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Welcome to the first of what I hope to be many postings in this blog relating to fantasy football and all things NFL! Of course, with the way my brain works, and with a desire to both educate as well as entertain my audience, there is the distinct possibility of random facts, figures, and asides creeping into what is SUPPOSED to be strictly about the dark mother of all addictions, fantasy football. And that is exactly what this fine "game" of ours is...an addiction. Okay, okay, I get it, heroin and crack get all the pub, and I have nothing but sympathy for those who have wandered down those dark roads. But to anyone actually reading this post in the early days of June, it seems fairly certain that you are suckling from the teat of despair that is the offseason of the NFL. Come on man, I just need a hit...gimmee some news on AP. Come on, I'm hurting real bad, man, where does Jamal Charles go in a standard 10 team league serpentine draft? I'll do anything, man, ANYTHING, just tell me your draft strategy for a 12 team two-QB league.
If you made it through the first paragraph, kudos to you. I suppose a little information about myself is in order, at least so far as it relates to my problem. This year I will be celebrating my fifteenth year of fantasy football madness. I remember well my initiation into the dark brotherhood of fantasy maniacs...I was offered a taste for free by a friend. How many addictions start off in just that way? Some friends were throwing together a league in the third week of the 1997 season. 10 team league, standard scoring. Neither of those statements meant anything to me. I had never heard of fantasy football, and was at best a casual fan of the game...I rooted for the Seahawks, was vaguely familiar with most of the other teams, but followed the home team and superstars, as most casual fans of the game do. "We need a tenth guy, you wanna help us out?" What could be the harm, I thought? Sure, I'll give it a shot.
Little did I know. We met at a local pizza joint, and our most experienced league member attempted to explain the rules, the scoring system, pickups, trades, rosters, how the draft worked...imagine teaching quantum physics to third graders. Remember, nine of the ten initial members had never heard of fantasy football, much less taken part in a league. This was before the onset of the internet age. The old paper and pencil days, when fantasy football information consisted of parsing statistics from the sports page of your local newspaper. Nobody had real cheat sheets. No one had any idea of positional importance. We were not prepared in any way for draft day. The first pick in our draft was a defense. I am not kidding.
I had spent the afternoon leading up to the draft looking over the league leaders in the USA Today. In the early days of the '97 season, no team was hotter than the Oakland Raiders, led by Jeff George...yes, that Jeff George. Having no other information available to base my choice on, I selected old Georgie with the seventh pick in the draft, and proceeded to load up on his team-mates...Napoleon Kaufman, James Jett, and Rickey Dudley made their way onto my squad. This did not end up being a terrible strategy, as Jeff George led or was near the league-lead in most statistical categories, as were Nap and Jett. But my season was made by the magic of one Kordell Stewart, drafted late, almost as an afterthought. 21 passing td's and 11 rushing td's later, and I somehow finished in second place.
I was hooked. Here was a reason to follow every team in the NFL. Not even just every team, but every player. I went from a casual fan who couldn't list the starters for the Seahawks to a junky who could tell you the fourth WR on the Buccaneers. Newspaper sports sections became my constant companion, read and re-read, attempting to glean some bit of insight, some scrap of information that would give me a leg up on my competition. I began to keep journals, collecting my thoughts, my rankings, any choice bit of info. I got organized.
Still, in the days before the internet, this information was extremely limited. I was often hurting for anything football or fantasy related, particularly during the offseason. I would go into football withdrawals, with no news for weeks. WEEKS! Could nothing save me from this despair?
Luckily for my sanity, the beginning of my addiction closely correlates to the explosion of fantasy football into a worldwide phenomenon. I soon became enraptured by the amount of preseason publications that suddenly appeared, as if from fantasy heaven. I could now buy five, six, seven or more magazines before the season began! Oh rapturous day! Fantasy reading galore! I would sit for hours, poring over predictions, statistical correlations, strategies, sleepers, etc. I could not envision anything greater than the wealth of information that had been put at my fingertips. I was in fantasy nirvana. And a little more dependent...but I could still quit any time, right? Sure I could. I just didn't want to.
At this point, my league morphed into a twelve team league, with a few years of experience under our belts. Owners became more knowledgable. Cheat sheets began to appear. The importance of runningbacks became widely apparent. Kickers and defenses became relegated to the final rounds of our draft. It became increasingly difficult to sneak your sleepers by an unsuspecting crowd of yahoo's in the twelfth round.
Though we were becoming more sophisticated, our methods of tracking our league were not. We still kept track of everything on paper. Our commissioner would have us call his answering machine (no cell phones yet, my friends, so no voice mail...his home answering machine. Some of you may not know what those are, ask your parents) with our lineups, due by sunday morning at nine a.m. Pickups were done by calling and leaving a message on wednesday morning, first come, first served...we had no waiver wire process at all. I remember leaving messages along these lines: "Hey, bud, yeah, I'll take Kurt Warner first, dropping Chad Pennington, if someone already got him, I'll take Stephen Davis, dropping Natrone Means, if nobody else called first, I'll take them both." And yes, I ended up getting both players, simply by having been the first to make a claim.
Each week, each owner would tabulate his own score in the newspaper, adding up yards, touchdowns, etc. A yellow highlighter was the tool of choice, ensuring you didn't miss any field goals, extra points, defensive scores, on and on. Then each owner would call the commissioner to check over their points with him...mistakes were often made. League scoring sheets were each owners responsibility to pick up from the commissioner's house, and were not seen sometimes for weeks at a time. Everything was handled over the phone. Seems incredible today, doesn't it? At the time, we thought we had it pretty well figured out. It just couldn't get any better than this. And I was whole-hog, fully baptised into the cult of fantasy football. Sipping the kool-aid, as it were. What could be better?
If you have seen the film 2001: A Space Odyssey, then you will be familiar with the moment when the apes touch the monolith, and human consciousness begins...I compare this to the first time I connected to the internet at home. My eyes were opened. A revelation. A miracle. Here was all the information and wisdom of the universe at my fingertips. It could be used for tremendous good, for education, for enlightenment. We could solve the worlds ills, eradicate hunger and war. We could end dictatorships and bring equality and freedom to all. We could save the world. Better still, we could quickly and easily disseminate fantasy news and statistics.
I no longer had to wait for the newspaper or some television sports show to provide me my fantasy fix. I was no longer enslaved by those controlling this information, siphoning it off into a slow, sometimes non-existent trickle. Here I had limitless access to what seemed to be practically unlimited news...freedom! I could now, fifty times a day, hop online for updates. And I did. Fifty times a day. Wait, freedom? Maybe the wrong word.
Hold on, if the internet could be used for news, could it also not be used for...gasp!...league management! Hooray! Rosters and scores and trades and waivers...oh my, my dreams are all coming true. I can now propose three hundred trades a day if I so choose! No more adding up your own scores! This internet thing is really something! I could never, ever want more for my fantasy addiction, and everything was right with the world.
Except, of course, that it wasn't. The countless hours of work I put in for preparation before the draft just increased. Used to be, a sleeper was a real sleeper. I can't tell you the amount of times I would select a player that at least a few of the owners at the draft had never even heard of before. Information was power. The most informed owner, the ones who had put the time in, had a very real advantage over those who showed up with a magazine they bought that day, unprepared. Now, those owners can hop online, minutes before a draft, and have the most up-to-date, well-researched and informed cheat sheet imaginable. From fifty different sources.
The internet has become the great equalizer. So now, instead of allowing me to relax a bit, it makes me work that much harder...finding the needles in the haystacks that lead to fantasy dominance. The factoid from OTA's that somehow slips by. The comment by a head coach about an undrafted player who is making waves at rookie camp. My level of involvement climbs again, my workload increases, until the payoff of the draft (best day of the year, bar none) and the beginning of the regular season.
As wonderful and downright magical as the 17 weeks of the regular season are, they, of course, eventually come to an end. The playoffs sooth, to an extent, but after the Super Bowl, my world collapses. I begin to hunger. I am temporarily sated by the beginning of free agency. The release of the schedule. The NFL draft. Mini-camps. OTA's. I love each and every one of these events with a passion and fervor that rivals nationalism for intensity. But even these are merely brief oases in the desert that subsumes the approximately eight months between kickoffs. For God's sakes, can September get here any more slowly?
So I search. I sift. I pull my favorite sites up. Again. And again. Anything new? Anything? What's up with AP and his wind-sprints? Kenny Britt? Jamal Charles? How will Peyton Hillis eat into his workload? Who got first team reps between Doug Martin and Legarrette Blount? Between Matt Flynn, Tarvaris Jackson, and Russell Wilson? Between Matt Hasslebeck and Jake Locker? How's the velocity on Peyton Manning's throws? Has he been targeting Eric Decker or Demaryius Thomas more frequently? How will RGIII perform in Shanahan's system, and what kind of impact can we expect? What about the impact of Carl Nicks and Vincent Jackson in Tampa? Brandon Lloyd in New England? How is Chris Johnson looking? How will Steve Hutchinson impact his value? Can Ryan Mathews really carry the load? Can Cam repeat his success? These and countless other questions just like them try my soul, drive my passion, and increase my hunger to know the answers, before anybody else, and better than anybody else.
To those of you who know the hunger, I welcome you. If you find yourself loading up your favorite fantasy news site...for the fifteenth time today...on June 3...I salute you. If you find yourself taking serious notes on the uninformed musings of an unknown beat writer from Tempe, or even on those wispy and ethereal "team sources," about depth charts and sleepers before training camp has even begun, I embrace you. We are brothers, bound together by the mania that is fantasy football. I hope to help by giving you some release, some news, some laughs, some common, shared experiences. Most of all, though, I simply hope to give you something to look at, until football rolls around, and we can get down to business. Thanks for reading, I hope to talk to you soon.


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- 19:22, February 3, 2011 Jacce (Talk | contribs) deleted page User:Zetsu-senpai (Userpage policy: content was: "Darui" (and the only contributor was "Zetsu-senpai"))
- 07:29, February 2, 2011 Zetsu-senpai (Talk | contribs) User avatar added or updated
- 05:47, June 22, 2010 Jacce (Talk | contribs) blocked Zetsu-senpai (Talk | contribs) with an expiry time of 3 days (account creation disabled) (Inserting false information)
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subset: commoncrawl


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Adam & Paul
Adam & Paul is unfortunately, but predictably, not available from the US.
If described superficially, it's nothing appealing. Low budget, depressing film about two junkies.
But it's one of those films which for some reason or another, perhaps just raw talent, is brilliant. The timing, the acting, the dialogue, the photography, all outstanding. And not to mention, it is just damn funny.
If you like oddball, seminal movies, don't miss it.


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Andrew Shaw
Judd and Troy talk to Andrew Shaw on WGN Radio 720 after the 4-3 OT win over Columbus.
My brother suggested I might like this blog. He was totalply right.
This post truly made my day. You cann't imagine
just how much time I had spent for this information!
Comments are closed.


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SPRINGFIELD (AP) - A state prison inmate has been ordered to stand trial for the 2011 stabbing deaths of an elderly couple in their southwest Missouri home.
KYTV reports a Greene County judge found sufficient evidence to try 25-year-old Jose Huckleberry on two counts of first-degree murder plus burglary and armed criminal action. The ruling followed a preliminary hearing Monday.
Huckleberry was charged in February with killing 80-year-old Helen Willingham and her 81-year-old husband, Don Willingham, at their home west of Springfield.
At the time of the killings, Huckleberry was awaiting trial on a burglary charge for which he's now serving five years.


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Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints leaders are Stake President Ahmad S. Corbitt of Pitman (center) standing in front of (from left) Kevin Hein of Pennsauken, Angel Ramos of Pennsauken, Kenneth Peebles of Pennsauken, Edelmiro Gonzalez of Camden, Bishop Julio Ortiz of Camden and Benigno Coyotl of Camden.
- Filed Under
This poor, largely minority town is about as far removed from Salt Lake City as one could imagine.
But with a growing Mormon population here, and the planned construction of a new meetinghouse on an East Camden street, the two cities have become inextricably linked.
Local Mormon President Ahmad Corbitt says misconceptions abound about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Meaning: Most people think all Mormons are white and from Utah. ...


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A few days ago, the WALL STREET JOURNAL ran an article contemplating the virtual impossibility of beating Rafael Nadal at the French Open, and you can understand why. He was chasing his record fifth-straight title at Roland Garros, where he had never lost a match. His career record on clay 150-5. At the French Open, Nadal was pretty much a one-man wrecking crew.
But apparently, Robin Soderling doesn't read the WALL STREET JOURNAL. Which isn't that shocking, since he's Swedish and all. But what the 23rd seed lacks in financial media acumen, he makes up for with a powerful serve, which was far more important today as he beat Nadal in four sets in what the NEW YORK TIMES is calling "one of the biggest upsets in the long history of tennis."
Nadal had never even been pushed to five sets at the French Open, and that's still the case. But Soderberg blitzed Nadal 6-2 in the first set (his first loss of a set since the 2007 final against Roger Federer) and didn't look back, sending Nadal packing and throwing the tournament wide open. Federer has to be smiling - he just saw the 600 lb. gorilla standing between him and a career Grand Slam get eliminated.
Nadal wasn't the only big name to fall at the French Open today. (Or as Newt Gingrich still calls it, the Freedom Open.) Most disappointing for the male fans of the sport was Ana Ivanovich, as the defending women's champion fell flat on her face (actually, I don't know if that's posssible) and was knocked out of the tournament by Victoria Azarenka in straight sets.
While we know what a hottie Ivanovich is, it's not like Azarenka is chopped liver either:


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Green Festival Exhibitors
Renewable Energy
Exhibitors are companies that are in line with Green Festival's core values and beliefs. Read More.
Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas(r)) has delivered clean, safe, and affordable natural gas for more than 140 years. However, we do more than provide reliable energy: we believe treating Earth's resources with respect is critical. SoCalGas actively minimizes our impact on air and water quality, contributes to conservation agencies to protect sensitive habitats, and drives innovative energy efficiency projects. Also, we help businesses that produce organic waste repurpose it into a renewable fuel called biogas.


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Women's Democratic Senatorial Fund Raiser
Several politicians and a poet spoke and a musical group performed at a fund raiser for the Democratic senatorial candidates in Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco. The program…123 views
Several politicians and a poet spoke and a musical group performed at a fund raiser for the Democratic senatorial candidates in Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco. The program…123 views
In one of California's two Senate races, former Mayor Feinstein and Senator Seymour are competing for the seat vacated by Pete Wilson when he won the governorship of…172 views
Ms. Wilkinson discussed video clips of the California Senate campaign via remote link.100 views
Cameras followed Democratic Senate candidate Dianne Feinstein as she greeted supporters prior to her remarks before the Women's Leadership Council in San Diego, California.50 views
Democratic presidential candidate Gov. Bill Clinton spoke to a crowd of supporters celebrating Mexican Independence Day in the San Gabriel Valley outside Los Angeles,…157 views
The California Broadcasters Association sponsored a forum presenting the major candidates in the 1992 U.S. Senate races in California. The candidates appeared consecutively and were…72 views
Sen. Barbara Mikulski spoke on the growth of the number of women candidates for the Senate in the 1992 election, and introduced a number of women candidates for the U.S. Senate who…127 views
Entertainers, celebrities, and politicians spoke at a fundraising event for the Hollywood Women's Political Committee, a political action committee that was organized to support women…230 views
The victors of the 1992 Democratic Senate primaries in California participated in a news conference in San Francisco during a series of news conferences held across the state on the day…86 views
Coverage of the races for the primary nominations to compete for the two years left in the Senate term of California Goveror Pete Wilson included an interview with San Francisco Examiner…74 views
Three Democratic candidates for the U.S. Senate seat currently occupied by Sen. John Seymour participated in a televised debate sponsored by the California League of Women…103 views
Club 100 of the Music Center of Los Angeles County, California, sponsored a forum on women in national politics. Club 100 is a women's organization designed to attract and train…82 views
Ms. Feinstein delivered a speech entitled "Is This Any Way to Run a Country?" Ms. Feinstein is a former Democratic mayor of San Francisco. Last year she ran for…236 views
Humorists, entertainers, and Washington figures participated in lighthearted jests at Texas Governor Ann Richards' expense in the "roast" sponsored by Independent…457 views
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Feinstein took a day-long train tour through Bakersfield, Fresno, Hanford and Stockton, California.72 views
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Dianne Feinstein spoke to students at San Jose State University.72 views
Dianne Feinstein and Sen. Pete Wilson met for the first of two scheduled debates in the California gubernatorial race. Dianne Feinstein is the Democratic candidate and…198 views
The California Democratic Party held a "unity" dinner to initiate the campaign of Diane Feinstein as the Democratic gubernatorial candidate.102 views
The rally occurred at the Lincoln Memorial.157 views


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- Filed Under
Book sale open April 25 to 27
Friends of T.B. Scott Library will host its Spring Book Sale at the library, 106 W. First St., Merrill. Sale hours are 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, April 25; 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, April 26; and 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 27.
All books will cost 50 cents; children's books cost 25 cents apiece or five for $1.
Proceeds go to T.B. Scott Free Library.


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HDBaseT: Shaping the Future of Digital ConnectivitySingle cable solution provides true all-in-one connectivity while eliminating common installation pitfalls. 8/17/2011 2:30 PM Eastern
HDBaseT: Shaping the Future of Digital Connectivity
Aug 17, 2011 6:30 PM, by Micha Risling
Single cable solution provides true all-in-one connectivity while eliminating common installation pitfalls.
Current connectivity technologies restrict the delivery of content and place limitations on contractors and consumers in terms of cable reach, feature capabilities, ease of installation, and overall flexibility. The growing demand for converged distribution of HD multimedia content, combined with the cost and complexity of installing existing technologies, is driving the industry toward a new HD digital connectivity standard. Supported by a cross‐industry alliance incorporated by LG Electronics, Samsung Electronics, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Valens Semiconductor, a new technology—HDBaseT—is revolutionizing the distribution of HD multimedia content.
HDBaseT technology is a multimedia connectivity standard optimized for long-distance distribution of data and multimedia content. The cornerstone of HDBaseT technology is 5Play, an unrivaled feature set that sends full uncompressed HD video, audio, 100BaseT Ethernet, power over cable, and various control signals through a single 100 meter/328ft. Cat-5e/6 LAN cable.
Unlike other distribution technologies currently available, HDBaseT is the only single-cable technology that provides wired multimedia connectivity up to 100 meters, full uncompressed HD video, as well as up to 100W of power. The LAN-based technology makes it possible to cut the assortment of cables for audio, video, CE device connectors, and even the power source. This form of networking—whether it is done point-to-point, by daisy-chaining devices, or through star topology—can be applied in both the consumer home and in B2B cases such as digital signage networking.
For the home, an HDBaseT media hub can manage numerous devices and seamlessly push the 5Play feature set from a chosen device to an HDBaseT-enabled display located anywhere. HDBaseT also supports a variety of commercial installations. For the professional and commercial integrator market, HDBaseT technology solves the installer's need for performance over longer distance, ease of installation, reliability, flexibility, and cost of installation—without compromising on quality.
For many connectivity technologies, distance is a main limitation. With HDBaseT, distance is no longer a concern because it can run over a 100 meter/328ft. Cat-5e/6 cable and support multi-hops (8x100 meters) with fewer cables and less mess. Cat-5 cable is a proven quality method for transferring HD and new 3D formats and ensures reliability and low latency while supporting various controls. In addition, power over cable capabilities eliminate the electrician; HDBaseT sends 100W of power simultaneously through the 5Play feature set, eliminating the need for a power outlet to be installed near the display. Requiring only a single, low-cost LAN cable with standard RJ-45 connectors, HDBaseT-based network installations significantly cut down the cost of an installation.
The HDBaseT Alliance has set an ambitious target to improve the installation process and enhance the viewer experience. The unmatched 5Play offering enables the industry to deploy HD systems that are cheaper, more installation friendly, more reliable, and are capable of dealing with the new HD video format and future 3D content. This high reliability, low maintenance, and scalable technology provides installers with the flexibility to quickly, costeffectively, and confidently complete even the largest scale jobs.
Manufacturers, installers, and consumers alike require a dependable connectivity solution that can be implemented easily and economically for a variety of installation scenarios. Exceeding these requirements, HDBaseT is well-positioned to become the preferred industry technology for simplified networking and single-wire connectivity.
Micha Risling is the marketing chair of the HDBaseT Alliance, the cross-industry alliance formed to promote and standardize the HDBaseTM technology for distribution of uncompressed HD multimedia content.
Get our Free Newsletter Here!


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Gavin Williams
Clive Downton, Rugby correspondent and sub-editor / / Rugby
Something has to give at the top of London 2 South-West and it may well happen this weekend.
Unless there is a draw, the league will have an outright leader tomorrow evening as table toppers Gosport & Fareham and Guildford come face to face.
Gos currently hold top spot courtesy of their points difference, and, they have home advantage for the exciting clash with the only other unbeaten club in the league.
Chasing sides Tottonians and London Cornish have lost ground on the top two but can get back into the promotion race with wins.
Both clubs have home games against teams from the other half of the table – Cornish face Old Reigatian and Totts take on second-from-bottom Teddington, with the clear aim of making ground on the leaders.
Teddington may be one place off rock bottom with just one win to their name but Totts' head coach Gavin Williams and his first XV squad will not be taking them lightly.
He said: "We know that in this league the form sometimes shown up to a point can be deceiving. You do not know if they have suffered injuries or exactly why they are where they are."
He added: "We are going for a win and if we do not get four or preferably five points we will be very, very disappointed.
"We need to keep up with the top two. We have Gosport & Fareham away in a few weeks and then both of them at home in the new year so that will be interesting."
Trojans and Winchester occupy mid-table places – although the Stoneham Lane side have a four-point advantage – and they meet tomorrow.
Winchester have just stepped up to this level from SW3 while home side Trojans were relegated from London 1 South. Neither of them have had ideal starts to the season so victory will be as important to both sides.
Promoted stories
Trojans go into the clash on the back of a couple of victories and head coach Dean Lewis says all is well in his camp.
He said: "We aim to build on our momentum and take things forward. We have enjoyed the last two results which have been spot on.
"It has been good to have a week's rest, the training sessions have been great and we're pretty happy with where we are at the moment."
Winchester put the disappointment of a couple of heavy defeats behind them with victory over Portsmouth before the week's break.
Despite the longest injury list since he took over as head coach at Winchester three seasons ago, Andy Fields remains bullish about his team's prospects in London 2 South-West.
"We have four games between now and Christmas", he says, "and we're targeting four wins."
Having started the season with a choice of two complete back rows, Fields is likely to have to play a second-row at No 8 tomorrow. Ollie Rogers makes a welcome return at fly-half.
Full rugby preview in today's Daily Echo
Promoted Stories
Comments are closed on this article.


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The neon lit iPod Tabletop Jukebox marries a classic 1950's jukebox to the portable technology of your iPod. This iPod jukebox is an eye catching tabletop version of the arch shaped classic jukebox decked out in bright neon, eternity lighting and cherry finish. Just put your iPod in the iPod docking station and you're ready to rock around the clock to anything on your playlist, or any CD in your collection. This iPod juke box stands just 18" high, so it is portable enough to place anywhere – on a table, countertop of bookshelf. The iPod Tabletop Jukebox delivers crisp dynamic sound with its full range stereo speakers. The iPod jukebox comes with something else the old jukeboxes never had – a full function remote control. Every song on your playlist will sound like a classic belting out from the classically styled iPod Tabletop Jukebox. Also compatible with all iPhones.
See more details
Item # 200238
Get ready for the sock hop! The neon lit iPod Tabletop Jukebox brings the classic whimsical styling of a 1950's malt shop jukebox to a tabletop near you. Just plug your iPod into the iPod jukebox and watch the room come to life.
At 18", this iPod docking station is small enough to put on a table, counter or bookshelf in any room. And with its classic styling, cherry finish, brightly lit neon tubes and mesmerizing eternity lighting this iPod juke box draws your attention before you play a single song.
Just place your iPod in the iPod docking station. You can control the music from the front of the iPod jukebox, or use the fully functional remote control. Select from your playlist, or put in a CD and enjoy the big sound of dynamic full range stereo speakers - your friends will be looking around for the big speakers you have hidden away!
Rock the night away with the iPod Tabletop Jukebox – the perfect addition to any game room, rec room, deck or bar.
• Classic juke box styling in a tabletop design
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• Not just an iPod juke box – play CDs too.
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Length: 9.5
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Marauders and the Draught of the Living Death by Ariana_Fosse
Rated: 1st-2nd Years [Reviews - 1]
Summary: First year of Hogwarts for Marauders. On top of discovering that one of their number is a werewolf there are also many cases of people falling into comas from which they cannot be awakened. The Marauders are convinced that Snape is somehow behind this and, with little regard to the school rules, they set out to catch him.
What's In A Name? by Midnight Storm
Rated: 1st-2nd Years [Reviews - 11]
What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet
– William Shakespeare
But for Lily and James Potter, it wasn't that simple.
Boy or Girl? by Mom2Rose
Rated: 1st-2nd Years [Reviews - 3]
Summary: Lily and James Potter have recently learned that they are expecting their first bundle of joy. Despite the threat that hangs over their world, they each have their own desires for what their offspring will be.
(This is a one-shot in honor of all the parents out there who would lay down their lives for their children. Thank you!)
One Last Night by Snowlily
Rated: 3rd-5th Years [Reviews - 4]
Night falls, and four people are out to observe the full moon: Severus Snape, heartbroken over his loss of Lily Evans, Sirius Black, keen to take advantage of his enemy's despair, James Potter, rushing to rescue his hated opponent from his best friend - Remus Lupin, confined to the Whomping Willow - and Lily Evans herself, seeking solitude after her argument with her ex-friend in the corridor. But instead of solitude and comfort in the Hogwarts grounds, she finds out some things she wasn't supposed to know....Severus Snape is lured inside the knothole, Sirius Black crows over his triumph, James Potter rescues his foe, Remus Lupin, werewolf, nearly destroys any future for his human side - and Lily Evans weeps in the shadow of the beech tree, for too many reasons to count..... A more eventful moon than any of them wanted.
The Final Cause by Pussycat123
Rated: 3rd-5th Years [Reviews - 14]
Summary: When Marty Price entered the lives of the Marauders, they never expected her to come to mean so much to them. Their last years at Hogwarts were idealistic and beautiful. But a few years in the harsh outside world soon forces them to change. When faced with so much, it is unsurprising that they are tired and lonely and almost broken. Even optimists like Marty struggle to remain true to themselves - so what hope do the rest of them have when she leaves on a vital secret mission? Especially when everything else, if possible, begins crumble even further ...
Sequel to 'The Cause'
Always by angeoudemon
Rated: 3rd-5th Years [Reviews - 3]
Summary: Inspired by the "After all this time?" "Always" exchange in the Deathly Hallows. The friendship of Severus Snape and Lily Evans.
Welcome to the Black Parade by Jaggy
Rated: 6th-7th Years [Reviews - 1]
Summary: "We've got to make them think we think we're good enough and maybe they can't see our flaws."
A mission turned to a fight for life makes Sirius remember much of what he once had too readily forgotten.
The Soul of a Player by Werewolf_sympathiser
Rated: 6th-7th Years [Reviews - 261]
Summary: Sirius Black, Marauder, heart throb and good friend, is in his last year at Hogwarts. Follow his journey through friendship, pranks and that special someone. Chapter Thirty One is here at last! I realise I have left this for nearly 3 years, but I am finally back! I am very grateful to the readers who have stuck by me during my extended hiatus. Thanks a lot guys :)
Summary: Once there were two brothers named Prewett, a McKinnon girl who danced and died, and a Black who could never be serious...
Burning Question by ToBeOrNotToBeAGryffindor
Rated: 1st-2nd Years [Reviews - 5]
Summary: Petunia had asked Vernon over to breakfast with her parents for one reason -- angling for that coveted marriage proposal. But was the one she wanted the one she got?
From Green to Brown by MerrryD
Rated: 6th-7th Years [Reviews - 4]
Witch Switch by Gmariam
Rated: 3rd-5th Years [Reviews - 6]
Summary: When Sirius's plans for Hogsmeade backfire, he ends up taking Lily Evans to Madam Puddifoot's instead, only to find James is not at all happy to see them sharing a tart. And when James's date kisses Sirius, Lily storms off as well, leaving him on the floor covered in chocolate. Yet things are even more complicated than they seem…
This is Gmariam of Ravenclaw writing for the 2011 Aprils Fools' Day Challenge in the Great Hall, Prompt 3, Marauder Era.
Promise by Golden_snitch91
Rated: 3rd-5th Years [Reviews - 8]
Summary: At ten years old, Lily and Severus are already best friends. One day Lily goes over to his house to play and hears his dad drunk. She decides to confront him about it.
Final Confrontation by artsy_werewolf
Rated: 6th-7th Years [Reviews - 6]
Summary: Why did Peter Pettigrew do it? Why did he reveal the Potters' location to Voldemort? Why did things turn out that way?
One-shot. Rating is for strong language.
Regulus Black: The Untold Story by mortaldraco
Rated: Professors [Reviews - 1]
Summary: Regulus Black constantly lived in the shadow of his older brother, but the youngest Black has a story too. With his life cut brutally short, he deserves to have his story told.
Self Reflections by AshTonks
Rated: 1st-2nd Years [Reviews - 6]
Summary: The Mirror of Erised hid in Hogwarts castle for many years. So what happens when four famously unruly boys stumble upon it? Does finding out the truth about themselves make them better? Or bitter?
This is a Marauder one-shot adventure.
Carpe Diem by Karaley Dargen
Rated: 3rd-5th Years [Reviews - 3]
Summary: Carrie McKinnon, soon-to-be seventh year Hufflepuff, is not going to let the war get her down. However, it is going to affect her in one way or another – and maybe that's a good thing.
This is for Carole/EquinoxChick, and much less than she deserves. You are an incredible, magnificent person, and I still completely fangirl you. If I ever get close to what you are/have now, just talent-wise and with all the ideas you always have, I'd be happy. I really admire you and what you do a lot, so don't ever change.
Muchas muchas Gracias to Nat/hestiajones for helping me out, event though she should have been in bed.
Just Sand and Water by kbell
Rated: 6th-7th Years [Reviews - 34]
Summary: Solid stone is just sand and water, baby...
Life is like solid stone...just bits and pieces mixed with time to create something stronger...
Life in the time of the First War is just bits and pieces, mixed with time to become stronger than us...stronger than anything we could ever imagine...
The story of the Marauders, their classmates, their 7th year, and those bits and pieces, and time going on...solid stone.
...sand and water, and a million years gone by.
Warnings apply mainly to later chapters
One Of The Boys by princess_padfoot
Rated: 6th-7th Years [Reviews - 18]
Summary: One year that will change everything. Two relationships that are destined to happen. Three words that are bound to impact more than one person. Four boys that are determined to make their last year at Hogwarts as memorable and legendary as possible. Five pranks that will drive Severus Snape to do something he only ever dreamed about. Six years that James Potter has been chasing after a certain red-headed witch, will this finally be the lucky year? It's going to be one hell of a seventh year for the Marauders.
Whatever Happened to Saturday Night by Simply Being
Rated: 3rd-5th Years [Reviews - 7]
Summary: A short tale of the Marauder's friendship and its subsequent demise. Songfic based on "Hot Patootie/Bless My Soul" from The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Originally written for the Musical Drabble challenge in the SBBC.
Winner of Best Marauder Era Story (one shot) in the Quicksilver Quills 2011!


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Soumya Seth
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Hayee! Main mar jawaan! Lady in Pink is looking awesome :))
you are looking so hot in this avatar also it suits u
soumya u looking sooo pretty:) love u loads xoxoxo
maar hi daloge wala look...
hey dont mind dear honestle speaking u r looking awsm in simple looks...
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2002 November 30 [3:29 am]
(entry last updated: 2002-11-30 03:31:32)
Jury selection begins in the ElcomSoft/Sklyarov case
And what would Hilary Rosen say about the Jewish Radio Project?
(entry last updated: 2002-11-30 03:31:32)
Jury selection begins in the ElcomSoft/Sklyarov case
And what would Hilary Rosen say about the Jewish Radio Project?
(entry last updated: 2002-11-29 08:16:09)
Sorry if this pisses you off, but David Rees's latest "Get Your War On" comics summarize everything I could ever want to say about the rise of both Poindexter and Kissinger in this current administration (not to mention the spinelessness of the current Democratic "leadership."). Support GYWO any way you can!
Peter Chenin's speech has gotten a second set of online commentaries, although the WayNu one is still the most comprehensive.
The Chronicle of Higher Education highlights Ed Felten's tinkering efforts.
More on the Napster sale to Roxio from Wired. And Paul Boutin's piece from the dead tree issue discusses the rise of "sneakernet" Napster via CD-R & iPod.
The New York Times suggests that the biggest worry for musicians arising from online filesharing is the spread of incomplete or demo versions on songs.
The battle over use of open source in the government continues; Slashdot discussion.
(entry last updated: 2002-11-28 13:15:58)
At least it's not going to end up a porno portal!
Happy Thanksgiving from Paris!
(entry last updated: 2002-11-27 06:03:40)
The NYTimes describes the efforts students are making to retain access to online file sharing. The Times also has a small bit on the Universal proposal to refine royalty audits.
Donna had another jam-packed entry yesterday. ZDNet cites the public release of the MPEG-4 spec, with all licensing settled - will it be enough to set the next standard, or is WMA already too entrenched?
LawMeme points to a Law.com article on a SESAC victory - a look at the mechanics of royalty. Larry Lessig points to some work done at the Berkeley Center on Law and Technology on a question raised during the Eldred arguments - what about the 1976 Copyright extension?
And The Register has some nice coverage (and letters) of the RIAA/US Naval Academy fight.
(entry last updated: 2002-11-26 15:11:42)
Being away means that sometimes the best strategy is just to point to other's good work. For example, Donna's latest at Copyfight covers several important topics. The deconstruction of Peter Chernin' speech is particularly nice. And it'll be interesting to see how long the Globe link to Jonathan's editorial lasts.
Equally interesting is John Ashcroft's position on Internet surveillance, circa 1997. Wonder if he and Poindexter have talked this over?
Amy Harmon of the NYTimes writes up the plight of the Middies as their computers are confiscated so their instructors can look for pirated music files. The NYTimes also reports that Bertelsmann is turning CDNow over to Amazon to run. And an interesting conference at Columbia (The New Gatekeepers) that examines art and copying in the digital age is written up as well.
And, with the Christmas season upon us, the music industry's practice of the re-release (special or otherwise) gets a surprisingly sharp look. And, in case you missed it, the new Shania Twain album has a couple of twists in music sales innovation.
I have to get ready for class, but a look at Slashdot reveal that the posting of DeCSS at the LiViD www site has been found to be OK according to the California court - using it is still up in the air, of course.
Back from class to find that a bunch of stuff has been posted over at Wired: KaZaA may be in trouble again this time; Brad King profiles the upcoming Congress' players in the digital policy arena; and Sklyarov's visa has been approved so he can now try to attend the trial in which he and his employer play a big role. *Whew* - I'm going home…….
(entry last updated: 2002-11-25 08:37:06)
I'm out of town, so I can only supply highlights, I'm afraid. But there are some must-reads out there
And it looks like Declan is starting to think that it's not possible just to program our way out of our difficulties.
(5 items listed below)
Politech has Peter Chernin's Comdex keynote, The Problem With Stealing
The Middies have run afoul of the RIAA, with confiscation of Naval cadets' PCs and courts martial to possibly follow - Slashdot discussion; the Wired piece
Tha KaZaA case (specifically, whether the firm has enough connections to the US to be subject to a US court's jurisdiction) is up today. LawMeme summarizes and points to the News.com story.
A look at just how bad the government decision-making can get when the sponsor knows what the answer is supposed to be is supplied by the New York Times article on the DARPA eDNA initiative.
Looks like Declan is rethinking his column from last summer.
(entry last updated: 2002-11-23 10:48:02)
Getting ready for my next trip - this time, I'm going to be pretty scarce for the next week.
Sony seems to be getting ready to make a major push - to cut off its own nose to spite its face.
(1 item listed below)
Sony seems to be announcing a new push to copy protect CDs, at least if the Slashdot discussion is to be believed. Of course, it'll be interesting to see what the Vaios will be able to do - has the entertainment division taken over Sony?
(entry last updated: 2002-11-22 23:11:08)
Today's Foxtrot cartoon expresses a not uncommon thought - albeit about a different artist.
The Register discusses the "Darknet" - sounds like a great name for a weblog …. or, as Dave Barry might say, a rock band!
And it looks like TPP alum Alan Davidson is going to have a busy day! Not to mention the lucky attendees at today's Revenge of the Blog get-together. LawMeme posts and links from the event A,B,C,D,E,F.
Interesting - BMG talks about changing their royalty accounting practices. And *shock* - a TCS article that supports P2P? Moreover, a series of conservatives coming down in the side of Eldred? Quite a day!
(9 items listed below)
The Register gives a summary of the Microsoft Darknet paper from the ACM DRM Workshop (cited in yesterday's links)
The Center for Democracy and Technology is hosting meeting on copyright between Hollywood and the consumer electronics industry today.
And more heat for Madster (nee Aimster) - the RIAA has asked the courts to beat the dead horse. Surprisingly, there's nothing on the sumbject at Aimee Deep's weblog.
That RIAA never misses a trick; read this for a look at the extent to which they'll go to make a point.
The NYTimes discusses a plan for a significant change in the architecture of the internet (since discarded).
BMG, a record company whose parent is in serious economic straits, announces a plan to change their royalty accounting practices to clarify revenue for artists - looking for some defections? On a related note, EMI is not that happy in general with CD sales.
Stunners will never cease. Tech Central Station, a WWW site whose politics are never hard to miss, actually has an article suggesting that there's something about P2P that merits defending in the face of the legal onslaught of the Copyright Cabal.
Something I missed from News.com - Richard Posner on copyright terms - LawMeme commentary and links
(entry last updated: 2002-11-21 09:14:33)
Well, the crush is over for the moment.
FatWallet is being told that price lists are copyrighted, and protected under the DMCA? Time to start commenting!
And Microsoft tells us to "beware the dark net"
(4 items listed below)
The Register reports that FatWallet, a site where people pass around price information, has been ordered to cease and desist in their copyright infringement under the DMCA. The LawMeme article points to other reports on Slashdot and elsewhere. The Boing Boing lnk - and there's a New York Times article, too
Time to refine your comments on the DMCA and submit them. A solicitation for a new round of comments focusing on the anti-circumvention provisions is underway. Donna gives a good rundown at Copyfight
The Register also has an article arguing that the RIAA is behind the recent split in the webcasting community over the current royalty structure.
Cory Doctorow points to the Microsoft "Dark Net" paper presented at the recent ACM digital rights management conference - a Palladium push wrapped up in a very striking discussion of content delivery in the digital age.
(entry last updated: 2002-11-19 18:13:47)
I'm up to my neck in alligators, but everyone's talking about this piece by one of the most well-known Apple advocates, wherein he decries the problems with the DMCA.
(entry last updated: 2002-11-18 06:44:22)
Looks like Comdex is going to be an interesting battlefield the next few days, if Fox has anything to say about it. In another fit of self-delusion, the industry expects streaming to supplant downloads?
(2 items listed below)
A new voice from Fox to raise the controversial position at Comdex that a more restrictive technology will ensure the next technology boom. Sounds counter to what I expect - pay more for less?
I'm not sure who Brad King talked to, but the notion that streamed content will displace file downloads seems to be the product of a fevered mind. Without stringent controls, that will choke off demand, I can't see the market going for it.
(entry last updated: 2002-11-17 12:04:23)
Again, lots to do, but a look at UserFriendly today reminds us of the difficulties with holier-than-thou arguments. And firstmonday has an article that asks about the contradiction in copyrighting scholarly publishing. A series of provocative talks at Harvard on the future of the networked university are summarized at Copyfight. Wired News gives an overview of the webcaster royalty bill passed last week. And Wired itself has an article that argues that sneakernet and an iPod clone will already do more damage to the record industry revenue model than anything on the Internet today.
(entry last updated: 2002-11-15 15:08:02)
I promised myself that I would catch up instead of posting today, but this indication that Mickey may have been freed long ago is too good to pass up. (CNN article)
At least we won't see the Napster brand equated with pr0n. And the webcaster royalties saga continues.
(entry last updated: 2002-11-14 17:25:12)
I'm up to my neck today after being out of town. And, of course, that means that there's lots to catch up on
Intertrust's DRM is under consideration by Sony and Philips. The NYTimes talks about temporary DVDs. The Open Source community considers the threats of software patents. And Salon shows why digital distribution offers real benefits while changing the nature of the medium. A last minute change to the Homeland Security bill shows computer geeks what for!
A Findlaw columnist asks about intentions versus results in international intellectual property law.
More importantly, the increasingly bizarre nature of the approaches being taken to "solve" the problems of digital IP makes me think that we may be living through the first real example of historical materialism in the digital era - to wit, because the current economic and social system is failing to promote (in fact, blocking) the next generation of material innovation, those systems will be supplanted by a refined, revised system. The strategic questions then become (1) who's going to figure it out first and (2) how much damage will be suffered by those who are late to the party because they continued to build ever-shakier structures to preserve the old order?
(8 items below)
Slashdot discusses in some excellent detail the Intertrust DRM system that Sony and Philips are considering. While the consensus is that the technology at least makes it clear what you're buying, it's going to be very interesting to see if the companies that employ this technology will actually be able to demonstrate the value proposition. Personally, I can't believe that they'll be able to price the IP they lock up with this apparently expensive lock, but that's just my two cents.
The NYTimes describes the perishable DVD as an alternative approach to rights management - an even stranger concept given that I'm the kind of consumer who refuses to buy anything that I can't eventually put onto some kind of permanent medium - this just seems crazy, unless the price is going to be really really low. Slashdot discussion
Now that Microsoft is unfettered, what IP instruments might they employ? Wired discusses the challenges facing the Samba open source SMB networking team.
Salon has an article discussing the impact of the DVD on the movie business. It points out that the distribution not only makes these creations more accessible, but it also changes the nature of both the business and the art.
The Register describes EMI's plans to offer music downloads. LawMeme has pointers to more resources on the story.
Pressplay joins Rhapsody with content from all the big 5.
And the rhetoric of the Internet as a home for lawlessness continues to take its toll. At least some people are pointing out that the trends seem to be going the other way. And the NYTimes points out that the uber-database brings threats of its own.
(entry last updated: 2002-11-13 07:51:28)
Two looks at the realities of copyright in the modern media age.
An Irish college worries about copyright infringement by the Jedi Council.
And, apparently, the movie Spider-Man has not made its movie studio a cent of profit. Slashdot discussion
(entry last updated: 2002-11-12 21:52:38)
I guess this is what should be expected once alienation is brought into the discussion.
And John Perry Barlow continues the fight.
Declan has posted a reply to his column that's worth a serious read
(entry last updated: 2002-11-11 14:52:25)
An excellent op-ed piece by Ernest Miller (of LawMeme fame).
(thanks, Ernest!) And MIT gets some nasty press and commentary over digital TV standards.
Movielink goes live - for those of you with the appropriate software, of course (something weird with Doc's weblog and the permalink for this - search for "Earth to Hollywood") - and a Slate piece says it's all for show. And the Times has an interesting article on what online CD sellers are facing in this market climate. And the transcript of a cell-phone conversation (LawMeme writeup)
Looks like Declan's refining his politico-geek message - and did he read the Friday log <G> And New Scientist suggests that research will get P2P around Berman-Coble.
(6 items listed below)
Ernest Miller gives an excellent example of the way in which copyright holders are working to use the law to maintain their control over consumers via technological alienation. (Because it's the LATimes, the link will eventually die, so here's a local PDF.) The LawMeme story includes other links. Glenn Reynolds posts his thoughts
MIT's student paper, The Tech, has an article on a recent vote over digital TV standards that puts MIT in a rather distasteful light. Certainly Slashdot thinks so.
The New York Times describes the declining sales picture for the online CD retailer, and what Amazon's relative success in maintaining sales volume means for the future.
Although it's a little premature to claim that P2P will be unhackable, this article from New Scientist shows why the escalation of threat on one side (e.g., Berman-Coble) will be met with innovation and escalation on the other side as well.
(entry last updated: 2002-11-10 13:37:46)
An alert ESD.10 student who reads Technology Review (a magazine whose sell out has kept me from paying close attention) points out that there are a number of articles worth reading in the November issue. Also, John Reagle of the W3C gave a TPP lunch talk this week.
And User Friendly strikes a blow. And an interesting move to sell unprotected DVDs (from the Macrovision perspective, anyway)
The Register has a lengthy discussion of a TCPA/Palladium session held in the U.K. and a look at the evolving EU copyright law. And, on the home front, surveillance in the US is getting a military angle.
(8 items listed below)
Technology Review discusses digital entertainment post-Napster. The CD protection article describes the current technologies, while the DivX; article describes the inevitability of movies online. Doublethink or schizophrenia?
On the other hand, the columnists are all on the same page. Seth Shulman discusses the Eldred v. Ashcroft case, and Simson Garfinkel points out the hazards of digital rights management.
At least Iliad is clear on what he thinks of CD copy protection.
The Register summarizes a detailed look at Palladium and the TCPA held in the UK, with an interesting look at the evolving political atmosphere surrounding these technologies.
Copy protection is also an issue at The Register today, this time in the context of the EU copyright directives.
This article from yesterday's NYTimes is chilling:
Admiral Poindexter, who has described the plan in public documents and speeches but declined to be interviewed, has said that the government needs to "break down the stovepipes" that separate commercial and government databases, allowing teams of intelligence agency analysts to hunt for hidden patterns of activity with powerful computers.
Where's the BuSab when you need it? (A little more detail is about 1/3 through this chapter.)
As Larry mentions in his blog, Open Spectrum looks to be his next push - as came up at ILaw this past summer. According to this article, an interesting ally has appeared.
New Scientist reports that Columbia Tristar is releasing DVDs without the noxious and easily circumvented Macrovision system.
(entry last updated: 2002-11-08 19:55:46)
After putting in the effort to write a little more completely about how I think the concept of alienation helps to explain some of the things that concern me on these topics, we get a great article in The Register to demonstrate what I mean
Wired doesn't expect digital TV to get any easier to deploy with McCain instead of Hollings at the helm of the Senate commerce committee
Charlie Cooper takes Microsoft to task over Halloween nn. And an excellent article at CNN discussing the architectural limitations of the newest CD formats - SACD and DVD-Audio.
Based on some of the things I've been reading this week, I've got a new suggestion for Donna Wentworth on her question of how to (re)frame the rhetoric of copyright - or at least bring in a new constituency with a proven track-record: "Today, Microsoft/Intel/TCPA/RIAA/MPAA/(insert organization here) wants to register your computer; next, it'll be your guns!"
(9 items listed below)
The Register follows yesterday's BMG position on protected CDs with a translation and interpretation of an EMI "'customer service" note.
Wired News summarizes the state of play in digital TV policy.
One of the current ESD.10 students sent me this link; terribly a propos of the discussions of copyright and culture that have dominated my thinking these last couple of days - particularly the issues around copyright and derivative works.
Even more gratifying to me in my role as lecturer was his postscript
I thought you might find the author's view interesting and I didn't see a link on your weblog. Copyright issues are one of those things I didn't pay attention to before - now they seem to be everywhere. Incredibly interesting stuff. Thanks for opening my eyes.
Another TPP voice heard from - Alan Davidson's talk at Cornell gets covered here
Again on the alienation angle; this article argues that, if copyright holders want to protect their goods, they should not be expecting the consumer to foot the bill through the purchase of new, DRM-enabled hardware. Rather, they should be paying more for enforcement and policing.
Microsoft aiming for Adobe with ePeriodicals? I mean, XML is great and all, but really!
Billboard posts poll results on what'll entice consumers to buy CDs.
The CNN verdict on SACD and DVD-Audio: "unfriendly, but better sound." The first of this century's DAT fiascoes? Another quote:
The Audible Difference in Palo Alto, California, is refusing to sell SACD or DVD-Audio players until manufacturers can ship a hybrid unit that plays both formats as well as legacy CDs in the highest quality sound available.
"Until we see a product like that, we're sitting on the sidelines and we're counseling our clients to sit on the sidelines," said Tim Fay, who sells high-end stereo equipment at the store.
… Sony, which developed the SACD format with Philips, says it will continue to make SACD players without digital outputs until there's an industry standard for securing the digital audio stream.
"With high-resolution audio, the need for secure interfaces becomes even greater, since the quality of audio on such formats as SACD is virtually indistinguishable from the master (tape)," said Sony spokesman David Migdal.
Panasonic hasn't incorporated digital outputs into its DVD-Audio players for the same reasons.
Despite the intentions of the manufacturers to limit digital copies, consumers favor such uses for music.
In a recent Gartner G2 survey, 88 percent of respondents said they believed it legal to make copies of CDs for personal backup use while 77 percent felt they should be able to copy a CD for personal use in another device.
(entry last updated: 2002-11-08 18:42:22)
Between seeing Jonathan and Siva at last night's copyright and culture talk, and reading Larry's weblog entry today, I can see that it's time to just jump into the discussion that I've started with the ESD.10 students last week.
Warning: a lengthy (and tortuously-worded) write-up of ideas still baking lies ahead!
For me, one of the most troubling dimensions of the copyright contretemps that we find ourselves in is the fact that my sentiments lie with those whose actions have been routinely characterized as "thievery." Without getting into the merits of that argument, it has been clear to me for quite some time that my reaction to many of the architectural changes (to use Larry Lessig's Code metaphor) in the technologies underlying the distribution of intellectual property has been strong and negative — and I have rarely if ever even employed the tools that are regularly characterized as being the most offensive in the eyes of the copyright cabal.
My working hypothesis has been that I do not have some latent desire to take up a life of crime; rather it is that there is a real reason for my revulsion when confronted with some of these new approaches to managing copyright infringement in the digital realm. Given this assumption, I have been trying to find a language that helps not only to articulate the basis for that reaction, but also to form a basis for thinking about what to do about the problem.
I do not want to suggest that I have found that language (yet!), but I have found a set of ideas that have taken me a lot further than I expected. These are the ideas that stem from a consideration of the notion of alienation.
Alienation, as defined in the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary Online, is "a withdrawing or separation of a person or a person's affections from an object or position of former attachment" - the separation of a person from an object. While I've tried to wrestle this and like definitions from other sources into shape, I find that I have to resort to Marx's notion to really articulate what I'm thinking about. The Oxford English Dictionary Online gives the following quote that summarizes Marx's characterization of alienation as
the notion that in modern capitalistic society man is estranged or alienated [emphasis added] from what are properly his functions and creations and that instead of controlling them he is controlled by them.
What I am suggesting is that there is a kind of alienation that is implicitly at the heart of transactions that convey intellectual property, on the side of both the creator and the consumer. This alienation, as in that of Marx, introduces opportunities for control a la Lessig. And, more importantly, in many of the present cases that so concern us, those opportunities for control are not immediately apparent to the current consumers of intellectual property goods or, more importantly, to those who seek to legislate in this area.
To try to illustrate, let's compare and contrast two ways in which one might "consume" a good whose value derives from intellectual property - a piece of music. In the case of sheet music, the consumer must employ his skills, training and instrument to create the music as given in the sheet music. However, this consumer can elect to play the piece as written or to exercise his own discretion and play it in a different fashion - say, change the key or time signature, play the music allegro instead of andante, or use different tablatures. More radically, the consumer could elect to start in the middle, repeat a passage incessantly, or transcribe the piece for a different instrument. Because the process of converting the expression on paper into the experience of music is under the consumer's control, all these variants are possible.
Now, consider the buyer of the same piece of music on CD. Under this circumstance, the consumer must rely upon a device to convert the expression into experience (unless the consumer is Isabel from Roswell <G>), and the key, tempo, sound of the music is fixed. Many of the possible variants that the user of sheet music has at his disposal are not possible when it comes to the CD. In fact, without the device, the expression cannot be converted into music at all. The technology of this music format has alienated the consumer from the process of converting the expression into experience.
Of course, the consumer also sees certain gains from this alienation - he doesn't need to learn to play an instrument, or read sheet music, or hire an orchestra to enjoy the music at all. Moreover, he can listen to the music under a host of circumstances that would otherwise be impossible - jogging, driving, etc. So, the consumer can tradeoff the loss of control that is a consequence of this alienation against the other advantages that he gains.
Interestingly enough, the metaphor of alienation can be extended to the creator as well. Consider the text of Title 17 itself. Chapter 1, section 102 starts "Copyright protection subsists, in accordance with this title, in original works of authorship fixed in any tangible medium of expression, now known or later developed, from which they can be perceived, reproduced, or otherwise communicated, either directly or with the aid of a machine or device." Arguably, copyright is only awarded once the the author alienates himself from his creation by "fixing" it into a form that can be communicated, duplicated, etc. And the incentives for this alienation are the fact that the resulting good can be more widely disseminated, to the potential gain, economic or otherwise, of the creator.
In this light, the role of copyright and several of the doctrines within copyright law take on a different light. For example, in reifying his creation to make it ready for distribution, the author has also lost control - it is no longer in his head. To redress this loss, copyright awards the creator certain legally enforeable (and economically valuable) controls in terms of duplication and performance, among others. Another idea - first sale - can arguably be a formal limit on the control to distribute that copyright returns to the alienated creator. (I'm still working on fair use <G>)
More importantly (and returning to the ideas that got me started), the issues that one takes with the zoning of DVDs or the limitations of eBooks now make sense in a context that has nothing to do with theft. Rather, what these and similar technological controls represent is an exploitation of the fact that the consumer must rely upon a device not of his making (or under his control) to derive the experience implicit in such goods. Now, you HAVE to watch the trailers on a DVD, not to mention the FBI copyright warning.
In fact, these new technologies give the copyright holder a control over the consumer that has not been available before. With an eBook, it is now conceivable that one could be charged for each reading of a text. With the next generation of CDs, a similar control over music listening could be developed. With the forms of technological alienation being developed today, the copyright holder is now able to exert a control over the process of experiencing that before ended at the point of sale.
Now, it may well be possible that the consumer will accept this loss of control in exchange for the added features, conveniences and reduced costs that would accompany these new technologies. But, it may also be that the tradeoff will not be accepted by the marketplace. The DAT recorder demonstrates that there are some controls that will not be traded away.
But the horror of the circumstances in which we find ourselves now is that the value of these controls is not being negotiated in the marketplace. Rather, these controls are being legislated under the guise of protecting the creator from theft.
This is so distressing not because such legislation will be successful in the long term; I am enough of a believer in freedom that I expect it will prevail in the face of these farcial rules and the readily cracked technologies that will be deployed to enforce them. Rather, I am worried because, during the short term that they are in force, the market may violently respond to buying these crucial technical artifacts from offshore, grey market suppliers. Since this legislation short-circuits the market, such a response is not out of the question - consider the large market for aftermarket EPROMs to circumvent the pollution control technology in California automobiles. And, once the market moves on, will there be any chance to save what's left of our industries before they are just another addition to the globalization death toll?
It's just another verse in the Lessig "song" whose refrain is becoming more and more pertinent each day:
(more refinements to come; here or in later incarnations. In particular, working through the notions of alienation for a wide variety of IP goods leads to interesting parallels with situations under consideration today. For example, the playwright/screenwriter and the programmer have something in common - each relies upon another's interpretation of the source code - the director/actors & the compiler programmer - to create the good that is actually consumed. Directions can be included by the creator - exit stage left & -O3 - but they need not be considered. It's weird where this thinking has taken me)
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50th Wedding Anniversary
Benny and Beverly Ellis
Benny "Bobby" Ellis and Beverly Mae (Hickman) Ellis were married September 1, 1962 in the Walnut Street Christian Church, Springfield, MO by Faust Matthews (deceased). Benny is the only child of the late John Ellis and Maggie (Parker) Ellis who resided near Arcola, MO. Beverly is the third of six children of the late Lynton (Moose) Hickman and Roberta Jean (Pyle) Hickman while residing near Greenfield, MO. These high school classmates ('59) have lived 45 years of their married life in Springfield, MO. They have two children; Robert (wife Lisa) of Springfield, MO and Kristen Fenderson (husband Chris) of Muscatine, IA. Benny and Beverly are retired from the field of education. Friends and family are invited to a celebration of their marriage on Saturday, September 1 from 2-4 pm at National Avenue Christian Church, 1500 S. National, Springfield, MO. No gifts please. Cash donations are accepted to the church (NACC); designated for the Christian Women's Fellowship, the Outreach Foundation, or "House Fund" (Assists Benny and Beverly in their sponsorship of the construction of a home in the village of Hilapo Dos, Nicaragua).


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I'm currently processing film with inversions at 1 minute intervals, however I'm going to be looking at 3 and 5 minutes intervals for some film/developer combinations. So I would really be interested in the 30 second beeps being variable: either from a predefined list (15 sec, 30 sec, 1 min, 3 min, 5 min) or infinitely variable within specific parameters. I personally think this would make this timer indispensable as it is something that I cannot do with a normal kitchen timer and it would mean that I'm less likely to inadvertently perform an inversion at the wrong time.
Can you confirm that the end of process sound is different to the 30 second beep?


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I'm so excited to introduce you to this month's Featured Designer, Molly Scraps! Her designs are fresh, funny, and so full of personality (much like the designer herself). Let's get to know her a little bit better.
How long have you been designing and can you tell us about how and when you started designing?
I have been entering design contests for 3 years but I got my first store in November 2012. I used to make sig tags about the time digital scrap kits were being used so I eventually moved into doing layouts.
Where did you come up with your design name? What does it mean?
Mollyscraps was my forum name originally and described what I did. Now as my design name it acts as a noun too.
Where do you live? Have you ever lived anywhere interesting?
I have lived in Indiana most of my life but I did spend a few years in Nashville, TN and for one summer lived at Cedar Point Amusement Park.
What is your newest kit?
My newest kit is Melemele Poni; that's Hawai'ian for Yellow and Purple. I had a gorgeous yellow and purple palette in my stash and I wanted to do something that was not a theme kit. I am really happy with it. I have also recently collaborated with 13 other designers to do a charity kit benefiting the Animal Protection League after they became involved with a nationally publicized farm animal abuse case here in Indiana. With a $10 donation at http://www.inapl.org you receive the kit free. You can find out more on my blog: http://mollyscraps4you.blogspot.com/
Where would you go if you were given a trip in a time machine?
This question really stumped me. I finally figured out that I would go back to my 9th grade Biology class. I would stick to it and get over the creepiness of dissections. It was because of this class I gave up on my dream to be a marine biologist. My life would be quite different if I had followed through with that.
What's the best tip you could pass along to your fans?
Love fully and cook nice!
What is one of your favorite movie quotes, and what movie is it from?
"The King's stinking son fired me. And thank you so much for bringing up such a painful subject. While you're at it, why don't you give me a nice paper cut and poor lemon juice on it? We're closed!" From the Princess Bride… so many good ones…
Is there anything else you would like to share with your fans?
My store is 30% off in May and look for a surprise special Memorial Weekend!
Thank you, Molly, for taking time to answer these questions for our fans to get to know you better! Now let's take a look at your newest kit, Melemele Poni.
There are so many fine elements in this kit as well as cute papers. Here are a few layouts from our gallery using Melemele Poni.
Such a versatile and beautiful kit!! Remember Molly's entire store is on sale for 30% off the rest of this month so make your list and snag all your favorite kits at a great price!
I also have a cute Facebook Timeline Cover Freebie just for you using Melemele Poni! Thank you, Molly, for allowing me to work with your gorgeous kit so I could give our fans a little treat. To download just click on the preview. I hope you enjoy your gift!
Keep scrapping those memories and be sure to share your creations with us! Happy scrapping!


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The Philadelphia Inquirer reports ( http://bit.ly/1atoAfu) that Raghunandan Yandamuri (rag-oo-NAHN'-dahn yahn-duh-MOHR'-ee) made the statement during Thursday testimony at a pretrial hearing.
The 27-year-old Yandamuri has denied in earlier court filings that he killed the two, and his lawyers asked Montgomery County Judge Steven O'Neill to bar his confession from trial.
Authorities allege Yandamuri kidnapped the baby from her family's King of Prussia apartment and killed her grandmother who tried to protect the child. The girl's body was found several days later.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty in the October 2012 crime and deny coercion. The hearing will continue Jan. 13.
Information from: The Philadelphia Inquirer, http://www.inquirer.com


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Sept. 5, 2008
The Eastern Washington University women's volleyball team prevailed over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 25-23, 21-25, 25-23, 25-19 at the Idaho Volleyball Classic on Friday afternoon (Sept. 5). The win moved the Eagles to 2-2 against a challenging non-conference portion of their schedule.
"This was validation that we can beat a good team," head coach Miles Kydd said. "We didn't play a super match and there were things we could have done better, but any win gives you confidence and a win against a big program is something you can feel proud about."
Leading the Eagles in kills today was Hayley Hills, as she had 17. Alysha Cook tallied 10 putaways and Chenoa Coviare had EWU's best hitting percentage at .312 (6-1-16). Defensively, JaNae Mortensen contributed 22 digs, while Hills had 13 and Ashley Hamilton tallied 10. Hamilton also had 45 assists, and Coviare tallied five blocks.
In the first set, Eastern took a 14-13 lead and kept Notre Dame at a short distance (0-4 points) the rest of the way. In set two, the Fighting Irish pulled away from a narrow 21-20 edge to claim a 25-21 victory.
Another 25-23 Eagle win followed. Just like set one, Eastern Washington held UND at a distance of a few points the majority of the stanza. The Eagles pulled away in set four, scoring the final six points of the set for a 25-19 win.
The Eagles will play two Inland Northwest foes on Saturday (Sept. 6), taking on the host Vandals at 12:30 p.m. and Washington State at 4:30 p.m. Idaho is 3-1 after sweeping Washington State on Friday night, while the Cougars are 3-1 and will play Notre Dame (3-2) before taking on EWU Saturday.
"Our Saturday matches are as important as this one (the 3-1 win over Notre Dame)," Kydd said. "We've done well with Inland Northwest teams, and that is something we would like to expand on. We would like to be considered the top team in the region, and the teams we're playing tomorrow will have something to say about that."


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Comcast to cut 50Mbps price to $100?
updated 03:35 pm EDT, Tue June 2, 2009
Comcast 50Mbps Cut Soon
Comcast is about to launch a major price cut on its fastest Internet access, a leak indicated on Tuesday. Normally $140 per month, it's reported by a source for BBR to be dropping to $100 and will likely do so sometime after June 20th. The cost would apply to those who already have at least one other Comcast service, though Internet-only service would still drop to $116 per month at the same time.
The claim comes just as Comcast is believed to be upgrading to 100Mbps and would likely let the cable provider put the twice-as-fast service at the existing price point. It's not evident that the company will alter its 250GB fixed bandwidth cap despite the increased speeds.


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The Messenger
- Reader rating:
- Rate The Messenger:
- Genre
- Drama
- Running time
- 113 min
- Director
- Oren Moverman
- Actors
- Woody Harrelson, Ben Foster
- Appeal
- ArtHouse/Foreign
- OFLC rating
- Year
- 2009
- Language
- English
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The Messenger
Jim Schembri Woody Harrelson shines in this excellent home-front war drama, writes JIM SCHEMBRI
Woody Harrelson stars as a bearer of bad news in a poignant story, writes PAUL BYRNES.
Paul, I believe you're right. According to online reports, the army intervened and a sex scene between Olivia and Montgomery was cut. On the whole though, it led to a better story.
This is definitely one of my favourite Iraq war movies (although it isn't really about the war) and deserves a wider audience. I watched this after immediately I saw Hurt Locker. In the words of Spielberg, it was "the best drink of water after the longest drought".
you are right - most of these iraq movies dont make it down to australia. taking chance is another such movie, where kevin bacon plays the officer who takes the dead body of a fallen soldier to his parents.
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What's On This Week
A daily updated summary of the week in TV.
Monday, November 30, 2015
Alternate Name: Joan Henrietta Collins
A daily updated summary of the week in TV.
From All Movie Guide: British actress Joan Collins, daughter of a London theatrical booking agent, made her showbiz bow in a production of {-The Doll's House} -- in a male role. She was 9 years old then, and it would be the last time there would be any doubt as to her gender. With the sort of glamorous countenance that prompted people to ask "why aren't you in movies?", Collins first appeared before the cameras in a small role as a beauty contestant in Lady Godiva Rides Again (1953). She made an auspicious American debut as an Egyptian temptress in Land of the Pharoahs (1955). This assignment led to a contract with 20th Century-Fox, where despite a few good dramatic parts (Girl on the Red Velvet Swing [1955] in particular) and an adroit comic characterization in Rally Round the Flag, Boys (1958), she was written off by critics as decorative but nothing more. She was perilously close to "perennial starlet" status in the 1960s, and by the 1970s was the uncrowned queen of "B" pictures. Offscreen she cut quite a swath through the tabloid headlines; if her autobiography, Past Imperfect is to be believed, she dallied with virtually every male actor in Hollywood except Wile E. Coyote. Her maturation from mere personality to superstar came about when she was cast in 1981 as glamorous and predatory Alexis Carrington on Dynasty, the role giving her arguably the greatest exposure of his career. Though she continued to work steadily up until 2003, she never landed in a project as embraced as Dynasty but highlights include 1995's comedy In the Bleak Midwinter and 2000's The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas. In 2015, she was cast as a modern Grand Duchess in E! first scripted series, The Royals, playing Elizabeth Hurley's mother.


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Photos: Tony Romo's big mistakes; ref helps him up; Dez's injury, Redskins celebrate
Photo: Louis DeLuca/Staff Photographer
Washington Redskins running back Alfred Morris (46) bowls into Dallas Cowboys inside linebacker Dan Connor (52) on a run during the fourth quarter of play between the Dallas Cowboys vs. the Washington Redskins NFL football game at FedExField in Landover, Maryland on Sunday, December 30, 2012.
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Venice reverts to single Golden Lion competition
Venice is reverting back to its single Golden Lioncompetition, cutting back by half the number of films that have screened on theLido in the past three years, newly appointed festival chief Marco Muellerannounced on Thursday.
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Recommended Android Apps for the Week – 2/20/2012
Cartoon Camera Create cartoon and sketch like photography with your camera. Download Cartoon Camera Android App Word Train…Read More
Cartoon Camera Create cartoon and sketch like photography with your camera. Download Cartoon Camera Android App Word Train…Read More
Fantasy Town Guide your villagers in unearthing treasure, farming exotic plants and building a thriving village of your…Read More
Peggle Shoot and clear all the orange pegs in the peg-busting phenomenon. Download Peggle Android App MONOPOLY Take…Read More
Crystal Defenders A defensive strategy game in which players deploy popular jobs from FINAL FANTASY Tactics A2, such…Read More
Angry Birds Seasons Ham-o-ween It was a dark and stormy night… but that won't stop the Angry Birds!…Read More
Destinia A member of the Imperial Guard, Duke is imprisoned after defying an order to murder innocent civilians.…Read More
9mm HD Now you can play 9mm for Android and become John "Loose" Kannon, the leader of a…Read More
Pixlr-o-matic Turn your photos into cool looking vintage images. With this fun and simple darkroom app, you can…Read More
Box It! 2 Follow an ancient Inca trail and help Marv to solve the old Inca mysteries in…Read More
Lose It! Succeed at weight loss with Lose It! Set goals and establish a daily calorie budget that…Read More


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N.B.Position of marker is approximate and does not necessarily show the exact location of the site.
Site OS Grid Ref: SO504124
| Christ in Majesty with St Thomas Becket and St Nicholas
firm/studio: Celtic Studios
designer: Hubert Thomas
Church of St Thomas, Monmouth, Monmouthshire
east wall of the chancel
In order to continue to improve the Stained Glass in Wales Catalogue in the future, we would value your comments and suggestions. Please complete our brief questionnaire
NEW BOOK: Stained Glass from Welsh Churches: by Martin Crampin
This fully illustrated hardback outlines the range and development of stained glass in Wales from the 14th century until today.
Order online at www.ylolfa.com


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Left: Atlantic and Texas oysters on the Duval seafood platter. Right: pan seared diver scallops with asparagus risotto and an orange beurre blanc. / Zachary Goldstein/FSView
The Front Porch:
ATMOSPHERE: 250 seats with spacious open porch and marble raw bar
SERVICE: Polite and helpful, but sometimes inattentive
RECOMMENDED: Scallop and asparagus risotto, basil mashed potatoes, oysters
DRINKS AND WINE: Good wine selection to match many palates; Cucumber Fresh cocktail with St. Germain and muddled cucumber is delicious and refreshing
PRICES: Starters, $10 to $18; Raw bar and oysters, $1 to $2.5
individually; Soups and salads, $9 to $10; Main dishes, $20 to $35; Sides, $6; Desserts, $8
HOURS: Lunch, Saturday-Sunday: 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; Limited menu, Daily: 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.; Dinner, Monday-Thursday: 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Friday-Saturday 5 p.m. to 11p.m., Sunday: 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
RESERVATIONS: Accepted
OVERALL: Good food and excellent raw bar, but pricey with service that sometimes doesnt live up to its reputation and cost.
Imagine a guy walking down the street. Hes extremely handsome, but hes wearing a mix of black tie and clean-cut frat boy. Polished black leather shoes with seersucker shorts; a black satin bow tie anointing an Oxford button down; a dinner jacket with wayfarers supported by croakies slung around his neck.
Either of these two styles would look fine separatelybut combined, this poor guy just feels like hes trying to fill too many shoes.
Enter The Front Porch. Its the seafood-centric phoenix rising out of the ashes of the Southern-French fusion spot Chez Pierrea spot that tumbled downhill long before it closed. Before Front Porch opened, it was heralded as an upcoming mecca for seafood lovers in Tallahassee, a place where true ichthyophiles could come to feast on fruits de mer.
Its elegant porch-like setting surrounded by live oaks and clad with glittering chandeliers give it a backdrop worthy of savoring briny oysters and sipping delicate wines, awash in the glow of endless strings of exposed incandescent light bulbs.
Like our gentleman earlier, however, Front Porch is simultaneously trying to be casual and upscaleand while the food is handsome, sometimes the restaurant isnt the best at playing charades.
Before you think this is too harsh, let me elaborate.
One of the first things youll notice is that Front Porch offers valet parkingand thats it. Want to park your car yourself? Youll have to do it elsewhere and hoof it to the restaurant. This service is free (although you wont want to be a jerk and not tip your valet attendant, right? Right.), but it does set a precedent of what to expect: smartly dressed exceptional service.
Which is why I was a little surprised to see the waitstaff dressed in jeans and blue Oxfords. Alright, youve got me. Its a bit quaint but if the service is on point Im not going to whine about it. In fact, I might embrace it.
Seated at a beautiful table on the porchwith mason jars for water glassesI was brought an expansive menu printed on a piece of card stock. I prefer menus that are more concise and highlight their strong notes, but if this vast array of choices and selection of glassware were an appeal to Southern hospitality, then I could be all for it.
The server started off by detailing happy hour, which included half-off glasses of house wines and two-for-one well drinks. He then realized that he was giving us his happy-hour spiel 30 minutes after it ended. The kid looked exhausted and made an honest mistake, but it was still disappointing.
Food-wise, I started with a raw bar platter called the Duvalsix Texas oysters (from Galveston, when I asked), six Atlantic oysters (didnt get a varietal on them), six littleneck clams, and a dozen steamed shrimp.
The quality of the seafood was excellent. The oysters generally displayed their regional traits very well, the Gulfs dissolving with salinity and the Atlantics crooning sweet notes with slightly coppery undertones and firm, pleasant texture. The clams were pungent and salty, tasting of a beach at low tidein a good wayand the shrimp were perfectly steamed and sweet. I ordered a mignonette sauce after the platter had arrived.
The problem I encountered was that the shells of the oysters had not been cleaned very wellleading to pieces of grit and shell in my mouth. Additionally, the entire platter was served open faced on a ceramic traywhich looked nice, except that there was no ice keeping the seafood cold. It may have only been February, but in Florida Id rather know that my raw seafood will be chilled as Im eating it, even if it takes me a half hour.
I was told that this lack of ice was because of a concern for spilled ice meltwaterunderstandable, but Id love to see a compromise between the two. [On a side note, when I revisited Front Porch, the oysters were well scrubbed and very clean. If they came out like this every time, Id be happy.]
Next up was a filet of pan-seared salmon with arugula and a pistachio pesto. I ordered this medium rare, and it came out slightly underfar preferable to destroying it. The flavors were delightful; the tang from the pesto mixed nicely with the sweet fish and the basil mashed potatoes that I ordered with it. The outside texture of the fish was crunchy and provided a nice foil to the soft meat of the filet. A mix of roasted zucchini, yellow squash, butternut squash and lightly caramelized red onions fit alongside nicely.
My one true qualm of the evening, however, was the so-called parmesan friesthey were insipid and forgettable. They tasted like they came right off the Sysco truck, were hit by a light cloud of parmesan dust and scattered about my plate. For six dollars I imagined hand-cut potatoes with shavings of parmigiano reggiano and fresh minced garlic chives (and maybe a hit of truffle oil or something?), but what arrived would have fit in at a fish shack for less than half the price. This could have been much better.
On an unrelated side note, please make sure water glasses are never empty. Ever. Thats a big pet peeve among diners.
Next came a risotto with asparagus and pan-seared diver scallops with an orange beurre blanc. This, my friends, was what Id been waiting for. The grassiness of the asparagus and the creamy starchiness of the arborio rice soared alongside the mollusks, which featured a perfect brown sear on either side. The light acidity of the beurre blancmade with orange juice instead of the traditional lemonaligned beautifully and tied the whole thing together.
It wasnt a terribly complex dish: simple, to-the-point and indicative of Front Porchs purported concept of serious, straightforward seafood.
All in all, Front Porch was a quality experience, but could be better in either of two ways: by offering slightly lower prices that would make sense with the current blend of casual mood and service into the fine dining atmosphereor by tightening the ratchet and increasing the service and small details to match a more upscale ambiance.
Right now its in limboalbeit a tasty onewhere it seems either too expensive or too casual and it doesnt know which way it wants to go. You get great oysters and your water glass sits empty. A delicious meal is accompanied by a side of mediocre fried potatoes. The majority of the food is far better than youll get at many other establishments, but for the prices and reputation of Front Porch, theres far more to a restaurant than food.
Zachary Goldstein is the Food Editor at the FSView. Reach him at email@example.com


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Office Policy: Fire Protection Of Transformer Vaults
Office Policy: Fire Protection Of Transformer Vaults
Office Policy: Fire Protection of Transformer Vaults
To: ALL FIREPREVENTION PERSONNEL
From: Fire Marshal M. M. Stone
Date: October 2, 1997
Recent developments in various construction projects haveraised concerns of fire protection in main electrical servicetransformer vaults. The following will be considered as OfficePolicy for all projects permitted after this date.
This office recommends the installation ofservice main electrical transformers be located outside thefootprint of the building they serve.
When service main electrictransformer vaults are located within the footprint of thebuilding, the following design criteria shall be used for vaultconstruction.
Total enclosure with 4-hour fire resistiveconstruction
Class "A" opening protective
All penetrations sealed with tested assemblefor that use
Fire detection equipment tied to thebuildings fire alarm system
Transformers shall be the only equipmentpermitted within the vault area
Signage shall be provided on the exterior ofwalls indicated "High Voltage"
Signage shall be provided on the entry doorsindicating:
"Authorized personnel only"
"Emergency phone numbers"
Access shall be regulated by the utilitycompany
Sprinkler heads shall be deleted from thevault area as with the above listed requirements the vault areacan be classified as outside of the building.


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Jump shot: A player from Inland Builders gets a big rebound during a junior division Guam Construction Basketball League game held yesterday at the Yigo Gymnasium. The league is in its fifth season and promotes friendly competition between employees of construction companies on Guam. Vlad Navasca/For Pacific Daily News
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