text:
A rules evaluation engine operable to select optimal content for presentation to the viewer at each presentation opportunity. The engine evaluates segmentation rules associated with each particular content item in parallel, and then selects the best content to be presented. Priorities determined during evaluation sort out which content items will be presented. Real time dynamic enrichment of the decision making context occurs by retrieving additional information required to evaluate the rules. Logging and administrative processes for managing the segmentation rules are also realized.
1. A centralized system to select particular content items to be presented to a viewer from a plurality of content items, comprising:
a server operable to:
receive a content selection request, wherein the content selection request comprises first data describing the viewer;
receive data describing a plurality of content items and a corresponding plurality of policies, wherein each content item is associated with a policy;
determine data elements necessary to evaluate the plurality of policies, wherein the data elements comprise at least a portion of the first data describing the viewer, second data describing the viewer received from an external data source, data describing a context of the content selection request, and data describing content items previously provided to the viewer;
for each of the data elements that does not have a current value present at the server, determine an external data source comprising the data element and request the current value of the data element from the data source;
execute a rules engine, wherein the rules engine is operable to evaluate the plurality of policies in parallel based on the current values for the data elements necessary to evaluate the plurality of policies, in order to determine particular content items the viewer is eligible to receive in response to the content selection request;
rank the content items the viewer is eligible to receive in a prioritized list;
support a graphical user interface (GUI) operable to facilitate building and managing the policies;
maintain an application program interface (API) library operable to manage communications between a requesting service and the rules engine;
provide to the viewer a predetermined number of the highest prioritized content items from the prioritized list; and
store the content items provided to the viewer as content items previously provided to the viewer.
2. The centralized system of
3. The centralized system of
determine additional data elements required to evaluate the policies;
locate the additional data elements required to evaluate the policies;
extract the additional data elements required to evaluate the policies; and
retrieve the additional data elements required to evaluate the policies.
4. The centralized system of
5. The centralized system of
6. The centralized system of
7. The centralized system of
8. The centralized system of
9. The system of
10. The system of
11. The system of
12. The system of
grouping the data elements that do not have a current value present at the server by connector; and
for each connector, requesting current values of the data elements grouped under the connector from an external data source corresponding to the connector.
13. A method to select particular content items to be presented to a viewer from a plurality of content items, comprising:
receiving by a server a content selection request for content items to be presented to a viewer from a requesting system, wherein the content selection request comprises first data describing the viewer;
receiving by the server data describing a plurality of content items and a corresponding plurality of policies, wherein each content item is associated with a policy;
retrieving by the server the plurality of policies;
determining data elements required to evaluate the plurality of policies, wherein the data elements required to evaluate the plurality of policies comprise at least a portion of the first data describing the viewer, second data describing the viewer received from an external data source, data describing a context of the content selection request and data describing content items previously provided to the viewer;
retrieving current values of the identified data elements required to evaluate the plurality of policies, wherein the retrieving comprises for each of the identified data elements that does not have a current value that is present locally, determining by the server an external data source comprising a current value of the data element and requesting by the server the current value of the data element from the data source;
evaluating by the server the plurality of policies in parallel based on the current values for the data elements required to evaluate the plurality of policies to determine content items that the viewer is eligible to receive;
prioritizing the content items that the viewer is eligible to receive into a prioritized list by the server;
providing to the requesting system by the server a predetermined number of the highest prioritized content items from the prioritized list; and
storing by the server the content items provided to the requesting system as content items previously provided to the viewer.
14. The method of
logging each content selection request;
tracking each content selection request;
logging each data element required to evaluate each content selection request; and
tracking each data element required to evaluate each content selection request.
15. The method of
16. The method of
17. The method of
18. The method of
determining additional data elements required to evaluate the policies;
locating the additional data elements required to evaluate the policies;
extracting the additional data elements required to evaluate the policies; and
retrieving the additional data elements required to evaluate the policies.
19. The method of
20. The method of
21. The method of
This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/482,487 entitled "System and Method for Dynamically and Specifically Targeting Marketing," filed on Jun. 25, 2003, and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. This application is related to and incorporates by reference U.S. provisional application No. 60/438,972 filed Jan. 9, 2003 entitled, "Method and System for Dynamically Implementing an Enterprise Resource Policy", and U.S. non-provisional application No. 10/755,173 filed Jan. 9, 2004 entitled, "System and Method for Dynamically Implementing an Enterprise Resource Policy."
The invention relates to a system operable to select optimal content to be presented to a viewer, based upon both the characteristics of the viewer and the viewing situation.
Over the last decade, technology has drastically improved the effectiveness of technology-based marketing. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems have brought businesses back to their ancestral roots by providing organizations with a collective memory of every customer and their interactions. Previously, this was cost-prohibitive.
However, providing the optimal message to a customer is still a very cumbersome and time-consuming process. As a result, corporations have not fully benefited from the promise of real-time customized and personalized marketing. Many customized content and personalization initiatives remain undeveloped because of their prohibitive human and financial costs of implementation.
With the traditional targeted marketing paradigm, the seller initiates an interaction with the customer by analyzing historical data to segment customers offline and then "pushes" a message out to the customer. The seller then hopes for a response. However, other more proactive methods are desired.
The present invention provides a system and method to select, from a predefined palette of content items, those items which are best suited for an individual. This selection is based both on the attributes of the viewer and the context in which the contents is viewed. (i.e., at that precise moment in time). The content may involve advertisements, articles, or multimedia, such as animated images, movies, or audio clips.
More specifically, the present invention provides a centralized system that defines and manages business rules to identify what content is most relevant to the individual viewer's context. Then upon receipt of the content selection request, a centralized system evaluates the viewer's characteristics, the situational characteristics (context), and the viewer's personal history against the coded rules in order to select an optimal content set for display. Then the selected content is returned to a local system that serves the selected content to the viewer. Essentially, a number of diverse content items can be managed by the system, wherein each content item may have one or more coded rules which define the viewer and content in which content would be presented to the viewer.
In effect, each item of content has a rule which describes a "profile" of what an ideal viewer or presentation opportunity. When the content selection request is made, the coded rules associated with each relevant item are evaluated to determine if an appropriate viewing opportunity exists. If the rule is satisfied, the system then adds the content item, within a prioritized queue, to an aggregated body of content items for this presentation opportunity. The items are then sorted, by descending priority, with the most significant items being returned for presentation. The prioritized list is returned based on the results of evaluating the individual content items against various business rules. This produces a prioritized list of items most suitable for presentation to the viewer in the viewer's current viewing context.
Several advantages are provided. First, the ability to perform the evaluation process in real time, at the moment of the request is a significant advantage over existing systems. This allows the content selected to be sensitive to the current presentation opportunity rather than the data warehouse intensive traditional model which selects content days, and even weeks, beforehand. The present invention may also couple to enterprise data sources, customer care systems, and external data sources such as credit scoring bureaus, etc. to provide a very rich palette of information on which to base the content selection rules.
A detailed log of each request made, along with any/all content items selected for presentation, provides for auditability and effectiveness metrics, as well as inputs for a "feedback loop" in which future presentation opportunities can be made based on prior decisions. For example, a rule could be constructed such that an individual item of content would be highly prioritized under default conditions, but would be deprioritized in favor of other content items after the original item had been presented to a viewer. One implementation may reduce an item's priority after the item has been viewed three times in a 24-hour period.
An advantage of the present invention is that the rules defining the optimal presentation opportunity do not need to be maintained in executable code by the administrator or user. The rules are captured in a representative notational format via a rule-builder GUI application, and then stored in an XML encoded structure within repository. As they are not a part of the presentation engine (such as a web server), they can be changed at will without the need to update or test the web server or HTML source for the web pages the content is to be presented in. The items of content are managed in a hierarchical model, with each item inheriting characteristics from its parent to determine who may manipulate or change the rules which determine the rule's behavior unless a specific rule is established for the individual item. Ultimately, this allows the rules to be administered in a distributed fashion throughout an enterprise, or even to clients (usually advertisers) and business partners if the situation warrants such.
The invention can be invoked via a number of methods, including a Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE) compliant application program interface (API) library, a procedural interface suitable for linking into legacy applications written in C, COBOL, FORTRAN, etc., a Web Services interface, a C+ interface, or even a custom-developed API for an individual customer's needs.
For a more complete understanding of the present invention and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals indicate like features and wherein:
Preferred embodiments of the present invention are illustrated in the FIGUREs, like numerals being used to refer to like and corresponding parts of the various drawings.
One potential architecture for the use with the invention is depicted in
Web server 14 loads page 13 from web page repository 12. Then web server 14 executes java servlets or other like instructions that are contained within page 13. The servlets invoke services application programming interface (API) which places a remote procedure call (RPC) into policy manager 16. This RPC requests content specifically chosen for viewer 10. Request 11 contains both the identity of viewer 10 and information that defines the set of rules and content items to be selected from a campaign or set of related content items.
Policy manager 16 uses a name associated with the campaign or set of related content item to retrieve a set of rules 17 from rules repository 18. Policy manager 16 then examines rules 17 to determine what additional information or data elements are required to evaluate rules 17.
Policy manager 16 invokes any/all connectors required, including but not limited to Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) connector 24, structured query language database (SQL DB) connector 26 and custom connector 28 to retrieve the information or data elements required to evaluate rules 17. These data elements may be within directory database 30, Human Resources (HR) system database 32 and other data sources 34. These data sources return the data elements needed to policy manager 16.
Policy manager 16 enriches the decision context with the information retrieved. Policy manager 16 then evaluates the rules and creates an aggregated list of the content items associated with any/all rules whose criteria are met. Policy manager 16 then sorts the aggregated list in order of descending priority. The top "n" items of content ("n" being a number of items parameter passed on the EnterSpace Application Program Interface (EsAPI) request), are selected and returned to web server 14 as the resultant of the (EsAPI) request. The web server then inserts those return content items into page 13, which may take the form of a hypertext markup language (HTML) document. The customized page is then presented to viewer 10 via a web browser or other like application.
Event log 36 may track every transaction created and stored within repository 38. The information within event log 36 can provide the basis of metrics determining system usage and effectiveness as well as providing the inputs and capability on which to modify rules 17. For example, upon such information may include how many times a particular item has been presented to a specific viewer in a defined time interval.
In step 53, the document source is retrieved from the source repository, whereupon the web server executes instructions embedded within the document. Those instructions then invoke a services API in step 57 to request content from server 59. Optimal content is returned to web server 59 in step 56. Instructions within the document are then replaced with content. Then in step 60, web server 55 delivers the customized page to the user's browser for display.
Rules 17 are retrieved from repository 72 following receipt of a content selection request that corresponds to query 78 that is received via web server 14 via input from user 10 through web server 14. Rules 17 are dynamically loaded and interpretively evaluated within process 82 wherein the results of this evaluation are returned to web server 14 or other requesting application in order to present the optimum content to a viewer.
The concept of dynamic enrichment of the data is available within the decision context depicted in
A diverse, fault tolerant architecture that enables effectively sealing across multiple servers and/or platforms while continuously servicing content selection requests is depicted in
The current implementation of this concept is built upon a Java infrastructure, and utilizes a number of fairly obscure features of the Java language to facilitate the service. The two most prominent of these are the concept of a dynamic class loader, and HTTP/XML Remote Procedure Call (RPC) architecture used to manage the interaction between processes.
It is important to note that while one embodiment is implemented in the Java language, the concepts that distinguish the present invention are notably not Java specific, and in no way should the claims be restricted to the Java language or the platforms on which it runs. In a procedural language such as C/C++, PL/1, etc. the same concepts could readily be implemented through the use of dynamically shared libraries or through dynamic overlay methods that are well defined and commonplace.
While the embodiments discussed above focus on serving content to a web server, the present invention may also service other delivery mechanisms such as a Voice Response Unit (VRU), a wireless device such as a pager or cell phone, etc.
Although the present invention is described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as described by the appended claims.
Patent Citations
Non-Patent Citations
Referenced by
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text:
Posts Tagged «readers»
FAA to permit smartphone and e-book reader usage during takeoff and landing September 24, 2013 at 8:59 am
Pressure has been mounting of the Federal Aviation Administration to change rules requiring that all electronic devices be turned off during takeoff and landing — the periods during which even slight anomalies in instrumentation could cause potentially disastrous results. The problem is that the evidence that a cell phone or GameBoy could cause such anomalies has long been questioned. This week, the FAA is expected to finalize its recommendation to heed this fact and relax the restrictions on the use of cell phones at any point in a flight.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Written by:Dr. Lev Nelik
print render($content['field_article_authoremail']); print render($content['field_article_tags']); ?>
Click here for solution to Pump Challenge #4
Consider a typical ANSI-dimensioned 1x1.5-6 pump, as discussed in the P&S August article. The performance curve showed the BEP flow at around 100 gpm. The ANSI designation 1x1.5 means that the discharge flange is 1 in and suction 1.5 in. Why and how do manufacturers select such dimensions for a particular flow rating? Why did they not select and base their performance coverage charts on a 3x4-8 size for the 100 gpm?
Proper pipe (and the pump flange to match) sizing should begin with the approximation rule on suction and discharge velocity limits. These are empirical (and suction sizing differs from discharge). We are challenging you to figure out what these limits are exactly, or what a rule of thumb should be. Applying these rules, you can determine if a selected pump size will work for the intended flow.
After determining the limits, determine if you could hook up a supply tank to the 1.5 in pump suction flange of this 1.5x1-6 pump to handle 100 gpm. Similarly, is its 1 in flange sized well for 100 gpm?
The person with the best answer receives a ticket to an upcoming Pump School.
Pumps & Systems, November 2009


text:
nfl football - Page 13
Frazier Says Ponder Still His QB After Win
Ponder Not Practicing Friday
According to the Pioneer Press, Minnesota quarterback Christian Ponder is not practicing with the team Friday morning as he nurses sore ribs. The Vikings take on the Steelers Sunday afternoon in London, England.
It appears Matt Cassel will get the start fo
Vikings' Ponder Bruised Ribs; May Not Play Sunday
2013 NFL Thursday Night Football Recap
Gene Simmons To Sing National Anthem at Vikings' Game In London [VIDEO]
Browns Trade Star Running Back For Draft Pick
The Minnesota Vikings' next opponent, the Cleveland Browns, have traded their star running back Trent Richardson to the Indianapolis Colts for a 2014 first round draft pick.
Richardson was taken third overall in last year's draft and set a rookie record with nine touchdowns in 2012


text:
2014 Cayenne GTS in Black over Full Leather Umber Interior, Only 21,790 1-Owner Miles since new. $104,180 Original MSRP with over $20,000 in factory... More
2014 Cayenne GTS presented in Classic Silver metallic with Black Leather Interior. Only 10,222 1-Owner Miles since new. $101,110 MSRP with over $17,000 in... More
You are viewing an impressive 2014 Porsche Cayenne GTS; one of the most explosive, irrepressible sport utility vehicles on the road. We're very pleased... More
*** ONLY 17025 MILES *** CAYENNE TURBO! HIGH SPECIFICATION! 21 911 TURBO II WHEELS! PORSCHE ENTRY & DRIVE! ROOF RAILS! 4-ZONE CLIMATE CONTROL! HEATED/AC... More
This awesome 2010 Porsche Cayenne Turbo shows exactly why it is Porsche's number one selling vehicle in the US! From the elegant Black over... More
Immaculate 2010 Porsche Cayenne GTS presented in purposeful looking Jet Black over a Black Leather and Alcantara Interior, Porsche Active Suspension Management, 4.8L V8... More


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While most the time when you hear festival you just think about music, this one is something else. Located on sainte Catherine street, Under Pressure is all about graffiti. Held annually for its 19th edition, it is a one of its kind event featuring hip-hop music (well, it is a festival after all!), but also live painting, murals, skateboarding, breakdance and more. See you next year for the 20th anniversary !
-M- @ Francofolies
Matthieu Chedid, aka -M- was all lights out and performed a highly applauded show at francopholies on 19 June 2014. The Machistador proved once more his enormous talent, be it either as a wonderful creative musician but also as an absolutely terrific showman.
Montreal High Lights
Montreal is renowned for its summer festivals, but also a few of them take place in winter. Montreal High Lights is located place des arts and negative temperatures are guaranteed !
Sainte Catherine
This set was shot while crossing on Sainte Catherine after a snowstorm. By luck, that day I had my new camera with me so this was the perfect opportunity to play a little.
Fresh paint
Fresh paint is a gallery aimed at providing space and a place for artist to express their art. This series was shot at their new indoor place on Sainte Catherine street.


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Viewers: in countries Watching now:
This course is a collection of short Photoshop and Illustrator projects and creative effects that can be completed in ten minutes or less. The series is taught by computer graphics guru Deke McClelland, and presented in his signature step-by-step style. The intent is to reveal how various Photoshop and Illustrator features can be combined and leveraged in real-world examples so that they can be applied to creative projects right away.
Hey gang! This is the Deke McClelland. Welcome to Deke's Techniques. This week we are going to create this really super awesome picture frame effect in Photoshop. Now I know some of you are looking at this saying, really? Super awesome, does it by any chance employ a drop shadow? Because you know what, Deke, I already know how to create a drop shadow; I don't need your help on that. No, that's not it at all. We are going to take this scanned piece of line art, which is my signature in this case, but it could be anything black and white, and we are going to composite it against this textured background, and then we are going to select exactly 100 pixels all the way around the edge, using this really cool trick.
And then we are going to create this super awesome picture frame. How many times do I have to call it super awesome before you will believe me? Here, let me show you exactly how it works. All right, so I am looking at a scanned version of my signature, but this could be any line art as long as it's black against a white background. Below that I have this layer called leather and it's going to serve as both the backdrop for the signature, as well as the frame, and we are going to create this final effect right here. All right, I am going to switch back to my base composition.
Turn on that signature layer, click on it to make it active. Now I really want this signature to be white, so I am going to press Ctrl+I or Command+I on the Mac to Invert this layer. And then I want to drop out the black background. The easiest way to do that is to change the Blend mode from Normal to Screen, and that takes care of the signature with this little work as possible. All right, now let's generate the frame from this leather layer. Now notice that this of leather is actually smaller than the canvas size. So we have a few hundred pixels of white showing through in the background, and that's very important. You need that.
Now we are going to load this layer as a selection by pressing the Ctrl key or Command key on the Mac, and clicking on its thumbnail. Then go up to the Select menu, choose Modify and choose the Contract command. Then you just want to dial in how big you want the frame to be. In my case, I want the frame to be 100 pixels, but if you want yours to be bigger or smaller, just enter that value in there, and click OK. All right, now we need to load the area that's actually not selected, so we need to reverse the selection by going up to the Select menu and choosing the Inverse command, or you can press Ctrl+ Shift+I, Command+Shift+I on the Mac.
Then with this leather layer active, you press Ctrl+Alt+J or Command+Option+J on the Mac in order to jump this selection to a new layer. We will go ahead and call this layer frame, and click OK. All right, now we have made the frame. I am going to go ahead and drag it above the signature layer like so, so that it's framing both the signature and the leather behind it. In order make it look like a frame though, we need to add some color and some depth, and we will do that using layer effects. So go ahead and drop down to the fx icon, click on it, and we will start with color overlay, which will allow us to colorize this layer.
I am going to dial in a different color than red, however, so I will click on the red color swatch, and then I am going to change the Hue value to 250, I am going to drop the Saturation value down to 50%, and I am going to take the Brightness down to 50% as well. You of course, can dial in any color you like. I will go ahead and click OK, and then I am going to switch the Blend mode from Normal to Hue, in order to modify the hue of this layer and nothing more. So in other words, we will keep the Luminance information as well as the Saturation. Now, that's a little bit too purple for me, so I am going to take the Opacity value down to 50%, so we have a slightly more subtle effect.
All right, now I am going to select Drop Shadow, and I'm looking for a little color in this drop shadow, so I will click on the black swatch, and I will change the Hue value this time to 210, which is a shade of blue. Then I will take the Saturation value up to 50% and the Brightness up to 20%, then click OK. Now I will change the Opacity to 50% and an angle of 135 degrees is just fine. I will go ahead and tab my way down to the Distance value, take it up to 10 pixels and then take the Size value up to 50 pixels as you see there. All right, now let's add a little bit of an Emboss Effect by clicking on Bevel and Emboss.
Change the Style from Inner Bevel to Emboss, and then I am going to change the Technique to Chisel Soft, so that we have a little bit of an edge going on here. A Depth value of 100% is fine for this effect. I am going to take the Size value down to 3 pixels. Again, you can adjust these numbers to taste, depending on the effect you are looking for. My Angle value is set to 135 degrees by default inside of this document, which is fine. An Altitude of 20 degrees works nicely. I am, however, going to change the Gloss Contour from Linear to this guy right here in the upper right-hand corner, which is Gaussian, so that we have a little bit of a softer transition.
And then the other values are fine, set to their defaults. We have got a Highlight mode of Screen with white, Opacity 75%, Shadow mode Multiply black, 75% as well. The last thing I want to do is add a little bit of an Outer Glow. Now I really want an outer shadow all the way around, so I am going to click on Outer Glow to select it. Then I will change that color by clicking on the little Yellow color swatch. And I once again dial in that same Shadow value, that is a Hue of 210 degrees, Saturation value of 50%, and a Brightness value of 20%. Then I will click OK, change the Blend mode from Screen to Multiply, so that we're creating an Outer Shadow, and I am also going to take the Size value up to 20 pixels.
The other values are fine, set to their defaults. Now I will click OK to finalize that effect. All right! The last step where this particular composition is concerned is to turn on this text at to the top of the Layers panel, so that we can see that I have got Techniques by Deke. And there we have the final frame effect created using the Contract command, as well as a few layer effects, here in Photoshop.
Find answers to the most frequently asked questions about Deke's Techniques .
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Page 2 of 11
Cinco de Mayo El San Juan
Tequila Bar at Agave Ranch, El San Juan Hotel
San Juan, Puerto Rico
1 1/2 ounce soursop concentrate (guanabana juice)
1 ounce guava juice concentrate
2 ounces tequila (silver preferred)
2 ounces water
Enliven your Mexican fiesta with this creation from tequila sommelier Martin Rosario. After mixing all ingredients, shake for 10 seconds, strain over martini glass, then serve straight up. If concentrate is not available, double the amount of juice.


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Click Here to Watch the Whole Video in HD at Butt Machine Boys
Hot studs getting ass rammed by machines. Gay, straight bi-curios, twinks, ass whores and first timers submit to powerful ass fucking and cock sucking machines.
Jeff Allen came back to have a sloppy, piggish time with the machines. This hairy stud really worked himself into a sweaty frenzy all over the bed. Thankfully nothing got dirty thanks to his play blankets. You can learn more about them on his model profile website link.
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Hot! Hot! HOT!!!
The less stagecraft.......the better.


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"Dick Cheney watches television": The four previously unseen 9/11 photos that will make you hate the evil VP all over again
Topics: Books, Entertainment News
A million dollars. What sort of book
would justify an advance that large? It
would have to be a big book — a really,
really big book, probably a book that
could suck in America's great throngs of
airport and poolside readers through
name recognition alone. Edmund Morris'
quixotic href="/books/feature/1999/10/07/morris/index.html">Reagan biography, for
example, pulled in a $1 million advance on
the strength of its subject's having
appeared on a lot of TV in the '80s.
Joan Collins got $1.2 million for her
infamously unpublishable novel, "A
Ruling Passion," for a similar reason.
And whatever figure href="/people/rogue/1999/05/13/rodman/index.html">Dennis Rodman got for his
autobiography, it probably had a couple
of commas in it, too.
In the grand scheme of things, Malcolm
Gladwell is no Rodman, no Collins — not
even a href="/people/feature/2000/03/07/chopra/index.html">Deepak Chopra or a
Barbara Cartland. He's a low-highbrow
nonfiction guy, a fact-piece writer of
great talent but limited celebrity — a
href="/books/feature/2000/02/17/new_yorker/index.html">New Yorker writer.
But according to the best accounts,
Gladwell's agent managed to negotiate an
advance of $1.5 million for "The Tipping
Point," while not even the lowest of the
lowball estimates suggests a sum below
the $1 million mark. Naturally, this
news caused a certain amount of
speculation in the publishing world,
chiefly as to what the hell might be the
flaming-ass huge deal with the goddamned
book and with that so-and-so Gladwell
character who wrote it. And the
inevitable question hung in the air: Can
it be that good?
Nobody knows how much the goddamned book
is going to sell (probably lots), but
the short answer is no. It's not any
better than you'd expect from a gifted
nonfiction guy like Gladwell. The
flaming-ass deal about him goes
something like this: He is a fairly
young writer, not yet 40, who made a
sensation at the href="/june97/tina970625.html">Tina
Brown New Yorker three years ago
with a piece called "The Coolhunt,"
about a type of marketing research in
which companies send out field reps to
track and survey really hip consumers in
order to figure out what everybody else
will probably be doing a year or so down
the line. The piece was, in essence,
about where buzz comes from and how it
can be harnessed to commercial interests
– which was the one topic in the world,
barring perhaps a nude celebrity cocaine
brawl, that was most likely to set
Brown's heart aflutter and prompt her to
spread out a comfy pet bed in a warm
corner of her office.
Gladwell had arrived. When Brown
decamped the following year, it was a
friend Gladwell had known at the
Washington Post, href="/media/poni/1999/02/23poni.html">David Remnick, who took over
operations. This year "The Coolhunt" was
tapped for display in Remnick's
anthology "Life Stories: Profiles
From the New Yorker." Gladwell had
become a mainstay.
But this isn't success; it's only
success at the New Yorker, an
institution with a long tradition of
anointing nonfiction superstars whose
gemlike books end up launched straight
over the bookstore display shelves and
into the u-take-'em bins. And to
continue the argument for the
prosecution, "The Tipping Point"
probably never seemed like an especially
gemlike book in the first place: It's an
eclectic sort of project that draws from
a number of Gladwell's disparate, though
mostly buzz-oriented, New Yorker pieces
on such topics as the science of
shopping, the diffusion of trends and
the "broken window" theory of crime
control. All in all, the book is
supposed to be about the way small ideas
can spread in epidemic fashion when they
reach a certain critical mass, "tipping"
the conditions under which we live from
one state into another.
A certain small, hip crowd in the East
Village, for example, started wearing
Hush Puppies for no reason that anyone
has ever figured out — a local trendlet
that tipped into a full-blown movement,
whereupon the Hush Puppies company found
itself fielding calls from superstar
designers and selling shoes as fast as
it could make them. The href="/news/1999/01/cov_14newsa.html">crime rate in New York (and in the
country at large) declined precipitously
in the early '90s, for reasons never
adequately explained. It just tipped.
Rebecca Wells' "Divine Secrets of the
Ya-Ya Sisterhood"? Tipped.
Of course, the fact that things tip
isn't in itself a groundbreaking
observation. Nothing, after all,
succeeds like success. And if "The
Tipping Point" were really just about
things tipping, it would be a real botch
of an expository work, all
Frankensteined together out of a bunch
of incongruous elements, such as
syphilis epidemics in Baltimore, the
vagaries of the athletic-shoe market,
the problem of turnstile jumping on the
New York subways … Bernhard Goetz …
"Sesame Street" …
No, the reason the publishing world
dumped truckloads of money on Gladwell
is that the book makes for a great
primer on avant-garde logrolling and
marketing techniques. It's the perfect
buzz manual for the new century, culled
from research in epidemiology, the
social sciences, memetics, trend
spotting and similar fields and from the
author's own experience in the careening
hype-mobile that was Brown's New Yorker.
There are sections on "stickiness" and
on successful pitchmanship, on
behavioral research and on the mechanics
of rumormongering.
Gladwell and his publicists attach a
cheerful spin to all this, with the
author rounding out his introduction by
asking, in the manner of a
do-it-yourself social-science manual,
"What can we do to deliberately start
and control positive epidemics of our
own?" The publicity sheet remarks that
"The Tipping Point" "contains a
profoundly hopeful idea … that one
imaginative person, applying a
well-placed lever, can move the world."
Well, in order to earn back that huge
advance, Gladwell is going to have to
supply an awful lot of people with
well-placed levers. And imagine
that ruckus. Gladwell plans to
destroy the world! It has been a long time
since a supervillain has unveiled his
doomsday device and demanded only a
million bucks — but maybe he's planning
to ask for more once all the epidemics
start sweeping the globe and those
levers start pumping up and down. Maybe
he's holding an antidote.
Then again, as far as instruments of
social control and manipulation go, "The
Tipping Point" is a pretty thumping-good
read. Gladwell's style is nuanced yet
casual, as befits a New Yorker guy, and
he has that rare gift of the top-drawer
fact writer: free-floating curiosity
about the world and the way it's put
together. He's honestly, and probably
innocently, interested in the mechanics
of marketing and buzz; you get the
impression that he would've written the
book whether or not anyone thought that
social and sales engineers would pile
all over one another trying to snatch a
copy from the stacks. Moreover, when he
concentrates on bite-size ideas rather
than grand theories, he can be an ace
Specifically, Gladwell has an
interesting take on social scientist
Stanley Milgram's href="/21st/reviews/1998/09/21review.html">"six degrees of separation"
research, which seems to indicate that
everyone on earth is connected through
Kevin Bacon. Or rather that people
everywhere, including Bacon, are
connected through far fewer and more
direct channels than you might have
thought possible. In the 1960s, Milgram
sent out letters to random people in
Ohio requesting that they mail a reply
either to a certain stockbroker in
Boston, if they knew him, or to someone
else whom they thought might know him.
Most of the responses that eventually
arrived had gone through only five
intermediary steps, and Milgram
noticed as well that a large number of
them were funneled to the stockbroker by
a single person in Boston. Gladwell
identifies that sort of character as a
Connector — someone who is skilled at
the "weak exchange" of casual
acquaintanceship and who therefore knows
a huge number of people. Just about
everyone, he says, knows at least one
Connector; and to a great extent these
Connectors provide the conduits through
which societies exchange information and
opinion. They talk to everybody. If you
get a Connector on the case with you,
it's easy to tip stuff.
Of course, we already knew that;
otherwise Brown wouldn't have instituted
the policy of sending special copies of
… that magazine to a select A-list of
buzzhounds so they'd talk about it. If
we didn't know that, nobody would be
able to figure out where to send review
copies of "The Tipping Point." But what
Gladwell suggests is that it's not only
the P.R. demimonde that operates this way
– it's all of society. For instance, on
the night that Paul Revere made his
midnight ride, a man named William Dawes
went galloping off in the other
direction to muster the militias to the
west of Boston. Revere's ride stirred up
an army, while something like three
people showed up from the towns Dawes
visited. Paul Revere, Gladwell says, was
a classic Connector: He knew everybody,
and so he was able to storm into one
village after another, banging on all
the right doors and calling people out
by name.
Connectors are supposed to be the
vectors through which political
movements spread, through which we hook
up with friends and dates and connect
with potential employers, through which
restaurants and bars (say) become hot
and styles become manifest. And in fact,
that might be a far more elegant way to
look at things than the old just-so
theory of group dynamics, according to
which we assume that if we're hanging
out at the Loop Lounge with our pal
Steve on a Friday night it's because the
Loop rules and Steve is just a helluva
guy. More elegant, but also more
impoverished and less humane — but
that's progress for you. And it
certainly helps explain the degree to
which logrolling can get you ahead in
this world.
Revere was also, Gladwell continues, a
Maven — a person who collects and
organizes vast stores of useful
information and shares it with the
people around him. He knew all about
what the British were doing and was
zealous about digging up new
intelligence. The Maven is the other
type of individual you'd want to fax
your press releases to. A Maven
recommends things and people listen; and
just as with the Connector, we're all
supposed to know one. A third type is
the Salesman, who has a genius for
selling you on ideas or opinions.
But these last two categories are a bit
dodgier: Instead of explaining anything
new about the way the world works, they
just take elements of the exchange
relationship and turn them into basic
human types. Revere was, if anything, a
man deeply involved in the affairs
around him — a man, like Gladwell, with
interests. But Gladwell's example of the
contemporary Maven is a guy who knows
everything about how to get great deals
on consumer goods; he's merely a Smart
Shopper. And while Gandhi would come off
in Gladwell's theory as a consummate
Salesman, the one in Gladwell's account
is a guy who made a bundle closing real
estate deals — a small-"s" salesman.
And in any case there's a fourth
category afoot in "The Tipping Point":
the Social Engineer, who tries to sell
you on the idea that most people are
basically cells in a huge, dumb overmind
and that an elite should be able to
determine what that mind thinks about.
An example from history would be href="/books/feature/1998/06/cov_30feature.html">Hitler, although perhaps
that's unfair: He qualifies more
properly as a Salesman — yanking on
that well-placed lever, spreading that
Essentially, the book succeeds wherever
Gladwell is content simply to follow the
epidemic of the trend through its human
vectors and gets icky wherever he widens
the scope of his analysis, making grand
observations about human behavior and
how blithely it can be manipulated. It's
entirely true that people can be
influenced en masse by flummery,
propaganda and bizarre enthusiasms.
Since Charles MacKay's "Extraordinary
Popular Delusions and the Madness of
Crowds" was first published in 1841,
the subject has been perennially
interesting — and inarguably valuable.
A lot of people have dealt with it,
including Gladwell's New Yorker
colleague Bill Buford (in his 1991 study
of soccer hooligans, "Among the Thugs")
and the entire flourishing field of
memetics researchers (including href="/21st/books/1998/12/22books.html">
Richard Dawkins, Aaron Lynch and
Richard Brodie).
But heretofore there's been a general
consensus among authors on the subject
that the contagion of essentially
unexamined ideas among large groups of
people is, you know, fairly serious
stuff, and that the unthinking herd is
not the ideal unit of human
organization. Buford, who rampaged with
a herd of soccer toughs through the
streets of Turin, London and Sardinia,
wrote, "A crowd reveals our Darwinian
selves, primal hordes suddenly liberated
by the sway of the pack. A crowd reveals
our Freudian selves, regressing to a
state of primitive, elemental urgency."
Gladwell, who watches the crowds on 42nd
Street from the 21st floor of the Condi
Nast building, might not fully
understand the implications of what he's
saying when he speaks of "spreading a
virus" through groups of people. One
assumes that Buford, who ended up
collapsed in a Sardinian gutter with
riot police swinging well-placed levers
up and down on his skull, understands
the idea a little more fully.
Admittedly, as an author Buford is no
Rodman or Collins either — nor even a
Chopra nor a Cartland. But still: $1
million … Here's a tip: Don't believe
the hype.
Dick Cheney watches television


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|Music, Audio, and Podcasting Do you use your Mac to create music? This is the place for discussions on creating and editing music on the Mac!
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Member Since: Jun 11, 2009
Posts: 1
Mac Specs: Power Mac G4
First of all my choice was limited, since I am not wealthy, so I went for an older system using a Power Mac G4, 667mhz processor, 512mb RAM, 60gig hard drive, a reconditioned Mac.
I chose a simple, time tested Hardware and software combination, the DIGI 001 interface and Pro Tools 6.1, that matched the Mac G4 to a tee.
Of course in all things great and small, there are issues.
I finally got the time to put the system together and after installing the hardware and software, I hit a brick wall. Seems the version OS X (10.3.9) that came on the Power Mac G4 has a bit of a conflict with Pro Tools 6.1, so every time I tried to launch a new file or just play the demo session the Mac crashed (telling me to hold the power button down to restart)!
This was frustrating, to say the least. A day of research and a bit of help from a couple friends, made me decide to reinstall an older version of OS X (10.2. Jaguar), which one of them had the discs I needed.
After a few hours of reinstalling the OS, a couple discrete updates, I was on my way to success.
Yes, after all the trouble, the system seems stable and even my newest M-Audio 88-key controller works with the USB over MIDI for tracking!
My PC stands alone for internet, email and printing documents.
What are your thoughts?
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Member Since: May 15, 2008
Location: Liverpool, Uk
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Mac Specs: iMac 2.4ghz C2D, 3GB Ram & Powerbook G4 1.5Ghz 2Gb Ram
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Location: Michigan, USA
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Mac Specs: Mac Mini - 2.26 Ghz C2D - 2 GB RAM - 160 GB HDD
The Mind of Q
^ Click the MUSIC tab if you like Hip-Hop!
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For many years companies have touted the power of Employee Referral Programs as a primary source for recruiting top candidates. This year at the ERE Expo in San Diego, one of Microsoft's top recruiting strategists announced that ERP programs didn't work at Microsoft. His conclusion was that Microsoft should focus their sourcing efforts on other sourcing channels. Personally, I was shocked with this revelation. It is entirely counter to what we experience with most of our customers. So, I decided to take a behind-the-scenes look at last year's ERE winner for the best ERP Program and get an update on what's happening today. Perhaps employee referral programs only work in booming economies and tight labor markets, and they completely fall to pieces in economic downturns. I had to know, so I called up Ron Bower, Director of Recruiting and Employee Relations at AmTrust Bank to get the inside scoop on their world class ERP program. They won the ERE award for the Best Employee Referral program in 2008. Stay tuned for some real life surprising "hard knock" lessons from a true ERP Champion.
ERP Background
When AmTrust Bank first implemented the program, the role of the recruiters changed dramatically. All recruiters were expected to promote the program within their individual client groups and they became ERP ambassadors. There was also a mental shift away from traditional paper and online advertising. In fact, recruiters were no longer allowed to place ads in newspapers at all. Ron encouraged them to source in other ways. This was a big deal for the managers who worked with the recruiters because they also had to change their attitudes and rethink their definition of sourcing. In the old world sourcing meant placing an ad. At the time managers were paying for these advertisements and they wanted to know what Ron was going to do with THEIR money when the recruiting team stopped advertising. Over a period of time Ron implemented four bold steps:
These actions greatly reduced the amount of time used to sort through applicants, search Monster's database, and screen unqualified candidates. It forced the team to focus on higher quality candidates. The results were astounding. Employee referrals soared from 25% in 2005 to 78% in 2008. The program was a huge success and it was fun. Monthly prizes kept the momentum going, and there was a $5,000 annual prize drawing that made the excitement build even higher. There was no stopping this program. Until...
Fast forward one year... What a difference a year makes. Let's be honest - now is not a great time to be a financial institution, especially if one of your main focus areas is real estate. AmTrust Bank did a fair amount of lending in the real estate space, and times have been very tough both this year and last year. (See this recent Wall Street Journal article for details.) Between the economy, the regulators and public perception, it's been a difficult time to recruit. AmTrust Bank experienced their first across-the-board layoff in over 116 years of operations last year.
So how did their recruiting department fare? Surprisingly, they still have need to hire employees, even through times are tough. Even in today's difficult economy, they still hire 77% of all new employees though their own employees. The program itself is still intact, but much of the marketing of the program has changed dramatically. So how do you manage an ERP program in an economic slump? Here's some advice from an expert:
Downsizing your ERP
The recruiting group hasn't been immune to the layoffs. Ron's recruiting staff was also significantly reduced, but the department is now stable and getting the job done on a shoestring budget with a lot of help from every employee in the company. That's how recruiting should work! So there you have it - the real scoop. To our friends at Microsoft we say, come rain or shine, come bear or bull, come what may, ERPs are here to stay! And they work.
Happy Recruiting,
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Greydread sooo true...
Too bad he didn't go 1 for 17 with her...
Sorry to say to all the Manny haters, but the Dude is set for LIFE!!!!!: He was a great player for many years and his time has come to a end..as every players does.
And as usual whatever the women says is true..We all know they never lie
It could be worse if he lived in Jersey if the police suspect domestic violence they have the right to arrest you and a restraining order is easy to get just go to court make a claim and bam you got it, then it's up to plaintiff to prove it.My ex did that to me to keep me from getting custody of daughter, I got lucky sh*t was thrown out and two week's later she got arrested with drug dealing boyfriend.Guess that crime stopper's hotline really work's.
Off the top of my head Glen Rice was caught up in a similar situation, and the great John Elway was divorced not too long after he retired.
These types of couples sometimes have problems getting along after retirement because they are spending more time together and realize maybe they don't like each other all that much now that they're together more.
And despite whatever money Ramirez is bringing in after retirement, that is beside the point. The point is some of these guys wind up spending more time at home with not much to do. No more road trips with the team, no more cavorting with hoochies at clubs, no more fawning groupies and fanboys-that lifestyle is now OVER.
How many cats accustomed to this lifestyle can make the transition to domestic bliss without residual fallout? Some do, others have issues. Add to that the manner in which Ramirez left the game one cannot be surprised by his behavior.
"He must have did it because women wouldnt lie about something like that." If that bitch dont look like Mitch Green after meeting Mike Tyson then it didnt happen.
You can say what you want about the man but I know him and his family including his wifes side of family. He is a good man with a good heart and thats it. Dont know if this happened as reported but everyone in the USA should be considered innocent until proven otherwise unless you are personally privy to certain information in the case.


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I am a member of the parent network with two children of my own as well as the principal at St. Joseph the Worker School in Berkeley. We are a K-8 school that offers many wonderful things of which one is small class sizes. Our largest class has 23 students with most classes having 15 or so. We are a caring, nuturing, family environment that supports all children. We are a multicultural community of education and faith. Our goal is to create lifelong learners who grow up appreciating the importance of community. Any parent interested in coming for a tour and seeing our classrooms is welcome. Please contact me to arrange a visit. Natalie Walchuk
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Basketball Conditioning
Running the Floor
Good basketball conditioning is not preferred, it is essential. Basketball is a physically demanding game, offering little time to rest when the player is on the court. But the simple fact is, there is no excuse for losing a game because of poor conditioning.
Players need to be in shape before tryouts - in fact, that's a major factor you should have in mind when deciding who remains on the team throughout tryouts, and who gets sent home. You don't play basketball to get in shape; you get in shape to play basketball. And then you get in even better shape through the conditioning drills in your basketball practices.
Conditioning drills must be sport-specific. Basketball is a start-stop, explosive-energy game. Long distance running may create a stronger heart and more endurance, but the ability to run at a constant speed for two hours will not help anyone sprint up the floor, then back peddle quickly down court to get into defensive position. It is speed and quickness that basketball players need more than anything else, and so you should introduce drills and routines early in the pre-season that focus on developing this, like these agility drills, as well as a jump rope routine.
Players generally don't appreciate the importance of developing quickness as a skill, at least not on the same level as shooting or ballhandling skills. Or they feel it is inate - either you are quick or you are slow, and there isn't much you can do about it. So implementing a complete program like Ultimate Speed Development is generally a good choice, as it will quickly build players' quickness and agility and they will soon notice not only that it can be done, but that improving quickness will also improve their offensive and defensive capabilities.
If you aren't implementing as part of your pre-season basketball training a program specific to quickness and agility, be sure to work some of the drills below into your daily pre-season practices.
Good conditioning drills will help your players perform specifically in the game of basketball. Probably the most widely used basketball conditioning drill is Suicides, and for good reason - the start-stop movement, constant change in direction, sprinting action of suicides is a great way to improve conditioning specific to the game. You could also use Horses, which are basically an extended version of suicides, and consequently more exhausting. Both suicides and horses are great drills to use throughout the pre-season and season, but particularly good at the beginning of the pre-season.
Another good basketball conditioning drill is the 30-30 - again, sprinting and slowing up, sprinting and slowing up, trying to imitate game situations.
To add in a team element, and to mix up your conditioning drills a bit to make them more interesting, use Sprint Relays. This is basically relay racing that is continuous, has players working in teams, and again has players sprinting and stopping, sprinting and stopping.
Sprinting is, of course, an important skill for basketball, as basketball is a game of quickness as opposed to endurance - the ability to sprint for fifteen seconds at a time is more valuable to a basketball player than the ability to jog for an hour.
But the ability to move quickly on defense is equally important and no less tiring - perhaps more tiring - than sprints, so you should incorporate drills like the Slide and Sprint to improve not only sprinting abilities but defensive slide amd movement as well. Good defensive play requires proper defensive stance and movement, which requires plenty of practice.
Another basketball conditioning drill that uses a combination of physical conditioning and basketball skill is The Circuit - a very tough drill, but very effective at building sport-specific condtioning as well as basketball skills when tired. Use this one especially at the beginning of the pre-season, when you want players to develop their conditioning the most. You could also use a variation of this drill, The Lion Circuit, to add a different dimension and mix things up a bit.
Additional resources to help develop your basketball conditioning:
These drills use movements that are common to the game of basketball. They emulate how the player moves on the court, and by practicing them over and over again, at faster and faster speeds, their muscles understand how to perform that movement easily, fluidly, quickly, with power and grace.
Consistent use of these conditioning drills - especially at the beginning of the pre-season - will greatly improve your players' cardio levels and quickness, as well as their endurance. Especially important when it counts - in the last quarter, often in the last few minutes of the game, when the team with the best conditioning will be able to overcome any other team.
Integrate these basketball conditioning drills into your practice regimen and continually work to improve the conditioning of your players all year long.
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Paulson: Budget nightmares are just beginning
Do you think the federal government has a spending problem? In private negotiations, President Obama reportedly told House Speaker John Boehner, "We don't have a spending problem."
When Boehner countered that "we have a very serious spending problem," Obama eventually replied, "I'm getting tired of hearing you say that."
Democrat Senator Tom Harkin recently stated, "I want to disagree with those who say we have a spending problem." House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi told Chris Wallace on Fox News, "It is almost a false argument to say that we have a spending problem."
Increasingly, those who disagree pay a price for their truth telling. Egan-Jones, a credit ratings firm not paid by the institutions it rates but by investors who use the rating, has downgraded the U.S. credit rating three times in 18 months.
On July 16, 2011, Egan-Jones downgraded the U.S.'s sovereign debt to double-A plus due to "the relatively high level of debt and the difficulty in significantly cutting spending." Two days later, the SEC's Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations called Egan-Jones demanding information about its downgrade.
That October, the SEC filed a Wells Notice against Egan-Jones indicating an SEC probe might be launched. Undaunted, in April 2012, Egan-Jones again downgraded U.S. sovereign debt one notch. Later that month, the SEC filed a complaint bringing an administrative action.
Egan-Jones initially questioned the SEC's complaint because the SEC had never raised any concerns before the first downgrade. Egan-Jones settled the case and affirmed that the SEC's registration reporting issues were addressed, but it neither admitted nor denied the accusations.
One outcome of the SEC's penalty raises questions. Egan-Jones is banned for the next 18 months from rating U.S. government debt. In short, the Democrats won't have to hear Egan-Jones tell them they have a "spending problem" for 18 months.
Others have paid a price. Two weeks after Standard & Poor's finally downgraded the U.S. credit rating in August 2011, Devin Sharma, S&P's CEO since 2007, was replaced by a Citibank executive. Is that a coincidence or more evidence that when you point out that the emperor has no clothes, you pay a price?
Reporter Bob Woodward and Democratic insider Lanny Davis can attest to the fact that when you tell the truth as you see it, there is pressure. Both men certainly lean liberal but have enough character to tell the truth about the president's irresponsible statements. The White House response is clear — you will "regret" crossing the president's version of truth.
Mr. President, we have a government spending problem, and you're busy trying to silence those who would dare acknowledge it. Note these frightening highlights from the Heritage Foundation's 2012 annual spending-by-the-numbers report:
"Over the past 20 years, federal spending grew 71 percent faster than inflation. Entitlement spending more than doubled over the past 20 years, growing by 110 percent (after adjusting for inflation). Discretionary spending grew by 60 percent.
"Deficits have pushed up the debt each year since 2002 as federal spending exceeded revenue. Fiscal year 2012 marked the fourth consecutive year of $1 trillion deficits. ... If current policies continue, debt held by the public will approach 90 percent of total economic output by 2022, and will be twice the size of the entire economy 25 years from now."
Sequestration may not have been the best way to shape spending cuts, but President Obama did nothing to negotiate a better one. Instead, he painted a picture of financial Armageddon unless we spend more.
He failed to let Americans know that even after the sequestration cuts, the federal government is still spending more money this year than last year. If any government department can't cut 5 percent from its budget, it's time to take the 95 percent and give it to leaders who can.
Mr. President, stop blaming, stop silencing and start working to "actually" cut the size and cost of government before our grandchildren are left with a bill they can't afford.
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WPBeginner - Beginner's Guide for WordPress. A Photography Resource for the Aspiring Hobbyist. Investing Simulator Center. Models, photographers, model agencies, make-up artists, books, workshops. LEARN CPR - CPR information and training resources. 100 Helpful Photography Tutorials for Beginners and Professionals. Photography as both a profession and a hobby is an incredibly expansive topic that covers a remarkably vast range of subjects from science and art.
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Central American coffee plague behind recent wave of immigrants
Wednesday, August 20, 2014 5:11 PM
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Jorge Arevalo, Gladyis Giiron, and nine-year-old Kensey Arevalo talk to their caseworker at the office of Congress of Day Laborers on Thursday, July 17, 2014. Two days prior, Arevalo was released from detention at South Louisiana Correction Facility, separated from his family for an entire month after recently being reunited with them. (Photo by Julia Kumari Drapkin, Nola.com | The Times-Picayune)
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Lee Harvey Oswald, the man accused of assassinating former United States President John F. Kennedy on Nov. 22, 1963, will finally get his day in trial — 50 years later.
Woodstream Christian Academy, a private high school in Bowie, will be holding a mock trial 2 p.m. Saturday at the Bowie branch library, 15210 Annapolis Road, in recognition of the 50th anniversary of Kennedy's assassination.
"We re-enact a trial every year at the Bowie library," said Doug Kump, Woodstream's debate team director, who started the team as an extracurricular activity in 2005. "I think most of our students knew about the assassination, but they didn't know any of the details...and now they're experts on it, so it's a really great way for them to learn history."
The 18-student team has been preparing for the trial since August, Kump said, and working with award-winning Kennedy assassination researcher Gus Russo of Baltimore, a friend of the library's adult services director, Douglas Adolphsen.
The team's past mock trials have drawn crowds of up to 150 people, Adolphsen said, and there's a good chance the jury will acquit Oswald.
Audience members each receive a numbered ticket upon entrance. Adolphsen then randomly selects 12 ticket holders to serve as jury members.
Junior Simone Bailey of Upper Marlboro is one of two students acting on Oswald's defense team, arguing he was insane.
"I think that if we present our evidence with emotion and we're concentrating on what we're saying, I think we can convince the jury we're right," Bailey, 16, said, adding this is her first year on the team. "I was surprised by how much I didn't know about the assassination."
Junior Monica Echlos of Upper Marlboro, one of two students on the prosecution team, said she'll be arguing Oswald was sane and premeditated Kennedy's murder.
"I figured this was a good way to learn more aspects about how to argue my point logically and get public speaking experience," Echlos, 15, said, adding she's been on the team for two years. "I'm hoping it will go well."


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Campus Ministry
Founded because of the integral role that faith plays in the development not only of the individual person, but also of the entire school community – faculty, students, staff,
- build community Prayer Groups; inviting Sisters and Associates SJA activities; participation in Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration; letters of condolence; preparation of team and running of Freshmen Day; Campus Ministry Council.
- deepen spirituality All school liturgies and Para liturgies; morning prayers; retreats; reconciliation services; faith development; Advent/Lent practices; special feasts.
- join with the dear neighbor without distinction Service activities; senior service projects; first Friday collections; year round clothing collections; Giving Tree and Adopt a Family.
The following clubs work closely with Campus Ministry throughout the year:
Angels in Prayer
Pax Christi
Respect Life Club
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Bobcats hold off Humboldt, preserve tie
By Brian Azevedo Published: August 14, 2012
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Bobcat fans, who had just observed a solid second-half defensive performance by their team, were holding their breath when they watched Humboldt line up for a game winning field goal last Friday, but breathed a sigh of relief in the end.
McNairy Central took on the Vikings of Humboldt High School last week in a preseason contest at the Star Therapy Jamboree at Chester County High School. The Bobcats and the Vikings shared a 7-7 tie when the final buzzer rang.
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No similarly bizarre history can be applied to the term "shootdodge," the portmanteau a Rockstar rep used to describe "Max's classic dive move." In Max Payne 3, the maneuver plays as crucial a role as ever. The majority of the time during my demo I spent with Max leaping in slow motion, or shooting in slow motion, or shooting and leaping in slow motion, all the while desperately trying to shoot dudes in their domes. Yes, fans, bullet time is still here, ready for use in tandem with the newly minted "shootdodge."
Max Payne 3 didn't hold my hand during that hour, though I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want it to given the whole "addicted to painkillers/alcoholism" thing. Like Max's life during the setting of Max Payne 3, my playthrough was all sink or swim. But despite some initial skepticism over the difficulty, I walked away excited about the design choices Rockstar has made, such as taking the safety off of shooting and forcing precision from players conditioned to aim-assisted console offerings. (Which describes me, by the way.)%Gallery-149060% Following the cut scene depicted (for the most part) in the trailer below, Max and his partner Raul are all set to deliver $3 million large in cash to kidnappers in exchange for their boss' wife, Fabiana Bronco. As literally anyone who's ever read a story could guess, things don't go so well, and the duo end up trudging all over a fictional soccer stadium trying to put things right. There's only one problem -- the place is crawling with armed adversaries who are also interested in tracking down said cash.
I learned this quickly, as did Max, because the armed foes started shooting at me. My first instinct, of course, was to jump into cover. This, as it turned out, was a very bad idea. Rather than patiently waiting for me to pop out of cover and carefully murder them, the bad guys chose instead to flank me while keeping cover fire. It wasn't long before I died like a coward, hiding behind some stupid wall while gun-toting thugs outsmarted me.
You'll forgive me, but it's been over eight years since the last Max Payne title, and this other kinda big deal third-person shooter has since taken over the market. The concept of having to engage enemies in a third-person shooter in a way other than via cover was ... unfamiliar, to say the least. "Use shootdodge!" the game's representatives reminded me. And so I was, leaping out of cover into a controlled dive, guns blazing, which proved far more effective. Rather than carefully lining up my ironsights out of cover, I was desperately trying to line up headshots while floating through the air in slow motion.
Unlike bullet time in Max Payne 3, the "shootdodge" move is unlimited, meaning you can spend all the time you want leaping around in slow motion. After taking the leap, Max remains an open target on the ground, which puts pressure on players to make the leap count every time.
Bullet time offers a far more forgiving twist to shooting, giving players a chance to carefully execute a dangerous room, though it's limited by your own ability to quickly and stylishly murder bad guys. A gauge in the lower right hand of the screen dictates how much slow mo time is available at any given moment, only bolstered by your own daring actions. A combination of both "shootdodge" and bullet time with Max's new cover ability helped me to chain together what I'm calling 'Max Moments.' They're basically like those incredible Battlefield Moments, only you're a grizzled ex-NYC cop in Brazil instead of a unnamed soldier in the Middle East. Go figure!
From what I saw in the stadium, as well as a brief sojourn through some dangerous docks, Rockstar's staying true to Max Payne's roots while simultaneously updating the franchise. Maybe it's because I'm a sucker for noir style (which this game has in spades), or maybe it's because the concept of AI actually flanking me and forcing me out of cover is one rarely explored in shooting games, but Max Payne 3 looks to be living up to the hype Rockstar has built around it.
- Key specs
- Reviews • 18
- Prices
- Discussions
- Game format Optical disc, Downloadable
- Online features Multiplayer, Voice chat, Video chat, Store, Browser
- Drive capacity 250 GB
- Controller type Wired, Wireless
- Motion controls Accelerometer, Gyroscopic
- Video outputs HDMI (v1.3), RCA / composite
- Released 2012-09-25
Microsoft Xbox One


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Today, anyone can start a business. Simply head over to a website like LegalZoom and within 10 minutes, you'll have a fully-registered entity. But actually staying in business requires a lot more effort.
In the process of staying in business, it's important to remember the basics – and execute them as often as needed:
1. Don't overlook the small things.
Often times, we run so fast that we forget the smaller details. Promptly returning emails and voice mails, adding that follow-up to the calendar after coming back from a sales meeting or following through when you tell someone you'll do something are all tiny steps in the grand scheme of things – but they're important ones. Try to come up with an accountability system for you and your team. This should help to keep everyone on-time and on-track.
2. Identify and serve the needs of your clients.
Whether it's over the phone, through an email, or overheard on a social network – you should always be listening to the needs of your clients. Pay careful attention to feedback and special requests. Once identified, put together a robust plan to meet and exceed those needs. You shouldn't look at this as a one-time event, but rather a moving target. Needs will change over time and if you're paying attention, your customers should remain satisfied.
3. Offer some kind of free resource.
Let's face it. We all love getting something for nothing. Offer your clients a valuable resource, such as a white paper or help guide. Extend the shelf life of this resource by serving it up on your website, blog and social media outlets. You'll find that if it draws enough attention, it'll be shared by people with the similar interests – which could lead to new business opportunities. This is by far one of the easiest and most cost-efficient ways to reach new, larger audiences.
What basic steps do you take on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis that have helped you stay in business?


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Personal Librarian
Need help with a research project? Just want to check on what library resources could assist you? Contact us!
In your years here you will be assigned research projects that may require some assistance. The Library's Personal Librarian service is here to help!
Dupré Library may be larger and may organize books and journals a little differently than other libraries you've used. So you don't get overwhelmed, you've been assigned your own Personal Librarian who will help you find library materials and help you get started with your research. Your Personal Librarian can also connect you to other campus resources. This program will start in late fall 2014.
You can find the name and contact information of your Personal Librarian through ULink. Stop by the library and meet your Personal Librarian. Your librarian is here to help you succeed!


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The first part of the trio is more or less a throwaway, unless you wish to see a live performance of Buckner & Garcia's hit "Pac-Man Fever." However, part two shows a behind-the-scenes look at the construction of Ms. Pac-Man arcade cabinets and talks with Bally Midway's Marketing VP Stanley Jarocki. There is a quote from him, found about three minutes in, where Jarocki expresses confidence on the future of the industry:
"At the moment I cannot foresee any great decline in the popularity of video games."
Later in part two, Jarocki appears live on the show to discuss Ms. Pac-Man's success with host Fred Newman. Jarocki opines that it's the game's simplicity and universal appeal that gives it an edge over the competition. His words sound an awful like Nintendo's current talking points, which makes us think of Reggie Fils-Aime sitting in Jarocki's seat with bad 1980's fashions. *shudders*
Whether or not this validates the phrase "history repeats itself," the 3-part video is at least worth a look at all those crazy fashions from the eighties.
[via ... on pampers, programming, & pitching manure]


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Cooking and Baking
Recommended Brands of Gluten-Free Flours?
Hello all! I am curious if any of you can tell me some good commercially available brands of gluten-free flour mixes? Preferably mixes that are combinations of flours, which may already include xanthan gum or other thickeners, to cut down on the amount of mixing labor involved in creating a homemade blend? Thanks in advance!
Talk is closed, but that doesn't mean the conversations have to stop!
Check out this post for a more thorough explanation, and jump onto our Facebook page or our Twitter feed to keep the conversations going!


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Remittance from India
SBI-Nepal Express RemittanceNepal SBI Bank Limited, jointly with State Bank of India, has introduced a robust Electronic Fund transfer Mechanism (EFT) namely "SBI-Nepal Express Remit" to provide faster and convenient mode of remittance facility for the Nepali migrants in India by disbursing cash for such remittances to the beneficiaries residing all across Nepal through Electronic Fund Transfer Mechanism (EFT).
This service can be availed from all branches of State Bank of India
- Faster and Convenient,
- Minimum Charge,
- Direct Credit to beneficiary's Account with NSBL,
- Less Service Charge to remitter if beneficiary has an account with NSBL,
- Cash payment through NSBL branches or any outlet of Prabhu Money Transfer in case the beneficiary does not have account with us,
- No Service Charge from Beneficiary maintaining account with NSBL and/or cash disbursement through Prabhu Money Transfer,
- More than 1365 paying outlets in Nepal
|Remittance amount(INR)
|Commission where beneficiary is NSBL account holder(INR)
|Commission where beneficiary is non NSBL account holder(INR)
|Upto 5,000
|5001 to 50,000
|Above 50,000
|IRs. 1.00 Per IRs.1000.00 or part thereof with a minimum of IRs.75.00 and maximum of IRs.1500.00.
|IRs.1.50 per IRs.1000.00 or part thereof with a minimum of IRs.150.00 and maximum of IRs.3000.00.
- For the beneficiaries maintaining account with bank other than NSBL, 0.10% of NPR amount with minimum of NRs 100 per remittance as handling charge is recoverable from the beneficiary in case of payment through banker's cheque
Indo-Nepal RemittanceConsidering the importance of establishing a formal remittance system between India and Nepal, the modalities of an Electronic Funds Transfer System have since been worked out by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in consultation with Nepal Rastra Bank(NRB). The system is designed to ensure faster remittances from India to any part of Nepal with safety and security. The salient features of the remittance system are as under.
- The Scheme is introduced on 15.05.2008
- The remittances will be routed through the Payment System Group (PSG) of State Bank of India (SBI) in India and Nepal SBI Bank Ltd (NSBL) in Nepal.
- 44000 branches of Indian Banks on Core Banking Platform linked to NEFT system of RBI are enabled to process the remittances.
- The maximum amount of remittance under the scheme will be INR.50000/-
- The commission on such remittances is kept very low. Up to INR5000/- the commission will be at INR70/- and above INR.5000/- the commission amount will be at INR95/-.
- Commission of only INR20.00 per remittance up to INR 50,000.00 will be charged in case of A/C holder at Nepal SBI Bank Ltd.
- Other than NSBL account credit the cash remittances will be handed over to the Money Transfer Agency appointed by the NSBL (Prabhu Money Transfer).
For more information regarding Remittance Service Contact:
News and Updates
Unclaimed Divident
-Jul 31, 2015
Notice regarding rent of building for corporate office and branches
-May 26, 2015
Waiver of transaction fee
-May 07, 2015
Operational branches and ATMs during disaster
-Apr 28, 2015


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|Posted on January 28, 2013 at 12:00 PM
The 271st No. NJCS meeting held at Ispat Bhawan, Lodhi Road, New Delhi. At the outset of the meeting, the Director(Pers.), SAIL, Shri H.S. Pati delivered welcome address to the participating members. Then, Director (Finance), Shri Anil Kumar Chaudhary briefed about the recent financial position of SAIL. After this the members of the participating Unions told that as the Production Productivity meeting has already been held at Bhilai on 21st January so this meeting should focus only on Wage Negotiation. At this point Lunch Break took place.
After Lunch Break Shri B. Dhal, E.D. (P&A)/C.O. mentioned that there is an increase of 71% (taking into account the D.A. increase and increment) in wages in S-1 grade since the last Wage Board. There is a provision of 500 Crores to settle i) this Wage Board; ii) for pension purpose; and iii) for Contract Labour issues. Now at this situation Management offered 10% MGB (Minimum Guaranteed Benefit). At this point the Unions argued that the Pension Scheme is a Government policy and this should not be mixed with Wage Negotiation and they demanded minimum 30% MGB.
Categories: None
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vicky narula says...
An increase of 71% da in the case of executives on MGB of 30% W.E.F. 01-01-2007 instead of non-executives got 71% da on MGB of 21% only. It is loss of about overall 25% to all non-executives till date wef 01-01-2007 in cumulative way. And from the survey 80% non- executives are getting stangnant pay of every individual scale. They are getting 2.25% to 2.75% increment instead of 3% allocated increment. That Mr. Dhal is not aware about this.


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Mark Webber will be using a new Red Bull RB9 chassis in Japan this weekend, after his crash in Korea and subsequent fire.
Ahead of his fifth-to-last Grand Prix before switching to Le Mans for 2014, Australian Webber said the fire in Korea did not faze him.
"We're used to bushfires in Australia. No problem," he smiled to Germany's Auto Motor und Sport.
Some had even suggested that Webber seemed particularly uninterested in getting the marshals to quickly put the flames out.
"I pressed for the extinguisher in the car, but it didn't work," he said. "The marshals could speak no English, so what could I do?
"I couldn't blow it out," added Webber.
AM&S said that Webber will have a replacement chassis for Suzuka.
"The chassis was more damaged by the impact with Sutil than the fire itself," he said, revealing that the engine and gearbox survived the incident. (GMM)
Subbed by AJN.


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Open grant, contract, and cooperative agreement listings with closing dates and contacts
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Past and upcoming scientific meetings sponsored or hosted by NIDDK
Information about diabetes, digestive and liver diseases, kidney diseases, weight control and nutrition, urologic diseases, endocrine and metabolic diseases, and blood diseases
Enlaces a nuestra información en español sobre la diabetes, enfermedades digestivas y hígado, enfermedades renales, control de peso y la nutrición, enfermedades urológicas, enfermedades endocrinas y metabólicas, y enfermedades hematológicas
Diabetes, digestive, kidney diseases, obesity, weight and more
Health tips from Dr. Griffin Rodgers, Director of the NIDDK
Current research studies and how you can volunteer
Patient and provider resources including select CEUs
Science-based information and tips for planning an outreach effort or community event
Information, tools, and partnership opportunities to improve awareness, prevention, and management of NIDDK-related diseases and conditions
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Overview of NIDDK activities in each major research area, including research advances, research coordination, and health information
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Digestive Disease Information
Short bowel syndrome is a group of problems related to poor absorption of nutrients that typically occurs in people who have had half or more of their small intestine removed. The small intestine and the large intestine, also called the colon, make up the bowel. The small intestine is where most digestion of food and absorption of nutrients occur. People with short bowel syndrome cannot absorb enough water, vitamins, and other nutrients from food to sustain life.
The bowel is made up of the small and large intestines. The small intestine includes three sections—the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum.
The main cause of short bowel syndrome is surgical removal of half or more of the small intestine to treat intestinal diseases, injuries, or defects present at birth.
In newborns, short bowel syndrome may occur following surgery to treat conditions such as
In children and adults, short bowel syndrome may occur following surgery to treat conditions such as
Short bowel syndrome can also be caused by disease or injury that prevents the small intestine from functioning as it should despite a normal length.
Diarrhea is the main symptom of short bowel syndrome. Diarrhea can lead to dehydration, malnutrition, and weight loss. These problems can be severe and can cause death without proper treatment.
Other symptoms may include
Specific nutrient deficiencies may occur depending on what sections of the small intestine were removed or are not functioning properly. Sites of nutrient absorption in the small intestine are
People with short bowel syndrome are also at risk for developing food sensitivities.
The main treatment for short bowel syndrome is nutritional support. Treatment may involve use of oral rehydration solutions, parenteral nutrition, enteral nutrition, and medications. Oral rehydration solutions consist of sugar and salt liquids. Parenteral nutrition delivers fluids, electrolytes, and liquid nutrients into the bloodstream intravenously—through a tube placed in a vein. Enteral nutrition delivers liquid food to the stomach or small intestine through a feeding tube.
Specific treatment depends on the severity of the disease:
Mild short bowel syndrome treatment involves eating small, frequent meals; taking fluid and nutritional supplements; and using medications to treat diarrhea.
Moderate short bowel syndrome treatment is similar to that for mild disease with the addition of intravenous fluid and electrolyte supplements as needed.
Severe short bowel syndrome treatment involves use of parenteral nutrition and oral rehydration solutions. Patients may receive enteral nutrition or continue normal eating even though most of the nutrients are not absorbed. Both enteral nutrition and normal eating stimulate the remaining intestine to function better and may allow patients to discontinue parenteral nutrition. Some people with severe short bowel syndrome require parenteral nutrition indefinitely.
Long-term treatment and recovery depend in part on what sections of the small intestine were removed, how much remains, and how well the remaining small intestine adapts over time.
Intestinal transplantation may be an option for some patients for whom other treatments have failed and who have complications from long-term parenteral nutrition. These complications include blood infections, blood clots, and liver failure, which can lead to the need for liver transplantation.
After removal of a large portion of the small intestine, the remaining small intestine goes through a process of adaptation that increases its ability to absorb nutrients. The inner lining grows, increasing its absorptive surface area. Intestinal adaptation can take up to 2 years to occur. Researchers are studying intestinal adaptation and ways to help the remaining small intestine adapt more quickly and function better.
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) conducts and supports research to help people with digestive diseases.
Participants in clinical trials can play a more active role in their own health care, gain access to new research treatments before they are widely available, and help others by contributing to medical research. For information about current studies, visit www.ClinicalTrials.gov.
Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America386 Park Avenue South, 17th FloorNew York, NY 10016–8804Phone: 1–800–932–2423 or 212–685–3440Email: email@example.com: www.ccfa.org
The Oley Foundation214 Hun Memorial, MC–28Albany Medical CenterAlbany, NY 12208–3478Phone: 1–800–776–OLEY (6539) or 518–262–5079Fax: 518–262–5528Email: firstname.lastname@example.com: www.oley.org
You may also find additional information about this topic by visiting MedlinePlus at www.medlineplus.gov.
This publication may contain information about medications. When prepared, this publication included the most current information available. For updates or for questions about any medications, contact the U.S. Food and Drug Administration toll-free at 1–888–INFO–FDA (1–888–463–6332) or visit www.fda.gov. Consult your doctor for more information.
Publications produced by the Clearinghouse are carefully reviewed by both NIDDK scientists and outside experts. This publication was reviewed by Carmen Cuffari, M.D., Johns Hopkins University; Stephen J.D. O'Keefe, M.D., University of Pittsburgh; and Thomas Ziegler, M.D., Emory University.
2 Information WayBethesda, MD 20892–3570Phone: 1–800–891–5389TTY: 1–866–569–1162Fax: 703–738–4929Email: firstname.lastname@example.com: www.digestive.niddk.nih.gov
The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC) is a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). The NIDDK is part of the National Institutes of Health of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Established in 1980, the Clearinghouse provides information about digestive diseases to people with digestive disorders and to their families, health care professionals, and the public. The NDDIC answers inquiries, develops and distributes publications, and works closely with professional and patient organizations and Government agencies to coordinate resources about digestive diseases.
This publication is not copyrighted. The Clearinghouse encourages users of this publication to duplicate and distribute as many copies as desired.
NIH Publication No. 09–4631February 2009
Page last updated April 30, 2012


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Abstracts Online
Effects of Large-Scale Topography on the Ground Motions and Rupture Dynamics in the Simulation of the 1812 Wrightwood, California, Earthquake
S. MA, University of California, Santa Barbara, firstname.lastname@example.com; R. ARCHULETA, University of California, Santa Barbara, email@example.com
Surface topography has long been known to have a large effect on the ground motions. In the Los Angeles area, the San Gabriel Mountains are a macroscopic feature sitting to the north of the LA basin. The Mojave segment of the San Andreas Fault (SAF), which is believed to have caused the great 1812 Wrightwood earthquake, cuts through the range, where most part of the range lies on the southwest side of the fault. We investigate the effects of the San Gabriel Mountains 1) on the ground motions in the greater Los Angeles area and 2) on the dynamic rupture propagation of the Mojave segment of the SAF. We have simulated a kinematic rupture of the 1812 earthquake using a finite-element method. We simulated ground motions with and without true topography by incorporating the SCEC 3D velocity structure and examined the differences in ground motion purely from the inclusion of the large-scale topographic features. We find that the ground motions in the LA basin barely affected by the existence of the large-scale topography. There are, however, anomalous large-amplified ground motions in the area southeast of the San Gabriel Mountains in our simulation with topography compared to one without topography. At present we have no explanation as to how the inclusion of topography leads to this amplification. We will next model a dynamic rupture source on the Mojave segment by incorporating the realistic bending fault geometry, material contrast across the fault, and true topography, making this the most complete dynamic rupture model to date. The scattered waves from large-scale topography are likely to interact with the stresses on the fault, which in turn will affect the propagation of the rupture. We investigate the effects of large mountains on both the dynamic rupture process and the resultant ground motions. The results can help us to understand how surface topography and material properties affect strong ground motion and seismic hazard in the Los Angeles area.


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John Brenner, former UCLA shot great, entered at N.C. nationals
2 Responses
Bob Cedrone - June 17, 2014
On a related note, and speaking as one of the Co-Directors of the 2014 USA Masters Throws Championships meet to be held this August 2nd-3rd at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA, I would STRONGLY encourage John to consider entering at least the Throws Pentathlon event there. Given his well-deserved reputation as one of the greatest multi-event throwers in history, can Jim Wetenhall's 2006 American Record of 4244 points withstand John's efforts? I for one would love to witness the competition if John decides to throw! By the way, with prize money available for high scores on BOTH days this year, John may be able to pay for his flight from California!
tb - June 18, 2014
This has to be the highlight for Winston-Salem. Looking forward to watching some of his competitions.