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(By Balachander) U.S. stocks closed on a mixed note as investors digested better-than-expected service-sector data even as focus remained on negotiations over a deal to avert the the looming "fiscal cliff".
The S&P 500 Index rose 0.16 percent to end at 1,409.27. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.64 percent to finish at 13,034.49. The Nasdaq Composite Index retreated 0.77 percent to close at 2,973.70.
Investors continue to remain concerned over whether lawmakers in Washington will be able to reach an agreement to address the so-called "fiscal cliff". President Barack Obama has reiterated his push for higher taxes on wealthy Americans to address the fiscal cliff of roughly $600 billion in spending cuts and tax increases that could hit economic growth.
[Related -Bank Stocks: The Misbegottenness of the Volcker Rule Truly Knows No Bounds]
Also weighing on the sentiment were positive comments by Chinese Communist Party chief Xi Jinping, who said the country will keep macroeconomic policies stable to sustain growth.
On the domestic economic front, the Institute for Supply Management's non-manufacturing index - a measure of service- sector activity - rose to 54.7 percent last month from 54.2 percent in October, while economists expected a reading of 53.5. A reading above 50 indicates expansion.
Another report showed U.S. economy added fewer private sector jobs than expected in November. According to the ADP National Employment Report in collaboration with Moody's Analytics, U.S. private sector added just 118,000 jobs in November, versus economists expectations of an addition of 125,000 jobs and a revised 157,000 jobs in October.
[Related -Google Inc (GOOG): Why Nest Labs Deal Is A Wakeup Call For Apple Inc.?]
"Superstorm Sandy wreaked havoc on the job market in November, slicing an estimated 86,000 jobs from payrolls," Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody's Analytics, said. "Abstracting from the storm, the job market turned in a good performance during the month."
The keenly-awaited Labor Department's non-farm payrolls data and unemployment rate are due on Friday.
In other data, nonfarm business sector labor productivity advanced at a 2.9 percent rate for the third quarter, coming in better than economists expectations of a 2.7 percent rise. Unit labor costs in nonfarm businesses fell 1.9 percent, sharper than expectations of a drop of 0.9 percent.
In corporate news, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) retreated 6.43 percent. At least one clearing firm is raising margin requirements for clients that trade in Apple, according to StreetInsider.
Citigroup Inc. (NYSE: C) surged 6.33 percent after the financial services giant said it will slash 11,000 jobs, or roughly 4 percent of its workforce, and take a related charge of $1 billion in the fourth quarter.
Nokia Corp. (NYSE: NOK) jumped 12.79 percent after the Finnish cell phone maker launched its Lumia 620 Windows Phone 8 handset.
Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. (NYSE: FCX) dropped 15.96 percent after the miner agreed to acquire Plains Exploration & Production Co. (NYSE: PXP) and Mcmoran Exploration Co. (NYSE: MMR) for $9 billion in cash and stock.
Cobalt International Energy Inc. (NYSE: CIE) climbed 18.63 percent after the exploration company announced a "significant" oil discovery at its North Platte prospect in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico.
Pandora Media Inc. (NYSE: P) slumped 17.46 percent after the internet radio company forecast an unexpected loss for the fourth quarter and issued a downbeat revenue guidance.
Oxford Industries Inc. (NYSE: OXM) tumbled 8.05 percent after the apparel company guided fourth-quarter below Wall Street view. Third-quarter earnings jumped 85.3 percent on continued strong sales performance from Tommy Bahama and Lilly Pulitzer brands.
Tibco Software Inc. (NASDAQ: TIBX) retreated 19.09 percent after the company forecast fourth-quarter and full-year earnings that trailed Wall Street expectations.
Altera Corp. (NASDAQ: ALTR) shed 3.67 percent after the company said it expects revenue for the fourth quarter to drop by 8 percent to 10 percent on a sequential basis compared with 6 percent to 10 percent decline projected earlier.
Mattress Firm Holding Corp. (NASDAQ: MFRM) lost 21.93 percent after the company slashed its 2012 guidance and issued a downbeat fourth-quarter forecast.
Chelsea Therapeutics International Ltd. (NASDAQ: CHTP) slumped 36.38 percent after the company announced results from a late-stage trial of its experimental Parkinson's disease treatment.
European markets closed in green, with Germany's DAX up 0.26 percent to close at 7,454.55. France's CAC40 added 0.28 percent to finish at 3,590.50. The U.K.'s FTSE 100 gained 0.39 percent to end at 5,892.08.
Asian markets closed higher, with China's Shanghai Stock Exchange Composite Index jumping 2.87 percent to finish at 2,031.91. Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 0.39 percent to finish at 9,468.84. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index climbed 2.16 percent to end at 22,270.91. India's BSE Sensex ended at 19,391.86, up 0.23 percent.
Crude oil futures fell 0.73 percent to $87.85 per barrel, while natural gas futures jumped 4.24 percent to $3.69 per million metric British thermal units. Gold futures shed 0.04 percent to $1,695.2 per ounce while silver futures rose 0.40 percent to $32.94 per ounce.
In the currency market, the euro dipped 0.15 percent against the U.S. dollar to 1.3075. The British pound shed 0.06 percent against the greenback to 1.6092, while the dollar gained 0.62 percent against the Japanese yen to 82.4100.
In this current era of central planning, malincentives abound. We raced to frack as fast we could for the read on...
The Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged yesterday, as widely expected. But the possibility of a read on...
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BMW and Kawasaki have long battled in this category, stretching way back on these pages to 1996 when we compared an R1100RT to the 1000cc Connie in our Lightweight Tourers Comparison. This pair and the Honda ST1100 that won the shootout were forefathers of the sport-touring genre. Fifteen years later, the sport-touring category and the bikes in it have grown.
Today, BMW and Kawi come in with the K1600GT and Concours 14, respectively.
Kawasaki's Concours brand was reborn in 2007, debuting as a 2008 model powered by a ZX-14-based, 1352cc motor. Its powerful engine, composed shaft-drive and performance per dollar solidified its place in the S-T category.
For BMW, a brand that's no stranger to building comfortable machines made to go the distance, the K16 stands out, even among other Beemers, as one of the most important models the company has ever produced. Its new inline six-cylinder engine is sensational and makes it unique in the motorcycle world.
It's only natural, then, to compare these two goliaths of the sport-touring category against each other. The Concours represents the old guard, bringing to battle a proven platform at a relatively easy price. Meanwhile, BMW's all-new K1600, with its lovely six-cylinder engine and boatload of impressive features, is quickly carving a name for itself as a force to be reckoned with.
To put these comfy, road-inhalers to the test, we needed to put a significant amount of miles on each machine. Fortunately for us, our trip coincided with MO's annual voyage to Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, California, for the first of two visits from the MotoGP circus this year on U.S. soil. Editor Duke and I rode these two machines from our SoCal digs up to Monterey and back — the long way — and our findings were rather comprehensive. All told, we covered some of California's most scenic roads in order to see which of these mile-munching machines would sport-tour the best.
We loosely retraced the route from our 2009 Sport-Touring Shootout in which BMW's powerful and nimble four-cylinder K1300GT took the overall honors ahead of the C-14, Yamaha FJR1300 and Honda ST1300. The GT model of the K1300 platform is now dead, leaving the K16GT to fight for its place in sport-touring pantheon.
$20,900 ($24,540 as tested)
When talking about the K1600GT, all discussions naturally center around its inline six-cylinder engine, and rightly so. By now, you may have read the countless accolades given to this powerplant from the international press, including from our own Editor Duke in his K16-GT review. After flogging the K16 myself, I'm inclined to believe every single one of them is true. It shouldn't come as a surprise that the company that has made a name out of its high-performance six-cylinder four-wheelers has found a way to make that joy available to two-wheelers as well.
With a 72 x 67.5mm bore and stroke, the 1649cc mill is relatively undersquare for a motorcycle engine (though still technically oversquare), though this helps keep overall dimensions narrow. Still, that didn't stop our test bike from churning out 123.4 horsepower and 107.7 ft.-lb. of torque on the dyno at Gene Thomason Racing. Yes, only 123.4 horsepower. Dyno chart junkies might scoff at that number (especially compared to the Kawasaki's 131.8 peak horsepower), but from the saddle the abundant amount of torque makes it easy to forget any horsepower disadvantage. What we didn't expect, and what may be even more surprising, is just how smooth and well balanced the K16 engine really is. Propped up on the center stand and with the engine running, full-throttle blips produced no visual movement from the bike whatsoever. None.
That smoothness isn't lost when the GT is in motion, either. In fact, the Beemer's E-Gas ride-by-wire throttle is so deceptively smooth and vibration-free at low rpm that I stalled the bike the first time I tried to ride away on it. After adapting to the light clutch, two things become readily apparent. First is that the K16GT flat out hauls ass right from the moment you think about accelerating. Second is the induction noise from that six-cylinder under load is sheer music to the ears.
"The inline-Six blats out a sound that is nothing less than rapturous," Duke gushes. "The GT's exhaust has less baffling than the GTL, making its note even more delicious. I was constantly running the GT at least one gear low so my ears could inhale what is perhaps the most appealing engine sound in motorcycledom. And the perfect primary and secondary balance of an I-6 motor allows a rider to keep the revs up without undue vibration."
But back to that first point. BMW claims the K16 (in both GT and GTL form) makes 70% of its available torque at just 1500 rpm. That's quite a lot of power with the engine barely spinning. What that means in the real world is that no matter if you're just leaving a stop or cruising on the highway in sixth gear at 80 mph, when the throttle is twisted, the Beemer moves. The virtual absence of vibration from this smooth-running engine is a genuine benefit to the rider. But the combination of this excellent vibration isolation and the slick ride-by-wire system had me wondering whether we were riding a motorcycle or playing a live video game, since at times I felt disconnected from the throttle. Duke, however, had no such impressions.
Compared to the Kawasaki Concours 14, the K16 simply blows the doors off its Japanese counterpart from the word "go." It's astounding to say that the ZX-14 engine is weak by any means, but when stacked against this competition, the Kawasaki simply feels, well, slow. One area the BMW lagged behind the Connie is in the transmission department. Shifts on the K16 felt clunky (especially clutchless upshifts), and unfortunately didn't get better with miles, as some motorcycles do. The Kawasaki, meanwhile, was the exact opposite, shifting with buttery-smooth accuracy with each flick of the toe.
Handling from the big Beemer belies its hefty appearance. Only at ultra-low speeds does steering feel awkward, with Duke noting that it feels a bit unnatural. Once above 5 mph, the GT changes direction with absolute fluidity and grace, though the K16 won't be mistaken for an S1000RR in the weight department. That said, its linear steering and sporty chassis were a hit among both our testers, especially compared to the heavy-steering Kawasaki. Our only complaint about the K's handling is a lack of feedback from its Duolever front suspension that has regularly delivered muted front-end feel.
While some would argue Duolever technology is superior, ultimately, "with the limited feedback, a rider is forced to put faith in the good grip its tires have," notes Duke. "However, that oddball front suspension also provides anti-dive geometry, which helps keep the GT nicely balanced even during hard braking." The front Metzeler Z8 tire never gave us cause for concern, but because we've become accustomed to the feedback from a conventional telescopic fork, those same sensations are what we look for, especially while riding aggressively.
Our fully kitted test mule came equipped with BMW's Electronic Suspension Adjustment (ESA II) feature, part of the Standard Package trim level ($23,045). At the push of a button and twist of the ingenious Multi-Controller wheel (which we'll get to in a bit) on the left bar, the rider commands ESA to electronically adjust suspension damping via three available settings: Comfort, Normal and Sport. From there, preload settings are also electronically adjustable to suit a solo rider, a solo rider with full saddlebags, a two-up ride with no luggage, or two riders with the bags loaded.
ESA II, which Duke calls "fantastically convenient and useful," isn't just a gimmick, either. When cruising along the highway, Comfort mode dampens the ride to a nice, plush setting that practically absorbs all but the nastiest of road imperfections. As one would expect, when the road starts to twist, the looser damping settings of Comfort mode are insufficient. Switching to Normal mode provides noticeably tighter damping, while full Sport mode substantially stiffened the ride, making it more suitable for the abundance of turns on our way to Laguna Seca. A huge difference in suspension action is accomplished with the simple prod of a button, a real boon for the hugely varied conditions confronting a sport-tourer.
Stopping the K16GT from the massive speeds it's able to attain (140-plus mph) are dual 320mm discs with fixed, four-piston calipers. BMW's integral ABS – standard on all trim levels – is the linked variety, with application of the front brake inducing activation of the twin-piston rear caliper on a single 320mm disc (though it should be noted that the rear brake does not activate the front). The Connie 14 is also equipped with linked brakes and ABS, and in a straight line both vehicles come to a halt in a hurry as each system offers firm pressure at the lever and good feel. ABS intervention from the BMW felt much less intrusive than the Kawi, to the point where you almost forget it's working. It's truly a step above where ABS technology was just a few years ago. Where the BMW and Kawasaki systems start to show their differences is when the road bends but the brakes are still needed.
Simply put, BMW has nailed the ABS on the K16. By now it's rather simple to engineer a linked-braking system that works well in a straight line, but the GT's system also does a fine job of keeping the bike settled even while trailbraking. Contrarily, the Connie's rear brake feels linked too much to the front, even in its least-linked two-position mode choice. When riding the GT, as long as inputs are delivered in a smooth manner (and even sometimes when they aren't), it will stay settled and composed.
Our bike came in the Premium Package trim level ($24,540), which includes everything from the Base Package (ABS, Multi-Controller, cruise control, heated grips and seat) and Standard Package (ESA II, traction control, adaptive headlight, tire-pressure monitor) and adds an audio system with Bluetooth capabilities to transmit direct to a rider's headset. The Premium Package also includes a central locking system and alarm. And they work in typical Teutonic fashion.
Much like the seamless ABS, BMW's traction control (DTC) hardly interrupts the riding experience. While it isn't as complex or adjustable as that seen on the S1000RR, the K16's system politely and gently tames the power to the rear wheel upon detection of wheel slippage. When full traction is available again, power comes on equally as gentle. Which is more than what could be said for the Connie. Both can be switched off if desired.
Pete and Tom were giddy about BMW's adaptive headlight in our recent battle between the K16GTL and Gold Wing, and our experience with it in the GT only added to the praise of this clever new feature.
"I was amazed at the active headlight during a night ride on a twisty road, as it magically peered into corners with a mind of its own," Duke raves, even though he did discover the headlight's weak spot: "Closely spaced corners reveal the system's limitations, as the lamp's mirror points to the corner exit instead of into the next turn." A flaw some may think, but it's tiny one in a system that genuinely enhances safety when riding at night.
Being familiar with BMW's iDrive feature in its road cars will help you understand the Multi-Controller wheel on the K16s. Instead of pressing a myriad of buttons to reach a desired menu screen, the Multi-Controller lets you toggle through a host of different options by simply spinning the wheel with your left hand. Pushing or pulling the wheel inwards or outwards selects an option. The system does take some getting used to, but once you get the hang of it, it really is an innovative device. Our one minor complaint is that in order to adjust the stereo volume with the wheel it must be in the audio menu.
There's so much technology encompassing the K1600GT that it took nearly the entire ride to come to grips with its many features, whereas the Concours was relatively straightforward. Thankfully the C14 is a supremely comfortable machine. The rider triangle is more sport-oriented compared to the K16GTL, but when stacked against the Concours, both Duke and I commented on how similar the two felt in regards to seating position; the most notable difference being the wider handlebars on the BMW, which we preferred as it provided more leverage for turning all of its 751-plus pounds.
Despite the BMW seat being slightly narrower than the Concours, it was the saddle of choice for Duke, whereas I gave the nod, albeit slightly, to the Kawasaki. Seat padding density on both machines gives good support, but Duke felt the Connie's seat gave up sooner. Despite the K16GT's inline-Six, a rider's legs aren't splayed any more than a typical four-banger. The 1649cc mill is rather narrow for its size, and its 55-degree forward tilt prevents the widest portion of the engine from interfering with the GT's ergonomic package. BMW also claims better air intake as well from this design. That said, this large machine is still slightly intimidating at a standstill, if for no other reason than its sheer size and weight.
A nice feature of the BMW is its adjustable seat height. At 5'8" and with average inseams, both Duke and I had no problems touching the ground with the K16 seat at its lowest setting of 32 inches, which is coincidentally the same as the Concours. Taller riders may appreciate the higher setting that raises seat height an entire inch. For you shorter sport-touring riders, a lower seat is an available option, dropping the saddle to a 30.0-inch height. The Kawasaki, meanwhile, doesn't have the luxury of adjustable (or optional) seats.
The more we rode the K1600GT the more we were impressed by the fit, finish, and attention to detail that went into this motorcycle. For instance, its electric windscreen is efficient and was preferred by our testers. "The GT's windscreen has a much greater range than the Connie's, making it more adaptable to riders of varying heights." Indeed, with the screen at its lowest setting I experienced some buffeting at higher speeds. Yet, after raising it just a smidge it felt like riding in a cocoon of still air. The memory function is a nice feature as well, as each time the GT starts the screen goes back to its previous position.
Another detail we really like is the pop-out wind deflectors just below the headlight – again, another shared feature on the GTL that ol' T-Rod and Peteski raved about in their uber-tourer duel. Our journey to Laguna Seca took us through varying terrain and weather conditions, and when the heat picked up, simply flipping the deflectors outward channeled a significant amount of air directly towards the rider. Sometimes the drawback to having a raised windscreen to prevent helmet buffeting is a lack of airflow to the rest of the body. With the deflectors, even with the screen at its highest setting, plenty of air made its way in and around our testers, which was especially useful with our ventilated jackets. Before the K1600GT, this wasn't a feature we even remotely considered. Now it's something we can't live without.
Of course, a sport-touring motorcycle is nothing without storage capacity, and the K16GT doesn't lack here either. While it does without the top case seen on the GTL version, the two saddlebags had plenty of storage room for our voyage to and from Laguna Seca, augmented by a tail pack bungeed to its useful luggage rack behind the pillion seat. The hard bags are also easily removable, making it easy to transport items once at our hotel. There are also smaller storage compartments on the lower front fairing, with the right unit on our test bike pre-wired to accept an iPod. And should the safety of the items on the GT be of concern, all the bags and compartments are lockable by simply pressing a button on the key fob. Very car-like...
We'll just say it right now: we're in love with the K1600GT as it does everything a sport-touring motorcycle should do, and it does it incredibly well. The inline-Six has turned all four MO staffers into believers, and its aluminum chassis is more than capable of navigating tight bends with ease. Duke summed it up best in his notes, "The GT handles so well, and its engine is so fantastic, it made me think about taking it to a racetrack – it would be a blast to go howling past a poorly ridden sportbike on this grand-tourer."
But at almost $25,000 for our fully-kitted test bike, that's almost $10,000 more than a top-spec Concours 14. For that price we expect the BMW to cook us breakfast in the morning. Even the base model K1600GT is significantly more expensive than the Connie and would likely fare just as well. To be honest, we didn't travel very far on our journey before we realized this wasn't a fair fight. The question now, then, is simple...
Is the K1600GT $5,000-plus better than the Concours 14? You might be surprised what we think.
Next Page...2011 Kawasaki Concours 14 ABS
2011 Kawasaki Concours 14 ABS
$14,599 ($15,599 as tested)
It's hard to call any motorcycle with a 1352cc inline-Four slow, especially one that borrows its engine from the ZX-14, but in this comparison it's simply outclassed by the BMW. Then again, with a two cylinder and 297cc disadvantage, the Kawasaki Concours 14 faced an uphill battle from the start. Both Kevin and I have spent some time on the Concours in the past, but our trip to Laguna aboard the revised-in-2010 edition would be our first time putting significant mileage on the new and improved Super-Sport Tourer from Kawi.
In case you missed it, Pete rode the new edition at its launch last year and came away reasonably impressed. New additions like heated grips, linked ABS (K-ACT) and traction control (KTRC) were notable steps forward when compared to the previous model.
Take the BMW out of the picture and the Connie's power output is sure to put a grin on anyone's face. Our unit pumped out 131.8 horsepower and 88.1 ft.-lbs. of torque, though you have to get the engine spinning pretty fast before it reaches those numbers. When comparing the overlay of the BMW and Kawasaki's graphs, it's clear that the latter struggles at low rpm, which is to be expected considering its size disadvantage, but is still strange considering its use of variable valve timing. "I was unimpressed with the Connie's lower-rev power output, making top-gear highway roll-ons underwhelming, especially for a bike with almost 132 hp," says Duke. Relatively speaking, the Kawi feels gutless at low rpm.
To give a better visual of each bike's performance, Kevin's notes plainly spell out the power difference between the two machines: "Next to the K16, the C-14 is clearly beaten in a 70-mph roll-on contest. Then we did a fourth-gear roll-on in which the Kawi edged away from the GT. However, it wasn't until later that I found out Troy didn't get the fourth-gear directive and kept the Beemer's tranny in sixth!"
Despite the fact that the Connie likes to be higher in the rpm range before it really moves, the smooth-shifting transmission makes accommodating that request very simple. Click down a few gears and the C-14 rips forward and blasts down a road like a sportbike. From the saddle, triple-digit speeds seem uneventful. Besides seeing terra firma pass by quickly in your peripheral, the only indication of increased speed is the vibration that comes through from the bars. "Even with dual counterbalancers, a fair amount of vibration is transmitted to its rider through the bars and pegs," notes Kevin. "It's not bad, but it stands out next to the BMW's ultra-smooth inline-Six."
More than 800 miles up and down and around the California coast proved rather comfy on both bikes, really. The Concours' seat is slightly broader than the BMW's, with decent padding in the cushion for the long haul. The electric windscreen, while decent, doesn't go as high as the GT's. Neither Kevin nor I had major complaints about the screen, but taller riders might fare differently. The Kawi's bars are a touch further away than the BMW's, but the big difference between the two bikes is how much closer together the bars are on the Connie compared to the span between the K16's bar ends.
The C-14's narrowly spaced grips aren't necessarily a significant drawback, but, we would have preferred the leverage from wider bars when dealing with the chief complaint of the Concours 14: it's extremely heavy steering. It's a problem Kawasaki has tried to address with the updates last year, but when steering the Concours 14, constant pressure on the inside bar is required to maintain a consistent arc through a corner. And in case you're wondering about the condition of our tires, we received our test bike with brand new Bridgestone BT021s and the problem was noticed simply leaving Kawasaki's parking lot.
"It's by far the worst aspect of the C-14," notes a perplexed Duke. "It turns a twisty road into a high-effort chore, and wrestling it down Highway 58 gave my palm a blister." Indeed, a long set of switchbacks isn't something you look forward to on the Concours. It's an interesting and puzzling issue as to why the Concours acts like this. While its 26.1-degree rake and 4.4 inches of trail aren't sportbike-like numbers, it's still relatively sporty, even more so than the BMW, with its 27.8-degree rake and an almost identical 4.3 inches of trail.
Wider bars for the Kawi would have been nice to have, but even more desirable is a 190/55 rear tire (which the BMW has) instead of the 190/50 that comes standard.
After our testing for this comparo, we were able to sample our Connie with a 190/55-17 Bridgestone BT016, and the difference in steering response is significant. Ridden back to back with a stock-tired C-14, the 55-series tire offers slightly quicker turn-in response, but more importantly is the vastly improved linearity of its roll rate. The bike with the 50-series tire requires continual inside bar pressure while in a corner, making the bike feel clumsy and high-effort. The 55 turns in smartly to whatever angle is required, then just remains leaned over at that angle without further minding. The riding experience is much smoother and more relaxed while riding more confidently and faster. We'd strongly advise Concours owners to get a 190/55 when new rubber is required.
Heavy steering aside, we did notice the suspension to have the right level of firmness. No, it doesn't have fancy electronic suspension like the BMW, but rear preload is adjustable via an easy-to-reach hand dial and front rebound damping is also adjustable without tools.
Stopping power from both bikes is very impressive. Our test unit is the up-spec ABS model with full floating 310mm discs and four-piston calipers up front linked to a single 270mm disc in the back via Kawasaki's K-ACT anti-lock braking system. This system allows the rider to choose between two levels of linked braking. We found that the more aggressive level stops the Concours from a straight line in a remarkably short amount of time, but we disliked the unnatural feel at both levers. Initial reaction is similar to a non-linked system, but once the computer takes over, both levers feel as though they're nearly stuck in position.
The feeling is strange while in a straight line, but it's downright scary when trailbraking for a turn. Using only the front brake while turning feels normal, with no ill side effects. Trailing only the rear brake, however, activates a front caliper, causing the nose of the motorcycle to dive suddenly and abruptly midcorner. We only felt a marginal difference with the less-intrusive second setting, and it can't be switched off. "If Kawi can give us two steps of linked, braking," says Duke, "it should also be able to give us a way to shut it off."
There is, however, an off button for the KTRC traction control system. The system, which operates strictly based on wheel speed sensors, is rather basic when compared to that on the 2011 ZX-10R, but it's adequate for a sport-touring application. We saw many two-wheelers without traction control try to exit the sandy motorcycle parking area at Laguna Seca, and upon release of the clutch just spun the rear wheel and kick up dirt. With KTRC, the system gently feeds just enough power so that both wheels are spinning at the same rate. Apart from feeling the retardation of power, the dash lights flash wildly and a notification pops up on the LCD screen to remind you the system is working.
While the system works well, we would prefer a softer reapplication of power once traction is regained. As it is, the KTRC cuts power abruptly upon slippage, and delivers it back in a burst, unlike the BMW system which is much more linear and seamless in its application. In the end, "we're glad it is able to be switched off for when a wheelie is called for!" exclaims Duke's inner stunter.
The Connie's dual, white-on-black analog gauges for the speedo and tach look boring but reliably deliver info. They're augmented by a central LCD panel that can display ambient temps, tire pressures, fuel economy and charging system info. Conspicuous by its absence is cruise-control switchgear, as that convenient feature isn't available from Kawi.
Like the BMW, the Concours features plenty of storage space. The two hard saddlebags are solidly mounted and are able to fit a full-face helmet. A small luggage rack also graces the rear of the Connie, perfect for strapping down larger items or accessory luggage. A compartment just under the left handlebar is great for keeping small items. Interestingly, on the opposite side of the front fairing lies a 12-volt outlet that works well for powering GPS devices mounted to the screen, but it would have been nice to have the outlet on the left side of the fairing to charge devices like cell phones which could then be placed in the adjacent cubby hole.
We saw a close race between the two machines when measuring fuel economy, with the BMW narrowly coming out ahead. We averaged 34.4 mpg on the Beemer compared to 33.3 mpg on the Kawi, and the GT also boasts a 0.5-gallon-larger fuel capacity than than its 5.8-gallon Japanese rival.
While it sounds like we've been bashing the Concours 14, it really is a fine sport-touring motorcycle, at least until you encounter its unusual heavy-steering handling issue. The Kawasaki is powerful, comfortable, and now with the addition of traction control, a rather high-tech motorcycle. When you consider other machines in its price range, its significance is then better understood. And it's hard to ignore the cost savings between the Bavarian marque and the Kawasaki.
At the end of the day it would be easy to name the BMW the winner and call it a day — there's no hiding the fact that it outguns the Kawasaki in many respects, and it's our favorite sporty tourer by a long shot. But to say that is to overlook the point we've repeated in this test: even the base K1600GT is more than $5000 more expensive than a fully kitted Concours 14 ABS, yet the latter is a sufficiently adept sport-tourer.
While at Laguna, we had a number of race fans come up to us wanting to get a closer look at the K1600GT, which was parked next to the Concours. Among those were two riders proudly wearing their Iron Butt Association pins and associated paraphernalia. As we talked to them and answered their questions, they seemed interested... until they heard the price tag. Then their eyes wandered toward the Concours.
And that basically sums it up. If money is no object, then the BMW is the hands-down winner and should be in your garage. Its six-cylinder engine, competent handling package and array of desirable amenities make it the preferred sport-touring package.
Then again, if you're considering the K16 in the first place, the Concours might not even be on your radar, and vice versa for Connie shoppers due to the price discrepancy.
"The Concours 14 delivers 90% of the BMW's qualities at a 25% discount, which makes it a worthy choice for a supersport-tourer," Kevin notes. "But its less-impressive engine and clumsy handling relegate it to runner-up status in this comparo, all things but price considered."
That said, BMW has delivered a winner in its first attempt with the K1600GT. Now it's up to Japan to respond.
|By the Numbers
|Kawasaki Concours 14 ABS
|Engine Type
|Bore & Stroke
|72 x 67.5mm
|84 x 61mm
|HP (BHP or Rear Wheel)
|123.4 (rear wheel)
|131.8 (rear wheel)
|107.7 (rear wheel)
|88.1 (rear wheel)
|Bridge-type cast aluminum
|Cast aluminum
|66.1 in
|59.8 in
|27.8 degrees/4.26 inches
|26.1 degrees/4.4 inches
|Front Suspension
|43mm inverted, telescopic fork with adjustable rebound damping and spring preload / 4.4 in.
|Rear Suspension
|Tetra-Lever with stepless rebound damping adjustment and remote spring preload adjuster / 5.4 in.
|Front/Rear Wheels
|Cast aluminum (3.5 x 17 in. front; 6.0 x 17 in. rear)
|Cast aluminum (17 in. front and rear)
|Front/Rear Tires
|120/70 x 17, 190/55 x 17
|120/70 x 17, 190/50 x 17
|Front Brakes
|Dual 4-piston w/320mm rotors, partial integral, ABS
|Dual floating 310mm petal discs with four-piston calipers, ABS
|Rear Brakes
|Single caliper dual-piston w/single 320mm rotor, partial integral, ABS
|Single 270mm petal disc, ABS
|Seat Height
|31.8/32.6 in. standard adjustable, 30.7/31.4 in. optional low adjustable
|32.1 in.
|Curb Weight
|751 lbs
|688 lbs
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
May 1, 2016
There's a new biggest loser. Helen Phillips took the title during the finale of NBC's reality show last night.
Phillips of Sterling Heights, Michigan, lost more than half of her body weight during the reality fitness show. After the show Phillips said her weight loss is proof that anybody can change their lives.
Phillips and her husband plan to celebrate with a trip to Las Vegas.
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text:
May 3, 2016
No students were injured in a school bus accident Tuesday afternoon in Jones County.
It happened just before 3:00 p.m. on Highway 258 at Hargetts Crossroads.
School public information officer Kelly Michaud tells WITN News that the activity bus was carrying students from Jones Senior High School to a track meet in Duplin County. She said none of the 38 students or the driver on board were injured.
Michaud says the bus was actually stopped at the intersection when two other vehicles collided. She said one of those vehicles, a pickup truck, then hit the school bus.
There is no immediate word on the condition of the people in the other vehicles.
The students got on another bus and returned to school.
Click Here to access the online Public Inspection File
Viewers with disabilities can get assistance accessing this station's FCC Public Inspection File by contacting the station with the information listed below. Questions or concerns relating to the accessibility of the FCC's online public file system should be directed to the FCC at 888-225-5322, 888-835-5322 (TTY), or firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
PS4 vs Xbox One Sales: Microsoft Touches 20 Million a Year After Sony
Looks like the PS4 vs Xbox One battle is turning one-sided as far as sales victories are concerned....
Structured PvP is a Player versus Player mode, which allows competition on an even footing. There are two primary modes of play; tournament and hot join play.
Any character used to enter structured PvP will retain race and profession. The character will be given a fixed maximum level, and all skills and items will be available without the need to unlock them first. Scores are tracked on the scoreboard. Player statistics will be tracked and used to generate a player ranking.
Contrary to World PvP, structured PvP doesn't grant rewards usable in PvE. On the other hand, players can earn glory and use it to buy better looking equipment from glory vendors. They also earn rank, which gives random pvp awards.
Note: If you can't decide which profession to play, click on anyone of them from the list and read our in depth guide on them:
Now after that bit of introduction let's dive into the sPvP system of the game. Here is a brief and comprehensive rundown of all things sPvP in Gild Wars 2:
What is sPvP?
It's a 5v5 game of capture the points
To Get 500 points
How To Do That?
In-Depth Roles
Defender (2 of them) divided into two roles:
First Point Defender (aka Base Defender, Close Defender)
Second Point Defender (aka Advanced Defender)
Roamers (2 of them)
Far Point Attacker (aka Striker) (1)
Now lets get into the details starting with the first steps of:
The mists works as a PvP lobby much in recognition to the lobby in FPS games where you are able to join specific servers and have an overview of things.
The mists is not just an interface but rather a full environment where you are able to hang out with other like-minded people, setup your character, look at rewards and sign up for the different PvP types.
To enter the Mists you must navigate to your in-game interface and find the Hero Panel (H), select the PvP tab and click the 'Go to the Heart of the Mists'-button
To access Structured PvP, you first need to go to the Mists by opening your Hero panel and select the PvP tab. Then you need to click on Go to the Heart of the Mists button to be teleported instantly to the PvP lobby. Furthermore, note that this button does not appear until you have completed the starting quest line.
Once inside the Mists you will be able to find a lot different NPCs. These include NPC's Dummies for damage testing, NPC's vendors with free PvP gear and NPCs with PvP reward bags.
These tips are awesome but insufficient for this great game, its like one can take a long time to understand what this game is about.
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text:
Newbie in the block
Hi All... I am new to my fish8)... my fish is new to me!! I am looking forward for some guidance here :-) and eventually I might be able to help others :-D
Welcome to the forum! What kind of fish do you have? :-)
Hello and welcome to the forum.
I have 5 neon tetras... 3 guppies as of yesterday.. today only 2 guppies :( and 2 platies.. this is in the aquarium
Other than this.. in a bowl I have one Betta
Sorry for your loss :(
How many gallons is the betta bowl? (I'm a stickler on at least 2.5 gallons)
Hello and welcome to the forum!
Hi Madhu! Welcome to the forum. :-)
hi there and welcome. :-D
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ANGEL NUMBERS - A Guide to Repeating Number Sequences and their Messages and Meanings -- Joanne Walmsley - SACRED SCRIBES -- *Do NOT use or copy any content without my permission, linking back to this site and/or fully crediting your source and keeping all links intact, as per copyright. Sharing links is fine * firstname.lastname@example.com
Angel Number 724 encourages you to believe in yourself and your innate skills, talents and abilities. Have faith and trust in yourself and ask the angels for their guidance and assistance whenever you feel the need. Surrender any worries and/or fears to the angels for transmutation and healing, and know that you are being Divinely guided as you live your life purpose and soul mission.
Angel Number 724 is a message from your angels that your hard work and determination are reaping rewards, and you are being blessed with the fruits of your labours. Through diligence, endurance and responsibility you have achieved a great deal and the angels commend you for your efforts and are encouraging you to keep up the good work.
Sacred Scribes
NUMEROLOGY - The Vibration and Energies of Numbers
BODY and SOUL – MIND and SPIRIT
4 comments:
This comment has been removed by the author.ReplyDelete
I have been getting numbers from the angels every night for the last two weeks and I come here each time to get my messages. Thank you so much for this amazing website and your angels messages. Wish you had a book with all this information in it.ReplyDelete
Peace and love, LindaReplies
Hi Linda,Delete
thanks for your comment ... I'm pleased that you have found insight within the messages from the angels.
As to having the information in book form ... I have spent the last 18 months adding new updated information and messages throughout the manuscript with a view to having it published in both ebook and paperbook forms.
Blessings to you along your path,
Sacred Scribes


text:
Supremes Won't Hear Same-Sex Challenge Over Birth Certificate
Here's the latest twist in the ongoing debate over the rights of same-sex couples versus their heterosexual counterparts.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to hear a case over a same-sex couple who wanted both of their names listed on a birth certificate for their newly adopted son.
Oren Adar and Mickey Smith, an unmarried, New York couple, adopted their Louisiana-born son in New York in 2006 and requested a new birth certificate from Louisiana's state registrar so that he could be added to one father's health insurance. Interpreting Louisiana law, the registrar took the position that only a married couple could jointly adopt in Louisiana and instead offered to place one of their names on the birth certificate.
The same-sex couple sued in 2006. A federal appeals court found earlier this year that the couple failed to state a claim for violations of the full faith and credit and equal protection clauses of the U.S. Constitution. You can read a Reuters story on the U.S. Supreme Court decision here.
"This decision leaves adopted children and their parents vulnerable in their interactions with officials from other states," said Kenneth D. Upton, a lawyer for Lambda Legal, a same-sex rights group that sued on behalf of the couple.
Upton said the group will push for a change in Louisiana state policy "in order to stabilize and standardize respect for parent-child relationships for all adoptive children."
Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell told the LB Tuesday that he was pleased with the decision by the Supreme Court. "It is now settled that the U.S. Constitution does not compel Louisiana to change its own public records to conform to another state's laws," he said.


text:
- Feb 11:
- Colorado schools spread word on cuts
- Feb 7:
- Manual high school "proof of Purchase" shows students buy into lessons
- Alameda High School solving the problems of the depression at 7:10 A.M..
- Aspen High School teaching to standards, with dash of relevancy
- Cherry Creek high school documents expound on first impressions
- Mapleton Expeditionary School of the Arts folds history into humanities course
Gregg Harris and his 20 science students at Mandalay Middle School appear to have widely differing views of the importance attached to the neat stack of papers in his hand.
"This is your lifeline for the rest of the year!" Harris shouts, passing out copies of the periodic table of elements.
"Do not lose it! You do NOT get another one," he adds, clapping loudly when the eighth-graders chatter over his admonitions.
The CSAP can ask periodic table questions by ninth grade, and Harris feels an urgency to instill enthusiasm about a new concept before teenage boredom sets in. Words such as "molecule," "compound," "bonds" and "noble gas" are still a vaguely foreign language to Harris' class of subdued 14-year-olds. He fights their silence with constant allusions to their daily lives, from the caffeine compounds in their energy drinks to "bonding with your friends, yo, yo!"
Mandalay is middle of the pack in proficiency and growth scores in Colorado's test rankings. Teachers and administrators strive against eroding enrollment and recession-related transience. The first week in January alone brought seven newly transplanted students to Mandalay's 430-student roster.
"What do we know that produces the compound of CO2," Harris asks, as part of a computer-aided lecture format. "Cars? You guys aren't paying attention. I thought the computers would help today, but you're distracted."
Harris' class is a mixture of white, Latino and Asian students from far north Jefferson County, near Broomfield. Four special-needs students sit at a front table with two paraprofessional aides, taking in lecture material at a slower pace.
Harris likes the new science textbook he's using, finding it more readable for the kids. Problem was, he didn't get copies until four weeks into the school year.
"What is the definition of an element, again?" Harris tries one more time before the 53-minute class ends. The adolescent silence appears immutable.
"Look at your notes!"
Michael Booth, The Denver Post


text:
Recommended Titles and Treatises
To help provide access to the Texas State Law Library's legal resources, the reference librarians have selected the most noteworthy titles in our collection and arranged them here by subject. The titles listed for each subject feature a brief summary written by a reference librarian, and each subject's titles are divided into those that are specific to Texas law and those that aren't.
If you prefer, you can search through the collection of recommended titles and treatises.
Construction Law
Construction ADR
750 pages. No updates available.
In the introduction, Philip Bruner traces the history of nonjudicial dispute resolution methods in the construction industry. The first uniform contract promulgated in 1888 by the American Institute of Architects "mandated binding, nonjudicial resolutions of disputes." In general, the construction industry prefers to use alternatives to litigation because ADR provides speedy results that ensure work can resume. This book, written and edited by working experts, explains the various forms of Construction arbitration and mediation and examines the methods from the perspectives of the various stakeholders.
View library catalog record for more details


text:
Qualcomm Acquires Assets Of Digital Positioning Technology Innovator EPOS
SAN DIEGO, Nov. 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. (QTI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM), today announced that it has acquired certain assets of EPOS Development, Ltd. (EPOS), a leading developer of ultrasound technologies for input solutions, including pen, stylus and gesture recognition. The company, based in Hod Hasharon, Israel, has developed digital positioning technology that enables device manufacturers to integrate advanced user input capabilities into a wide range of consumer devices. "As computing evolves beyond the PC, consumers are looking for intuitive new ways to interact with their mobile devices," said Raj Talluri, senior vice president, product management, QTI. "EPOS' technology goes beyond the PC-era mouse and keyboard and enables touch-free gesture and pen interactions as user input mechanisms. Enabling this technology on Qualcomm's Snapdragon processor will allow devices that accommodate a more mobile and multimedia-centric lifestyle."The acquired assets will further strengthen and differentiate Qualcomm's Snapdragon processor, allowing unique and powerful next-generation user experiences for smartphones, tablets and e-readers. EPOS team members who are joining Qualcomm will be integrated into Qualcomm Israel's R&D team and will be focused on delivering new mobile device and service capabilities. The EPOS technology is based on the digital transmission of ultrasonic waves, enabling precise tracking by a receiver to enable multiple applications. "Ultrasound technology provides device manufacturers a low-cost approach for integrating pen and stylus-based user interfaces into their products while gaining the benefit of a slew of new capabilities," said Oded Turbahn, chief executive officer, EPOS. "Relative to other pen and stylus input solutions, the additional bill of material cost for the device is minimal as the technology does not require changes to the device's screen and is independent of screen size. The EPOS team is excited about joining Qualcomm in working to further the potential of digital ultrasound."
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text:
Names of some judges for the contest's ninth year were just released, and it's a pretty intimidating bunch. Leading the group are Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward of She & Him fame. Other panelists include Aimee Mann, Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney of The Black Keys, Judy Collins and Butch Walker. There's a solid representation from the pop set, too. Blink-182's Mark Hoppus and Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz are signed up to judge. Even a couple Hanson brothers are joining in. Almost as intimidating as the judges is the prize that's at stake: a year of promotion and distribution and a chance to play at the next CMJ showcase. If you're up for the challenge, you have until Aug. 21 to send in your submissions. Related links:A/V: She & Him - "Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?"Feature: Paste's 100 Best Living Songwriters #51-60List of the Day: Fourteen Hanson Songs for Tinted Windows ConvertsGot a news tip for Paste? E-mail email@example.com.
© 2016 Paste Media Group. All Rights Reserved


text:
Illinios GOP anti-gays have trouble ousting State Chairman
Timothy Kincaid
January 25th, 2013
Thing got very interesting in Illinois at the start of the year. In a move I didn't anticipate, the state Republican Party chairman endorsed marriage equality and began lobbying legislators to support a marriage bill.
While I was delighted by his support, I feared that he would not hold his position much longer. And the Party does have a provision for removing the state chairman should he do something odd or out of character for a Republican. (Daily Herald)
According to party rules, a special meeting can be called if at least five of the 18 state central committeemen request it.
So, not surprisingly, a committeeman has been rallying the forces to removed Pat Brady from office. Sugar Grove dairy magnate and state Sen. Jim Oberweis wants him gone because, you know, there are more important issues to deal with, you see. But he's not finding it as easy as he expected.
Oberweis said he emailed "six or seven" committeemen, and several expressed their support for a special meeting. Oberweis said he has yet to see "five hands go up."
Because, as it turns out, Republican leadership in Illinois may not love Teh Ghey so much, but what they really don't like is losing. And they took a little glance at the last election results and decided that kicking out a marriage supporter is just not smart politics. As Republican House Leader Tom Cross put it:
"It reaffirms people's worst fears about our party. I think we bragged about being the big tent party over the years. And there are going to be people that adamantly oppose gay marriage and people who support it. And we need to be the party that says, 'Hey, that's fine.'"
Various groups, including women, Latinos and young people aren't listening to Republicans, Cross said,
"In the last election, we lost Kane County, DuPage County, Lake County, Will County. And we lost almost all demographic groups," Cross said. "Old white guys aren't going to win the elections any more,"
Now Oberweis may yet win. Brady may go. It seems to good to be true that the anti-gay forces in the Illinois GOP can't get five committeemen to oppose 'The HomoSEXshull Agenda'.
But at the moment it seems possible. And if so, we just may be sitting in front row seats for the biggest political extravaganza in decades: the drastic reformation of a political party. This could prove to be a VERY interesting year.


text:
Ever wondered what it would be like to drink seven beers at once? Of course, you have. You're a man. You think about things like that all the time. My brothers and I like to talk about how many 5-year-olds we could take in a fight. (The Web site says 19, but I know in my heart it is more; like closer to 70.) We're men. We think big. When a stranger hands us the business end of a drainage pipe and asks if we want to drink seven beers in a row, we don't walk away. We man up. We swallow hard. We take the challenge. Then … we fall over.
This moment of tailgating glory was captured at the campgrounds at Talladega Superspeedway.
Dude bongs seven beers in a row – Watch more Funny Videos
Someone give that man a beer!
Oh, wait. No. Don't.
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'Gartside! Alight here for Gartside!'
The guard's voice roused Claire from her doze. Feeling startled and disorientated, she looked about her and realised that the coach had stopped. She had no recollection of the last ten miles of the journey to Yorkshire and had no idea what hour it might be. At a guess it was some time in the midafternoon. Her cramped limbs felt as though they had been travelling for ever, though in reality it was three days. For more reasons than one it would be a relief to escape from the lumbering vehicle. Further reflection was denied her as the door opened.
'This is where you get down, miss.'
She nodded and, under the curious eyes of the remaining passengers, retrieved her valise and descended onto the street in front of a small and lowly inn.
'Can you tell me how far it is to Helmshaw?' she asked. 'And in which direction it lies?'
The guard jerked his head toward the far end of the street. 'Five miles. That way.'
'Thank you.'
After a grunted acknowledgement he closed the door of the coach and climbed back onto the box. Then the driver cracked his whip and the coach moved forwards. Watching it depart, Claire swallowed hard, for with it went every connection with her past life. Involuntarily her hand tightened round the handle of her bag. The latter contained all her worldly possessions, or all she had been able to carry when she left, apart from the last few shillings in her reticule. The rest of her small stock of money had been spent on the coach fare and the necessary board and lodging on her journey. Her last meal had been a frugal breakfast at dawn and she was hungry now, but the inn looked dingy and unprepossessing and she felt loath to enter it. Instead she hefted the valise and set off along the street in the direction the guard had indicated earlier.
It soon became clear that Gartside was not much of a place, being essentially a long street with houses on either side, and a few small shops. As she walked she received curious stares from the passers-by but no one spoke. A few ragged children watched from an open doorway. A little way ahead a small group of men loitered outside a tavern. Uncomfortably aware of being a stranger Claire hurried on, wanting to be gone. She hoped that Helm-shaw would prove more congenial, but a five-mile walk lay between her and it. Massing clouds threatened rain. Would it hold off until she reached her destination? And when she got there, what would be her welcome? She hadn't set eyes on Ellen Greystoke in seven years, and nor had there been any correspondence between them apart from that one letter, written to her aunt's dictation, not long after Claire had removed there. Seven years. Would her old governess remember her? Would she still be at the same address? What if Miss Greystoke had moved on? Claire shivered, unwilling to contemplate the possibility. She had nowhere else to go, no money and no immediate prospect of earning any. Moreover, there was always the chance that her uncle would discover where she had gone.
For the past three days it had been her constant dread. Each time a faster vehicle had passed the public coach her heart lurched lest it should be he. Every feeling shrank from the scene that must surely follow, for he would not hesitate to compel her return. After that she would be lost. She had no illusions about her ability to resist her uncle's will: those had been beaten out of her long since. His maxim was: Spare the rod and spoil the child, a policy he had upheld with the utmost rigour. He would have her submission all right, and would use any means to get it.
At the thought of what that submission meant...
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Free Landlord Newsletter
FREE BONUS Forms Disk for 2 -5 year LPA Members
If he does not want to provide the letter requesting removal from the lease, you cannot take him off -- the rent is being paid and it is none of your business whether both parties are occupying or not.
If you can get the guy to sign off on a waiver then you can renegotiate a new lease with only one tenant. If not, your other tenant needs to call the police when he shows up and there isnt much you can do.
Avoiding the conflict is your best bet. Since the guy is on the lease he has a legal right to be in the apartment, which further deems you leave the issue to your tenant.
To "re-qualify" the good tenant is really pretty stupid. You go through the whole hassle, which doesnt really accomplish anything, and the guy returns as a guest if/when they resolve their issues. The only thing this would do is allow the LL the ability to remove the tenant by calling the police if he shows up, which the other tenant can already do.
Bottom line: If the tenant is able to pay the rent then stay out of it and let her leave her matters to the police. If you feel the need to remove him from the lease, draft a new lease with a waiver and have him sign it.
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PHOTOS | Abandoned Geauga Lake
Mother Nature has taken over as trees grow through Big Dipper's track. Photo taken by Johnny Joo in 2012.
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My 7 mo old doesn't hold head straight
Hello, my baby was 6 wks early but she has always been very healthy. She is in the small side, but otherwise very alert and strong, and eating her solids really well. However, one thing worries me: She can't hold her head straight. She is 7 1/2 mo and her corrected age would be 6 mos. When and how do I know if she needs to see a PT? Thanks! Claudia
Posted: 09/26/2007 by a BabyCenter Member
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can i plz know how is your little one doing now?mine has the same issue.tx janeposted 01/22/2009 by Manny
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Colored Snow Flakes
Helen Downey
Helen Downey
Outskirts Press, May 2006
Genre: Poetry
A young girl in the sixties is out of touch with the Vietnam War, she is having those growing pains and struggles with parental rules so she writes. Through her poetry we get a glimpse of what it was like to be afraid of the unknown entities of war then while coping with life and death situations. She also gives you an unfolding picture of a young girl trying to deal with life, falling in love, and leaving home to face more facets of life around her. Her poetry continues to unfold before you while her life blossoms from a young girl to a mature woman. Through her work you will be able to relate at any age the struggles of a young person to understand life and to find love.
Excerpt From COLORED SNOW FLAKES
As a teenager I was but a child lost in a world not of my own making but struggling to learn the rules and to obey the rules I felt had been placed upon me. Those rules made by others, real or imaginary it mattered not for I found deep within myself the strength, the will, and the desire to be me. Thus, I shook the cold embers within myself to redeem and try to be the soul I am. I learned, "The one inside, so cold and un-woken is ME. She was an individual that needed to emerge from her cocoon to love and to be loved". The essence of me was just to be…one who makes me happy and accepting of that person, knowing that the past can not define me nor could it be changed, but the future was still a book to be written. It was the now and the tomorrows to come that I could and would influence and change. It was only up to me to shape my life and to discover the delights that exist in this existence.
The roads of the world ahead may be filled with bumps and twists as well as pains and sorrows. I may become bruised and shattered, but I can not become defeated unless I stop trying, stop believing in myself nor who I am. No one else has the right to define me, or label me unless I allow them too. As I have grown I could feel my strength and determination to be me and only grow stronger. It was only now that the time had come to let the world know who I really am.
Within this collection of old poetic droppings and new inspirations I hope to instill a picture of a struggling young woman trying to cope with her inner emotions of not only the growing pains within herself from child to teenager, from struggling with parental rules…as she tried to understand those she lived with and the world around her…the wars of the world as well as the wars from within her, then from teenage inner torments to the ever changing struggles of being an adult.
Here are groups of thoughts that have span over three and a half decades that may reach others to let them know that they are not alone in thought or emotional distraught, that another had been through those murky waters. To not give up, but to emerge from those murky waters and realize that no one is ever alone…there is a hand waiting to hold theirs through the foliaged lands known as Our World.
Because the internal pressures inside would not settle I first discovered the ability to write when I was about thirteen years old. I had been at times a shy kid, a child without a voice, playing the part of a good girl, of trying to be prefect, and to be what those around me wanted me to be, or what I thought they wanted me to be. For during the day, I appeared like any other little girl, maybe quieter then most, but still a child. It had been only in the seclusion of my room, my private world away from others that I learned to weave the words of my pain. Only after the shattered glass of what I thought what was my real world fell on to my bedroom floor like a fish bowel splattering not only glass and water but the flapping fish. It was then that I began to pick up the shard pieces of life and painfully put them back together. Now I had the pieces to help me understand what had been while I was asleep in the fog.
Life isn't easy for some; it is not only a simple candle that someday burns out but an exciting journey of discovery. It is not a discovery of life it's self but a discovery of yourself as well. In the rear view mirror of life just read, enjoy and hopefully one will benefit from this work.
Fog Removal
The pain always crushing against temporal walls,
Years wasted on remedies.
Time lost in a dark closet
Tears can not relieve the pressure.
A hardy oak grows in the front yard
No one notices how it spreads its limbs
Gathering strength from the energy from above
No one observes how alone it is.
Attempting to ease the throbbing
Forward and up
Travels begin
Remembering has begun.
The removal of the worm nest
New sprouting of buds
The mighty oak reaches further up,
Leaves, larger and whole
Cob webs now brushed away
The pain has gone
A rusted old door opened
The fog has drifted
Helen Downey
Helen Downey Bio
A writer for well over 35 years,
has poured her soul into poetry, short stories, children's books, and novels. She grew up in a small but busy city outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is here where she inhaled every aspect of her surroundings then spun them into magical words from the heart.
She has a degree in nursing as well as writing. Currently she is working as a registered nurse at Fairview Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio. Throughout the 12 years that her children went to school, she was active in tutoring at the Memorial Elementary School as well as Willets, and Brunswick High School. She also was active in the library scene, making sure not only her children but other children were involved in reading. She has been a member of Friends of The Hinckley Library, Hinckley Art Society, and is a member of Poetry Society of America. Many of her poems have been published in magazines as well as on the internet.
Currently she is working on two children's books about her favorite subjects, animals and children. "Marcella's Wish" is sure to win over the hearts of children as well as adults and to be published late 2006. Presently she is been working on her long over due novel, "The Chameleons". This is only but a mere fraction of the work she has written and produced.
View our OnceWritten.com
Helen Downey Profile
Copyright Information
Colored Snow Flakes
, Helen Downey
Outskirts Press, May 2006
The preceding excerpt was taken from the book
Colored Snow Flakes
with complete approval by the author Helen Downey and/or the publisher Outskirts Press. This information may not be re-used or redistributed in any manner.
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Chelsea to win against Fulham in ordinary time at odds 2.10
- Win rate on bettingexpert 41.56 %
Last settled tips
- Tips in League 640
- Yield in League -0.18 %
Chelsea will host Fulham at Stamford Bridge in the fifth round in the English Premier League. The Blues have 2 wins, 1 draw and 1 lose in the opening four rounds while the Cottages have 1 win, 1 draw and 2 loses. Chelsea started with 2 home wins but it is without a win in its last 4 competitive matches. The 1-2 defeat from Basel in the Champions League was too much. Jose Mourinho men must win this match and get back on winning tracks. Stamford Bridge has always been a fortress, especially in Mourinho's era. The Portuguese has never lost a home match in the Premier League. He has 48 wins and 14 draws with Chelsea when playing at home in the EPL. Chelsea has not injury concerns ahead of this match so Mourinho will have full squad to pick from. Chelsea must perform better and win this match. They are simply much better team than Fulham and will show that. They had problems with their defense against Basel but now Terry is expected back in the starting 11 and he should strengthen the Blues defense.
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: Last week Ciara was asked during a radio interview what kind of PROBLEMS THAT SHE HAD with Rihanna. Ciara kept it classy and basically said that she doesn't MESS WITH RIHANNA but that there is NO BEEF.
One of Rihanna's Navy created a MEME of the interview and posted it on Instagram . .. and Rihanna started the SHADE . . .
But the real question is WHY IS RIHANNA ALWAYS POPPIN OFF. Ciara . . . girl we don't CONDONE VIOLENCE . .. but the only way to get that chick to stop all that SLICK BEHAVIOR is you might have to put HANDS on her.
lol . . . yeah we're INSTIGATING a lil bit . .


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Archive | Immigration Law
J-1 Waivers, H-1Bs and Green Cards: International Physicians and the Road to Permanent Residency
Topic: Immigration Law
Speaker(s): Michael Kim
A detailed overview and summary of the immigration options available to foreign physicians and their prospective employers, including Conrad 30 Waivers, H-1B and Other Nonimmigrant Work Authorization, and Employment-based Permanent Residency.
Look Who's Coming to Practice Medicine: Credentialing Issues for Foreign Physicians
Topic: Immigration Law
Speaker(s): Michael Kim
A discussion focusing on commonly encountered immigration issues in the context of Foreign Physician Staff Credentialing: Consideration of the potential legal obligation to determine work authorization and status of Staff Physicians who are not employees, advantages and disadvantages of checking the status of non-employed physicians seeking staff privileges, and practical implications.
Damned if we do, Damned if we don't: I-9 Compliance in the Era of ICE Audits
Topic: Immigration Law
Speaker(s): Natalie L. Murphy,
This presentation outlines the requirements of I-9 compliance from start to finish, including proper completion, retention rules, potential penalties, and how to conduct an internal audit.
Indiana J-1 Waiver Program: Overview and Updates
Topic: Immigration Law
Speaker(s): Natalie L. Murphy,
This presentation provides an overview of the Indiana J-1 Waiver program, including application requirements, tips for employers and J-1 physicians, and a discussion of recent changes.


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Credit: © Sara De Boer / Retna Ltd.
Christina Ricci (Sep 5th, 2008)
A deep, swoopy side-part makes Christina Ricci's shoulder-length hairstyle look seriously sultry.
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Step 2: Blow-dry two-inch sections of hair with a large round brush while applying upward tension at the root for lift and then turn the brush several times to add subtle roundness to the length. Switch to a medium round brush and flip the ends up.
Step 3: Create a deep side part and push your bangs to one side. Apply a dab of pomade on your fingers to pinch the ends and create a piece-y texture.


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This series of 13 white and transparent colors are milled in non-yellowing safflower oil for a brilliance and clarity that endures over time — ideal for passages of white and for glazing the top layers of a painting.
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Cobalt Turquoise, Shepherd Blue
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Update: As planned, today Marcan42 has showed a Fail0verflow live demo (videos below) of him booting up a PS3 Slim to a Linux Kernel during the Lightning Talks as part of Day 4 at the 27C3 PS3 Exploit Hacker Conference.
Below are the fail0verflow PS3 exploit details along with related 27C3 (Chaos Communication Congress) Hacker Conference 2010 PlayStation 3 highlights.
Currently it includes an outline and details on PS3 SELF Crypto and PS3 SELF File Format and Decryption, and will be updated throughout the day as new details and video footage (full video now HERE- Thanks zeromx) arrive.
As previously reported, the PS3 hacking segment took place today at 16:00 (local time) in Saal 1 and a live stream was available in the following formats:
- Saal 1 H.264: http://saal1.h264.27c3.fem-net.de/
- Saal 1 WMV: http://wmv.27c3.fem-net.de/saal1
- Saal 1 Audio: http://audio.27c3.fem-net.de/27c3_saal1.ogg
- Saal 1 Slides: http://saal1.slides.27c3.fem-net.de/
PS3 27C3 Hacker Conference 2010 Summary:
- Fail0verFlow is Coming: http://fail0verflow.com/ and http://twitter.com/fail0verflow (Dongle-less PS3 JailBreaking, overflow by replacing PS3 revoke list with a large one at bootup due to Sony's flawed implementation of ECDSA in not having a random K value)
- Fail0verflow Tweets: Yes, we'll release all our tools as soon as we cleaned them up in January or so. Myth: Geohot -> Sony pulls OtherOS -> JB -> Fail. Fact: Slim had no OtherOS -> Geohot -> ... . Geohot started his work due to the Slim. There is absolutely no doubt in our mind that the PS3 lasted as much as it did due to OtherOS. The security really is terribly broken. Note: we won't be working long-term on CFW or similar. We'll release tools and a PoC, someone else can take over. The fun part is done we only started looking at the ps3 after otheros was killed. the website will launch when it launches. Almost certainly not tomorrow. fail0verflow is the name of our 'group'. We are a bunch of curious hackers who have been working on a bunch of things over the last 3 years. Our goal is to have linux running on all existing PS3 consoles, whatever their firmware versions. Our current PS3 goal: AsbestOS.pup. For all those out there that think fail0verflow.com has been hacked - it hasn't. We're just busy working on a demo for tomorrow. Patience!
- Marcan42 Tweets: Clarification #4: The random number isn't 4, it's more like 007eabbb79360e14df1457a4194b82f71a0dc39280 (example). But it's still constant. Clarification #3: The private keys refer to keys that Sony HQ uses. PS3s don't have these keys (but we calculated them due to the fail). It's Sony not knowing WTF they're doing when making signatures, and thus mathematically leaking their keys. This is also why we didn't use the term "exploit" or "bug". The PS3 signature fail is neither an exploit nor a bug (in the PS3 firmware). The XKCD "return 4" function that we showed is (essentially) part of the code that Sony HQ runs to sign games, it's not in the PS3 FW. No one can create a new metldr (for an existing console). Not even Sony (unless they have that console's key stashed somewhere).
- Marcan42 Tweets cont'd: We don't have the game signing key but the same epic fail applies to it. Once someone dumps appldr they can calculate it too. They actually CAN change keys for LV2/LV1, isolated modules, rvklists, spp, but that's useless because you can just downgrade the loaders. Myth #2: Sony can change keys. No, they can't. These aren't encryption keys, they're signing keys. If they change them GAMES STOP WORKING. Myth #1: It took us 3-4 years to do this. Negative, this exploit only took a few months after we started working. We weren't trying before.
- Marcan42 Tweets cont'd: FWIW lightning talks tomorrow are at 11:30-13:45. PS3 demo will be 4 minutes _somewhere_ within that range (to be determined). They can try to whitelist every existing piece of official PS3 code... but good luck with that. IOW they CANNOT change keys or fix this in a new firmware, because stuff we sign is every bit as good as existing official software. Wii fakesigning vs. PS3 epic fail: Wii issue is a BUG in console code (fixable), PS3 issue is a FAIL in THEIR secret signer (not fixable).
- Marcan42's PS3 NOR Flash 40-50 Wire Mod (more pictures HERE) http://twitter.com/marcan42/status/16985058829144065
- Public Private Keys Calculated, Current PS3 Firmware vulnerable and downgradeable
- Signing (SELF Packages) - Not Games (No Apploader Keys), PS3 SELF Decryption Code by ooPo (GIT)
- Live Demo by Marcan42 (confirmed above via Twitter) during Lightning Talks tomorrow- Day 4, Room Saal 3, Start time 11:30, Duration 02:15.
- MPlayer port to PS3 in the works, confirmed by lantus on IRC.
- From sven via IRC: Although only PS3 keys up to 3.15 are currently available, it is now possible to build an AsbestOS.PUP. There is an overflow with the revocation lists, we could have put a huge revocation list on the NOR which lv1 will happily load and then use that to break lv2ldr and patch out the signature check but then we found the private key. We don't have lv1 yet because we don't have the lv1 loader key.
- phiren on IRC states: Well, all currently released ps3's are broken forever. With a bit of effort they could update it to take a new private key, but then they would have to release 2 packages, one signed with the old key and one signed with the new key and their security model is still fundamentally flawed.
- 27C3 Console Hacking 2010 Presentation Slides (PDF) are now available.
Updates from PS3 Wiki (ps3wiki.lan.st):
PS3 SELF Crypto: Here is a small summary on how the self cryptography works.
Basically here are the steps being involved by the loaders:
Loaders all have a static key and iv called respectively erk and riv, those are keys for the first decryption step which are used to decrypt the very first 0x40 bytes of the self's metadata using AES256CBC
Then the result is used as a key and iv to decrypt the rest of the metadata using AES128CTR, finally the decrypted metadata contains the keys and iv for each data sections which are still decrypted through AES128CTR. This security model is based on the fact that the first 0x40 bytes of the self's metadata once decrypted by the static AES256CBC key in the loader should never be the same from one binary to the other. The same goes for any other value used as an AES128CTR key or iv.
Loaders are also involved with deflating the binaries using zlib.
The self authenticity is based on other independent steps, HMAC-SHA1 (which I believe to be possible leftovers from the playstation portable's kirk engine code) and ECCDSA for the actual signature.
PS3 SELF File Format and Decryption:
File Format
- Numbers are stored in big endian format.
SELF Header
[Register or Login to view code]
Program Info
[Register or Login to view code]
Control Information
[Register or Login to view code]
Metadata Information
[Register or Login to view code]
- The key and ivec fields are encrypted using AES256CBC.
Metadata Header
[Register or Login to view code]
- The metadata header is located after the metadata info in the SELF file.
- It is decrypted using AES128CTR with the key and ivec entries from the metadata information.
Metadata Section Headers
[Register or Login to view code]
- The metadata section headers are located after the metadata header in the SELF file.
- The number of sections is indicated by the sectionCount entry in the metadata header.
- They are decrypted using AES128CTR with the key and ivec entries from the metadata information.
- Section data is decrypted using AES128CTR with the key and ivec from the metadata keys specified by keyIndex and ivecIndex.
- Section data will also need to be uncompressed using zlib.
Metadata Keys
[Register or Login to view code]
- The metadata keys are located after the metadata section headers in the SELF file.
- The number of keys is indicated by the keyCount entry in the metadata header.
- They are decrypted using AES128CTR with the key and ivec entries from the metadata information.
- Some keys are 160-bit SHA-1 and span two consecutive keys.
Extracting an ELF
ELF Header
[Register or Login to view code]
Section Data
- Unknown, manually copying the data over works for now.
- There should be a section data offset somewhere.
Program Headers
[Register or Login to view code]
Program Data
- Load the metadata information and decrypt the key and ivec entries using AES256CBC using erk and riv.
- Load the metadata header and decrypt it using AES128CTR with the key and ivec entries from the metadata information.
- Load sectionCount metadata section headers and decrypt them using AES128CTR with the key and ivec entries from the metadata information.
- Load keyCount metadata keys and decrypt them using AES128CTR with the key and ivec entries from the metadata information.
- For each metadata section:
- In the SELF file, fseek to dataOffset and read in dataSize bytes.
- Decrypt the data using AES128CTR with the key and ivec from the metadata keys specified by keyIndex and ivecIndex from the metadata section header.
- Uncompress the data using zlib.
- Write it to the ELF file as the program section specified by sectionIndex in the metadata section header.
More PlayStation 3 News...


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UConn commits were well represented throughout the list of players recognized in the recent Pennsylvania Football News All-PFN teams of 2006.
Linebacker C.J. Marck of Pennsbury was named to the Class AAAA first team.
Running back Robbie Frey of Lehigton was named to the first team and offensive lineman Gary Bardzak of Pottsville to the second team for Class AAA.
Offensive lineman Mike Ryan of Marian Catholic was named to the first team in Class A.
Frey was also named to the All-Academic silver team.
Shawn Courchesne, 8:41 p.m.


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May 2, 2016
Dozens off people were evacuated from a Lenoir County mobile home park. In all between 70 and 80 people along Gulick Drive outside of Kinston were awakened Wednesday night.
Flooding in a mobile home park caused the evacuations around 11 p.m. Gulick Drive is off of Highway 11 South near the intersection with Highways 55 and 70, south of Skinner Bypass.
The Lenoir County Sheriff's Office says the evacuations were voluntary. The owner of the mobile home park says some people left as about a foot of standing water piled up around the mobile homes. He said there did not appear to be any damage inside the homes. The owner blamed the standing water on a drainage ditch that backed up in the low-lying area. He also said he has not seen this much water there since Hurricane Floyd in 1999.
Authorities say the fire department and Lenoir County Emergency Management helped with the voluntary evacuation.
Click Here to access the online Public Inspection File
Viewers with disabilities can get assistance accessing this station's FCC Public Inspection File by contacting the station with the information listed below. Questions or concerns relating to the accessibility of the FCC's online public file system should be directed to the FCC at 888-225-5322, 888-835-5322 (TTY), or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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St. Joseph's Children's Hospital Is Looking For Young Heroes Know One?
Nov. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- St. Joseph's Children's Hospital kicked off its 16th Annual "Kids Are Heroes" contest with a Passport to Safety event for nearly 70 first-grade students from Rampello Elementary School on Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2012, at the Tampa Bay Times Forum . (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121114/DC13805)During the event, the students navigated through fun and interactive safety activities highlighting water, fire, bicycle and pedestrian safety, along with the importance of hand washing and good nutrition. In addition, former Tampa Bay Lightning Team Captain and All-Star Player Brian Bradley worked with the students at a physical activity station called "Get Moving" as Tampa Bay Lightning team mascot ThunderBug and members from the Lightning Girls cheered on the kids. The event marked the start of the nomination period for this year's "Kids Are Heroes" contest, which will last until Dec. 31, 2012. "During this time, we encourage parents, teachers and loved ones to brag a bit about the amazing kids in their lives," said St. Joseph's Children's Hospital Chief Operating Officer Kimberly Guy. "We want to hear about the wonderful things kids are doing to make a positive impact at home and in our community. Then we'll share their stories and celebrate their accomplishments during a special ceremony early next year." Since 1996, St. Joseph's Children's Hospital has recognized more than 1,400 children between the ages 5 and 18 from Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas and Polk counties who have performed heroic deeds or displayed acts of selflessness and good citizenship through its "Kids Are Heroes" program. Some examples of past winners include children who have pulled an accident victim from a burning car, saved a sibling from a dog attack, donated their hair to make wigs for cancer patients and called 911 to help their relative suffering from a heart attack. Top winners are chosen by pediatric patients at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital, making it the only program in the area designed for and judged by kids.
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In Community, the March 2012 Birth Club is talking about all the funny and silly ways they know they are pregnant. I think we all have those moments in pregnancy where it hits us that "wow, I'm really pregnant". I had those moments the first time my pants were too tight, when I would get home from work and realize I just wanted to crawl into bed and when I lost my ability to sit through scary movies.
My top 10 list of March 2012's "you know you're pregnant when…"
1. "when evertime you go to the store no matter what store you have to stop and "browse" in the baby aisle" – mdhowell33
2. "When every song on the radio makes you cry your eyes out! Happened to me twice yesterday!!" – labbe06
3. "When you can sit as still as possible for 30+ minutes straight with your hands on your belly hoping to feel movement and not get bored." – PregoEspinosa27
4. "When the fridge, the couch, the pillow and you are BFFs…" – Zimushka
5. "When Rolaids never leave your side!" – kennaslaughter
6. "When you can't stop looking at any and all pictures of newborns on fb – even when you don't really know their parents." – pk0204
7. "When BBC is your homepage" – Zimushka
8. "When everyone you know asks you how your feeling everytime they see you :)" – evame2003
9. "When you constantly find yourself rubbing your belly.. even before you really have one!" – #4herewego!
10. "When…you turn sideways to get a full view of your belly every time you pass a mirror!" – finallyontheway
These are so funny because I can relate to every single one of them! How about you? How would you finish the sentence "you know you're pregnant when…."?
Image from our Awesome pregnancy bellies slideshow.


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Julius Kambarage Nyerere was a Tanzanian politician who served as the first President of Tanzania and previously Tanganyika, from the country's founding in 1961 until his retirement in 1985.
Nyerere's Life and Politics
In 1961, Nyerere was elected Tanganyika's first Prime Minister, and following independence, in 1962, the country's first President, and In 1964 Tanzania President...
Nyerere's through time
Follow the key moments in Nyerere's life with this dynamic, interactive timeline. Also included are many important historical events that occurred during the period, 1922 - 1999.
Nyerere on Pictures
Get information, facts, and pictures about Julius Kambarage Nyerere
News and Events
The latest news on Julius Nyerere, from thousands of sources worldwide;
Nyerere Quotes
"If real development is to take place, the people have to be involved."
Julius Kambarage Nyerere, from his book Uhuru na Maendeleo (Freedom and Development), 1973.
Listen to the Legacy of Nyerere
Nyerere was reported as saying that he was a "schoolmaster by choice and a politician by accident"
Listen to Nyerere's Wisdom


text:
I was a bit surprised to see a tweet today from Gartner analyst Merv Adrian where he mentioned that he is at the Gartner BI conference in London and a delegate in the audience had asked him to stop typing.
He was using a "noisy" Lenovo before switching to the quieter iPhone.
What surprised me is that whenever I attend conferences, there are people all over the place using laptops, phones, iPads, and other devices to capture information as the speakers do their thing. It might be that they are taking notes, tweeting important soundbites, or sending comments on the talk to colleagues - whatever they are doing it is interacting with the speaker.
I can understand why Merv switched devices, he represents Gartner after all so he is a host at the event. But what should the rest of us do when taking notes at a big conference and asked by a fellow delegate to 'stop typing' because they find it a bit of a distraction? Agree with them that conferences should be all about an expert talking on stage for half an hour, or suggest to the person that we have moved on and are living in a more interactive age?
Perhaps you can type your responses on a postcard?