text: 1975, first elected to parliament; re-elected at 11 general elections. 1986-87, Minister of State, Education and Labour. 1994-97, Cabinet Minister, Tourism and Trade. 2002, became Fine Gael Leader. 2011, elected as Taoiseach (Prime Minister). Current Vice-President, European People's Party. Chaired the European Union Council of Trade Ministers during Ireland's EU Presidency. 1996, co-chaired the successful Singapore round of WTO talks. Interests: hill walking, playing golf and cycling.

subset: commoncrawl


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[Previous] | [Session 102] | [Next]
E. J. M. Colbert (CUA/JHU)
I will review various observations that suggest that intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs) with masses ~102-104 M\odot exist in our Universe. I will also discuss some of the limitations of these observations. HST Observations of excess dark mass in globular cluster cores suggest IMBHs may be responsible, and some mass estimates from lensing experiments are nearly in the IMBH range. The intriguing Ultra-Luminous X-ray sources (ULXs, or IXOs) are off-nuclear X-ray point sources with X-ray luminosities LX \gtrsim 1039 erg~s-1. ULXs are typically rare (1 in every 5 galaxies), and the nature of their ultra-luminous emission is currently debated. I will discuss the evidence for IMBHs in some ULXs, and briefly outline some phenomenology. Finally, I will discuss future observations that can be made to search for IMBHs.
[Previous] | [Session 102] | [Next]
Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 35#5
© 2003. The American Astronomical Soceity.


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Jack White has proven that he can do a lot with a little. That's what The White Stripes were all about: Jack on vocals and guitar, Meg on drums and that's it.
In the late '90s-early 2000s, this back-to-basics approach was very refreshing (for those who remember, pop rock was a disheartening waste land, filled with bands that wanted to be Limp Bizkit) and the duo did it really well. Like the Violent Femmes and the Pixies in the '80s, The White Stripes convincingly reinvented the wheel, rebuilding rock 'n' roll from the ground up (See the big three: "De Stijl," "White Blood Cells" and "Elephant.")
But since he's tossed the restraints, White still hasn't figured out what to do with all these shiny toys.
Article Photos
Jack White is seen in a promotional image for his first solo CD, "Blunderbuss," which was released Tuesday.
The biggest problem is that he's still composing the same way that he did when he was only writing for two instruments, rendering everything else like bells and whistles. He needs to forget about the "Little Room" and write for the big one.
There's just, simply, sadly, nothing interesting going on. The first song, "Missing Pieces," features an unearned piano solo, words that don't stick and White singing in a register that is just too high. He's consistently done this since his time with The Raconteurs - especially with The Dead Weather - and it's working less and less. Where did the commanding voice that sang "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" go? White needs to slow down and deliver his words with intention rather than rambling them into oblivion.
Plus, his poetic eye has gotten cataracts with blinding speed. I had to remind myself that this is the same guy who wrote the lovely "We're Gonna Be Friends."
"Sixteen Saltines" rocks for sure but that's all, and it rocks in a very standard way. The song features a good, charged riff but White lets it stand alone, robbing it of its potential. Why does this sound good to him? The only reason I can come up with is that he likes listening to the sound of his nasally voice too much. The vocals are reminiscent of "Blue Orchid" from "Get Behind Me Satan," but that was a far superior song.
By the middle of the album, I couldn't wait for it to stop.
But I hung on and "Blunderbuss" does show some life on the second half. "Trash Tongue Talker" is full of fun attitude and bluesy swagger and "Take Me with You When You Go" has nice padded vocals, with White singing multiple parts.
But it's not enough to make up for pop slop like "Love Interruption."
I would steer clear of this one. It's only for the diehards to be disappointed by.
DOWNLOAD NOW: "Trash Tongue Talker," "Take Me with You. .When You Go"


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White House has a "secret" CaBi station
There is one Capital Bikeshare station that doesn't show up on the online map: the White House station.
Located just inside the gate on State Place at 17th St, NW the station can only be used by those who can actually get inside the White House's security perimeter. And it's for that reason, not national security, that it doesn't show up on the map. DDOT doesn't want users making plans based on that station and then finding they can't get to it.
According to DDOT the station, which only has 9 docks, does get used by daily commuters.
I say, cut them off until they get the National Park Service onboard!
by M.V. Jantzen on Nov 26, 2010 12:52 pm • link • report
The fact that the White House is paying for 'priority service' (if true)and getting it from DDOT is even more egregious. We're not talking about a separate 'service' or 'good' being sold to the White House to bring in some extra funding into the system. We're talking about giving White House cyclists wanting to use the system priority over Joe Schmoe and Mary Jane who work across the street (maybe for the feds too) and can't get in to the 'reserved pick up station' to get a bike that is more sure to be available. After all, these are the same bikes used in the rest of the system and they're being used to go to the same stations.
I think this speaks volumes about what the former director of DDOT saw as 'ok'.
The shared loss of utility of having an upper limit of 4 or so net 'public' bikes out of 1100 behind a cordon, or a net of 3-4 theoretical dock spaces inaccessible in an area that will hopefully someday be filled with them, is far outweighed by the pride I feel that the White House grounds bought and installed a bicycle transit station.
Having a public station would have been extra nice, but to blast away with populist rage over this just seems silly. It's the White House. They get treated extra special sometimes. The alternative of DDOT turning them away over this is just a bit absurd.
On a marginally related note, how does DDOT balance the bike supply at that station? If it fills up or empties out, does DDOT have permission to enter the White House grounds, or are the riders out of luck?
Former director? What does Emeka Moneme have to do with this? Or have you heard some breaking news that hasn't been published yet?
I think this speaks volumes about what the former director of DDOT saw as 'ok'.
Former director? What does Emeka Moneme have to do with this? Or have you heard some breaking news that hasn't been published yet?
See this article for more:
Fenty's admin explicitly told all appointees to submit their letter of resignation effective Dec. 31. It is now up to the Mayor-elect to decide if he will accept those resignations or not, and which ones he will choose.
I certainly wouldn't read anything into resignation letters submitted by Fenty appointees.
by a little birdie... on Nov 27, 2010 12:19 am • link • report
If ANYONE wanted to pay the $10,000 cost of a station on their property, then why not? Youre adding 9 docks and 4 bikes to the system.
I do wonder how the maintenance and repositioning system works. Do the bike people get open access to the station when a bike needs a repair?
This either means that the White House side-stepped the NPS, or that the NPS does allow CaBi's on its property. If they can do it in the White House, then they can do it elsewhere.
by David Alpert on Nov 29, 2010 12:15 pm • link • report
The White House grounds are almost certainly a legal exception to regular NPS rules. NPS might own the land, but they do not control it. We're really talking about what to do with bikesharing on land that NPS controls.
The President's Park is administered by NPS, but the White House and its grounds are administered by the Navy. So it's more like a naval station than a national park.
Still, I agree with James above: that'll be one thing ripped out by President Palin in January 2013.
Add a Comment
- Rent in our region is expensive. Does that mean it's unaffordable?
- Think you know Metro? It's whichWMATA week 91
- The Obama administration says zoning is at the heart of some huge economic problems
- How Barcelona gets bicycling right
- On Thursday, the WMATA board heard about why Metro keeps catching on fire. Then on Friday, Metro caught on fire.
- Adams Morgan could get more housing and preserve its plaza, too. But it probably won't.
- This square in Philadelphia is everything DC's Franklin Square could be


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SUMMIT — Playwright David Mamet is fearless when it comes to salty dialogue, characters you love to hate and clashing egos.
"Speed the Plow," now in production at The Summit Playhouse, is just one example of his ability to bring two producers into a room and set up a tug-of-war for who will gain the upper hand.
"Mamet's style of writing is quite unique," director Trey Compton said, "much more like normal conversation and not stagey." Compton said he has always identified with the playwright's style. He said it couldn't be defined as a drama or a comedy. "It's neither. It's a Mamet play. And really, that's the thing. He is his own breed."
In many of his plays, Compton said, Mamet "is not very kind to women. But in this one he offers a sense of hope and humanity. He's a champion for her."
He added that "Speed the Plow is "one of my favorites. It's quite dramatic and intense, but has very funny moments."
Unlike Harold Pinter, Mamet's style is "machine gun, with overlapping dialogue," the director said. "There's an in-your-face quality. These people are not listening to each other."
The theme, he said, contrasts Hollywood greed with a moral need to do the right thing. "It's making money or making art," he said, of the film business and the dog-eat-dog world.
Compton said this is his first experience with the Summit Playhouse and he was drawn to the theater because of the play itself. "Not a lot of people produce Mamet," he said, but added the intimate stage of the Summit theatre is perfect for the intimacy of the production. He has designed a simple set for the 90-minute production, with a hinged wall that converts an office to an apartment living room.
The cast, he said, understands the patterns of speech and "sees how it's written and should be done."
Robert Barwick of Wayne plays Bob Gould, the protagonist who is torn between love and money. James Sloan, who lives in New York City, plays the hard-driving Charlie Fox; and Danielle Pennisi of Cedar Grove is Karen, the naïve young woman who turns the tables on Gould. The original New York cast featured Joe Mantegna, Ron Silver and Madonna.
"Speed the Plow" has been described as having scenes of psychological high comedy, especially when Karen and Bob meet at his apartment. He gives her an impossible script to read, but she is convinced this will make a terrific movie… and eventually talks Bob into seeing her side. Then, of course, Charley is furious.
Among Mamet's other works are "Oleanna," "Glen Garry Glen Ross," (opening at the Chatham Playhouse on March 4) and "American Buffalo."
Compton, who grew up in Pittsburgh, said he was drawn to acting because of a stutter when he was a child. "For me, it was theater, I really believe, that cured me." He said the memorization and distraction of playing a scene with a partner, and wanting something from someone, helped him. He noted how he identified with the much-nominated film, "The King's Speech."
He is a first-generation Brit and said, "That movie really, really spoke to me for obvious reasons. And, I mean, talk about having empathy for a protagonist from my perspective, it was almost hard to watch."
Compton is currently directing and choreographing, "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" for The Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken.
Performances for "Speed the Plow" at The Summit Playhouse, 10 New England Ave., continue through Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. until March 5. On Thursday, Feb. 24, there will be a benefit performance for the New Providence Garden Club. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for students 18 and under. The play is recommended for mature audiences only. To reserve, call 908-273-2192.


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4800 West 92nd Avenue Westminster, CO 80031
Home | City Government | General Services | City Clerk | Election Information
Colorado voter registration forms can be obtained at the City Clerk's office or by visiting the state's website. You must be 18 years of age, a United States citizen and a resident of Colorado for 30 days prior to the election. Registration forms must be submitted to the appropriate County Clerk's office. Each office's address and phone number is listed on the back of the registration form.
Jefferson County Voters Information - Jefferson County Election website or call the Jefferson County Clerk's office at 303-271-8111.
Adams County Voters Information – Adams County Election website or call the Adams County Clerk's office at 720-523-6500.
Register to vote or verify your voter registration by visiting the state's website.
Please contact the City Clerk at 303-658-2161 for more information.


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Here is the browser market share for January 2014, based on traffic to my top site (number in parentheses shows change from December 2013):
Google Chrome: 44.64% (-1.25%)
Firefox: 24.60% (+1.16%)
Safari: 2.83% (-0.10%)
Opera: 1.00% (+0.01%)
January was a good month for IE, which gained back almost all of its losses in December. Microsoft continues to launch marketing campaigns to promote IE – the latest being the Rethink IE campaign that was launched on January 22nd. Microsoft wanted to show IE's "leadership in trying to move the web forward" and highlight some of the experiences IE has helped to create. This campaign replaces the Browser You Love To Hate campaign that it launched on November 2012.
On the other end, Chrome lost 1.25% of market share. January saw a report that hackers can exploit a Chrome bug to eavesdrop on private conversations, even after the Chrome browser is closed. While it is unlikely that this news would have an impact on Chrome's market share, it is nevertheless not a good development for Google.


text: Free Knowledge Social Media Command Centers, Revisited We recently came across this post by Jeremiah Owyang and, considering we've been dipping our toes into the social media command center pool so frequently lately, we figured it was worth sharing. While Jeremiah offers a great list of brands that are leveraging the idea (a couple of our recent projects even made the list! See #11 & #13), there are a few takeaways that really resonated with us. It's a tactic, not a solution. Before you even think about pitching a sexy social powerhouse for your next campaign, event or contest, let's get one thing straight. Creating a social media command center should be viewed as a single tactic, which along with other well-thought-out tactics, ladders up to a larger strategy that encompasses all of your brand's social goals and objectives. In other words, something of this nature is simply a means to an end, not the elusive golden ticket. One size fits all…NOT. Just because some companies have been extremely successful with social command centers doesn't mean your brand needs one, too. Think about it: is your brand on every social media site under the sun because they all make strategic sense? Probably not. Always think about the long-term implications before you become too distracted by the industry's newest shiny object. Social command centers typically require a lot of resources to get up and running, let alone maintained. Is something like this sustainable for your business? Weigh your options. There will never be a monopoly on social command centers. Inevitably you will soon be faced with multiple third party organizations willing to sell you an engagement center. That being the case, knowing how this tool fits into your overall strategy will be essential to making the right choice. Jeremiah's blog post offers a nice checklist for top level requirements. Knowing how your resources and needs align with this list will be extremely helpful in making an informed decision, should the time come. With that, it's worth mentioning that no fancy command center will ever be needed in order to provide an awesome customer engagement experience on social media. Simply being proactive, a good listener and having a solid internal customer service workflow is usually enough to warrant A+ reviews. Either from your personal or professional experience, what is one thing a brand should consider before building a social media command center? Photo credit: Amanda Graor Kim Knott August 31, 2012 Filed under: Social Share LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email


text: Rough Guides Snapshot Germany: Munich and central Bavaria GBP EUR USD EBOOK $2.99 EPUB and MOBI Buy Ebook This item is already in your basket About ebook formats Rough Guide Snapshot Munich and Central Bavaria The Rough Guide Snapshot to Munich and central Bavaria is the ultimate guide to this appealing and attractive city, and to the surrounding region. Germany's most liveable city, Munich combines village-like charm with cosmopolitan style, and is home to a superb collection of museums and galleries. This guide includes comprehensive coverage of all the sights, plus expert reviews of the best hotels, restaurants, bars and beer gardens, and information on the legendary Oktoberfest. Also included is the Basics section to the Rough Guide to Germany, with all the information you need on transport, accommodation, costs and food and drink. Also published as part of the Rough Guide to Germany. Full coverage: Munich, Oktoberfest information, Dachau, Oberschleissheim, Starnberger See, Ingolstadt, Neuburg an der Donau, Eichstätt, Augsburg, Landsberg am Lech (Equivalent printed page extent 80 pages). Published May 2015 Series Snapshots More Products Europe | Germany | Munich


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SAGINAW, MI — A strong cold front will move through southeast Michigan about sunrise on Tuesday, Feb. 19, bringing a sharp wind shift to the west bringing wind throughout the day with gusts reaching 45 mph, according to forecasters.
The National Weather Service has issued a wind advisory that lasts until 7 p.m. for the following counties: Midland, Bay, Huron, Saginaw, Tuscola, Sanilac, Shiawassee, Genesee, Lapeer, St. Clair, Livingston, Oakland, Macomb, Washtenaw, Wayne, Lenawee and Monroe.
The strong wind will cause hazardous conditions for motorists, especially along north south roads, according to the NWS.
"Winds this strong can make driving difficult especially for high profile vehicles," according to the wind advisory. "Use extra caution."
Forecaster Mark Torregrossa warns drivers that the changing weather will cause temperatures to drop, freezing some spots of wet roads.
Precipitation is expected to turn into snow with up to two inches of accumulation possible.
Today in weather history: On Feb. 19, 1994, flooding and flash flooding occurred in Saginaw County around 11 p.m., resulting in about $5,000 in damage, according to the NWS.
Brad Devereaux Email | Facebook | Twitter | 989-372-2442


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A group of college football fans formed a political action committee on Monday to help support lawmakers who are in favor of the creation of a college football playoff system to replace the Bowl Championship Series.
Members of the newly formed Playoff PAC hope if there is enough pressure from Congress, the BCS will voluntarily change to a playoff system.
Washington lawyer Matthew Sanderson, one of the PAC's founders, said, "We recognize this is not a top-of-the-line issue for members of Congress and for the public, but college football is financially and culturally important to a lot of people."
Sanderson is a graduate of the University of Utah, whose football team was passed over for last season's national championship even though it went undefeated in the regular season.
The current college bowl system features a championship game between the two top teams in the BCS standings, based on two polls and six computer rankings. After the title game, eight other schools fill in the remaining slots for Orange, Sugar, Fiesta and Rose bowls. Under the BCS, six conferences get automatic bids - the Atlantic Coast, Big East, Big 12, Big Ten, Pacific-10 and Southeastern. Other conferences have to qualify.
Earlier this year, Congress held two hearings on the BCS, and several lawmakers have introduced bills aimed at forcing a playoff system. But none of the bills has moved.
Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii) is one of several lawmakers who support the PAC's efforts. "The BCS process continues to operate like an exclusive country club rather than a true play-off system."
What do you think - Should a playoff system replace the BCS? Leave your comments below.


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As water becomes an increasingly scarce resource, low-flow toilets are becoming more popular -- and are required in California and Texas. These High Efficiency Toilets (HET) typically operate at 1.28 gallons per flush (gpf), using about 20 percent less water than standard 1.6-gpf toilets. A low-flow toilet may qualify for a rebate from your local water authority. You can search for public utilities that offer rebates at the EPA website.
The challenge for this type of toilet is to still be able to thoroughly clean the bowl of solid waste without needing a second flush, and, among low-flow toilets, the Toto Drake II CST454CEFG (Est. $330 and up) boasts a number of features that make it a standout in this regard, and in this category. This WaterSense-certified toilet features Toto's SanaGloss finish, an ion-barrier glaze that keeps bacteria at bay and prevents debris from adhering to the bowl. Combined with a large water surface that helps keep water cleaner and Double Cyclone technology, which cycles more water around the bowl with each flush, the CST454CEFG requires less frequent cleaning than most toilets.
The Toto Drake II has a MaP score of 800, quite good for a low-flow toilet, and it excels in other testing, earning Excellent ratings in both solid waste removal and bowl cleaning. Owners concur, giving it very high ratings across the board for its flushing and cleaning performance. They say that in spite of its miserly water consumption, the toilet has a powerful flushing action that rarely leaves "leftovers" and that it very rarely leaks or clogs. The Toto Drake II is backed by a one-year warranty and Toto gets uncommonly good reviews for customer service.
With a 16-inch bowl height, the Toto Drake II meets ADA standards and is a comfortable height for most users. However, small children and people of shorter stature may find the height awkward. The Drake II with SanaGloss comes in four colors; black is available without SanaGloss.
If you're looking for a more affordable toilet that offers the same water-efficient features, consider the American Standard 2586.128ST.020 Champion 4 Max (Est. $200). It has a MaP score of 1,000, even better than the Toto Drake, is WaterSense-certified, has a 16.5-inch bowl height for ADA compliance and uses just 1.28 gpf. In one professional review, the American Standard earns Excellent scores for both solid waste removal and bowl cleaning.
The American Standard 2586.128ST.020 features its own antimicrobial surface, called Everclean, to inhibit the growth of bacteria, and owners say it works well. What keeps this low-flow toilet out of our top spot is that it gets quite a few more complaints of defective units -- and for noise. It does include a slow close seat, but, as we often see with toilet seats that are included with the toilet, reviewers say it seems cheap and flimsy.
For an even less expensive option in a water saving toilet, the Glacier Bay N2428E Toilet (Est. $100) may be worth a look. Although it's not much for looks, with a very utilitarian design that sets few hearts aflutter, it does do well in professional testing, earning an Excellent rating for solid waste removal, and a Very Good for bowl cleaning in one review. It also earns an outstanding MaP score of 1,000. Owners overall also say it works well in flushing performance, but a few disagree, saying it's not nearly powerful enough. Like the American Standard, the Glacier Bay also gets more complaints of leaking and seeming very cheap. We also saw a few complaints of missing parts, even if the box had never been opened. Still, plenty of reviewers say this toilet is a great value -- saving them money both initially and in the long run in water savings.
Bidets aren't toilets; rather, they're an adjunct to a toilet. This separate basin or toilet attachment is used to wash one's nether regions after using the bathroom, before or after intimacy, or whenever you feel the need for extra cleanliness. Stand-alone bidets can also be used to wash feet or for a sponge bath, almost like an extra sink.
Common in Europe, bidets can help save both water and paper. They eliminate the need to shower just because you don't feel fresh, and you use less toilet paper since you clean first with water. Cleansing with a bidet is also thought to be more sanitary than just wiping with dry paper. Bidets are becoming increasingly popular in America and are often featured on home-renovation shows.
The Astor Bidet Fresh Water Spray (Est. $30) is a simple toilet seat attachment that installs in minutes. It has no fancy features, drying functions or water-heating mechanism, but it does the job and does it well, reviewers say. It requires no electricity and is made of heavy-duty plastic to resist rust.
Amazon.com owners say you don't need a plumber to install this bidet, but you do need a screwdriver. It attaches to any standard toilet seat and is unobtrusive when not in use. Simply turn a knob to activate the water stream to the desired pressure, but be aware that it uses only cold water. Some find this a bit shocking, but most say the cold water feels refreshing and isn't at all bothersome. Owners call the Astor Bidet a great alternative to moist wipes, which can damage septic systems and even standard plumbing. After using this bidet, you need only a small piece of toilet paper to dry off.
It's a bit pricier than the Astor Bidet, but users love the self-cleaning, retractable nozzle feature on the Luxe Bidet Neo 120 (Est. $45). This not only makes it less obvious next to the toilet seat but also reduces bacterial contamination and improves overall hygiene. The Luxe is also a cold water only bidet, but it does have a pressure-control knob for maximum user comfort.
Both the Astor and Luxe bidets come in white and are backed by a one-year warranty. Although they won't blend in with bathroom fixtures of other colors, they're a great way to test out what some experts think might be the future of the American toilet without a huge monetary investment.
However, if you do have the money and want the ultimate in comfort, the Toto Washlet SW502 (Est. $350) is the toilet seat for you. It gets close to perfect reviews from hundreds of owners who love the luxury touches that such a deceivingly simple product brings to the bathroom. The Washlet features adjustable water pressure and temperature, as well as a seat warmer. Like the Luxe bidet, the Washlet has a self-cleaning function that makes it very sanitary. The seat also has a soft close feature that owners love to avoid that "slam" that can wake you up at night.
The Washlet is reported as extremely easy to install and most reviewers say it's well worth the high price. There are several different Washlet models that range in price from the $350 of this model up to $850, depending upon features. All get excellent reviews from happy, clean owners.
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IEA Head Inaugurates Rural Solar Power Plants in India
13 September 2012: The Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), Maria van der Hoeven, recently inaugurated two solar-power plants in the mountainous Ladakh region of India as part of the village electrification component of the country's push for renewable energy.
The new plants, located about 4,000 meters elevation, are a 12.5 kilowatt solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant located at a local college and a secondary school hostel. They serve to reduce energy poverty in the area as well as minimize the use of diesel and kerosene, cutting greenhouse gas emissions. They represent two of the 125 rural PV power plants installed by Ladakh Renewable Energy Development Agency, a branch of the Indian Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, has been implementing over the last two years. The aim of the programme is to advance solar water heater and greenhouse installation, solar cooking systems, domestic (and other) heating, and solar powered irrigation projects, to the benefit of homes, schools, medical facilities and religious institutions.
Having launched an ambitious solar augmentation plan in 2010, the Indian government now has 23GigaWatt (GW) installed capacity of renewable power generation (12% of power generation), with solar power representing 2% of this. They plan to expand the total by at least 30GW, with a third of this being solar energy, by 2017. [IEA Press Release]


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Egoless Programming
The opposite of
. :)
Colleague One
: I erased the new function you wrote today.
Colleague Two
: But
wanted to erase it!
It is amazing what one can accomplish
if one does not care who gets the credit.
A concept introduced by
. The idea is that programmers must fight the natural tendency to treat their programs as part of themselves, and therefore to reject all criticism. Rather, they should do their best to treat their designs & implementations as objects independent of themselves, and to view criticism dispassionately on its merits. It's a spiritual discipline that we all fall short of, but that's worth attempting.
How can one convince other developers that egos aren't required? Simply leaving names out of source files doesn't seem to suffice, and it seems interesting that on an
page, almost all contributions are signed... Well, there is ego and then there is ego. The ego in
suggests we could do with less of was that part that says "I'm better than you", not the part that says "I did this, including the mistakes."
taken to the extreme is generally recognized as being unworkable, it is useful as a check against an extreme in the other direction,
. There is a balance that must be struck between complete deference to the customer and team, and their total exclusion.
Egoless-ness seems to be an essential part of the
. (See, for example, the invitation at the bottom of this page. Ward may have invented it; lots of us use it.)
Clarification: Ego is Identity; Self-Orientation is the Poison
One common misunderstanding about
is that it means that the programmer participates without opinion or in some disinterested fashion. While reasonable, this is a misunderstanding. Ego is identity. It's when the programmer merges her identity with the program, and clings to it, that causes the problems we are aiming to avoid when we say "do egoless programming." It's ego-less, not ego-free programming.
Ego itself is a useful tool. It gives human beings a point of reference separate from the flow of existence and allows us to gather our experience and synthesize mental models. Our mental models allow us to conceive of manipulations of the world before we enact them. It's this ability to play with creations first in our minds (which is relatively cheap) before we construct them in the world (sometimes to great expense) that makes us so potent. To the degree that our mental models are accurate, our planned manipulations will actually work when we enact them. When these manipulations harmonize with the essence of what's going on, they tend to work well with few unintended side effects. When manipulations are ill-conceived (mostly because key facts are missed or ignored), they can be quite destructive. Ego, the seat of this capability, is a potent tool.
Also, ego can accumulate gumption (i.e. we develop affinity for a certain outcome) and thus motivate us to take on endeavors.
The real trouble is not pride of a job well done, but self-orientation. As David H. Maister makes plain in his book "The Trusted Advisor", trust is thwarted in heavy fashion by self-orientation. When the self becomes the focus (when one becomes defensive, it is the self being defended) this tears away at the possibility of collaboration. You need to be able to trust each other to collaborate effectively. It's this dampening effect on collaboration in a group venture that makes Ego-filled programming a problem.
In general, to the extent that a teammate has not taken responsibility for their ego, he subtracts from the team's ability to gel and function fully. If instead, he bridles his ego and aims to participate in something greater than himself (note that this
himself), he is melding well and makes it more likely for the group to realize the gestalt effect.
Teams that work well together are far more productive. They get more done in less time and at a lower cost. There is significant business value, then, in cultivating the conditions for collaboration. This is the business driver for championing true
Why program egoless?
A strong but uninformed and childlike ego can be a scary sight and coupled with undeserved power, can be devastating. Take the case of the
- an individual highly sensitive to criticism, able to produce quantities of code, loves to work in isolation, AND very poor communication skills. In relation to
, code is the variable optimized for - everything else, testing, review, continuous integration, pair programming (to say the least), personal communication, etc, is compromised.
hesitate to submit to peer review
do not cope well with criticism
produce lots of code, littered with errors
negatively affect personal and team dynamics
have to be reminded to test
confine themselves to their personal cube or office
The problem with egos is often not the absolute size of the egos but their relative size of egos. Where someone with a large ego crushes someone with a smaller ego, the difference in sizes can stop ideas from flowing. One can still care very deeply about a project, problem domain, code quality, etcetera and yet not feel attacked personally when an aspect of the thing is called into question.
But a strong ego is essential to both creativity and resting soundly on competence in a chosen profession. We validate ourselves by our "pride" in being both creative and competent. The danger to our egos in a group setting is that our personal convictions about how creative or competent we are may be revealed to, and proven false by, the group.
Therefore, some degree of personal sacrifice from strong players is essential to the healthy functioning and ultimate success of a group with a mission. The weaker players are mostly there to observe, learn, and strengthen their own egos as they become more competent. Hopefully, this facilitates future opportunities for their competence-fortified creativity to be offered and used in a future group.
doesn't work because it assumes that everyone else is right and does not permit the self-recognition of better ideas. The basic idea that a designer, analyst, programmer should try to exclude all aspects of the ego and focus in a "pure" manner on the problems, requirements, and ideas of others seems impractical. Besides we all have egos that we must live with. (In contrast, another interpretation of
suggests that someone else may be right and explicitly permits [demands?] the recognition of somebody else's better ideas.)
Some people find
hard to make compatible with individual
(Cope's going to jump all over me for this) but an essential part of team
Others like the concept but strongly dislike the name. Not getting all huffy and irrational when someone suggests that your code might be changeable for the better
mean you have no ego, no sense of self, no "I". It means you have a nice healthy ego / self / I that can take constructive criticism and use it for good. Some of the best code is written by people who strongly care about, even identify with, their code (so hardly "egoless"); and because they care about it, they want to improve it, and so they react correctly to people pointing out flaws in it. Would anyone call
"egoless"? *8)
Some believe that
is a manifestation of the beliefs inherent in anti-individualist philosophy which usually comes in the form of bromides like "teamwork is more important than individual contribution" and "one person can't (or shouldn't) make a difference". The results of such thinking are usually referred to as "
", which now has a universally negative connotation for obvious reasons.
adds that it isn't that practitioners are egoless; it's that pretending to be egoless has good consequences. What you feel when somebody finds a critical bug is entirely your own affair; what you say affects the team. Most successful writing workshops practice a similar discipline.
Finally, some people wonder why
has felt the problem lies with the recipient of criticism rather than those providing the criticism. Sometimes those doing the criticism that have too much ego.
Indeed. If we truly want the coder to be egoless and accept constructive criticism, we need to make sure we are providing
criticism, and not puffing our own egos by tearing down the coder.
Howto program without an ego
The deal is this: when I say something to you about your program, you should listen - listen well, so that you really hear me. If you are all involved in getting insulted because I don't see how glorious you and your code are, we won't be productive.
tells me that if I expect this of you, you have a right to expect it of me. I don't have to believe you, or act on what you say. I have to treat your questions and ideas as if they were valid, and consider them with the same acceptance that I consider my own. When they're in my brain clearly, we can discuss the alternatives dispassionately and decide what's best.
It turns out that if I do that, I do better. I have been repeatedly surprised in my role as Coach on C3 that even the newest newbie quite often suggests a course of action that is better than what I had in mind. In fact, now that I think of it, I have actually seen
benefit ... :)
It's a more daunting challenge than you might realize. How many programming discussions have you heard or been a part of where the programmers refer to the code in first person: "so when I get a message from you, I have to update my X widget and then send Y message to you...". The pure convenience of using short, personal pronouns in place of naming the responsible programs, objects, or methods is a difficult habit to break. Take a few days and you'll see that this behavior is quite prevalent.
In "The Timeless Way of Building",
relates how "egoless" is part of "The Kernel of the Way". The key to "egoless" seems to be doing just exactly what the problem or situation requires, no more, and no less. Letting the solution emerge from the problem, rather than imposing a solution upon the problem.
Programming "egoless" opens the design to improvement from inception, but that doesn't mean you should be without any ego. Arrogance is essential. You must believe the design you have chosen to follow from the first understanding of the problem is capable of evolving into something which will complement or encapsulate all of the subtle interactions in the implementation.
How can we stop the arrogance of ego from blinding us to what is often obvious (in hindsight)? Put it in perspective by accepting that there is much more to know than I already know. This perspective does not remove ego from the design environment, but it does remove the negative impact of ego by encouraging me to consider all resources, regardless of source. It is amazing how often the really useful solutions and concepts come from people in the least likely roles.
Is it worth being careful about what is and is not a "fact"?
Some things are facts, when dealing with actual code. For example, you could write a procedure that takes the average of two numbers. Upon inspection, I discover that it really just adds them together and you apparently forgot to divide by two. I'd consider it to be a fact that the code is broken.
However, when it comes to more abstract concepts, I tend to have severe nihilistic leanings, so it's hard for me to see the line other people draw between "fact" and "opinion". According to the above, we should act differently when we talk about opinions versus facts.
I'll start two lists that have my best guesses. Everyone can edit them until we have a satisfactory distinction between fact and opinion.
Examples of facts:
I inspected your code in a debugger and saw an integer overflow, which led to an out-of-bounds array index, which caused the program to crash.
Fortran can be more easily optimized by modern compilers than C.
I measured the performance of these two implementations of XYZ, and implementation A is 20% faster.
Bit-shifting is faster than division on most processors.
Examples of opinions:
Your program is using 16-bit integers, which are overflowing. You need to increase the size to 32-bits.
Fortran is better at numerical computations than C.
Since implementation A is faster, we should use it.
Bit-shifting is a
General guidelines
Don't simply declare your decision. In most cases, things shouldn't be a
from any one person. There should be a discussion.
Facilitate and encourage discussion by encouraging all to contribute to decisions.
Don't use put-downs, e.g. "That was the buggiest code I've ever seen." Be clinical when it comes to code that isn't yours. Better: "There were a few bugs."
Constantly search for better solutions. Openly discuss innovative solutions. See if they apply elsewhere. Ignore errors - note them to be fixed, but ignore them. They are not part of design (unless you are building an ExceptionManager
Don't assume that someone hasn't already put plenty of thought into something. "Now that we're done with this, let's go back and pick some decent colors for the web page."
Acknowledge individual contribution [unless this is very strongly frowned upon in the culture in question, someone I once worked with cited his doing this as one of his biggest faux pas during a period working in Japan - JonHanna
Don't state facts. State opinions, because that is what they really are. Bad: "Nobody puts binary data in a database. It just doesn't make any sense." Better: "I've never had a good reason to put binary data in a database. I've never seen the benefits of it."
DO state facts as facts - this design exposes security holes; this other one has several specific advantages; DO state opinions as opinions rather than facts - the design that corrects that problem seems better to me.
Some excellent examples of what can be gained from
's essay "Errors of TeX" on all the bugs he found in TeX (cited in
) It can be downloaded (
Brooks's 20-year revision of the
, which has a chapter on what he got wrong.
advocates "egoful design with egoless expression" (
2, p878). He seems to mean that
s are good but creativity is otherwise desirable.
Counter Point: Ego Motivates
Humans are fed by ego. If you don't feed their ego, they lose interest. It might be more efficient on paper to take ego out of it, but we humans start to feel like grey automatons in a clinical nightmare without ego. We like to play intellectual one-upmanship and turn programming into a sport.
shows one how to motivate by stroking others' egos. (It does not use the term "ego" for the most part, but it is implied.)
I think this is a really good point and should be considered by all developers at one stage or another. Ego really can drive good programming. I prefer caling it 'pride' or even 'perfectionism' rather than 'ego' though because ego can refer to other concepts that are counter-productive (such as the examples on this well written page). One example off the top of my head is the type of computer ethusiast who loves to talk technical to friends and relatives in order to sound smart.
Unfortunately, pride / ego can get in the way of good team relations. When you try hard to think of good symbol names, create nicely decomposed code and follow good coding practices in general, it can hurt to see your creation get mixed in with piles of uncommented, 200 page long classes. Kind of like taking someone's carefully made craftwork, making some 'special changes' to the design, then handing it back to them to work on before selling it to a customer.
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Andrei Kirilenko scored 20 points and the Minnesota Timberwolves routed the slumping Phoenix Suns 117-86 on Friday night to snap a nine-game road losing streak. Reserve Dante Cunningham added 18 points, Greg Stiemsma had 14 and four others were in double digits for the Timberwolves, who won for the fourth time in 16 games. Minnesota set season highs for total points, first-half points (67) and second-quarter points (35) in snapping a 13-game road losing streak against Western Conference opponents. Luis Scola had 17 points and 12 rebounds, and Goran Dragic added 13 points and 10 assists for the Suns, who have lost six of seven and eight of their past 10. Phoenix's last three losses have come by an average of 21 points. The Suns came into the game with only one true center on the roster, little-used Hamid Haddadi, who has averaged 18 minutes since starter Marcin Gortat went out on March 6 with a Lisfranc strain in his right foot.
Wolves Rout Suns 117-86 to Snap 9-Game Road Skid
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New Year – New Opportunities!
~Taking the "maudlin" out of New Year's Resolutions~
By John T. Hewitt
Founder & CEO of Liberty Tax Service
Doesn't every New Year seem to bring the inevitable article that takes you into that "fuzzy world" of rhetoric and reads more like a ballad of flashbacks that didn't quite hit the top 100 list? Sure, looking back on previous years' efforts is always a sane approach to substantiate your movement forward. But let's not get so mired in the past that we become immobile because we are focusing too much on what didn't happen and not enough on what did. We can't change yesterday, but we can surely impact tomorrow's success. Reflection may be good for the soul, but let's talk business, not just recycled resolutions!
Following are five important resolutions that are fairly commonsensical, pretty fundamental, and definitely achievable:
1. Think out of the box: This should be on every business leader's resolution list. Quoting early 20th-century self-help author James Allen, "All that a man achieves and all that he fails to achieve is the direct result of his own thoughts." Learning the lessons of forward-thinking is paramount to your continued success. Remember, we do not live in a one-size-fits-all world. Creative thinking will always win over safe and boring. Success is not built on status quo thinking but on innovation. One must always embrace the new and take intelligent risks. Conventional wisdom may say to get back to the basics and cut costs, especially during these economic times. But I can guarantee you that the winners are the innovators who are making bold thinking an everyday part of doing business. Breaking from convention should be part of the culture of a successful company since innovation must be understood and lived by all stakeholders, across the board. But it is a top-down process; so as the business leader, it is incumbent on you to set the tone within your company.
2. Embrace what works and discard what doesn't: From time to time, we all have experienced the need to hold on to something even though it is no longer a good fit and/or is just not producing. Whether it's a process or a staff member, or even old equipment, we sometimes want to just "wish it into success", hoping it will take care of itself. The reality is that the longer you procrastinate, the deeper the damage. This year, let's resolve to be on top of these problem areas and attack them head-on. Stop wasting energy and time trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Accept that change is inevitable and the quicker you steer the helm back on course, the more successful your company and team members will be. To clarify, I'm not advocating that you go through your company with a goal to kick out people and processes on an ad hoc basis. I am avowing, however, that you realize the importance of keeping only that which is best suited to your success, and therefore eliminate the difficulty of retrenchment. Protect your corporate culture by vowing to keep the momentum going and to take action swiftly when it is called for. Likewise, keep the parts of the machine that are working well-oiled and primed such that they can continue to support your success.
3) Delegate for success: Learning how to "let go" seems to be a common challenge for many business leaders. I can admit I've struggled with this problem myself from time to time. After all, no one can do it quite as well as "we" can, right? Well, wrong -- yes they can! Successful leaders are those who can turn over control and delegate effectively so they can focus on the bigger picture of growing the company's success. If you are beyond start-up phase and have a business staffed with professionals capable of handling their responsibilities, why get in their way? Delegation doesn't mean not being aware of project status and deliverable dates. You can set up a reporting process to ensure you are in the loop. While delegation may be considered a challenging business approach by some, it is realistically a way for business leaders to get more done since it increases your productivity time and allows you to focus on growing the business, increasing revenue and innovation. Of course the caveat is that you must ensure that the people in place are capable of handling the responsibility. And if they are not, then you need to replace them with someone who is. Clearly, the solution is not to refrain from delegation but, instead, to build a capable team of professionals that will allow for this extremely important time-management process. Remember, your company is only as strong as your internal intelligence. So choose your stakeholders wisely, and then allow yourself to count on them to do their jobs.
4) You are your best advertisement: I like to think that the Liberty Tax Service team is pretty much a walking billboard, since they represent the company and its culture to the outside world. If you have a positive team, they will project this positivity and it will be obvious to the marketplace by the way they speak about the company and the enthusiasm with which they engage in their responsibilities. Can your stakeholders speak with confidence about your company? Do they understand the corporate goal and how to get there? Do they understand the customer and their needs? Do they project a sense of assurance in the leadership, the future and in your company's success? Does your management team encourage innovation and solutions-driven engagement? If the answer is no to any of these questions, you just might be stomping on your own brand. People are always your best advertisement. Remember, good people attract other rich talent to your firm, who in turn attract more clients, since the quality of your product or service increases in synch with the level of committed professionalism your company exudes. Stakeholder enthusiasm is key to differentiating the ordinary company from the extraordinary. Our mantra at Liberty is to be extraordinary, and we realize that we need everyone on board with this goal or it will never be a reality. Commitment to positivity and innovation should be an "all the time, everywhere" imperative for your company. It is not something to take lightly, only discussing it at your annual management meeting. To be extraordinary, you must be so at all levels of the company. And the marketplace needs to see it to believe it. Remember, you have the power to change customer perception, so make sure your team is changing it in the right direction.
5) Do something good for your community: It goes without saying that if you take care of the community, it will take of you. Corporations have a responsibility to give back to their constituents and to do so in a meaningful and lasting way. In a somewhat discontinuous world, it is socially responsible and it does nothing but perpetuate the right impression about your commitment to the whole. At Liberty, we support numerous organizations, from M.A.D.D. to the American Red Cross and Relay for Life, from March of Dimes to Cell Phones for Soldiers, to name just a few. And it's not just at the corporate level. Our family of Franchisees engages in cause-related programs throughout the tax season and into the summer months. As a matter of fact, our Hispanic initiative, Una Familia Sin Fronteras, which is based on providing FREE bilingual, fiscal and financial education to Latinos across the nation, holds seminars and workshops throughout the year, working with nonprofits and school districts through their Adult Outreach Programs. Making a difference in your community is immeasurable, and volunteerism should be a reflection of your corporate culture.
As we look to the future and ponder our options, it's important to realize that there must be a balance between all innovation and systemic business models. There is nothing wrong with buoying your direction with standard business practices. Just be sure that you do not lose the enthusiasm to be extraordinary, to be unique, to be innovative, and to take intelligent risks. Breakthrough ideas are a requirement if you are to compete in today's fast-paced business environment. If the power to set strategy and direction is narrowly held, your business options will be limited and corporate renewal will inevitably falter. After all, new voices are essential for new thinking!


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Romney to appear with Kid Rock in Manchester
Presidential candidate plans stop at Verizon Center
Published 8:17 PM EDT Oct 30, 2012
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney will make a campaign stop in Manchester on Monday, appearing at the Verizon Center with Kid Rock.
No other details about Romney's visit have been released.
New Hampshire is one of a handful of battleground states where polls have shown a tight race.
Copyright 2012 by WMUR.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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It's fashion's biggest night! Wait, weren't the Oscars in February? And the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute gala last month? It's fashion's other other biggest night — the Council of Fashion Designers of America Awards (CFDAs), in which the designers themselves took the spotlight (when it wasn't being commandeered by, say, supermodel Karolina Kurkova in tiny silver short shorts or "Girls" star Jemima Kirke in what looked like a black bathing suit under a billowy sheer caftan).
First, the winners of the actual awards: Proenza Schouler took the top trophy for Womenswear Designer of the Year over Marc Jacobs and buzzy Alexander Wang, who is the new creative director of Balenciaga. Thom Browne won Menswear Designer of the Year (although it was his womenswear that a boost this year after Michelle Obama wore his checked coat to her husband's second inauguration). Philip Lim took home Accessory Designer of the Year. Vera Wang was honored with the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award. (For a full list of winners along with lookbooks, go to the CFDA website.)
As for the red carpet winners, our top picks include "The Office" star Ellie Kemper, in a dazzling sunburst-beaded Naeem Khan cocktail dress; "Scandal" star Kerry Washington, in a marigold satin ballgown from Jason Wu; Nicole Richie, true to her updated '70s-chic aesthetic in a textured bronze slipdress from Marc Jacobs; and Sofia Vergara of "Modern Family," more for her spectacular emerald and diamond statement necklace from Lorraine Schwartz than her standard-issue green gown from Herve L. Leroux.
Worst dressed: Kirke in that ridiculous Goth-hippie-beach get-up, and Adriana Lima in a Givenchy that was all serious and severe on top and completely sheer from the tops of her thighs down to her ankles. Most boring? We can't bring ourselves to even proffer an opinion about Jessica Chastain's shapeless black Givenchy and Juliette Lewis' bridesmaid-y Zac Posen.


text:
A vigil for the victims of a school massacre in Connecticut was held Saturday in Brookfield's Sikh community.
The Sikh community remembered those lost at the school, as well as their own recent tragedy.
Six of their own died in August when a gunman attacked the Oak Creek Temple.
The Sikhs invited the public to join them to share their grief and offer prayers for healing.
Sikh members said they received so much support after the shooting at the Oak Creek Temple that they felt compelled to come together for the families in Connecticut.
Another vigil is planned at the Oak Creek Temple at 6 p.m. Sunday.


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The Society will offer two sessions:
1. Cooper's Indians, chaired by Professor Barbara A. Mann.
2. TBA, chaired by Professor Signe Wegener. These papers may deal with any aspect of the life or works of James Fenimore Cooper.
Presenters need not be members of the James Fenimore Cooper Society, though we of course hope they will choose to join. Papers presented will, with the authors' permission, be published in the James Fenimore Cooper Society Miscellaneous Papers series and also made available online at the society's website (http://external.oneonta.edu/cooper). Papers may be mildly revised for publication.
Paper proposals should include the paper title, an abstract (approx. 300 words), and an indication whether or not the paper may be published in the Miscellaneous Papers. Generally, proposals for papers intended for the Miscellaneous Papers will receive preference.
Deadline for proposals to be submitted to the chair is December 31, 2007.
Submit proposals to:
(Cooper's Indians)
Barbara A. Mann
English Department
University of Toledo
2801 West Bancroft Street
Toledo, OH 43606
(general topics)
Signe Wegener
Department of English
University of Georgia
Park Hall 324
Athens, GA 30602-6205
firstname.lastname@example.com; email@example.com
E-mail submission is preferred (attachments welcome) but not necessary.


text:
Our state legislators announced today that they will combine forces on Bridgegate. To which we say, good show - it's the right decision for everyone involved.
This means there will now be just one special joint committee to investigate the controversial September lane closures in Fort Lee, instead of separate, possible dueling panels representing the Senate and the Assembly respectively.
It will spare us all the duplicate subpoenas, attorney fees, hearings, documents and blitz of press releases that only waste public dollars and time. And since a crowd of Gov. Chris Christie's staffers will be dragged in to testify - 20 subpoenas are already pending - separate committees would have caused all kinds of chaos in state government.
This new joint panel will be co-chaired by Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Middlesex) and Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen), the two lawmakers who've led the charge for answers on this flap from the beginning. They deserve to share the spotlight now, as the Star-Ledger editorial board has argued.
Their committee will feature 12 members, including eight Democrats and four Republicans, representing both the Senate and the Assembly. That is as it should be. This is no place for petty internal rivalries. To get at the truth, we need a fair mix of hands in the Bridgegate investigation - along with a healthy dose of skepticism.


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New York Fashion Week AW14/15 Series: Jason Wu
9th February 2014
I'm kicking off this season's Fashion Week coverage with Jason Wu's New York show for AW14/15. I was particularly attracted to the way that Wu took a more androgynous approach to glamour – shapes were long and lean rather than full and feminine for his signature elegant evening wear.
Black, silver and petrol blue were the colours of the collection. With 1940s meets 1990s styling, bias cut dresses with spaghetti straps and velvet gowns along with some seriously luxe suiting was order of the day. Dazed magazine suggested this collection was reminiscent of 90s Gwyneth Paltrow – think slinky metallics and sinuous gowns.
Overall, a very likable collection From Jason Wu.
Photos: Sonny Vandevelde.


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President and CEO
Cynthia Pritchard
Prior to taking this position Cynthia has served in several management positions, in both the non-profit and for-profit community. She most recently was the Operations Manager of Workforce Plus in Tallahassee, Fl which was a regional office for the Department of Labor and the Operations Manager for the Medicaid Call Center for the State of Florida. She went to Florida after spending time in Virginia as the Director of Programs and Services for the Multiple Sclerosis society covering the 51 counties of Western Virginia. Cynthia was a program designer, professional educator, and also served as the lead in public policy for MS in Virginia including key roles in two pieces of legislation and a statewide policy change. She came to Virginia the first time after spending the first 40 years of her life in Pennsylvania, where she had multiple positions, including Vice President of Pritchard Insurance and Financial; Health and Safety for the Red Cross, Director of Admissions and Social Services for a Long Term care facility, Business consultant in Long Term Care, (included teaching for the Life Underwriting Training Council) managing a chocolate company, and a dental practice.She currently serves as a volunteer for: Pennsylvania and National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, Pennsylvania and National Society Children of the American Revolution, Staunton Rotary, and Waynesboro Symphony. She is also adjunct faculty at Blue Ridge Community College.
Cynthia has 3 children and 4 grandchildren who reside in Calilfornia, Maryland, and Utah.
Operations and Resource Manager
Jody Beelendorf
I was born in Jamestown, NY just outside of cold Buffalo. I moved to sunny Florida in 1985 and worked for various Insurance companies as an administrator then moved into the field of Human Resources. I relocated to Virginia to be closer to family and live in Herndon, VA for 6 years. While in Herndon I worked for Micron Technology in Manassas, VA as a Human Resources Administrator-Staffing & Employment. After that I went to worked for Keane, Inc. in McLean, VA as a Senior Human Resources Administrator. I had the opportunity to relocate and work out of my home so moved to Staunton, VA to be closer to my two brothers and their families.
I am now the Operations Manager of the United Way of Greater Augusta and have been with the organization for three years.
I live in Staunton, VA with my two children and my two dogs.
Community Investment Manager
Paul Vaughan
After graduating from Virginia Tech in 1999, Paul moved to Richmond, VA where he spent several years working for an environmental organization dedicated to shaping public policy to protect Virginia's natural resources. Learning the fundamentals in public outreach, program coordination, and staff management, Paul worked with a small staff of dedicated activists to help create statewide recognition of numerous environmental campaigns.
In 2009, Paul moved to Charlottesville, VA to work as a Community Organizer in the city's public housing community. In this role, he worked alongside residents to help reduce economic inequality, improve basic quality of life, and ensure the low-income community had a voice in local issues.
In addition, Paul has also worked in the for-profit sector as the Outreach Coordinator for a local pharmacy in Greensboro, NC. He currently lives in Staunton.
Community Relations Coordinator


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|Classic, Whimsical, Outdoorsy, Cute, Retro / Vintage
What materials did you use? It uses small amounts of crochet thread and many colors can be used so it is a great project to use up small amounts of crochet thread (20 yards being the most that is needed). Small amount of polyester fiberfill. Tapestry needle Washable fabric glue. Boye Steel Crochet hook size 1 (2.25mm).


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Consultancy firm Interbrand annually bestows top honors to the best global brands. Here are the top nonalcoholic beverage brands for 2013:
Brands (Ranking) in the Top 100
Company Market Capitalization
Coca-Cola (3)
$168 billion
Pepsi (22)
$125 billion
Starbucks (91)
$59 billion
Impressively, both Coca-Cola and Pepsi have secured spots on the Best Global Brands list since its 2001 inception. Coca-Cola retained the coveted No. 1 spot from 2001 through last year. However, the world's strongest beverage brand slipped two spots, to No. 3 this year. On the other hand, Pepsi has jumped an impressive 22 spots since 2001, from No. 44 to its current No. 22. Both Sprite and Starbucks have actually lost ground on the list during the past several years. Sprite didn't make the list until 2010, when it debuted at No. 61. Meanwhile, Starbucks has dropped three spots, from No. 88 in 2001 to No. 91 this year.
In the past year, Pepsi and Starbucks enjoyed the biggest gains, with each brand value soaring 8% since 2012. Pepsi's large gain might be a result of its heightened focus on the consumer experience through its intensified marketing campaigns, and hiring of the company's first chief design officer. Meanwhile, Starbucks may attribute its gain to the company's growing international presence as well as its recent acquisitions, including Teavana teas, Evolution Fresh juices, and La Boulange baked goods. By comparison, brand values of both Coca-Cola and Sprite increased by a more modest 2% during the past year.
Do top global brands equal happy shareholders?
The three companies behind these brands have returned stellar profits to their stockholders over the course of their publicly traded lives. However, only coffee giant Starbucks -- returning roughly 44% -- has edged out the S&P 500's 21% year-to-date return. By comparison, PepsiCo and Coca-Cola have returned 20% and 6%, respectively, during that same period.
Yet, when we look at performance over a longer period of time, all three of these beverage makers have handily outperformed the overall stock market.
Starbucks, Coca-Cola, and PepsiCo returned roughly 433%, 123%, and 113%, respectively, over the past decade. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 returned just shy of 99% during that same period.
Foolish final thoughts
The three companies behind these brands boast a combined 270 years of experience, with Starbucks -- founded in 1985 -- being the youngest of the companies mentioned. The endurance of these companies, coupled with their respective brand strengths, has helped them build worldwide exposure. And it appears to be keeping their long-term shareholders happy, too.
Music to long-term investors' ears
The best investing approach is to choose great companies and stick with them for the long term. The Motley Fool's free report, "3 Stocks That Will Help You Retire Rich," names stocks that could help you build long-term wealth and retire well, along with some winning wealth-building strategies that every investor should be aware of. Click here now to keep reading.


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A four-alarm fire in a Jefferson County barn kills dozens of cows.
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Author Biography | Interview | Books by this Author | Readalikes
Louise Dean is the author of novels and short stories published in the UK and internationally, including Becoming Strangers, This Human Season, The Idea of Love, and The Old Romantic Her first book, the award-winning Becoming Strangers was voted one of the top 5 fiction books of 2004 by The Observer. Louise Dean was born in Hastings and grew up in Kent going to Cranbrook School and Cambridge University where she read History. After working in marketing for Unilever she went into advertising in London, then Hong Kong, and New York. She is mother to three children and lives in Kent.
About This Biography
This biography was last updated on 04/04/2016. We try to keep BookBrowse's biographies both up to date and accurate, but with over 2500 lives to keep track of it's inevitable that some won't be as current or as complete as we would like. So, please help us - if the information about a particular author is out of date, inaccurate or simply very short, and you know of a more complete source, please let us know. Authors and those connected with authors: If you wish to make changes to your bio, send your complete biography as you would like it displayed so that we can replace the old with the new.
In an exclusive interview with BookBrowse, Louise Dean talks about herself and her three books, Becoming Strangers, This Human Season and the book that she's currently working on; and offers pithy but inspiring advice to aspiring authors.
A lot of first fiction tends to be autobiographical to some extent, but
considering that you wrote Becoming Strangers in your early 30s and the
lead protagonists are two couples in their 50s and 80s, it's reasonably safe to
assume that it's not! Did you have a particular motive for writing it?
After a sadly failed early marriage, I suppose I needed to say "down with love", and "friendship is good". That"s simplistic though. Away from home, in the US, and unable, due to the INS, to go home to see my family for some years, my grandparents died. I loved them dearly and it grieved me to miss their last years (they had a major hand in raising me, I was their only grandchild). I brought them back to life in this book. When I started to write seriously, aged 26, a friend said to me "Write what you need". It was good advice.
Reading the dialogue and thoughts of your various characters, it's as if you've somehow got inside their own skins and ...
Blood at the Root
"A gripping, timely, and important examination of American racism."
- PW Starred Review
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and be entered to win..
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BookBrowse seeks out and recommends books that we believe to be best in class. Books that will whisk you to faraway places and times, that will expand your mind and challenge you -- the kinds of books you just can't wait to tell your friends about.


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COLUMBIA - South Carolina ranks second-to-last when it comes to the number of women in the legislature.
The Post and Courier's Jeremy Borden reported women make up only 13 percent of the Palmetto State's lawmakers; a total of 22 legislators. Louisiana is the only state in the Union that has a smaller number of women in the legislature.
In South Carolina's Senate, only one woman serves: Sen. Katrina Shealy, R-Lexington. Advocates say that despite some success in key positions, women are also lacking on other boards and local bodies.
Other stories you may have missed:
Senator to address state's open records laws (The Post and Courier)
Mark Sanford supports opening up banking for the marijuana states (The Post and Courier)
Finlay, McCulloch ready for rematch (The State)
Leatherman plans to keep board members in their posts (The State)
Sheheen speaks at Democrat HQ opening (The Sumter Item)
- Keywords


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A man was apprehended Thursday as he tried to bring assault rifles, grenade-launchers and other war materiel into the Caribbean province of Colon, Honduran police said.
Jose Andino, 35, was at the wheel of the pickup truck carrying the contraband, police inspector Julian Hernandez told the press.
The arms cache included five U.S.-made M-16 assault rifles, which are standard issue for Honduran soldiers, as well as three grenade-launchers, bullet-proof vests and various types of ammunition.
Police stopped the truck in the Plan de Flores sector of Colon after receiving a tip about a consignment of arms coming into the Caribbean province from the northern city of San Pedro Sula, Hernandez said.
Colon is wracked by conflict between palm-oil barons and landless peasants, while authorities say drug traffickers are also active in the area.
Honduras's 2011 homicide rate of 92 murders per 100,000 people was one of the highest in the world, U.N. experts said in a recent report.
About 18 violent deaths occur in the Central American country daily, according to figures compiled by the National Police and human rights groups. EFE


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Women who use the Ortho Evra birth control patch are at a higher risk of developing venous thromboembolism than women who use birth control pills, according to an updated label approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in January.
Previous studies comparing this patch with oral contraceptives had contradictory results (Cole JA et al. Obstet Gynecol. 2007;709[2 pt 1]:339-346; Jick S et al. Contraception. 2007;76[1]:4-7). The new labeling reflects the results of the most recent epidemiological study comparing the incidence of venous thromboembolism in women aged 15 to 44 who were using the patch or oral contraceptives containing 30 μg of ethinyl estradiol and progestin levonorgestrel. The study, conducted by the Boston Collaborative Drug Surveillance Program, found that risk of this adverse event in women using the patch was twice as high as in women taking oral contraceptives.
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Plenty of us think Hopkins can do just about anything, but his casting seemed a little off to play the legendary filmmaker. And when images of Hopkins in full (suspect) makeup and fatsuit surfaced on the web, skepticism reared its ugly head.
But now we have a trailer for the new film "Hitchcock" to see what the cast and director Sacha Gervasi have in store with this story about the production hurdles the filmmaker faced while trying to make the horror milestone "Psycho."
You'll also see that Scarlett Johansson's derriere, featured so prominently in "The Avengers," grabs top billing in this trailer. Curious marketing there, guys.
Does it bother you when an actor looks nothing like the historic figure he or she is playing? Sometimes it's uncanny like with Jim Morrison (Val Kilmer), Ray Charles (Jamie Foxx) and Marilyn Monroe (Michelle Williams). And we've seen great performances when there is simply no resemblance: Edward R. Murrow (David Strathairn), Richard Nixon (Frank Langella) and, especially, Bob Woodward (Robert Redford) and Carl Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman).
Consider us cautiously optimistic, despite the "J. Edgar"-level makeup. We trust Hopkins.


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FOR THOSE WHO PREFER THEIR TV with a British accent, here's a redoubtable twosome. "Blue Boy," the season opener for PBS's Masterpiece Theatre (Sun., Oct. 2,9 p.m. ET) is drawn from an old Scottish ghost story. The ever-evocative Emma Thompson stars as a pregnant woman staying with her unfaithful husband (Adrian Dunbar) at a resort haunted by a boy who drowned in the adjoining loch a century before. Then there's Anna Lee: Headcase (A&E Tues., Oct. 4,9 p.m. ET), the first in a bracing film series based on Liza Cody's novels. Imogene Stubbs stars as the title character, a thoroughly modern girl who has left the London police for a private detective firm. In the debut she's helping a disturbed teenager who is suspected of murder.
Picks and Pans Review: Program Notes
updated 10/03/1994 AT 01:00 AM EDT
•originally published 10/03/1994 AT 01:00 AM EDT


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DC Chapter Of Gay Group Log Cabin Republicans Votes Against Endorsing Donald Trump
Daniel Radcliffe 'Saddened' By Homophobia In Hollywood
Murray Bartlett Joins Cast Of 'Nashville'
Pope Francis Backs Opponents Of Proposal To Legalize Gay Marriage In Mexico
Uganda Police Block LGBT Pride Parade
Mexico City: Tens Of Thousands March Against Proposal To Legalize Gay Marriage
Vice President Joe Biden will deliver
the keynote address at the Human Rights Campaign's (HRC) annual Los
Angeles Dinner on Saturday, March 22.
Biden will be accompanied by his wife
Dr. Jill Biden at Southern California's largest LGBT rights gala.
"Vice President Biden has been a
champion of civil rights for his entire career, from his leadership
on the Violence Against Women Act to his strong support for marriage
equality," HRC President Chad Griffin said in announcing Biden's
"As senator and vice president, his
work to advance LGBT equality is just one chapter in a remarkable
lifetime of service," Griffin added.
Last year, Biden canceled a scheduled
speech at the group's annual National Dinner in Washington D.C. The
AP cited the partial shutdown of the federal government as the reason
behind the cancellation. Biden did address the group in 2008.
On Top Magazine


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Welcome to ShopFittings World incorporating Caranco
Established in 1946, we are one of the UK's leading Shop Fittings supplier and distributor We manufacture in England, UK and the far east to provide you with a choice of quality products at a price that gives you an edge. We of course deliver shop fittings, display and point of sale products throughout the UK.
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Compact and tidily finished, the Creative GigaWorks T3 is a 2.1-channel sub/sat system offering notably good sound quality
As sub/sat systems go, the Creative GigaWorks T3 system is certainly quite compact. But it also offers one of the best overall sound qualities from the breed of PC stereo speaker systems you can find.
It all starts with a small and boxy sub-woofer, around 10in cubed, adding a remotely placed pair of single-driver satellites, these perched on fixed stands with spindly pillars. The Creative GigaWorks T3 sub features no less than three separate bass woofers, one firing forward and one on each side panel– the trio of which might explain the system name.
But only the forwardmost unit is actually connected to any amp. The side drivers are actually passive drivers - otherwise known as auxiliary bass radiators (ABR) in serious audio circles - and contribute to an extended and powerful bass response.
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Inside the Creative GigaWorks T3 bass box are the electronics, including a 50W amplifier for the woofer and a stereo amp rated at 15W per channel to drive the satellites. To keep efficiency high and waste heat low, these are all Class D amplifiers, often erroneously dubbed 'digital amplifiers'.
You won't find these used in audiophile systems, but for mainstream audio and home entertainment applications, they are becoming increasingly popular.
But the Creative GigaWorks T3's black box and its contents will ordinarily be hidden from view, leaving the mid- and high-frequency baby speakers on the desk, along with a wired remote control unit.
This rounded knob allows an easy and weighted mastery of volume. In its base you'll find two mini jacks, one for headphones, the other an additional line input. This makes plugging in a portable MP3 player much easier than rummaging on the floor for a socket.
Where many sub/sat systems fail is in the believable integration of the bass speaker to the midrange reproduction of the satellites. The Creative GigaWorks T3, while not exactly winning this war, fought a good battle by fooling the ear that there was a good knit going on. Perhaps it was the 'correctness' of the mid and top frequencies that made the usual omission that much more forgivable.
NEXT PAGE: More on sound quality >>
We found we had to turn the bass control knob to its absolute minimum setting to get a natural balance, and even then it could be a bit too bass heavy in some modern music productions. But we were then rewarded with quite tight and tuneful bass, all securely underpinning the sound from the satellites.
The inviting quality of the Creative GigaWorks T3 system's sound presentation was helped by the use of a single driver, rather than a two-way speaker, which inevitably suffer a little from phase errors.
This is due to the crossover filter network, which splits the sound into mid and treble frequencies for the respective drive units. Get the finished speaker more phase linear - much easier with but a single driver - and the sense of space in a soundfield will be that much more realistic.
The downside is often that the highest of frequencies will be a little subdued, as you might expect when asking one tiny speaker to reproduce over six octaves of sound; but overall the Creative GigaWorks T3 could conjure up a smooth and mellow sound, dimensionally deep with some quite convincing stereo imaging.
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While top-end treble sparkle was not as well defined as with a speaker using a separate tweeter, this had the effect of softening the grain of less than stellar-sounding music sources, while hiding the inherent grain of Class D amplification.
Meanwhile, the Creative GigaWorks T3 bass speaker proved aptly profound in extension, yet suitably taught and well-timed, able to stop and start sufficiently precisely - and with ample kick when called upon from acoustic drums. It could also play a well-pitched thrum from the steady pedal notes of keyboard synths.
Compared to a true hi-fi setup, the Creative GigaWorks T3 may have shown a lack of real transparency to the original music, for sure, but overall tonality was rated good, with no serious vices in the 'voicing' of this sytem.
NEXT PAGE: Our expert verdict >>
Creative GigaWorks T3: Specs
- 2.1-channel sub/sat speaker system
- 50W rms bass amplifier
- 15W/ch rms satellite amplifier
- 1 x line-level analogue input (2 RCA phono sockets)
- wired remote control with 3.5mm headphone out and 3.5mm line input
- 9W (idle) power consumption
- 93x76x149mm, 352g (satellites)
- 287x236x213mm, 5.9kg (sub)
- 2.1-channel sub/sat speaker system
- 50W rms bass amplifier
- 15W/ch rms satellite amplifier
- 1 x line-level analogue input (2 RCA phono sockets)
- wired remote control with 3.5mm headphone out and 3.5mm line input
- 9W (idle) power consumption
- 93x76x149mm, 352g (satellites)
- 287x236x213mm, 5.9kg (sub)
Compared to a conventional two-box stereo speaker system, a 2.1 sub/sat setup means you can reap the benefits of smaller-looking speakers – although there will still be a nest of wiring to contend with. The Creative GigaWorks T3 is a well-designed example of what you can do with the principle, and undoubtedly one of the finest sounding compact PC systems available today. Available now for less than £140, it fully deserves a hearty recommendation.
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