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Sports teams are going everywhere, from airport hangars to aircraft carriersJanuary 18, 2014 7:55 PM
In an era where billions of dollars are being spent each year to build shiny stadiums and glitzy arenas, one of the biggest trends in sports is to take games to unexpected places.
Hockey teams are playing outdoors in football and baseball stadiums. College football teams are playing bowl games in baseball stadiums. NFL teams are playing games in soccer stadiums each year in London. And college basketball teams have taken their sport to airport hangars and aircraft carriers -- yes, aircraft carriers.
"Sports in general have focused more on the fan experience," said Scott Branvold, professor of sports management at Robert Morris University.
"They're going to sell the game to purists, but for the casual fan, they want something more."
Television ratings have driven the movement. The success of the National Hockey League's Winter Classic, first staged in a snowstorm in 2008, prompted the league to add a handful of outdoor games each year. The six outdoor games held so far, two of which involved the Penguins, have been the six most-watched regular season games in the past 39 years.
This year, the league plans to stage six outdoor games total, including four as part of the inaugural Stadium Series that kicks off Saturday at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. The Penguins will play the Chicago Blackhawks on March 1 in the final game of the series at Soldier Field in Chicago.
But it is not just TV that has convinced the NHL that it can cash in on the event's success. According to the trade publication Sports Business Journal, the league generated $30 million in revenue from this year's Winter Classic through ticket sales, sponsorship and merchandise sales. The event cost the league $10 million to produce.
And with teams using such events to introduce retro-themed alternate jerseys, the merchandise has a long shelf life, as any Penguins fan still wearing one of the two blue jerseys from the team's past Winter Classic appearances can attest.
The biggest selling point for any of the sporting events held in unusual venues is novelty.
In the case of the outdoor hockey games, the NHL's efforts to build on the earlier success risk losing that novelty with oversaturation.
"This year is very much a test, an experiment to see how it's received," said Jon Miller, NBC Sports president of programming and the original architect of the Winter Classic.
No decisions have been made about the 2015 schedule, Mr. Miller said. The network, which owns the league's broadcast rights, will defer to the NHL, but it will offer input with ratings results.
The NHL is not the first league to try to capitalize on a novel concept. Major League Baseball tried to expand on its success with the All-Star game by showcasing two All-Star games per season from 1959 to 1962. The games were played in separate cities, often more than a dozen days apart.
The goal, The New York Times recently noted, was to earn more money for the players' pension funds.
Dwindling crowd sizes prompted the league to scrap the idea after four years.
"That kind of watered down the All-Star games," Mr. Branvold said. "There is no magic formula that tells you when you've done too much or gone over the line."
Some efforts at throwing a twist into the traditional game place have not worked as well as the Winter Classic. A college football game between the Northwestern Wildcats and Illinois Fighting Illini in 2010 at Wrigley Field, the Chicago Cubs' historic baseball stadium, was played using just one end zone after Big Ten officials feared there was not enough room between the end of one end zone and Wrigley Field's famed ivy-covered brick wall, though it was padded for the game.
All offensive plays and kickoff returns ran toward one end of the field.
That didn't stop Northwestern University from announcing last year a deal with the Cubs to stage five additional football games at Wrigley Field, though dates for those games are pending as the Cubs are still working through details of a planned $500 million renovation for the 100-year-old ballpark.
The NFL's trips to London don't generate the same type of TV interest in America as the other novelty events. But the goal is different.
The football league is trying to build its brand overseas with long-term hopes of establishing a franchise in London. It is somewhat similar to how the NBA stages exhibition basketball games in a variety of places -- from Pittsburgh to China -- though the NBA is more interested in building its brand than cultivating future hosts.
The NHL Winter Classic was created specifically with TV in mind. The concept was spawned by Mr. Miller, who was looking for a New Year's Day broadcasting event after his network's contract with the Gator Bowl expired in 2005.
He got the idea for an outdoor hockey game after seeing the Montreal Canadiens and Edmonton Oilers play an outdoor game in 2003, the original Heritage Classic, at Commonwealth Stadium, home to the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League.
Like the Winter Classic, the Heritage Classic is an annual NHL event featuring two Canadian teams playing outdoors in a stadium. The NHL's first outdoor game occurred in 1991, when the Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers played an exhibition game in Las Vegas.
The Heritage Classic borrowed the idea from Michigan State University and the University of Michigan, which in 2001 played an outdoor hockey game in Michigan State's football stadium in East Lansing. The "Cold War" drew a then-record 74,544 fans.
Since then, Michigan State has been at the forefront of the movement toward novel venues. It was the first school to play host to a basketball game at the 50-yard-line of a football stadium, allowing the school to sell more tickets. Previously, basketball games in domed stadiums had been staged toward one end zone for better sight lines, with most of the stadium's seats going unused.
The center field concept has been adopted at four of the past five Final Fours -- the NCAA men's basketball semifinal and championship games.
Meanwhile, on Veteran's Day in 2011, Michigan State and North Carolina played a basketball game on the flight deck of the USS Carl Vinson, the same aircraft carrier that six months earlier had carried the body of Osama bin Laden. It was the most-watched regular season college basketball TV broadcast in five years.
While there were no public tickets for the events (seats were occupied by servicemen and school donors), President Barack Obama scored a seat for the game.
The next year, six schools tried to mimic that success, but weather did not cooperate. Two games were canceled and a third was played in the midst of a gusty Pacific Ocean breeze. No basketball teams attempted an outdoor game this season.
By 2012, Michigan State athletic director Mark Hollis, the mastermind behind all of these moves, was already working on his next idea. Michigan State and the University of Connecticut played a game in an airport hangar on a U.S. Air Force base in Germany. There, servicemen watched the game from bleachers, specially built for the event.
"People want to see things that are different," Mr. Hollis said. "That's the challenge in business or anything you do. Once you set that bar, what's the next thing you can do?"
Mr. Hollis, who spent two years at the University of Pittsburgh as an assistant and associate athletic director in the 1990s, believes the NHL can sustain six outdoor games this year without losing much of the novelty.
"Much more growth on the outdoor games, I would start to grow concerned," he said. "Keep them special, not diluting it to the point where they become mundane or average. That's my concern."
Instead of repeating his own past triumphs, he is moving on.
He has a couple projects in mind, one of which is to take the Michigan State Spartans overseas again, perhaps to Greece to play in an ancient Olympic stadium.
"Nobody has new ideas," Mr. Hollis said. "They're always a collection of what others do, and you form it in your own mind."
Michael Sanserino: email@example.com, 412-263-1969 or on Twitter @msanserino.


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Everyone will know you have awesome style when you wear the Maple Starter adjustable hat from Nixon. It features a rubber brand emblem on the front along with brand tag next to the adjustable strap.
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About RickyRood
I'm a professor at U Michigan and lead a course on climate change problem solving. These articles often come from and contribute to the course.
By: Dr. Ricky Rood , 6:38 PM GMT on August 03, 2011
Is this year what we can expect?
In recent weeks a question I have been asked often, "is this year, the last couple of years, like what we can expect in the future?" The question is often asked quietly, perhaps by a planner, say, someone worried about water in their city. The question follows from not only a perception that the weather is getting "weird,", but also some small aspect of experience in their job. For example, a water manager recently said they were seeing their local river showing a distinct change to sporadically high flow in the winter, smaller spring flows, and extremely small flow late in the summer. Is this what I should expect in the future? The short answer is yes.
This question of expectation has rolled around in my head for years. I am a gardener with aspirations for small farmer. Over the last 30 years, I have definitely pushed my planting earlier in the year. When I was in Maryland, I felt wet, cool Mays were becoming the "norm," with my tomatoes sitting in sodden soil. At the same time I would recall plots I had seen in some recent presentation that showed modeled shifts in the warm-cold patterns suggesting springtime cooling in northeastern North America. These are the sorts of casual correlations that lead people to think are we seeing a new "normal."
In 2008 I wrote a blog about the changes in the hardiness zones that are reported on the back of seed packages. These are the maps that tell us the last frost date, and there were big changes between 1990 and 2006. These changes in the seed packets caught the attention of a lot of people. Recently, NOAA published the "new normal." This normal relies on the definition of climate as a 30 year average. (AMS Glossary) What was done - at the completion of the decade NOAA recalculated a 30 year average. That is, 1981-2010 rather than 1971-2000. This average changed a lot, with notable warming of nighttime minima. There was some regional reduction of summertime maxima; that is, cooling. All in all, the average temperature went up, with most of the increase in nighttime minimum, a fact that is consistent with both model simulations and fundamental physics. This also came with another update of those hardiness zones.
When trying to interpret climate information and determining how has climate changed and how will it change, the combination of observations, fundamental physics, and models provide three sources of information. The combination of this information and the determination of the quality of that information is subject to interpretation. In the case of determining whether or not we are already experiencing the climate of warming world and how that change will be realized in the next decades it depends on how we use the models.
In my previous entry on heat waves, I implied how to use these pieces of information together. There are fundamental physics in the relationship between temperature and moisture in the air; hot air holds more water; warm water evaporates more quickly. The question of the model is - how well does the model represent the movement of that moisture? For the heat wave example, it is important how well do the models represent persistent high pressure systems over North America in the summer? Are these high pressure systems represented well by the models for the right reasons? The answer to the model question has a range of answers. The model does represent these systems, but if you are an expert in summertime persistent high pressure systems, then you can provide a long list of inadequacies. How can we glean information about the quality of the model? If we look at weather models, then we were able to predict the heat wave – even with the inadequacies that the expert or skeptic can list. Returning to the climate model, do we see like events in the current climate, and do these events change as the planet warms? The answer is yes. Then can we use this to guide our development of plans to adapt to climate change? The answer is yes, if we can connect the model back to data and the fundamental physics. This does become a matter of interpretation – how strong or weak is that connection?
The more I work with planners the more I hear the need for interpretive information, expert guidance, advisories about climate and climate change. People start with the notion that they want digital data from climate models that looks like current weather data. Once presented with 1) the logistical challenges of using that data, 2) the complex nature of the uncertainties associated with that data, and 3) the relative importance of climate to other parts of their decision package – once presented with these facts, they move to the need for advice. This makes sense - most of us want a narrative weather forecast, rather than model output. And the models play the same role in the use of weather forecasts as they do in climate projection. The models guide our thinking, with the ultimate forecast based on that guidance refined by observations and fundamental physics.
This entry started with the question I hear more and more – is this year what we can expect more of in the future? I have a mantra which is that on average the surface of the Earth will warm, ice will melt, sea level will rise, and the weather will change. What we are seeing here is weather changing in a warming, more energy laden, environment. The extraordinary extremes that we have seen in the last year and are seeing this year are quite solidly connected to both fundamental physics and the guidance from climate and weather models. Hence, my answer, as I walk around my garden, thinking how to get better tomatoes next year, thinking about my irrigation system in my doddering retirement, is yes, what we are seeing this year tells me about what to expect in a future that is relevant to me - not something far off.
The views of the author are his/her own and do not necessarily represent the position of The Weather Company or its parent, IBM.


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Venus Vs. Airs On ESPN
Published July 02, 2013 12:00
ESPN Films' and espnW's film slate Nine for IX will premiere on July 2 on ESPN with Venus Vs.
Read the press release about the the Nine for IX project right here.
Venus Vs. details Venus Williams' fight to get female tennis players equal prize money as the men at the French Open and Wimbledon.
In addition to lobbying Parliament, UNESCO and Fleet Street, Williams wrote an op-ed piece in The London Times supporting her cause - with her wish being granted in 2007, the same year she won the fourth of her five Wimbledon titles.
Venus Vs. is directed by Ana DuVernay, with creative input from Billie Jean King and John McEnroe. A writer, producer, director and distributor of independent film based in Los Angeles, DuVernay won the "Best Director Award" at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival for her second feature film, Middle of Nowhere.
Other Nine for IX film topics include an intimate look at former Tennesse women's basketball coach Pat Summitt, the largely unknown history of Katarina Witt and her link with East Germany's secret police and the focus of sex in the marketing of female athletes. The movies, with the same producers as the critically acclaimed "30 for 30" film series, will air on consecutive Tuesdays starting with Venus Vs.
Created in March 2008, ESPN Films produces high-quality films showcasing some of the most compelling stories in sports. Founded in July 2010, espnW lives across television, events, films, digital and social platforms with a mission to serve women as fans and athletes.


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Web Stories
MLK student contest entries due Nov. 18
Posted October 13, 2005; 05:57 p.m.
The deadline for submissions for Princeton University's annual poster, essay and video contests honoring Martin Luther King Jr. is Friday, Nov. 18.
New Jersey students in grades 4-12 are invited to submit entries. Anyone with questions should contact Elizabeth Patten or call (609) 258-3601.
The University's 2006 King Day ceremony will take place Monday, Jan. 16, in Richardson Auditorium, Alexander Hall. Contest winners and their families are encouraged to attend the celebration, where winners will be recognized for their achievements.
This year's contest theme is "the power of the vote." Students are asked to express themselves in a way that could influence at least one person of voting age who does not currently vote to do so, while incorporating messages or themes from King's work.
Submission guidelines and rules for the essay and video contests and the poster contest are available online.


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Smoggy Sunsets
Light Refraction Creating Colorful Sunsets
Student Exploration
Is smog to thank for spectacular sunsets?
It is a common belief that increasing the air pollution of a region, while detrimental to our health and environment in many different capacities, will increase the beauty of a sunset. Is this accurate? What are the optimum conditions for a sunset that contains a rainbow of colors? Check it out: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=fact-or-fiction-smog-creates-beautiful-sunsets&page=2
Extension Investigation
- Based on the Scientific American article mentioned above and this paper by NOAA's scientist Stephen F. Corfidi (http://www.spc.noaa.gov/publications/corfidi/sunset/), now what do you think? Make a list of factors that affect the colors presented in a sunset (i.e. composition of the atmosphere, density of particles, clouds, etc.). Does smog make the most spectacular sunsets?
- People repeatedly report green skies right before a thunderstorm or tornado (http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=fact-or-fiction-if-sky-is-green-run-for-cover-tornado-is-coming). What do you think this could be attributed to? How is this similar to colors seen during a sunset?
- Martian sunsets are blue! Check it out: http://www.radiolab.org/blogs/radiolab-blogland/2012/apr/30/krulwich-wonders-most-peculiar-sunset/ Why are they blue? What color do you think sunsets on other planets are? Pick a planet in our solar system, research the atmospheric conditions, predict the sunset color, and provide evidence in support.
Resources Cited
Scientific American. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=fact-or-fiction-smog-creates-beautiful-sunsets&page=2
NOAA. http://www.spc.noaa.gov/publications/corfidi/sunset/
RadioLab. http://www.radiolab.org/blogs/radiolab-blogland/2012/apr/30/krulwich-wonders-most-peculiar-sunset/
L.C. Nøttaasen. Flickr. http://www.flickr.com/photos/magnera/3738093833/


text: just want to pop a thank to Liedra for her certification. i submitted an entry to freshmeat for the (poignant) guide last week or so. she responded with a very nice message that, though freshmeat didn't accept lit listings any longer, she had checked out the guide and found it appealing. something like that. then, i see her certification on my page and i just have to say: that's really classy. amazing that after a full year of sorting through (what must be) hundreds of thousands of submissions, you're still so dedicated and good to the users.


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The ABC Platinum BeeLine is an understable distance driver with incredible speed out of the hand and incredible glide down the fairway. The Beeline is certainly one of the farthest flying discs to ever hit the market.
ABC says:
The furthest flying driver to ever hit the market.
Compared to the flight of a Katana only with more glide.
You will be extremely impressed with this driver.
Premium plastic has every benefit available in a high-tech disc.
Available weights: 170 - 174 grams


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|Art of Casting Analysis, refinement of the cast
|Topic Review (Newest First)
|And ... as to the production Outbound lines, Simon G. recommends the 13 wt. (at 550 grs.) for the Atlantis. That 13 wt. may actually be lighter than some of the 12 wt. prototypes some have tried.
Hmm I must have got lucky because my intermediate airflo beach line is the right length and weight. Defintely not a prototype as those were really short. Wierd.
|Fred Krow
Rio Outbound Line Update
I quized Zack at Rio and received the following data on Outbound lines
The heads are measured at 37.5ft
5wt = 210
6wt = 240
7wt = 275
8wt = 330
9wt = 375
10wt = 425
11wt = 465
12wt = 510
13wt = 555
14wt = 600
Floating, Intermediate, T3, T6, and Type 8 densities
Fred Krow
airflo beach lines?
I checked in with Bears den fly shop today to see if these lines had arrived yet,the answer being no got me thinking about the post by Sean stating they were availible at Kaufmans,I mentioned this to Steve at bears den ,he calls Rajeffs sports to inquire as to the where abouts of the lines ,the answer he recieved was they have shipped sinking 9's and only sinking 9's the intermediate lines have not been shipped to their location yet and the lines that were availible at Kaufmans were the shorter head prototypes,Airflo has yet to reship any of the longer headed lines out yet.But they are expected any day now
|Having talked again to Rio folks, I think you've actually got the right numbers for the production line and I've got a heavier prototype. But we'll all soon see ....
Thanks for all the info. on line weights and your experiences. I will call Rio again and confirm if they had some changes between prototypes & testing lines vs. the production ready for release June 6, 2005.
Fred Krow
|FYI -- I just received a RIO prototype of the Outbound, a 12 weight intermediate head and floating running line. The listed grain weight is 595 for the head, not 510. After I cast it, I'll try to report results.
hey Alan, try both approaches and see what works for you. In traditional spey casting its common to do both - either reverse (cross-body) or switched grip casting. For me it depends on the specific cast.
Two-handed overhead casting is new to me, so I was practicing last night, in preparation for our trip. I found it easier to maintain the proper rod angle in overhead casting by switching the grip - left hand up. Using the reversed (cross-body) cast with right hand up, it was more difficult to load the rod belgian style (elliptically) on the backcast, and also harder to maintain the rod angled outward on the forward cast. I'm gonna practice a little more, left hand up...
see you in June!
I agree with Juro on the RIO lines. At the Sandy Clave (Oregon), the RIO lines seemed a tad heavy for their rating. Just a heads-up for those dropping ducats - if possible, try before you buy to get the correct match.
The airflo lines are defintely available from your local shop. Very nice lines. You can cast the whole 150' blindfolded. Seems your shop is the problem. Call site sponsor kaufmanns and they can get you one in a matter of days.
As for wind I cast left hand up but for a newbie the reverse cast is probably easier.
airflo beach lines
I had mine in hand and used them at the clave last saturday. These lines are available now.
Fred -
Not sure what the mix-up is but Sean Ransom had one at last weekend's opener and I was very impressed with it for the Surf-tamer, in fact it was amazing. I wouldn't' give up just yet, you just might have a change of heart when you try it.
However I can't say enough about the new Rio lines... I have tested the 10wt Int on the 9/10 Atlantis and LOVE it. In fact from the second cast on I was tight to fish so I never did make it back to the truck to get the other line to try on the Surf-Tamer (11wt and 12wt fast-sinking Outbound). The 10wt outbound is a great match for the All-arounder, although I might like the 9wt even better when I get to try it based on my general preference for a lighter line I can drive crisply using loop dynamics rather than weight.
The 11wt Intermediate was not available for testing yet but I think that's the one that is going to rock on the Surf-tamer. I have an 11wt sinker that is next on the testing block.
The 12wt was a touch heavy casting in a field but good for big flies or those who like a more positive load from grains rather than loop tension. I prefer the latter. The 12wts are not too heavy for the Surftamer but what I mean to say is that the 11wt might be crisper and ligher yet still assertive to cast.
I also tried the 12wt fast sink and that line has a definite role in the arsenal... fast rips and huge flies beyond the imagination are lofted like feathers to the backing knot, it's definitely fly fishing at a higher level.
Again, I really think the 11wt (judged relative to the 12wt) is going to be the ticket but let's not jump to conclusions until we try them first hand.
These new lines are really a revolutionary (or at least evolutionary) advance, not just hype. It's a significant improvement when a short head can be cast well over 100ft without losing it's shape, and these lines are just what the two-handed angler needed to rule the beach with a fly.
It's an exciting time for two-handed overhead fishing in the evolution of fly gear, no doubt about that thanks to our sponsors and innovators at Airflo and Rio.
It's not an easy thing to bring new products like these to market and I know we are used to big company response times but if I might offer some advice a little patience will go a long way here as both companies are about to deliver on a long-awaited need - lines that absolutely ROCK on the two-handed overhead rod made to suit the beach angler.
Atlantis & Rio Outbound Intergrated Shooting Line
I spoke with Simon G. at Rio on Monday about the new Rio Outbounder lines. Simon stated you has some pre-release lines for testing. Please give us your impressions on the 12wt (510gr) and 11wt(475gr) lines for the 11wt and 9/10wt Atlantis rods.
My understanding is the new Rio lines are 38ft heads in type F, I, T3, T6 and T8. Presently ready for release June 6, 2006 and will be made initially in 6wt - 12wt with 13 & 14 wt in the future.
I have given up on AirFlo lines for the Atlantis, we have been promised "next week" from Tim since last November and they are still N.A., I will go with the Rio lines for my CND 11ft rods.
Fred Krow
Kewl! The new lines from Airflo and Rio kick things up a notch as well.
With a cross-wind you can either reach across or go left-hand up. This is the same for spey casting as overhead 2hand.
with a little practice you will be bombing good casts
make the backcast smooth, horizontal and straight 180 from target
reach back a little in-line with the cast at the end of the backcast but don't let the rod tip drop (don't raise the bottom hand)
coming forward, pull the butt forward a bit at first then make a strong final *abrupt* snap locking the arms in a slightly upward position to send the line sharply forward
my top hand (right hand) is held back-handed to target for the cross-body cast
I like to practice left-up whenever possible, it really teaches the mind a thing or two about getting it right on strong side and cross-body (also called reverse) casts.
we'll put the reverse cast into a video clip and post it
Atlantis and wind
This is sort of a bump-up on the earlier wind discussion. After reading more than I could stand about the Atlantis last summer, I picked one up in September....and then promptly also bought the all-arounder 9/10 and started selling off a couple of my single handers! Yeah, I'm a complete convert.
But...I'm still definitely learning on these, and so here's my question. What's the best approach with a 2 hander when you have a sideshore wind on your casting shoulder? I admit I've been cheating often and doing the turn-around, sometimes just singlehanded... ....which is unsatisfying and clearly not the best way to go with a 2H.
So, is it best to angle the rod and just cast off of your other shoulder? Tried this for the first time this week, and found it awkward, but could see the potential, so I'll stick with it if this is the right way to go. Anyway, all advice appreciated. and thanks Juro and others for a really useful website.
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I'd also ensure my garage door is completely sealed so unwanted critters(mice) cannot get in and do damage.
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I'd also ensure my garage door is completely sealed so unwanted critters(mice) cannot get in and do damage.
Ditto #31/// .. Sunlover53
UPDATE! I was exploring on the internet, and it had said something regarding the chipboard which was that if you are around it too much, you would be signing your own death certificate. That was NOT good news. It went on to say it contains Phenol and formaldyhide (sp) which is cancerous. Was I going to have to give up my plan??? Well, I kept asking to find the answer I WANTED to hear! I had a complete inspection on the property yesterday, and was told that if I sprayed on KILZ that it would cut down 90% of the gas. It has to be sprayed, not rolled,so that sounds better, huh? Also he said to try to steer away from the carpet squares because they contain the formalyhide, too. After a while, it disappates (sp). Next step after the closing *should be the 26th) is to get some $$ estimates on this little venture. Thanks all for all of your input, it is greatly appreciated. And that screen over the opened garage door sounds terrific. I would increase circulation without the bugs, etc.
I wouldn't doubt that there are sites that say that. You don't even have to look hard to find warnings against everything there is, including dirt, grass, water, air, etc not to mention deodorant, bras, and every kind of food known to man. That said, they have to glue it with something and being surrounded by it in a small room may not be good and am curious why someone would put that in there instead of drywall, which I think would be cheaper. I'm not sure about "signing your own death certificate" though. And I don't know what is in Kilz but that stuff smells way more toxic than chipboard/oxboard. Or why it would have to be sprayed-I guess because they figure you can't spray it yourself and would have to pay someone (them?) to do it.
Almost all carpet contains formaldehyde so if you want to avoid that, go with laminate or something. Or paint the concrete.
The only thing that would worry me is to mouse proof the area. They will get in!!!!! My studio used to be in a garage till I out grew it. YOU will need lighting and electrical outlets, more than you think you will need. And heat and AC?
READ THE KILLS LABLE> IT WILL KILL YOU! My DH had nerve damage and mental lapses from using this product. Be very careful with it. He followed all the precautions and it wasn't enough to keep him safe.
Regarding paint, at Home Depot, (and many Lowes), they have mismatched paint and it sells for $7 a gallon. Of course, it comes in all colors but for the primer paint, it would not matter. With Kilz, you have to be sure to cover your arms too, it can get into your pores. I would say, try the children's tiles, or colored tiles, not the carpet tiles.
See what is in them first. They would have to be suitable for children. Then price them thru a carpet place first, then try BJ's or a place like that. I just got some at BJ's for my laundry room. They come in about 2' square. I think you could get them in any color. A light color would be great. You could always hang mirrors for more light. Have fun!
Another thing to consider, you could get regular bookcases and attach them to the wall if you could find the studs, that way they could not tip. I would say to use your 6" wide ruler and fold all your fabric that way. I really like mine and it does not cost to buy the boards. My closet is already full, one other wardrobe, and 6 more tubs to empty. Yes,
we are never done. Go for it!
I used carpet tiles for the floor in my sewing suite and my autistic grandson made the squares into a giant quilt block. It turned out really nice and he loves the thought that he did it for me.
aka bettybooptx
If you live where it is warm I would use stick and peel flooring from Alure..It is easy to put down and looks great...


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Thread: Breastfeeding as Contraception
12th August 2012 07:17 AM #1
- Join Date
- Aug 2012
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- 23
Breastfeeding as Contraception
Can full breastfeeding and 28-30 day regular menstrual cycle really prevent one from conceiving?
When I got pregnant with my second child, I was fully breastfeeding my 16 months old daughter (my first child). My monthly menstrual cycle was also regular at that time.
20th August 2012 06:25 AM #2
Hello Mum Jane,
Fully breastfeeding and having a regular menstrual cycle does not necessarily prevent ovulation.
In the case of your 16 month old daughter, I'm guessing she was getting food other than just your breastmilk which means she was not stimulating your milk production enough to keep you from ovulating.
The things that can help suppress ovulation are to fully breastfeed your baby so that breastmilk is the only food they are getting (this works until about 6-8 months of age) and co-sleep with your baby so that your baby is with you all night long and able to easily breastfeed when they want to eat or suckle to pacify (babies love to suck when they're first born, and suckling at the breast helps to keep ovulation from occurring). It's also important not to use a dummy if you want the highest chances of full time breastfeeding to keep you from ovulating.
But even some women who do this end up ovulating and having regular cycles again. Anytime you're having regular menstrual cycles, you can assume that you've ovulating unless you're trying to conceive and having trouble, or if your not seeing good signs of fertility.
The best thing to do is to watch your cervical mucus changes because you'll usually ovulate before your first period after giving birth.
Please let me know if you have any further questions.
Warm regards,
20th August 2012 09:30 AM #3
- Join Date
- Aug 2012
- Posts
- 23
Hi Kate,
Thanks for the response. I just want to ask more about the "cervical mucus changes" that I should observe. It would really help a lot if I will learn more facts on how to prevent conception naturally.
Again, thanks.
20th August 2012 10:10 AM #4
You can find excellent information in the following threads:
Signs of Fertility
Natural Birth Control - Natural Family Planning
Please let me know if you have any questions at all once you read those threads. I'll be happy to help you.
Warm regards,
21st August 2012 06:06 AM #5
Hi mumjane,
I just wanted to add that exclusive breastfeeding has been shown to be over 98% effective in preventing the return of fertility (an example of such a study is that by Jen O'Quinn). This is only during the first 6 months of breastfeeding (when you are exclusively breastfeeding) and the chance of your periods returning will be reduced if you 'ecologically breastfeed'. This means: breastfeeding on demand (day and night), sleeping in close proximity to your baby (e.g. co-sleeping) and being close to your baby in the day (e.g. baby wearing). The average time for a breastfeeding mum's periods to return is between 14 and 15 months. As you do not know when your periods will return it is possible to 'catch' the first return of ovulation in the month that your first period would return and get pregnant on this month.
You can follow Kate's really helpful advise to look out for the signs of ovulation.
Best wishes,
23rd August 2012 02:35 AM #6
- Join Date
- Aug 2012
- Posts
- 23
Hi Kate,
Your post about "Signs of Fertility" was truly helpful for me. I learned a lot from it.
Again, thanks.
25th August 2012 03:20 PM #7
31st August 2012 04:43 PM #8
- Join Date
- Aug 2012
- Posts
- 23
Hi LJ,
I really thought that exclusive breastfeeding could prevent conception. I once heard from a health care provider that it is possible to prevent conception through exclusive breastfeeding for about 2 years. I wasn't just familiar about the signs of ovulation 15 months after giving birth.
Again, thanks a lot.
31st August 2012 11:32 PM #9
Hi mumjane,
Exclusive breastfeeding means only breastfeeding and not giving your baby anything else (this is what is recommended for the first 6 months of life). Once your baby starts having solids (at about 6 months of age) and water then you are no longer classed as exclusively breastfeeding (even if you are not giving them formula) - and it is from this time that it becomes more likely that your periods will return. So exclusive breastfeeding is highly effective at preventing ovulation returning but not simply breastfeeding.
Whilst some mums do not find their period returns for up to 2 years whilst they are still breastfeeding, as it says above your periods are most likely to return between 14 and 15 months post-partum (after birth).
I'm glad the information has been helpful for you and I hope this clarifies things,
Best wishes,
Last edited by ljmarsden; 31st August 2012 at 11:34 PM.
2nd September 2012 10:55 AM #10
Hi LJ,
When did your period return, and when did you stop exclusively breastfeeding? Just curious as I've seen many women's periods return at various times, and the majority were before their babies were 6 months of age. Maybe that's because their child was using a dummy... not sure...
28th November 2012 06:06 AM #11
Lactational Amenorrhoea Method (LAM)
Breastfeeding as a contraception - known as Lactational Amenorrhoea Method (LAM) is 98% effective if the following is true:
- Baby is younger than six months
- Baby is fully breastfed (has had no other food or fluids)
- The mother's periods have not returned
If any one of these three criteria are no longer true - then LAM is no longer effective.
29th November 2012 08:38 AM #12
Interesting statistics posted by our resident midwife, Jane.
One of the things she mentioned that Lactational Amenorrhoea Method is 98% effective if the mother's periods have not returned. For me, my periods returned with all 5 of my babies at 4 months or earlier. I only offered the breast, but I also offered a dummy periodically (my children never became attached to them but there were times when they needed to suck, and I produced so much milk that their little tummies would get so full and then they'd throw up because the sucking they needed was causing them to take in too much milk.
I think it can be helpful if you don't use a dummy or bottle at all, and put baby to the breast often. That's probably the best chance of allowing lactation to suppress ovulation/periods.
Warm Regards,
30th November 2012 09:48 AM #13
Just to chime in, my youngest is 22 months old and still not having a period around here. I am also not showing any signs of fertility. My baby girl eats, but she still nurses pretty frequently, especially at night. I keep thinking I am pregnant, but have repeatedly confirmed I am not, just an anomaly I guess. lol.


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Enjoy this flavorful beef stew served over pasta - a slow cooked Greek dinner.
Skim the fat from stews or soups with a spoon, or place a slice of bread on the top of the mixture for a few minutes to absorb the fat.
Lamb is a frequently served meat in Mediterranean countries. You can use a small lamb roast in place of the beef if you'd like.
Feta cheese can be purchased in a variety of flavors, including herb-and-garlic and sun-dried tomato.
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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/0..._n_420365.htmlIn a study released by the International Journal of Biological Sciences, analyzing the effects of genetically modified foods on mammalian health, researchers found that agricultural giant Monsanto's GM corn is linked to organ damage in rats.
According to the study, which was summarized by Rady Ananda at Food Freedom, "Three varieties of Monsanto's GM corn - Mon 863, insecticide-producing Mon 810, and Roundup® herbicide-absorbing NK 603 - were approved for consumption by US, European and several other national food safety authorities."
Monsanto gathered its own crude statistical data after conducting a 90-day study, even though chronic problems can rarely be found after 90 days, and concluded that the corn was safe for consumption. The stamp of approval may have been premature, however.
In the conclusion of the IJBS study, researchers wrote:
"Effects were mostly concentrated in kidney and liver function, the two major diet detoxification organs, but in detail differed with each GM type. In addition, some effects on heart, adrenal, spleen and blood cells were also frequently noted. As there normally exists sex differences in liver and kidney metabolism, the highly statistically significant disturbances in the function of these organs, seen between male and female rats, cannot be dismissed as biologically insignificant as has been proposed by others. We therefore conclude that our data strongly suggests that these GM maize varieties induce a state of hepatorenal toxicity....These substances have never before been an integral part of the human or animal diet and therefore their health consequences for those who consume them, especially over long time periods are currently unknown."
http://www.thenewamerican.com/world-...ds-on-monsantoFollowing an explosive French study suggesting a link between Monsanto's controversial genetically engineered corn and cancer, Russian authorities have temporarily suspended all imports and use of the biotech GMO product until further safety testing can be performed. Officials worldwide are reportedly investigating the matter as well.
Russia's consumer-protection agency, known as Rospotrebnadzor, announced the decision last week, saying it had ordered the country's Institute of Nutrition to investigate the recent French university study. The regulatory agency has also reportedly asked the European Union for its views as the European Food Safety Authority vowed to review the research.
Kucinich Calls Out Monsanto


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HB 1106, which passed out of the House of Representatives on a bipartisan 37-27 vote last week, is scheduled for a public hearing tomorrow in the Senate Local Government Committee.
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I know this isn't a POTJ topic, but here goes.
I got this bad boy off EBay the other day. It's the orange-pad version. Took me six hours of gluing and deciphering the Japanese instructions to get him all put together, but I finally finished him. And I have to say that it's truly magnificent!
I have only one problem: the helmet. The only thing keeping it on his neck is a piece of...well...stuffing, or something. The point is, I can just lift his head clean off, and if he's turned upside down, it'll slide off, as well.
Anyone have any suggestions about how to keep the helmet more firmly in place, without sacrificing too much neck articulation?


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Mini Trout Clave this week end
Is anyone up for a trout clave this Saturday? or a Striper outing?
RE:Mini Trout Clave this week end
Nathan - gotta love your enthusiasm... you fishin' maniac!
Hey there's a Rhody SWFF mini-clave this weekend. I wanted to go but have appointments on Sat AM in town & Sun up north. Since the reports of Buzzards Bay fish and good reports from Nantucket Sound river mouths, Rhody should be a fine choice. I think Al D, GregO, and others are on the roster. No doubt ArtB will be fishin, maybe he'll be available for some sage advice on what's going on down there...
As far as trout, it's a no-brainer that the cape is fishing well right now in the kettle ponds. A trip to Nickerson would provide a double dipper opportunity - fish trout and stripers in the same trip! My recommendation would be a pairing of a NSP pond like Higgins (4x4 needed), Little Cliff (canoe needed) or Big Cliff (walkable) -and- a southside inlet as far to the SW as you can manage. There was a certain creek mouth I showed you last year that warms up very nicely due to the shoals, and the rockpile just as you walk from the car is an ambush point for bigger fish in May. Better yet the 20' deep hole at the entrance to Dowses (Osterville) usually holds fish even on a dead low. Why don't you hit Bass River and post a pre-clave report for us? http://22.214.171.124/images/flytalk/Wilk.gif
Another option for the trout side is Scargo Pond in East Dennis, just a short mile or so from the top of rte 134 where it hits 6A. Go left on 6A and either park and fish off the sandy beach or the cove on the right, or launch a canoe from the boat ramp and look for the plentiful rises. I do best as the gnats come off the water using a small foamhead emerger in black or blue dun -or- a bead head black wooly bugger. A tan biot stone nymph does the trick for me too for some reason.
Squanacook and Nissitissit are running nice and clear right now, and the temps are still good for trout. They've been stocking heavy, Walden got several hundred 14" plus fish middle of last week. Look for the swallows, they feed on the hatch on the lee sides of the wind where it's easier to cast. Canoe preferred.
RE:Mini Trout Clave this week end
Yo Nate,
3 of us headed to Rhody South County to fish West Wall and other locales at first light tommorrow AM. Email me if interested. Best chance for schoolies in New England, join us!
RE:Mini Trout Clave this week end
Terry, I doubt you will get this but I would love to go with you. Give me a call at 617-864-4251
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I have started a new thread series!
This series will now ONLY discuss the beast in the title of the thread (in this case The Sarlaac From The ROTJ).
This creature-beast has to be revisited. The Saga version (albeit recently released with a skiff and figures in a battle-pack) just did not cut it.
I will cover several unmade beasts for the toy line per week, choosing them from a rotating schedule through anything from the movies that still has not yet been polled for and a few from the Expanded Universe.
I'll order it ANH, ESB, ROTJ, TPM, AOTC, ROTS, and the EU, and then keep going back through the order in that manner.
So here I'm only asking you if you'd buy a new, bigger Sarlaac from ROTJ?
I bet this one can be done for $30 or $50 if we have to push it to get Hasbro motivated (depending upon the features with the toy as well).
Pack in only 1 figure: Boba Fett. He's the obvious choice and not "a regular" anyone would complain about. [I'd prefer a new skiff guard like the Weequay Skiff Master or someone else (other than Jedi Luke) but Fett is the most obvious and recognizeable character to really interact with the Sarlaac - uh in a way everyone digested :D ]
This sarlaac should be the mouth, molded into a sand base - just like the previous version, only about 6 times its size or greater (the sand base).
The creature itself could be 3 times the size of the first version.
The action feature that could be worked in is a circularly rotating track inside the mouth that is spun from a thumb-wheel on an edge of the sand base. This could move a level inside the mouth (of the classic trilogy part of the sarlaac) that a row of bendy tentacles are attached to. If the tentacles were posed grabbing any action figures, the rotation and gravity would pull them into the Sarlaac's mouth. Teeth would naturally rim the maw.
In the center, a gullet could be moved by a push-in lever to swallow the figure beneath the sandbase of the playset.
You could hold open the maw and insert the beak from the Special Edition if you want to make that version of the beast (the beak part included for optional display). A lever on the back of the beak would make the mouth open and close and it's throat would also be just wide enough to insert an action figure.
The rest of the sandbase would be big enough to support two of the current desert skiffs (or two new larger ones) circling the maw with their planks over the mouth. A potential Hasbro Sailbarge vehicle could be parked next to it with part of it too hovering over the sandy base of this beast / playset.
So do you want a new, bigger and better Sarlaac made?
What other features would you want on it?
Why would you NOT want it?
The only other beast from ROTJ that has ever been made was the Rancor which saw a recent resculpt / re-release. I don't intend to poll for it as it's near perfect. The bantha could also be polled for as a ROTJ beast, else I thought some EU from certain live-action specials could be offered in ROTJ's slot for future polls. I bet you know what I'm talking about. ;)
Anyway, how do you think a new Sarlaac From ROTJ would sell if produced?
Where do you see the retail price going with this one?


text:
Greenhouse GH-ERC-DMS
" I compared this ultra sound TwinBA IEM with UE700. UE700 and GH-ERC-DMS, both are dual/twin BA, but different tuned. audio source : iPod touch 4G 32GB and iPhone4G 32GB w/ ALAC or MP3 320KBps , 93~94dB normalized. Outlook and packaging: Oh, poor. outfit made with plastic and inner is seems to urethane. cable is really same as MEElec A151. ( shorter than..." --Raphael K
Ironbuds from Acoustic Forge - under $50 ecobuds
" I am tired of: throwing away earphones, wasting money, and destroying the environment. Ironbuds promised to be an answer to all three - imho they've cracked it. What is surprising is how good they sound. Been waiting a year for Acoustic Forge to release these. I posted in the forums about 8 months ago about them - but Thomas (the CEO) announced they were having some difficulties..." --intelegant


text:
MySQL Newsletter July 2009
Articles in this newsletter:
- Article: The New MySQL Server Release Model
- Twitter: Follow us on Twitter for the Latest MySQL Information
- Meet MySQL Experts at the Free and Open Source Conference (August 22 - 23, Germany)
- White Paper: Guide to MySQL for Microsoft Windows
- White Paper: An SMB Guide to Developing an Open Source Strategy
- Live Webinar: For ISVs - Using Microsoft ADO.NET Entity Framework with MySQL (August 11, 2009)
New Product Releases
- New Release of MySQL Server 5.1.36 (GA)
- New Release of MySQL Server 5.4.1 (Beta)
- New Release of MySQL Workbench 5.1.16 (GA)
- New Release of MySQL Connector/Net 6.0.4 (GA)
Hints & Tips
- White Paper: MySQL Storage Engine Comparison Guide
- White Paper: A Practical Guide to Migrating From Microsoft SQL Server to MySQL
- White Paper: A Guide for Migrating From Microsoft Access to MySQL
- White Paper: Developing Database Applications Using MySQL Connector/C++
- White Paper: Open Source Adoption in Telecommunications Service Delivery Infrastructure
- White Paper: Deploying FreeRADIUS with MySQL Cluster
- White Paper: Delivering Scalable & Highly Available Authentication & Accounting Services
- PlanetMySQL Blog Posts
- PlanetMySQL Blog: My first MySQL Cluster running on Windows
- PlanetMySQL Blog: Verifying MySQL Replication in action
- PlanetMySQL Blog: Remote MySQL replication setup with Gearman and MySQL Sandbox
- PlanetMySQL Blog: How to upgrade from MySQL Cluster 6.3 to 7.0
- PlanetMySQL Blog: Hiding MySQL passwords in the General Query Log
- PlanetMySQL Blog: Improved Indices for MySQL Reference Manual
- PlanetMySQL Blog: MySQL Performance on Sun Storage 7000
- PlanetMySQL Blog: MySQL - Refactoring a Stored Function
- PlanetMySQL Blog: Time To Upgrade - MySQL Workbench 5.1 Is Here on Windows, Mac OS & Linux
- Live Webinar: Managing MySQL in Virtual Environments with VMWare (July 28, 2009)
- Live Webinar: MySQL at Ticketmaster - Scaling for Huge On-Sales! (August 4, 2009)
- Live Webinar: Growing Small and Mid-Sized Businesses Fast on MySQL (August 13, 2009)
Training, Consulting, & Certification
- Training: MySQL for Developers (5 Days)
- Consulting: MySQL Performance Tuning & Optimization (3+ Days)
- Live Webinar: MySQL Backups - Zmanda Recovery Manager for MySQL (July 23, 2009)
- White Paper: Deploying Higher Level Building Blocks for Web 2.0 and Cloud Computing Datacenters
Article: The New MySQL Server Release Model
Robin Schumacher
When I joined MySQL back in June of 2005, one of the first "MySQL Truths" I learned and repeated often when discussing MySQL with others was "release early, release often." If you've been using MySQL for any length of time, you know what that statement means.
Read the Article »
Twitter: Follow us on Twitter for the Latest MySQL Information
With the increasing popularity of social networking and micro-blogging services, now there is a central place on Twitter where you can receive the latest MySQL updates, including new product releases, upcoming webinars, technical articles, newly-released white papers and other useful information. Follow us on Twitter to receive the updates automatically!
Meet MySQL Experts at the Free and Open Source Conference (August 22 - 23, Germany)
FrOSCon, the Free and Open Source Conference, will take place for the fourth time on August 22nd and 23rd in the University of Applied Sciences Bonn-Rhein-Sieg in St. Augustin, Germany. Come and meet with MySQL experts during the MySQL sessions and at the Sun Microsystem's booth.
Parallel to FrOSCon, there will be "OpenSQL Camp", a subconference about open source database technology. This track will provide two days of sessions covering a wide range of topics aimed at database developers, end users and DBAs. Call for papers closes on July 19th, so submit your topic soon.
Learn More about OpenSQL Camp »
White Paper: Guide to MySQL for Microsoft Windows
For many years, Microsoft Windows has been the most popular development platform and second most popular production platform for organizations developing MySQL applications. For some, this fact may come as a surprise given MySQL's ubiquity as the "M" in the open source Linux, Apache, PHP, Perl and Python (LAMP) stack. However, as we will discover over the course of this paper, MySQL on Windows continues to be a popular choice for independent software vendors, original equipment manufacturers, hosting providers and organizations developing custom web, departmental and enterprise applications.
Read this White Paper » (http://www.mysql.com/why-mysql/white-papers/mysql_wp_onwindows.php)
White Paper: An SMB Guide to Developing an Open Source Strategy
Not only is open source ready for the world's largest enterprises, it's ideal for small- and medium-sized businesses (SMB's) as well. With many SMB's expanding their operations on a limited budget, the open source option delivers a scalable, reliable and high performance platform that keeps total cost of ownership extremely low. Many SMB's are realizing significant cost savings by using open source products to power web sites, business-critical enterprise applications and packaged software. This paper is your guide to developing an open source strategy.
Read this White Paper » (http://www.mysql.com/why-mysql/white-papers/mysql_wp_smb_lamp.php)
Live Webinar: For ISVs - Using Microsoft ADO.NET Entity Framework with MySQL
Tuesday, August 11, 2009 - 10:00am PDT
The Entity Framework is a new technology that was developed by Microsoft and delivered as part of .NET 3.5 SP1. This framework abstracts the relational schema of the database and presents it as a conceptual schema. This is particularly beneficial for ISVs because by working with a conceptual schema, the commercial application developer avoids having to write complicated joins to connect all the related items of data, greatly reducing development time, resources and therefore, COGS. ISV developers can access their data using ORM-like classes, LinQ syntax, or with a new SQL syntax named EntitySQL, all of which further reduce COGS.
New Product Releases
New Release of MySQL Community Server 5.1.36 (GA)
MySQL Community Server 5.1.36, a new version of the popular Open Source Database Management System, has been released. MySQL 5.1.36 is recommended for use on production systems.
View the complete list of changes »
New Release of MySQL Community Server 5.4.1 (Beta)
MySQL Server 5.4.1-beta, a new version of the popular Open Source Database Management System, has been released. MySQL 5.4 is based on MySQL 5.1 but includes small, high-impact changes to address scalability and performance issues in MySQL Server. These changes exploit advances in hardware and CPU design and enable better utilization of existing hardware.
View the complete list of changes »
New Release of MySQL Workbench 5.1.16 (GA)
We're proud to announce the first General Availability build of our database development tool MySQL Workbench. Version 5.1.16 is now available on our download servers. On our final run towards GA release of version 5.1 we managed to close 13 bugs and a couple of small issues still found in our previous release.
View the complete list of changes »
New Release of MySQL Connector/Net 6.0.4 (GA)
MySQL Connector/Net 6.0.4, a new version of the all-managed .NET driver for MySQL has been released. This is the first post-GA release of the new 6.0 connector and includes several bug fixes from the initial GA release. This release is approved for use in all scenarios and officially supports MySQL servers 4.1 and higher.
View the complete list of changes »
Hints & Tips
White Paper: MySQL Storage Engine Comparison Guide
The MySQL Server is unique among database management systems in that it offers the ability to use many different types of database engines via its storage engine architecture. Not only are these engines developed by MySQL/Sun, but a number come from MySQL partners and ISV's as well. The end result is a very flexible and innovative environment that offers many benefits including higher performance and more efficient usage of hardware resources.
Read the White Paper » (http://www.mysql.com/why-mysql/white-papers/mysql_wp_storage_engine_guide.php)
White Paper: A Practical Guide to Migrating From Microsoft SQL Server to MySQL
This paper provides insight into what is needed for considering a move from Microsoft SQL Server to MySQL, and presents a number of options that help make the transition easy. Both the business and technical sides of migrating to MySQL will be dealt with, so whether you are a manager or a seasoned DBA, you will find the needed answers to questions that revolve around migrating to the world's most popular open source database - MySQL.
Read this White Paper » (http://www.mysql.com/why-mysql/white-papers/guide-to-migrating-from-sql-server-to-mysql/)
White Paper: A Guide for Migrating From Microsoft Access to MySQL
With the rapid growth of Open Source and MySQL in the database market, many corporations, government agencies, educational institutions, and others have begun to migrate away from traditional and expensive desktop and large-scale proprietary databases to more cost effective solutions.
In particular, many MySQL customers are migrating from Microsoft Access because they have reached the conclusion that the combination of enhanced scalability (both in terms of concurrent userload and overall data volume), cost-savings, platform freedom, and feature set of MySQL make for a compelling business case to offload some or all their Access applications to the MySQL database server.
Read this White Paper » (http://www.mysql.com/why-mysql/white-papers/a-guide-for-migrating-from-microsoft-access-to-mysql/)
White Paper: Developing Database Applications Using MySQL Connector/C++
This tutorial will show you the essential steps to build and install the new, elegant MySQL Connector/C++ driver, with simple examples to connect, insert, and retrieve data from a MySQL database. Application developers who are new to MySQL Connector/C++ but not to C++ programming and the MySQL database, are the target audience of this tutorial. Because the focus is on database connectivity from a C++ application, this document assumes that some kind of MySQL database is already up and accessible from the client machine.
White Paper: Open Source Adoption in Telecommunications Service Delivery Infrastructure
Reducing cost, accelerating time to market and enhancing subscriber experience are key drivers for investment by Communications Service Providers (CSPs) today, and open source technologies are playing a transformational role in enabling CSPs to meet these strategic goals.
Get the latest research from IDC and MySQL and learn where and why CSPs and technology providers are adopting open source technologies to power the next generation of network service infrastructure.
Read this White Paper » (http://www.mysql.com/why-mysql/white-papers/idc-analysis-of-open-source-adoption-in-telecommunications/)
White Paper: Deploying FreeRADIUS with MySQL Cluster
This guide documents a best-practice approach to configuring and testing a FreeRADIUS server deployed with the MySQL Cluster database storage engine serving as the back-end data store for user and accounting data. Deployment topologies and configurations are presented, enabling users to quickly and simply replicate the solution in their own environment.
Read this White Paper » (http://www.mysql.com/why-mysql/white-papers/deploying-freeradius-with-the-mysql-cluster-database/)
White Paper: Delivering Scalable & Highly Available Authentication & Accounting Services
This white paper discusses the concepts of current data storage solutions for Authentication, Authorization and Accounting (AAA) environments and their potential limitations as network use grows and services become more dynamic.
The paper then presents an alternative deployment scenario based on the FreeRADIUS Server and MySQL Cluster serving as the back-end AAA database, providing an infrastructure for high growth and availability, with low complexity. A sizing study and user case study are presented to demonstrate how the solution performs in real-world AAA environments.
Read this White Paper » (http://www.mysql.com/why-mysql/white-papers/delivering-scalable-highly-available-authentication/)
PlanetMySQL Blog Posts
The following blog posts are from PlanetMySQL. PlanetMySQL is an aggregation of blogs and news from MySQL developers, users and employees. It is an excellent source of all things about MySQL, including technical tips and best practices.
PlanetMySQL Blog: My first MySQL Cluster running on Windows
Andrew Morgan
I figured that it was time to check out how to install, configure, run and use MySQL Cluster on Windows. To keep things simple, this first Cluster will all run on a single host but includes these nodes: 1 Management node (ndb_mgmd), 2 Data nodes (ndbd), and 3 MySQL Server (API) nodes (mysqld).
Read the PlanetMySQL BlogPost »
PlanetMySQL Blog: Verifying MySQL Replication in action
Ronald Bradford
There is a very simple test to show MySQL replication in action and to also better understand the basics of MySQL Replication. With a configured MySQL environment we can run the following test on your MySQL master, and monitor the MySQL slave.
Read the PlanetMySQL BlogPost »
PlanetMySQL Blog: Remote MySQL replication setup with Gearman and MySQL Sandbox
Giuseppe Maxia
A few months ago, Brian Aker invited me to have a look at Gearman, saying that I could find interesting combinations with MySQL Proxy. I did not forget, and I kept thinking about interesting ways of using it. The first idea that I managed to apply is not related to Proxy, but to a practical problem that I have been keeping in reserve for years, i.e. installing replication systems from remote, without effort.
Read the PlanetMySQL BlogPost »
PlanetMySQL Blog: How to upgrade from MySQL Cluster 6.3 to 7.0
Johan Andersson
In order to upgrade from 6.3 to 7.0 you must follow these rules: 1. It is only possible to upgrade from 6.3 to at least 7.0.6! 2. You cannot upgrade from 6.3 to the multi-threaded binary of 7.0.6 in one go. You have to upgrade from 'ndbd' (6.3) --> 'ndbd' (7.0.6). Then you can do 'ndbd' (7.0.6) --> 'ndbmtd' (7.0.6).
Read the PlanetMySQL BlogPost »
PlanetMySQL Blog: Hiding MySQL passwords in the General Query Log
Geert Vanderkelen
There are situations where the General Query Log has to be kept running. One problem here is that when creating MySQL users and setting passwords, it will be logged in clear text. There is a bug/feature request handling this. Here is my workaround using MySQL 5.1 (and higher).
Read the PlanetMySQL BlogPost »
PlanetMySQL Blog: Improved Indices for MySQL Reference Manual
Martin 'MC' Brown
I continue to try and find new ways to make it easier for people to get into the right place in the documentation for the information you are looking for.
This week, I've added some experimental custom indexes. These use information from the ID mapping process that we use in lots of parts of the documentation to do some interesting stuff.
Read the PlanetMySQL BlogPost »
PlanetMySQL Blog: MySQL Performance on Sun Storage 7000
David Lutz
If you saw Don MacAskill's keynote (The Smugmug Tale) at the recent MySQL Conference and Expo, you know that he had lots of positive things to say about his experience running MySQL on the Sun Storage 7410 at Smugmug. The 7410 marks the current high end of the Sun Storage 7000 Unified Storage line of network attached storage devices. For the past few months, I have been investigating MySQL database performance on the entry level and mid-range models, to see whether they might provide similar benefits to smaller MySQL sites. I have to admit that I was more than a little surprised at just how well things performed, even on the entry level 7110. For the whole story, read on...
Read the PlanetMySQL BlogPost »
PlanetMySQL Blog: MySQL - Refactoring a Stored Function
Roland Bouman
I was just reading PlanetMySQL and noticed Mike Hillyer's recent post on a user-friendly age function for MySQL. Basically, this function accepts two DATETIME values and returns an indication of the time between the two dates in the form of a human-readable string. Just for fun, I decided to try and refactor it, and I'm writing this to share the results.
Read the PlanetMySQL BlogPost »
PlanetMySQL Blog: Time To Upgrade - MySQL Workbench 5.1 Is Here on Windows, Mac OS & Linux
Michael G. Zinner
We just announced the latest MySQL Workbench 5.1 release, 5.1.16. This release was labeled GA, which means that everybody using Workbench 5.0 or an earlier version of Workbench 5.1 is recommended update to Workbench 5.1.16.
We are now putting our main focus on the Workbench 5.1 branch and will continue to provide rapid update releases during the next months.
Read the PlanetMySQL BlogPost »
Live Webinar: Managing MySQL in Virtual Environments with VMWare
Tuesday, July 28, 2009 - 10:00am PDT
Join us for an overview of how to deploy and manage MySQL in virtual environments using the market leader in virtualization, VMWare. In this presentation Mike Frank, Sun Microsystems and Gaeton Castelein, VMware will demonstrate how and when to virtualize databases and provide criteria for choosing the right virtualization products. Also covered will be the associated best practices for running MySQL in a virtualized environment, plus a look at performance comparisons and benchmarks between physical servers and the VMware platform.
Read the White Paper "Virtualization for MySQL on VMware: Best Practices and Performance Guide" » (http://www.mysql.com/why-mysql/white-papers/mysql_wp_VMware_BestPraticesandPerfGuidev7.php)
Live Webinar: MySQL at Ticketmaster - Scaling for Huge On-Sales!
Tuesday, August 4, 2009 - 10:00am PDT
Ticketmaster.com (www.ticketmaster.com) is one of the largest e-commerce sites on the Internet and MySQL is the core piece that enables Ticketmaster.com to sell 141 million tickets in 2008. Join this informative webinar where Ed Presz, Senior Director of Database Engineering at Ticketmaster Entertainment, discusses how the decision was made to migrate from Microsoft SQL Server to MySQL in 2002, and how MySQL grows with the business and rapidly scales the website to meet the ever growing demand for tickets. In addition, the MySQL architecture and performance-tuning tips at Ticketmaster.com will also be shared during the presentation. Ticketmaster Entertainment, Inc. is headquartered in West Hollywood, California (NASDAQ:TKTM).
Live Webinar: Growing Small and Mid-Sized Businesses Fast on MySQL
Thursday, August 13, 2009 - 10:00am PDT
MySQL is a proven business-critical database that provides incredible scale and performance at a significantly lower total cost of ownership. At the same time, MySQL is also easy to deploy, easy to use, and requires low administration which makes it ideal for small and mid-sized businesses.
Join this webinar to learn how organizations like Clickability leveraged the benefits of MySQL Enterprise to rapidly scale their small businesses into successful enterprises. You'll also learn what MySQL offers and how it can be used to build a scalable, reliable and high performance platform in your fast-growing business.
More free MySQL webinars are scheduled and added between each Newsletter edition, so visit our website often for the most updated information.
View the full list of webinars »
Training, Consulting, and Certification
Training: MySQL for Developers (5 Days)
Irvine, Sao Paulo, Kuala Lumpur, Calgary
With an Authorized MySQL instructor and hands-on exercises you will learn how to develop applications with all the new features of MySQL 5.1.
This instructor-led course is designed for students planning on developing applications that make use of MySQL 5.0 and 5.1. This course covers essential SQL statements for data design, querying, and programming. In addition, it will prepare you for the MySQL Developer certification.
Register Now for an Upcoming Date » (http://www.mysql.com/training/workshops/mysql_dev.html)
Consulting: MySQL Performance Tuning & Optimization (3+ Days)
Sun's MySQL consultants rely on their expertise in web applications, data warehouses, clustering, and embedded systems in providing this service. A dedicated MySQL consultant will work closely with you explaining and implementing architecture and performance tuning optimization in the following areas - MySQL internals, query optimization, index tuning, caching and buffer tuning, hot spot and bottleneck identification, and storage engine selection.
Learn More » (http://www.mysql.com/consulting/packaged/performance.html)
Live Webinar: MySQL Backups - Zmanda Recovery Manager for MySQL
Thursday, July 23, 2009 - 10:00am PDT
Zmanda's MySQL Backup and Recovery Solution is the only comprehensive backup solution that addresses the unique needs of MySQL databases - such as highly scalable backups in very high transaction environments, and support for multiple storage engines. Zmanda Recovery Manager (ZRM) for MySQL now features Visual Log Analyzer to quickly discover point-of-recovery.
This presentation from experts in open-source backup and recovery of MySQL will demonstrate Zmanda Recovery Manager. We will walk through management and visualization tools for managing all backup activities of a MySQL DBA.
White Paper: Deploying Higher Level Building Blocks for Web 2.0 and Cloud Computing Datacenters
Today's data-intensive Web 2.0 and cloud computing datacenters face soaring costs and workloads. Even the latest advances in flash memory and multi-core processors have failed to address these scaling challenges. This paper examines how next-generation internet datacenter appliances leverage these technology advances to cut costs, simplify management, and effectively scale MySQL.
Read this White Paper » (http://solutions.mysql.com/solutions/white-papers/partner_wp_schooner_technology.php)


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[The Axial Age] highlights the conception of a responsible self... [that] promise[s] man for the first time that he can understand the fundamental structure of reality and through salvation participate actively in it.
Robert N Bellah, "Religious Evolution", American Sociological Review, Vol. 29, No. 3.
[To make] of each individual member of the army a soldier who, in character, capability, and knowledge, is self-reliant, self-confident, dedicated, and joyful in taking responsibility [verantwortungsfreudig] as a man and a soldier. — Gen. Hans von Seeckt
MacGregor Knox, Williamson Murray, ed., The dynamics of military revolution, 1300-2050
Civil Societya complex welter of intermediate institutions, including businesses, voluntary associations, educational institutions, clubs, unions, media, charities, and churchesbuilds, in turn, on the family, the primary instrument by which people are socialized into their culture and given the skills that allow them to live in broader society and through which the values and knowledge of that society are transmitted across the generations.
Francis Fukuyama, Trust
[W]hen I asked a liberal longtime editor I know with a mainstream [publishing] house for a candid, shorthand version of the assumptions she and her colleagues make about conservatives, she didn't hesitate. Racist, sexist, homophobic, anti-choice fascists, she offered, smiling but meaning it.
Harry Stein, I Can't Believe I'm Sitting Next to a Republican
[T]he Liberal, and still more the subspecies Radical... more than any other in these latter days seems under the impression that so long as he has a good end in view he is warranted in exercising over men all the coercion he is able[.]
Herbert Spencer, The Man Versus the State
These emerge out of long-standing moral notions of freedom, benevolence, and the affirmation of ordinary life... I have been sketching a schematic map... [of] the moral sources [of these notions]... the original theistic grounding for these standards... a naturalism of disengaged reason, which in our day takes scientistic forms, and a third family of views which finds its sources in Romantic expressivism, or in one of the modernist successor visions.
Charles Taylor, Sources of the Self
Families helped each other putting up homes and barns. Together, they built churches, schools, and common civic buildings. They collaborated to build roads and bridges. They took pride in being free persons, independent, and self-reliant; but the texture of their lives was cooperative and fraternal.
Michael Novak, The Spirit of Democratic Capitalism
For [the left] there is only the state and the individual, nothing in between. No family to rely on, no friend to depend on, no community to call on. No neighbourhood to grow in, no faith to share in, no charities to work in. No-one but the Minister, nowhere but Whitehall, no such thing as society - just them, and their laws, and their rules, and their arrogance.
David Cameron, Conference Speech 2008
As far as the Catholic Church is concerned, the principal focus of her interventions in the public arena is the protection and promotion of the dignity of the person, and she is thereby consciously drawing particular attention to principles which are not negotiable...
[1.] protection of life in all its stages, from the first moment of conception until natural death; [2.] recognition and promotion of the natural structure of the family... [3.] the protection of the right of parents to educate their children.
Pope Benedict XVI, Speech to European Peoples Party, 2006
No lesson seems to be so deeply inculcated by the experience of life as that you should never trust experts. If you believe doctors, nothing is wholesome: if you believe the theologians, nothing is innocent: if you believe the soldiers, nothing is safe. They all require their strong wine diluted by a very large admixture of insipid common sense.
Lord Salisbury, Letter to Lord Lytton
What distinguishes true Conservatism from the rest, and from the Blair project, is the belief in more personal freedom and more market freedom, along with less state intervention... The true Third Way is the Holy Grail of Tory politics today - compassion and community without compulsion.
Minette Marrin, The Daily Telegraph
In England there were always two sharply opposed middle classes, the academic middle class and the commercial middle class. In the nineteenth century, the academic middle class won the battle for power and status... Then came the triumph of Margaret Thatcher... The academics lost their power and prestige and... have been gloomy ever since.
Freeman Dyson, The Scientist as Rebel
mysql close 0
presented by Christopher Chantrill


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Monster Turbine Pro Copper In-Ear Headphones
" I was selected to review these headphones in exchange for honest review, that review follows: I have used a lot of different headphones of varying prices and have been enjoying the Monster Turbine Pro Copper headphones ever since I received them. In short, they are now my IEMs of choice. Before even listening to the headphones, I was impressed by the packaging and the way I could..." --schalliol
Miles Davis Trumpet High Performance In-ear Headphones
"Sound is neutral with a slight mid bass tilt. Highs and lows are well extended. Sound stage is large for an iem. The bass has some impact without being boomy. The treble is clear without roughness. Don't pull hard on the cable. The strain relief is not strong. Hold the Trumpet by the "mouthpiece" end when handling them. If you have the..." --Merfolk
Monster Turbine Pro Gold In-Ear Headphones
" Well, this has been quite the turn of events! I had auditioned a full-sized Monster headphone, which I felt rather negative about, but the Turbine Pro Gold (TPG from here on) caught me quite off guard. Overall, the TPGs are excellent sounding, have superior build quality to many earbuds and IEMs I've owned/seen and offer a wide array of tips for fitted comfort, so let's explore what makes..." --Landis
iBeats Headphones with ControlTalk From Monster® - In-Ear Noise Isolation - Black
"So I'm relatively new to the world of high end headphones, and I've started by experimenting with over the ear cans, I'll move onto IEMs eventually, but I feel like these guys get a bad rap. As for what I like, I like to listen to my electronic music, so the bright (and not overshadowed) highs and thumpy bass make for a good, enjoyable time. I wish the mids were as present, but this is..." --AtomikSound
Monster Miles Davis Tribute Jazz In-Ear Headphones
" I would say that burn-in is a must for this earphone. Before burn-in, the earphone sounded unimpressive. I almost wanted to return or sell it off. It sounded so much better after burn-in. The first thing that I noticed is the bass. There is a good quantity of it (once you get a good seal) but it is not muddy at all. It was very punchy. Using it for movies proved quite..." --regleo
Monster Diddy Beats In-Ear Headphones
"I bought these a year ago for $150. If you have a decent home theater system and you have a club, jazz or disco preset, that's what these sound like. They have a fun grungy club sound to them. I think they are overpriced for what you get, at the time I didn't know any better comming from apple earbuds and JVC Gummies. The bad think about these is they are HEAVY. I weighed theses against..." --JonnyRocket
Monster Gratitude In-Ear Headphones
"Thought I'd give a little love to this iem and write a quick review for it. In my opinion, its one of the closest that monster has gotten to its typical description of "clear highs, smooth mids, and punchy dynamic bass." Build Quality: These are definite build better than some of the other monster iems. Feels sturdy in its metal housing and the right angle jack feels sturdy. The right..." --Cotnijoe
Monster Cable Yao Monsters Solar In-Ear Headphones - Silver
Yao Ming and Noel Lee have created Yao Monster, bringing their passions to the world of consumer electronics and lifestyle products. Yao Monster brings revolutionary products of technology and fashion to share and inspire others. It is the unsurpassed fusion of east and west. It is a fusion of ideas and ideologies. It is a fusion of technology and fashion. It is a fusion of technology and life....
Apple iPod Nano 3rd Generation Premium Noise-Canceling Ear Buds from Radius (Black)
Atomic Strap is made of the same material as the iPod Nano, for the most seamless appearance. The soft strap rests gently on the back of your neck, bringing the ear pieces in perfect reach. Outfit your Nano in the skin that suits you and attach it to the base of the strap. Sound Design Atomic Strap shares the same ear pieces as Atomic Bass. The unique design creates the perfect acoustic...
Apple iPod Nano 3rd Generation Premium Noise-Canceling Ear Buds from Radius (Cobalt Blue)
Apple iPod Nano 3rd Generation Radius Color Aluminum radHeadphones is a Premium Stereo Noise-Reducing Ear buds that has a unique colorful metallic body with silicon ear buds. The Silicon ear buds comes with three different sizes (Small, Medium and Large) that fits smoothly inside your ears, allowing you to enjoy your music while reducing unnecessary noise around you. Ear Bud is slightly tilted...


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Upgrade Your Web Experience with R2i & Acquia
Join us for an evening in Baltimore's Inner Harbor to connect with a group of professional marketers and digital solution providers. The focus of the evening will be on the benefits of upgrading your web experience for both customers and marketers through:
- Responsive design
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You will learn more about the pending Drupal 8 release and Drupal Commons 3, a free social community solution. Learn how this and other Drupal features can help you better connect with your online community.
Find out from Acquia experts how and why organizations like Twitter, Mercedes-Benz, eBay, CrossFit and LinkedIn have adopted Drupal Commons.
Please click the link below to register for the event.


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LiverKick.com Exclusive Andy Souwer Interview
- Written by Dave Walsh
There aren't many kickboxers in the world that are as decorated as Andy Souwer is. Andy Souwer is a three time Shootboxing champion and a two time K-1 World MAX Champion, which in the world of Middleweight kickboxing is tremendous. Souwer is one of the few dominant fighters of the division, with his name forever etched in stone alongside the likes of Buakaw Por. Pramuk, Masato and most recently Giorgio Petrosyan. LiverKick caught up with Andy Souwer to discuss his relationship with K-1, what his future plans are in kickboxing and if he has his sights set on the world of MMA at all.
A big thanks to Team Souwer's manager Eddy Coutinho for setting up the interview as well as helping with the translations.
LiverKick.com: Have you ever had issues being paid by K-1?
Andy Souwer: K1 has paid everything they owed me. There are rumours about K1 not paying me, but that is not true. There was some delay in payment, but it happened.
LK: Were you surprised not to be invited to the MAX GP this year and how do you feel about K-1's future?
AS: I was very surprised not to be invited by K1. I won it twice and fought 4 finals. Very strange.
LK: What are your thoughts on his recent Pajonsuk fight?
AS: The fight was not exciting for the spectators. I was not totally recovered from my back injury and I had the feeling Panjunsuk did not really want to fight.
LK: How do you feel about facing Aussie Ouzgni?
AS: Aussie is the darkhorse in this fight, but he is very, very dangerous. He is very tall and has good knees and kicks. Aussie is not my favourite opponent, but to be the best you have to beat every opponent.
LK: How has your putting on mass in the past 3-4 years affected the way you train and prepare for fights? In particular, is it a large weight cut?
AS: Normally I walk around at 75 kg., so I only have to drop 5 kilo's. I am used to losing weight without losing strength, so it is no problem for me. I have a good team who helps me with training and advice.
After the break Souwer discusses his roots and future...
LK: How did you get started in kickboxing?
AS: I started kickboxing when I was seven years old, at the age of 16 I fought a world title fight and I won. At the age of 19 Shootboxing searched for a good fighter who was strong, but would not win the tournament. My trainer suggested me, but that was a mistake, as they wanted me to lose. I won the tournament and after that I won it two times more, hahaha, funny how things can go.
LK: Do you have a time in mind for when you would like to retire? Do you have something you wants to do after fighting?
AS: I want to quit fighting at the age of 30 (ed note: Souwer is currently 28). I am already busy with my own gym and some other things. First I have to be the number one in the world by beating Petrosyan before I can retire.
LK: What are your thoughts on the current political situation in regards to kickboxing in Holland and your thoughts on the combat sports scene in Holland, in general?
AS: I like my sport, but I also see that a lot of people use our sport for the wrong purpose. The political climate now is against our sport, that is bad for now, but it will take the bad seeds away at the end.
LK: Have you diversified your training over the years? Holland has a number of great gyms, do you jump around? How about his strength and conditioning programs? Does you train in Thailand or Japan?
AS: I have never trained in Thailand, because it is not at all similar to the Dutch style. My kickboxing is improving; I have a boxing trainer, a kickboxing trainer, a strength trainer, a physical therapist and a pads trainer. All of these specialists are to improve my fight style.
LK: How do you like Japan and its fans? Holland and its fans?
AS: I love Japan and its fans, over the years it has become my second home country. Fighting in Holland is very special every time. I have been away for a long time and I love every fight like it is my first.
LK: American fans love watching you, do you plan on fighting in the US any time soon?
AS: I love them too. I get a lot of emails from American fans and I am delighted. I will visit America soon for some training. Yeah MMA, here I come ; )


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In an earlier blog, I wrote that social media can transform how organizations operate. One important way it can do that is in helping create mainstream media (MSM) buzz in support of their brand. For any organization, this involves taking advantage of a changing media landscape which is characterized by: 1) a growing MSM online presence; 2) changing news cycle; and 3) reporters' growing reliance on social media channels for story ideas, breaking news, background and fresh voices.
Today, not only is real-time monitoring of social media chatter a must for news organizations, but traditional media organizations have begun using all of the tools in the social media toolkit to maintain market share and relevance. Strategies such as search engine optimization of stories, social amplification, and increased use of shareability-enhancing video, are being used by MSM to leverage social media traffic and influence and push their own online and traditional content.
In response to this changing media environment, organizations that in the past monitored traditional media channels and coverage as part of their environmental scanning, are now turning their attention to the monitoring of media chatter on social platforms. They are also using social media platforms to engage in conversations with reporters and news outlets, or push out statements, news releases and background information.
The most popular of these platforms is Twitter.Twitter is ideally suited for the real time nature of the modern news cycle. In fact, the immediacy of Twitter has contributed to changing the news cycle.
Before the rise of social media, radio was the medium that provided the greatest flexibility and ability to cover breaking news. Twitter has now outgrown its role as amplifier of mainstream media news to become a "news breaker" as seen in story of Osama Bin Laden's killing by U.S. special forces.
For organizations looking to use social media to enhance their MSM reach, Twitter can provide an important and direct channel to news rooms but it also means competing for attention on what is becoming a very crowded platform.
This means your interactions must be fresh, interesting and newsworthy. And it means building your network and community BEFORE you launch your campaign. Invest in getting to know editors, reporters and producers.
Tips on using Twitter for MSM relations
- Use Twitter Search to identify reporters that cover or are interested in your issues and start following them
- Listen. Use Twitter to learn about specific journalists' interests, needs, styles
- Build an early rapport, engage in conversations, be genuine
- Respond to queries in a timely fashion
- Provide value; become a trusted source for information, story ideas
- Be available for on-the-record comment, including online
- Use Twitter to inform reporters of upcoming media opportunities (press conferences, product launches)
- Post your news releases on Twitter
- Do not use Twitter to pitch your stories directly; paticularly if you have no rapport with a reporter
- Don't neglect personal, face-to-face interaction with reporters
Success in this new environment means being nimble and responsive, and it means understanding the reality of the modern news room: fewer resources and more pressure to break stories. Failure to do so means running the risk of being left behind when your story breaks.
In practical terms, this means all organizations have to take stock of their internal media relations procedures and streamline decision-making. It means empowering front-line communications staff to engage with reporters, frame the story and provide comment.
In this new environment, organizations–private or public–no longer have all day to ponder the text of a statement, news release, or Tweet. Overly cautious or bureaucratic media relations procedures will fail in the hypercompetitive real-time world in which MSM outlets operate.
Tags: mainstream media, media relations, news reporting, public relations, Social Media, Twitter


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By PATSY R. BRUMFIELD/Daily Journal
JACKSON – Twin bills before the Mississippi Legislature aim to strip the Public Service Commission of its powers to investigate public utilities.
One, Senate Bill 2322, may be considered today by a committee chaired by Sen. Nancy Collins, R-Tupelo.
Brandon Presley, Northern District commissioner, said the legislation seeks to prevent the PSC from correcting problems like those which arose in 2011 within the North Lee County Water Association.
"This bill is a misguided attempt to stop us from doing our job to protect the public," said Presley of Nettleton. "Monopoly corporations should not be left to their own devices … without any competition."
The bills seek to amend state law to deny the PSC subpoena powers and jurisdiction over "the governance, management and internal affairs of public utilities."
State law gives the PSC authority over intrastate business and property of public utilities, but the amendment would strip its ability to investigate or "interfere" with how they are managed.
House Bill 1135 is identical to the Senate bill and referred to the House Public Utilities Committee chaired by Rep. Jim Beckett, R-Bruce.
The bills' authors are Sen. Perry Lee, R-Mendenhall, and Rep. Nolan Mettetal, R-Sardis.
None of the legislators responded to Daily Journal requests to comment about the bills or their origins.
In the fall of 2011, the PSC stepped into the operations of North Lee County Water Association after employee allegations of fraud.
Ultimately, as the PSC delved into the association's minutes and procedures, North Lee's leadership was changed and new officials installed to run the large utility.
Its former executive director, Dan Durham, was indicted and pleaded guilty to lying about federal water quality reports. He has yet to be sentenced.
Ken Clemons, now president of North Lee's board, said Tuesday he was surprised to hear about the legislation.
"Nothing would have ever changed at North Lee without the Public Service Commission," Clemons said, expressing his concerns about the bills.
He recently reported improved operations and expansive plans to upgrade the water system.
"If the PSC hadn't come in," he noted, "the Health Department would have had to shut us down in another two or three years."
Water safety never was an issue, Clemons explained a few months ago after Durham's guilty plea. Rather, it was concerns about the system's age and capacity to serve its customers.


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|RS Junior
|Pacifica, Calif.
|High School:
|St. Ignatius College Prep
|Civil Engineering
RS JUNIOR (2014): Made 14 relief appearances in his final season with the Broncos, posting a 2-0 record with a 6.59 ERA and eight strikeouts in 13.2 innings … threw 2.0 shutout innings and struck out two Feb. 16 vs. Nevada ... pitched 0.2 scoreless innings and struck out one Feb. 18 vs. Cal Poly ... struck out the only two batters he faced Feb. 21 vs. Incarnate Word ... retired the only batter he faced Feb. 22 vs. Gonzaga … pitched 0.2 innings March 7 vs. UC Davis … recorded two outs and allowed no runs March 14 vs. Penn State … retired one batter March 23 vs. Pepperdine … threw 2.2 relief innings with one strikeout March 25 at San Diego State … retired two batters March 30 at Pacific … struck out two in 2.0 relief innings April 8 at Nevada.
RS SOPHOMORE (2013): Appeared in 8 games on the season and tallied 9 Ks ... Threw 1.1 innings with one strike out vs. Seattle on Feb. 16 … threw 2.0 innings with three Ks vs. Illinoi-Chicago on Feb. 23 … threw 1.0 shutout inning with three Ks vs. Northern Colorado on Mar. 1 … threw 2.0 shutout innings vs. San Jose State on Mar. 9 ... pitched 0.2 innings in relief on March 23 at Pepperdine ... threw 1 inning with one strike out at LMU on May 17.
RS FRESHMAN (2012): Pitched 0.2 innings, giving up one hit and 1 BB with 2 K's at Cal Poly … recorded 0.1 IP vs. Illinois-Chicago … threw 0.2 IP, one hit, 2 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, and 1 K vs. Illinois-Chicago … tossed a perfect inning with 1 K en route to his first win vs. Brown … registered 2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, and 1 K at USD … shut out CSU Bakersfield over 1.2 innings, allowing just 1 BB … recorded a season-high 3.1 IP at Gonzaga, allowing 4 hits, 2 ER, 1 BB, and 3 K's … threw a scoreless inning vs. Pepperdine ... tossed 2 scoreless innings at Pacific ...
HIGH SCHOOL: Attended St. Ignatius College Prep in San Francisco, Calif. … named Second-Team All-WCAL his junior year ... St. Ignatius made the second round of the West Catholic Athletic League playoffs his senior season.
PERSONAL: Born in Pacifica, Calif. … parents are Bruce and Louise Heckert… both parents have accounting degrees, his mother from USF and his father from SFSU… has one sibling: Michelle … enjoys creative writing, music, baseball, basketball and skimboarding… majoring in Civil Engineering.


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Treat your family with a perfect Halloween dessert! Enjoy these wonderful spiderweb cupcakes made with Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® white cake mix and Betty Crocker® Whipped fluffy white frosting.
Use gummy spider candies for more color and to make this dessert completely edible.
Look for black cupcake liners with a spiderweb motif to complete the theme.
To easily transport the spiderweb, build it on a portable deli tray that comes with a cover.
If you have only one pan and a recipe calls for more cupcakes than your pan will make, cover and refrigerate the rest of the batter while baking the first batch. Cool the pan about 15 minutes, then bake the rest of the batter, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the bake time.
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