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Have you seen the tablets that just came out?
A slow year for tablets finally kicks into gear. Check out the bad boys that debuted this week.
The open-source browser gets curvacious tabs, a pop-out panel that replaces the text menu, and more. Here's a look at some of the changes coming with the revamped Firefox.

subset: commoncrawl


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Web Services
Another federal agency has officially embraced commercial cloud services.
The latest example is the secretary of the Navy's web portal, now hosted by Amazon Web Services following a successful pilot program between the Department of the Navy Assistant for Administration (DON/AA) and the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command Systems Center Atlantic.
According to a statement from the Navy Department's Office of the CIO, the site is part of the secretary of the Navy's Public Portal Initiative, which establishes a unified web presence that allows multiple organizations to share public content online and standardizes the technology used for public website development.
Secretary of the Navy's web portal
The key drivers for the Navy are efficiencies and cost savings.
As FCW reported in April, Navy Department CIO Terry Halvorsen said the decision to go with a commercial provider was made after analysis of the "type of data stored in the portal, the ease of access due to significantly faster response times, security and cost."
When compared to using a government site to host the public-facing data, commercial services faired particularly well in price, costing half as much.
The Navy's use of commercial cloud services aligns with the department's cloud computing strategy published in June, which enables Navy organizations that host publicly releasable information to use commercial cloud providers so long as all security, technical and mission requirements are met in a best-value deal.
According to the Navy CIO's statement, several Secretary of the Navy websites have transitioned to the portal, including the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations and Environment, 21st Century Sailor and Marine, Navy Civilian Human Resources, the Navy CIO and DON/AA.
About the Author
Frank Konkel is a former staff writer for FCW.
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President Obama's proposal to boost government coordination with the private sector got a warm welcome in the House Homeland Security Committee.
The spy agency wants to better integrate cybersecurity into its traditional human intelligence operations.
Meet the women and men who are doing great things in federal IT.
The law's certification and approval provisions empower CIOs to end outdated software development projects, says Agilex's Roger Baker.
The new chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee extends an olive branch to the minority, but keeps subpoena power for himself.
FCW investigated efforts by the departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs to improve a joint data repository on military and veteran suicides. Something as impersonal and mundane as incomplete datasets could be exacerbating a national tragedy.
Despite delays, the program is at a critical point for determining the ultimate impact of cloud technology in the government space.
In an interview with FCW, the Department of Veterans Affairs' chief technology officer talks about overhauling the digital experience for VA customers.
The National Information Exchange Model's usefulness extends far beyond its origins in justice and law enforcement.


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States & Cities
New Mexico
> BackPage Advertiser Reviews
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BackPage Advertiser Reviews
12-31-99, 20:00
Thread Starter
01-28-11, 16:50
There's a cute 32 why / o girl advertising on backpage's bodyrubs section. If anyone wants details PM me. She's a little pricey but well worth the visit. Her technique is tantric / tantra and it's fantastic.
04-04-11, 06:25
TOFTT. Jess (5035 and other 405 area code numbers) is far removed from her picture. Not worth money or time. Steer clear. Avoid.
Iskulln Bones
07-16-11, 02:37
I'm posting the girls BP listing so you know who she is. I've been trying to hook up with this chick for 3 days. 1st day, I text her as per her ad, she responds at 2pm the next day. Day 2, I try to set something up for that night, she says "she is going to her sisters house." Day 3, she texts me and says "she is available tonight." I say "9ish" she says "that's fine" I then tell her I'll call her to confirm around 8. Well, I call at 8. She says she's going to her friends house. What horse shit is this. I'm glad I didn't wait for her. I called another provider and had matters taken care of post haste & with extreme prejudice last night in Santa Fe. Then tonight after getting the "business" from her I went to the big be and took care of business there as well. This chick goes by the name of Riley & she's in Santa Fe. Apparently she doesn't need the dough but she keeps posting an ad. So beware of this flakey broad. Her ad says "Country girl willing to please." Yeah right. What a crock. Beware.
Iskulln Bones
07-16-11, 03:00
Thursday I met Bree from Santa Fe BP. She's a really good looking chick. About an 8 on my scale & I have high standards. She has a great ass, decent tits, & beautiful full DSL. I went to her pad for my appointment. She was dressed nice and smelled good. She had candles burning and that goofy massage music playing. She had the massage table set up and I made the donation prior to getting started. $1. 2. So we get started and I'm getting a good massage with come skin contact. Well it was all going good until the flip. At that time she told me it would be another $1. 0 to finish the session. Like a dope I paid it just to find out after I paid all I was going to get was probably THE best rub out I have ever had in my life. It kind of pissed me off that she would move her ass away when I tried to touch a nice warm patch I found.
So I guess what I'm saying is, I didn't get to fuck, I didn't a damn blow job and I pissed away $2. 2. Oh well, fuck it. It's only money. Although I won't go see her again, it was very intense and she made sure I didn't pop to quickly. She definetly has technique.
So OK yes, I could have saved myself the money and rubbed one out muself, but how would my fellow mongers find these things out I'd it weren't through experimentation by others and reports such as these. Be safe & happy mongering. Here's the link.
10-22-11, 10:18
Isabella looks really hot in her BP ad has any one toftt I'm wondering if any one knows if she's legit? I'm going to be in albs soon and I'm looking for some action do you guys have any suggestions it's tiff finding reviews on any BP girls.
01-07-12, 17:04
I am headed to Alb the middle of next month. I would appreciate any details you can share with me. PM me with details. I can reciprocate if you are headed to the Inland Empire of California.
02-23-12, 10:47
I am visiting your fair city for a short stay. Staying at Route66 casino for one night on a Friday in a couple of weeks. Are there any Casino Girls here on Friday nights? Please PM me with 411 for incall and or sensual massage, possibly GFE. I don't mind an older provider with a banging body that knows he ropes. NO BBW. Again, Please PM me. I can help you out in return when you are visiting the central coast of California. Nutz
03-16-12, 22:13
Provider Review I'd 185734.
I seen Kendra before and went to go see her once again. She changed her number but she emailed me the new one since we planned on having future appointments. She is outstanding. Lovely and intelligent. Overall an amazing girl and great time. My ATF when I travel. She Quoted me $200h.
623 210 0942
08-16-12, 11:02
I'm going to be in Albuquerque this weekend and was wondering if anyone had any 411 on her:
Any information would be helpful. Thanks again.
08-17-12, 21:51
I'm going to be in Albuquerque this weekend and was wondering if anyone had any 411 on her:
Any information would be helpful. Thanks again.Someone posted in bp that she was a rip off. Methed out
08-19-12, 18:23
Someone posted in bp that she was a rip off. Methed outThanks for the info. I appreciate it!
Limo Dave
10-31-12, 15:21
Had some time to spare so I started looking for some afternoon delight. Came across Yolanda's ad and figured I would TOFTT as I've not seen any reviews or comments.
No phone number listed, so setting up an appointment was email only. I popped an email out to her and she was available in about 30 min. After a couple notes back and forth she pointed me at a notell on Eubank and I-40. When I arrived in the parking lot there was a blacked out Tahoe with LE lights stealthed into the grill. So I used the parking lot to make a U turn and headed back home to Santa Fe. A bit after the prescribed time, Yolanda emailed me "are we still meeting?" I replied telling her I'll pass as there was LE in the parking lot. Gave her a description of the vehicle to which she responded that she didn't see anything out there. So the story ends there, can't say a thing about her as a provider other than she only does email, no phone, and she responds right away. I mark it up as a close call, I won't be going back to that notell anytime soon.
Happy Mongering.
Limo Dave
10-31-12, 15:28
I've heard a mixed bag of comments for this one, most of the negative was scheduling and no shows. But the service comments were outstanding so time to give her a try.
Called and she picked right up, indicated she if I wanted to see her it would be after 4pm as she was babysitting for someone. She also said to give her 30 min before I want to see her, so I called back at 4 figuring on a 4:30 appointment.
She answered and indicated that the parent of the child she was watching was late, and didn't know when to expect her. Things happen I'm good with this, so I told her as soon as she frees up give me a call, she said fine. No call.
So more to come on this one as I work on getting an appointment.
Happy Mongering.
12-30-12, 22:02
I'm visiting and thinking of meeting up with http://albuquerque.backpage.com/BodyRubs/hot-sexy-stimulating-mutual-touch-massage-nude-outcall-only-26/4132775 Anyone have the 411 on her?
01-16-13, 01:09
Been to her a few times. She's new to SF and refuses to have a presence on the review sites. Only reason I'm putting her up her is because she's amazing. Really amazing. If your in SF or even close, she's who you want. She's the full package and has very few rules. Respctful is all she asks, and she doesn't ask, she just leads the way. Her smile will melt you and her body is smokin. She's a former English teacher which makes her hotter. And she knows how to be professional when sched.
Her site: www.consultationformen.webs.com
She won't do fetishes, role play, or gold sh. If your hard core into those, it's a downside. She's follows her own rules and really likes men. Laid back and easy to be around.
Monger Jake
03-06-13, 11:11
Fellow mongers, I want to issue a word of warning to all. I was browsing on BP to find a young lady to spend some time with when I found the following:
This is the second time that I've seen this ad in Abq. The girl in the photos is just about as perfect as you can get so I was obviously interested. I did a quick search of the number listed in the ad and didn't find much; only an ad from the previous day in the El Paso BP Escorts section. Similar photos and same number.
This made me VERY curious as to why someone as attractive as her would post in a second city only 20 hours after posting in the first. Started looking deeper at this point. Glad I did. As I was downloading photos for me to search on TinEye I noticed on one photo (a self-pic taken in the mirror of a bathroom) there was a bidet in the background. Realizing a bidet is not common at all in the US I thought this would be a good photo to TinEye. I saw the file name of the photo was something like "Angie-varona11. Jpg" so I simply googled varona thinking it was a misspelled verona (as in Verona, Italy. Now the bidet might make sense). What my Google search returned was myriad photos of this young girl. Turns out the girl in the photos is currently 19 named Angie Varona and had her online photo account hacked several years ago and is now being exploited by having her pics used on the web for adult sites. Article on Angie Varona:
Here is the warning. I contacted "Angie" via text to set up a meeting. She quickly replied at 6:56 AM. She gave me a rate for companionship of $$/hr which is about average although she could bring in MUCH more. Flag 1. I responded letting her know I would contact her during my extended lunch break and she replied "ok". I then got anxious and wanted to see her sooner so I texted her to find out what side of town she is on. Flag 2. Her earlier responses were almost immediate, however, now she is taking some time. After about six minutes she responded with a street name. I have lived in Abq for 34 years and have never heard of this street name so I googled it. Turns out there are two hotels on this dead end road near the interstate. Needless to say, after realizing this person is not "Angie" I will not be finding out what happens next.
Several others out there that look too good to be true. If any of you mongers can confirm some of these other girls that look too good to be true are in fact legit, please help us all out by posting your experience here so we can all play a little bit safer!
Until then, stay covered!
Monger Jake
03-06-13, 11:38
I just checked on BP and her ad is now down. Glad I think with the big head!
Member #4299
03-27-13, 12:47
I'm mouth watering that loves to please the perfect gentlemen. Incall (Menual & University) I provide an non rushed Incall experience. Janet three four seven (504) zero six four zero I have a great sense of humor and strive for perfection in everything I do. I'm a playful, flirty, very sweet and fun loving girl. Make your day or night an unforgettable one by calling me Poster's age: 31 Location: Albuquerque, Incall
Tin Eye hits on just two of the pixs:
I'm looking at being in ABQ next weekend and started looking at BP and BP Ad Reviewsa desert of reviews.
Was working my way thru BP ads a ran across this onesucker for alabaster skin and red hair.
Happy Hunting.
05-14-13, 23:13
Avoid this one:
Difficult to contact, shows up one hour late and is NOT the girl in pic or on the phone. Older and chunkier, deeper voice. Refused to provide service, HJ only, everything else for tips only. Would not undress. I basically paid to get rid of her! Gone in 10 minutes. Beware!
Limo Dave
05-21-13, 14:29
Been to her a few times. She's new to SF and refuses to have a presence on the review sites. Only reason I'm putting her up her is because she's amazing. Really amazing. If your in SF or even close, she's who you want. She's the full package and has very few rules. Respctful is all she asks, and she doesn't ask, she just leads the way. Her smile will melt you and her body is smokin. She's a former English teacher which makes her hotter. And she knows how to be professional when sched.
Her site:
She won't do fetishes, role play, or gold sh. If your hard core into those, it's a downside. She's follows her own rules and really likes men. Laid back and easy to be around.I have to add a +1 on this review of Maura. She is worth every minute
Limo Dave
05-21-13, 14:31
I'm visiting and thinking of meeting up with.
Anyone have the 411 on her?Anyone seen her yet? If no I'll just TOFTT and let you all know
Limo Dave
05-21-13, 15:48
So its time I get caught up on some of the reviews I need to post.
NEW & Busty Brunette 2much FUN!.24.
Brynn's ad said "Text Only" which should have been my first red flag. But cest la vie. So I shot out a text and got rates (which were seemingly reasonable at $ for hh) and location in uptown. Texted again when I arrived and got the room number.
Thats where things went downhill fast.
She opened the door, and pictures were accurate, room was quite a mess but whatever. Handed over the $ and the upselling began. Was a nice ride, but expect FS to run $$$ for an hr $$ for hh and the original $ I expected to pay would have only got me some oral.
YMMMV but it was all a bit too much upsell and mechanical for me.
Happy mongering
Limo Dave
05-21-13, 15:56
Here's one that was a jewel in our desert.
Standard 2 call system, some light screening. BAM! I was impressed, really impressed.
By the way she has a friend she works with, (who I will post a report on next) individually they are real good, together they are outstanding.
Happy Mongering
Limo Dave
05-21-13, 15:58
As promised, this is Kiki's friend mentioned in my last post.
It was all drama free
Kyle Busch
06-12-13, 10:22
Wondering if anyone may have pleasant or not so good experiences with two providers whom are listed quite often. Both list their ages at 27. Kandy is a white girl whom lists herself as a nasty girl. She is not very good at spelling. Appears to be somewhat spacey from her photos. The second girl spells her name as Candii. Hispanic in appearance. Again looks kind of nasty, which always excites me. Lists herself as having many curves and being 'trucker friendly'. Being that they are almost always posting I'm thinking someone out must have some experiences with one or both of them. Any information is greatly appreciated. Thank you.
07-13-13, 11:20
Spent some time with her. Easy to meet and talk to but she has old pics up. She is much thinner, definitely not 38dd any more. It was ok but will not repeat.
Sir Lancelot
09-16-13, 00:57
Hey guys,
So I was in your town on business again. On Thursday night I was entertained by some great talent. I called a few on BP, but didn't get an answer. Around 10pm I called Jaylynn. She said she could come over for a half hour of playtime for 150. She would have to get a cab. Now, this all seemed too easy. She didn't ask any questions and just seemed ready to come over. Now, I'm a paranoid kinda guy. Maybe more than some I guess. But they say that only the paranoid survive. And so I gave her a room number that didn't exist. 313 doesn't exist at the hotel I was at. So I waited out where I could see if a cab pulled up or if maybe the wrong team was going to pull up and go to the missing room. And sure enough, about 20 minutes after I had spoken to her, I got a text on my hobby phone that she was pulling up. And a cab pulled up. It was actually the gal in the pics by herself. So when she got up to the floor, I met her and led her to the correct room.
She was totally laid back and relaxed. No worries. I put the donation on the table. She set her alarm on her phone for 30 minutes. We got undressed. She's got a really nice rack. And I played with those nice tits a bunch during our time. She started with a light body rub with the lotion from the hotel. That was nice. But I only had her for a half hour, so I asked if she had a cover. She looked, but did not have one. Not to worry, I had one. I offered for her to put the cover on me. And she really didn't have any idea how to do that, so I handled the cover. She started with a great CBJ. She can really suck a good dick. So after a bit of that, I got her Misc and put her legs on my shoulders. This chick is super tight. So I spun her around K9 and hit it from back there. She let me do a fair amount of playing with the butthole while I was back there. And again, damn she's tight. She made some sexy moans and stuff while I gave it to her. And I reached around several times. Finally, she got me. And just as she was cleaning me up, her alarm on her phone went off.
She called a cab and I waited with her outside till the cab showed up. I was also able to get some pics. There was never an upsell and I had a great time and would repeat. Take care fellas and I'll be back in a few months. Here's here BP link and pics below.
Sir Lancelot
09-16-13, 01:08
Correction guys. On my report below I copied her other link. She apparently has another one. Here is the one I responded to and called her at.
09-20-13, 12:57
Has anyone experienced this one? Looks too good to be true.
Expresso Jim
09-20-13, 15:45
Hey WF, The BP page doesn't work. Any more info? What city? ABQ?
Limo Dave
03-14-14, 17:09
Any info on this one?
Miami Bob
03-30-14, 16:17
Thanks for any intel available.
05-05-14, 02:51
Warning, she shows up and then gives you some BS about her friend being ripped off by the taxi driver after she collects her fee from you. Then she says she is prego and shows you an ultra sound pic of a kid which is like 6 months along, but she has a really flat stomach. Don't trust her. Not worth it. Her pics are real though.
Limo Dave
09-30-14, 13:21
Had a great time with this one, was not a clock watcher.
2 call system, nice hotel, everything safe, her pictures are accurate. Already went back for seconds.
Sir Lancelot
10-27-14, 03:34
Hey guys. I was in your city for a couple days of business. Earlier Friday night I had ventured out for a massage, but I was still wanting more. I read back several pages, but finally decided to give Cami a try. Mainly based on Limo Dave's report below. I got to hand it to ya Limo Dave, Cami is a great find. I called her around 10 pm and she was willing to come to my hotel, near the airport. She caught a cab and was there in about 20 minutes. When she got there, she called me back and asked if I would come down to the lobby and escort her up. Now, leaving my room to meet in the lobby always puts me on alert. So I had intentions of going down and pretending to do something important in the business center and scope her out till I could call her and watch her pick up. But no sooner than I got off the elevator, she was there. I saw her in her tight black pants, I smiled and made eye contact obvious enough that she knew I was the one she was there for, and she followed me onto the elevator. On the way up, she informed me that her jaw might lock up due to a recent accident. So I made some sexual humor out of it and she laughed.
Once in the room, I put the donation on the table and and we both got out of our clothes. I got to tel ya. She is really laid back. Asked me how I wanted to get started. She put the cover on me like a pro. She seemed to really enjoy giving head. She got into it. She did stop a few times due to her jaw, but she was doing a fine job and made some great enthusiastic noises while on it. Soon I was ready to spin her around. She assumed the position on que, and I started hitting it from the back. She has a really cute little ass. Just big enough for a full butt cheek in each hand. And a nice tight kitty. She reached down and played with the boys a bit, then rubbed her clit for a bit, while I was getting it. I held out and enjoyed it as long as I could. But finally she got me. Never once did she ask me to hurry up or complain. She seemed to really enjoy getting it.
After we got cleaned up, she said she was going to call a cab and go. But this chick was really sweet and friendly. Sort of adorable. So I offered to give her a ride back. She led the way and I dropped her off. I have no idea when or if I'll be back in your town. But if I do get back there, and she is still available, she will be my first phone call.
I got a few picks of her but didn't ask if I could share them, so all I'll put here is a pic of her back side in those black pants.
Again, great find Limo Dave. Till next time. S. L.
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Run, T, RUN!
Posted Wed 06 Oct 2010 10:16am
Lately, I've been in a bit of a career crisis. You see, I'm a bit like Forrest Gump in the scene above. When I find something that interests me (music, information technology, stay-at-home-motherhood, natural medicine, spirituality, triathlons), I pursue it hard, fast and true. Like Forrest, I run and I run, without stopping. I learn. ...
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You Can Run, But You Can't Make Your Computer Run
Mike Antonucci
Posted Tue 25 Aug 2009 7:18pm
I can joke about it now, because I'm up and "running" again after a series of computer plagues of biblical proportions. I kid you not, in a single week I had a desktop hard drive, a laptop hard drive and a wireless router all independently leave us for a better world. They were all more than five years old, but it has been pretty frantic around h ...
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Take It and Run Thursday: Running T-Shirts
Amy H.
Posted Fri 11 Jul 2008 4:14pm
Welcome toTake It and Run Thursday! It's our way to bring together the knowledge of all of us ordinary runners. It's the virtual equivalent toputting our virtual heads together. Even though many of us aren't elite athletes, coaches or authors, it doesn't mean that we haven't earned a well deserved PhD in running. Whether you are starting ...
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Run Run, Can't walk
Posted Wed 04 May 2011 5:12pm
I would not consider myself a runner. I am not the gal that says I think I am gonna run today, nor do I get a high off a good pair of Nike, New Balance, or Reebox, BUT I do set goals that are bigger to wake myself up. So that is why I chose to run the 1/2 marathon. There was also an added bonus I was being sponsored by Cool Springs Famil ...
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Running T-Shirts - Hot Off The Press!
Amy H.
Posted Fri 11 Jul 2008 4:14pm
Thank you for your posts on Thursday of why you run. I was so very inspired from all theposts onTake It and Run Thursdayof why we run and what makes us a runner. After reading through them, I felt like I just couldn't let them just sit there. So I compiled all the text together and sat down at my most favorite web tool -Wordle. Have you Wordled ...
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Running T-Shirts - Hot Off The Press!
Amy H.
Posted Fri 17 Oct 2008 9:13pm
Thank you for your posts on Thursday of why you run. I was so very inspired from all the posts on Take It and Run Thursday of why we run and what makes us a runner. After reading through them, I felt like I just couldn't let them just sit there. So I compiled all the text together and sat down at my most favorite web tool - Wordle. Have y ...
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No matter how fast you run, you can't erase pizza
Posted Sun 02 Oct 2011 7:51pm
Nope. You just can't. We ordered pizza on Friday night and after a good week of healthy eating and working out, I decided to allow myself some treats. And by treats, I mean several pieces of really greasy, crispy crusted pizza. Yum. And that pizza just may have been accompanied by an alcoholic beverage or two and possibly a handful of chee ...
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FREE STUFF! Giveaway: One More Mile Running T-Shirts
Amy H.
Posted Tue 14 Oct 2008 4:12am
nother great article on Running Advice has been added to the Know How section under Basics of Running! Thanks to your participation and advice, we have compiled your tips you "know now but wish you knew then." Our three winners of the Marathon Pace Bands are: axrun262,boucher, andcoachkoo. Congratulations! Our next FREE STUFF Giveaway ...
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"In running, you can't be a beggar. Never beg your legs to keep moving, never beg yourself to..."
Lauren M
Posted Wed 07 Aug 2013 12:00am
"In running, you can't be a beggar. Never beg your legs to keep moving, never beg yourself to keep pushing forward. Because that implies that you don't have control. Eventually you'll have to beg your mind too. No don't be a beggar, but instead be a commander. Command your legs to push, command your feet to keep going. Because you want this ...
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Our lowest prices can always be found via this website. We have given an indication of the lowest price on the previous page but this is how we work out prices and we've given some tips on how to get the best rates below.
How to get the best rates
""The Week's Best Deals: Birmingham's Staying Cool at the Rotunda is enticing 'time flexible' guests to its chic, 60s-inspired self-catering apartments with discounted stays on Monday and Sunday nights..." " The Observer Magazine
"There are no bellhops nor a gym...instead you get a Mac Mini, free Wi-Fi, an espresso machine and a juicer (oranges included)." The New York Times
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Comfort Hotel Lichtenberg Rhinstrasse 159 Berlin, 10315 Phone: (49) 30 549350 Fax: (49) 30 54935511 |
Outdoor Activities
»Sporthalle am Anton-Saefkow-Platz
At Sporthalle am Anton-Saefkow-Platz you not only get to work out, but also get the opportunity to see the women's volleyball league compete in numerous games throughout the year. Support the local volleyball team, Zurich VCO Berlin, and enjoy a great match with your family.
This ice rink will keep the whole family busy with ice-skating, curling, hockey, and most ice-sports offered. The rink allows for stadium-style seating so that anyone can enjoy the visual display put on by athletes of all types.
»Erholungspark Marzahn
The Marzahn recreation park is situated in Berlin's north-east. Besides two large ponds, a Chinese garden and a number of playgrounds, the park has several animal compounds where donkeys, goats, sheep and chickens are kept. If you are lucky, you may also get to see some of the wild deer, hare, partridges, pheasants and snakes which live in the park's wilderness area. Special events such as concerts, theatre and 'playshops' are organised in the summer. Easter weekend is also a treat, with traditional 'egg hunts' for the kids.
»Tierpark Berlin
Opened in 1955, the Tierpark covers 160 hectares and is notable for its beautifully landscaped park, not surprising given its location in the grounds of Friedrichsfelde Palace. The prominent highlights are the Alfred-Brehm-Haus with its valuable breeding group of cats, the elephant enclosure, the sea cows and rhinoceroses, the giraffe and monkey animals, the crocodile house, the tropical atrium, the bear enclosure and the fauna of Africa. Snack bars, restaurants and play areas are all on site. Check website for varying dates.
»SSE (Schwimm/Sprunghalle at Europapark)
Looking for a place to go swimming and diving? Try out the SSE, or schwimm/sprunghalle at Europapark. Here, they have a 50 meter swimming pool, a beginners/nonswimmer pool, a bath pool (temperature of 28°C/84°F), and another pool at the temperature of 33-34°C/91-93°F. Oh and don't forget the Bistro!
»Citygolf Berlin
A mini golf course, Citygolf Berlin is located at Wittenberger Straße, in the Marzahn district of Berlin. The 18-hole golf course is a great outdoor sport for children and adults alike, and sees a lot of crowd during weekends. A range of events also take place at the course, in order to entertain the guests. The prices per game are cheap, so you can afford to play lot of games, without burning a hole in your pocket. To more, please have a look at their website.
»SEZ Sport-und Erlebniszentrum
Opened in 1981 beyond the Iron Curtain by East Germany's premier, Erich Honecker, this water paradise was the pride of socialist East Berlin for 10 year, including a major tourist attraction. However, after the upsurge of democracy and German reunification, the swimming pool was forgotten. The administration of Berlin's public pool calls SEZ its jewel, and it offers quite a choice of attractions such as seven large pools, a sauna, a fitness park, and a swimming pool kindergarten. There is even a pool specially designed for disabled people.
»Schiff Freibeuter
A variety of activities are offered at the Schiff Freibeuter for children and teens. The activities ranges from computer classes, canoeing, theme parties to indoor sports. Visitors are assured a fun time at the ship the year round. This creative venture has attracted lot of local interest for its uniqueness and casual atmosphere.
»Radrennbahn Weissensee
Formerly known as a popular concert venue, the Radrennbahn Weissensee today functions as an outdoor recreational area popular among cyclists, skateboarders and inline skaters. International artists like Bruce Springsteen, James, Brown, ZZ Top and the Rolling Stones have played here to large audiences. Other sports facilities like an athletics track, tennis courts and a football ground can also be found nearby.
There are a number of BMX tracks in Berlin, one of which is situated on the edge of a children's playground in the district of Steglitz. The track is made of wood, with rubber tyres lining the outside. A great place for kids to test the limits of that new bike, as well as their parents' nerves!
»Volkspark Friedrichshain
Volkspark Friedrichshain is perfect for relaxing after work or for chilling out at the weekend. The park has attractive grounds, a number of lakes, ponds and fountains as well as several different children's playgrounds. The Märchenbrunnen is the park's most original element, with fountains designed as fairytale characters. For more information, please contact the Berlin Tourism Board at the phone number listed above.
»Deep Blue Divers
Deep Blue Divers, as its name suggests, offers training classes in scuba diving and snorkeling. Its courses are divided according to the expertise of the students, with programs designed for beginners and amateurs to diving instructors. This certified school follows in the footstep's of world-famous diving organizations such as PADI, NAUI and TDI. Choose between trips such as Recreational Diving, Technical Diving, ISE Training Dives and Cavern Diving. One can also undergo specialized instruction for exploration of underwater caves and wrecks. So put on your masks and get prepared to explore the fascinating world under the ocean. This enterprise also offers equipment rental facilities for lighting systems, fins, wings, masks and lift bags.


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Bellefonte Historical and
Cultural Association |
BHCA is a nonprofit, volunteer organization working to provide diverse cultural and arts programming to residents of Bellefonte, Pennsylvania and surrounding communities at no charge. BHCA also strives to increase awareness of the significance of Bellefonte's cultural heritage, as reflected in rich Victorian architecture, and of the value of its preservation. BHCA is supported, in part, by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency, through its regional arts funding partnership, Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts (PPA). State government funding comes through an annual appropriation by Pennsylvania's General Assembly and from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. PPA is administered in this region by the Pennsylvania Rural Arts alliance.
Images: The Courthouse, the Diamond, and the Brockerhoff House (Credit: Rob Gannon); Summer Sounds from the Gazebo in Talleyrand Park, 2011; Victorian Christmas Arts & Crafts Show, 2011; Claudia Lopez points to her work at the Gallery at The Gamble Mill, 2010 Current events: February 20, 2015: Out Loud! presents Bellefonte Moth with Anne McCarthy: True stories told by Bellefonte residents March 10, 7-9 pm: reception for the Gallery show Centre County High School Seniors, at the Bellefonte Art Museum for Centre County March 15, 2015: Sunday Afternoons at the Library concert: Arietta Women's Ensemble, Jan Mianulli, Director Old House Fair returns at the Match Factory: October 23-24. More coming. |


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Follow FEMA:
Wisconsin Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding (DR-1768)
Incident period: June 5, 2008 to July 25, 2008
Major Disaster Declaration declared on June 14, 2008
Updates and Articles, Blogs, and News Releases
June 22, 2008
News Release
MADISON, Wis. -- Disaster officials remind Wisconsin residents that it is necessary to register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to qualify for federal disaster assistance. Registration with anyone else - volunteer agencies, county and state agencies, local disaster managers - is a process separate from the federal and state disaster recovery programs.
June 22, 2008
News Release
MADISON, Wis. -- When flood waters subside, among the first things to float to the surface are the scam artist and the fly-by-night contractor pretending to offer help, warns the Wisconsin Emergency Management (WEM) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
"Be alert for door-to-door solicitors who hand out flyers and promise to speed up insurance or building permits," says FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Dolph Diemont. "And watch out for folks who ask for large cash deposits or advance payments in full."
June 21, 2008
News Release
MADISON, Wis. -- Applicants for federal disaster assistance may receive a one-month housing grant through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Temporary Housing Program if their houses cannot be reached by FEMA inspectors due to standing floodwaters.
"Ordinarily, a home must undergo an inspection before any disaster funds can be released," said Dolph Diemont, head of FEMA's disaster recovery team. "Due to this ongoing circumstance, we are providing a one-month temporary housing rental grant to all applicants whose homes cannot be inspected now."
June 21, 2008
News Release
MADISON, Wis. -- Wisconsin residents affected by recent severe storms, flooding and tornadoes already have received more than $1 million in FEMA grants for temporary housing and home repairs, state and federal officials announced today.
June 20, 2008
News Release
MADISON, Wis. -- A second Columbia County Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) opens on Saturday, June 21, disaster officials announced.
Portage High School
301 E. Collins St.
Portage, WI 53901
Hours of operation:
10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily until further notice
June 19, 2008
News Release
Madison, Wis. -- Individuals affected by the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding that began on June 5 are urged to begin cleaning up their homes and personal property as soon as possible. Officials from Wisconsin Emergency Management (WEM) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) emphasize that it is not necessary to wait for an inspection before beginning this process.
Main Content
State/Tribal Government:


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Open daily from 10am - 8pm during the summer with the largest inland bathing beach in the UK, lifeguarded during week-ends and school holidays from April.
Adventure playgrounds, cafes and wonderful lakeside walks. Activities include: open water swimming, peddalos, row boat and kayak hire, paddle boarding, raft building, zorbing and crazy golf. New for 2014 - slacklining and cable ski.
Cotswold Country Park and Beach is a great place to take the family, with plenty of activities from boat hire, BBQ hire, cafe, lakeside walks, and even more during the summer months.
Many thousands of people come to the beach on hot sunny days in the summer, so make sure you arrive early!


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How were your holiday sales, and were there any hot-selling items?
Industry News
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MOD Journal
How were your holiday sales, and were there any hot-selling items?
In January, we asked hobby retailers how their holiday sales were and if there were any hot-selling products. To read more, check out the March 2013 issue of
Model Retailer
Published: February 14, 2013
Michael Magee, Hub City Hobby, Hattiesburg, Miss., said:
"We saw increases in both traffic and sales dollars throughout the holidays, and the seasonal upswing started earlier than the last several years, allowing us to manage our inventory better. Electric trucks did very well again this year, especially entry-level trucks from ECX and Traxxas. We sold a good number of HO and O train sets this Christmas, a category that has been way down since the recession started in 2008. Board games and miniature games, such as Fantasy Flight's new
Star Wars
X-Wing Miniatures Game
also did quite well."
Roger Ellenburg, HobbyTown USA, Little Rock, Ark., replied:
"Sales were slightly lower than 2011. We relocated our store at the end of September and attribute that to the decrease."
Bill Longcor, Feels Like Home LLC, Newton, N.J., responded:
"After a rather flat year, our holiday sales were excellent! In turn, that produced a total dollar increase for the year. Credit goes to a new local merchants association that really promoted 'shop local'. Working together, we really got the word out and promoted the downtown shopping experience. There were no hot-selling items this season. I am happy to say that sales were fairly spread out across all items. That gives me a far more secure feeling than having a hot or fad item making up major sales."
Bob Mazza, HobbyTown USA, Oshkosh, Wis., had this to say:
"Late sale offerings from the major distributors helped boost sales where more and more sales are being lost to department store and Internet 'garbage' hobby items. Horizon stepped up with coupons on some very popular R/C items, and Hobbico had an awesome deal on the TXR line with free Anylinks, allowing us to open the door for future sales with the Anylink ability to be used with older radios and new planes."
James Otten, PopPop's Trains, Hobbies and More, Eminence, Mo., said:
"The holidays were very slow. Gift certificates were our only savior."
Jeff Kieser, HobbyTown USA, La Vista, Neb., replied:
"The best-selling items this year were R/C helicopters from E-flite."
Jake Rose, Jake's Performance Hobbies, Rohnert Park, Calif, said:
"The holiday season started off slowly, but then picked up and ran strong. We're ahead of last year, even though the big-ticket items did not move as well. All categories in our shop moved well; one thing did not lead the season (which is good, in my opinion). Beginner helicopter sales always surprise us; electric cars and trucks did well; airplanes were good; and even rocket sales were great. And, just as important, post-holiday sales numbers have been strong. We're looking forward to a great 2013!"
Jerry Anderson, Jass Collectibles, Red Deer, Alta., responded
"November and December were the best two months for sales in the four years I've been open. No single product stood out as a sales leader, although new product lines I've brought in sold as well as others I've always carried."
Frank Cannata, Mode-11 Hobbies, New York City, New York, said:
"Sales were up 15 percent. R/C helicopters were the most popular."
Roy Ballard, Loose Caboose Hobbies, Napa, Calif., said:
"Our sales were very good considering we all survived the Presidential election, 'fiscal cliff' and Mayan apocalypse! People were out and buying. I have heard the West Coast did well overall. Hot-setting items: Legos; low-end Lionel sets (not $400-$1, 200 sets); Tamiya, Revell, AMT, Moebius, Monarch model kits; yo yos; silly putty; paint-by-number sets; beading kits; Thumler's Rock Tumblers; microscopes; games; puzzles; R/C Mini Alligator Airboat; Micro Fokker Dr. 1; Albatross; F-86 Sabre; Super Cub; Scout CX; Blade CX; Cub DSM; Estes model rockets; and of course, paint, glue, wood and plastic. Lesson? Diversify or die."
Sean Cormier,
Evolution Hobbies and Raceway, Casco, Maine, replied:
"I haven't gone over all the figures at this time, but I think I am down a little from last holiday season. One big concern for some people was the 'fiscal cliff'. Not knowing what was going to happen may have made some people cut back on holiday spending. Also, the economy in my area is still moving slow. My hot sellers this year were the ARMA R/C line of trucks and buggies. Great Planes dropped the price on the entire line, which helped sales a lot. The next hot seller was the Heli-Max 1SQ quadcopter. This item was priced right for customers looking for a new flying challenge. It flies great out of the box compared to other brands that came out in December. Also, it can be flown inside or outside."
Paul Scopetski, The Spare Time Shop, Marlborough, Mass, said:
"It seemed to be escalated at times, however, our holiday sales season was even with 2011, up a mere .05 percent. Bright spots were rockets, trains, HO slot cars, 1:25 car kits, puzzles and electric R/C helicopters. We saw an increase in customers with lists and requests for items that we do not carry: doll houses (not at Michael's/AC Moore), chess, backgammon, cribbage, 1:32 slot sets."
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Re: Ayfon Karahisar
Afyon is famous for its thermal baths, special cream (kaymak) and sucuk. An overnight stay with some relaxation in thermal baths would be great. You can also take some souvenirs / delicacies which I mentioned above. You can also check my Bursa page for some useful tips.
Be the first to rate this answer!
Re: Ayfon Karahisar
It depends on what you look for.Afyon is a beautiful Anatolian city.You can find history, tastefull special delights and culture of real Anatolian living.
If you have enough time it worths to see and it is good to rest.
Afyon is also one of the preferred cities because of SPAs.There are many SPA hotels with different prices.
Have a nice and enjoyable travel.Be the first to rate this answer!
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Here's a roundup of recent product announcements in the database development world.
Devart announced the new version of dbForge SQL Complete, an add-in to enhance code completion for users of Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio.
The company said SQL Complete Version 2.5 comes only a month after version 2.0, incorporating new features requested by users. Some of the main enhancements include:
The company also listed an improved SQL formatter, a button to reset page defaults and improved logic for JOIN clause suggestions.
Norway-based Norsync announced its U.S. launch with a free trial of its suite of tools for mobile application developers "who want to build, operate and synchronize data-driven mobile applications in a fraction of the time and cost."
The company said programmers often find it too complex to synchronize data between mobile clients and servers or configure a database management system to filter appropriate data to mobile databases.
Norsync Suite lets developers input a SQL-based database schema to generate an entire Visual Studio project with deployable C# applications for Windows and Windows Mobile devices, with support for iPhone and Android devices expected next quarter.
Red Gate released SQL Source Control 2.0, which lets users connect existing source control systems--such as Team Foundation Server or Subversion--to SQL Server. The company said the tool also offers a shared model to let developers on a team see other members' database changes in real time.
The company offers a 28-day free trial of the software that it says can be installed in less than five minutes.
Revelation Software announced a new version of its OpenInsight Development Suite, which provides developers with Windows and Java-based GUI tools for Web and client/server apps that support native and relational technologies such as XML, SQL and Lotus Notes, among others.
Version 9.2.1 provides new components such as:
The company also announced new versions of its Universal Driver.
Posted by David Ramel on 03/08/2011 at 1:15 PM0 comments
Netflix is hiring, but SQL Server gurus need not apply.
The company that transformed from a clunky DVD-by-mail delivery system to cutting-edge video streaming from the cloud has some SQL Server developers worried about their future job prospects as Netflix embraces the NoSQL movement. Few things are scarier than wondering if you backed the wrong horse in your career choice.
"This sort of questions are freaking me out," wrote one blogger about a forum post that expressed concern about the Netflix decision. "Can you imagine how panicked programmers are, knowing that not only tens of programming languages are out there (plus C/C++ is dead, Java is dead, etc.), but also a couple of different programming paradigms?"
The post he was referring to appeared on a SQLServerCentral forum and referenced a Netflix blog discussing the move to the NoSQL camp. "Is this something relational database guys has to be concerned about? I am concerned on what future holds for SQL-Developers and SQL-server DBAs," said forum member sqlcool.
The blog posting that stirred all this up was titled "NoSQL at Netflix" and was written a couple weeks ago by Yury Izrailevsky, director of Cloud and Systems Infrastructure at Netflix.
"While it is not easy to re-architect your systems to not run join queries, or not rely on read-after-write consistency (hey, just cache the value in your app!), we have found ourselves braving the new frontier of NoSQL distributed databases," Izrailevsky said.
The Neflix exec explained: "the reasons behind our choice of three ... NoSQL tools: SimpleDB, Hadoop/HBase and Cassandra."
After discussing each one, he admitted:
Adopting the non-relational model in general is not easy, and Netflix has been paying a steep pioneer tax while integrating these rapidly evolving and still maturing NoSQL products. There is a learning curve and an operational overhead. Still, the scalability, availability and performance advantages of the NoSQL persistence model are evident and are paying for themselves already, and will be central to our long-term cloud strategy.
There has been plenty of other discussion about Netflix and its embrace of NoSQL, including a technical white paper by Netflix software architect "Sid" Anand. He's going to talk more about it in a meeting next week titled "NoSQL @ Netflix."
Meanwhile, as Izrailevsky concluded: "For those technology superstars out there: Netflix is hiring."
Are you a SQL Server guy worried about this kind of stuff? Please share your thoughts by commenting here or drop me a line.
[Editor's note: This article was updated from its original posting, with corrected information pointed out by the commenter referenced in paragraph 3 and 4.]
Posted by David Ramel on 02/10/2011 at 1:15 PM4 comments
SQL Azure developers are at a disadvantage compared to Windows Azure coders because of a lack of desktop emulators, a Microsoft blog indicated.
The Windows Azure SDK includes emulators that run on your PC so you don't have to subscribe to the online service to code against it, noted Buck Woody in an earlier posting. Yesterday he said that posting brought up the question of whether there was such a thing for SQL Azure.
"The short answer is that there isn't one," Woody said in a Carpe Datum blog posting titled "Where is the SQL Azure Development Environment." (I realize that, being an editor, I'm overly picky about such things, but isn't that headline screaming for a closing question mark?)
He explains how to develop with SQL Azure without emulators ("you can simply treat it as another edition of SQL Server") and it doesn't sound that onerous, but I wonder about the scripting part: "you can script out the database when you're done as a SQL Azure script." Things may well have improved since I tried a SQL Server-to-SQL Azure database conversion script in the early days of the cloud-based offering, but I was pulling my hair out having to make all kinds of manual changes.
Anyway, Woody concluded:
"Will all this change? Will SSMS, 'Data Dude' and other tools change to include SQL Azure? Well, I don't have a specific roadmap for those tools, but we're making big investments on Windows Azure and SQL Azure, so I can say that as time goes on, it will get easier."
What do you think? Are you database guys getting the short shrift, or is it no big deal? Please comment here or drop me a line.
Posted by David Ramel on 02/04/2011 at 1:15 PM0 comments
It's no coincidence that business intelligence is the focus of Microsoft's brand-new update to the SQL Server 2008 R2 training kit.
The very first item listed in the announcement for the SQL Server 2008 R2 Update For Developers January 2011 Update (seriously, guys: get some professional help for naming your products!) is "Build Your First Microsoft BI Solution with SQL Server 2008 R2."
The Redmond software giant has championed "self-service BI" in everything from the Business Decision Appliance to the project "Crescent" data visualization tool to the PowerPivot plug-ins for Excel and SharePoint.
Microsoft data and storage VP Ted Kummert seems to have made it his personal crusade. In case there's any doubt about that, a search for "Ted Kummert" and "self service BI" garners 3,380 hits in Google and and 1,190 in Bing.
That full-court press just continues with the new training kit update. It includes an extremely comprehensive set of offerings with 11 units that feature (as listed in the announcement):
Let's hear it from you professional BI gurus and vendors out there: is Microsoft trying to put you out of business, like some are hinting? Comment here or drop me a line.
Posted by David Ramel on 01/26/2011 at 1:15 PM1 comments
Last week the Data Driver wondered if SQL Server was behind the recent Hotmail outage.
The answer is: No.
It was a script error, according to a Windows Blog post by Mike Schackwitz, pointed out to me by a helpful member of Microsoft's PR firm.
To sum up, a script meant to delete temporary accounts used for automated testing accidentally deleted some real users' directory records. This supposedly didn't delete any actual data, but a lot of users responded to the post and disputed that, with many saying they lost years' worth of messages and that some accounts were still unavailable. The complaints were still rolling in as of today.
Microsoft representatives were helping some of those users, but there were many comments along the lines of "Disgusted!!!!" and "Shameful!!" and "IT IS CERTAINLY NOT FIXED."
If you're still missing data, the blog lists several links that might be able to help you recover it.
Are you still having Hotmail data issues? Comment here or drop me a line.
Posted by David Ramel on 01/12/2011 at 1:15 PM7 comments
Microsoft is providing scant details about last weekend's Windows Live Hotmail outage, but the Data Driver blog's interest was piqued by a Microsoft announcement in a blog post that customers "temporarily lost the contents of their mailbox through the course of mailbox load balancing between servers."
And, as has been reported many times, Hotmail runs on SQL Server. A December 2009 blog posting that offered "A peek behind the scenes at Hotmail" indicated the service is "the largest SQL Server 2008 deployment in the world (we monitor and manage many thousands of SQL servers)." (Coincidentally, both aforementioned posts were in the Windows Team Blog.)
Of course, after the outage was fixed, the anti-Microsoft camp soon weighed in with some pointed digs, such as these two found in comments on a Yahoo News article:
But interestingly, according to Yahoo Answers, "Before Microsoft bought out Hotmail, their servers were all Linux based, and Microsoft left them that way for many years until the bad publicity forced them to use their own operating systems."
Of course, all computer systems will suffer failures, and I think Microsoft is as serious about reliability and security as anyone. But coming close on the heels of the cloud-based Business Productivity Online Suite data breach, the Hotmail outage opens the company up to yet more criticism as it seeks to transition to "live" and cloud-based services. Ironically, that "peek behind the scenes at Hotmail" posting mentioned earlier included this information:
We make significant investments in engineering and infrastructure to help keep Hotmail up and running 24 hours a day, day in and day out, year after year. You will rarely hear about these efforts – you will only read about them on the rare occasion that something goes wrong and our service has run into an issue.
Too true.
Do you have any inside info on how Hotmail uses SQL Server or more details on the nature of the outage? Please comment here or drop me a line.
Posted by David Ramel on 01/05/2011 at 1:15 PM2 comments
As an addendum to last week's post about a recent SQL Server camp held for PHP developers, Microsoft's Brian Swan has published some new nuts-and-bolts details for converting MySQL queries.
Swan, who blogs on the "At the Intersection of PHP and Microsoft" page, said he learned the technique at the JumpIn! camp, where Microsoft hosted some 17 prominent PHP developers in order to share ideas and educate them about the process of supporting SQL Server and SQL Azure in their PHP applications.
He said it was "an excellent two-way learning experience" and one of the things he learned was that the SQL Server Migration Assistant for MySQL 1.0 (SSMA) can convert specific database queries in addition to its main job of converting databases.
Swan explains the relatively straightforward process by using SSMA to convert the MySQL query:
to the SQL Server query:
(Whew! If I'm a noob evaluating the two on the basis of query simplicity, it's pretty clear which direction I'd lean.)
Swan noted that all queries won't translate successfully (if they contain functions specific to MySQL, for example), but even if it doesn't work, it can provide clues to help write the translated query yourself.
Do you have experience in supporting SQL Server in PHP apps? Is MySQL really that much simpler than SQL Server? Please share your thoughts here or drop me a line.
Posted by David Ramel on 12/08/2010 at 1:15 PM3 comments
Microsoft isn't letting up on its full-court press to woo PHP developers into the SQL Server world.
The company earlier this month hosted 17 PHP developers at a SQL Server JumpIn! Camp, where they learned how to incorporate SQL Server support into their apps with the help of Microsoft experts, according to a post yesterday in the Microsoft SQL Server Driver for PHP Team Blog.
Program manager Ashay Chaudhary reported that the 17 developers represented 10 PHP projects from several countries. They were treated to dinners, entertainment and more at the five-day camp, where the goal was to "listen to and learn from the PHP community and educate them about our technologies, SQL Server, SQL Azure, Windows Azure & IIS, and help them understand how they can leverage them best in the applications."
The 10 projects included content management systems, a profiling utility, an e-commerce solution, a Web application framework and more. Chaudhary said eight of the projects completed enough coding to demo their apps with SQL Server, while four actually managed to publish builds during the camp. Four projects reported improved their performance on IIS using the WinCache extension, four tested successfully on SQL Azure and three used the new PDO driver for SQL Server support.
"By adding support for SQL Server, these projects stand to gain from the broad customer base that already has SQL Server in their organizations," Chaudhary said.
"We now have a much clearer understanding about what we need to do to better support PHP applications on Windows/IIS/SQL Server and the Azure platform," he said. "The PHP participants now have a better understanding of how SQL Server works and how PHP applications can best utilize its capabilities, and understand how we are trying to add value to their applications."
Last April, Microsoft held a similar camp in Zurich, Switzerland. Chaudhary said he will write more about the November camp as he has time to reflect on the event, but he didn't indicate that any future camps were scheduled.
"For now," he said, "you can look forward to Windows, IIS, and SQL Server support in several great PHP applications with many more to come over the next few months."
One of those apps will be ImpressCMS, a content management system. Marc-Andre, CEO and founder of ImpressCMS, blogged that his goal at the camp was to "implement PDO and MSSQL support" into his product and reported it was a success. "We are still missing a few things in the installer to make our CMS install properly on MSSQL, but we will get there!" he said.
What do you think about Microsoft's overtures to the open source community? Comment here or drop me a line and share your thoughts.
Posted by David Ramel on 11/30/2010 at 1:15 PM1 comments
Here's good news if you're a database developer who doesn't like working with SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS): You may not have to use it too much longer.
At the recent PASS Summit, Microsoft showed a packed roomful of database developers how the next version of SQL Server--code-named "Denali"--will include a unified development environment based on Visual Studio.
Officially called SQL Server Developer Tools code-named "Juneau," the new bells and whistles were demonstrated by Microsoft's Don Box during a PASS keynote address by Quentin Clark.
"What we're trying to do with Juneau is really advance the state of the art of database development," Box said as he demonstrated the new functionality in a Visual Studio shell. "What we're doing is, we're looking at all the stuff we've done in the past, all the stuff that's been done in Visual Studio, around doing things like .NET, C++, C<--we're trying to bring that goodness to the database development world," Box said.
Working in the Visual Studio shell, Box said, lets developers "take advantage of the new shell, the new WPF-based text editor, new language services. All those accrue value to the SQL Server product. And this also accrues value to business intelligence, so the BIDS assets are going to be in the same shell as our relational database assets."
With a nod to those who happen to like SSMS, Box demonstrated the "connected experience that an SSMS user is going to be used to, inside of Juneau."
Box showed how Juneau lets developers use the Server Explorer to drill down into a database and get the same preview that SSMS provides. "I can say new query and I get the new text editor with new language services on top of T-SQL based on the database I'm deployed against," he said. He showed a simple Execute command and said, "I also can do execute with debugging, so basically anywhere I see SQL text in a text editor, I can select it and either execute it directly against the database, or I can execute under debugging and just start doing step into or step over, anyplace I see text."
A new table designer was also demoed that used the Visual Studio style panes of code, design or a split between the two. When changes were made to the design pane, they were immediately reflected in the text editor pane, and vice versa.
Also, Box noted that the table designer lets developers easily see subordinate objects such as check constraints, primary constraints and indices. As he clicked through these items, the relevant T-SQL code was brought up in the text editor, with the affected columns highlighted.
And in some ways, Juneau will surpass SSMS. When using a CREATE view, Box noted that it's not idempotent, so any changes made would normally involve transcribing them into ALTER commands. "One of the things that we do in the tool which is an advance of what I have in SSMS today, is I have the ability to take all these pending changes which I've been accruing and say 'figure out the ALTER script for me.' So if I say commit all to database, we actually do analysis of all the source text that you've now accrued vs. the actual catalog in the database and we figure out what needs to be done to make this so."
Plenty of other cool things were shown, also, including FileTable file storage, semantic searching and version-awareness and edition-awareness, which means Juneau enforces language constraints depending on your target, be it Denali, SQL Server 2008 or SQL Azure. And speaking of Azure and the cloud, while Box didn't address it directly, one of the aims of Juneau is to "is to make developing for SQL Azure and on-site SQL exactly the same," according to a recent interview with Clark by The Register.
You can register and see the Box demo yourself--along with other presentations--at the PASS Web site.
While the first Community Technology Preview (CTP) of Denali was released at the Summit, developers will have to wait a bit to get their hands on the Juneau technology--it's scheduled to be included in the next CTP, with no expected timeline provided.
Posted by David Ramel on 11/15/2010 at 1:15 PM1 comments
There were plenty of "oohs" and "aahs" from the audience at the PASS Summit during Ted Kummert's keynote address Tuesday as he demonstrated new capabilities of the next version of SQL Server, called "Denali."
One notable demonstration was with Microsoft's Amir Netz, who ran a side-by-side comparison of a database query using some 2 billion records, with one side of the screen showing the query being run with regular technology and the other side showing the same query running many times faster with the VertiPaq technology borrowed from PowerPivot. Netz said the blinding speed of VertiPaq would equate to a theoretical processing rate of 1 trillion rows per minute.
The VertiPaq technology--using columnar storage as opposed to rows--is now available to parts of the new SQL Server, such as the new BI Development Studio running with Visual Studio 2010.
Netz also gathered applause by showing off "Crescent," the code name for "a new Web-based data visualization and reporting tool that extends PowerPivot," as described by Microsoft. Netz showed in a flashy demo how huge amounts of data can be manipulated to "tell a story" to others.
While the Community Technology Preview of Denali was released at PASS, Microsoft hasn't said when a final product is expected to ship.
Other enhancements introduced by Microsoft include:
The PASS Summit continues through Thursday.
Posted by David Ramel on 11/09/2010 at 1:15 PM1 comments
Microsoft last week announced that its portal to buy and sell data services has launched as DataMarket, part of the Windows Azure Marketplace.
Formerly called Project Codename "Dallas," the market serves as a repository "that makes it easy to discover, purchase and consume data through a variety of different sources, both public domain and commercial," said program manager Steve Yi in a PDC10 session.
DataMarket has a new Web site and new information sources available for subscription, with many more on the way. The site lists 13 data categories such as Financial, News, Statistics and Weather, along with 28 publishers and more than 70 individual data feeds.
The feeds are typically presented in the XML-based OData format and can be easily integrated into applications built with the .NET Framework, for example, or directly into PowerPivot and Tableau data visualization projects.
Microsoft is rolling out new paid services through Nov. 22, with a variety of pricing and consumption options. Users can also request early access to the paid subscriptions.
You can learn more about DataMarket here, and Microsoft has also put up several YouTube videos, dealing with topics such as discovering and subscribing to data and using DataMarket with PowerPivot.
In other data-centric news, the company announced several enhancements to the cloud-based SQL Azure, including a Community Technology Preview (CTP) of SQL Azure Reporting, bringing the same capabilities of SQL Server Reporting Services to the cloud.
A SQL Azure Data Sync CTP 2 was also announced, along with a lightweight, Silverlight-based database manager, formerly called "Project Codename Houston."
You can learn more by watching the following PDC10 video presentations:
Introduction to Windows Azure Marketplace DataMarket
What's New in SQL Azure
Code First Development with Entity Framework
Building Engaging Apps with Windows Azure Marketplace DataMarket
Introduction to SQL Azure Data Sync
Introduction to SQL Azure Reporting
Introduction to Database Manager
What do you think about the new DataMarket and SQL Azure enhancements? Comment here or drop me a line.
Posted by David Ramel on 11/03/2010 at 1:15 PM0 comments
Even though SQL Server just underwent a major upgrade with 2008 R2, Microsoft is seeking customer input about new features you'd like to see added to the database technology.
The company this week posted the SQL Connectivity Customer Survey (Fall 2010), which will be up until Oct. 25.
The survey asks respondents to rate the importance of possible enhancements such as improved network performance (via tabular data stream compression), easier setup and configuration (through a richer GUI), "reducing the number of new connections that need to be opened" (through connection pooling improvements) and several others.
It was exactly one year ago that the SQL Connectivity team started "interacting on a regular basis with the developers and users in the form of surveys," said program manager Raghu Ram in the survey introduction.
"During the last 12 months, we completed surveys that focused on the broad SQL Connectivity components, including ODBC, ADO.NET, JDBC and PHP," Ram said. "These surveys provide us with an ability to validate some of the requests we have got from developers, users and partners." He said the roadmap for SQL Server has evolved based on this survey feedback.
Indeed, last summer saw the release of SQL Server Driver for PHP 2.0, which for the first time supports PHP Data Objects code.
So here's your chance to possibly influence the next upgrade. In addition to the possible enhancements listed above, the survey asks respondents to rate the importance of better support for multi-core CPUs and multiple network interface cards, better diagnostics and troubleshooting, transparent failover and new authentication types.
What's at the top of your list for SQL Server improvements? Comment here or drop me a line.
Posted by David Ramel on 10/20/2010 at 1:15 PM3 comments
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Carlisle sees music success in the Delta
Choosing a career path took most of his life, Devin Carlisle admits. But now that he has set his mind on becoming a professional music artist, doors are swinging open for the 21-year-old singer/songwriter, who is following the musical footsteps of his late grandfather, B.C. Carlisle of Tunica, MS.
"Most kids knew they wanted to do basketball, football, acting or politics… I didn't really know what I wanted to do. I wanted to know what I was passionate about, and I didn't have that in high school or middle school," Devin said. "When I left for college and I was on my own, I was singing all the time. I sang in front of strangers basically, and I got support from people. They told me I would be good. It made me confident, and it made me know that this is what I want to do in life."
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A Whole New World Tunica Academy students...
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Champions Cup: Munster want to finish on high
On a weekend with all four provinces in European action, including Munster v Sale, Tadhg Peavoy assesses each team's chances.
On a weekend with all four provinces in European action, including Munster v Sale, Tadhg Peavoy assesses each team's chances.
A draw with Wasps at the Ricoh Arena was enough for Leinster for reach the final eight of the inaugural Champions Cup but means they miss out on a home quarter-final.
Leinster head coach Matt O'Connor has made two changes to the starting XV for his side's final Champions Cup pool game against Wasps at the Ricoh Arena on Saturday.
Leinster captain Jamie Heaslip has said that Saturday's do-or-die Champions Cup showdown is the definition of why he plays the sport, ahead of the team's visit to face Wasps in Coventry.
Qualifying for the knock-out stages of the Challenge Cup would be just rewards for Connacht's progress this season, according to prop Nathan White.
Despite a comprehensive win over Castres, Leinster boss Matt O'Connor knows his side face an altogether different challenge against Wasps on Saturday.
Sean O'Brien and Cian Healy will not be risked ahead of Leinster's crunch Champions Cup clash with Wasps this Saturday, head coach Matt O'Connor has confirmed.
Connacht will be without the services of injured duo Robbie Henshaw and Craig Ronaldson for their final European Challenge Cup pool clash in La Rochelle on Saturday.
London Irish have announced the signing of New Zealand World Cup winner Ben Franks.
Despite impressing in their victory over Castres at the weekend, RTÉ rugby analyst Tony Ward feels Leinster have it all to do against Wasps in their final Pool 2 clash in the Champions Cup.


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To filter the trainings by county, Click on the drop down menu above "County".
If you don't see a county listed, their training opportunities have not been provided to this website. View ALL training contacts and inquire with that county regarding any upcoming trainings in their county not listed.
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Chart Industries Announces Award Of National Medal Of Technology And Innovation To Norman R. McCombs
Chart is a leading independent global manufacturer of highly engineered equipment used in the production, storage and end-use of hydrocarbon and industrial gases. The majority of Chart's products are used throughout the liquid gas supply chain for purification, liquefaction, distribution, storage and end-use applications, the largest portion of which are energy-related. Chart has domestic operations located across the United States and an international presence in Asia, Australia and Europe. For more information on Chart visit: http://www.chartindustries.com .
For more information, click here: http://ir.chartindustries.com/ .
CONTACT: Matthew J. Klaben Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary 216-626-1216 firstname.lastname@example.com
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Tuesday evening was all about perfection for the Starkville Academy Volunteers. As the team defeated visiting Pillow Academy 15-0, Hunter Bolin and Stephen Robertson combined to throw a perfect game.
To subscribe to the E-edition, please click here.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – It is pretty much automatic that when Ross Mitchell enters a game, he is going to win it. It was no different Tuesday night. The Mississippi State sophomore right hander pitched six solid innings in relief and the No. 17 (Collegiate Baseball) Bulldogs cruised to a 12-1 win over the Memphis Tigers in front of 3,428 at Autozone Park.
The Starkville High School football coaching staff probably felt more like traffic cops than coaches on Tuesday afternoon. For the first time since winning the Class 5A State championship last December, the Yellowjackets hit the field for practice.
The Starkville Yellowjackets had to deal with a bunch of Tigers for the second-consecutive Class 5A tennis match in the postseason. After sweeping through Saltillo last Thursday to open the playoffs, Starkville defeated Hernando at home on Tuesday 6-1. With the victory, the Jackets punched their ticket to the North Class 5A round against Oxford on Friday.
Starkville Academy honored four of its own as it battled Copiah Academy on the home tennis courts. Tuesday's contest with the Colonels marked the last time a quartet of seniors, including Matt Jones, Mary Austin Barber, Laura Austin Crane and Vicky Sun would pick up a racket for a regular season match at Starkville Academy.
Byron L. "Butch" Brumfield, Jr. passed away Friday, April 19, 2013 after an extended battle with cancer. Butch was born in Laurel, Ms. June 18, 1966. He graduated from Gulfport High School in 1984. After graduation he attended Mississippi State University.Â


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Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein has ordered an investigation into a letter sent recently to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu alleging inappropriate behavior by Education Minister Gideon Sa'ar toward a woman working in his office.
Israel's AG: Probe letter claiming Education Minister Gideon Sa'ar acted 'inappropriately'
AG responds to letter addressed to Netanyahu urging him to refrain from reappointing Gideon Sa'ar; woman who supposedly wrote letter denies connection.
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text: Professional Services - Corporate RelocationAt Grace Removals, we offer a wide range of professional relocation services to assist corporate and government clients with the management of their relocation projects and strategies. Our corporate development managers will work closely with you and your employees to review allowances, develop retention strategies, and identify cost savings. Our corporate and government professional services include: Account ManagementOur account managers provide personalised service throughout your relocation project. They work with you and your employees to create a strategy that's right for your unique relocation needs, coordinate all departments, and handle all administrative responsibilities. Their main goal is to see that you meet all of your goals within the agreed-upon timeframe and budget. Read more… Expert ConsultingOur consultants will work with your department managers and other key stakeholders of your team to offer expert advice on how to efficiently handle your corporate relocation. Whether you need advice on immigration and visa requirements, housing, or temporary and long-term storage, our team of consultants are here to help. Read more… Expense ReportingOur expense reports keep you informed of your relocation's finances. You'll have a breakdown of specific expenses like storage costs, delivery fees, and vehicle rentals. As the job progresses, you will also be able to monitor your budgetary goals. Our expense reporting is here to help adjust your services or budget as you see necessary. Read more… Online TechnologyOur online technology gives you constant feedback on the status of your relocation. "Grace Now" is a web-based account where you can receive up-to-date information on budget costs, asset status, and the overall progress of your relocation. Our technology is here to make your corporate reporting easier and transparent. Read more… Relocation ManagementOur relocation process is broken down into clear steps for a seamless move. Once you confirm your moving dates, we manage everything from shipping, transportation, packing, delivery and loading. In the end, you get a full service information report, with a detailed breakdown of your relocation project. Read more… To enquire about your corporate relocation project, contact us today on 137366 for a free quote, or request a quote online. |


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Tag: GarminStreetPilot
Garmin offers real-time traffic cam photos and a bargain price for StreetPilot Onboard app
Garmin has an innovative way to help you beat the holiday traffic. It's the StreetPilot USA Onboard app update, released today, and it includes an option for an in-app purchase of traffic camera images from any of 10,000 cameras across the US and Canada. The option will cost US $9.95 per year. ...
Garmin updates StreetPilot app with improvements and fixes
If you follow my reviews, you know I had mixed emotions about the newly released iPhone Garmin StreetPilot. Chief among my complaints was an incredibly tinny and distorted voice. I'm happy to report that, after an update, the voice sounds much better and is now useful. Garmin has also increased the ...
Driving around with the Garmin StreetPilot iPhone app
It was only a matter of time before Garmin had to get on the iPhone navigation bandwagon, and now it has finally happened. Garmin StreetPilot joins a crowded field of nav apps wanting some space on your iDevice. StreetPilot is US-Canada only and sells for $39.99. I spent two days driving with the Ga...
Software Updates
more updates- Apple Remote Desktop updated with Yosemite support
- OS X Yosemite 10.10.2, iOS 8.1.3 updates now available
- Sports Illustrated 120 SPORTS channel comes to Apple TV
- Logic Pro X update brings AirDrop support, new effects, tools, and more
- Parallels Access 2.5 released, adds file manager, computer-to-computer remote access
- The Google Translate iOS app is about to get a lot smarter


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Learn how MacUpdate Desktop can install apps on MacUpdate with the simple click of the icon. Plus, keep all your apps updated.
Love Heart 3D Screensaver... If you are romantic and passionate by nature love heart 3S screensaver has been created specially for you. Peer into this palpitant heart and you will feel that it is overflowing with sincere love and tenderness to you. Present 3D love heart to your dear and he will feel that tenderness and love which you wish to transfer him.


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Skyline Sudoku
- Publisher: Patoing mobile media
- Genre: Puzzle
- Released: 17 Dec, 2009
- Size: 1.0 MB
- Price: $0.99
- App Store Info
SALE! Get Skyline Sudoku for 66% off the original price!This App takes Sudoku to the third dimension in your brain. Simple rules but hard to master. Exactly as a good puzzle should be.
5 sky scrapers with 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 stories stand in each row and each column.
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Uses the basic rule of sudoku and adds a third dimension resulting in a mind crunching game.
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Try it out - either as an alternative to Sudoku or to help you work out your brain muscle.
What's New in Version 1.2.1
We updated Skyline to operate optimally for the latest iOS version.If you experience any problems please email us at email@example.com


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We will be closed to the public on Friday, February 6th, at 3pm. We apologize for the inconvience.
"Take a seat among the Stars" is a unique opportunity to dedicate the seat of your choice with an honorary plaque in the armrest of an all new chair in our Planetarium Theater. For more information, click here.


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Business & EconomyIs North Korea on your tourism bucket list? A handful of agencies that provide tours to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea say business is growing. Lu-Hai Liang | 31 Jul 2014 11:47 GMT | Business & Economy, US & Canada, Latin America, Brazil, China Pyongyang, North Korea - When you land at Pyongyang Sunan International Airport, yours very likely will be the only plane that day disturbing the quiet, although rather bumpy, runway. And yet, the airport, with its single tiny terminal, has recently experienced an uptick in traffic. According to estimates by travel operators, North Korea receives around 6,000 tourists a year. In comparison, the continent of Antarctica over the same period receives over six times that. But for the handful of agencies that provide tours to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, business is growing. "Bookings to North Korea have increased each year since we launched in 2007," said Dylan Harris, founder of UK-based Lupine Travel. Harris said his company took 500 tourists to North Korea in 2013. Young Pioneer Tours, another North Korea travel specialist, said they have doubled their bookings every year since they started operating in December 2008. "We get people from small-town America, socialism fanatics, country collectors, people who are into the architecture," said the owner, Troy Collings, of their wide variety of clientele. And where can you go on one of these tours? One operator said customers can visit cities such as Rason, a port on the northeast tip of the country, or Chongjin, North Korea's third biggest city, or Kaesong in the south (which is only a short stop away from the demilitarised zone), as well as the country's scenic mountains that dominate the Korean peninsula's landscape. Visitors can circumnavigate the country if they wish, although the itinerary is filled with propaganda with tour guides enthusiastically trumpeting the nation's achievements and industrial advancement. Regulations and perceptions Tourism is tightly regulated and tourists cannot walk around the streets freely - Korean guides must accompany you every step. But some visitors are surprised by the amount of interaction they can have with locals. The Russians see Soviet Russia, Germans see East Germany, the Chinese see China under Mao, and the Americans see all the propaganda. - Rich Beal, tour guide Gustavo Buttes, a Brazilian who went on a week-long tour at the end of April, was able to walk around Pyongyang's Morabong park without supervision for a couple of hours. "May Day was something incredible to see - people out in the parks having fun, playing football and getting drunk. By interacting, you realise they're real people and struggling to live, just like us", he said. Another tourist, Andrea Keller from Germany, said what she found surprising was the poverty in the countryside and "people working with the most primitive tools". Rich Beal, a British tour guide working the North Korea route says people often see their own country reflected back at them. "The Russians see Soviet Russia, Germans see East Germany, the Chinese see China under Mao, and the Americans see all the propaganda," he said. "Everybody was talking about poverty. I couldn't see that," says Nathalia Alves, a Brazilian who visited in May, of her fellow tourists. "In Brazil there are areas much poorer than North Korea. Of course you can see they are not rich. And that is the difference." Individual tourists made headlines recently, such as 24-year-old Matthew Todd Miller who was detained in April for ripping up his visa in customs in Pyongyang's airport and demanding asylum. Miller, from Bakersfield, California, will be put on trial by the North Korean authorities for "rash behaviour", along with fellow American, Jeffrey Edward Fowle, 56, who was detained a few weeks after Miller, for leaving a bible in a hotel room. Despite these cases, and the fact the US State Department officially recommends that all US citizens avoid travelling to North Korea, tourism seems a small but growing industry for the country. But just how do western companies set up business with the notoriously hard-to-reach North Koreans? In 2007, Dylan Harris, then 28 years old, took a trip across Russia and China on the train. After reaching China, he went up to the northeast. "While there, I met somebody who had contacts with North Korea and he was able to get me inside [North Korea] with just a few days notice." Harris' first trip to the country intrigued him, and he came up with the idea of setting up the business that would become Lupine Travel, thanks to the contact he had made. "Initially it was very difficult to set up the meetings with the North Koreans, as it was a matter of building trust. However, due to the good relationship my contact in China already had, this helped me significantly. There were meetings in London, Dandong and Pyongyang that took place mainly in Korean with a translator," he said. Harris said he is in the process of starting a local office in Sao Paulo following a "significant increase" in bookings from Brazil and will also take in his first Japanese client for a golf tournament. Where does the money go? Travel providers like Young Pioneer Tours, and Koryo Tours, which, founded in 1993, is the longest running tour provider, had quite fortuitous beginnings. Both companies were started after chance encounters with North Korean officials while visiting the country. Every western travel agency has a North Korean partner who acts as representatives from the Korea International Travel Company - a DPRK government body. Of the companies interviewed, many stayed silent when asked about how much of their revenues go to their North Korean partners. That response is understandable given that it is widely thought that the tourism industry is aiding the North Korean regime by generating much-needed foreign currency. Stephen Haggard, a North Korea expert at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, said that, although there may be some small benefit from engagement between outsiders and locals, the downsides are high. "Because North Korea self-consciously limits such contact and tourism revenues ultimately flow back to a highly repressive authoritarian regime." Japan presses North Korea on missing citizens The head of a tour company who wished to remain anonymous, said the income generated from tourism is not high: "It's a very, very, small amount of money. You have, maybe, 4,500 westerners visiting the country last year. That's not a lot of money. They have to build hotels, fuel buses; petrol's expensive, training guides are expensive, providing these very good meals are expensive. Tourism is not holding up the regime. They [the government] may want it to be a source of income for the future; the reality is not what it's going to be." Others like Adam Cathcart, an expert in Sino-Korean relations, believes the increase in Chinese tourists to the country will help strengthen historical ties between the allies, and perhaps improve the infrastructure of North Korean cities across the Chinese border. For those who visited, ethical questions did arise. "I thought about whether I was supporting this maniacal government by going there, and I had friends question it," said Martin Thrasher, an American who's been on a tour. Rebekah Guillory, another American visitor, said tourism can be a way to open up oppressive governments, likening it to the "opening up" of Myanmar. "To the individuals who would object to supporting a country's government through tourism, they honestly have an extremely short list of countries, if any, to visit. Most countries have questionable human rights records, even my own," Guillory said. "Tourism can be a useful way for some developing countries to earn foreign exchange and provide employment," said Haggard. "But there are so many other priorities that demand attention that focusing on this seems somewhat misguided to me. Opening to other forms of foreign investment would make more sense." Source: Al Jazeera
North Korea fires missiles into sea North Korea fires two short-range missiles ahead of joint US-South Korea military exercises. Politics, Asia Pacific, US & Canada, China, North Korea
North Korea to put US tourists on trial Official news agency says Jeffrey Fowle and Matthew Miller are to be tried for crimes against the state. Asia Pacific, US & Canada, North Korea, United States
Soaked in oil: The cost of war in South Sudan Derelict oilfield caught in a war zone contaminating drinking water and threatening tens of thousands of civilian lives. Environment, Humanitarian crises, War & Conflict
Kremlin spin and the killing of Boris Nemtsov Pumping out 'hatred' and seeking out 'traitors', Russia's media accused of targeting government critics. Politics, Human Rights, Media
Israel, Iran, and the struggle for US favour Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu delivers anti-Iran speech - but which way will Washington sway? Politics, Middle East, United States
Hate attacks: Bulgaria's invisible crime Human rights activists say the Bulgarian government is not properly investigating a growing number of hate attacks. Human Rights, War & Conflict, Europe
Talk to Al JazeeraAmitabh Bachchan: 'We have a strong cultural identity'One of India's biggest movie stars discusses his latest projects, his relationship with his fans, and politics in India.Arts & Culture, Asia, Cinema
Special SeriesOnce Upon a Time in PunchbowlThe untold story of how the Lebanese community overcame the odds and found their place in multicultural Australia.Asia Pacific, Australia, Lebanon
Special SeriesWukan VotesAfter decades of corrupt rule, will a Chinese community's remarkable experiment in grassroots democracy succeed?Politics, Asia, China
Al Jazeera WorldSyria: The ReckoningThe history of modern Syria is offering an intriguing and incisive perspective on the current war in the country.War & Conflict, Politics, Syria


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There are many approaches and countless factors that make up a persons overall wellness. HowStuffWorks has extensive coverage on the different types of natural medicine such as DIY remedies and traditional Chinese medicine.
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6 Tips for Practicing Prenatal Yoga
Prenatal yoga can keep you fit and help you relax while pregnant. Learn how to make the most of your prenatal yoga practice.
Let the Professionals Do It: Test Your Professional Teeth Whitening Knowledge
What do lasers and plasma arcs have to do with whitening teeth? Test what you know about professional teeth whitening in our quiz.


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Do I have to generate and bind a framebuffer for every renderbuffer I create? Or is there a chance to create renderbuffer only (and map it to a texture or submit somehow to the sahders)?
I just want to render to a one channel buffer to create some mask for later use. I think setting up a complete framebuffer would be overhead for this task.


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Adrian Gardner will leave his post as National Weather Service CIO to assume his new duties in February
Adrian Gardner has been appointed as the chief information officer for the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, according to a story posted on the DorobekInsider blog today.
Gardner will report to NASA on Feb. 1, according to the story. The position at NASA Goddard became vacant when Linda Cureton was promoted to the CIO post at NASA headquarters.
Gardner currently serves as the CIO for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Weather Service. He began that job in January 2007.
Gardner was named to Federal Computer Week's Federal 100 in 2006.
From October 2006 to January 2007, Gardner served as the deputy associate CIO for IT reform at the Energy Department, according to his bio. From September 2005 to October 2006, he was the deputy associate CIO for cyber security for DOE.
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President Obama's proposal to boost government coordination with the private sector got a warm welcome in the House Homeland Security Committee.
The spy agency wants to better integrate cybersecurity into its traditional human intelligence operations.
Meet the women and men who are doing great things in federal IT.
The law's certification and approval provisions empower CIOs to end outdated software development projects, says Agilex's Roger Baker.
The new chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee extends an olive branch to the minority, but keeps subpoena power for himself.
FCW investigated efforts by the departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs to improve a joint data repository on military and veteran suicides. Something as impersonal and mundane as incomplete datasets could be exacerbating a national tragedy.
Despite delays, the program is at a critical point for determining the ultimate impact of cloud technology in the government space.
In an interview with FCW, the Department of Veterans Affairs' chief technology officer talks about overhauling the digital experience for VA customers.
The National Information Exchange Model's usefulness extends far beyond its origins in justice and law enforcement.