text:
delabs Technologies
100kHz Half Bridge Convertor SG3525 - del50032
This is a SMPS Circuit improved over the Application Note in the book SGS Motion Control Application Manual. This worked well. It helps you learn more about High Frequency Power Supply Design.
Read about
SG3525 SMPS Regulator IC
Some Notes Related to the Project
In main circuit do not link different grounds.
Main circuit can be used both for 110 AC and 230 AC
Ferrites are partial conductors use proper insulation before winding.
For main transformer TRX2 use split bobbin for good/safe isolation.
Epoxy coated toroids have to be further insulated before winding.
Line of isolation between primary and secondary circuits should be explicit.
Primary components like Q1, Q2 tabs R5, R6 etc can give shock take caution.
Each main module is 500W and can be used in parallel for more current.
Q1 and Q2 should have appropriate isolated heatsinks TO220 type 50sq cm
Schottky diodes D5, D6 should have heatsinks TO220 type 100sq cm.
Diodes D5, D6 eg D83004 are TOP3 packages are used 2 in parallel.
For 200W and above R2=0.1e 5W in the main circuit fusible ceramic.
C10, C11... Add 4.7uF 100v more in parallel to reduce ripple.
C13, C14 can be 250V for better safety margin.
TRX1 SEC1 and SEC2 dot polarity is anti-phase if same phase danger!!
See a professional product here -
High Efficiency Step Down Isolated Supply
Schematic of Main Card
The SG3525A pulse width modulator control circuit offers improved performance and lower external parts count when implemented for controlling all types of switching power supplies. The on-chip +5.1 V reference is trimmed to +/-1% and the error amplifier has an input common-mode voltage range that includes the reference voltage, thus eliminating the need for external divider resistors. Half Bridge, Push-Pull.
SG3525 Voltage Mode Chip PWM
This was the Module that contained the smps chip. It was done to prevent easy replication by other firms. Alos to Keep the Signals isolated from the Main board board currents and Corrosion Prevention by impregnating Module in Epoxy. Yet the main board suffered some corrosion even with some coating protection.
Industrial Systems that involve processes like Etching, Coating and Electroplating have to be well ventilated so that electronics around them have some life. Else find ways to package Electronics in Sealed Enclosures with a new plan for Heat Dissipation.
Power Supply Regulators and MOSFET Transistor
Schematic of Module
Magnetics Design
All Transformers Isolation 1kV PRI To SEC / SEC To SEC / PRI,SEC To Core. Use Yellow Mylar Tape Insulation or better for all. Vacuum Impregnate all Magnetics in Epoxy or Varnish. All Power Tracks on PCB reinforce with Copper Braid. Some ideas here
250 W SMPS with Power-FETs
Mosfet Drive Transformer
T25.0 MGQ-5L Hitachi - Type Torroid - 100khz Signal
PRI1 20 Turns #22 Awg
SEC1 9 Turns #22 Awg
SEC2 9 Turns #22 Awg
486T250-3C8 Ferroxcube - SEC1 And SEC2 Antiphase
Stepdown Invertor Transformer
EC52 Siemens/Hitachi - Can Be ETD/EER Cosmo Ferrites
PRI1 22 Turns 2 Layers (44 Turns) - 2* #16 Awg(18 Swg) In Parallel.
SEC1 4 Turns Ct Copper Strap 0.01" * 0.8" Copper Strap
Coper Strap/Ribbon used, cause Hi-Freq Skin Effects, PRI 2 Wires paralleled for same reason. EC52-3C8 Ferroxcube Phillips
Current Feedback Transformer
T25.0 MGQ-5L Hitachi - Type Torroid - 100khz Signal
PRI1 1 Turn 4 Amps Max
SEC1 20 Turns #22 Awg CT.
Ceter Tap 10T-CT-10T
486T250-3C8 Ferroxcube
Series 60A-80A Inductor
Type EC/ETD/EER EC42 Hitachi - Air Gap In Inductor Core Both Sides 100khz Power IF30-3C8 Ferroxcube - 6 Turns 4*#12 AWG In Parallel 4 Wires Of 12 AWG Twisted & Wound For 6 Turns (Use Less AWG For Less I)
50hz Transformer Small
PRI1 & PRI2 115v
JP2 2-3 Short 230V
PRI1 & PRI2 In Parallel For 110V
JP1 1-2 Short 230V 2-3 Short 110V
This is A 10mH Common Mode Filter
Main PCB Layout
500W SMPS Copper Side
500W SMPS Silk Screen
500W SMPS Solder Mask
500W SMPS Drill Template
The PCB of module will be added later, if i locate it. It is small and be designed easily.
Back to Power Supplies Section


text: son 3 played Mr Santa in the nursery nativity play. He had the role last year as well. Slight deviation from the original plot but a twist in the tale often makes it! Despite appearances he was enjoying himself. This is him trying very hard not to smile. It was an effort.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
While at Kelly Ann's I spotted this fabulous Halloween panel and matching fabric. I love Halloween, but very often all I find is patterns of black and orange ..which is great except I lean more towards more muted tones. I think that is why I was drawn to this fabric, I love the rust, beige and chocolate brown with the cool stenciled pumpkins. I think this would be perfect as the center piece in a holiday apron. Can you think of another use?
Finally, I neglected to include this photo in my California post last week. You know you are a fabric junkie when you are in California and shopping in places like Rodeo Drive, Huntington Beach and the Rose Bowl Fleamarket and all you bring home is 4 yards of fabric and a handsewn linen apron! My poor hubby just shakes his head in disbelief...it's a wonder his head hasn't just dropped off, it is in such a constant state of shaking. He is like one of those bobble dolls on your dashboard. God...I love that man!!!! That's it for now...until next post, be kind and stay creative.


text:
Bad medicine is killing the economy. As I have said before, allowing political ideology, politicians, pundits, and a.m. radio hosts influence or dictate economic policy for the U.S. is absolute folly. Let me go one step further. It's like having a someone who reads WEBMD prescribe medicine; what we've been doing is letting that person treat the flu with one round of antibiotics after another, and it's not helping. It may, in fact, be making matters worse.
This Patient Desperately Needs a Second Opinion
The wrong diagnosis, followed by the wrong treatment is being practiced in order to cure America's sick, but still salvageable economy. In most cases, politicians have simply made a bad diagnosis. This is the predominant case for politicians that actually care about the welfare of the patient (the U.S. consumer).
In other cases, politicians don't care about the patient, they just want to see as many patients as possible, give them something that sounds smart, and charge them as much as possible. Since this current crisis manifested (that was caused by manipulation of our economy by people that do know how it works), the treatment policymakers have prescribed is tantamount to experimental medicine with potentially severe side effects.
Recent data on consumer spending in the United States has been dreadful. Growth in inflation-adjusted US personal consumption is down to 1.5% in the second quarter of 2012, and appears to be on track for a similarly unremarkable increase in the third quarter.
The malady is a protracted balance-sheet recession that has turned a generation of America's consumers into the equivalent of the economic walking dead. The corporate zombies of Japan in the 1990's that enabled the first of Japan's lost decades have now infected the US economy.
In the U.S., two distinct bubbles, property and credit, facilitated a decade of extreme over-consumption. Since their meltdown in 2007, US households have justifiably become fixated on repairing the damage. That means paying down debt and rebuilding savings, leaving consumer demand mired in long-drawn-out weakness.
Yet the treatment prescribed for this malady has compounded the problem. Since Congress has become a breeding ground for self-centered slime-balls, The Federal Reserve felt the need to do something, anything, but opted for treating the disease as a cyclical problem. As such, The Fed has been attacking the problem with the full force of monetary stimulation by easing interest rates to offset what is clearly thought to be a passing and temporary reduction in total consumer demand.
But the logic driving this treatment is simply flawed in that it's for the wrong disease. There is nothing cyclical about the prolonged aftershocks of a balance-sheet recession. Balance-sheet repair has barely begun for US households; the personal-saving rate stood at just 3.7% in August 2012. This is a significant increase from the 1.5% low of 2005, but about half of the 7.5% average documented for the last thirty years of the twentieth century.
Worse, the Fed's chosen prescription is further weakened by the zero bound on interest rates. Having run out of basis points to cut from interest rates, the Fed has turned to the quantity measurement of the credit cycle by injecting gigantic doses of liquidity into the collapsed veins of zombie consumers.
To rationalize the value of this methodology, the Fed has modified the prescription by way of unrestricted monetary policy. Unlike in past recessions, when cutting the price of credit could boost borrowing, "quantitative easing" allegedly works by stimulating asset and credit markets. The feeling of wealth effects generated by superficial financial markets are then presumed to revive long-dormant consumer demand, irrespective of persistent balance-sheet damage.
Apparently the thinking is that once the demand problem is cured, companies will start hiring again.
By ignoring previous failures however, the Fed's policy has doubled down on an approach aimed at recreating the folly of an asset-and-credit-dependent consumption model which is exactly the blunder that pushed the US economy toward the previous "fiscal cliff" in 2003-2006.
But again, this is the wrong medicine for the disease. Major central banks, the Fed, the European Central Bank, the Bank of England, and the Bank of Japan have infused substantial amounts of excess liquidity into asset markets. Liquidity that cannot be absorbed by lethargic economies suffering from anemic consumer demand.
The Worst of All Worlds
The worst possible tactic was, and is still being tried in Europe. Austerity in the middle of a consumer demand contraction of the magnitude we are seeing is like pouring gasoline on a fire…then adding a stiff breeze to it. The more people are out of work, or even under the threat of possibly being out of work, the more they hoard. Like it or not, the debt is not causing the contraction…the contraction however is exacerbating the slow pay down of the debt.
I've run out of ways to say that this is the worst possible strategy. It's like throwing an anchor to a drowning swimmer instead of a life jacket. Actual fiscal stimulus, regardless of how distasteful Republicans pretend such a strategy to be, is exactly what is needed…AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME.
Successful economic stratagems are implemented in full. Austerity is fine, but must be more than a political ploy to win an election. It must be a permanent strategy. Keynesian economies are also fine, but must also transcend political cycles.
Simplistically, Austerity is conservative in nature. Save revenue and create a reserve capacity in order to have it when needed in the inevitable downturn that happens in all economies. Conversely, Keynesian policies dictate stimulating the economy during downturns to get the economy going, but when the economy picks up and people are employed and surpluses are achieved, use those surpluses to pay down debt incurred during the same inevitable downturns.
It's the herky-jerky, back and forth, one-then-the-other nature of political cycles and the desire for politicians to implement their chosen fiscal philosophies whenever in power that has led to our economy mired in a jumbled mess and verging on collapsing the global economy.
Politicians, fiddling with the economy in order to win elections is killing the economy beyond repair.
As the global economy has gone from crisis to crisis in recent years, the cure has become part of the disease. In an era of zero interest rates and quantitative easing, macroeconomic policy has become unhinged from reality.
And unproven medicine is being used to treat the wrong ailment. The doctors will not be the ones to suffer while the patient dies. It will be the American economy.


text:
JEREMY CROSS COLUMN: Man United could learn a few things from their noisy neighbours
THE SILENCE at Manchester United right now is anything but golden.
No medals of any colour should be awarded to those at the club who think the best policy, when it comes to Louis van Gaal's future, is to say nothing.
The speculation surrounding Van Gaal has been going on for months now due to a combination of factors.
United have been inconsistent and poor. Results have not been good enough and between November and December Van Gaal's men went eight games without a win.
To make matters worse for him, Jose Mourinho came on the market after being sacked by Chelsea.
So we had one of the best managers on the planet available for free at a time when Van Gaal resembled someone who couldn't win a raffle if he was the only person holding a ticket.
It proved a lethal combination and spawned a feeding frenzy around Old Trafford that has refused to disappear.
What did United do? The fallen giants did what they tend to do best and closed ranks, buried their heads in the sand and attempted to ride out the storm.
But the storm hasn't blown over. It has got worse thanks to United's decision to keep quiet and refuse to go public with some form of official clarification over Van Gaal's situation.
In the meantime we have Mourinho making it clear, through a number of different sources, how desperate he is to boss United.
The challenge of making United great again appeals to his sizeable ego.
But the point United don't seem to grasp is that, the longer Mourinho remains unattached and loitering in the background like a dark shadow over Van Gaal, the more people will assume it's a done deal to replace the Dutchman at the end of this season.
United have not denied the rumours about Mourinho. United have not come out and said Van Gaal remains the man the club believes in. So what else are people supposed to think?
Van Gaal has done himself few favours with his behaviour at times this season.
He has picked fights with those who have dared to question his position and suggested he should be replaced. The weekend's defeat at Sunderland merely strengthened these claims.
But instead of pointing the finger of blame at the press, Van Gaal should be looking a little closer to home.
The situation has become so farcical that it is hard not to feel sorry for the former Ajax, Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss.
Across town, we've had a similar situation develop, where Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini grew tired of the constant speculation that Pep Guardiola was to replace him.
Guess what? The speculation was true. Guardiola will arrive at the Etihad in June and Pellegrini will leave.
The situation became so intolerable that Pellegrini and his bosses decided to act and confirm what we all knew - even if it pained the club to admit it.
But it was the right decision. The sensible thing to do because those involved can now move on and focus on the immediate challenge of completing the season without such damaging distractions.
The same cannot be said of United and Van Gaal.
But one simple statement would change all that.
How refreshing to watch is English golfer Andy Sullivan?
The man from Nuneaton is enjoying a meteoric rise up the rankings following an incredible spell of form on the European tour.
But while his golf is brilliant to see, his impressive demeanour is what sets him apart from the rest.
That's because Sullivan doesn't change when he steps out onto the course in front of the TV cameras.
Win or lose, he looks and acts like he's playing in the monthly medal with his mates back at his local club.
In other words - he's having fun. He travels the world playing golf every week for riches most people only dream about.
What is there not to like about that? It's a life for the privileged few and he isn't afraid to show people how much he appreciates what he does for a living.
Others, like Sergio Garcia, Dustin Johnson and Thomas Bjorn look as miserable as sin and make being a professional golfer seem like a chore.
Lighten up lads. It's hardly a job is it? Take a leaf out of Sullivan's book - he has the right attitude down to a tee.
Eddie Jones insists his England rugby stars need to get fitter to compete with the Southern Hemisphere giants.
But Jones should be warned. There is more to it than that and his comments might not do a fat lot of good.
The fitness of those deemed the best rugby players in the country should be taken for granted. Being the fittest side on the planet is the basic requirement.
But it won't guarantee England winning Grand Slams and World Cups again.
There remains the small problem of our players being less technically and naturally gifted as those from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.
This fact was brutally exposed in the autumn World Cup on these shores, when the fittest and best-prepared England squad in history failed to get out of the group stages when the Aussies ripped us to shreds at Twickenham with some of the best rugby of the tournament.
So Eddie, feel free to put your stars through the pain barrier, but the harsh truth is that England need to shape up in more departments than just fitness.
BBC bosses must be cringing with every swing of Joe Root's bat.
Despite helping England regain the Ashes last summer en-route to establishing himself as one of the best batsmen in world cricket, Root was deemed not worthy of making the shortlist for the coveted Sports Personality of the Year award.
But Root has responded to the shocking snub in the best way possible - by scoring even more runs.
South Africa have become his latest victims. This winter Root has helped England win the Test series over there before piling up back-to-back centuries in the one day series.
Okay he only got 27 yesterday and it might only be February, but those fools who draw up the shortlist for 2016 might as well pencil his name in now.
Root is no flash in the pan. He's a class act who could go on to break countless records.
Once is bad enough, but the BBC can't make the same mistake twice can they?
ROY HODGSON appeared on TV at the weekend to discuss his enviable striking options ahead of Euro 2016.
But for Daniel Sturridge's sake, it can only be hoped he was either having a night out or watching another programme.
He scored on his return to the Liverpool starting line-up at Aston Villa yesterday as did fit again rival Danny Welbeck at Arsenal.
But Sturridge was the only one not mentioned by Hodgson when it came to discussing his impressive list of options up front.


text:
Chicago Criminal Defense Lawyer Wins Cases
MOVEMENT TO REDUCE GRANTED – CLASS X FELONY DRUGS Charge DISMISSED
When cops go into a person's residence without a search warrant, the presumption is that such an entry is illegal. Under many situations, any proof took as a result of that sort of entry will be "suppressed". That basically suggests that the case can't be prosecuted additionally and also will certainly be rejected said Robert Callahan – attorney Chicago IL
In a recent case, the Supreme Court laid out exactly how the Constitution safeguards every U.S. citizen from illegal searches and seizures. The court specified: "The principal evil versus which the Fourth Amendment is routed is physical entrance right into the house." Click here for more information about criminal defense lawyer
Our most recent dismissal is a prime example of just how heavy handed search techniques by police could sometimes backfire on them. A big quantity of cocaine, ecstasy as well as cannabis were all ruled inadmissible as a result of a warrantless entrance right into a house. Call Robert J. Callahan – a lawyers in Chicago
In 2015 police responded to a noise problem at a house on the north side of Chicago. It was evident that a party was taking place when the policemans knocked on the door. When NT addressed the door, police officers might smell a strong smell of shedding cannabis originating from inside. They asked NT to transform the music down, and he claimed he would immediately. NT then attempted to shut the door. One of the officers stuck his first step, and also required his means into the apartment. Inside they recuperated over 200 ecstasy pills, numerous extra pounds of cannabis, and also over 50 grams of cocaine from NT's pocket.
We submitted a movement to reduce evidence and the court performed a hearing in May 2017.
During the hearing, the police officer testified that he never placed his first step. He said that after smelling marijuana, he merely "poked his head inside" as well as gazed down the hall. He asserted he then saw several mason jars including cannabis. Because of this, he placed NT under arrest and also searched the apartment or condo.
It is not unusual for police officers to minimize misconduct or even exist to aim to legitimize a bad (unconstitutional) apprehension. With excellent prep work, study, and also sound cross-examination, we could normally defeat such habits, and that's exactly what happened here.
The court agreed with our evaluation of the Constitutional law. We said that also "jabbing your head inside" was an offense versus the fourth change as well as NT's rights. The judge subdued all the confiscated proof as well as the instance was dismissed.


text:
Government policies have meant misery for millions in fuel poverty, and Conservatives manifesto commitments promise no relief, argues Ruth London. A different direction is needed, prioritising renewables, insulation, and public control of energy and prices.
Comparing people's actual living standards with the minimum standards which the public thinks everyone should have, there are in Scotland:
• almost one million people cannot afford adequate housing conditions
• 800,000 people are too poor to engage in common social activities
• over a quarter of a million children and adults aren't properly fed.
PSE analysis of unpublished data shows that the majority of the UK population has suffered from a fall in their living standards during the current government's term of office. The data, which the DWP had declined to publish before the election, was released to the EU statistical office.
More than half of all children in poverty are missing out on crucial help that could keep them warm, a new analysis by the Children's Society has revealed. The report highlights the extent of fuel poverty in the UK, and says many children living in poverty are also living in inadequately heated homes.
Household spending on energy has jumped by as much as 55 per cent over the course of a decade, according to new data published by the Office for National Statistics. The poorest fifth of households in the UK spent 11 per cent of their income on household energy in 2012, up from just 8 per cent in 2002.
The coalition government has been warned by MPs not to weaken its commitment to eliminate fuel poverty. A report published by the Environmental Audit Committee highlights government moves to redefine the number of people who can be counted as 'fuel poor', which will reduce the figure from 3.2 million to 2.4 million households overnight.
As many as 19.6 per cent more people in England and Wales died during the winter months in 2012-13 compared with the non-winter months – up from 15.5 per cent in 2011-12 – according to new figures released by the Office for National Statistics.
The coalition government is scrapping the target of eradicating fuel poverty in England. It has released a framework for future action on tackling fuel poverty, following an independent review of fuel poverty (led by John Hills of the London School of Economics) together with a subsequent consultation.
The paper welcomes proposals in the Hills Fuel Poverty Review to measure incomes for fuel poverty purposes after housing costs and adjusted for household size and composition and the call for substantial additional data collection in order to better understand contemporary energy use behaviours and dwelling temperatures. However, the paper argues for a wider range of measures than is proposed in the Hills review and is concerned that the measurement framework will result in low income households living in energy efficient dwellings being classified as not fuel poor.
The number of fuel-poor households in the UK fell to 4.5 million in 2011, from 4.75 million in 2010, according to the latest official annual report.
The report from the Department for Energy and Climate Change also provides figures based on the alternative measure for fuel poverty suggested by Professor John Hills in his independent review (March 2012).


text:
Govt set to include Jwala, Ashwini in TOP scheme
The Sports Ministry is set to include shuttlers Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa in the Target Olympic Podium (TOP) scheme even as it extended support to national coach Pullela Gopichand, who was accused of bias by the top women's doubles pair.
A Ministry official confirmed that Jwala and Ashwini will be included in the next list of TOP athletes.
"Since we have approved a doubles coach for the badminton players, we decided to include the top badminton players in the TOP scheme.
And as there is no better pair than Jwala and Ashwini, they will soon enter the set of TOP players for Olympics," the official said. Ashwini had recently joined Jwala in criticism of Ministry and Gopichand, who is also in the TOP committee, for not including them in the scheme. The official insisted the Ministry would have included the two shuttlers even without the noise they made over their exclusion from the list.
He also said that it was unbecoming of Jwala and Ashwini to level baseless allegations against Gopichand. "They should not have spoken against Gopichand. Not even once in the TOP meetings he spoke against Jwala and Ashwini. He is a man of huge stature and a role model for many Indians. In
<g data-gr-id="42">fact</g> it is because of him we agreed on hiring a doubles coach," the official said.
He added that financial assistance to the doubles specialists will be given out from Rs 10 crore contribution made by India Infrastructure Finance Company Limited (IIFCL).
Besides Saina Nehwal, the other badminton players in the TOP program are Parupalli Kashyap, Kidambi Srikanth, H S Prannoy, RMV Gurusaidutt and P V Sindhu.
Gopichand had outrightly rejected their claims saying they have been given full support.


text:
Projected order of finish:
1-5. Check back tomorrow
6. Wisconsin
7. Iowa
8. Minnesota
9. Northwestern
10. Purdue
11. Penn State
All it took was two games for everyone to forget about what a down year it had been for the Big Ten. Illinois shocked the world with their miracle comeback against Arizona. Michigan State edged Kentucky in overtime, after the nation spent 15 minutes trying in vain to discern whether Patrick Sparks foot was actually on the line. With two teams in the final four, it suddenly didnt matter that outside of Illinois, the entire Big Ten only came up with no more than a couple of decent non-conference wins. It suddenly didnt matter that the fourth place team in the conference failed to receive a bid for the NCAA tournament. Thanks to some inspired performances and a couple of timely appearances by lady luck, the Big Ten was back.
On that note, the 2006 Big Ten promises to be significantly more competitive than last year's one team race. There is a clear-cut favorite, (Michigan State), but then a bunch of teams that will beat the living hell out of each other for the rights to five or six NCAA tournament bids. After the Spartans, who return three potential first round picks from last years final four team, it looks like Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan could have a leg up on the competition. The Illini lose two thirds of their three-headed backcourt monster, but retain Dee Brown and James Augustine from last years near-historic run. Indiana and Michigan are two teams with the talent to push Michigan State, but have achieved little in recent years. The next group, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota, are tough to rank. Having the Hawkeyes and Gophers so low might seem unfair to fans of those teams, and it certainly doesnt seem right to us, either. Rest assured that this is more about respect for the depth of the conference than it is about downplaying Iowa or Minnesotas chances. In the end, it was the pedigree of coaching at OSU and Wisconsin that makes the difference.
This is part one of DraftExpress in-depth look at what to expect from each Big Ten team in 2006.
DraftExpress 2006 Preseason All-Big Ten Teams and Awards
All-Big Ten
1st Team
PG Dee Brown, Illinois
SG Maurice Ager, Michigan State
SF Vincent Grier, Minnesota
PF DJ White, Indiana
C Terence Dials, Ohio State
2nd Team
WG Lester Abram, Michigan
F Alando Tucker, Wisconsin
F Vedran Vukusic, Northwestern
PF James Augustine, Illinois
C Paul Davis, Michigan State
3rd Team
PG Daniel Horton, Michigan
SG Shannon Brown, Michigan State
SG Adam Haluska, Iowa
PF Carl Landry, Purdue
PF Greg Brunner, Iowa
All-Newcomer Team (true freshmen, redshirt freshmen, and JC transfers)
G Sylvester Mayes, Ohio State
G David Jackson, Penn State
SG Sterling Williams, Northwestern
SF Nate Minnoy, Purdue
PF Marquise Gray, Michigan State
MVP: Maurice Ager, Michigan State
Defensive Player of the Year: DJ White, Indiana
Most Improved Player: Lester Abram, Michigan
Newcomer of the Year: Sylvester Mayes, Ohio State
Coach of the Year: Tom Izzo, Michigan State
2005 Record: (25-9, 11-5)
Postseason: NCAA, Lost to North Carolina in the elite eight
Head Coach: Bo Ryan
Key Losses:
G Sharif Chambliss (7.5 ppg)
WG Clayton Hanson (6.5 ppg)
PF Zach Morley (7.4 ppg)
PF Mike Wilkinson (14.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg)
62 PG Phillip Perry, Maywood, IL
67 WF Joe Krabbenhoft, Sioux Falls, SD
67 PF Marcus Landry, Milwaukee, WI
PG 62 Kammron Taylor, jr
SG 62 Michael Flowers, so
SF 68 Ray Nixon, sr
PF 65 Alando Tucker, jr
C 611 Brian Butch, so
SF 67 Joe Krabbenhoft, fr
SG 64 DeAaron Williams, (rs) fr
C 611 Greg Steimsma, so
PF 67 Marcus Landry, fr
It has been quite a run for Bo Ryan and the Wisconsin Badgers. In 2001, Wisconsin was a program that was known for winning, but didnt have the glamour of a program that was coming off of a final four. Dick Bennett didnt recruit top-tier athletes, won with a deliberately slowed down pace, and emphasized team over individual accolades. Even with such limitations, Ryan has kept Wisconsin at the top of the Big 10. Last seasons Elite Eight run was Ryans fourth consecutive trip to the postseason. Devin Harris developed into a lottery pick, and somewhere along the way, Wisconsin began to steal major Midwest recruiting targets from the big boys. Now, Ryan zeroes in on his next challenge, and its a new one. Despite having a roster dotted with all sorts of intriguing talent, the talent happens to be very young, and very inexperienced. Gone are four longtime contributors, most notably big man Mike Wilkinson. The Badgers have just one accomplished returnee in Alando Tucker, and will be perilously thin in the backcourt. Bo Ryan has proven he can take average ability and make it something more. But can he bring together a group of completely inexperienced youngsters? In the past, it seems like Ryan has tried to bring his freshmen along slowly. He wont have that luxury this year, and thus will have another opportunity to prove that the old stereotypes about Wisconsin basketball just dont apply anymore.
The one face you might recognize in the backcourt is junior Kammron Taylor (8.4 ppg), who made some strides and provided some steady production last season. He isnt the answer as a true point guard, but is quick enough to get to the basket and will hit the open shot. Taylor will start the season at point guard, but if either sophomore Michael Flowers or freshman Phillip Perry proves they can run the show, expect to see a lot of Taylor off the ball as well. Its not like Ryan had a true point guard out there last season, but a proven steady hand might be nice.
The wing positions are somewhat unsettled, as Ryan has quite a few options and looks to play around with. The most experienced true wing on the roster is senior Ray Nixon, a player whose production has yet to match his superior physical gifts. Nixon is 68, explosive in the open floor, and blessed with a very nice outside shot. He has been behind the curve in all other aspects, however, and has never been a factor as far as putting the ball on the floor. There arent any system players like Clayton Hanson in front of him anymore, so this is Nixons chance to shine. If he falters, freshmen DeAaron Williams and Joe Krabbenhoft will be there to pick up the slack. Williams has the tools to become a very good Big Ten player, but must improve his jumper. Krabbenhoft, a 67, versatile wing, was a likely McDonalds All-American before a stress fracture cut his senior season short. He re-injured shortly after attempting to return to the court, so Krabbenhofts health will be a major preseason issue for Badger fans.
The one player that Ryan will be able to count on from the get go is junior Alando Tucker (15.2 ppg, 6.1 rpg), the bouncy combo forward that dazzled against North Carolina in the Elite Eight. He isnt quite a wing and doesnt have ideal size for the four, but can almost always find a mismatch to exploit. Tucker continues to add more perimeter wrinkles to his game, though Ryan probably needs him as a power forward this winter. Tucker wasnt quite consistent enough to be considered a legit go-too scorer as a sophomore, but could very easily contend for the Big Ten scoring title in 2006.
With Mike Wilkinson and Zach Morley gone, the rest of the Badger frontcourt will have to grow up in a hurry. There are some impressive prep accomplishments here, but its hard to see this group playing with the toughness and craft of last years veterans. Former McDonalds All-American Brian Butch (3.6 ppg, 2.5 rpg) really struggled as a redshirt freshman, and is probably more of a project than most people involved with the program want to admit. He will improve, but progress could be slow. Much like Butch, sophomore Greg Steimsma was highly regarded in high school and needs to put on a significant amount of weight. Other potential contributors are freshman PF Marcus Landry, and senior Jason Chappell. Landry is the younger brother of Purdue standout Carl Landry.
The preseason experts are all over the board on where to rank the Badgers this year. Some have learned over the years not to underestimate Bo Ryans teams, while others see a lack of returning production and want to see this group on the court before jumping to conclusions. The middle of the Big Ten is viciously competitive this year, and Ryans underclassmen could take time to adjust. On the other hand, Wisconsin fans have a reason to be truly excited about the future. This will be their first real look at a new era in Badger basketball, one that promises to bring great things.
Recruiting Update: As mentioned above, Bo Ryan has made major strides on the recruiting path. He managed to keep McDonalds All American Brian Butch in state, and has done a great job of nabbing in-state big men since with Steimsma and 2006 C JP Gavinski. He also has the workings of a great future backcourt, with top 50 lead guards Jason Bohannon and Trevon Hughes committed. This is getting a bit repetitious, but these are players that Wisconsin wouldnt have had a chance with five years ago.
2005 Record: (21-12, 7-9)
Postseason: NCAA, lost to Cincinnati in the 1st round
Head Coach: Steve Alford
Key Losses:
Pierre Pierce (17.8 ppg)
60 PG Tony Freeman, Westchester, IL
610 C Kurt Looby, jr, Tyler (TX) JC
PG 63 Jeff Horner, sr
SG 62 Mike Henderson, jr
SF 65 Adam Haluska, jr
PF 66 Greg Brunner, sr
C 611 Erek Hansen, sr
SG 64 Carlton Reed, so
PG 60 Tony Freeman, fr
PF 69 Alex Thompson, so
PF 68 Doug Thomas, sr
The Pierre Pierce era came to a crashing halt last February, with another bizarre off the court incident coming to light just a day after perhaps his best performance of the season. The Hawkeyes did manage to band together for a late run, and actually made the NCAA tournament. The group that lost to Cincinnati in the first round is back for another chance. However, in what has become an all too common occurrence for Hawkeye fans, this was a team that finished below .500 in the Big Ten. Steve Alford has a group of experienced veterans returning, and needs to prove that he can coach a true Big Ten contender. He is running out of time, as this team is veteran laden, and the programs recent struggles have severely hindered Alfords ability to recruit. He is relying more and more on junior college players, and the team is already perilously in thin the backcourt this season. The roster attrition that has plagued this program in the past continues to steal bodies, as Canadian wing prospect Nathan Skinner didnt qualify, and early 2006 commit Jon Workman parted ways over the summer. Many pundits claim that this could be Iowas year, but recent history says that a middle of the pack finish is much more likely. On the whole, the team lacks the kind of athletic punch that it needs to move into the top tier of the Big Ten. It will be up to seniors like Jeff Horner, Greg Brunner, and Erek Hansen to give this program one last push in the right direction.
Jeff Horner and Pierre Pierce were a formidable backcourt combination, in that the pair had very complementary strengths and weaknesses. Where Pierce provided athleticism, go-to scoring, and lockdown defensive ability, Horner provided a steadying presence and deadly spot up shooting. While Pierces infamous turnover meltdowns inevitably cost the Hawkeyes a game or two every year, his ability to create his own shot and handle the ball against more athletic defenders will be sorely missed. Horner (14.0 ppg, 5.5 apg) was a much more efficient player when he had Pierce next to him. He still remains one of the top floor generals in the conference, good for a spectacular open court pass or two every game. Defenses cant play off of him due to his shot, but he still often lacks the first step to get into the lane off of the dribble.
Junior wing Adam Haluska (14.2 ppg) emerged as a go-to guy once Pierce was dismissed, and should be one of the conferences top scorers this season. He is a crafty slasher capable of creating his own shot, and will get hot from the outside from time to time. He also is the one backcourt player that opposing defenses will have to focus on somewhat consistently. Haluska needs build on his strong finish from last season and develop into a star for Iowa to get adequate production out of their backcourt. Junior Mike Henderson (4.9 ppg) probably steps into Pierces role as a second ball-handler in the backcourt. Hendersons main contributions have come on the defensive side of the ball, but he must become more of a scoring factor. His perimeter shooting is a major weakness. There isnt much depth here at all. Sophomore wing Carlton Reed didnt look ready for Big Ten level basketball last year, while freshman Tony Freeman certainly isnt the caliber of player that usually comes in and lights up right away.
The frontcourt is in fairly good shape, with senior Greg Brunner (14.7 ppg, 8.3 rpg) leading the way at power forward. Despite being just 66 on a good day, Brunner is as tough and aggressive as they come. On nights when his offense is clicking, he can be very tough to stop. However, he can be neutralized by bigger players. Next to Brunner will be senior Erek Hansen (4.8 ppg, 2.6 bpg), who should be one of the top shot blockers in the nation. He started off the year as a major impact player, but really struggled to stay on the floor during the Big Ten slate. If Hansen can stay out of foul trouble, he will complement Brunners strengths quite nicely.
Doug Thomas (4.6 ppg, 4.8 rpg) wowed the crowd regularly with powerful dunks during his first season out of junior college, and provides a nice spark of athleticism and energy off the bench. However, outside of the occasional offensive rebound and put back, Thomas isnt much of a scoring option in the post. There is a bit more depth in the frontcourt as well, with sophomore forward Alex Thompson and sophomore 7-footer Seth Gorney both showing some potential as freshmen. Also in the mix is sophomore combo forward JR Angle, who hasnt developed the way many thought he would, and JC transfer project Kurt Looby.
Steve Alford has a veteran-laden team, with several proven performers. With other Big Ten teams taking some significant personnel hits, this might be his best chance to move into the upper half of the division. But are the Hawkeyes really ready to jump ahead of proven programs like Wisconsin or Illinois? Aside from Haluska, the talent isnt anything too exceptional. Predicting the Hawkeyes to finish 7th in the conference might seem a bit harsh, but this conference is very deep. People will talk about the returnees and the experience, but Alford still needs to prove that he can coach a winner.
Recruiting Update: This is the aspect of the program that Alford is taking the most heat on, as its been quite some time since he brought in a quality recruiting class. Most thought 2006 would be a good haul, but Alford has seen all of his top targets head elsewhere in the Big Ten. It started when hometown star Jason Bohannon picked border rival Wisconsin, and continued when Trevon Hughes also picked the Badgers and Isaiah Dahlman chose Michigan State. Alford does have a commitment from JC power forward Cyrus Tate, but Hawkeye fans want to see some top tier prep talent soon. The remaining targets include former Tennessee signee Tyler Smith and JC wing JaMarcus Ellis.
2005 Record: (21-11, 10-6)
Postseason: NCAA, Lost to Iowa State in 1st round
Head Coach: Dan Monson
Key Losses:
PG Aaron Robinson (8.4 ppg)
WG Brent Lawson (7.3 ppg)
C Jeff Hagen (11.2 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 2.5 bpg)
65 SG Brandon Smith, Brooklyn Park, MN
66 SF Kevin Payton, Camden, NJ
67 F Damian Johnson, Thibodaux, LA
PG 63 Adam Boone, sr
SG 65 Mo Hargrow, sr
SF 65 Vincent Grier, sr
PF 66 Json Stamper, sr
PF 69 Dan Coleman, so
G 60 Rico Tucker, so
SG 65 Brandon Smith, fr
C 69 Spencer Tollackson, so
The 2005 Golden Gophers were the perfect example about why college basketball is the most entertaining major sporting event in the country. This was a program in complete disarray. Super frosh Kris Humphries ruined any sort of team chemistry, and then bolted. Mo Hargrow, who would have been the star of the team, transferred. Senior PG Adam Boone was lost for the year in the preseason. So how did this group of youngsters, former walk-ons, and Big Ten afterthoughts end up in the NCAA tournament last march? Sometimes, all it takes is a little chemistry. Dan Monson, whose seat was literally melting it was so hot, convinced the returning players to buy in and play defense. New key cogs like Aaron Robinson, Rico Tucker, Dan Coleman, and JSon Stamper were more than content to be blue collar players. And that meant deferring to JC stud Vincent Grier, who was one of the conferences best players the moment he stepped on the floor, and only got better as the season wore on. Oh, there was also the little matter of Jeff Hagen, a former walk on that was once a near laughingstock for slow feet and lack of athletic ability, who somehow became a legit double-double presence in the pivot. And thats how a team goes from 3-13 to the top of the league despite losing its top six scorers.
This season will be crucial for Dan Monsons future in Minneapolis. Was last season merely a fluke, a product of some good chemistry and a down year in the Big Ten? How will the returned Hargrow and Boone fit in? Can the Gophers survive without Hagen in the paint? The guard trio of Boone, Hargrow, and Grier will be one of the best in the conference, and the Gophers should compete for a second straight NCAA berth.
At the point, the diminutive Aaron Robinson is out, and the venerable Adam Boone is in. Most Gopher fans will take that trade, no matter how mediocre Boone was two seasons ago. He has been healthy for several months now, and is looking more like the shooter he was thought to be when he signed with North Carolina so long ago. When Boone is taking a break, Monson will turn to sophomore combo guard Rico Tucker (5.8 ppg), who showed some explosive potential before health problems put a damper on his freshman season. Having Boone around to shoulder the ball-handling load should help Tucker, as he is much more effective playing off the ball.
People knew Vincent Grier (17.9 ppg) was going to make an impact, but nobody knew the former Charlotte and Dixie State JC swingman would put in an all-conference type of season. Playing much bigger than his listed 65, Grier can bully weaker guards around in the mid-post, or simply explode by them from the perimeter. He can create his own shot at will, and when Griers perimeter jumper is falling, there isnt anybody thats going to stop him (example: back-to-back 32 point efforts in early February against Wisconsin and Northwestern). Grier was one of the top two or three players in the Big Ten by the end of the season, and might just be the best the conference has to offer this year. His performance at the World University Games in Turkey opened up some serious eyes, and NBA scouts will be flocking to get a look at him in Minnesota practices and games this season to see if he is indeed for real.
Running across from Grier will be Mo Hargrow, who averaged double digits for three seasons before transferring to Arkansas, changing his mind after two weeks, and coming back. Hargrow has a potent midrange jumper, and will certainly help when defenses key in on Grier. There is some sentiment that Hargrows return might be poor for team chemistry. Will Hargrow be willing to defer to Grier as the teams number one option, and will he finally be willing to play some defense? Guard depth will come from freshmen Brandon Smith, largely considered the top prep prospect in the state of Minnesota last year, and New Jersey wing Kevin Payton.
While the Gophers look fairly stacked in the backcourt, the frontcourt is a different issue. Jeff Hagen was a polished low post scorer, defensive presence, and on-court leader for this team. Now it is up to a group of largely unproven players to pick up the slack. Sophomore forward Dan Coleman (8.3 ppg) is the most accomplished of the returnees. He didnt blow anybody away as a freshman, but has the athletic ability to compete in the paint. His game remains very raw, however. He will likely be joined up front by senior JSon Stamper (4.9 ppg, 4 rpg), who makes up for his lack of height with a full head of steam. Sophomore Spencer Tollackson (3.2 ppg), Minnesotas Mr. Basketball two seasons ago, wasnt the impact player that most people thought he would be. Tollackson struggled with weight and conditioning issues, and still needs to adjust to the athleticism and size that one faces in the paint at the D1 level. Other possibilities up front include redshirt freshman Jonathan Williams, and Damian Johnson, a freshman out of Louisiana.
With the ups and downs of the past two seasons, picking the Gophers too high or too low could end up making a prognosticator look really bad. This team has veteran guards and a legit go-too presence in Grier, but also has to make room for the return of two key players who werent a part of the Gopher resurgence last season. Questions about toughness in the paint keep the outlook from getting too optimistic, but its also difficult to place them this low in the preseason conference standings.
Recruiting Update: Dan Monson must feel like a weary soldier on the recruiting trail. Big Ten coaches have been ransacking his backyard for top recruits since he took the job, and the big timers that have put on the maroon and gold have rarely worked out (see: Pryzbilla, Rickert, Humphries). 2006 has been no different, with top prospect Isaiah Dahlman picking Michigan State and the Gophers not even making his final cut. Monson has landed a couple of nice commitments from 06 C Bryce Webster and 07 PG Al Nolen. He also continued the practice of allowing the prodigal son to return home, as former Minneapolis prep Lawrence McKenzie was allowed to back in state after two years at Oklahoma. Monson may look to add another big man in the spring, but may have already wrapped up his recruiting for the year.
2005 Record: (15-16, 6-10)
Postseason: None
Head Coach: Bill Carmody
Key Losses:
PG TJ Parker (9.7 ppg)
PF Davor Dunvancic (6.4 ppg)
64 G Craig Moore, Lawrenceville Prep
66 SF Jean-Marc Melchior, Luxemborg
68 PF Bernard Cote, jr, transfer from Kentucky
PG 59 Michael Jenkins, sr
SG 64 Mohammed Hachad, sr
SF 64 Sterling Williams,(rs) fr
F 68 Vedran Vukusic, sr
C 610 Michael Thompson, sr
SF 65 Tim Doyle, jr
SG Evan Seacat, sr
PF 68 Bernard Cote, jr
C 610 Vince Scott, jr
Northwestern is a team that has seemed on the verge of a breakout year for the past couple of seasons, but so far Bill Carmody hasnt been able to get this program over the top. Last season rested on the shoulders of center Michael Thompson, the much talked about transfer from Duke. Injury and academic problems derailed Thompson early in the Big Ten slate, and the Wildcats ended up in the bottom half of the standings once again. The offseason wasnt kind either, as point guard TJ Parker decided to turn pro a year early. Northwestern still has a veteran laden lineup, and a very underrated go-to scorer in Vedran Vukusic. With players like Sterling Williams and Bernard Cote joining the program, the talent level might be a bit higher than it has been in the past. Nonetheless, its difficult to see the Wildcats making a jump up the standings this season unless Thompson really cashes in on his full potential.
Many preseason pundits are fixated on the loss of TJ Parker, who gets a bit of extra attention because of his much more talented older brother Tony. While Parker certainly knew how to run a team, many Northwestern fans feel just as comfortable with former walk-on Michael Jenkins (4.5 ppg) running the show. While Jenkins isnt a scorer, he will provide steady floor leadership. Also in the mix at the point guard position are long-time contributor Mohammed Hachad (8.6 ppg) and freshman Craig Moore. Hachad, a crafty scorer, is a natural wing who ended the last season blazing hot. Expect a bigger role for him this year.
A major strength of Carmodys squad will be outside shooting, and that starts with Vedran Vukusic (16.8 ppg), perhaps the most unsung star in the conference. Vukusic has shrugged off an injury plagued history to become one of the top scorers in the league over the past two seasons. His size and shooting ability make him a unique commodity in the Big Ten. When Vukusic gets tired, Carmody will be able to turn to former Kentucky forward Bernard Cote, who is said to also possess a nice outside shooting stroke. The wildcard here is redshirt freshman Sterling Williams, who is getting some rave reviews from within the program. It seems like every player taking a redshirt year gets the best player in practice tag, but its being said about Williams in Wildcat circles. Providing depth are Tim Doyle (4.6 ppg), and Evan Seacat. Nobody really knows what to expect from late addition Jean-Marc Melchior of Luxemborg.
The Northwestern frontcourt is a versatile group, as Carmody will have the option to play perimeter guys like Vukusic and Cote, or go a bit bigger with Michael Thompson and Vince Scott. Thompson (10.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg) was a McDonalds All American who signed with Duke, but saw the writing on the wall and transferred to Evanston. He was never at full strength as he only became eligible in January and was hampered by injuries nearly the entire time he was on the court. While Thompson isnt the most polished player in the world (46% free throw shooter), the fact that he was able to average double figures despite the fact that he was basically stepping onto the court for the first time goes to show that he is a talent. Scott (3.7 ppg) isnt going to wow you, but has slowly developed into a contributor for this program.
While Bill Carmodys time in Evanston could be running short, his job certainly isnt an easy one. Hes had more success than previous Northwestern coaches, and has managed to breed some optimism amongst the fan base. They will continue to play efficient, slow-it-down, Northwestern style basketball. With a veteran laden lineup and a senior star, this would be the year for Northwestern to surprise a few people and sneak into the NCAA tournament. Its not likely, but its possible and thats more than one could have said in many past years.
Recruiting Update: Northwestern is still recruiting mid-major level preps and trying to bring in high D1 players in any way they can. Thats why youve seen so many transfers the past few seasons. 2006 pledges Jeremy Nash, Jeff Ryan, and Kevin Coble are all wings, and all under the radar.
2005 Record: (7-21, 3-13)
Postseason: None
Head Coach: Matt Painter
Key Losses:
PG Brandon McKnight (11.8 ppg)
SG Xavier Price (3.1 ppg)
61 PG Tarrance Crump, jr, Shelton State CC
60 PG Korey Spates, Warrensville, OH
62 G Chris Lutz, Brewster Academy
63 SF Nate Minnoy, Chicago, IL
68 PF Marcus White, jr, transfer from Connecticut
PG 61 Tarrance Crump, jr
SG 65 David Teague, sr
SF 63 Nate Minnoy, fr
PF 68 Marcus White, jr
PF 67 Carl Landry, sr
G 66 Bryant Dillion, sr
G Chris Lutz, fr
SF Marcus Green, fr
PF 610 Matt Keifer, sr
C 69 Gary Ware, sr
The Gene Keady era ended with a whimper, as his final season at the helm was perhaps the worst of his tenure. Keady was able to succeed without top tier talent, but by the end, he was unable to get the players to buy into his system. One of the few promising aspects of the season, the emergence of JC transfer Carl Landry as one of the top big men in the country, went sour when Landry tore his ACL late in the season. Matt Painter takes the reigns this fall, after a year of learning on the job. He envisions running a much more up tempo type of system than what the Boilermaker faithful have come to expect, and until recently, it looked like he had recruited a few players capable of implementing it.
However, due to a recent off the court incident, top JC PG Tarrance Crump is unlikely to ever call out a play in a Purdue uniform. Despite some early signs that a quick bounce up from the basement might be possible, the Boilermakers dont have a chance to compete without a true floor general this fall.
Painters entire plan came into focus this summer when Tarrance Crump, Lindys #4 ranked JC point guard, picked the Boilermakers over a host of other programs. That plan may have recently crumbled, as Crump was involved in a hit and run accident in which he was also cited for impaired driving. Given the unlikelihood of Crump ever calling out a play in a Purdue uniform, the recently declared eligible Korey Spates is that much more important. While Spates certainly isn't ready for starter's duty, he will be better than the other alternatives. In the worst case scenario, Painter would have been forced to turn to defensive specialist Bryant Dillion (2.3 ppg, 30 % fgs), and freshman shooter Chris Lutz.
There isnt as much doom and gloom to throw around when discussing Purdues wing situation. David Teague (14 ppg) didnt shoot the ball well last year, but he certainly had to force the issue quite often. He averaged 18+ ppg on a Big Ten foreign tour this summer, and would benefit from not being the only option in the backcourt. That other option could be burly freshman Nate Minnoy, who comes in at 63 and 270 (you read that right) pounds. Minnoy moves quite well for having all the extra beef, and knows how to use it. He will tear up the nets from the outside, and beat up on much taller players in the paint. At the very least, it will be interesting to see what a player of Minnoys unique physical proportions can actually do at the Big Ten level. Freshman wing Marcus Green is coming off of a redshirt year.
Senior Carl Landry (18.2 ppg, 7.1 rpg) was a revelation in the paint last year, able to use bulk and a bit of explosiveness to make up the 2-3 inches he gives away every night in the Big Ten. Landry shot 62% from the floor, and showed true relentlessness around the basket. There is a bit of concern here as Landry tore his ACL in late February, but hes reportedly on his way back to full health. Helping out down low this year will be Connecticut transfer Marcus White, a victim of the numbers game in Jim Calhouns loaded frontcourt. White has battled injury problems of his own, but has proven to be a ferocious rebounder when healthy. It wouldnt be a stretch to see White posting close to double-double averages after a bit of time to adjust to Big Ten basketball.
The frontcourt has some solid depth as well, as White will have to battle to steal incumbent Matt Keifers (9.0 ppg) starting role. Keifer takes on a bit of his former coachs fiery personality and has some skill from the perimeter. The other notable returnee is senior Gary Ware (4.1 ppg), an imposing big man that oozes athleticism. He is still very much a work in progress, but showed some development at the end of the season. Senior PF Matt Carroll hasnt been able to crack the rotation since reaching West Lafeyette with a bit of fanfare.
There was a time when Purdue looked like a potential sleeper team. Players like Nate Minnoy, Marcus White, and Tarrance Crump show that Matt Painter is capable of immediately upgrading the talent level of a program that has always struggled to bring in high caliber recruits. However, even before Crumps legal woes, this was a team that probably needed a year or two to come together. Any team would be in trouble with no floor general, let alone one with this many new faces, and a new coach attempting to implement an up-tempo system. Painter is going to turn Purdue around, but dont expect to see much of an immediate impact in the win-loss column.
Recruiting Update: Painter hit the recruiting trail hard this past year, and it has already paid dividends. He has already reeled in two Chicago area prospects in Marcus White and Nate Minnoy, and even if Crump never suits up, his choosing Purdue over Oklahoma and others was a sign that things are changing for the Boilermakers. Painter is off to a hot start for 2006 as well, with top 100 C Jonathan Uchendu already pledged. He also has commitments from project center Dan Vandervieren and combo guard Chris Kramer. Painter has offered several of the top remaining wings, but doesnt look close to getting a pledge. However, Purdue should be a contender for the services of top 100 big man Matt Hill and stud JC power forward Stuard Baldonado.
Penn State
2005 Record: (7-23, 1-15)
Postseason: None
Head Coach: Ed DeChellis
Key Losses:
PG Marlon Smith (11.8 ppg)
PF Aaron Johnson (11.8 ppg, 9.9 rpg)
63 G David Jackson, jr, Gulf Coast (FL) CC
65 G Nikola Obradovic, Serbia
64 SG Maxwell DuBois, Ft Lauderdale, FL
66 PF Jamelle Cornley, Columbus, OH
69 PF Joonas Suotamo, Finland
610 PF Milos Bogetic, Serbia
PG 60 Ben Luber, jr
SG 63 David Jackson, jr,
SF 65 Geary Claxton, so
PF 65 Travis Parker, sr
C 69 Brandon Hassell, so
PG 63 Danny Morrisey, so
G 62 Mike Walker, so
G 65 Nikola Obradovic, fr
PF 65 Jamelle Cornley, fr
PF 610 Milos Bogetic, fr
PF 69 Joonas Suotamo, fr
Last, and unfortunately for Nittany Lion fans, least, we have Penn State. Ed DeChellis found himself in a very difficult situation when he took over two years ago, and isnt very close to righting the ship. In addition to the recruiting difficulties that come from finishing last in the Big Ten four straight seasons, DeChellis has had to deal with his best talent deciding to transfer out of the program the minute they get the chance. This summer it was Marlon Smith and Aaron Johnson, two of the teams four double digit scorers from last seasons outclassed team. Smith ended up at Fordham, while Johnsons propensity for fighting has already gotten him kicked out of his school of choice, New Mexico. Last years freshmen did get some valuable experience, with wing Geary Claxton showing that he is a viable Big Ten player. DeChellis has gone the international route, bringing in three European players to give the roster a few more bodies. The Nittany Lions head into 2006 with a few versatile performers in the backcourt and a couple of undersized power forwards. The newcomers are complete unknowns, so nobody can be sure how they will adjust. However, simply getting the younger players to develop should probably be the goal at the moment.
There arent many defined roles in the backcourt, although if DeChellis had a standout floor general or perimeter shooter, things might become a bit more clear. The one constant on the perimeter this season should be sophomore Geary Claxton (12.7 ppg, 6.3 rpg), who exceeded expectations as a freshman. Claxton is currently more of a slasher and needs to improve his perimeter shot, but is clearly a building block for the future.
There are several returnees that will fight over the right to get Claxton the ball. Junior Ben Luber (6.2 ppg, 3.6 apg) starts the year at point guard, even though he only shot 32% from the floor last year. Also in the mix are sophomores Mike Walker (6.3 ppg, 34% shooting), and Danny Morrissey (7.7 ppg), who both received valuable experience as freshman. Walker is more of a distributor, while Morrissey will look to fill the role of spot up shooter.
There are a couple of newcomers that will push for time in the backcourt as well. JC transfer David Jackson is physically ready for the job, and looks like a potential game one starter. He can play both guard positions. Also in the mix is Serbian guard Nikola Obradovic.
The frontcourt doesnt have quite as much depth, and any success is probably dependent on the readiness of the two imports, Milos Bogetic and Joonas Suotamo. Suotamo is a high-post, perimeter oriented big man who hails from Finland and has quite a bit of International experience underneath his belt playing with the various national teams. He made his first big waves a year and a half ago at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament in Mannheim, Germany, scoring 17 points with 6 rebounds and 3 assists vs. a US national team led by Villanovas Kyle Lowry, Nevadas Ramon Sessions and potential future lottery pick Thaddeus Young. Suotamo could be a legit sleeper prospect in the Big 10.
Senior Travis Parker (11.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg) is the one accomplished returnee. He is just 65, but made a big impact out of junior college. Freshman Jamelle Cornely is similarly undersized, but ferocious around the basket. Sophomore Brandon Hassell wasnt ready for Big Ten basketball as a freshman, but did get some experience on the foreign tour this summer. On the whole, this group is one giant question mark. Other than one of the Europeans turning out to be a diamond in the rough, its tough to get too excited about the Nittany Lion frontcourt.
Ed DeChellis has one of the toughest jobs in college basketball, and its not likely to get any easier this season. Having Aaron Johnson and Marlon Smith would have helped, but thats old history now. As long as DeChellis can put a stop to the roster attrition, he will largely have this same group for the next three seasons. Given some player development, maybe something can be built down the road.
Recruiting Update: As usual, Penn State will likely have to go the unconventional route for its 2006 recruiting class. There are no imminent targets, although its likely DeChellis will be looking for a big man or two this spring.


text:
As I'm trying to save as much money as possible ready for the house move, I've swapped nights out for nights in. Normally on a Saturday I'll go and see Steph and we'll sit and watch random YouTube videos on the tv and put the world to rights over a 1001 cups of tea. I don't think we're the only ones as 35% of women prefer a pamper party to a night out according to a survey. Personally Sunday nights are my night where I do nothing but chill, and I thought I would share with you my favourite pampering products.
First up and most importantly is what to watch and believe it or not I'd happily pick a comedy DVD over a film and normally that would be a Ross Noble DVD. Seriously if you haven't seen Ross Noble please go and YouTube him talking about the Lush Bath Bombs. Snack wise anything junk food related really and I'm happy. You can't have a pamper night wearing your daytime clothes - you have to wear pjs. At the moment I'm loving these unicorn bottoms from Primark teamed with an oversized jumper (not forgetting my Harry Potter slipper socks) which comes in handy considering its FREEZING.
Onto the most important bit - the beauty products. These are a selection of my current favourites its all about the face mask (I'm trying to use up this Body Shop Honey and Oat 3-in-1 scrub at the moment), a good cleanser then a serum. As I feel like my skin has suffered from a week in the sun I'm using this Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair serum which is very costly and I only use this as and when needed. I managed to get this 100ml bottle from duty free for £70 however this has lasted me ages and I would definitely recommend picking up. I then layer over the top some eye cream and night cream to really give my skin a good dose of TLC. What creams I use purely depends on what I have on the go at that moment in time and currently I'm trying to use up the last of Benefit's It's Potent and No7 Beautiful Skin Night Cream (I'll be repurchasing full sizes of them both).
Once your face is sorted and if you're watching Ross Noble you need to prevent laughter lines (don't say I didn't warn you) so skin prep is essential, I then move onto nails. At the moment I'm currently on the second round of the Renunail programme, I just need to paint my nails and I'm good to go. Normally I have a candle or two on the go and I've just discovered these large glasses from Tesco for £2.50 and this vanilla one is to die for. I'm going to be stocking up on these ready for the big move. So that in a nutshell is my key ingredients so to speak for my perfect night in. If you've done any similar posts let me know in the comments below.
* In association with Ladbrokes Bingo


text:
Webinar DVD: Mental Illness Volume II
Webinar Series: Mental Illness Volume II
Available on Amazon by clicking here.
Access to Tools in Addressing Suicide:
Pastoral Supports and Prevention Strategies
The affects of suicide on parishioners and their family members from children and youth to the elderly are immeasurable. Pastoral and youth ministers, catechetical and family life ministers, family members—all involved— want to be aware of how to respond and to gain tools in addressing suicide.
Advanced Considerations:
Mental Illness in Youth and Young Adults
- Symptoms and responses
- Support for individuals, families and parishes
- Catholic Church teaching
Price: $0.00


text:
New evidence indicating the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor effectively from under water, as well as the air, was announced today by the "NOVA" television series on the anniversary of the 1941 attack that led the United States into World War II.
The wreckage of the last of five Japanese midget subs sent to attack Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, was identified recently with the help of Hawaii scientists. Shown is the midsection and conning tower of the 80-foot-long, two-man vessel, believed scuttled in the aftermath of the attack.
"Pearl Harbor was always seen as an aerial attack," said Parks Stephenson, lead investigator of an underwater expedition for the PBS science series, which explored the wreckage of a midget submarine discovered by University of Hawaii researchers.
Eyewitness accounts, a congressional report by Adm. Chester Nimitz, former Pacific Fleet commander, and other clues indicate the midget sub fired two torpedoes and claimed success in a radio call to the Japanese high command 12 hours after the attack, he said.
Stephenson said the accounts indicate one torpedo was fired at the USS Arizona that was a dud, but he believes another torpedo hit the USS Oklahoma.
The marine forensic historian and former U.S. Navy officer and submariner discussed the findings of the expedition in a telephone interview from his San Diego home. "NOVA" will present the new evidence and underwater footage of the Japanese midget submarine in a TV documentary, "Killer Subs in Pearl Harbor," premiering on KHET-PBS Jan. 5.
"A giant piece of the Pearl Harbor puzzle has fallen into place," Stephenson said. "This important discovery sheds light on a World War II mystery that has eluded historians for nearly seven decades."
Five Japanese "mother" submarines approached within a few miles of Pearl Harbor before the Dec. 7 battle, each carrying a Type-A, two-man, midget submarine, about 80 feet long and 6 feet wide, NOVA said.
The sophisticated midget subs were twice as fast as many U.S. subs of the times, with 600-horsepower electric motors that could propel them underwater at speeds of 19 knots (22 mph). They were capable of carrying two Type 97 Long Lance Torpedoes.
All but one of the five midget submarines were found over the years, "either destroyed, scuttled or run aground," NOVA said. "They missed the targets, failed to fire or were recovered with torpedoes intact. But historians have long puzzled over the fate of the missing sub."
Stephenson, a Lockheed Martin engineer, said the submersibles Pisces IV and Pisces V, belonging to the Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory, found three sections of the missing sub in cruises over the past few years in the same area south of Pearl Harbor.
He accompanied Terry Kerby, HURL operations director and chief pilot, on a "validation" cruise in March. Kerby had been the first to spot the midget sub amid damaged equipment and landing craft from the 1944 West Loch explosion.
Also along as observers on the UH submersibles in March were a Japanese expert on midget subs and retired Adm. Kazuo Uyeda, the senior surviving midget submariner from WWII.
"One can conclude definitely that this was the special submarine that was used in Pearl Harbor," Uyeda said.
Stephenson said microbiologist Lori Johnston, who did extensive work on the Titanic, sunk in 1912, determined the torpedoes were fired before the sub sank because of rustlike encrustation covering the empty torpedo tubes.
A survivor of the Oklahoma described one torpedo as much more violent than others hitting the ship, he said.
"So the Oklahoma, in my eyes, is the leading candidate" for the midget submarine's torpedo. "I have a theory that if the Oklahoma had not been hit by a more powerful torpedo, it might have righted itself like the West Virginia."
As more evidence, a photo taken by a Japanese airplane during the attack seems to show the conning tower of the midget sub at the surface pointed at the Oklahoma, Stephenson said.
Nimitz described an unexploded torpedo sighted and recovered inside the harbor with an explosive charge of 1,000 pounds — more than twice that of aerial torpedoes — which provides "corroborating evidence that a midget sub did penetrate Battleship Row and fired upon it," said "NOVA."
U.S. veterans told "NOVA" investigators the Arizona was torpedoed from below, but "NOVA" divers who had special permission to film the hull 40 feet beneath the surface found no visible signs of a torpedo hit.
It is believed the midget sub escaped to a secluded area of West Loch, remained undetected to get off a radio call, then was scuttled by the crew to keep it out of enemy hands, Stephenson said. The fate of the crew is uncertain.
Why it was found in three sections on the ocean bottom several miles outside of Pearl Harbor was a puzzle until "top secret" information was revealed recently about an ammunition explosion that killed nearly 200 sailors and wounded hundreds more in West Loch on May 21, 1944, "NOVA" said.
"The U.S. Navy quickly and quietly cleaned up the remnants of the 1944 West Loch disaster to get the top-secret (Normandy) invasion back on track."
Stephenson said he believes the Navy found the midget sub and took it with the rest of the debris a few miles outside of the harbor and dumped it all together.
Burl Burlingame, a Star-Bulletin writer, author of "Advance Force Pearl Harbor" and a historian for the "NOVA" project, said, "The more we learn, the more mysterious it gets."
Source: Honolulu Star Bulletin
Photo: Parks Stephonson


text:
What Is SIO365 Networks?
Middle East Representative Of Unisto Security Seals, Like Bolt Seals, Bottle Seals, Metal Strap Seals, Custom Seals, Pull Tight Seals, Padlock, Security Bags, Security Tapes And Security Labels. Middl
Rodometer Supplier In DubaiEmail: email@example.com: +971 56 1720220
Our Customers Can Profit From Us An Extensive Variety Of Medical Consumables. Uniquely Designed Using The Quality Raw Material, These Items Are Widely Utilized Amid Medical Procedures. We Offer You Th
We Do Supply And Install Along With Amc (comprehensive/ Non-comprehensive) OfDifferent Types And Brands Of Traffic Barriers From Normal Barriers To Heavy Duty Barriers. We Have Strong And Well
Benchmark Pest Control & Cleaning Services A Limited Liability Company Based In Dubai Specialized In A Variety Of General Contract Pest Control & Cleaning Jobs. The Company Is Managed And Manned By A
Www.bppcouae.com Al Barshaa Plastic Products Company Llc, bppco Is A Leading Plastic Manufacturing Company In Sharjah, Uae. Bppco Offers Cost Effective Plastic Products Solutions To Airline Indust
Daitona General Trading L.l.c. Is One Of The Uaes Leading General Cleaning Items And Janitorial Equipment Supply Companies. Ahmadaly Fazal, Managing Director And Ceo, Traces The Companys Journey O
Aed Electrode Pad In Dubai
Video Is Proving To Be One Of The Most Effective Communication Tools Both Online And Offline. Silverline Networks Llc Helps You To Stand Out From The Crowd With A High Quality Video To Your Business.
Most Trusted And Well-known Supplier For Pre-hospital Medical Equipment Within The Uae And Gcc Countries, Delivering The Best Customer Experience, Within The Market We Serve.We Arasca Has Been Lea
Aluminium Product Suppliers In Umm Al Quwain
Thomas Mathew.p. (general Manager),Alcon Concrete Products Factory Llc.Po Box: 150272, Sharjah-uae.Mob: +971 50 677 8 440 | +971 50 758 8 682Sales & Marketing OfficePo Box: 12541
Centrifugal Pumps Are Used To Transport Fluids By The Conversion Of Rotational Kinetic Energy To The Hydrodynamic Energy Of The Fluid Flow. The Rotational Energy Typically Comes From An Engine Or Elec
Marble Products Manufacturers & Suppliers Uae
This Line Can Be A Single, Double, Triple And Quartet Output To Satisfy Any Customer's Need Concerning Both Production Capacity And Size. It Can Produce A Range Between 500 Up To 1200 Loafs Per Hour W
White Metal Contracting Llc Has Always Endeavoured To Innovative And Supports Its Clients To Perform Better, By Meeting Their Demand For Quality, Service, Competitiveness And Timely Completion Of Spec
Rodcraft Pneumatic Tools In Uae Rodcraft Pneumatic Tools In Dubai Rodcraft 6700 Rodcraft 5120 Rod 5150 Rod 6605 Rod 2040 Rod2111 Rod 2205 Rod2260xi Rod2263xi Rod2263tl Rod232
Fusionpac Technologies Middle East Fze Is A Technology Oriented Company Dealing With Plasticizing Machines And Equipment. We Provide Solutions In The Field Of Plastic Welding, Plastic Extrusion
Hvac Products And Accessories Dubai
Incepted In 2002, Global Packaging Has Been Conceived To Meet The Varying And Dynamic Requirements Of The Perfume And Cosmetic Industry And Its Diverse Verticals. Our Dedication To Ceaselessly Cater T
Manufacturing,servicing And Supply Of Spares For Vacuum Pumps, Blowers And Compressors
Acton General Trading Llc Is Based In Dubai - Uae. We Are One Of The Quality Suppliers Of Rhodes Grass In The United Arab Emirates. We Are Leading Sellers And Exporters Of Good And Quality Animal Feed
Ear Protection Products In Dubai
Safety Products Suppliers In Uae
Prompt Attestation Services Is A Pioneer Company And Helps To Accelerate All Your Personal, Educational, And Commercial Certificate Attestation Without Difficulty.Http://attestationuae.com/
Al Mas Cleaning Mat. Tr. Llc Established In 2010, Manufacturer,importers And Wholesale Distributors Of Cleaning Products In U.a.e. Our Chemical Manufacturing Factory Al Mas Detergent & Disinfectan
Hilti Products In Uae
Rubber Moulded Product Suppliers In Sharjah
Cleantech Gulf Has Been The Most Trusted Supplier Of Cleaning Equipment, Deep Cycle Batteries, Scrubber Driers, Sweepers, Floor Machines, Vacuums And Carpet Extractors In Uae And Saudi Arabia Since La
battery Acid Water Manufacturers & Distributors In UaeDiluted Sulfuric Acid Is Used In Batteries Along With Deionized Water. Sulfuric Acid Combines With Water To Produce Electrolytes That C
Supplying Labels, Ribbons, Printers, Kitchen LabelsYashtech - A Leading Supply Brand In Consumables To Sectors Such As banking, Aviation, Food, Retail & 3pl ". Yashtech - Being Developed, Maintai
ProductsMix2000 Series
Waterproofing & Coatings Chemicals In Uae
Conspec Specialist Construction Systems Is A one Stop Solution For Wide Range Of Building Related Products While Predominantly Focusing On Construction Chemicals And Accesories Which IncludesShu
Golf & Utility Vehicles, Batteries, Turf Care Machinery, Pumps, Irrigation, After Sales Service & PartsHydroturf International Fzco Was Created In 1995 To Provide And Support Top Quality Product
Sandwich Panels Are Used Majorly In Facades , Partition Wall Ceilings, Architectural Claddings , Container Constructions, Machine Coverings, Warehouses, Power Plants And Other Industrial And Commercia
Safety Shoes, Gum Boots For Workers And EngineersSafety Helmet With Sweat Band, Ordinary Hard HatHand Gloves - Leather, Working, Dotted, Knitted, And Welding GlovesApronsRescue Harness - N
Single Component Poly Urethane Flexible Water Proof CoatingMr Jayachandran.b 056 9911859 / firstname.lastname@example.com
Buy Online Our Products Or Contact Us Via Http://intercare-homedelivery.ae/Product RangeCleaning Detergents Uae-cleaning Materials Uae-cleaning Equipment Uae-cleaning Products Uae-vacuum Cle
Our Range Of Synthetic Rubber Products Are Sure To Accommodate Whatever Need You May Require. Whether It Be Food Grade, Chemically Resistant Or High Temperature, We Have The Rubber Product That Is Rig
Aluminium & Aluminium Products Whol & Mfrs
National Powder Coatings Which Are Designed To Provide Tough, Durable And Beautiful Finishes Are Available In A Wide Array Of Ral And Standard Colors. They Are Easy To Use And Help Is Available Trou
Brass Product In Sharjah
Security Product Suppliers In Uae
Supply Of Solar Panel.
Gas Producers And Suppliers Uae
Plumbing Product In Uae
Casting Product Suppliers In Uae
Polyurethane Rod In Uae
Safety Product Suppliers In Sharjah


text:
2014 Citroen DS3 Cabrio Racing review
* Extreme version of DS3 drop-top driven in UK * 204bhp and 0-62mph in 6.5 seconds * Available to order now, priced from £29,350...
The Citroen DS3 Cabrio Racing is the most extreme version of our favourite sub-£25k open-top.
The Racing edition is far more radical than other versions of the DS3 Cabrio, with plenty of carbonfibre styling add-ons, a matte paint finish, gloss black 18-inch alloy wheels and a rear diffuser, not to mention lowered suspension and a more potent 1.6-litre turbocharged engine with 204bhp.
It's also considerably more expensive – at an eye-watering £29,305 – and likely to be a much rarer sight on British roads than even the hard-top DS3 Racing hatchback that sold out in 2011.
Citroen UK sold 100 examples of that car, but it's planning to import just 10 right-hand-drive DS3 Cabrio Racings to British customers.
What's the 2014 Citroen DS3 Cabrio Racing like to drive?
It won't surprise you to learn that even with the added weight of an opening roof mechanism, a 204bhp Citroen DS3 is pretty rapid. Citroen claims a 0-62mph time of just 6.5 seconds and that feels entirely plausible, as does the top speed of 146mph.
If anything, though, the Racing seems a little bit too unhinged. Throw full throttle at the front wheels at a set of traffic lights and you'll feel them scrabbling for traction as the electronic control systems kick in. The steering is extremely aggressive, too, and the hefty self-centring action means that a rapid drive along on a country road is a hectic and tiresome affair.
The high-speed ride comfort is acceptable – surprisingly supple, even – given that you're riding on 18-inch wheels. However, around town there are a fair few crashes and thumps transmitted through to the cabin as you go over potholes and speed bumps; you're never left in any doubt that this is the 'hardcore' DS3. The firm set-up means that the DS3 Cabrio Racing stays flat through corners, though.
The 1.6 engine has an enticing exhaust rasp as you rev it hard, but it settles down once you're cruising on a motorway; road noise from the big wheels is likely to be a bigger nuisance over long journeys.
What's the 2014 Citroen DS3 Cabrio Racing like inside?
The regular DS3 Cabrio's cabin is one of its strong points, and the Racing's interior manages to feel even more special again. You get more of that matte-grey paint finish on the upper fascia and some of the dashboard, and there are plenty of carbonfibre-effect flourishes, including a sizeable insert on the steering wheel.
The Alcantara-trimmed sports seats look good with the Citroen Racing logo on the head rests, but aren't that supportive. There's also an individually numbered plaque ahead of the gearlever.
The fabric hood is identical to that on the regular DS3 Cabrio – it gives you open-air motoring without extending all the way back. It can be operated at speeds of up to 74mph, too, which is useful given the fickle British climate.
Should I buy one?
If you're inclined to spend £30,000 on a DS3 Cabrio then little that we say here is going to change your mind. There are far better performance cars and better convertibles available for this kind of money, but there's no doubt that the Cabrio Racing will have the appeal of real exclusivity.
If that appeals to you, then you'd better get your credit card out quickly. We have little doubt that the 10 cars will sell out within weeks - if they haven't already.
However, if you miss out then you really shouldn't worry, because for around half as much money you can have the 1.6 VTi 120 DSport version of the same car. True, it's not as fast or as well-specced, but it's much easier to live with.
What Car? says..
Citroën DS3 Cabrio Racing
Engine size 1.6-litre turbo petrol
Price from £29,350
Power 204bhp
Torque 203lb ft
0-62mph 6.5 seconds
Top speed 146mph
Fuel economy 44.1mpg
CO2 149g/km


text:
Currency Displayed in
6 PACK of Blue Line Mourning Bands / Memorial Ribbons. 1" wide. Fully elastic to fit all badges.
6 pcs. ALSO SOLD INDIVIDUALLY & IN 20 pc. MULTI-PACKS.
This product hasn't received any reviews yet. Be the first to review this product!
All prices are in USD.


text:
Timing is everything in life and the same applies to baseball when it comes to the iffy issue of when to break a rookie into the majors on a full-time basis. Unlike football, which puts 99 percent of its rookies on the field in September, as soon as they're good enough and healthy enough to start. Unlike basketball, which puts 99 percent of its rooks on the court in November, as soon as they're good enough and healthy enough to start. Baseball is just different. Sometimes the rookies are brought up from the minor leagues midseason, after, say, an injury to a big leaguer, when the need for the SUPER SIX Leading the way for Rookie of the Year are a SEXTET of standouts. By Darryl Howerton
2014 Minnesota Gameday HQ Round 2
To see the actual publication please follow the link above


text:
Staff writer
Ty Zeiner of Zeiner Funeral Home plans to ask city council members to amend an ordinance passed at last weeks' meeting that bans parking in front of the funeral home.
"I don't think the ordinance was thought through," he said.
The ordinance bans parking on the west side of the street between Main St. and Denver St., and stems from an incident Jan. 12 when a fire truck was barely able to make it up the congested street while Sunday services were being held at Marion Christian Church and Marion Presbyterian Church.
"The only time the street is congested is when there are Sunday services," he said. "If parking on our side of the street was only banned during that time, it would take care of the problem."
He hopes the council will consider an amended ordinance that only bans parking on the street from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sundays to relieve the congestion caused when people park on both sides of the street. This compromise would allow patrons of Zeiner Funeral Home to utilize parking near the business.
"During funeral services, I usually block off parking in front of home so that way the street does not get congested," Zeiner said. "Last Sunday as an experiment I put cones out in front of the home and it worked fine."
Zeiner said he has received several calls from concerned older patrons, who make up most of his clientele, about where they could park to safely access the business.
"We have a very small lot and limited parking along the back of the building, but not many spaces that would be safe for elderly customers to use to get to the home," he said. "They expressed concerns at coming to the home if there was nowhere for them to safely park. We need to have parking on our side of the street so they can access the building."
However, that is not Zeiner's biggest problem with the ordinance. It was the fact that the city would pass an ordinance that would hinder his business, he said.
"It seems to me that the city should be trying to help businesses, not hinder them," he said. "What upsets me more than anything is that the city administrator never tried to contact me. That shows how little they care about businesses in the community."
Another hindrance to the ordinance was the discovery of an ordinance from 1976 that bans parking on the east side of the entire length of Elm St. The city has been unable to find evidence of the ordinance being rescinded.
"The ordinance was rescinded by police action somewhere between 1988 and 1992 but there is no documentation," city administrator Roger Holter said. "The police chief at the time ordered the signs removed. We are not sure why. The chief has since passed, but we were able to located one of his officers that still lives locally to get some information."
Donald Keazer was police chief during that time. Keazer still resides in Marion and has no recollection of any no-parking signs being on Elm St., he said. Garry Klose a police officer under Keazer also does not remember any no-parking signs on Elm.
"The only no-parking signs I remember were the little ones we used for Old Settlers' Day or Chingawassa," Klose said. "All police can do for city signage is make recommendations, to put up or remove signs there has to be an ordinance passed by the city council."
Currently both ordinances are valid, police chief Tyler Mermis said, but because of the confusion no ordinance is currently being enforced by officers.
"We're looking for ways to compromise," he said. "I'm not going to ask the guys to enforce an ordinance until we have a chance to sit down and hear everyone's opinion. Hopefully we can come up with a solution that fits everyone."
Mermis said he guesses someone took down the signs and forgot to alert the city to change the ordinance.
"We're still trying to figure out exactly who ordered, and when the signs were removed," he said.
City attorney Susan Robson said she didn't think police can rescind an ordinance without council action, and the city has requested a codification that lists all city ordinances in place.
"It's just a giant list of things that are effective and when they were put into place," she said. "It can be confusing for the council to know what ordinances are in place this helps with that. It will help the council from passing competing ordinances."
The codification will not be available to the council before their next meeting, Robson said.
"We can't have people blocking private driveways," Holter said. "On the west side there are nine driveway entrances so you lose nine spots, and with the spacing of the driveways you lose more."
The east side of the road has only two driveways, allowing more cars to park along the roadway. Holter said that is the reasoning behind choosing the west side of the street for the ordinance.
The churches affected by the ordinance have been contacted and agree the ordinance is appropriate to allow fire and emergency vehicles to pass safely up the street, Holter said.
"The streets were laid out during a time of Model T's the term SUV wasn't even a thought then," Holter said. "Vehicles were substantially smaller back then, and by the time people park on both sides of the street, there is only 10 feet of clearance for moving traffic. The ordinance is important for the safety of the citizens."
Elm St. was constructed even before the Model T was invented.
A story last week mistakenly reported that police chief Tyler Mermis tried to reach Ty Zeiner with no luck. Holter was the one who tried to reach Zeiner, he said, although Zeiner disputes that anyone from the city tried to contact him before the ordinance was passed.


text:
The XP trap, there is a better way
By Ronald Mackintosh
Date 22 April 2011
XP the faithful servant
XP has been a faithful servant of the corporate world. Most corporations have built a locked down image of XP to run on their desktops, and this is still widely regarded as the best way to manage a large estate without explosive support and testing costs. This has come at the price of speed and flexibility for the business and of varying suitability and usability for users, but this is a trade-off that the CIO (and his colleagues) have been prepared to make.
Now that XP is two generations old, MS can stop selling "downgrades" to XP, and there is a hard stop in 2014 when support will cease. No matter how well Windows7 may compare to XP, upgrading is a huge commitment of time and money with payback largely reliant on the development of new applications that it enables. So, many Corporates are caught in a trap, facing a forced global desktop upgrade to Windows7, which could require substantial investment in new more powerful hardware, but does little to reduce the support costs or show any upside to the business. But there is a better way…
The Real Price of Lock-down
Desktop strategy has been focused on achieving lock-down for years. We all know and understand the reasons why – control; security; manageability; simplified testing and reduced support costs.
The current Locked-Down Desktop paradigm aims for consistency across all desktops. To maintain it in the face of the forced move to Win7 the options are not attractive:
- Do nothing and risk running unsupported XP
- Pay Microsoft to support XP as a "special"
- Re-implement the estate to Windows7 with a 50% hardware refresh and no significant addressing of the users' current requirements
The first wave of escapees
Since 2003 some companies have segmented their users and allowed those that require little or no access to transactional systems to self-manage their own machines, and to use the public networks. The benefits of this can be substantial, both from cheaper support to operations costs, and in terms of flexibility. However a parallel – although much cheaper – infrastructure has had to be built.
This hard segmentation, with a locked-down corporate infrastructure running next to one based on self-configured consumer technologies utilising public infrastructures, is an interesting step in the right direction. It demonstrated that there was a real value proposition but also the difficulty of defining the hard segmentation for individuals needing to occasionally dip into the corporate systems. The challenge remained of how to mix and match the benefits of cheaper public infrastructures and the benefits of self support and configuration while maintaining the controls of the lock-down.
The current Smart Moves
Technologies have continued to improve and communication speeds and coverage have expanded to the point where a new paradigm can be glimpsed. For example, a combination of virtualisation of the desktop, remote management and selective upgrades and desktop optimisation to avoid wholesale replacement could enable:
- Device independence, so an organisation is not tied to specific platforms;
- Smart ways of delivering services to new or upgraded end-devices; indeed, this may obviate the need to buy more powerful machines, or to upgrade altogether;
- Remote monitoring and management of the delivery of the service and of the devices despite their proliferation;
- Managed access to third party devices, providing flexibility in supporting contractors and temps without giving them a corporate PC.
The benefits for the IT organisation will be from being able to manage a single, centralised virtualised desktop (which is what the device lock-down was supposed to achieve). The benefits for users would be computing capability matched to role, potential freedom to select / configure devices and to self-support if preferred.
The way out of the XP trap
The real question is how to get there from here without getting stuck with the costs of each model and without unacceptable spend on the way.
A sensible plan of how to get there should cover these steps:
- First segment the users (casual, mobile workers, temps, contractors, core data entry etc) s0 that those who will benefit the most can be addressed first;
- Understand the needs of each segment and how the technologies can support them, recognising that this is not just a question of choosing the "next PC", but potentially of reconfiguring work so as to take advantage of more innovative and attractive solutions;
- Review the infrastructure components and capacity – servers for virtualisation; networks to support virtual desktops and data volumes for Citrix; old-fashioned but important, as nothing will sink the plan more quickly than poor performance if a component is miss-sized;
- Understand what needs to be put in place to support each segment and plan on the upgrades;
- Have a user migration plan that dovetails with hardware end-of-life and prioritises the high value hits (e.g. contractors).


text:
As per the Monday Mediabase update for the week of January 27- February 2, See You Tonight is now sitting at number 13! This makes it a career high for Scotty!
"See You Tonight": ^13 Country (18)
via mjsbigblog.com
YAY< YAY YAY< loved seeing this. Congrats Scotty and you will be #1 soon. So very proud for you and that is just going to be one because you have so many good ones on this Album. Can't wait to see which one is next, less get this one to #1. ILYTBReplyDelete
How great. now only 3 spot to get to Top 10. so proud of you Scotty and a big Congrats to you,
Also Congrats to you for being Named National Goodwill Ambassador for the 12.14 Foundation, Newton, Ct. THEY COULD NOT HAVE ASKED EVERYONE MORE DESERVING THAN YOU.
This comment has been removed by the author.Delete
Oh Scotty YOU ARE SO ON YOUR WAY RIGHT TO THE TOP. You and your team are working so hard, keep it up, EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE WITH GOD !!! ILYTB ! Keep requesting.................ReplyDelete
Blogger is having some difficulties with comment posting. Preview your post then click publish, and it should work.


text:
Camber Beach Safety Information
Please read the signs and look for the safety flags and at the entrances to the beach
Orange Flag = No Inflatables due to offshore wind
Red Flag = No bathing advised as unsuitable bathing sea conditions
Please take care when you bathe: -
- If you are not a competent swimmer
- Fully dressed
- After drinking alcohol
- Under the influence of drugs
- If you have a medical condition
- If you do not understand local sea and weather conditions
- If you are not familiar with the seaside
You will increase the risk to your own safety if you do not take care
The beach is zoned for safety and convenience, this identifies the areas set aside for bathing, dog control areas, horse riding and extreme sports. For further information look at the signs or contact the Coastal Officer.
Please put a wristband on your child. They are available free of charge from the Coastal Office or Beach Patrol Staff and bases on the beach. Wristbands will help to ensure your child is found quickly and safely if he/she becomes lost.
Camber is a unique but fragile environment. Please do not start fires, and take care with barbeques. Use only those on legs so that they are raised above the sand and you take away with you. DO NOT use disposable BBQs – they can and do cause burns and injuries if left on the Sands and can and do cause fires if put in litter bins.
Please put litter in bins or take it home with you.
Tags: Camber Beach Safety Information


text:
In 1967 the Trans Am championship came down to the final race in Kent Washington at the Seattle International Raceway. Bud Moore Engineering prepared three Cougars for 1967 and two of them were in the race: #98 driven by Dan Gurney, and #15 driven by Parnelli Jones. When the final flag fell, Team Cougar finished second behind The Mustangs and, by only two points, came in second in the Manufacturers Championship.
What If Team Cougar had won that last race in 1967 and become the Trans Am series Champs?
It would have been difficult for Ford to pull the plug on Team Cougar. Perhaps Dan Gurney, Parnelli Jones, and Ed Leslie would have gone on to win again in 1968. We will never know of course, but for certain, Mercury would have tried to make the most of the victory, and the best way to do that would have been with a commemorative vehicle.
This brings us to the G-Force Cougar. The G-Force Cougar is the creation of Rocket, as he is known on MC.Net. Rocket describes himself like this: Born Canadian car crazy, single, in love with Ford racing, owner of one of the coolest collections of rare Cougars anywhere. Rocket keeps his cat collection in Surrey, BC, Canada. I think his work speaks for itself.
This is one man's vision of what just such a car would have been. Even before the Cougar was introduced a collection of performance parts was assembled to "Sharpen the Cats Claws." These parts were used to assemble a Group Two street Cougar that was tested by both Road & Track and Motor Trend magazines. Read on for more details and pictures of this amazing Cougar.