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Asus R700VJ-T2138H
SpecificationsNotebook: Asus R700VJ-T2138H
Processor: Intel Core i7 3630QM
Graphics Adapter: NVIDIA GeForce GT 635M
Display: 17.3 inch, 16:9, 1600x900 pixels, glossy: yes
Weight: 3.1kg
Price: euro
Average of 1 scores (from 1 reviews)
Reviews for the Asus R700VJ-T2138H
Source: Benchmark.pl PL→EN
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 06/07/2013
Rating: Total score: 80% performance: 70% display: 90% mobility: 70% workmanship: 80% ergonomy: 90%
NVIDIA GeForce GT 635M:
Essentially a renamed GeForce GT 555M available in two or more variants with 96 or 144 shaders and 128 bit / 192 bit DDR3 or GDDR5 memory.
Modern games should be playable with these graphics cards at low settings and resolutions. Casual gamers may be happy with these cards.
» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Graphics Cards and the corresponding Benchmark List.
Intel Core i7: The Intel Core i7 for laptops is based on the LG1156 Core i5/i7 CPU for desktops. The base clock speed of the CPUs is relatively low, but because of a huge Turbo mode, the cores can dynamically overclock to up to 3.2 GHz (920XM). Therefore, the CPU can be as fast as high clocked dual-core CPUs (using single threaded applications) but still offer the advantage of 4 cores. Because of the large TDP of 45 W / 55 W, the CPU is only intended for large laptops.
3630QM: An Ivy Bridge-based quad-core processor clocked at 2.4 GHz with Turbo Boost support up to 3.4 GHz. Offers an integrated HD Graphics 4000 GPU and a dual channel DDR3 memory controller.» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Processsors.
17.3": Meanwhile the 17 inch display size is a more frequently offered standard format for desktop-replacements. The DTR-laptops can't be carried easily, need much energy but on the other side texts can be read easily and high resolutions are no problem. DTR mainly are intended for stationary usage on desks, where the weight and the energy need are unimportant.
» To find out how fine a display is, see our DPI List.
3.1 kg: This weight is average for notebooks. Therefore the numerous mass of laptops with 15 inch display fits in this class of weight.
Asus: ASUSTeK Computer Incorporated, a Taiwanese multinational company, produces motherboards, graphics cards, optical drives, PDAs, computer monitors, notebook computers, servers, networking products, mobile phones, computer cases, computer components, and computer cooling systems. The company's 2007 revenues reached US$6.9 billion. ASUS also produces components for other manufacturers. The Eee PC initiated the netbook boom in 2008.
80%: This rating is not convincing. The laptop is evaluated below average, this is not really a recommendation for purchase.
» Further information can be found in our Notebook Purchase Guide.


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If you're an Iron.io user, you've probably noticed improvements in our HUD over the last few months. We've gotten great input from customers on what they wanted to see and we took that to heart. We also released some new features like push queues and needed a way to bring them out within the dashboard.
Here's a rundown of some of the things we've added to the HUD. We're confident users will find them useful in helping them manage their queues.
IronMQ - Messages vs Queue Size
For most applications, messages are the lifeblood of a working system. Seeing how your app is handling messages over time is critical. This view now gives you a key snapshot to stay on top of your system's performance.
|Messages vs Queue Size
IronMQ - Messages vs API Requests
With queues with less polling or that use push queues, the ratio of messages to requests may be more tightly aligned. (Note that even with frequent polling, the requests won't come even close to the amount we provide free so you should poll away if you need to stay on top of inbound messages.)
|Messages vs API Requests
IronMQ - Push Queue Control
You can control push queues via the API but you can also do so now via the HUD. Want to adjust the retry limit or the delay between retries, or add an endpoint for message to hit? Not a problem. Just pull up the queue and adjust it in the HUD.
|Push Queue Control
IronMQ - Improved Getting Started (cURL Sandbox)
The great thing about cloud-based services is that they're always on. You get immediate service just by accessing an API. By giving new users an ability to use IronMQ from a text box in the HUD makes it that much easier to see how the service works and allow them to get up and running that much more quickly.
|IronMQ Get Started (cURL Sandbox)
You'll notice other improvements as well, small touches that we hope make Iron.io easier to use or give you better insight into what's happening in your cloud application.
Other Improvements
An example is on the Projects page. We added an activity level indicator to help you find active projects more easily. The bars indicate the relative activity over the last several days.
|Project Activity (Project page)
We've also been spending time on improving outbound reports by providing better views into daily, weekly and monthly usage, for example. Here's a list you can select. Keep an eye out for event more monitoring and alert capabilities.
|Communication Options
Team IronHUDThe main drivers behind the changes are Alexander Shapiotko and Andy Burkovetsky.
We're always working on improving your view into what's happening with your message queues, task processing, and data caching. You'll continue to see improvements in the HUD and in the reports we send out.
What's Next
If you have any special requests – something that will make our services better or easier to use – please let us know. Same thing if something's wonky with the interface. Send us a note via our support channel or check in at our public chat room. We love getting input.

subset: commoncrawl


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Juba — The Deputy Speaker of South Sudan's parliament has backed calls for the young nation to adopt a leaner more efficient government that is better able provide the services needed by the population.
Daniel Awet Akot, who is both the deputy speaker of South Sudan's parliament and the Lakes state's SPLM chairperson (ST)
In an interview with Sudan Tribune on Tuesday, Daniel Awet Akot, said South Sudan had one of the largest government's in the world, compared to the size of the population, and needed to adjust due to austerity measure enforced by the year-long oil shutdown caused by disputes with neighbouring Sudan.
Akot's appear to endorse a proposal drafted in August 2012 last year by a committee tasked by South Sudan's president Salva Kiir to suggest how South Sudan's large and often ineffective bureaucracy can be streamlined to produce better results. The report calls for the formation of a lean and technocratic cabinet in order to save financial resources for development projects.
According to a series of interviews conducted by Sudan Tribune among residents of the country's capital Juba, the main issues currently facing the young nation include; lack of jobs; insecurity; and how to promote peaceful coexistence among diverse ethnic groups, so as to strengthen social ties and harmony.
In order to to better address these issues Akot said he supported the findings of the report called for "drastic change" in the way the government manages the affairs of the new nation in order to provide basic services to the rural poor majority and to promote peace and stability.
In the deputy speakers interview with Sudan Tribune on Tuesday, he agreed with the findings from the interviews with residents in Juba, acknowledging the that the lack of jobs available to young people accounted for the level of crime in the many areas of South Sudan.
Akot's comments He appears supportive of the proposal of the president Salva Kiir Mayardit which calls for formation of a lean and technocrat's cabinet in order to save financial resources for development projects.
"They are correct and this is what we in the parliament have been saying that we need to change our strategies. We need to put more focus and designs strategic plans based on the needs of our people. We therefore need you people in the media to be out there and conduct formal surveys and bring them forward for public debates", he said.
Akot said that "huge government means huge spending" and this meant there were less funds available for investment in development projects and other spending.
"We have a huge government in the whole of East African region. The parliament is huge. The cabinet is huge yet we are the new nation with resources being oil. Our budget depended largely on oil revenues but now that it is no longer there means that we must change the way we used to do things. The austerity measures which the government introduced last year must remain enforced."
He added: "The parliament will continue to support it and any other similar economic policies with an ambition aiming at improving the lives of our people and the general economy of this country. There should no fear and panic to reduce government."
Laku Peter, a resident of Juba said his own home area of Tali, located at the border with Lakes State, under Terekeka County, Central Equatoria State, has not seen even the slightest change since the civil war ended in 2005 or after South South gained independence in 2011.
"We see changes here in Juba and other places because in Juba here, I can get a transport to visit a friend, relatives, colleagues and even go to Kenya or Uganda the same day if I can afford but in my place, especially where I was born and grew up, it takes one to two days to reach where you can get transport which are very expensive", Peter explains.
He said citizens in his home area continue to run away from their villages because of fear of being attacked by members of rival communities just like it used to be during the war era.
"Our people until now continue to run away from attacks. They live in constant fear. They do not enjoy complete sleep. They sleep with conscious minds because they believe that some people will come and launch [an] attack on the village to kill and take away their belongings, especially cows which are the only sources of living. Security there is never stable. It is always very bad", he said
Meanwhile James Kuol, native of Abyei currently in Juba but who works in the private sector said there is a need for the government to encourage self-employment, tradesman and entrepreneurs by opening more technical schools in the major urban towns.
"It is true most of our young people are not employed. They are out on the streets looking for jobs but what these people wants now is for the government to develop strategies which should be looking at how it should encourage people to create jobs for themselves instead of being created some jobs. I mean there is a need for our government to open more technical schools. There is a need to open plumbing, electrical, mansion, catering and hotel management institute", he said.
Kuol observed that creating such initiatives and subsequent projects demanded for creating jobs requires a prudent monetary policy. However he expressed doubts about whether the government would be in a strong financial position to support such initiatives since the government's debts are rising alarmingly as spending demands increases.
When oil production was stopped in January last year South Sudan's government lost 98% of its revenue.
"We need to think out of the box to see where we can raise more money without constraining economic activity. One of the options is to reduce the size of the government and propose introducing Capital Gains Tax on land and property. This will also enable a future government to target and help fund the training of the skills we will need", he explained.
Kuol explains that reducing the government is necessary because when one breaks down the statistics, the picture is even more disturbing. More than half of the population of the youth enters the job market each year chasing half a million job opportunities, but the problem is that only less than 10 per cent of those seeking jobs succeed through dubious means.
"I have been around and what I have observed are two things: One, the formal sector job market is growing at a snail's pace and secondly, many of those in informal job opportunities are not necessarily full time or remunerative. If not addressed, this unemployed "youth will create a big problem to the existence of this government. Designing projects to create jobs on a sustainable basis will be the real test for the next government. Many promises put forward are no more than vague proposals to throw money at this or that with the hope that jobs will follow", he said.
He further added that a lot of the projects which the government introduced in past years as some of the attempts to create jobs and employ youth started but not completed or are no longer viable. Other projects were shelved due to lack of funds and this is one of the strictures likely to face the next government and preclude most of those proposals.
"What needs to be addressed is how and what must be done to create an overall environment that will increase demand for more jobs. We have the supply of raw labour. We need to address increasing demand for it and facilitating of that labour into skills needed by the market. A number of related basics have to be working well in order for the economic and commercial environment to prosper, which in turn will result in demand for more jobs", he adds.
"How do we get economic growth? That means looking at the job demand side in specific areas in a multi-pronged approach but in a holistic framework. Several agricultural sectors that could literally employ millions of people are still drawing no attention of the government. They are not even priorities of the government. The current priorities of the government appear to be oil pipeline construction. They do not think that oil can finish. It is important the government pay attention to other sectors. They should use oil revenues to support income generating projects", he explained


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Flextronics Is Already Working On Xbox 720 aka Xbox Durango [Video]!
Microsoft's Xbox 360 gaming console has been a tremendous success since its original launch and has been widely acclaimed thereafter. There's been word in the air about Microsoft working on the next generation of Xbox already, and now here's comes a new tid bit.
Flextronics, a company that's been manufacturing Xbox 360 hardware units is said to be discretely working on the next generation Xbox hardware. In fact, reports say that a seperate division of the unit has been set up solely for working on the new Xbox consoles.
The new Xbox console is expected to sport a powerful AMD processor, extremely enhanced graphics, deep integration with the next genertion Kinect Xbox accesory an integrated touchscreen and much more.
Apparently, the new division of Flextronics that's been set up in Austin, Texas is building the hardware already. But that hardware of the Xbox Durango or Xbox Loop (either of the two probable names we've been hearing for what we have been addressing as Xbox 720) might very well be just a square box built for developers. Of course, it can also be the actual Xbox, but the probability of latter is significantly less feasible.
There's no word from either Flextronics or Microsoft that directly testifies of a new Xbox being in the works, but an excerpt from Microsoft in this regard states as follows:
"Xbox 360 has found new ways to extend its lifecycle like introducing the world to controller-free experiences with Kinect and re-inventing the console with a new dashboard and new entertainment content partnerships. We are always thinking about what is next for our platform and how to continue to defy the lifecycle convention. Beyond that we do not comment on rumors or speculation".
While details about the hardware and software specifications are pretty scarce, we do know now that something is being materialized inside those labs and if it's going to be released for the developers now, it will not be too long (at least relatively) before it meets our eyes.
Anyway, here's a video pulled up by TechRadar showing what the next generation Xbox should be like. Head past the dot and let your opinions flow in.
We will keep you posted as more details surface. Stay tuned!


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Donations are the lifeblood of our success at Moffitt. It's your generosity that enables us to hire the best professionals and conduct groundbreaking research in a world-class, state-of-the-art facility. As we work towards the cure, we have set up a program that ensures your support for Moffitt will be recognized for years to come, creating a lasting legacy of your compassion.
Through our planned giving program, we accept a variety of gifts and donations, including bequests, charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, stock, life insurance, and IRA and retirement proceeds.
Contact our Planned Giving Office to learn about this ultimate act of generosity.
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News | Welch lauded for "greening" Washington
By Shay Totten | Vermont Guardian
Posted April 23, 2007
WASHINGTON — A recent congressional report finds that U.S. House should reduce its environmental impacts by becoming more energy efficient, energy independent, and go "carbon neutral."
And, Rep. Peter Welch, D-VT, is receiving particular praise for his role in shaping the report's recommendations.
The preliminary report on the "Green the Capitol" Initiative was presented by the chief administrative officer (CAO) in response to a March 1 letter by House Democratic leaders.
In accepting the report and agreeing to undertake its initiatives, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-CA, set aside particular adulations for Welch.
"The environmental challenges we face are as local as our neighborhoods and as global as our planet," Pelosi said in a statement. "The House must lead by example and Congressman Welch exemplifies this key model. He has brought Vermont's values to Washington and his leadership on global warming is valuable asset to the U.S. Congress and to our country."
The report's chief author also singled out praise for Welch.
"Congressman Welch was the inspiration for most of the innovative recommendations in the report. His decision to unilaterally make his office carbon neutral, prodded us to find a way to make the entire House of Representatives carbon neutral," said Daniel P.Beard, the chief administrative officer of the House. "Congressman Welch has been one of the foremost voices urging action on global warming and climate change in the House of Representatives."
In February, Welch launched an initiative to make his congressional offices in Vermont and Washington carbon neutral through reducing energy use, increasing energy efficiency, and offsetting his office's carbon emissions. He then introduced legislation making it so members, and other federal agencies, could follow suit.
"Speaker Pelosi has demonstrated the strong commitment to addressing global warming that we need from our nation's leaders. The time is now to act," said Welch. "While the challenges of global warming must be addressed through comprehensive legislation, we also have the opportunity to take practical, immediate actions as a first step and to serve as a vital example. I hope my office's carbon neutral initiative will be one of many catalysts for needed change."
The CAO report recommends operating the entire House complex in a carbon neutral manner, shifting to 100 percent renewable electric power sources, aggressively improving energy efficiency, and implementing offsets to ensure carbon neutrality, among other steps.
Those additional steps include changing light bulbs, purchasing more energy efficient office equipment, holding a "Green Expo," undertake an employee education program, and create a revolving loan fund to help fund energy-conservation measures.
As part of Welch's efforts to become carbon neutral, he is personally investing in two Vermont-based renewable energy projects that will "offset" the amount of carbon dioxide — 56 tons — his operations produce annually. That's the equivalent of taking 10 cars off the road in a year — cars that drive 12,000 miles and get 20 miles to the gallon.
Prohibited by current law from using federal funds allotted for office operations, Welch is using personal funds to pay the $672 cost for the carbon offsets to NativeEnergy, a national leader in carbon offset providers.
"We know we have to take hundreds — thousands — of steps to eliminate or substantially reduce our impact on global warming, and I think this is just one way to do that," said Welch in February when he announced his office's initiative.
He was the first congressional office to go "carbon neutral."
Because he can't use his office budget to pay for this program, Welch said he would introduce legislation allowing all congressional offices as well as 132 federal agencies to account for their environmental impact through such offset programs.
The carbon neutral initiative accounts for the fuel and electricity-related emissions created by Welch's two offices, regular roundtrip air travel from Vermont to Washington, and car travel throughout the state by Welch and his staff.
The projects slated to be built with the help of Welch's offset contribution are a methane digester project on a Westminster dairy farm and a biomass pellet-fired boiler that will replace a fossil fuel-fired boiler at Vermont Technical College in Randolph.
According to the CAO report, the House complex was responsible for approximately 91,000 tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in fiscal year 2006. This is equivalent to the annual carbon dioxide emissions of 17,200 cars.
Electricity use was the largest source of emissions, accounting for 63 percent of total carbon emissions. The electricity purchased by the House, and other Legislative branch agencies, is generated from several sources: 53 percent is from coal; 37 percent from nuclear; 7 percent from natural gas; 2 percent from renewables, and 1 percent from fuel oil.
The Capitol's power plant accounts for another 33 percent of House GHG emissions, primarily from the combustion of fossil fuels at the boilers to generate steam to heat the buildings. The power plant's boilers use mostly coal — 49 percent — followed by natural gas at 47 percent.
All other business-related activities — travel in owned and leased vehicles, operation of heavy machinery, release of volatile organic compounds from paint, furniture refinishing, etc. — accounted for the remaining 4 percent of the House's carbon dioxide emissions.
The full report and executive summary of the preliminary report is available at www.speaker.gov.


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On Nov. 6, voters stood up in force and rejected a Romney Economy. We said no to cutting healthcare and education to pay for tax breaks for the rich. At more than 50 events across the country today, activists are telling their newly elected leaders it's time to get to work: we need jobs, not cuts.
Comments about We Need Jobs, Not Cuts are welcome. Off-topic comments and other violations of our community guidelines may be withheld or removed. Comments do not appear immediately after posting.


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Resolution: standard / high
Figure 3.
Characterization of the lacIQ constitutive promoter in RPUs. The ratio between the activities (Scell) of lacIQ and J23101 promoters, measured via IQRFP and 101RFP devices respectively, was computed to obtain the lacIQ RPUs in the four copy number conditions investigated in this work. Consider that IQRFP and 101RFP have a different DNA scar between promoter and RBS. Unpublished data from our lab showed that the scar present in IQRFP systematically overestimates promoters activity by 1.43-fold when compared to the scar in 101RFP. Error bars represent the 95% confidence intervals of the mean value computed on 3 clones.
Zucca et al. BMC Bioinformatics 2012 13(Suppl 4):S11 doi:10.1186/1471-2105-13-S4-S11


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Child Evangelism Fellowship, the largest Christian ministry to children in the world, has reached an extraordinary milestone in its Boxes of Books program. Announced during the 75th anniversary of the ministry last month, an astonishing 100,000 Boxes of Books have been delivered around the world since the program began 13 years ago. This program, which is funded through charitable donations, has made a crucial difference in advancing the CEF ministry in developing countries.
In May 1999, Boxes of Books was launched to meet a pressing need: In many of these emerging countries, there were thousands of nationals being trained as teachers by CEF and who were eager to evangelize and disciple children locally in Good News Clubs, but they lacked the funds to purchase the CEF curriculum to do so. Through Boxes of Books, CEF printed the curriculum at its headquarters in Warrenton, Missouri, then shipped boxes of the curriculum for free to the CEF workers abroad. The colorful, high-quality visuals of Bible lessons that make up the curriculum make the gospel come alive for children. The leader of CEF Romania, Mr. Iulian Mangalagiu, captured the effectiveness of this program when he said, "We are thankful to God for those who have a heart for providing the tools to enable our teachers to effectively take the gospel to children. The Boxes of Books program has enabled thousands more children to be reached with the Word of God and has greatly encouraged those teachers who due to financial difficulties would never have been able to afford the materials."
In an emotional ceremony during the 75th anniversary celebration of CEF, the 100,000th Box of Books was passed along a human chain representing the CEF workers who make the program a success. The chain provided a visual representation of the many tasks that must be accomplished to get the CEF curriculum around the world, such as fundraising, accounting, writing, printing, binding and shipping to name a few. Also in the chain were users of the Boxes of Books, including Mr. Joel Indico, the CEF national director of the Philippines, who stood at the end of the chain to receive the historic box.
The number of boxes sent overseas has steadily increased each year. In 2010, 12,153 boxes were sent out and in 2011, the total was 16,057. This year, CEF expects to ship over 18,000 boxes around the world. As a result, the number of children CEF has reached has steadily increased through the years. Going back to 1999, CEF was able to reach just 3.8 million children. Last year, the organization reached over 12 million children worldwide in 180 countries and territories around the world.
This remarkable growth would not have been possible were it not for the generous donations Boxes of Books has received through the years. Since its inception, the program has received more than five million dollars in charitable donations. "Boxes of Books has been a popular charitable cause," said Mr. Harry Robinson, executive vice president of International Ministries at CEF, in a recent interview. "The program fills a concrete need and as soon as those boxes are received children benefit greatly."


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Castle WallSticker
Note: This product is no longer available.
Design by Trine Andersen.
By ferm LIVING.
Did you know that most castles in Europe took 7 to 12 years to build? With Ferm Living's Castle WallSticker, you can "build" an impressive castle in a matter of minutes. Unlike other castles, this Castle can be easily moved to another wall. Likewise, this particular Castle can be written on with chalk (which is included). Write stories about evil or stupendous queens and kings right on the castle! A castle just isn't a castle unless there are bats hanging around. This WallSticker comes with three bats for you to use to decorate. Add a fun medieval touch to your child's room with the Castle WallSticker.
Simple to apply and easily removable. Transfer to surfaces using simple instructions and tools provided. Chalk included.
Material(s): Self-adhesive vinyl
Dimensions: 23.6" W X 33.4" H
Designer: Trine Andersen
Trine Andersen has been designing since she was a little girl growing up in the small Danish village of Jylland, where she made dresses for her dolls with spare fabric from her parents' clothing factory. She founded ferm LIVING in 2005, and today she designs from her studio in Århus, Denmark. Her wall art blends imaginative forms and offbeat subjects with a modern yet classic take. Trine draws inspiration from traveling, people watching, nature, fashion, and vintage books and magazines.View other products by Trine Andersen
Manufacturer: Ferm Living
ferm LIVING is a Danish company designing and manufacturing interior products with a graphic touch. The company's eye-catching wall décor is a creative, easy, and affordable way to add inspiration and artistry to living spaces, bedrooms, kitchens and more.View other products from Ferm Living


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+ - Smartphone Battery Heat Can Measure Urban Temperatures->
benonemusic writes: Measuring temperatures in cities is particularly important because of the urban heat island effect, which makes cities warmer than surrounding areas due to a number of factors including the heat-absorbing properties of urban materials such as asphalt. Researchers aim to better understand the urban heat island effect and learn ways to counteract it, as it puts residents at increased risk during heat waves.and leads to increased energy use in cooling buildings. Now, researchers have shown that the battery temperatures of smartphones across a city can provide detailed information on urban temperatures. Researchers developed an algorithm that correlates battery temperature to ambient temperature while accounting for effects such as the phone's insulation and the body heat of owners.
Link to Original Source
Link to Original Source


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A lot of people ask me how I became a runner. They probably ask because they know I used to hate running.
It's true – I used to hate running.
I think it was because it was often used as punishment during my sports team practices. When a game didn't go well, the next practice usually involved running. Sprints, laps, you name it. And let's be honest, those cross country kids were just crazy. I huffed and puffed my way through a mile – why on earth would they run 3 miles consistently for fun?!
Yet I secretly was intrigued by those who could just run and run.
Many people don't know that 1.5 years after Brent and I got married, I ran my first 5K. It was a small, local race. I took my vehicle on the road and mapped out a 3 mile loop. I worked my way up to 3 miles and ran that race. Well, most of it. I don't even remember what time I finished in – maybe 35 minutes? All I remember is that I ran up a huge hill and passed a few guys in the process. Yep, that was my highlight!
After that race, I tried to run more. My body just didn't want to go past 3 miles. Or maybe it was my mind interfering. All I know is that it was a chore that I didn't enjoy.
Then I began a new job. (If any of you have been or are teachers – you know how insane that first year is!) Although I stayed active, running was the furthest thing from my mind. I was consumed by lesson plans, getting the classroom organized, grading papers and who knows what else.
The next year, the stress began to form. And the following year, the stress piled on extremely high. I was having a lot of health issues. I was grouchy all the time. I was exhausted. And did I mention I was in the midst of getting my Masters Degree? I desperately needed a way to relieve my stress.
Enter running.
I had been advised by many people to start running to relieve stress. I didn't believe them because I had never found that runner's high. They encouraged me to give it a try. To not worry about the miles. To just run.
I knew that I would need something to keep me going those first few months, so I signed up for a 10K. I figured that was the little extra boost I needed. And you know what? It worked.
I started with run/walk intervals, and slowly started to increase my mileage. It was in the winter, so I ran on the treadmills at the gym. When the weather started to get nicer, I started running outside. I remember my elation the first time I went 4 miles. Then 5 miles. Then 6 miles. I was actually beginning to enjoy running!
Did it relieve my stress? Somewhat. (I think the stressors were so large at my job, that nothing would help until either issues were resolved, or I left the position.) Running did leave me feeling better afterward. I wasn't thinking about the stress, I was just enjoying the moment. And I even felt that runner's high.
When people ask my why I run, I tell them I run because I love it. However, there is a much larger story involved. It has, and always will be, a form of stress relief. It is time where I can unwind from the stressors of the day, and just enjoy God's beauty.
Yes, the races are fun. Yes, the medals are fantastic. However I would still run if there weren't races involved. Running is for me. I can run as fast or slow as I want. I can run anywhere. I can let the stress out. It is my time, not anyone else's.
And that's why I am a runner.


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Home » Golf Shoes » Womens » Spiked » Ecco Spiked » Womens Casual Cool Hydromax 120013 ( PID:22863 )
Ecco Womens Casual Cool Hydromax 120013
120013 - Swing stability, Water repellant, Leather
Discontinued This item is no longer available
These items may be similar: Spiked
These items may be similar: Spiked
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Ecco Womens Casual Cool Hydromax 120013 Details
- Uppers made of subtle leather types
- Removable leather covered inlay sole with the ECCO Comfort Fibre System (CFS)
- Single density TPU outsole and Stinger 3 womens spike and Q-Lok receptacle
- Integrated TPU heel stabilizer and asymmetrical arch support
- CFS increases the air circulation for perfect inner climate keeping feet fresh, clean and cool all day
- Superior torsional and swing stability
- Water-repellent upper
Ecco Womens Casual Cool Hydromax 120013 Reviews
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Originally written on Fox Sports West | Last updated 3/14/12
WASHINGTON DC, DC - SEPTEMBER 23: Colin Fraser #46 of the Chicago Blackhawks skates against the Washington Capitals during their preseason game on September 23, 2009 at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
The Los Angeles Kings have nominated defensive center Colin Fraser for the Bill Masterton Trophy, an award presented annually by the Professional Hockey Writers Association. Though by definition it honors a player who displays "qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey", in recent years it has gone to a higher profile player who has missed significant time due to injury, illness or personal tragedy before returning to play a prominent role for their team. While he figures to be a longshot to win the award, Fraser certainly plays a prominent role on the defensive-minded Kings, who have relied upon his defensive zone smarts, keen positioning and toughness during a 5-2 win over the visiting Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday. "Fraser does so many good things out there that just go unnoticed," defenseman Matt Greene said. "He's just such a subtle player, but he does everything right." "He doesn't get a lot of credit for what he does, but in just terms of taking a...
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Home / Promotional Products and Promotional Items / Bags, Totes & More / Coolers & Lunch Bags / Non-Woven Insulated Six-Pack Kooler Bag (Screen Printed)
Non-Woven Insulated Six-Pack Kooler Bag (Screen Printed)
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Made of 80 gram, non-woven, coated water resistant polypropylene. Insulated to keep in the cold. Front pocket. Compact, about the size of a six pack. Complies with ANSI, ASTM, CPSIA, FDA, Prop 65. 8" W x 6" H x 5 1/2" D


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|Product #: EMC5015019_TQ
Why Don't Planets Crash into Each Other? (Resource Book Only) eBookGrade 5
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Please Note: This ebook is a digital download, NOT a physical product. After purchase, you will be provided a one time link to download ebooks to your computer. Orders paid by PayPal require up to 8 business hours to verify payment and release electronic media. For immediate downloads, payment with credit card is required.
This daily science unit for grade 5 presents information and five activities in which students learn that planets orbit the sun by following laws of motion and force, influence by gravity and inertia. Week 4 of 5 on 'Big Idea 4: Gravity is the force that keeps planets in orbit around the sun, and the moon in orbit around Earth.' Includes answer key.
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The Dalles, Oregon Hotels & Resorts - The Comfort Inn® Columbia Gorge is ideally located off Interstate 84 in the heart of the Columbia River Gorge.
The Dalles, Oregon Hotels & Resorts - Located in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge, the hotel is minutes from Fort Dalles, Wasco County Rodeo, Windsurfing, The Dalles Dam, and the Columbia
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The Dalles, Oregon Vacations - Travel guide to The Dalles, Oregon accommodations and vacation packages. Visit The Dalles, Oregon for getaways and adventure travel. Plan your The Dalles, Oregon vacation today.


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Diana Ross on Oprah: Family, an old friend, and fabulousness
Diana Ross made her much-anticipated appearance on Friday's (Feb. 25) episode of "The Oprah Show" and brought the house down. And in true final season flavor, Oprah Winfrey took it up a notch with all of Ross' kids joining, a reunion, some tearful confessions and a performance showing Miss Ross is still quite the entertainer.
Ross brought all five of her kids, including "Girlfriends" star, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Evan Ross, who's currently starring on The CW's "90210." And for the first time ever on TV, she brought along her first grandson, Raif Henok Emmanuel Kendrick, who was born in 2009.
Oprah shared how much Diana meant to her when at 10 years old she saw The Supremes perform on "The Ed Sullivan Show" in 1964. Through tears, Oprah said that seeing African American women on television literally changed her life. Probably one of the more touching confessions by Ross was when Oprah asked her when she had felt she had "made it."
"Never," Ross answered. "I've never been that confident."
Other highlights for us? Oprah reunited Ross with Billy Dee Williams, her costar from "Lady Sings The Blues," for which Ross was nominated for an Oscar. And of course, it was a big thrill for us when Miss Ross took the stage and sang "Ain't No Mountain High Enough." She still has it, doesn't she?
And according to the diva, when she doesn't have it, she'll stop performing. "If my voice changed," she says. "If I couldn't sound like myself, I wouldn't want to perform."
What were your favorite moments from Miss Ross' appearance?
Photo/Video credit: Harpo Studios


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Regarding Laimon's "head throw" comment - it's a really risky move. In Judo, you don't care if someone takes your back after you've thrown him hard, 'cause the match is over by then, and even if it's not, you don't get penalized for having your back taken (massive flaw in the judo rules IMO). In MMA or even sub grappling, it can be disastrous. In my very first sub grappling tourney, I won two fights because people tried that throw on me. And if I remember, in that scene in TUF, the guy who went for the throw got countered and had his back taken.
Karo's throw is great, except for his own ukemi (ouch). I'd say it's an o soto gari attempt that turns out a harai goshi.There are no wrong threats, only wrong answers. (Strategy game truism)
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Guy Who Pays the Bills and Gets the Death Threats Style: MMA (Retired)--
This also should remind everyone to train their neck...
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Bull Durham is a 1988 American romantic comedy about baseball. It is based upon the minor league experiences of writer/director Ron Shelton and depicts the players and fans of the Durham Bulls, a minor league baseball team in Durham, North Carolina. Kevin Costner stars as "Crash" Davis, a veteran catcher brought in to teach rookie pitcher Ebby Calvin "Nuke" LaLoosh (Tim Robbins) about the game in preparation for reaching the Major Leagues. Baseball groupie Annie Savoy (Susan Sarandon) romances Nuke but finds herself increasingly attracted to Crash. Also featured are Robert Wuhl and Max Patkin. Baseball movies were not considered a viable commercial prospect at the time of this film's production, and every studio passed except for Orion Pictures, who gave Shelton a USD $9 million budget, an eight-week shooting schedule, and creative freedom. Even so, many cast members accepted salaries lower than their usual due to their enthusiasm for the material. He cast Kevin Costner because of the actor's natural athletic ability. During filming, Costner was able to hit two home runs while the cameras were rolling. Bull Durham was a commercial success, grossing over $50 million in North America, well above its estimated budget, and was a critical success as well. Sports Illustrated ranked it the #1 Greatest Sports Movie of all time. The Moving Arts Film Journal ranked it #3 on its list of the 25 Greatest Sports Movies of All-Time. In addition, the film is ranked #55 on Bravo's "100 Funniest Movies." It is also ranked #97 on the American Film Institute's "100 Years...100 Laughs" list, and #1 on Rotten Tomatoes' list of the 53 best reviewed sports movies of all time.
Costner stars as "Crash" Davis, a veteran of 12 years in the minor leagues who is unwillingly sent down to the single-A (advanced) Bulls for a specific purpose: to educate hotshot rookie pitcher Ebby LaLoosh (Robbins, playing a character loosely based on Steve Dalkowski) about being a major-league talent, and to control Ebby's haphazard pitching. Crash immediately begins calling Ebby by the degrading nickname of "Meat", and they get off to a rocky start. Thrown into the mix is Annie (Sarandon), a lifelong spiritual seeker who latched onto the "Church of Baseball" and has, every year, chosen one player on the Bulls to be her lover and student. Annie flirts with Crash and Ebby, but Crash walks out, saying he's too much a veteran to "try out" for anything. Before he leaves, Crash further sparks Annie's interest with a memorable speech in which he lists the things he "believes in". Despite some animosity between them, Annie and Crash work, in their own ways, to shape Ebby into a big-league pitcher. Annie plays mild bondage games, reads poetry to him, and gets him to think in different ways (and gives him the nickname "Nuke"). Crash forces Nuke to learn "not to think", by letting the catcher make the pitching calls (memorably at two points telling the batters what pitch is coming after Nuke rejects his calls), and lectures him about the pressure in facing major league hitters that can hit his "heat" (fastballs). Crash also talks about the pleasure of life in "The Show" (major league baseball), which he briefly lived for "the 21 greatest days of my life" and to which he has tried for years to return. Meanwhile, as Nuke matures, the relationship between Annie and Crash grows, until it becomes obvious that the two of them are a more appropriate match, except for the fact that Annie and Nuke are currently a couple. After a rough start, Nuke becomes a dominant pitcher by mid-season. By the end of the movie, Nuke is called up to the majors and the Bulls, now having no use for his mentor, release Crash. This incites jealous anger in Crash, who is frustrated by Nuke's failure to recognize all the talent he was blessed with. Nuke leaves for the big leagues, ending his relationship with Annie, and Crash overcomes his jealousy to leave Nuke with some final words of advice. Crash is released by the Bulls and joins another team, the Asheville Tourists, and breaks the minor league record for career home runs. We see Nuke one last time, being interviewed by the press as a major leaguer, reciting the clichéd answers that Crash had taught him earlier. Crash then retires as a player and returns to Durham, where Annie tells him she's ready to give up her annual affairs with "boys". Crash tells her that he is thinking about becoming a manager for a minor league team in Visalia. Both characters end one phase of their lives and begin another, the film ending with Annie and Crash dancing in her candle-lit living room.
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Government Contract Compliance Programs: A Practical Approach for Contractors
Topic: Ethics & Compliance
Original Air Date: Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Program Code: 170069
CPEs: 1.50
The government has a formidable array of tools to enforce government contract (and grant) laws and regulations. The (criminal) False Statements Act; the (civil and criminal) False Claims Act(s); and Debarment from government contracting are just a certification or invoice away. This program will examine the why's, when's, who's, and how's of government contract compliance program. Besides discussing the general elements of compliance programs, the program will use the Trade Agreements Act, Organizational Conflicts of Interest, subcontracting with small businesses on set-aside contracts, and GSA MAS contracts, as examples of company-specific risk factors that should be addressed in compliance programs.
Missed the live event? Watch a snippet directly from the presentation!
Learn about:
- The enforcement background: False Statements, False Claims, and Debarment;
- The elements of every compliance program: Code of Conduct; Training; and Internal Controls;
- When your compliance program should include a Compliance Review;
- Trade Agreements Act: confirming substantial transformation, and monitoring the production process;
- Organizational Conflicts of Interest: Setting up a system to flag potential OCI situations early enough to do something about them, and having a standard mitigation procedure;
- Subcontracting on set-asides: understanding, and following, the rules on improper control over, and subcontracting with, the prime; and
- GSA MAS contracts: monitoring the Price Reduction Clause and IFF payments.
- Avoiding debarment: your compliance program as the key to present responsibility.
|William Weisberg
Bryan Cave, LLP
William Weisberg, Partner, Bryan Cave, LLP, focuses his practice on government contracts and grants. He represents companies, non-profits and educational institutions entering into business arrangements with, or involving, government entities, including clients selling to defense and civilian federal agencies, as well as state and local governments. Mr. Weisberg represents clients in all phases of the contract and grant process, including cost accounting, bid protests and claims, intellectual property, standards of conduct and ethics, labor and employment regulations, export control, restrictions on foreign goods, performance and termination disputes and security clearance matters. He represents clients ranging from experienced contractors and grantees to those entering the government market for the first time. Mr. Weisberg represents firms doing custom work for the government, as well as organizations selling commercial goods nd services, who view the government as just another customer.
|Joyce Tong Oelrich
Bryan Cave, LLP
Joyce Tong, Associate, Bryan Cave, LLP, focuses her practice on government contracts and grants. She represents information technology firms, manufacturing companies, and professional service firms entering into business arrangements with, or involving, government entities, in bid protests, ethical and corporate compliance issues, product sourcing compliance (such as the Buy American and Trade Agreement Acts as well as the Berry Amendment) and intellectual property issues. She counsels clients on the interpretation of regulatory and statutory law and the impact of those laws on their government contracts and business in general. Ms. Tong has represented clients in pre- and post- contract award disputes before the U.S. Court of Federal Claims and the Government Accountability Office. Ms. Tong is a speaker on these issues and works with the National Contract Management Association.
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Kirk is an author, speaker and executive coach whom the media and clients have called "The Company Whisperer."
He focuses on leadership and strategic growth. His bestselling book, Predictive Leadership: Avoiding the 12 Critical Mistakes that Derail Growth-Hungry Companies, is on shelves now.
Nothing masks the issues and robs an organization of its full potential like success. Surprisingly, most companies start to miss their projections or worse, not because demand is low or conditions are difficult, but simply because they don't know how to predict, nurture, or even maintain their own growth and success.
"Predictive Leadership challenges leaders to take an authentic, eyes-wide-open look at their business to avoid critical pitfalls." – John Mackey, co-CEO Whole FoodsLearn More/View Video


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Home Grown: Domain7
V.I.A.'s Home Grown features only the most awesome companies in Vancouver. From tiny, single-person operations to the big players, we profile our favourite businesses and interview their owners and operators.
Domain7 is a team of solution-finders, storytellers, designers and developers, who combine curiosity, imagination, tech-savvy and good old street smarts to make the web a better place for their clients and their clients' clients. Their 50-person team works out of four offices in Vancouver, Abbotsford, Seattle and Washington DC. They put real human needs at the heart of everything they do — they call it "humanizing the web."
We got Domain7 founder Shawn Neumann to answer a few questions about their business for us. …READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY>>>


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Sculpture Archive
The bombardment has begun and you can't move in London at the moment for mentions of you-know-which sporting event – I even saw a tampons advert which managed to shoehorn in a high jumper. But cynicism aside, these Typographic Tree Rings are real winners. Measuring 15 metres in diameter and made from phosphored bronze and stainless steel, the ten rings tell the story of the east London site which is about to be thrust into the worldwide limelight.
Etienne Gros pulls and tucks dense foam to take the form of a shapely lady minus head and legs (very like a squidgy Venus de Milo) – the result, Les Mousses, is so simple and so effective (though undoubtedly takes some skill to realise) that I'm only able to muster the singular thought of "brilliant".
The northwestern European compulsion to discuss the weather perhaps arises from the fact that, in these parts, you can rarely predict it; oh, to live in a place without four seasons in one day! But it does mean that there's always a guaranteed topic for small-talk, and Troika is generating further discussion with their tongue-in-cheek outdoor installation, The Weather Yesterday, on London's Hoxton Square.
There's nothing more soothing than listening to the gentle tapping of rainfall on a cool summer's evening (if you're reading this in the UK, you'll probably disagree). Something about its gentle rhythm naturally calms the soul. Sadly the sight of it seems to have quite the opposite effect, dampening your spirits as it does the same to your clothes. Until now that is.
I like to think that the future of education lies in the clay-stained hands of Bevis Martin and Charlie Youle – two folk on a heroic quest to take what we consider concrete ideas (namely maths and bodily organs) and reinvent them as something similar but slightly off-kilter.
Now, here's a high-flying artist – since completing a degree in fine art at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Jacob Hashimoto has had his installations exhibited all over the world. What's more, his primary material these days is… kites! Using plain and patterned papers strung up by bamboo framing networks, he constructs site-specific artworks comprised of these kite-elements, that seek to challenge the conventional boundaries between pictorial and sculpted space.
Kumi Yamashita's work has an understandable tendency to go viral. With an ingenius use of materials that draw attention to the shadow-casting capabilities of relatively simple materials, the New York-based artist presents dual and mutually compatible works that are both abstract and extremely naturalistic.
Patience is a virtue I never really learned – people dawdling at self-service ticket machines is the quickest-fire way to make my blood boil – so I'm all the more wowed by anyone who can boast it by the bucketload.
A ridiculously large amount of people can't bear to see objects placed too close to the edge of a surface, particularly if the objects are smashable and the floor is hard. Seeing a glass of water placed dangerously close to a laptop, or a backpack wearer laughing backwards into a teetering sculpture can conjure up a twitching in the fingers that not much else can. But when an artist comes along and slams that feeling – in the form of concrete and iron – down in front of our very eyes, something makes us want to look closer, for a little longer.
Take a closer look at Jill Sylvia's work – it's hard not to be impressed. She painstakingly hand-cuts out the negative spaces between grids on ledger paper to amazing effect (and scale). By systematically subtracting elements, the surface is transformed into a lattice; a material language that runs throughout her art.
Take those scraps of paper lying around your desk, draw on them, cut pieces from them, tack them up somewhere… and BAM, supersculptures! Well, not quite – far more detail, hard work and concentration occurs in the production of Mia Pearlman's work, which utilises the layering, sculpting, and light-admitting capabilities of paper to wondrous effect.
You don't get many people cutting up money what with the current (cue finger-apostrophes) "ECONOMIC CLIMATE", but Rodrigo Torres is going for it, and the results are pretty spectacular. Like most of us, he's realised how beautiful the patterns are that fill the banknotes of each country, and he has since set about collaging them together to make multi-layered scenes of ancient buildings, wild animals and the faces of those deemed worthy to be immortalised on cash. Beautiful!
Vienna-based sculptor Erwin Wurm has a history of using whatever objects and materials are at hand. In the early days, it was because he couldn't afford to buy them; his first sculptural works were therefore made of wood, because he lived above a wood shop, and the next batch were made using cans and buckets (because he had moved near a factory that produced them).
Last October, this structure was filled with saltwater; you could climb up the curved outer walls, survey the reflective ripples, and jump right in – escaping the desert heat for a refreshing swim. The interior surfaces even had brightly coloured rock-climbing holds, so you could perch yourself at various points in the structure – either to practice diving from different angles or perhaps just take a break. It was a welcoming, man-made oasis in an arid landscape, fifteen miles from human civilisation.
American artist Victoria Haven evidently loves geometry. Her composite shapes and web-like, skeletal works take the form of paintings, photography and sculpture. They remind me of abstract landscapes or imaginative geology formed out of strips of tape, thick painterly lines of ink and watercolour, or solid steel struts. Playing with perspective, she manipulates 2D and 3D space to create elegantly simple but bold pieces that float in space, and are, well pretty captivating. I find myself trying to follow the lines, and untangle the puzzle of interlocking shapes. Each time I look at them, I almost see a new combination of projecting and retreating surfaces.
They say there are only two things in life that are certain – death and taxes. Well it might be time to add a third one to that list (even at risk of skewing a pithy aphorism) – so it'll be death and taxes and Kyle Bean's updates being tremendous. The splendidly-talented Brighton graduate has been at it again with the newest additions to his portfolio continuing his lust for excellence in everything he does. Pick of the bunch is a dazzling model satirising the bird flu panic for Scientific American but a paper heart for Men's Health, an upside down house for Lloyds and a world made of footprints for Nature magazine all confirm what we already knew – Kyle Bean is brilliant.
These intriguing polymer clay sculptures are part of an on-going series by Melbourne-based artist Matt Hinkley. Colourful and weird, the irregular shaped fragments float in front of walls, demanding closer inspection. Exhibited from inconspicuous white fittings, they appear like small, intricate pieces of retro ceramic or the soles of wacky shoes worn in Saved by the Bell.
Hanging clothes up is something I'm fairly bad at remembering to do. I try things on and in my excitement for the next item, my grip automatically loosens and the piece of clothing drops to the floor as I reach for another. It's a bad habit but perhaps I'd be more encouraged to tidily hang things if my garments could look as beautiful as Hanna Sandin's suspended installations of everyday objects.
If your only exposure to south-west London is via Made in Chelsea (it's a show where rich people sleep with each other and then moan about it in overpriced bars for our overseas readers), then get ray to have your world shattered come July. The Exhibitoin Road show is taking over the Kenisngtona nd Chelsea for the first nine days of the Olympic Games and there's a wealth (pun intended) of great stuff to see and do with new arts commissions from Katie Paterson, Graeme Miller and Tomas Libertiny, sculptures housing bees, a bicycle orchestra and the chance to look round a particle accelerator.
We should be more aware that recycling is something kids do naturally. The amount of toilet roll tubes and egg boxes that were upcycled into magnificent artworks when I was younger definitely (maybe) made a dent in our wastage as a society. And while my Art Attack days are behind me, I still marvel at those who are able to create something out of nothing.
Whatever the reason for it being built – and debates over what Stonehenge actually is still rage among academics – it remains one of England's most recognisable sights. The mystery may help explain its endurance in our national consciousness, but whenever this happens, creatives cannot help muck around with such a legacy. Arguably the best scene of the superlative SpinalTap comes when the tiny model of the famous landmark is lowered onto the stage during their song about the druid-built wonder, Eddie Izzard has a section on it in his Dress to Kill show and now Jeremy Deller has created an inflatable version for the Glasgow International Festival of Visual Arts.
Figurative sculpture treads a fine line between gallery and garden centre sometimes, but Sophie Dickens gets it bang on. She was commissioned to make a judo sculpture for the Olympic Judo Centre ahead of this summer's games, and has gone on to create a bronze sporting series to go on show at the Sladmore Contemporary in May. Sophie has a real pedigree as a sculptor having won the V&A Sculpture Prize in 2007, but it's her attention to detail that seems to raise her work above the norm. She took an anatomy course to better understand how the human body works and when she was commissioned for the Olympic piece she spent hours studying judo moves so as to better recreate them. The results are extraordinarily dynamic pieces that appear frozen in time, as though the White Witch had gotten furious in a 2012 training camp (she turned people to stone, it's not that tenuous a reference!)
Creating models so that we might see something invisible (like sound) is a fascinating and perpetuating phenomena between artists and scientists – both striving for physical representations so that we might better understand the thing beyond its theory. What Daniel Palacios's Waves installation has done is create a beautiful explanation of how sound inhabits space, how the "chaos of infinite variables" that create noise might influence the sinusoidal waves conducted between two turbines connected by a length of rope.
Named after the Greek god of wind, Aeolus – Acoustic Wind Pavilion is a giant instrument and optical sculpture, crafted by Luke Jerram. Currently singing away in Canary Wharf, Aeolus allows wind to resonate through polished steel tubes and along vibrating strings attached to the tubes. The hum produced is attuned to the aeolian scale and registers even in the lowest of winds, creating a soundscape of the environment throughout the day. The pavilion itself is a remarkable feat of elegant engineering as each protrusion reflects the sky light to the centre of the harp-like structure combining the particular nuances of light and sound into a quite beautiful and situationally unique performance.


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NZ Fringe Festival 2013
The Mourners
at Aotea Centre at THE EDGE®, Auckland
From 15 Feb 2013 to 23 Feb 2013
[2 hrs]
Reviewed by Charlotte Everett, 16 Feb 2013
Aotea Square on a summer's Friday. A scattering of people laze about on their lunch breaks; groups of young people and families wander the square seeking some sort of amusement.
They're in luck. Midday strikes, and the Mourners are preparing to free the people of their grief and suffering. Only, they're not quite the Mourners yet… they're still setting up.
Fifteen minutes later, and the Wailing Chamber is fully assembled. The Mourners, in their floor-length colourful garments are inside the chamber, hidden from sight – no doubt conducting a solemn ceremony to expiate the sadness possessing the inhabitants of Aotea Square.
The Mourners exit the Wailing Chamber with an air of wisdom and compassion about them, a kind of beauty as the four of them glide around the square playing their melody to enchant passers-by into their presence. They approach the people – us – in the square, encouraging us with their soothing voices to share any grief or sadness with them.
Like any spiritual missionary (of sorts) I suppose it's unsurprising that the majority of people approached quickly reject the Mourners' offer to be released from their grief. When a Mourner approaches me, I make the decision to embrace the opportunity, and when instructed to do so, write down my grief on the piece of paper given to me, fold it, and place it through a slot at the back of the Wailing Chamber. I'm advised that shortly they will be conducting a ceremony inside the chamber to transform my grief into joy, and I'm invited to attend.
The ceremony involves those of us who have shared our grief with the Wailing Chamber to stand either side of a tiny casket and then, as pall bearers, follow the Cardinal around the square in a procession, before entering the (very small and cramped) Wailing Chamber to consult the All Seeing Ocular Oracle who is going to preside over the Ritual of Grievance Transformation. The casket is opened, and we're presented with its contents: tiny veils to catch our tears. One of the Mourners then reads out each of our individual sadness to the Oracle for its verdict.
All of a sudden, I'm alarmed. What I've shared is quite personal. When items of grief such as "Guns" and "I want to find my love" are shared, and the Oracle determines the level of melodramatic wailing we should collectively adopt in the claustrophobic space, I'm dreading how my grief will be treated by the Oracle once it is my turn.
The Mourners open my grief, read it, and presumably recognising the seriousness of my particular sadness, they ask me to read it out myself. I'm not really sure if that was better than one of them reading it or not, but I appreciate the respect shown.
Once all griefs have been read, it is time for the Oracle to shed a giant tear. One member of the congregation is presented with a sharp stick, and asked to pierce the tear (a balloon filled with water) hanging from the bottom of the Oracle. Water explodes at our feet, and it is over.
The Mourners claim that their objective is to transform grief into joy, and –whatever any members of the congregation may think of this unusual experience as they go about their day – based on my own euphoric feeling of joy and the wide smiles of other participants, I can confidently assert that at the very least, they have achieved this objective.
Whatever the subject of grief, it's hard not to give it a bit of perspective and really exist in the present moment when the expression given is one of collectively vocalising high drama while cramped together in a tiny tent.
The 'mourning cycle' only takes around 15 minutes to complete – but the idea of The Wailing Chamber is that the cycle is repeated many times over a 2-hour period, each time with a fresh congregation to share their grief. Keen to observe a second cycle, I hang around for another 40 minutes, but sadly no further ceremony is conducted while I watch.
A problem with The Wailing Chamber is that it is entirely reliant on participation from the public, so much so that unless at least a few willing participants appear at the same time, no ceremonies are conducted. Perhaps The Wailing Chamber would thrive better on weekend days, when Aotea Square is more heavily populated with casual visitors, rather than weekday workers with limited time on their lunch breaks.
A highly-alternative experience, and a unique approach to the subject of grief.
For more production details, click on the title above. Go to Home page to see other Reviews, recent Comments and Forum postings (under Chat Back), and News.
|Simon Taylor
|posted 16 Feb 2013, 10:45 AM
thanks for telling me about this, Charlotte. I love that you never ask the question, Is this theatre?


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In the past, Google would publish a network linked KML file that showed the outlines of imagery releases, including all historical releases going back to 2009. However, early this year they … [Read more...]
Google Earth imagery updates 2009 to date
Animating historical imagery using the Google Earth plugin
Earlier this month we showed you a gif animation of the historical imagery of Europe. It was created by taking screenshots of Google Earth then combining them into an animated gif. However, doing that … [Read more...]
Disappearing Tongan islet
We came across an interesting story about a Tongan islet disappearing. Read more about it here. To see it in Google Earth, look about 5km North West of Nuku'alofa, Tonga, or fly straight to it with … [Read more...]
Animated historical imagery of Europe
Following on from yesterday's post about historical imagery, we thought it would be interesting to make an animation. As you can see below, we have created an animated gif image showing the historical … [Read more...]
Historical Imagery
We have covered historical imagery a number of times since its introduction to Google Earth with version 5.0 in February 2009. However, it is such an important feature that it is worth … [Read more...]
The history of aerial photography
With the successful launch of the imaging satellite WorldView-3 by DigitalGlobe recently, featuring the latest technology in satellite imaging, it is a good time to take a look at where it all … [Read more...]
Abandoned theme parks in Google Earth
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Watch 30 videos to build your own brand using social networks to learn step by step the power of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and more networks in marketing yourself or your brand. Here is the video series on YouTube also available as an iTunes podcast.
1. Introduction
2. Setup your accounts
3. What you learned, unlearn it
4. What you can share
5. How you can update all networks
6. Listen and interact
7. Public search
8. How to get more Facebook fans and Twitter followers
9. Create a feedback forum
10. Use email, no kidding
11. Meet your community
12. Use Google Reader to share on your social networks
13. You should start a blog, too
14. Video is the best way to build your brand
15. Share what you learn: read a book for example
16. Product reviews help you get traction
17. How you can use location
18. Answer questions from your community
19. Reach the influencers
20. How to measure success
21. Social commerce
22. Pilot all your social networks in one screen
23. Use lists to filter your streams
24. Share your presentations
25. Manage your business like you're on Facebook
26. How to monetize
27. Get your site ready for Facebook
28. Manage the negative feedback
29. Don't be negative yourself
30. It's not about you, it's about them
Please give us your feedback and questions you would like us to address for the season2!
Thanks to all the voluntary translators in our community who helped and are still helping (more language transcripts posted soon email Alexandra at seesmic dot com if you want to help translating) get the transcript in other languages as well as Whit Scott for the video production and Kathleen Murray for the initial english transcript. Oh and thanks Ricardo Sousa and Alexandra Oana Dumitru for helping coordinate the ongoing translation.
Here is what we learned about using YouTube as a medium.


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YIELD: Makes 6 to 8 servings
For quick rouille:
Stir all ingredients in small bowl to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
For calamari:
Heat olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add crushed red pepper; stir 30 seconds. Add cherry peppers (mixture may splatter); stir 30 seconds. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
Add enough vegetable oil to another large skillet to come 1 inch up sides of pan. Heat oil to 375°F.
Whisk cornmeal, flour, salt, and pepper in medium bowl to blend. Toss calamari rings and tentacles in flour mixture, shaking off excess. Working in batches, fry calamari in oil until brown and crisp, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer calamari to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with salt. Transfer to large bowl.
Rewarm cherry pepper mixture. Drizzle over calamari; toss to coat. Serve with rouille and lemon wedges.


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Financing Your Future
Today's post is dedicated to US students looking to finance their MBA studies or non-US students looking for ways to fund a program of study in the US. The process of finding aid, whether it be need or merit based, can be trying although not impossible for students everywhere. In the end, you will need to decide if financing a business education is a good investment for you.
Your Options
- Need-based Loans in the US
The Stafford loan is a good first step because of the generally low interest rates associated with a federal loan vs. a private loan. In fact under a subsidized federal loan, the student pays no interest accrued while in school.
- Merit-based Scholarships
Research other opportunities that your MBA program of choice offers. Merit based scholarships are a possibility and should be researched despite the difficulty and competition associated with scholarships. In many cases, non-US applicants will be placed in the same pool as US students, which increases the competition. This should not be a deterrent because if a student is not granted the scholarship they may be put into an applicant pool for a different scholarship by the organization that will be granting them the aid.
- Alternatives
Many programs also offer Teaching Assistant positions or fellowships. Each school is different, so again, check with your programs of choice.
Some MBA program have impressive financing options. For example,Wharton has a daunting price tag at 40,000 USD per year, but students typically secure summer internships at where they can make between 10,000 and 40,000 USD. Wharton also allows the student, either US based or international, to borrow up to 130,000 USD with varying interest rates to finance the student's education and living expenses for the two years that they will be studying. Thomas Caleel, director of MBA admissions and financial aid at Wharton describes the school as "need-blind." Their admission is based on merit exclusively yet the school guarantees financing for any student.
- Special Opportunities for non-US students
- Acquiring financial aid takes persistence, focus, and organization. Look at the website of the school you are interested in and get detailed information on the financial aid services they offer.
- Remember: First look into a federal loan, and then do research on private loans to receive more aid. If you are not based in the US and require financial aid, research opportunities listed in the sites above.
- Be organized in your debt management. If it is possible, go visit the school's financial aid offices.
- Realize that an MBA is an investment. The average salary of a MBA holder after graduation is 88,600 USD per year. It is difficult to put a price tag on the friendships, knowledge, and networks you will develop in B-School. Is this an investment you want to make?
One Response to Financing Your Future
Think I'm paying cash!
- Top 3 Tips For Slashing GMAT Test-Taking Time
- Why the GMAT is a CAT Exam and Why You Should Love It
- What 3 Characteristics Are Best Suited for an MBA
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- Take Germany's World Cup Championship advice on how to train for the GMAT
- Why Work Experience Matters to Business Schools
- Top 9 Essential Career Books You May Have Missed in School
- Important to know about an online MBA
- How Preparing for the GMAT Prepares You for B-School


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[Updated below 22.30] The full meeting of Argyll Bute Council this morning, 27th June, spent 90 minutes debating the relative merits of a motion from the Argyll and Bute for Change group and an amendment to that motion from the SNP group.
These were effectively two opposing motions – a rather arcane device which does have the merit of deciding comparatively between two – or possibly more? – proposals in a single vote.
We will progressively provide all the details shortly, flagging these up in an 'updated' note at the head of this article.
Put rawly, the Argyll and Bute for Change motion:
- was not competent in providing properly for the council to exercise its due legal responsibilities properly from today until the August meeting;
- and was markedly exclusive of a major group of councillors in its proposals.
The SNP amendment:
- allowed for the ongoing management of the council without let or hindrance;
- and was inclusive of all groups in the chamber.
The amendment carried the vote, which will see:
- the Leader and all current senior councillors continue to exercise their responsibilities until the August meeting of the Council
- a fully cross-chamber Short Life Working Group of 12 members established to deliberate and consult and bring to the August meeting a proposal to take forward constructively political management arrangements and structures of the council.
Three councillors were absent, the Provost, Councillor Isobel Strong [Depute Provost Douglas Philand was in the chair]; Councillor James Robb of the SNP group; and Councillor Donald Kelly of the Argyll First Group. That left 33 to vote.
In the vote, the two SNP councillors – Gordon Blair and Robert E Macintyre – who belong to the Argyll and Bute for Change group, proposers of the motion, registered 'No' votes.
Councillor Michael Breslin, now an independent, elected as an SNP councillor but resigning from the party in a particularly slapstick incident in the last year's pantomime, hesitated for a pronounced period before voting for the motion. He is a leading member of the Argyll and Bute for Change group.
The two Argyll First councillors present, Dougie Philand from the Provosts's chair and John McAlpine, voted for the motion – and that group now has serious questions to answer about the credibility of its stance.
The Argyll Lomond and the Isles group supported the amendment unanimously, with Councillor Ellen Morton, in the preceding debate, raising a laugh in saying that she 'could not be accused of hanging on to power since, sadly, I have none'.
The 14 who voted for the motion were Councillors: Breslin, Dance, Hall, McAlpine, Macdonald, Macdougall, D Macintyre, Macmillan, McNaughton, McQueen, Marshall, Philand, Scoullar and Walsh.
The 17 who voted for the amendment were Councillors: Colville, Corry, Currie, Devon, Freeman, Glen-Lee, Horn, Kinniburgh, McCuish, RG Macintyre, E Morton, A Morton, Mulvaney, Robertson, Semple, Taylor, and Trail.
Both those who supported the amendment and some who supported the motion spoke voluntarily in respect and support for Council Leader Roddy McCuish and what they described as his strong and trustworthy leadership – to a flurry of 'Hear hear's' and desk thumping.
Indeed, a few of several moments of comedy in the debate saw the Argyll and Bute for Change group attempt, in midstream desperation, to steal the clothes of the amendment and even to adopt Councillor McCuish as Leader within their notion – which had proposed to dispense with him.
It has to be said that this last novel notion was not put forward by Councillor Duncan Macintyre who leads the Argyll and Bute for Change group but by Councillor Scoullar from Bute, who, in the heat of the moment, had clearly forgotten about his group leader's personal ambitions.
The other thing to record at the outset, and before working through notes to add the detail here, is that the Argyll Lomond and the Isles group, who were summarily excluded from the proposals in the Argyll and Bute for Change motion, showed their intrinsic merit and worth in no small measure.
Councillor Ellen Morton, currently Leader of the Opposition, produced a concise series of points of order which absolutely demolished the credibility and utility of the Argyll and Bute for Change motion which under scrutiny, was surprisingly unable and frankly shambolic. Council law and governance officers supported the authority of Councillor Morton's point.
Councillor Gary Mulvaney, in a skillfully ameliorating contribution, noted that what was unifying was the wish of the entire chamber for change, crediting the motion with getting that ball rolling before going on to note the impossibility of supporting a motion which would see the council at genuine risk of of being unable legally to function for two months.
Councillor John Semple who proposed and spoke to the SNP amendment was concise, focused and measured. He began by offering the chamber the observation that Zebra fish share 85% of the genetic make up of humans. Members clearly wondered where he was going with this. He wasn't. Hen wanted simply to give them an opportunitiy to laugh together – and succeeded. The atmosphere lifted.
Council Leader McCuish, spoke with his usual authority and noted that he was not burdened with ambition but 'just wanted to see the right thing done'.
He did.
The vote for the amendment and the many personal testimonies to his leadership were a long-overdue victory for fidelity as well as for leadership.
Councillor McCuish has fought for his party to deliver on the responsibilities to Argyll and Bute they were elected to accept rather than run away from them for party political reasons. In this he has been immovably faithful to the electorate and to his party – a spirit that was not reciprocated. He has also been faithful to individuals across the chamber whom he has personally seen, in private negotiations as well as in public actions, work to be constructive in the interests of stable governance of this council.
Some days, the good guys win. This was one of them.
Audit Scotland commissioner were in attendance and cannot have been blind to the fact that the two key planks in Councillor Duncan Macintyre's summing up for his group's motion were both genuine features of instability of governance – and were both 'managed' from outwith the council.
Councillor Macintyre instanced:
- instability in leaderships – correct – with each SNP leader since May 2012 undermined by his own party machine;
- abdication of responsibility – correct – with the SNP party hierarchy, local MSP at the helm, driven to get its local councillors out of power and into the happy irresponsibility of opposition as fast as possible.
With the unedifying year at the SNP-led Argyll and Bute Council as evidence, Audit Scotland cannot avoid its own responsibility to provide guidelines governing the relationships between 'political' groups in local authorities and their political party principals elsewhere.
The determining principle in creating such guidelines must be the interests of good governance of the local authority in question.
We would suggest that such guidelines be embedded in the Code of Conduct of Councillors.
22.30 updated material below
We are including the texts of the motion and the competing amendment below, with a note on the characteristics of each that were highlighted by members and council officers at this morning's meeting. These illustrate the reasons why the vote today went the way it did.
We will deal with the analysis of the emerging situation, along with significant detail of the meeting, in a separate article to be published later this evening or tomorrow morning.
Argyll and Bute for Change Motion – and embedded problems
That the Council confirms the Argyll and Bute for Change group as the new Argyll and Bute Council Administration group.
That all the senior political positions currently held within the Council with the exception of the Provost and Depute Provost, are removed with immediate effect.
That an interim arrangement of nine (9) elected members is put in place to liaise with the Chief Executive, Executive Directors and Heads of Service on Council business and to take forward a review of the political management structure of the Council with a report back to a special Council meeting in early August.
That a review of the senior member structure is carried out,with proposals for change being presented to the special Council meeting in August.
That the interim nine (9) Member arrangement comprises of the following members:-
Duncan MacIntyre; Vivien Dance; Dick Walsh; Michael Breslin; Gordon Blair; Iain Angus MacDonald; Dougie Philand and two members to be notified.
Moved by Councillor Duncan MacIntyre, Seconded by Councillor Iain Angus MacDonald.
Agenda Item 31: SNP Amendment
This Council recognises that it is the wish of members to see change in the political management arrangements and structures of the Council.
This Council also recognises that fundamental change to political management arrangements and structures of the council is an important issue for all members, and that all members should have an opportunity to influence the forming of new structures.
The Council agrees the following:
- A short life working group shall be established to consider proposals for new political management arrangements and structures.
- Membership of this group shall be 12 drawn from across the Council in order to represent as closely as possible the political make-up of the council.
- The Chair will be the Leader of the Council who, in consultation with the Chief Executive, will identify resources and schedule meetings in order that the findings of the group are reported to the August meeting of the Council.
- As an interim measure, there will be no change to the political management arrangements and structures of the council until the Council has considered the findings of the short life working group at the August meeting of the Council.
Moved by Councillor John Semple. Seconded by Councillor Sandy Taylor.
Relative strengths and weaknesses
The motions strength was that it broached the agreed need for change.
Beyond that it proved insupportable on competence grounds.
Councillor Ellen Morton demonstrated this in short order before the debate even began. She put a series of forensic points of order, accurately identifying serious deficiencies in the motion. They were:
- That a council 'administration' has no legal status [as For Argyll recently discovered in scrutinising Argyll and Bute Council's constitution where the term does not appear] – yet the motion proposed that Argyll and Bute for Change should be confirmed '…as the new Argyll and Bute Council Administration group'. The constitution mentions only the Provost, the Leader and senior responsibility positions.
- That in proposing to remove the Leader and all senior responsibilities, the Chair of the Planning, Protective Services and Licensing Committee would be removed, leaving the council with no legal authority to approve, for example, occasional licenses for alcohol over the months of July and August.
- In the absence of any authority the envisaged circumstances would dictate, delegated responsibilities go to the Council CEO but in the frame of the motion any emergency situation would require the recall of the full council for a meeting to deliver the required decision taking authority.
- The proposal 'does not secure the rights of all members to participate in decision taking'. The motion proposes a delegated group of 9 – 7 of whom are named and from the proposing group, wiht two to be added and one large group of councillors [Ed: Argyll Lomond and the Isles, with 10 members] simply disregarded.
- This group of 9 would be delivering none of the council's necessary senior responsibilities [which the motion would have left vacant for the duration] but would purely be looking at proposals for political management arrangements.
The amendment – or the alternative proposal – left the Council Leader and all senior responsibilities in post for the duration, covering the council's ability to function legally in all eventualities; and the degree of cross-chamber inclusivity in its planned composition of the Short Life Working Group was a constructive change away from the adversarial traditions of local government.


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Flunk - Lost Causes/
It's been over a decade since Anja Øyen Vister joined Norwegian band Flunk for a version of the New Order classic "Blue Monday, a cover that ended getting them the attention of the legendary British DJ John Peel. Since then Flunk has embraced chilled electronica and warm bedroom folk over four studio albums, finding success in Europe and beyond (the video for "Cigarette Burns" from their 2009 release This Is What You Get had been viewed more than a million times -- watch it below). Upcoming April 26 album Lost Causes finds Flunk in fine form as they continue to explore the melodic side of downtempo folktronica, lead single "Queen of the Underground" shifting easily from a gently beating trip-hop pulse to shimmering alt-pop anthem. Vister's airy vocals are the perfect vehicle for "Sanctuary"'s mellow Zero 7-styled vibe as Ulf Nygaard (electronics), Jo Bakke (guitars) and Erik Ruud (drums) flesh out the sparse production with stately chamber pop backing. Flunk will appear at SXSW in March.
Flunk - "Queen of the Underground" (from Lost Causes)
Flunk - "Sanctuary" (from Lost Causes)
Flunk - "Love and Halogen" (from Lost Causes)