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Ah, Chad Durbin. He was a good bullpen piece for the Phillies a few years ago. But in 2013, he was, to put it nicely, sub-par. He signed with the team for 1.1 million in late January, a move that was criticized heavily at the time.
Still, the Phillies kept giving Durbin chances in big spots early on, and he failed over and over.
Eventually, after just sixteen appearances (and a total of sixteen innings pitched), Durbin was released. Due to him being released outright, the Phillies still owed him $1.1 million. He wouldn't pitch again in 2013. His season ERA was an even 9.00, and his WHIP was comfortably over two.
He wasn't used as a mop-up guy like we expected. Instead, he pitched a lot of six, seven, and even eighth innings in games that were still close. Many times, he put the game out of reach for the Phillies by giving up runs.
Like his season, this review is short. There's not much to say. Realistically, Durbin should have never been signed in the first place. I think many people expected him to be exactly what he was–a pitcher struggling to get outs while giving up a bunch of runs. He was put in a bad spot and the results were unsurprisingly bad.
23 Comments
Part of Rubes flawed logic that bought us Baez, Wigginton and company.
I wouldn't cfall it flawed logic. I'd call it flawed player evaluation. The team needed a reliever in the case you cited, and they needed a 1st/3rd baseman the year Wiggy was added. There was no "logical" malfuction in signing either player. The decision was flawed only because the scouts should have noticed that both Baez and Wiggy (and Durbin) were no blasted good anymore, and that there were better options around.
He did well mixed in w a bunch of stud ATL relievers and Mr Amaro just thought that he was going to be a good piece for the PHLs. It was unbearable watching him.
George yes you are correct. What i meant is for Rube's propensity to sign these old vets simply based on past performances. So, yes his flawed logic in his player eval which i bet is most solely based on that aspect of it. The Baez signing was especially ugly i remember the Orioles blogs laughing from here to Timbuktu and elated that he was off the Orioles squad.
I just can't get myself to believe Amaro is the sole cuprit in some of these signings of has-beens. There are loads of advisers, scouts, and even Pat Gillick prodding him.
Amaro should, however realize that he's been getting some putrid advice and axe some of the people who are making so many feeble suggestions. I think Amaro's biggest fault as a GM is that he lacks the guts to step on a few toes, buck the trend, or what-have-you. It's clear to fans, and even fans of other teams (like the Orioles) that the bit players being signed are no bloody good anymore, but someone has to be looking suggesting these comatose players, and Amaro needs to figure out who and give him (or them) their pink slip, even if it's Gillick he has to toss out the window. Getting someone like Halladay was a no-brainer, but there aren't so many obvious stars out there, and ANY general manager needs some really good advice as to who among the lesser talents can actually fulfill a major league role.
The Phils front office needs a shake-up. Amaro may not have to go, but surely he should if he isn't going to dump a few old-school scouts and get a bit more into statistical analysis.
They are suppose to be adding a Stat guy this year so let's see George. Not sure if its Amaro or who is suggested to go after Baez or anyone else for that matter. You are probably right maybe its just not solely him.
Who highly scrutinized it? He wasn't supposed to pitch in close games, that's on Charlie. He was always ignorant with relief pitchers. It didn't go well with durbin but no one was real mad at the time.
Manuel had little choice but to use Durbin in tight situations. At the beginning of the year there wasn't a decent arm coming out of the pen for any inning except possibly the ninth. You can't fault the manager when he has nothing to manage.
With this offense we had all the games where usually close. Charlie like Rube has a preference for his vets effective or not.
Durbin should be in Iran wearing a turban.
Phillies has one of the biggest payrolls, yet they struggle. Ergo, the GM is doing a bad job.
If the Phillies stunk this bad with a 30 mil roster and plenty of prospects, I wouldn't say a thing . It's the obvious overpay on several contracts that irks me.
Phillies has one of the biggest payrolls, yet they struggle. Ergo, the GM is doing a bad job.
If the Phillies were this bad with a 30 mil roster and plenty of prospects, I wouldn't say a thing . It's the obvious overpay on several contracts that irks me.
Papelbon and Howard are the only significant overpays.
Agree, which means it's more a question of who they pay rather than how much they pay them.
You would think a team with buying power (like the Phillies) would have that much more of an advantage over most teams in MLB if they could apply both money and math in their personnel decisions.
But they are proving it's possible to squander what you have and reject what you could have.
I'm always amused by people who make statements like "obvious overpay on several contracts" but don't even mention what contracts and why they are overpays.
That type of research is sometimes called "kneejerk reaction."
Wbramh, I always find your comments interesting. Could you please expound on this one?
For instance, I'm of the impression that they spend too much on pitching versus offense. Is this the type of thing you're referring to?
I will respectively add Rollins to that mix Schmk. I dont do stats but they have him down as a replacement level player.
This year version of Rollins..
You have to look at the whole contract, and I would still bet that he will earn it, or at least come close.
He would have to bounce back big time next year to come close Scmenk. If the 2015 option vests look even worse
According to fangraphs, he's been worth 6.4 WAR the first two years of his contract (4.8 last year, 1.6 this year). If he gets another 1.5 and 1.0 the next two years, that's 8.9 total. On the FA market, that's worth over $42 M (4.5/WAR in 2012, 5/WAR this year, and assumed to stay at that level in 2014-15, although if anything it will be higher).
Compared to his contract of $44 M, including 2015, I consider that close.
The baseball reference folks have him listed as a 0.2. I do think Jimmy has it in him to bounce back some next year.
I agree I think he'll bounce back some but in my opinion he's not a 1-5 hitter… However with this current team I think he's best suited as a number 6 but he'll probably hit second cause there isn't much else for options there


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Steamboat Free Concert Series Benefit
Live Music/Silent Auction/Drinks
$20 online, $25 at the Door
Enjoy free music as at the base area with the Wheeland Brothers, whose music has a sound which they describe as "beach rock reggae"; inspired by waves, hangin' with friends, and dreaming of distant shores.
The Wheeland Brothers are two Southern Californian brothers who grew up in Orange County surfing, scarfing down hole-in-the wall Mexican food, and jamming around bonfires. Their music has a sound which they describe as "beach rock reggae"; inspired by waves, hangin' with friends, and dreaming of distant shores. Fast forward to 2014 and they have played Firefly, Wakarusa, High Sierra and Summer Camp Music Festivals, have supported national acts such as but not limited to 311, Bob Marley's legendary band The Wailers and Slightly Stoopid, are currently being spun on radio stations nationwide in addition to music choice on TV and have received commercial syncs with Forever 21 and Hollister Co. The only downside to their busy new schedule is having less time surfing their favorite secret spots. The waves will have to wait.
Visit the band's website to learn more.
Close out the season with the Steamboat Pond Skim Competition, April 12th!
The Splashdown Pond Skimming Championships hits Steamboat once again for an 8th season on Closing Day – Sunday, April 12th! Wrapping up another epic season at Steamboat, this event has antics like you wouldn't believe. The Splashdown Pond Skimming Championships brings brave (and slightly crazy) skiers and riders in costume with a dream – of crossing the icy pond successfully – and, if they're lucky, with style!
- 9:30am-11:30am: Participants must check in at the Coca-Cola tent in Gondola Square or their spot will be released
- 1pm: Pond Skim begins, first come, first serve basis
- Award Ceremony will immediately follow the end of race
This one division event has skiers and riders, men and women, children and the elderly all competing head to head to be crowned The 2015 Splashdown Pond Skimming Champion. Skimmers will be judged on the following criteria: costume, distance, style, crowd response, and air!
Register for the Steamboat Pond Skim Competition
Date: Sunday, April 12, 2015
Event Check-In: Coca-Cola tent in Gondola Square between 9:30-11:30am
Time: Event starts at 1:00pm
Where: On Stampede trail at the Base of the Steamboat Ski Area
Eligibility: Open, Event Capacity is limited to 50 skimmers. No refunds or transfers once an entry is accepted.
Registration: Entry fee is $20, participants must check in on the day of the event between 9:30-11:30am, or their spot will be given to those competitors on the waiting list.
- You must bring your own skis or board depending on your watercraft preference.
- COSTUMES are highly encouraged.
- No full-figured powder skis permitted – waist maximum of 11.5cm.
- Any length of ski or board permitted.
- ABSOLUTELY no poles allowed on course.
- You must be at least 9 years or older to participate.
- No alcoholic beverages within the race arena – disqualification will be immediate.
There is only one division in The 2015 Splashdown Pond Skimming Championships. You must outdo all skiers and riders, men and women, children and the elderly if you are to be crowned the champion.
Overall scores will be based on the following criteria:
- Costume: 10-point scale
- Distance: 1 points for every 5 feet crossed & 10 points for all the way
- Style: 10-point scale
- Crowd Response: 10-point scale based on the noise meter and overall crowd reaction
- Air: 10-point scale
SMARTWOOL BELLY FLOP COMPETITION: A special SmartWool prize will also be awarded to the best belly flop.
Space is limited, click here to register.
First Friday Art Walk Steamboat Springs
Free self-guided tour of local art galleries, museums and alternative venues in downtown Steamboat Springs.
These businesses remain open the first Friday of every month for this favorite event of locals and visitors alike. Many offer changing exhibits, so there is something new to see each month. Free to the public, 5 to 8 p.m. Refreshments are served.
Monthly exhibition listings at steamboatartcenter.com.
Steamboat Springs First Friday Artwalk is a collaborative effort among local visual art venues with a mission to foster appreciation of the visual arts in Steamboat Springs and support the growth of the local art community. First Friday Artwalk is a self-guided walking tour of art exhibitions at member venues which is free to the public and held on the first Friday of every month from 5PM – 8PM. For further information, contact Linda Laughlin, [email protected]
April 3, 2015- 5 p – 8 – Show Openings
Downtown Steamboat – Free
Tour Maps at All Locations Below
1009 Lincoln Ave., 879-4744
will feature an ALL GALLERY SHOW. Oil, Acrylic, Watercolor paintings, Monotype on paper, Bronze, Mineral, Metal and Wood sculptures, Glass, Ceramics, Photography, Jewelry. Come enjoy good company and good friends.
730 Lincoln Ave., 871-1822
Experience the wonder of nature through the lens of Thomas D. Mangelsen. Celebrating 40 years and his newest book The Last Great Wild Places.
807 Lincoln Ave., 870-1755
Steamboat Art Museum presents winter exhibits: Mark Thompson Retrospective, featuring award winning Colorado artist Mark Thompson who mastered techniques of the lost art of painting with egg tempera. The museum will display many of his egg tempera paintings and etchings. Also on display Exquisite Miniatures by Wes and Rachelle Siegrist. December 5, 2014 – April 11, 2015.
1001 13th St., 879-9008
Routt County Youth Art: This exhibition features a HUGE collection of artwork showcasing students in grades K-12 throughout Routt County. The annual Routt County Youth Art Show is a spectacle of visual art in a variety of mediums, presented by Steamboat Springs Art Council, opens with a family friendly reception.
837 Lincoln Ave., 846-5970
Come see new artworks and local photography by our 30+ local artist members, including new photography for spring by KAREN GORDON SCHULMAN, encaustic landscapes by CHERIE DUTY and endearing representational regional landscapes by oil painter, STEVE BOLANDER Complimentary wine and snacks. www.steamboatartcenter.com
802 Lincoln Ave., 879-5515
Wild Horse Gallery will feature all of its Gallery artists for the end of the season Artwalk! For more information call 970-819-2850 or www.wildhorsegallery.com.
509 Lincoln Ave., 875-2917
Katherine Burke will be featuring a photo exhibition of her travels through Asia showing her explorations throughout the globe. She will be donating 10% of the proceeds from this show to The Forgotten International, an amazing organization that provides aid to impoverished women & children worldwide. www.nomadphotoescape.com
131 11th St., 879-4925
Three talents, three mediums. Beth Liggitt (Wyld Blue Studio) is a jewelry and glass artist who makes thoughtful, creative pieces that have soul. Glenna Clark/Olmsted presents a brilliantly colored oil, acrylic and watercolor collection of seasonal landscapes, European inspired oils and NEW acrylic work created in Bali! Mel Dow presents hand sewed, creative unique layering bands, worn around your hips.
911 Lincoln Ave., 879-1919
Todd Sowers: Crossing The Antarctic Circle -Come on a photographic journey around the Antarctic Peninsula with local nature photographer Todd Sowers. Images and HD video will be on display from Todd's recent Antarctic expedition. Come see penguins, whales, icebergs and more!
1306 Lincoln Avenue, Suite A, 871-4838
NorthWest Colorado Center for Independence is showcasing work by artists with unique skills born of creativity, realized from the challenges of living with disabilities. Our office at the northwest corner of 13th and Lincoln, at the end of the line, where it is never the end of the line.
912 Lincoln Avenue, 879-7427
Lake Tahoe artist Hailey M. Kreis uses concrete and photography to create both a natural and industrial body of work. Hailey applies an offbeat perspective of imagery to capture the essence of materials used.
813 Lincoln Ave., 720-425-0522
Winter brings many challenges to a painter who hesitates to venture out into the cold. To find inspiration, Carol Jean turned to the lights and ornaments strung on her ficus tree. Ultimately this inspiration took her places that were unexpected. Please enjoy Carol Jean's new collection titled "Winter Radiance". Chief Theater, 813 Lincoln Ave., 5-8pm, FREE.
703 Lincoln Ave., Suite B101, 879-9169
URBANE presents "A Call for Local Artists". Join us to view a fun mix of art made in or around the Yampa Valley. 5-8pm
The Steamboat Cardboard Classic is a traditional rite of spring celebrating over three decades of fun!
This event features homemade crafts constructed only from cardboard, glue, string, water based paint, duct tape and masking tape racing down the face of Headwall to a hysterical finish.
The uniqueness and creativity of this race make it a highlight of closing weekend year after year.
Don't miss the other closing weekend events, including the SPLASHDOWN Pond Skim and final Bud Light Rocks the Boat free concerts with Infamous Stringdusters and Steel Pulse!
For more information visit the Steamboat Ski & Resort website.
The Infamous Stringdusters Steamboat Springs
Let It Go
Out April 1 on High Country Recordings
Dismiss labels. Forget trying to fit into a scene. Be true and play your songs.
That encompasses the prevailing spirit of Let It Go, the fifth studio album from Grammy-nominated bluegrass expansionists The Infamous Stringdusters. The new effort, released April 1 on the band's own High Country Recordings, finds the band on firm footing, at ease with an evolving sound that defies categorization. It's acoustic music, sure, but not the kind you'll hear from any other band. Roots can be traced but boundaries don't exist.
The Infamous Stringdusters have proven they can both mine the past and look forward to the unknown, and their new album is a touchstone for a group of tightly bonded musicians completely comfortable with each other and their collective identity.
Perhaps the sentiment is best summarized through five joined voices in the mountaintop gospel-hued title track: "If it's worry you've been feeling over things you can't control, it's time to let it go."
The Evolution
When The Infamous Stringdusters first emerged eight years ago, the band was immediately branded fast-picking Nashville wunderkinds, a new-generation super group built to revive the high lonesome sound. Then came immediate accolades—IBMA awards, a chart-topping self-titled album for Sugar Hill Records and a Grammy nomination for "Best Country Instrumental" (for "Magic No. 9″ from the 2010 album Things That Fly). Incendiary chops, complete with undeniable instrumental virtuosity and heartfelt harmonies, immediately positioned the band to be longstanding bluegrass torchbearers.
But for the five members of The Stringdusters—Andy Hall (Dobro), Andy Falco (guitar), Chris Pandolfi (banjo), Jeremy Garrett (fiddle) and Travis Book (upright bass)—reverence for traditionalism has always been only part of the equation. The group has always remained intent on fostering something bigger, more original. It's this desire—and the combined efforts of uniquely creative minds—that has brought the quintet to its current place as multi-dimensional string explorers, mixing tight song craft from a variety of musical styles with a flare for improvisation. Armed with an exhilarating, often-unpredictable live show, the open-minded approach has certainly resonated and allowed the band to easily fit on a diverse set of stages—from Telluride and Grey Fox to Bonnaroo and High Sierra—building crowds along the way that fill some of the country's best rock clubs
The Lifestyle Experience
The past year was particularly transformative, as the band members realized there was no need to go through the formulaic motions in a shaky music industry. Bolstered by the support of a loyal and dedicated grassroots fan base, The Infamous Stringdusters are constantly looking for opportunities to create new experiences. Oftentimes it happens on stage, like the recent sit-ins from Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh or jazz guitar legend John Scofield. Other times it's through accompanying adventures, like the band's August 2013 trip on the Middle Fork of Idaho's Salmon River.
Following the group's 2013 summer American Rivers Tour, which doubled as an awareness campaign for water sustainability issues in partnership with prominent outdoor industry companies including Patagonia, Klean Kanteen and Osprey Packs, the band members and select fans and friends embarked on a six-day float trip through an unspoiled wilderness area. With instruments in tow, the band played music daily, standing on the banks of the river or sitting together in campsite circles. The inspiration of natural surroundings yielded fresh songs that landed on the new album. "Middlefork" is a newgrass instrumental that conveys the mood of being free in pristine open spaces. "Where The Rivers Run Cold" features a fast progression and introspective lyrics that peak with a bold chorus about enjoying the beauty that surrounds.
In The Studio
When it was time to record Let It Go, the band came together in the fall at White Star Sound, a secluded studio with rustic, close-knit accommodations and state-of-the-art equipment, located on a vast, historic farm outside of Charlottesville, Virginia. It's a quiet place, accessed by a dirt road, where chickens wander freely and long pastoral views can be enjoyed in every direction. With no distractions, it was the perfect place to distill an overflowing well of ideas that had been filling since the band's last release, 2012's Silver Sky.
The result is easily the band's most cohesive musical statement to date. It's a record that respects the studio process. Dynamic picking is delivered with restrained grace, in service to song. There's stylistic range within the context of a unified vision, as melodic reflective tunes wander between nuanced expansive folk ("I'll Get Away"), anthemic country jams ("Colorado"), freewheelin' acoustic rock ("Peace of Mind" and "Light & Love") and dusty balladry ("Rainbows").
The members of The Infamous Stringdusters now all reside in different locations. Hall and Pandolfi recently felt the calling of the mountains and both moved to Colorado. Guitar ace Falco returned to his roots in Long Island to be near family, while Garrett remains in Nashville, where he's known as a prolific songwriter. Book dwells quietly in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, near the site of the band's annual October festival The Festy Experience.
Occasional separation has proven to be a good thing. It's important to remember these are five musicians with unique individual talents, but they all realize they have an undeniably special chemistry when they come together. That was apparent from day one. But now after years of growth—both personal and professional—the band has cast off labels and found an existence where music is about a greater connection. Through friendship, democracy, skill, passion and open minds, it's a broader lifestyle filled with community and plenty of celebration.
Steel Pulse were one of Britain's greatest reggae bands, rivaled only by Aswad in terms of creative and commercial success. Generally a protest-minded Rastafarian outfit, Steel Pulse started out playing authentic roots reggae with touches of jazz and Latin music, and earned a substantial audience among white U.K. punks as well. Their 1978 debut,Handsworth Revolution, is still regarded by many critics as a landmark and a high point of British reggae. As the '80s wore on, slick synthesizers and elements of dance and urban R&B gradually crept into their sound, even as their subject matter stayed on the militant side. By the late '80s, Steel Pulse had won a Grammy and were working full-fledged crossover territory, but never reached the same degree of commercial acceptance as Aswad or Inner Circle. They subsequently returned to a tough-minded, rootsy sound that nonetheless made concessions to contemporary trends with touches of dancehall and hip-hop.
Steel Pulse were formed in 1975 in Birmingham, England, specifically the ghetto area of Handsworth. The founding members were schoolmates David Hinds (the primary songwriter as well as the lead singer and guitarist), Basil Gabbidon (guitar), and Ronnie "Stepper" McQueen (bass). All of them came from poor West Indian immigrant families, and none had much musical experience. They took some time to improve their technical proficiency, often on Rasta-slanted material by Bob Marley andBurning Spear. McQueen suggested the group name, after a racehorse, and they soon fleshed out the lineup with drummer Steve "Grizzly" Nisbett, keyboardist/vocalist Selwyn "Bumbo" Brown, percussionist/vocalist Alphonso "Fonso" Martin, and vocalist Michael Riley.
Steel Pulse initially had difficulty finding live gigs, as club owners were reluctant to give them a platform for their "subversive" Rastafarian politics. Luckily, the punk movement was opening up new avenues for music all over Britain, and also finding a spiritual kinship with protest reggae. Thus, the group wound up as an opening act for punk and new wave bands like the Clash, the Stranglers, Generation X, the Police, and XTC, and built a broad-based audience in the process. In keeping with the spirit of the times, Steel Pulse developed a theatrical stage show that leavened their social commentary with satirical humor; many of the members dressed in costumes that mocked traditional British archetypes (Riley was a vicar, McQueen a bowler-wearing aristocrat, Martin a coach footman, etc.). The band issued two singles — "Kibudu, Mansetta and Abuku" and "Nyah Love" — on small independent labels, then came to the attention of Island Records after opening for Burning Spear.
Steel Pulse's first single for Island was the classic "Ku Klux Klan," which happened to lend itself well to the band's highly visual, costume-heavy concerts. It appeared on their 1978 debut album, Handsworth Revolution, which was soon hailed as a classic of British reggae by many fans and critics, thanks to songs like the title track, "Macka Splaff," "Prodigal Son," and "Soldiers." Riley departed before the follow-up, 1979's Tribute to the Martyrs, which featured other key early singles in "Sound System" and "Babylon Makes the Rules," and solidified the band's reputation for uncompromising political ferocity. That reputation went out the window on 1980's Caught You, a more pop-oriented set devoted to dance tracks and lovers rock. By that point,Steel Pulse were keen on trying to crack the American market, and went on tour over Island's objections. Caught You was issued in the States as Reggae Fever, but failed to break the group, and they soon parted ways with Island.
Steel Pulse moved on to Elektra/Asylum, which released an LP version of their headlining set at the 1981 Reggae Sunsplash Festival. Their studio debut was 1982's True Democracy, a generally acclaimed set that balanced bright, accessible production with a return to social consciousness. It became their first charting LP in America, making both the pop and R&B listings. The slicker follow-up, Earth Crisis, was released in 1984 and featured producer Jimmy "Senyah" Haynes subbing on guitar and bass for founding members Gabbidon and McQueen, both of whom were gone by the end of the recording sessions. They were replaced by guitarist Carlton Bryan and bassist Alvin Ewen for 1986's Babylon the Bandit, another Haynes-produced effort that ranked as the group's most polished, synth-centered record to date. Although it featured the powerful "Not King James Version" and won a Grammy for Best Reggae Album, it sold poorly and alienated some of the band's older fans; as a result, Elektra soon dropped them.
Steel Pulse resurfaced on MCA in 1988 with State of Emergency, their most explicitly crossover-oriented album yet. They also contributed the track "Can't Stand It" to the soundtrack of Spike Lee's classic Do the Right Thing. In 1991, they released another heavily commercial album, the Grammy-nominated Victims, which featured the single "Taxi Driver." Backing up the song's views, Steel Pulse filed a class-action lawsuit against the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission, charging that drivers discriminated against blacks and particularly Rastafarians. Founding member Fonso Martin left that year, reducing Steel Pulse to a core trio of Hinds, Nisbett, and Brown. Their backing band still featured Ewen and was elsewhere anchored by guitarist Clifford "Moonie" Pusey, keyboardist Sidney Mills, and drummer/percussionist Conrad Kelly.
The 1992 live album Rastafari Centennial marked the beginning of a return to the group's musical roots, and earned another Grammy nomination. The following year, they performed at Bill Clinton's inaugural celebration, the first reggae band to appear at such an event. 1994's studio albumVex completed Steel Pulse's re-embrace of classic roots reggae, though it also nodded to contemporary dancehall with several guest toasters and a digital-flavored production. 1997's Rage and Fury continued in a similar vein, and was nominated for a Grammy. In 1999, the group released another collection of live performances, Living Legacy.
NEIL YOUNG RED ROCKS 2015 with Band Of Horses
with Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann, with Break Science
The Disco Biscuits perform 3 sets April 17 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre with MICKEY HART & BILL KREUTZMANN of The Grateful Dead. All Ages welcome.
Uniting elements of electronic dance music with more traditional forms of American rock, the Disco Biscuits have long established themselves as one of the most exciting – and influential – touring bands in the country. In the late 90s, the band pioneered a unique style of music, often referred to as "trance-fusion," that distinguished them from their peers, while heavily influencing an entire generation of younger "livetronica" acts.
It's now been more than 10 years since guitarist Jon Gutwillig, bassist Marc Brownstein, keyboardist Aron Magner, and original drummer Sam Altman first formed the Disco Biscuits from within the ivy walls of the University of Pennsylvania. Since then (and with Allen Aucoin now on drums, following his victory at a Bisco firing squad drum-off at Atlantic City's Borgata Casino in 2005), the band has repeatedly sold out many of the nation's most prestigious venues and are a proven draw at U.S. festivals, earning key slots at majors such as Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza. Along the way, they've accumulated cover stories (Relix Magazine), accolades (Jammy Award for "Jam of the Year"), and hit videos ("Caterpillar;" MTV Latin America).
The Disco Biscuits' live show has developed from a regional nightclub attraction to a full on American experience. As Brownstein explains, "There's this deep, fun-loving community built around the band that's a decade old and which extends throughout the entire country. When we go anywhere, there's something else going on that's not just about the band and the music, but it's a part of a greater experience."
Standard rock concerts have become formulaic showcases where bands support their latest album by performing new songs amidst a selection of greatest hits. The Disco Biscuits, on the other hand, use their shows to create an entirely new album every night, in front of a live audience. Gutwillig equates it to watching a painter craft an image from scratch, using just a palette and a muse. "It's unlike buying the art, where it's already painted," he says. "It's watching the paint getting thrown on the canvas in a frenzy. And we're doing it with dance beats and we're doing it with grooves and we're trying to make it as exciting as possible. It's almost like getting cars into a field with cameras and just shooting a high-speed chase right there on the spot. What we're trying to do, for the observer, is to make the most awesome, exciting, high-speed chase that they could possibly watch. And we're trying to do it in a way that makes everyone feel like they went there, they lived it, and they felt it deep inside. That's our goal."
At the end of each summer, the Disco Biscuits host the largest live electronica event of its kind in the country. Called "Camp Bisco," the festival has featured electro superstars (Amon Tobin, Infected Mushroom), live bands (Umphrey's McGee, Brazilian Girls), hip-hop acts (The Roots, Slick Rick), and even weekend-long games of "color wars" organized and run by the fans.
Beyond just making music, the band is involved in community & political outreach. Brownstein is a co-founder and co-chair of HeadCount, a non-profit voter registration organization that registered nearly 50,000 new voters at live concerts in 2004 and aims to register 200,000 additional voters for the 2008 election. In addition to the Disco Biscuits, HeadCount has received support and involvement from a number of top-tiered touring acts, including the Dave Matthews Band and Phil Lesh & Friends, while members of the Grateful Dead, moe., and Leftover Salmon sit on its board of directors.

subset: commoncrawl


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Bad Plan! Sit!
In this session we'll look at the common causes of bad execution plans and examine options for resolving the problem, short term and long term.
Blend SQL Azure with SQL Server to drive Performance Insight
Peter O'Connell will talk about how SpotlightEssentials.com uses SQL Azure to collect and mine over 40TB of SQL Server Performance data across thousands of instances to drive unique insights into SQL Server Performance.
Building a BI Performance Monitoring Solution
Learn how to use performance counters, report execution log data, and trace files to troubleshoot performance problems. Learn how to set up a monitoring solution to capture data and diagnose slow queries.
Building Your Myth Busting Lab With Power BI
Information Workers and Data Analysts do "myth busting" on corporate performance and forecasts on regular basis. This session uncovers ways to take advantage of Power BI as Software as a Service (SaaS) for a "myth busting" lab you can try at home!
Building Your T-SQL Tool Kit: Window Function Fundamentals
Sets are king when it comes to SQL Server, but sometimes you need to see data row by row. Window Functions help you get the best of both worlds. Learn when and where these functions can help you get what you need without compromising performance.
Cardinality Estimates in Microsoft SQL Server 2014
Attend this session and understand how, why, and when SQL Server uses statistics and how this new feature will help improve performance.
Column Store Index and Batch Mode Scalability Deep Dive
A deep dive into batch mode scalability with column store index and SQL 2014.
Dive into the Query Optimizer-Undocumented Insight
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Latches, Spinlocks, and Lock Free Data Structures
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Learn about SQL Server Buffer Pool Extension, flash storage
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sessions per page


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Living conditions and volunteer lifestyles in Swaziland
|Living conditions and volunteer lifestyles in [[{{#explode:Living conditions and volunteer lifestyles in Swaziland| |6}} {{#explode:Living conditions and volunteer lifestyles in Swaziland| |7}} {{#explode:Living conditions and volunteer lifestyles in Swaziland| |8}}]]
|As a Peace Corps Volunteers, you will have to adapt to conditions that may be dramatically different than you have ever experienced and modify lifestyle practices that you now take for granted. Even the most basic practices— talking, eating, using the bathroom, and sleeping — may take significantly different forms in the context of the host country. If you successfully adapt and integrate, you will in return be rewarded with a deep understanding of a new culture, the establishment of new and potentially lifelong relationships, and a profound sense of humanity.
| See also:
Living Conditions and Volunteer Lifestyles by Country
Pre-Departure Checklist
For information see Welcomebooks
|[[Image:Flag_of_{{#explode:Living conditions and volunteer lifestyles in Swaziland| |6}}{{#if:{{#explode:Living conditions and volunteer lifestyles in Swaziland| |7}}|_{{#explode:Living conditions and volunteer lifestyles in Swaziland| |7}}|}}{{#if:{{#explode:Living conditions and volunteer lifestyles in Swaziland| |8}}|_{{#explode:Living conditions and volunteer lifestyles in Swaziland| |8}}|}}.svg|100px|none]]
- 1 Communications
- 2 Mail
- 3 Telephones
- 4 Computer, Internet, and E-mail Access
- 5 Housing and Site Location
- 6 Living Allowance and Money Management
- 7 Food and Diet
- 8 Transportation
- 9 Geography and Climate
- 10 Social Activities
- 11 Professionalism, Dress, and Behavior
- 12 Personal Safety
- 13 Rewards and Frustrations
Postal rates in Swaziland are reasonable, and airmail to the United States generally takes two to three weeks. Aerogrammes and other mailing supplies can be purchased at post offices. Sending large packages via airmail can be very expensive, but smaller items such as cassettes can be sent via airmail for a reasonable charge. Surface mail takes two to four months to reach the United States. During pre-service training, you will receive mail at the training location. During Volunteer service, you are likely to be able to receive mail directly at your site.
Domestic and international phone service is available in large towns and in some villages. You will certainly have the opportunity to make or receive international calls during your service. Cellular phones are becoming more affordable as cellular service is available throughout Swaziland, and Peace Corps/Swaziland provides Volunteers with funds to purchase a cellular phone after completion of pre-service training. However, depending on network coverage, you may not be able to telephone your home from your site on a regular basis.
Computer, Internet, and E-mail Access
E-mail access is available at Internet cafés in Mbabane and other large towns. As telephone service has increased, so has Internet access. You are likely to have access to these services approximately every one to two months, unless there is access near your site. You should not expect to have access to the Internet and e-mail during pre-service training. Not much people have them, only the ones who is very rich. ☺☺ ☺☺ ☺☺☺☺ ☺☺☺☺☺☺ ☺☺ ☺☺ ☺☺ ☺☺☺☺
Housing and Site Location
Your community will provide safe and adequate housing in accordance with the Peace Corps' site selection criteria. However, you need to be very flexible in your housing expectations. Housing will vary from a mud house with a thatch or tin roof to a cement block house to a room with a local family in a traditional homestead. Most Volunteers live on rural homesteads with Swazi host families. There is no guarantee that you will have running water or electricity; if you do not, you will collect your water from a community tap and spend evenings reading by candlelight or lantern. You will receive a settling-in allowance in local currency to purchase necessary household items.
Living Allowance and Money Management
The Peace Corps provides each Volunteer with a small allowance during training, a settling-in allowance, and a monthly living allowance for routine, basic expenses. A leave allowance equivalent to $24 a month and a travel allowance for official in-country travel are also provided. The allowances are calculated to allow a modest lifestyle in Swaziland, which most Volunteers find to be adequate.
The local currency is the lilangeni (plural: emalangeni). South African rand are also accepted as legal tender. MasterCard credit cards are widely accepted in Swaziland, while Visa has more limited use. Traveler's checks are also widely accepted. (Be sure to keep the original receipt of purchase.) Volunteers recommend that you bring some U.S. currency and credit cards if you plan to travel during vacations or after your service. The amount of cash you need will depend on the amount of traveling you plan to do. In neighboring South Africa, credit cards are widely accepted at places of business, and there are many ATMs that provide access to bank accounts in the United States.
The local people ususally get about $200 per month which is not alot but they still can live thourg it very well even it very hard. :) ☺☺☺☻☻☺☺
Food and Diet
The staple food in Swaziland is corn, prepared as a thick porridge and eaten with vegetables or a sauce. Common vegetables include tomatoes, greens, potatoes, cabbage, and onions. Various fruits and vegetables are available seasonally, which means that some things will not be in markets year-round. A variety of meat and dairy products is also available. You are likely to find canned goods and basic food items throughout Swaziland. Vegetarians will be able to maintain a healthy diet in Swaziland after becoming familiar with local food items and their preparation. However, being a vegetarian will require some compromises and a willingness to continually explain your diet to others.
The primary modes of transportation in Swaziland are public buses and minivans. Minivans travel between towns on irregular schedules (i.e., when full), so travel via this form of transport is never a timed affair. Bus schedules are fairly regular, but buses generally are not available in remote, rural areas. Roads generally are in good condition in the larger towns and cities. Poorly maintained vehicles, livestock wandering into the road, and intoxicated drivers are the main causes of road accidents in Swaziland.
Swaziland Volunteers receive an all-terrain bicycle (along with a helmet) to facilitate transportation to and from their work. Peace Corps policy requires that helmets be worn when riding. The bikes provided by the Peace Corps are men's bikes, which can be difficult for women to ride when wearing a skirt. Female Volunteers often wear shorts under their skirts to accommodate this.
Volunteers are not allowed to own or operate motor vehicles, including motorcycles. Furthermore, Volunteers are not allowed to ride or be a passenger on a motorcycle. All trainees will receive a copy of Peace Corps/Swaziland's transportation policy during pre-service training. Violation of this policy will result in your being terminated from Volunteer service.
Geography and Climate
Swaziland can be divided into four distinct geographical areas, running north to south, each with its own climate and other characteristics: highveld, middleveld, lowveld (or bushveld), and the Lubombo Plateau.
On the western border is the highveld, lying on the edge of an escarpment at altitudes averaging 4,000 feet. This mountainous area has abundant rivers, waterfalls, and gorges. The climate is temperate with wet, warm summers and cold, dry winters. The capital, Mbabane, is located in this area. Moving toward the east, at a lower altitude, is the middleveld, which gets slightly less rain, has a warm climate, and features lush, fertile valleys. This region is the main area for agriculture and industry and has the densest population. Adjacent to the middleveld is the lowveld, which is hotter and drier than the areas to the west. Major export crops such as sugarcane and citrus fruits are cultivated here. Dominated by grasslands and thorn trees, the region is the least populated area. Eastern Swaziland consists of the Lubombo Plateau, an escarpment bordering Mozambique. This mountainous area is broken by three main rivers and has a subtropical climate much like that of the middleveld.
The moderate climate ranges from subtropical to temperate depending on the altitude. June through September is cool and dry, but often cold at night, while October through May is warm and wet. Higher elevations are generally cloudy, mist covered, and about 10 degrees cooler than the rest of the country. The temperature in Mbabane ranges from 59 to 77 degrees in January and 42 to 67 degrees in July (Farenheit).
Social Activities
Your social life will vary depending on where you are located. In more rural communities, the major pastime is visiting with neighbors and friends. Cultural festivities, sporting events, weddings, and even funerals provide opportunities to meet and catch up with community members and their extended families.
Although Volunteers often want to visit other Volunteers on weekends or holidays, the Peace Corps encourages Volunteers to remain at their sites to develop relationships in their community and to promote the second goal of the Peace Corps, i.e., cultural exchange. Also, in accordance with the Peace Corps' philosophy of full community integration, Volunteers are deemed to be on duty seven days a week, except on national or local holidays.
Swaziland has a few television stations and several radio stations that play popular music.
Professionalism, Dress, and Behavior
Swazis value professional dress in the workplace, and dress is more conservative in rural areas than it is in cities. In the United States, we often view clothes as a reflection of our individuality. In Swaziland, dressing well is seen as a sign of your respect for others, and how you are viewed by your local colleagues will be highly dependent on the way you present yourself. Swazis do not appreciate clothes that are dirty, have holes in them, or are too revealing. Wearing such clothes will reduce the amount of respect given to you and therefore your effectiveness. While jeans and T-shirts are acceptable as casual wear, it is more common to see men in shirts with collars and casual slacks and women in casual dresses or skirts or slacks with blouses or shirts.
The Peace Corps expects you to behave in a way that not only fosters respect toward you but reflects well on both the Peace Corps and the United States. Your dress, behavior, and attitude will all contribute to how well the agency is received. As an invited guest, you must be sensitive to the habits, tastes, and taboos of your hosts.
Personal Safety
More detailed information about the Peace Corps' approach to safety is contained in the Health Care and Safety section, but it is an important issue and cannot be overemphasized. As stated in the Volunteer Handbook, becoming a Peace Corps Volunteer entails certain safety risks. Living and traveling in an unfamiliar environment (oftentimes alone), having a limited understanding of local language and culture, and being perceived as well-off are some of the factors that can put a Volunteer at risk. Many Volunteers experience varying degrees of unwanted attention and harassment. Petty thefts and burglaries are not uncommon, and incidents of physical and sexual assault do occur, although most Swaziland Volunteers complete their two years of service without personal security incidents. The Peace Corps has established procedures and policies designed to help you reduce your risks and enhance your safety and security. These procedures and policies, in addition to safety training, will be provided once you arrive in Swaziland. At the same time, you are expected to take responsibility for your safety and well-being.
Rewards and Frustrations
Invariably, Volunteers who have completed their service speak of the relationships that they have established as the highlight of their service. Many speak of how they learned to value and respect a more family- and community-centered way of life and of how they have grown in patience and understanding. Most are able to point to specific contributions they have made to a country's development. In Swaziland, such contributions might include increasing the dialogue about HIV/AIDS; helping improve the level of knowledge about HIV/ AIDS among community members, teachers, and students; seeing colleagues try new approaches to nonformal education; and helping a community organize and plan an important project.
The positive reflections are the endpoint of a series of highs and lows that are part and parcel of the process of leaving the United States, arriving in Swaziland, and adapting to the practices and slower pace of life in a new culture. You will have less guidance and direction than you would get in a new job in the United States. Oftentimes you will need to motivate yourself and your counterpart without receiving any feedback on your work. You will need flexibility, maturity, openmindedness, and resourcefulness to overcome difficulties. Community development work is not a 9-to-5 job. Often there is little structure in place as a result of the devastation of HIV/AIDS in the rural areas. If you are willing to respect and become integrated into your community, to work hard at your assignment, and to be open to all that Swaziland has to offer, you will be a successful Volunteer. You, too, will be able to look back positively on the relationships you have built and the small differences you have made by virtue of those relationships.


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Veridian III
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(covers information from an alternate timeline)
|Veridian III
|Native Species:
|Veridian system
The unpopulated M-class world Veridian III was the third of six planets in the Veridian planetary system. The planet had three moons. Its surface contains rocky mountainous regions as well as lush vegetative areas. There were also several large bodies of water.
Dr. Tolian Soran used Veridian III as the final key to his plan to return to the Nexus ribbon. He established a small launching site on the planet sometime prior to 2371, needing to destroy the Veridian star to change the gravitational forces in the sector and alter the course of the Nexus to Veridian III. He obtained trilithium for his weapon from the Duras sisters, and began destroying other stars in order to alter the path of the Nexus towards Veridian III. After discovering his plan aboard the Amargosa observatory, the USS Enterprise-D chased Dr. Tolian Soran to Veridian III, where Captain Jean-Luc Picard beamed down to negotiate with Soran.
In the meantime, the Enterprise was attacked by the Duras sisters. While they were killed when the Enterprise destroyed their ship, they inflicted enough damage to cause a warp core breach. The saucer section was safely separated before the stardrive section exploded, but the shock wave from the blast forced the saucer into the atmosphere of Veridian III, and it crash-landed in one of the jungle regions.
Dr. Soran eventually succeeded in launching his trilithium weapon, and the resultant collapse of the Veridian star destroyed Veridian III, the Enterprise saucer section, and the entire Veridian system. Fortunately, Picard was swept into the Nexus along with Soran, and enlisted the help of Captain James T. Kirk. The two captains returned to a few moments before Soran launched the weapon and prevented the launch, saving the Veridian system. Unfortunately, Kirk was killed in the attempt. Picard buried Kirk on one of the mountains in the area.
Three Starfleet ships, including the USS Farragut and an unnamed Miranda-class starship, were dispatched to the planet in order to rescue Enterprise survivors. (Star Trek Generations)
Background Edit
Scenes set on Veridian III were filmed in the Valley of Fire in Overton, Nevada.
Apocrypha Edit
In the novel The Return written by William Shatner, Riker returns to Veridian III to ensure that the Enterprise is fully recovered (to prevent its technology influencing the development of civilization on Veridian IV when they develop space travel themselves), and also to provide transport to Spock as he comes to see Kirk's grave. The saucer's remains are briefly attacked by the Borg-Romulan alliance to provide a distraction while Kirk's body is stolen, and Spock- accompanied by Riker and Deanna Troi- subsequently accesses the remaining computer databanks in the damaged saucer in an attempt to work out whether any of Kirk's old foes could have still been alive and recovered his body for some reason.


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Last night I snipped the end of DD's binky. Just a little snip off the end to see how she'd react. She put it in her mouth and told me it was broken, that she wanted another one. I told her she'd get used to it and that was enough for her. Later I was in the kitchen and I saw the little piece of silicone that I'd snipped off. I found myself putting it in a little sandwich bag and putting it in her keepsake box and then crying.
When DD#1 was 13 months old I knew I wanted to try for another baby but didn't have my cycle back yet. I then began the process of cutting back nursing sessions at night, and then slowly during the day. Any time that she asked to nurse in public or at home when it was't time yet, I'd pop that binky in her mouth. One day she started rubbing my face every time she put it in her mouth. We could be anywhere and if that binky went in her mouth, she would want me to pick her up so that she could rub my face. Everyone thought it was the cutest thing, and so did I, but sometimes I wondered how I could have another baby when this girl spent so much time in my lap rubbing my face
Pretty soon I was pregnant and by 15 months she was down to just nursing once a day (early mornning) and by 17 months it was every 2 or 3 days (usually because I would be feeling a little engorged). I must say I didn't go through a lot of sadness when we were done breastfeeding. For one, I knew I would have another nursling soon but really, we had SO much cuddle time during the day because of the binky. Anytime she would sit on my lap she'd say, "Beenty" and we'd have to find a binky so that she could rub my face, her eyes glazing over, and perfectly content.
She LOVED her new baby sister. I'd read a lot of books and talked a lot about nursing the baby, and she seemed to understand that the baby really needed my lap and my arms more than she did. But, the second the baby was in someone else's arms she would crawl into my lap with that binky and gently rub my face and neck. It would make me a little sad to know that she was always waiting just a little bit for me to have room for her again.
After a while (hello, the girl was well over 2!) we decided to let her have her binky only in her bed. I knew this would be cutting down on our cuddle time a lot. She started rubbing her own neck for comfort while in bed, but I always got some cuddles when I'd read her bible story to her before bed or early morning when she slips next to me in bed in the morning with that binky in her mouth.
So, with her 3rd birthday approaching, I felt I needed to really take a step to get rid of the binky...I think I worry that I'm more attached to it than she is It may also be that her 3rd birthday is so close and I really am feeling a loss. It's hard to explain. I think I'm feeling all the things I SHOULD have felt when we weaned but that I didn't because I still felt so physically close to her. She is growing up so fast and I am worried that I'm missing something or that in the everyday bustle of life, and craziness of raising an almost-3-year-old, that she is missing how much I adore her. I hope not, and deep down I know I show her a ton of affection, I just can't believe how fast these days go by...
Anyway, thanks if you read this, I really needed to put it down for me because it hit me so hard last night.


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Deliver Essential Paging and Emergency Notification Features on Cisco UC
Cisco Paging Server is designed for applications of any size for customers of Cisco Unified Communications Manager. The InformaCast software application offers essential paging functions through Cisco IP Phones with emergency notification capabilities built-in. The solution provides business-critical corporate communications as well as reliable security awareness for many industries.
Live Paging Demonstration
Join this weekly WebEx session on InformaCast featuring a product overview and live demo for those interested in the Cisco Paging Server.Get Details
Features and Capabilities
InformaCast operates in two modes: Basic Paging and Advanced Notification.
Basic Paging provides phone-to-phone and group live audio paging to Cisco IP Phones. All users of the system can participate in making and receiving basic pages.
Advanced Notification is a full-featured emergency notification solution that gives you the ability to reach an unlimited number of phones with text and live or pre-recorded audio messages.
Advanced Features
Advanced features are optional and available on the same software that comes with Cisco Unified Communications Manager. With advanced features you can send important life-safety information to your organization through a wide variety of endpoint devices and systems.
Advanced features include:
Text Transmission
Transmit live or prerecorded audio and text to endpoints. Send audio and text notifications to a variety of devices both inside and outside your organization. That includes Cisco IP Phones, analog and IP overhead speakers, digital display monitors and systems, smart phones, email systems, and more.
Compatible with Existing Systems
You can take advantage of existing analog PA systems. Connect your existing paging systems through the Singlewire Legacy Paging Interface (LPI) or broadcast directly to IP speakers.
Emergency Services
Improve services with emergency call monitoring, recording, and notification. When someone in your organization dials an emergency number from one of the system phones, a text and audio broadcast can immediately be sent to your safety team, along with access to a recording of the call.
Facilities Integration
Control lighting, door locks, motion detectors, access, and fire alerts. Automatically trigger text and audio alerts when external sensors are activated. Alternatively, when a lockdown message is sent, the system can lock the doors.
General-Purpose and Shift or Bell Schedulers
Schedule class-passing bells for schools, shift change alerts for manufacturing plants, or end-of-day closing announcements. Take advantage of this feature for predetermined audio-visual notifications at designated times for countless applications.
Find additional information and demonstration videos showcasing features of InformaCast on the Singlewire site.
Specifications at a Glance
The following guidelines are for Cisco Unified Communications Manager installations outside of Cisco Business Edition 6000. The Business Edition 6000 ships with InformaCast virtual appliance file pre-loaded with the appropriate specifications for the Cisco Unified Computing System (Cisco UCS) server and 1000 users. Installation Requirements:
- VMware ESX 4.0 or later
- 4 GB of memory
- A dedicated virtual CPU (vCPU) is recommended
- Speed of at least 2.3 GHz for the VMware server host CPU
Other requirements include a single virtual network interface card (NIC) configured for bridging, not Network Address Translation (NAT). Note that InformaCast will not work through network connections that use NAT.
You will need an 80 GB disk that can be either a local disk or storage area network (SAN)-attached disk. The SAN can be of any type supported by VMware.
Finally, you need Cisco Unified Communications Manager version 8.5 or later with an IP Multicast enabled network. (Unicast gateway is available for WAN if needed).


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Home List of Titles The Gemini Deep Deep Survey I: introduction to the survey, catalogs, and composite spectra
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.3/42743
- Title
- The Gemini Deep Deep Survey I: introduction to the survey, catalogs, and composite spectra
- Author(s)
- Abraham, Roberto G.; Glazebrook, Karl; McCarthy, Patrick J.; Crampton, David; Murowinski, Richard; Jorgensen, Inger; Roth, Kathy; Hook, Isobel; Savaglio, Sandra; Chen, Hsiao-Wen; Marzke, Ronald O.; Carlberg, Ray G.
- Abstract
- The Gemini Deep Deep Survey (GDDS) is an ultradeep (K < 20.6 mag, I < 24.5 mag) redshift survey targeting galaxies in the "redshift desert" between z = 1 and z = 2. The primary goal of the survey is to constrain the space density at high redshift of evolved high-mass galaxies. We obtained 309 spectra in four widely separated 30 arcmin2 fields using the Gemini North telescope and the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS). The spectra define a one-in-two sparse sample of the reddest and most luminous galaxies near the I-K versus I color-magnitude track mapped out by passively evolving galaxies in the redshift interval 0.8 < z < 1.8. This sample is augmented by a one-in-seven sparse sample of the remaining high-redshift galaxy population. The GMOS spectrograph was operating in a nod-and-shuffle mode, which enabled us to remove sky contamination with high precision, even for typical exposures times of 20-30 hr per field. The resulting spectra are the deepest ever obtained. In this paper we present our sample of 309 spectra, along with redshifts, identifications of spectral features, and photometry. This makes the GDDS the largest and most complete infrared-selected survey probing the redshift desert. The seven-band (VRIzJHKs) photometry is taken from the Las Campanas Infrared Survey. The infrared selection means that the GDDS is observing not only star-forming galaxies, as in most high-redshift galaxy surveys, but also quiescent evolved galaxies. In our sample we have obtained 225 secure redshifts, 167 of which are in the redshift interval 0.8 < z < 2. About 25% of these show clear spectral signatures of evolved (pure old, or old + intermediate-age) stellar populations, while 35% show features consistent with either a pure intermediate-age or a young + intermediate-age stellar population. About 29% of the galaxies in the GDDS at 0.8 < z < 2 are young starbursts with strong interstellar lines. A few galaxies show very strong poststarburst signatures. Another 55 objects have less secure redshifts, 31 of which lie in the redshift interval 0.8 < z < 2. The median redshift of the whole GDDS sample is z = 1.1. Spectroscopic completeness varies from a low of ∼70% for red galaxies to greater than 90% for blue galaxies. In this paper we also present, together with the data and catalogs, a summary of the criteria for selecting the GDDS fields, the rationale behind our mask designs, an analysis of the completeness of the survey, and a description of the data reduction procedures used. All data from the GDDS are publicly available.
- Publication type
- Journal article
- Source
- Astronomical Journal, Vol. 127, no. 5 (May 2004), pp. 2455-2483
- Publication year
- 2004
- Keyword(s)
- Campanas infrared survey; Density; Evolution; Forming galaxies; Galaxies; High-redshift galaxies; History; Luminosity; Lyman-break galaxies; Photometric catalogs; Population; Spectroscopy; Star-formation
- Publisher
- University of Chicago Press
- 0004-6256
- Publisher URL
- Copyright
- Copyright © 2004 The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.
- Peer reviewed


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Triple US Open champion Kim Clijsters's career came to a disappointing and lacklustre end today when she slumped to a shock second-round defeat to British teenager Laura Robson.
Clijsters, the former world No.1 and four-time Grand Slam title winner, lost 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-5) to the 18-year-old world No.89, who goes on to face China's ninth seed Li Na for a place in the last 16.
Clijsters, who was also the 2011 Australian Open winner, was on a 22-match winning streak in New York.
But she had always insisted that the 2012 US Open would be her last tournament as she intended to retire for a second time to spend more time with her four-year-old daughter Jada and husband Brian, who was watching on Wednesday.
Robson, at 18, is the youngest player in the top 100 and has now reached the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time. She was just five when Clijsters made her New York debut back in 1999.
"It was my dream coming true when I won here in 2005. I was always inspired and played some of my greatest matches here," said an emotional Clijsters, the champion in 2005, 2009 and 2010.
"It's the perfect place to retire. I wish it wasn't today but there's no doubt that if I could pick a tournament to play my last singles match then this would be it.
"Laura played very well. I fought but it wasn't good enough."
Clijsters, who returned to the WTA Tour in 2009 after retiring for the first time, said she had no regrets over a career which also took her to No.1 in the world.
"It's been a great adventure for my team and my family. It was all worth it but now I look forward to the next part of my life.
"When I came back in 2009, it was crazy. I hadn't picked up a tennis racquet for two years and my dad had died. So when I won in 2009, it was a real emotional roller-coaster. It was hard to take it all in."
Robson's sensational victory will be a footnote in the Clijsters story despite her stirring performance.
The former Wimbledon junior champion survived a 10-minute assault on her serve in the 12th game of the opening set and then battled back from 2-5 down in the tie-breaker.
She went an early break down in the second set to get level at 2-2 before the 29-year-old Clijsters fought off two break points in the sixth game.
Clijsters saved two match points at 5-6 down, the second with her fifth ace of the tie, to send the set into another breaker.
But Robson set up a third match point with a pinpoint down the line forehand and took her famous victory when Clijsters batted a backhand long and out.
"I knew I would have to work my butt off if I was going to win," said Robson.
"Thanks to Kim who has been a great role model. I grew up watching her. It was a great pleasure to play you."


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fabkebab, on 06 November 2010 - 10:59 AM, said:
Although I liked the idea of the "quiok turnaround" this contest originally started with - In restrospect I like this longer time much better. First, since real life often imposes other commitments that might occupy a given week-end or two - with 4 - 6 weeks, there's a much higher chance that more musicians will be able to find enough time to do what they feel is a satisfactory lob over a longer time span. Second, It's nice to have time to let things sit a little bit and evaluate, revise and evolve the piece.


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Don't miss the gardens adjacent to Woodrow Wilson's birthplace when the trees and shrubs are in bloom or any time of year! Self-guided tours of this historic garden, a project of The Garden Club of Virginia, are included in the price of museum admission. Originally designed by renowned Richmond landscape designer, Charles Gillette in the early 1930s, the grounds feature Gillette's only known bowknot boxwood design.
In April during Historic Garden Week, The Garden Club of Virginia celebrates Garden Day in the Staunton area. Tickets for the tour of houses can be purchased at the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum on the day of the tour and in advance. Tickets include a guided tour of the Birthplace, which will be decorated with period floral arrangments, and admission to the Woodrow Wilson Museum. Call 540-885-0897 for more information about Historic Garden Week.
Admission to the historic garden is always FREE during regular museum hours.
HOURS: March-October: 9a.m .- 5p.m. Mon.-Sat., 12p.m. - 5p.m. Sun.
November-February:10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Mon.-Sat., 12 p.m .- 4 p.m. Sun.
Located just minutes from I-81 exits 222 or 225.
Last Updated: 09/23/2016
Find out what's going on around Virginia. Subscribe to the Virginia eNewsletter.


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|Bookdealer: Back Creek Books LLC, ABAA/ILAB
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Toll free: 1-877-626-1363, 194 Main Street, Annapolis, Maryland, 21401, United States
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We buy and sell quality used and out-of-print books, with an emphasis on Marylandiana, Americana, Military and Naval History, and Nautical/Maritime material. But we have many good books in a variety of other subjects as well.
We are located on Gallery Row, the first block of West Street off Church Circle in historic Annapolis, Maryland. A selection of our inventory is available online, and can be searched or browsed in a variety of ways.
We are always interested in buying books as well. If you have books that need new homes we would be happy to discuss purchasing them from you.
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In our citywide effort to "Go Green" the Activity Guide will be available to view via our online registration website at www.mvprGoPlay.org, in downloadable PDFs at our department website at www.millvalleycenter.org and in recycled paper hard copy at the Mill Valley Community Center, City Hall, Library and the Chamber of Commerce. The guides will no longer be automatically mailed to all 94941 residents, but if you are unable to access the guide via online or pick one up we will be happy to mail you one. Please contact our offices at 415-383-1370 or send us an email to email@example.com 2013/2014 Registration beginsOnline, fax & mail-in begins Monday, November 18, 2013
Walk-in registration begins Monday, November 25, 2013
You can register online for our classes and programs! Go to www.mvprGoplay.org. ONLINE registration begins 11/18/13 @ 7:00am
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The Humming Black Hole
Space Science News home
The Humming Black Hole Scientists are monitoring a curious black hole binary
star system that has become one of the brightest sources in the
sky at x-ray wavelengths.
May 15, 2000
-- The comic-book character Superman is well known for his x-ray
vision. Last month, if he had looked up at the southern sky for
a bit of x-ray stargazing, the brightest thing to see wouldn't
have been the Sun or the Moon. It would have been an exotic black
hole binary star system known by astronomers as XTE J1550-564.
"In April 2000, J1550-564 was nearly as bright as the Crab Nebula, which is the brightest hard x-ray source in the entire sky," says Dr. Mike McCollough of the NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center. "Since then it's faded to about one-tenth the x-ray luminosity of the Crab, but that's still very bright."
Right: You can't see it, but it's there. Right now XTE J1550-564 is one of the brightest objects detectable by x-ray telescopes. If human eyes were sensitive to x-radiation, we could see J1550-564 shining brightly in the southern constellation Norma. This image shows the sky around Norma as it would appear looking southeast from Sydney Australia near local midnight.
"That was the brightest eruption we know of," says McCollough, "It flared again in early 1999, but since then J1550 has been quiescent -- until lately. BATSE [the Burst and Transient Source Experiment on the Compton Gamma-ray Observatory] detected an outburst in the hard x-ray band [20-300 kilo electron-volts (keV)] on April 6, 2000, then the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer confirmed it at lower energies."
Above: In early April 2000 the x-ray emission from XTE J1550-564 skyrocketed until it was nearly as bright as the Crab Nebula in BATSE's 20 - 300 keV x-ray band.
McCollough and colleagues believe that XTE J1550 is a black
hole with an orbiting companion star. Gaseous material from the
star spilling toward the black hole forms a swirling disk of
material that heats up as it falls through the black hole's event
horizon. The disk, called an "accretion
disk", becomes so hot and glows so brightly at x-ray
wavelengths that it's visible to Earth-orbiting x-ray telescopes
from 10,000 or more light years away.
Left: An artist's concept of an x-ray binary system. Gas from an evolved star feeds the accretion disk of an orbiting black hole or neutron star. The accreting gas heats up and shines brightly as an X-ray source.
What causes J1550's massive flares?
"It's probably blobs of material from the companion star cascading down onto the accretion disk," explains McCollough.
When J1550 is "on," as it is now, its unpredictable x-ray flux oscillates by about 50% every 3 seconds or so. To astrophysicists, these oscillations are one of the most intriguing aspects of J1550's enigmatic behavior.
"If you converted the x-ray oscillations from J1550 into sound waves it would feel like a low, rumbling hum," says Dr. Stefan Dieters, an astronomer at the NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center. "It's the sort of sound you feel in your chest from a very large bass speaker at a rock-and-roll concert. The dominant frequency component is around 0.3 Hz -- that's too low for the human ear to hear -- but its spectrum contains frequencies all the way up to 20 or 30 Hz, which is near the lower limit of human hearing."
quasi-periodic x-ray oscillations.
|Hey, what happened to the Sun!? If human eyes could see x-rays, the sky would look very unfamiliar. The usual bright spots -- the Sun and the Full Moon -- are practically invisible at hard x-ray and soft gamma-ray wavelengths. (What's a "hard x-ray?" Click here to find out.) The Crab Nebula, the remnant of a supernova explosion in 1054 AD pictured below, is usually the most brilliant object in the hard x-ray sky. It shines so steadily that x-ray astronomers use a unit called "Crabs" to define how bright other sources are (the flux from the Crab Nebula is, by definition, 1 Crab). The Sun usually registers less than 0.01 Crabs, although sometimes a powerful solar flare will make the Sun shine brightly at hard x-ray wavelengths. Black hole binary systems like XTE J1550 can also erupt and briefly upstage the Crab Nebula, the "Old Reliable" of x-ray astronomy. Another black hole, Cygnus X-1, is a persistent hard x-ray source that is also sometimes brighter than the Crab.
What causes QPOs in these systems?
"It could be that the accretion disk [that gives rise to the x-ray emission] is simply vibrating," says McCollough. "Or the QPOs could be a beat frequency between the spin period of the central object and the orbital period of the disk's inner edge. We just don't know."
"It's all very speculative," agrees Dieters. "At
the beginning of a flare the dominant QPO frequency is often
low. During the 1998 outburst from J1550, for example, QPOs started
out vibrating at 0.06 Hz (16-17 sec period), then the frequency
increased by a factor of 20 over a 10 day period [click
for a plot].
"There are lots of theoretical models to explain this, but the basic idea is that some kind of boundary in the accretion disk is moving in toward the black hole. It might be the inner boundary of the disk, or perhaps a transition region between two different parts of the disk. Whatever it is, it starts outside, where the disk's orbit is bigger and the orbital period is longer. Then it moves into a tighter, faster orbit that gives rise to higher-frequency oscillations.
"During the most recent eruption in April, the QPO frequency
started low and stayed low. Why did it work differently this
time?" asked Dieters. "It's a mystery...."
"The list of black hole binaries with QPOs is getting longer all the time," he continued. "Right now we know of at least 10 of them. As we look more closely at these objects it seems like just about every one has oscillations at some level."
Not all of the QPO sources studied by McCollough and Dieters vibrate at low frequencies. Black hole systems can oscillate as fast as 250 Hz, while QPOs from neutron star binaries have frequency components extending as high as 1.25 kilohertz.
Above: An artist's impression of space and time twisting around a spinning black hole. Credit: Joe Bergeron of Sky & Telescope magazine.
"When we examine these fast oscillations in black hole
systems, we're really sensing what's going on in the inner accretion
disk, near the point of no return where material flows across
the event horizon," says McCollough. "It strains the
imagination. We're getting close to a region where space and
time as we know it doesn't exist any more."
Stay tuned to Science@NASA for more news and updates about exotic objects like XTE J1550-564.
Compton Gamma-ray Observatory -the second of NASA's four Great Observatories.
Burst and Transient Source Detector -on the Compton Gamma-ray Observatory
Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer
Learning Center
-The RXTE probes the physics of cosmic X-ray sources by making
sensitive measurements of their variability over time scales
ranging from milliseconds to years.
A Cool Black Hole Animation
Black Holes -a tutorial about black holes and accretion disks
X-Rays - Another Form of Light - the basics of X-rays from
the Chandra home page at Harvard
Links to science papers about kilohertz QPOs....
Join our growing list of subscribers - sign up for Express Delivery from Science@NASA and you will receive an email message every time we post a new story!!!
|For lesson plans and educational activities related to breaking science news, please visit Thursday's Classroom
Author: Dr.
Tony Phillips
Production Editor: Dr. Tony Phillips
Curator: Bryan Walls
Media Relations: Steve Roy
Responsible NASA official: John M. Horack


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The name of Zalman is widely known on the market of computer components. The company is mostly recognized as a maker of CPU and GPU coolers, including liquid cooling solutions. It is quiet and efficient coolers that made the company's name a few years ago. We don't have to look far for examples because our test configuration for system case reviews includes Zalman's CPU cooler CNPS9500 AT. However, today's Zalman is not only about coolers. The company offers a broad range of innovative and original products such as the stereo-monitor Trimon ZM-M220W, multi-channel headphones ZM-RS6F, and power supplies (e.g. the quiet and high-wattage ZM850-HP).
In this review we will be talking about Zalman's system cases. Some time ago we tested Zalman's HD160XT, a system case for HTPCs, and today we will take a look at a couple of traditional desktop "towers".
Zalman GS1000
We will start out with the Zalman GS1000, a big – perhaps even huge – system case of the full-tower form-factor. It comes in two variants: all black (like our sample) or black-and-gray ("titan").
The system case has a restrained exterior design but is not a classic rectangular box. Far from being angular, it has rounded-off edges.
As a result, the GS1000 has some elegance of shape as far as this term can be applied to system cases of such a huge size. Take note that the side panels seem to go into the front one, which looks original and beautiful.
This design is made possible by the organic use of steel, plastic and aluminum. The main chassis is steel. The external details (such as the top panel and the exterior of the front panel) are plastic. The sides are anodized aluminum with characteristic finish. The only thing we don't like is the combination of glossy plastic and textured aluminum. The developer should have made all the case either glossy or matte.
The GS1000 is supposed to stand on the floor as is indicated by the lack of a side window and the position of the Power button at the very top of the front panel. The rim of the button is a Power indicator. A Reset button is missing.
I/O connectors can be found under a movable cover on the top panel. You will not have to bend down to reach them.
These are two audio connectors, two USB ports and one IEEE1394 connector. It's a shame the developer offers FireWire instead of eSATA which is getting more and more popular. The USB ports are too close to each other. You won't be above to plug two wide devices in simultaneously.
The top panel is an interesting thing, too. There is a protruding covering at its back with vent holes below. Judging by the size of the covering, there must be two 120mm fans below it.
The back panel is far from standard, too. Following the current trends, the power supply compartment is at the bottom of the case, so the mainboard's I/O connectors and expansion slots are somewhat higher than usual. Then, the vent holes of the above-mentioned covering open to the back panel, too. And finally, there is a 120mm Zalman fan here (running a little ahead, we can tell you that both system cases employ Zalman's own fans: 120mm ZM-F3 and 92mm ZM-F2 models). A vent grid occupies the rest of the back panel. There are also two rubberized openings for the pipes of a liquid cooling system if you want to install one.