in organizing the technical research symposium since the first such event in 2002. The symposium is the annual technical research event August 11, 2009, for hydrologists and water researchers around the state.
Bowman's 20-year plus association with the Institute included serving as a principal investigator on several research projects, providing guidance to student recipients of the institute's Student Research Grant Program, and serving on the technical research symposium committee.
Bowman leaves a legacy of scholarship, generosity, and support to the New Mexico water community as well as to hundreds of students who benefited from his teaching and mentoring.
In the past few months, Bowman was helping to organize a special session at this year's symposium on water resources management modeling for New Mexico. The one-day symposium will be at Macey Center on the New Mexico Tech campus. Oral and poster presentations on a wide range of water-related topics will be presented.
Bowman lost a battle with cancer at the age of 58 on June 6, 2009. For nearly 20 years, he had been the heart and soul of the Earth and Environmental Science Department at Tech.
One of Bowman's areas of focus was the use of natural zeolites for water treatment. Throughout the years Bowman employed surfactant-modified zeolites for the removal of volatile organics from produced water in the petroleum industry and for the in-situ removal of chlorinated solvents from contaminated groundwater. His research was not limited to zeolites, as he also had a great interest in the solute budget and groundwater-surface water interactions of the Rio Grande. He and his students focused on a wide range of applications from small-scale operations in rural, developing-country communities, to large-scale operations for industry and large municipal water systems.
Bowman had secured two patents and had two patents pending. In recent months, he had been working with a Seattle company to market his patented processes on a global scale.
One of his crowning achievements was in 2006, when Bowman was invited to host the International Natural Zeolite Association's quadrennial conference in 2006, a weeklong event that brought 150 people to New Mexico Tech from 30 countries.
By Thomas Guengerich


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AIKEN, S.C. – With three runners in the top-20, the Georgia College women's cross country team took fourth at the Bridgestone-Pacer Collegiate Invitational Saturday at USC Aiken. The Bobcats had the opportunity to preview the 6K course for this year's Peach Belt Conference (PBC) Championship.
Sophomore Allison Lones (Kathleen, Ga.) led the team for the third time in as many races this season, blistering the course in 24:38, good for sixth. Freshman Rebecca Shane (Lilburn, Ga.) was second on the team for the first time in her career, taking 15th in 25:37, the first time she has run a 6K in college.
The next three finished in a pack, as Victoria Dobson (New Hamburg, Ontario) was 20th (25:48), Ashton Passino (Alpharetta, Ga.) 21st (25:49) and Karissa Ekstrom (Alpharetta, Ga.) 22nd (25:49).
The Bobcats had 84 team points, 22 behind third place University of Montevallo. Flagler College had 60 points, while Augusta State University tallied 37 to win the meet. The individual champ came from Flagler in Taylor Strekel, crossing the line in 23:55.
The Bobcats are back in action Saturday, Sept. 26 at the Cod Fish Bowl in Boston.
The Georgia College Department of Athletics, two-time winners of the PBC Commissioner's Cup, sponsors 10 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. As a Division II program, Bobcat Athletics prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the teams' multiple appearances in post-season competition as well as documented academic success and community-service involvement. Sign up at www.twitter.com/BobcatSports and www.facebook.com/gcbobcats for up-to-the-minute reports, and visitwww.GCBobcats.com for more information, and to nominate your favorite former Bobcats and Colonials to the GC Athletics Hall of Fame.


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"For my friend" Dicrofiber card
Designer Tip: Mix different colored fibers together to create a one-of-a-kind look. Iron the parchment for 2-5 seconds to set the Dicrofiber. You can iron a bit longer and scorch the fibers for a different look. More fibers yields a more solid mat while less fibers makes a more see-through, looser mat. Once you've made a fiber mat, test it on different papers as the translucent quality of the fibers will make it look different on every paper. Once set, fiber can be cut with scissors or an X-acto® knife, stamped, or punched. Dicrofiber mat can be adhered by applying glue stick to the paper surface and then attaching the mat.


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Central Connecticut wide receiver Tyrell Holmes was named NEC Offensive Player of the Week on Monday afternoon. The Bristol, CT, native has made a successful transition from defensive back to wide receiver for his junior season with CCSU. Holmes was a major contributor to the Blue Devils 38-29 victory over Saint Francis in Saturday's Homecoming Game.
Holmes accounted for the second-highest single-game total by a NEC receiver this season with five catches for 153 yards and one touchdown on Saturday. Averaging 30.6 yards per reception, Holmes saw all five of his catches go for either a first down or a touchdown.
He extended CCSU's lead to 21-3 when he hauled in a pass from sophomore quarterback Nick SanGiacomo and went 66 yards for a touchdown with 4:06 left in the first half.
Twice in the second half, Holmes made key grabs on 3rd-down plays to move the chains. His 18-yard reception on the first play of the fourth quarter converted a 3rd-and-5 and set CCSU up at the SFU 8-yard line.
Contributing to Holmes' big performance was the excellent play of SanGiacomo who completed 18-of-29 pass attempts for three touchdowns and a career-high 242 yards.
Bryant's Jordan Harris, the active career leading receiver in Division I FCS, is only other NEC player with a higher single-game total than Holmes this fall.
The Blue Devils will continue Northeast Conference play on Saturday at Sacred Heart.


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Barnhart, Buehler Headed to Beijing With The U.S. Women's National Team
June 23, 2008
CHICAGO - U.S. Women's National Team head coach Pia Sundhage has named the 18-player roster for the 2008 Olympic Team, and two Stanford alumni, goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart and defender Rachel Buehler, have each earned a spot on the squad that will head to Beijing. Sundhage made her final selections after the USA's 1-0 victory over Canada in the 2008 Peace Queen Cup championship game on June 21 in Suwon, South Korea.
Nine players on the roster were members of the U.S. team that won the gold medal four years ago in Athens, Greece, including team co-captains Christie Rampone and Kate Markgraf, who will both be participating in their third Olympic Games.
The USA will open play at the 2008 Beijing Olympics on Aug. 6 against Norway in Qinhuangdao, China. The USA will then face Japan on Aug. 9, also in Qinhuangdao, before finishing Group G play against New Zealand on Aug. 12 in Shenyang.
After taking over the U.S. team at the end of 2007, Sundhage evaluated 46 players in training camp environments during the past seven months and capped 26 players across 18 international matches before selecting the final roster.
'There are many players that have a lot of experience and are very competitive in practice,' said Sundhage. 'They really show up for every training and want to perform every time they are on the field. It's good to see them train at a level that is close to the game. For all the coaches, we want to make practices as game-like as possible, and I never had to get on them or yell at them to work hard. They push themselves in a very nice way and that is why it is difficult to pick a team.'
In addition to Rampone and Markgraf, the 2008 Olympic roster includes 2004 gold medalists Heather Mitts, Lindsay Tarpley, Shannon Boxx, Angela Hucles, Heather O'Reilly, Aly Wagner and Abby Wambach.
Wambach, who scored the winning goal in overtime in the 2004 Olympic gold medal game, leads the USA in scoring this year with 12 goals. With 98 for her career, she is just two away from the century mark.
Six players who were on the roster for their first-ever world championship at the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup have been selected to their first Olympic Team. Those are goalkeepers Barnhart and Hope Solo, defenders Lori Chalupny and Stephanie Cox, midfielder Carli Lloyd and forward Natasha Kai, who becomes the first Hawaiian to make an Olympic Women's Soccer Team.
Three younger players, Buehler (22 years old), midfielder Tobin Heath (20) and forward Amy Rodriguez (21) make their first-ever roster for a senior level world championship. All three have extensive youth world championship experience with Buehler having started for the USA at the 2002 and 2004 FIFA Under-19 World Championships, Heath at the 2006 FIFA U-20 World Championships and Rodriguez in both 2004 and 2006.
Heath was the youngest player selected while Rampone, who will be 33 tomorrow (June 24), is the oldest. The average age of the U.S. team is 26. Barnhart, who rebounded from minor knee surgery in early May to earn her spot, is the least capped player on the squad with nine. Rampone is the most capped player with 193.
Two players, Cox and Wagner, made late runs to earn their roster spots. Cox was released at the end of the USA's early June training camp from the final 22 players in contention for the Olympic Team. After defender Cat Whitehill was injured in training at the Peace Queen Cup, Cox was recalled and played well enough in the tournament to earn her place. Wagner has played in just four matches this year -- all at the Peace Queen Cup -- after recovering from double-hernia surgery last January, but also did the job in South Korea to earn a place on her second Olympic Team.
With the naming to her second Olympic Team, Mitts also completes a long road back from injury. She tore her left ACL in May of 2007 which knocked her out of the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup. She returned to the U.S. lineup in late April for the USA's series of domestic games and has re-established herself as a consistent presence at right back.
Sundhage named four alternates for the Olympic Team: goalkeeper Briana Scurry, defender Ali Krieger, midfielder Kacey White and forward Lauren Cheney. This will be the first U.S. roster for a world championship that does not include Scurry since the 1991 FIFA Women's World Cup. The legendary goalkeeper started for the USA at the 1995, 1999 and 2003 FIFA Women's World Cups and won gold medals at the 1996 and 2004 Olympics.
All 22 players -- the Olympic Team plus the four alternates -- will leave for Europe on June 27 for two matches, the first against Norway on July 2 in Fredrikstad and a second against Sweden on July 5 in Skelleftea. The USA's two Olympic send-off matches against Brazil, on July 13 in Commerce City, Colo. (2 p.m. MT on ESPN presented by Dodge) and on July 16 in San Diego, Calif. (7 p.m. PT on Fox Soccer Channel), will feature only the 18 players named to the Olympic Team.
'Of course it has been a challenging situation,' said Sundhage of her seven-month period to evaluate players and instill her coaching philosophy. 'Everyone was expecting a change, but it couldn't be too much of a change, we still had to rely on the strengths of the U.S. team. It couldn't be too little of a change, or no one would notice the difference, but the game plan has gone very well so far.'
Half of the Olympic Team is from either California (five players) or New Jersey (four players). Hawaii, Missouri, Michigan (two players), New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington are also represented.
Sundhage named two goalkeepers, six defenders, seven midfielders and three forwards, but midfielders Tarpley and O'Reilly have also seen extensive time on the front line in their U.S. Women's National Team careers. Chalupny, a defender, played the entire 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup in the midfield and Heath, who has played exclusively flank midfield for the USA this year, played at outside back in the 2006 FIFA U-20 Women's World Championship.
The United States have been drawn into Group G for Olympic competition, and will face Norway, Japan, and current Stanford junior Ali Riley's New Zealand squad.
Players Pos. Ht. DOB Hometown College Caps/Goals
Barnhart, Nicole* GK 5-10 10/10/81 Gilbertsville, Pa. Stanford 9
Boxx, Shannon** M 5-8 06/29/77 Redondo Beach, Calif. Notre Dame 92/18
Buehler, Rachel* D 5-5 08/26/85 Del Mar, Calif. Stanford 11/0
Chalupny, Lori* D 5-4 01/29/84 St. Louis, Mo. UNC 70/6
Cox, Stephanie* D 5-6 04/03/86 Elk Grove, Calif. Portland 42/0
Heath, Tobin* M 5-6 05/29/88 Basking Ridge, N.J. UNC 12/2
Hucles, Angela** M 5-7 07/05/78 Virginia Beach, Va. Virginia 84/7
Kai, Natasha* F 5-8 05/22/83 Kahuku, Hawaii Hawaii 48/19
Lloyd, Carli* M 5-8 07/16/82 Delran, N.J. Rutgers 62/15
Markgraf, Kate*** D 5-7 08/23/76 Bloomfield Hills, Mich. Notre Dame 181/0
Mitts, Heather** D 5-5 06/09/78 Cincinnati, Ohio Florida 78/2
O'Reilly, Heather** M 5-5 01/02/85 East Brunswick, N.J. UNC 90/19
Rampone, Christie*** D 5-6 06/24/75 Point Pleasant, N.J. Monmouth 193/4
Rodriguez, Amy* F 5-4 02/17/87 Lake Forest, Calif. USC 19/4
Solo, Hope* GK 5-9 07/30/81 Richland, Wash. Washington 64
Tarpley, Lindsay** M 5-6 09/22/83 Kalamazoo, Mich. UNC 96/26
Wagner, Aly** M 5-5 08/10/80 San Jose, Calif. Santa Clara 121/21
Wambach, Abby** F 5-11 06/02/80 Rochester, N.Y. Florida 123/98
* First Olympics ** Second Olympics *** Third Olympics
U.S. Olympic Women's Soccer Team By Position
GOALKEEPERS (2): Nicole Barnhart (Gilbertsville, Pa.), Hope Solo (Richland, Wash.)
DEFENDERS (6): Rachel Buehler (Del Mar, Calif.), Lori Chalupny (St. Louis, Mo.), Stephanie Cox (Elk Grove, Calif.), Kate Markgraf (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.), Heather Mitts (Cincinnati, Ohio), Christie Rampone (Point Pleasant, N.J.)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Shannon Boxx (Redondo Beach, Calif.), Tobin Heath (Basking Ridge, N.J.), Angela Hucles (Virginia Beach, Va.), Carli Lloyd (Delran, N.J.), Heather O'Reilly (East Brunswick, N.J.), Lindsay Tarpley (Kalamazoo, Mich.), Aly Wagner (San Jose, Calif.)
FORWARDS (3): Natasha Kai (Kahuku, Hawaii), Amy Rodriguez (Lake Forest, Calif.), Abby Wambach (Rochester, N.Y.)
Alternates Pos. Ht. DOB Hometown College Caps/Goals
Cheney, Lauren F 5-8 09/30/87 Indianapolis, Ind. UCLA 12/4
Krieger, Ali D 5-6 07/28/84 Dumfries, Va. Penn State 2/0
Scurry, Briana GK 5-8 09/07/71 Dayton, Minn. UMass 170
White, Kacey M 5-4 04/27/84 Arlington, Texas UNC 8/0
Coaching Staff:
Head Coach: Pia Sundhage; Redondo Beach, Calif.
Assistant Coach: Jillian Ellis; Los Angeles, Calif.
Assistant Coach: Erica Walsh; State College, Pa.
Goalkeeper Coach: Phil Wheddon; Monroe, Conn.
Sports Science/Fitness Coach: Helena Andersson; Orebro, Sweden


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WINSTON-SALEM, NC (RNN) - American author and poet Maya Angelou died at her home Wednesday. She was 86.
Her literary agent confirmed her death. According to WGHP in Winston-Salem, NC, Mayor Allen Joines said Angelou was found deceased by her caretaker.
A resident of the city, she also served as the Reynolds Professor of American Studies at Wake Forest University. The school's office of communications released a statement expressing sorrow for the loss of the "beloved poet, author, actress, civil rights activist and professor."
"Dr. Angelou was a national treasure whose life and teachings inspired millions around the world, including countless students, faculty and staff at Wake Forest, where she served as Reynolds Professor of American Studies since 1982," the statement said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Dr. Angelou's family and friends during this difficult time."
Some of Angelou's final public messages came via social media.
"And now we come to the day where we can honor the brave men and women who have risked their lives to honor our country and our principles," she posted to Facebook on May 26. "Our history is rife with citizens who care and who are courageous enough to say we care for those who went before us."
On May 23, she wrote, "Listen to yourself and in that quietude you might hear the voice of God" on Twitter.
Angelou's death follows recent cancellations of public appearances due to failing health. She backed out of attending the 2014 MLB Beacon Awards Luncheon last week, according to the Associated Press, and last month canceled an event in Fayetteville, AR, after a hospital visit.
She was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for her 1971 poetry collection Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water 'Fore I Die. One of the Civil rights advocate's most popular works is I Know why the Cage Bird Sings. The 1969 memoir made her the first black woman best-seller.
Angelou recited her poem On the Pulse of Morning during Bill Clinton's inauguration in 1993. During the 2005 Christmas tree lighting ceremony at the White House, she read her poem Amazing Peace for President George W. Bush.
In 2011, President Barack Obama presented her with the Medal of Freedom.
Other writings included the inspirational essays Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now (1994) and Letter to My Daughter (2008). Angelou also published health cookbooks including Hallelujah! The Welcome Table: A Lifetime of Memories With Recipes (2005) and Great Food, All Day Long (2010).
A singer of calypso music and involved in modern dance, her first album was Miss Calypso, produced in 1957. Among other accolades bestowed on her were three Grammys, the National Medal of Arts and the Lincoln Medal.
In the early 1960s, Angelou moved with her son, Guy, to Cairo, Egypt, to be an associate editor at The Arab Observer, an English language newspaper. It was there she met and befriended Malcolm X.
She returned to the states in 1965 to work with him on a new rights organization, but he was shot and killed Feb. 21. Angelou then moved to Los Angeles to pick up her singing career, where she witnessed the Watts riots.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a friend of Angelou's, and he was assassinated just after her birthday in 1968. For more than 30 years, the poet stopped celebrating it, only sending flowers to Coretta Scott King to mark the day.
She was born Marguerite Annie Johnson in St. Louis on April 4, 1928. Given the nickname Maya by her brother, she took the name Angelou when she began performing in the 1950s, a variation on her first husband's name, Tosh Angelos.
Copyright 2014 Raycom News Network. All rights reserved.


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Chunks of the housing market faltered in the fourth quarter, but that drop doesn't mean that new-home construction is doomed for 2014, economists said Thursday after the government released its quarterly snapshot of the economy.
Last quarter saw fixed residential investment subtract from growth of U.S. gross domestic product for the first time in more than three years. U.S. GDP rose at an annual rate of 3.2% last quarter, boosted by consumer spending, while fixed residential investment subtracted one-third of a percentage point from results.
While those figures don't sound great for housing, details of the U.S. Commerce Department's report aren't dire for construction either. The level of real investment in home construction was just about flat in the fourth quarter, ticking up to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $195 billion from a rate of $194 billion in the third quarter.
So why was there a fourth-quarter drop for housing? It was residential investment in "other structures," a category that includes items such as home improvements and brokers' commissions, that fell, declining to a rate of $282 billion in the fourth quarter from a rate of $295 billion in the third quarter.
Home improvement tends to be quite volatile, and could snap back this year, said Stephen Stanley, chief economist at Pierpont Securities, a Stamford, Conn.-based brokerage. He added that particularly harsh weather is behind at least part of stalling construction rates late last year, and that while tough weather could also hit early results this year, the fundamental picture for builders looks good.
"Inventories are very low, particularly for new homes," Stanley said.
However, all of the above does not mean that home construction had a stellar fourth quarter, as investments in single-family-home construction slowed down, but sped up for apartments. Also, builders, who have raised prices as home inventories stayed low, are reporting fewer closings.
But the main factor underlying home sales this year is employment, and it's still unclear whether the economy will add enough good jobs to support growing home sales, though many economists say the outlook is good.
"Given the broad economic improvement expected for 2014, we expect the economic contributions from the housing sector to resume in the coming months," Doug Handler, chief North American economist at IHS Global Insight, wrote in a research note.
--Ruth Mantell
Follow Ruth on Twitter @RuthMantell
Follow the Capitol Report blog on Twitter @CapitolReport
Check out these Capitol Report posts:
Democrat Waxman's retirement emboldens Republicans
Analyst wants Wall Street watchdog to wake up


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Ironically, I write a blog post about it. I've been asked to talk to first year faculty about "Communications Strategies: Using the Internet, Email and New Media in Teaching and Scholarship." My mandate is vague, so I thought I'd focus on how I use "social media" in my professional life. I'm not going to talk about email. Because, honestly, if they aren't using email effectively by now, I'm not sure how they got a faculty position. And managing the email-beast is way beyond my expertise.
Instead, let's talk about blogging and Twitter and the like.
Watershed Hydrogeology Blog (here)
I've maintained a "lab blog" here since May 2008. It's purpose has evolved somewhat, but presently I view it fulfilling the following needs:
- a place to brag about the cool things my students and I are doing;
- a place for prospective students to get an idea of what I'm interested in and working on;
- a place for me to post all of my abstracts, papers, etc. so that I can easily find them again when I need to reference them;
- a place to post links to interesting miscellany (REU announcements, videos, etc.) that I think might be of interest to me, my students, or other hapless folks who read this site.
At one point, I thought I would use this site as a way to aggregate all of my on-line writing. But I haven't always kept up with that. However, I still do sometimes cross-post between here and my other blog, Highly Allochthonous. I should be better about it actually.
I haven't asked my students to write on the blog, though I could probably let them know it is available to them if they want to do so. I figure graduate students have enough on their plates without being obligated to write a blog. I would be open to any student who did want to write posts here, though I'd probably want to work out a system for vetting posts so that they wouldn't contain regrettable or unpublished material.
I write this blog along with another geologist. Here I am writing for an audience that ranges from professional geoscientists, to K-12 teachers, to the interested public, to whoever Google search delivers. We tend to write things that we are interested in and we think others might be too. Our writing there is less technical than the scientific literature (or the lab blog), but posts there are more in-depth and analytical than here. I also pay more attention to my writing style.
I've written a lot about current events, scientific papers, and particular places on the landscape, and a little bit about issues of diversity in science, the lives of academic scientists, and the way I teach. We also periodically do compilations of things we've linked to on Twitter.
My pace of writing at Highly Allochthonous ebbs and flows depending on my workload and inspiration. The last few months have been pretty sparse, but I suspect it will pick up again in the summer and fall. I've been blogging there since spring 2008 as well.
I tweet as @highlyanne – mostly about water science and resource issues, geology, geomorphology, climate, and science careers. Basically things that I find interesting when I am reading on-line or off-line. I also usually Twitter a lot more socially than blogs. A lot of my tweets will be replies to friends or colleagues on Twitter. Both my PhD advisor and undergraduate advisor are on Twitter actually, though one is more active than the other.
What I get out of all of it
- A collegial atmosphere with more diverse scientists and interested citizens than I see in real life
- Knowledge of a wider breadth of current events in science than I would get from reading journals
- Practice writing for a variety of audiences (blogging has undoubtedly made me a better writer)
- Spill-over knowledge into my teaching
- More visibility than your average assistant professor (media interviews, book reviews, attention from my scientific societies)
- Quick answers to questions either scientific or pedagogical ("crowd-sourcing")