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Tag "task management apps"
Beta Test This: Pocket Informant 1.5
The makers of Pocket Informant have just released the latest public beta, version 1.5, for Android devices. If you're not familiar with Pocket Informant, it's essentially a calendar app and
Evernote Re-Imagines Android App for Honeycomb Tablets
Evernote has launched a completely new version of their note-keeping-task-managing-remember-it-in-the-cloud-and-share-it application for Android tablet and it's unlike anything they have done before. Chief among the details in this release are


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When Dr. Andreé Kühnhardt wanted to further his surgical learning, his mentors at the suburban Madrid hospital in Spain where he practices recommended flying to Fresno to study under bariatric surgeon Kelvin Higa at Fresno Heart & Surgical Hospital.
Recognized nationally as a top facility for patient satisfaction and high quality outcomes, Fresno Heart & Surgical Hospital was recently awarded a 3-star rating for coronary artery bypass graft with aortic valve replacement from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS).
While the average person may not realize the world-class expertise Dr. Kelvin Higa brings to his patients at Fresno Heart & Surgical Hospital, those involved in the world of bariatric medicine see it very clearly.
Recognized as the healthcare leader performing the highest level cardiac procedures in the region, Community Regional Medical Center was recently awarded a 3-star rating for coronary artery bypass graft from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS).
For a fifth consecutive year, Fresno Heart & Surgical Hospital has received Healthgrades® Bariatric Surgery Excellence Award and a five-star rating, placing it among the top 5% nationwide for metabolic and bariatric surgery.
Seattle surgeon John Tschirhart flew into Fresno to observe Dr. Babak Eghbalieh remove a gall bladder via a tiny incision in the belly button using Community Regional Medical Center's new dual console da Vinci® Si HD robotic system.
Clovis Community Medical Center's first robotic surgery — a hysterectomy for patient Terri Garcia — was performed by surgeon Kelli Beingesser in the hospital's brand new, state-of-the-art surgical suite specifically designed to house the da Vinci® robot. This dedicated operating room is one of the hospital's inpatient operating suites which recently opened as part of the $300 million Clovis Community expansion.
Surgeon Kelli Beingesser performed the first da Vinci Surgery at Clovis Community Medical Center -- a hysterectomy for patient Terri Garcia.Back to Videos
Collaboration and expertise are key to developing a bariatric surgery program that tops the state in volumes, low costs – and year after year earns top 5-star ratings.
For a fourth consecutive year, Fresno Heart & Surgical Hospital has received HealthGrades® Bariatric Surgery Excellence Award, placing it among the top 5% nationwide for the weight-loss procedure.
Fresno Heart & Surgical Hospital bariatric surgeon Saber Ghiassi led a study through Stanford University that found morbidly obese patients who had gastric bypass surgery were able to significantly reduce their medications for hypertension and diabetes at a year after surgery – which led to a big drop in health care costs. Forty-year-old Paul Ferguson of Fresno's story serves as an example of real results. He lost more than 200 pounds through gastric bypass surgery more than a year ago, and no longer needs his medications for diabetes and hypertension.

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Greetings from the Marcus Garvey Cultural Center!
Located in the Davis House, the Marcus Garvey Cultural Center (MGCC) staff strives to create a safe, inclusive community for all students, staff, and staff at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC). As a center focused on advocacy, the MGCC staff seek to create a space where students of color and marginalized populations feel connected and empowered throughout their collegiate experience.
The MGCC is equipped with a lounge area, resource and conference rooms, kitchen, and computer lab. The spaces in the Davis House are available for club or organization meetings by reservation only.
We welcome you to join staff, students, and friends of the MGCC by taking a tour, attending a program, enjoying the display of artifacts throughout the house, socializing with new friends, or completing homework.
The MGCC staff focuses on educational development and cultural exploration. We welcome your visit!


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We've been trying to find a sustainable approach to getting motivated and staying motivated. No luck thus far. To go further in our search, it's time to face…
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Hello loyal e-leg report readers, here is this week's installment of the world under the Gold Dome; as always, we welcome your feedback, thoughts, comments and questions. This news report is designed to keep you up to date on the activity of interest to the bar, and to lawyers across practice areas that are happening at the Capitol.
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Jezz SantosFrom Software Factories to Software Automationhttp://blogs.msdn.com/b/jezzsa/atom.aspxTelligent Evolution Platform Developer Build (Build: 5.6.50428.7875)2013-02-16T15:23:16ZAutomated Code Signinghttp://blogs.msdn.com/b/jezzsa/archive/2013/06/15/automated-code-signing.aspx2013-06-15T22:37:46Z2013-06-15T22:37:46Z
I've just finished a significant push on automating our signing process over at the NuPattern project. And the results are so good that I felt like I need to share them with others, so you can also benefit from this important process step in your software projects.

So what's the big deal?

I am sure that every .NET developer has some experience with creating strong named assemblies by now. All you need to do is create yourself a *.snk file (sn.exe –k) that contains both a (public and private key by default), and then configure a couple of assembly level configuration in your project and you are done. This is all fine and good if you are permitted to create and access your own private keys. But if you work in an organization and want your software identified to that organization, chances are that your organization wants to control access to those private keys. Because compromising them amounts to a security vulnerability, and you may have to jump though hoops to get your bits signed in the organization. Many organizations wish to have, and have defined strict processes and governance around getting bits signed using their private keys which they keep under lock and key, quite understandably.

The NuPattern project is a member of the The Outercurve Foundation, and as well as attributing the projects ownership to the foundation, we also sign and certify our binary deliverables using certificates provided by the Outercurve Foundation. We DelaySign our code with the public key which we store in the source code tree. But in order for the project to sign the bits for public consumption, we need to sign our bits with a private key, which we don't have access to.

Like many software projects, we strive to build an identity and trust with our customers, and ensure that the authenticity and the integrity of our deliverables are protected. As part of that, we like to strong name and Authenticode sign our assemblies, we also like to Authenticode sign our deployable packages (i.e VSIXes and MSI's) so they can be downloaded and trusted. Have you ever downloaded something to be told by your browser that it does not look to be trusted, and you should perhaps not install it? So, signing and certifying deliverables is pretty key to building trust with customers, and is a very common practice in use by many software organizations to ensure that what you download and consume are genuinely from the source, and have not been tampered with.

Back when we first developed and released NuPattern (then called VSPAT) before it was open sourced, it was a proprietary product from Microsoft. At Microsoft, any released binary deliverable must go through a rigorous release process to ensure it meets many compliance standards  - as do all software deliverables from Microsoft. There are some very good tools around Microsoft for managing this process as a whole. But one of the critical steps in that process is to get your deliverables signed by the organization. Microsoft, like other large software vendors don't give their staff access to the private keys of their certificates and asymmetric signing keys. Those private keys are guarded carefully, locked up and protected well behind authorized processes. So how did we get our assemblies strong named signed, and other deliverables Authenticode signed at Microsoft?

Well, at Microsoft they have created their own in-house tools and process flows for getting your deliverables signed for you on behalf of the organization. It is a tightly controlled process, and not that easy to navigate to be fair. The basic idea is that you get time-boxed access to the signing tools in a convoluted approval process. Then you login to a internal corporate web site, you go through an online wizard where you configure the kind of signing you want, then you upload the deliverables to sign, and then at some time later (like days) you get an email to tell you they were signed and can be downloaded from a file share, which requires authorized access as well.

I remember that when I first went thought this process: it took about 4 days to get authorized access from some administrator over email. Then I had to meet strict software configuration on my machine, and dependencies in my browser. Then it forced me to download specific version of some ActiveX control, which was problematic in many browser versions, even Internet Explorer! Then, I got immediately stuck on what option to select for what kind of signing I needed. I just wanted assembly strong name and Authenticode signing at first. But there were many options for all the different kinds of things and keys they have to support. (As you might expect in a company that size, that sign anything from every Microsoft product on the marketplace ever!) After someone (with prior-experience with the tools) gave me the right coordinates, I was away. I would submit my batch job and wait a few days for the results. Overall, end-to-end the process took several days to release the bits – just from signing. It required intense manual configuration in the signing tool, and multiple rounds of signing in our case (see later). Naturally, I was never really very comfortable that I hadn't forgotten a signing step, or configured each step correctly. The only sense of comfort I could find that things were done right, was intensive, tedious and manual verification that the bits were indeed all signed in the right places, for which there are very rudimentary tools available to help.

When the project was finally assigned to Outercurve and made open source, we faced the same issue of how to get our bits signed with the private keys held by the Outercurve Foundation. At the time, signing bits for other .NET projects at the Outercurve was not in high demand! Which I have to say surprised me, but on reflection appears to be representative of many software organizations. Why? Simply, because providing tools that do such a task in an automated fashion (even partially automated) are HARD to implement correctly and reliably. This is evident from the lack of any online services that can provide such a service to software organizations. [There an idea for an online entrepreneur. Not without its trust challenges I might add].

At the time however the Outercurve strongly desired to support such a key scenario to its projects, and work began in earnest to provide this signing service to its project owners. The results of that push are now realized and fantastic. We have Eric Schultz to thank for all his hard work and dedication for getting us there, and furthermore, for enabling the NuPattern project to continue creating regular releases. But first let me explain how we got there.

At the start, there was nothing except a couple of private keys for both strong naming and Authenticode signing assets, and a will to create a signing process.

Eric began working on providing services for automating the signing of project assets. I actually don't know the details of what Eric started with or how Eric began the work (perhaps you can ask him yourself), but at some point, shortly after, we were working together intensely on Skype signing our assemblies and packages, by exchanging binaries over a online file share (Skydrive), and some time later (minutes to hours) Eric would pass me back my bits signed.

From the project side, initially we had no automation to help us provide Eric with the right bits at the right time. We started off with an automated build that yielded our built packages (VSIXes in this case, which are renamed ZIP files), and an MSI installer. But our VSIXes contain other VSIXes like a Russian doll they nest inside of each other, and every VSIX contains one or more assemblies that would need strong name signing. We also needed to Authenticode sign every assembly, every VSIX package and the MSI package. The signing process, end-to-end requires several steps, with multiple signing phases, it goes something like this:

Extract all assemblies from all built VSIXes (we have 8 VSIXes, and about 50 assemblies)

Sign all 50 assemblies (both Strong-Name sign and Authenticode sign)

Reconstruct all 8 VSIXes with the signed assemblies.

Sign the 6 nested VSIXes (Authenticode sign)

Reconstruct the 2 containing VSIXes with the 6 nested VSIXes

Sign the 2 containing VSIXes (Authenticode sign)

Recompile the single MSI installer which packages the 8 signed VSIXes

Sign the 1 built MSI installer

That's four signing steps each with different assets, each with different signing keys.

Even though we could automate the building of the code to yield the VSIX packages and MSI package, and automate the extraction of the unsigned assemblies  from those VSIXes with some basic batch files, the reconstruction of the VSIXes with signed assemblies had to be performed manually using tools like 7-Zip on the desktop. Over the course of a few hours, we had built a few automated batch files for performing one or two of the steps. None of which automated either the signing or reconstruction steps. You could see those initial batch files in a previous version of the source code (now removed).

The first time around the process, it was basically Eric and myself on Skype uploading the files to a Skydrive, and then Eric downloading them and running his signing routines on them, then uploading back the signed results to the Skydrive. The overall process took about 6 hours to complete. We both had various interruptions with meetings, home life, meals etc., as we were also spanning an 8hrs time zone difference. We finally go it done just before 11pm at night for Eric, and so he signed off for bed. That left me to verify the results and upload the release to our project site. And wouldn't just you know it, it was only at that point that I discovered I had missed a step in the process, and we had signed the wrong bits!! At this point, I had no choice but to wait another half day until Eric and I could get back together again online, and rather frustratingly/embarrassingly (for us both) go over the whole process again. We got lucky that time, at least that's how it felt given the number of steps and opportunity to miss or muck up a step – hardly a robust and reliable procedure. But it worked that time, thankfully.

Several weeks passed after that first experience, and Eric suddenly announced that the Outercurve signing service had been created and is now available online!!! He even created a GitHub open source project for it! And wouldn't you know it, just in time for us to create a new release of NuPattern, which would need signing again. It has to be said at this point, that although we strive to create regular maintenance drops of the projects, the signing process and its overhead had caused some resistance to dropping whenever we wanted to. Clearly, not the best position to be in.

After Eric had provided our project with the necessary credentials to use this new signing service, and some examples of how to programmatically use it (in both PowerShell and MSBUILD) we were entirely unblocked from building a totally automated process around signing our bits. One that could be executed anytime! like after a CI build! perhaps not that frequently, but certainly that easily.

Work began in earnest at NuPattern. We had already discovered the process we needed, we had already documented it fully, and had it partially automated it with some rudimentary batch files. All we need to do was convert the batch files into MSBUILD scripts, and weave into that the signing pieces using the new signing service, using the MSBUILD tasks that Outercurve had provided.

The results of this MSBUILD code can now be seen in a single file in the NuPattern project: SignBinaries.targets. We needed to add the MSBUILD tasks/assemblies provided by Outercurve in our source tree, and also include the 7-Zip binaries in our source tree for this to all work. And we have a simple batch file (Make-AllAndSign.bat) that builds the code and executes the signing process in one click.

The outcome is phenomenal! in one click (or one step added to a CI process) we get our bits built, signed, repackaged and re-signed (as described above)! The overall process takes close to 1 hour to complete. (Most of that time taken to upload and download the various assets to and from the signing service).

In terms of productivity, we have gone from tying up 2 people for about 6hrs, to tying up a CPU for 1hr. But the most important improvement has been the reliability of the overall process. No longer do we have to worry about making manual human errors at any step in the process. The process is entirely automated, and as long as we got the automation steps right, we can guarantee the results are 100% reliable. And that cost saving (in verification and rework) is priceless to us.

At anytime, anyone on the project can now sign the bits. and perform a release. The instructions are fully documented as well.

If you are reading this and are interested in how to reap similar benefits in your project, you may want to talk to Eric. The code for this signing service is open sourced, and I believe its based on a set of simple Azure services. So why not build one in your organization? and save heaps of time and money getting your projects bits signed the right way?

Perhaps this signing service could be the first of its kind to lead the way in a new set of services that could be provided for *any* organization? who knows?

Jezz Santoshttp://blogs.msdn.com/jezzsa/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxSoftware Development Automation Conference 2013http://blogs.msdn.com/b/jezzsa/archive/2013/05/22/software-development-automation-conference-2013.aspx2013-05-22T20:49:18Z2013-05-22T20:49:18Z
I just came across this announcement. Seems like a perfect fit for where NuPattern contributes its value.

We need someone to attend or present NuPattern.

On May 29th, 2013, the first Software Development Automation Conference (SDAconf) will be held in Amsterdam. SDA is a conference for anyone who wants to learn more about automating software development, using model-driven development (MDD), domain-specific languages (DSLs), code generators and language workbenches.

SDA specifically targets software developers, architects and managers. So, not only technical issues, but also organisational and commercial aspects of software development automation will be addressed. Main purpose of the conference is to exchange knowledge of and experience with model-driven development, across industry and academia.

Model driven development has enthusiastic supporters, but also has to face sceptical critics. By means of this conference, we want to revive this subject. Efficient construction and maintenance of software is becoming more and more important. Change is constant. Software is more and more becoming a living organism. Software has to evolve continuously in order to satisfy its users. Model driven development is the answer to this.

Many tools exist for model driven development. These are evolving towards complete language workbenches, for rapid development of domain specific languages and code generators. Next to these, one can also find out-of-the-box model-driven solutions for business automation. The SDA conference is the place to see these developments at work.

So, do you want to increase quality, efficiency and predictability of your software development process? Then join us at SDA 2013, on May 29th, 2013.

Our web site: http://www.sda2013.nl/
Our email address: firstname.lastname@example.com
Follow us on Twitter: @SDAconf

Jezz Santoshttp://blogs.msdn.com/jezzsa/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxNuPattern Updated!http://blogs.msdn.com/b/jezzsa/archive/2013/05/16/nupattern-updated.aspx2013-05-16T21:47:20Z2013-05-16T21:47:20Z
We just released our first minor update to NuPattern, version 126.96.36.199. No big deal, it just fixes some minor issues for the previous major release.

However, for the first time EVER we appear in the 'Updates' of the Extension Manager in Visual Studio.

I have to tell you that this IS a big deal to me, and perhaps others on the project who started with the project back in late 2009. We have had to wait a very long time (more than 3 years) to have presence in this nifty piece of UI with our stuff in it. Helping make sure everyone stays up to date with the technology! It is huge for us.

If you are wondering why we have had to wait so long for this, here is a summary:

The NuPattern project started in late 2009, and our first release followed 3 weeks later. We had something like 15 regular releases in 2010 as the project was incubated, proven and hardened. However, all these releases were hidden from public view as part of a 'internal' enterprise initiative between Microsoft and Raytheon. You can learn more about that here and here. After that initiative concluded, VSPAT (as it was known at the time) continued to be hardened and applied to other Microsoft initiatives, for other enterprise customers, none of which saw the public light of day. It was used in a public 'Microsoft Amalga' product release as their tooling platform, but 'Microsoft Amalga' is not really the sort of product you would buy shrink-wrapped, or for general consumption. The platform of VSPAT was as such, kept internal at Microsoft.

In late 2011, Microsoft finally open sourced the project on CodePlex, and we had the 19th release (18.104.22.168) on the Visual Studio Gallery. This being the first celebrated public release.

Then disaster struck. Further releases of VSPAT were seriously hampered because of the critical 'Feature Builder Power Tool' dependency that we had was not being supported for VS2012 by Microsoft. Prevented us releasing any updates, and that held us up for another 8 months!

That issue finally resolved, in March of this year we released the 20th version (220.127.116.11) of NuPattern, but the branding, identity and binary compatibility had to be seriously overhauled because of the transition from Microsoft ownership to Outercurve ownership, and with the support for VS2012, and integration of the 'Feature Extension Runtime' – i.e. no chance possible for an automatic update of NuPattern there.

Not until yesterday could we finally put out there a release (22.214.171.124) that could 'automatically' continue the journey of NuPattern.

We hope you all update soon, and look forward to new updates as we move the technology forward.

Congrats again to all that made this journey possible.

Jezz Santoshttp://blogs.msdn.com/jezzsa/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxFeature Builder Power Tool Futurehttp://blogs.msdn.com/b/jezzsa/archive/2013/05/08/feature-builder-power-tool-future.aspx2013-05-09T10:08:29Z2013-05-09T10:08:29Z
The 'Feature Builder Power Tool' was originally built by the Visual Studio Architecture team as a component of an overall vision to deliver software factory tooling to enterprise customers. The work started in earnest in 2008, and the FBPT project concluded within about 6-8 months. The project had a grander vision, but never received further funding to reach its full potential. Since its first release on the Visual Studio Gallery in 2009, the project has attracted some success.

The project delivered two parts:

The first part, the core part, was a Visual Studio extension that hosts Guidance Workflows in Visual Studio bringing contextualized and automated guidance into the IDE. It delivered both a 'Guidance Workflow Explorer' window which illustrated the workflow, and a 'Guidance Browser' window with which to browse the content of the individual elements in the workflow. A 'Guidance Workflow' is composed from of a set of instructional or informational steps, that can be sequential and multi-branched, and can be conditional on both manual gestures (like a tickbox) and automated conditions calculated form the development environment. The benefit of using such rich workflows is that they can not only help you understand a process where you could check off steps as you perform them manually, but also the workflow itself can calculate completed steps based on what you have done in your solution. The workflows allow multiple threads of concurrency in the workflow, which enables teams to complete complex or long running processes concurrently. As steps are completed in the workflow, new steps and paths through the process light up. You progress through the workflow until it is completed. Basically, it is an automated workflow processing engine. Very powerful indeed, especially for instructional kinds of guidance.

The second part of the power tools was the set of developer authoring tools that you used to design such guidance workflows.

Both part one and two were bundled together in the 'Feature Builder Power Tool' extension.

At the time, the Visual Studio Architecture team decided to base the 'authoring' tools of the FBPT on the new UML Activity Diagram that they were marketing heavily. As such they purposely decided to restrict the building of guidance workflows to Visual Studio Ultimate customers only. A huge oversight in my mind, as it put contextual guidance out of reach for many who could have benefited from utilizing guidance. This move also inadvertently stifled the uptake and adoption of guidance workflows across the marketplace for ordinary developers, since they were not privileged enough to create it. IMHO building guidance should have been a thing Microsoft should have encouraged to all and any Visual Studio user, building bigger momentum around this new technology and approach. But alas, the authoring experience with the UML Activity designer turned out to be super clunky, very tedious and ultra esoteric. And furthermore, the guidance that shipped with the authoring tools, that was supposed to help you build better guidance workflows!, was a very poor example of why there was any value in building guidance workflows in the first place! A lot of hard but important lessons were learned from that release, especially how not to treat and address your potential marketplace. However, the technology did speak for itself, and as such has seen some adoption and praise.

Unfortunately, soon after the public release of the FBPT tools, the team that built them was disbanded quickly, and the tools have had little support since. Its predecessor: the Guidance Automation Toolkit (GAT) was being made obsolete around the same time. And when VS2012 was being announced there was no plan from Microsoft to support the 'Feature Builder Power Tool'. Unaware of this, FBPT customers who had taken a bet on the technology were left high and dry and without an alternative, or roadmap, as was the whole software factories community.

Until very recently, the 'Feature Builder Power Tool' project has been slowly languishing. With many bugs, installation issues, a poor authoring experience, bad ratings, and no encouragement and support from the Microsoft Visual Studio team. Sadly, the project has suffered a great deal of loss over the last few years, and has even angered a few.

However, there is now some great news about the FBPT project. If you remember, at the start of this post, I mentioned that the FBPT was a component of a larger strategy around delivering a full suite of software factory tooling. The other components of that strategy came together, with the guidance workflow piece, into the NuPattern project. There is a great story to tell here one day, but the short story is that NuPattern was designed to build upon the guidance component that was shipped in the FBPT, and extend it out much further to complete the overall tooling strategy, and it is still evolving. NuPattern was to be the set of domain specific development tools and integration platform that you built and ran your software factories upon. However, the NuPattern project called 'PLATU' at the time, was concealed from public view and so this remaining part of the strategy was invisible to people interested in how the FBPT technology was going to evolve, and what Microsoft was doing in that space.

The NuPattern project has always had a very large and deep binary dependency on the runtime component of the FBPT, right from the start. This is because it not only drove the requirement for building the FBPT technology in the first place, but it also needed to deliver the missing piece around domain specific development tooling that was needed to build a software factory or toolkit. About a year ago NuPattern (called 'VSPAT' at the time) was finally released.

As the FBPT wasn't supported for VS2012 or later, the NuPattern project faced the reality of having a stagnant foundational dependency, that prevented shipping NuPattern for VS2012. After several months of negotiation and due process with Microsoft, they contributed the source code of the runtime components of FBPT to the NuPattern project. This single and celebrated collaborative act enabled the NuPattern project to finally ship a VS2012 version, and removed the crippling stagnant dependency. And with that one move, support for the core runtime components of the FBPT have moved to the NuPattern open source community. Great news for anyone who was either interested in, or still interested in the 'Feature Builder Power Tool'.

NuPattern has always had guidance workflow support. And its has always had its own supported authoring experience for building guidance workflows, that is a great deal easier and far more intuitive than using UML Activity diagrams. Which makes creating guidance workflows available to all Pro/Prem and Ultimate customers in NuPattern!

If you are still using, or used the 'Feature Builder Power Tool' extension to build 'Feature Extensions', and you saw value in the concept of sharing guidance workflows. And you want to create more of them - look to building a NuPattern Toolkit instead. A NuPattern toolkit brings a far superior platform for your guidance and automation to be experienced by your Visual Studio users. (and just quietly, its a great deal easier to create and support than a feature extension).

That said, there is no direct and supported path to migrate a 'Feature Extension' built with FBPT to a NuPattern toolkit. You can however, keep the code and guidance you may have had in your feature extension, and with some rework, repurpose them in a NuPattern toolkit. The concepts are almost identical because NuPattern has always used the foundation of the FBPT runtime. Same concepts, same classes, but now a different namespace, and richer context for your guidance.

In a nutshell: for all those on the 'Feature Builder Power Tool' or those who lost faith in the FBPT project, and still have an interest in the technology - check out the NuPattern project and give us your suggestions and feedback on how to continue to evolve contextual and automated guidance for you.

Jezz Santoshttp://blogs.msdn.com/jezzsa/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxNarrator Inquire Withinhttp://blogs.msdn.com/b/jezzsa/archive/2013/05/02/narrator-inquire-within.aspx2013-05-03T10:58:00Z2013-05-03T10:58:00Z
We have long needed a decent video screencast that helps explain what NuPattern is all about for first time visitors to the NuPattern project. Something that gives a first timer an inkling of an idea what NuPattern does. It does not have to make logical sense even, but to walk away with a clear idea of what you would use NuPattern for.

Well now we have such a candidate video on YouTube - but it is silent – no voiceover!

The director and producers have done the hard work in scripting the video and producing it, but we are missing the most vital element, someone to explain what's going on in the video!

The producers of the video don't feel that their voices are suitable for the narration, so just for fun we are going to try a new idea, and recruit a narrator from the community.

So, the project is looking for anyone who would like to step forward, who likes the sound of their own voice, to be our voice of NuPattern, and bask in the glory of influencing many people to step in the direction the project is tracking.

Please apply within, post your interest on this discussion thread.

Jezz Santoshttp://blogs.msdn.com/jezzsa/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxWhy is NuPattern relevant to you?http://blogs.msdn.com/b/jezzsa/archive/2013/04/30/why-is-nupattern-relevant-to-you.aspx2013-05-01T03:00:17Z2013-05-01T03:00:17Z
Perhaps you blog software technology solutions, or write technical articles or presentations for your organization that are intended to document for others what you have learned about implementing the solutions that you have built. Perhaps you hope that others will reproduce your proven results. Perhaps you have a role in ensuring those without your knowledge and mastery of software implementation follow your guidelines and wisdom. The success of any approach is limited to how much time you can invest in explaining the details of your solution to people who don't have your level of expertise. Such as: explaining the context of how your solution is applied and when, how it may vary based upon other people's needs, the need to know details about the technologies and frameworks it applies to, and any choices about its implementation that could be made to tailor it to their needs. It is a ton of information to cram in any kind of document that just anyone can read and understand well enough to comprehend fully the way you do. Let alone, how someone else without perhaps your deep knowledge and experience should practically and reliably integrate your solutions into their existing solution, or how to adapt the solution for their own requirements or constraints, which will surely be different from yours.

When you master proven implementations that can be reused, you tend to derive generalized and extensible patterns in them that you may see value in re-applying to other projects or solutions. So, how do you teach someone else to repeat those solutions and patterns the way you understand them?

Well, instead of just documenting step-by-step instructions on how to implement these patterns, best practices or solutions, and then just hope someone understands it as well as you do to a degree they can repeat it reliably – you could instead build a Pattern Toolkit that applies and automates the implementation of your solution or pattern reliably, consistently and correctly for them.

A toolkit that not only includes all the assumptions, details and information about the solution to be built, but includes custom tools and guidance to build it, and integrate it into an existing solution. A toolkit that has a simplified user interface, with templates, wizards, custom automation, menus, drag & drop and integrated guidance etc. that can be configured to suit the specific needs of those using it.

Your Pattern Toolkit will allow others to make choices and selections about how the pattern can be configured to apply and accommodate their specific requirements and constraints. It can even allow other pattern toolkits to plug into it, extending it further.

It will integrate and apply your best practice or patterns automatically, correctly and rapidly, and still allow manual customization of the final solution if needed. And, if your Pattern Toolkit does not quite or exactly meet the needs of the next project/community, anyone can install NuPattern, take your Pattern Toolkit, and extend or customize it for their specific needs (requirements, technical constraints etc.) without having to start from scratch again – and without your source code!

Finally, it's important to understand that the intricacies of building and deploying custom tooling in Visual Studio are conveniently taken care of for you. A Pattern Toolkit is generated for you and is packaged in a single deployable package that can be emailed, posted on a blog, or downloaded from the Visual Studio Gallery. You will never need to learn all about the complexities of Visual Studio commands, menus, tool windows. It is all generated for you.

If this sounds like something you should be doing, go and get NuPattern today!

Jezz Santoshttp://blogs.msdn.com/jezzsa/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxNuPattern Released!http://blogs.msdn.com/b/jezzsa/archive/2013/04/29/nupattern-released.aspx2013-04-30T03:07:29Z2013-04-30T03:07:29Z
It is with great pride and some trepidation that I would like to announce the release of the first version of NuPattern (v.126.96.36.199). Go get it here

I say first version version, because prior to this moment in time the product was called VSPAT, for which we have 19 previous releases. But NuPattern isn't just a new name for the thing, it is a new direction and alignment that marks the independence of this product from its prior benefactor Microsoft, and opens it to a new community direction in developer tooling. NuPattern is now free to evolve by the development community to address broader market concerns around domain specific development and custom tooling development in Visual Studio. It is a huge milestone in this space.

One of these days, the story of NuPattern will emerge for those interested in its roots of development. For now though, we are hoping to start to build a new community around the project and take it in a new direction that adds value to any and every software development or deployment project. Please get involved.

Jezz Santoshttp://blogs.msdn.com/jezzsa/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxMicrosoft contributes Feature Builder to NuPatternhttp://blogs.msdn.com/b/jezzsa/archive/2013/04/16/microsoft-contributes-feature-builder-to-nupattern.aspx2013-04-17T03:02:24Z2013-04-17T03:02:24Z
Today, Microsoft contributed the 'Feature Extension Runtime' components (the engine) of the 'Feature Builder Power Tool' to the NuPattern project!

This is fantastic news, and the NuPattern community is very grateful to all those at Microsoft who have made this generous contribution.

For those that may not be familiar with the significance of this move, the 'Feature Extension Runtime' (FERT) engine is the foundation upon which the NuPattern project was build, a key strategic dependency, and FERT exposes not only the some critical runtime components for NuPattern, but also provides the ability to run contextual and stateful guidance in Visual Studio. The 'Feature Builder Power Tool' is no longer supported in Visual Studio 2012, and having this contribution allows NuPattern to move forward to support Visual Studio 2012.

The 'Feature Builder Power Tool' was created by the Visual Studio Architecture Team as a first step in the direction of a new generation of contextualized automation tooling, which NuPattern then extended to add an automation platform and model-driven development approach for creating a new wave of domain specific tooling in Visual Studio, now available to everyone.

Now that the FERT components are integrated into the NuPattern project, we shall be able to support and extend this technology moving forward in current and future Visual Studio versions, and provide the ability to all developers to benefit from in-solution contextual guidance.

It marks a great moment in the history of the NuPattern project, and brings to light the work that Microsoft had invested over the last 5 years in a new generation of automation technologies that continue the to deliver on the vision of 'Software Factories' and 'Domain Specific Development'.

More than anything though, this contribution now makes it possible to complete a new version of NuPattern for Visual Studio 2012. Which has been long awaited, and is now imminent.

We would like to recognize the efforts of the following people who have been key in this contribution: Brooke Hamilton, who has done all the hard work in driving and shepherding this contribution from Microsoft to the NuPattern project. This task which has taken months to complete, has been monumental in both effort, patience and tenacity to bring this valuable asset to us. To Gareth Jones from the Visual Studio Ultimate team who has worked closely with the project to make this key contribution. The team that originally created this contribution: David Trowbridge, Jack Greenfield, Michael Lehman, Christof Sprenger, Daniel Cazzulino and Mariano Rodriguez. And finally to the efforts and care of the Microsoft legal team, and the Outercurve Foundation team for getting us to this point.

Roll on the VS2012 version of NuPattern!

Jezz Santoshttp://blogs.msdn.com/jezzsa/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxNeed a New Challengehttp://blogs.msdn.com/b/jezzsa/archive/2013/03/11/need-a-new-challenge.aspx2013-03-11T20:57:00Z2013-03-11T20:57:00Z
Bit of a shameful plug for myself, but finding work seems to be a little difficult right now.

I've been consulting globally for Microsoft for the last 11 years and been helping software development organizations across many industries and geographies, assuring delivery of their solutions and products. Now that I have left Microsoft as a Principal there, I am now looking for new opportunities in the local or global marketplace where I can contribute my experience. Ideally, I would wish to have a significant impact in generating new value for a progressive software organization or community, who perhaps need help in moving to more efficient and sustainable product development practices and processes. Keen to pursue new opportunities or existing ones.

Ideally, the organization or community will recognize that they have significant customer value and revenue to grow, and that their IT capability may not be realizing its full potential in delivering business value efficiently, or at a level of quality and integrity that delights their customers, and grows their social capital in the marketplace. They probably recognize that their current IT capability may be wasteful and slow to apply itself to new market opportunities, or unable to change to serve changing business needs cost effectively. They recognize that fostering self-empowered teams, continuous improvement and the requirement to drive delivery excellence and higher quality is critical in moving forward in today's business environment. They are looking for strong and experienced leaders to help develop and mature their IT capability.

Please let me know if you may know of any opportunities you think I should pursue.

Jezz Santoshttp://blogs.msdn.com/jezzsa/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxDesperately Seeking Contributionshttp://blogs.msdn.com/b/jezzsa/archive/2013/02/16/desperately-seeking-contributions.aspx2013-02-17T03:23:16Z2013-02-17T03:23:16Z
As we reach the next milestone of the NuPattern project, the 184.108.40.206 release, I need to be looking to grow a new group of contributors to the project.

The acceptance and adoption of the technology has evidently been very slow to date, and this is understandable given that most people who encounter the technology are given little draw to it from any real visual example or illustration of what it can do for them. Its a great platform, so we say, but who has used it?

If there was only one thing I would wish for right now, its that someone could create a screencast of a toolkit built with NuPattern.

We Need Help!

We don't even need someone to build a new toolkit to do this. We have such a toolkit over at the MVCPAT project, and I have even documented each step of a walkthrough showing off all the cool features of it. It is just that we need a video of that walkthrough to excite people and given them a quick look at what NuPattern can do for them or their communities. This is such a critical asset for generating interest in the project, that without this first step it it is extremely hard to sell the value of the NuPattern platform.

After the screencast we will need more examples of toolkits other have built in the public domain. Its not that no one has built any toolkits with this technology, there are many 10's of them out there within enterprises, its just that none of them can be shared with the public. Which again does not help demonstrate the effectiveness of the NuPattern technology. We need more publically available toolkits to show off the benefits of building and using toolkits.

If we had the above two things, I believe that is all it would take to get the project moving in the right direction, and have the community involvement to keep it moving. I never in a million years imagined that NuPattern would be pleading for new contributors moving forward given the history and success of the project, but the reality of the situation is that here we are.

So humbly, I am requesting your help.

Jezz Santoshttp://blogs.msdn.com/jezzsa/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashx


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Article Summary
April 15, 2008 CSR has given the first public demonstration of its Ultra Low Power (ULP) Bluetooth silicon at the Continua Health Alliance medical conference in Luxembourg. The demonstrations showed that CSR's ULP Bluetooth silicon consumes 10 times less power than standard Bluetooth when connectable.
Read the full article: CSR demonstrates ultra low power Bluetooth
Related Articles


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It is time for the Federal Government and the aged care industry to join forces to make real change to the aged care workforce, writes Sandra Hills.
'Daring to make a difference'
PROFILE: For almost a decade, facility manager Paul Brophy has been staging musical events that bring together 20 aged care facilities across Melbourne.
Aged care's best honoured
Programs that empower a predominantly female workforce, provide care for those with a mental illness, and facilitate church services for residents with dementia are among recent winners of two national awards programs.
Providers seek to combat social isolation among clients
Isolation has major mental health and physical impacts on older people, yet limited funding and a prioritising of the physical needs of community care clients act as significant barriers to addressing the social wellbeing of individuals.
Australia succeeds in bid for longevity centre
The International Longevity Centre Global Alliance, a multinational consortium sharing research, policy and knowledge related to population ageing, has announced overnight that a bid for an Australian centre has been successful.
Recognising innovation and dedication
A community nutritional care service that provides a qualified personal care attendant or community cook to prepare meals in older people's homes is among the services and individuals nominated in this year's HESTA Aged Care Awards.
Respite funding under threat: BSL
Welfare group the Brotherhood of St Laurence has raised concerns about the fate of respite services for people with high care needs under the government's proposed new Commonwealth Home Support Program.
The cost of inaction
The government could save itself millions of dollars if it implements a new nationwide dental scheme as promised, a recently released report states.
All together now
Residents from 17 aged care facilities in Melbourne will get together for a fun afternoon of music and dance tomorrow.
NFPs urge Govt to include older Australians
The Australian Social Inclusion agenda must include policies to assist elderly people participate in community life, say not-for-profit organisations.
Benetas broadens its role
The Victorian provider is boosting its involvement in advocacy with the development of a new position.


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Welcome to Your City Opera House
As we celebrate our rich past and look toward an exciting future, our historic City Opera House is alive with new energy and anticipation. Since opening its doors in 1892, the "Grand Old Lady," as she is lovingly known, has hosted everything from plays, concerts and operettas, to gala balls, conventions and banquets. The City Opera House truly is a community-based, community-supported gathering space for Grand Traverse residents and visitors alike.
As we prepare for a new season of arts and cultural entertainment, the City Opera House is proud to partner with Michigan State University's renowned Wharton Center for Performing Arts to present a diverse line-up of performing arts attractions. Throughout the following pages, you will find an array of events with something for everyone from concerts and comedy acts to theatrical events, dance performances and family fun. Better yet, this is only the beginning! Throughout the year, we will continue to bring you even more quality attractions. We hope you'll consider becoming a City Opera House subscriber. It's the best way to get great seats at low prices with priority seating before the general public, ticket discounts and more. Ticket packages start as low as three shows and the more you choose, the bigger the discount.
About the City Opera House
The City Opera House is one of six historically intact Victorian opera houses in Michigan and boasts a rich history as a cornerstone of culture in the Grand Traverse region. Since opening its doors in 1891, this elegant historic theater has hosted everything from plays, concerts and operettas, to gala balls, social functions, community festivals and celebrations. The "Grand Old Lady," as she is lovingly known, has served as a community gathering space for more than a century.
The City Opera House was added to National Register of Historic Places in 1972. Soon after, a committed group of inspired citizens led efforts to faithfully restore this cultural gem to its former grandeur and preserve it for generations to come. Its dramatic barrel vault ceiling, fresco paintings, gold leaf accents and Victorian styling offer residents and visitors a vibrant, one-of-a-kind venue for a diverse array of events.
Today, the City Opera House is a non-profit destination attraction for quality arts and cultural entertainment, educational programming, and public and private gatherings. Its versatile design allows the venue to function as a state-of-the-art 700-seat theater while providing the flexibility to clear the main floor of seating for large gatherings. Unparalleled Victorian charm, superior acoustic quality, and an accessible location all add up to a unique public environment in the heart of downtown Traverse City.
- Jennifer Jones Chair
- Huntington Wealth Advisors
- Steve Constantin Vice Chair
- Dow Chemical (retired)
- Jeremy Harnish Treasurer
- Fifth Third Bank
- Rob Bacigalupi Secretary
- Downtown Development Authority
- Karen Smith Past Chair
- Arts Advocate
- Gloria Butler
- Educator (retired)
- Thom Darga
- DargaWorks
- Eric Fournier
- Chemical Bank
- Page Graves
- Smith & Johnson
- Sara Harding
- FIM Group
- Richard Lewis
- Municipal Management (retired)
- Deb McKeon
- Council of Michigan Foundations
- Michelle McManus
- Honor Bank
- Suzanne Parker
- Bob Spence III
- Spence Brothers Construction
- Lisa Schmidt
- Coldwell Banker
- Tonya Wildfong
Honorary Members
- Bret Bell *
- Catherine Dancer *
- Chad Dutmers
- Trish Fiebing
- Louise Hagerty
- Sondra Hardy
- Marilyn Flaherty
- Doug Meteyer
- Lynn Quick
- Steve Riecker
- Peg Simmons
- Ken Zacks
* deceased


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February 12, 2016
All event times are Eastern Time Zone unless otherwise specified.
Swimming at NCAC Championships: Granville, OH, 10:00AM
IU McKinney Law School Visit Day: 11:00AM - 7:00PM
Visit day at IU McKinney Law School with a reception to follow at Barnes and Thornburg. Additional details will be available at a later date. Transportation provided by Career Services. RSVP via handshake to attend!
SUMMER Off-Campus Study Info Session: Goodrich Hall 104, 12:00PM - 1:00PM
Information session for students interested in studying off-campus during the SUMMER. A light lunch will be provided.
Pittsburgh, PA Monthly Luncheon: 12:00PM
The WPAWCM monthly luncheon is held on the second Friday of each month. Where: Soho by PNC Park, 203 Federal Street, Pittsburgh
Sugar Creek Assoc. Monthly Luncheon: 12:00PM
12:00-1:00 p.m. Crawfordsville Country Club (Parlor) 3272 W. Country Club Rd Crawfordsville, IN The SCAWM Monthly Luncheon is held on the 2nd Friday of each month. Guest Speaker is Jeremy Hartnett, Associate Professor of Classics, Dept. Chair.
Chemistry Seminar: Nathan Line, Ohio State Univ.: 319 Classroom, 12:10PM - 1:10PM
Join us as we welcome back Nathan Line '11. Nathan is completing his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry at The Ohio State University. His presentation will share the impressive organic synthesis work he has completed since graduating from Wabash College. A lite lunch will be provided.
Track & Field at Hoosier Hills Open: Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, 4:00PM
President and Mrs. Gregory Hess in Dallas: 6:30PM
The Dallas-Ft. Worth Association of Wabash Men cordially invites you and your guests to join President and Mrs. Gregory D. Hess For An Evening Of Wabash Conversation. The Winstead Building, 10th Floor, 2728 N. Harwood Street, Dallas, Texas. The entrance to the Winstead Building's Underground Parking Garage is located on Payne Street, between Harwood Street and Mckinnon Street. Date: Friday, February 12, 2016- 6:30 PM – Reception (beer and wine provided)- 7:30 PM – Dinner and Conversation. Attire: Business Casual. $25.00 per person. Please respond by February 5, 2016 by simply calling Michele Ward at 765-361-6369 or email her at email@example.com. We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover.
The Vanity Theater Presents The Secret Case of Sherlock Holmes: 7:30PM - 10:00PM
Upstart detectives Holmes and Watson are on their first case. Their client is a young H. G. Wells. They duck into his time machine and soon find themselves in the 21st century—and in a mental institution, with a mashup of eccentric characters, including Marilyn Monroe and Count Dracula! The Vanity Theater performances are Friday and Saturday at 7:30PM, Sunday at 2:00PM and typically run for 2 weekends. Please visit the website, or call (765-362-7077) for more information and to purchase tickets. www.sugarcreekplayers.org
Brother to Sister: Malcolm X Institute 109 1st Floor Classroom, 7:30PM - 11:00PM
A conversation based event in which Wabash students will talk about current topics with students from a variety of surrounding colleges.
Carmike Capri Cinema 8 Show Schedule: 205 Dry Branch Drive


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Birds and people depend on natural resources for their survival. The intricate link between people and their environment is especially apparent in the Sahel, with its millions of people (and hundreds of millions of goats), its unpredictable rainfall, and the increasing pressure on wetlands, trees and grasslands which are also used by billions of migratory and Afrotropical birds.
Burkina Faso
Local Engagement and Empowerment - Africa
The Mount Hilong-hilong Important Bird Area (IBA), one of the last tracts of lowland rainforest in the northeast of mainland Mindanao in the Philippines, is the home of the globally threatened Philippine Eagle, and of the indigenous Mamanwas and Manobos.
Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA) - Asia
Indigenous Bagyeli and Bakola communities in Cameroon are highly marginalised, and most live in poverty.
As part of the "Across The River" Trans-boundary Peace Park project in the Gola forest between Sierra Leone and Liberia, BirdLife Partners are making sure that local people benefit from the conservation and sustainable use of the forest.
BirdLife Partner Guyra Paraguay is working with local communities at Important Bird Areas to demonstrate how conserving biodiversity can improve the quality of life and livelihoods, and alleviate poverty.
Local Engagement and Empowerment Programme - Americas
During the 2012 BirdLife Americas Partnership Meeting three agreements were signed for land acquisition in key IBAs in Argentina, Paraguay and the Dominican Republic.
The world's largest marine park has been launched in the Cook Islands located in the Pacific Ocean.
Cook Islands
Invasive Alien Species - Pacific
On 1st of September 2012, (8) African BirdLife International Partners will start their observations of migratory birds returning to spring in Africa.
Migratory Birds
The BirdLife Africa Partnership is participating at the African Ministerial Conference on Environment (AMCEN) meeting currently underway in Arusha, Tanzania.
The Palau Conservation Society (PCS - BirdLife Partner) are delighted that two of the six short-listed policies for the 2012 Future Policy Award are from their Pacific Island nation. The 2012 Future Policy Award, an international award that celebrates effective and exemplary policies...
It's Day 6 of the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Jeju, the Republic of Korea.
TV personality Te Radar, comedian Raybon Kan and actress Jennifer Ward-Lealand will be championing their favourite native bird in Forest & Bird's (BirdLife in New Zealand) annual Bird of the Year poll, which kicks off today...
New Zealand


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Date of Stay: February, 2016
The pros: Daggett is a tiny town about 13 miles from Barstow. It is mountainous and has a beautiful, starry skyline. The reception desk was efficient and friendly. We felt safe here, even walking the dogs outside in the wee hours. Our site was a pull-thru. The cons: The campground is right near a very, very active train line. Train whistles blew all night. But for the train noise, this would be a fine place for more than a single night.
Date of Stay: February, 2016
The staff at this park have excellent customer skills: we were greeted as we drove in and directed to a drive through space. The owner was also very friendly and kind. The park (which is primarily a mobile home park) is lovingly well-maintained. Unfortunately for us, single-night RVers are placed right next to a very busy, noisy frontage road. Add in a nearby train's whistle several times overnight, we got little sleep. However, we felt safe here and there was plenty of room for us to walk our 3 large dogs on leash. There are a few run-down mobile homes in the park (someone else mentioned that) but most are well cared for residences. It is a fine place for a single night's stay.
Date of Stay: November, 2013
This is a great place to camp. The views are incredible, the entire park is full of trees and somewhat-dead but often-watered lawn (this is in the desert), and it's a wonderful place to go with kids and dogs. Right outside of the park you can take your dogs off-leash to run. We love this park and have discovered that it's even better in the fall as there aren't many people there. In the winter, it's packed with snowbirders who are there for months at a time. While there are no septic hookups, you can pay extra to have your tank pumped 3x a week during weekdays only, or haul it to the septic hookup in the park to empty your tank. Wi-Fi is so-so here; better if you are near the office, but views are better at the opposite end.
Date of Stay: November, 2013
This is primarily a concrete park. It is more like a mobile home park than an RV park, with lots of permanent renters, in the middle of the city. It is near an airport and right on the main road. That said, it is a fine place for an overnighter or if you need to be in the region. Most of the park is asphalt but there are quite a few trees. Check-in was very quick. The Wi-Fi is acceptable (a bit slow). The park felt safe. We would stay here again.
Date of Stay: November, 2013
This is a gorgeous park -- full of lush green lawns and trees. The A loop is more well traveled and noisier than other loops. The lake view side has a lot of permanent RVs, but they're very nicely kept. There is no real Wi-Fi here. They don't have Wi-Fi in this expensive 5-star park, for some reason. They advertise as having it in the laundry room, but it doesn't work. They have a free laptop and ports in the office. (That's very out-of-date and surprising for such an otherwise great park.) They're very security-conscious, with a "guard" at the gate. Guests are quiet early in the evening. I've been here before and would stay here again.
Date of Stay: November, 2013
This park is a very short walk up the hill from downtown Historic Bisbee. The spaces are not far apart, but you aren't packed in like sardines, either. It's a relatively quiet park, not too close to the freeway and no where near any airports or trains, unlike many RV parks. Children and dogs are welcome, too. There is a dog walk for walking dogs. There is no place for children to play, but the park is not near any roads, either; it's literally on top of a hill with no thru traffic. If you're traveling in an RV and want to see Bisbee (which I'd highly recommend), this is THE place to stay.
Date of Stay: February, 2012
Clean park, well kept. Very close to highway. Very small place, no amenities, no place for children to play. In town. Room to walk dogs behind the park. Good for a stopover to see Joshua Tree National Park.
Date of Stay: February, 2012
The park is clean and green. It's more of a full-time resident park rather than a vacation RV park. We were handed a couple of dozen pages of rules. The park is near a fairly busy road and also has planes flying overhead. Children are to be kept next to your RV, so it's safe to say it's not really child-friendly. It's quite suitable for a one-night stay. We felt safe here. The residents are quiet. Both restrooms were closed for repairs. Wi-Fi is no longer free: It's $3.99/day or you can buy a weekly or monthly Tengo plan. The Wi-Fi is strong.
Date of Stay: February, 2012
This park has it all: it's immaculate, it has Wi-Fi, full hookups, a huge laundry room, a huge pool, a gym, a fenced dog park (separate for the size of dog), several large TV's and lounge areas. Plus, on weekends they have dinners you can buy for $8 or so in the dining room. There are tons of social activities. The place was full of RVs of all sizes. And both staff and guests are very friendly. Typical of Arizona, there was minimal grass (but what there was was wonderfully green) and lots of rock, but the park was also landscaped with beautiful cactus. And it was spotless! There is some train noise, but it wasn't significant. Only one problem: we moved midway through our stay because we extended it, and the Wi-Fi wasn't as strong as in the far back right corner. If Wi-Fi is seriously important, the back right corner seemed to be a better spot for it.
Date of Stay: January, 2012
Lovely state park with very large sites, large, new bathrooms. Water/electric only; dump station. Lots of fairly easy to hike trails. Very quiet even when at capacity. Close to shopping. We would certainly return here.
Date of Stay: January, 2012
Super quiet, good-sized spots, very popular winter destination for snowbirds. Beautiful sunsets. Lovely views. Some permanent RVs in one part of the campground. Large campground. Very pet friendly. Many places to walk dogs off leash right outside of the campground. This place literally shuts down around 7 p.m. - it's very quiet all night. We've camped here before and will return.
Date of Stay: January, 2012
Large dirt sites in an old ghost town. The town itself is a short walk up the hill and is a neat tourist attraction. Lots of places to roam and walk dogs. The camp is kept very clean. It's in a quiet area.
Date of Stay: January, 2012
We were one of two rvs in this park in Jan. 2012. It's very well kept. It's hard to find, however; although it's on Chance, there is no signage. Look for the guard shack at the gate. We rated this a 6 because there is a nearby train, and the fairgrounds is next to the CA Air National Guard and those planes are loud at night. If you're just looking for a one-nighter, this place is a good deal for the price. There is also plenty of dog walking room.
Date of Stay: November, 2011
We have been camping at Dillon Beach (Lawson's Landing!) since the 1950s. It's our #1 favorite place. Lawson's is completely rural. You drive in, fill up your water tank, and find a place to park. It's all open --mostly green pasture land -- with no designated spaces. (There are some way in the back by the Marina that may have actual designated spaces, but for the most part, it's just "find a place you like and set up camp." There is no electricity. RVers use generators. There is a dump station to use on the way out. If you're looking for a place with fabulous restrooms, lots of services, and full hook-ups, this is not the place for you. If you want some place absolutely beautiful where kids can run around and make noise, where you can walk your dogs off leash on the beach (most people do this), and where you can create family memories, this IS the place for you. There's a marina with a dock at the end of the road with lots of fishing and boating. There's also a great little store just before you get to Lawson's, with a nice restaurant next door.
Date of Stay: August, 2011
Another reviewer stated that Lawson's has ocean views. Most people camp on the dune side, which doesn't have an ocean view. Some (monthlies?) park near the Marina, which has a fabulous view. We've been camping here for 25 years in tents and a trailer; my husband's family has camped here since the 50s. This is a fabulous place if you love being near the ocean, don't want to feel boxed in (warning: summer weekends, it's crowded), and don't mind that you don't have any hookups AT ALL. RV camping is best for stays of longer than a day or two. You fill your tank when you come in and use the dump station when you leave. There are only a few water spigots so tent camping = roughing it. There are only a few restrooms but many outhouses. We travel all over the US and Lawson's is by far our favorite retreat. It's a fabulous place for dogs and kids, too. Great for walks. I can't say enough good things about it.


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Definitions for lama peruana
This page provides all possible meanings and translations of the word lama peruana
Princeton's WordNet
domestic llama, Lama peruana(noun)
used in the Andes as a beast of burden and source of wool; considered a domesticated variety of the guanaco
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An EU-wide investigation of websites offering consumer credit has found only 30 per cent fully comply with EU consumer rules. Of the 562 websites checked, 393 sites have been flagged for further investigation by national enforcement authorities of EU member states, plus Norway and Iceland. The main problems detected were: advertising did not include the required standard information; the offers omitted key information that is essential for making a decision; the costs were presented in a misleading way. Of the 47 websites checked by the UK's Office of Fair Trading, 38 were found to have some irregularities.
National enforcement authorities, the Office of Fair Trading in the UK, will now contact financial institutions and credit intermediaries about suspected irregularities and ask them to clarify or take corrective action.
EU Consumer Commissioner John Dalli said: "When people look for credit they sometimes discover that this credit turns out to be more expensive than it had originally appeared, because important information was sometimes unclear or missing. Consumer credit is not always easy to understand, which is why there is European legislation in place to help consumers make informed decisions."
He added: "It is very important that businesses provide consumers with the correct and necessary information and it is the role of the Commission to work together with national enforcers to make this happen."
The Consumer Credit sweep took place in September 2011.
The "sweep" operation is an exercise to enforce EU law and was undertaken to check whether consumers are receiving the information to which they are entitled under EU consumer law[1] before signing a consumer credit contract. And in particular how businesses are applying the Consumer Credit Directive (recently transposed by member states), which aims to make it easier for consumers to understand and compare credit offers.
[1]Consumer Credit Directive, Distance Marketing of Financial Services Directive, Unfair Commercial Practices Directive, E-Commerce Directive, Unfair Contract Terms Directive.
Of the 562 websites originally checked, only 30 per cent passed the sweep test for compliance with the relevant EU consumer rules and 70 per cent of these sites (393) were flagged for further investigation. The main problems found were:
Missing information in consumer credit advertising: advertising on 258 (46 per cent of websites checked) did not include all the standard information required by the Consumer Credit Directive, e.g. i) the annual percentage rate of charge (APR), which is essential to compare offers, ii) information on whether charges on obligatory ancillary services (e.g. insurance) were included in the total cost, or iii) on the duration of the credit agreement;
Omission of key information on the offer: 244 (43 per cent) websites did not give clear information about all the different elements of the total cost, e.g. i) on the type of interest rate, (fixed, variable or both), ii) on the duration of the credit (if applicable), and iii) on some of the costs related to the credit (e.g. an arrangement fee);
Misleading presentation of the costs where the cost of the credit is displayed in a way which is false or could deceive consumers, e.g. i) in the way the price is calculated, or ii) if the consumer is not informed that beyond the cost of the consumer credit itself there is an added obligatory insurance. 116 websites (20 per cent) of the websites displayed this kind of problem.
Sweep Plus
Six countries (Italy, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Sweden) conducted a deeper investigation on 57 of the sites checked – the Sweep Plus exercise. The main problems related to pre-contractual information and contract terms.
What happens next?
The enforcement phase will now start: in the coming weeks and months business operators will be contacted by the national authorities and asked to provide clarifications or correct their websites. Failure to do so, depending on the national legislation which is applicable, can result in legal action leading to fines or even closure of the websites. The national enforcement authorities are asked to report back to the European Commission by autumn 2012. The Commission will report on the results.
A "sweep" is an exercise to enforce EU law. It is led by the EU and carried out by national enforcement authorities who conduct simultaneous, coordinated checks for breaches in consumer law in a particular sector. The national enforcement authorities then contact operators about suspected irregularities and ask them to take corrective action.
The market under scrutiny is used by consumers daily. In 2010, financial institutions in the eurozone had more than €600 billion outstanding consumer credit[2].
Annex [18 KB]
[2] ECB, Euro Area Statistics, www.ecb.int/stats/money/aggregates/bsheets/html/index.en.html
For more information, please contact the London press office on 020 7973 1971.
Please note: all amounts expressed in sterling are for information purposes only.
Sweeps website
Office of Fair Trading: Adrian Lent, Media Relations ManagerTel: T: 020 7211 8899


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Jul 11 2013, 8:22am CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr
The Hague, July 11 — The executive board of Rotterdam Thursday withdrew its proposal for a new stadium for city based football club Feyenoord.
The withdrawal occurred at the beginning of a council debate, in which the council members were supposed to vote on the proposal. However, it had already turned out that there was no majority for the plan, reports Xinhua.
Monday, the executive board party D66 (Democrats) announced it would vote unanimously against the plan, because the financial risks would be too big. This caused the other board parties PvdA (Labor), VVD (Liberals) and CDA (Christian-Democrats) had to find a majority elsewhere, but they did not succeed.
According to the plan, Rotterdam would have to give a guarantee of 165 million euros for the total construction plan costs of 400 million euros. In addition, the city would have to spend 70 million euros on land and infrastructure.
Since 2006, Rotterdam and Feyenoord have been working on plans for a new home for the football club. The new Feyenoord stadium, with a 63,000 seat capacity, would be ready in 2018 and part of a new stadium park next to the current stadium in the south of Rotterdam.
According to Feyenoord, the current stadium, De Kuip, offers limited space to grow, even after renovation. On Wednesday Feyenoord even wrote an open letter to all residents of Rotterdam with a plea to support the plan for a new stadium.
"Only with a new stadium, the club can achieve a budget that fits a top three spot in Dutch football," the letter said.
Source: IANS
Luigi Lugmayr
Luigi is the founding Chief Editor of I4U News and brings over 15 years experience in the technology field to the ever evolving and exciting world of gadgets. He started I4U News back in 2000 and evolved it into vibrant technology magazine.
Luigi can be contacted directly at email@example.com. Luigi posts regularly on LuigiMe.com about his experience running I4U.
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Center for Energy Studies Scholarships
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text: American College of Surgeons Publications Newsletters YFA E-News Newsletters The ACS Advocate Board of Governors News The CoC Source Committee on Trauma News NAPBC News Philanthropy at Work RAS-ACS News YFA E-News YFA E-News YFA e-News is a quarterly newsletter from the Young Fellows Association of the American College of Surgeons for the practicing young surgeon. Look for articles on leadership advice, how to get involved at the College or join a committee, or educational opportunities. YFA E-News Winter 2016 In the January issue of YFA E-News, we hear from our outgoing executive council and learn more about the incoming members and what is ahead. Clinical Congress 2015 Clinical Congress 2015 is coming soon. This year's class of 1,679 Initiates (1,228 U.S., 34 Canada, and 417 international) represents 64 countries. Welcome to all the new Young Fellows of the College! This special edition of YFA E-News is focused on Clinical Congress and will help you plan your meeting. Spring 2015 This edition of the YFA E-News encompasses two themes—awards and advocacy. You will find announcements on a number of awards presented to young surgeons as well as to programs within the College, updates about the College's Leadership & Advocacy Summit, and information about our upcoming survey contests. Winter 2015 In this issue, members are encouraged to get more involved with the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the Young Fellows Association (YFA). Enter a YFA essay contest; learn how to participate in the YFA Communities; get some leadership advice from ACS President-Elect J. David Richardson, MD, FACS; and meet new YFA Governing Council members. Fall 2014 ACS is excited to welcome 1,640 new Initiates representing more than 63 nations. We've put together a Clinical Congress guide to help you plan your trip. Find out what the YFA has planned for San Francisco! Summer 2014 The overwhelming message of the 2014 Leadership & Advocacy Summit was one of getting involved through the many opportunities the College has to offer. Learn more about the YFA Mentorship Program, the 2014 video project, and how to get involved with trauma care at the local level. Join the ACS Palliative Care Committee, become a member of the ACS Foundation's Young Fellows Leadership Circle, and get great Leadership Advice from Dr. Robert Bahnson. Spring 2014 In this issue, learn why the Leadership & Advocacy Summit is a great opportunity for Young Fellows, submit an essay for a chance to appear in the Bulletin, and join the mentoring program or become a reviewer for the ACS Scholarships Committee.