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Home > Android Phone Reviews > Motorola Droid Pro
What's hot: A rare QWERTY-bar Android smartphone, Verizon world phone, fast, good business enhancements.
What's not: Tiny keyboard, display not among the best.
Reviewed December 12, 2010 by Lisa Gade, Editor
in Chief
The Motorola Droid Pro pulls me in two directions. The Android geek in me loves that it's fast, runs Android OS Froyo 2.2 and is built like a tank. The BlackBerry fan in me says "hello QWERTY-bar!", aloha Exchange ActiveSync and VPN support. But put it all together and you have a very competent Verizon world phone that's a jack of all trades and master of none. The Droid Pro's keyboard is tiny and slippery and had me pining for my BlackBerry Bold's keyboard. The small 3.1" HVGA display suffers from the same pixelated, though somehow sharp, look as Moto's recent entry level QVGA Android phones like the Flipout and Charm. It's not exactly a BlackBerry killer and it's not a top dog Android phone with the sex appeal of the Motorola Droid 2 and Motorola Droid X. What is the Droid Pro, then? It's a bridge phone that helps BlackBerry users who desperately want to get into Android find their groove. It's familiar enough in form factor to make that transition easier. It does push email for Exchange and Exchange services (not a vanilla Android OS strong point) better than average, it has basic profiles settings and it has a tricolor notification LED unlike most Samsung Android phones. It has remote wipe and VPN support so your IT guys will finally say "yes" to an Android phone.
The Droid Pro has the usual Verizon CDMA service with 3G EV-DO Rev. A and it has a SIM card slot. You know what that means, world travelers? The Droid Pro, like the Droid 2 Global, can work overseas on GSM networks. As per usual, Verizon supplies a Vodafone SIM and provides International roaming plans for an additional charge. The phone is locked to that Vodafone SIM card, but we hear you can get it unlocked if you've been a customer in good-standing for 60 days.
If you have a need for speed (and it happens that a NFS Shift demo is pre-installed), the Droid Pro is currently one of the fastest stock Android phones. It has a 1GHz TI OMAP ARM Cortex-A8 family CPU with PowerVR SGX graphics, 512 megs of RAM and Android OS 2.2, which is currently the latest and fastest Android OS release (at least until 12/16/2010 when the Samsung Nexus S on T-Mobile ships with 2.3 Gingerbread). All of that power packed into a business phone with a middling HVGA display-- this phone is a bit of a contradiction. Not that business users want to wait while their slow phone processes email and MS Office documents, but there's an excess of speed here for business tasks.
The Motorola Droid Pro and the BlackBerry Bold 9780.
Deals and Shopping:
The smartphone scores 1480 on Quadrant Benchmark, and that puts it near the top of the heap among unmodified (not overclocked) Android smartphones (the stock HTC G2 and myTouch 4G score higher). Need for Speed Shift, a tier one 3D racing game, plays flawlessly and the phone has no trouble playing FLV Flash video and locally stored high quality videos. But that 320 x 480 display is awfully small and low res compared to the 854 x 480 pixel Droid 2-- it's not the best for watching videos or playing beautifully rendered 3D games. Web page text is positively tiny in the default view, so you'll be pinch zooming and using the on-screen +/- buttons to bring things into focus. Email and texts are however easy to read and MS Office documents are clear. Motorola includes Quickoffice for viewing and editing MS Office documents and viewing PDFs. No, PDFs aren't best viewed on a 3.1" HVGA display.
In terms of design, Motorola took a page from Samsung's design book and gave the Droid Pro a gloss black plastic back with a white line pattern. Gone are the soft touch surfaces and metal of Verizon's other Moto Droid phones. The Droid Pro feels heavier than its 4.73 ounces and is solid and sturdy. The chrome sides are slippery but the phone's thick enough at 0.46" allow for a firm grip. The Pro has the usual Google Android front buttons in capacitive form for menu, home, back and search. The power button is up top as is the 3.5mm stereo jack and the micro USB charging port is on the phone's left side. There's an assignable button on the phone's right side (errr, BlackBerry Convenience key) that launches the calendar by default, and you can change it to whatever app you wish. The large speaker grille sits on the back as does the 5 megapixel autofocus camera lens and dual LED flash.
Reception, as we've come to expect from Moto, is excellent. Outgoing voice quality is superb and incoming voice is very good, though it does at times sound a bit digitized. The rear-firing speaker is very loud and clear, reminding us of the excellent speakerphone on the original Motorola Droid. As a voice phone, the Droid Pro gets top marks. For a business phone, we were a bit shocked by the collection of Droid ringtones that ranged from grating to embarrassing from a business user's perspective-- robots gone wild with a touch of R2D2 on burnt gear oil. Don't worry, there's a healthy selection of more pedestrian ringtones included and you can use your own MP3s as ringtones.
The usual wireless radios are on board: WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 +EDR and GPS. The Droid Pro comes with Google Maps, Navigation, Latitude and Places as well as the $10/month VZ Navigator. The GPS worked well with both Google's apps and VZ Navigator. The loud and clear speakerphone was easy to hear and understand in the car.
Video Review
Here's our video review of the Motorola Droid Pro:
Multimedia and Camera
The phone uses Google's standard music player and Gallery for photo viewing and video playback. The usual YouTube player is here as well as FLV Flash 10.1 video playback support in the web browser. You won't get the heavy level of multimedia customization found on phones like the Samsung Fascinate or Continuum, but those phones target consumers rather than business users.
The camera's 5 megapixel sensor with autofocus lens is standard for a higher end smartphone. The Droid Pro packs a dual LED flash for better than average illumination, though we didn't find that the phone took particularly good low light shots. Again, this is a business phone, so the camera clearly isn't at the forefront of Motorola's design considerations, and as such it takes just OK shots. Honestly, even business people (assuming they're allowed a camera at the workplace) like to take photos, so we'd like to see this consumer vs. corporate divide go away. That said, Motorola's Droid smartphones are excellent products, but none, regardless of target audience, have cameras that wow us. The Droid Pro's images have passable colors and sharpness but aren't extremely crisp and colors are a bit subdued. The camera can shoot video at a max of 720 x 480 resolution, and videos look a bit murky.
Internet, Email and Software
Obviously, the Moto wants to be a messaging phone, and it succeeds in terms of MS Exchange, SMS, social networking and other email support. The keyboard could be better, but for those of you who despise on-screen pecking, it's better than nothing. We had no problems with Exchange support and the phone got emails quickly (as quick as our desktop). There's a widget that streams new email messages to your home screen and Exchange ActiveSync support for calendar and contacts. We noted that some of our contact photos didn't sync from the server, and some users online have had issues with Exchange connections though we haven't had any yet.
The web browser is Google's usual excellent Webkit browser, graced with Flash 10.1 playback. Flash performance was a bit better than average among Android 2.2 phones with better frame rates and less browser slowing. Data transfer speeds were good over Verizon's 3G network, and for those of you who'd like to use the phone as a MiFi, it has Verizon's 3G Mobile Hotspot application (requires an additional monthly fee to use).
Since this is a business phone, Verizon and Motorola haven't mucked it up with too much bloatware or UI customizations. Verizon's VZ Navigator, Backup Assistant, 3G Mobile Hotspot and City ID are on board, as is Skype for VoIP calls. There's one game demo, Need for Speed Shift, and the usual set of Android apps. Motorola's most notable additions are the Authentec IPSec VPN client, Exchange sync and remote wipe apps.
The Motorola Droid Pro does the job intended: it's a gateway smartphone for those defecting from BlackBerry to the world of Android. It has the beloved QWERTY-bar design that's second nature to BlackBerry users, push email and a few solid additions to improve security. The Pro is solidly build though we suspect the gloss plastic back will disappoint Motorola Droid fans. The Pro has very good reception, is good for voice calls and Skype, and has solid battery life. Top that with Verizon's first class service and you've got a solid business fun with some Android coolness.
But it is a tweener phone of sorts: half BlackBerry and half high end Android. What we're left with are compromises of proportion: the keyboard is too small and not good enough to hold its own against the Bold or Curve, and the display is too small for an Android phone with this much power. Motorola has added some good software for business users, but we're not sure that makes Android secure enough to suit corporations accustomed to RIM's extremely tight OS and server software. That said, as an Android push email and messaging phone for business users? Overall the Droid Pro succeeds.
Price: $179.99 with a 2 year contract and $479 without a contract
Websites: www.verizonwireless.com., www.hellomoto.com
Display: 3.1" capacitive multi-touch LCD. Resolution:
HVGA 320 x 480, supports both portrait and landscape modes via accelerometer (can be disabled). Has proximity sensor, ambient light sensor and haptic feedback (can be turned off). Has tricolor notification LED.
Battery: Lithium
Ion rechargeable. Battery is user replaceable.
1390 mAh.
Performance: 1GHz TI OMAP3620 CPU (ARM Cortex-A8 family with POWERVR SGX hardware graphics acceleration). 512 megs RAM, 2 gigs flash ROM with 1 gig available for storage.
Size: 4.69
x 2.36 x 0.46 inches. Weight: 4.73 ounces.
Phone: CDMA dual band digital with 3G EV-DO Rev. A. Has quad band GSM and 3G 850/1900/2100MHz for world roaming and comes with a Vodafone SIM card. Has Mobile Hotspot feature (use your phone as a WiFi access point for notebooks and other devices).
GPS: Has GPS with aGPS and compass. Comes with Google Maps and Navigation and VZ Navigator.
Camera: 5.0MP autofocus camera with dual LED flash. Max video recording resolution: 720 x 480 at 26-30fps.
Audio: Built
in speaker, mic and 3.5mm standard stereo headphone
Networking: Integrated
WiFi 802.11b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1 +EDR.
Software: Android OS 2.2 Froyo. Has Adobe Flash Player 10.1, Authentec IPSec multi-headed VPN support, Exchange Activesync, remote wipe capability and SD card encryption is coming in 2011. Verizon apps: VZ Navigator, Backup Assistant, City ID, My Verizon Mobile and Skype. Other apps: NFS Shift demo, DLNA (WiFi multimedia home network streaming), Media Share and Quickoffice (create, edit and view MS Office files and view PDFs). Has Mobile Hotspot feature.
Expansion: 1
SDHC microSD card slot 2 gig card included.
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(Click one of the buttons above to either celebrate praises or pray for others)
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You may add your prayer request to our prayer wall using the form below. Once your prayer request is received, we will share it according to your instructions. Feel free to submit as many prayer requests as you like! Please note: Your email and phone number will NEVER be shared with ANYONE but our internal prayer team.* There are three ways to submit your request. Selecting "Share This" will allow your name to be seen on the prayer request page. "Share this Anonymously" will cause this request to show as "Anonymous" on the prayer page - but your name will still show to our prayer team internally so that we can pray for you. Selecting "DO NOT SHARE" will make this request not appear on the public wall but will still allow us to pray on your behalf with our internal prayer team.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Kuy: It Was Their Forest First
Prey Lang is arguably the largest area of intact indigenous land in Cambodia. About 200,000 people, mostly indigenous Kuy, live in 339 villages in six districts surrounding the forest. As customary forest custodians, the Kuy are not only dependent on Prey Lang for their livelihoods, but their social and spiritual traditions are also closely tied to it.
Even considering the large number of resident indigenous people and their long history in the area, the Kuy's legalclaims to the forest have not been recognized. This disregards both Cambodian constitutional provisions and rights guaranteed under the United National Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, to which Cambodia is a signatory.


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Does this only happen to me? Everywhere I go…I've noticed when walking towards oncoming pedestrians, I am always the one to have to slide over, or off the sidewalk, to make room for them. And, it's usually more than one person walking towards little ol' me. Why do I have to move? I've decided…I'm not doing it any more.
So, today I tried this out. While shopping alone at Target, two people with a buggy were walking towards me. On a side note, need I remind you that the rules of the road carry over to walking down an aisle at target, or through the mall? STICK TO THE RIGHT! Geez! Anyway, so I'm walking towards these people. I'm as far over to the right as I can be, without knocking things off the shelves with my hand-held carrier. They continued to walk head-on towards me…nope, I was NOT moving….and, apparently, neither were they! Their buggy hit my elbow…and they had the nerve to laugh, look at me like I was in the wrong, and say to each other "you'd think she'd have slid over!" WHAT?! I was not in the wrong, ladies, you were!
I am now on a one-woman mission to end crazy pedestrianism!! I will not move over for you…and I refuse to walk on the left…if that's they way you want to live-move to


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- Beschreibung
Providing Better Lens for Clearer and Sharper Surveillance Image
To solve different security issues, PLANET provides various camera solutions, among which the CAM-IR560V Infrared vari-focal camera that works with PLANET Digital Video Recorders or Internet Video Servers helps people to easily create a secure protection system for their daily lives.
The CAM-IR560V produces pictures reaching 700TV Lines (TVL) of horizontal resolution when integrated with the highly sensitive color Sony DSP 1/3" interline transfer Charge Coupled Device (CCD) image sensor. Its auto-iris lens will then adjust the amount of light that passes through the lens automatically to help form a sharp and clear image.
TV Lines are a measure of horizontal resolution that must be measured using a specialized chart like the one shown below. It helps to detect the number of TV Lines that a camera produces because the human eyes cannot detect them.
Dedicated Monitoring with High Resolution CCD
The CAM-IR560V is designed with the highly sensitive color 1/3" Sony 960H Super HAD II high resolution CCD image sensor with built-in Digital Signal Processor (DSP) chip-set to provide clearer pictures with higher sensitivity compared to conventional CCTV cameras. The DSP makes the camera process speedier and higher efficient, and save more electricity.
High Tech, High Quality, High Protection
The CAM-IR560V applies Digital Wide Dynamic Range (DWDR) technology to improving the visibility of the entire picture by providing the optimum gradation compensation for the image in one field based on the luminance information. Furthermore, the CAM-IR560V provides high quality images under all lighting conditions. Adopting the 2-DNR (Digital Noise Reduction) technology, the CAM-IR560V automatically reduces noises in low light environment and brings an extremely clear and exquisite picture quality even under any challenging lighting conditions.
Vari-focal Offers the Best Recording Flexibility
The CAM-IR560V built-in Vari-focal Lens with ICR 2.8~12mm / F1.4 provides a range of focal lengths allowing users to zoom in/out the image with one lens, which has the options of selecting a high millimeter setting for narrow viewing fields or a low millimeter setting for wider viewing fields.
Day & Night Functionality
For a clear surveillance image both in the day and night, the CAM-IR560V can prevent the annoying halo issue that always accompanies with the IR camera, with its 48 built-in IR LEDs that offer a long IR distance of up to 50 meters. A display resolution of 700TV Lines makes the still image clear even at night. Thus, the CAM-IR560V is able to maintain clear images 24 hours a day.
IP66-rated Housing for Indoor and Outdoor
In order to fit different security issues, PLANET CAM-IR560V is the better product of surveillance system to meet the demands from worldwide market. By providing IP66 weatherproof certified protection, 700 TVL high-quality images and long IR distance Infrared LED solutions, the CAM-IR560V must be the perfect choice for your indoor and outdoor surveillance system.
Ordering Information CAM-IR560V-NT 50-meter Infrared Vari-focal Camera (NTSC) CAM-IR560V-PA 50-meter Infrared Vari-focal Camera (PAL)
- Zusatzinformation
Artikelnummer 8658-0478-01 Administrator PLANET Lieferzeit 28 Tage
- 1/3" Sony 960H Super HAD II High Resolution CCD Sensor
- Employs Digital Signal Processor (DSP) chip-set
- 2.8~12mm Board Lens
- 0 lux Minimum Illumination at F1.4
- Maximum resolution 700 TV lines
- Viewing Angle at H: 33 degrees / V: 25 degrees
- Built-in high efficiency 48 IR LEDs for low lightness and long distance up to 50 meters
- Picture Elements NTSC: 976 x 494, PAL: 976 x 582
- Auto White Balance 1800K~10500K
- Auto Gain Control
- Auto Electronic Shutter Time (NTSC:1/60s~1/100,000s, PAL:1/50s~1/110,000s)
- S/N Ratio more than 60dB
- Image Enhancement with DWDR / 2DNR
- Video Output: 1 Vp-p Composite Video / 75 Ohms
- IP66 weatherproof certified protection
- Analog operation, easy install and fast reaction
- Downloads
Datenblatt cam-ir560v_vd-eu.pdf (1.5 MB )


text: GWM-IE Boilers Offer the Highest Efficiency that will Keep You Warm For the best in boilers, select the Lennox® GWM-IE high-efficiency, gas-modulating condensing water boiler. This product earned ENERGY STAR® certification and a 95% AFUE efficiency rating, which is up to 40% more efficient than regular systems. This unit proves that sometimes, less is more. More efficiency, more savings, more comfort for your family. Technology is the secret to the GWM-IE's efficiency. For example, these boilers include a modulating burner that operates primarily on a low-flame setting and changes settings as necessary. This produces an even temperature without turning on and off, so you can have a quieter home. Moreover, the condensing water feature we mentioned earlier helps trap in heat that would otherwise be wasted, thanks to specially designed tubes in the vertical stainless steel heat exchanger. Now that we've got you hooked, let's switch gears. The GWM-IE boiler is safer and more convenient than traditional boilers. A factory-installed low water cut-off switch guarantees safe operation. A CPVC flue condensate collector safeguards against corrosion and leaking. A wall-hung design makes it easy to mount on the wall so you can save space. We're convinced...are you? Check out the GWM-IE boiler product brochure to learn even more. Our Freschi Service Experts team in Antioch will help you with all the details to purchase and install a new GWM-IE boiler. Add the most energy efficient and reliable boiler offered by Freschi Service Experts to your home. Schedule an appointment with us today.


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The University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee (USFSM) has received confirmation that the Florida Legislature will once again provide matching funds for the Florida First Generation Program, one of the few remaining tuition funding programs that match donor contributions on a dollar-for-dollar basis. It is a need-based grant program available to degree-seeking, resident, undergraduate students who demonstrate substantial financial need, are enrolled in eligible participating postsecondary institutions, and whose parents have not earned baccalaureate or higher degrees.
"There is no more important mission for USF Sarasota-Manatee than to be able to provide opportunities for universal access to higher education and the Florida First Generation Matching Grant Program goes a long way in helping us realize that goal," said Dennis Stover, Regional Vice Chancellor for Advancement at USFSM. "It allows us the chance to serve those highly motivated, talented students who are limited by financial resources and have, historically, been underrepresented in higher education. To be the first person in your family to attend college sends a powerful message and creates a ripple effect that benefits not only the individual and their family, but the community as well."
For the 2011-2012 year, $90,500 was donated and, with the match, $181,000 was awarded to USF Sarasota-Manatee students meeting the criteria for this scholarship. Those interested in learning more about USFSM, scholarship and grant opportunities, or giving opportunities may visit www.usfsm.edu or call 941-359-4334 for more information.


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Page links; Related site pages – Book travel, hotels – Useful outside links – About us, Contact
On this page;
Information about Boursot's Wine Collection Shop in Ardres.
9 Rue de l'Arsenal, 62610 Ardres.
Proprietor; Guy Boursot.
Tel: 0033 321 36 81 46.
Opening hours: Tuesday – Saturday 10.00 – 6.00pm
You can now see a selection of New Wines on our list (click on these words to view that list)
It's fair to say that the difference between the many shops selling wine in Calais and the North of France, is whether or not they taste the wines they sell. Happily Boursot's certainly does. Guy Boursot is an expert and has been in the wine business in England for many years. Click here for a list of their wines and prices. Print latest wine list (PDF)
We found their range well chosen, with prices starting at just over £2 per bottle going all the way up through some delightful wines from the south, Burgundies, Rhônes and Clarets. Don't be put off by the drive to Ardres, it's only 15 minutes away and the very pretty town itself is well worth a walk around. After shopping at Boursot's Wine Collection there are some good and reasonably priced restaurants close by. Ask them where to go – they have arrangements with many who will give you a free kir.
On the way there is a Netto Supermarket for discount lovers, and just before Ardres is a Carrefour Market supermarket which also sells fuel. It's possible to enjoy a day out in historic Ardres and still make good use of your day in France shopping.
Run by an Englishman, it's also a good place to stop over or to base yourself in for a short break, with many pretty hotels and BandB's in and around the town.
Boursot's frequently run worthwhile evenings at local hotels offering dinner, with a selection of wine to taste. Usually there is someone interesting from a French vineyard who speaks offering advice and worthwhile background information.
The old square in Ardres is full of nice shops and restaurants.
Wine storage – Buying wine direct from the producer?
Boursot's Wine Collection will also take in wines that you buy directly from the vineyard so that you can hop across and pick up your cases at low French prices.
The shop is just off the square behind the church.
The Wine Collection holds tastings and dinner parties at some of the best restaurants in town.
From the port follow the signs for Boulogne and then at exit 46 for Ardres. Drive into the centre of the town. The shop is behind the church and main square.
The Boursot's Wine Collection shop is well laid out and attractively decorated.
This information is researched and provided by Day-tripper.net – the internet magazine for Calais Channel shoppers.
Wine and Beer Shops • About; French wine, Champagne • Prices; Beer, Champagne, Spirits, Wine • Wine Holidays
Office de Tourisme de l'Ardresis et de la Vallee de la Hem, Chapel des Carmes, BP 3, ARDRES. 62610. Tel: 0033 321 35 28 51. www.ardres-tourisme.fr


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Blood & Chrome Q&A with Executive Producer David Eick and star Luke Pasqualino
If you have not yet watched episodes 1 and 2 of web series Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome, you're missing out. Already critically acclaimed (and creating its own fandom), the series has just released episodes 3 and 4 as of today (see those below).
Last week, I had the opportunity to speak with Blood & Chrome Executive Producer David Eick and star Luke Pasqualino about the series.
Eick began by stating that in spite of previous reports that Blood & Chrome was originally filmed as a pilot episode for a television series, Blood & Chrome was always intended for the web. "I feel like there's a certain record to set straight which was a little bit frustrating to me a few months ago when I saw the headlines that the Blood & Chrome project had somehow been rejected or was a failed pilot or wasn't going to make it on the air," he stated. "It was always developed at least from my point of view as a project for an online environment."
Eick even went so far as to compare the Blood & Chrome project to the 1930's style of movie serials. "Where you have ten minutes of story and a cliffhanger followed by ten minutes of story and the cliffhanger. And then after ten of these episodes, it would all kind of resolve itself in a pre-act structure as a whole movie. And so when I set out to develop this, my thinking was to design a mission, so to speak."
But that isn't to say that the series was not considered for television. According to Eick, "I think where the confusion is that for a moment, the network, after seeing the script, said, "Gee, we don't want to rule out the possibility of just advocating the online venture altogether and throwing this up as a pilot for a traditional series to Syfy."
Pasqualino talked about the daunting task of stepping into Edward James Olmos shoes as the younger William Adama. Pasqualino admitted to not ever having watched Battlestar Galactica and decided the best course of action in taking the role was to remain in the dark. "The furthest thing from my mind," he stated, "was watching anything that Edward James Olmos had done because I think you're seeing this guy, this William Adama character, at two completely different ages and two completely different stages in his life."
Pasqualino did say that he watched the first (and only) season of Caprica in order to get a feel for the universe. He said, "Mr. David Eick made that a priority, kind of homework for me really and I loved it. To be part of the Battlestar franchise now and to be welcomed on board as this young William Adama character is truly, truly an honor and I'm very grateful for the opportunity."
So will we discover what happened to William Adama between being a young boy on Caprica to a young man on Blood & Chrome? Eick answered that question: "I certainly think we had every intention of exploring that interesting conflict between the William Adama who's committed himself to fighting in a war, whose father we've come to know in Caprica, who might have a very strong opinion against it."
If you have seen the videos, you'll know that the visual effects are absolutely stunning, especially for a web series. So what was the secret? Eick pointed out that instead of using a third party visual effects studio, like making television series have to do, they kept the work in-house. Not only did this allow them to produce something that looked big budget, he said that the truth was that it cost a lot less and allowed them to do more with the series. Eick said, "I think because of those factors, we've been able to create something that feels completely different from the Battlestar that people may have seen three and four years ago, but that nevertheless retains a certain echo of what we had done so the fans still feel like they're immersed in that same universe."
In reference to the green screens used during production, Pasqualino elaborated, "When I first came onto set and I saw this huge sound studio just full of green, I thought I was in some kind of field somewhere." For him, the key was all about honest acting. "I think to try and pull yourself out of the fact that you're actually working on a green screen and focus as much as you can on the material, the heart of the writing just became so much more important that we didn't even think about the green screen in the surroundings that we had."
In fact, Pasqualino praised the use of green screen for the project. "I didn't realize how lucky we were to be doing this all on green screen," he said. "It's taking slightly longer to air, but we had this opportunity to take this journey anywhere we wanted because we could literally put any kind of backdrop we wanted into this kind of sci-fi, Battlestar Galactica world."
What about the cylons? How do we see them just before they evolve to take on human form? Eick explained, "I think what the viewers of this Blood & Chrome story will discover is that as the Cylons embark on their decision to mimic and surpass human beings, which is a storyline that those who watch Battlestar Galactica knows all too well, they didn't do it overnight."
So will we see more Blood & Chrome in the future? Eick was hopeful, "There was absolutely the kind of very organic kind of evolution of where we leave the characters at the end of this story and what we would pursue as our next tale. And I'm very hopeful and optimistic that we'll be doing that soon."
That makes me extremely happy. I think we'll all want more.
Speaking of which, check out episodes 3 & 4 below:


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FIFA and the Tanzanian Football Federation (TFF) recently hosted the FIFA Women's Football Com-Unity Seminar in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania to help create opportunities for, and improve awareness of, women's football across the country.
"We are here for the good of football, and the good of women's football," said Leodegar Tenga, TFF President, at the opening ceremony for the seminar, which was held between 25 and 28 October 2011. "This seminar will bring a new era for women's football in Tanzania."
Over 75 participants from the TFF, government agencies, non-government organisations (NGOs), women's football clubs, media and sponsors attended the four-day seminar. The opening day was focused on grassroots football and the impact of women's football on social and educational development programs. Representatives from the TFF declared that, going forward, they will define the philosophy and pathways for identification and development of Tanzania's female players; increase the quality and quantity of coaches, referees, medical practitioners and administrators; and increase grassroots programming.
Challenges, however, include inadequate funds to properly run the sport and a lack of sports facilities in schools. Tanzanians are also constrained by gender bias and fuelled by continuing stereotypes of women's physical abilities and social roles. However, attending government and NGO representatives stated their clear commitment to ensuring equal opportunities for girls and boys to participate in every area of sport, from playing and officiating to administration and leadership.
"If we are really going to reach an international level, the girls need to start playing early, and we need to have leagues and competition opportunities for them," said Mayi Cruz Blanco Turner-Kerr, FIFA Women's Football Development Manager.
The responsibility to develop women's football in Tanzania lies in our hands as Tanzanians, and we have the obligation to shape a bright future for the game.
The second day of the seminar highlighted the role of the media to create a positive image of the women's game, and the role of the football association, clubs, coaches and players in promoting women's football. By creating a section dedicated to women's football on the federation's official website, building effective relationships with the media to raise awareness of women's football and developing a country wide publicity campaign, the TFF plans to change the current mindset about women's football in Tanzania.
Support from the media was apparent, as ITV – one of Tanzania's leading television stations – aired the final day's festival live to a national audience. "We decided to use our power to create awareness to the public at large of the need to give a chance to our own national women's football team, the Twiga Stars, and showcase their prowess in the game by sponsoring them," said Joyce Mhaville, Managing Director of ITV *and *Radio One. She continued: "The responsibility to develop women's football in Tanzania lies in our hands as Tanzanians, and we have the obligation to shape a bright future for the game."
The third day focused on the marketing and promotion of women's football and addressed how it can be developed as a product, including opportunities, benefits and expectations from sponsors. Working groups were challenged to develop a pitch from the sponsor's point of view, an interactive activity that garnered a healthy discussion.
"We need to take advantage of this euphoria. We can't let this go," said Ashford Mamelodi, FIFA Development officer for Southeast Africa. He continued: "FIFA has never doubted the TFF's commitment to this process, and now we want to see it continue. A few years down the line, we will proudly look back to this week and say: 'Yes, we did it!' We will have the Twiga Stars where we all want them."
The two instructors appointed by FIFA for this course were Amanda Vandervort from the USA and Namibia's Jacqui Shipanga. They each presented case studies in the areas of both communications and marketing.
The TFF leadership met with FIFA representatives to discuss recommendations and next steps, and they agreed to submit an action plan within the next 30 days. A press conference concluded the event, where TFF Executive Committee members shared their commitment and vision for the development of women's football in Tanzania.
"This has been a very special seminar – one of a kind," said Tenga. "The presence of all these people adds to our commitment to developing women's football in this country. I want to congratulate you for three days of hard work. I was here and I witnessed the deliberations. I saw something that we've never seen before. That energy, that zeal, that comes from everybody focused on women's football, and everybody saying that we can do our part."
The FIFA Women's Football Com-Unity Seminar ended with a fun and energetic football festival for 75 girls from the U-14 age group at the TFF Technical Centre. The festival was broadcast live on national television.


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AFP photo
In happier times: Allen Stanford celebrates with his Stanford Superstars cricket squad.
Search hundreds of donations from R. Allen Stanford, his company's political action committee and people affiliated with Stanford's businesses. The recipients are federal political candidates, parties and committees.
Just click on the "continue reading" link, insert the name of the candidate or political group and you can see how much Stanford and his associates gave to them.
And for our past coverage of the Stanford scandal, click here.
Click here to load this Caspio Bridge DataPage.


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Half-day guided hiking tour to the top of Dalsnuten
Get out of the city, get some exercise, and enjoy the breathtaking views of Stavanger's landscape and scenery on this half-day private guided tour to the top of Dalsnuten, "The King of Sandnes". This is a perfect getaway for a few hours exclusive to your group or family. The hike is suitable for most people and takes you 323 meters above sea level. A stop at the famous historical monument Sverd i Fjell (Swords in Rock) is included.
The hike to the top of Dalsnuten –
"The King of Sandnes"
The Dalsnuten mountain is located in Sandnes and has an altitude of 324 metres. A refreshing walk through easy and varied terrain to the summit rewards you with a marvellous 360 degree view. Dalsnuten is one of the most popular hiking destinations in the area, especially for families. On a warm day you and your party can take a swim in one of the lakes we walk by.
On the way to Dalsnuten we will make a stop at the famous historical monument Sverd i Fjell (Swords in Rock) in Hafrsfjord. Great for photos.
The guide will bring water, trail snacks and hot beverage. You should bring sneakers or lightweight hiking shoes and clothing according to the weather.
This tour is also perfect for cruise passengers who want a few hours getaway from the ship and the city.
Trip Overview
- Style: Half-day private tour with guide and transportation
- When: You decide. We adapt the pick up time to your time schedule
- Where: Pick up at your choice of location
- Distance: A 4km hike, ascent 241 meter
- Difficulty: Easy. Accessible for most people
- Duration: Approx 5 hours (incl transportation). The hike takes about 2.5 – 3 hoursPerfect for cruise passengers who want a few hours getaway to the nature
- Half-day guided tour from Stavanger to the top of Dalsnuten
- The company of local tour guide
- The 360 degree view
- The weather, the nature and the fresh air
- The monument Swords in Stone
- The awesome feeling after the hike
Who can go?
- Age 4 and up
- Easy, Accessible for most people
What's included?
- Transportation
- Pick-up and drop-off of your choice in Stavanger
- Local tour guide
- Trail snacks and water
- Photo service – we bring the camera and take pictures for you
What can be added?
- Trekking poles
You should bring
- Proper shoes and clothing
- Sunscreen if sunny
- Raingear if rainy


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Welcome to Our Daily Bread Designs Stamping In Time: On Assignment Challenge(SNTODBD31)! The assignment is Our Daily Bread Design stamps. The challenge this rotation is all about "New to You"! We are using NEW to You" as our theme. This means you can try out a technique or product that is NEW to you. You can use something new like your ODBD stamps, papers, embellishments that you may have had and not used yet, or just got in the mail. Or, you received something in the mail from a friend that is NEW to you and you want to use it! This rotation is all about adding something "NEW to You" to your card! We look forward to seeing what you create using ODBD stamps! Remember, the more you play the more you increase your chance to win!
Check out all the gorgeous samples created by the ODBD designers with the "New to You" challenge. Please check out the blog links for more details and to leave some lovin' Thanks so much!
Angie has used a new stamp from "Scripture Collection 5" and new Memory Box "Minuet" designer paper, along with large baby blue pearls by Zva Creative.
Thanks so much to everyone who played along! Never know, the next Stamping In Time WINNER could be you!
- You must use ODBD Stamps! Other stamps allowed, but ODBD images need to be the focus!
- Use keyword codes SNTODBD31 and ODBD when linking to SCS or public gallery.
- Be sure to use the LINK to be eligible for the gift certificate drawing!
- If you use either your blog link or online gallery, please give a link back to this challenge page.


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Author's name: Jonathan Lewis, Marco Coletti
Author's Email: email@example.com, email@example.com
Date written: 7th Aug 2001
Addendum: 20th May 2002, 13th Oct 2005
Oracle version(s): 7.3 - 220.127.116.11, 9.2
A common question for users converting from MS SQL Server to Oracle is how to handle 'auto increment' or 'auto number; columns. A feature of MS SQL server for handling (typcially) primary key columns which have to be populated with meaningless sequence numbers. There is no direct equivalent in Oracle, but the combination of sequences and triggers comes close.
Marco Coletti: Another option available in Oracle version 9.2 is to use the built in SQL function sys_guid() for the default column value. (13th Oct 2005)
From the more detailed descriptions of this question it seems that SQL Server allows a numeric column to be defined with a 'default' mechanism that generates a new sequential number every time a new row is inserted into the table. I do not know if this number is lost if a transaction rolls back or if there is some mechanism to resurrect such numbers. I presume the number generated is there to act as a meaningless unique key.
There is no exact equivalent in Oracle. Default values are limited to constants, or 'pseudo-constants' such as the current user id, current date and time. There is, however, a mechanism that is similar in effect to the SQL Server autonumber. This mechanism requires the creation of a sequence and a trigger.
A sequence is an Oracle object that can be used outside the scope of a transaction as a high-speed mechanism for generating a sequence of numbers. This sequence of numbers may be cyclic, can be ascending or descending, can be bounded or unbounded, and can have a limit. You may want to read a reference document about sequences (based on Oracle 7.3) before you continue.
A trigger is a pre-compiled piece of PL/SQL code that executes when certain actions take place that meet required conditions. Under Oracle 7, triggers could only be associated with DML statements made against tables, but the range of options has expanded under Oracle 8.
An 'autonumber' column then needs you to do two things. Create a sequence as the source of the numbers, that you will store in the column, and create a trigger, attached to the table, which fires every time you insert a row; the trigger will get the next available sequence number and write it into the column. A code sample follows:
Sample of using Sequences and Triggers
create table auto_numb(
n1 number primary key,
v1 varchar2(20)
create sequence auto_seq;
create trigger aut_bri
before insert on auto_numb
for each row
select auto_seq.nextval into :new.n1 from dual;
rem Note that the trigger ALWAYS fires, so if the users supplies their own
rem value for the key column, then this will be overwritten by the trigger.
insert into auto_numb (v1) values ('asdf');
insert into auto_numb (n1, v1) values (88,'qwerty');
select * from auto_numb;
--------- --------------------
1 asdf
2 qwerty
To avoid this issue, you will probably want to enhance the trigger to raise an error if the incoming primary key column is not null, for example:
if (:new.n1 is not null) then
-20001, 'I supply the keys, not you'
end if;
select auto_seq.nextval into :new.n1 from dual;
This may not solve all your problems, of course.
If you are planning to use the primary key from this table as a foreign key to another table, how do you get the value back to your application ? One option, of course is to forget about the trigger and simply select the value into a local variable. Another is to use a new feature of Oracle 8, the RETURNING clause, possibly eliminating one reound-trip between the client and server. For example, in SQL*Plus:
Using the RETURNING clause in SQL*Plus
variable m_ret number
insert into auto_numb (v1) values ('asdf')
returning n1 into :m_ret;
print m_ret
One thing you should definitely NOT do is to create a trigger on the child table and try to use the currval feature of sequences to populate the foreign key column. It may seem cute and quick at first sight as a way of getting a parent and its children into the database in a single group, but since the trigger always fires what do you do when you want to insert further child rows some time later ?
Remember too the special threat of web-based applications. Web-based applications are essentially state-less. This means that a front-end could run two statements that appear to be related, but which are presented to the application server as two separate dialogues. If this happens, then it is quite possible that the application server has not maintained a session between the calls. Depending on the architecture of the application server, there are three possible results, (1) you get lucky, (2) you will get an error message saying that you can't call currval before calling nextval; or (3) you will attach yourself to a completely random session and get whatever value it happened to get the last time it acquired nextval.
Note: Only the owner of the table needs to be able to see the sequence.
Note: Watch out for anything that may disable the trigger.
A more exact equivalent in Oracle for the SQL Server autonumber feature (although the generated unique values are not numbers) requires to impose to the key column a default value with an expression involving the SQL function sys_guid(), which is available from version 9.2 onwards.
Oracle9i SQL Reference
Release 2 (9.2)
SYS_GUIDgenerates and returns a globally unique identifier (
RAWvalue) made up of 16 bytes. On most platforms, the generated identifier consists of a host identifier and a process or thread identifier of the process or thread invoking the function, and a nonrepeating value (sequence of bytes) for that process or thread.
A code sample follows:
Sample of using sys_guid() for the key column default value
create table auto_key(
id raw(6) default hextoraw(substr(sys_guid(),1,12)) primary key,
v1 varchar2(20)
rem Note that if the users supplies their own value for the key column,
rem then this will not be overwritten by the default value.
insert into auto_key (v1) values ('asdf');
insert into auto_key (id, v1) values (hextoraw('CAFE'),'qwerty');
select * from auto_key;
------------ --------------------
0300A920CE9E asdf
CAFE qwerty
Perhaps you noticed that in the preceding code snippet the raw(16) value returned by sys_guid() is truncated to raw(6). This is to economize on space, since I observed that on the same Oracle instance the last 10 bytes do not change. This behaviour is not guaranteed, but is confirmed by an informal test involving the concurrent insert of about 4 million rows from two distinct sessions.
Your application may be more safe using the whole raw(16) value:
create table auto_key(
id raw(16) default sys_guid() primary key,
v1 varchar2(20)
Further reading: Sequences (an article by Jonathan Lewis, based on Oracle 7.3) .
This question is also addressed by the following documents:
Suggested by
Referee's comments
Howard Rogers
Jonathan Lewis
One of several "discussion documents" on the Dizwell website that take the time and space to examine Oracle features properly.


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Three adult deer have been found dead in woods in Padiham – believed to be the work of poachers.
The grim discovery of the cut-up bodies of the roe deer were made by a member of the public walking in woods near Grove Lane last week.
Police have been informed and are investigating a number of possible leads.
It appears the deer were killed and then cut up for their meat.
Reports of the incident on social media generated an emotional response from the public.
One person wrote: "It is absolutely disgusting. Makes me so mad."
Roe deer are one of the most common breeds in the UK and can be found in most parts of rural England.
Anyone with information about poaching can call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.


text:
- Keynote: Future-Proofing MySQL for the World-Wide Data Revolution, by Robert Hodges
- Why, What, and How of Data Warehouses for MySQL, by Robert Hodges
- Multi-master, Multi-site MySQL Databases Made Easy with Continuent Tungsten, by Robert Hodges and Giuseppe Maxia
- MySQL High Availability: Power, Magic and Usability, by Giuseppe Maxia
- 1/2 day Tutorial: Using Tungsten Replicator to Solve Replication Problems, by Giuseppe Maxia and Neil Armitage
Robert Hodges (CEO and the original designer of Tungsten), Eero Teerikorpi (Chairman and COO), Giuseppe Maxia (Dir. of QA, renowned MySQL community activist), Jeff Mace (Dir. of Professional Services), Neil Armitage (Cluster Implementation Eng.) and our UK partner ForLinux will be in London the week of Dec 3-7, including Percona Live MySQL Conference: London 2012!
Should you like to set up a one-on-one meeting in advance, either at the conference or at your premises after the conference, please contact us!
We look forward to seeing you in London!


text:
6 Sep 2018
Temporary Compliance administrator, Guernsey | Guernsey,United Kingdom
Job DescriptionOur client is a firm of Chartered Tax Advisers is seeking to recruit a Compliance administrator. This is a temporary role for a minimum period of 3 months with a possibility of extension.
Overall purpose of the role:
• Input details of CDD documentation / information into Acumen database
• Re-file from old hard copy system to new system (scanning and filing)
• Ensure EDD and SOW held in file
• Keeping a separate log of CDD held
• Undertake open source checks on CDD subjects
The successful candidate will have:
• At least 3 years' compliance experience
• Proactive and able to use initiative
• Able to use Excel
• Acumen experience preferable
For more information, please email: email@example.com or call: +44 1481 723221. Please visit our website www.pa.gg for our latest vacancies.
Apply for this job by clicking the link below:
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text:
I Shoulda Known!
One of the nice things about the blog world is that people remind you when one of your bêtes noir pops up again. When the name "David Horowitz" arose in relation to "The Path to 9/11," a couple of the people who keep ePluribus Media running emailed me a link to a Max Blumenthal post at Huffington.
The bad blood between Max and David (if I may) is well documented. So, when I saw on Horowitz's blog, under the heading "Young Blumenthal's Foul Mouth," this: "Question: Was Max Blumenthal born a liar, or did his daddy just bring him up that way."—I shouldn'ta been surprised to find that Blumenthal wouldn't let that rest without response.
The core of Blumenthal's attack is this:
The Path to 9/11″ is produced and promoted by a well-honed propaganda operation consisting of a network of little-known right-wingers working from within Hollywood to counter its supposedly liberal bias. This is the network within the ABC network. Its godfather is far right activist David Horowitz, who has worked for more than a decade to establish a right-wing presence in Hollywood and to discredit mainstream film and TV production. On this project, he is working with a secretive evangelical religious right group founded by The Path to 9/11's director David Cunningham that proclaims its goal to "transform Hollywood" in line with its messianic vision.
Much of the post is a detailing of Cunningham's rightwing Christo-whatever background.
He does get back to Horowitz, though:
Since the inauguration of Bill Clinton in 1992, Horowitz has labored to create a network of politically active conservatives in Hollywood. His Hollywood nest centers around his Wednesday Morning Club, a
weekly meet-and-greet session for Left Coast conservatives that has been graced with speeches by
the likes of Newt Gingrich, Victor Davis Hanson and Christopher Hitchens. The group's headquarters are at the offices of Horowitz's Center for the Study of Popular Culture [now the David Horowitz Freedom Center—imagine that!].
Blumenthal connects this group to the Liberty Film Festival, which he claims is under Horowitz control and was instrumental in the creation of "The Path to 9/11."
If Blumenthal is right, and I do not see him as the liar Horowitz tries to make him out to be (I think it's the other way around—certainly, Horowitz has been caught being quite careless about the truth on numerous occasions), then Horowitz is a much more dangerous man than I have ever considered him. I've always seen him as something of a buffoon, a clown performing for the merriment of Scaifes and his other masters.
Either that, or… his incompetence is showing in the reaction to this piece of junk that he (perhaps) foisted off on ABC.
If we are lucky, this weekend could show changes in American culture in many ways—one of them being the complete destruction of the influence of David Horowitz.


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Improvised Drop Stitch Update
Just completed a swatch, dropping the stitch AFTER a solid knitted swatch was made. Because I was well into my scarf/wrap, with fantasy yarn, I got the idea for the drop stitch, called "matrix stitch" in the world of Knifty Knitter. Keep in mind that for me this is innovation, despite the possibility that long time knitters already find this information common place. When I searched the internet looking for instructions, I only found on how to do it from the very beginning and it doesn't look exactly like this. I have posted a pic below:
How this was done: I knitted 12 stitches across, then started by binding off 2 stitches, then actually allowed the next one to drop all the way down the swatch, then chained 5 stitches across to traverse the dropped stitch area. Then bind off next two, chained 4 across, dropped next stitch all the way down. I settled on using 4 chains across. At the very end, I had to leave 3 stitches because of the count across not being even; but you know, I like leaving 3 knitted stitches on both ends to make a sort of border as opposed to using 2 stitches. I love how this shows off the glitteriness of the yarn even more. Dropping the stitches definitely adds mega width to the original width. This swatch literally doubled in width. I like that. The only draw back is that the process of dropping the stitches all the way down, all the way across, will be a lot of work. I will need to make sure that it runs all the way down on every column, the mohair gets tangled up and I'll have to gently pick it out (maybe cut it) to make sure that I don't ruin it.
I am really excited about this project and can't wait to get it finished. The other night I went out on a break night for the first time in weeks and spent the time in Starbucks and worked on my three current projects, the Log Cabin Blanket, Black Fingerless Opera Gloves, and this wrap.
Have a Great Day!
No comments yet.


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VIA PRESS RELEASE | Yeah Yeah Yeahs have announced details of a vinyl reissue of their seminal, ground-breaking debut, Fever To Tell, on October 20th through Interscope Records / UMe. The album will be available as a Limited Edition Deluxe Box, Standard LP, and Digital deluxe and standard re-mastered editions. Pre-Order for all editions from Sept 26th, with release on October 20th. "Shake It," a previously unreleased track from the Fever To Tell era, is available as an instant grat now via all digital formats.
Speaking about the release, the New York trio said, "A friend of a friend kept asking if we were ever gonna put Fever To Tell out on vinyl as it hasn't been on vinyl in 10 years. That's not right. So here it is on vinyl for the first time in 10 years plus a time capsule of photos, demos (1st ever recorded,) a mini film documenting our near downfall and other fun memorabilia, from the turn of the century NYC, made with love + the usual blood, sweat + tears of Yeah Yeah Yeahs."
One of the finest debut albums of recent times, Fever To Tell was released in 2003 and was influential in shaping the sound of the early aughts and beyond. Prior to its release, Karen O, Nick Zinner, and Brian Chase had already established themselves as a ferocious live force; Fever To Tell introduced a band who could play thrilling and frenetic rock'n'roll one minute and captivating, hushed ballads the next. Its meld of scuzzy riffs, angular grooves, and hypnotic hooks set a template that was often imitated over the next decade but the album's rare chemistry isn't easily replicated. It's a snapshot of an era that sounds just as mesmerizing as it enters its 15th anniversary in 2018.
In celebration of and in addition to the reissue, the band has announced shows in Los Angeles (The Fonda Theatre, October 25) and Brooklyn (Kings Theatre, November 7). These two exclusive underplays join the two previously announced 2017 festival appearances. Tickets for Los Angeles and Brooklyn dates go on pre-sale with the vinyl pre order September 26th, and general on-sale September 29th. More info and ticket links at yeahyeahyeahs.com
Fever To Tell will be released on two physical formats:
DELUXE BOX | The Deluxe Box will be signed and numbered and limited to 2,000 copies worldwide. It contains the original album newly remastered on 2 LPs, with nine unreleased demos, eight B-sides and rarities, and five newspaper lyric posters. It also comes with a 164-page hardbound photo book of Nick Zinner's personal photos and includes pages from Karen O's personal notebox, an embroidered iron-on patch, sticker, one photo card from Nick Zinner's personal collection that all three members will sign and a custom champagne cork 8GB USB stick that includes over ninety minutes of video content as well as the twenty-nine audio tracks on the vinyl. To top it all off, all boxes will be wrapped in red fishnet stockings. The first 500 Deluxe Box buyers will receive a bonus cassette with 4 additional exclusive, unreleased demo bonus tracks with handwritten labels by the band.
LP + NEWSPRINT | This version contains the original album newly remastered by Stephen Marcussen on black 180g audiophile vinyl for the first time ever and five newspaper lyric posters with exclusive photos by Nick Zinner, Spike Jonze, Lance Bangs, Julian Gross, Patrick Daughters, and Cintamani Calise.


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A wet Randwick track on Saturday will enhance the chances of Queensland mudlark Rudy in the Group 2 $175,000 Inglis Villiers (1600m).
Randwick has been rated a Heavy 8 on Friday morning following 43.2mm of rain falling over the last seven days with forecasters predicted more showers to fall today and Saturday.
Brisbane's leading jockey Luke Tarrant says the more rain the better for Rudy who has won four times from five starts on a heavy track.
"I'm praying for enough rain for them to still run but not too much so they can't," Tarrant told the Sportsman.
"Getting on a wet track gives us an advantage."
Tarrant has only been aboard Rudy at his last two starts for a second over 1350m at Doomben on November 1 followed by a sensational win when the Helen Page trained four year old came from three wide at the tail of the field to score a one and half lengths victory in the Listed $100,000 Tattersall's Recognition Stakes (1630m) at Doomben a fortnight ago.
The young jockey was most impressed with the win and is warning the Sydneysiders to sit up and take notice as he and Rudy both make their first appearance at Randwick.
"A lot of people have dismissed him and that makes me angry to be honest," Tarrant said.
"The run he put in last start was enormous. There wasn't a horse that came from behind all day. He came from three deep and last, circled the field and bolted in."
"I'm coming there to win, I have one hundred per cent faith in the horse and I think I can win the race."
"I don't want to see it any other way."
Tarrant is still riding in the apprentice's ranks with a 1.5kgs claim, but heads the Brisbane jockey's 2014 – 2015 premiership table with twenty-nine win, six ahead of his nearest rival Jim Byrne on twenty-three.
But things were not always rosy for the young rider who had to re-invent himself this year after spending too much time on the sidelines through careless riding suspension in 2013.
The wake-up call came twelve months ago when the twenty-year-old was suspended for six weeks for causing a fall at Doomben,his tenth suspension for the year.
"It wakes you up about the safety of the other riders but it also takes away your career for six weeks," Tarrant said.
"People can forget about you in that time and I thought if I kept doing this I won't have a job soon."
"It kept spiralling out of control so I had to straighten up."
Rudy is on the second line of betting at $6.50 for the Villiers with Ladbrokes.com.au just behind fellow Queenslander Sir Moments at $4.80.
Rose Of Choice, Estonian Princess and the Chris Waller trained Strawberry Boy all share the next line of betting at $7 with Festival Stakes winner I'm Imposing at $10.


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It is no great revelation that the American workforce has experienced a significant shift in attitude over the last 20 years. Gone seems to be the pride of workmanship. Gone seems to be the pride in self-sufficiency. Gone seem to be the days of gratefulness. This all seems to have been replaced with a "what can you do for me" attitude. This is not just a generational attitude either. It has seeped into the very fabric of who we are and how we see ourselves. I am hearing and seeing it everywhere, from all ages and all generations.
I encounter leaders who place the responsibility of success solely on their staffs and employees. They have a "you owe me" attitude – after all, they feel as though they have provided their employees with the opportunity to work. I see staffs and employees who feel their leaders and business owners owe them. After all, "I show up on time everyday and work my shift. Don't you owe me a promotion, a better opportunity, or a raise?"
This wrongheaded thinking and warped perspective has left us in a state of mediocrity. In no other area is it more evident than in the service side of the automotive business. Closing ratios and upsell penetration have been stagnating for over a decade. Undeterred, we keep waiting for the other guy – the dealer, the managers, or the employees – to deliver. We struggle with the "Quick Services" departments in which so many firms have invested. These departments' deliver numbers lose money and would put them out of business were they an independent firm or a chain like Jiffy Lube. But still, we wait. We struggle with customer retention. Instead of creating fresh ideas to address these issues, we slap a fresh face on the same level of service, hoping for different results. We deceive ourselves with false justifications: "The dealer will figure it out; my manager will figure it out; if I pay my employees enough, then they can figure it out." Simple solutions that take good old fashion elbow grease to execute get bypassed and ignored while waiting for the "other guy" to figure it out.
Enough is enough. It is time to stop talking, hoping and blaming. It is time to step up and be the responsible person you need to be, not only to succeed, but more importantly, to exceed. Here is how we are going to do it:
Step 1. Stop waiting and blaming leaders, dealers, and managers. Pay close attention. Every time I meet with service advisors and their support staffs, I bring home the following message: Your leaders did their job. They secured the land, built the building and stocked it with many millions of dollars of inventory. Your leaders did their job. They then hired a sales staff, trained that staff to close deals and monitored their successes. Your leaders did their job. Your leaders then set up an F & I department and trained the F & I staff to sell accessories and extended warranties that would tie the customer to the service department. Your leaders did their job. Your leaders hired a service manager that developed a plan to get the customer in the door and the customer came. Your leaders did their job.
But where I see leaders failing and continuing to fail is by stopping a few thousand dollars short and not training your service staff to succeed. We somehow believe that they will either figure it out for themselves or they will learn what they need from the existing staff by putting the employee through the most popular training class ever invented – the "follow him" routine. In one of the most critical areas of the equation, you fail. You fail your business, you fail your staff and you fail yourself. You allow a few thousand dollars and simple accountability to deny you the success that is right in front of you. You as the leader may have done your job in every other area, but you have failed, are failing, and continue to fail in this area. If you want your staff to be successful you must provide them with every essential tool they need to be successful and the main and most important tool you can give them is training in how to handle your customers.


text:
Children's Readings
God Calls Our Names
Opening Question: How many of you have had a nightmare so strong that you just had to tell someone? What was it?
First Reading: Isaiah 6:1-2a, 3-8
Danny saw a room with a great light. As he entered the room, the door closed behind him and the walls of the room began to close in on him. Danny began to panic; he felt his heart pound faster and stomach hurt from his fear. Danny cried out, "Mommy!"
Now awake, Danny sat up in bed. He still felt his panic, but, unlike his dream, he knew the reason for his fear.
The door to Danny's bedroom opened, and his mother peaked in the door. "I heard you scream, Danny," his mother said. "Did you have a nightmare?"
"Yeah, Mom," Danny answered. "And I know why I had the bad dream. I lied to you about cleaning my closet. I hope your not mad at me."
Danny's mom sat down beside him and gave him a big hug. "I forgive you," his mother whispered. "Clean it tomorrow."
"You bet, Mom!" Danny shot back.
Like Danny, Isaiah was afraid. He was a sinner who lived with a sinful people, a people who lived a lie. They worshiped God and then broke his law by cheating and stealing. But like Danny's mom, God forgave Isaiah and sent him to speak God's truth to the people.
We tell others about the things we experience, both good and bad. Danny talked to his mom about his nightmare. Isaiah told others about his vision of God. Both Danny and Isaiah changed from what they saw and changed what they did.
Bridge Question: How many of you have gone fishing? What happened?
Gospel: Luke 5:1-11
Reader 1:
The people crowded around Jesus to hear him preach God's word. He stood along the shore of Lake Gennesaret and saw two boats docked there. The fishermen had left the boats and were cleaning their nets. Jesus got into Simon's boat and asked him, "Put your boat out just a little." Then, Jesus sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he finished teaching, Jesus told Simon, "Sail out to deeper water and go fishing."
Reader 2:
"Teacher, we've worked all night long and haven't caught a thing," Simon replied. "But, when you give the order, we'll lower our nets." They lowered their nets into the water and pulled them back up with so many fish, the nets were tearing apart! "Come and help us!" they called to their friends in the other boat. After other boat sailed close by, the fishermen filled both boats up with so many fish, the boats almost sank! When Simon Peter saw what happened, he got down on his knees in front of Jesus. "Leave me, Lord," Simon pleaded, "because I'm a sinner!" Simon and all his friends were amazed at the large number of fish they caught. James and John, fishermen who worked with Simon, were also amazed.
Reader 1:
"Don't be afraid," Jesus said to Simon. "From now on, you'll catch people for me." They brought their boats back up onto the shore. Then, they left everything they had and followed Jesus.
Grandpa woke up Nancy before dawn. "It's time to go fishing on the lake," Grandpa told her. Nancy was too tired to argue, so she got dressed and followed Grandpa out the door.
The night was still black, but Nancy could see the eastern sky was pink; dawn was coming. Grandpa and Nancy set up on the shore of the lake and cast their lines.
"Grandpa," Nancy whispered, "why do we get up so early to catch fish?"
"Well, Nancy," Grandpa explained, "the fish are cold-blooded animals. Because the water is cold, the fish are not very active and they lie closer to the top of the water where it is warmest. And, in the morning, the fish are hungry. That means they will try to eat anything that might move. So, right before dawn is the best time to start fishing."
Nancy and Grandpa fished until 8:00 in the morning. Then Grandpa stood up and began to put his fishing gear away. "Time to go," Grandpa told her. "The water's warm, the fish are busier now, and most of then have eaten. Besides, if you can see them in the water, they can see you." Grandpa made his point.
Why was Simon so surprised by the number of fish he caught when Jesus told him to lower the nets? Because it was in the morning, when the fish would be easily caught. But they caught so many fish, two boats could barely bring hold them all.
Why did Simon ask Jesus to leave? Because Simon realized Jesus had the power of God. But Jesus didn't leave. In fact, he called Simon to follow him and catch people. Jesus renamed Simon as Peter and made him the first leader of the Church.
We can experience many things that will change us. We will feel bound to tell others what happened to us and how we have changed. Isaiah saw God in a vision and was changed. Simon saw God's power in Jesus and was changed. Both went out to tell others about God and his power. Let us pray God will help us do the same.
Closing Question: How can you tell others you were caught by Jesus?


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She has shared much with me already - especially photographs. She's been researching this family for years and is glad to share her knowledge with me - someone who has not done much on the collateral lines. Thanks so much Nancy!
Today I highlight her Great Grandfather, my 1st cousin 5x removed; Lewis S. Keener.
Lewis was born in 1841 to Thomas Ullery Keener (aka Ullery Keener; Ulrich Keener) and his wife Sarah Ann Kisner, in Fetterman, a town in now Taylor County WV. Lewis enlisted as a soldier for the Confederacy on May 13, 1861 and fought for Company A, 25th Infantry Regiment of Virginia and was promoted to the rank of Sergeant on July 9, 1864. He married Catherine B. Jackson on December 8, 1864, in Abermarle County VA and the couple was listed in the 1880 census for Whitehall, Abermarle, Virginia. Lewis and his wife had 7 children: James, John, Thomas, Catherine, Mary, Susan and Andrew. I had not even realized that a very large part of the Keener family had gone to this part of Virginia and a nearby town called Crozet - assuming (incorrectly of course) that they all remained in Taylor County because I was so focused on my direct line that I've not bothered to see where all the other brothers had wandered off to.
Nancy shared the photo below with me, of Lewis and his brother James Alfred Keener and their wives.
|Photo privately held


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I already protect my MacBook Pro with an InCase hard shell. Will this fit into the ICON sleeve?
I'm interested in the additional shock/liquid protection that a sleeve affords.
- Asked by fn from Fayetteville
Incase 15" ICON Sleeve with Woolenex for MacBook Pro - Thunderbolt 3 Port (USB-C)
Product No Longer Available
No Answers have been submitted


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Hi! I'm Jane Labowitch (Lab-oh-witch), and I am Chicago artist who also responds to my professional nom de plume, Princess Etch A Sketch. I started playing with an Etch A Sketch when she was 4. I played with the toy so much in my childhood that I inadvertently taught myself how to properly operate the toy. From that point on my etching skills grew with my drawing skills. While obtaining a BFA in Illustration at the American Academy of Art, I further honed my Etch A Sketch abilities outside of the classroom. My work has been featured on Reddit, CNN, the Huffington Post, Smosh, Buzzfeed, Cartoon Network, the Chicago Blackhawks Blog, the Disney Parks Blog, DeviantArt, and more.
Jane's ArtPrize Entries
These are Jane's official ArtPrize entries from this year and past years.
Jane's Past Work
These are images of past work that Jane has done.


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There was this old dude from Duluth
A bit grozzled and long in the tooth
He looked in the mirror
And shuddered in horror
And thought: when did I lose all my youth?
you mean i gotta wait all week?!? smiles...hmm...wonder where you are going?ReplyDelete
Photo inspired 160? I like it. Thanks for playing and have a solid Sunday.ReplyDelete
Oh it's a mini-series.. I like that!!
I've been feeling a little like the old dude from Duluth lately only in a woman kinda way!!
I love limericks and this was a good one!ReplyDelete
very good one,
will be waiting to read next part.
Happy Monday!
Brian: Yup. Sorry. Stay tuned.
MM: Thanks for visiting.
Katherine: A mini-series for sure. And I share your empathy with the Old Dude. Like a vampire, I'm avoiding mirrors these days.
Mary: You're first to mention that it was a limerick. I was thinking I'd not succeeded with that part. Thanks!
Jingle: Thanks. Stay tuned.
The Celebrate Poet of April Runner-up Award
two more on the bottom....
Happy Tuesday!
Reminds me of a lecture by Ram Dass. He held up his age-grizzled hand and said, "Look at this thing. Just look. All wrinkled and aged. If I thought that was me, I'd be horrified."ReplyDelete
i dont know what i am doing wrong, i left a comment on this on sunday but its not printed!!! I kind of saw a zombie looking a mirror wondering what had gone wrong...good 160 and looking forward to next partReplyDelete


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This is one bad bad mom. Her husband is home and the kids are sleeping and what is she doing? Fucking the neighbour in a shady as fuck motel room of course. On top of it all, those horny bastards decided to film the whole thing. Lucky us.
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Look At What My Sister Spends Her Time Doing
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the days of heat are back. humidity too.
today the speaker and i finished our shoot. we did one shot from the top of the eighty foot swing and went down that and then did the final third section from the top of the zip line platform. between the blob, the skyscraper, and the zip line, we have a quality product.
a couple of my starwood dv girls were super solid in their video making this week so i used their project for the nightly highlights. they were completely excited about this and this also saved us from making a highlight for today.
tonight was concert night so i did lights again for the rock show deal. fun and intense.
i don't have much time tonight.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
1 comment:
- the Albino Bowler said...
Hey. It was your page's layout that caught my eye. I like the way you let your thoughts flow. I've got to get back to my next chapter in the Kangaroo Rodeo, but just thought I'd say hello.
- August 14, 2008 at 11:48 PM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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It's a loaded evening of NFL preseason action with 12 games on the NFL DFS main slate on Thursday, which gets underway at 7 p.m. ET. There are plenty of ways for NFL DFS players to get in on the action, with FanDuel hosting a $50,000 NFL Preseason Snap and DraftKings hosting a $100,000 Preseason Special. Before you lock in any NFL DFS picks, you need to see what SportsLine's Mike McClure has to say. He has made almost $2 million playing daily Fantasy sports and, after analyzing every matchup and every player on Thursday's slate, is sharing his optimal DraftKings and FanDuel lineups over at SportsLine.
McClure uses a powerful prediction model that simulates every snap of every game 10,000 times, taking factors like matchups, statistical trends and injuries into account. This allows him to find the best DFS values and create optimal lineups that he shares only over at SportsLine. They're a must-see for any NFL DFS player.
For Week 1 of the 2018 NFL Preseason, where every player on FanDuel is priced at $6,000 and every player on DraftKings is $5,500, McClure loves Packers quarterback DeShone Kizer.
Kizer and Brett Hundley are battling to decide who will be Aaron Rodgers' backup in Green Bay this season, and Thursday's preseason game will go a long way in deciding who wins the competition. Both quarterbacks are expected to see their share of action against the Titans.
Kizer started 15 games last year for the Browns, throwing for almost 3,000 yards in his rookie season. He will look to capitalize on his experience as a starting quarterback to put up big numbers at home against the Titans, who will be without several key players on defense due to injury.
Another NFL DFS pick McClure is all over for Week 1 of the preseason: Browns running back Nick Chubb.
Chubb will be eager to impress in his first game as a professional. At Georgia, he averaged 6.3 yards per rush and 11.6 yards per catch while scoring 48 total touchdowns in 47 career games. He has the tools to put on a show against the Giants, who gave up over 120 rushing yards per game last season. Lock him in on Thursday and look for big upside in this situation.
So who is DFS pro Mike McClure putting in his optimal NFL DFS lineup for Week 1 of the NFL Preseason? Visit SportsLine now to see full optimal NFL DFS lineup for FanDuel and DraftKings from a professional DFS player who has almost $2 million in career winnings, and find out.


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Chic Pick: Gasoline Glamour Studded PumpPosted: June 30, 2010 Filed under: Chic Pick, Eva Pigford, Fashion, Shoes, Top Model 3 Comments
Look Of The Day: Tahj MowryPosted: June 30, 2010 Filed under: Awards, BET, Fashion, Look of The Week/Day, Red Carpet, Tahj Mowry 2 Comments
Chic Confession: Magazines GalorePosted: June 21, 2010 Filed under: Allure Magazine, Chic Confessions, Elle Magazine, Fashion, Glamour Magazine, Magazines, Teen Vogue, VoGue 10 Comments
Usually I people run out of closet space but if this was my only concern then my head ache wouldn't be this severe. My name is Chantal J and I am a "Magazholic". LOL On a serious note I think I'm addicted to fashion magazines. Everything from Vogue to Essence, Cosmopolitian, Elle, Vanity Fair, People, Allure, Lucky, Instyle, Marie Claire, Glamour… You name it. Funny thing is I'm only subscribed to one and that's Instyle. This is more than a confession though, I don't regret ever buying a single copy. Reading fashion magazines makes me happy, it clears my mind, it inspires me, gives me ideas its like I'm on a different planet.
D.I.Y: Distressed Denim CutoffsPosted: June 21, 2010 Filed under: Clothing, denim, Fashion 2 Comments
Rachel Roy Octopus RingPosted: June 15, 2010 Filed under: Designers, Fashion, Jewelry, must haves, Rachel Roy, Rings 4 Comments
Chic Pick: Louboutin Studded Lace Up OxfordsPosted: June 13, 2010 Filed under: Christian Louboutins, Fashion, Shoes 4 Comments
Fashionistas are always on the look out for the "it-shoe". I love oxfords!!! This shoe screams London bloke meets New York glam. This shoe $995 and can be purchased at Bergdorfs. For all the recessionista friendly readers (including me) Steve Madden and other brands has an alternative.


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Over the last few months, data governance has become a buzzword in the health care industry. As companies realize the importance of Big Data, they are also beginning to realize the necessity of implementing a data governance strategy. While a system that helps organize, protect and give meaning to data seems like a no-brainer, implementing an effective data governance strategy can prove to be challenging...especially for an industry as complex as health care.
In this slideshow, Dimensional Insight, the 2015/2016 "Best in KLAS" business intelligence/analytics provider, highlights six common challenges health care executives experience when it comes to data governance and how they can overcome them.
Related Topics : A Big Market for Big Data Jobs, Midmarket CIO, IT Management Automation, SharePoint, Technology Markets
The gig economy is clearly disrupting the tech industry, both in positive and negative ways. ... More >>
Is fake news a security issue? Some say yes, as it can be used as a social engineering tool to spread disinformation and conceivably to get unsuspecting users to click on malicious links. ... More >>
Executives at several top tech firms outline the skills they need now and in the near future, including IaaS and IoT security expertise. Other skills listed may surprise you. ... More >>


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Multiple types of laser have been used for skin resurfacing in the past. As with all resurfacing techniques, the depth of skin ablated determines the overall improvement while also incurring prolonged recovery. Anesthesia is similar to chemical peeling and recovery generally well tolerated.
Dr. Pero utilizes fractional CO2 laser technology to provide excellent clinical results with minimum downtime. Patients can expect some redness and swelling (like a sunburn) for 4-5 days on average following the treatment. The skin will undergoing smoothing of fine wrinkles, decreased irregular brown spots and pigmentation that continues to improve over the next several months. The results are long-lasting and can give you the glow you are looking for!


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Here's an article by former UPI president and chief operating officer Milton R. Benjamin that appear in the May 1987 edition of presstime:
(Editor's note: After about a year as a consultant to United Press International owner Mario Vasquez-Rana and five months as president and chief operating officer if the troubled wire service, Benjamin quit April 1 (1987) after disagreements with Vasquez-Rana over the path UPI should follow to regain viability. Benjamin has since returned to his Washington, D.C., consulting firm, Anderson, Benjamin, Read & Haney, which no longer is advising the UPI owner. Benjamin was asked by presstime to describe what he thinks UPI must do in order to survive.)
In early January, the CBS News program "Sunday Morning" tooka nostalgic look at UPI and its struggle to survive. Walter Cronkite, a war correspondent for the old United Press in his pre-CBS days, opined that "it's the breaking news story that is important--the ability to check one service against another. . . . I think this is a very important service in keeping newspapers accurate . . ." Added CBS correspondent Charles Kuralt: "For journalists, UPI plus AP stands for a system with built-in checks and balances."
Well, sorry friends. The American newspaper industry has done is own new math on that equation and come up with a different answer. If the desirability of across-the-board competition with The Associated Press is to be the raison d'etre for UPI's survival, the battle is over.
That is not to suggest no role remains for a new UPI. A UPI for the 21st century--with more experienced foreign correspondents, extending a U.S. journalistic presence to more world capitals than any newspaper or group can aspire to staff on its own--could well be of greater value than ever. Aren't the second and third tier of international capitals, after all, precisely where editors would welcome an earlier on-the-ground American reportorial presence when news breaks? Even in capitals where the AP is also present, aren't sensitive international political and economic stories exactly where editors most want a second (and preferably a third) version of the news?
An equally important role could be staked out by a new UPI at home. Again, it lies in coverage of government--in Washington, of course, but even more usefully inthe 50 state capitals. Beyond the indisputable need for more consistent and comprehensive coverage of executive branch agencies, the real opportunity lies in providing readers with a better view of how local political and economic challenges are being dealt with around the country. Which editor felt, as his state grappled with the liability insurance crisis last year, that he had an adequate perspective on how other jurisdictions were coping with the problem--or how his state's approach related to actions at the federal level?
But couldn't the AP do all these things if its members wanted this type of coverage? Of course. But if having a competitive reporting presence aggressively covering the news makes sense anywhere, most editors would vote to have a second set of journalistic antennae probing the nooks and crannies of local, state, federal and foreign governments.
The new UPI could be the extremely competitive source of this "high value" information--and at a considerably lower cost to newspapers than what most subscribers pay for America's second wire service today! My guess, based on discussions with editors and publishers of small as well as large newspapers over the past six months, is that many would be buyers of this type of "premium" top-end news service--including many who do not currently subscribe.
UPI's problem with its present positioning is the market, however, is that newspapers are being asked to write checks for an amount that comes all-too-close to their AP assessment for something editors want but for which publishers aren't willing to pay: competition in covering nuts-and-bolt stories.
INFRASTRUCTURE BURDEN. The reality of the 1980s is that U.S. newspaper publishers, large and small alike, no longer are willing to pay the freight for more than one news service of record to chronicle every two-alarm fire and fatal auto accident that occurs each day across America. And maybe that's not so bad. In an era where few newspapers directly compete and many are targeting their own resources on increasing the quality of stories rather than the quantity, one news agency giving a daily carpet sweeping to America, picking up every piece of lint on the landscape, may well be sufficient.
Most large newspapers--the papers that pay a disproportionate share of the cost of running a news service--largely don't run those limited-interest local stories anyway. And notwithstanding the loyal but mistaken belief of too many UPI salesmen that it is still possible to sell displacement, the small one-service newspapers that rely on the wire for those nuts-and-bolt local stories have largely gone AP to stay.
But if you are UPI, continuing to cover those locally-important-but-generally-of-little-national-value stories in all 50 states imposes infrastructure requirements that in aggregate leave you with an unsupportable cost structure. For starters, you wind uup maintaining news bureaus in far more cities than makes any sense economically. In New York state, for example, the daily flow of major news obviously mandates strong bureaus in New York City and Albany. But how do you rationalize the cost of maintaining bureaus in three other New York cities,while trying not to explode at the pressure to open one in Poughkeepsie?
Multiply that by 50 and you quickly come up with an imposing number. Then factor in the need to staff a significant number of the bureaus from dawn to midnight to make regular "check" calls and to take the phoned-in stories from stringers. (Don't think electronic carbons are the solution to this problem; someone still has to read and process the stories received this way.) Now you are up to a pretty substantial force of reporters and editors just to support UPI's infrastructure.
Even worse, most UPI newspeople today rarely leave the bureau to actually perform the kind of "premium" reporting that editors would buy as an add-on to what they get from the AP. Don't get the idea that UPI staffers are anything but the hardest working reporters and editors in America. UPI staffers are always hustling. But what keeps them occupied? Grinding out rewrites of local stories, packages of briefs, and updated headlines for rip-and-read radio stations.
That, ultimately, is the killer. No radio station is too small, its location too remote, its management too disinterested in news, for UPI's sales staff. In the competitive frenzy to keep potential clients--any clients--from falling into the clutches of the AP, they are encouraged to sign up every available pennies-a-week radio customer, ignoring the fact that each nickel of revenue adds dollars in costs to UPI's infrastructure.
Unfortunately, and I say this with sorrow because radio stations for years formed the loyalist core of the UPI client base, my new UPI would get out of the low-end radio market. Leave the rip-and-readers to the tender mercies of The Associated Press. Major market radio and television stations are another matter entirely. Their news interests and requirements are similar to those of newspapers. UPI serves this high-end broadcast market today better than the AP, and it clearly makes sense to continue to do so.
NEW DIRECTORS. But doesn't this strategy imply a very different UPI--a new UPI more focused on government and economics coverage? Of course. The new UPI's reporters still will be eager to cover major breaking stories. (Ever seen a reporter who wasn't?) But the difference is the new UPI may not--probably not--move the first bulletin on a major train-wreck in Oklahoma, though its coverage ultimately, may well be better than ever. And the new UPI will not beat the AP by six minutes on a double-fatal auto accident in North Dakota. It may not ever cover that story at all.
Doesn't this strategy also suggest a much smaller UPI in terms of total editorial staff? Absolutely. But the new UPI would evolve into a more-experienced, better-paid news service, with staffers in every state capital, selected economic centers, and about 50 major cities around the world. And notwithstanding the reduced body count, the new UPI would actually be doing far more original reporting than either today's larger UPI or the AP.
What about traditional UPI strengths such as sports and photos? Here, the future must be determined by the marketplace. As superior as these services may be, both are priced today in a manner not directly tied to the cost of production. If enough newspapers were willing to subscribe to these services at a price that would yield, a profit, there would be no reason they shouldn't be part of the new UPI. If not, the marketplace would have spoken--and it ought to be heard. No future exists for UPI divorced from the realism of the marketplace.
Unless it can find a new role that forces newspapers to buy the service as an indispensable information resource--and not as an act of charity--on what basis can UPI succeed? Will publishers and editors long want to buy and print a privately owned, stand-alone news service kept alive for some motive other than return on investment? I doubt it.
But from months of conversations with editors and publishers across America, I am persuaded "high-value" coverage of government and economic news in all 50 states, Washington and around the world is an editorial product for which there is a demand. I am convincedthe new UPI could produce and successfully market such a report at a price that would yield a profit.
But getting from here to there requires thinking about the new UPI in a new way--by publishers and editors, by UPI's editorial and sales staffs, and by its owners. Even then, success would hardly be guaranteed.
Nothing is more difficult than successfully repositioning a product in the marketplace. But absent such an effort, there simply is no hope of stanching the bleeding. And while American publishers and broadcasters owe Mario Vasquez-Rana a vote of thanks for keeping the patient alive, I see no chance for ever unhooking UPI from its present life-support system unless it steps up to the radical surgery that might yield a healthy future.


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Blogger Christmas Gift ExchangeTuesday, December 22, 2015
When I started blogging again back in April I was lucky enough to join these lovely ladies in their blog club. Not really a club but collective of great women who were all doing the same style challenges. We've since branched off and started even bigger projects and I'm so honoured to even be considered into their group. I remember reading about their gift exchange last year on each of their blogs and loving it. And now I'm apart of it. Woot! I drew Shaun's name and you can see what she got here.
To see what Carrie got from her Secret Santa - see here!
10 comments
Wow Nicole! That color looks amazing on you and the scarf is so versatile! And windowpane reminds me of Carrie so it's perfect that it's from her! Merry Christmas!ReplyDelete
no wonder you like a red lip, it's perfect on you!! that color is great and the scarf is gorgeous!! Well done Carrie!ReplyDelete
Confessions of a Frumpy Mommy
Did she ever get the colours bang on. Love the monochromatic against the red lips!ReplyDelete
Shoes to Shiraz
She nailed that lip color on you! How fun and that scarf, adorable!ReplyDelete
Hubba, hubba...you look smashing in that lip color. That photo of you is dreamy, with the soft scarf framing your pretty face. Gorgeous.ReplyDelete
That is a great gift!ReplyDelete
Daily Style Finds
I wish I could rock red lips like that! Sexy mama! Enjoy and Merry Christmas!ReplyDelete
And I'm so glad you've joined us! What a great gift - looks wonderful on you!ReplyDelete
That lip color looks great on you! And that packaging makes me feel a little guilty too, I totally just threw everything in a box.ReplyDelete
Great gifts...so fun!! You rock the red lip like no other!!! Beautiful scarf too...hope you had a Merry Christmas!!ReplyDelete