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I seem to be surrounded by birthday celebrations. The Rotary Club celebrated 100 years — details on that below — and the Ballet Ball turns 25 this year. Annette Eskind recently hosted a birthday bash for son Jeff; Joyce Vise celebrated another birthday with friends during a luncheon at BrickTops; and my cousin, Brenda Turner, celebrated the big 6-0 just yesterday at a party at her son's home. Not sure exactly where I was going to go with this, so I'll just say happy birthday to all!
Claws, Paws and Jaws Donor Socie
y ReceptionFeb. 18, home of Patti and Brian Smallwood
A penguin, a tortoise, a couple of owls, a skunk, an armadillo, a kinkajou, a parrot — and other critters I know I missed — were the stars at a recent reception honoring the Nashville Zoo'stop donors. Trout, an African Blackfooted Penguin, stole the show as he roamed through the Smallwood home; Mala, a kinkajou, was most interesting; some could be seen admiring Violet, the striped skunk. By the way, she had been de-perfumed! Personally, I enjoyed watching the three-banded armadillo, Pele; he was a most interesting creature, indeed.
Throughout the evening, you could see guests shooting videos and photos with the friendly critters from the zoo. I know Bill Forrester had his photo made with some sort of reptile around his neck; fortunately I missed that photo op!
D.Kates Catering had a spread of food for guests in the Smallwood's dining room, as well as passed appetizers — yes, it was all for the people! And, yes, it was all delish! Brief remarks from Robin Patton, Nashville Zoo board chairman, included a thank you to guests for their support of the zoo. Patton introduced Rick Schwartz, zoo president, who presented plans for next year, including the start of construction on the ticket booth area, a spider monkey habitat and an Andean bear habitat.
Enjoying the evening at the Smallwood home were Jennifer and Gus Puryear, Joan and Will T. Cheek, Kelley and Lee Beaman, Edie and David Johnson, Janice and Randy LeGasse, Kelly and Dean Wegner, Missy and John Eason and Laurie and Steve Eskind.
Ballet Ball 2014 Patron Pa
yFeb. 20, Conservation Hall at Tennessee Executive Residence
During a conversation with Ballet Ball 2014 co-chairs Sarah Reisner and Suann Davis at the Ballet Ball kickoff event,Sarah mentioned that she wanted it to be "kicky," and every pre-ball event has had that vibe. While the winds howled and the lightning flashed — hmm, reminds me of an old gospel song from my childhood — Ballet Ball patrons were, as they said, hunkered in the bunker for another "kicky" evening! Say what you will — there's no safer place for a party during a storm, I'd say!
As guests arrived for the evening, they were offered a tour of the governor's residence before gathering for the reception in ConservationHall. As they congregated in the hall, they mingled and sipped beverages as they nibbled the scrumdelicious treats from Kristen Winston Catering. Marsha Blackburn and I had first dibbs on the mini-BLTs as they came out from the kitchen! Neither of us are sharing how many we, ummm, nibbled!
Nashville Ballet CEO and Artistic Director Paul Vasterling took a few moments to address the patrons, updating them with entertainment and other details for Saturday's Ballet Ball. Kellie Pickler and Sugar and the Hi-lows will entertain at this year's ball. While the ball is invitation only, younger arts patrons can purchase tickets to the Ballet Ball's Late Party, which features cocktails, hors d'oeuvres and a seating for the performance. For details visit www.bblateparty.com.
Co-chairs Davis and Reisner took a moment to thank patrons, presenting honorary chairman Ronnie Scott and Vasterling with a pair of Tiffany cufflinks. The evening entertainment was introduced by the co-chairwomen, and Joy Roper tickled the ivories of the grand piano Lamar Alexander played during his time as governor of Tennessee. She and her husband, JR, sang "Nobody Loves You Like I Do" and "All I Ever Need Is You."
Enjoying an evening on Curtiswood Lane were Nancy and John Cheadle, June Bogle, Sylvia and Doug Bradbury, Melanie and David Baker, Anita and Don Baltimore, Donna and Wade Joyner.
Rotary Club Nashville Centennial Celebration
Feb. 22, Omni Nashville Hotel
Turning 100 is a big deal, whether you're a human being, a business or an organization. And the NashvilleRotary Club celebrated 100 in style with a cocktail supper and dancing at Nashville's Omni Hotel.
Rotary International Director Larry Lunsford was on hand to participate in the celebration, which also included remarks by Nashville Rotary Club president Greg Bailey, as well as thank yous from Centennial Celebration co-chairmen Margaret Dolan and Chuck Dunn, Centennial Party chairman Betty Price and co-chairman Elaine Wells. Past presidents were recognized and, following a ceremonial toast, the dance floor was turned over to guests who danced as Shake Shake Shake!! rolled out the tunes.
Now for a bit of history. Rotary International was founded in Chicago in 1905 by a young lawyer and three of his friends. They met weekly, rotating the meetings between their offices and named themselves a Rotary Club. Three years later, a second club formed in San Franciso, and the concept began to spread across the U.S. The Rotary Club of Nashville formed on Nov. 19, 1913, when 13 Nashville businessmen gathered at the office of James A. Cayce, president of B. H. Stief Jewelry Co. Nashville became the 94th Rotary Club, and today, out of 34,000 worldwide clubs, it ranks No. 8 in terms of membership!
Some tangible examples of Nashville Rotary's early influence in our city include helping to fund the original YMCA and a second YMCA for African-Americans, and the purchase of the first bookmobile for Nashville. In 1964, to mark its 50th anniversary, the club built a wing for the then Children's Science Museum. Today, the Rotary focuses much of its time and resources in the Watkins Park community in North Nashville.
Spotted at the Omni were Lady and Billy Bird,Elizabeth and Larry Papel, David Glasgow, Van Pond, Fran and Cyril Stewart, Ellen and David Levy, Howard Kittell and Deb and Jim Varallo.


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Posted on What are some methods for 90 degree twisting lumber?
#1 posted 01-03-2013 05:10 PM |
The technique for building a timber frame for a house, barn or shed is called "timber framing" and you can search Google using these key words: timber frame construction You will find a lot of information. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timber_framing Then go to http://www.amazon.com and search using these terms: timber frame You'll find a big selection of books. (pick the ones you like and go to ebay and search for them… or look at the used listings on Amazon.) -- Hal, Tennessee http://www.first285.com |

subset: commoncrawl


text: In a season in which injuries and spotty play will keep them out of the playoffs, the Columbus Blue Jackets are still piling up some memorable moments. Scott Hartnell scored three times, and the Blue Jackets earned their fourth consecutive win by rebounding from a two-goal deficit to beat the Anaheim Ducks 5-3 on Tuesday night. "It was a measuring-stick game for us," said the 32-year-old Hartnell, a hard-nosed player who has 25 goals and 28 assists after he was acquired in a trade with Philadelphia for R.J. Umberger and a draft pick. We want to keep it up." It was the first hat trick for the Blue Jackets since Cam Atkinson had three goals at Colorado on April 5, 2012.


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Tell us how The Honest Kitchen has helped your pet and receive 100 rewards points!
- Name:
- Pearl
- Breed:
- Other (Basset Hound)
- Age:
- 7
- Ailments:
- Digestive Issues, Pancreatitis, Thyroid Issues, Urinary Tract / Kidney Issues
Pearl has had three bouts of Pancreatitis. One three years ago and the other two very recently, one in June 2013 and one in Aug 2013 (while on prescribed Royal Canin Gastrointestinal low fat dog food). Also, Pearl had been drinking Huge amounts of water, had on and off anorexia and recurring UTI's. I also became concerned because after she would eat, her stomach would become distended. I brought up her big tummy to the regular vet on more than one occasion answered by a "Hmmmm". Once while at the vet for another bout of Pancreatitis and UTI I again expressed concern about her stomach....wondered about an enlarged spleen....vet felt her tummy and said, " Nope! That's all her!!"
She is also having mobility issues becoming increasingly worse. X Ray shows two calcified disks.
It was decided she should be tested for Cushings Disease. Pearl spent 8 hours at the regular vet being tested. Next day they confirmed she had Cushings. She was started on Trilostane. Immediately after first dose Pearl became extremely agitated...drooling and looking very desperate. Wouldn't settle. I blamed myself for not getting the pill far enough back in her throat. She is a Terrible pill taker! Used Pill Pockets to get the next three days pills down.
On day 4, right after taking the pill she bloated!! I rushed her to ER. She partially torsioned but didn't require surgery. Drs there told me she NEVER should have been tested for Cushings while recovering from Pancreatitis!! Probably was a False Positive because of it and said to discontinue Trilostane. She stayed there three days, the entire time stressed out of her mind...crying and miserable. She was again anorexic. ( The Trilostane had shut down her Adrenals so her body couldn't handle stress). They didn't want to release her until she ate. I took her home!! ER docs insisting Pearl come back in a week for exploratory surgery and Pexy. There is NO WAY this dog would be healthy enough for major surgery in a week. I was also told to get her to a Neurologist for her mobility issues (now to the point she has to be carried).
9-13-13 We did see a very well known Neurologist the day after getting her home from ER. (carried) He wanted to do an MRI but said she wouldn't survive the anesthesia required in her condition. He suspects cervical spine issue. Prescribed Gabapentin and an appetite stimulant as she STILL wasn't eating.
By now I'm fearing the worst but I wasn't giving up without a fight. Fed up with conventional veterinary medicine at the point....$$$$ spent and still no answers and still have a dying dog.
Appetite stimulant works but she will only eat small amounts of boiled chicken breast. I start researching Holistic Veterinarians and found Dr Matt, thank God. Still, couldn't get into see him for a week. Started praying she would live long enough to see him. That entire week she kept trying to bloat on me and I kept shoving Gas X down her throat, probably 12 to 15 a day!! She also came down with another Horrid UTI. Started Clavamox. This poor girl!! (and poor sleepless, stressed out me!).
A friend told me about Honest Kitchen so I researched it on the web. Looked perfect for Pearl's low fat diet and Dr Matt had suggested home made diet for her. I checked with him before buying it and he said he loved that product. "Takes the guess work out of home cooking for your dog".
I found a place to buy it and got a small box of Preference. I mixed cooked chicken breast in as instructed. Pearl turned up her nose the first time offered, but the next morning, after the food mixture had sat overnight in the fridge (and then warmed up in microwave a little) she Cleaned up her dish!! I wanted to do a cartwheel! Now I worry again about the tummy blowing up. I was caught between wanting her to eat and being extremely afraid for what would happen when she did! Guess what? No Big Tummy!! Not only that, but this dog, who just the week prior had to take appetite stimulants is DEMANDING her food!!
We started on Preference on Sept 27th 2013. This is October 4th, 2013. She hasn't missed a meal, Demands her food, gets excited about eating, has a nice flat tummy and perfect stools!! I mix the Preference with cooked chicken breast or ground turkey. She is also getting "Beams" the "fish stick" chewies from Honest Kitchen. Low fat and she LOVES them and has no trouble digesting them. SHE NO LONGER SUFFERS FROM DIGESTIVE ISSUES! She also quit drinking so much water!! We LOVE LOVE LOVE Honest Kitchen!! I have 2 other dogs who will be transitioning to Preference as well.
She is also on whole food supplements from Dr Matt. He is also doing Chiropractic, Laser and Acupuncture for her mobility issues. We are slowly, but I'm convinced Surely, getting our Pearl back.
Her coat and eyes are again bright and shiny. She is "talking" to us again and "singing" for her meals, demanding belly rubs and getting her life back. She is also starting to walk better. No longer has to be carried, gets in and out the doggie door to potty or enjoy a sun bath.
Products Used
Tell us how The Honest Kitchen has helped your pet and receive 100 rewards points!


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Intel Core i5-2435M
The Intel Core i5-2435M is a fast dual core processor at the time of introduction in Q3 2011. It is based on the Sandy Bridge architecture and offers Hyperthreading to handle 4 threads at once (for a better usage of the pipeline). Compared to the faster Core i7, the i5 offers a smaller last level cache of 3MB. The base clock speed is 2.4 GHz but due to Turbo Boost it can reach 2.7 GHz (2 cores active) and 3 GHz (1 core active). Compared to the 2510M, the 2435M does not support AES, VT-d, and Trusted Execution functions.
Sandy Bridge is the evolutionary successor of the Arrandale architecture. The most noteable improvements is the improved Turbo 2.0 and the integration of the graphics card into the 32nm CPU core.
The i5-2435M offers an integrated graphics card (Intel HD Graphics 3000) which is clearly faster then the older Intel HD Graphics in the Arrandale CPUs. As the new GPU is included in the CPU, it is also manufactured in 32nm and shares the fast level 3 cache with the CPU cores (using a new ring bus). In the 2435M it is clocked from 650-1300MHz (with Turbo Boost). In comparison the quite similar i5-2430M offers only 1200MHz.
Furthermore, an improved dual-channel DDR3 memory controller is included on the CPU die that is used by the CPU and GPU part.
Due to the improved architecture and the new Turbo Boost 2.0, the average performance of the Core i5-2435M is higher than a similar clocked Arrandale Core i5. In our benchmarks, the 2435M was able to beat the fast Intel Core i5-560M with 2.7-3.2GHz and is therefore suited for even demanding tasks.
The 35W TDP rating includes the integrated GPU and memory controller.
Series | Intel Core i5 |
Codename | Sandy Bridge |
Clock Rate | 2400 - 3000 MHz |
Level 1 Cache | 128 KB |
Level 2 Cache | 512 KB |
Level 3 Cache | 3072 KB |
Number of Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 |
Max. Power Consumption (TDP = Thermal Design Power) | 35 Watt |
Transistor Count | 624 Million |
Manufacturing Technology | 32 nm |
Die Size | 149 mm2 |
Socket | FCBGA1023 |
Features | HD Graphics 3000, DDR3-1066/1333 Memory Controller (max 8GB), HyperThreading, AVX, Quick Sync, Virtualization |
GPU | Intel HD Graphics 3000 (650 - 1300 MHz) |
64 Bit | 64 Bit support |
Hardware Virtualization | VT-x |
Announcement Date | 11/02/2011 |
No benchmarks found for this graphics card.:: No reviews found for this CPU (yet).


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November 15, 2010
4 comments:
Michel, your comment nudged me (like a facebook POKE) to post about a book tonight, as I've long felt like I've been neglecting the literary side of the blog. I pulled random books off my shelves for inspiration, and you'll be seeing the fruits of this shelf-pulling over the next few weeks.
ReplyDeleteThe love letters you must get. The tearful posted comments that mutter a gratitude that is never adequately expressed.
Surely agents and publishers plead with you to do a book for them? Oh wait, that's right, this is 2010.
Are blogs better than books? The hypnotic clicking, the breathlessness as you wait for the image and text to load.
I don't know. I just wanted to thank you.
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(478) 301-2748 or music.mercer.edu
The Robert McDuffie Center for Strings of Mercer University presents the nationally acclaimed Diaz Trio in concert at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 2, in Fickling Hall of the McCorkle Music Building, 1329 Adams Street, Macon.
"One of the few professional string trios in existence today, the Díaz Trio has become one of the best chamber music ensembles in the United States," according to the Naxos.com.
The ensemble includes Andrés Cardenes, concertmaster of the Pittsburgh Symphony;
Andrés Díaz, renowned concert cellist and distinguished artist of the McDuffie Center at Mercer University, and Roberto Díaz, violist and president of the Curtis Institute of Music.
Violinist Amy Schwartz Moretti, director of the McDuffie Center at Mercer and former Concertmaster of the Oregon Symphony, and guest pianist Elizabeth Pridgen will also perform at the concert.
Admission is free; seating is limited. Doors open 30 minutes before the performance. For more information, call (478) 301-2748 or go online to music.mercer.edu.
About the Townsend School of Music:Mercer is an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Music. Mercer's Townsend School of Music and the Townsend-McAfee Institute Graduate Studies in Church Music offer undergraduate and graduate professional music studies in a comprehensive university environment. The School is nationally recognized for its outstanding faculty, award-winning students, performance ensembles and state-of-the-art facilities.About Mercer University:Founded in 1833, Mercer University is a dynamic and comprehensive center of undergraduate, graduate and professional education. The University has 7,300 students; 11 schools and colleges – liberal arts, law, pharmacy, medicine, business, engineering, education, theology, music, nursing and continuing and professional studies; major campuses in Macon and Atlanta; four regional academic centers across the state; a university press; two teaching hospitals — Memorial Health University Medical Center and the Medical Center of Central Georgia; educational partnerships with Warner Robins Air Logistics Center in Warner Robins and Piedmont Healthcare in Atlanta; an engineering research center in Warner Robins; a performing arts center in Macon; and a NCAA Division I athletic program. For more information, visit www.mercer.edu.— 30 —


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Fitness expert Elizabeth Bracero filled us in and how to stay fit when you have a desk job.
Try to walk during your lunch break. If you drive to work, park farther away, and also take stairs rather than escalators and elevators. If you work in a high rise building, take the elevator up a couple flights down, and walk up the rest.
It's important to break the habit of a sedentary lifestyle every hour to two hours. What that means is getting up off your behind every time your clock strikes the next hora! And instead of phoning a coworker in the office, walk to her desk in person, and take the time to get up and stretch whenever you can.
Skipping breakfast is a no-no because since your metabolism slows when you're asleep, eating a few hours shortly after you wake up will help boost your metabolism. A study in the Journal of Obesity also showed that skipping breakfast increases your desire for fatty foods during lunch time. If you're always in a rush, keep a box cereal or instant oatmeal at your desk so you can eat while you work.
Numerous studies have shown that drinking 8-10 glasses of water throughout the day can promote weight loss. Plus, H2O is really good for your skin. Every office has agua, so drink up!
A recent study showed that over 40 percent of office workers surveyed in Britain have gained six pounds a year just from snacking at work. Stay away from the tortilla chips at the vending machine and opt for something healthy like an apple or a trail mix if you do get a little hungry. Bracero suggests sticking to real fruit rather than dry fruit, because some are packed with tons of sugar.
Isometrics aka at-your-desk mini workouts are a great way to get some exercise time in at work. Try this good sneaky workout for your abs: squeeze the muscles in your core tightly for one minute while you type on the computer, then release. Do as many reps as you can throughout the day.


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We offer discount to nonprofits, government agencies, and federal contractors
Watch AILA's Featured Issues page for more information
Read TodayThe AILA Career Center offers more than access to the best possible industry candidates.
AILA Doc. No. 13050155 | Dated May 1, 2013 | File Size: 592 K
Download the DocumentICE press release announcing that a Missouri attorney was indicted for conspiracy to commit marriage fraud when he enlisted a U.S. citizen to marry a female Ukrainian national so that she could illegally obtain an immigration benefit and remain in the United States.
[[To print the PDF on this page please use the print function in the PDF reader.]]
Cite as AILA Doc. No. 13050155.
Open the DocumentAmerican Immigration Lawyers Association
1331 G Street NW, Suite 300
Washington, DC 20005
Copyright © 1993-2017
American Immigration Lawyers Association.


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Tanaka Authorized Substitution The part number 73901620200 has been changed to part number 6692832. While the new part may look different, this is a Tanaka approved substitution. Please note that the price and availability shown is for the new part number 6692832. |
Non-Returnable This product is non-returnable due to manufacturer policy. We apologize for the inconvenience. |
Brand | Tanaka |
Old Part Number | 73901620200 |
New Part Number | 6692832 |
Condition | New |


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If you've been on the fence about the next-gen because you're rich, you like football, you watch TV on your TV and you couldn't give an amputated flying squirrel leg about DRM, then this bit of news might help sway you closer to the side of the Xbox One, assuming you also like Japanese exclusives filling out your console's library.
I find it hard to believe in this day and age, but Japanese console exclusives are actually a rarity these days. The landscape of consoles has changed so much that it's now big news when a console actually gets an exclusive and it's even bigger news (hence this article) when that exclusive (or exclusives) happen to be made by the founding fathers of console gaming. Anyway, Gematsu rolled out a quote from Microsoft VP Phil Spencer from an interview he had with Famitsu, where there was no wishy-washiness or PR double speak. The executive had a clear and concise message to share, noting that... "Yes. Some time ago, [Xbox Japan general manager Takashi] Sensui and I met with a few Japanese developers to discuss Xbox One development. As a matter of fact, we are thinking of developing a few exclusive titles in cooperation with Japanese developers. I believe those titles will be announced closer to (the Japanese) launch." If you're hoping that Mistwalker Studios would be returning to fray to offer up more iconic, legendary JRPGs like they did with the launch of the Xbox 360, ushering in the timeless classics Blue Dragon and, one of my favorites, Lost Odyssey (and seriously, Nobuo Uematsu just put on a composition clinic with the soundtrack to that game), think again. According to Gematsu, while Spencer was pleased with the contributions from Mistwalker back in the day, Microsoft is looking for new blood to help flesh out the launch line-up for the Xbox One when it arrives in Japan sometime in 2014. As many of you already know, Japan is not one of the 13 launch territories for the Xbox One when it arrives this fall. Amidst all the PR troubles and hardships that rocked the public's perception of the Xbox One since its initial reveal on May 21st earlier this year, Microsoft is still trying to truck on as if they have a fighting chance against the Wii U and PS4. Truck on Microsoft, truck on! While Nintendo is still in the lead with more than 3.3 million SKUs established as their install base, Sony is already gauged to surpass half of that in pre-orders alone. The Xbox One is supposedly trailing with only 700,000 pre-orders. If Microsoft can secure some strong Japanese developer support maybe... just maybe, they might be able to turn around their awful perception in the Asian territories. The original Xbox was poorly received in Japan when it launched there and the Xbox 360 was received with even more hatred when it launched over there. If history shows signs of repeating itself, the Xbox One may be in a worse off position than its two predecessors, unless Microsoft can pull out a miracle. The company has some games to showcase during the Tokyo Game Show this year with their Japanese Xbox One division, so at least they're trying. But what sort of Japanese exclusives would you like to see on the Xbone?
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William Elliott Whitmore is a corn fed Iowa boy who must have swallowed gravel since childhood to achieve his wizened, guttural croak of a voice. In listening to Animals in the Dark, Whitmore's latest album, you'd be hard pressed to guess that the voice belongs with a white man in the prime of his life, and that's not all which sets Whitmore apart from the pack.
Animals in the Dark is essentially a roots album. It has a banjo, slide guitar, Whitmore's voice, and a peck of attitude. The attitude transcends the genre on "Mutiny" specifically. It's not a protest song so much as an angry open letter to the last presidential administration. When Whitmore sings, "Let the motherfucker burn," he clearly means it. No euphemisms. No compromise. He calls it like he sees it. In fact, Whitmore probably has more in common with hardcore punk rock of the late 80s than current Americana music. The songwriting is no nonsense and no holds barred. As Whitmore says, "Look at the guys who are screwing us right now compared to the guys who were in power screwing people 2,000 years ago in ancient Europe." To him, there's little difference.
A clear line between Whitmore and other angry musicians is that Whitmore sings about politics without being political. He's not interested in right or left, but right and wrong, love and death, cigarettes and beer. He says so on "Hell or High Water". "Smoke 'em if you got 'em. Drink your glasses to the bottom." He sings songs about carrying on and making the best of it. And carrying on is universal. Not many men make it through life without a bad year – or for that matter a bad decade. Sometimes you just need a song to get you through to tomorrow. It seems that Whitmore is most interested in creating such songs for such people.
When listening to Whitmore, if you close your eyes you see a rundown bar with one microphone and chicken wire across the wooden box that doubles as a stage. The beer on tap is PBR, and the parking lot out front is gravel. Flannel is on display throughout the crowd. And if Whitmore were singing into that microphone it might as well be the Ryman.
It's his credibility, the fact that he was raised on a farm in the middle of America, which allows him to sing songs like "There's Hope for You" without sounding clichéd. Apparently hope grows in that part of the US. They care for it, harvest it, and ship it off to the coasts. Whitmore can call down curses on the tricksters and shysters without irony and without despondency because he buys into his message with fervor. It's infectious.
That's precisely why Animals in the Dark is worth a listen. It's an album about what's wrong (FYI – the animals in the dark are dishonest men of power) tempered with encouragement for the common man, and as such, is drawing comparisons to Springsteen's Nebraska that may just be credible. (Though Animals in the Dark lacks the bleakness of Nebraska.) Making an audience believe his brand of hope is the hard part, but William Elliott Whitmore is clearly up to the challenge. If a man can work eight hours, come home, listen to Animals in the Dark, and feel a little bit better about his predicament, Whitmore has done his job well. It helps knowing the other guy is just as pissed off.
Animals in the Dark release date: February 17th.


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2008-06-22, 19:13 | Link #146 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
http://www.artsonia.com/museum/art.asp?id=3350517 i did these in art class but i didnt know that my teacher put it on artsonia till today that was my first time making clay stuff so it looks weird |
2008-06-24, 21:34 | Link #151 |
Asmodeus Saigo (>v<)/
Yes and not quite yes
Bernkastel and Lambdadelta in a way is Rika and Miyo, but they are NOT Rika and Miyo. For example, if you are to play an online MMORPG like WOW, you can say you are the character but the character is NOT you. Same thing, they used Rika and Miyo as their 'characters' to play in the game No, it's almost impossible The worlds of Umineko and Higurashi are COMPLETELY different, although some dramatic Irony such as when battler says '...Recently I read a novel called Higurashi no Naku Koro ni' and when George says '...I was taught the way of tea by the manager of Okonogi Food'. Rena's last name is Ryuugu, and Maria's last name is Ushiromiya, despite that her father never appeared so far, I don't think Rena and Maria are related in anyway, just by their hair... Plus, if they ARE related, then Leviathan the stake might be related to Mion and Shion |
2008-06-26, 01:50 | Link #153 |
Asmodeus Saigo (>v<)/
Ever wondered what had happened,
between Minagoroshi-hen and Matsuribayashi-hen? (I know this sorta belongs in the Higurashi board, but they don't have Lambdadelta do they? So it fits more into the Umi. thread) Spoiler for Minagoroshi to Matsuribayashi:
(Translated by me) Plus some Sneak-Peaks from the will-be-releasing Umineko Anime: Spoiler for Umineko Animed:
2008-06-26, 12:41 | Link #155 | |
Hinamizawas Cleaver Girl
Last edited by Rena Ryuuguu; 2008-06-26 at 12:43. Reason: typo -lol- |
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[ Dining Index | North Bay | Metroactive Home | Archives ]
Photograph by Rory McNamara
I Do, I Do!
Who wants to go to D's Diner?
By Sara Bir
People can tell you a restaurant is good, and that usually piques interest. But film a restaurant in a movie (Mel's, from American Graffiti), name an album after it (R.E.M.'s Automatic for the People), write about it in a book (Fat Slice in Dave Eggers' Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius), and suddenly there's this mystique about the place--which is the kind of thing that graces our goofy little lives, these brushes with public domain immortality.
It's why I take visiting friends to Red's Recovery Room in Cotati and say, "Hey, this is the place that Tom Waits gave a shout-out to in 'Filipino Box Spring Hog.'" And then my friends say, "Neat! What's up with that photo tiger on the pool table?"
It's why today you are reading yet another of several recent reviews of D's Diner in Sebastopol. Local bass virtuoso Les Claypool composed an ode to D's on his latest solo album, and D's took steps to alert us to this fact. "Lo and behold," wrote D, "Les has written a glowing restaurant review in the form of a very funky song." Though the lyrics are indeed lively ("Grab a booth or sit outside / Have a dose of rainbow pride"), the song itself is sort of a throwback to the quirky darkness of Primus days.
Anyway, the whole Les Claypool affiliation was intriguing, and the diner's shameless little ploy to get our attention worked very well. For a while it sounded like a good idea to con Les himself into being a Mr. Bir du Jour, but (a) he's on tour right now, (b) the song is actually a more acute review than this here one will ever be, and (c) Greg Cahill seems to interview Les every few months or so for this very paper, and if I intervened it might disturb the special media relationship they've forged. Since Les seems to know what he's talking/singing about in "D's Diner," though, why not utilize his musical recommendations as a dining guide?
There's a place just off the Gravenstein / Where the milkshakes flow like wine . . .
Wine does not flow at D's, nor do any other alcoholic beverages, which is not surprising for a diner housed in a re-outfitted Foster's Freeze. The interior dining area is small, with booth space a commodity. Stools line a counter that faces outside to Healdsburg Avenue. Red and white and black all over, the decor is very much in keeping with diner tradition. You have to order at the counter, which is only partly in keeping with diner tradition, but the staff does bring your order out to you.
The best damn breakfast burrito you can get anytime . . .
Right on, Les. Eggs, potatoes, and cheese all wrapped up in a flour tortilla and drizzled with a dark New Mexico red chile sauce. You can get breakfast-type pork products inside the burrito if you want. I didn't, because what a splendid model of simplicity this breakfast burrito was! Not too much cheese, not greasy at all, and just the perfect size. The moderately spicy chile sauce provided all of the flavor needed. At $3.95, this is a cheap and reasonably wholesome breakfast.
Well, fancy ketchup, bendy straw / This ain't your average ma and pa . . .
The ketchup is Heinz, and it says "fancy" right there on the bottle, though at D's it's in red squeeze bottles. The straws don't bend, which leads me to suspect Les needed a word to rhyme with "pa."
D's does have a reformed ma-and-pa edge to it--as opposed to refined, and there is nothing refined about D's (thank goodness!). The reformed part comes into play through touches like the organic Ecco Cafe coffee they serve or the canola oil they fry with or the real maple syrup you can get for 75 cents extra. An average ma and pa would also not have a stack of old Martha Stewart Living magazines available for reading pleasure.
D herself (that's Deborah Klein) has a doctorate of philosophy from the University of New Mexico. What else can you do with a doctorate of philosophy besides open a diner? There are lots of things to be philosophical about when it comes to diners. In our American culture, the ideals diners represent--accessibility, promptness, casualness, thrift, pastel Formica, and bottomless cups of coffee--are hallowed ground. D's is very mindful of this; it has a good feel to it.
Bring your daughters, bring your sons / They serve their franks on gourmet buns . . .
Mr. Bir du Jour liked his hot dog bun just fine. D's Big Dog ($3.50), with relish, chopped red onion, kraut, and tomatoes, is a high-quality affair, an all-beef 1/4 pound kosher dog on said fancy bun, toasted. The hot dog itself is butterflied and grilled, which made it brown and crispy on the edges.
House-a-Hula Burger / Got teriyaki pineapple rings . . .
This comes with all the regular burger extras--red leaf lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickles, and mayo--but there's the added bonus of a grilled pineapple ring and a boatload of teriyaki sauce basting the patty. A good idea, but the burger was a mite too salty from the concentrated teriyaki sauce. And what's mayo doing hanging out with pineapple and teriyaki anyway? For the tasty addition of pineapple, this was almost a $5.25 burger--but not quite. Remember when that Wendy's lady said "Where's the beef?" in those commercials from the '80s? She'd ask it here too.
Gotta get fries ($1.50) with a burger. They are crinkle-cut and crispy, everything you need diner fries to be, period. A side of sweet potato fries will cost you one buck more. Sweet potato fries are tricky--sweet potatoes have more moisture than regular potatoes, so it's tough to make them crispy without burning them--but D's hits the nail right on the head. Deep orange-gold and thin, these restored my faith in deep-fried sweet potatoes.
Malted buttermilk pancakes all day long . . .
These pancakes are good enough to eat at any time of day, or all day, should your constitution allow. Pancakes are dangerous things. They go down so yummy on a leisurely weekend morning, but five minutes after polishing off a plate, the dreaded pancake fullness, a leaden sensation in the stomach, sets in. It has been known to spoil entire days.
But--glory be!--D's pancakes did not produce the dreaded pancake fullness. Tangy and light but not too fluffy, these were some of the best restaurant pancakes I've ever had. Malt that buttermilk! Try the Hasty Tasty Breakfast ($3.95), a moderate plate of one egg, two strips of bacon or one sausage, and two smallish pancakes.
Les never does say anything about the tasty barbecue menu at D's, which is certainly worth mentioning. They slow-smoke their meats over mesquite, an investment whose flavor and tenderness comes through lusciously in tender, rich meat. The rib plate--three pork ribs in apricot sauce with a choice of two sides--barbecue beans, cole slaw, or fries--was a huge helping of meat 'n' stuff for $6.95. Apricot barbecue sauce may sound hoity-toity, but it contributes to a sweetness that's fruity rather than cloying, and sugary, tangy, and peppery but not particularly spicy.
The Sloppy Jones spicy pork sandwich ($4.95) shared a similar flavor, only it was thinly sliced, super-moist pork butt, flecked with bacon and doused liberally with sauce. The meat of both the ribs and the sandwich was superb, but arrived at our table only lukewarm, which is somewhat disconcerting. Beans were OK, coleslaw was bland. I was full of candylike pork and didn't mind.
After all these trips to D's, I can see why Les wrote a song about the place. When Les returns from his current tour, D's is going to present him with a Golden Spatula ("Spatty") award for Most Prolific Regular. Woe to local would-be songwriters who had intentions to immortalize their favorite diner in song. Les has dibs on the coolest one.
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Provide specialist medical services to children from birth up to and including adolescence.
To qualify as an paediatrician:
Step 1
Complete any undergraduate bachelor's course {Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Design, Bachelor of Science or the Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours)} as your first degree.
Step 2
Complete the postgraduate Doctor of Medicine to qualify as a doctor.
Refer to the Study Pathways to the right for more information.
A paediatrician is a medical practitioner who specialises in children's health. You will:
- examine patients to determine the nature and extent of problems after referral from general medical practitioners and other medical specialists
- undertake laboratory tests and diagnostic procedures
- analyse test results and other medical information to make diagnoses
- prescribe and administer drugs as well as remedial and therapeutic treatment and procedures
- record medical information and data
- report specified contagious and notifiable diseases to government health and immigration authorities
- admit or refer patients to hospitals
- consult other medical specialists
Paediatricians could work in hospitals or in private practice.
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics
Disclaimer: This page provides study pathway and career options as a guide only. You should contact the Admissions Centre, International Centre or relevant Faculties for full details.
Study pathways
The following study pathway shows the most common and direct route for a UWA student to pursue this career.
Relevant majors include:
- Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing
- Anatomy and Human Biology
- Anthropology and Sociology
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- Biomedical Science (double major)
- Chemistry
- Exercise and Health
- Genetics
- Indigenous Knowledge, History and Heritage
- Microbiology and Immunology
- Neuropsychology and Cognitive Science
- Neuroscience
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
- Pharmacology
- Physiology
- Population Health
- Science Communication
- Social and Applied Psychology
Professional training
After completion of the Doctor of Medicine and working in the public hospital system for two years (internship and residency), doctors interested in becoming a paediatrician can apply to the Royal Australasian College of Physicians to undertake further training and ultimately receive Fellowship which normally takes at least six years of study while working as a doctor.


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A John Green Glossary
If you're unclear on the difference between TFIOS and DFTBA, read this guide to John Green's inside jokes and acronyms
Nerdfighters are all in a tizzy about TFIOS.
If that sentence doesn't make any sense to you, you may want to consult this John Green glossary to familiarize yourself with a cult teen movement that's breaking into the mainstream. Scroll through the terms...


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Welcome to Sunday Chinese School, where we learn a Chinese word (or phrase) a week with my mom!
Today's word is: name
Oh Grace, what a wonderful idea! Thank you. Mei and I have listened and repeated.
Grace, you should include a recording of yourself saying the Chinese word, too!
Thank you so much!
Oh I'll be sharing this with my Grace Lin Fan Club members today!
glad everyone is learning words with me!


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Hannah Pearson
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Hannah Pearson is the youngest child of the Pearson kids, at 7-years-old. She befriends Sparks, a friendly alien unlike the other aliens. Hannah vomits when she is in the middle of the seat. Her cousins and siblings think Sparks is attacking her. But really they are playing with the bubble gun Sparks fixed for Hannah. When Sparks leaves at the end of the film, Hannah asks him to stay. But he shows her a picture of his family, and so she tearfully says goodbye to her alien friend. She calls Sparks, "Snuggle Lump".
Hannah is Cuddly, Adorable and cute and loves the attention of her family.


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Life Agency has made a trio of senior appointments, including client services director, creative group head and planning director.
The expansion follows an influx of new business wins including GSK and the growth of retained accounts Nestlé Purina and Nivea.Joining from Carlson Marketing Group, where she was client partner and worked with Coca-Cola GB, Nestle and Muller, Deacon will be responsible for overseeing all client service direction and training and development, in addition to playing a key role in new business for the integrated marketing agency.
Fleming joins from Omnia in Dubai where he held the position of Creative Director. He has also previously for brands including The Famous Grouse, Smirnoff, LURPAK, Anchor, ABSOLUT, RBS, Visit Scotland and Coca Cola during his time at BD Network. He will work alongside Life's Creative Director Martin Tripp leading strategic creative thinking across all Life Agency clients.
Broughton (pictured) joins the Life team as the agency's new Planning Director having previously worked for Dig For Fire, McCann Erikson and Boots.
David Poole, Managing Director said of the expansion: "2010 has been a great year for us. It's our third year and our momentum continues apace. We picked up a number of awards culminating in the MAA Best Newcomer Award and this has made our new business and recruitment drives more productive as we continue to raise our profile.
"The addition of Rachel, Neil and Mark to the team is the fore-runner of a hunt for talent to ensure we are making the most of the many exciting opportunities opening up to us."


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In our most recent rates survey, the average one-year CD rate slipped to 0.25 percent. The Fed is keeping rates low in order to give the economy a jump start, but there are still some better-than-average deals out there. You can use our tools to find the highest CD rates in Hopkinsville, KY, today.
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The Power of Many (Xerocon 2016)
Small businesses making the journey to the Xero platform are part of a galaxy far beyond what they can see. Xero advisors are part of a network that is bound by the strength of a community working together to change the way we conduct business. Xero's annual conference known as #Xerocon is not just about learning new technology. This conference is about accounting advisors coming together to share ideas and… Read more


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Winter Training Camp continues (why not when the food is free, the lodging is free, the company is good, and it is still windy at home).
Day 2 brought more nordic skiing at Devil's Thumb. I brought the Dad along for some fun too.
I never thought I'd see this while skiing in the woods.
Turns out, due to the beetles and clear cutting, there aren't very many "woods" left. As the wind moved over the divide, and there were no trees to block the wind, the skiing stopped being fun.
Nordic skiing was followed by The Lion King-in an attempt to make my concrete legs feel better by spinning them out on the trainer while watching a movie. It didn't really work as my legs still felt like ass after 30 min of riding.
What really made my legs feel better was pizza. At Hernando's. With the family.
Day 3 of winter training camp brought wind, snow, and cold. My legs recovered over night (nice surprise as I am sleeping and working out at 8,500+ ft) and I was able to get a good trainer workout in the garage--I overheated watching the Lion King the day before and I'm blaming that on why my legs felt like ass. Riding in 20 degrees is far better than 60 degrees and no fan.
Trainer ride was followed by snowshoeing. It was very pretty and peaceful.
The snowshoeing was the end of Winter Training Camp 2012. After snowshoeing, I packed up and headed home. I had a great 3 days in Fraser with my family and doing a bit of "winter training". There's a lot of time for bike riding, might as well enjoy winter while I can.


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Monday, December 24, 2012
Christmas Eve
It's dark out, the rain has stopped and the moon is shining onto our now quiet village. Christmas lights twinkle from trees in windows. People are tucked into their homes wrapping last minute gifts or sitting by the fire with a glass of something. I just came back from delivering the remainder of my Christmas cards and looking at all the cosy insides of homes reminded me of how lucky I am to have somewhere warm and dry and snug to sleep, not just tonight but on all nights and how grateful I am for it. I've finished making the mince pies and in a while I am going to sit and watch 'The Snowman And The Snow Dog' so I wish you all a very Merry Christmas! x
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What does "all in" really mean? It means Microsoft wants to own the cloud — both the public and private varieties. To do that, they need to own the virtualization space as well, because virtualization software is one of the four basic software components on which clouds are built — along with server software, management software, and security software.
To its credit, the company seems to realize that many organizations are not ready, willing, or able to trust their data and applications to the public cloud. So as much as they might be pushing their own cloud services — Azure, Office 365, Intune — their cloud strategy is all about options. If you're into do-it-yourself cloud computing, they have a solution for you: a combination of Windows Server 2008 R2 SP 1 Hyper-V and System Center that they call Hyper-V Cloud.
As the name suggests, the Hyper-V hypervisor technology is a core component of the Microsoft private cloud. But as with many other products, Microsoft is still playing catch-up in the virtualization space, as they aim to unseat the market leader, VMware. There are other players, of course. Red Hat's KVM and Citrix's XenServer are the two most prominent, but when it comes to virtualization, VMware is the one to beat.
Coming from behind
The good news for Microsoft is that Hyper-V's market share has grown (although it's difficult to dig out hard figures), whereas VMware's has dropped, albeit slowly. Gartner predicted that by 2012, Hyper-V would have 27 percent of the global virtualization market with VMware at 65 percent (down from 84 percent in 2009 and 76 percent in 2010). As I've discussed before, coming from behind to slowly overtake the competition has long been a winning strategy for Microsoft, but some have suggested that Hyper-V's market share has grown more slowly than expected and that might even have been a factor in the departure, early this year, of Bob Muglia as head of Server and Tools Business.
VMware got a big head start. They have been making virtualization software since 1999 and have an extensive offering of virtualization products, from VMware Workstation (which was their first product) to ESX and ESXi (enterprise-level bare-metal hypervisor implementations). vSphere is their cloud platform, which grew out of a product called VMware Infrastructure 3, which was released in 2006. What was to be VMware Infrastructure 4 was released in 2009 and was called vSphere instead.
VMware is expected to launch vSphere 5.0 at its July 12 event in San Francisco. One of many changes in the new version is expected to be a move away from a Windows-based console to a web-based one, which seems to signal a further subtle decoupling from the Microsoft ecosystem. This has been going on since GSX Server (a Type 2 or hosted hypervisor that ran on Windows) was phased out and replaced by ESX (a Type 1 or hostless hypervisor that runs directly on the hardware without an underlying operating system).
Microsoft is also reported to be working on a new version of Hyper-V (3.0) that includes a number of enhancements. Leaked reports have focused primarily on Hyper-V on the desktop, rumored to be a part of Windows 8. This opens up much speculation and all sorts of possibilities. I'm imagining a scenario where you could have two virtual machines running on one physical computer, with one for your work system and the other for personal tasks.
From the user's perspective, the effect would be like Virtual Desktops on steroids. From a management and security perspective, companies could have complete control over the "work computer" and still allow users to access Facebook, personal email accounts, and such on the "personal computer." Nothing done on the personal computer would affect the work computer. If properly implemented, you could switch between the two using a simple key combination. How cool would that be?
Does this change everything?
Currently Microsoft has a bit of a split personality when it comes to virtualization. Hyper-V is in the server operating system only, while desktop virtualization is dependent on Windows Virtual PC. WVPC is a free download that supports XP Mode in Windows 7 Pro, Enterprise, and Ultimate editions. WVPC is the latest version of Microsoft Virtual PC (2007 and 2004), which was based on Connectix Virtual PC (which Microsoft bought in 2003).
Virtual PC has always been a bit quirky, and although it has improved over the years, the current version is no exception. I've worked with both WVPC and Hyper-V, and the latter is far more stable in my experience. WVPC (like Microsoft Virtual Server) is a Type 2 hypervisor. Hyper-V is a "true" hypervisor that accesses the hardware, although the Hyper-V role on Windows Server 2008 R2 runs Windows as a "privileged guest." Hyper-V Server is the "bare metal" version.
So whoever heard of a true hypervisor running on a desktop operating system? And why would anyone want one? Some have suggested that a good, stable virtualization platform built in to the client OS would allow all applications to run in VMs, increasing both backward compatibility and security. It would also make it a lot easier for users to have their Windows cake and eat Linux, too. Some have gone so far as to say this will fundamentally change the way users work.
Is it enough?
While putting Hyper-V in Windows 8 could certainly help Microsoft take over the desktop virtualization market from VMware Workstation (especially considering that VMware Workstation costs $189, or $99 to upgrade from a previous version), they'll have to do more to dominate in that private cloud space they're eagerly courting. I suppose one could look at the Windows 8 Hyper-V as the "gateway drug" that Microsoft will give away for free, hoping that once IT folks try it and see how much better it is than Virtual PC, they'll be impressed enough to think that maybe they should give Hyper-V Server a try, too. And that might work, to some extent, especially when it comes to new deployments.
But getting a large customer base to switch from vSphere virtualization environments will require more compelling advantages. VMware has a loyal fan base of longtime users, and winning them over won't be easy.
Beat them at the bottom line
One way to compete is on price, and the company claims to provide more features than vSphere at one third of the cost. A real-world cost comparison is difficult because of differing licensing methods. For example, total cost of Hyper-V is dependent on whether you use the Standard, Enterprise, or Datacenter edition of Windows Server 2008 R2 or the standalone Hyper-V Server, and licensing for those is per-host whereas vSphere licensing is per-CPU.
Additionally, Virtual vCenter Server is priced at one amount to manage the full infrastructure, whereas System Center Server Management Suite is priced per processor. Nonetheless, if Microsoft can demonstrate significant actual cost savings — both up front and ongoing — that could be a powerful draw for companies in these still-tough economic times.
More important than absolute numbers is the issue of value —getting the most features and functionality for the money. To beat VMware, Microsoft will have to show that it's not just the "cheap solution" but also the best.
At your service
It's important to keep in mind that the private cloud is all about service's automation - giving users the applications they need without the administrative overhead those applications traditionally require. Here Microsoft has the advantage of deep insight into the major tier-one services that are deployed in a private cloud: email, messaging, collaboration, database, CRM, VDI. Microsoft fully understands these services because, after all, they make the software. Just as they need to push their ability to integrate the Windows Phone OS more tightly with Exchange, SharePoint, SQL Server etc. better than any other phone OS, they should use their extensive experience building these tier-one services to persuade customers that a cloud built on Hyper-V will better integrate with said services.
Management matters
Some would say hypervisors are becoming commodity items; they're often given away for free (Microsoft Virtual PC, Microsoft Virtual Server, Hyper-V Server, VMware Server/GSX Server, VMware ESXi, XenServer). Thus the real "value added" lies in the management tools. Microsoft has built a robust management infrastructure, and it is becoming more so.
Microsoft's strategy here is to extend the management tools into the applications that run in the VMs. System Center can provide very comprehensive application-level monitoring and management, and Microsoft is positioning it as the best overall management solution because it's compatible with VMware in side-by-side deployments. This is important because many companies are not going to suddenly dump VMware for Hyper-V, but they will be willing to try Hyper-V if they can deploy it alongside their existing VMware deployments.
Much as Microsoft would like Windows Server to be the basis of all virtualized services, in order to win over VMware customers, they need to position Hyper-V as OS-neutral and emphasize that there are management packs available for other operating systems, such as Red Hat and SuSE Linux.
It's all about the options
I think of Microsoft as the company that gives me plenty of options. I know this drives some people crazy, especially in the consumer space. I constantly hear complaints that Windows 7 comes in too many editions. But I like that about Microsoft, and I think they can play up this factor in the virtualization market, as well.
For example, VMware offers a VDI solution, but Microsoft offers VDI or Remote Desktop Services (terminal services) with App-V and Windows RemoteApp. They're also offering many deployment options for the private cloud, ranging from complete "do it yourself" (with detailed instructions) to a "fast track" option where Microsoft partners such as Dell, Fujitsu, Hitachi, and HP provide an appliance-based solution.
Multiple options give customers flexibility and more control, but the problem with having many options is that it can add complexity that requires more effort to deploy and manage. To beat VMware, Microsoft will have to show that their products will simplify customers' lives rather than introduce added work. They should emphasize how System Center can be used to manage the entire infrastructure, including VMware virtual machines, and try to win customers over on a "slow and steady" basis rather than trying to sell them on migrating to a whole new virtualization platform all at once.
Security, security, security
One of the biggest headaches in operating an on-premise IT infrastructure, as well as one of the top concerns about moving to the cloud, is security. Despite all their efforts to build security into their products from the ground up through the Trusted Computing initiative, Microsoft still suffers from the public perception that their products are not secure. Hyper-V is seen by many as "inherently insecure because it runs on Windows."
To beat VMware, Microsoft must tackle this perception from two angles: (1) show that Windows Server 2008 R2, kept properly updated, is a highly secure OS and (2) decouple Hyper-V from Windows in the minds of the public by placing more emphasis on Hyper-V Server vs. the Hyper-V role in Windows Server.
Microsoft also needs to come up with a counterpart to vSphere's VMSafe (for integrating third-party security solutions into the virtualized environment) and their Site Recovery Manager (for automating the disaster recovery process). These are two big selling points for vSphere.
Marketing makes it or breaks it
Microsoft's market prowess (or lack thereof) is a subject for an entire column of its own, and I'll do that one day soon. Suffice it to say that experience has shown over and over that having a great product at a great price isn't enough to ensure success. You have to know how to get your message out to those who make the buying decisions.
Microsoft has the same marketing problem with Hyper-V that they have with Windows, Internet Explorer, Windows Phone, and pretty much all of their products. They build a version that has many fundamental flaws and then improve on that as time goes by. After a few tries, they have a pretty good, solid, competitive product, but because first impressions are so strong, many people are stuck with perceptions that once were true but now aren't (Windows crashes all the time; Windows is woefully insecure; IE offers an inferior browsing experience).
The biggest challenge Microsoft faces in gaining market share from VMware is how to present the next generation of Hyper-V (which is rumored to have some really spectacular improvements) in a way that will overcome all the outdated or misconstrued perceptions (that it doesn't support load balancing, that it doesn't have storage migration, that there is no clustered file system, that it's not scalable enough for the enterprise).
If Microsoft wants to be the main player in the private cloud space, they need to set their sights on VMware. Microsoft's initial foray into virtualization with Virtual PC and Virtual Server seemed half-hearted at best. IT pros tried those products and found them sorely lacking in comparison to VMware. Now VMware's reputation as the best (and, in the opinions of many, only) platform for building a virtual infrastructure is deeply entrenched. Hyper-V 3.0 is in the same position as Windows 8 — it needs to knock our socks off.
Full Bio
Debra Littlejohn Shinder, MCSE, MVP is a technology consultant, trainer, and writer who has authored a number of books on computer operating systems, networking, and security. Deb is a tech editor, developmental editor, and contributor to over 20 additional books on subjects such as the Windows 2000 and Windows 2003 MCSE exams, CompTIA Security+ exam, and TruSecure's ICSA certification.


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text:
1. To dream that you hear the clock strikes midnight, suggests that the events around you will develop surprisingly.
2. To dream of midnight, indicates that you'll find that person who you was thought an enemy or rival, has advocated for you and supported you.
[Other similar dream interpretations]
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text:
Gopichand, Taapsee not promoting Sahasam?
Hyderabad: Telugu movie Sahasam is one of the big budget movies of the year 2013 and its production cost is said to have crossed Rs 30 crores. The film, which has been in the making for a long time, has been delayed for long time due to several reasons. With the flick set to release in theatres on July 12, it has reportedly landed in another problem. The talk in the T-Town is that its lead actors Gopichand and Taapsee Pannu are yet to join its promotions.
Gopichand, who tied the knot with Reshma on May 12, had gone busy with the shooting of Sahasam immediately after his marriage, postponing his honeymoon. Now, the actor is on his honeymoon trip for two weeks. With this, the promotion of his most-awaited movie has taken a backseat. While he is on the tour, he called his co-star Taapsee Pannu and requested her to take part in its publicity events until he returns.
But Taapsee had committed to join Raghava Lawrence in shooting their first combo movie Muni 3. So the actress has moved on to shoot this movie after wrapping up Sahasam. She is also reportedly unavailable for the promotion of the Telugu film, which is produced by BVSN Prasad, who is said to be upset with the developments.
Reports suggest that BVSN Prasad, who has shelled out a whopping budget on the film Sahasam, is said to be quite skeptic about commercial success of the movie at the Box Office. The producer is reportedly afraid that it may not even return its production cost. It should be seen whether Gopichand and Taapsee will join the film unit in promoting it and save the producer or not.


text:
Bills Digest no. 104 2010–11
WARNING: This Digest was prepared for debate. It reflects the legislation as introduced and does not canvass subsequent amendments. This Digest does not have any official legal status. Other sources should be consulted to determine the subsequent official status of the Bill.
Cathy Madden and Nicholas Horne Bills Digest Service 10 May 2011
Passage history Purpose Background Financial implications Main issues Concluding comments
Remuneration and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2011
Date introduced: 24 March 2011
House: House of Representatives
Portfolio: Prime Minister
Commencement: Sections 1–3 commence on the day the Act receives Royal Assent. Schedule 1 and 2 commence on a day to be fixed by Proclamation, or on the day after six months from Royal Assent, whichever occurs first.
Links: The links to the Bill, its Explanatory Memorandum and second reading speech can be found on the Bill's home page. When Bills have been passed and have received Royal Assent, they become Acts, which can be found at the ComLaw website at http://www.comlaw.gov.au/.
The primary purpose of the Remuneration and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2011 (the Bill) is to amend the Remuneration Tribunal Act 1973 (Remuneration Tribunal Act) to give the Remuneration Tribunal responsibility for determining:
The Remuneration Tribunal (the Tribunal), an independent statutory authority, was established in 1973 to determine the allowances (including salaries) of parliamentarians and ministers and to determine the remuneration of departmental secretaries and statutory office holders.
Since 1999, in particular with the introduction of the Public Service Act and the Parliamentary Service Act 1999 (Cth), the Tribunal has had only an advisory role in determining the salary of members of parliament and departmental secretaries and heads of executive agencies.
All of the Tribunal's determinations and reports relating to Commonwealth offices are matters of public record, and must be given to the Minister and tabled in the Parliament. Currently either House of the Parliament has 15 sitting days, from the date of tabling to move a motion for disallowance of those determinations.[1]
Members of Parliament receive an annual allowance, an electorate allowance and other entitlements including travel, retirement travel and superannuation.[2] Relevant to this Bill, the amount of the annual allowance (also known as base salary) is set out in regulations made by the Governor-General in accordance with the Remuneration and Allowances Act 1990 (Remuneration and Allowances Act) which requires the Governor-General to 'consider advice from the Remuneration Tribunal about the proposed regulation'.[3] Clearly then, it is not the Tribunal which sets the actual base salary for parliamentarians.
The Remuneration and Allowances Act provides that the annual salary for members of parliament is equal to the minimum annual rate of salary payable to an SES employee with a classification of SES Band 2, or if the regulations prescribe a percentage (not more than 100%) of a reference salary—that percentage of the reference salary.[4] In accordance with that provision, the Tribunal determines a classification for the Principal Executive Offices, under which it sets a number of reference salaries, including Reference Salary A.[5] Parliamentary salary is set as a percentage of Reference Salary A.[6]
For some years until 1 July 2008, the regulations specified 100 per cent of Reference Salary A as the amount of the annual salary for Members of Parliament.[7] However, by Remuneration and Allowances Amendment Regulations 2008 (No. 1) parliamentary base salary in 2008/09 and future years will be set at an amount equal to the Reference Salary A determined by the Tribunal, less the whole dollar increase to the reference salary determined by the Tribunal for the 2008/09 year. From 1 July 2008, parliamentary salary has been equal to Reference Salary A, as determined by the Tribunal, less $5470.[8]
On 8 September 2009, the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) published a report of its review of parliamentary entitlements.[9] As part of its response, the Government set up an independent panel to review the parliamentary entitlements scheme.[10] The review, chaired by former senior public servant, Barbara Belcher, was to provide advice and recommendations to Government on issues such as:
The Belcher Review report was given to the Special Minister of State on 9 April 2010 and released publicly by the government on 24 March 2011.[12]
Special Minister of State, Gary Gray on introducing the Bill said that:
... in restoring the Tribunal's power to determine the base salary of parliamentarians the bill will implement the cornerstone recommendation in the report of the Committee of review of Parliamentary Entitlements... [This] will provide more transparency and—importantly— independence in the determination of parliamentary base salaries.[13]
The Belcher Review drew a distinction between remuneration—that is, salary and 'tools of trade'— that is, entitlements, such as office facilities and transport, and recommended that each be dealt with separately. The former will be determined by the Remuneration Tribunal and the latter to be covered by a single piece of legislation to be administered by the Minister.
The remuneration of departmental secretaries, along with other terms and conditions, is currently determined by the Prime Minister under section 61 of the Public Service Act. The Prime Minister makes the determination for secretaries' remuneration and other conditions following advice from the Remuneration Tribunal.
The current system for remuneration of departmental secretaries is two-tiered, with the secretaries of the Departments of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Defence, and the Treasury receiving a higher level of remuneration than the secretaries of other departments.
The Remuneration Tribunal undertook a review of the Office of Secretary in 2010. The first part of the Tribunal's report, dealing with the classification structure, was released in March 2010; the second part, yet to be released, will deal with remuneration.[14] The Tribunal also commissioned work on the work value of the Office of Secretary.[15]
In the first part of its report the Tribunal has proposed maintaining a two-tier classification structure for departmental secretaries. The Tribunal would allocate initial Secretary offices between the levels, along with the remuneration of the secretaries of the Departments of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and Treasury. The Tribunal also proposed that the Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet should determine the placement of individual offices within each tier in consultation with the President of the Tribunal.[16]
In addition, the Tribunal recommended that, along with the secretaries of the Departments of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Defence, and Treasury, the secretaries of the departments of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations; Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs; Finance and Deregulation; Foreign Affairs and Trade; and Health and Ageing should be re-classified to the first level. The secretaries of the other departments would be classified to the second level.[17]
The Tribunal also expressed the view that current remuneration for secretaries is inadequate, and signalled 'an initial reasonable adjustment of remuneration for existing office-holders' in the second part of the report together with 'a longer term remuneration structure entailing levels of remuneration which may be expected to be substantially above the current levels'.[18]
The Government has indicated a strong commitment to reform of the parliamentary entitlements framework. The Special Minister of State, Senator Joe Ludwig, welcomed the ANAO report on the administration of parliamentary entitlements and stated:
The Rudd Government has accepted all of the Auditor-General's recommendations. I am announcing a raft of reform measures that will reduce cost and increase transparency of the parliamentary entitlements system... We are committed to reform, openness and transparency to ensure that we maintain the trust and confidence of the Australian people.[19]
The Rudd Government has accepted all of the Auditor-General's recommendations. I am announcing a raft of reform measures that will reduce cost and increase transparency of the parliamentary entitlements system...
We are committed to reform, openness and transparency to ensure that we maintain the trust and confidence of the Australian people.[19]
The reform to departmental secretaries' remuneration and conditions was announced by the then Opposition in their 2007 policy 'Labor's approach to the Australian public service'. The policy provided that:
... Labor will move away from a performance pay arrangement for agency heads and departmental secretaries, and restore the jurisdiction of the Remuneration Tribunal to fix pay and conditions of agency heads and secretaries.[20]
The Opposition supports the Bill. The Shadow Special Minister of State, Bronwyn Bishop MP, stated that:
I think the idea that we have a tribunal that is free of political process to make these determinations is a fair way to go, and an improvement on the current system.[21]
Independent Member Tony Windsor supports the intent of the Bill for the Remuneration Tribunal, independent of parliament, having the capacity to determine base parliamentary salary. Windsor sees the Bill as a means of 'increasing transparency and independence'.[22]
The Greens do not support removing the role of parliament in relation to Tribunal determinations on the grounds that ... 'transparency and accountability demand that the parliament maintain oversight of such matters'.[23]
Senator Bob Brown has previously moved a disallowance motion when a Remuneration Tribunal determination relating to remuneration and travel allowances for members of parliament have been tabled.[24]
Independent Senator Nick Xenophon and Family First Senator Fielding have not indicated a position on the legislation.
The Tribunal made submissions to the Belcher Review calling for the 'remuneration of parliamentarians to be determined independently and by an examination of the roles and responsibilities of a parliamentarian, rather than by the Parliament itself'.[25] The Tribunal has indicated that it welcomes the Government's intention to enable the Tribunal to determine the base salary of parliamentarians and the remuneration and other conditions of secretaries of departments.[26]
According to the Explanatory Memorandum, 'the measures proposed in this Bill have no impact on the budget'.[27]
Under the proposed measures the Tribunal would be required to do the following:
As noted above, currently the remuneration of departmental secretaries is two-tiered with the Secretaries of the Departments of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Treasury, and Defence being remunerated at one level and other secretaries being remunerated at a lower level. The review of the Office of Secretary conducted by the Tribunal recommended retaining a two-tier classification structure with additions to the top tier. The Tribunal also envisages increasing remuneration for departmental secretaries.
If the Bill is enacted, the Tribunal may implement its proposed two-tier structure in determining a classification structure for secretaries and in assigning secretaries within that structure. As noted above also, the Tribunal has envisaged pay points within the two levels (noted by the Special Minister of State in his second reading speech).[28] The pay points system could also become a part of the classification structure determined by the Tribunal.
Under the provisions in the Bill the Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet would, in consultation with the President of the Tribunal and the Public Service Commissioner, be required to assign remuneration amounts to secretaries other than him/herself and the Secretary of the Treasury in accordance with the classification structure set by the Remuneration Tribunal. This would constitute a significant departure from current practice.
The Bill contains transitional provisions which would provide that current determinations for the remuneration of the Public Service Commissioner, the Merit Protection Commissioner, departmental secretaries, and heads of executive agencies would continue to operate until determinations made under the Bill's amendments came into effect. As noted above, the Tribunal has expressed a view that remuneration for secretaries is inadequate and has signalled future increases in secretaries' remuneration. Any such increases, while not resulting directly from the Bill itself, would potentially constitute an additional cost on the budget.
Item 6 of part 1 of Schedule 1 to the Bill inserts proposed Division 4 into the Remuneration Act. Within Division 4, new section 13 requires the Tribunal to determine a classification structure for offices of departmental secretaries, and to determine the classification to which each Departmental Secretary is assigned, from time to time. In addition, the Tribunal may determine, any matter that is 'significantly related' to the classification structure. New subsection 13(4) authorises the Tribunal to hold inquiries for the purpose of carrying out any of these functions. After the initial determination by the Tribunal, the Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet may make recommendations to the Tribunal about the level to which a secretary may be assigned.
Under new subsections 14(1)–(2) the Tribunal must determine the remuneration of two of the offices of secretaries: the Secretaries of Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and the Department of Treasury, consistent with the classification structure. New subsections 14(3)–(7) relate to the remuneration of the other secretaries. The Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet would be required to assign each of the other departmental secretaries to an amount of remuneration, from time to time, in consultation with the Public Service Commissioner and the President of the Tribunal. The remuneration must be consistent with the classification structure. The assignment has to be made in writing and comes into operation on a specified date.
New section 15 requires the Tribunal to inquire into and determine terms and conditions, other than remuneration, for departmental secretaries from time to time. New section 16 would require the Tribunal to publish determinations made under Division 4 in the gazette and on its website within 14 day of it been made.
New subsection 5(2B), at item 4 of Part 1 of Schedule 1 to the Bill is a consequential amendment which would enable the Tribunal to inquire into and determine the remuneration for departmental secretaries and other matters which are included in proposed Division 4.
Similarly, new subsection 7(7) at item 5 of Part 1 of Schedule 1 to the Bill would remove the requirement for the determinations made under the new Division 4 to be tabled in the Parliament and therefore the ability of the Parliament to disallow such determinations.
Item 7 of Part 2 of Schedule 1 to the Bill repeals and replaces section 46 of the Public Service Act which relates to the remuneration of the Public Service Commissioner. The new section 46 provides for the Public Service Commissioner's remuneration and recreation leave entitlements are to be determined by the Tribunal.[29] Notably, new subsection 46(5) provides that the Agency Minister may grant the Public Service Commissioner leave of absence. This is consistent with the terms of existing section 48 which allows the Agency Minister to appoint an acting Public Service Commissioner during any period, or during all periods, when the Commissioner is absent from duty.
Item 8 of Part 2 of Schedule 1 to the Bill repeals and replaces section 53 of the Public Service Act which relates to the remuneration of the Merit Protection Commissioner. The new section 53 is in the same terms as new section 46—that is, it provides that the Merit Protection Commissioner's remuneration and recreation leave entitlements are to be determined by the Tribunal and it makes formal provision for the Merit Protection Commissioner to take leave of absence.[30]
Item 10 of Part 2 of Schedule 1 to the Bill repeals and replaces section 68 of the Public Service Act which relates to the remuneration of the heads of executive agencies. It is in similar terms to new sections 46 and 53 as outlined above.[31]
Item 9 of Part 2 of Schedule 1 to the Bill repeals and replaces section 61 of the Public Service Act. New Section 61 provides that remuneration and terms and conditions of secretaries are as provided by Division 4 of the Remuneration Tribunal Act.
As already stated, the Remuneration and Allowances Act provides that the annual salary for Members of Parliament is paid as a percentage of Reference Salary A. The purpose of the amendments in Schedule 2 to the Bill is to give effect to the recommendations in the Belcher Review report.
Specifically, item 17 repeals subsection 5(2C) of the Remuneration Tribunal Act to remove the Tribunal's power to provide advice about setting the annual allowance for members of parliament. Further, item 19 inserts new subsection 7(8AA) of the Remuneration Tribunal Act to remove the requirement that determinations under subsections 7(1), 7(2) and 7(4) of the Remuneration Tribunal Act, which deal with allowances for members of parliament, ministers of state and related matters, be subject to disallowance under the Legislative Instruments Act 2003.
Item 20 of Schedule 2 to the Bill inserts new section 7A to require the Tribunal to publish reasons for the determinations under subsections 7(1), 7(2) and 7(4) of the Remuneration Tribunal Act on its website.
The amendments to the Parliamentary Contributory Superannuation Scheme Act 1948 and the Parliamentary Superannuation Act 2004 are consequential amendments to ensure that references to the term 'parliamentary allowance' are consistent with the Remuneration and Allowances Act.
The focus of attention for this legislation has been on the proposal to provide the Remuneration Tribunal with the authority to set the base salary (annual allowance) for members of parliament. The Tribunal will act as the independent umpire. However, determinations will no longer be subject to parliamentary scrutiny. It is envisaged that by requiring the Tribunal to publish its reasons for a determination, it will reinforce the integrity of the scheme and remove the public disquiet when members of parliament receive a pay rise. Very little interest has focused on the proposed significant changes to how departmental secretaries and heads of executive agencies are remunerated and how their terms and conditions are set. It is in this area that there may be further developments.
Members, Senators and Parliamentary staff can obtain further information from the Parliamentary Library on (02) 6277 2627.
[1]. Section 42, Legislative Instruments Act 2003.
[2]. The legislative basis for the payment of annual allowance to members and senators lies in section 48 of the Constitution.
[3]. Subclause 1(3) Schedule 3 to the Remuneration and Allowances Act.
[4]. Subclause 1(2) Schedule 3 to the Remuneration and Allowances Act.
[5]. Remuneration Tribunal, Determination 2005/19- Principal Executive Office– Classification Structure and Terms and Conditions, F2010C00645, http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/F2010C00645
[6]. Fur further information see L Manthorpe, C Madden and D McKeown, 'Parliamentary allowances, salaries and entitlements', Background note, Parliamentary Library, Canberra, February 2011, viewed 9 May 2011, http://www.aph.gov.au/Library/pubs/BN/pol/parlrem.pdf
[7]. ibid.
[8]. Remuneration Tribunal, Parliamentarian' allowances and entitlements, http://www.remtribunal.gov.au/federalParliamentarians/
[9]. Australian National Audit Office, Administration of parliamentarians' entitlements by the Department of Finance and Deregulation, Audit report no. 3, 2009–10, viewed 6 May 2011, http://www.anao.gov.au/uploads/documents/2009-10_ANAO_Audit_Report_3_.pdf
[10]. Senator J Ludwig (Cabinet Secretary, Special Minister of State), Reform of Parliamentary entitlements, media release, 8 September 2009, viewed 6 May 2011, http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22media%2Fpressrel%2FAKOU6%22
[11]. Committee for the Review of Parliamentary Entitlements, Committee Report, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra, 9 April 2010, p. 22, viewed 6 May 2011, http://www.finance.gov.au/publications/review-of-parliamentary-entitlements-committee-report/docs/review-of-parliamentary-entitlements-committee-report.pdf
[12]. Ibid.
[13]. G Gray (Special Minister of State and Special Minister of State for the Public Service and Integrity), 'Second reading speech: Remuneration and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2011', House of Representatives, Debates, 24 March 2011, viewed 6 May 2011, http://parlinfo/parlInfo/genpdf/chamber/hansardr/2011-03-24/0082/hansard_frag.pdf;fileType=application%2Fpdf
[14]. Remuneration Tribunal, Review of the Office of Secretary, Report—part 1, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra, February 2010, viewed 6 May 2011, http://www.remtribunal.gov.au/statementsreports/Review%20of%20the%20Office%20Of%20Secretary%20-%20Report%20-%20Part%201.pdf
[15]. J Egan, Review of work value for the Office of Secretary: Australian Government Departments of State, Report for the Commonwealth Remuneration Tribunal, Sydney, August 2009, viewed 6 May 2011, http://www.remtribunal.gov.au/statementsreports/Egan%20Associates'%20Report%20-%20Secretaries%20-%20Review%20of%20Work%20Value.pdf
[16]. Remuneration Tribunal, Review of the Office of Secretary, Report—part 1, op. cit., pp. ii–iii.
[17]. Ibid.
[18]. Ibid.
[19]. Senator J Ludwig, op. cit.
[20]. Senator P Wong, Labor's approach to the Australian Public Service, speech to the Institute of Public Administration, 20 September 2007, viewed 6 May 2011, http://parlinfo/parlInfo/download/media/pressrel/OP8W6/upload_binary/op8w60.pdf;fileType=application/pdf#search=%22labor's%20approach%20to%20the%20public%20service%22
[21]. B Bishop, 'Second reading speech: Remuneration and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2011', House of Representatives, Debates, 24 March 2011, viewed 6 May 2011, http://parlinfo/parlInfo/genpdf/chamber/hansardr/2011-03-24/0083/hansard_frag.pdf;fileType=application%2Fpdf
[22]. T Windsor, 'Second reading speech: Remuneration and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2011', House of Representatives, Debates, 24 March 2011, viewed 6 May 2011, http://parlinfo/parlInfo/genpdf/chamber/hansardr/2011-03-24/0084/hansard_frag.pdf;fileType=application%2Fpdf
[23]. A Bandt, 'Second reading speech: Remuneration and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2011' , House of Representatives, Debates, 24 March 2011, viewed 6 May 2011, http://parlinfo/parlInfo/genpdf/chamber/hansardr/2011-03-24/0085/hansard_frag.pdf;fileType=application%2Fpdf
[24]. B Brown, Greens say 'wait' on MP's pay rise, media release, 24 September 2009, viewed 6 May 2011, http://parlinfo/parlInfo/download/media/pressrel/LXRU6/upload_binary/lxru60.pdf;fileType=application/pdf#search=%22brown%20remuneration%22; Remuneration Tribunal determination –proposed disapproval, Australia, Senate, Journals, no. 84, 20 August 2009, p. 2363, viewed 6 May 2011, http://parlinfo/parlInfo/download/chamber/journals/20090820_SJ084/toc_pdf/jnlf_084.pdf;fileType=application%2Fpdf#search=%22brown%20remuneration%22;
[25]. Remuneration Tribunal, Submission to the Review of Parliamentary Entitlements, 17 December 2009, viewed 6 May 2011, http://www.finance.gov.au/parliamentary-services/docs/The_Remuneration_Tribunal.pdf
[26]. Remuneration Tribunal, Amendment of the Remuneration Tribunal Act 1973, statement, 24 March 2011, viewed 6 May 2011, http://www.remtribunal.gov.au/statementsreports/Statement%20RTS%2024%20March%202011.pdf
[27]. Explanatory Memorandum, Remuneration and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2011, p. 1.
[28]. See footnote 12.
[29]. Item 12 of Part 3 to Schedule 1 to the Bill contains transitional provisions to save the operation of an existing remuneration determination under the Public Service Act in relation to the Public Service Commissioner, until such time as the Tribunal's first determination in respect of that office comes into effect.
[30]. Item 13 of Part 3 to Schedule 1 to the Bill contains transitional provisions to save the operation of an existing remuneration determination under the Public Service Act in relation to the Merit Protection Commissioner, until such time as the Tribunal's first determination in respect of that office comes into effect.
[31]. Item 14 of Part 3 to Schedule 1 to the Bill contains transitional provisions to save the operation of an existing remuneration determination under the Public Service Act in relation to the Departmental Secretaries, until such time as the Tribunal's first determination in respect of that office comes into effect.
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