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RFPs create savings
Before you even think about buying more storage, you have to write an RFP. Here are four smart steps to creating an RFP to stretch your dollars further.
Many storage managers view requests for proposals (RFPs) as a magic wand that can be waved over a procurement to...
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ensure that it's fair and will result in the best technology solution at the lowest possible cost. Yet a recent survey of IT managers and executives by Equation Research, Pleasantville, NY, revealed that only 39% of organizations used RFPs; of the total surveyed, 48% shopped storage to multiple vendors without a formal RFP process and a surprisingly high number (28%) acknowledged that most storage technology was purchased via sole source negotiation.
And those organizations that use an RFP for major storage acquisitions often stumble because they lack a solid RFP process. Compounding the problem, internal staff typically lacks the hands-on experience to perform due diligence for an RFP. So organizations end up buying storage technology based on a rationale not much different than what would have existed without the RFP.
Too often the well-intentioned goal of using an RFP is undermined by cagey vendors, overworked staffs and internal partisan politics. One way to get a better grip on the RFP process is to break it down into four chronological phases. Following these phases will put you, the storage buyer, at an advantage in acquiring new storage technology.
Once the word leaks out that a storage acquisition will be accomplished through an RFP, the various vendors will request meetings, each seeking inside information and extending offers of help. What organizations need to demonstrate to vendors, though, is a stem-to-stern RFP process that determines requirements and publishes them to all concerned parties, inside and outside the organization.
This phase involves serious data collection, inventory and documentation of current operations. Sometimes office politics intrude, preventing adequate information collection. Longstanding conflicts between data center staff and lines of business managers can erupt when discussing service levels, performance, system uptime, availability and access to information. Without this critical information, however, RFPs often become no more than a "tech spec sheet," which leads to a least common denominator solution that fails to address the business problem.
|Truly creative ideas
Gary Brown, senior storage consultant at Dimension Data in Charlotte, NC, notes that RFPs are best when they aim to fix operational problems. "The challenge," Brown says, "is that no one wants to air dirty laundry by admitting to these problems, and so the requirements don't reflect the real need. Without clarity, vendors can not propose effective solutions. RFPs also need to address the internal process or people issues contributing to the pain."
At a minimum, organizations should follow these steps during the first phase of the formal RFP process:
Project lead. Appoint an internal staffer to be responsible for collecting data, interfacing with other departments, working with third parties and driving the process to completion.
RFI before RFP? Because RFPs require a good bit of knowledge and insight, some opt for a request for information (RFI) first. RFIs provide an informal forum for vendors to give their slant on the state of their technology and how it can affect your business. RFIs can help shape the boundaries of the potential solution.
The status quo. You should document all flaws and positive attributes in the current storage environment, quantify the exact financial status of the installed systems (depreciation, leasing, maintenance, etc.) and state future growth plans in all affected applications. You should also assess the current level of storage expertise in-house and state corporate direction with regard to host environments, database, backup providers and application rollouts.
Requirements. Meet with all internal stakeholders to draft a gap analysis that compares current service, functionality or support capabilities with line of business needs. Further, they should determine how the contemplated storage acquisition affects or enables any existing SLAs. If the buying organization has a platinum/gold/silver service model, there are likely specific attributes the solution must meet--uptime, functionality, etc. These all need to be identified and integrated into the emerging requirements document.
Industry status. Attend the next meeting of the local Association of Storage Networking Professionals (ASNP) chapter or a similar user group to get the latest vendor scuttlebutt and study recent findings from the major storage analyst firms. This is also an opportunity to update yourself on the latest developments with the key industry organizations such as the Storage Networking Industry Association (SNIA) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Lastly, reach out to trusted contacts in other companies to get their views on crucial storage issues.
Business case. Because major storage buys need to be based on more than a technology evaluation, you should create a business case for the forthcoming purchase. The business case should help upper management understand why additional storage gear is needed, as well as solidify their support.
During this phase, you should:
Pick a vendor point person. Designate someone from Purchasing to serve as the single contact point for the vendors once the RFP is on the street.
Consider vendor content. It is almost heresy to say so, but some vendor-provided RFP "samples" contain very detailed and thought-provoking material. As no vendor will provide verbiage prejudicial to their product, it needs a thorough vetting; still, if you solicit input from all parties you can obtain a real jump-start on the wording and stimulate some thinking.
Watch out for "knock-out" requirements. Because the purpose of an RFP is to facilitate choice, it seems counterintuitive that some organizations issue RFPs with requirements that only one vendor can meet--yet it happens regularly. Screen the document for those technical requirements which will result in only one responsive bidder.
Include many details. When it comes to RFP content, brevity is not the soul of wit. Specifications should be broken down into many categories: array/storage area network (SAN) hardware and software, backup and recovery hardware and software training, implementation,
connectivity, availability, replication, integration, interoperability, servicing, maintenance, operational attributes, storage resource management (SRM) and so on. Also, consider using shareware sites which offer RFP templates to download.
Be clear. Each requirement in every category should be precisely worded with no ambiguity. Some RFPs go further--consultant Brown includes an analysis section for his RFPs that shows how technical requirements are derived so that vendors understand the underlying assumptions.
Avoid unintended consequences. Some organizations fashion a solution as though it were the only one installed in the data center. Any technology deployment of substance affects existing systems. Each touch point between the potential solution and existing technology should be identified.
Set priorities. Identify the relative degree of importance for each RFP requirement. You don't have to inform the vendors about how you intend to score the RFP responses. Still, you should give the vendors some indication as to what the most important requirements are so they can allocate their responses according to your criteria.
Distribute widely. Make sure that the document is sent to a reseller or original manufacturer of all major storage technologies. Also, ensure that at least two integrators receive the RFP.
Master the matrix. Get all internal parties to agree on the proper "weightings" for each RFP requirement. This can be an elaborate process with a different percentage for each item or it could be more of a summary. Either way, this evaluation matrix should provide the sole prism through which vendor submittals are reviewed.
Toward that end, activities in this phase should include:
Hold a serious Q&A period. Some RFPs omit this crucial step or do not give it enough attention. Vendors should be encouraged to ask detailed and provocative questions. Furthermore, the organization that issued the RFP should answer each question fully and clearly. The questions and answers should be published to all RFP recipients, resulting in a vendor community with complete knowledge of the desired solution elements and attributes.
Establish well-defined proposal submittal guidelines. Most vendors will structure their responses differently, making it difficult for organizations to compare them. To avoid this, instruct vendors to submit proposals that conform to the following format:
Decision-maker sketch: a one page summary of the bid's key points (cost, differentiators, most compelling attributes and so forth). It's sometimes presented in the form of a cover letter.
Executive summary: a roll-up, in five or fewer pages, of the technical and business solution proposed, including graphics to depict important concepts and an ROI breakdown.
Response: the detailed answers to each RFP question/requirement. This should be provided using identical numbering and format as the RFP so that each requirement can be referenced easily and compared to other vendor responses.
Appendix: All vendors should provide a CD containing all the large documents, white papers, diagrams and other material referenced in the response.
|How not to do an RFP
Despite all the work up to this point, the most trying phase is the last--a decision must be made. All but one of the vendors will be disappointed. In particular, if the incumbent vendor loses, there are sure to be complaints from inside the organization.
Although there's some creativity in the decision-making process, much of it can still be carried out systematically. Here are the steps you should take: Narrow the field. Based on the review of the proposals, limit the review to three or fewer vendors.
Structure the presentations.
Invite the vendors to present their solutions, but carefully script the topics they should address. Limit the areas they cover. Some find it useful to have vendors present the parts of their bids deemed weakest.
Scrutinize the ROI. Every ROI justification takes some liberty with the facts, or at least makes debatable assumptions. Have the vendors explain in detail the derivation of their cost justifications.
Consider proof of concept. Some data center staff demand to see the proposed solution in some form of production configuration. This usually takes a significant amount of time on both the vendor and the organization's part. This approach is advisable for solutions that contain recently released or less well-known components, but not for those with wide distribution or marketplace acceptance.
Select with conditions. When selecting a vendor, ensure that the contract lists the satisfactory completion of a series of specific tasks before the vendor is paid. In some cases, this will prevent the vendor from counting the revenue until the criteria are complete. This is your insurance policy, so it should be non-negotiable.
To successfully work an RFP process requires commitment and sometimes third-party assistance. There are consultants who specialize in helping companies through the RFP process.
How will you know if you're successful in this process? Consultant Brown says that in the best RFP initiatives he has seen, "vendor proposal prices are within a narrow bandwidth of less than 10%. When the requirements are well-defined, each vendor must meet them. It is only when requirements are vague that vendor interpretation leads to wide gaps in vendor pricing."
Successful procurements executed along these lines can become a point of synergy between the IT managers and their internal customers. The payback for this type of deliberative and comprehensive storage acquisition rests in the confidence that the solution will not only exceed expectations, but that it will do so at the lowest possible cost and in such a way that business needs are addressed.
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11 October 2006
"Created He Them" by Alice Eleanor Jones
Of the stories that I have read so far and was previously unfamiliar with, Alice Eleanor Jones's "Created He Them" is the one that has remained in my mind. Lisa Yaszek's essay on "1950s SF, the Offbeat Romance Story, and the Case of Alice Eleanor Jones" provides fascinating background on Jones, a writer who mostly wrote stories for the "slicks" such as Ladies Home Journal and Redbook, but who also had published a handful of science fiction stories in 1955. Yaszek provides some background on what has been called "diaper" or "housewife heroine" SF, stories that featured women protagonists in domestic roles, and she makes a good case for giving more political value to these stories than they have received in the past.
(I have to pause for a tangential comment: The historical analyses and socio-political manuevers of the essays are certainly interesting, but as I was reading Josh Lukin's essay about the story following "Created He Them", Kate Wilhelm's "No Light in the Window" from 1963, I began to think about the value in reading mediocre work from particular periods. Though Lukin makes a heroic effort to redeem Wilhelm's story, it would be absurd to argue that it is among Wilhelm's best work, and I, at least, can't see that it's much more than a competently-told tale with a clangingly predictable twist ending. Yet this is where the design of Daughters of the Earth is particularly strong -- we do not need this to be an anthology of "the best SF stories by women". Indeed, an anthology such as this, one that seeks to examine and re-examine particular types of writing within their historical and political contexts, would do a disservice by including only great stories, because that would create a false picture of literary history. [Which is not to suggest there aren't great stories here -- there are.] The essays are insightful, and the stories provide the material for their insights, thus creating a new context, one in which a discussion occurs between generations and various types of writers, a discussion that I may be undermining by focusing on only part of the book here, because it seems that this is a book best evaluated and absorbed as a whole, which means that I am writing against my own better judgment. But what's the fun in writing if you don't, at least occasionally, go against your better judgment?)
All I really have to say is that "Created He Them" is a devastatingly efficient post-apocalypse story, and a fine example of what well-crafted popular fiction can accomplish. It was published in the June 1955 issue of F&SF, and it tells the story of a woman unhappily married to a bitter, verbally-abusive husband. The society in the story increases the need for the two people to remain married, and this raises the stakes of everything. It also allows a nuanced conclusion to the story -- a tale that could have ended with a neat and ostensibly satisfying resolution instead opens up to offer a dilemma where the personal and the social are pitted against each other. The sad and damaged world in which the events occur is drawn with evocative details, and the general mood of melancholy that fills the plain, spare prose of every sentence accumulate real emotional power. This is a story where the careful telling allows readers even now, more than fifty years after it was first published, to feel the plight of its characters, and to care. Without denying the subtle political commentary or historical interest of "Created He Them", the first thing that hit me, and the sense that has remained with me days after reading it, is the elemental emotional power conveyed by its originality of conception and its careful structure and language.
3 comments:
That sounds good. I really like that era - there was something straightforward and confident about it, despite the bomb.ReplyDelete
- Anonymous10/13/2006 2:29 AM
Great appreciation, Matt. A propos of your parenthetical, yes, exactly. One reader praised the Wilhelm story to me and I took strong exception to the claim that it was a good one. It's a pedestrian tale that, when viewed in the context of its time and of KW's better work, has a little spark of a liberal-feminist point somewhere. I felt a pedagogical need to limn the social and literary atmosphere of the 1963 U.S., as I'd been meeting scholars as old as forty-four who didn't know a thing about what gender politics were like back then, and the immediate goal of making the story intelligible was useful for the larger project.ReplyDelete
- Anonymous1/19/2007 12:21 PM
Alice was my teacher's wife and I knew her as well. She was not the trapped housewife in the story, and in fact the last project she worked on, before her death in 1981, was editing the definitive collection of the letters of William Lloyd Garrison.ReplyDelete
She held a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania and made her choice to be a writer and home and family maker with full consciousness, including feminist consciousness. She was, as clare notes, "straightforward and confident."
But her feminism was not the "feminism" of the Bay Area/Boston set--the kind that sells books and workshops, marches in rallies, or wears provocative t-shirts. Her sort, which revolved around bringing certain values and perspectives to the domestic "sphere," has been hugely dismissed and devalued by academic, professional, and upscale feminists in the past 50 years. Who fail to recognize that there are many feminisms.
Among the many radical feminisms is the commitment to fully living, engaging with, and witnessing to one's experience, trapped in the categories of bipolar gender. It is easy to read "Created He Them" as a chronicle of an abusive marriage...but that was not my sense of why she wrote it. Like all women devoted to the care of others, she was deeply troubled by the Cold War and nuclear posturing. She also saw that these dynamics existed between men and women no less than between Commies and Cappies.
But now I feel I have spoken for her, and that is not just.
Alice's husband also published short stories--deft, humorous science fiction tales, most of them with mathematical themes. I seem to recall her saying she tried her hand at science fiction because of his success at publishing in mainstream SF journals of the time. His stories were collected in an anthology and have been reprinted in various places. He was a polymath, very much outside the traditional male roles of the time, although his commitment to his family meant having to go into the world and pose, as successfully as possible, as one of the guys.
He taught for over 40 years at a college where everyone agreed he could have done better (like her, he held three degrees from Penn). But he considered himself a teacher, and neither he nor she were cut out for the 1950s-suburban class and gender politics they faced. They both were freethinkers, but not in the "Sixties" manner.
There is much to be reclaimed from those elders, and I thank the gods every day that I had a chance to know these two. I had the good fortune to spend ten years of my young life guided and inspired by Alice's husband, as well as by her. The nuances of interaction between men and women were just one of the things I learned more about from them. I also learned to trust my own sense of reality, which always felt, to me, like something far off the bead of most other people's.
I trust you already know that the title, "Created He Them," comes from the Judaeo-Christian book called Genesis:
"Sexes created he them."
This is, of course, a lie. While "god" may have "created" "sexes" in the sense of the evolution of sexual reproduction, the politics of sexuality are a purely human creation.
with respect and affection
spelled out to hopefully confuse the bots but not the humans:
emm gee ess 2369 at at at com cast dot dot dot net
ps--I found your blog while casting around for an address for my old Madison, WI, art-business friend, Paulette Werger. Amazing.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
McPherson College stumbled in game one of a four-game home-away series with Sterling Friday night, falling 6-1 at Light Capital Diamonds before rain forced the postponement of game two.
Sterling jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead by the end of the second quarter, and added one run in each of the fourth and seventh innings.
McPherson's lone run came off an Andrew Pina solo home run in the bottom of the seventh over the fence at center field.
Nolan Huelsmann took the loss, giving up six runs off 11 hits in seven innings of work.
McPherson falls to 19-26, 11-14 in the KCAC.
The series will shift to Sterling for the next two games this afternoon, though no word was given as of presstime as to when and where Friday's game two would be made up.
The Mac College softball team continued their late season surge Friday, winning 8-2 also against Sterling.
No further information was available, though game two was also called off due to the weather.
The series will also move to Sterling for a doubleheader this afternoon. Again, no word was available as to the fate of Friday's second game.
The softball team, currently in the midst of a three game win streak, moves to 8-20 on the year, 4-11 in the KCAC.
Location, ST | website.com


text:
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ReShonda Tate Billingsley - The Secret She Kept
Friday, July 13, 2012
6:30pm @ Central Library
Best-selling urban fiction author ReShonda Tate Billingsley discusses and reads from The Secret She Kept, her new novel about a marriage threatened by mental illness.
A Houston resident and the mother of three, Billingsley has written 23 books for adults and teens. She has been a reporter for the National Enquirer and an on-air anchor for television stations in Oklahoma City and Houston.
After rejections from publishers, Billingsley self-published her debut novel, My Brother's Keeper, attracting a top literary agent and a deal with Simon & Schuster/Pocket Books.


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News12 at 6 o'clock / Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012
AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Many who live in the Dogwood Terrace apartments say they are just trying to move on and the shooting that happened Friday night is rare.
Many in the complex say they still feel safe. However, parents and teenagers say they are worried about the perception Dogwood Terrace may get after the shooting.
"That's just a one-time situation. Stuff like that doesn't really happen out here like that," said Michael Cooper, a resident of the complex.
Cooper is just one of the many teenagers who lives, plays and hangs out in the Dogwood Terrace neighborhood. He has lived in the neighborhood for several years and said he's never had to experience what he did last night.
"There's no violence out here like that. It was just that one time," Cooper said.
And while some of the outsiders looking in may find that hard to believe, one of Cooper's friends, who has lived in the complex since childhood, agrees.
"Back then there really wasn't too much going on and now there ain't too much going on. I mean, overall, it's a pretty quiet neighborhood," said Kimani Clark.
Teenagers in the area aren't the only ones who say they feel safe -- most adults say they feel safe, too. But they were still a little too shaken up by the violence to show their face on camera.
"I feel safe. I'm not moving. I love being here. I've lived here five years. I've heard of other shootings but none out here," said a Dogwood Terrace parent.
Another mother, who also didn't want her face shown, agrees. However, she used Friday night's shooting as a teaching moment for her teenage son.
"I took him to see it because this could of been you. That's one of the side effects that can happen and I wanted him to see that. So, maybe that's a wake-up call for him and any doubt or any ideas that he may have that I don't know about," said another Dogwood Terrace parent.
While Clark is glad nothing happened to him or his friends, he doesn't want people in Augusta jumping to conclusions about the place where he was raised.
"Come down here to see what it's like. You can't just judge what you see off of TV," he said.


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XLD - X Lossless Decoder
X Lossless Decoder (XLD) is the tool for Mac OS X that is able to decode the various 'lossless' formats. The supported audio files can be splitted into some tracks with cue sheet when decoding. It works on Mac OS X 10.3 and later.
XLD supports the following formats:
FLAC (.flac)
Monkey's Audio (.ape)
Wavpack (.wv)
TTA (.tta)
Apple Lossless (.m4a) [10.4 only]
AIFF, WAV, etc
Currently you can choose output format from WAVE,AIFF and Raw PCM. In addition, you can choose Ogg Vorbis, MPEG-4 AAC, MP3 (lame) and Apple Lossless in the GUI version.
Required OS: not specified
Tags: monkey , audio , flac , lossless , wavpack , music , itunes , converter
19 Opinions
@ link:
Try this link:
Anyone have a mirror? Looks like "isweb light" shut down its hosting service.
Nice App. XLD can also decompress 24bit FLACs properly, as opposed to Switch, which only creates 16bit files.
XLD is truly a gem! Eats and converts everything I throw at it!
This app is awesome for making clean CD rips without any pops! I use it for every CD that goes onto my Mac. Once I discovered it, I went back and re-ripped my CDs.
awesome application. Every once in a while I need to convert flac files to mp3 and this is by far the best application I have found on any OS ( I do mean that ). It also has full multi threading support and it works very fast on a multi-core CPU. The only gripe I have with it is that there is no option to delete processed files.
Very great app. I think it may be the only lossless music decoder in mac that support cue.
Comprehensive application preferences. Really impressive app.
Awesome ripper tool, nice and simple interface, excellent encoding options, logging facilities and metadata from both freedb and Musicbrainz. The EAC replacement on OSX without doubt.
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The staff of the Eagle Valley Library District lost a remarkable colleague and friend earlier this month when Lorraine Mall Haslee passed away.
Lorraine began her library career as librarian of the Minturn Branch of the Eagle County Library. She later transferred to the Mid-Valley Branch, which was a combined school and public library, the first of its kind in the state.
The library was housed at Battle Mountain High School. During the day she assisted high school students with homework questions and introduced young children to reading during her preschool story times. After school and during the summer she was often the sole librarian.
When area population and requests for more library services grew, Lorraine became the manager at the new Avon Library housed in the City Market building. When the county libraries became the Eagle Valley Library District, Lorraine was manager of the Avon Library on Benchmark Road.
Lorraine worked for the county libraries and library district for 19 years before she became the librarian at Vail Mountain School. Many of us had the privilege of working with Lorraine during those years. She was an excellent manager, well-organized and proactive. Her real strength was working with youngsters from preschoolers to young adults. She connected with them all on a personal level. Her sensitivity, intelligence and especially her sense of humor made her a powerful children's advocate.
Melanie Wilson, one of Lorraine's fellow employees, said, "Lorraine had a very special way with kids. When they would come into the library, she would lower her voice to a whisper and they would follow her lead. Her family was very dedicated to the Buddy Werner ski program. Our family grew up in the program along with the Haslees."
The lasting effect of Lorraine's sense of humor is evident in Michelle Hall's memory: "If anyone wonders where my nickname Shellybelly came from, it's the nickname Lorraine gave me when I was pregnant and it has stuck ever since."
In my memories of Lorraine, she was always smiling and exuded a sense of fun. Her choice of wild earrings often manifested her sense of fun with flair and exuberance. My enduring memory of Lorraine is one where she was talking to a rambunctious preschooler. She knelt down so she was on eye level with him. At first he was apprehensive, but as Lorraine talked with him he visibly relaxed and started to smile. He turned to walk away with a grin and bounce in his step. I could see he had been touched by Lorraine's magic.
All of us who knew Lorraine have been touched by her dedication, intelligence, humor, charity and spirit. In short, we were blessed to be touched by Lorraine's magic.


text: Field Sampling Course This course provides an overview of DEP Standard Operating Procedures for the collection of surface water, wastewater, drinking water and groundwater samples with "hands-on" activities designed to illustrate SOP requirements. The course will also provide instruction in the proper calibration of field instruments used to measure common field-testing parameters in water samples, including those used to monitor groundwater purging stabilization criteria. Course Offered:


text:
For the most current version of this Note, see Background Notes A-Z.
Republic of Iceland
Area: 103,000 sq. km. (39,600 sq. mi.); about the size of Virginia or slightly larger than Ireland.
Cities: Capital--Reykjavik (pop. 114,800). Other towns--Kopavogur (26,468), Hafnarfjordur (22,451), Akureyri (16,736).
Terrain: Rugged.
Climate: Maritime temperate.
Highest elevation: Hvannadalshnjukur at Vatnajokull Glacier, at 2,111 meters (6,925 ft.).
Nationality: Noun--Icelander(s). Adjective--Icelandic.
Population (December 2005): 299,891.
Annual growth rate: 2.2%.
Ethnic group: Relatively homogenous mixture of descendants of Norwegians and Celts.
Religion: Evangelical Lutheran, 86%.
Language: Icelandic.
Education: Compulsory up to age 16. Attendance--99%. Literacy--99.9%.
Health: Infant mortality rate--2.2/1,000. Life expectancy--men 78.2 years, women 82.2 years.
Work force (2005, 165,900): Commerce--14.0%; manufacturing--11.2%; fishing/fish processing--8.2%; construction--6.7%; transportation and communications--6.8%; agriculture--4.4%; unemployment (2005): 2.7%.
Type: Semi-presidential, parliamentary.
Independence: 1918 (became "sovereign state" under Danish Crown); 1944 (establishment of republic).
Constitution: 1874.
Branches: Executive--president (head of state), prime minister (head of government), cabinet (12 ministers). Legislative--63-member unicameral parliament (Althingi). Judicial--Supreme Court, district courts, special courts.
Subdivisions: 26 administrative districts and 104 municipalities.
Major political parties: Independence (IP), Progressive (PP), Social Democratic Alliance (SDA), Left-Green Party (LGP), Liberal Party (LP).
Suffrage: Universal 18 years and above.
National holiday: June 17, anniversary of the establishment of the republic.
GDP (2005): $15.8 billion.
GDP growth rate (2004): 6.2%; (2005): 5.5%.
Per capita GDP: $53,555 (2005).
Inflation rate (2006): 4.1%.
Budget (2006): $5.3 billion.
Annual budget surplus (2006): 2.0% of GDP.
Net public debt (2006): 7.1% of GDP.
Foreign aid as part of 2004 budget: 0.19% of GDP.
Natural resources: Marine products, hydroelectric and geothermal power.
Agriculture: Products--potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, turnips, livestock.
Industry: Types--aluminum smelting, fishing and fish processing technology, ferro-silicon alloy production, hydro and geothermal power, tourism, information technology.
Trade: Exports of goods (2004)--$2.82 billion: marine products 62%, industrial products 34%, agriculture 2%, and miscellaneous 2%. Partners--EU 72% (U.K. 18%, Germany 17%, Netherlands 11%, Spain 6%, Denmark 5%); U.S. 9% ($218 million); EFTA 6%; Japan 3%. Imports (2004)--$3.39 billion: industrial supplies 27%; capital goods, parts, accessories 23%; consumer goods 20%; transport equipment 14%; food and beverages 9%; fuels and lubricants 8%. Partners--EU 62% (Germany 13%, Denmark 9%, U.K. 8%, Sweden 7%, Netherlands 7%); U.S. 8% ($208 million); EFTA 9%; Japan 4%.
Iceland is a volcanic island in the North Atlantic Ocean east of Greenland and immediately south of the Arctic Circle. It lies about 4,200 kilometers (2,600 mi.) from New York and 830 kilometers (520 mi.) from Scotland.
About 79% of Iceland's land area, which is of recent volcanic origin, consists of glaciers, lakes, a mountainous lava desert (highest elevation 2,000 meters--6,590 ft.--above sea level), and other wasteland. About 28% of the land is used for grazing, and 1% is cultivated. The inhabited areas are on the coast, particularly in the southwest where about 60% of the population lives.
Because of the Gulf Stream's moderating influence, the climate is characterized by damp, cool summers and relatively mild but windy winters. In Reykjavik, the average temperature is 11�C (52�F) in July and -1�C (30�F) in January.
Most Icelanders are descendants of Norwegian settlers and Celts from the British Isles, and the population is remarkably homogeneous. According to Icelandic Government statistics, 93% of the nation's inhabitants live in urban areas (localities with populations greater than 200) and about 60% live in the Reykjavik metropolitan area. Of the Nordic languages, the Icelandic language is closest to the Old Norse language and has remained relatively unchanged since the 12th century.
About 91% of the population belongs to the state church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church, or other Lutheran Churches. However, Iceland has complete religious liberty, and about 20 other religious congregations are present.
Most Icelandic surnames are based on patronymy, or the adoption of the father's first given name. For example, Magnus and Anna, children of a man named Petur, would hold the surname Petursson and Petursdottir, respectively. Magnus' children, in turn, would inherit the surname Magnusson, while Anna's children would claim their father's first given name as their surname. Women normally maintain their original surnames after marriage. This system of surnames is required by law, except for the descendants of those who had acquired family names before 1913. Most Icelanders, while reserved by nature, rarely call each other by their surnames, and even phone directories are based on first names. Because of its small size and relative homogeneity, Iceland holds all the characteristics of a very close-knit society.
Cultural Achievements
The Sagas, almost all written between 1180-1300 A.D., remain Iceland's best-known literary accomplishment, and they have no surviving counterpart anywhere in the Nordic world. Based on Norwegian and Icelandic histories and genealogies, the Sagas present views of Nordic life and times up to 1100 A.D. The Saga writers sought to record their heroes' great achievements and to glorify the virtues of courage, pride, and honor, focusing in the later Sagas on early Icelandic settlers. The best-known Icelandic writer of the 20th century is the 1955 Nobel Prize winner Halldor Kiljan Laxness. The literacy rate is 99.9%, and literature and poetry are a legendary passion with the population. Per capita publication of books and magazines is the highest in the world.
Unlike its literature, Iceland's fine arts did not flourish until the 19th century because the population was small and scattered. Iceland's most famous painters are Asgrimur Jonsson, Jon Stefansson, and Johannes Kjarval, all of whom worked during the first half of the 20th century. The best-known modern sculptor, Asmundur Sveinsson (1893-1982), drew his inspiration from Icelandic folklore and the Sagas for many of his works.
Kristjan Johannsson is most likely Iceland's most famous opera singer, while pop singer Bjork is probably its best-known artist internationally together with the progressive rock band Sigur Ros.
Iceland was settled in the late 9th and early 10th centuries, principally by people of Norse origin. In 930 A.D., the ruling chiefs established a republican constitution and an assembly called the Althingi--the oldest parliament in the world. Iceland remained independent until 1262, when it entered into a treaty establishing a union with the Norwegian monarchy. Iceland passed to Denmark in the late 14th century when Norway and Denmark were united under the Danish crown.
In the early 19th century, national consciousness revived in Iceland. The Althingi had been abolished in 1800 but was reestablished in 1843 as a consultative assembly. In 1874, Denmark granted Iceland home rule, which again was extended in 1904. The constitution, written in 1874, was revised in 1903, and a minister for Icelandic affairs, residing in Reykjavik, was made responsible to the Althingi. The Act of Union, a 1918 agreement with Denmark, recognized Iceland as a fully sovereign state united with Denmark under a common king. Iceland established its own flag, but Denmark continued to represent Icelandic foreign affairs and defense interests.
German occupation of Denmark in 1940 severed communications between Iceland and Denmark. Consequently, Iceland moved immediately to assume control over its own territorial waters and foreign affairs. In May 1940, British military forces occupied Iceland. In July 1941, responsibility for Iceland's defense passed to the United States. Following a plebiscite, Iceland formally became an independent republic on June 17, 1944.
In October 1946, the Icelandic and U.S. Governments agreed to terminate U.S. responsibility for the defense of Iceland, but the United States retained certain rights at Keflavik. Iceland became a charter member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1949. Iceland is the only NATO country with no standing military of its own. After the outbreak of hostilities in Korea in 1950, and pursuant to the request of NATO military authorities, the United States and Iceland agreed that the United States should again be responsible for Iceland's defense. In a bilateral defense agreement signed on May 5, 1951, the United States committed to make arrangements on behalf of NATO for the defense of Iceland. Under this agreement the United States maintained a military presence in Iceland for over 55 years. On March 15, 2006, the U.S. Government informed the Government of Iceland that the U.S. would no longer have a significant permanent military presence in Iceland beyond September 30, 2006, but remained fully committed to the defense of Iceland under the 1951 Defense Agreement.
The president, elected to a 4-year term, has limited powers. The prime minister and cabinet exercise most executive functions. The parliament is composed of 63 members, elected every 4 years unless it is dissolved sooner. Suffrage for presidential and parliamentary elections is universal for those 18 and older, and members of the parliament are elected on the basis of parties' proportional representation in six constituencies. The judiciary consists of the Supreme Court, district courts, and various special courts. The constitution protects the judiciary from infringement by the other two branches.
Principal Government Officials
President--Olafur Ragnar Grimsson
Prime Minister--Geir H. Haarde
Foreign Minister--Valger�ur Sverrisd�ttir
Minister of Finance--�rni M. Mathiesen
Minister of Justice--Bj�rn Bjarnason
Minister of Agriculture--Gu�ni �g�stsson
Minister of Communications--Sturla B��varsson
Minister of Fisheries--Einar Kristinn Gu�finnson
Minister for the Environment and Nordic Cooperation--Jonina Bjartmarz
Minister of Industry and Commerce--Jon Sigurdsson
Minister of Health and Social Security--Siv Fridleifsd�ttir
Minister of Social Affairs--Magnus Stefansson
Minister of Education, Science and Culture--�orger�ur Katr�n Gunnarsd�ttir
Speaker of Althingi--S�lveig P�tursd�ttir
Ambassador to the U.S.--Helgi Agustsson
Ambassador to the UN--Hjalmar W. Hannesson
Ambassador to NATO--Gunnar Gunnarsson
Ambassador to the EU--Stefan Haukur Johannesson
transliteration key:
� is "th"
� is "d"
Iceland maintains an embassy in the United States at 1156 - 15th Street, NW, Suite 1200, Washington, DC 20005 [tel. (202) 265-6653], and a consulate general at 800 Third Ave, 36th floor, New York, NY 10022 [tel. (212) 593-2700]. Iceland also has 25 honorary consulates in major U.S. cities.
The current government is a coalition of the conservative Independence Party (IP) and the moderate Progressive Party (PP). The two parties, which have been in coalition since the 1995 election, hold a majority in parliament, even though the IP lost some ground in the May 2003 election. Longtime IP leader David Oddsson was Prime Minister 1991-2004, making him the longest-serving prime minister in Europe (from 1991 to 1995, the IP was in coalition with the Social Democratic Party). PP chairman and former Foreign Minister Halldor Asgrimsson took over as Prime Minister on September 15, 2004, as part of a post-election deal with the Independence Party, and Oddsson became Foreign Minister. Oddsson retired from his ministerial position September 27, 2005, with former Finance Minister Geir Haarde becoming Foreign Minister. In October 2005, Oddsson stepped down as IP chairman, and Haarde was elected to the post at a party national conference. Haarde succeeded to the prime ministership after Asgrimsson stepped down June 15, 2006, following a poor showing by the PP in May 2006 local elections.
Three left-wing parties--the Social Democratic Party, the People's Alliance and the Women's List--formed an electoral coalition prior to the 1999 parliamentary election in the hope of mounting a credible challenge to the long-dominant Independence Party. But the dream of creating a united left coalition failed when disaffected leftists formed a new splinter party called the Left Green Movement, led by former deputy People's Alliance leader Steingrimur Sigfusson. With this defection, the left coalition won a disappointing 27% of the vote (17 seats) in the 1999 election, four percentage points below what the three parties had won running separately in 1995. Their 31% (20 seats) showing in 2003 recaptured this ground but did not suffice to topple the government. The Left Greens, on the other hand, surprised everyone by winning a respectable 9% of the vote (6 seats), and clinging to that support in 2003. Another new faction, the Liberal Party, won 3% of the vote (2 seats) in 1999 based on its strong opposition to the current fishing management system, and managed to double that support to just over 7% (4 seats) in 2003.
Despite the poor electoral showing in 1999, the three left-wing parties decided to merge formally in 2000, creating a new party, the Social Democratic Alliance, led by Ingibjorg Solrun Gisladottir. The party has found it difficult to reconcile the widely varying foreign policy views of its members, which range from strong support for NATO membership and the U.S. military presence to pacifism and a desire for neutrality.
When Iceland became a republic in 1944, the post of president was created to fill the void left by the Danish king. Although the president is popularly elected and has limited veto powers (he can force a public referendum on a proposed law by refusing to sign it--a power that has only once been exercised), the expectation is that the president should play the same limited role as a monarch in a traditional parliamentary system.
The current President is Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, a former political science professor who led the far-left People's Alliance in 1987-95 and served as Finance Minister in 1988-91. Although Grimsson won office with only a 41% plurality in 1996, he was not challenged for re-election in 2000. This follows a well-established tradition of giving deference to sitting presidents. He was re-elected again on June 26, 2004. Once in office, a president can generally count on serving as many terms as he or she likes, assuming good behavior. Reflecting the belief that the president is "above politics," presidential candidates run for election as individuals--since 1952, political parties have played no role in nominating or endorsing candidates. President Grimsson has occasionally drawn criticism for breaching the bounds of presidential etiquette by being too outspoken on sensitive political issues.
Marine products account for the majority of Iceland's exports of goods. Other important exports include aluminum, ferro-silicon alloys, equipment and electronic machinery for fishing and fish processing and pharmaceuticals. Information technology and life sciences and related services are important growth areas. The vast majority of Iceland's exports go to the European Union (EU) and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries, followed by the United States and Japan. The U.S. is by far the largest foreign investor in Iceland, and the country's largest supplier of imported services (e.g., financial and franchise services, movies/TV programs/music, tourism). Iceland's relatively liberal trading policy was strengthened by accession to the European Economic Area in 1994 and by the Uruguay Round agreement, which also brought significantly improved market access for Iceland's exports, particularly seafood products. However, the agricultural sector remains heavily subsidized and protected.
In recent decades, Iceland's economy has been prone to inflation due to periods of rapid growth and its dependence on just a few key export sectors (i.e., fish, and increasingly tourism), which can fluctuate significantly from one year to the next. The 1970s oil shocks hit Iceland hard. Inflation rose to 43% in 1974 and 59% in 1980, falling to 15% in 1987 but rising to 30% in 1988. Since 1990, due to economic reforms and deregulation, inflation has dramatically fallen, averaging around 4% in the 1990s. Due to several years of strong economic growth, Iceland experienced the most positive economic period in its history during that decade. However, as with many advanced countries, Iceland's economy experienced a mild recession during 2002 due to global conditions. That recession was short-lived, and healthy growth of 3% was registered during 2003. In 2004, the economy boomed, growing 5.8%, and inflation was close to the Central bank's upper limit (4%) at 3.95%, while unemployment decreased to about 3.2%.
Iceland has few proven mineral resources. Abundant hydroelectric and geothermal power sources allow over 90% of the population to enjoy electricity and heating from these natural resources. The Burfell hydroelectric project is the largest single station, with capacity of 270 megawatts (mw). The other major hydroelectric stations are at Hrauneyjarfoss (210 mw), Sigalda (150 mw) and Blanda (150 mw). Iceland is exploring the feasibility of exporting hydroelectric energy via submarine cable to mainland Europe and also actively seeks to expand its power-intensive industries, particularly aluminum smelting plants. Iceland-based Nordural Aluminum is a wholly owned investment by Century Aluminum of Monterey, California. The plant employs more than 200 people and will more than double its 90,000 tons per year capacity before the end of the decade. Construction of a hydroelectric power plant in connection with Alcoa's planned 322,000 ton per year aluminum smelter has already begun. The smelter will begin production in 2007 at which point over $2 billion will have been invested in this, the largest economic project in Icelandic history.
Iceland has no railroads. Organized road building began about 1900 and has greatly expanded in the past decade. The current national road system connecting most of the population centers is largely in the coastal areas and consists of about 13,000 kilometers (8,125 mi.) of roads with about 4,330 kilometers (2,706 mi.) paved. Regular air and sea service connects Reykjavik with the other main population centers. The national airline, Icelandair, flies from Iceland to Europe and North America, and is one of the country's largest employers. Iceland became a full member of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) in 1970 and entered into a free trade agreement with the European Community in 1973. Under the European Economic Area (EEA) agreement, which took effect January 1, 1994, there is basically free cross-border movement of capital, labor, goods, and services between Iceland, Norway, and the EU countries.
When Iceland became a founding member of NATO in 1949, it did so on the explicit understanding that Iceland, which has never had a military, would not be expected to establish an indigenous force. Iceland's main contribution to the common defense effort has been the rent-free provision of sites for military facilities. By far the largest and most important of these was the NATO Naval Air Station at Keflavik. Although this base was manned primarily by U.S. forces, units from other NATO countries also deployed temporarily to Keflavik to stage training exercises. Although the United States announced in March 2006 that there will no longer be a significant permanent U.S. military presence in Iceland beyond September 2006, the United States continues to uphold its responsibility for the defense of Iceland under both the North Atlantic Treaty, which created NATO, and the 1951 Defense Agreement between the U.S. and Iceland.
In addition to providing access to strategically located sites for military operations, the Government of Iceland contributes financially to NATO's international overhead costs and recently has taken a more active role in NATO deliberations, planning, and peacekeeping. Iceland hosted the NATO Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Reykjavik in June 1987 and again in May 2002.
Iceland maintains diplomatic and commercial relations with practically all nations, but its ties with other Nordic states, with the U.S., and with the other NATO member states are particularly close. Icelanders remain especially proud of the role Iceland played in hosting the historic 1986 summit in Reykjavik between President Reagan and Soviet leader Gorbachev, which set the stage for the end of the Cold War.
Iceland has greatly increased its international profile since the early 1990s with the end of the Cold War. Since the mid-1990s, Iceland has opened 15 missions overseas, including an embassy in Beijing, giving Iceland a diplomatic presence in all five permanent member countries of the UN Security Council. Not coincidentally, it has announced its candidacy to serve on the UN Security Council in 2009-10. In the past few years, Iceland has also established missions to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg and to the Organization for Security and Cooperation (OSCE) in Vienna. In 1998, it bolstered its delegation to NATO, assigning a permanent representative to the military committee for the first time ever.
Notwithstanding its status as an unarmed nation, Iceland has been eager to do its part to contribute to the maintenance of international peace and security. One of the niches it is trying to fill is in civilian peacekeeping and crisis management. It took a significant step forward in this area in 2001 by launching its Icelandic Crisis Response Unit (ICRU). In setting up the ICRU, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs established a roster of over 100 experts in various occupations (police officers, nurses, doctors, lawyers, engineers, journalists, etc.) who will be specially trained and prepared to deploy to trouble spots abroad on short notice.
Peacekeeping has been a permanent item in the Icelandic state budget since 1994, and Iceland has been an active member of the UN Peacekeeping Committee since 1997. With the formal establishment of ICRU, the government decided to increase the number of deployed peacekeepers to 50 by 2006. The key emerging niche capability of the ICRU is airport administration following the successful management of the airport in Pristina, Kosovo, in 2003 and of the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, in 2004-05.
Icelanders have a strong emotional bond with the Baltic states, and Iceland prides itself on being the first country to have recognized these countries' claim for independence in 1991.
Membership in International Organizations
Iceland is a member of the following organizations: Arctic Council, Barents Euro-Arctic Council; Council of Baltic Sea States; Council of Europe; European Economic Area; European Free Trade Organization; EFTA Court; EFTA Surveillance Authority; North Atlantic Treaty Organization; Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe; Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development; International Criminal Police Organization; International Council for the Exploration of the Sea; International Hydrographic Organization; International Maritime Satellite Organization; International Union for the Publication of Custom Tariffs; Nordic Council; North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission; North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization; the International Whaling Commission; and the North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission.
It also is a member of the United Nations and most of its related organizations, specialized agencies, and commissions, including the International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organization, World Tourism Organization, Food and Agricultural Organization, International Atomic Energy Agency, International Civil Aviation Organization, International Fund for Agricultural Development; Industrial Development Organization; International Labor Organization, International Maritime Organization, International Telecommunications Union, UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Universal Postal Union, World Health Organization, and World Meteorological Organization; World Intellectual Property Organization; International Bank for Reconstruction and Development; International Development Association; International Finance Corporation Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency and International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes; UN Conference on Disarmament; Economic Commission for Europe; UN High Commissioner for Refugees; Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights; Commission of Human Rights; UN Conference on Trade and Development.
U.S. policy aims to maintain close, cooperative relations with Iceland, both as a NATO ally and as a friend interested in the shared objectives of enhancing world peace; respect for human rights; economic development; arms control; and law enforcement cooperation, including the fight against terrorism, narcotics, and human trafficking. Moreover, the United States endeavors to strengthen bilateral economic and trade relations.
Principal U.S. Officials
Ambassador--Carol van Voorst
Deputy Chief of Mission--Philip S. Kosnett
Political Officer--Brad Evans
Economic/Commercial Officer--Fiona Evans
Management Officer--Ryan M. Boera, Acting
Information Program Officer--Ryan M. Boera
Public Affairs Officer--Sally Hodgson
Consular Officer--Ronald E. Hawkins, Jr.
Regional Security Officer--Peter A. Dinoia
The U.S. Embassy in Iceland is located at Laufasvegur 21, Reykjavik [tel. (354) 562-9100]. The Embassy's web site is http://reykjavik.usembassy.gov/


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Monday, 06/20/1988
Nectar's, Burlington, VT
Set 1: SlaveSlave to the Traffic Light, PeachesPeaches en Regalia, YEMYou Enjoy Myself, Fluffhead[1], BagAC/DC Bag > LizardsThe Lizards
Set 2: Halley'sHalley's Comet -> Wilson, Ya Mar -> Jam[2], IDKI Didn't Know[3]
Set 3: Sneakin' SallySneakin' Sally Through the Alley, Tela, Fee, GolgiGolgi Apparatus, Satin Doll[4] > 'A' TrainTake the 'A' Train > Possum, Curtis LoewThe Ballad of Curtis Loew, BowieDavid Bowie
[1] Lyrics changed to "sure got some Betty Davis eyes."
[2] Jah Roy on vocals.
[3] Fish on trombone.
[4] First known Phish performance.
· One Love, Three Little Birds, and Stir It Up quotes in Jam
· Theme from The Flintstones tease in Take the 'A' Train
Noteworthy Jams: Ya Mar (highly recommended), Jam (highly recommended), Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley, David Bowie
Average Song Gap: 7.53
Performers: Trey Anastasio, Page McConnell, Jon Fishman, Mike Gordon, Jah Roy (Guest)
Notes: This show featured the first known Phish performance of Satin Doll. Fluffhead's lyrics were changed to "sure got some Betty Davis eyes" and the song later contained a "Get up John-Boy" quote (in reference to The Waltons). The jam out of Ya Mar featured Jah Roy on vocals. During the jam, Jah Roy quoted lines from many famous reggae tunes, including One Love, Three Little Birds, and Stir It Up. I Didn't Know featured Fish on trombone. A-Train featured a Flintstones theme tease from Trey. This setlist is likely incomplete.
Song Distribution:
5 Junta
5 The Man Who Stepped into Yesterday
3 The White Tape
1 Stash
Songs by Debut Year:
This show was part of the "1988 Tour."


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Hey Shagrath,
This would be a HUGE addition for me but I know it might be quite low for others/maybe not even possible.
To sum it up quickly I have a home theatre system so I use the DTS trick, but I also have a set of wireless headphones I use to game in bed at night to keep the volume down in the house. Issue is with DTS trick enabled is I obviously just hear white noise/static through the headphones (95% of my HD encodes have a DTS track). They're just Sennheiser 130's, stereo headphones with a fake surround sound effect.
Anyway we could change the audio settings of PS3MS from the PS3 like the video/transcoding settings rather than me having to untick that box every time before I go to bed? I forget sometimes
Since Sony allowed us to output to two audio sources on the PS3 it's been ideal for my home theatre system and headphones and gaming, it's just a pain with streaming media
Thanks bud, happy new year!


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The Navy with Tan Trim Metro 2 Dog Bag will give any look you have a splash of color. Why not look great and make a statement while toting around your favorite pooch? The Navy with Tan Trim Metro 2 Dog Bag has signature hardware, roll-up side windows, adjustable safety hook, 2 outside pockets, 1 zippered side pocket, removable faux fur bedding. and a waterproof nylon lining for an easy clean up. It is also available in 3 sizes:
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A Leadville man pleaded guilty to sexual assault on a child Wednesday after he was reportedly caught in a young girl's bed in July of 2012.
Jody Eric Vigil is being held at the Lake County Jail on a $100,000 bond, awaiting an April 1 sentencing hearing in Summit County.
Vigil, 41, admitted to one count of sexual assault on a child when in a position of trust, a Class 4 felony, one count of possession of marijuana and violation of a protection order.
Deputy district attorney Mark Franklin dropped a charge relating to a pattern of abuse as part of the plea deal.
"It was important to ensure that the defendant was held accountable for the gravest of these charges, the assault on a minor when in a position of trust," Franklin stated in a release on the plea. "I feel this was a good result, and will await the outcome of the sentencing hearing before I comment further."
Vigil was arrested after he was reportedly caught on top of the young girl, and the child told investigators he had "done it," according to a statement from the 5th Judicial District Attorney's Office.
Vigil faces a minimum of two years and up to a life sentence in prison as a result of the sex assault charge.


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How to Forge Non-Creepy Friendships on Social Media
A few weeks ago, my friend Meredith sent me a Facebook message. It said something like, "Who the hell is Ron Draper? (not his real name) (not even his fake name).
I put the name in the search field and sure enough, Ron was one of my close, personal 4,134 Facebook friends.
"Dunno!" I wrote back eloquently.
"He's good looking!" Meredith said, "but I don't know if that picture is really him."
Apparently, when she got his friend request she insta-chatted him and asked him who he was and to state his business (unlike me, who accepts anyone except a guy who called himself "Tex McVjayjay" and used Yosemite Sam as an avatar.)
While they were chatting, Meredith Googled him. There was nothing about him. "How can a person be ungoogleable?" She denied him and I unfriended him in solidarity.
Meredith is a real-life friend of mine. We've gotten together in San Francisco, where she lives, and in New York, where I live. I met her through social media. She is a perfect example of a non-creepy friend from social media, and I think I've gotten pretty good at finding them.
With Twitter it's fairly simple. You follow someone or someone follows you, you see what they say, they see what you say, maybe you interact and find that you're both huge fans of Neko Case and spelunking. Hmm, that's a start. But then you see her post a numbered tweet: 1/10 and it's a long rant, way too long for Twitter, about how furious she is that park workers can never get the plastic bags out of trees. That's what I call a red flag.
If people use Twitter to voice their idiotic kvetches, then they aren't a candidate. Rants, complaints, far too much information on how they slept. No can do. Twitter is like the baby pool. Facebook is a little harder, mainly because people can share much more – photos, stories, etc. It's the deep end.
I've made some good friends through Facebook, but mostly my strategy was 1) do we have real-life friends in common? and 2) have I heard of them?
Frequently I accept a friendship and get a private message from the person that is sort of the equivalent of a note where the person cuts each letter out of a magazine and pastes them together. I think creepy on Facebook is easier to spot. When someone has no photos, only weird, animated, fantasy pictures, or they're all pictures from the same day…Come on, that's creepy.
Sometimes it's subtler, like you see a statement on politics and imagine the person holed up in their cabin working on their manifesto.
Okay, so we are staying away from the creepies. But then there are the friendly sort of people who post just the right number of cute puppy pictures and make funny comments on your posts and they live in your area and you actually think you might like to meet them. Then you're going to want to make the platonic first date.
I usually suggest meeting for coffee, it's quick and sort of implies you're too busy (and popular) for a whole meal. You can also suggest an event. I posted on Twitter about this colonial chocolate tour at a museum house in Manhattan and several people showed interest. It would have been very cool if I'd said "let's meet there!" but I didn't because I only post about fun events. I don't actually go to them.
The recipe for non-creepy friend-making on social media isn't all that different from life. You just need desire, enthusiasm, good instincts, and a healthy amount of Googling.
Julie Klam is the author of "Friendkeeping."


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Why give?
For over 30 years the DCCA has given Delawareans access to extraordinary works of contemporary art. We also reach out to our community, providing underserved populations with educational opportunities and a safe, fun space for enjoying art and nurturing creativity.
We can only do this with your help; charitable gifts and donations from generous individuals have been instrumental in making the DCCA the best it can be. Here are a few reasons why you should consider supporting the DCCA:
Innovation: The DCCA is the only museum in Delaware exclusively dedicated to bringing you cutting-edge contemporary art. We pride ourselves on bringing regionally, nationally, and internationally renowned contemporary art to Delaware. Because we are a non-collecting museum, there is always something new to explore and discover in our galleries.
Education: For over 15 years the DCCA has brought together underserved populations, especially children, with skilled teaching artists to introduce them to art and to help build vital life skills. Since they were first created over 15 years ago, our community outreach programs have touched thousands of lives. Your support will help us bring innovative art-education programs to thousands more.
Inclusion: Admission to the DCCA is free for everyone every single day we are open. We believe that nobody should be deprived of the arts, regardless of their ability to pay an admission fee. With your support, we can continue to offer free admission to our community and make sure that, in Wilmington, art is a part of everyone's life!
There are many ways you can support the DCCA.
You might join the DCCA's exciting and dynamic membership program. You might also make a donation to our Annual Fund to support our innovative exhibitions and programs. Or, if you are interested in expanding the DCCA's new art and new ideas, you could contribute to the Gretchen Hupfel Endowment Fund that helps support an annual symposium and the Gretchen Hupfel Curator of Contemporary Art. There are many more ways that you can help the DCCA be the best it can be. However you choose to support the DCCA, you can be sure your contribution will have a lasting effect on the cultural life our community and our region.
Annual Fund
The DCCA raises every penny each year to produce what you have come to expect and enjoy. From our outreach programs to the electricity that lights our galleries, everything we do depends on faithful supporters like you.
DCCA Wish List
The following "wish list," developed by staff members, identifies specific needs throughout the DCCA. As always, the Museum is grateful for support for general operations as well as for specific items. Click here to view DCCA's Wish List.
Gretchen Hupfel Endowment Fund
The Gretchen Hupfel Endowment Fund, the first endowment fund at the DCCA, has been established as a challenge to the community. Your support of the endowment will help the DCCA fund the Gretchen Hupfel Curator of Contemporary Art and a continuing series of symposia. Learn More! Give Now!
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You can provide significant support for the DCCA through various tax-advantaged contributions made through your will, annuity or trust, IRA, or life insurance. Learn more!
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Other ways to contribute to the DCCA
Give to the DCCA using your AMEX card (for a fee) or through justgive.org. Raise money for the DCCA by using igive.com for your online searches and purchases through participating retailers. Learn more!


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Health officials say the Norwalk virus caused dozens of people at Sparrow's Dimondale nursing home to experience nausea, vomiting and severe diarrhea.
Health officials say an outside source probably brought the virus into the nursing home. Investigators say the virus was not related to mass food or water contamination, and they say it spread quickly because the nursing home residents were living in such close quarters.
Experts say the virus only lasts a couple days, and it's not life threatening. They do say people can prevent themselves from getting sick by thoroughly washing their hands.
wilx.com: Extended Web Virus
Norwalk Virus
Protecting yourself from the Norwalk Virus.
Where does the virus come from and who is at risk?
Symptoms of Norwalk Virus infection.
Source: The Association of State and Territorial Directors of Health Promotion and Public Health Education's (ASTDHPPHE) Web site contributed to this report (www.astdhopphe.org).


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United Nude's Lo Res bracelet is a modern celebration of angles. The multifaceted bracelet slings around the wrist emphasizing the difference between the smooth and straight lines of the body and the computer-generated architectural accessory.
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Success. It's got enemies. You can be successful and have enemies or you can be unsuccessful and have friends.
If you are going to be successful, you will have to get attention and when you get the right amount of attention, you will have to learn how to handle the naysayers.
With the prevalence of social media, there is no shortage of people who will anonymously sling their hate, opinions and advice your way. Remember this rule: "Money and success follow attention and the right amount of attention comes with haters and naysayers."
If you want success, you better learn how to attract attention and love your haters because without them, you won't make it.
Here are five things to remember about critics, naysayers and haters:
1. All naysayers are quitters.
2. Critics and naysayers are spectators.
3. Never get emotional.
4. Never fear the hater; fear those who listen.
5. Never waste a hater.
And, always remember this. Memorize it. Engrain it part of your DNA.
"Success. It's got enemies. You can be successful and have enemies or you can be unsuccessful and have friends."
It's lonely on top for a reason. Enjoy the silence.


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Tuesday August 21, 2012
Augusta, Ga--No team has had a more dramatic turnaround in the past three seasons then the Butler Bulldogs. Now, with a new coach, the dogs are hoping to keep the winning tradition going.
Myron Newton steps in to run the program for the departed Ashley Harden and boy does he bring energy. Everyone feels it and gets a positive vibe. With the can-do attitude and kids flying all over the field, this team is very upbeat for the season
"We got to be very aggressive" said new coach Myron Newton. "We got a lot of speed, and have speed at different spots. Being aggressive and be consistant and not beat ourselves. We can't turn the ball over, we're young so the mistakes are going to be there because they have to get the experience under the lights but at the same time and if we can be disciplined, be aggressive, we'll be good."
"Just work hard" added Ronald Jones "That's it, just work hard. We got everything to be successfull, just work hard."
Sanquez Doby played defensive end last year, this year, he'll take the snaps and Butler may become a passing team. They don't have Jeff Menefee and Christan Garnett to carry the load so this may become air Butler so to speak.
"This year I think we'll throw the ball more" said Sanquez Doby "Last year we had big running backs so we could run the ball on everybody. This year we don't have that big of running backs so I guess we're going to throw the ball more."
While some expect a major drop off in the wins category, remember, the kids on this roster, aren't use to that and have no intention on letting it happen again.


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June 11, 2012 - The first Energy Star version 3.0 homes have made their way to Tallahassee. According to Jane Conn, a Certified Energy Rater for ES Green & Company "an Energy Star home is a home that's built way beyond what the code requirements are." Energy Star is a voluntary program for new home construction that includes value added energy efficient features, materials and equipment that work together to deliver better performance. Porter Chandler, with Tallahassee Homes says "as a builder we have to be certified, we have to have independent rating companies certify who don't work for us but they work for the home, certifying the homes to make sure that they comply with EPA guidelines."
Some of the guidelines a home must meet include effective insulation systems, high performance windows, tight construction and ducts efficient heating and cooling equipment and Energy Star qualified lighting and appliances. According to Conn, the new 3.0 version Energy Star home will save the future homeowner 20 to 25 percent in energy usage. One of the many benefits with a high performance home is the programmable thermostat. This enables the homeowner to set the temperature to automatically adjust for when you are at home and when you are away. Conn states "your unit doesn't have to work as hard, it doesn't have to run as long and you don't have to pay as much money."
A common question asked is can you upgrade a home that is already build to be Energy Star certified? Conn says "it's not usual to take an existing home and give it an Energy Star qualification, you can make it much more efficient though." If you are in the market for your home to be energy efficient and good for the environment, watch for the blue Energy Star label. Chandler says "buyers know that they are making a good decision for their families in delivering better efficient homes, durable homes, and more comfortable homes."
For additional information on the Energy Star program log on to www.energystar.gov and for more information on Tallahassee's new Energy Star 3.0 homes in the Bull Run development log on to www.tallahasseehomesrealty.com


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TEXAS A&M - CORPUS CHRISTI (8-7, 3-1 SLC) vs. INCARNATE WORD (5-7, 1-3 SLC)
Thursday, Oct. 3 • 7 p.m. • Dugan Wellness Center • Corpus Christi, Texas
VIDEO | LIVE STATS | Twitter: @IslandersVB
CORPUS CHRISTI – The Texas A&M - Corpus Christi volleyball team will return to the Dugan Wellness Center to host first-year Southland Conference member Incarnate Word on Thursday, Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. After playing its last 13 out of 15 matches on the road, the Islanders will return home to the Coastal Bend in its annual "Blue Out" match.
The Islanders come into Thursday's match with an 8-7 record including a 3-1 record in conference play. The team split its conference road matches over the weekend after a tough 3-0 loss to Sam Houston State and a 3-2 five-set victory over Lamar. The Islanders have won five of its last six matches and currently sits behind four undefeated teams in the conference standings.
Ivy Baresh is leading the Islanders' offense this season with 3.34 kills per set (5th SLC) and 177 kills on the year. Junior Brianna Brink is following suit with 2.85 kills per set (15th SLC) and 151 total kills while senior Logen Bourque runs the Islanders' offense with 10.31 assists per set (4th SLC). She has collected 557 assists this season for a total of 3,763 assists in her career. Hailey King powers the Islanders' defense with 3.98 digs per set (8th SLC) and 211 digs on the year. Freshman Shaquinn Parker has been controlling the Islanders' net with 30 total blocks this season, including 24 block assists.
The Islanders are second in the conference in assists with 12.63 per set, third in kills with 13.33 per set and fourth in digs with 15.50 per set. In conference matches only, the Islanders are third in the league with 16.57 digs per set.
Incarnate Word enters Thursday's match with a 5-7 record including a 1-3 record in conference play. The Cardinals are coming off a 3-0 loss to Texas A&M – Kingsville in non-conference action. Prior to that, Incarnate Word dropped two straight to McNeese State and Angelo State. The Cardinals have lost five of their last six matches with the lone win coming against Nicholls, 3-1, in conference play. Angelique Vidaurri leads the Cardinals offensively with 132 kills on .233 hitting. Shaina Garza is second with 2.72 kills per set and 117 total kills. Danielle Suarez runs the offense with 5.74 assists per set and Taylor McClelland is second on the team with 4.58 assists per set. Defensively, Brittani Dear leads the team with 3.22 digs per set and Meaghan Patterson is averaging 1.09 blocks per set.
Thursday's match will mark the third meeting between the two schools with the series tied at one match apiece. The last time the Islanders and Cardinals met up was in 2000. The Islanders won the first match 3-2 before dropping a 3-1 loss to the Cardinals in San Antonio.
Fans are encouraged to wear blue to the match to help wash out the Dugan Wellness Center. Click here for live stats and video of the match and for in-match updates check out Islanders Volleyball on Twitter (@IslandersVB).
The Islanders will remain at home Saturday, Oct. 5 to take on Abilene Christian at 1 p.m.
For all the latest on Islanders Volleyball, like the team on Facebook (IslandersVolleyball) and follow them on Twitter and Instagram (@IslandersVB).


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Photos: Hotel ZaZa celebrates 10th anniversary with colorful party, purple contortionist
Photo: Cooper Neill/Staff Photographer
Guests photograph contortionist Caroline Hager at the Hotel ZaZa 10th anniversary party on Saturday, January 19, 2013 in Dallas, Tx.
To post a comment, log into your chosen social network and then add your comment below. Your comments are subject to our Terms of Service and the privacy policy and terms of service of your social network. If you do not want to comment with a social network, please consider writing a letter to the editor.


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Note: Damn footnotes don't work. Scroll down for the links.
Alrighty. Considering I hear a lot of people asking the same question question over and over again I thought "Hey. Why not do a FAQ?" So here I am. Any contributions are appreciated and in time hopefully this becomes a sticky.
Q: Why is the load so long?
A: Freerangegames(FRG) said that the 3d graphics of the game make the download size large.
Q: Is this game good/worth my time..etc
A: See for yourself. People in the chat will tell you yes, that includes me.
Q:Is this game FPS/Strategy/Whatever?
A:Third person shooter.
Q: Armory is bugged/Why can't I access it?
A: You must be Rank Corporal to access the Armory.
Q: How do I get sword/sniper/hammer/whatever?
A: Refer to probandit10's guide to classes. 1
Q: Damnit I'm lazy. How?
A: Scout has the sword, you find it by scrolling your mousewheel in either direction or pressing 2.
Tank has the maul/hammer. Gunner has the sniper. Tech has the healing weapon.
Q: How do I upgrade my turret? What does it do?
A: First, press Q to create a turret. When the cooldown ends, point at your turret till it glows in your team colour(It's been said right clicking at it with the repair(healing) beam and pressing Q does so, but It repositions my turrets. I'm not sure though) and press Q again. The turret is maxed at level 3.
As for the "Suppressed" effect, with my brief experainces with it I can tell it reduces your rate of fire and movement speed. I'm not sure about damage though. Remember the turret has to have sustained fire on a target for a while(3-5 seconds, although unconfirmed) to get the suppressed effect.
Q: How do I play?
A: Self explanatory. If you are too lazy to figure out, the instructions just above the comments/threads is for you.
Q: Is there only one map/four classes?
A: New maps and classes are being developed. What's been confirmed is the new map will be lunar base and the class will be blazer.
A: Get out.
Q: What's the xp/name/symbol of (insert rank here).
A: Refer to Glock243's guide to ranks. 2
Q: What's the best class?
A: You aren't a herd of sheep. Try them all and see for yourself. Mostly it's personal preference.
(Sorry if this is mean)
Q: I'm stubborn/too lazy to try! Which one!?
A: Scout is for taking out snipers and protecting teammates in peril. You get massacred if you go in rambo against an entire team that is focused on you. Diffrent story if they are distracted.
Tank is a defender(I'll have to ask someone who plays it regularly for this).
Tech places turrets and heals others. His pulsar can pack a punch though.
Gunner(my personal favorite) is shock gasp, a sniper! Protects others from other snipers, takes out turrets and people that are a serious pain to your team. In other words, your target should be MAX PAYNE! Ha-Ha. Get it? Get it? Ah whatever.
Q: Can I suggest something/report a bug/WHATEVER!?
A: FRG is usually in the chat room. If not, try one of the stickies on the forums.
Q: Respawn time is too long/varies!
A: Read this.
Q: This guy has an ability I don't have!
A: Most weapons(exculding gunner's rail rifle) have an ablity with R. SMG/HMG/Pulsar: Reload. Doped saber: Saber chop. Lunges at your enemy and hits for about 100-120. Blitzkreiger mauler: Smash. Hits for an unclear amount of damage with a small area of effect radius. Repair beam:(Once 100%) Heals for 100-150 with an area of effect radius. Mauler and saber have cooldowns(the % bar) so don't expect to spam it.
Q: I keep dying a lot!
A: The robot in-between-respawn voice has a point. "Don't be ashamed, it happens to everyone." You are probably having a bad game, not every single game you have you are at your best. Try a diffrent combo with your scout or an aiming tactic with your gunner. Tanks aren't invunerable with their neutron shell. Make sure you have backup, place turrets in good spots and are healing everyone with your tech. If that doesn't work, take a break and try again.
Q: I can't connect/lagging/having trouble with some server
A: Refresh.
Q: Freerange, can I ask you a question?
A: Yes. Just ask the question, no need to ask "Can I ask you a question?" I know you are trying to be polite, but there are so many questions, it's easiest for me to answer if you are direct. I will always try to answer, if I don't, I'm either busy working with our team to try to make FreeFall Tournament better or you are being mean.
Q: Freerange, how old are you, what's your name, etc.?
A: Sorry, I'm all for us becoming in game friends, but I also value my privacy. I'm not asking for your personal information, please be courteous and not ask for mine. Feel free to ask anything about the game. It helps if you have read the above FAQ, and if you have read this far, you most likely have. So thank you very much.
Q: Freerange, how many people use your account?
A: One. Just me. I use an account named Freerangegames so people can easily identify me in chat. Other devs from our team are also in chat from time to time, but they usually use their own usernames.
Q: When is XYZ coming out?
A: I will always tell you as much as I know. But honestly, we are working on fixing a lot of bugs at any given time, so we know updates will be released usually the day before we are releasing. Then sometimes we have a hick-up getting the update out and it is delayed a day. We will always list major features Coming Soon on the landing page for the game. The dates are not precise because we just don't know. As this becomes more routine for us, we will probably become more precise in our dates. For now, please enjoy the sense of anticipation that comes with seeing a new game grow.
Q: How do I reconfigure my controls / keys?
A: Read this
Q: What if I have a question that wasn't answered here?
*A: Try the wiki. Or contact Free Range Games. Thanks for reading this far.
So that's it.
Credits to:
FreeRangeGames for making the awesome game(And the upcoming weapons me and glock found. :D).3
Glock243 for the ranks guide. He helped a lot with the FAQ too, so this is technically both our FAQ.1
Probandit10 for the classes guide.2
ValentyneSmith, ISkyDriveI, Zephilinox and Brohaha for the fun rival games we had. I'm glad I lost once in a while because it's not about winning, it's about having fun. Also they gave me the information to make this.
You for reading this.
The formatting guide for helping me edit the forum a bit.
Hope this helps, good day/noon/afternoon/evening/midnight/dawn to you.


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7 Quick Beauty Fixes
OMG, we're dying over this vampire-inspired lip color that Camille Belle recently wore on the red carpet—and that we saw at Bottega Veneta.
This burgundy to almost black hue is a fresh take on classic red hues for winter and requires a little attitude to rock. Oh, and don't forget to swipe on blush, since this color can wash you out.
Try Dior Addict Extreme Lipstick in Black Tie, $30, dior.com.
Cobalt blue is a huge color this winter from eyeshadow to nail polish. Seen at shows like Prabal Gurung and Anna Sui, this shade is sure to boost your mood.
To avoid an I'm-a-child-of-the-80's look, copy Nicole Richie's technique and line your lash line with a cobalt blue khol pencil and smudge it out a bit. If that's still too much blue for you, line the lower lash line with the same product for a pop of color.
CoverGirl LiquilineBlast Eyeliner in Blue Boom, $7.99, ulta.com
4 De La Calle Looks


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The 2001 that opens the second set is a badass space funk throw down. It's my favorite of the tour. I consider Wolfman's Brother->Makisupa Policeman to be a quintessential fall 97 jam. It begins as a typical cow funk jam, but around 10 minutes in the beat drops out and from this space Trey plays aggressively and takes the jam into dark waters. This leads into a Crosseyed and Painless jam where things brighten up a bit. The remainder of the jam alternates between speed funk and periods when Trey just takes the lead and heads for the stratosphere. If there's a knock on this jam and this show, it's the fact that Trey sort of does his own thing during parts of Wolfman's, without listening to the rest of the band. At times he plays over them instead of with them. The segue into Makisupa Policeman is long and drawn out, and Makisupa itself has an unusual spacey jam. Taste finally brings us out of the space funk that dominated the whole set. The Possum encore is strong, as well.
Link to the AUD Remaster recording.


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OAKLAND -- Jason Hammel said he has a long way to go before he pitches up to his expectations. A's fans aren't as particular.
Hammel threw scoreless baseball for 52/3 innings, and with each out, he whitewashed away some of the dark times that came from an 0-4 start and a 9.53 ERA. Together he and the A's sizzling bullpen shut out Tampa Bay 3-0 Tuesday, and past issues seemed to wither.
"I made some of the same mistakes I've been making," Hammel said in looking at his numbers, which included seven hits allowed and four walks, his first four-walk game of the season. "I was pitching in fastball counts, and obviously I'm not happy with the walks.
"But I'm going to grind it until I find it, until I find myself again. I'll do what I have to do. Sometimes it's going to be ugly, and tonight was one of those times, but I did some good things, too."
The good things included his first win since coming with Jeff Samardzija from the Chicago Cubs on July 4 and his ability to dodge the bullets and put together scoreless inning after scoreless inning until the A's offense could kick in.
That happened with Coco Crisp delivering a tiebreaking single in the fifth and Nate Freiman and Josh Reddick adding run-scoring hits an inning later. It wasn't much. It was more than enough.
"He's a talented pitcher, so it was just a matter of time before things started going his way," Crisp said of Hammel. "He did a great job in battling, and this is a big win for us tonight. He did a great job in shutting them down."
The 16,335 fans on hand seemed to think so. Hammel got a rousing ovation as he was taken out of the game with a one-run lead and a man on first base with two out in the sixth. Eric O'Flaherty got the out to close out the sixth, and the A's bullpen would not allow the Rays to reach base as Oakland's streak of scoreless innings from its relievers reached 212/3.
"The ovation was nice to hear; it was awesome," Hammel said. "Obviously I wanted to come in and make an immediate impact, and that didn't happen. But to know they still pull for me is great. I'm very appreciative."
Hammel was more of a four-pitch pitcher than the A's had seen in his first four starts. He was able to throw his curve, change, fastball and sinker for strikes. The sinker was huge, because it led to double-play grounders in the third and fourth innings that kept the Rays at bay at a time when Tampa could have slapped him around a bit.
"This was a big game for him," closer Sean Doolittle said. "He got out good with a good first inning, then he was able to pitch himself out of trouble when there were situations where there were guys on base."
It was a big game for the A's, too, because it gave Oakland some breathing room in the American League West. The A's (69-43) may have the best record in baseball, but the Angels have the second-best, and the Oakland lead is now two games after the Angels fell to the Dodgers in Los Angeles 5-4
Rays (Jeremy
Hellickson 0-1) at A's (Sonny Gray 12-4), 12:35 p.m. No TV
Online extra
Scan this code with a smartphone to view an A's photo gallery or go to http://photos.mercurynews.com.


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Recently exiled Extra host Mark McGrath announced his plans to get revenge on Mario Lopez, the newly minted host of the show he recently vacated. McGrath got the idea when he left the popular watering hole, Crown Bar, and saw a giant sign for acting lessons. McGrath said, "If he's going to steal my hosting gigs, then I'm going to steal his acting gigs. So, get ready to see my lovely face all over Lifetime. I'm going to be your worst nightmare. I'm going to be your own personal Nedick."
[Photo Credit: Splash Pic]
*A Call To The Bullpen is a work of fiction. Although the pictures we use are most certainly real, Defamer does not purport that any of the incidents or quotations you see in this piece actually happened. Lighten up, people ... it's a joke.


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Key to herbicide resistance
26.03.2013 - British researchers have found that one single protein seems to control resistance against multiple herbicides of cereal crops weeds.
Multiple-herbicide resistance (MHR) in black-grass and annual rye-grass is a global threat for agriculture, leading to loss of chemical weed control in cereal crops. Until now, it was only poorly understood why MHR is associated with an enhanced ability to detoxify xenobiotics. Assuming an analogy with multiple drug resistance, which occurs in human tumours, researchers from York University and Syngenta now report they have found a possible explanation.
When they searched in black-grass and annual rye-grass for a plant homologue to the MDR causing phi glutathione S transferase (GSTP1) they found an enzyme that also showed both detoxification and signalling. When expressed in Arabidopsis thaliana, the protein termed GSTF1 led to multiple herbicide resistance in the model organism and showed a similar secondary metabolism pattern as the weeds. Those were not associated with a differential gene expression pattern but directly caused by GSTF1.
When they applied the GSTP1 blocker 4-chloro-7-nitro-benzoxadiazole to the weeds, the MHR masterswitch was blocked. They conclude that overexpression of GSTF1 orchestrates multi-herbicide resistance in grass weeds and that targeting the protein is a promising approach to regain weed control in cereal crops.
© eurobiotechnews.eu/tghttp://www.european-biotechnology-news.com/news/news/2013-01/masterswitch-for-herbicide-resistance.html


text: I don't know what to make of modern rock music. There was a time when I was in touch with the 'mainstream', and loved the sort of stuff that was aimed at radio play. I grew up on that music, and still consider many of those releases my favorites of all time, but I got lost along the way as modern rock turned into something altogether different. The music became darker, the sounds became darker, and everything I liked about the style was stripped away in the name of angst.