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AUSTIN - When homeowner Jim Riddle received his insurance renewal this year, he had a choice to make - spend another $500 for limited water damage coverage or risk vulnerability to mold.
Riddle decided to take his chances. He skipped out on the 75-percent increase, but he'll also miss out on water damage coverage.
The Lubbock real estate agent had options with his renewal: no water damage coverage; damage clean-up, but no repair; or pay for the whole shebang, he said.
"I'm really not afraid of it. I've got children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, and I would tell them the same thing - keep your house clean, watch for water leaks, and you won't have a problem," Riddle said.
Other Texans are opting to pay up.
Jim Davis, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Insurance, just renewed his policy along with an increase of about 98 percent for the same coverage.
"I get lots of calls from people complaining, and boy, can I sympathize with them now," he said.
Annie Webb's family life was disrupted for months and her son now has a chronic illness that she attributes to mold in her Amarillo home.
After $60,000 in repair and remediation work, her house has been declared "clean." Her son is still susceptible to any respiratory sickness, she said.
"It has to be because of this house," Webb said. "Now, the house is better, but the lungs are ruined."
Webb said her family was fortunate compared to others now confronting the mold problem in their homes. She had a good policy with a company that met the family's needs.
Webb said she will make sure her home continues to be protected, even at a higher rate.
"I guarantee I'll pay it," Webb said. "It's not that I believe in it - I think it's a scam - but if I had lost our home, our family would be devastated."
Webb said she thinks remediation costs are unfair and a big part of what's driving insurance premiums up.
"You're rolling the dice every time you pay your premiums, but if you went through what I went through, you'd pay more than $500 or $600 extra a year," Webb said.
Insurance Burden
Recent changes in water damage coverage and mold repair put a bigger burden on policyholders to become more "insurance savvy," Davis said.
An increase in claims drove up the cost to insurance companies by millions of dollars, company representatives said. Those companies passed on the costs to their consumers.
State Rep. John Smithee, R-Amarillo, chairman of the House Committee on Insurance, said many Texas homeowners are finding their insurance renewal rates have increased from 30 percent to 300 percent. And they're the lucky ones, he said.
Others are confronted with a new policy substituted to provide substantially less coverage, and some policies are canceled.
The attitude of many companies is "take it or leave it," Smithee said.
Because having a mortgage requires having insurance, owners are forced to pay significantly more for either the same coverage or a plan that is substantially less, he said.
Mold is not a new pest to homeowners. In the biblical book of Leviticus, Moses gives instructions on handling mold.
What's caused the recent fervor, many experts say, is the use of new building materials that are airtight and allow less circulation.
A $32 million jury award for a homeowner in Dripping Springs based on one company's slow response to a water damage claim has put mold dangers in the public eye.
And reports of children in the hospital with mold-related illnesses have frightened consumers.
"People might see mold and at one point, they would just use bleach to clean it. Now, they panic," Smithee said.
Compromised Plans
Doug Johnson, a spokesman for the Insurance Council of Texas, said new products permitted on the market will remove some of the problems plaguing insurance companies.
"It's a step in the right direction. I think it's getting better, but in terms of it being averted, I'm not sure," Johnson said.
The council is a trade association that represents 424 property and casualty insurance companies that operate in Texas.
Offering different policy options is a good idea, Johnson said.
"What you'll find is as things shake out, a number of people won't opt for mold coverage," he said.
The evidence shows mold can grow anywhere that's damp, so people shouldn't assume that because they live in a dry part of the state, they won't have a problem. Left untreated, a water leak can cause mold damage, Johnson said.
"Each individual homeowner needs to look at what they have, what they need and purchase accordingly," he said.
Rob Schneider, senior staff attorney for the southwest regional office of the Consumers Union, said the insurance department's permission for the compromise policies has basically solved the problem for insurance companies, but not consumers.
"It's really about companies eliminating water damage from policies," he said. "Consumers are in a pretty bad spot right now."
Because rates aren't regulated, everyone will see a dramatic increase, he said.
"We were predicting this rate increase crisis, but we didn't think about mold. We thought it would be a hurricane, and then without rate oversight, rates would increase dramatically," Schneider said.
Texas rates are the highest in the nation, he said, but that's not the biggest problem for consumers.
What hurts people buying or attempting to renew policies is rates that aren't stable and predictable from year to year, he said.
"A family is going to have to come up with several hundred dollars they didn't budget for - it's very difficult," Schneider said.
Schneider was part of a task force appointed by Insurance Commissioner Jose Montemayor. The group is recommending that companies, by rule, have to respond to water claims within 48 hours.
"It's OK to have other deadlines with a claim that's not going to result in ruinous results by waiting, but it's not the case with mold," Schneider said.
Halting Growth
The House Insurance Committee is preparing a report to the Legislature that calls for action.
Currently, insurers have 15 days to respond to a water damage claim. The overwhelming scientific evidence shows water damage should be handled within 48 hours, and Smithee said lawmakers should act to narrow companies' response window.
Also driving the cost of insurance is the work of "public adjusters," the people who solicit mold claims and high-cost remediation of water damage.
The adjusters and remediation providers aren't regulated by industry standards or the insurance commission - a situation that should be rectified by legislative action to require licensing through the insurance department, Smithee said.
"We've got to get control," he said.
In addition, there is little rule on what insurance companies can charge for coverage, he said.
The state's insurance commissioner should be able to review company rates and losses to make sure cost is appropriate, he said. Montemayor has recommended such a "file and use" system to replace the current benchmarks.
"Right now, 95 percent of the Texas market is totally unregulated, and we suspect several have taken advantage of the situation to raise costs more than they should," Smithee said.
Other issues in the industry are beyond the control of the Legislature, he said. However, the insurance report likely will suggest the Texas Department of Health establish standards for remediation.
"There may be a lot of over- remediating now that's unnecessary, and the companies are just having to pay it," he said.
And because insurance companies have to pay, so do consumers. The Texas industry traditionally has offered a comprehensive HO-B policy, one that included water damage as a matter of homeowner coverage.
However, faced with millions of dollars in losses, companies have pared those policies down dramatically and many offer water damage coverage at an additional cost.
Insurance for a $100,000 home in Texas cost about $900 in the past; now homeowners can expect the cost to rise by $400 to $500 or more, Smithee said. Water damage claims have skyrocketed in the past nine months, he said.
Renewed premium rates reflect the skewed claim numbers.
Smithee said he has not had to decide about the premium for his own Amarillo home. His policy will be up for renewal later this year.
"But I've already been warned the company has been increasing at a pretty substantial rate, about 40 percent," Smithee said. "So I know it's coming.
"It's hitting a bigger percentage of the population each month. By the end of this year, everybody will feel this."
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November 15, 2012
An End to Climate Science
Josh Rosenau, ScienceBlogs
At today's presidential press conference, New York Times reporter Mark Landler broke a trend that ran through the presidential campaign, a trend of silence about climate change. From the transcript: Q: Thank you, Mr. President. In his endorsement of you a few weeks ago, Mayor Bloomberg said he was motivated by the belief that you would do more to confront the threat of climate change than your opponent. Tomorrow you're going up to New York City, where you're going to, I assume, see people who are still suffering the effects of Hurricane Sandy, which many people say is further evidence of how a warming globe is changing our weather. What specifically do you plan to do in a second term to tackle the issue of climate change? And do you think the political will exists in...
TAGGED: climate science, climate change, global warming, ScienceBlogs

subset: commoncrawl


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|Best Of C-VILLE 2008: The GOOGLE Map
You named 'em, we mapped 'em!
Great spots: 17 of Charlottesville's most intriguing places
Be a tourist in your own town. It's a phrase we employ when we start growing tired of the place we've inhabited for…well, let's just say for a while. This week, we put it to the test, uncovering Charlottesville's lesser-knowns (and a few tried-and-true classics, for good measure), from a
Water Street replaces Tempo
There's a new restaurant in the old Tempo space on the corner of Water Street and Fifth Street SE. It's fittingly called Water Street, and, according to Ashley Sieg Williams, a trained chef who runs the front of the house, it's not a rebranding of Tempo—it's an entirely new restaurant. Williams
LIVING Picks: Week of September 21-27
Food & Drink Edible native fruits and nuts Saturday, September 24 While exploring the Saunders-Monticello Trail, learn which berries, nuts and fruits are edible, as well as the history of these native foods and ways to prepare them. $18, 9:30-11:30am. Kemper Park, Thomas Jefferson Parkway.
A trip to Italy influences chef's approach to food
Tavola chef Caleb Warr never intended to cook Italian food. Warr, who grew up eating home-cooked Southern food in Louisiana, says that although he'd always dreamed of owning a restaurant, he wasn't exactly into the idea of culinary school (neither were his parents). And if he did cook, he
Complementary cancer therapies help survivors heal
It's difficult to find a single person who hasn't been touched by cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, an estimated 1.6 million new cases will be diagnosed in the U.S. this year alone. And while we know that surgery, radiation and chemotherapy are the most common treatments for
Brewery wants to tap into the neighborhood
Soon, you'll be able to sidle up to one of the 45 bar stools at the Random Row Brewing Co. on Preston Avenue and say, "Bartender, I'll have a random row, please." The bartender will choose four different beers for you—a "random row"—but those beers have one essential commonality: They've all
Live your fest life
18 ways to fill your fall festival schedule
LIVING Picks: Week of September 7-13
Food & Drink Farm to Feast dinner Sunday, September 11 Enjoy a family-style meal of locally sourced food at Blenheim Vineyards' Farm to Feast benefit dinner, which supports Local Food Hub and Farm Aid. In addition to dinner prepared by acclaimed chefs, there will be passed canapés, a teepee
Food cart owner to open restaurants in Crozet
On Thursday, August 25, Smoked BBQ Co. served its last bite of barbecue to a long queue of hungry lunch-goers. At least for the time being. Smoked fans can pencil in late October for when they'll be able to dig in to a plate of barbecue and other Southern comfort food made by Smoked owner […]
LIVING Picks: August 31-September 6
Food & Drink Virginia Food Truck Battle Sunday, September 4 Twelve area food trucks will fight it out for the title of "best food" at the second annual Virginia Food Truck Battle & Beer Competition. Proceeds benefit The MaDee Project, which helps families and their children with
Kids can eat with the grown-ups at Fry's Spring Station
I don't like kids' menus. Beyond their uniform content, what troubles me most is the message they send to kids that there are two different types of food—one for adults to enjoy and another to keep you quiet in the meantime. As a food-lover and parent, I can't see how this helps to cultivate a
Barbie's Burrito Barn brings CaliMex to C'ville
For more than 20 years, every time Barbie Brannock cooked California-style Mexican food for her friends, they'd ask, "When are you going to open a restaurant?" They weren't so much asking as they were insisting, says Brannock, who learned to cook in her mother's Southern California kitchen, and
Happy birthday, Best of C-VILLE! Any way you slice it, Charlottesville's pretty great
Any way you slice it, there's a lot to love about Charlottesville. That's why, every year, we ask readers to tell us their favorite things about our city—burgers, bike shops and homebuilders alike. And while we respect the answers you've given, you're not the only ones with opinions. In honor
Korean fried chicken and sushi bowls come to UVA
Han Lee and his wife, Mi Eum, moved to Charlottesville from Maryland about a month ago to open casual sit-down Korean restaurant Zip Chicken on 14th Street, across from Boylan Heights and smack dab in the middle of the Corner restaurant scene. "I know Korean isn't as big here as it is in big
Cold-brew coffee isn't a watered down version of the original
It's been really hot. We're all sweaty and sluggish, and most of us could use a good jolt to get through the dog days of summer. Enter iced coffee, which, on a steamy day, can taste like the ambrosia of the gods…as long as it's done right. Brew a regular cup of coffee, let it […]
Community gardens are a place of refuge for all
Tucked alongside Moores Creek in Azalea Park, two wide rows of garden plots form a welcoming and fruitful oasis. Canes of blackberries stand tall, bunches of unripe grapes hang from the vine, tasseling corn peeks over the tops of fences and in the far corner, a grove of banana trees rises in a
Ribolla gialla and the prospects of an Octagon bianco
I heard about a patch of ribolla gialla vines in Barboursville, and I had to go and see them to find out what was happening with these special grapes. Luca Paschina, the winemaker at Barboursville Vineyards, first tasted wine made from ribolla gialla about 30 years ago. "It was the mid-1980s in
How to celebrate national beer month in Virginia
Locals certainly don't need another reason to imbibe in our area's tasty brews—but we'll take it. August is Craft Beer Month in our fair state, which means breweries are holding celebrations and events to showcase their wares. The biggest event to hit our area is the fifth annual Virginia Craft
New Zealand-inspired gastropub opens in Stonefield and more local restaurant news
In regards to today's food culture obsession with eating local, Burger Bach reps say there's a good reason they source their grass-fed beef and lamb from halfway around the world. The late founder of Burger Bach and Richmond restaurateur Michael Ripp had been traveling back and forth from New
Local couple brews up idea for hibiscus tea
Fourteen years ago, Meryem and Ali Erarac moved from Turkey near the Marmara Coast to Charlottesville so that Ali could earn his MBA at Darden School of Business. Meryem, a biologist by study and trade, enjoyed the relative quiet and greenery here. Within a few years, Ali graduated, landed a


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Doctors, lawyers and insurance companies blame one another for the crisis in obstetrics, but according to one expert all three are at fault. Robert Hunter, 49, a Federal Insurance administrator in the Ford and Carter administrations, is now president of the National Insurance Consumer Organization. Hunter reviewed the emergency in the nation's delivery rooms with correspondent Margie Bonnett Sellinger and discussed ideas for stabilizing malpractice insurance.
Is the current crisis a new phenomenon?
This is something that has plagued us for more than a hundred years. I recently found an article from an 1880 medical journal in which doctors were complaining that malpractice lawsuits and insurance costs were getting out of hand and threatening to bring down the whole system of medicine.
Why has the crisis become so acute?
We are caught in a cyclical pattern in insurance, which occurs roughly every 10 years. Most people imagine that premiums are based on how much insurance companies project they'll have to pay out in claims, but that isn't true. They make most of their money by investing the premiums, and when interest rates fall as they have recently, the companies have to raise premiums to preserve their profits. The fall in interest rates led to low profits in 1984. That was followed by the skyrocketing insurance premium costs we are witnessing today.
Can't these sudden escalations in premiums be prevented?
Yes. But the federal government has not tried to regulate the insurance industry in recent decades. The states, which can regulate premiums, have been ineffective. Insurance companies are very large political contributors and important lobbying forces in every state. The states are understaffed, most don't have actuaries or computer capacity. So they have a very low capacity to regulate and a very low will to use the powers that are available to them. Insurance is our third largest industry—12 percent of the nation's disposable income goes into premiums—yet it's not subject to antitrust laws. By their own conservative accounting, insurance companies have netted $75 billion in the last 10 years. During that same period, as a group they paid no federal income tax.
Isn't part of the problem an actual increase in malpractice lawsuits?
There are more lawsuits for medical malpractice than there used to be. But the idea that malpractice victims are all money grubbers is ridiculous. The fact is, doctors make mistakes, and our common law says that if someone hurts us we are entitled to seek recompense. Nevertheless, studies by the Health Research Group in Washington indicate that only one in 10 people who are victims of doctor negligence actually sues. And 70 percent of the time doctors are sued, they win in court. Typically, juries don't give verdicts and monetary awards that aren't justified, and even if they do, there is an appeals process.
If you or I have an auto accident, our auto insurance rates go up. Is the same true with malpractice insurance?
No. In most states, a doctor who has been sued successfully 10 times pays the same premium as a doctor who has never been sued. This is a serious problem because the system should provide a disincentive for bad practice and it doesn't. A bad doctor should be identified as a bad risk and have to pay higher premiums.
The incompetent doctors need to be weeded out, and physicians have not done a good job of policing themselves. Until this year in Puerto Rico, for example, the medical regulatory office had not lifted a single license in a decade. Out of 6,000 doctors they hadn't removed one incompetent individual—not even one drunk or drug addict.
What other flaws are there in the way malpractice premiums are determined?
Last year the premiums represented about 1 percent of the total cost of health-care costs. So it's a reasonable price for a system that pays us when we get hurt unfairly. But high-risk specialists—especially neurosurgeons, obstetrician-gynecologists and anesthetists—are being driven out of practice by inordinately high premiums. The problem is particularly severe for the doctor in a rural area, who only occasionally delivers a baby and ends up paying the same premium as someone delivering hundreds of babies in an urban area.
What can be done to spread out the burden more fairly?
Obstetricians, for example, could pay premiums according to the number of babies they deliver. In addition, hospitals could be held responsible for half the malpractice costs of their high-risk specialists. This would help spread the financial burden, and hospitals would know that if they give privileges to doctors who hack people up, they will pay for it.
The Reagan administration has endorsed a proposal to put financial caps on malpractice awards and legal fees. Will that solve anything?
The insurance companies have made it clear they wouldn't guarantee that they would lower their rates one penny, even if there were caps on awards. They suggest that maybe if we do all these things, we'll start to see not a lowering of the rates but an increase in the costs of insurance at a slower rate. To make things worse, the Administration is suggesting there be control on fees for lawyers representing patients but not for those representing physicians. I think it is an outrage to control just the victim's legal fees. It represents a massive intrusion on the side of doctors against patients.
The answer is not to take away the rights of a victim by limiting the amount of a judgment he can receive. There is no reason that you or I should give up our legal rights because doctors, malpractice lawyers and insurance companies—who all make a great deal of money—can't get their act together.
What solutions do you propose?
One, get rid of incompetent doctors. Two, get control of legal costs. There should be limits on how much lawyers on both sides can take out of the system, and there should be penalties for frivolous suits and frivolous defenses. Three, we have to get control of the insurance mechanism to stop the boom-and-bust cycle. The states have to enforce their laws to regulate premiums, with help from the federal government. Good doctors and patients are victims of the insurance cycle crisis. It's time for meaningful insurance reform so that we can stop this roller coaster ride.
Untangling the Malpractice Mess
updated 06/09/1986 AT 01:00 AM EDT
•originally published 06/09/1986 AT 01:00 AM EDT


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Mara Mi at Target!Chelsea Fuss
I was shopping at Target the other night and happened upon the Mara Mi collection of paper and party goods and was blown away. I absolutely adore these playful, modern designs. Take a peek at some of the fantastic products, next! I plan on stocking up!
Dotty Table Cloth 1 of 5I bet you've never seen such a pretty disposable table cloth! It's perfect for birthdays and celebrations!
$3.99 at Mara Mi for Target.
Stationery Box 2 of 5It's so fun to have a box of stationery on hand to write Thank You's. The mix of dots and florals is especially lovely.
$12.99 at Mara Mi for Target.
Disposable Plates 3 of 5I love this modern pattern on these paper plates!
$3 at Mara Mi for Target.
Yellow Graphic Napkins 4 of 5Have you ever seen more gorgeous paper napkins? These would be so lovely for a birthday celebration.
$3 at Mara Mi for Target.
Checked Thank You's 5 of 5Anyone would love to receive these checkered notecards in the mail!
$10.99 at Mara Mi for Target.
Top Photo: Mara Mi. All other photos: Target.
Article Posted 5 years Ago


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This is the year to take your Halloween movie night to the next level. We don't mean learning how to make mummy hot dogs or planning a marathon of all twenty Jason films. We mean it's time to take...
Read more
You don't have to be a seasoned tailgater of twenty years to put on a successful tailgate party. In fact, you only need to follow the basics for the fun, delicious tailgating experience you're hoping...
Read more
Are you ready for the zombie apocalypse?
Just kidding. That's only in the movies.
Are you ready for Emergency...
Read more
Blaze introduces an affordable commercial style grill that was designed with your outdoor BBQ challenges in mind. This Blaze 40-inch on cart gas grill comes with five (5) commercial quality 304 cast stainless steel burners that each deliver an impressive 14,000 BTUs of cooking power, for a total of 70,000 BTUs on the cooking surface. The 10,000 BTU infrared rear burner works great with the optional rotisserie kit for grilling versatility. Durable 8mm stainless steel cooking rods maximize your searing capability on an uninterrupted 915 square inches of cooking space. Push and turn flame-thrower primary ignition, backup flash tube secondary ignition and crosstubes ensure a steady, reliable flame with every start.
The removable warming rack is an ideal place to keep bread and other food heated while you grill. Get more from your grilling experience with the luxury of stainless steel heat zone separators that seclude a cooking area to maintain varying temperature zones. The flame stabilizing grid minimizes flare-ups while you enjoy your Blaze grill and the full-width drip tray makes clean up a breeze. The stainless steel grill cart features two front doors for storing your propane tank, grill cover and BBQ accessories. The cart also includes four heavy duty caster wheels, allowing you to relocate the grill easily whenever necessary, and two side shelves for a convenient work area. The 304 stainless steel grill hood is double-lined to protect the outer layer from heat discoloration, keeping your Blaze grill looking shiny and new!
*Please note: This item is oversized and to protect the product it will be shipped via truck and cannot be shipped to AK or HI.
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Bruce Conner: Somebody Else's Prints at the Ulrich Museum of Art
Sympathetic magic—the use of a surrogate object to magically influence the person or circumstance it represents—has long been one of my favorite subjects. The Ulrich Museum of Art's current exhibition, Bruce Conner: Somebody Else's Prints, is an impressive collection of prints, etchings, and lithographs, a number of which Conner attributed to pseudonyms. The show inventively chronicles the artist's use of surrogate figures for a variety of[…..]


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TAMPA, Fla. - A parade down Broad Street will be a pipe dream if the Flyers' parade to the penalty box perpetuates.
The Flyers, far and away the NHL's least disciplined team, found out the hard way with a 5-1 thrashing at the hands of a potent Lightning attack on Sunday night at Tampa Bay Times Forum. Penalties were bound to catch up with them at some point.
Tampa Bay scored three times - twice on the power play - in a span of 4:21 in the first period to erase a 1-0 lead Sean Couturier built for the Flyers in the opening minute. Even when it didn't officially count on the scoresheet as a power-play goal, Steven Stamkos scored 12 seconds after Braydon Coburn exited the box.


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DHHS Criminal Record Checks
- Child Care -
House Bill (HB) 737 legislation made criminal record checks a pre-service requirement for any person who:
Here are the steps for submitting information to DCDEE for a criminal record check. All new applicants and applicants applying for a 3 year re-qualification must submit the following:
Important: An individual must submit together all three items listed above for DCDEE to process a criminal record check: (1)Fingerprints-either manual FD258 fingerprint card or certified Live Scan release form, (2) Completed and accurate purple bubble sheet, and (3) Receipt of payment for the federal check. Out of state resident must also include the local report from their county of residence. The individual's full, legal name must be written/signed exactly the same on all three items. If name is hyphenated, it must be hyphenated on all paperwork.
For more detailed information about these changes, please view the links below:Submission Information
Live Scan fingerprinting involves taking digital fingerprint impressions and transmitting those impressions directly to the State Bureau of Investigation for processing without generating a fingerprint card.Please read and print out the following information:
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Windows 8
As a Computer Technician, Web Developer, and Network Administrator I have had my fair play in the world of technology. I could remember using Windows98 and it being the first operating system that I have ever gotten comfortable with. As the years pass by so did the different version of Windows, and I could say I have tested about 90% of them, but none were quite as successful as there Windows XP version.
Though I have branched out into the world of Linux for the past four year I still continue to use Windows XP over Vista, and Windows 7. The reasons for that are that I am very comfortable with Windows XP and also believe that the performance is better for the things that I do. I also believe that windows 7 is less user friendly and the security features are just annoying, but still over all a pretty good OS.
So as we all know by now Windows 8 is here, but the hype really is not. Since I don't use windows much any more I was not worrying about trying or testing it at all. I had played around with the developers edition before, but was very unsatisfied, and was hoping that there stable edition was not going to be similar to what I had. I was wrong.
During Thanksgiving week amazon decides to put things on sale so I wanted to take advantages of one of there specials and bought a new Acer laptop. As I was reviewing the specifications I noticed that it came per-loaded with Windows 8, but did not think much of it so I went ahead and ordered it, and within 24 hours my new laptop had arrived. That's when my nightmare began.
I took the laptop out of the box, connected that charger, and everything was going fine until the computer booted and there it was, Windows 8. My nightmare come true.
At first it took me some time to set everything up before I was able to begin using my machine, but once that was complete it took me about 10 minutes to find out how to get to my home page, and another 10 to figure out the search function "which if not for the internet if would have been a lot longer". I also went ahead and installed most programs that I add to every windows machine I own, but for some reason those programs just kept crashing. Itunes for one was a big one that I use on the daily bases and was also the one that crashed the most..
The file directory was also a bit confusing and something different from the traditional one that I am use to, and also every program that I installed was eventually pinned to my start screen. Worst Idea ever. From being one who keep my desktop clean and organized at all times this was a big problem.
Honestly I felt like they were forcing me into learning a new operating system and believe me that if "I" decide to learn a new OS "Windows anything" would not be it. There are many great alternatives when it comes to open source and also it removes that proprietary relationship that corporations have over your machines.
I was also very unsatisfied with the way I needed to log-in to my computer. For some reason I had to synchronize my email account with my laptop which contained other personal information, and I needed to use that information to log-in. The problem there was that for security reasons I have always kept information separate and in this case I just did not really find that possible. As a computer technician I have had to recover hard drives and get into locked computers to either recover data or unlocked them, but never had access to so much personal information at once just because it was part of the operating system one was using.
I also spent about a day testing and doing on-line searches just to understand the operating system and that's when I realized that Windows 8 was just not gong to be for me. So I quickly installed Linus Fedora on to my machine and my nightmare was over. I was back to developing and doing things the traditional way and with no worries that a program might crash on me and that my information would be lost.
Over all I believe that Windows 8 will be another "test" OS and that in a few years a newer updated version will be released with major improvements and a way better user experience. I still continue to be a big supporter of Windows because of what I could on there machines, but I would really like to see something great come from a corporation like that.
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Category: Internet, Technology


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The Ultimate Gaming Pod - OVEI
- Posted: Apr 26, 2011 at 10:18AM
- 4 comments
Loading user information from Channel 9
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Loading Visual Studio Achievements
Something went wrong getting the Visual Studio Achievements
Right click "Save as…"
Perry Darling from OVEI has built the ultimate gaming pod for gamers. With full 5.1 surround sound, multiple screens, and the technical ability to house your Xbox 360...this thing is awesome.
Oops, something didn't work.
Cool. I want one for my office.
This video refuses to play, doesn't even work in IE9 !!
@bed bug: It works fine for me (in IE9). Sometimes there's intermittent issues.
Video does NOT play ... had to use download on the side.
Comments have been closed since this content was published more than 30 days ago, but if you'd like to continue the conversation, please create a new thread in our Forums, or Contact Us and let us know.


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You may feel a heightened sense of dedication to your obligations today. Your commitment could lead to a newfound enthusiasm for the duties you are called upon to deal with. You may be driven to develop new skills or refine the ones you already use. You also might want to expand your knowledge base so you can discover more about the world. The wisdom you acquire may not immediately appear to be useful to you but could prove valuable in the future. The more you grow, the more space you create to absorb more information into your being. Today can be a wonderful time to ask for a greater level of responsibility at your work or explore a topic that you find intriguing.
Developing your potential and becoming a lifelong student can help you ensure that your life remains a steady source of joy and wonder. When your mind is constantly open to unfamiliar worlds, boredom will never gain a foothold in your life. Even that which is routine can be made to feel exciting when seen in a new context or from a fresh perspective. By allowing yourself to learn and grow, you continue to add value to your experience and evolve as an individual. Whether you choose to expand your mind in the context of work or play today, the knowledge you gain will help you see life through fresh eyes.
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Artwork by Wang Chang-Ming


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A federal jury has convicted two mob associates, one of them from Staten Island, for their role in a robbery that ended with the victim shot dead -- thanks in no small part to the testimony of Hector Pagan, the ex-husband of "Mob Wives" reality-TV star Renee Graziano.
Pagan, 47, fired the bullet that severed the femoral artery of James Donovan, a self-employed check casher with ties to organized crime, during the July 2, 2010 robbery, and said as much in his testimony against Luigi Grasso, 46, of Staten Island and Richard Riccardi, 41, of Manalapan, N.J., last week.
The three were part of a quartet that targeted Donovan outside of an auto body shop in Gravesend, while he was doing his check-cashing rounds, according to federal prosecutors. The fourth man, Nunzio (Nicky) DeCarlo, died of a drug overdose three months after the robbery, according to court filings.
As prosecutors told it, the group met on Staten Island several times to plan the robbery. Riccardi provided the guns, and stayed behind to drive a "crash car" meant to stop law enforcement and civilians from interfering with the robbers or their escape route.
DeCarlo, a Gambino crime family soldier, drove Grasso and Pagan in his car, prosecutors said.
They waited in a nearby supermarket parking lot, and when Donovan arrived, the team sprang into action: Grasso searched Donovan's car for the bag of cash, but when Donovan twisted away from Pagan and tried to run, Pagan shot him in the leg, prosecutors said. He died of his wound.
The team divvied up their $90,000 take, and Grasso took the guns, saying he would have them melted down at a friend's auto body shop, according to prosecutors.
The Brooklyn Federal Court trial drew so much media attention that prosecutors lobbied to keep jurors' names secret, apart from the prosecutors and defense, out of concern they might end up approached by reporters and producers of TV reality shows.
Pagan's "betrayal" of Ms. Graziano was incorporated into episodes of the reality series, as his cooperation ultimately landed her father, Anthony (TG) Graziano, in prison for 19 months on extortion charges.
The trial also featured the testimony of Dr. Tara Margarella -- who stars on another reality show, "New York Med." She described trying to save Donovan's life.
A lengthy story in The Daily Beast describes part of Pagan's testimony on March 11:
In one exchange, when the prosecutor asks Pagan, "What's the most serious crime you have committed in your life?" Pagan answered, "Murder."
"Who did you murder?"
"James Donovan."
In another part of the testimony, Pagan described the shooting.
"I put the gun to him and said, 'Stay right here.' He wiggled away from me and started running. I shot him."
Grasso and Riccardi were on trial for two weeks, charged with robbery, possessing a firearm and causing death through use of a firearm.
The jury returned a guilty verdict on Thursday, meaning both could face 10 years to life when sentenced in August, prosecutors said.
"The defendants plotted this brazen robbery and took the life of James Donovan because of their unrelenting greed. After lying in wait for Donovan, the defendants coldly robbed him, shot him, and left him to die in the street. The jury saw through their attempts to shift responsibility for their actions and held them accountable for Mr. Donovan's senseless death," said U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch.


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Indianapolis - The NFL Scouting Combine, the league's biggest annual audition for draft eligible players, began in earnest today at Lucas Oil Stadium, the same place where the Giants upset the Patriots to win Super Bowl XLVI earlier this month.
The workouts and interviews between prospective players and more than 600 NFL coaches, scouts and executives will run through Tuesday.
Offensive linemen, kickers, punters, long snappers and tight ends highlighted the players being evaluated today. They went through a series of measurements, medical examinations, psychological test and interviews. They'll take the field Friday for workouts.
Quarterbacks, running backs and receivers are slated to start up on Friday, with defensive linemen and linebackers going Saturday and defensive backs on Sunday.
As always, one of the most intriguing facets of the Combine is will anyone break the Combine's 40-yard dash record of 4.24 set by Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson in 2008?
Meanwhile, the Combine figures to be a showcase for more than just NFL brass to see. The media also is out in force, as a combine-record 750 credentialed media are attending this year, breaking last year's mark of 715.
DETERMINED TO KEEP WALLACE: Perhaps the most interesting comments of the day came from Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager Kevin Colbert, who said the organization has made it a priority to keep star receiver Mike Wallace, a
Wallace is a restricted free agent.
"We're going to do everything we can to make sure that Mike Wallace remains a Pittsburgh Steeler, and I think that's Mike's belief as well," Colbert said. "Usually when you've got two parties who share the same goal, it's easier to achieve that goal."
FORTE TALK: Another player with local ties whose name figures to be prominent if free agency talk is Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte, who starred at Tulane and
But Bears Coach Lovie Smith told reporters he expects Forte to be in a Bears uniform next year.
Forte is an unrestricted free agent but if a long-term deal can't be worked out, the Bears could opt to put the franchise tag on him.
"Matt is going to play his football for the Chicago Bears, you can start with that," Smith said.
TIGERS AT THE COMBINE: Eight LSU players are expected to attend the Combine.
The group is highlighted by All-American cornerback Morris Claiborne and defensive tackle Michael Brockers.
The others are safety Brandon Taylor, cornerback Ron Brooks, tight end Deangelo Peterson, linebacker Ryan Baker, wide receiver Rueben Randle and quarterback Jordan Jefferson.
KEEP AN EYE ON: While the Saints don't have a first-round draft choice, Coach Sean Payton, General Manager Mickey Loomis and their staff certainly will be keeping a close eye on some of the players slated to be drafted late in the first round, as well as second- and third-rounders.
With that in mind, here are a few players who may be worth watching:


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Fat Tuesday Food: an Easy Jambalaya RecipeJulieVR
Jambalaya, traditional Mardi Gras fare, is a classic Creole (or Cajun) dish that combines rice with vegetables and a variety of meats, most often sausage, ham, chicken and seafood. It's a hearty, flavorful dish that makes an entire meal in one bowl and is perfect for serving a crowd.
Creole-style jambalaya (in which tomatoes are used) originated in the French quarter of New Orleans, and is best cooked in a large, heavy, preferably cast iron pot. Cajun-style jambalaya, which is typically tomato-free, has its origins in the swampy regions of Louisiana, where shrimp, crawfish and game are readily available.
Below is a recipe for classic Creole-style jambalaya; adjust the seasonings to suit your taste, add a few extra glugs of Tabasco if you like the heat, and double the recipe if you have more than 4-6 mouths to feed, or love leftovers. (Turn the leftovers into a quick gumbo by adding chicken stock and sliced okra.)
Chicken, Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya
olive or canola oil, for cooking
4 chicken thighs, with skin and bones
1/2 lb. (250 g) kielbasa, andouille or hot Italian sausage, sliced or coarsely chopped
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped
2-5 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) long grain white rice
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. (5 mL) chili powder
1/2 tsp. (2.5 mL) salt
1/2 tsp. (2.5 mL) thyme
A few shakes of Tabasco sauce
2 1/2 cups (625 mL) chicken stock
1 – 14 oz. (398 mL) can diced or stewed tomatoes, undrained
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 lb. (250 g) large shrimp, peeled and deveined, with or without the tails on
Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken thighs for a few minutes, turning as necessary until they are browned on all sides. Remove them from the pot and set aside. Reduce the heat to medium; add the sausage to the pot and cook, stirring frequently, for a few minutes or until it's browned. Remove from the pot and set aside.
Add the onion, pepper, celery and garlic to the pot and sauté for about 5 minutes, until tender. Add the rice and cook for a minute, stirring well. Add the cooked sausage, bay leaf, chili powder, salt, thyme and Tabasco.
Add the stock and diced tomatoes and stir everything together. Bring the mixture to a boil. Pull the skin off the chicken thighs and add them to the pot, meat-side down, on top of the rice. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.
Take off the lid and stir the jambalaya, keeping the chicken pieces more or less on top. Replace the lid and cook for another 15-20 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed, the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through. Remove the bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. Scatter the shrimp over the jambalaya, cover and cook for 5-10 minutes, just until the shrimp are pink and opaque. Serve immediately. Serves 4-6.
Other things to do with it: Add 1-2 cups diced cooked ham instead of the sausage; add it at the point you would add the cooked sausage.
Photo credit: istockphoto.com/adlifemarketing


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Denard Robinson. Offensive Weapon.
That's how the former Michigan star defines himself as he shoots countless promos and rookie interviews for the NFL.
The Jacksonville Jaguars - who drafted Robinson in the fifth round of the 2013 NFL draft - list him as a running back. They even had the NFL announce him as such when they made their selection at Radio City Music Hall back in April.
Robinson played quarterback for the Wolverines, but trained as a wide receiver in the months leading up to the NFL draft, as experts saw it as a more viable option for the versatile athlete.
According to report from ESPN's Paul Kuharsky, the Jaguars were already getting a bit creative with Shoelace during minicamp.
"In the first walkthrough snap of Thursday's public practice, quarterback Blaine Gabbert lined up wide left, with Robinson at quarterback," Kuharsy wrote. "He gave the ball to Ace Sanders on an end-around and Sanders then gave it to Gabbert who was moving back toward him. Gabbert threw it to the Robinson on the right."
So it's fair to say the Jaguars have Robinson doing absolutely everything, including, you guessed it, tying his shoes.
"I wasn't tied, but coach told me to knot it up," Robinson said following Thursday's final minicamp practice. "So I knotted it up, but loose."
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By Deborah J. Campbell, Deputy Superintendent, New York State Police, Albany, New York, and Rafael P. Hernandez, Jr., Deputy Chief of Police, Tallahassee, Florida, and Co-Chairs IACP Diversity Coordinating Panel
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Finsbury Park is a 112-acre oasis in the middle of a hectic patch of north London, with the buzzing traffic of Seven Sisters Road on one side and the chatter of Green Lanes on the other. It's a prime example of what a London park should be: a place that's used by all slices of the surrounding community, from the surly hoodies with trousers around their thighs walking soft-as-anything dogs, to the middle-class couples from gentrified Stroud Green Road trailing space-age pushchairs. There's a lovely café in the middle of the park (with toilets), and a children's playground next to that, built with a £5 million Heritage Lottery Fund, that will keep kids amused for hours. There are fast slides going into the sandpit and really tricky climbing equipment to challenge older children, plus lots for toddlers to enjoy. Kids of all ages also love the enormous wooden structure adjacent to the playground, with its aerial walkways, slides, ramps and ladders. The boating lake with ducks and swans in it and the friendly café also border the playground. There's a running track, tennis courts and areas for ball games, plus a small skate park. A real people's park.
|Venue name:
|Finsbury Park
Seven Sisters Rd
|Tube: Finsbury Park/Manor House
|Do you own this business?
Average User Rating
3.7 / 5
Rating Breakdown
- 5 star:1
- 4 star:1
- 3 star:0
- 2 star:1
- 1 star:0
Our Saturday's wouldn't be the same without Park Run at 9am, followed by Mindful Movements Yoga at 10am and a catch-up with friends over a lovely coffee in the Park cafe - what more could you want from your local lovely park?!
Not the best park in London but it does the job.


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Thai Turkey Meatballs
Total Time
Prep 20 mins
Cook 30 mins
Can be frozen prior to baking.
Ingredients Nutrition
- 1 egg
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons chili-garlic sauce
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 500 g ground turkey
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons coriander, finely chopped
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Line 2 baking sheets with foil then lightly spray with oil.
- Whisk egg, garlic, onions, zest and sauces in big bowl.
- Add meat, sprinkle with cornstarch and add coriander.
- Mix with hands, mixture will be wet.
- Shape into 1 inch balls.
- Place on prepared sheets.
- Bake 20 minutes till firm to the touch.
Most Helpful
These are wonderful! I made half a recipe and served them with sweet chili sauce and a side of Thai Coconut Rice for a flavor packed meal.
Wow, simple yet bursting with flavour! I served along with Tzatziki and a simple salad for a tasty light dinner we both enjoyed.
We loved this recipe. I did not change a thing, made it as posted and served it with steamed jasmine rice and sautéed baby boo chou. Turkey, Thai and Meatballs 3 of DH's favorite foods. Thanks Katew.


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OMG same D:, I retook Yr. 12 even though I passed in everything! What do you reckon is gonna come up? :/(Original post by Jenx301)
Cant even begin to explain my hate for this core studies exam... I will be doing it for the third time, seriously. Fml.
OCR PSYCHOLOGY G542 core studies May 2012
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(Original post by StraightU's)
OMG same D:, I retook Yr. 12 even though I passed in everything! What do you reckon is gonna come up? :/
(Original post by Jenx301)
Literally no idea at all... no matter what I do I cant seem to remember all the details about it. Last time I thought I did well n still came out with a D fml
Absoloutely crapping this exam Just wish Piliavin comes on Section B or Milgram or Loftus and Palmer or Bandura comes up and for section C the social approach or developmental approach
(Original post by StraightU's)
Yeah I think I got a C in that last time but the E in ****ing Psych Investigations dragged me down the ****er! What other subjects do you do?
(Original post by SidneyHopcroft)
Section B? Guaranteed Piliavin, Rodin & Piliavin. It's the only study that hasn't come up in Section B since something like January 2009?
On that logic, I'd make a safe guess that the theme for the three studies will be field experiments, so that means Griffiths and Reicher & Haslam are likely to come up too. Best not to play with fire though - learn all the studies just to be sure.
As for Section C... well, the Behaviourist Perspective is a bona-fide contender. It hasn't appeared since January 2010 and is the only approach/perspective that hasn't come up twice since the new syllabus. You can bank on OCR picking another approach from recent papers just to throw candidates off the scent, so I'm putting extra effort into Developmental and Social psychology. But again - revise them all, as OCR could be expecting students to be expecting Behaviourism and may just be super ********s and not even ask about that.
Offline1ReputationRep:(Original post by Mojojojo)
Wait, how is Reicher and Haslam a field experiment? It's not their natural setting, i thought it was lab?
Offline0ReputationRep:(Original post by Mojojojo)
Wait, how is Reicher and Haslam a field experiment? It's not their natural setting, i thought it was lab?
Offline0ReputationRep:(Original post by pilotantsta)
The 4 iv's were The race of victim, whether the victim was can or drunk, whether there was a model present and group size
The male participants were recruited through advertisements in the newspaper making them a self selecting sample. in total 332 responded and was reduced to 15 by a screening process involving clinical medical and background checks. This ensured diversity of ethnicity and occupations also ensured that no one with psychological disorders was involved.
Next question Outline two ways in which Dement and kleitmans study can be said to be low in ecological validity (4 marks)
Another way the study could be considered to have low ecological validity is the way in which sleep was conducted. Participants had electrodes attached to their scalps and eyes. This may well have affected their internal brain functionality or even their actual dreams, and cannot be classed as valid as this is a highly unusual experience for them.
Next question: Outline two ways data was collected in the study by Bandura, Ross and Ross (4)
This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App
(Original post by krispykreme2012)
As far as i know its a lab because all the variables were in a controlled setting. it doesnt have to be a full on lab like in dement and kleitman to be considered a lab. its easier to say lab when evaluating. For example, it had a high level of control of the variable/ high ethics. Downsides where it wasn't ecologically valid ( field experiments (like piliavins was on a train) are usually ecologically valid but R&H wasn't because they were filming a show and the prisoners weren't really in jail for anything so it makes that less valid)
Does anyone know whats possibly going to come up in section B/C?
My teacher is adamant that Maguire will come up on Section B because it's the only study that hasn't been on Section B before.
Unless she's wrong, I'm saying there's a safe bet that will come up.
Anyyyy good predictions on what will come up on section b and c??....hate psychologyyyy too much tooo remember
Has anyone got the January 2012 paper? Would really appreciate it.
have any of you tried www.holah.co.uk - thought it might be useful. it's specific for the OCR syllabus and covers pretty mcuh everything with a shortened version of each study. it's my saviour!
And also, we have been told:
Piliavin, Sperry, Kanzi
Behaviourist, Individual differences, Social
(Original post by Cyclohexane)
Next question: Outline two ways data was collected in the study by Bandura, Ross and Ross (4)
One way date was collected was from the children's teacher, who rated the children on their past level of aggression. This was done on a 5 point scale and considered aggression in ways such as how aggressive they were when playing.
Another way data was collected was through the observation of the researchers. When the children were put in the room with the toys, the researchers would observe their level of aggression through a glass screen, unknown to the child.
Oh and by the way, we have been told largely a similar guess to you guys:
- Individual Differences/Social
- Behaviourist approach
I'm taking the small gamble of not revising perspectives AT ALL because I think the approach question is way easier, and you're guaranteed at least one. Hopefully will give more time to cram core studies
Good luck with revision guys!
Does anyone have any model answers from section A B and C??
thanks yu
A really helpful website for this paper if you haven't already discovered it
oops, sorry just saw someone else has put a link already.
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In case I haven't moaned about it enough, I go back to work in 3 weeks. When I say back to work, I mean I start my first day ever as a doctor. No biggie. On top of that, my first shift ever as a doctor ever also happens to be 9-9.30. Just casually thrown in at the deep end.
All my friends have done. They have done their first days, their horrible long shifts, the 12 days in a row, the 'this is your annual leave days and you have no say whatsoever', the days where you don't get out until 2 hours after you were meant to, the very few days where you actually do get out on time... And they will all tell you that it's not easy.
4 months later, and I'm going to be giving all of the above a bash. With a 5 month old baby. And while breastfeeding.
I'm no stranger to a challenge. I sat my finals 9 months pregnant, and I did very well, thank you very much. I then battled my way with the foundation programme back into a job. Not an ideal job, but a good one none the less. But this is terrifying me. I don't know if it's the mixture of the whole starting a completely new job thing, or the fact that the first day I'll be apart from Cleo also happens to be the longest shift ever, but whatever it is, I'd be lying if I said I hadn't had a good cry about it. Because, man have I cried.
Then why, might you ask, am I so adamant to increase my stress by putting so much pressure on my milk output? I'm currently trying to pump enough milk so that I can have Cleo's first month apart from me frozen... and I'm struggling. I'm getting upset when I only manage 2oz. I'm worrying that I'm not feeding Cleo enough because I'm pumping. I'm stressing about how on earth I'm going to be able to ensure I get enough breaks to keep pumping while I'm running about being the ward monkey. It's because breastfeeding is not just what is best for Cleo, but it's best for me.
When I was really anxious, in those first few weeks, I felt like I couldn't do anything. I couldn't see myself being good for Cleo. I found myself feeling like I'd made a mistake. But through it all, I was able to feed my little girl. And people kept telling me how good it was, and that I was giving her the best. And it helped me. I felt like less of a failure, and it gave me the strength to get on with other things. If I could do this, if I could provide for this tiny human, then I could get myself back on track. And I did. Then whenever I was feeling anxious, I'd cuddle up with Rob and Cleo, and I'd feed her. And I'd think about feeding her. It was like my deep breathing exercises, and having Rob there, helping me with everything else, whilst I did this one good thing... well it was amazing. And my memories of that first month, all the little good moments, I was feeding her. It created a bond between us that I don't think I could have had any other way.
I am not saying that people who feed their babies formula don't have a special bond. But, for me, I needed that physical connection to feel it. It was what worked for me.
On top of it all, I knew that I was helping her little tummy, her immune system, her growth. All the good things about breast milk. Knowing that kept me level headed. I was doing good.
Now that she's older, some people have told me that they don't see the point in me continuing. I've had the usual comments of 'X was formula fed, and they're fine' or 'X had to give up breast feeding, and they're fine' or 'there's nothing wrong with a top up of formula.'
I have no doubt in my mind that if I had to switch to formula, that Cleo would be fine. I know that plans are not full proof and that I may find I have to stop. I am prepared for that. But I am not giving up breastfeeding just because it is the more convenient option. Yes, it will take the pressure off me at work, and I'm sure that not having to think about pumping at 4 in the morning would be a big load of my mind, but I'm not giving up without a fight.
I will be working 50 hours a week. That's 50 hours I will be apart from Cleo. If in that time I can have an hour or a day that I'm doing something for her, then I can continue to stay level headed. I can come home to her, and I can feed her while I catch up with Rob. And that's how I imagine us all working.
If it so happens that I can't express at work for whatever reason, I will try my best to not feel like I've failed. Of course I will give her formula when I'm not around. But if I'm with Cleo, and she wants fed, then I will be feeding her myself.
I don't want to be asked 'when do you plan on giving up breastfeeding'. I don't have a plan. I'm going to feed her for as long as it continues to be beneficial to us. Both physically and emotionally.
Although the toss up between getting my highlights done, or buying the Medela Swing breast pump was a tough one...


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the gateway to transcendence and temporary enlightenment. chemical keys to the gates of heaven.
I wish my bathroom sink ran hot cold and acid.
by minghi May 06, 2003
Acid - Crazy ass drug, I'm on it alot, it causes hallucinations and is really fun.
"When you're high you never, ever wanna come down..." Axle Rose
by Acid Trippin March 08, 2005
A hallucionogenic drug
When I was on acid... I was the devil... and I tried to eat my friends dog that looked like a walking chicken leg, and I ate a cigarette that was a "candy cane"- eew
by Remy's Bitch January 31, 2005
Something that's totally fucking awesome, insane, cool; swag
"Yo that show was fucking acid dude"
"You I just bought an ounce of weed. Shit's acid bro."
"You I just bought an ounce of weed. Shit's acid bro."
by kinglinesskrabs February 10, 2012
Who is far better/more attractive/cooler than a hot person.
You can see: "If your boyfriend is hot than I am acid"
by Lil' Wayne
by Lil' Wayne
by weezyef October 09, 2010
Adjective; describes something that is so dope, its not even dope anymore. meaning sick, awesome, cool, hip, outrageous, etc...
Dude, did u go to that rave last night? I heard it was totally acid!
by woopitydoo360 February 22, 2010
A drug that makes people see fuckass things
"jim was on acid and saw the street light blink at him"
by Kim October 16, 2003
Unless you have a bad trip Acid is actually a fun drug, it makes you and your friends do and say the funniest things imo. I've personally never seen anything but my friend said she saw president clintion hiding behind a bush, of course I had another friend tell me they lost their best friend to cid cuz he thought he was superman thinking he could stop the train and BLAMO!
One at a party I thought I pissed all over myself infront of strangers when in fact I didn't.
by KellyKopowski May 03, 2005


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The Boston Herald's Michael Silverman tweets (with a captip to AstroBrit):
A baseball source who is an admirer of #Astros Hunter Pence said that the Houston right fielder "won't be moved."
The Source makes so very little sense...
Yesterday Pence was definitely getting moved. Today, he's definitely not getting moved. This will change 18,000 times between now and July 31. This is why sports journalism sucks.


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Even in a booming property market the sale of the Duke of York's marital home was a remarkable arrangement, and one that has come to symbolise his close links to the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan.
After the Duke struggled for three years to generate any interest, a mysterious buyer paid £3 million over the £12 million asking price for Sunninghill Park, a property with all the architectural charm of an out-of-town Tesco superstore.
Adding to the intrigue was the fact that the deal been secured by Goga Ashkenazi, a Kazakh socialite who just three months earlier had emerged from


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Cresson, Pa. — Mount Aloysius College plans a blockbuster weekend October 2nd through the 4th. The College's Alumni and Homecoming Weekend celebrations will begin with the Dedication of the Sr. Virginia Bertschi Center and Tech Commons on Friday, October 2nd at 1:00 p.m. The Bertschi Center welcomed students back from Christmas break last winter. The… Read More »Filed under:
Cresson, Pa. –The Mount Aloysius College Theatre Department, under the direction of Mr. Nathan Magee, will present HONK– a musical with a message of tolerance–as its first show of the 2015-2016 academic year. The curtain will go up on Thursday, October 22nd at 7:30 p.m. The show will run through to Sunday, October 25th. Sunday's… Read More »Filed under:
Cresson, Pa.—The Mount Aloysius College Wolf-Kuhn Gallery features 30 watercolor paintings by artist Mary F. Lessard of Munster, Pa. Mary Lessard is a long time member of the Mount Aloysius College Art Alliance. Her exhibit, titled, "Join Me Down Under," was inspired by a 20-day exploration of Australia and New Zealand. Her artwork will be… Read More »Filed under:
Cresson, Pa. — Mount Aloysius College's latest graduating class of master's level Community Counseling graduates have been notified by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) that they have all passed their National Counselor exams. This is the third consecutive year that Mount Aloysius College's entire class of graduates earning the Master of Community Counseling… Read More »Filed under:
Cresson, Pa.–Mount Aloysius College, one of 16 colleges in the United States serving under the auspices of the Religious Sisters of Mercy, will celebrate Mercy Week from September 21st through September 25th. The week will be marked by time-honored Mercy traditions inspired by 188 years of service throughout the world. Mount Aloysius College, founded in 1853, invites… Read More »Filed under:
Cresson, Pa.—The Mount Aloysius College Medical Imaging-Radiography Department has been informed by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT), that 100 percent of the College's recent grads have passed the national certification examination. All 24 Mount Aloysius May, 2015 medical imaging – radiography graduates scored well-above the pass-range in the national test. The ARRT exam… Read More »Filed under:
Cresson, Pa.—The Mount Aloysius College English and Fine Arts Department and Vox Nova will give their first concert of the 2015-2016 academic year on Monday, September 28th in the Our Lady of Mercy Chapel at 7:00 p.m. Entitled "Our Irish Voice," the musical event will contribute to Mount Aloysius College's 2015-2016 campus-wide theme—Voice. The public… Read More »Filed under:
Cresson, Pa. – The first Mount Aloysius College Deaf Gathering of the fall semester, 2015-2016 is scheduled for Friday, September 18th from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The event will take place in Cosgrave Center on campus. The Mount Aloysius College Deaf Gatherings offer the region's deaf community a unique social opportunity and also provide… Read More »Filed under:
CRESSON, Pa. – The Mount Aloysius College admissions staff members are busy assembling giveaways and organizing information for their huge Fall Open House. Slated for Saturday, September 26th, the event traditionally draws parents and prospective students from around the Commonwealth and as far away as Maryland, Ohio, New York, New Jersey and even New England. … Read More »Filed under:
Cresson, Pa.—The current Mount Aloysius College Arts for Healing exhibit connects to the College's 2015-2016 theme — Voice. "The Heart's Voice" exhibit, by artist Diana S. Boehnert, BFA, MFA, CAGS, is housed on the main floor of the College's Athletic Convocation and Wellness Center. "The Heart's Voice" will be exhibited until October 16, 2015. There… Read More »Filed under:


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Tetris Changes The Brain, New Study Shows
"Challenging visuospatial tasks" can result in thicker cortexes and more grey matter.
Video games are often accused of reducing the mind to a fine paste (and giving kids ADD), but for at least one game, that's definitely not the case. According to a new study to be published later this week, playing Tetris helps the brain become more efficient (via GameLife).
The study was funded by the Tetris creators and conducted by the Mind Research Network in New Mexico. The results show that playing the Tetris resulted in greater brain efficiency (the blue areas in the diagram), with different areas showing thicker cortexes (the red). With thicker cortexes comes more grey matter, which is the ticket to a better brain.
The study's subjects were a group of adolescent girls who underwent MRI scans before and after playing Tetris over a three month period. The study suggests that "challenging visuospatial task" can actually alter the brain, rather than simply increase brain activity.
According to co-investigator Dr. Richard Haier, future benefits might be to "demonstrate that a player of Tetris does see lasting effects that generalize to other activity."
The full study will be published Thursday in BMC Research Notes.
Image courtesy of GameLife
See Also
Tetris Creator Talks Multiplayer, Promises Something Really Cool in the Future
Comments (13)
Not surprisedPosted: Sep 03, 2009 12:00AM PST by ActiBliz
I have learned many things from videogames, besides how to kill things, and I know many of my friends have also. My friend actually learned how to read from playing Star Fox on th N64. You can easily make the case that videogames teach you something (even if all you do is kill things).
Know what else will change your brain?Posted: Sep 03, 2009 12:00AM PST by BlazingAero
Crack cocaine. The results are a little different, though.
Still a brilliant topic. I never would've thought that thinking changes your brain.
TetrisPosted: Sep 03, 2009 12:00AM PST by pdubb2k
I could care less if it was an accurate study. I know for sure tetris helps me out everytime I help a friend move. "No, put that couch over there. No turn it... NO COUNTERCLOCKWISE!!!. Alright, take the matresses and put them in that hole. TETRIS MUTHA@#$@@!"
Not suspicious at allPosted: Sep 03, 2009 12:00AM PST by beanburritos
I work with some human vision scientists as part of a collaborative effort, and their lab is studying visualspatial tasks. In fact, they found that any kind of visualspatial training will result in improvement in related tasks, although the benefit you receive is based on your prior ability; those who are already good at the tasks of mental rotation got a lot better, whereas those who weren't very good didn't improve much. The results of this experiment seem to develop a similar conclusion, so although they used one particular training exercise rather than a battery, this result is in line with existing knowledge. I would like to see how Tetris alone stacks up to the battery of visualspatial training tasks -- my hunch is that it doesn't do as well.
Take with more than a grain of saltPosted: Sep 03, 2009 12:00AM PST by ElDonyo
Any study whose undertaking is funded by the company which produces the product being studied should not be taken at face value. It also appears that there was no control group involved, which makes the study's results meaningless.
Partial Agreeance with AzolenPosted: Sep 03, 2009 12:00AM PST by chembot81
Seems shady. If it was a company being paid by the government to explore this, I'd be more apt to believe it, rather than the creators of the game. "Here's some money, how about some evidence that our game is more than just a cultural phenomenon."
This isn't the case though.
After doing some research on Dr. Richard Haier, I found he's a very accomplished psychologist with several neural laboratory tests in his past. I do not believe that he would jeapordize his illustrious career by swaying the results in the favor of Tetris, when anyone who has played Tetris knows it makes you think differently. This just proves it.
Still curious why they only used females.
Game on.
can we say it?Posted: Sep 03, 2009 12:00AM PST by Jonathon_Striker
Hmm...Posted: Sep 03, 2009 12:00AM PST by cameron_toste
I remember getting my first GameBoy around first grade...Tetris was easy...
Must be why I skipped second grade and am now so damn smart! (sarcasm...kinda)
Hmm...Posted: Sep 02, 2009 12:00AM PST by Azolen
Funded by Tetris creators? I'll have to take that with a grain of salt. Also, visuospatial skills tend to be pretty specific. As with the alleged "Mozart effect", it only helps with very specific tasks, and only for a short time. Hopefully this study will shed light on more substantial results.


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KALAMAZOO -- Delays in the renovation of Western Michigan University's Hyames Field have called for a change of the game plan.
WMU baseball coach Randy Ford said the renovation plan is now divided into two stages. The first, which started this week and will continue through the fall, involves renovating the dugouts, press box and VIP boxes and other parts of the concourse.
The second phase, which will take place after the 2009 baseball season, will involve renovating the field itself. According to WMU's Web site, that will involve re-sodding both the infield and outfield and adding drainage.
Ford said he expects the entire renovation to be completed by fall of 2009.
The original plan called for the entire renovation to be completed by the start of the 2009 season.
Ford said dividing the renovation into two phases will allow his team to use Hyames Field for both the fall practice sessions and the spring season.
The delay was cause in part, Ford said, by the road construction on Stadium Drive, and a discussion of whether or not a sidewalk would be added between the road and Hyames Field, something he said the university has always wanted.
The $2 million renovation was originally announced in May, following a $1 million donation from WMU alumnus Robert J. Bobb. Following the completion of the project, the field will be renamed Hyames Field at Robert J. Bobb Stadium.
Despite a hiccup at the start of the project, Ford said the field is starting to get its facelift.
"The delays really couldn't be helped," Ford said. "So it is getting a slow start, but it is moving along."


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This conference brings together graduate students and distinguished faculty in the field of American history who see capitalism as an important category of analysis and a topic for inquiry in its own right. Professor Richard White of Stanford University will deliver the keynote address. Five panels will present exciting new research and discuss central themes such as business and politics, property relations, legal regimes, capital and entrepreneurship, and ideological challenges to capitalism. With this conference, we aim to help revitalize the study of capitalism by historically-minded scholars, reflect on the present state of this subfield and its place within American history, and delineate directions for future research.
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Accidents happen - even among indoor cats. "You never know what's going to happen," says Seattle resident Diana McDougle. She recited those words days after Baxter, her indoor-only 9-year-old domestic longhair, plummeted 11 stories out of her high-rise apartment's unscreened window to the ground below.Unfortunately, he didn't land squarely on his paws. "There had been a fire in our building, so my husband and I temporarily relocated to a different unit," McDougle recalls. "Baxter had only been in our new space for a day, and we hadn't thought to check the windows for screens."Their clever cat nudged open a window and stepped out to explore, but the ledge was too tight for a turnaround, she says. "We didn't realize how easily the windows slid open until it was too late," McDougle says. "I saw Baxter on the other side of the window, and there wasn't enough room for him to turn and come back in."Baxter survived the fall but not without a long and costly list of injuries. He suffered a broken collarbone and a dislocated sternum, and developed fluid around his heart and lungs, which required a four-day stay in the emergency clinic for careful monitoring.Good thing McDougle had planned for a just-in-case scenario like this.
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PMR446 Frequencies & Channels
- summary of the channel and frequencuy allocations for PMR446 the licence free system operating at 446 MHz.
PMR446 Tutorial Includes
There PMR446 frequencies allocated to enable communications under the PMR446 licence exempt scheme. Before using a PMR 446 walkie talkie, it is necessary to ensure that the scheme has been adopted in the country of intended use, otherwise use of the PMR446 frequencies could cause interference to other users and break the law.
To check on the latest position regarding the use of PMR446 and see the progress made by CEPT member countries in implementing the Decisions, visit the European Radiocommunications Office (ERO) website at www.ero.dk.
PMR446 frequencies
There is a total of eight PMR466 channels or PMR466 frequencies that can be used. These are spaced 12.5kHz apart from each other. As the name of the system suggests, the PMR446 frequencies are in the UHF portion of the radio spectrum and located around 446 MHz.
The PMR446 frequencies have been harmonised (but not necessarily authorised) for use across Europe. The channel centre frequencies are as follows:
|PMR466 Channel
|Frequency (MHz)
Use of PMR446 frequencies and interference
The PMR446 frequencies are shared and users may experience interference and channel sharing problems in areas such as densely populated areas in cities, etc where usage is high.
The problems associated with the high levels of use of the PMR446 frequencies may be reduced by changing frequency. Other systems such as CTCSS tone and DCS codes may also help in alleviating problems.
In view of the unlicensed nature of PMR446 and the possible high usage of the frequencies, the schem is not suitable for safety of life use or for users who need to have access to frequencies at particular locations and times.
Worldwide use of PMR 446 frequencies
PMR446 is primarily a European system. Frequencies are harmonised across Europe and even within the EU, not all member states have authorised the system. Outside the European Union, the frequencies are most likely to be allocated to other users. For example within the USA, the PMR446 frequencies are allocated to amateur radio. Accordingly, PMR446 radios can only be used in the United States under FCC amateur radio regulations by licensed radio amateurs. The use of PMR446 within the USA has been an annoyance to U.S. amateur operators due to use of the equipment by European tourists in the USA.
A similar service exists within the USA and Canada. Called the FRS system, it provides a similar service on slightly different frequencies. However it should be remembered that FRS frequencies are allocated to the emergency services within Europe - the fire brigade in the UK and may be subject to criminal action.
By Ian Poole
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