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Print Shop Clerk
954-985-6650 - Ext 230
Louisville, KY USA
• Quality Assurance Specialist responsibilities consist of quality controlling print and inserted material such as EOB's, statements, checks, bills, and contracts.• Assuring, quality from toner and ink based printers are legible and consist of accurate data per member/group. • Quality Assurance must also ensure the quality of inserted material has correct postage amounts, postage date, and is held to the highest visual quality. • Follows established procedures at all times to ensure consistent quality throughout control points within the print/mail operation (Pre/post print,Pre/post insertion). • Strong focuses on internal quality standards.• Completes written documentation per job verifying Q.C. controls. • Analyze errors to determine origin and communicate with Supervisor for corrective action.• Provides accurate reporting and storing for auditing purposes. • Ability to work in a fast paced 24/7 operation.• Shift will be either 1st, 2nd, or 3rd and may be 8 hr or 12 hr shifts. • Must be flexible regarding the work schedule. • Responsibilities require prolonged standing and lifting boxes weighting 20 to 30 lbs. • Familiar with USPS mailing regulations. • General P.C. knowledge (Microsoft Word & Excel).


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Books for Young Readers: Two new books tap into fascination with Lincoln
Two new children's books touch on Lincoln's legacy and shed light on some lesser-known aspects of his life -- and his afterlifeJanuary 15, 2013 12:00 AM
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Two new books tap into fascination with Lincoln
With the box office success of Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln," interest in our iconic 16th president is going strong. Two new children's books touch on Lincoln's legacy and shed light on some lesser-known aspects of his life -- and his afterlife.
"Abe Lincoln's Dream" (Roaring Brook Press, $16.99, ages 5-9) is the latest from picture book mastermind Lane Smith.
In this whimsical new tale, schoolgirl Quincy wanders away from her class during a field trip to the White House. She stumbles upon the restless ghost of Abraham Lincoln, who is fretting over an ominous dream.
"It's always the same," he tells her. "I'm on a ship sailing rapidly for some shore I know not where."
Quincy persuades the president to venture away from the White House so she can bring him up to speed on the state of the union.
"A lot has changed since 1865," she assures him.
Together they fly over the country, and Quincy quiets the president's worries with her clear-eyed perspective on the nation's progress.
Mr. Smith's enthralling illustrations and bold typography evoke antique newspaper print as he chronicles the curious meeting between girl and ghost.
The subtle narrative may be too nuanced for younger readers unacquainted with the historical context. But "Abe Lincoln's Dream" is perfect for sharing with children learning about Lincoln's legacy. And it would be a fun unusual choice as part of a Presidents Day curriculum.
With its quiet optimism, witty visual delights and layers of historical trivia, children and adults alike will enjoy this inventive ode to Abe.
Older readers interested in Lincoln can delve into the little known saga of the president's final resting place in Steve Sheinkin's true crime thriller "Lincoln's Grave Robbers" (Scholastic, $16.99, ages 10-14).
It is 1876 -- more than a decade after Lincoln's assassination. The Civil War is long over, but the country still lies in bitter division.
Rutherford B. Hayes and Samuel J. Tilden are campaigning for the presidency. The Lincoln Monument in Illinois has been completed, and the president's remains are inside, resting in peace -- for now.
Meanwhile, a major counterfeiting operation is brought to its knees when the newly created Secret Service arrests Ben Boyd, a masterful engraver of fake currency crucial to the criminal ring's activities.
With Boyd in prison, the counterfeiters are out of work. They concoct a bold plan: break into the tomb of Abraham Lincoln, steal the body and hold it for ransom of $200,000 in gold and the release of Ben Boyd.
As the conspirators work out the details, word gets out and makes its way to the Secret Service. Agent Patrick Tyrell hires career criminal Lewis Swegles to act as an undercover agent. This is part of his plan to catch the grave robbers in the act.
Readers encounter many vivid characters along the way, including John Carroll Power, the custodian of the Lincoln Monument who went on to form a secret organization known as the Lincoln Guard of Honor.
Another John -- John English -- is a Chicago Tribune reporter who gets pulled into the Secret Service operation before breaking the story to the press.
The tension mounts to a thrilling climax when all parties converge in the darkness at Lincoln's tomb on the night of the presidential election -- Nov. 7, 1876.
A diligent historian and former teacher, Mr. Sheinkin lays the foundation for this fast-paced plot by balancing background information on the criminal underworld with insight into the workings of the Secret Service.
He provides a list of characters for reference and includes a glossary of phrases from the criminal lexicon. This colorful vocabulary includes words such as "coney" (counterfeit currency), "ghouls" (body snatchers), "roper" (undercover agent) and "bone orchard" (graveyard).
Photos of people and places central to the action accompany the text. Mr. Sheinkin also includes images of primary source documents.
These elements come together to create an engaging historical thriller highly accessible to young readers.
"Lincoln's Grave Robbers" offers a rich experience for anyone interested in this strange episode in history.books
Maggie Craig is youth services librarian at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh in Carrick.


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Partnership joins public and private
The total cost of this project is $4.033 million, but the institutions will split the cost down the middle at $2.016 million for each.
The need
Tabor built the existing football facilities in the mid-1960s; USD 410 constructed the current running track in the 1980s with an agreement that Tabor would provide the maintenance.
The need for upgraded facilities in 2007 is apparent to both parties, Mohn said.
"The south end of the track is falling off—they just don't last that long," Mohn said. "Bleacher seating is inadequate. Even if you say 'we could get by,' it's dangerous, and we don't have handicap accessibility. I know it's hard for me to climb up. I can't imagine what it's like for those 80-year-olds.
"Sure, it was acceptable on the safety side for kids, but our world is different today."
The project, developed by a task force representing both institutions, would replace the current eight-lane track, provide elevated seating for about 2,500 people on the home side and 500 on the visitors' side, add about 350 more parking slots adjacent to the complex, include a new press box, concession area, public restrooms and dressing rooms, and feature an irrigated natural-grass football playing surface.
Additional property east and south of the current track, to be purchased from the City of Hillsboro, will be used for a parking lot with 234 parking slots and space for field events during track season.
As part of its own long-range, Tabor College plans to acquire additional acreage south of the current football stadium and practice fields, but the land will belong solely to the college.
Ownership issues
The entire football-track complex would be fenced for security and owned jointly by USD 410 and Tabor.
"The agreement would be a joint-ownership agreement," Mohn said. "It's not one that says it's 50-50. It's joint—we own it together. It's our common property. So Tabor will have to change its deed to say that we own it jointly."
Mohn said maintenance costs also will be split down the middle.
"We'll have an agreement that identifies how we do that," he added. "We haven't settled yet on who will actually do the maintenance. If Tabor staff does it, we'd reimburse Tabor for half its cost."
The plan also calls for the formation of a governing board that would include one representative from USD 410 and one from Tabor.
"There's an appeal process and an arbitration process, so in case we can't agree on something it goes through those appeals and eventually it goes to mediation," Mohn said.
"A federal mediation board would kick in (at some point), but there are a couple of steps involved before you get there," he added. "We want that in place because we know eventually there will be some differences of opinion and we want to resolve them."
Facility parameters
To keep the project within the $4 million cap, planners opted for a natural-grass football field.
"We talked about an artificial-turf field—it's about $750,000," Mohn said. "From the school's standpoint, Hillsboro High School doesn't need an artificial-turf field. It'd be nice to have, but for a 3A high school, we don't need a field like that.
"So we've kind of taken the position that if Tabor, after they've raised their portion, has a supporter who would say, 'We'll fund an artificial-turf field,' then that would be something Tabor would add on."
The Olympic running track surrounding the playing field would have a different dimension than the current one.
"The track actually moves west (several feet) because an Olympic track is shorter and wider than our track," Mohn said. "The reason for that is we want to get a soccer field inside the football field, so it's got to be wider.
"Right now, I don't think Tabor's plans are to play competitive soccer on there. They'll use Vernon Wiebe Field for competitive soccer. But we want to make sure we could do it (if it becomes necessary in the future)."
The interior ends of the track will be hard-surfaced to accommodate high jump end and a steeple-chase pit.
At this point, plans call for the set of portable stands USD 410 and Tabor each acquired to be used for visitor seating.
"If the rest of (the total project) comes in under bid, then we may use some permanent bleachers there and use these (portable units) to supplement it," Mohn said.
"If we don't have any extra money, then we'll use our portable bleachers there. But we want this (area under the stands) to be concrete so if we decide we're ready to put permanent seating in, we can."
The dressing rooms will be designed to accommodate a college program on a daily basis as well as high school varsity games once a week.
"We'll have three dressing rooms: one larger dressing room for Tabor, then two smaller dressing rooms that can be opened into one, so that when Tabor has home events the visiting team can use those combined dressing rooms," Mohn said.
"When we play there, we don't have to get into Tabor's area," he added. "We'll use the one smaller dressing room for pregame and halftime—we'll probably still dress at the high school—and the visiting team will be in the other one."
The football-track facility will have two main ticket gates, one on the west side if the facility, near a new hard-surfaced parking lot with 114 parking spaces, and the other at the southeast corner off the new gravel parking lot.
Mohn said having an unpaved parking area will require a variance from the city.
"We've talked to them about it, but we don't have that yet," Mohn said. "They've talked like they're willing to do it, but actually it will have to go through the Planning Commission first.
"That's something we'll have to face, but our goal was to keep this right at $4 million. We couldn't hard-surface that lot and keep it at $4 million."
The city also would need to make street improvements on the south end of South Wilson to accommodate that parking lot.
To reach the parking lot and main entrance on the west side of the facility, Tabor will provide a hard-surface road off of D Street that extends along the west edge of the college tennis courts and baseball field. The road may require the relocation of the college's Historic Church.
Usage issues
Mohn said the two institutions are developing an agreement regarding use of the facilities.
"Part of that agreement is going to be that Tabor can't consistently use it for practice," he said. "If they choose to, then we have grass problems. That's why Tabor is planning to build (an additional) practice field.
"The agreement will be something like each party has permission to use the playing field one day for pregame practice," he said. "So we could down there on Thursday night if we want, and they can go down on Friday to get ready for the game."
To keep the field in playable condition, use will be limited.
"We won't play our JV and middle school games there," Mohn said.
That the new football-track facility would be located on the college campus will have an impact.
"By location, we're saying, yes, Tabor will probably use it more than we do because it's adjacent to the campus," Mohn said. "And if you look on the football side, they'll usually have one more home football game than we do.
"On the track side, we can have 100 kids out for track and they may have 30, so we'll get more use of it during track season."
Mohn said the new facility will be nice, but not state-of-the-art.
"We've approached it saying, if you're at Hesston, Lyons and Halstead, the school district would have paid all the costs for those athletic facilities," Mohn said. "We're going to pay half the cost, get something that is as good as—and I think probably better than—what Hesston or Halstead have right now, and they have nice facilities.
"It's going to be a nice place for high school activities," he added. "And, instead of us investing $4 million, we're investing $2 million."
An added benefit for local taxpayers, Mohn said, is that 30 percent of USD 410's $2 million will come via state aid.
One of the last things to be determined will be what to name the new facility, but both parties agree the name should reflect the partnership they have forged.
"We've agreed that in some way we want to continue to honor Del Reimer (former Tabor athletic director), and we want to recognize the Wienses, who gave the $1.1 million (to Tabor).
"But we also want to name the facility something that isn't Tabor Field and isn't Trojan Field, but is something that reflects a community effort."
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ADOT lifts last restrictions on US 89 bypass
PHOENIX -- The final restrictions of the U.S. 89 detour route have been lifted, the Arizona Department of Transportation announced Tuesday.
The shorter route, which opened in late August, had been limited to daylight use and speed was confined. The speed limit now is 55 mph.
The 44-mile long detour in northern Arizona had previously been a road belonging to the Navajo Nation.
U.S. 89 near Page has been closed since February because of a landslide. Repairs to the main road have been underway are scheduled to begin next year, in a $40 million project.
The main route is likely to be closed for two years.
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Attention KTAR.com Comment Users: We have recently changed our comments boards.We would like you to be part of the conversation and The Voice of Arizona by logging in with your Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or Disqus account. Existing KTAR (Arizona Sports) account members will need to create a Disqus account or use one of the aforementioned social media logins. Thank you.


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Submitted report
McALESTER —
Burner Gene Work, 86, of Quinton, died Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2013.
Viewing will be from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. today.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Palestine Church in Quinton. Burial will be at Palestine Cemetery in Quinton. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Hunn & Black Funeral Home of Quinton.


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News from WTOP
News from the AP
Mike Causey
Shows & Panels
Shows & Panels
Shows & Panels
Shows & Panels
- The 2014 Big Picture on Cyber Security
- AFCEA Answers
- Ask the CIO
- Building the Hybrid Cloud
- CDWG/NetApp
- Connected Government: How to Build and Procure Network Services for the Future
- Continuing Diagnostics and Mitigation: Discussion of Progress and Next Steps
- Federal Executive Forum
- Federal Tech Talk
- The Intersection: Where Technology Meets Transformation
- Maximizing ROI Through Data Center Consolidation
- Moving to the Cloud. What's the best approach for me
- Navigating Tough Choices in Government Cloud Computing
- The New Generation of Database
- Satellite Communications: Acquiring SATCOM in Tight Times
- Targeting Advanced Threats: Proven Methods from Detection through Remediation
- Transformative Technology: Desktop Virtualization in Government
- The Truth About IT Opex and Software Defined Networking
- Value of Health IT
Shows & Panels
Monday - Friday, 6-9 a.m.
Hosts Tom Temin and Emily Kopp bring you the latest news affecting the federal community each weekday morning, featuring interviews with top government executives and contractors. Listen live from 6 to 9 a.m. or download archived interviews below.
Archives moves to preserve the past, digitally
Friday - 8/28/2009, 8:37am EDT
The online revolution is opening the floodgates of information for your family tree. The National Archives will digitize millions of Census records from the 1940 population count. Dr. Michael Kurtz, Assistant Archivist for Records Services at the National Archives, told us the result will be a treasure-trove for your family's history book.


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A Partnership of Success
The CFSS Leadership Team
Today, CFSS is a Milwaukee-based nonprofit agency that works with government and local nonprofit agencies to deliver teen pregnancy prevention, youth character development and healthy relationship education throughout Southeast Wisconsin and the East Coast.
We currently have seven organizational partners, 14 employees, 11 consultants and three organizational contractors who carry out the programmatic, evaluative and administrative work of the organization. A seven-member Board of Directors, which meets four times a year, governs the organization.
Jeanette Stevens Vice President, Educational Programs
Melanie Porterfield-Riddix Director, Nonprofit Client Services
Sara Polifka
Director, Research and Planning
Dr. Cindy Walker Independent Evaluator,
University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
CFSS staff and independent evaluators possess professional experience across multiple disciplines including organizational leadership, program implementation and outcomes, research and planning, marketing and PR, and administrative support.
Our team has a strong commitment to serving inner-city families and we are experienced in working to change generations of relationship patterns. Reflective of the communities we serve. CFSS employees are positive role models who have achieved high levels of education and healthy relationships.
CFSS COMMUNITY projects:
Milwaukee Reentry and Workforce Pipeline Coordination – CFSS was chosen by the Wisconsin Dept. of Corrections and the Annie E. Casey Foundation to lead a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary effort to integrate reentry efforts in Milwaukee County.


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Florida Gulf Coast Amateur Radio Council
The Thirty-Ninth Annual
Our hotel is
Plant City Best Western.
The Florida Gulf Coast Amateur Radio Council (FGCARC) is an organization of amateur radio clubs/groups from West Central Florida. The purpose of FGCARC is to bring together hams to share information and ideas.
FGCARC is an ARRL affiliated council.
The major project of the The Florida Gulf Coast Amateur Radio Council is to sponsor the yearly Tampa Bay Hamfest.
Meetings are held monthly on the 4th Wednesday at 7:30 P.M.
Contact Information
Although we make every effort in making sure all information is accurate, we can not be held responsible for typographical errors.
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Hi! I'm Dane Carlson, and welcome to the Business Opportunities Weblog. I've been publishing this website, by myself, and sometimes with the help of others for over twelve years now. You'll notice two things about this site right away:
Business Ideas in the News / February 10, 2014
I don't want to call your phone. I want to call you. Why do I have to look in my phone book (whether in paper, on my phone or computer) to find your number? Why do I have to guess whether you're at home, at work, or in the car? Why do I have to try that number, and if you don't answer, leave a message? Why can't I tell my phone to "Call Joe" and have my phone call you no matter where you are?
On the internet, when I want to go to Google, I don't first look up Google's IP address in my address book. I just type google.com into my browser. The browser then connects to something called the Domain Name Service (DNS for short) which converts the URL google.com into the IP address 22.214.171.124 and then it connects to it.
Photo by Refat/ShutterStock.
Originally posted by Dane Carlson on February 10, 2014 in Featured.
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PLATTSBURGH — Raise money and raise your voices against climate change to help the victims of Typhoon Haiyan, says Bill McKibben of 350.org.
The devastating storm in the Philippines left an estimated 10,000 people dead.
Bill McKibben, who lives in Middlebury, Vt., is the founder of 350.org, an organization built to help solve the climate crisis.
He wrote in a press release this week that the Philippines had been reeling from the effects of climate change even before Typhoon Haiyan hit, having seen repeated flooding from milder storms.
McKibben is unsure if 350.org activists in the Philippines are safe because communication has been chaotic.
He said suggested two ways people can help in the aftermath of the typhoon.
The first, he said, is to raise money for direct aid for those in need. Numerous relief organizations are accepting donations for the victims of Typhoon Haiyan, including UNICEF, the Salvation Army and the United Nations World Food Program.
The American Red Cross is also providing post-storm assistance, and the local Northeastern New York chapter is accepting international disaster inquiries through the Restoring Family Links program for people concerned about loved ones impacted by Typhoon Haiyan.
"The devastation in the Philippines is unimaginable," said Gary Striar, CEO of American Red Cross Northeastern New York Region. "We are doing what we can here at home to help support the Philippine Red Cross with its relief efforts. The best way people can help is through financial donations."
McKibben said the other way to help is to take action against climate change, especially in light of the annual United Nations climate negotiations occurring over the next two weeks in Warsaw.
"Warm water can produce stronger storms; higher sea levels mean more devastating surges," McKibben said.
350.org followers hope Typhoon Haiyan will draw attention to climate-change issues.


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Follow Inver Grove Heights Patch on Twitter | Like us on Facebook | Sign up for our free newsletter
Legislative Clerk David Surdez places the names of the 2013-2014 House members on the voting board in the House Chamber. The 134 name plates have to be adjusted by hand at least every two years.
The legislative session is scheduled to begin Jan. 8.
Inver Grove Heights is represented by Joe Atkins, DFL-District 52B, in the House of Representatives and Jim Metzen, DFL-District 52, in the Minnesota Senate.
To read more about the upcoming legislative session, click on the headline below:
What Issues Should the Minnesota Legislature Focus on in 2013?


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Eli Gold Comes to ATL ~ One Suspended, 1 Returns ~ Iowa Sends Their Best ~ Random Thoughts From Around the Country ~ FJFF
This story looks at Auburn coach Gene Chizik's gamble with new offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler. Loeffler's primary mission this season is turning second year quarterback Kiehl Frazier into a...
This story looks at how Auburn will likely respond to Saturday's matchup with Virginia in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl.
In which BracketCat counts down the 51st day until kickoff with a profile of defensive lineman Samuel Harvill.
Russell Wilson is visiting Auburn as a potential new location to play football.
PBS's Frontline program is airing an episode tonight titled "Marketing Kiehl Frazier" dealing with the incredibly complex process of Frazier's recruitment. He is from Springdale, Arkansas but chose to sign with Auburn. AU offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn, as you'll remember, used to coach in Springdale. Included in it is the, um, let's just say controversial promoter Walt Williams, who collects up to $3,000 to promote high school students to colleges. Frazier was a client of his, as was Auburn's Michael Dyer. One wonders why players as well-known as Dyer and Frazier would need Williams' services, though.
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Safari Books Online is a digital library providing on-demand subscription access to thousands of learning resources.
You can leverage the metadata information attached to the image files to help you organize and manage your photo library. Much of the metadata, such as capture date, exposure time, focal length and other camera settings, is generated by your camera, but you can also add your own metadata to make it easier to search and sort your catalog. In fact, you did just that when you applied keywords, ratings, and color labels to your images. In addition, Lightroom supports the information standards evolved by the International Press Telecommunications Council (IPTC), which includes entries for descriptions, keywords, categories, credits, and origins.
You can use the Metadata panel in the right panel group to inspect or edit the metadata attached to a selected image.


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LA Memory - Coincidence
Check the new "LA Memory" video from the homie Coincidence! Comin atcha exclusively from HW&W Recordings (which I've recently become a part of myself)... it's got a healthy dose of smooth soulful beatwork, Coincidence's buttery flows, and city views from Dave's famous K-Town roof.
And if you're savvy, for a limited time you can scoop up Breathing Room from Akello & Coincidence on their bandcamp for freeeee.
1 comment:
- AnonymousSeptember 7, 2010 at 5:26 PM
Dope video. Thanks for posting this. I wanna peep more. Neva hearda dude.ReplyDelete
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NORMAN — Norman High didn't have the smoothest start to its season. The Tigers spent most of the preseason without coach Pete Sangirardi and were trying to rebuild this season.
Both were contributing factors to NHS' 1-3 start, a stretch in which the Tigers lost all three games by one run, including a pair of narrow losses to Norman North in the Crosstown Clash last week.
But with Sangirardi back at the helm, things began to "get back to normal," as the second-year coach put it, and the Tigers outscored Putnam City and El Reno 23-4 in two momentum-building victories.
"I like the way they're coming along," Sangirardi said. "We're still improving."
The Tigers (3-3) now head to Catoosa for a three-day tournament, a four-game stretch that Sangirardi hopes will continue the momentum his team has built. The Tigers hope to make the title game, but after the same tournament being rained out a year ago — part of five games NHS canceled due to the weather — Sangirardi has his sights set a little lower.
"I told them we just wanted to get some games in, whatever happens," he said. "There are some contingency plans and alternate sites if the fields get too wet, so we'll see what happens."
The other benefit the trip offers the Tigers is a chance to come together, something Sangirardi stressed could be the most important thing to come out of the trip back to the area where he spent most of his coaching career before moving to Norman.
"These early spring tournaments are all about getting the coaches and players together in the same place with no school or parents and building that team camaraderie," he said. "It's nice that I'll get to go back and see some friends too, but I also want to show off our players to the east side of the state and let them know about these kids representing Norman."


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Should You Invest in Bitcoin?
Is this digital currency the wave of the future, or a craze to avoid?
In this April 3, 2013 photo, Mike Caldwell, a 35-year-old software engineer, looks over bitcoin tokens at his shop in Sandy, Utah. Caldwell mints physical versions of bitcoins, cranking out homemade tokens with codes protected by tamper-proof holographic seals.
But he also sees a darker side of Bitcoin. As Comisky points out, the anonymous nature of the digital currency means there is scant evidence that you've used it. With conventional money, Comisky says, "there's a paper trail. You make a deposit, and you have a copy of the item, and the money's in your bank account, and a government agency can subpoena that if they need to."
[Read: How to Spot Counterfeit Money.]
But with bitcoins, because of the almost anonymous nature of the money, "If you're a bad guy, there are a lot of uses for it. You can use bitcoins for tax evasion, launder money with it or use it for narcotics," Comisky says.
Indeed, last year, the Federal Bureau of Investigation came out with an unclassified report, which was immediately leaked online, asserting that at least one online service, a market place called Silk Road, has taken bitcoins as payment for illegal drugs.
Dodi Glenn, director of AV Labs at ThreatTrack Security, a Clearwater, Fla.-based firm that specializes in helping identify and stop sophisticated malware and cyber attacks, points out another problem. "Bitcoin-targeted malware, like viruses and Trojans, can do several bad things to your PC," Glenn says. "For example, hackers can steal account information, such as your username and password, which gives them access to your Bitcoin wallet. They also can hijack your computer and use it to help spread their Bitcoin-stealing malware to other PCs."
Of course, malware can get access to a bank account, too. But banks will give you your money back. "Bitcoins aren't insured with an agency like FDIC, or with an actual bank," says Glenn.
Even if you're confident you are hack-proof, and you're a perfectly good citizen with no interest in money laundering or narcotics, you may wonder why you'd want to pay for anything with a bitcoin. That's the million-dollar question—sorry, the million-bitcoin question. Right now, you can't buy much with bitcoins. It's estimated that only about 100 retailers throughout the world accept them, all arguably obscure businesses like PhoneSomeone, an Australian telephone wholesaler of second-hand equipment, and Grass Hill Alpacas in Haydenville, Mass.
Still, the appeal for some is that with Bitcoin, you can pay friends and family on the Internet for free (although in some cases, there may be a small fee) and without a lot of hassle, once you have digital money in your Bitcoin online wallet. A friend can scan your cell phone with his cell, or you can touch the two smartphones together, provided they both use Near Field Communication technology, and pay each other that way. In fact, you can pay anyone anywhere in the world, within about 10 minutes, according to Bitcoin's website.
But it may take a while for consumers to get comfortable using bitcoins. For instance, the New York City bar, EVR, recently gained a lot of press for being the first New York bar to accept bitcoins. As CNN reported in mid-April, at its then-current value, a $15 martini cost .08 bitcoin. Wrapping one's head around what would be a fair cost for a purchase with bitcoins may take some time.
As the New York bar scene suggests, some businesses and consumers are embracing bitcoins, as are some investors, who clearly hope they can buy low, or low enough, and sell later. Currently, bitcoins aren't pegged to the dollar or any international currency, and their value fluctuates—sometimes wildly. In the past, it has traded for less than a penny. For a time in 2012, each bitcoin was worth less than $5. As of this writing, the exchange rate for 1 bitcoin is 140 American dollars; by the time you read this, it may well be different. You can find the current exchange rate at bitcoinexchangerate.org.
[See 10 'Digital Utilities' You Need Every Day.]
In other words, this isn't an investment for the cautious investor, or anyone who doesn't have money they can afford to lose; nobody should feel confident about putting their life savings into bitcoins. On the other hand, if digital currency isn't here to stay, it's nonetheless making a valiant attempt. It's worth noting that there are other cryptocurrencies vying to be the next Bitcoin, notably litecoins (www.litecoins.org) and PPCoins (www.ppcoin.org).


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Cafe Naderi
Underneath the Hotel Naderi, this historic if somewhat tired cafe has long been a favourite of intellectuals and artists – think sculpted beards and berets in a setting that is circa 1950s Paris (unrenovated).
Underneath the Hotel Naderi, this historic if somewhat tired cafe has long been a favourite of intellectuals and artists – think sculpted beards and berets in a setting that is circa 1950s Paris (unrenovated).
Equally daunting for women, this place offers a very cheap, thoroughly 'real' local teahouse experience. Expect stares Numerous confectionary shops facing the Safi-od-Din Mausoleum sell helva siyah (black halva or 'pest'), a rich local speciality vaguely reminiscent of Christmas pudding.
In a lane off the northeastern corner of Naqsh-e Jahan (Imam) Sq, this popular place sports an astonishing collection of teahouse-junk hanging from its walls and ceiling. The front space is the province of morose men, but the rear room is always full of chattering groups of young men and women drinking tea and sharing qalyans.
Sitting at the outdoor tables, sipping tea (IR5000 per person) and puffing qalyan (IR10,000), is the perfect way to soak up this beautiful 'half of the world', especially when the colours and moods of the square change in the late afternoon. And despite its position, the Qeysarieh Tea Shop is often pretty quiet.
This underground place is modern Iranian social interaction in microcosm, full of young Iranians flirting, drinking tea, smoking and eating (in that order) under attractive vaulted and tiled ceilings. The dizi (US$4) and kababs are reliably good and well priced for this location, though at busy times you won't be allowed to linger.
Located above beautiful Iranshahr Theatre in the middle of the Artists' Park, Cafe Gallery is hard to beat in Tehran as a place to sit and soak up the scene. You can soak up some art (it's a functioning gallery) and some sun, too, if you get a seat on the balcony. The cafe fare includes pastas, salads, burgers and toasted sandwiches that satisfy without stunning.
Occupying the garden and library pavilion of a 100-year old mansion in posh northern Tehran, Chai Bar blends traditional Iranian style with a superb garden location (heated in winter). It's ideal for summer afternoons and evenings beneath the trees sipping the wide range of teas and Illy coffee; it also sells salads, soup and sandwiches.
At more than 75 years old, the very compact Gol-e Rezaieh is one of Tehran's oldest cafes and, until the revolution, was a favorite of intellectuals, journalists, writers and artists, some of whom still hang out here. It's a good place for coffee after the nearby museums, and is known for its hard-to-find 'home-made' khoresht .
The huge, circular Tezatre Shahr, opened in 1968, is Tehran's biggest and most impressive theatre and the place you're most likely to see Iranian stage actors at work – performing in Farsi, of course. Some booking staff speak English so call to find out what's coming up. Performances are normally at 6.30pm or 7.30pm and cost about US$4.
Home to several cool, cosy little cafes peopled largely by young and fairly liberal Tehranis, this is your one-stop cafe-society stop. It's a fun place to hang out in the afternoon and evening; just choose a cafe you like, settle in and then perhaps eat in one of the centre's upscale restaurants.
This teahouse at the north end of Si-o-Seh Bridge is an Esfahani institution (and it's not touristy) and the last of the bridge chaykhanehs . The teahouse is typically male dominated, but foreign women do get honorary male treatment and it is invariably a boisterous atmosphere, especially under the pylons.
Down a few stairs from the bazaar's Copper Line (look for the sign), this old bathhouse now operates as a teahouse and is popular with young Kashanis. Go in the early evening for a tea and qalyan. A few doors down is Nabatrie Ghanadilpati , one of the town's best patisseries.


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by Mark Cleverley, IBM director of public safety
As we enter the New Year, happily, some things stay the same. Namely, IBM's focus on helping cities become smarter and safer. IBM just announced how it is working with the Rochester and Las Vegas police departments to better forecast crime "hot spots" and proactively allocate resources accordingly.
The advanced software the will enable the cities to better identify incident pattern, to understand linkages between apparently isolated pieces of information, and to mine, share and extract intelligence from critical data in order to improve police prevention, response and investigation.
Rochester and Las Vegas join cities like New York; Memphis; Edmonton, Ca.;and many others as places where safety and security for citizens and businesses are being improved through new technologies, while preserving government's scarce budget resources. In many ways, these smaller cities often need to be more innovative with technology as they work under tighter resource constraints.
And, despite these constraints, crime rates in the US are dropping – and I'd like to think that technology has played a significant role in that. According to the FBI's Preliminary Semiannual Uniform Crime Report (released Dec. 19) crime rates within the first six months of 2011 were down compared to the same period of 2010:
- Violent crimes reported fell by 6.4%
- Arson offenses down by 8.6%
- Motor vehicle theft fell 5%
For communities to continue to see an increase in public safety, we're going to have to prioritize. Recently I wrote an article that appeared in Contingency Today that highlights what I believe with be the top three priorities for public safety agencies for 2012. In short, I said that integration, analytics and the use of technology to act as "force multipliers" and to battle shrinking budgets will be key factors. I'm glad to see that Rochester and Las Vegas are proving me right.
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There's no doubt that Fedora is one of the most popular versions of desktop Linux. As I write this column, Fedora is currently at #3 on Distrowatch page hit ranking. Only Linux Mint and Ubuntu beat it in DistroWatch's page hit ranking system. That's pretty good for a distro that sometimes doesn't get nearly the same amount of attention and accolades as Ubuntu.
Some folks might be unaware though that Fedora comes in a number of different versions; each designed to appeal to a particular audience. Yes, it's true. Fedora has many faces and here's a brief look at each of them for those who might be interested in taking another look at this fine desktop distribution.
Fedora Games
It might surprise some to know that a games respin of Fedora is available. Linux has never been considered a great gaming OS but there are some good games available for it, and Fedora Games might be worth the consideration of gamers.
Fedora Games has a number of different gaming genres, including first person shooters, strategy, and puzzle games. You can also download additional games via Fedora's add/remove software tool.
Here's a very brief sample of the games you'll find available in the Fedora Games Spin. Visit the Fedora games page for a full list of more than one hundred games.
Battle for Wesnoth
Alien Arena
Scorched 3D
Flight Gear
The Fedora Games Spin might not be the most well known gaming distro right now, but I think it will carve out a healthy niche over time as more and more gamers discover it.
Fedora Design-suite
In the past Fedora has usually been considered more of a developer's distribution than something for creative types (not that developers aren't creative, they are but in a different way). Fedora Design-suite blows that stereotype out of the water by providing a distro geared toward designers.
Here's a sample of some of the design software available in Fedora Design-suite, and you can also download more in the add/remove software tool.
I suspect that your average desktop user probably won't need this respin of Fedora, but it's still a nice option for those who gravitate toward design. The included applications are a great set of basic tools in that regard and it's very easy to download supplemental applications to broaden the set of applications.
Fedora Electronic-Lab
FEL is Fedora's Electronic Laboratory. Here's some background information on what it's all about:
Fedora's Electronic Laboratory, an opensource hardware design and simulation platform, is dedicated to support the innovation and development brought by opensource Electronic Design Automation (EDA) community.
Fedora Electronic Laboratory provides a complete electronic laboratory setup with reliable open source design tools in order to help you keep in pace with current technological race. It reduces the risk assessment of open source hardware development and enable electronic designers tapeout quickly and efficiently.
Fedora Electronic Lab targets mainly the Micro-Nano Electronic Engineering field. It introduces:
A collection of Perl modules to extend Verilog and VHDL support.
Tools for Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) Design Flow process.
Extra standard cell libraries supporting a feature size of 0.13µm. (more than 300 MB)
Extracted spice decks which can be simulated with gnucap/ngspice or any spice simulators.
Interoperability between various packages in order to achieve different design flows.
Tools for embedded design and to provide support for ARM as a secondary architecture in Fedora.
Tool set for Openmoko development and other open source hardware communities.
A peer review eeb-based solution coupled with an Eclipse IDE for Embedded/Digital Hardware IP design.
PLA tools, C-based design methodologies, simulators for 8051 and 8085 microcontrollers and many more.
Obviously general desktop users are not the intended audience for FEL. But it's still a very interesting respin of Fedora that seems well suited for its intended audience.
Fedora Security Lab
Security is a perennial concern for many in the computing industry. The Fedora Security Lab is designed to provide a testing environment for those interested in system rescue, security auditing and computer forensics. This Fedora spin is managed by a group of security developers and testers.
Fedora Security Lab uses the LXDE desktop environment and comes with tools useful in rescuing a system or running security tests. While Fedora Security Lab is probably not of interest to all desktop users, it has the potential to be incredibly helpful for those engaged in the field of computer security.
On the next page, I'll take a look at some of the other versions of Fedora that use the KDE, LXDE and XFCE desktop environments.
Fedora KDE
There has always been a bit of a split between KDE and GNOME users, with each sect promoting its desktop of choice. The nice thing about Fedora is that you can use the default desktop version (which uses GNOME) or you can opt for the KDE version.
KDE has much to offer any desktop user via its cool Plasma desktop interface. You'll also get some great KDE applications such as KOffice, Ktimetracker, Akregator, Kaffeine, KMail and many others.
Plus you can load your KDE desktop up with useful and fun widgets to enhance its functionality. There are also plenty of fun desktop games available too, including Kolf, KGoldrunner and numerous others.
So if you're a KDE fan you should definitely check out Fedora KDE. See the about page for more details and a download link.
Fedora LXDE
While KDE and GNOME are arguably more popular, you should note that there's an LXDE version of Fedora available too. Fedora LXDE is geared towards those running older machines or who simply want a slimmed down desktop environment without the bells and whistles found in KDE or GNOME.
Here's some background on LXDE from LXDE.org:
The "Lightweight X11 Desktop Environment" is an extremely fast-performing and energy-saving desktop environment. Maintained by an international community of developers, it comes with a beautiful interface, multi-language support, standard keyboard short cuts and additional features like tabbed file browsing.
LXDE uses less CPU and less RAM than other environments. It is especially designed for cloud computers with low hardware specifications, such as, netbooks, mobile devices (e.g. MIDs) or older computers. LXDE can be installed with many Linux distributions including Ubuntu, Debian and Fedora. It is the standard for Knoppix and lubuntu.
Fedora LXDE is particularly well suited for netbooks and mobile devices as well as older computers. It's definitely worth checking out if you are a minimalist or if your computing hardware is modest or aging.
Fedora XFCE
LXDE isn't the only game in town if you need a minimalist desktop. Fedora XFCE has much to offer in that regard as well. The XFCE version of Fedora will give you the power of Fedora in a lightweight desktop environment that is perfect for older hardware.
If you aren't familiar with XFCE, here's a brief bit of background from the XFCE about page to fill you in:
Xfce is a lightweight desktop environment for UNIX-like operating systems. It aims to be fast and low on system resources, while still being visually appealing and user friendly.
Xfce embodies the traditional UNIX philosophy of modularity and re-usability. It consists of a number of components that provide the full functionality one can expect of a modern desktop environment. They are packaged separately and you can pick among the available packages to create the optimal personal working environment.
Another priority of Xfce is adherence to standards, specifically those defined at freedesktop.org.
Fedora XFCE is an excellent alternative to the more bloated desktop environments and should be considered by minimalists and those running aging or limited hardware.
Fedora Desktop Edition (GNOME)
As great as the other versions of Fedora can be, I can't resist including the default version of Fedora that uses the GNOME desktop. If KDE, LXDE and XFCE don't appeal to you then be sure to grab this version.
If you've never used Fedora Desktop Edition before, be sure to check out the features and screenshots page. There's quite a lot of information on that page about Fedora Desktop Edition's features and applications. Suffice to say it compares very well with the other Fedora spins and GNOME users will probably like it a lot.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, Fedora has a great deal more to offer than its default desktop version. It has become a jack of many trades and has penetrated a number of important niches. Although Fedora was popular before, its respins will probably help increase its popularity even more as more and more users find out about them.
The Fedora developers have taken what used to be regarded as a bit of a "fuddy-duddy" distro and turned it into a multi-faceted Linux distribution with great appeal to a number of important audiences. If you get a chance, check out whichever Fedora spin appeals to you most.
What's your take on Fedora's spins? Are you interested in any of them? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.


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The reward for doing good work and delivering results in your current job is your paycheck, not a promotion. A promotion is given when you have shown that you have mastered your current role and can step into a different role. Would you say that you have never been good at, or liked, "playing the game" to get promoted? Chances are you have been playing the game, it just levels up and you need to adapt to the new challenges. Here are a few tips to that might help...
If you don't like games, give a different label to the necessary package of skills and qualities required for a promotion. By labeling behavior as a game, and one that you won't play, you have decided to lose. In dismissing behavior as a game, you might be missing important clues as to what would be required of the next higher position. If you think you want to be promoted, you need to work around roadblocks, especially the ones in your head. If you don't play games, come up with a label that will position you for success in keeping with your values and taste. So, if you like puzzles call it the "success maze" or if you like cooking, call it the "recipe for success." Replace "game" with a label you can stomach - and move on.
It's safe to assume that what is required in the next role is not what was required to land your current role. As Marshall Goldsmith so famously said "What Got You Here Won't Get You There." What are the requirements for a promotion? What do you need to be able to do in the next role? You need to understand what work you will need to stop doing and what new work you will start doing when you get that promotion -- and you need to train for that now! Perhaps you need to schedule more time with the boss to study and research what is required in more senior roles. Ask for advice, and stay tuned into what the more senior ranks are focused on. A bonus that comes with speaking to your managers more is that they will get to know you better and recognize your drive and initiative. Once you know what lies ahead, you can decide if you want to pursue a promotion. If what is required is something that goes against your values or code of ethics, then by all means excuse yourself from the competition with your self-esteem in tact.
If you want to pursue a promotion, you need a plan to simultaneously do a great job in your current role while learning about the next role. As you are promoted, you will be expected to prepare your successors and prepare yourself for leadership. Leadership positions demand a more public role - keeping your head down and getting the job done may not be enough at higher levels of leadership. You may need to lift your head and carve out more time to look up and outward to the future. If you are struggling to make this happen, start small. Carve out fifteen minutes a day to study for that next role, to chat with a manager, to reach out to someone in your wider industry network, or to research what is going on in your industry. Choose one aspect of the next role to learn and practice that. Find a mentor at work or in your industry. Consider hiring a coach to help you with your development.
Whatever way you find palatable to continually learn and develop new skills, that's all that really matters. Don't like games? No problem.


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Archive : November 2009
November 29, 2009
McCOY SHOULD BRING HEISMAN BACK TO TEXAS
Since the Heisman Trophy was first given out in 1935, there has been one player from the state of Texas each decade (except the 60s) to win the award.
And in each decade, the award has come to the Lone Star State in the final three years of the decade.
1938: Davey O'Brien, TCU
1947: Doak Walker, SMU
1957: John David Crow, A&M
1977: Earl Campbell, Texas
1989: Andre Ware, Houston
1998: Ricky Williams, Texas
You see? Only years ending in 7, 8 or 9. Weird.
It's actually the reason I predicted Vince Young wouldn't win in 2005 since it didn't fit the trend.
Speaking of VY, let's talk about him.
He absolutely should have won the Heisman in 2005. At the time he was the only player in NCAA history to throw for 3,000 and rush for 1,000 in the same season. Central Michigan's Dan LeFevour did it in 2007 and Nevada's Colin Kaepernick came close last year (2,800 passing and 1,000+ rushing).
So why didn't VY win?
Because of his performance on the road against Texas A&M on November 25.
He had his worst game by far: 13-24, 162 yds passing, 1 TD, 1 INT. 11 rushes for 19 yards and no TDs.
Texas won 40-29 but was outplayed as A&M racked up more first downs, total yards and TOP minutes than Texas.
USC was off that week, but the last time anyone had seen Reggie Bush in action was a 23 carry, 294 yard, 2 TD, come-from-behind performance at home against an 8-1 Fresno State team.
The next time USC hit the field, Bush carried 24 times for 260 yards and two more scores in a route against cross-town rival and nationall ranked UCLA (9-1) in the Pac-10s version of a conference championship.
That week VY orchestrated a 70-3 victory over a terrible Colorado team in the Big 12 Championship game. The Buffs came in with 4 losses on the year. Nobody gave a hoot about that one.
Reggie Bush won the Heisman then preceded to lose to VY and the Longhorns in the Rose Bowl.
(And just a side note, VY led the Titans on an 18-play, 99 yard drive and threw a TD pass as time expired to beat Matt Leinart and the Cards today...ha. Leinart can't get away.)
All that being said...Colt McCoy's Heisman chances were on the line on Thursday night, and I think we all know what happened.
He beat an inspired Texas A&M team in College Station on a short week with a beat up secondary that gave up a lot of points, threw 4 TD passes while piling up 300+ yards, ran for a career-high 175 and a 65 yard TD straight up the gut that could very well be the highlight we all remember when looking back on Colt's Heisman year.
Colt's "Reggie Bush" this year is Mark Ingram, Alabama's RB who's rushed for 1,429 yards and 12 TDs while saving his best performances for the most critical moments against the best teams Bama has played...that's a Heisman recipe, and he was leading the pack before Saturday.
He laid an egg against in-state rival Auburn this weekend. 30 yards on the ground. No TDs and Bama could have very easily lost that game. They trailed in the fourth.
In the 2005 scenario, Colt is Reggie and Ingram is VY.
Unless Colt throws for 120 yards and 3 pick-sixes and fumbles four times in a Texas loss to Nebraska this weekend, the trophy should be his.
And I know the award is supposed to go to the best player in 2009, but much attention has been given to Colt passing the all-time wins record for a starting college QB.
How about this? A Texas QB has gone over 3,000 total yards six times in the history of the program.
Colt has done it THREE times. Nobody else did it more than once.
VY left Texas as, arguably, the best college football player of all-time.
But if Colt wins a National Championship and takes home the Heisman this year?
What's to say that the argument shouldn't be made for Tuscola-grown Colt McCoy, too?
I know there's been a lot of buzz around Stanford RB Toby Gerhart. I LOVE the guy and mentioned him in my "Players to Look out For" article before the season began, but Stanford won't even win it's conference and has lost four times.
The last time a player from a non-contender won the Heisman?
1989 Houston Cougars - and they only lost two games. 20 years ago, so I don't think it's going to happen this year.
The last time a 4-loss team had a Heisman Trophy winner was 1985...Auburn...Bo Jackson. Point is...Gerhart's great, but he won't win the Heisman. He don't know Bo.
Colt wrapped it up in College Station and continued the trend of a player from the state of Texas winning the award in one of the final three years of the decade.
Thanks, Colt, for holding together the equilibrium of my brain.
- mark rogers
- November 29, 2009 8:25 PM
Really the only word that came to mind when I heard the Abilene High/Cedar Hill score on Friday night.
The word that came to mind when I read the game story and saw Herschel Sims' stats.
That's right. Nothing. I could think of no words.
After a couple of days of reflection, I think I'll be able to try.
What the Abilene High Eagles were able to do on Friday against the #1 team in the state was nothing short of spectacular.
Not a surprise at all, I'm sure, to anyone directly linked to the team (players, coaches, family members, etc..)
But when the state-wide stigma is that the Eagles played in a "terrible" district, then defeated "average" teams to advance to the Third Round, and then they go out and beat...no, destroy #1 Cedar Hill?
Kind of like Abilene High saying, "you know what everybody? Shut up. We're better than you. Period. Don't believe us? Let's play and see what happens."
I love it.
I was in Georgetown, Texas for the holiday and the word around the Austin area is that if Sims wants a free ride to the University of Texas, he's got it. All he has to do is verbally commit.
I'll be honest, watching Sims as a sophomore, I thought he was maybe Oklahoma State, Nebraska, TCU material.
But after what he's done this year? Nearly 2,000 yards, 28 TDs and 9.8 yards every time he carries the football? Not to mention what he's done returning kicks. That boy will go wherever he wants to go. Just name the school.
Texas, Alabama, Florida, Ohio State...anywhere he wants.
It's playoff performances like he had on Friday that make it easy for scouts to make up their minds. Maybe a few were on the bubble...hadn't seem him play...think he's too short...whatever.
But when #23 takes a direct snap in the fourth quarter from his own 5 yard line in a ten point game against one of the best defenses in a state with the best high school football teams and outruns everybody 95 yards to the house? 95 yards??? Are you KIDDING me???
Forget about it.
The scouts that were there watching probably just got up and left with their cell phones to their ears.
Decision made.
Make that kid an offer and make it quick.
Let's not forget what an incredible job of blocking took place by the other 10 players on the offense on that 95 yarder...but this post-season is all about Herschel Sims.
There's just no other way around it.
The only problem this week is that Southlake Carroll lost.
Yes, that they lost.
If they'd won, it's "ok, we know what we're up against. Our nemesis. Let's get up and get ready. We own them now."
But now it could be something like, "Southlake lost? To who? Bowie? Sweet! Free ride to the Semis!"
And that's when you get beat.
I don't think Steve Warren will let that happen. But I think it's the only way the Eagles lose on Friday.
This is the Eagles' best shot at a State Championship in fifty years. The next few weeks should be an extremely fun ride.
Especially with Herschel Sims in the drivers' seat.
- mark rogers
- November 29, 2009 7:40 PM
- Comments (1)
November 22, 2009
EAGLES ADVANCE...NOW THE TESTS BEGINThis has typically been the story for the Abilene High Eagles over the last 7 years or so:
-Storm through the regular season
-Blast a couple of West Texas/Sub-par Dallas teams in the first two rounds
-Have to play the best team in the universe in Round 3
2003 ended against Irving at Texas Stadium in the 3rd round.
In 2004 and 2005, the Eagles first loss of the season was in the 3rd round against eventual champion Southlake Carroll.
The next year they lost to DeSoto in the 3rd.
2007 saw them break up the Southlake dynasty and make it to the State Semis.
Last year was a flukish 1st round outing.
And just a historical note: since 1999, AHS has made the playoffs every year. They've been ousted in the 1st round twice, 2nd round twice, 3rd round four times (four consecutive years), 4th round once and 5th round once. Not too shabby.
Anyway, it looks like that same 2003-2006 pattern is repeating itself this year.
The Eagles have had no problem with any team they've played this year.
Now it's the 3rd round, and who's up next? #1 Cedar Hill.
They're outscoring opponents by nearly four touchdowns per game, have posted two shutouts and are averaging 45.8 points per game.
At 12-0 and with a roster scattered with Division 1 prospects, they're the best Class 5A has to offer...on paper.
But they haven't blown out everyone they've faced. They have wins of 3, 8 and 9 points. Throwing that out there to say they're not unbeatable.
I think the Eagles have a very good chance of beating the Longhorns this week and continuing on to play the winner of the Arlington Bowie/Southlake Carroll game.
But after 11 games of not really being tested, they'll get all the tests they can get this week.
- mark rogers
- November 22, 2009 5:41 PM
I don't care who you are or who you're playing...coming back to win from a 24-0 deficit in the playoffs is absolutely unbelievable.
With 11 minutes to go in the 1st half, Del Valle had that lead on the Cougars. It looked like Cooper's season would end (for the first time ever) in the second round.
I did not realize that Cooper was 10-0 all-time in the second round of the post-season. Pretty remarkable.
The wheels had fallen off. Basketball season was swiftly rushing to the forefront of CougarNation's mind. No more pep-rallys. No more signs to run through. No more spirit fingers.
That's what just about everybody was thinking who was at the game or listening on the radio.
Everybody except the Cooper football team.
The scored 24 unanswered in the 2nd quarter to tie the game at half and outscored Del Valle 27-17 in the 2nd half.
You can't put into words what a performance like that says about a team's character, resolve and internal fortitude.
It's absolutely "unwordable." Just like the word "unwordable."
I know that Denton Guyer is a very highly touted team.
But they have to come here next week and play a team that could not possibly have a higher confidence level heading into this game.
If you can come down from a 24-0 deficit, you can do anything and beat anybody. Cooper realizes that now. And it should pay off this week and hopefully in the few weeks following.
And if you're Del Valle? What a terrible way to end your season...tough luck.
- mark rogers
- November 22, 2009 5:28 PM
- Comments (1)
November 21, 2009
PRESTON'S BACK...AND SO ARE WYLIE'S CHAMPIONSHIP HOPESNot to say that Wylie didn't have a chance to win a second State Championship with either Colin Harris or Eric Watts at the helm (both played admirably in Preston's absence), but when Preston's in there, things just seem to click.
After being out for a couple of weeks, it took the Bulldog offense about three minutes to get back in the groove. Their first drive ended in zero points.
But after that? The Wylie starters only gave Andrews a chance to touch the ball after they'd scored en route to a 42-0 win.
Next up for Wylie?
Burkburnett. A team that was blown out by Graham. And also lost to Bridgeport and Argyle. They also beat a down Sweetwater team by just 14 points in the first game of the season.
I hate using the logic of "Team A beat Team B so if Team C beats Team A they're better than Team B"...but here we go.
Here's a look at the common opponents for Wylie and Burkburnett this year:
Wylie - 47, Sweetwater - 7
Burkburnett - 14, Sweetwater - 0
Wylie - 37, Vernon - 14
Burkburnett - 48, Vernon - 14
Graham - 13, Wylie - 10
Graham - 41, Burkburnett - 7
It's hard to make a conclusion from those scores, but it's not hard to assume that Wylie is the better team.
They played a much tougher schedule.
So let's also assume that the return of Matt Preston is the spark Wylie needs to go on a State Championship run.
That would mean a win against Burkburnett next week.
So what's up after that? (Another thing I hate is looking too far ahead).
Not trying to jinx anyone, just interesting to look at.
If Wylie wins, they'll play the winner of the Prosper/Lovejoy game.
Prosper ended the season ranked #8 in 3A. Wylie was #9. I think it would be safe to predict a Prosper win in that one. They're only loss was to Argyle (a team that beat Burkburnett and hasn't lost all year), and they also beat Bridgeport and won big at Celina.
A Wylie win over Prosper would earn them a spot in the State Championship game. And looming in Regions 3 and 4 are Gilmer, Waco La Vega, Navasota, Cuero and Ingleside.
Gilmer and La Vega play today. Keep in mind Wylie beat La Vega 46-29 on the road in non-district.
The highest ranked team in that group is Gilmer (#1) then Cuero is next at #3.
So it's not an easy field. But also remember that unranked Wylie beat #1, #2 and #9 en route to the 2004 championship.
Didn't hurt that they were led by junior Case Keenum who is now leading the nation in passing yards by nearly 700 yards.
I don't want to look too far ahead, which I've already done, but I really like Wylie's chances with a healthy Matt Preston leading the charge.
- mark rogers
- November 21, 2009 9:27 AM
November 13, 2009
I predicted at the beginning of the year that through eight games of the 2009 season the Cowboys would be 7-1.
I called for a 7-0 start followed by a road loss to Philly.
So where are we at the halfway point? Actually in a pretty good spot.
A 6-2 record with our two losses coming down to the last play of the game (don't get me wrong, we DO NOT deserve to be 8-0).
We have an up-and-coming receiver in Miles Austin who is becoming more and more of a household name with each passing week.
He's catapulted our offense into the #2 position behind New Orleans in total yards. At this point only the Saints and Vikings are scoring more points/game than us. And nobody in the entire NFL is gaining more yards/play than our 6.5. Surprising, I know.
Our defense has given up fewer points per game and total points than any other team in the NFC despite being ranked 11th in the conference in total defense.
And we're in first place.
After what happened the first four games of the season? I'll take it.
Not saying that I'm over the Sunday night loss to the Giants on national television (I may not ever get over that one), but it's starting to look like we may end the playoff-win drought this year.
Over the last few years, we've shot out of the gate only to falter when it matters...in December.
But maybe, just maybe, this year we stumbled out of the gate only to gain some momentum and rise to the occasion late in the year like good teams are supposed to do.
The other encouraging thing is that we have a lot...A LOT... of room for improvement.
Like I mentioned earlier, we're still giving up too many yards. I like the fact that we don't give up many points, but if you continually give up that many yards, teams are going to start scoring on you.
Only the Packers have been penalized more than us on offense. That must change.
Our turnover margin is dead even at 0. And that's an important stat. Of the teams in the negative (meaning they're turning it over more times than their opponents are) only the Steelers and Cardinals rank higher than third in their respective divisions.
We got off to a slow start in the turnover category but our defense is continuing to improve in that stat each week.
Three of our next five games are at Cowboys Stadium. In that span we have road games against Green Bay and the New York Giants, and home games against Washington, Oakland and San Diego.
Then we go to New Orleans, to FedEx Field in Washington and finish off the year at home against the Eagles.
I'd say we win at least one of the two against the Redskins, beat Oakland and San Diego. Then if we can just win one against the Giants (who we should have beat the first time), Saints, Eagles and Washington...we'd be 10-6 and most likely headed to the playoffs.
To me, that's a worst case scenario.
Overall, I'd say we're in pretty good shape through the half way point.
But only time will tell if the December nightmare will haunt us yet again. Only 17 days to find out.
- mark rogers
- November 13, 2009 4:18 PM
- Comments (2)
Davon Riddick, the junior RB at Cooper HS, didn't even start on the JV last year and is the Cougs leading rusher going into the first playoff game.
How does that happen?
Credit should go to something called "developing as an athlete." And it either happens to you...or it doesn't.
We all start out taking those first few awkward steps as babies.
We fall down. Bust our faces. Skin our knees.
Everybody's in the same boat at first.
Then nature starts to take its course to separate the athletes from the non-athletes.
Some blossom early. Like that 8-year old who had a six pack and could do 50-something pullups.
Some blossom late. Like Dara Torres. Who came back from a 2-year retirement after having a baby to set the 50m world record at plus-40 years old...suspicious much? That's another story.
OK, that's not a great example because she was already a great athlete before the retirement, but I just had to throw that in somewhere.
In my very distant opinion, meaning that I've never met the kid or seen him workout, it seems to me that Riddick blossomed as a great RB in the eight months following the 2008 football seaon.
If you don't know anything about him and just look at some film?
The guy is an absolute STUD.
His stride reminds me of someone like Terrell Owens, Alabama WR Julio Jones or Detroit Loins' WR Calvin Johnson. Long, lean, fast and powerful.
As I write that, I notice all the athletes he reminds me of are wide receivers...hmm... That's a pretty good trio to be lumped in with...I wonder if he'll end up being a receiver?
I'll bet he looks less and less like a wideout over the next eight months though when he puts on 20 pounds of muscle and drops the 40 time from a mid 4.5 to a low 4.4.
He has a chance to be really, really good.
It'll be interesting to see him start climbing recruiting boards. Or even if he doesn't, what a steal he will be for anyone to get a commitment from him.
It'll also be interesting watching him as Cooper tries to make a deep playoff run. He could be the "lightning in a bottle" type of player that just might propel the Cougs to something really special.
- mark rogers
- November 13, 2009 4:01 PM
November 4, 2009
IF YOU CAN'T WIN IT ALL, MIGHT AS WELL BE INTERESTINGTexas Tech will never be a national title contender, but at least they have a coach that can put them in the national headlines.
I guess that's better than not being a contender and not ever getting in the national spotlight.
Let's be real here. If the best season in your program's history ended with a 65-21 loss to OU (a legitimate perennial national power), a 7-point home win against Baylor (which led by 14 in the 2nd half) and a 47-34 bowl loss to a 9-4 Ole Miss team that had lost to Vanderbilt and Wake Forest earlier in the season...you're not a contender.
If that season is considered the "best in Tech history?" You get the idea...
That being said...and there's no disputing that fact...at least the Tech administrators know what they have in Mike Leach.
He's a quirky, interesting, genius who is a master of mind games, manipulation and the media.
His quotes and antics constantly make headlines and draw the attention of the national media.
Take his latest gem. The "fat little girlfriends" controversy.
Anyone with half a brain would know that Leach wasn't singling out any player's girlfriend. He wasn't making a statement about the obesity rate in America (right around 40% by the way). He wasn't starting a campaign against school lunches and the junk we're feeding our kids.
He was personifying the thing that distracts football players from playing to their potential: praise from family, friends, girlfriends, teachers, classmates, fans and the media.
That's what he was saying.
But why say, "Our players are distracted by the praise they're getting from their family and friends," when you can say, "As coaches we failed to make our coaching points more compelling than their fat little girlfriends."
And we all know that if you play football at Tech, you don't have a "fat little girlfriend."
It caused ripples on a national stage and was a conversation piece at water coolers across the country.
Good publicity. And as some professional team owners believe, any publicity is good publicity.
He's also called out Browns coach Eric Mangini, A&M's "pretend" cadet corps and the Aggie coaches.
The point is, Mike Leach is a brilliant offensive football coach. He knows his stuff. He could and would probably be successful at any number of big programs in the FBS.
Any non-delusional Tech fan can agree that Leach is the best coach in school history. He wins more games every year than Spike Dykes did, plays a tougher schedule and is 5-4 in bowl games.
But having a brilliant coach doesn't mean you can be a national powerhouse.
I don't think you could bring anybody, any coach in the world to Lubbock that would make Tech a contender. Not Urban Meyer, not Nick Saban, not Mack Brown, not Pete Carroll, not anybody.
Location, location, location.
I'm not banging on Lubbock here. I happen to love the city. Met my wife there.
But Lubbock simply cannot compete with Gainesville, Austin, Los Angeles, Tuscaloosa, etc...in terms of weather, proximity to other "interesting" things or tradition.
I can hear the rebuttal now, "but look at Notre Dame, Michigan and Ohio State. They're national powers and are in 'bad' weather spots not close to anything great."
Yes, but back in the day, you used to have to go to those types of schools to get seen on TV. That was a big selling point.
Now 4- and 5-star high school seniors can go play football where the weather is warm (not dust storm desert-ish or cold) in great areas of the country - near mountains, hills, the beach, big cities - and be on national television nearly every Saturday (especially if your coach likes to play on Tuesday).
And it's those types of players that ultimately make a program a national title contender. You can have the best coach and scheme in the world, but in college football if you don't have the talent, you'll never win it all.
Plus, those other schools already have big-time tradition and momentum. It helps to tell a recruit you have 3 or 4-plus Heisman trophy winners or 5 national titles.
Tech can't show anything other than some SWC championships from the Stone Age and an 11-2 record in 2008 when they knocked off a #1 ranked team.
What I'm trying to say is that there are a lot of programs out there in the same boat as Tech - good teams with the ability to have a great year every now and then and to knock of some ranked teams - but don't have a Mike Leach to make them interesting and relevant.
I bet if Leach wasn't the type of coach he is, he wouldn't have half the talent on the roster that he does today....great talent brought to Lubbock because Tech is in the national spotlight every so often.
That helps in recruiting. It helps to get some very good players.
But the majority (the MAJORITY, not all) of the 4 and 5-star recruits (the type of players that lead to championships) will continue to go to Texas, Oklahoma, USC, Florida, Miami and LSU.
I'd rather have an interesting guy coaching my average football program than a completely boring guy coaching my average football program.
Wouldn't you?
- mark rogers
- November 4, 2009 4:21 PM
- Comments (5)


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Frank Gorshin (I) (1933–2005)
Actor | Soundtrack | Director
Frank Gorshin was born on April 5, 1933, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His father was a railroad worker and his mother was a seamstress. While in high school, Frank worked as an usher at the Sheridan Square Theatre and began doing impressions of some of his screen idols: Al Jolson, James Cagney, Cary Grant and Edward G. Robinson. At 17 he won a ... See full bio »
Born:in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Died:(age 72) in Burbank, California, USA