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'American Idol' finalist to perform at Richardson's Wildflower! Festival
Fort Worth's Casey James, who made the top 3 on American Idol this week, will be in Richardson on Friday for the opening night of the Wildflower! Festival. He's set to perform about
9:45 9:35 p.m., before The B-52s come on stage.
James is expected to do just one song, so get out there early if you want to be sure to catch his act.
Tickets information is available on the Wildflower! website.
Friday night's lineup also includes a local. Berkner High School alum Steven LaMonica is the lead singer for Horizon, the U.S. Navy rock band from the Great Lakes area.
And this weekend's weather could be touch and go. Remember: Richardson's Wildflower! is on, rain or shine.
(At right: AP photo of Casey James)


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What are tomorrow's hot destinations? The staff at Love Home Swap, a home-exchange website, crunched data from the World Travel and Tourism Council to come up with a list of 50 countries expected to emerge as popular vacation choices within the next decade. Safari spot Namibia is "widely regarded as one of the safest places in Africa," the report says. And Montenegro, where the tourism industry was ravaged by the Yugoslav wars, is attempting a comeback, thanks to government funding for infrastructure improvements. Here's the top 10 (you can find all 50, plus the background research, at www.lovehomeswap.com/blog/latest-news/50-holiday-hotspots-to-watch).
1. Namibia
2. Montenegro
3. Zambia
4. Angola
5. China
6. Gabon
7. Burma
8. Cambodia
9. Thailand
10. Cape Verde
-- Linda Zavoral, Staff

subset: commoncrawl


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Liverpool Message Board
This board format is total rubbish !
The title of this new thread is my last message on here lads I cant even get my posts to post up on it anymore particularly ones to Loki ? I give up !Sort: Newest | Oldest | Most Replied Expand all replies
Just givig it one last shot here see what happens...Andy C NAMED MAN OFCMATCH today v WBA two superb goals one from a brilliant header from a corner the other a superb volley...
- 3 Replies to colin
BIG SAM...quoted today as saying he would like to keep Andy C whenasked directly was that the case.
ok LOKI U REPLY IS here in trhis thread if u check it Im using my own reply facility..its pathetic isnt it ?
Gus hidnink chris samba Jordan rhoades ...u self for Ayres job Im serious a true fan with a good sense of value for money Charlie Adam if Tony Pulis wants to sell him back not enthusiastic about selling keep squad together maybe sell Borini and Allen but no rush to buy in to replacez them


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SANTA CLARA -- Former 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo, five-time Super Bowl champion Charles Haley and two Raiders legends -- Tim Brown and Ray Guy -- are among finalists for this year's Pro Football Hall of Fame class.
It is DeBartolo's third straight year as a finalist and Haley's fourth consecutive year.
At last month's 49ers game in Tampa, Fla., DeBartolo downplayed his own hopes and instead turned the focus on Haley, the 49ers' (and Cowboys') former defensive menace. "He's going in this year," vowed DeBartolo, noting he's already been asked by Haley to present him for such an induction into Canton.
Brown, like Haley, is a finalist for the fourth straight year. Guy is an eight-time finalist, although it's been six years since the former Raiders punter reached that stage. He was announced in August as a senior nominee along with Claude Humphrey.
First-year eligible nominees who were named finalists are Derrick Brooks, Tony Dungy, Marvin Harrison and Walter Jones.
Here is a complete list of the 15 modern-era finalists and two senior nominees, who will be voted upon Feb. 1:
*-senior nominees


text:
Take a sneak peek at the new NIST.gov and let us know what you think!
(Please note: some content may not be complete on the beta site.).
Displaying ITL events from July 01, 2010 To September 29, 2010 - See All 2010
Public meeting of the Technical Guidelines Development Committee. Topics to be discussed: Status update UOCAVA Progression of the TGDC Working … more
To promote collaboration in health IT usability among Federal agencies, industry, academia, and others. Goal : Bring together industry, academia … more
This Symposium is part of a review being conducted by the Department of Commerce Internet Policy Task Force, which was initiated by Secretary Gary … more
To discuss proposed updates to the standard, and determine which ones will be included in the version to be put up for a vote this year. more
The Election Assistance Commission (EAC), Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) of the Department of Defense, and National Institute of … more
On August 11th and 12th, 2010 The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will hold a workshop - Shaping the Future of Cybersecurity … more
The Second SHA-3 Candidate Conference will be held at the University of California, Santa Barbara , on August 23-24, 2010, following Crypto 2010 … more
NIST is in the process of developing a DRAFT Special Publication on the Cryptographic Key Management Design Framework. The draft is scheduled for … more
NIST will hold an Industrial Control Systems Security Workshop at the Hilton Washington DC/Rockville Hotel & Executive Meeting Center to … more
See the Conference Flyer: http://scap.nist.gov/events/2010/ITSAC_flyer_2010.pdf The 6th Annual IT Security Automation Conference, hosted by the … more
General Information:
301-975-2900 Telephone
301-975-2378 Facsimile
100 Bureau Drive, M/S 8900
Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8900


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It is an afro made of feathers. New York Magazine's Daily Intel said that this other hat was the most ridiculous hat but that is incorrect because this hat is an afro made of feathers and that hat is a Kate Gosselin haircut made of feathers at best.
The horse that won yesterday's race was named "I'll Have Another," which, owner J. Paul Reddam claims, is what he responds to his wife every night when she asks him "Do you want any more cookies?"
The horse also answers to "What? Yeah."
[Sports Illustrated // Image of Lori Shelton via Getty]


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It used to be that if you wanted to end a relationship and avoid that awkward confrontation, all you had to do was leave a message on said person's answering machine, drop some snail mail, or leave a note taped to their dorm room door. Nowadays, technology has made breaking up easier and more complicated all at once. Email, social sites (Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace – is anyone still using MySpace?), and even YouTube are all being used as vehicles for romantic separation.
Here are few of my personal favorites:
-A friend of mine called in tears the other day to ask me if I noticed her BF had changed his relationship status on Facebook from "In a relationship" to "Single." Can you say, "OUCH!"
-Who can forget the break ups of Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson, along with Jim Carrey and Jenny McCarthy.
Hey, that's one way to get the word out quick, right?
Ok, dish, how have you broken up with someone or been broken up with via social media?
Comment on our blog and be entered in to win one of our weekly coffee giveaways. Each winner will receive a $10 gift card, to Starbucks. Winners will be chosen at random and announced each Wednesday.


text:
See who ran, biked and canoed in the Rock Dallas Adventure Race
Photo: Rex C. Curry/Special Contributor
Combine 3.5 miles of trail running, 12 miles of mountain biking, two miles of canoeing, "mystery events" and 139 (crazy? courageous?) participants. What do you get? The Rock Dallas Adventure Race, held Saturday at the Murrell Heritage Primitive Camping Area on Lake Grapevine.
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This is an aspect of FOSS that is regaining some measure of interest: for years, it was considered that writing production-ready FOSS meant lean and mean software. However, recent events have shown that, in the case of the Linux kernel, this is no longer exactly true: performance is dropping slowly yet steadily.
How come?
The Linux kernel is monolithic: it means that every hardware driver runs in kernel memory space. Every time you add a driver, you add stuff to the kernel. Moreover, for performance reasons, several user-space elements make their way into the kernel and increase its bloat even further.
Moreover, Linux has historically been developed for x86 platforms, and is tightly linked to the architecture, going as far as using hardware interrupts in code (essentially, mixing x86 assembly in the much more generic and portable C code).
On top of that, since everything hardware related runs in kernel space, it is unstable by design: a bug in a hardware driver means that a network card can crash the system. Linux is literally the opposite of a micro kernel.
Now, some of you may remember several years ago when Andy Tanenbaum and Linus Torvalds had a 'shouting match' over the Intarwebz on the merits of a micro kernel. As I won't pretend to be something I'm not (a Ph.D-level teacher, writer and software designer), I'll let you discover for yourself what the heck this was about: first on Andrew S. Tanenbaum's page on MINIX and Linux, then in an interview made for FSM. For the sake of brevity, I'll sum up what is, and the advantages of a micro kernel.
A micro kernel: MINIX
A micro kernel is, by definition, a kernel that has NO integrated hardware driver -- none! Not even an interrupt scheduler nor a memory controller. It is nothing more than a messaging system, and everything that is not the kernel will run in user space. It is lean: a micro kernel might not need more than a few thousands lines of C code. It is stable: if a hardware driver fails, it won't bring down the kernel. It can therefore crash, and be reloaded good as new. Moreover, such a design makes updates very easy. As the kernel itself is so simple it is relatively easy to make it bug free; if a driver is updated, it can be unloaded and a new version loaded in its place. No more reboots.
Now, MINIX was made as a teaching tool: it means that it should be as hardware-independent as possible. It will, thus, be made entirely out of portable code (like, say, C – with no assembly whatsoever).
MINIX is now in its third version. It can handle a windowing system and pseudo terminals. It can work as a server, or as a desktop system (but very few desktop tools have been ported). It is POSIX compliant (which doesn't actually mean much).
So why isn't it replacing Linux?
First, for historical reasons. MINIX is first and foremost a teaching tool. It is the most basic functional UNIX clone currently in existence, and it must, for that reason, remain very simple. Features added must not be integrated as patches, but as extra drivers – so as not to be used until needed. This, coupled with as little code duplication as can be achieved, means that improving MINIX is a very delicate process.
Second, for performance reasons: micro kernels use messaging to communicate between the kernel and drivers. This process uses up CPU cycles that direct communication in kernel space avoids. The very fact that the memory controller is decoupled from the kernel entails a 20% performance loss alone. Thus, in most cases, MINIX will be at least 20% slower than Linux – or BSD.
Another performance reason would be that since Linux has assembly-optimized code for x86, even without the micro kernel's design, it would still be faster than MINIX, with its C-only code, on x86 systems (performance would depend on compiler efficiency, but it would be there nonetheless). However, we need to nuance this.
(Editor's note: Minix was also non-free up until much later in its life. This was one of the main points Linus had while talking to Tanenbaum...)
A strange monolithic kernel: Linux
One of the biggest improvements made to Linux ever since its inception has been its ability to support modules: originally, you had to compile a whole kernel every time you changed a piece of hardware, or you had to compile a huge kernel with all drivers loaded even though you would then end up with wasted RAM for unused drivers. Modules allow you to split your kernel up into several pieces that can then be loaded and unloaded pretty much at will. This means that you can compile a smallish basic kernel and then load needed modules at run-time. You can even unload a module, compile a replacement, and load the updated version – just like in micro kernels. But, for those who didn't pay attention, this is not where a micro kernel design is theoretically better than a monolithic one. That occurs on the interface between the driver and the kernel.
A case in point: if you load a buggy graphics driver module it can crash the kernel, freeze the computer, etc.
Now, there are several mitigating factors that make the picture less problematic than it actually is: the module interface in Linux gets tighter all the time, so it is becoming harder for a driver bug to bring down the whole kernel. Moreover, the open-source nature of the kernel means that it is quite unlikely for a piece of code to contain bugs that can lead to crashes – and those that do exist get squashed rapidly. In short, while MINIX is stable because it doesn't permit bugs to bring it down, Linux is stable because it doesn't have too many bugs to bring it down – and usage difference is sufficiently large enough that there is a difference between the two FOSS projects.
Moreover, while Torvalds (and the Linux developer community in general) disagrees with Tanenbaum on the matter of micro kernels, he does acknowledge that many of his points are valid. That's why, with time, more and more code is added to the kernel in order to isolate subsystems from each other. This kind of coding adds complexity to the functions of the kernel, thus using up CPU cycles and so reducing performance...
That's point one.
Since Linux is now in use on more than one platform (x86), many parts of it had to be rewritten: ARM, PPC and Itanium are but a few of the platforms on which the kernel runs. Most replicate the same functionalities that exist on x86, but in many cases it is less advanced or refined – so while Linux is probably one of the best performing kernels on x86, it is not the case on any other platform. Since this is indeed a concern, most work occurring on x86-specific code is now designed to be as compartmentalized as possible:
code that would have no functional equivalent on other platforms (at a reasonable performance cost, or code such as an x87 FPU emulator or a specific memory controller) is kept inside x86 but must be hack- and shim-less proof,
code that would be functionally equivalent on other platforms (at reasonable performance cost) is programmed in plain C and taken out of x86 to find its way in the 'kernel' section.
You'll notice that, along the way, several 'speed hacks' (as this is valid for both re-factored and new code) could have gone missing. At the same time, thanks to code re-use, the 'central' part of the kernel on all platforms (let's say, the scheduler, the memory controller and the rest of the kernel's internals) may be getting slimmer for core functions. Slimmer, more elegant code doesn't mean faster though.
That's point two.
Performance is also in the eye of the beholder: sometimes it can go down due to a bug or regression, but at other times it may be the result of a balance shift. We'll take for example the memory allocator and the ext4 driver.
That's point three, and this one deserves a more detailed analysis.
Feature and safety at a performance cost
While code modularization has a generic performance cost that is often negligible, considering the gains in development time and overall code quality, there are features that have performance costs with no easily measurable benefit – but benefit there is. We'll take two of the most noticed "regressions that aren't".
Do keep in mind though that regressions do happen, and are usually corrected a few kernel releases later.
The memory allocator dilemma
The Linux kernel has, currently, three different allocators: SLOB, which is historical and rather dedicated, SLAB, which used to be the preference, and SLUB, which is newer and generally slower.
According to kernel documentation, SLUB has been written to replace SLAB on multicore systems: SLAB is faster than SLUB, no question about it, but on multicore system it is also heavier on the RAM. In very extreme cases, SLAB can end up using more than a gigabyte of RAM, which negates its performance advantages by causing paging and data bus contention. SLUB solves this problem by being heavier on the CPU but using much less RAM – in these extreme cases, SLUB performs better 'live' than SLAB. Since it also isn't THAT costlier CPU-wise and machines get more cores all the time (an Intel quad-core with Hyper-threading will count as an 8-core, and waste around 17 Mb of RAM – say goodbye to your CPU cache), it's become the default.
But a database benchmarks will still find that a SLUB-using kernel will perform worse than a SLAB-using one.
The scheduler stress
Initially, Linux was made to work on server-oriented tasks: one task that had to be accomplished as fast as possible. Linux is also a co-operative multitasking kernel: it will give a process more resources when it asks for it if:
the process' priority (its 'nice' level) is higher than other processes requiring resources,
other running processes have notified the kernel that they're done for now.
There is more to say about this, but you get the basic idea.
Typically, on server loads, you have a handful of foreground processes with high priorities that aim at completing their tasks as fast as possible before releasing their resources: in those cases, delaying one task so that another finishes is the most efficient system. Less cache misses on the CPU, less wild head movement on hard disk drives... This kind of scheduling is good for servers.
But, on a desktop system, it means that, say, mouse movements will freeze if a process gets very heavy on the CPU. Which is Bad (tm).
So, the Completely Fair Scheduler (CFS) was written, and the kernel redesigned somewhat. It takes into account stuff like how much resource a process has already asked for. It allows pre-emption of a process on more execution points and it polls processes for additional execution points at more regular times.
But a database benchmarks will still find that a CFS-using kernel will perform worse than an older one.
Mitigating factors
Now, it seems that the kernel slowing down isn't such a bad thing if it is the price for a more versatile and safer system. However, there are still debates raging on various points that may seem to contradict all that's being said. I'll tackle a few of these here.
Should file system drivers be found in user space, or in kernel?
This one is very sensitive, and for more than one reason: since, on UNIX, everything is a file, one file system at the very least has to be very close to the kernel. After all, even processes are found on a file system. Look at
/proc! or even devices, in
/dev! Back to our micro kernel vs. monolithic kernel argument. Performance costs for all file systems being found in user space would be high. So, let's put all file system drivers in memory! But, there are thousands of them and many are more buggy than an ant hill! Do you really want that?
I'll take a very controversial example, which shows how difficult it is to answer this question – until you put it into perspective: let's take NTFS, which supports POSIX, DOS and NT file spaces, alternate data streams, metadata journalling, file-level compression and encryption, built-in defragmentation and out of order block allocation.
Version 3, starting with Windows 2000 is the version currently in use. Not all its features are used or even supported by Microsoft's OSes, meaning that it could trash data found on otherwise perfectly valid and sane NTFS volumes. You have been warned.
NTFS support has been very long in coming; first, because there was no real use for it until 2003, and second because it is very complex and not very well documented. Still, there was support in the kernel since 2001. But, it was for an older version of NTFS (NT4's) which was not compatible with 3.x – leading to massive corruption. Around 2004, a rewritten NTFS driver appeared, that allowed read and then eventually partial write access to NTFS partitions. A third-generation driver, however, made its debuts in 2006, and soon attracted interest: NTFS-3G runs in user space and provides full read/write access to NTFS partitions. Performance was not its primary goal, and it started becoming a primary concern only very recently, although there were drastic improvements along the way.
Its lack of performance was taken as reason why file system drivers should be kept in kernel space. From my own semi-formal tests, that's completely bogus. What I could observe was that:
Windows NTFS driver has a lousy block allocator: it can split a big file into more than 3000 pieces on a used partition, while NTFS-3G will only do 30 or so (test done on a 60% full 80Gb partition);
NTFS-3G will eat up a lot of CPU time on writes (latest version 20091015 mitigates that a lot): many small files or a few big ones are not much of a difference any more, but on lower -end systems (say, netbooks) transfer rate is essentially limited by CPU clock;
Windows, NTFS-3G and Linux NTFS have very similar read speed and CPU use on reads;
depending on whether you go through the SCSI interface (that includes IDE and SATA in later kernels) or USB, data rates can vary wildly on Linux. The same is true if you use the full FUSE package or the reduced, streamlined version provided by NTFS-3G.
This mean that NTFS-3G cannot be used as an example of why in-kernel drivers are better than user space ones: not only is it as fast as the in-kernel driver where they share functionality (and a good chunk of code) with similar CPU use, there is a higher performance impact coming from bus controllers! Moreover, considering that most of the time on reads and writes is spent waiting for the drive to answer, optimizations as small as direct kernel access and/or assembly code are useless – period. Optimizations on read order, data sorting and allocation are far more important.
Now, for in-memory file systems, it may be a different matter. Still, there is no reason for a file system driver to be ported in-kernel if it works well in user space, nor is there real reason to take a file system outside the kernel if it's already complete and well tested. Actually, one project under way is to modularize block allocation and error reporting in kernel for all file system drivers: while this is not, stricto sensus, the best place for that, it is more practical in a 'code repository' way but it requires time to work well.
Outside of x86, Linux actually sucks... Or does it?
Not actually wrong, but not true either: as a matter of fact, Linux on PPC works rather well, if for no other reason that Linus Torvalds' main rig has for a long time been a dual CPU Apple Mac G5; so, if Linux-x86 is good, Linux-PPC is a close second. Also, the x86-64 architecture has recently achieved a place of its own in the kernel, and is no longer a bastardized x86 branch. Alpha and Itanium, well, they're getting quite moldy – I mean their architectures. There are several embedded systems that see support, or not – these are rather short lived.
That leaves ARM essentially as an architecture. And it is a fact that Linux on ARM isn't very good. But here, we've got some input from Debian. The kernel may not be top-notch but most of the ARM performance loss rests on GNU's
glibc library – which is why Debian decided to replace
glibc with
eglibc, which is essentially a heavily patched
glibc. According to the fork's authors, GNU developers aren't too quick on the uptake and take ages to integrate ARM patches – prompting the fork. What's nice about
eglibc is that, although it is patched for ARM, it remains compatible with
glibc – and thus, runs on x86 (both of them), PPC etc.
So, it does look like Linux isn't so hard to port to a different platform any more, and a failed port depends on much more than just the kernel. But it also requires time to be done right.
Linux is becoming bloated, and it's also getting slower. You can't however, correlate the two directly, as the kernel gets bigger every time a driver is added, but you're not forced to compile or load all drivers. The fact is that, for a similar set of drivers, Linux isn't really getting bigger.
So, using existing metrics, Linux's performance is, indeed, declining steadily; those metrics being task-oriented and those tasks being typical for a server, one must take this with a grain of salt.
If indeed, regressions do find their way inside the kernel they are usually corrected quite rapidly. "False" regressions are usually caused by security and/or stability features being added, along with a good helping of user-oriented optimizations. What's lacking is the tools to catch regression and the time so that added features don't bloat the kernel.
In that light, projects like Phoronix's test suite and tracker, which test both network and user oriented tasks and allow variations to become automatically available, are tools that have been common for a long time under Windows and those results are invaluable.
Sources and further reading
The Register: Linus calls Linux bloated and huge
It's the desktop
As more people use Linux for "desktop" and "workstation" applications, more of them are going to care about "features and safety" than about "reliability and efficiency".
I use GNU/Linux primarily as a desktop (or a workstation -- the distinction is kind of subtle). Most of the time, I don't really care if I have to reboot once in awhile. I know we razz Windows for this problem, but is it really that much trouble?
It's not if I'm the only one using it. And if ferreting out whatever has actually gone wrong is going to take more time than rebooting, I'll sometimes just hit the power button and wait through all of the obligatory filesystem repair work that has to go on in the next boot. So what? You never lose files that weren't open anyway (well, hardly ever, anyway).
On the other hand, if I can't get my graphics card or sound card to work right, I'm totally screwed. My worries are over things like finding an OpenGL-capable 3D-accelerated graphics card that will work adequately with free-licensed drivers. That's not just because I'm ideologically opposed to closed source drivers (though I am), it's also because they're just so much of a pain in the neck to install -- and some of them, like NVidia's, are notably buggy and cause my system to crash frequently enough to be really annoying.
Of course, there will continue to be GNU/Linux distributions optimized for servers, and there are always the various versions of BSD Unix to choose instead.
So, I'm not entirely sure this is a bad trend. GNU/Linux is starting to look a little more like Windows and Mac, because it's trying to do the same things. And like them, GNU/Linux can stand some bloat for these kinds of applications.
That's the point
I also use GNU/Linux full time: workstation, entertainment, and gaming (I use Wine). And it can, indeed, happen that the system hangs due to driver errors.
Most of there errors can be tracked back to the only non-Free driver I use: AMD's fglrx. It's been a long time since any ALSA driver got wonky (I did say ALSA, not PulseAudio, which is another matter), and I won't mention the network driver: ever since Nvidia decided to directly support forcedeth, I've been network-related problems free, be it on AMD, Intel or Nvidia hardware. USB problems also disappeared since the last USB stack rewrite. I have yet to test the 1394 driver, but I've heard nothing but good stuff about it.
When it doesn't downright crash, I find it faster and safer to switch to init 1 (single user mode, all services stopped) and rmmod fglrx (it worked when I had nvidia, too) then go back to init 5.
No, what's left are, as you said, graphics drivers. And I can't wait and test Gallium3D drivers for Nvidia and AMD!
A computer is like air conditioning: it becomes useless when you open windows.
Actually, I find most graphics hangups will get fixed by just resetting the X server (which has "Ctrl-Alt-Backspace" as a hot key combination on my Debian system).
The cold boot approach is only for when that doesn't work, which does occasionally happen.
Indeed, but sometimes it needs a harder nudge
This is true for FOSS drivers and proprietary ones alike: sometimes, the kernel module gets its bits in a knot, and needs unloading (something that ctrl-alt-backspace, or a Xorg restart) doesn't cause. And it sometimes complains that it is still in use, so I may need to switch to single user mode and unload most processes in order to unload it.
A computer is like air conditioning: it becomes useless when you open windows.
A precision on nice
It seems a comment/addendum I tried to do yesterday got scrapped. So I'll repeat it.
'nice' defines how high the priority of a Linux process: the lower 'nice' is, the higher the process' priority. 'nice' means how nice a process is to others. I didn't make that distinction explicit in the post, so here it is.
A computer is like air conditioning: it becomes useless when you open windows.
Hmm - not by humans
As an established user your comments should go through withotu approval so the scrapping wasn't done by a human. is it possible you clicked Preview and then navigated away (thus not submitting the comment)? I've done that a few times.
Equitas IT Solutions - fairness, quality, freedom
Yes, a human: me!
Just as you said, I probably merely hit 'preview'. So it got scrapped - by me. Sigh.
A computer is like air conditioning: it becomes useless when you open windows.
Ah man, I knew I was forgetting something...
Why is it that I mentioned ext4, and ended up mentioning NTFS-3G instead? Simply because ext4 wasn't the most counterproductive example I could find, and I tested its latest build while I wrote that piece - and forgot to come back and correct it.
Still, what I intended to say is, recently ext4 got a bad performance regression - one that related to a problem that is also susceptible to happen on ext3, and which may cause corruption at inopportune times. Barriers.
On Linux, barriers are used to prevent any data from being sent to the disk drive while it is flushing - as in, committing every operation it has been sent. The reason why is because, with more drives using NCQ, there is a chance that the journal could be written to disk, data would be too, and the journal closed (data committed) - but if the drive reordered its operation, putting the actual data's commit AFTER the journal has been closed, and the disk crashed before that was actually the case, then the journal wouldn't match what is actually on the drive! for more information on barriers, read this rather old, but very relevant, piece: http://lwn.net/Articles/283161/
ext3's default behavior is to mount with barriers disabled; on ext4, due to it very recent, that behaviour was changed recently so that it defaulted to enabled. Resulting on a huge performance drop on intensive, small writes requiring many sync() - such as databases (PostGreSQL got a 82% performance drop!).
Right now, developers work at reducing that huge performance loss (by making barrier calls less necessary), but this is indeed an illustration as to how reduced performance may actually come from improved reliability.
A computer is like air conditioning: it becomes useless when you open windows.
And in other news...
Phoronix just ran a series on benchmarks on all kernel versions since 2.6.24 to 2.6.33 (meaning, on 2 1/2 years of kernel releases).
It appears that several regressions were fixed in 2.6.33, and performance actually got BETTER across the board - or didn't change, except in database-based scenarii. Pure CPU-based benches either stayed stable or improved some - or greatly.
It would seem that barriers were enabled one ext3/4 file systems, resulting in very slow commits. However, caching seems vastly improved.
Linux might be getting bloated, but it seems performance isn't a problem yet.
A computer is like air conditioning: it becomes useless when you open windows.
Being a Debian user myself,
Being a Debian user myself, I've not encountered that many problems with the OS itself. I still think that it is more stable than XP. (I was getting the BSOD on a regular basis in the end).
I'm willing to put up with some "slowness" of the system as long as it remains a stable system. I'm just a "typical" end user, I do no programming or anything special with Linux aside from internet use and e-mail and the like. I tried re-compiling the kernel a few times to see if I could make it faster and just reverted back to the normal kernel mostly because I didn't really see any improvement, and I lost some functionality in one instance.
I however, can't attest to the longevity of my computer's up-time. Per the family's request all computers are shut off at night when not in use.
"can't attest to the longevity of my computer's up-time"
I can.
My desktop system has run for as much as several months without rebooting before, under moderate use.
Now I have had to reset the X-server a few times during that time, and there have been some dicey times with particular pieces of equipment or software that caused me to have to reboot multiple times in a few days, but under normal use, uptimes of multiple months are common.
Frankly my electricity is less reliable than my operating system. ;-)
So when we're talking about decreased reliability, we're talking about "compared to server Linux or Unix systems" not "other desktop operating systems like Windows or Mac". In other words, we're really spoiled. :-)
implementation agnosticism
My understanding of the kernel is limited, however it seems to me that the kernel must remain independent of the needs of specific implementations of it in order to continue to fulfill its myriad of roles. That is to say that the kernel is a critical part of any GNU/Linux OS and so its important that it does not reflect the needs of one particular type of implementation, such as workstations rather than servers or embedded devices, but rather remains agnostic to any given type of implementation. As I understand it, the legendary scalability of GNU/Linux was not built upon technical decisions made to reflect one particular deployment environment.
If the trend is currently that the kernel is moving to reflect desktop needs rather than server or embedded needs, then it does seem to me that we have a serious problem on our hands that is likely to develop into a time bomb (as this doesn't seem like the kind of trend that will easily reverse itself, particularly as GNU/Linux is currently seeing most growth in desktop/workstation markets).
So to the experts I put the question: is the Linux kernel becoming less lean and efficient because of a trend towards desktop hardware compatibility over server stability and efficiency, as this article seems to suggest? I don't see that the recent phronix testing sheds any light on this issue as it is purely comparative and does not isolate kernel specific performance.
I think we're mostly talking about the effect of various collections of modules. Since these generally aren't used in server or embedded applications they don't have much impact on those uses.
IOW, I think we're talking about the characteristics of the delivered builds of Linux as included in distributions, not Linux itself.
Linux Kernel
Really? because I too got the impression that the kernel itself was what was being called "bloated", rather than the distributions.
Modules and kernel
Modules are part of the kernel, inasmuch as they ship with it. Distros may add some modules not included in 'vanilla', or include 'staging' drivers, but a module is part of the kernel in any case. And distributions will, by default, ship with most modules compiled and ready for loading.
When you do a kernel build yourself, you can disable most modules and options you don't need, and get a much smaller kernel.
A computer is like air conditioning: it becomes useless when you open windows.


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An updated version of this pair is available.
Check out the PR MD 3➤Shoe Finder | Women's Track Spikes & Cross Country Spikes
$65.00 $26.00
Go the mid-distance with the new and super light PR MD 54.26. We improved the medial side with a built-in stretch material to secure the arch – perfect when your eyes are on the finish tape. New airy mesh keeps the weight down and increases breathability so you don't hot house your fast feet. Asymmetric design tops off the list of features for this 400 to 1600 meter and hurdle spike.
Learn about the Brooks PR Invitational >
- Shoe Category: Spikes
- Arch: Medium, High
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- Platform: Curved Platform
- DNA Layout: No DNA
- Competition: 400 - 1500 meters
- Launch Date: December 1, 2012
- Weight: 3.7 oz
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Comments about PR MD 54.26:
Bought these at the beginning of my track season and they have gotten me to a PR in every event I do. But especially the 400 hurdles. They are super lightweight which is very important to me especially at hurdle 10 when you legs feel like cinderblocks. They provided great traction even on soaked carpet tracks. They only issue I ever had is that my spikes would continuously fall out. This isn't a big deal to me though because they're easily replaceable. But they are fantastic hurdle spike and I would recommend them to anyone. Although it might be important to note that the yellow is not actually a gold as depicted but a blaring neon yellow. But once again no big deal!
- Sizing:
- Feels true to size
- Width:
- Feels true to width
- Arch Type:
- Low Arch
- Was this a gift?:
- No
- Breathable
- Fast
- Good Traction
- Lightweight
- Wears Out Quickly
Best Uses
Comments about PR MD 54.26:
I used these spikes for my track season. They are thin, like most spikes, so it wasn't fun to wear them when it was cold or windy. They gave the support I needed for both sprints and high jump. Some spots have worn out more quickly than I would have liked. Great shoe for Jr High/ High School sprinter or jumper.
- Sizing:
- Feels true to size
- Width:
- Feels true to width
- Arch Type:
- Low Arch
- Was this a gift?:
- No


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Arguing that Silicon Valley and the nation are "losing talent and jobs by the day to countries like Canada, Chile and the United Kingdom," a bipartisan group of U.S. senators on Wednesday introduced a bill to grant up to 75,000 visas each year to immigrant startup entrepreneurs and 50,000 to students with advanced science and engineering degrees from American universities.
The Startup Act 3.0 is one of a flurry of visa bills as Democrats and Republicans debate a large-scale overhaul of immigration.
"I love it, basically," said Stanford Law School's Vivek Wadhwa, an advocate for expanding visas for the highly skilled.
Bay Area immigrants already here on temporary work or student visas could stay permanently if they start a company that raises or invests at least $100,000 and has at least five full-time workers throughout its first three years.
Fifty-two percent of Silicon Valley startups were founded or co-founded by immigrants between 1995 and 2005, but the rate dropped to 42 percent in the past seven years, according to surveys. Wadhwa blames mounting visa backlogs.
"Typically, company founders came to Silicon Valley as students and started their companies 13 years later," Wadhwa said. "Now, people who came here as students ... can't start companies."
The bill would also relieve Indian and Chinese temporary immigrants stuck in decade-long visa backlogs by eliminating the cap on how many people from any one country can get permanent residency.
Among the bill's backers is AOL founder and venture capitalist Steve Case, who testified at a Senate hearing Wednesday about the danger of losing the race for talent to countries with more attractive visa laws.
"We're making it harder for innovators to come and stay," Case said.
The bill was introduced Wednesday by U.S. senators Jerry Moran, R-Kan.; Mark Warner, D-Va.; Chris Coons, D-Del.; and Roy Blunt, R-Mo. The bill could be folded into the comprehensive legislation that President Barack Obama, most Democrats and some Republicans want this year.
Divisions, however, are emerging between those arguing for quick passage of politically popular, high-skill immigration bills and those seeking broader changes affecting the country's 11 million illegal immigrants and border security.
"Right now we have people fighting for the undocumented, unskilled workers who are holding Silicon Valley hostage," said Wadhwa, who Republicans invited to testify to Congress last week. "I agree with that cause, but I don't agree that we should keep Silicon Valley hostage."
"We should get the startup visa act passed ASAP and then go back to the big battles," he added.
Case, however, on Wednesday told senators that immigration reform should be comprehensive and include a citizenship path for illegal immigrants.The legislation met some concerns of opponents of existing high-skill visas by not tethering foreign workers to their sponsoring employers, as the H-1B does.
Still, "this is an addition" to current visas, said Kim Berry, president of the Programmers Guild. "None of this language says it has to create a single job for an American."
The entrepreneur visa could be used to start a pizza joint or car wash, not just "the next Google (GOOG), IBM or Intel (INTC)," and the graduate degree visas could flood U.S. schools with foreign students admitted because they pay higher tuition, Berry said.
high-tech visa plan
The bipartisan Startup Act 3.0 introduced Wednesday in the Senate would in part:


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Hot Topics
Hot Topics this year include:
Thank you for joining us at SemTechBiz Berlin 2012. We hope to see you in Berlin in September 2013! For updates on other Semantic Technology & Business Conferences and other upcoming events, visit mediabistro.com/events.
About the Conference
Whether your most pressing issues are strategic, tactical, or, more likely, a complex combination of both, you'll benefit from this unique opportunity to explore how semantic solutions and linked data are being embraced throughout companies across a diverse range of disciplines and business categories. The Berlin Semantic Tech & Business Conference (#SemTechBiz) brings together today's industry thought leaders and practitioners to explore the challenges and opportunities jointly impacting both corporate business leaders and technologists. Packed with case studies and real-world perspectives, SemTechBiz offers two comprehensive days of fresh insight and immersive learning from global experts in technology, financial services, insurance, healthcare, publishing, government, automotive and enterprise data.
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Corporate heavyweights and industry influencers share their views and first-hand experiences on a diverse array of business and technology topics including:
Strategic Keynotes
C-level executives and industry visionaries provide standards-based best practices, new research and future trends analysis to help you understand how to integrate semantic technology into your organization and how to benefit from it. Designed to address your key priorities and appeal to all skill levels, you'll come away with creative solutions and proven frameworks for implementing your semantic plan of action.
Lightning Sessions
Get a ringside seat as some of the most innovative startups in the semantic space compete for your attention. Through rapid-fire presentations from a curated group of promising entrepreneurs, you'll be treated to a sneak peek at emerging tool sets and the next great opportunities in the market today. Sure to be a crowd favorite, these brief and groundbreaking presentations are fun for both investors and attendees alike.
In-Depth Discussions
Join us as key representatives from the world's leading banks, financial institutions, universities and government agencies debate and discuss common challenges facing the industry and collaborate on identifying solutions that help reduce complexity, cost and risk. Through both moderated panels and stand-alone sessions, attendees are exposed to a variety of unfettered viewpoints and focused conversation.
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SemtechBiz is where the semantic community connects to build productive personal and professional relationships. Discovering all the latest tools while providing an informal opportunity to network, interact, talk shop and share ideas among like-minded industry insiders and peers in a face to face setting is what these gatherings are all about.
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Grace United Church of Christ will hold a community Swiss steak dinner from 4:30-7 p.m. Jan. 25 in its Family Activity Center.
The menu will include Swiss steak, noodles and/or mashed potatoes with gravy, coleslaw or apple sauce, green beans, rolls, coffee or tea, and a choice of desserts. Hot dogs will be available as an alternative for children.
Dinner costs are $9 for adult, $4 ages 1 to 12, and ages 3 and under free. High chairs and booster seats will be available on a first-serve basis. The center is wheelchair accessible. Reservations are not needed. Carryout available. Gluten-free meals may be ordered in advance by calling the Grace church office at 330-699-3255, Monday thru Friday, 9 am-12 noon.
Grace UCC is at 13275 Cleveland Avenue, 1/4 mile north of the Uniontown square at the intersection of Route 619 and Cleveland Avenue, and directly across the street from Uniontown Elementary School.
Location, ST | website.com


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Due to the nature of free software, there exists a great deal of choice. You have 100s of distros to choose from, and a handful of desktop environments, office suites, browsers, email clients, media players... you name a piece of software and there's almost always at least one alternative. And, if there isn't, there soon will be. Is all this choice a good thing? Or is it just too confusing? Should we strive to have an ultimate tool that suits everyone's needs or do we really need 50 types of hammer and a 1000 types of nail? Let us know how you feel about choice?
Choice is a double edged sword
Choice gives a feeling that we have freedom. Want to have a very mature environment with minimal configuration? Use Gnome. Want a prettier desktop that can be configured to the lowest possible level? Try KDE.
Don't like the above two? try a different desktop environment. All this for free (as in beer and freedom).
However, choice also makes me think that perhaps I'm missing something. I use Firefox for browsing, Liferea for feed reading, Open Office for word processing and tool X for task Y etc. But is that the best scenario? Am I using the best of all worlds? With so many choices, it is very difficult to decide and is not practical to have the best tool for everything.
1. I think we should strive for the interoperability of various tools from different Linux environments.
As mentioned previously, I like linux for its choices. But maybe the same reason is keeping the people in Windows World from trying Linux. Perhaps they are intimidated by too many options. (Of course, I'm only talking about those who want to try something new, but fearful. Not the folks who are happy with their crappy and bloated Windows applications and can cope up with security problems).
2. We should create some kind of questionnaire about the distribution and tools to choose, for various scenarios and come up with the solution. For instance, a wizard that asks questions like "1. Will you use this system as a home desktop or a business system? 2. Do you want the system to be used as the e-mail server or run an engineering application etc" and come up with answers.
"1. I think we should strive for the interoperability of various tools from"
In fact, of course, "interoperability" is a key to "choice". Without it, your choices become increasingly limited because of the inability to use tools together.
I say I prefer KDE, but the truth is, its the actual window manager and launcher that I like. Many of the actual applications are less appealing to me than their Gnome counterparts. So for exampe, I use KDE for my environment, but I use gpdf to view PDFs and Gimp to edit images. I use kuickshow (from KDE) for reviewing images before using them in Gimp. When I compose vector artwork, though, I don't use an official KDE or Gnome package, but rather Inkscape (except for those jobs I find easier in Skencil!).
For serious writing I typically use LyX, which isn't specialized for either, and I use gvim for coding.
So, it should be pretty obvious that I'm quite happy with the choice that is available. I do acknowledge that this presents some difficulties for the new user, but there are a lot of places to go for reviews. I think the biggest obstacle is that most people coming from a proprietary background are used to doing this kind of research before purchasing software, but when the purchasing step is removed, they no longer respect the time needed for review and selection. But rationally, of course, it's the same basic process, but without having to pay for the privilege.
I'm torn. I like having
I'm torn. I like having choice. However, there IS a problem for new users. When I decided to try switching to GNU/Linux last year, I was intimidated by choices. Plus, many users in the FLOSS world (particularly those with a strong *nix background) tend to be particularly evangelical: just because a tool works better for them, all other choices become invalid in their eyes. Thus, for a die-hard KDE user, using GNOME is practically blasphemy (and I won't even attempt to touch the issue of text editors...).
I think it helps if we define different solutions with a few words. For example, KDE is "the power user's DE", while GNOME is "a simple DE", XFCE is "Lightweight but complete and easy to use", Fluxbox is "A fast (but not beginner-friendly) WM", etc. A bit of differentiation would help newbies a lot.


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Don't agonize, organize . . . that's my mantra. It's certainly better than doing nothing! But, sometimes even your best efforts don't give you the results you were hoping for. And sometimes the situation is just so outrageous all you can do is say . . . YIKES!
Post a Comment


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I'm in a bit of a quandry here... virtually ALL training plans incorporate "hilly workouts" into them. The 10k plan offered here does as well. I live in South Florida and there are NO hills to be found. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to modify the workouts for this situation? I am a fairly new runner, so please pardon my ignorance! Thanks in advance for all help!
Do you have access to a treadmill?
Not currently, but I'm considering joining a gym in the very near future, in which case I would.
How about parking garages?
Head over to the coast and run hill repeats on the bridges that connect to the barrier islands. I live near Orlando and we like to run the bridges in Daytona and Ormond Beach. It's a bit of a drive but being able to take a dip in the ocean afterward is good for the sole
Any bridge will do, it doesn't need to be that long of an incline.
Or substitute speed workouts instead like 400 or 800 meter intervals.
2010 Space Coast Marathon 4:27:39
2011 Charleston Marathon 4:25:58
2011 Croom Fools Run 50k 6:16:51
2011 Marine Corps Marathon 4:24:48
2011 Jacksonville Bank Marathon 4:44:12 (4:45 Pace Leader)
2012 Florida Keys Ragnar Relay 28:20:47 (3rd place-Mixed Ultra)
Check it out - I'm bloggin'!
+1 to rbird's post... if there's a parking garage or stadium that you have access to, running up those will simulate a hill perfectly.
Like rbird mentioned, speed workouts on a track are great substitutes for hill training, too--their purpose is almost exactly the same (building leg strength to make you faster, while working in your anaerobic heart rate zone).
Best of luck!
Thank you all for your help! Good suggestions... off to the parking garage I go!
ACTIVE is the leader in online event registrations from 5k running races and marathons to softball leagues and local events. ACTIVE also makes it easy to learn and prepare for all the things you love to do with expert resources, training plans and fitness calculators.


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I have problems with editing function SCALES. The manual that I own is old and is not an option:
Factor X:
Factor Y:
I guess serves to scale with a factor, the X axis, and another factor (or the same) the Y axis.
I tried to enter two values to test, Factor X = 2, Factor Y = 1, and does not work.
Is it that I am using this function wrong?
Thanks and regards,
Luis Jove.


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I would like to create a custom entity for an application (FlowLineEntity). The entity would essentially inherit polyline and add a few custom properties. Is this possible? If it is possible I would additionally want to listen for modifications to entity in order to control the behaviour of the modifications. The entity is similar to a dimension line and would be used in developing process flow diagrams and piping & instrumentation diagrams. The FlowLineEntity is terminated with an arrowhead and provides "jumps" when intersecting other FlowLineEntity's similar to AutoCAD P&ID. I have included a link to a screenshot indicating what I want to achieve.
Thanks in Advance,


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Report: Manatee officer draws gun on co-worker
Published: Thursday, March 7, 2013 at 2:31 p.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, March 7, 2013 at 2:31 p.m.
MANATEE COUNTY - Sheriff's Capt. Ron Couch opted to retire after an internal affairs investigation concluded he drew his pistol and pointed it at a lieutenant who startled him in his office.
CLICK HERE to read the internal affairs report on Manatee County Sheriff's Capt. Ron Couch.
The lieutenant, who threw his hands up into the air as if surrendering when confronted by the armed captain, told investigators he was concerned Couch "was not fully aware of what was going on."
According to an internal affairs report from the Manatee County Sheriff's Office released Thursday, Lt. William Vitaioli went to the District Three office on Jan. 28 to discuss some work-related matters with Couch.
Vitaioli said he greeted a secretary working nearby, and stopped at the threshold of Couch's office. The captain was sitting at his computer with his back to the door.
According to the report, the lieutenant said he greeted Couch, who suddenly "leapt from his chair, spun around, and drew his pistol."
Couch admitted drawing his pistol, but told an IA investigator that he held it at a "low ready" position — never aiming the pistol at the lieutenant.
Vitaioli said Couch swept the muzzle over his lower body.
The District Three office, 4940 U.S. 301 in Ellenton, is apparently a safe working environment. The report states, "There is no known past history of any employee at District Three being attacked or threatened at their desk."
Couch also admitted that he had "punched" two subordinates who had similarly startled him.
Internal affairs investigators found that Couch had violated two general orders: endangering through neglect and failing to adhere to the general orders.
The sheriff's office conducted a separate criminal investigation, to determine whether Couch had committed a crime: Improper exhibition of a dangerous weapon or firearm. The sheriff's office sent the case to the State Attorney's Office for review.
Assistant State Attorney Lon Arend declined to prosecute, stating in a letter he had talked to Vitaioli, "the alleged victim in the case, who understands and agrees that criminal charges are not warranted."
Couch was allowed to retire from the sheriff's office, where he had worked for nearly 28 years.
He was paid an annual salary of $97,377.
His retirement takes effect Monday.
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.


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Yes, it is time for our Independence Day holiday tomorrow. In honor of this, local vendors have been selling fireworks for a little while now. We here at the LCL thought that a friendly reminder of when citizens are allowed to shoot off fireworks was needed.
In Brookfield, per city ordinance, fireworks may be shot off starting at 6 a.m. on July 3 through Noon on July 5.
In Marceline, per city ordinance, fireworks may be shot off from July 1-4. Also, the annual Marceline Fire Department fireworks display will begin July 4 at 11 p.m.
Location, ST | website.com


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Ulcerative Colitis Health Center
Ulcerative Colitis
In this article
How Is Ulcerative Colitis Treated?
Treatment for ulcerative colitis can include drug therapy, changes in diet, and/or surgery. Though treatments cannot cure ulcerative colitis, they can help most people lead normal lives.
It is important for you to seek treatment for ulcerative colitis as soon as you start having symptoms. If you have severe diarrhea and bleeding, hospitalization may be necessary to prevent or treat dehydration, reduce your symptoms, and ensure that you receive proper nutrition.
Medications for Ulcerative Colitis
Several types of medications, including sulfa drugs, corticosteroids, immunosuppressive agents, and antibiotics, are used to reduce inflammation of the bowel.
- 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA). Mesalamine, balsalazide, and sulfasalazine are main medications used to treat ulcerative colitis. They come in pills and suppositories. Let your doctor know if you are allergic to sulfa before taking one of these drugs. He or she can prescribe a sulfa-free 5-ASA.
- Corticosteroids. These anti-inflammatory drugs can be used when 5-ASA drugs don't help. Corticosteroids are also used to treat people who have more severe disease. The use of corticosteroids is limited by side effects and the potential of long-term complications. In general, corticosteroids are used for short periods of time to cause remission. Remission is maintained with a 5-ASA medication.
- Immunosuppressants. If corticosteroids or 5-ASA drugs are not effective, immunosuppressants, such as 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP), azathioprine (Imuran), cyclosporine, and tacrolimus (Prograf) may be prescribed.
- Biologics. This class of drugs includes adalimumab (Humira), certolizumab pegol (Cimzia), golimumab (Simponi), infliximab (Remicade), infliximab-dyyb (Inflectra), vedolizumad (Entyvio), and others.
Diet Changes for Ulcerative Colitis
While foods appear to play no role in causing ulcerative colitis, certain foods may cause more symptoms when the disease is active. Your doctor may suggest dietary recommendations depending on your symptoms. Vitamins or nutritional supplements may also be suggested by your doctor.
Surgery for Ulcerative Colitis
Surgery for ulcerative colitis, in which the diseased section or entire colon is removed, may be necessary when drugs are not effective or if you have significant progression of symptoms or severe complications of the disease.
If the entire colon is removed, the operation most often creates an opening, or stoma, in the abdominal wall, to which a bag is attached (called a permanent ileostomy or Brooke ileostomy). The tip of the lower small intestine is brought through the stoma. Waste passes through this opening and collect in an external pouch, which is attached to the stoma and must be worn at all times.


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Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea Mapplegate culpa.
Apple (AAPL), CEO Tim Cook said in a statement released Friday, is sorry. Sorry its new Maps app for the iPhone and iPad sucks at times. Sorry that scores of users have been led on wild goose chases using the thing. Sorry Apple did not quite live up to its "incredibly high standard" this time around.
And while Cook did not say Apple was sorry for booting Google (GOOG) Maps off its iPhone's home screen and replacing it with its own directionally challenged version, he may as well have. In his statement, the CEO encouraged users to download other apps and mapping tools to find their way around town, at least until Apple works out the kinks.
"I'm used to more functionality from Apple, not less," said Jeremy Kemp, a lecturer at the School of Library and Information Science at San Jose State, adding that he got so frustrated using Maps the other day to find a transit route home that he "ended up putting the iPhone in my pocket and asking someone at the train station for directions. It's good that Cook has apologized; it's actually noble. But I'd rather have functionality than nobility."
While the blogosphere worked itself into a fine lather all week agonizing over Maps' shortcomings, analysts cautioned that the map flap will have little effect on the company's solid-gold bottom line. They said Apple makes most of its money selling gadgets, not software. Some pointed out that most new apps, including Google Maps when it was introduced in 2005, had bugs. But over time, as more users essentially trained the software to navigate even smarter, the apps improved.
Pointing out that Twitter sentiment in the week since the iPhone 5's debut was 71 percent positive versus 49 percent for the iPhone 4S, analyst Gene Munster with Piper Jaffray said in a note to investors that "the bottom line is that consumers do not seem to be overly concerned about the shortcomings of Maps."
Users who dislike Apple Maps can download other map apps, or access sites such as Google Maps through the browser. But because non-Apple apps aren't native to the device, clicking an address in an email on an iPhone 5 would still call up the Apple mapping tool, not the alternative.
Cook's public apology stood in stark contrast to how his predecessor, the late Steve Jobs, might have handled the brouhaha. After problems arose with the iPhone 4's antenna and its impact on signal strength -- a saga dubbed "Antennagate" -- Jobs was ridiculed for suggesting users simply alter the way they hold the devise. Although Jobs admitted at a news conference that "we're not perfect and phones aren't perfect, either," some interpreted his response to Antennagate as defensive, even a bit sarcastic.
Cook's approach was far more conciliatory.
"At Apple," the CEO said, "we strive to make world-class products that deliver the best experience possible to our customers. With the launch of our new Maps last week, we fell short on this commitment. We are extremely sorry for the frustration this has caused our customers and we are doing everything we can to make Maps better."
Some analysts speculate that Apple dumped Google Maps because of the growing rivalry between the two tech giants. But in his statement, Cook said Apple's primary aim is to "provide our customers with even better Maps including features such as turn-by-turn directions, voice integration, Flyover and vector-based maps."
Ever since the Cupertino company released an update to its iPhone and iPad operating system that replaced Google Maps with its own app, the Internet has been deluged with complaints that the new software offers fewer details, lacks public transit directions and puts landmarks in the wrong place. One reviewer pointed out that when he fired up Maps, the Washington Monument was misplaced, and a search for Cleveland, Ga., took him to Cleveland, Tenn.
The grousing has not let up, filling repositories like the one at the http://theamazingios6maps.tumblr.com with embarrassing examples of Apple Maps run amok. Motorola even piled on, creating an ad with the caption "#iLost" placed beneath the ill-fated iPhone app.
But Analyst Shaw Wu with Sterne Agee praised Cook, saying "at the end of the day, Apple's goal is to deliver the best user experience possible, and that's exactly what they're doing, even if it means sending users to other vendors for the time being.
"What they care about is: Are you happy with the hardware? If you are, fine," Wu said. "But if you want to use other software, go ahead. Apple's in the business of selling phones and tablets. And this won't hurt that."
Contact Patrick May at 408-920-5689. Follow him at Twitter.com/patmaymerc.


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A week ago I had a virus attack and when the shop got done and reinstalled Win7 I discovered that most of my files were gone and most of my applications too. A total disaster. So now I am trying to install my Qcad 2.2 version. I have the disc in the tray, I follow the steps in the book on pages 22, 23. But nothing happens. I know that a lot is happening to the disc as i can feel the vibrations through the case. But I get no installation icons and no installation happens.
Any help for this question? I would like to get this application reinstalled. I don't know where my files went but I know I can recreate some important ones myself.


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The National World War II Museum will screen several episodes of the 1960s and '70s television comedy series "Hogan's Heroes" on Monday at 6 p.m.
The screening will be at the museum's Stage Door Canteen. A museum spokeswoman said episodes of the show will be screened every Monday in April.
The series, starring Bob Crane as Hogan, lampooned World War II German prisoner of war camps and was roughly based on the play and movie "Stalag 17."
More information is available by calling 504-528-1944, Ext. 229.


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In your soothing Wednesday media column: the Boston Globe has a sense of humor, Jon Friedman turns 10, the Weekly Standard's getting dumped, Steve Doocy's kid finds a job, and crazy people want to start a new newspaper.
Ha, this is Dan Wasserman's editorial cartoon in the Boston Globe today. Luckily Pinch Sulzberger is enough of a mensch to think this is funny. Until he sees tomorrow's cartoon, which portrays him as Satan, fucking Boston with a pitchfork.
Today is the tenth anniversary of Jonnie Friedman's media column! Yes, we've made fun of Jon on this blog—a fact which takes up the majority of his anniversary column. But here is another totally true fact: you will not find a nicer media reporter in New York than Jon Friedman. Seriously, we are all jerks relative to him!
News Corp is reportedly close to selling the Weekly Standard, Bill Kristol's pet conservative magazine that in some quarters has a reputation for being "smart" (although not in smart quarters). Rupert Murdoch will sell the little mag to billionaire wingnut Phillip Anschultz because, hey, Murdoch already has the WSJ, and Bill Kristol sucks, so why not?
Peter Doocy, the son of smarmy Fox & Friends host Steve Doocy, has been hired as a reporter by Fox News. Don't get it twisted: Peter Doocy was objectively the most qualified applicant named 'Doocy.'
Mark and Gary Stern, brothers and veteran newspaper publishers, are planning to launch a new daily print newspaper. In Detroit. "'We aren't going to get into a situation that will put us in the red,' Mark Stern said." Does not compute.


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SAN JOSE -- Patrick Van Thull is still fighting the tail end of a cough he's had since early November.
It's understandable. Where some people would typically get some rest, Van Thull instead spent six weeks taking part in relief efforts by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in the immediate wake of Hurricane Sandy's devastation on the Atlantic Coast.
Just several weeks removed from the intense, all-consuming task, he recounted his experience at his home in San Jose, where he has lived for the past two years while working as a supervising immigration officer for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Van Thull was one of three staffers from the agency's San Francisco district -- which includes San Jose -- to contribute their time and energy to the effort.
"All three of them have commented on how good helping people in difficult circumstances made them feel," said Sharon Rummery, public affairs officer for the northwest region of the USCIS.
"I'd do it again in a heartbeat," Van Thull said.
Which is not to say that it was easy, he cautions.
The Concord native and UC Santa Cruz alum traveled the world before getting involved with the federal immigration agency, where he oversees benefits fraud investigations. It was his involvement there that led him to join a multi-agency volunteer list of federal workers -- ranging from border patrol to the Secret Service --who could be called at a moment's notice to help FEMA. The agency developed the plan after its much-maligned response to Hurricane Katrina.
On Nov. 2, four days after Sandy struck stateside, Van Thull saw that volunteers were being summoned to help. But then the clock ticked away that Friday afternoon, leading him to believe he'd probably been passed over.
"It's Friday. They're not calling me. It's 3 o'clock," he remembers thinking. "Then someone calls and asks, 'Are you ready to go?'"
Within a day or so Van Thull was lugging a hastily packed suitcase onto a plane and flying to Emmitsburg, Maryland, home to the National Fire Academy, where he and his colleagues got a crash course in their relief assignments.
Van Thull and the rest of his 10-man cohort were assigned to community relations and spent the next day-and-a-half getting schooled on evaluating the situations of affected residents and how to let them know about FEMA aid.
Within a couple of days, they were on a bus to New York. They came to a stop in Staten Island and the docked troop ship Kennedy, which would be their floating home for the next month and a half. After settling into a 30-bunk barrack, they had to wait out a snow storm before they put boots on the ground.
"They took us to a street, and we went door-to-door," Van Thull said. "All kinds of neighborhoods. Rich, poor, undamaged, heavily damaged."
As they told borough residents about what how FEMA could help, they found themselves unwittingly becoming sounding boards for frustrations over power outages, spoiling food supplies and unreliable heat in the face of sub-freezing temperatures.
"We were almost a punching bag for people," Van Thull said.
Some homes were flooded to their roofs, others had their basements underwater. In other cases, trees fell on homes and cars. Scattered boats were a common sight, with owners abandoning their claims to the vessels.
For the first two weeks, Van Thull and his team worked every day, returning to the troop ship at night. He kept in touch with Melania, his wife of eight years, by phone. By the third week, they were getting Saturdays off. They ate Thanksgiving dinner by ship light inside the Kennedy.
With each new day walking their beat, Van Thull and his team got better at calming residents and helping them out. In one instance, an elderly couple lost their car to the floodwaters and could not leave home. Some were running out of food that hadn't spoiled. The team summoned the Red Cross, who took care of the helpless residents.
They got a similar response when they came upon an elderly woman who still had no heat. They got her electric blankets to weather the nights. When another homeowner still had no power after weeks, the team made sure the residents got the full attention of the relief effort.
"When we saw someone in need, we'd tell FEMA, and someone came pretty quick," Van Thull said.
On Dec. 10, Van Thull was told he would be going home by week's end. He was near the maximum time of his deployment, and the Kennedy had to ship off elsewhere. Throughout the entire effort, he was fighting a cough that for a spell worsened into bronchitis. Now he was getting his own relief.
"I was ready to go home," he said. " We saw our mission was done."
Van Thull was back at work a short time later and has since resumed his life in San Jose. He continues to keep in touch with his team, whose members hailed from all over the country.
"We knocked on every door on the island," he said. "We got a lot of satisfaction helping a lot of people."
He also took from the experience the need to be prepared and alluded to the earthquake risk here at home. He was also heartened by the way people looked to help in the aftermath of Sandy, including volunteers who weren't affiliated with a government or relief agency.
"There was this sense of community. People were just coming to strangers' houses and helping them tear out rotting drywall," Van Thull said. "Seeing people come together like that, it was encouraging and inspiring."
Contact Robert Salonga at 408-920-5002. Follow him at Twitter.com/robertsalonga.


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Accounting (ACC)
Accounting (ACC)
201 Principles of Accounting I
Basic theory, concepts and methodology of accounting. Valuation and income determination, internal control systems and basic financial statement preparation.
Three hours, three credits.
202 Principles of Accounting II
Basic elements of the accounting process for planning, budgeting and control and their application to various forms of business. Also included are financial analysis and concepts of cost, including the effects of cost on revenues, profits, asset values, and capital budgeting decisions. Prerequisite: ACC 201.
Three hours, three credits.
290, 390, 490 Accounting Practicum
These courses provide students with credit for participating in professional service opportunities. These opportunities will be limited to those that provide professional level services under the direct guidance of a faculty member. Projects may include audit services, tax services, managerial accounting services, accounting systems development or support services, or financial accounting services. All services will be provided free of charge as a service to the community. Each course will include a minimum of 8 hours of classroom instruction, 12 hours of field experience, and a summary paper. This course may be repeated up to three times, for a total of three credit hours, if the student repeats the same recurring projects, such as VITA. Students involved in different projects may receive up to a total of six-credit-hours.
One credit.
301 Managerial Accounting
Concepts of cost and managerial accounting. Emphasis on preparation, interpretation, and analysis of accounting and financial data for planning and control, including performance evaluation. Prerequisite: ACC 202. (Offered Fall only)
Three hours, three credits.
302, 303 Intermediate Accounting
Analysis of the theory, concepts, principles, and procedures underlying the preparation of financial statements for external reporting. Prerequisite: ACC 202.
Three hours, three credits each.
304 Advanced Accounting Theory
A study of consolidated financial accounting statements, and problems that arise in the application of these accounting entities including formation, consolidation, liquidation of businesses. Also accounting for public institutions. Prerequisite: ACC 303.
Three hours, three credits.
305 Cost Accounting
Applications of cost analysis to inventory valuation and income determination; internal reporting for planning and control of routine operations and non-routine decisions. Prerequisite: ACC 202.
Three hours, three credits.
306 Government and Nonprofit Accounting
An analysis of the environment and activities of federal, state, and local governments and non-profit organizations and an in-depth study of the financial accounting concepts and standards that apply to these entities. Prerequisite: ACC 202.
Three hours, three credits.
403 Auditing
Auditing procedures through the application of auditing principles; standards and audit reports. Prerequisite: ACC 202.
Three hours, three credits.
405 Taxation
Practical understanding of the Federal Income Tax Law as it pertains to individuals, partnerships, and corporations. Management of tax liability, tax planning, and tax research. Prerequisite: ACC 202.
Three hours, three credits.
407 International Accounting
An analysis of the impacts of the economic, educational, legal, political, and cultural characteristics of various countries on the development of their accounting systems and principles; of the accounting impacts of international business on U.S.-based businesses; and of the development of international accounting standards. Prerequisite: ACC 202.
Three hours, three credits.
408 Accounting Software Applications
An in-depth study of microcomputer accounting software that provides the student with the opportunity to integrate theory and practical applications. The course consists of three primary sections: 1) general ledger accounting and accompanying modules; 2) tax software for corporate and personal income taxes; 3) auditing software for the independent audit of business entities. Prerequisites: BUS 230, ACC 202.
Three hours, three credits.
499 Accounting Internship
This course will allow accounting students to obtain off-campus work experience in an accounting position. Internships are normally spent in a 400-hour situation or voluntary service activity. They are carefully supervised and designed to provide practical experience in professional accounting environments. Prerequisites: Junior or Senior standing, completion for ACC 303, and a 2.25 minimum grade-point average.
Three hours, three credits.


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- May 16:
- The CW's lineup includes 'Vampire Diaries' spinoff, new night for 'Supernatural'
- May 15:
- CBS fall lineup pairs Sarah Michelle Gellar and Robin Williams
- May 14:
- New ABC lineup includes 'S.H.I.E.L.D.,' 'Once Upon a Time' spinoff
- May 13:
- NBC's fall lineup includes Michael J. Fox, James Spader, 'Dracula'
The Fox network announced a new lineup on Monday that features shows from heavyweight producers J.J. Abrams, Seth MacFarlane and M. Night Shyamalan, along with a revival of the adrenaline-charged hit "24,"and a drama starring Greg Kinnear.
With former ratings juggernaut "American Idol" on the wane, Fox is hoping to reinvigorate its schedule. According to entertainment chief Kevin Reilly, the network is making its largest original-programming investment ever with a crop of 11 new series for the 2013-14 season.
But with the new comes a touch of the old. As previously reported, super agent Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) will return in a condensed version of "24" next May. Fox will air 12 episodes of "24: Live Another Day" as part of its new directive to offer event programming in the summer. A miniseries from Shyamalan called "Wayward Pines" starring Matt Dillon will air after the run of "24."
As for the fall, new offerings include "Almost Human," from Abrams' production company. It's a police drama set 35 years in the future, when officers are teamed with humanlike androids. The cast includes Karl Urban, Michael Ealy and Lili Taylor.
Another fall drama is "Sleepy Hollow," a retelling of Washington Irving's classic 19th-century tale. Timid schoolmaster Ichabod Crane (Tom Mison) is resurrected 250 years in the future and discovers he must save the world from destruction.
On the comedy front, MacFarlane, known for animated hits such as "Family Guy" and "American Dad," will try his hand at a live-action sitcom with "Dads." It stars Seth Green and Giovanni Ribisi as best friends whose fathers (Martin Mull, Peter Riegert) become their new roommates.
In addition to "Dads," there's "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," which pairs Andy Samberg ("Saturday Night Live") and Andre Braugher ("Men of a Certain Age," "Homicide: Life on the Street") as a hotshot detective and veteran captain.
Kinnear will take on his first broadcast network series in "Rake," playing a brilliant, but self-destructive defense attorney. "Rake" won't arrive until midseason.
Also of note: Fox announced that "New Girl" will get the coveted post-Super Bowl time slot when the network airs the big game on Feb. 2. In addition, the long-running crime drama, "Bones," will shift to Friday nights in late fall. A new "Masterchef" with youngsters aged 8 to 13 will also air on Fridays.
Shows canceled by the network include "Touch" and "Ben & Kate." In addition, "Cops" has moved to the Spike network.
Here's a rundown of the Fox lineup for next season. (New shows in uppercase):
8 p.m. -- "Bones"/"ALMOST HUMAN" (late fall)
9 p.m. -- "SLEEPY HOLLOW"/"The Following" (midseason)
8 p.m. -- "DADS"
8:30 p.m. -- "BROOKLYN NINE-NINE"
9 p.m. -- "New Girl"
9:30 p.m. -- "The Mindy Project"
8 p.m. -- "The X Factor"/"American Idol" (midseason)
8 p.m. -- "The X Factor" results /"American Idol" results (midseason)
9 p.m. -- "Glee"/"RAKE" (midseason)
8 p.m. -- "JUNIOR MASTERCHEF"/"Bones" (late fall)
9 p.m. -- "Sleepy Hollow" encores/"Raising Hope" and "ENLISTED" (late fall)
7 p.m. -- Fox Sports Saturday
8 p.m. -- "The Simpsons"
8:30 p.m. -- "Bob's Burgers"
9 p.m. -- "Family Guy"
9:30 p.m. -- "American Dad"


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Cozy Apartment in the City Centre
Size45 m²
Floor No.
- Family/child friendly
- Internet/WiFi
- Kitchen
- Washer/dryer
- Disabled access
- Towels
- Baby cot
|Rua do Passadiço, 1150-255 Lisboa, Portugal
|Property type
|Property ID
|Acceptance rate
|Response time
|A few hours
|Calendar updated
|6 days ago
It is an apartment in a building typical of the era, coated tiles XIX century. It was completely renovated and is equipped with all that is necessary to have a quiet and comfortable stay. The rooms have everything you need for your comfort. The kitchen is fully equipped so you can prepare delicious meals during your stay.
Just 2 minutes walk from the metro station "Avenida". With a great location, close to public transport, bars, nightclubs and varied local trade. It stands out for its simplicity and comfort. Housed in a typical "Bairro" of Lisbon, has the charm of the streets that overflow stories of other times.
Nearby you'll find theaters, museums, a cultural center, exhibition halls, churches and many secular monuments. Five minutes from the apartment are several public transport, metro, tram, bus and taxi rank. The Rossio train station is about ten minutes walk. The typical Lisbon tram, give access to other historical sites of the city such as Lisbon Cathedral, the Castle of St. George and the Basilica da Estrela. About a fifteen minute walk, in the Commerce Square, you can find a tour desk, tours and transport for a station with river boats to cross the river Tagus.
|Price for > 2 guests
|£ 5 per guest/night extra
|Check-in After
|Check-in before
|On arrangement
|Check-out Before
|Cancellation Policy
Everything was great! Very good location! Alvaro was very helpfull and friendly! Thanks a lot!
Great apartment in the centre of Lisbon and very close to the metrostation as well. It has a kitchen with all the equipment you need and a lot of space. Everything was very clean. We had a great stay.
We were welcomed by Alvaro.
The house was just cleaned and it was really neat!
Ideally close to the center and small supermarket nearby.
House perfect for 2 people (no more, because you go through the bedroom to the kitchen and from there to bathroom / wc)
We werden gastvrij ontvangen door Alvaro.
Het huis werd net schoongemaakt en dat was echt heel netjes!
Ideaal dicht bij het centrum en klein supermarktje in de buurt.
Huis prima geschikt voor 2 personen (niet meer, want je gaat via de slaapkamer naar de keuken en vandaar naar badkamer/w.c)
very central and nice place to stay in lisbon. alvaro was always reacting very quickly and he was very helpful. very recomandable.
We had a great time in Alvaro's flat!
It's really nice, warm and everything a tourist needs is provided.
It is located in a very good position: near to the centre, to the undergroud and to tipical restaurants.
Besides Alvaro is a very kind host and he gives every kind of information.
Strongly recommended!
Thanks a lot, Alvaro!
We were in early November in the apartment of Alvaro. The accommodation is perfectly adequate. It looks clean, we have launched many exploratory trips from there. Restaurants and small shops are nearby. Alvaro is very helpful and reliable. We felt in the apartment of Alvaro well.
Wir waren Anfang November im Apartment von Alvaro. Die Unterkunft ist absolut ausreichend. Es liegt relativ zentral, wir haben viele Erkundungs Touren von dort gestartet. Restaurants und kleine Einkaufsläden sind in der Nähe. Alvaro ist sehr hilfsbereit und zuverlässig. Wir haben uns im Apartment von Alvaro sehr wohl gefühlt.
Thank you very much for beeing your guests. We enjoyed very much to stay in your beautiful town and the nice Appartment. We wish you all the best best. Kind regards Dominica and Frank
A very cozy apartment, I'll go back and aconcelhar friends! We love it! Congratulations Mr. Alvaro <3 Obg, Maria Clara
Um apartamento muito acolhedor, vou voltar e aconcelhar os amigos ! Adoramos ! Parabens Sr. Alvaro <3 Obg, Maria Clara
Mr Alvaro is a very welcoming and helpful person. When we arrived he showed us all the tricks of Lisbon. Our check-out was at noon and our flight was at 19:00, Mr Alvaro has offered to store our bags until check-out at the airport, a gesture befitting a person of trust. The apartment is located in the heart of Lisbon, very well connected (metro 6min). The interior is well equipped and clean with a nice decoration. We will not hesitate to go back again (-;
Mr Alvaro est une personne très accueillante et serviable. Dès notre arrivée, il nous a montré toutes les ficelles de Lisbonne. Notre check-out était à midi et notre vol était à 19h00, Mr Alvaro nous a proposé de garder nos valises jusqu'au moment du départ à l'aéroport, un geste digne d'une personne de confiance. L'appartement est situé au cœur de Lisbonne, très bien desservi (6min du métro). L'intérieur est très bien équipé et propre avec une décoration sympa. Nous n'hésiterons pas à repartir une nouvelle fois (-;
Owner very friendly, welcoming and available.
Clean and functional apartment.
Propriétaire très sympathique, accueillant et disponible.
Appartement propre et fonctionnel.
- Quality assured accommodation
- Every host is verified by telephone
- Secure payment via SSL encryption


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Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Forward Roles Need A Shakeup
With a new coach in town, are we about to see a truly fresh outlook for the organization when it comes to their forward lines? Because let's face it – the team has been stale in its thinking for too long now, similar to the way it was in Jacques Martin's final year as a coach in 2004.
Core players on this team such as Mike Fisher, Chris Kelly, Antoine Vermette and Chris Neil have been pigeonholed, or even typecast by the fans and coaches into roles that either don't suit them or limits their contributions.
For what seems like years, the team has been trying to force Fisher to be a second line center for Daniel Alfredsson, despite the two of them having little to no chemistry together.
Their failure to click has forced past coaches Bryan Murray and John Paddock to put Alfredsson back with Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley, leaving Fisher in a sort of no-mans land – is he supposed to score or is he supposed to shut down the other team's scorers?
Gord Wilson on the Team 1200 this morning made the point that Fisher may be able to excel in a role similar to Anaheim's Samuel Pahlsson – a top-notch shutdown guy. With Fisher's size and speed, he could be as effective as Bobby Holik was in his prime winning Stanley Cups for Lou Lamoriello and the Devils.
Wilson also threw in Vermette's name as a possibility to be the second line center and it struck me that nobody has talked about Vermette as a center for years, even though it's his natural position.
Why not give Chris Kelly more of a chance to play offense? He already has chemistry with Vermette and a 2nd line of those two with Alfredsson would be formidable at both ends of the rink. (Note: Alfredsson played on a line with Kelly and Nick Foligno today during the morning skate)
Why not throw a gritty forward next to Spezza and Heatley instead of the talented but inexperienced rookie Jesse Winchester? Those two don't need more talent on that line. What they need is more room to move out there. Either Chris Neil, Jarkko Ruutu or even Shean Donovan could make an impact on that line, even if their statistics don't merit the promotion.
Sometimes chemistry happens in the strangest circumstances. Maybe Fisher would be better as winger on the top line or maybe Neil scores 20 goals in that slot while driving to the net as a physical distraction.
That sort of scenario would allow a skill player like Winchester to add a little flair to the third line, creating more balance throughout the lineup. Of course, if Winchester proves he belongs on the top unit, all the better.
We all like to classify players as either first, second, or fourth liners, but on the ice, sometimes the right experiment based on out-of-the-paradigm thinking can produce much better results.
It's too early to tell whether Craig Hartsburg will stick with the status quo or really try to shake things up. Let's hope he opts for the latter.
For those of you wondering what Alex Auld's newly painted Senators themed mask will look like, you can take a peek here, here, and here.
6 comments:
I think the forwards are fine in this group, perhaps better than those in the stanley cup run.I really dont understand what splitting the top line is going to do unless murray forces a trade. We know from experience that spezza and heatley do not play that well without alfy and play very well when are with him. Unless they meet a defense in the playoffs comparable to the pronger/neidemeir wrecking crew this lineup does not need secondary scoring because that line cannot be stopped when they are on. Last year the sens had argueably the best top 6 in the league in terms of raw scoring ability with cory stillman, fisher and vermette on the second line. How much are we going to miss stillman? If they play the way they can this is always going to be a very high powered offense.
There are more pressing needs for an offensive prescence on the blueline.
- September 17, 2008 at 6:23 PM
They just need to play better than last year. i dont think it will be much of an issue because theyve got a lot of motivation from such a bad season, a new coach, lower expectations, fewer distractions in the dressing room, alot of new blood and they are well rested from their dissapointing playoff run. Not to be overly optimistic but i think things are on track.
- September 17, 2008 at 6:35 PM
- Peter said...
Great post. I've always said Fisher seems too good for the third line, but not quite good enough--offensively, at least--for the second line. Kelly was really good in 2006 when Spezza and Vermette were both injured, playing between Alfredsson and Heatley. You may be onto something there. Hopefully Hartsburg's fresh look at things will offer the line shifting necessary.
As for Auld's mask... a little ugly, if you ask me. Mayeb it will grow on me, though.
- September 17, 2008 at 7:33 PM
- kevin4peace said...
This morning Hartsburg put the only TRUELY CONSISTENT players on one line together (Alfie, Foligno and Kelly), it sounds good, but all the other lines will just be lost, so I guess its back to the drawing board. (And btw, what do YOU think the lines should be, blog writer guy?
- September 18, 2008 at 11:40 AM
- Meaghan said...
I've always thought that Fisher and Alfie have great chemistry. This is the second post I've read today suggesting otherwise, which really surprises me.
- September 18, 2008 at 3:41 PM
I agree with most of what you said, but I had to chime in to say... Neil does not belong anywhere near Speatley, and any time he has been with them he has looked horrible. There is not a player on the team that I wouldnt put on that line ahead of Neil. besides, this is the year of the youngsters for the Sens, which is very refreshing.
- September 19, 2008 at 12:00 AM