text:
I should mention that I'm running SD online right now (well, actually, a campaign set DURING SD, but not necessarily following the whole plot. The heroes have been running around because I'm doing this a little Sandboxy, so they ended up fighting the wererats in the Boneyard and then tracking down and killing Zipheras well before they ever went to the goblin. (One of the characters was tracking down some information that had "Old Stumpy" looking to get rid of some of them as soon as they arrived in town...) So, the characters are mostly following their own stories and only bumping up against the metaplot. But they've following their own leads and are slowly tracking down the mystery of the Golden Goblin and the Shadow../
I love Riddleport, but I'm wondering where they sell/get all of their pirate loot. Riddleport is kind of out of the way of any main shipping lanes. Do they fence their goods in Magnimar? do they mostly sack passing Linnorm Raiding Ships? I'm kind of interested in what makes Riddleport actually "work" as a city...
See, now I liked the flashback artwork. So, now I'm looking forward to the next story arc. Will there still be gaming maps in each of the comincs. Love them. Yes, I understand that all of the characters are supposed to be flawed, but I hope Val becomes less of a jerk soon. I like the way he's portrayed in the RPG and I'd hate for the comic to be someone's impression of what the character should be like. Jim Zub wrote:
Andrew Crossett wrote:
I like the story, but the artwork is a big deterrant for me. I think the characters are horribly over-exaggerated and the lines are ugly and out of proportion. It takes a lot fo getting used to and I would hate for this to be anyone's first view of Golarion. I also don't like how they made Valeros into such an obnoxious "frat boy". (Someone else in this thread coined that and I think it fits too well.) I never pictured Val as suave or sophistivated, but I never saw him as obnoxiouusly crude or arrogantly egotistical. (Was he really that much of a @$$%^&!! when he was being playtested?) That and the art made me almost drop the comic from my subscription. The rest of it is pretty good, and the artwork for the flashback/ internal doubt section in the most recent issue is really pretty good. I'd love to see them dump Huerta and go with the new artist ASAP. The story itself is interesting and I like how the goblins and the rest of the characters are written. I hope to see more about everyone's backgrounds. However, the extra fluff and maps make this an excellent value even with the horrible initial art and the Fratboy hero. I'll keep reading, but I hope some things improve a little.
Sara Marie wrote:
This month's subscription arrived OK and the replacement packaage also arrived (both were put in the plastic bin...thanks) Thank you for your help. I will let you know if the original package is found.
I will do both of those. If the original package shows up, I can send it back if you like. My only other thought here is that Feb 16th was a day with light snow and 15-18 mph winds, but I'm not sure thats anywhere close enough to move a package that heavy... Is there a way to put a note on the package to place box in orange bin next to side door? (It has a lid to protect packages from the weather). Thank you Jerry Jr.
That is the correct address. However, the last package that was sent out ended up at my old PO Box. Let me check there before you send out a replacement. I've checked by both doors and in the bin I have for large packages that the postman normally uses. How big would this box have been? Thanks
You know I've said this before, but when you get through the core races, how about some of the things like Catfolk, Grippli, Tieflings, and so on. And a set of familiars and companions would be great... (And I happen to know you already have a pseudo dragon, firepelt, small dragon, and cat completed... :D ) But that's my 2 cp.
Ganryu wrote:
Have you checked out the paper minis from Battle! Studios? They have quite a few PC packs.
I'd rather see more hardcover regional detail books over more hardcovers with additional equipment, character upgrades, and so on. While I've loved something from every HC so far, I can imagine that rules bloat may be coming. But background bloat is never a bad thing (and there can be rules in there as well).
James Jacobs wrote: Not surprising. It's awfully coincidental how many of the best roleplaying rules from 3.5 just happen to be written by you... Its part of why PF has been so great. Keep up the good work!
I'm about halfway through the novel (it sat on my shelf until I read Misery's Mirror...then I had make it my next read!) Great job. I really like how you captured the feel of Nidal and made it make a little sense...how people who didn't know any better would accept such a horrible nation... I'm not done reading it yet, but it's been agreat read so far. (Now I gotta go find some of the other stuff you wrote too...)
vuron wrote:
I was given this as a gift and I was unimpressed...pretty much for the reasons you've cited. The rules were only OK and while it did deal with the subject matter in a more mature vein than some other books, it was still nothing great. As for the art...it was just bad. I expect the art in a book that size to be at least viewable. I didn't necessarily want anything more or less erotic, just less amateurish. It really made the thing look horrible. That being said...how many more rules do you need for sex and romance?
Richard Leonhart wrote:
I'm a big fan of the Witch with a Healing Hex. Cure everyone once a day for free, healing spells on top of that, lots of combat and non-combat abilities, fun spells, and a pet to interact with.
Ross Byers wrote: This became important to me when both my harddrive crashed and the backup drive was damaged beyond repair... got to go back and DL all the stuff I bought Thanks
VRMH wrote:
+1 Agreed. You shouldn't suddenly mess with the players for your own amusement, but creating a good roleplaying encounter can be fun for everyone. Blowing up the staff just shows your players not to trust you. Like Weaton says...Don't be a D*ck.
I could be way off on this, but I also thought that selling your soul and bargaining with the lower powers also got you past the Lemure/Manes level of fiendishness. In other words, you get to Hell/Abyss and you get promoted to one of the other Devil/Demon types...based on your crimes in life. That's how I play it anyway. And Lords of the Damned is great for this because most of the demons/devils/Daemons have listed crimes from life...
Set wrote:
I definitely think that an "Inner Sea Five" plus one would be a great book. Wasn't Westcrown already covered in the COT AP?
I grew up in Buffalo, moved to Oswego, spent a year in Rochester, moved to a Syracuse suburb for 20 years and just moved back to Buffalo. (Fist bump) But I've had college roommates from NYC/Long Island and I had to work in that area for 7 months... I had a roommate from Long Island who considered everything north of the George Washington Bridge to be upstate. And I've got customers who consider Armonk and Brewster to be upstate. (Both within commuting distance of NYC). Of course, I also had a LI roommate who seriously didn't think that Syracuse had the ability to use credit cards. ("I need to bring cash, right? Do you use credit cards up here?" He wasn't joking.) What's weird to me is that while Buffalo seems to have a lot more gamers, Syracuse and Rochester each have more actual game stores...
hogarth wrote: I'd vote for a non-PC race like orcs or lizardfolk. I think a non-standard PC race would be the best bet too. I know players who hate elves. Personally, I've never enjoyed dwarves or halflings. But lizardfolk or hobgoblins would be an interesting twist.
Paizo made gnomes cool. You just made them cooler. I love some of these minis! (After the hippie dwarf, I expect at least one silly mini per set, but the set is still awsome!) Keep up the good work. I hope to get some assembled this month. I'll post online.
Fromper wrote:
I'd rather see this as one or two opposed skill checks. I've never found Chess itself to be all that exciting.
For the 4th level adventure, you could also level up Into the Haunted Woods, which is set at the south end of Darkmoon Vale. Spoiler:
Basically, just increase the levels of each of the NPCs, give a few templates to the monsters and increase their number, and add a little treasure. The main scenario is still good and the final magic items (Panapoly of Narven) can be whatever you wish. For 4th level, I'd suggest:
Wand of Earth's Ire: Wand of Burning Hands that acts like a staff (10 ch, uses caster's level, rechargable) Codex of the Firmament: Scroll that acts as a wizard's Bonded Item for divine casters Breastplate of Holy Fire: +1 Breastplate that gives Resist Fire 5 and has the continual flame ability Vial of Pure Water: 1/day will turn any liquid (up to a pint) placed inside into pure water. And/or can be used 1/day to create one Potion if the Weilder has the Create Potion Feat. Potion becomes inert if placed in another container. Spirit Staff of Narven: +1 Staff with the Ghost Touch ability. Wielder gains +4 to resist Negative Energy Effects (Level Drain, Ghoul Touch, etc.) Just as an idea. The items are a little powerful, but they are fun and shouldn't overpower the party much.
Itchy wrote:
I would buy all of these immediately!
Do the APs and modules assume that the characters are maxing out the big six at most opportunities? I'm reading some of the nid to high level adventures and the groups I'm GMing look like they would get stomped in one or two encoutners because they don't have the Big Six all the time.
The nice thing about the new tiefling and Aasimar sourcebooks is that you can simply make any half-outsider into a Aasimar or Tiefling regardless of parent races. Parents were gnomish and Infernal, you're a devil-blooded tiefling. A short one. Parents were elven and Solar? You're an Aasimar...probably with pointy ears. Your ancestor was Aroden...probably an Aasimar. Pick one... Because Aasimars and Tieflings are often several generations removed from their non-mortal ancestors, you could have a mix of heritages. (Remember that drunken Cayden-Calistria-Nethys-Aroden-Desna-Sarenrae-Gozreh party...well...your great grandparents were all offspring from that one...and Gozreh played all sides.) I love it. PCs can now look like just about anything and play either aasimar or tiefling... Thank you Paizo.
Krome wrote: Well, the cut scenes in a movie are very different from the cut scenes in a video game. (In a movie, they're moving the story I'm watching along. In a video game, they're keeping me from participating in the story.) Now, your experience may differ, and I never use youtube as a defence of an arguement...there's just about anything posted there...but at least among my friends and gamers, we all hate the cut scenes in video games and find very few of them to be cool. Normally its a "why isn't there a button to skip this part" moment. But that's us. That being said, I can see a use for cut scenes in some styles of gaming. In my games, I normally have a yahoo group set up so that players can post their own ideas and observations. In addition, they normally end up adopting an NPC for the party...either to fill a gap (like healer) or just because they like them. I use the group as a place to post NPC "diary" entries so that I can add observations and clues that the party may have missed.
Ashiel wrote: What is VHD?


text:
Search Site:
Latest Pictures
England Forums England AccommodationExplore England
Historic Cities Picture Tours: Attractions: More: |
Shortwood HotelsBack to: Shortwood | Gloucestershire Hotels Below is a comprehensive list of hotels in Shortwood. Use the sort links to refine your search or to find featured accommodation in Shortwood. Many of our hotels in Shortwood feature no booking fees and best price guarantee when booked through the Pictures of England website. To list your hotel in Shortwood, click here. Shortwood Hotels - Shortwood B&B's - Shortwood Cottages
Shortwood Hotels - Shortwood B&B's - Shortwood Cottages Other popular nearby towns for Hotels Lacock Hotels Ashleworth Hotels Bristol Hotels Lower Slaughter Hotels Fairford Hotels Slimbridge Hotels Cirencester Hotels Frampton on Severn Hotels Tewkesbury Hotels Gloucester Hotels © 2001-2013 Pictures of England.com - All rights reserved Terms & Conditions Please support this website by advertising your business or kindly making a donation - Thank You. |
User LoginPicture ToursSearch Site: |

subset: commoncrawl


text:
1 Meetup Group matches "Pua" near Zürich, Switzerland
Meetup details are available only to members.
The saddest and shortest story of mankind: A guy notices a girl he likes. Their eyes cross, he looks away, his heart starts pounding. He notices that she looks at him again... but he has frozen, his thoughts are racing - what to do, what to say... soon it will be too late. The train arrives at its stop, the girl gets out. ...THE END... But it is not the end: in reality, both will spend days, weeks or even years wondering who this woman, who this man was. I remember going back to the same station …
Get an alert email when new Meetup Groups like this start near you.
You'll get advice, help finding members, and tools to make running a Meetup Group easier.


text:
Clyde Heaton Memorial Service
DANVILLE — A memorial service will be conducted for Clyde E. Heaton on Monday,
Jan. 23, 2006, 11:00 a.m., at the Greer Wesleyan Church, 20189 Nashville Road
(six miles north of Danville).
Mr. Heaton died Dec. 15, 2006, in Newark, Del. He was 81 years old.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions be made to the Greer Wesleyan Church, 20189 Nashville Road, Glenmont, OH 44628.
Jim Hoar
MOUNT VERNON — Jim Hoar, 59, of Millstone Lane, Mount Vernon, passed away
Jan. 18, 2006, at the Doctors West Hospital in Columbus after a valiant battle
with cancer.
He was born Nov. 21, 1946, in Mansfield. Jim was a lifelong resident of Mount Vernon and was a member of the AMVETS 95 and former member of the Eagles. He enjoyed many things in life including golf, trap shooting, traveling, euchre club, camping and sports. Jim served in the U.S. Army from 1968 to 1971 and had been stationed in Germany.
He is survived by his loving wife of 37 years, Nova (Berry) Hoar; a daughter, Angie (Waylen) Jackson of Dublin; a son, Jim Hoar of Mount Vernon; four grandsons, Jacob Jackson, Christopher, Kyler and Wyatt Hoar; his father, Lewis R. Hoar of Mount Vernon; two brothers, Ken (Cheryl) Hoar of Richmond, Va., and Lewis D. (Deb) Hoar of Mount Vernon; two sisters, Roxanna Cline of Mount Vernon and Sharon Gault of Mount Vernon; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Lorraine Hoar; and a sister, Mary Elizabeth Hoar.
Visitation and viewing will be held Saturday from 1:30 to 3 p.m. at the Dowds-Snyder Funeral Home. To honor his wishes, Jim will be cremated and the family will observe a private graveside service at a later date.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Knox County, 17700 Coshocton Road, Mount Vernon, OH 43050. This obituary and guest registry will be online at www.snyderfuneralhomes.com.
James H. Jenkins
ATHENS, Ga. — Dr. James Hobart Jenkins, 86, of Athens, Ga., a retired professor
of Wildlife Management, School of Forestry at the University of Georgia, and a
retired colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserves, died Jan. 16, 2006, in the loving
home of his granddaughter, Alethea Gard'ner Ballard and her husband Abraham
Ballard after a long battle with Alzheimer's.
Jim was born Jan. 28, 1919, in Mount Vernon to Hoy and Luella Jenkins. He graduated from Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree and then did research work with blood plasma, penicillin and bacitracin. After that, he became a biologist with the Georgia Game and Fish Commission and went on to get a master's and Ph.D. from the University of Georgia.
He became a professor at the University of Georgia School of Forest Resources where he set up and headed the Wildlife and Fisheries Department. He received many awards over the years including such things as Alumni Society Outstanding Teacher Award at the School of Forestry, Phi Sigma Graduate Research Award, and recipient of the South East Annual Technical Award of the Society of American Foresters.
He served as president of the Southeastern Section of the Wildlife Society and president of the Georgia Ornithological Society. He authored over 100 publications and held 12 patents. He made many contributions to the elucidation of the extent and degree of pesticide and radioactive contamination of wildlife. Jim was a respected, honored and admired professor at the university for 34 years, retiring as professor emeritus.
During this time he was also a research scientist and inventor. He is best known for being one of the co-inventors of the tranquilizer or dart gun that makes it possible to capture animals alive. He traveled all around the world, including many times to Africa to further his research, teach at the University of Pretoria, and capture big game animals for the first time with the tranquilizer gun. By allowing the capture and transporting of animals to protected areas, his tranquilizer gun is credited with saving the white rhino from extinction.
His many tales of adventures in Africa, sometimes slightly embellished, entertained students, friends and family; and affectionately earned him the nickname "Jungle Jim."
He was also a co-inventor of "Halt," a pepper spray dog repellent used by meter readers and U.S. Postal Carriers. He also invented "Snake Stop" used by the U.S. Army in Vietnam.
Jim was very proud to have served in the U.S. Air Force Reserves as a Medical Services Officer and Medical Executive Officer with assignments with the 446th Bombardment and Reconnaissance Wing, Field Hospital, Dobbins Air Force Base and Bio-Environmental Engineering Services at Warner Robins Air Force Base.
He was very honored that the USAF Surgeon General's Officer Classification Board conferred on him the title of Military Consultant to the USAF Surgeon General in the specialty of Medical Entomologist. He retired as a full colonel with over 27 years of service.
Jim was an avid wildlife photographer and outdoorsman, a hunter, fisherman and marksman. For years he was a member of Young Harris Memorial Methodist Church, and later Christ Church which became the Community Alliance Church.
Jim is survived by his wife of 63 years, Martha Jane Jenkins; three children, Mike Jenkins, Molly Blackwell and Trudy Gard'ner; five grandchildren, Madeline Jenkins, Alethea Gard'ner Ballard, Johanna Gard'ner, Amy Gard'ner and Pratima Gard'ner; and one great-grandchild, Lucia Gard'ner Ballard.
Funeral service was this morning at Bernstein Funeral Home Chapel. Interment will be in Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery with full military honors. If desired, in lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to the Mayo Foundation for Alzheimer's Disease Research, P.O. Box 450, Albert Lea, MN 56007.
Pallbearers will be Micheal Jenkins, Abraham Ballard, Gary Blackwell, Charles Gard'ner, Kathryn Prestwood Hayes and Jack Crockford. Honorary pallbearers are the School of Forest Resources Faculty.
This obituary may be viewed at www.bernsteinfuneralhome.com.
Carl A. 'Ty' Thomas
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Carl "Ty" Thomas, 80, Springfield, Mo., passed
away Jan. 16, 2006.
Memorial services will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. at Kingsway United Methodist Church in Springfield, Mo. Cremation will follow.
Suggested contributions can be made to: University of Missouri, Kansas City School of Law, Terry Thomas Memorial Fund, c/o Diane Pike, 5100 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, MO 64110.
Ty was born Nov. 10, 1925, to Earl and Iva Thomas. He was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers, Bob, Cliff and Toby; his sister, Ganelle; his first beloved wife, Wylene Frederick; and their son, Terry.
He is survived by his sister, Mary of Gambier, Ohio; and brother, Howard of the state of Florida, and his daughters, Jenny of the state of Georgia, and Sandy of Harrisonville, Mo. He is also survived by his second wife of 15 years, Shirlene Shelton Koon; and stepchildren, Debbie, Cynthia, Kirsten, Liesl, Julie and Carl.
Ty attended Mount Vernon Senior High School from 1939 through 1943. While there, he lettered in football. After high school, Ty served his country as a radio operator in the Navy during the second World War in the Pacific campaign from New Guinea to Japan.
After leaving the Navy in 1946, Ty attended Southwest Missouri State University from 1946 through 1950. He was a four-year football letterman and a member of the Letterman's Club. He graduated in 1950 with a bachelor's degree in education.
Ty married Wylene Frederick in 1951. Their loving marriage produced three children, one of whom preceded him in death. Wylene also predeceased Ty.
Ty later attended Ohio State University, earning his master's degree in education. He subsequently taught and coached at Walnut Grove, West Plains and Springfield Central high schools. He was a member of the National Educational Association and the Springfield Education Association. After retiring from coaching he headed the history department and taught history and political science at Glendale High School in Springfield, Mo.
Ty began an athletic equipment business while he was teaching and continued it after he retired from the Springfield Public School System.
He leaves many nieces and nephews, grandchildren and a large family of friends and neighbors. We will all miss his cheerful kindness and personality. He was a loyal, true friend who would stand up for the rights of a person.
Eleanor M. Webb
CENTERBURG — Eleanor M. Webb, 69, of Centerburg died Wednesday, Jan. 18,
2006, at Knox Community Hospital in Mount Vernon.
She was a retired receptionist for Dr. William F. Emlich Sr.
She is survived by her loving husband of 49 years, Jack Webb; children, Terri (Jim) VanFossen, Lori (Ed) Lambert, Jackie Webb and Davy (Nikki) Webb; grandsons, Dalton Webb and Brandt Lambert; a sister, Cathy (Jim) Sprouse; a brother, Joe (Doris) Brown; sister-in-law, Nancy Brown; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Georgia Brown; brother, Robert Brown Jr.; and a sister, Violet Holdbrook.
Friends may call today from 7 to 9 p.m. at Johnson-Melick-Moreland Funeral Home, 49 W. Church St., Centerburg, where service will be Saturday at 11 a.m. Interment will be in Mount Vernon Memorial Gardens.
Friends, if they wish, may contribute to the Knox County Humane Society, 400 Columbus Road, Mount Vernon, OH 43050.


text:
Shaun O'Dell moves from sight to sound with Sword and Sandals and WR/DS
MUSIC Shaun O'Dell is best known for his visual art work — work that has earned him a Goldie from the Guardian, a SECA Award from San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and more recently the Tournesol Award at Headlands Center for the Arts. Less known is O'Dell's work in music, likely because over the years the artist has distanced himself from the scene, its attendant clash of egos, and the oft-inevitable creative tussles. "I'd been in bands before," he says by phone. "That's part of the reason I went into visual art. I didn't want to collaborate with people anymore — it just got weird and stressful."
So when old friend and Thee Oh Sees leader John Dwyer — for whom O'Dell played sax on an early Coachwhips recording — asked the painter to try his hand at his latest project with Randy Lee Sutherland (Vholtz, Murder Murder) a couple years ago, O'Dell obviously wasn't planning on major sand scuffles or gladiatorial touring.
The three started playing together, and lo, "it worked." Meaning, the trio might play a little before a performance and then bring it all together live, while improvising. "It wasn't rehearsed music — it was more build-up-a-language music," as O'Dell puts it. "The energy was really about the live thing, but there was a lot of energy between the three of us whenever we played. It was good that way — no hassles."
"We played shows a lot of times with noise bands, and we weren't trying to make noise — we weren't trying to make chaos. We were basically searching through the chaos to find these common places for us to make harmonic things happen or melodic things happen or rhythmic things coalesce," O'Dell recollects. "I think the music was interesting to me because both those guys were committed to communicating but not afraid to explore and have the music fall apart at times, and I think on the record you can hear that."
You can hear that sense of play, exploration, and driving pulse on Sword and Sandals' studio debut, Good & Plenty (Empty Cellar). O'Dell and Sutherland, both on alto sax, weave in and out of each other's lines, calling like exotic birds, while Dwyer picks up such unexpected instruments as the flute on the untitled second track. Dwyer and Sutherland took turns on drums, O'Dell played tenor and Sutherland bass clarinet, and all three played keyboards, with Dwyer, and on one track, Anthony Petrovic of Ezee Tiger, interjecting with electronics and a ramshackle Moog at engineer Lars Savage's Mission District studio.
Tracked live during one all-day Ben Hur of a session, sans overdubs, Good & Plenty's improvisations pull at the ear insistently, with one foot lodged in the warehouses of SF's post-punk/-hardcore experimental music scene and another in the wild, woolly outback of improv. "All three of us have played music enough to commit to playing off the top of our heads and listening enough to make something work," observes O'Dell. "I think that's what made it different."
It's all different now: after two years with Sword and Sandals, two 2007 live CD-Rs, and a track on a Zum TwoThousandTapes compilation earlier this year, O'Dell has left the band. Instead O'Dell and Sutherland are carrying on as a duo dubbed WR/DS, playing the S&S release-show-of-sorts at Viracocha and O'Dell's book release party at Park Life Gallery. O'Dell hopes to incorporate a string section at Park Life, wryly describing WR/DS repetitive, sometimes-Terry-Reilly-inspired experiments as "art gallery music. It means we like to do it in spaces that make acoustic music sound good. It's kind of a joke — but kind of not a joke."
Also from this author
French synth-pop giants Phoenix and Daft Punk tap into the alien within
Most Commented On
Recent comments
- The one time I agree with anon - June 18, 2013
- Xorauguynahfumg - June 18, 2013
- Do you even know what these words mean? - June 18, 2013
- Speak for yourself - June 18, 2013
- Lucretia is eternal - June 18, 2013
- JAW: Part II even better than Part I - June 18, 2013
- So, so, so much wrong here - June 18, 2013
- My thoughts exactly. What a - June 18, 2013
- I'll miss the Guardian, it - June 18, 2013
- Steve has job-retention worries - June 18, 2013


text:
Prices and availability are subject to change from the time and date that you print this page.
5/25/2013 4:40:41 AM. For Customer Service, please call
Vera Table Lamp
Crate and Barrel Exclusive
A beautiful bulb shape in high-fired ceramic is hand-textured with a cross-hatch pattern and finished in a gleaming, tonal champagne metallic. Putty shade is lined in olive-grey for a warm, sophisticated effect.
Details and Dimensions
Return/Exchange Policy
Read Reviews (14)
Customers Also Viewed
Customers Also Bought
Related Products


text:
AWC to Obama: Tweet, Tweet! Come to Yuma!
Why Do These Tweets Look So Funny?
If you are new to Twitter but want to help out, don't be confused by the messages above. Here are some explanations for the strange language in these Tweets.
• POTUS – common Twitter nickname for the president of the United States
• @WhiteHouse – a way to mention the official White House Twitter account in a tweet so the tweet shows up on the White House Twitter wall. Organizations and companies regularly monitor their mentions as a measure of public feedback.
• #ObamaComeToYuma – any word or set of words with a # (pound sign) before it is called a hash tag. This punctuation indicates a common theme or a frequent message. In this case, AWC is trying to establish a common theme about Obama visiting Yuma.
• Abbreviation and spacing – Because tweets have to be 140 characters or less, tweeters use creative spellings, punctuation, abbreviations and spacing.
Twitter is free and easy to use. You do have to sign up, at Twitter.com, and you have to choose a name. AWC is @ArizonaWestern. The Yuma Sun is @YumaSun.
Arizona Western College is trying to get President Barack Obama's attention via Twitter, in an effort to bring the White House to the "Flip the Switch Celebration" for the new five-megawatt solar array.
The event, tentatively scheduled for the last week in October or the first week of November, will mark the completion of construction and the beginning of the array's use.
The community can help by tweeting the following four messages from their Twitter account:
@WhiteHouse #POTUS help FlipTheSwitch on 5MW #Solar Array @ArizonaWestern. Energy+ Workforce Dev+ Higher Ed #ObamaComeToYuma Please RT
@WhiteHouse AWC 5MW #Solar Array is 5 diff technologies, incubation, K-20 Ed, Workforce Dev/Training http://bit.ly/nSu6Zf #ObamaComeToYuma
@WhiteHouse AWC 5MW #Solar Array in Yuma, sunniest city in world & highest unemployment in US #TurningSunIntoJobs #ObamaComeToYuma
@WhiteHouse #Energy, Jobs, Higher Ed are issues for all Americans. #POTUS help celebrate 5MW#SolarArray #CountryBeforeParty #ObamaComeToYuma
By mentioning the official White House Twitter account (@WhiteHouse) the feedback will be sent directly to presidential representatives.
"The more people that tweet or share the message, the better," AWC said in a news release.
The release added that Obama has called for a national movement to move toward new technologies including clean energy.
"A visit to Yuma and Arizona Western College by anybody from the White House or the President's Cabinet would garner national coverage for the AWC Solar Array, establishing it as a landmark renewable energy project, and perhaps leading to greater investment that could impact the entire region," AWC said.
Bill Smith, director of facilities management and planning at AWC, explained the project will be built on over 23 acres of land surrounding the campus. It will benefit the campus in various ways, one of the most important being the significant amount of savings and reduced energy costs it will create for the school.
Smith said it has the potential to save AWC $3.5 million in 10 years and $15.4 million in 20 years, noting that the project is estimated to cost $30-40 million.
"The array will provide more than energy generation; it will also provide educational and demonstration opportunities and innovation for students, researchers and solar technology companies from around the world," the release said.
Sarah Womer can be reached at email@example.com or 539-6858.


text:
Order custom plastic calculators in bulk to give at promotional giveaways or for your office supplies at cheap wholesale prices. These plastic calculators can be imprinted with your logo or artwork on them. Take advantage of our free shipping offer.
We offer an extent selection of wholesale custom plastic calculators in different styles as well as color selection. Choose from black, green, blue, red, yellow, orange, white, grey or green. These customizable calculators are perfect items to give out at promotional giveaways or tradeshows with your logo or company name on them. You can get hand held calculators, silicone design, desktop, flexible or even our exclusive MP3 shaped calculators. Giving these promotional calculators to all of your clients can be a great idea as they will serve as your own marketing tool. Wherever these custom calculators will be used, your business and services will be promoted because your logo will be displayed on them. You wont have to be overspending on other advertising means that wont give you as good of results.
Imprinted plastic calculators make great office supplies for small and large businesses. Get them with your logo and show your employees your appreciation for their hard work by providing these calculators to them for their desks and everyday use. Businesses that provide office supplies to companies can also purchase these wholesale plastic calculators to have available for purchase for their customers. They can get them printed with their own brand name or have them blank. Because we sell in bulk and cheap wholesale prices, you wont have to worry about ordering expensive office supplies again, especially items like plastic calculators.
Personalizing your new promotional plastic calculators is fast and easy using our online tools and D-Lab system. Select the style of your plastic calculators and upload your logo or artwork onto our design lab. You can also choose the colors you want to use for your font and graphics. We also have a massive selection of clipart images that you can use for your custom calculators at no extra added cost. Before you make your final purchase, you can request an artwork proof for free so you can see exactly how your products will look like before you get them. Contact our art specialists and customer service department for any questions or concerns you may have and they will help you with any step of the customization process you may need assistance with. Order your personalized promotional calculators with us today and receive free shipping plus our 110% price match guarantee.
The tum-around time was very quick and we received our orders on time. No doubt that we will order again from discount mugs.
-Kayla Jennings, 01/24/2012We have been using discountmugs.com for a while now! Love the fast and friendly service that we receive, it is the only company that we use.
- Tammie Watts, 03/13/2012Great selection, great customer service, & fast delivery. Product was better than I expected when it arrived. Would definitely use them again in the future!
- Shelby Newman, 01/18/2012


text:
As any comic fan knows, Marvel just loves their events. It seems like every year we are getting a new company wide, multi-series spanning, universe altering event from the House of Ideas. This year's (or 2013 for you future people) is Age of Ultron, bringing back the infamous automaton (and notable Avengers villain), Ultron! In a dystopian future ravaged by the robot army of Ultron, who will survive? Just who exactly is pulling the strings? Is the story worth reading? Find out the answer to at least one of these questions in your Major Spoilers review!
Category Archives: Brian Michael Bendis
SNEAK PEEK: Age of Ultron #8
Marvel released an early look at Age of Ultron #8 by Brian Michael Bendis and Brandon Peterson.
REVIEW: Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man #21
For twenty issues now we've seen how the new Ultimate Spider-Man, Miles Morales, has adjusted to the life of a super-powered adolescent. What will he do when Peter Parker's past rears its ugly symbiote head and goes after Miles' family? Major Spoilers reviews Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man #21 to find out!
REVIEW: Uncanny X-Men #3
With Avengers vs. X-Men we saw the two teams argue and fight over whether Cyclops and his revolution were out of control. In the latest issue of Uncanny X-Men, the Avengers have stepped in to, um…argue and fight over whether Cyclops and his revolution are out of control. Is this just more of the same or something completely different? Your Major Spoilers review has the answer young mutant!
SOLICITATIONS: The Future of Uncanny X-Men is REVOLUTION!
Press Release
We already know that one of the Uncanny X-Men is a traitor, so can we eliminate those seen on this promotional image for Uncanny X-Men #5 that Marvel has sent out? Marvel's big month of April continues to be pushed in the image after the jump.
The Future of Marvel is a Traitor!
In a continual push of upcoming NOW! titles Marvel has sent over this little teaser for the upcoming Bendis and Bachalo Uncanny X-Men #1. Who is the traitor? Start placing your bets now.
SOLICITATIONS: The Age of Ultron is upon us
Press Release
This March, enter the darkest days of the Marvel Universe as Earth's Mightiest fight for survival in Age of Ultron #1 as they're faced with only two choices—Submit Or Perish! From the blockbuster creative team of Brian Michael Bendis (All New X-Men, Avengers, Ultimate Comics Spider-Man), Bryan Hitch (Ultimates, Fantastic Four), Carlos Pacheco (Uncanny X-Men) & Brandon Peterson (AvX: VS) comes an event years in the making pitting the Marvel Universe against one of their greatest threats! Ultron, a deadly sentient robot created by founding Avenger Hank Pym who turned on his creator to achieve his twisted objective…the utter destruction of humanity. Now that Ultron has conquered, enslaving most of the world's Super Heroes, it's up to a small group of resistance fighters—including Invisible Woman, Taskmaster, Beast, Emma Frost, She-Hulk, Luke Cage, Spider-Man, Wolverine and Moon Knight—to find a way overcome darkness and bring hope back a world that has suddenly lost everything. Once this landmark ten-issue event concludes, the reverberations will be felt in every corner of the Marvel Universe, leaving no hero or villain unscathed.
MARVEL NOW! Brian Bendis to write Uncanny X-Men #1
Press Release
This February, Cyclops is back in full force in Uncanny X-Men #1, kicking off the all-new ongoing series from the blockbuster creative team of writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Chris Bachalo! As part of Marvel NOW!, Uncanny X-Men joins a number of titles that will take the Marvel Universe in an exciting all-new direction, as the industry's top creators join the top Super Heroes to deliver all-new ongoing series, great for new and lapsed readers alike!
MARVEL NOW! Bendis and Bachalo are Uncanny
Marvel teases yet another Uncanny series in the Marvel NOW! relaunch/rebrand/renumbering/reboot. We already have Uncanny Avengers, and Uncanny X-Force, so what could be next? A title simply called Uncanny X-Men seems too on the nose.
REVIEW: Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #16
This series created a stir when it first came out more than a year ago. Peter Parker was dead and a new Spider-Man, Miles Morales, took his place. Since its arrival, Ultimate Spider-Man appeals to both old and new comic book readers. It combines the classic superhero origins and themes into an original modern story. Although he shares the iconic presence of his predecessor, Miles Morales is an all-new, all different Spider-Man.
NYCC '12: Guardians of the Galaxy and Nova become official
A whole slew of new books were announced last week at New York Comic Con. The exact figure comes somewhere close to the amount of Slave Leia's that were cosplayed. I of course have no source for that little factoid, but it just seems right. Anyways, take the jump for two new series coming from Marvel in 2013.
SNEAK PEEK: Daredevil: End of Days #1
Marvel Comics has released a sneak peek of Daredevil: End of Days #1 that you can check out, after the jump.


text:
Hip Hop Music: A Brief History
To truly find the roots of modern hip hop one must first delve far into the ancient history of Africa. Hip Hop is essentially words being sung or spoken in a rhythmic fashion in syncopation with the beat of background music. It is not entirely unlike what one would have found in ancient and modern West Africa, where at almost all celebrations, and ceremonies, oral histories and tales are traditionally spoken or sung to the beat of many drums. This African tradition has influenced many genres of music, including jazz and soul, which in turn have also had an influence on modern Hip Hop.
Most would agree that the birth of modern hip hop occurred in the 1970's in New York City. DJ's at block parties in the Bronx began doing creative new things with music like isolating beats, and scratching records, mixing up random rhythmic tidbits of modern music to create a whole new sound. Eventually people started using this unique new sound as a background for rhyming words along with the beat and Rap music, a sub-genre of Hip Hop was born. Many of the lyrics used in rap, in the past, and today were an outlet for disenfranchised, and often poor, youth of African and Latin descent to rail at the unfairness and inequality of modern society.
From the late 1970's to the mid 1980's Hip Hop continued to grow and evolve. The first Hip Hop recording occurred in 1979 though fans of the genre differ in opinion on whether it can be attributed to The Sugarhill Gang with "Rapper's Delight" or The Fatback Band with "King Tim III (Personality Jock). It hit its peak, or Golden Age, from the mid 80's to the mid 90's. This was a time of much innovation and growth in the genre. Most of what we hear in modern Hip Hop originated in this time period with artists like Dr. Dre, Ice T, and Salt-n-Pepa amongst many others. There were many rivalries during this time period between West Coast and East coast rappers, some that still continue today.
Hip Hop is still popular today, although it has branched off into a variety of categories. Gangster Rap is s widely popular with artists like 50 cent and Snoop Dog. Alternative Artists like Outkast, Kanye West, and The Flobots are consistently redefining the Genre. Over time even the face of Hip Hop is changing with the success of artists like Eminem, and Insane Clown Posse, as they don't fit into the original mold of disenfranchised African American and Latino youth. Hip Hop is now a diverse and creative culture embraced by people of all walks of life.


text:
Haven't signed up to the weekly e-zine yet? Subscribe and get the coolest events in Dublin direct to your inbox every Thursday, complete with cover art and le interview by *signing up for free* HERE
Not sure?
Thanks for reading and spread the word.
le cool Dublin
Letters to the Editor HERE. Sales and ratecard HERE.


text:
Mexicos tourism sector goes up
Economic activity associated with tourism grew 4 percent in 2012 compared with the year before, Mexico's INEGI statistics service said. Spending by foreign and domestic tourists increased by 4.7 percent last year. In the fourth quarter of 2012, tourism activity topped the same period in 2011 by 4 percent, INEGI said Monday. By segments, spending by domestic tourists rose 4.8 percent, while ...
Statement by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Meeting with Mexicoaposs Secretary of Agriculture
MEXICO CITY, May 17, 2013 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today issued the following statement following his meeting with Mexico's new Secretary of Agriculture, Enrique Martnez y Martnez: "I am pleased by the productive exchange with Secretary Martnez where we discussed and recognized the strong bilateral agricultural trade between our two countries. Mexico is an important ...
Troops flood western Mexico to protect towns but doubts remain
A group of armed guards stand with their weapons at the entrance of the town of La Ruana, Michoacan, Mexico, Monday, May 20 2013. Residents of western Mexico towns who endured months besieged by a drug cartel are cheering the arrival of hundreds of Mexican army troops. (Marco ...
Mexican town under siege by drug cartel cheers arrival of soldiers
LA RUANA, Mexico (AP) - Residents of a western Mexico area who endured months besieged by a drug cartel cheered the arrival of hundreds of Mexican soldiers Monday.People in La Ruana in Michoacan state lined the main road to greet more than a dozen troop transports and heavily armed Humvees with applause and shouts of joy.The town's supplies had been blocked after the Knights Templars cartel ...
Former Texas Marine kidnapped in Mexico
Armando Torres, 27 A former Marine from Texas who served for seven years has been kidnapped by armed men in Mexico, his family said.Armando Torres, 27, crossed the Los Indios Bridge in Brownsville, Texas on Tuesday night to visit his dad and was supposed to return Wednesday morning.Torres' uncle, Eduardo Torres, says he's worried and claims he and two other family members from Mexico ...
Movie Review
Win Win [Blu-Ray]
So-called feel-good movies are tricky business because most filmmakers are all too willing to paper over or outright bend reality in order to deliver the emotional candy the audience is craving. Of course, a little candy isnt a bad thing, but too much of it makes you sick, and that is often the c ... ...
On Facebook
More Idaho wheat sold for feed exports to Mexico drop
SEAN ELLIS Capital PressBOISE -- After increasing significantly in 2012, Idaho wheat exports to Mexico dropped considerably during the first quarter of 2013. The drop was caused by very high corn prices last year that resulted in a lot of Idaho wheat being sent through feed channels, according to industry experts. "Because of the price of corn, we had millions of bushels of wheat go to ...
B.C. relatives fear for man kidnapped in Mexico along with his business partner
The frantic family of a missing B.C. man feared kidnapped in Mexico is praying for his safe return.Diego Hernandez, 22, disappeared in Puerto Vallarta on May 8 along with his American business partner, Craig Silva, 31.Three days before the pair disappeared, Hernandez, a mixed martial arts instructor, had mounted a successful, high-profile MMA event."It was a very exciting time for ...
Mexican Peso Pares Drop on Speculation Fed Will Sustain Stimulus
Mexico 's peso pared its decline as a Federal Reserve official supported maintaining a monetary stimulus program that has buoyed emerging-market assets. The currency slid 0.2 percent to 12.3264 per U.S. dollar at 11:15 a.m. in Mexico City after earlier falling 0.8 percent. The peso has risen 4.3 percent in 2013, still the biggest gain among major currencies tracked by Bloomberg. St. ...
Philip Morris Intl to fully control Mexican unit
Philip Morris Mexico for about $700 million. The transaction, which is expected to get completed by the end of September, is subject to the approval of the Mexican antitrust authority. Slim is on Philip Morris International's board of directors. Its shares fell $1, or 1.1 percent, to $94 in morning trading Tuesday, and have traded between $81.10 and $96.73 in the last 52 weeks. The ...
Mexico Hands-on kitchen and spa for $300
The Baja resort, an hour's drive south of San Diego, is offering Saturdays at the Ranch, a one-day visit that includes fitness and spa activities, meals and a hands-on afternoon in a class at the culinary center. The ranch and spa, tagged World's Best Destination Spa by Travel & Leisure readers in 2010 and 2011, is a 3,000-acre property that specializes in health and wellness ...
Making the news
Nothing will ever completely replace playing the game I love, however I feel like I'm starting a new adventure and I'm genuinely excited about what lies ahead. I'm fortunate to have been given many opportunities throughout my career and now I feel it's my time to give back.
David Beckham
The world's best known footballer was speaking after formally announcing his retirement.
Hotel Review
Wyndham Miami Beach Resort
First impressions are so important for a hotel guest's stay. Ironically when one thing goes wrong early on inevitably a ...
Keep readingHave Your Say
Do you take the threat of North Korea seriously?
Mexico Star
Mexico Star – Independent Online News ServiceNewspapers the world over strive to provide readers with the ultimate news coverage.
The Mexico Star is no exception.
As an online news service we have advantages over traditional newspapers in that stories can be added and updated 24 hours day.
Our objective is to provide the most comprehensive Mexican news available, from our resources, contracted wire services and an inventory of some thousands of sources comprising newspapers, cable and TV networks, radio stations, public broadcasters, NGOs and others, Mexican news is a priority.
National news comes first. We do however strive to provide a complete news services for our readers. World news headlines top several of our pages, we also provide news on what's happening in business, and in the financial markets.
Whether it's the latest Nikkei 225 reading in Tokyo, the sterling exchange rate in London, or the status of the Nasdaq in New York, whether it's local Mexico news, the weather forecast for Mexico you'll find it all in the Mexico Star.
From Tijuana to Mexico City, the Mexico Star should be your number one choice for breaking news - local, regional, and national.
- Disney-owned ESPN cutting hundreds of jobs source
- UPDATE 1-Court revives lawsuit vs Electronic Arts over video game image
- U.S. cigarette makers boost discounts as smokers turn away
- CORRECTED-UPDATE 1-NetApp boosts share buyback by $1.6 bln starts dividend
- Samsungs men are pigs ad for TVs gets YouTube love
- Comprehensive immigration reform or bust
- NGOs Have a Right to Receive Foreign Funding
- Search for extraterrestrial life goes on even without Kepler.
- Aesthetic path to enlightenment
- Narendra Modi is a bubble — and voters today are sharp Jitin Prasada
Subscribe to our Newsletter
Get the latest Mexico Star headlines delivered to your inbox.
- Mexicos tourism sector goes up
- Statement by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Meeting with Mexicoaposs Secretary of Agriculture
- Troops flood western Mexico to protect towns but doubts remain
- Mexican town under siege by drug cartel cheers arrival of soldiers
- Former Texas Marine kidnapped in Mexico


text:
Imagine waking up on the first day of class, pulling back the curtains in front of your window, and staring out at the most significant city in Christian history: Jerusalem.
At Southeastern University, we make that vision a reality.
Our Jerusalem Studies program allows you to walk where Jesus walked, studying Biblical history and Middle Eastern culture in a beautiful, state-of-the-art facility in the heart of West Jerusalem. It is open to all Southeastern students and required for College of Christian Ministries & Religion majors. You will earn 15 hours of credit during the semester, which includes five weeks of field study and nine hours of class credit in the Holy Land and six hours of online course work at home. You will not take classes on campus during your semester in the program, which is offered during the fall, spring and summer terms.
The three courses you will take in Israel are:
Historical Geography and Archaeology of Israel - By visiting archaeological sites, participating in an actual dig and practicing cartography, you will learn about the historical periods of Israel. You'll also learn how the borders of Israel changed as other powers controlled the region from the time the Israelites conquered the region until their return from exile in Babylon.
Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes - In this course, you will link Jesus' ministry in the Bible to the places where he worked in the Holy Land. You will travel to some of the key places in Israel where Jesus ministered, including Bethlehem, Nazareth, and Galilee.
Ministry in Intercultural Context - By studying the unique mix of cultures and peoples in Israel, you will gain an understanding of the challenges related to ministry in an intercultural setting. You will interact with orthodox Jews, Muslims, and Jewish Christians in both formal ministry settings and everyday settings.
Students who have participated in the program call it a life-changing experience. It has expanded their understanding of God's Word, changed their perceptions of other cultures, and given them the chance to build relationships with the people of Israel. Those who have entered the ministry say it has enabled them to more effectively preach the Gospel. It has also expanded their own knowledge of the history and physical characteristics of the places Jesus ministered, strengthening their faith.
The program only costs about $2,800 more than a typical 15-hour semester on campus in Lakeland. The cost covers all travel expenses, lodging fees (including an on-site chef and security) and all excursions in the Holy Land, as well as tuition. Lodging and meals are provided at our George O. Wood Center, which was completed in 2009 and is within walking distance of the Temple Mount, the Garden of Gethsemane, the Eastern Gate and the City of David, allowing you convenient access to some of the most significant sites in the Bible.
If you're ready for your life to be forever altered and for your faith to come alive, start making plans to participate in the Jerusalem Studies program. For more information on the program, click here.
Want to Know More? Sample semester itinerary Request more information Student testimonials


text:
Presidential Campaign Stop
"I would like to commend all the Loveland, Fort Collins dignitaries and police and sheriff's departments for the outstanding job they did representing our small community. What an honor it was to host the president of the United States. Way to go everyone."
"I am not an Obama supporter and certainly was unhappy about the road closures. Still, it was exciting to have a president visit Loveland. Does that change my vote? Nope."
"I wonder if the president told the students at CSU that 50 percent of the graduates this year have not been able to find a job. In addition, 23 million people are out of work. I wonder who he's going to blame this on after three and a half years in the office."
"President Obama is very shrewd by attempting to be all things to all people. Case in point is a remark he made to the CSU audience about giving up a diet of cynicism that has percolated throughout the campaign. He said that if you're going to get cynical, wait until you get old. As a senior citizen, I take offense at Obama's weak attempt to split the voting classes. Dear students, we're not cynical. We're savvy and can see right through the man."
"The president of the United States, our President Barack Obama, visits Fort Collins. He's the first sitting president to ever have done so, and all you small-minded people can think of is how much his visit might have cost taxpayers. How sad."
"Who is in the Oval Office, doing a job we're paying the president to do, while he's out on his junkets, trying to convince us that he's done such so much on our behalf? If he had truly done an exemplary job, it would be evident. After all, actions speak louder than words."
Allegiant Airlines
"City fathers of Loveland and Fort Collins honestly believe that the people are dumb enough to think that Allegiant Airlines just woke up one morning and said, 'we aren't going to land at the Loveland airport anymore?' Something was said or done that the city is not telling us about and it's not just over a tower."
"Regarding Allegiant Airlines not having a control tower and planes that are full day in and day out to Vegas and to Phoenix lead me to believe that the sudden departure has everything to do with the lack of a control tower. And being an ex-pilot, I'm wondering if their pilots are finally drawing a line in the sand to say that this is truly a safety issue."
"We just put in a new runway out at our Loveland airport. I think we're trying to get up to snuff."
Editor's Note: For those of you who would like to learn more about Allegiant Air, reporter Tom Hacker and editor Jeff Stahla will be conducting a live Internet chat noon Friday at reporterherald.com to discuss the situation with the community.
High Park Fire
"In regards to the High Park fire story in Thursday's Reporter-Herald, the people are having trouble with the insurance companies. What good is insurance when they don't pay? Then it becomes another bill along with all the other bills that you're already forced to pay. Where is the government help in making sure that the insurance companies are doing what they are required to do under the contract they have with the people paying for the insurance?"


text:
Tropical colors set the tone for fun in the sun! You've asked and we've delivered. The Key West collection is a welcome addition to our popular Capel Anywhere™ indoor/outdoor braided rugs. 100% polypropylene and fully reversible means two times the wear when you're partying poolside. Made in the USA.
From custom sizes to custom shapes, Capel Braids-American Originals are our most versatile rugs. Crafted in our mills in North Carolina, we offer our reversible braided area rugs in standard oval, round and runner sizes, as well as other shapes, and made to measure custom sizes, too.
This site is best viewed under Internet Explorer 7.0 or higher © Copyright 2010 Capel Incorporated Trademarks of Capel Incorporated


text:
The Government has published the results from the Challenger Businesses Red Tape Challenge (formerly called Disruptive Business Models).
Over 600 comments were received through the Red Tape Challenge website and the social networking site Linked In, and the business community has been instrumental in defining the final package of proposals. Overall, this Red Tape Challenge uncovered a wide range of issues – not all purely regulatory, but relevant to the theme.
Key proposals are to:
- Create a new independent function to champion deregulation when it hinders innovative businesses. The independent Regulatory Policy Committee will be asked by Ministers to investigate where challenger businesses, seeking to enter new markets, are being unjustifiably hampered by rules, regulations and behaviours and report publically on their findings.
- Encourage a self regulating approach in the peer-to-peer finance industry by increasing membership of their finance associations and building on their consumer code of practice.
- Help knowledge-based businesses to secure finance by working with banking and accountancy experts to improve existing guidance and raise awareness of the Government schemes which can help.
- Identify ways to drive down costs in applying for and defending patents, including examining the operation of the US 'small entity' regime.
- Make it cheaper and simpler for SMEs to challenge potential infringements of their trade marks.
- Provide a better balance to the rights of consumers and online traders by implementing a new Consumer Rights Directive to replace the existing distance selling regulations.
- Amend the Estate Agents Act (1979) to take out of its scope intermediaries such as private sale portals, which only advertise properties and provide a means for sellers and buyers to communicate with each other.
Business raised other more general yet equally important issues on: regulatory enforcement; employment law, public procurement; and, data protection. Further information on these issues is provided in the report. We have also passed your comments to the relevant Departments and Red Tape Challenge teams who will put them to good use.
The Business and Enterprise Minister Michael Fallon would like to thank everyone who has given their valuable time and expertise. We would also like to thank Mark Littlewood, Director-General of the Institute of Economic Affairs, who has acted as Sector Champion for this theme. Mark's own independent report (available to download here) made a number of recommendations aimed at improving the regulatory framework and how it is implemented. He also looked at how current rules and processes may be stifling today's challenger businesses as well as the steps which could be taken to prevent new regulations hampering the businesses of the future.
Implementation of the proposals will begin promptly and in some areas is well underway already.
Relevant Links:
The official Government report can be found here.
The full BIS press notice is available here.


text:
Young people invited to take the challenge
The 2012 event will be staged at the theatre at the Mid Kent College campus, Medway on the evening of Friday, February 10, 2012.
A rehearsal and briefing session will take place at the Mid Kent College campus, Medway on the morning of Saturday, January 21, 2012 for all the individuals and groups shortlisted for the final.
All applicants will be told pre Christmas if they have a place in the live final. We highly recommend finalists attend the rehearsal in January. The experience at past events is those attending briefing sessions usually end up winning more from the dragons than those that do not attend the rehearsal.
To view all the past event videos,


text:
17 graphic images that prove sports injuries are worse than they sound
Rub some dirt on it and walk it off.
Mark your Card: your best bets for today's Grade racing
Opinion: Kelly, Meyler and Brady made the right calls by moving on
Contribute to this story:
Read next:
Embed this post
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Comments (11 Comments)
The description of Hoogerlands "cut" is a bit of an understatement. He was hit by a car and knocked into a field via a barbed wire fence.
Dislocated my shoulder last year playing football. Took a picture of the x-rays to have. Not a nice feeling having your arm hanging off!!


text:
austinwantsasammich: who are you and WHY HAVENT I MET YOU YET? you have incredible tastes.
my name is merissa, you must be austin! ;b
& thank you! very much the same to you. i'm glad i started following you! im not even sure where i found you haha. but you're one of my faves<3333


text:
Eagle Scout returns medal to protest gay ban
OAK PARK (AP) — A suburban Chicago man has mailed his Eagle Scout medal back to the Boy Scouts of America to protest the group's decision to continue its ban on gay Scout leaders.
Rob Breymaier of Oak Park told the Chicago Tribune (http://trib.in/P94mfp ) in a story published Monday that he has long opposed the Scouts' policy and given up hope the 102-year-old organization will change it.
Earlier this month, the Boy Scouts reaffirmed its policy of excluding gays after conducting a two-year review. The group cited support from parents as a key reason for keeping the policy.
Story Archived
Please sign in with your Comment Member ID and password.
Having trouble?
If you have any technical difficulties, either with your username and password or with the payment options, please contact us by e-mail at email@example.com


text:
Cup Solutions
MWare® food service paperboard for cups is made from fiber-based, renewable resources. Available options and features for MWare paperboard for cups include post consumer recycled content, and commercial compostability.
Plate and Bowl Solutions
MWare® food service paperboard for plates and pressed bowls comes in a full range of fiber bleached and unbleached options. Clay coated surfaces provide barrier protection and enhance printabilty.
Takeout Solutions
MWare® paperboard solutions for folded takeout containers offer a variety of paperboard and coating options that deliver solutions for barrier and temperature range requirements, and visual impact.
Post-Consumer Recycled Fiber
We can make MWV food service paperboard with up to 30 percent post-consumer recycled fiber (PCF) while maintaining compliance with stringent USFDA and ISEGA food contact standards.
PLA Coated Paperboard
Bio-based barrier coatings like polylactic acid (PLA) are derived from plants and can replace fossil-fuel based coatings in many applications. PLA coatings on MWV paperboard can offer commercially compostable solutions for you and your customers.
Food Service Sustainability
We developed MWare® food service paperboard with sustainability in mind from the start. From responsible use of natural resources to enhanced options for end of life, MWare delivers solutions that help your business and your brand succeed.


text:
Back to story
Send to a friend
Send "Concert attendees get inspiration, mosh-induced rush from Warped Tour" to a friend. We will not store the e-mail addresses or give them to anybody. We value your privacy.
Point of View
What was your favorite Super Bowl commercial this year?
It would probably be the Dodge commercial with the farmers.
— Amber Anderton


text:
3.3 Academic Performance - General
Students are ultimately responsible for ensuring that they meet degree and program requirements. The advisor (co-advisor), advisory committee and the department must ensure that each student follows the guidelines and meets the program requirements. The Faculty of Graduate Studies performs a final check of program requirements for each student just prior to graduation. Students are cautioned, therefore, to check all regulations with respect to the degree requirements. Failure to meet all the requirements will result in failure to graduate.
Any student re-registering in the period between receiving unsatisfactory grades and a decision by the Faculty of Graduate Studies on a deficiency does so at his/her own risk.
Departments may make recommendations with regard to the regulations concerning minimum academic performance; however, enforcement of academic regulations rests with the Faculty of Graduate Studies. The following procedures apply to recommendations made by departments:
Voluntary withdrawal from a program is not permitted once the grades have been declared and indicate that the student has failed to achieve the required minimum.
Departmental recommendations will supersede student requests for voluntary withdrawal.
A student who has been required to withdraw from a graduate program at The University of Manitoba may be permitted to enroll in another graduate program in the Faculty of Graduate Studies only if the application for admission is approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies or designate.
Performance in Course Work A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 with no grade below C+ must be maintained for continuance in the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Departments may specify, in their supplementary regulations, standards that are higher than those of the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Students who fail to maintain the specified grades will be required to withdraw unless a departmental remedial recommendation (as outlined below) is approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies.
A student may be permitted to remove deficiencies in grades by repeating the course or taking an equivalent substitute course only once for each course to a maximum of 6 credit hours of course work. If a course is repeated or replaced , the highest grade obtained will be used in the determination of the grade point average.
Students receiving a grade of C or less in more than 6 credit hours of coursework are required to withdraw.
In general, supplemental exams are not permitted to students in the Master's or Ph.D. program.
All actions taken administratively are to be reported, in summary form to the Faculty of Graduate Studies Executive Committee.


text:
John Ribic, D.O., FACC
John Ribic, D.O. is Board Certified in Cardiology and Interventional Cardiology and is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology.
Dr. Ribic came to Helena from Lima, Ohio where he worked at Cardiovascular Associates since 2000, and for Cardiology Consultants of Southwest Ohio in Dayton from 1979 to 2000. He also served as a clinical instructor and staff cardiologist at Grandview Hospital and Medical Center in Dayton, Ohio; a staff cardiologist at St. Rita's Medical Center in Lima, Ohio; and as a clinical instructor at Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine and College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific.
A graduate of Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine in Missouri, Dr. Ribic earned his Bachelor of Science degree at Ohio State University. He completed his cardiology fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and his residency and internship at Flint Osteopathic Hospital in Michigan. Dr. Ribic was selected as one of America's Top Physicians in 2007 by the Consumer Research Group.
Dr. Ribic is an avid fly fisherman, hunter and outdoor enthusiast.
**At this time, Dr. Ribic is accepting new patients. No physician referral is necessary, however, some insurance companies require a physician referral. Please check your insurance requirements.
- Kris Godlewski, M.D., FACC
- Carla Kingsley, D.O., FACC
- John Ribic, D.O., FACC
- Arrhythmias & Rhythm Problems
- Cardiomyopathy
- Diseases of the Aorta
- Heart Attacks
- Angina
- Heart Failure
- Hypertension
- Valve Disease
- Non-Invasive Cardiac Tests
- Invasive Cardiac Tests (2 Day Protocol for Myoview/Persantine Stress Test)
- Cardiac Rehabilitation
- Pulmonary Rehabilitation
- American Heart Association


text:
KENNY CHESNEY has been announced as the closing headliner for this year's Country Thunder USA festival in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin coming up Sunday, July 25th. The four-day event kicks off Thursday, July 22nd with SUGARLAND, MIRANDA LAMBERT, JASON ALDEAN and BILLY CURRINGTON among the other acts on the bill.
Here are Kenny's confirmed 2010 festival dates:
5/30 -- Baton Rouge, LA, Bayou Country Superfest
6/5 -- Enterprise, AL, Bamajam
7/18 -- Craven, SK (CAN), Craven Country Jamboree
7/24 -- Louisville, KY, HullabaLOU Music Festival
7/25 -- Twin Lake, WI, Country Thunder USA
8/7 -- Detroit Lakes, MN, WE Fest


text:
See more photos
Get me outta here!
"This is our daddy's website.""We think he is a funny person."-Dalton & Darian Bruccoleri
Time Warner Cable Inc. (NYSE:TWC): Time Warner Cable (NYSE:TWC) will increase Internet speeds for businesses in four New York City boroughs by up to 20 times, according to Bloomberg. The news service suggests that the move by the cable company comes in response to Google's (NASDAQ:GOOG) Google Fiber initiative in Kansas City. The shares traded up $0.40 (0.45%) recently at $90.27.
Recently I have been thinking more of PSOC and Anadigm. Both offer programmable analog components on a chip. At first look they are really cool technology. You can drag and drop program interesting analog circuitry. But recently I have been thinking about how I would use them. I am now confused. Let me explain why.
Typical analog components this might replace are interfaces to sensors. We might need to measure voltages, currents, temperatures, pressures... We might need to stimulate inputs. What we do now is to process these with discrete analog components. Op amps, comparators, resistor divider and low pass filters. So my first reaction is part of this decision is more of a management decision rather then a technical one. For instance it just may be more convenient for us to do it this way rather then some more highly integrated choice. The choices may be available manpower, observable testable points, proven circuitry. On the other hand, I am always willing to at least consider something new, and maybe, if it makes sense, try something new.
So now I come to my other epiphany. How many of you know the bilinear transform? It says s=2/T(z+1)/(z-1). There are many transforms that relate the s domain to the z domain (don't tune me out, I will explain this all). The S domain is the analog domain. The Z domain is the digital domain.
Now back to English. With this simple equation I can realize all my analog circuitry in a digital processor! Why do I need analog at all? What does PSOC buy me that I can't already do with with a DSP and that equation? Perhaps the drag and drop nature of the PSOC tool makes it easy to realize these functions then the math involved with implementing a digital filter using the bilinear transform. Well if the advantage of PSOC is that its easier for an engineer to implement what about just using op amps, comparators and capacitors. Isn't that easier still? Wouldn't this be a tool issue?
I think I need to evaluate PSOC on some specific circuit or goal. I am just not sure.
A couple months ago I ran across a circuitry problem that may interest those with a little electronics knowledge. We were getting failures on a high percentage of new product, but not on all of them. The product was warning that its internal -15v supply was out of tolerance (and faulting). A manual check with a voltmeter showed the -15v supply was within the required +/-10% tolerance. Other internal supplies were monitored as well by the computer and they never exhibited this issue. Below is a schematic of the components involved, what I found and the interesting solution.
What this schematic is showing is three resistor divider circuits that divide down the +15, +5v and the -15 volt supplies to feed the A/D converter inputs (there is some additional filtering and protection not shown). This A/D converter can resolve a range of 0v to +3v signal thus the need to divide down the voltages before conversion. Additionally the -15v rail voltage is "translated" to a positive voltage by raising it with the +5V. The code in the computer then reads the A/D converter and looks to see if the value read is out of +/-10% tolerance.There is a problem though with the -15v divider circuit. Do you see it? The -15v circuit is dependent on the +5v voltage as well. So for instance if the +5v rail is 8% too high (within spec), and the -15v signal is 8% too low (also within spec), the resulting divided/translated voltage may be more than 10% out of whack (this is a highly technical term). The unit would then erroneously fault. I found a simple software change that put this issue to rest. We need to first read the +5 rail voltage. Then the -15v rail voltage is read and we subtract out the component of +5v rail voltage from the -15v reading. To do this requires some math and Kirchoff's voltage law. VAD3 = V+5v - ( V+5v - V-15v) R5 /( R5 + R6)Next we have to solve for V-15v :V-15v = (V+5v - VAD3)(R5 + R6)/R5 + V+5v
I implemented this equation in the firmware of the computer and it worked like a charm! I implemented it, but did not consider this solution to be optimal. In subsequent designs I made sure we did not use the +5v supply to translate the -15v supply voltage, but for this product this software solution had several benefits:
I do not usually write lab notes on specific programming issues. I try to keep my web site general so many people can understand it. This note is an exception, its a real simple software related issue. Over the years of writing software I keep coming back to DeMorgan's Theorem. It was one of those things that in college I never thought I would use, but it seems to pop up on a regular basis at work. I think this is fascinating stuff, particularly when academia meets the pavement.First, the background. DeMorgan's Theorem states: .DeMorgan's theorem cannot be proved or reduced using math. The only proof is a brute force proof. At this point your probably thinking, "how can this academic theorem prove to be useful at work?" Let me show by example.This is going to be a real simple contrived example to demonstrate DeMorgan. Suppose the programming job is to read two switch inputs and to turn a motor on if both switches are closed. Perhaps to drive the motor ON we also have to output a LOW. It is common in computer to have negative I/O logic. Here is a schematic for this. We can see that if either switch is closed the input to the computer will go low.
I can now write software to implement the required function.If ( SW1 = 0) AND ( SW1=0)THEN MOTOR = 0ELSE MOTOR =1Do you see the correlation between this software statement and DeMorgan's Theorem? Now we can simplify the programming statement using DeMorgan's. Two simplifications make the statement easier to read. We take advantage of BOOLEAN type's and we can switch around the THEN and ELSE part to get rid of a NOT operator.If (SW1 OR SW2)THEN MOTOR =1ELSE MOTOR =0An astute programmer might note a further simplification by writing a single algebraic Boolean expression for this statement such asMOTOR = SW1 OR SW2. Understanding and using DeMorgan's Theorem has simplified the programming, if only a little here. In larger applications we would get a larger return on our simplification investment.
Even though many compilers will reduce expressions internally, simplifying your programming pays rewards in understandable code. ALWAYS simplify code and remember to use DeMorgan.
When I am troubleshooting new PCB's I have a unique technique for finding shorts on PCB's. I actually have to hand the credit for this technique to a business partner, Dr. Ed Kafrissen. He came up with a few non-traditional ways of doing business, and this is one of them.So let me set up a scenario for you, and then show you Ed's solution. Suppose you have a client and you need to deliver 100 PCB's to him/her quickly. You have someone stuff the boards for you, now you have to verify they work. One of the first tests we would do is to apply power to the new PCB and bring the voltage up slowly. If the power supplies load down, then you got a problem to solve. You got a short on the PCB.Ed came up with unique solution. We had this old humongous power supply lying around that was capable of suppling 30v at up to 5 amperes. This technique only works if the power supply, like ours, has an adjustment to limit the voltage and current. We would set the voltage to necessary voltage and the current all the way down. Ed would then hook up the PCB, which immediately loaded down the current limited supply. He would turn up the current on the supply and feel on the PCB for a hot spot! Invariably some IC would be stuffed in backwards that our visual inspection did not find, or we would get a PCB which was not completely etched. In those days we got horrendous PCB's.Anyway, that was Ed's solution to quickly find shorts on a PCB. And it worked well as long as you were careful enough to not burn yourself! Yeow!
About 2 years ago I did some shopping for a Bluetooth car speaker phone. I hit upon what I considered the most perfect speaker phone, the Nokia HF-6W. It cost me over $120, but it was worth it (while it lasted). It had a powerful 6w speaker and several microphones that tracked the sound source. It worked great as well.About a year ago it died. I assumed it was a 'normal' failure. I returned the unit to Nokia returns and they sent me a new unit. This second one failed in the same manner. Further, after doing a search on the internet I found other people are experiencing the same failure of the Nokia HF-6W and here. Nokia's warrenty only covers the unit for one year. This is a design flaw. Nokia should admit it and do right by their customers.The way the HF-6W speaker phone fails it that no sound comes from the speaker. The speaker is dead. Second, the unit will not reset itself. When the power button and volume up buttons are pressed simultaneously while the device is off, the unit is suppose to revert to its default state. The green and red LED's are suppose to blink as well. I cannot seem to get it to reset. The unit seems to work otherwise, bluetooth connects, etc. Now my wifes unit, unit #3, failed the same way. Have you stumbled upon my post and are having the same problem?[UPDATE 02/04/08]Nokia replaced my HF-6w with their HF-33. It has a much smaller speaker and no built in retractable phone charger. The retail price is about 1/2 that of the HF-6w. I am accepting this replacement under the condition that it simply WORK.
During 1997-1999 period I was working for Philips Consumer Communications. It was a joint venture between Lucent and Philips and we made telephones. We had the sole right to sell phones under the AT&T logo. I had a magnificent apartment on the ocean in Long Branch, NJ. This was at the Sea Verge apartments.I worked with a great team of firmware engineers. My managers were Ken Kasiske and Trey Weaver. I was on the 'Ocelot' team. We were tasked to make their very first 900Mhz all digital cordless telephone. What a son-of-a-gun this project was. The heart of the project was an 8051 based base-band chip called the Phox by AMD. We took their DECT reference design and modified it for our project. The reference software did not come fully debugged. With a little sweat my team, Grady Brosier, Bassam Chamoun, Ken Bocan and I, got it working! I was the lead on this team, I was in charge of the firmware for the phone base station, Caller ID, and communications stack. I was also the only one with significant prior 8051 experience.The most interesting thing I remember about this job is that I found the most difficult bug I have ever encountered there in my life. Briefly I will describe what I found. The DECT protocol is an acknowledged protocol between handset and base. The state machine that controls when the transceiver re-transmits or acknowledges was getting into a wrong state. This state was represented by several variables so first we had to recognize this part of the problem. The transceiver would get in this state only intermittently. If you used the phone heavily for 15-20 minutes, it would lock up. We would set breakpoints in the software, but it took forever to reproduce the problem.Finally, we found how the transceiver state machine could get into this state. Out of tens of thousands of lines of code an interrupt had to occur only between two sequential (tiny) 'C' statements that were setting two semaphore flags. It took us weeks to understand the state machine and weeks to trap this problem. My firmware partner and I were pressing buttons on the phone for hours to reproduce the problem. Like I said, we finally got the phone working 100% to spec, and on time, with some hard work! The problem had come in on the reference design.Cindy Price (our project manager) had some challenges to work through toward the end of the project on the hardware front as well. The hardware guys were led by Brian Kim and Paul Newland. Paul came out of Lucent's Bell Labs. The were (are) two of the best engineers I have ever met. I had a lot of respect for them. It seems the hardware guys found that the front end of the radio was being saturated by RF near the 900 Mhz frequency. This was an issue because if the customer lived near a paging tower his cordless telephone would not work. The solution was to include a SAW filter on the front end. A SAW is a narrow band filter.Then end of this story is that we all got the phone out, but VTech wound up purchasing our division a couple years later. They bought the whole division so they could use the AT&T brand name and logo!
In 1992 my then business partner Ed Kafrissen and myself had the fortune to contract with a company that specializes in ergonomic design, our customer. One of the things an ergonomic engineer does is collect demographic and population data. So they would know the ideal size for a hand held device to fit in (for example) a typical human hand. This company worked with Industrial designers and artists to make sketches and mock ups of the products before Ed and I turned them into actual products. We 'owned' the soft side of the ergonomic design as well.Below is a design sketch of the "Hand Held Stress Meter". We turned this into reality for the customer. It is a biomedical device for collecting biomechanical data. If you think about the placement of the user interface elements in the sketch, there was some thought that went into it. For instance the 'volume dial' was where your thumb would land. Designed by biomechanical engineers for biomechanical engineers.
In 1996, a few years later, I worked for a major Fortune 500 manufacturer. I arranged a meeting between my engineering department and the Ergonomic design house I had previously worked for. They had no in-house ergonomic engineers. This was, is, a LARGE corporation. I take it as my failure that I was unable to get the attention of the management there and illustrate the value of ergonomics [If you are following these series of laboratory notes you will notice that I am endeavoring to bring my communication skills to a higher level]. In subsequent laboratory notebook entries I should illustrate the significance of design.
I am going to steal a little trick I learned from Joel Spolsky and give you a little blog test. This is a simple fill in the blank. Designer is to Engineer as Architect is to ____________ .To see the answer 'magically' appear select the area below with your mouse.EngineerIs that a trick question? Yes Architects and Designers both require Engineering to create their designs. Of course Architects create building and Designers create products, but they both share the same set of 'tensions' that shape their designs as the picture illustrates.Some people might take exception with the 'art' element. I have used art instead of the more specific case of industrial design. Industrial design has the functionality, cost and ergonomics elements built into it.Designers are not necessarily engineers, and Engineers are not necessarily designers.
Creating a programming language for your product requires a knowledge of your customer. Years ago I had a job designing robots. Now there are, or were, various languages and systems for programming of the robot to do its assigned task. Most of those languages at the time required the person doing the robot programming to have computer programming skills. I had a great idea on how to program my robot. I had just learned about the FORTH language and figured everyone would love to learn FORTH. I wrote a FORTH interpreter. If you are familiar with FORTH you will know its designed around reverse polish notation. I quickly found that not many people wanted to learn to program my robot because it required them to learn a language with this mental hurdle that only a few engineers were familiar with.For my next robot we put in a BASIC interpreter. BASIC at least was based on regular arithmetic expressions. We sold quite a few of these motion control systems, but what generated more interest was when we put a GUI front end that looked like a spreadsheet.You see, much more people are familiar with spreadsheets than programming languages. It was the only motion controller for a robot at the time that was really easy to program by using a familiar metaphor. What we did was to filter the technology to a wider audience.I realized that the GUI I designed into the product had an impact on sales. Imagine that.
My next project was another automation project aimed at a consumer with no programming experience. To make the task more difficult the product only had a multi line LCD character display. After our design team put our heads together we came up with what I think was a novel approach. The use of Wizards. Most product with LCD's, that I have seen, use menu's and setting that require the consumer to have some knowledge of where in the menu structure to find a particular setting. Our concept was to first break down programming into TASKS. We would have a wizard for each TASK. Each wizard led the consumer by asking questions until a TASK was programming. In addition, we created an underlying model that was similar to the existing products in the market.It wasn't a perfect design, the small LCD was limiting, we were not able to customize the key layout, the consumer was led into fixed tasks, but it was an improvement over the existing products. You can always make the consumers programming task easier by limiting consumer choices. Thats too easy. You know your successful I think when you don't limit choices, but in fact have many ways to accomplish a task without making your customer think about how to accomplish their task.Assume a consumer has never seen your product before or read the manual. The consumer has pre-existing notions about how they might accomplish a task with your product based on their past experiences with other products, even those products that are quite different such as VCR's, iPods, Outlook, automobile cruise controls, .... If you can determine those most appropriate notion(s) and make your design fit to create a metaphor the consumer might find your product easy to use because they already know what to do. A good underlying model, and a GUI metaphor, don't limit choices but expand the consumers uses.
There seems to be two ways (at least) to innovate. I will let you decide which way makes more sense from a business standpoint. I will not try to influence which way you feel is the better path to innovation. The first way I call the 'propeller head' way.In the propeller head method we look for interesting technology. We then develop new products and ideas from these technologies. Perhaps we apply these new technologies to existing products. Once we find interesting applications of the technology we design products or demonstration systems using these technologies. Products are designed for manufacture and prototypes are made. Pricing is determined by the Cost of Finished Goods using standard markups. Marketing creates sales material, and salesmen push the product onto the customers and sales channels.The Apple I was developed using this method.The second method I call the 'I just want to make money and I am not sure I really know what my customer wants' approach. What enables this path is a desire to please and delight your customer. In this method you first define what your companies and staff strong points are. You next look at your customer and how they make their purchasing decisions. You look to see how they are accomplishing their tasks. You look to see how they are using your existing products. You look for opportunities with the customers. You look for new customers. You look at your competitions customers. You define your sales channels and explore new ways to distribute merchandise. You haven't designed anything yet, but at this point you may start getting some ideas of where you could be going. Before you even start to design you define what the price of the product will be and what the total sales will be. At this point you can decide if and how you might protect the product with patents or trade secrets. To create patents you know what are the existing IP. Finally, with this information in hand, you then can then start to define how the product might be implemented and all the drawings and paperwork required to make it. You can make suggestions on technological improvements and cost reductions because now you have defined your customer.Do you know who your customer is? ...And how well?Finally, I want to add, the "I just want to make money..." approach does not have to be some big marketing program. It could be as simple as watching the step's that production goes through in burning in your existing products. That might lead to changes in how the firmware boots up. That is a worthwhile task.
[Interviewer] The biggest ones, not very much.[Rich Templeton] The fact is, if it's a point or a point and a half, that's very little. And so when people sit back and ask why there isn't anything new, it ought to be an obvious answer. The PC companies aren't investing. When I say I think it's wonderful that there are companies like Apple (AAPL) investing in R&D, improving the user interface, new features, [and] companies like Nokia, Ericsson, Motorola all working on R&D, that's all good stuff because when those people are doing that, it's going to lead to new ideas and growth. And the last time I checked, chip companies can't grow if the people they sell to are not growing accordingly.[And engineers can't grow if their companies are not growing. - Damon ]
This is an important point I believe for an engineer to understand. Follow me on this and don't laugh. I believe the questions are sometimes more important than the answers.
Sometimes the answer flows, or can be deduced from, the question. Sometimes it's the question that is the real 'eureka' moment.
Suppose for example you manufacture a device that is dangerous if people or animals touch it. A real eureka moment might be when you ask the question "How do I protect people from touching it if when they touch it its' too late (they get shocked or worse)?"
Now ask any engineer that question and they may come up with many solutions. For instance, proximity detectors or motion detectors. Or how about detecting disturbances in the electric field? There are now $1 chips to do this. These solutions are non-contact methods to detect the presence of people or object before they become an issue.
Now consider you are a manufacturer and implement this solution in your next product. What happens next? If it's successful then all your competitors follow suit. They now also recognize the question.This is a case of where the question is more valuable than the answer. Unfortunately the US patent office does not allow protection of the question, only the answers, and that's a whole 'nuther story and a whole 'nuther future laboratory note entry here on damon4.com.
A Company may have may marketing channels for its customer. This is part of the companies supply chain, and your customers are within these channels.
This week I attended the CES show. I have been thinking of what type of lab note I should enter here when luck landed right in my lap. Luck has been good to me here in Vegas. By coincidence I had dinner tonight at the Japanese restaurant at the MGM and seated next to me at the sushi bar was an executive from Warner Brothers (a division of Time Warner). We talked about CES. Warner Brothers debuted at the show a dual format HD-DVD and Blue-Ray disk. On one side is the Blue-Ray format and on the other side is HD-DVD! Many of the other studios and retailers are VERY interested in the format .... EVERYONE ELSE (the electronics manufacturers) is upset at them!Let me explain why.Think about who wins. First you need to know that Warner Brothers has a patent on this new disk format. The rest of the industry is about split on support of the two formats. Both sides (Toshiba camp and Sony camp) have poured tons of money into winning. In one fell swoop Warner Brothers has made both formats a commodity. It does not matter which player the consumer purchases. The consumer can, and will, purchase the cheaper player if the disk will play on either one! Think about poor LG electronics who spent a ton of money to develop and launch at CES a dual format player which will retail for $1200. There is no need for the consumer to purchase that now.This dual format disk has gotten support from the major retailers (Circuit City, Best Buy, Amazon..) and some of the other major studios. In addition Warner Brothers is claiming they can also include standard format DVD on the same disk sometime in the future. It looks like they certainly have shifted the momentum toward their direction and the ensuing royalties.Oh, one prediction before I end this. Expect much negative PR about this new dual format disk from both the HD-DVD and Blue-Ray consortium's. They got a lot to lose.[Update 1/17 - I have found out the actual recording mechanism is more sophisticated than one format on each side. The formats are actually laid on top of each other in different depth layers. I was probably getting a novices description but it's irrelevant to the point of this lab note.]


text:
Jamille Marshallhttp://www.chicagotribune.com/news/l...,5990186.storyPolice say an East Garfield Park woman threw a puppy off her third-floor balcony, breaking its leg, then laughed about it in front of arresting officers.
Jamille Marshall, 22, told police she and a friend found the yellow pit bull mix puppy on her balcony around 9:30 a.m. Monday. They tossed the dog off the balcony because they said it wasnt theirs and they didnt want it, said Harrison District Police Lt. John Andrews.
The dog broke its front left leg and had severe difficulty walking, the lieutenant said.
Marshall laughed when officers arrested her, Andrews said. "The Chicago Police Department must have better things to do than worry about a dog, Andrews quoted her as saying.
The dog was taken to the Animal Care and Control for treatment. Theyre going to fix it, Andrews said.
One of the responding officers has decided to adopt the dog, he said. Its good that the dog is going to survive and have a good home."
Marshall, of the 3100 block of West Monroe Street, was charged with one felony count of aggravated cruelty to animals


text:
As a matter of fact, the modesty is associated with simplicity. It's incredible how so many brides nowadays are seeking for simple, casual, and modest wedding dress. If you are thinking about having the truly unique, dainty appearance, then you should go with a classy and yet very fashionable cheap modest wedding dress. The most important feature of a modern wedding dress is the naturalness together with the practicality. As you see, it includes the simple necklines, the full floor lengths, the draping light materials, the pale or off white colors and more skin covered. A modest wedding dress would be the perfect choice for you if you were not one of those funky and bold brides who are interested in showing off as much skin, and legs as possible.
As for your most important wedding day, you will surely like to show your stunning appearance, be different and unique in your own style, many people are waiting to see you. You should not stumble in thinking that the range of possibilities in cheap modest wedding dresses is narrower than your wishes and preferences. Among all the stunning and fashionable types of bridal wears right now are the cheap plain wedding dresses. They make an excellent choice for destination weddings or for casual, summer outdoor wedding ceremonies and receptions. They are made of wonderful materials and therefore more affordable for brides with a tight wedding budget. Due to the simple and clean lines, style and cuts, these plain or sheet wedding dresses are very natural looking and cheaper than any other wedding gown. You don't have to compromise to a wedding dress that is too plain, dull and sober either. Keep it simple, casual or semi-formal, intriguing and refined, and the final result will be the expected one. When we think about the wholesale modest wedding dresses we see floor sweeping lengths, long lavish sleeves and high necks. But these are not the only features that a modest wedding dress can have.
If you're checking out something more eye-catching, sexy and yet very romantic, you are able to choose a charming off the shoulders neck cheap plain wedding dress. More and more people would like to choose these wedding dresses. The bodice can have a tolerant empire waist or a Roman inspired fashionable one shoulder neckline. Portrait, bateau, V-necks, high necks are also wonderful for a cheap plain wedding dress and can make it look more appealing, and chic. If you are thinking about keeping the uniqueness and classy look and wear something more unsophisticated and elaborated, you are able to choose the design that you like best. You don't have to get stacked to those flared long sleeves and those nun bodices.


text:
- Date: 9 May
- Ramsgate, Kent
- £30,521 per annum, pro-rata
- 4 applications
Professional and innovative Senior ICT Engineer required by a shared services group to provide a comprehensive support service to a number of education providers located across several sites on a contract basis. The role will include supporting diverse IT networks at each school including Apple Macs, PCs, iPads and laptops, running on separate Windows-based networks with a mixture of Windows XP, Windows 7 and Mac OSX. Sites have wir...