text:
Explore the state of Delaware
The Lewes Historical Society preserves the rich history and heritage of this community dating back to the 1600s. Visitors can take tours of the Lewes Historic Society complex and museums throughout the week as well as, attend special events throughout the year including the Mid-Atlantic Seaglass Festival, the Historic Lewes Farmers' Market, Antique Shows and the Christmas Tour of Lewes.
Visit Historic Lewes and shop local with dozens of vendors offering fresh produce, eggs, fruits, baked good, meats, fish, cut-flowers and herbs. Plus,… View Details


text:
Hello, my name is
Brett Engle
I'm a
Multimedia Artist
For an affordable price,
I create graphics & designs that make your ideas shine.
Fast, skilled, professional.
Most projects completed within 48 hours. Secure, easy payment via credit card,
e-check, or Paypal.
*Contact me for a free quote.
Other services:
Graphic Design & Layout
Logo Design
Brochure Design
Book Cover Design
Book Interior Design
Business Card Design
Direct Mail & Postcard Design
Marketing & Advertising Materials
Poster & Flyer Design
Display & Magazine Ads
Billboard Design
Vehicle/Truck Wrap Design
Photo Enhancing
Web Design
Web Banner & Ad Design
Social Media Graphics
Email Design (including HTML)
Graphic Design & Layout
per hour
Appearances matter. Let me help you achieve a professional visual identity. Using your instruction I will create a layout & visual design that gets attention.
• Color or black & white
• 100% original, custom design
• Affordable price, by the hour or per project
• Use the design however you like
• Finished file(s) set up in correct format & size
Once I have a general understanding of your project, I'll send you a free quote that goes over juicy details like: estimated cost and turn-around time. If you approve the quote, I'll get started right away and send you the first proof. Most projects can be turned around within 48 hours.
If your brain needs a jolt, review my
project details (PDF)
and together we'll make your project look awesome!
Let's talk
about your
Voicemail: 612-293-8889
My Facebook
My Google+
Hosted by
© 2015 Brett Engle. All rights reserved.
Click here
if you do not see any artwork on this page.
Your web browser must not handle iframes.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Use branch-like accessories at Halloween.
The gnarly, tree-inspired look of these polished aluminum candle holders makes a perfect decoration for a grown-up Halloween party. Put them on display with black or orange taper candles to complete the look.
For more inspiration, view our Halloween Decorating Ideas photo gallery.
Comment Guidelines
We welcome your feedback on Houseandhome.com. H&H reserves the right to remove any unsuitable personal remarks made about the bloggers, hosts, homeowners and/or guests we feature. Please keep your comments focused on decorating, design, cooking and other lifestyle topics. Adopt a tone you would be willing to use in person and do not make slanderous remarks or use denigrating language. If you see a comment that you believe violates any of the guidelines outlined above, please click "Flag as inappropriate." Thank you.


text:
Fitness Center
Keep your energy up and your stress low by maintaining your fitness routine while traveling. The on-site fitness center features modern cardiovascular equipment as well as a steam room and sauna in both the men's and women's locker rooms. Take a dip in the outdoor pool and relax on the deck and enjoy the stunning vistas of Sheikh Zayed Road skyline and Burj Khalifa.
Opening Hours06:00 - 23:00 (Daily)
Key features:
- Exercise equipment
- Outdoor pool
- Sauna
- Steam bath


text:
Lifetime limited warranty
List Price $549.99 Save $50.00 (9%)
Want it delivered 08-06-2015?
Order it in the next 5 hr and 11 min and choose Next Day Air Morning at checkout. Details
Excluded from coupons This item is not eligible for coupon discounts
Average Customer Review4.0 (4 reviews)
Create an online reviewand share your thoughts with other customers
Things I liked:well I ponied for the $500 price --- it is not worth the price-- for $500 I sure expected a lot more--the mill dot is outstanding-the turrets are top notch lock type--illumination of cross hairs is very good-20x Ill. sucks no magnification
Things I would have changed:I put it on my Daystate Wolverine B-( outstanding PCP none better) the field of view is way to wide through out the 8x32 range-the optics for $500 is not worth it---I am very much NOT IMPRESSED AT ALL-I put my ZOS 10x40x60 back on -way better optics and field of view and cost only $125 best bang for the buck--
What others should know:I very seldom give such low marks--After spending 18ysr with the 75th Rangers and a ton of trigger time as a sniper-I think I know a little about scopes--for the money this scope DOES NOT STACK UP-IT TALKS THETALKBUT CAN NOT WALK THE WALK. In my opinion this scope on a 1-10 scale is a 3 at best and 1-10 bang for the buck a 1at best there are a lot of better scopes out there at 1/4th the price--I sure won't get another Hawke scope--This one WILL NOT EVER GO ON ANY OF MY PCP'S
Things I liked:Great scope put it on my 25 cal maurader. 1 1/2" grouping at 100 yards. Great scope great gun.
Things I would have changed:Nothing
What others should know:Having a scope like this is almost like cheating.
hi donald i want to buy this scope for my fx royale 400 cal. .22 u recomend for that and is very clean to the 32x
Things I liked:Best scope I have purchased yet .
Show Other ReviewsCreate an online review and share your thoughts with other customers
CheckoutSubtotal (USD):
does not include shipping and tax


text:
The 32-year-old recently moved his family back to his native Carlisle, sparking rumours that he may be about to leave Carrow Road.
These were further fuelled by the impending arrival of Dutch international forward Ricky van Wolfswinkel from Sporting Lisbon for £8.5m in the close season.
But Hughton said: "All I've seen is some press speculation. What we have in Grant is someone who has signed a contract in the summer.
"He has two years left of his contract. I think he started more games than he did last season so this is somebody who is right in there playing games.
"Anything that is heard or written about is very much speculation. For me it has not been an issue."
Norwich end their season with a trip to managerless Manchester City on Sunday and Hughton is expecting a tough game despite the departure of Roberto Mancini from Eastlands this week.
"I was surprised that Mancini went," added Hughton. "There seems to be a fair bit of stability at Manchester City and with the plans that they have for the stadium and the area it seems that they (the owners) are there for the long haul which is a good sign in our game.
"The players are quality players. They are guaranteed second place. It's their last home game of the season and they will certainly want to finish on a high.
"The odds are against us because they don't lose many games at home."


text:
Loading streams...
Now Playing
Connect with Us
Podcasts & RSS Feeds
|All Content
|View all podcasts & RSS feeds
Peoria Public Radio Staff
Membership Manager
Underwriting Representative
Underwriting Manager
Program Director
News Director
News Producer
Administrative Support
Interim Executive Director / Chief Engineer
News Producer
Operations Manager
Radio Information Service Director
Peoria Public Radio News
10:05 pm
Tue February 19, 2013
Peoria Public Library has a new chief
By Tanya Koonce
The Peoria Public Library has a new executive director that is a familiar face. The Library Board of Trustees unanimously approved Leann Johnson during its regular board meeting. Johnson has served in the interim position since November when the previous executive director separated from the Peoria Public Library. Johnson has been with the library for 28 years, served as interim executive director three times and was the Assistant Director for 17 years. She has a B.A. in English from Eastern Illinois University and a Master's Degree in Library Science from the University of Illinois.


text:
Accommodations close to Leith are shown in the list below sorted in the order of their distance (closest first). Browse our hotels/motels to find accommodations near Leith (Edinburgh Scotland) for your leisure or corporate trips.
We show the best lodging close to Leith so you can review the discounted Edinburgh Scotland stay options below and book your ideal hotel. Planning a group hotel block? Request a Edinburgh Scotland group hotel deal
Lodging/Accommodations close to Leith
Next 20 Hotels > [1 - 20 of 25]
Next: Show All Available Leith Hotels with Pricing >


text:
1 Care Companion Found
Juliet L.
- Age 58
- 13 miles away (Tylertown, MS)
I have been CNA since 1992. I worked in nursing homes and in private homes. Am living in Tylertown Mississippi now with my husbands but we are planning to move to Ventura soon in spring that's why am... More
Last signed in: More than 6 months
- Home care
- 23 years paid experience
- Available with short notice
- CPR Training
- First Aid Training
- References are available
- Available full-time
- Certified Nursing Assistant
Enhanced Background Check not run.
Enhanced Background Check(Not Run)
Basic Background Check not run.
Basic Background Check(Not Run)
Motor Vehicle Records Check not run.
Motor Vehicle Records Check(Not Run)
First Aid Training
First Aid Training
CPR Training
CPR Training


text:
Glossary of Education
- Testing Problems
- Difficulties associated with the selection, administration, scoring, or interpretation of tests or other individual measures.
Not what you're looking for?
Questions about "Testing Problems"
Showing 1-5 of 123
Can the school system refuse to acknowledge a professional's diagnosis of mental problems in a child?4 Answers, Unresolved Question
With my daughter unique characteristics, she is failing her math class and having problems with a teacher whom she has for 3 periods. Can she succeedWorking with my child's teacher(s) | Working with school administrators | Motivation and achievement at school3 Answers, Unresolved Question, Expert Answer
6 Answers, Unresolved Question, Expert Answer
1 Answer, Unresolved Question, Expert Answer
How do I know if my daughter's problems with reading are due to a developmental lag or if there's a learning disability?2 Answers, Unresolved Question, Expert Answer


text:
Microsoft's impending obsolescence is caused by its failure to grasp its own increasing irrelevance
- By Joel Hruska on September 23, 2013 at 10:31 am
- Comment
Share This article
Last week, a prominent Microsoft MVP and listserv moderator, Susan Bradley, wrote a letter to Steve Ballmer asking him to look into why Microsoft released obviously broken patches and updates as part of this month's Patch Tuesday. Ordinarily, this would be small potatoes — except it's the third month in a row that Microsoft has released major security fixes or features, then yanked them within hours or days. The problems at Microsoft run deeper than bad patches — even multiple bad patches in a row. To date, nothing the company has done or said, including getting rid of Ballmer, has spoken to the underlying problem.
Rampant miscommunication, zero understanding
Over the past 30 months, the software giant that popularized the phrase "Embrace, extend, extinguish" has opted for a new slogan — "reinvent, retreat, recant." It started with Julie Larson-Green's announcement that Windows 8 would be driven by a new developer platform "based on HTML5 and JavaScript." This was a bombshell and an unwelcome surprise for the vast majority of developers who were completely unsure if either of those frameworks were mature enough to serve as drop-in replacements for standard desktop tools.
Over time, Microsoft clarified the topic. Windows 8's development stack (confusingly called WinRT) wasn't solely reliant on JavaScript and HTML, and had never been intended to operate in such a fashion. But the pattern was seemingly set. In early 2012, Microsoft announced that the free version of Virtual Studio Express 2012 would no longer be able to build desktop applications. Under outraged fire from its user base, which was nowhere near ready to jump for Metro-only deployments, the company reversed. Metro, of course, isn't actually the brand anymore — Microsoft announced the name to good reception, then reportedly killed it when a German store chain had a legal claim. Microsoft has never been great at communicating its own strategies, but the company's ability to effectively parse what its customers want or need is at an all-time low. Windows 8 messaging, differentiation between Windows 8 and RT, and how-to tutorials? Terrible to non-existent. Last year, the company killed the DirectX MVP program, killed XNA development, and promised it wasn't killing DirectX 12 — but has failed to articulate the future of these core components in simple language. When Microsoft launched Office 365, it changed the Windows Office EULA to mandate that an Office 2013 installation was permanently tied to the PC it was first installed on, no matter what. Again, customers revolted. Again, Microsoft changed course. It was a blatant strong-arm move designed to push people into paying for cloud applications in perpetuity and a "fix" for users who only upgrade Office variants every 3-5 years.
Then there's the Xbox One, where Microsoft blew the unveil in every way possible. Key questions over game distribution, secondhand sales, privacy, and always-on capability were left in limbo for weeks. The company resorted to "If you don't like our new product, buy the old product!" messaging until finally — finally — sanity prevailed. Since then, Microsoft has revamped the Xbox One more than any console in history. The question is, how did the company misunderstand just how terribly it was communicating its own vision of the product? Next page: Developers, developers, developers
- 1 of 3
- Next
Post a Comment
JD Rahman
All of these issues are symptoms of Microsofts real problem. That, in the last decade or so, it has become a cesspool of an organization in which only the worst type of people survive and make it to the top. Microsofts culture encourages lying, cheating, backstabbing. Ethical, moral conduct has no meaning.
"Do whatever it takes to survive".
Even good people, working in this kind of environment, cannot produce quality products.
Every Windows installation requires a reboot at some point. Its time Microsoft did the same thing. Unfortunately, with a cancer this well established, maybe its too late.
Exactly. They are like banks and bankers. Most Hollywood production studios, music labels and tv networks.
The people that create good products there don't get any respect and have really bad days to survive in the business ruled by the worst thieves and liars ever which have no skills, no morals and just want to steal all the money selling crap products.
It's known as the 8020 rule… 20% of the people at Microsoft do 80% of the work…
Many of that 20% quit because of the review process…
Sure, let people who only peripherally are aware of your existence make a review based upon your performance, which they have not examined in any way! How could that ever make everyone in the entire company paranoid?
I was one of them… I supported warm bodies for nothing…
Yeah I worked there for a handful of years as an orange badge. The horror stories I heard were amazing. My feedback process was more along the lines of: You still wanna work there? They don't hate you? Well I guess you still have a job.
So did I… I started in 97 and went blue in 2000.. I wish I hadn't but they had just made the rule about taking 3 months off every year… Had I known about the reviews I would have stayed with Volt…
But a few years later I got $8000 from the "perma-temp" settlement… Between the weather and the fiefdoms I couldn't do it anymore…
I left right after XP shipped.. I think a lot of people did… And then Vista flopped after they fired all the STEs…
I was one of the first people to try SDET testing… IT DOESN'T WORK… When you have a bug you can't test and if you have to test you can't fix bugs or improve the code…
Hah, I was working as an Admin when they were trying to push Vista out the door. People were quitting en-mass, being promoted to other non-OS departments as fast as they could run, and shipping everything else to India. My greatest fear was that they would offer me FTE and I would accept for job security and hate life forever after. I saw what that job did to the others who went blue. >.>
I was one of them… I supported warm bodies for nothing…
on precisely the same day that microsoft launches surface 2 you come up with an article bashing it on all levels. obvious much?
Tell me about it.
Joel Hruska
Been working on the article all month, finished it several days ago, wasn't consulted on when it would run.
right. sure. mere coincidence.
Nobody but dedicated M$ fanboys like you care about the surface 2 so the timing of the article is not really relevant.
jim moore
The only company this magazine will work with is Apple. If it's not I this or I that then it' all sucks. It's funny that Microsoft leads all sales when it comes to operating systems ever and always will. I don't think I will ever buy anything but Microsoft. I know I would never spend too much money on lesser products.
must confess i'm against fanboyism of any flavor.
i own an android smartphone, have three win pc's and used to have a macbook. they're all fine. i'm most comfortable with windows but i don't really mind people using apple products until they start shoving them down my throat every bloody day. which tends to be annoying.
and then you have sites like extremetech that are beginning to look like apple PR subsidiaries and keep bashing microsoft and co (but especially microsoft) no matter what. especially when they actually come up with something clever. guys, it's obvious. stop doing it. it's shameful and kinda sad and stupid and lame. do you really think you can get away with it?
jim moore
I have an android tablet and three Microsoft computers. But I am going all Microsoft soon. Windows phone, Windows tablet and keeping my Sony pc . I can play any game I want either on my pc directly or use Bluestacks to add any android apps I choose. I think the surface pro will be my favorite of them all. Portable yet totally fictional. Having all three devices the same will give me a seamless interface that can't be beaten. I'm holding out for a true quad core processor with 16 ram. It won't be long. This author should stop being so bias towards the I guys
Neel Gupta
^Seamless advertising^
Windows 8 is so horrible, I'm installing Linux on my computer.
Even Mozilla got tired of testing Firefox on the new Windows UI.
Neel Gupta
"Microsoft leads all sales"
Android & iOS are already leading mobile sales.
Linux PCs (Including Chromebooks, Steam Machines, Android laptops/desktops/TV) will now start selling better than Windows laptops/desktops, when Steam Machine launches.
Sheldon Cooper
You should buy a chrome book do you can Facebook and tweet your internet buddies. That's all you will be able to do with 2 gigs of ram. Oh yea and Instagram. Have fun.
Neel Gupta
Acer C720 2GB RAM – $199
Acer C720 4GB RAM – $299 – Sold out
in the future…
Chromebook 8 GB RAM – $399
David Kaplan
Wow. A lot of polemics here. Well, I won't get into too many of the issues cited but I will mention one thing: Office. Sorry, but there's nothing like Office. I've used numerous Office-style apps – LibreOffice, Google Docs, Oracle Office – and none of them are as solid as MS Office.
As for Surface, I'm about to upgrade my phone and I'm struggling with getting another Android or making the break to a Windows phone (and, therefore, open up my ability to integrate a tablet, desktop and phone). I don't think the Surface is an inferior product. Unfortunately, Apple's luxury brand cache is what's driving it's dominance in that market. And, Andriod's "hipster" appeal (something Apple used to have before it became an evil corporation) is what's driving tablets based on that platform.
Microsoft is neither hip nor luxurious. They're the Chevy of the computing world. Stalwarts. And, that's fine.
All you hipster rabble got nothing on my stalwart, rock solid chevy of the computing world!
I think that about summarizes the logic that has resulted in microsoft's current situation.
David Kaplan
I'd say save $400 ad grab a Temash 11″ model.. Acer and HP have them…
Joel Hruska
For the record? I love Office. I've used Open Office, I've used LibreOffice. I come back to Office 2007 over the latest version of LibreOffice. My point is not RAWR, OFFICE BAD.
But I'm not paying Microsoft a yearly fee for a program suite I upgrade every 5-7 years, either. I'm not paying Adobe. I'm not paying *anyone.* Office is worth $90-$150 to me. I'm not paying more.
So, when Microsoft changes the equation from "$90-$150 and you own this software," to "Now you pay us $450 – $630 for the same time period," that's of zero interest to me. The fact that they update the software continuously is worth $0 to me, because I'm perfectly happy in 2013 using Office 2007.
David Kaplan
I do agree that the value companies place on things – in general – far exceeds their actual worth. Cars, concerts, sporting events.. you name it. I mean… Justin Beiber is NOT worth $57 million a year no matter how you slice it.
That said, it's great to complain about things like that. But, what's the solution? In my mind, people simply need to stop purchasing or paying so much for the products. But, while there's plenty of open source and free quality software out there, there's no momentum in business – or even among the public – to change these things.
And, again, many of the alternative tend to be inferior.
I guess the bottom line is: MS and other companies are well within their rights to put a price they deem appropriate for their products. And, likewise, we're well within our rights to pay that price – or not.
Like you, I can do 99% of my word processing using free software. Indeed, I can probably do 90% of my work using free stuff.
Joel Hruska
I don't like the O2013 GUI very much, so I haven't decided if I want to step up to it, or just to 2010. But either way, I don't see a problem going for an indefinite period of years.
If MS decides, come 2019, that Office 2013 can't run on modern PCs anymore, than I'll transition to free software before I'll pay them the equivalent of $99 a year in today's money. Other people may disagree, and that's fine.
At a 5x price increase, I'd rather use the free versions.
Jamie MacDonald
Have you tried Google Docs? I found its Cloud-oriented style really handy and it was pretty much as functional as Office, too.
Joel Hruska
Google Doc's graphing power pales in comparison to Excel, and Excel is most of what I need when I talk about using Office. It's fine for basic quick work, and I've used it for that.
Jamie MacDonald
Ah, I used it for Word Processing mostly, so I found it pretty great.
Jamie MacDonald
Ah, I used it for Word Processing mostly, so I found it pretty great.
Perceived value, Bieber is worth every penny to the millions of teens and pre teens that scream for him. The obvious, to me, analogy is what you want to pay, or what can you afford to pay determines what you buy. Capitalism, love it or hate it is about making money.
We are 'convinced' by marketing that one thing is better than another, how many people actually need or indeed use anything that Office patently does better than Libre, 1, 2 or possibly even 5%? How many of those 90 odd percent know that Libre exixts?
Just in case you are remotely bothered, i wholehartedly agree with all that you have said!
David Kaplan
Actually, I would argue that the real worth of Justin Beiber stems not from the kids who listen to him but from the parents pay for it in one way or another.
But, the point is – and you're right – perceived value is really what determines final cost. In order to change that cost, the value – and perceptions – need to change. And, I think that change is long overdue.
Whether it be the entertainment industry, the automobile industry or Microsoft – corporations and powerful individuals have been raping the public for years.
And, the argument that much of that money goes to the developers and producers of the work is only half-true. With CEO salaries – not to mention those of talentless hacks like Justin Beiber – at all time highs.. and with companies hoarding cash all over the world… most of that money is concentrated in a few individuals' and corporate bank accounts.
I'm not a socialist, but the inequality is ridiculous. And, much of that inequality stems from blatant, endemic price gouging.
As far as capitalism is concerned… if we're talking about the U.S…. we're not a purely capitalist society. We're a mixed economy – part capitalism, part socialism.
Moreover, even if we WERE a purely capitalist society, what we have now is a corruption of capitalism. Even in a purely capitalist world, those on the paying end of a transaction have a say in the price of something. And, I think you'd be hard pressed to find someone who didn't think prices for most things in life – even basic needs like food, shelter and clothing – is out of control.
jim moore
Have you seen a product called MS office 2013?. You should open your eyes.
Joel Hruska
Seen it. Reviewed it. I might even buy it one day. But that's also the Office that Microsoft tried to make permanently locked to a single license, no matter what, so that if your system failed, you had to buy another license — or buy Office 365.
I'll pay for Office 2013 eventually, and likely use it until 2020 or so.
jim moore
I've been using office along time. Office 2013 is the best one I ever used. For $74.95 you can really beat it. Like you said I'll probably use it to 2020. That's about 10 bucks a year.
Jamie MacDonald
Personally I prefer Google Docs mainly for its Cloud capabilities. Accessing my writing anywhere, everywhere was really handy when you have several different computers you're working from – obsoleted USB sticks for me.
Windows Phones are pretty great IMO, but they've been silent on that front for a while. Sure, Nokia's releasing new, cool hardware and updating its native apps, but the OS…too quiet.
Microsoft's policy for twenty years has been to delay and cripple the free and open internet because it is an alternative to the Wintel business model. Unable to admit to itself, that the thin-client, browser and cloud based business model can be more secure and orders of magnitude more efficient than stuffing Gbytes of code on every little computer, MS has inflicted decades of harm on all internet users.
The Cloud more Secure? Dude you are full of the stinky stuff
Generally speaking, it is. Most users do not secure their computers contents, do not back them up as frequently and few desktop apps have any kind of baked in security worth mentioning. Online apps do have more accessibility but are generally locked behind secure doors, backed up regularly and at the very least have decent over the wire encryption.
WinTel is dead… It was killed by the Core2Duo E6300…
LOL. That's what I'm running at work.
I guess the author must get paid from some company. You never get these articles for any other company on their launch/release days. "Obvious much".
I wouldn't go so far as to say something like that can be the case. Kinda inflametory. I read the article, it was well written I feel. But I'd be lieing if I didn't say there were some recent changes on ExtremeTech.
I feel like in the last year or so, they've grown very one sided in their articles and stances. I've seen a growing number of OOO look Apple's great stuff, followed by a rant of Why MS is dieing. Kinda sucks as I really did like the way it was all before. Now just kind of… yea… Like the other tech articles though, news and what not.
Joel Hruska
For the record, I've been working on this article for almost a month. I finished it on Friday and didn't know there was a Surface launch event today.
Quite, and as a reader on this site I enjoy the articles that you all work hard on writing. I read it and as usually it is quality work from ET.
I'm not siding with "MicrosoftJunkie" that this timing was deliberate or on the bankroll of a competitor. I was noting that I read it and it has it's points. I was also getting at the fact that in recent months (up to about a year or two) the articles for the respective companies have become more and more lopsided.
They aren't quite as objective as they used to be. Case in point, I could count on 3-views tops for Apple's standing, recent changes, were they changes? Etc. Same for MS.
The articles seemed to have dipped to, when negative for a competitor, objective, Otherwise optimistic (not glorifying mind you). And MS has had a pretty dismal set of write-ups. regardless. Take the recent Surface article, the title immediately turns the objective side and inspires a steak in the news released today.
One can argue that "yes, but the fact's are that MS's general perception is this, we are writing to reflect that". And I take that to be the motivation. However, again, I'm just pointing out that on ET, I usually get a good mix regardless. Now they've just been a continuous stream of… negative. No "how this can turn around" or, "This might hurt, but here's how they can succeed".
I've not been here everyday and read every article, so I may be very wrong, and the few times I've been here I've seen what I believe. I just had taken ET to not be the site I went to to hear more teardowns of a company.
Not saying I'll stop visiting because I believe such a thing, the writing is way above par and the opinions still matter, just not seeing the diversity I once saw.
Joel Hruska
So a bit of inside info. I talked to multiple people I know for views on this — a few other journalists, a few people who are associated with MS. Some agreed, some didn't. Some people think it's business as usual, with the exception of the Xbox One, which pretty much everyone agrees was terribly handled.
But the reason I don't talk much about a solution is because I don't know what that solution should look like. Ballmer wrote a 5500 essay on reorganizing the company that's almost all marketing-speak. Nonetheless, it's clear the company is reorganizing. Will that help? I don't know.
Will a new CEO help? Alone, I doubt it. As important as the CEO is, some of these problems come back to decisions that other, highly competent people made. But I doubt that Don Mattrick was "the problem." I doubt Sinofsky was "the problem." It's not Sinofsky's fault that MS blew the Xbox unveil. It's not Mattrick's fault that W8 has been handled so badly. The pattern is broad and stretches across multiple divisions.
I think Microsoft is trying to squeeze blood out of its enterprise customers in a way that's almost guaranteed to alienate them further, but how do you turn Xbox One, W8, WP into devices people want to use? How do you boost that market share?
I'm going to be the first one to tell you, I'm not sure. And without a lot of inside information on what the company is planning, I can't speculate very effectively.
Indeed, I understand what you're saying and the process. As I said it shows. And I agree with much of the errors they've made recently (another reason why I can stand with where your piece is coming from). As I said, one can argue the facts of their missteps quite easily, and by far it's easier to speculate the negative impact than a feasible turn-around.
So I'm with the quality of the article, I'm with the opinion taken based on the writers research. I'm merely picking at the smalls then. Read this article's title, read the other from ET on the Surface. They don't say, "could", "might", "highly probable". They state things as facts, "Microsoft's impending [obsolescence]…".
So I point that the attention getter paints (pretty consistently lately) a rather bleak picture on a site I'm used to riding the balanced way pretty effectively.
Again, however, I see where they come from. They (MS) has botched quite a few things when the turn around was looking promising. As a consumer; the feeling they're always a year behind with the new WP software, the well featured, but heavily botched X1 reveal, dancing business people with no tell of product functionality, so and so on. It is difficult to write an opinionated article on how it could be resolved.
But they used to, and some of them were here, is the case I'm making.
In any event, it was a good write up, and as a reader I appreciate the work and effort all at ET and other sites do to make these pieces, I take them as I can and will continue to digest them as presented; well written, informed opinions in tech.
Joel Hruska
You know, regarding Surface, I think it's funny. I have used a Surface (non Pro) extensively. The biggest problem I have with Surface is that there are two things it's good that (that I might use it for) and a third thing that I don't have a use for, but see a definite use case.
1). It's a great news reader. I love the MS News App. Top notch.
2). It's a fine content viewer, if you don't mind converting from MKV to other video files. Most of my collection is in MKV, but I've done some conversion anyway. It works quite nicely for this.
3). If you wanted a mobile way to RDP into other systems, Surface could be great.
Now, I have no doubt that Surface 2 is going to be much faster, which will fix some of the niggling problems with the OS. But my biggest problem with Surface has never been the speed (though that can suck in places), but the fundamental quality of the app ecosystem. It's always been the quality of the software that sabotaged the product.
That's why I'm not gung-ho on Surface 2. I'm not sure the performance was actually the problem.
I can respect that opinion on the Surface 2. In fact I don't have much to add on to it. Like I pointed out, I'd like to say I can see the misdoings of MS's actions as a consumer looking in. Price point, inclusion of the desktop without actual desktop apps and so on. I'm not that gung-ho either and so I do fear for the future of it (not to mention the reported $900m sunk in warehouses).
However, here's a good spot one can hypothesize the success of the system, as far fetched as it might be.
– Reduce the cost to the end user (or include the type cover at the current price point), it becomes a bit more enticing user base increases, developer coverage slowly will too. (highly debatable many will say, but a different topic for discussion) and they cloud the surface pro to general users too I feel, overlay of bad images. Just the first two below is already a good step.
– Full Metro MS office experience with the desktop area for the ARM removed (what's the point in confusing your user-base?)
– And augmented specs as needed, thrusting the battery life beyond a day's use.
– Marketing. They just really suck at this in general.
There's more one could suggest, but on a personal, very brief, position I feel a turn around is just beyond feasible in the Surface 2. I feel the same way for Windows 8, 8.1. Take a page from Start8's book and do just two things; Window metro apps and shrink the start menu back to it's overlay position, if even keeping the same layout. Deeper discussion can be had on these of course, but these I feel as a consumer are "all" MS need have implemented earlier on.
So, one might say that these hypothetical articles are worth less than the doom and gloom to come ones, but I see a good light in them. As I reader it helps to see these positions realized instead of the circling vultures anticipating death.
But again, as you've pointed out, and I've agreed to, it's hard to paint these pictures when they're operating as they have been. So perhaps much of what's written will come to pass as an end user I'll that's not the case.
To understand why Microsoft is the way it is, one has to look at its history. When a company finds itself at the right place at the right time, the windfall can be blinding. Microsoft simply had to position itself as the only gateway to the emerging PC industry and the rest took care of itself. The need and reliance on PCs was so overwhelming that companies were willing to put up with the inadequacy provided by Microsoft on a regular basis. And Microsoft grew big enough to push and punch competition out of the race very quickly. It became the biggest alpha male who took the largest piece of the carcass while others looked at it from a safe distance. In that process it turned blind about changes happening around. It is difficult for a huge, old bull to suddenly change itself to run fast, leap and change course, be agile and aggressive. New competitors could do all of that and they swept the piece away from Microsoft. It is still licking its old wounds and getting hurt by bumping itself into trees while chasing competitors. Now that Ballmer is leaving in a few months, hopefully Microsoft will reinvent itself and compete fairly by doing creative things that the end users like and appreciate.
where is the petition to bring back technet? Best thing I ever did right there. Im always tinkering and a few hundred for the subscription a few years ago has allowed me to learn a vast amount about HPC, virtualization, that you really just cant do with a few copies of windows 7/8 and VM Player.
Gerry Allen
The Technet problem is piracy. A simple torrent search will reveal many Technet-originated MS products.
getting the media is one thing, but valid legal keys is entirely another. you can torrent, p2p, or news almost any ISO of a MS product there is, but getting a valid key isnt so easy any more, and while most products will isntall as a short lived demo without a key, its hard to do much with a few days to a few weeks sometimes.
Frank Lindsey
Microsoft is thrashing, they're making a lot of desperate, un-synchronized moves which don't add up to any useful collective action. Looks like death throws might be setting in.
MS has always been dysfunctional and leveraged its monopoly on businesses. Problem they face now is how to sell software that most other companies give away for free. I like MS products but their premium (WinPro/OfficePro $200) borders on ridiculous at this point in history.
mori bund
Well, when you are used to give your costumer the finger any time you want without any consequenzes, because you could rest on your monopoly, it's hard then to realize that you can't treat the costumer like this anymore because the monopoly is suddenly irrelevant. ^^
Too bad now they have to learn to respect costumers and developers. I guess this will take some time…
MS has indeed made some mistakes! This may be a bit overblown though, and looks especially odd with 4 apple stories as the "top news", and the one MS story is a slam…
Ray C
Why am I not surprised to see an article like this on AppleTech.com. The PC market is not going anywhere. Schools, corporations, governments, and businesses are still going to be using PCs. Windows is somewhere between 7-9% depending on who statistics you look at, and it's growing. And it will grow even faster once 8.1 comes out. Anyone who doesn't think that both consoles are going to sell plenty of units obviously is either dreaming or just hard their head to far up their own @#$@. The new Surfaces are coming, and I'm sure there will be some kind of temporary, holiday sale.
Microsoft has made some mistakes, but they haven't done anything that can't be changed or they can't do differently in the future. And people need to quit trying to simply things down to a simple case of Microsoft making mistakes and messing things up.
Joel Hruska
I think the problem is significantly worse than "making some mistakes." When you can't predict or understand your customer base's desires, when you repeatedly blow your calls, you've got serious problems.
In 2000, Microsoft could count on forgiveness for its sins, because no one was going to take their business and go use Apple products. Not when Apple lagged in hardware, software, and raw performance and required massive programming shifts.
That's not the case anymore. While Windows remains a lock-in for certain fields, Linux and Apple are both in far better shape relative to MS than they were 13 years ago. An entire new class of devices has been created that don't rely on MS at all to deliver all the features that you used to buy Windows to utilize.
I do not suggest that Microsoft's value is about to come crashing into the dirt, but that the company is flailing in an attempt to regain relevance and market share everywhere *outside* the PC business — which has contracted sharply for a record-breaking fifth quarter in a row.
Ray C
Do you really think call centers, schools with computer labs, corporations with a computer on every employee's desks, and some governement offices are really about to not have PCs anytime in the near furture? I know of very few who have switced from Windows-based products 100%. There are some Mac and Linux devices within their entire inventory, but even some of the ones that have Macs, have a PC on the same desk. I still don't see a lot of companies wanted to do a massive shift to something else. The companies might want to, and their IT departments might want to, but your "clients" have a way of rebelling against change. I honestly think for a lot of companies, that is the reason, not neccesarily money or time, why they haven't moved from XP.
Whether they're not serving customer's desires is both debatable and a matter of opinion. They failed to get out a quality mobile product for way too long. Too many of their early phones and tablets were too married to the Windows 9x/XP products. They should have predicted the need for some non-desktop/non-Start Menu products, at least in mobile. That being said, I think the talk of the mobile take over is still a little bit pre-mature. I also suggest that it's not all about Microsoft "blowing calls" or not giving customer what they want. That's simplifying things too much. We live in a different time than 10 years ago. Sometimes it's not that the various companies are doing anything wrong, but we've come so focused on the individual or online bloggers, than any little thing a company does enough people don't like, can be turned into a major campaign against the company over night. Every product they have on the market now is a great product, probably as good or better than any competitotors have to offer. What Microsoft needs to look at is being more cost effective to both it's customers and partners. They days of people accepting being nickled and dimed(at least by anyone other than Apple) are over. Consumers have become used to "give aways" and they also don't have money to "throw away" like they used to. People just won't accept having to pay more for things than they think they should. Microsoft also has to try to change it's image or at least not allow people to write their narrative for them.
Joel Hruska
I don't think the situation is as simple as "Oh, everyone starts using Linux." The problem is more nuanced. Let me give you Blackberry as a great example.
People started trying to raise the issue of Blackberry losing market share as early as 2008, when the iPhone was just getting started. The company's executives were openly dismissive — Blackberry was worth something like $90B.
By 2010, serious warning flags were going up all over. The company's executives remained dismissive. The company was still worth north of $50B, IIRC. It had huge asset-building plans in foreign markets. BlackBerry was doing huge rollouts in other countries and doing them successfully.
This week, Blackberry went private for $4.7B. There are still millions of people in the US and elsewhere that use BB products, but the company lost its position at the front of the market. It becamse an also-ran, not a leader. Its products were increasingly viewed as derivative and secondary.
Microsoft has great, highly intelligent people. It has a locked-in market that's more resilient to outside forces than Blackberry was. But it's still ultimately launching "me-too" attempts to capture market share in areas other people are trailblazing. You can do that, if you're the company that really *gets* a product area. The iPhone wasn't the first smartphone, after all, and the iPod wasn't the first MP3 player. But MS has habitually failed to deliver the combination of strong software *and* hardware at the same time in a way that meaningfully drives the market towards its own products.
I've got no beef with MS. None. I'm writing this on a Windows system, I'm a PC gamer, I use MS Office. But I seriously doubt we're on the verge of a major MS-driven revolution. They don't seem to know how to make that happen.
Ray C
I still say that at the end of the day, this all is an issue of time and perception. Things can change so fast in technology that a company is down now can be up over night with one bad week of press by a competitor or a product that really takes off. If Micorosft sees more success over the next year than the previous some of the same article writers will try to make it seem like it was everyone else reporting the demise of Microsoft. If Windows 8.x can get up to 20% or 30%, and Windows 9 does well, which will of course will have a "metro" interface" does that prove Microsoft right againt all the criticism or is it just the calm before the storm? It's a matter of perception as well as what comes next.
Well let's see whether Surface has as many pre-orders and AMD powered consoles… They think they can still shove any Intel chips down people's throats and they have to buy them…
I guess they haven't seen the Galaxy Tabs or iPads…
Master Troll
Great article…M$ is in big trouble if they don't get it together asap…they don't know how to compete with google or apple and sony will be another serious competitor
Funny thing is that after years of being a MS basher myself, I *want* the company to do well, I want it to be great again. However its hard to like a company that pings me $10 when my 10 yo son changes his gamer tag on Xbox Live. That's just alienating, and we will be getting the PS4 instead of Xbox one as I'm sick of companies charging for insane things like this. Maybe if they embraced customers some more then they would do better, change all their mad licensing rules etc. (which is what drove me away in the first place)
I am planning on migrating to a Linux OS . . Centos 64, and I will no longer buy updates from Microshaft. Why pay for something full of bugs that requires a lot of extra pay-for software when there are free OS's and software out there?
What the fuck? I mean just keep beating on Microsoft like Apple or Google don't fuck up some time but I guess you have an Apple shoved so far up your ass nothing else matters.
William Washburn
"Microsoft culture encourages lying, cheating, backstabbing. Ethical, moral conduct has no meaning." – Corp America, so don't be surprised, but if MS dies we are in deep po-do, MS is THE IT infrastructure that is in place in 95% of business, that can't make a sudden drastic change, it would be as bad as a financial collapse of the world banking system.
Ray C
I just don't see how people can say moving from an older version of a Microsoft product to a newer one is too much for companies to take on, but then these same people suggest that the same companies spend the money and effort switching everything to Apple products. I don't get that.
Basil Nolan
As a developer, I felt like slammed against a wall when I first heard of the paradigm shift in Windows. Now I'm a web developer, but I don't see any good in applying my new learned techniques in "Metro".
A transition would've been nice, but Microsoft decided to turn topsy-turvy the entire framework.
James Tolson
all they have to do is go back to windows XP, update the kernal, incorporate latest direct x and incorporate all the latest fix's and applications that originally came with it..
Call it Windows XP final edition (or service pack 4) if they sold that in retail hell even i would buy it.. it would sell like hotcakes and exonerate Microsoft completely, they could still bundle their Window 8 crap with OEM machines if they wanted
Joel Hruska
You can't do that. Literally can't. Windows Vista and Windows 7 are built on driver models and systems that cannot be shoehorned into XP.
WDDM isn't compatible. Windows Audio isn't compatible. Most of the multi-core functions aren't compatible (yes XP supported multi-core, but W8 is significantly more advanced). Nothing about the XP GUI is GPU-accelerated, whereas the *entire* W8 GUI utilizes Direct2D.
This has never been feasible, ever.
James Tolson
yes thats partly true, WDDM is the basis of vista and everything since, but XPDM is not obsolete neither is the sound subsystem of windows XP far from it, most software supports both still to this day.. i hate WDDM, im fed up of random graphic driver resets that ruin games.. WDDM should be ditched (it is just bloat).. don't get me wrong some of the bullet point engineering of WDDM has potential, but is completely not needed and never was.. there is absolutely no reason at all later versions of direct X cannot be Rewritten to work in windows XP, the only reason is that Microsoft choose NOT to..
but here is where you are mistaken..
XP uses GDI+ api that is GPU hardware accelerated all 2d functions in Windows, it is fast, (ONE MAIN reason i still use XP to this day), windows Vista Compositing engine Uses software to EMULATE GDI+ calls, hence why it is sluggish in windows classic mode.. Yes windows Aero uses Direct 3d 9 but again in my opinion thats just bloat.. watching full screen 1080p youtube flash video on my aging AGP rig is silky smooth in XP, a complete slide show in windows 7 because of this..
just so u know for future reference direct 2d no longer exists in direct x all calls are handle by direct 3d in later versions :-)
Joel Hruska
"Supported" and "obsolete" are not the same thing. Yes, Vista can emulate GDI+, but Windows 8 ditched Aero altogether. I see your point about W8.1 being built on D3D 11.2, but that doesn't change the fact that XP *doesn't* support the W8 GUI.
You're saying "Well, Microsoft could make it work." I don't disagree. I'm certain all these things could be made to work. Where I disagree is that there's any value in doing so.
XP is functionally dead. Windows 8 runs very quickly on old hardware. I may not like the GUI much, but the OS itself is responsive. There's no reason to step backwards and throw away the vast improvements since XP and no reason to attempt to stuff them into an ancient operating system.
Joel Hruska
I want to clarify my own comment earlier, where I said: "You can't integrate all the features of W8 into XP" and then later said: "I'm certain Microsoft could make it work."
I'm certain Microsoft could backport features of W8 to XP by either entirely rewriting the W8 code or ripping out and re-writing vast chunks of XP. But in either case, there's no way to just "go back." You can't integrate the changes from W8 back into XP in a way that leaves XP functionally identical.
FrankScotsman .
I think I'd pay for that too. Give me XP with the latest direct x, faster boot, faster shutdown and SSD trim, sure I'd pay for that
Good article.
Angel Ham
It's one of those moments when you wonder if arrogant, ivory tower nerds like Adam Orth are the majority of the workforce within that company.
Well written article. But painfull as hell to read.
I've been a MS "user" since the beginning, and have had lots of fun (gaming) and making money (developer).
Now, I was also an apple and unix user and developer, but ms ecosystem has always been my fav, mostly because it had evolved in a way that made it comfortable for me.
It brings me no joy to see the company in its current state.
One gets the distinct impression that nothing on this earth angers Microsoft more than the thought of consumers who aren't updating their existing MS products with the newest ones.
Maybe, just maybe you can't have a group of employees engulfed in a poisonous surrounded by a flotilla of contractor/vendors who have no stake in anything, and who will happily do whatever stupid thing they are asked as long as they get paid. Just a thought.
Subscription services always grind my gears. Sell me something with a plan to support it, don't rent me the entire product.
John Henry
We have completely removed everything windows and productivity has went up over 60% with 0 cost simple enough for me .


text:
This Week's Sales for February 4th, 2013
Deal Sites/Rebates
- EBATES: Sheer Cover (25%), Lancome (10%), Elizabeth Arden (9%), Sephroa (8%), SkinStore (8%)
- GILT: H2Pro (2/4), Oscar Blandi (2/4)
- HAUTELOOK: Urban Decay (2/4), Sibu Beauty (2/5), TIGI Haircare (2/6), T3 (2/6)
- MR. REBATES: Proactiv (30%), Sheer Cover (30%), WEN (30%), Oscar Blandi (20%), Murad (12%), The Body Shop (12%) SkinStore (12%), Drugstore.com (10%), Bliss (10%), DermStore (10%), philosophy (8%)
- MYHABIT: Under $50 Beauty Gifts (2/4), Under $100 Beauty Gifts (2/4), Amal Oils (2/5)
- Rue La La: —
Free Shipping, Coupon Codes, GWPs
- APOTHICA: Free shipping on orders of $49+.
- BATH & BODY WORKS: 20% off with code GIFT20, expires 2/15.
- BEAUTY.COM: Free shipping on $25+ orders. $10 off $50 through THIS LINK, expires 12/31.
- BENEFIT: Free shipping on $50+ purchases. Free international shipping with $125+ purchases. Two deluxe minis (the POREfessional and total moisture) with $60+ order with code PRIMENPREP, expires 2/28. Free full-size creaseless cream eyeshadow in get figgy,t attle tale, or stiletto with $60+ orders with code FIGGYAFF, TATTLEAFF, STILETTOAFF, expires 2/10.
- BLISS: Free shipping on $50+ orders. Free limited edition beauty call kit with goodies ($100 value) with $100+ purchase with code VDOTS, expires 2/15.
- BLOOMINGDALE'S: Free shipping on orders of $150+ with code FS150.
- BOBBI BROWN: Free shipping on $65+ orders. Free Retro Pink Creamy Lip Color + free shipping with $65+ orders with code RETRO12, expires 2/15. Free Plumberry Treatment Lipshine with $65+ orders with code PLUM12, expires 2/15. Pick your free token of appreciation set with $75+ purchase + free shipping: Blackberry Eye Palette + travel-size mascara with code VDAYGIFT1, or Day to Night Lip Palette + travel-size mascara with code VDAYGIFT2, 2/5 through 2/8.
- CLINIQUE: Free shipping on $50+ orders.
- DERMSTORE: 10% off with code REMINDER.
- FOLICA: Free shipping on $50+ orders.
- GIORGIO ARMANI BEAUTY: Free shipping with $75+ orders + 2 samples of choice for registered members. Free shipping with any $75+ purchase. Receive deluxe samples of your choice with $75+ purchase with code KISS, expires 2/8.
- JURLIQUE: Free shipping on $50+ orders.
- KIEHLS: Free shipping on $60+ orders. Receive a deluxe sample of Midnight Recovery Eye and Midnight Recovery Concentrate with your NEW Powerful Wrinkle Reducing Collection purchase with code COPPER, expires 2/25. Receive 5 samples with any order, no code necessary, through 2/10.
- LANCOME: 4-piece sample + free shipping on $49+ orders with code FEBLANCOME, expires 2/28.
- NARS Cosmetics:
- MOLTON BROWN: Free gift with purchase when you spend £45+.
- NORDSTROM: Free shipping & free returns everyday.
- OJON: Free shipping and free returns. Free shipping + deluxe samples of damage reverse shampoo and conditioner on $30+ orders with code LUVIT, expires 2/17.
- ORIGINS: Free shipping on $50+ orders, no code necessary.
- PHILOSOPHY: Free shipping on $50+ orders, no code necessary.
- SAKS FIFTH AVENUE: Spend $150 and get a free subscription to Harper's Bazaar with code BAZAAR.
- SEPHORA: Fre Tarte BB Tinted Treatment 12-hour Primer sample with $25+ purchase with code BBPRIMER, expires 2/10. [all codes are while supplies last]
- SKINSTORE.COM: 20% off with code GIFT20, expiration unknown.
- SMASHBOX: Save $15 off your first order of $75+ with code WELCOME2. Join Pretty Points Rewards and earn $10 for every $100 spent + free shipping. Free deluxe sample of Photo Finish Pressed Powder with $40+ orders with code POWDERFAIR, POWDERLT, POWDERMED, expires 2/8.
- STILA: 20% off your first purchase a new customer with code 1STPURCHASE.
- TARTE: Free shipping on $40+ orders.
- THE BODY SHOP (USA): Free shipping on $50+ purchase. Buy 2, get 1 free on bath and body, expires 2/11.
- ULTA: $3.50 off $10 purchases with code 87713, exclusions may apply. Free shipping on $25+ orders with code HOLIDAY2012.
- YSL: Free shipping on any order, no code necessary. Receive 2 samples of your choice with $75+ orders with code OPIUM, expires 2/8.
Discussion and debate are highly encouraged, and we expect community members to participate respectfully. When asking a question, please check the FAQ section (above) for information about purchasing, price, dupes, and the like. If you have general feedback or need technical support, please contact us.
Comments that include advertisements, self-promotion, insults, etc. may be in violation of our comment policy and subject to deletion. Please see our comment policy for more information.


text:
Dear Visitor, thank you for visiting the learning portal. This portal has two objectives for the participants.
- Information about Nissan products.
You will be provided with all necessary information about the products.
- Product information – Product presentation, FAQs
- Training videos - 6 position demo, test drive and competition comparison
- Certification
You are required to take the certification assignments designed to test your product knowledge and skills for selling Nissan products.
There are 3 level of certifications viz Level-1, Level-2 and Level-3. Your are required to clear each level before proceeding to the next one.
Please ensure that you are well prepared to take the test and be a certified Nissan expert sales consultant.
Happy learning and all the best!
Please click on the product name displayed above to start the certification assessment.


text:
Video showing the functionality of the foldable table OLA exhibited at the Green House, Stockholm International Furniture Fair 2010.
Loading more stuff…
Hmm…it looks like things are taking a while to load. Try again?
TM + © 2015 Vimeo, LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with k in NYC.
Your content preferences apply to any Vimeo videos you view. Learn more about content preferences in our FAQ.


text:
Pedroia on cover of PS3's MLB 09 The Show; Papi and Joba together at CES
Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia is on the cover of PlayStation 3's MLB 09 The Show.
According to a press release from Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.(SCEA), Pedroia's duties include participation in the game's motion capture process, A.I. consultation, integration into all facets of the marketing campaign, and spokesperson for the franchise. The latest installment from the PS3 MLB franchise game is due to hit stores in Spring 2009.
"Dustin Pedroia has made a tremendous impact on an already storied Boston Red Sox organization and was an integral part to their 2007 World Series victory," said Scott A. Steinberg, Vice President, Product Marketing, SCEA. "We are excited to have him become part of our MLB franchise, represent MLB 09 The Show, and join the impressive roster of MLB stars who have served as previous cover athletes."
Red Sox DH David Ortiz, who graced the The Show cover in 2006, is in Las Vegas at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) with Sharp (the official HDTV of Major League Baseball) and made an appearance this afternoon on CNBC's "Closing Bell" with Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain.
"I've been part of Sharp the last few years, me and Joba too, came here to see the electronic parts and have fun, it's great," Ortiz said to "Closing Bell" host Maria Bartiromo.


text:
Average Customer Review
Share your thoughts with other customersCreate your own review
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Behold the Discworld
In The Colour of Magic, Terry Pratchett introduces us to the Discworld, a flat planet held aloft by four great elephants, all of which ride on the back of the cosmic turtle called Great A'Tuin as he (or possibly she) purposely plods through the universe toward his (or her) unknown Destination. Having read many of the Discworld novels, I was rather struck by the fact that...
Published on June 15 2006 by Daniel Jolley
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars Colorful "Magic"
Terry Pratchett is now a publishing superstar, thanks to his witty, wonky Discworld series. But the Discworld series didn't start off on such good ground. In first Discworld novel "The Colour of Magic," Pratchett lets his plot get away from him and meander over the edge of the Disc.
Discworld is a flat planet, balanced atop four elephants that stand on a giant...
Published on Sept. 9 2005 by EA Solinas
Most Helpful First | Newest First
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Behold the Discworld,
Daniel Jolley "darkgenius" (Shelby, North Carolina USA) - See all my reviews
In The Colour of Magic, Terry Pratchett introduces us to the Discworld, a flat planet held aloft by four great elephants, all of which ride on the back of the cosmic turtle called Great A'Tuin as he (or possibly she) purposely plods through the universe toward his (or her) unknown Destination. Having read many of the Discworld novels, I was rather struck by the fact that so much of what was to come was incorporated into this original novel, not only in terms of the characters but also in terms of the unique geological, geographical, and meteorological characteristics of the most unique world in the multiverse, from the grandeur of the Rimfall "close to the edge" to the singular city of Ankh-Morpork to the previously mythical Counterweight Continent. In terms of characterization, which is one of Pratchett's most gifted abilities, many of the individuals we encounter here are easily recognizable and described in the same exact terms in later novels. The humor, which is really what makes the Discworld series so wildly popular, is also here in great abundance. Pratchett can make something very funny with a mere word, deftly structuring sentences in a seemingly simple yet utterly brilliant way that few writers can match even on their best days. This book isn't as funny as most of the Discworld books that followed, but it can still make you laugh out loud at any given moment. One thing this book does lack, in comparison with its younger Discworld brethren, is Pratchett's brilliant and heavy use of satire. It may be wrong of me to judge this novel in comparison with other Discworld novels, but I certainly think the absence of constantly biting satire explains why this book is only incredibly funny rather than downright hilarious.
In terms of characters, we meet many important denizens of the Discworld. First and foremost among these is Rincewind, the most inept wizard ever to walk the halls of Unseen University. He is not even very good at failing, which says a lot in itself, but he somehow keeps managing to elude Death, which is fortunate because his attempts to stay out of trouble virtually always backfire to land him in hot water. Rincewind is a fairly taciturn individual, living his life for the sole purpose of not dying. Thus, when he finds himself serving as a tour guide of sorts to Twoflower, Discworld's first tourist, a man who finds enjoyment in the most precarious situations for no other reason than his belief that no harm will come to a tourist, he is in for a hard time indeed. Of course, he is helped as well as hindered by the Luggage of Twoflower. The Luggage is made of sapient pearwood, which means it will follow its master anywhere (and I do mean anywhere), employing a multitude of little feet for its transportation and unhesitatingly attacking any one who gets in its way. The novel basically relates four adventures of this unlikely trio of characters, taking us from Ankh-Morpork to the temple of Bel-Shamharoth, the hideous Sender of Eight, to the inverted mountain Wyrmberg where dragons exist (well, sort of anyway) and finally to the land of Krull right on the edge of the disc. Along the way, we are introduced to such wonderful characters as the Patrician of Ankh-Morpork, Hrun the Barbarian, and Tethis the water troll.
It is difficult to describe Pratchett's humor; it is simple yet complex, sarcastic yet meaningful, flippant yet philosophical, and often deviously subtle. Certainly, there will be some who don't "get" Pratchett or who honestly do not find him amusing in the least--such poor souls are to be pitied. Pratchett's popularity is ample proof of the fact that most people who pick up one of his books do find it highly amusing. The Colour of Magic isn't Pratchett's best work, but it sets a beautiful table for the huge buffet of laughs and joy to come from the Discworld books that would follow it.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Classic silliness,
This review is from: The Colour of Magic (Paperback)
If you haven't travelled Pratchett's Discworld yet, you're not alone. Mr. Twoflowers hasn't travelled it yet, and he lives there. Feel free to join him and his reluctant guide, Rincewind, as they sample Discworld's dives, tavern brawls, dragons, assassins, pirates, and a charming assortment of near-death experiences.
Twoflowers has the tourist's implacable confidence that every demonic temple, every hero with a magic sword, every brigand, and every catastrophe of nature was placed and scheduled for his amusement - and will hold still for a picture. He's also quite convinced that, as a tourist, he's immune to any possible harm.
That premise gives Pratchett's comic genius plenty to work with. Even Death - the Reaper himself - is just a straight man in this world. (There's also The Luggage, but I'll let you discover that for yourself.)
This is the first book in a long-lived series, and gets it off to a great start. I have to warn you, though, there's no such thing as one Pratchett book. Even one is enough to cause addiction.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars Colorful "Magic",
EA Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - See all my reviews
Terry Pratchett is now a publishing superstar, thanks to his witty, wonky Discworld series. But the Discworld series didn't start off on such good ground. In first Discworld novel "The Colour of Magic," Pratchett lets his plot get away from him and meander over the edge of the Disc.
Discworld is a flat planet, balanced atop four elephants that stand on a giant turtle's back. And somewhere on that vast Disc is Rincewind the wizard -- cowardly, greedy, unlucky, a dropout and not very good at what he does. Enter Twoflower, a rather clueless tourist, and the Luggage, which walks around on hundreds of tiny legs.
Despite the fact that he doesn't want to, Rincewind is required to help the Discworld's first tourist ever (it's Twoflower, in case you're wondering). They're attacked by thieves, gamble with gods, encounter Death (who speaks ALL IN CAPITALS), and bumble through magical spells that can cause some major problems. But that isn't the biggest problem, when they encounter the very edge of the Disc...
"Colour of Magic" doesn't have much of a plot -- it basically has a long string of confusing, unhappy incidents that plague Rincewind, and it ends on an unsatisfying note. But at least the ride is fairly fun -- Pratchett spoofs the fantasy cliches with wink-nudge fervor.
Pratchett peppers his satirical little novel with lots of fun ideas, such as the quirky gods of Discworld and the dragon that vanishes if you stop believing in it. Unfortunately, the dialogue and writing aren't quite up to par. At times it's the delicious tone of British comedy, and sometimes it's so serious that it seems like Pratchett is writing an entirely different novel. Moreover, the plot meanders all over the place, as if he were making it up as he went.
Rincewind isn't a very engaging character in this volume -- we laugh at him, not with him. His constant efforts to keep himself alive are especially funny, since his luck is a mixture of bad (he always gets into trouble) and good (he always gets out of it). Twoflower is an amusing character, but the Luggage steals the show despite not being able to speak.
Fans of comic fantasy might enjoy "Colour of Magic," but it's by far the weakest of Pratchett's many Discworld books. It was only in the succeeding books that Pratchett found his footing on the flat planet.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Classic silliness,
If you haven't travelled Pratchett's Discworld yet, you're not alone. Mr. Twoflowers hasn't travelled it yet, and he lives there. Feel free to join him and his reluctant guide, Rincewind, as they sample Discworld's dives, tavern brawls, dragons, assassins, pirates, and a charming assortment of near-death experiences.
Twoflowers has the tourist's implacable confidence that every demonic temple, every hero with a magic sword, every brigand, and every catastrophe of nature was placed and scheduled for his amusement - and will hold still for a picture. He's also quite convinced that, as a tourist, he's immune to any possible harm.
That premise give Pratchett's comic genius plenty to work with. Even Death - the Reaper himself - is just a straight man in this world. (There's also The Luggage, but I'll let you discover that for yourself.)
This is the first book in a long-lived series, and gets it off to a great start. I have to warn you, though, there's no such thing as one Pratchett book. Even one is enough to cause addiction.
4.0 out of 5 stars Welcome to Discworld! It's like Monty Python meets The Hobbit,
Koopa90 (Cape Breton, NS.) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Colour of Magic (Paperback)
What an insane book.
For the first 40 pages I had no idea who was who or what was what. And by the end, Im still not entirely sure.
One minute we're in a city, then inside a tree... a temple. Now we're flying on Dragons! No sorry, we're on an Airplane.
Conversations with DEATH? "Your not DEATH. Piss Off"
"... And Now For Something, COMPLETELY DIFFERENT"
~ John Cleese
This book really is a hoot. There is a major lack of solid story, which is why I compare it to Monty Python.
Throughout the entire book, I saw in my mind RINCEWIND, the Wizard as John Cleese.
Its not about reaching a goal, "We start an adventure ... Action ... we reach the end. THE END"
Its more about the adventure and the laughs and the total, mind boggling crazy crap that goes on throughout every single page of this absolutely bonkers novel.
Do I recommend this book?
Im not sure, it depends on what kind of person you are.
Though if you are a fan of that British charm that comes with TV Classics like, Fawlty Towers, Monty Python, Dads Army, Red Dwarf, Black Adder and such, then this is definitely a book worth a read.
4.0 out of 5 stars Spellbinding !,
"The Color of Magic" is the first book in Terry Pratchett's hugely popular Discworld Series. He has gone on to win the Carnegie Medal for "The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents" and was awarded the OBE in 1998.
The Discworld is, of course, flat and rests on the shoulders of four giant elephants. These are, in turn, carried through the cosmos by an even bigger turtle called Great A'Tuin. (The astrozoologists of the land of Krull, in their desire to better understand the universe, shortly hope to determine whether A'Tuin is male or female). The Discworld's Gods and Goddesses live in Dunmanifestin, on top of Cori Celesti. Their favourite pastimes include playing games with the lives of mortals, with Fate and the Lady featuring highly amongst the leading players.
One of the Lady's favourite 'pieces' is Rincewind - a native of the Discworld's oldest city, Ankh-Morpork, and a coward of some renown. He is also an ex-student of the Unseen University, a thoroughly hopeless wizard and the 'hero' of this book. The only spell he knows comes from the Octavo, and is so powerful that no other spell is brave enough to stay in his head. (The Octavo was the Creator's spellbook, and was carelessly left behind after the universe's completion). As the book opens, Rincewind's home city is in flames and he is fleeing in the company of Twoflower - the Discworld's first tourist. Twoflower, who has just introduced the concept of fire insurance to Ankh-Morpork, comes from the Counterweight Continent and has hired Rincewind as his guide. He also has a very loyal and frequently angry Luggage, which is made from sapient pearwood. Twoflower desperately wants to see the very things that Rincewind desperately wants to avoid - heroes (Hrun the barbarian, for example), dragons, fights and such like. As a result, Death has been snapping at Rincewind's heels since he first met Twoflower - that is, of course, the tall and under-fed gentleman who wears a hood, carries a scythe and TALKS LIKE THIS. To avoid meeting his fate, Rincewind is willing to travel to the very ends of the world...
As the first book in the Discworld series, this is probably the most obvious place to start. (It's certainly best to read it before "The Light Fantastic", the series' second instalment - while the pair form a prelude to "Interesting Times", the seventeenth Discworld book). Pratchett's books are always very funny, and Rincewind and the Luggage are two of my favourite characters. Definitely recommended !
5.0 out of 5 stars Great beginning to an equally great series!!,
Amazon Customer "paxbear" (Canton, OH) - See all my reviews
"The Color of Magic" is Terry Pratchett's introduction to the now near-famous-yet-delightfully-bizarre planet of Discworld. While the series is now more than 20, but this is where it all starts--with the tourist Twoflower and his bumbling wizard guide, Rincewind.
Discworld is unlike any other place a reader may have visited, even in the wild n' wooly world of science fiction and fantasy. For starters, the entire planet of Discworld is shaped like a LP record (or, for modern readers, a CD or dinner plate): it's flat and round, encircled by the Circle Sea, which flows forever off the edge of the planet. Oh, yes, lest we forget, the whole planet is also carried on the back of four enormous elephants which, in turn are balanced on the back of The Great A'Tuan, the World Turtle who swims slowly through the cosmos on errands of it's own. As an interesting aside, the concept of our Earth being balanced on the back of elephants or turtles is as old as civilization-many creation myths from India had the earth being carried about by these animals.
Such an improbable place would, of course by it's very nature, contain a large concentration of magic, wizards, mages, witches, sorcerers and other magical sort of folks. Our incompetent hero and main character, Rincewind, is himself a wizard, though an exceptionally bad one. While at wizard school (called Unseen University), he snuck a peek at the Great Book of Spells on a dare, and one of the Great Spells leapt out of the book and into his head. All other lesser spells, from opening walnuts to changing the weather or your shape, are too scared to stay in the same head as one of the Great Spells, so Rincewind, while technically a wizard, is doomed to wander around doing card tricks for a living.
Fortunately, however, Rincewind does have a talent for picking up foreign languages, which allows him to translate for an EXTREMELY RICH tourist who comes to town. Twoflower the tourist is unique in that A) he has four eyes B) he's the first tourist the town has ever had and C) he's got a strange sort of treasure chest that follows him around on little tiny legs and seems to be able to give him anything-a change of underwear, a flask of water, or more bars of solid gold than the entire town has seen in it's whole history.
The fun begins when Rincewind, who is street savvy despite being an inacompetent wizard, tries to first steal Twoflower's treasure and then protect the innocent and na�ve Twoflower from the danagers of the city (Twoflower, unaware of how much anything costs, offers up a whole bar of gold for a single glass of water, for example). Their adventures take them all over the Disc, from the high mountains at the Hub of the world to the edge of the Circle Sea, all the while as the Great Spell tries to get itself spoken by Rincewind, usually when he's just about ready to die some unusual and terrible death (oh, by the way, since only Death himself may take the soul of a wizard, the hooded figure of Death appears quite a lot in this story, usually when Rincewind is about to die some unusual and terrible death).
Pratchett loves to poke fun at the whole genre of science fiction and fantasy as well as himself and his own characters. More than one ridiculous situation will seem oh-so-familiar to those who are much taken with the genre. The book is worth reading just for the absurd situations that Rincewind and Twoflower find themselves in, as well as the cast of lesser characters who make up the patently motley crew of Discworld.
While not specifically a young adult novel, teen readers will no doubt enjoy the fast pace of the novel as well as the ridiculous situations almost every character finds itself in (as well as the ridiculous characters themselves, like Cohen the Barbarian). Those readers who have read a lot of fantasy/science fiction will enjoy the way that Pratchett pokes fun at the genre itself and the impossible twists in the plot (indeed, in the second book of the series, Rincewind himself falls off the edge of the planet but, no surprise, manages to get back on his feet...)
Highly recommended!! Those who really love this book may want to go onto the second book in the series, "The Light Fantastic" where the futher adventures of Twoflower and Rincewind are documented.
5.0 out of 5 stars The beginning,
Ville V. Kokko (Turku, Finland) - See all my reviews
This was not the first Discworld novel I ever read, which was slightly unfortunate because that way I expected something more from it when I first read it. It is not as good as most of the books later in the series, and aspects of the world are less well developed than in them; also, I felt that it was lacking in plot, being more like just an aimless journey from one place to another. However, I never got that feeling again when I reread it several times. I cannot evaluate this as a work of its own, because I have read (and practically fallen in love with) the whole rest of the series, but as a part of it it works fine. I would say it is propably a good one to start reading from, at least if you know that even if you do not quite like it, the rest are better. (This one is worth five stars, and it is considerably below average level for the series. What does that tell of the series?) It certainly contains some of the best elements of the series already, like ingenious facts about the world and very interesting characters, although both get even better later on.
4.0 out of 5 stars A Good Start to Discworld,
In "The Color of Magic" Terry Pratchett weaves a tale of light fantasy and some humor to make a good read. Being the first in a series of over 25 books, I'm sure that this is probably not one of the best.
For one thing, his humor wasn't the greatest. He threw in some dumb punchlines but the really good humor wasn't as easy to find. Things such as his "Big Bang" theory were pretty good compared to some other dry stuff. Despite this Pratchett still did a good job in presenting a comical fantasy adventure.
The plot of this novel is pretty simple. Rincewind the Wizard (who graduated from Unseen University knowing no spells because one of the 8 Great spells trapped itself inside of him) meets the tourist Twoflower in a tavern. Twoflower hires Rincewind as his tourguide so he could see Discworld. After Twoflower sets the city of Ankh-Morpork on fire, he and Rincewind make a run for Quirm. Read on to find out the rest.
Pratchett's characters are the actual very funny part about the book. Rincewind is just...Rincewind; Twoflower has to see everything even if it means his existence on Discworld will be no more; the talking sword, Kring; Hrun the Barbarian who fights and has basically a dumb mind; and many other characters that we meet throughout thisnovel are just funny.
What is interesting about this book is that Terry Pratchett takes issues that have arised on Earth and puts them onto Discworld. These things make the world of Discworld seem even more like the one you and I are on right this very second.
In conclusion, "The Color of Magic" is a great read that a fantasy fan or somebody looking for a good book to enjoy. This novel is relatively short and can be read quickly. After reading this I am looking forward to reading more books about Terry Pratchett's Discworld. This is probably the best way to start out this series. Read this, you won't be disappointed.
Happy Reading!
4.0 out of 5 stars Not as funny as terribly intriguing and thrilling,
David Pontoppidan (Copenhagen, Denmark) - See all my reviews
The book "Colour of Magic" is the first book in Terry Pratchetts Discworld book series, a series that just seems to never end.
We're cleverly thrown into the story and learn about the main characters, what, where and why. There are many hillarious books in my book collection, and I must admit that this is not one of them! This book is funny, witty and innovative, but it's not hillarious, strange and at the frontier of madness such as the stories by Douglas Adams. In return, however, it's a lot more thrilling. I just couldn't put it down after I had started reading it! TP writes in a very complicated language, and you have to use your dictionary once in a while, but it's great practise, and soon you'll discover a broadening in your vocabulary, the only downside is that sometimes TP uses very complicated language at the punchline of a joke, causing some of the fun to go out of it.
If you're just looking for a laugh I wouldn't recommend this book to you. But if you're looking for a funny and exciting tale that offers more than just a superficial "haha" this book is just what you've been looking for!
Most Helpful First | Newest First
The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett (Paperback - April 1 1990)
In Stock


text:
Enter our Power Hungry cookbook giveaway and you'll be on your way to homemade energy bars in a jiffy. Eight readers will win a copy of this new … [Read more...]
Power Hungry Cookbook Giveaway!
Win A Moji Foot Massager and Give Your Tootsies some TLC!
Give your feet a treat—enter to win a Moji Foot Massager ($39 value)! Two readers will win a Moji Foot Massager. Enter today and soon your tootsies … [Read more...]
Win an Oxylent Prize Pack!
Starting fresh this fall with new health habits? An Oxylent prize pack could be just what you need. Win an Oxylent prize pack (a $40 value)! A new … [Read more...]
Brew Yourself Some Chocolate—Win Choffy!
Eight lucky readers will win Choffy—that's two full-size packages of —100% ground cacao that's brewed like coffee (a $30 value)! Experience what … [Read more...]
Awesome Anolon Pancake Pan Giveaway!
Silver dollar pancakes made easy—Ten winners will snag this handy pan in our Awesome Anolon Pancake Pan Giveaway! Petite pancakes, coming up! Enter … [Read more...]
Win SweetLeaf Sweet Drops
Take your coffee, tea and water up a flavor notch! Five readers will Win SweetLeaf Sweet Drops multi-packs—a $20 value! Two multi-pack boxes of … [Read more...]
Be Speedy—Quick Fit Workout DVD Giveaway!
Pressed for time? Three fans will win a copy of this brand spankin' new exercise DVD in our Quick Fit Workout DVD Giveaway—enter today! No matter … [Read more...]
Win a Planters Peanut Prize Pack!
Here's one for our peanut lovers: Five fans will win a Planters Peanut Prize Pack—each consisting of five jars of assorted dry roasted peanuts—a $25 … [Read more...]


text:
Posts Tagged 'faust'
I have been waiting for this mixtape for well over a year and it is almost surreal that it actually dropped today.
For those unfamiliar, Faust is the rapper formerly known as Print and you can catch up on his previous release Comic Books Unlimited here. Grab this album and tracklist below the break courtesy of DJBooth.
Chris seems to slowly be creeping towards finally dropping his project called FAUST which has been anticipated for months. For this cut he enlists Rocki Evans to add some soulful singing to the chorus while he rips up the verses talking about all the girls who have done him wrong. The song also allows him to highlight his story telling abilities, which he is seriously underrated for, and is punctuated by his easy going, almost talking, flow. I have been slacking on the Chris Faust posts so I will include this one and "The Case of Said Rapper" courtesy of 2DBz below the break. FAUST still doesn't have a solid release date but expect it soon.
Chris hooks up with Cocoa Sarai again for his latest album and again they make a smooth R&B track which talks about our favorite activity. The video is different for a hip-hop video, it focuses on Chris and a girl just hanging out all day in bed and it easily could've been called "cuddling season". As a guy I would normally make fun of that but when you get yourself a nice little something like he has in the video it is hard to make fun of that. His new album is called Faust and is scheduled to drop Nov. 11th, check out more from it here.
Tagged: chris faust, cocoa sarai, cuffing season, faust, Video
Chris Faust, the AOK Collective member formerly known as Print, is back with a single from his upcoming project Faust. Outasight assists on the chorus and with a verse and I love when these two collab because "Lana Lang" off of Chris' tape Comic Books Unlimited from over a year ago was my shit. Chris hasn't dropped anything on us for a while now and needless to say I am ecstatic to get my ears on this release whenever it drops for us. Grab the download link below the break as well as a link to his old tape Comic Books Unlimited.
Tagged: aok collective, chris faust, download, faust, looking back, outasight, print
The artist formerly known as Print has some new music and it features one of his most frequently preferred R&B artists in Cocoa Sarai. If you remember she was on a couple of his songs off of his mixtape Comic Books Unlimited and most of them were my favorites. "The Book of Faust" has a minimalistic beat with deep synths and drums which adds a celestial feel to the track. Now that I think about it, this song has a Lupe quality to it where he just spits some longer bars over the slow beat with some singing mixed in too. Any comparison to one of my favorite lyricists is always a good thing as long as we're not talking about leaks lol!
Tagged: audio, chris faust, cocoa sarai, download, faust, mp3, print, the book of faust
The artist formerly known as Print finally drops off some new music after a little bit of a hiatus. This will be the lead single from his upcoming project and I hope he drops the mp3 on us soon. I was psyched to hear him say that he is working on a new project for next year too, I have been waiting for some new material from him and was hoping he was cooking up something this whole time. The beat sounds simplistic enough with what sounds like only drums, vocals and a little bit of piano. Look out for his project Faust, we certainly will be at B&B.
Tagged: chris faust, faust, live, me vs machine, print, Video


text:
Cyberwar! Yes, it's déjà vu all over again, as a security company spots yet another malware sample that appears to have been written by the U.S. or Israel. Possibly both.
- By Richi Jennings, this is OTOH: curated, fluff-free news and commentary, for people too busy to sift the gold from the sludge
After Stuxnet, Duqu, and Flame, this one seems to mainly spy on computer users in Lebanon. It's been dubbed Gauss (although Germanic-linguistic purists will no doubt be complaining that it should be written Gauß).
On the one hand, could this be another step towards all-out cyber-warfare? Imagine what might happen if those weapons were turned back on us.
On The Other Hand, consider where these reports all eminate: Kaspersky Labs, aka Laboratoriya Kasperskogo ZAO, a Russian security company with alleged Kremlin links.
The Gray Lady's Nicole Perlroth reports:
Kaspersky…said that the virus appeared to have been written by the [creators of] Flame, the data-mining [malware] found to be spying on computers in Iran [and] linked to Stuxnet, [which] disrupted uranium enrichment work in Iran in 2010.
Gauss…has been detected on 2,500 computers, most in Lebanon…[stealing] logins for e-mail and instant messaging accounts, social networks and…the Bank of Beirut, Blom Bank, Byblos Bank…Credit Libanais…Citibank and…PayPal.
Lebanon experts said that [such] an American cyber espionage campaign…would seem to be a plausible possibility, given Washington's concerns that the country's banks are being used [to aid] the Syrian government and…Hezbollah.
Forbes' Andy Greenberg adds:
[It's] designed to collect banking information, among other functions…the researchers have yet to determine. … Why would government-created spyware steal access to users' bank accounts? … Gauss may have been part of "follow the money" surveillance operation.
The program's modules are named for famous mathematicians…with its main module seemingly named for 18th century German mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss.
Unlike Stuxnet and Flame, Gauss seems to be relatively new. … They peg its creation at mid-2011…[but] the malware creators move to encrypt a key portion of the code may have been designed to slow reverse engineering of the software until it could carry out its mission.
Kasperky Lab's pseudonymous GReAT spills the beans:
Gauss was discovered during the…effort initiated by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), following the discovery of Flame. … Besides stealing various kinds of data…it also includes an unknown, encrypted payload which is activated on certain specific system configurations. … We are still analyzing…and trying to break the encryption scheme.
After looking at Stuxnet, Duqu and Flame, we can say with a high degree of certainty that Gauss comes from the same "factory" or "factories." … [They are] pretty much defining the meaning of "sophisticated malware."
The presumption is that the attackers are…profiling the victims and their computers…to monitor the balance on the victim's accounts.
Famous sci-fi author Bruce "cyberpunk" Sterling muses:
It's like unearthing a lost civilization, except I have no doubt these guys are still at it.
[And] when will they go into business for themselves?
But Simon sez:
Kaspersky Labs has long been in bed with Putin. … Russia to this day supports Iran…Syria, and the Hizbollah…death squads who control much of Lebanon.
Caveat emptor.
Meanwhile, David Gewirtz wonders what would happen if such "digital WMD" attacked us:
How would IT organizations respond? Could we, in fact, defend ourselves? … I recruited an all-star team…[that] explored possible scenarios of how such a dangerous weapon could be repurposed…and aimed at us.
The simulation began with three isolated…breakdowns in our transportation system…[an] enemy could disrupt our overall transportation systems…[which] could undermine trust and citizen confidence. … Next came a distributed denial of service attack against transportation Web sites and banks [and] a coordinated cyberespionage attack [against] our banking clearinghouse systems.
[In summary] an economic extinction-level event.
More from NetAppVoice:
- Mars Rover Curiosity is NASA's 2012 Apollo
- London Olympics Get Gold Medal for Big Data (Infographic)
- Five Reasons to Stop Worrying and Learn to Love the Cloud
Richi Jennings is an independent analyst, writer and editor. You can Google-Plus him at +richij, follow him as @richi on Twitter, pretend to be his friend at Facebook.com/richij or just use boring old email: email@example.com


text:
|Posted on April 29, 2011 at 7:30 AM
This June, Screamland howls back into comic shops as a fully-loaded ongoing series by Harold Sipe and co-writer Christopher Sebela with new series artist Lee Leslie and colorist Buster Moody. No monster is safe.
Categories: None
Oops, you forgot something.
The words you entered did not match the given text. Please try again.


text:
Quick Lincs
Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology
Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Systems Biology
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Molecules Cells and Organisms (MCO)
John L. Rinn is the Alvin and Esta Star Associate professor
of Stem Cell and Regerative Biology
at Harvard University and Medical
School and Senior Associate Member
of the Broad Institute. Our research
aims to understand the role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs)
in establishing the distinct epigenetic
states of adult and embryonic cells
and their misregulation in diseases
such as cancer. To further explore
how lncRNAs may define and or drive
cell fate decisions we developed
computational methods to provide
initial hypothesis of their functions.
This "guilt by association method"
pointed to a clear connection of
lncRNAs and numerous cellular pathways
ranging from pluripotency, cancer,
adipogenesis to parasitology. We
have employed systematic compuational
and experimental approaches that
have unraveled a myriad of functional
roles for lncRNAs in these pathways.
Collectively our studies point to
key regulatory roles for lncRNAs
across diverse biological pathways,
with a common theme of forming ribonucleic-protein
complexes that in turn modulate
cell fate decisions. Overall, we aim to understand the roles of lncRNAs in vivo from Mouse Models to Molecular Mechanisms.


text:
1. out - noun
· (baseball) a failure by a batter or runner to reach a base safely in baseball; "you only get 3 outs per inning"
Hypernym(s): failure
2. out - verb
· to state openly and publicly one's homosexuality; "This actor outed last year"
Synonym(s): come_out_of_the_closet, come_out
Hypernym(s): unwrap, disclose, let_on, bring_out, reveal, discover, expose, divulge, break, give_away, let_out, uncover
3. out - verb
· reveal (something) about somebody's identity or lifestyle; "The gay actor was outed last week"; "Someone outed a CIA agent"
Hypernym(s): unwrap, disclose, let_on, bring_out, reveal, discover, expose, divulge, break, give_away, let_out, uncover
4. out - verb
· be made known; be disclosed or revealed; "The truth will out"
Synonym(s): come_out
5. out - adjective
· not allowed to continue to bat or run; "he was tagged out at second on a close play"; "he fanned out"
Antonym(s): safe
6. out - adjective
· being out or having grown cold; "threw his extinct cigarette into the stream"; "the fire is out"
Synonym(s): extinct
7. out - adjective
· not worth considering as a possibility; "a picnic is out because of the weather"
8. out - adjective
· out of power; especially having been unsuccessful in an election; "now the Democrats are out"
9. out - adjective
· excluded from use or mention; "forbidden fruit"; "in our house dancing and playing cards were out"; "a taboo subject"
Synonym(s): forbidden, prohibited, proscribed, taboo, tabu, verboten
10. out - adjective
· directed outward or serving to direct something outward; "the out doorway"; "the out basket"
11. out - adjective
· no longer fashionable; "that style is out these days"
12. out - adjective
· outside or external; "the out surface of a ship's hull"
13. out - adjective
· outer or outlying; "the out islands"
14. out - adjective
· knocked unconscious by a heavy blow
Synonym(s): knocked_out, kayoed, KO%27d, stunned
15. out - adverb
· away from home; "they went out last night"
16. out - adverb
· moving or appearing to move away from a place, especially one that is enclosed or hidden; "the cat came out from under the bed"
17. out - adverb
· from one's possession; "he gave out money to the poor"; "gave away the tickets"
Synonym(s): away
The only site you need for word puzzles, home work, anagrams and scrabble games. The best site for two word anagram solutions.
Enter the letters to get anagrams for the word
Definitions, synonyms, antonyms and related words
Enter the word below with '?' to indicate missing letters
Enter the word to find the rhymes
Enter the letters of the beginning, middle or end of the word.


text:
Monday, August 22, 2011
What international body was created at the first Geneva conference Aug. 22, 1864?
On Aug. 22, 1864, 12 nations sign the first Geneva Convention, also known as the Red Cross Convention, to improve the aid given to sick and wounded in war zones. The convention officially establishes the International Red Cross, and sets as its symbol a red cross on a white background thereafter the internationally recognized emblem for nonpartisan medical care. The convention's principles mandate that medical workers must provide relief for wounded soldiers without distinguishing nationality, and ensures the neutrality of and protection for, medical workers bearing the Red Cross emblem. The organization that eventually becomes known as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), is founded by businessman Jean-Henri Dunant in Geneva, Switzerland, a year prior to the signing of the first Geneva Convention. Dunant, who is later awarded the first Nobel Peace Prize for his work, decides to establish the committee after witnessing the aftermath of a bloody battle between French and Austrian armies in northern Italy in 1859.
Today, according to ICRC's website, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is the largest humanitarian network in the world, with a presence in every country and the support of millions of volunteers. Recently, the Red Cross and Red Crescent provided emergency relief and on-the-ground reports in places of international concern, including Somalia, Haiti, and Libya. Last Friday, ICRC officials told Reuters that Syria may soon grant it access to Syrian prisons, a development that comes on the heels of strong international condemnation of the country's violent crackdown on pro-democracy protests. In other related news, the ICRC's Council of the Assembly last June, officially adopted a policy on torture to protect victims and help them heal from torture and build social institutions to prevent it.