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|GTA V Latest News | #GTAV | #GTAOnline
2009 RAMPAGE! in Chinatown Wars
GTA: Chinatown Wars - General News | @ 07:40 PM MDT | By Slim Trashman
The fourth and final pre-release feature clip for GTA: Chinatown Wars has been launched on the official site:
The fourth game Feature Clip is all about the triumphant return of the fan-favorite Rampage mode to the Grand Theft Auto series.
Chinatown Wars is available at North American retailers tomorrow, and will be available this Friday, March 20th, in Europe.
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Fiduciary Duty is More Than Numbers
As a published author, I am constantly assessing what has appeal to readers. I try to write about topics that are relevant and timely and welcome feedback. Click here to send an email with your suggestions. As a financial expert, I continuously seek to stay on top of what is being adjudicated. As a risk manager, I regularly evaluate what might have been done differently when things go seriously awry.
What I have noticed is that enumeration seems to offer comfort. Lists of this or that are common to many best-selling books and widely read articles. A trip to the Inc. Magazine website today illustrates the point. Consider this excerpted list of lists:
The popularity of laying out "to do" items extends to the retirement industry as well. For example, Attorney Mark E. Bokert provides insights in his article entitled "Top 10 ERISA Fiduciary Duty Exposures - And What to Do About Them" (Human Resources - Winter Edition, Thomson Publishing Group, 2007). His list of vulnerabilities - and prescriptive steps to try to avoid liability - includes the following:
- Identify who is a fiduciary and making sure that they are properly trained;
- Create a proper process by which investments are selected and monitored;
- Monitor company stock in a 401(k) plan and consider whether to appoint an independent fiduciary;
- Assess the reasonableness of "like" mutual funds versus existing plan choices;
- Ensure that communications with plan participants are adequate;
- Undertake a thorough assessment of vendors and review their performance thereafter;
- Assess whether 401(k) deferrals and loan repayments are being made in a timely fashion;
- Identify the extent to which service providers enjoy a float and whether they are entitled;
- Understand what is allowed in terms of providing investment advice to participants and abide by the rules accordingly; and
- Critically evaluate whether auto enrollment makes sense and the nature of any default investment selection.
One could easily break out each of the aforementioned items into sub-tasks and create appropriate benchmarks to ascertain whether fiduciaries are doing a good job. Indeed, ERISA attorneys are the first to invoke the mantra of "procedural process" as a cornerstone of this U.S. federal pension law. Importantly however, relying only on numbers is not sufficient. Increasingly legal professionals and regulators are asking that process be demonstrated and discussed. Expect more of the same in 2013. Analyses and expert reports may be deemed incomplete if they do not include a deep dive of the fiduciary decision-making process that took place (or not as the case may be).

subset: commoncrawl


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Story highlights
- South Africa's former Zulu Kingdom offers history, culture, wildlife
- The South Coast offers divers the chance to interact with spectacular marine life
- Visitors can take in safaris, Zulu ceremonies and untamed landscapes
Spread across a 600-kilometer stretch of South Africa's east coast, the former Zulu Kingdom boasts one of sub-Saharan Africa's most eclectic blends of wildlife, history and culture.
Largely contained today within the province of KwaZulu-Natal, the Kingdom's historical borders offer the adventure-minded traveler everything from traditional Zulu ceremonies to spectacular safaris, and a remarkably diverse array of scenic beauty.
Here is CNN's guide to exploring this unique region.
Most international travelers will find it easiest to start their journey from Durban, the large port city famed for its warm winters, hot summers and golden beaches.
From there, take the 30-minute drive from the city center to the Valley of a Thousand Hills -- a Zulu province that takes its name from the myriad of headlands that tumble down the mighty Umgeni River, flowing out to the Indian Ocean.
Those with a stomach for heights and a well-toned set of calf muscles should head straight up the 960-meter mountain "emKhambathini" or "Place of the Giraffe Acacia Trees" -- named after the umbrella-shaped tree that flourishes throughout the region.
"The views from here embody the spirit of the Zulu Nation" says Ngokozo Mdluli, a local travel guide who specializes in Zulu culture. "You'll see old colonial outposts sitting across from traditional tribal settlements, all set against an incredible variety of plant life."
South Coast
Travel next to the South Coast. Situated just south of Durban and extending 150 kilometers from the Umkomaas River to Port Edward, it's also known as "Paradise of the Zulu Kingdom."
If you happen to be here between May through to July, there's no excuse to miss the "Sardine Run" -- when the biggest shoal on Earth congregates around the South African coastline, prompting an annual feeding frenzy of mammoth proportions.
In terms of sheer biomass, researchers estimate the sardine run could rival East Africa's great wildebeest migration, with dolphins, sharks and diving sea birds arriving in pursuit of billions of silvery pilchards. Tourists can view this aquatic spectacle from either land, sea or air.
Those who can't get enough sea life will do well to explore the Aliwal Shoal, a world-famous shark-diving spot and, just to its south, the Protea Banks, an underwater museum of shipwrecks and reefs.
Located in the subtropical northern district of KwaZulu-Natal, Zululand -- as its name suggests -- is the beating heart of the Zulu Kingdom.
"We are a very friendly people" says Mdluli, who himself was raised in a traditional Zulu village. "Don't be surprised if on your journey you get invited to share some locally brewed beer with the village elders and you can experience them communicating with the ancestors. If you're lucky you'll be allowed to watch the traditional dance ceremonies."
Mdluli recommends arriving in September to see the biggest cultural event in the Zulu calendar -- the "Umhlanga," or Reed Dance ceremony. Over the course of eight days, tens of thousands of Zulu maidens arrive from their villages bearing a long reed and proceed amidst singing and dancing to the palace of the Zulu King in the royal town of Nongoma.
If you've missed the ceremony, you can still catch the four-day monthly Mona cattle and craft show here, where everything from cattle to magnificent examples of beadwork and traditional medicine are bought and sold within meters of each other.
Zululand is also home to some of the Kingdom's most diverse and enchanting forests. Among them, the Dlinza forest is an ornithologist's goldmine -- teeming with over 600 exotic bird species. The adjacent Ongoye forest boasts an abundance of rare and endemic tree and plant species.
For almost the entire 19th century, the Zulus, Britons and Boers were engaged in a bloody battle for possession of land and sovereignty across Kwazulu-Natal.
Many of the most gruesome encounters were concentrated around an immense battleground that stretches from the Drakensberg Mountains, north to Volksrust and east to Zululand, covering plains of astonishing natural beauty that offer more than just famous battle sites.
The rough-hewn elegance of the landscape is dotted with poignant reminders of the region's violent history. Among them are haunting memorials on the field of Isandlwana, where the Zulu army killed over 1,000 British soldiers, gravestones at Fort Pearson and the towering monument at Spioenkop, one of the most violent battles of the Anglo-Boer War.
To uncover this troubled history, visit the site of the Battle of Blood River -- where causalities were so numerous between the warring Zulus and Dutch Vootrekkers that the river allegedly turned red with blood.
Today there are two illuminating museums -- the Ncome and Blood River Museum offering different historical interpretations from each of the opposing sides.
The Elephant Coast
Conclude your journey on the animal frontier that is the Elephant Coast. The area includes Africa's oldest game reserve, the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi- - one of the few reserves where you can see African elephants, black rhinos, Cape buffalo, lions and leopards (the "Big Five") all in one place.
Further east, and just below the border with Mozambique, lies the Greater iSimangaliso Wetland Park. In 1999, the park was given World Heritage status due to its exquisite biodiversity, delicate ecosystems and abundance of natural beauty.
Here you'll encounter some of the world's highest sand dunes, meticulous coral reefs, turtle-breeding grounds and mangrove swamps -- the perfect place to get lost in as your journey to the edge of the Zulu Kingdom draws to an end.


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We're Officially ObsessedStaffers Wax on About their Favorite Hair Products
Malin + Goetz Sage Styling Matthew Malin and Andrew Goetz's styling cream has botanical sage in it and fatty acids that tame frizz. After every application, l'm assured a hairstyle that won't scare small children. Success. $20, at Malin + Goetz, 177SeventhAve between 20th and 21stSts (212 727-3777, malinandgoetz.com )- Lucy Quintanilla


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Value Activation: A Different Business Model for Internet Entrepreneurs
When we pay for software, it's usually because it solves a critical problem we have. It satisfies a need. It provides a certain value we're willing to pay for.
And if we can derive value from a product or a service at no upfront cost, then we are more likely to pay later on in order to continue deriving that value.
Internet entrepreneurs need a business model that supports this notion.
The Problem with Existing Business Models
There seems to be three popular business models for an Internet software as a service (SaaS) company:
- Freemium: Have a free subscription plan and paid subscription plans that have more features than the free plan
- Free trial: Have a free trial period and then charge customers after the period is over
- Paywall: In order to use the service, a user will have to pay first
Issues with Freemium
The freemium model is full of flaws. Paul Sawers, an editor at Internet technology news site The Next Web, explains why freemium doesn't work:
"People are simply too accustomed to consuming content for free, and many businesses will find it tricky converting users from the free version of a service to the paid one. Even in the more successful cases, the non-paying users will typically always outnumber the paying users, the upshot of this being a company is dedicating time, money and resources to supporting users that have absolutely no intention of coughing up cash."
Mark Evans, a consultant to startups, says this about the freemium business model:
"The problem is freemium doesn't work for the vast majority of companies, especially ones focused on the consumer market. In theory, it sounds good but in practice few people actually pay for more features. Sure, there are exceptions to the rule but those are few and far between."
"Freemium is flawed because most people don't need more features than what they can use for free."
Issues with Free Trials
Right now, the typical paid app will offer a trial so that users can try before they buy. The trial period is usually time-based: 7 days, 14 days, 30 days.
The problem with this approach is that this time-based limit is not user-centered. App developers opt for it because they want to generate revenue as quickly as possible.
But how do you know that the user has received any or enough value from the product in that period? Usually, you don't.
What happens when the user hasn't had enough time to receive enough value? They won't become paid users.
Issues with Paywalls
Internet users are generally unwilling to pay for a service without being able to try it first. This is the reason why the freemium and "free trial" business models above became common.
And if you're in a competitive space, chances are good that your competition is offering some form of free access to their product, which reduces the likelihood of potential users trying yours when they see their other free options.
What Should We Do Instead?
Our best bet is to use a business model that converts non-paying users to paying customers at the right time. That time is when they have already received significant value from our product.
The premise is this: Users will want to pay for the product because they have the desire to continue receiving the value they're getting.
Value Activation Metrics
We can activate the payment once the user has derived significant value from our product.
We can ask users to pay at the point when the product has solved a specific problem that they would like to keep solving. We can pick certain "value activation" metrics to determine what point we should ask users to start paying.
I define the term value activation metric as a quantifiable measurement that is specific to an app. It's a signal that tells us the user is now getting significant value from the product and that he/she is now likely willing to start paying for it.
Examples of value activation metrics include:
- Number of sales leads the user gets
- Number of royalty-free stock photos downloaded
- Number of invoices sent to the user's paying clients
- Amount of site traffic the user has gotten from your services
- Amount of disk storage used
Dave Gooden, founder of LakePlace (a site that enables people to rent out their lakefront property) explains the approach he took with his users:
"We noticed our visitors asking our listing agents if any of their listings were available for rent. After the 100th (or 500th) request, we decided to open up a vacation rental marketplace. Using what we learned the first time around, we got back on the phones and offered resort owners and vacation rental managers free trials. We went as far as inputting all of their information, uploading their pictures, etc… whatever it took to get them to try LakePlace.com. Once they received 10-20 inquiries, we let them know that the free trial was over and it was time to become a paying customer. I think we had a 99% retention rate when converting free trial users to paying customers. Today, LakePlace.com's Minnesota vacation rental section is about the same size as Homeaway & VRBO…and waay bigger than AirBnB's…and we are a very close 2nd in Wisconsin (I hope to fix that this year)."
In this scenario, the value activation metric is the number of inquiries. Once resort owners and vacation rental managers received 10-20 inquiries worth of value, to continue to receive the value of the service, they needed to pay.
Gooden knew that once a user had received a certain amount of inquiries, the user was likely making money from those inquiries and thus had activated the value of his service.
Also note the high conversion rate in Gooden's account: 99% retention rate, which — even if it might just be a figurative number that he used to convey a significantly high conversion rate — is a statement of his strategy's efficacy.
A few companies understand this concept of activating the value of a product before charging for their service. Dropbox and Evernote are two.
Dropbox users get peace of mind knowing that they will always have access to their files. The more files someone stores, the more likely they will run out of space, and the more likely they will convert to a paid user.
Once the user has gotten enough value from using Dropbox, they are more likely to pay in order to keep using the service.
Evernote knows that the longer you remain a customer, the more likely you will convert to a paid user. In fact, it has a pretty good idea of when you will do so. The value of Evernote is in enabling users to store and retrieve any memory easily.
So, to store a memory, users simply snap a picture and upload it to Evernote. The software indexes the picture, and users can even search for words in the picture.
It stands to reason, then, that the more users store, the more valuable the service becomes. And at a certain point, the user becomes willing to pay to continue deriving that value from using Evernote.
When building an Internet-based service or product, we should start examining the points in which the user starts getting significant value from it.
How many sales leads does a user need to get, in order for her to want to pay to continue getting those sales leads?
How much data will a person need to store before he sees how important it is to have a cloud backup of his files that's accessible on all his Internet-enabled devices?
Once you figure out what value activation metrics are appropriate for measuring the value you provide your users, you can use them to signal the point in which you should convert non-paying users to paying customers.
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About the Author
This was published on Oct 21, 2013
3 Comments
Phil LaNasa Oct 21 2013
Great article, though I kinda think your new model very closely resembles the Freemium model.
A value activation metric of:
Number of sales leads the user gets
Is kinda the same thing as having a user pay for a certain number of leads.
Jeff Sararas Oct 21 2013
Great article, couldn't agree more. It baffles me how many Saas providers have self-created barriers to using their products. The 30-day trial has got to be the worst. Your 'free-till-you-need-it' model is easily achievable by following the metrics you outlined and also many other indicators. I used a product called ManageWP — at limited functionality for around a year — until gradually it became a crucial component of my business. I also had time to test drive the effectiveness of the support staff (another thing you can't do in 30 days). Now, even though it's not a cheap service, I'm happy to pay for the full enterprise version.
Marc Gayle Oct 21 2013
Phil….it is freemium basically, the difference being what triggers the 'free' to not be free anymore. In most instances, that is just time (7 days, 30 days, 60 days, etc.). As we have seen, that's usually just some random metric – not the actual 'value activation metric'.
Jeff…thanks for the kind words, and that example of ManageWP is exactly the type of thing I was referring to. If I had heard about that before, I would have probably investigated it to include it. Thanks for the tip though!


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UTSA parking office announces break schedules
By David Kapalko
Director of Parking and Transportation Services
(March 8, 2007)--The UTSA Office of Parking and Transportation Services announces the following schedules for shuttles and parking during spring break, March 10-18. Normal service and parking resume Monday, March 19.
Today's headlines
- La Prensa Foundation is newest member of UTSA Lone Star Society
- UTSA alumna Jordan Kaufmann wins $50K for new stent-graft start-up
- UTSA begins new way-finding sign installation this summer at Main Campus
- USA Today: UTSA long jumper Tyler Williamson rescues three-year-old boy
Article tools
UTSA parking permits are required at all times. Permit restrictions remain in effect during break periods.
On-campus shuttles
Reduced service weekdays, 7 a.m.-6 p.m.
Off-campus apartment shuttles
No off-campus apartment shuttle service
Lot 13 (Valero Way) parking and shuttle
Lot 13 closed and no lot 13 shuttle service
Shopping shuttle
Normal service continues, Saturday, noon-4 p.m.
Visitor information booths
Reduced service weekdays from 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.


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This is the thread for my armor kit.
Here is the sketch for my build, so far. Whats on paper will most likely transform via availability of materials and interest...but the concept is there:
Humanoid mandalorian force hunter, early crusader era.
Taozin armor plating.
Scalped padawan braids, crushed/cleaved lightsabers & lightsaber crystal trophies.
creature skull shoulder plates
leather cape/codcloth
shin-to-knee full plates
flight suit:
tonight is a work night for the armor and suit. might be going with a slimmer version of the helmet, a scratch fiberglass molded version, as I have all this cloth, resin and mold-release wax on hand and a little time on my hands...I'm thinking something more head shaped...might use a lacrosse helmet as a base, with a little adjustment to resize it to my dome, but at least it already mostly covers the head in a snug and slimmed down fashion. and has some forms to it that aren't just straight lines...
- - - Updated - - -
Here's what little I was able to get done, after giving up on messing with a scratch built. Just too many variables and not enough time to invest...
So I goto work on the bought bucket, taking out the panels:
and here's a sneak at what will replace said panels...
possibly more work tomorrow, depending on schedule...


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|Topic Review (Newest First)
If you google around the web you will fine that people sell these cheap green plastic chambers from China for $10 to $30 depending on how big a pig the reseller is. they are all pretty much the same, some having one ball, some having 6 balls and twice the length, some having spiral fins, some have a white airstone, some don't, but the key is to get the same plastic top/bottom screw on/off housing with the in/outlet mounted at a tangent, and at least one length of middle housing pipe. The in/outlet tubing will adapt to our 1/2" size which is what most cheap gravel vacuum lift tubes use. If you get one with an airstone, I recommend yanking it out, so you'll have one less item to clean when it inevitably gets clogged over time. with shipping I got my "Up Aquarium Supply" D-402 off ebaY for only $15 just a few Months ago. BTW one "bad" thing about having a high Co2 diffusion rate, is it continuously tries to make your tank water more acidic, so be prepared to keep pH buffering it with baking soda almost daily. Limestone Calcium Carbonate like Texas Holey Rock my help keep the pH above neutral, but it does not look very natural in a planted tank.
here's the whole cheap Chinese line;
this Malaysian is selling the D-421
Spynet said
". I purchased a simple $10 cheap, small 14cm long ball reactor, then took the ball out since the top and bottom twist off, and I got a nice little vortex going off my XP3 outlet."
Where did you purchase this?
I'll eventually post more about this in my own photo album thread on the new foot deep breeder tank I'm developing, but I love how this came out so I though I'd share it now shame my photography skills and camera suck. That's a medium size X shaped piece of cheap Fellerstone Malaysian Driftwood, a Hydor LED red light, CaribSea's peace river 1-2mm gravel, and the water is coming from my XP3 water outlet piped using 1/2" tubing and a rounded elbow, under and up after it's gone through my vortex reactor. This gravel geyser has been running for days now, and I have not had to resupply the gravel to that corner at all. It makes for a really great visual effect day and especially at night when the lights are out, and is completely harmless to even the smallest of fish who all seem fascinated by this corner. I could mount the LED buried in the gravel pointing up into the geyser, but I didn't want to waste another $40 just to bring the gravel level of my whole tank up another inch, as this tank will only house shallow root plants, so it does not need more than the two inches already there, only to end up stealing another inch of swimming space from my fish.
the lesson here; do your own thing - don't just copy everyone else's tank
sadly, my pictures barely do this thing justice;
|Question: How is it too much resistance for the CO2 when people have all these inline CO2 reactors with twists and turns in the pipe to the outlet?
a reaction bottle AND spraybar might be too much water resistance for
your Co2 gas input and your canister filter to handle properly.
using the hamster bottle will be fine as long as you regulate the outflow
using the XP3's valve so that not too many bubbles spit out the bottom
Do you think it will work well in the same way except attached to a FilStar xP3 output? With the spraybar at the end of the bottle at the bottom? That is what I am testing...
EDIT: My reactor is a small 6 inch long hamster water bottle. The spraybar attaches to the outlet. A hole is drilled at the top on the side for the water input. CO2 will enter from the top of the bottle. Is the bottle too small for diffusion?
You can easily get this same effect with the old design I used, a nice little tornado of bubbles of various sizes.
This adds more surface to flow area= more efficacy.
That's the whole idea with micro bubbles and disc also, I just recirculate them a bit more and as the gas builds up, the venturi purges the false gas.
Adding a restriction (the cap with a smaller outflow) at the bottom reduces flow and allows a larger single bubbles tornado. The Plant Guild Reactor and several other DIY things add a sponge to save these bubbles.
You get better results by NOT saving these bubbles after the gas starts to build up.
For a rate of dissolution, you cannot merely add gas to a reactor a run for 1 minute.
Time of running and time of day are also important, a sustained rate of dissolution is quite another matter in other words.
The open end to the reactor tube allows a nice gentle flow, no need to have a high point source flow. This also allows only tiny micro bubbles out, just like a glass disc.
Dissolving gas in other words is not the main goal although part of it to some degree, adding CO2 to grow plants well is the goal. By purging the false gas and making the mist, you have better results and these may be measured using a O2 meter to gauge plant growth rates.
Disc work in a similar manner when combined with gentle current.
CO2 gas is cheap, a stable method to mist the plants with CO2 seems to give the best(versus ones that also work) results, both myself and Amano seem to think so.
Tom Barr
Thanks for the bump, guys.
24 hours later and it's still going strong as
the course sand cycles back into the center.
my Endler's are really getting a kick out of it.
during the day it looks like a water geyser
and at night it looks like a lava flow vent.
since I'm using my reactor outflow, all I need
was some 1/2" tubing and a plastic elbow.
but the key element is that gravel which is
round, uniform in size, and relatively heavy.
it's called Peace River Sand from CaribSea.
what's interesting is the sand movement
takes ALL the flow energy out of the out
rushing water, so my tank water is dead
still unless I add a separate water mover.
|crazy loaches
|Well done....
Let the Insanity Continue!
Now for the World Premier of:
SpyPet's Gravel Fountain!
with Co2 Diffusion! <--click here <--night version
|I like the vortex design. I use a regular PVC Reactor designed by Rex that I built and works just fine. No noise. No loss of C02. 100 % desolved C02. But I don't know how large a tank this one will be able to handle though.
if you want something hi-tech for your nano try one of these spiral diffusion disk glass models sold all over ebaY. personally I hate diffusion disks because they require cleaning, but until you get a bigger tank, something like this is tiny, will look awesome, and still satisfy your vortex shaped fantasies. oh, and don't bother diffusing O2 into a 5gal nano as it really is not necessary at all in a planted tank since the water surface and plant O2 respiration are already providing all the O2 the limited bioload of a 5gal tank could ever need.
im not going to lie to you spypet i simply like hitech stuff i can build myself and the vortex ticked all the right boxes *looks ashamed*.
i realy like the concept and ill almost certainly use one if i go bigger im interested to see the final outcome of this thread though vortex reactors have to be one of if not the best way of geting c2 into the system, shame ones over kill for my 5g
|I honestly don't think a vortex reactor is practical at all for a 5gal tank as the reactor itself along with a powerhead would take up too much valuable growing space. you are better off using a disc or airstone diffuser, feeding your gas into your canister inlet, or using an external inline reactor along your canister outlet. If you insist on a vortex reactor, may I suggest experimenting with small plastic soda bottles until you reach the desired results. Keep in mind people pursue vortex reactors for their high gas volume diffusion potential, which really is not a relevant feature when serving only 5gal of water.
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So the PCA Nominations are out, and Tuesday saw a very cool poolside Press Conference, presided over by the one and only Queen Latifah. Okay, I live in Hollywood and most people who do, manage (just based on laws of grocery stores, restaurants & shopping areas alone ) to see celebrities wandering around. It's commonplace, you get used to it, and pretty soon you stop paying attention altogether. But you have not seen striking til you've seen The Queen in the flesh. She is some kind of spectacular. And hilarious. In fact, they had a bunch of celebs making the PCA Nominee Announcements who managed to defy all sorts of Hollywood stereotypes and each one proved him or herself kind of enchanting. I have no idea who booked everyone but that person was definitely not having an off day. Nor did I have any idea what to expect, since it was first thing in the morning …you know…and who looks good or says anything interesting? Turns out, they did. I interviewed Malin Akerman – who exudes class and poise. She is also Swedish, funny, and will hopefully one day learn what pores look like – although she doesn't appear to have any herself. Let's pay attention to that gal. Plus we chatted with AnnaLynne McCord and Audrina Patridge –stunning ladies strolling around the rooftop like a pair of sleek egrets. Michael Chiklis – warm and charming as always, and Jeff Probst who's about as comfy as they get (I guess that's the ease that comes with hosting shows in potentially hazardous locales that feature dangerous wildlife and even more dangerous contestants). Zachary Levi – cute, smart, personable and another Tinseltown improbable: tall. So they told us who was up for what award. Turns out? Yes, curiously, the People found Eclipse and The Vampire Diaries strangely popular. Go figure. Favorite Star Under 25 presented by Moviefone: Rpattz, Kstew, Vanessa & Zac, and Emma Watson. That's a category I'll follow closely. Plus I was delighted that some of my favorite Family Movies were nominated. Obviously we'll get to specifics down the road. The point is, if that Press Conference is any indication (and I can say this because even though I work for the People's Choice Awards I've also been to any number of Hollywood Press Conferences and believe you me, most of them are serious snores) – if that one's indicative of anything it's that this year's awards are going to be a lot of fun. Expect to be impressed. And of course in order to get there everyone has to vote — which couldn't be easier. Plus PCA mobile partner Kyocera has a pretty cool Droid app which you might want to check out, that literally makes voting even easier still. So get going, get voting, vote early and often, and make sure the star, starlet, duet , TV family, doctor, on-screen team, song, or band you like gets the votes they deserve. You know, so you can sit back and feel proud of yourself on January 5th, 2011 and say "Congratulations on your award. I'm why you got it."
Leave a Comment
Myles Svenson says:
It's arduous to find knowledgeable people on this subject, but you sound like you already know what you're talking about! Thanks
jennifer says:
why are there no web celebs in the web celeb category? someone who is already a celebrity in real life and has a video online is not a web celebrity. there are so many cool people on youtube who have become famous just making videos on the web. people like raywilliamjohnson, communitychannel, whatthebuck, charles trippy, shay carl, etc. really deserve an award as a web celeb. not some actors and actresses who make hundreds of thousands of dollars in movies/television shows.
Robin Jurczak says:
It's very hard for me to believe that this is a legitimate voting situation when there are no nominations for The Fabulous Beekman Boys. Literally tens of thousands of votes were made for this program–yet not a single nomination. Sorry, unless you want to post vote totals, I don't find your program or your voting process credible.
GRIM-REAPER OF ROCK says:
Starkid Fan says:
I am so surprised that Starkid Productions did not garner a nomination for the viral video section!
jaawill says:
If your a fan of Lady Gaga please vote for our video:
We created this video and entered a contest to win a classroom makover for our school. Currently we are one of 5 finalists and now we need votes. Its takes less then a mintue to fill in some info to submit your vote. Please pass along to any and all who might vote for us.
Girard High School
Girard Ohio
MILEYSUPPORTER says:
SO. i think MILEY CYRUS shouldve been nominated too.


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Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes has signed a deal to create a US version of the drama series.
Called The Gilded Age, it will be set in late 19th century New York and focus on the rise and fall of a wealthy family.
The series takes its name from a period when the US economy boomed and prominent industrialists and financiers such as John D Rockefeller, JP Morgan and Cornelius Vanderbilt made vast fortunes.
The era ended when banks collapsed and several railroad companies went bust.
Fellowes said: "This was a vivid time, with dizzying, brilliant ascents and calamitous falls, of record-breaking ostentation and savage rivalry; a time when money was king."
The Gilded Age will be shown on NBC, which passed on the chance to screen Downton Abbey two years ago - and then saw it become a huge success on America's publicly-funded channel PBS.
- Daily Mail


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Kneenah knits
For new knitters, experienced knitters-all ages welcome! Bring your latest project or a project you're struggling to complete. Learn about charity knitting projects. Join us for conversation, refreshments, and of course, knitting!
Second & Fourth Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the second floor Carpenter Room


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|st: Stata 9.1 (ado and executable update)
|Thu, 15 Sep 2005 13:21:22 -0500
Stata 9.1 is now available. Stata 9 users obtain it as a free update using Stata's -update- command (type -update- or click "Help" and select "Official Updates" and then follow the directions). Highlights for release 9.1 include the following: o Multiple log files may be opened simultaneously. o Survey linearization is now 2 to 100 times faster, the larger multiplier applying to large datasets with many sampling units. o The string length limit has been increased to 244 for Intercooled and Small Stata to match Stata/SE. o Up to 300 estimation results may be stored. o Mata has a new permutation function making it easier to program exact permutation tests. o Mata has several other new features, including new string, regular expression, and binary I/O functions. o Graphs exported to PNG or TIFF bitmap format may now have their sizes specified, allowing the resolution to be greater than screen resolution. o There is a new command for computing marginal effects after an alternative-specific multinomial probit model. o There is now a console version of Stata/SE for the Macintosh. o Collecting statistics across a by list using the statsby command is now allowed in more situations, including with postestimation commands. o Fay's adjustment is now allowed with balanced repeated replications (BRR) for complex survey data. After updating, type -help whatsnew- to see the full list of improvements and fixes that are found in this update. Ken Higbee firstname.lastname@example.com StataCorp 1-800-STATAPC * * For searches and help try: * http://www.stata.com/support/faqs/res/findit.html * http://www.stata.com/support/statalist/faq * http://www.ats.ucla.edu/stat/stata/
|© Copyright 1996–2017 StataCorp LLC | Terms of use | Privacy | Contact us | What's new | Site index


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Vietnam War, remembered
By sailors on Navy ships, by grunts, refugees who escaped, artists, and authors
Various Authors 6 a.m., May 29
No one is following you yet
Various Authors 6 a.m., May 29
noon, May 28
Daniel Powell 10:07 a.m., May 28
Various Authors 4:09 p.m., May 27
Ian Anderson noon, May 27
Ian Anderson 11 a.m., May 27
Dorian Hargrove 10 a.m., May 27
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Brrr. It's cold outside! An extra-frigid mass of cold air has left the upper Midwest locked in a deep freeze, and much of the Northeast feeling its icy effects. From Montana to Maine, people are scrambling to stay warm and safe this week. "The bitter conditions [are] expected to persist into the weekend in the Midwest through the eastern half of the U.S.," said Shawn DeVinny, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Wintry Winds
The cold snap arrived late on Saturday evening, bringing bitter winds from Canada. The coldest location on record was Embarrass, Minnesota, which measured in at 36degrees below zero on Monday. Taking into account the safety of their students in the deadly deep freeze, many schools in the area either delayed opening or did not open at all.
In Connecticut, overnight temperatures dropped to near zero and are not expected to rise above ten degrees until the weekend. A ski resort in New Hampshire is planning to close on Wednesday and Thursday because of the extreme cold. Wildcat Mountain in the White Mountains region of New Hampshire says it is anticipating temperatures in the negative double digits with a wind chill of 48 degrees below zero. Winter conditions this bitter and harsh would be unsafe for skiers and mountain employees.
Dangerous Conditions
Along with chilly temperatures comes ice and snow. Cleveland, Ohio, is expecting snow for the next several days, along with winds at 20-25 miles per hour and gusts up to 35 miles per hour. As much as 12 inches of snowfall are anticipated for parts of New England, from eastern Massachusetts through Rhode Island, and eastern Maine.
As snow falls and the temperature continues to drop, people are preparing the best they can to stay warm. "I am wearing a Snuggie under a top and another jacket over that," said Faye Whitbeck, a resident of International Falls, Minnesota, which is located near the Canadian border. Bundle up!


text: With that team, I don't think it matters who the manager is, but whenever the camera pans on that guy, he is just unbelievably stoic and statue-like. That body language has to rub off on the team. Where's the passion? I've had friends of mine who are Pirates fans tell me that there have been numerous occasions where there's a bang-bang play, and he will sit sit there in the dugout, leaving his guys out to dry.


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Movie Review: Bernie
Jack Black stars in the dark Texan comedy about a bizarre real-life tale.
Director: Richard Linklater MPAA Rating: PG-13 Studio: Castle Rock Entertainment
Bernie never shuts the hell up. The Richard Linklater–directed black comedy — the bizarre real-life tale of a much-liked mortician who shot and deep-froze his mean, rich benefactor — is set in teensy Carthage, Texas, and every frame of the movie makes it clear how much the director dearly loves his home state's every twangy, folksy, Bible-thumping nook and cranny.
It's Linklater's conceit to interrupt scenes of his oddball couple, whimsical Jack Black and nasty Shirley MacLaine, with a Greek chorus of talking heads of actual Carthage citizens who knew their real-life counterparts. And talk they do, spinning a bizarre portrait of a town whose population flat-out refuses to accept the reality that "nice" people can be killers. As charming, funny and scary as some of these folks are, though, Linklater lets them prattle on and on, slowing down and slicing the heart out of what is otherwise a dark, funny, nasty little tale. It's all very well acted by a toned-down Black who, breaking out in full-throated gospel, flirtatiously chatting up a male hotel worker and tending to his elderly employer's every need and whim, keeps his character's motivations tantalizingly vague but almost always endearing. MacLaine is so good that she breathes life, malice and great charm into what is practically an unwritten role. Matthew McConaughey turns up, too, doing very nicely as a local D.A. who suspects Bernie isn't what he appears to be.
Part quasi documentary, true crime thriller and psychological study, Bernie, cowritten by Linklater and Skip Hollandsworth, has its pleasures but, in the end, is just a little bit of this and that. It's a curio of a movie.


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For Restaurants
For the restaurant owner, starting or moving your business can be a complicated task. Typical questions at City Hall include: What permits and licenses are required? What is the right sequence of steps to get through the application and review processes? Are there any small business help resources? Restaurant owners face many (related but different) types of requirements related to such things as the health code, food handler regulations, fire protection, parking and land use.
The economic profile offers a wealth of background information about the city. The Commercial Property pages in this section can help you obtain necessary licenses and find a good location for your restaurant.
The Licenses and Permits page is the place to start for registering your business with the city and the state. Restaurants are classified as "eating and drinking establishments," and are allowed in most commercial zones in Bellevue. The Development Services Department can help with all permitting and inspections, addressing everything from building improvements and zoning to fire sprinklers and grease interceptors.
State and county licenses or certifications:
For utilities services, see Start/Stop Utilities and Recycling and Garbage for Businesses.
Office of Economic Development
450 110th Avenue NE
PO Box 90012
Bellevue, WA 98009
Phone: 425-452-7892
Fax: 425-452-5247


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Well the season has come to a close and while it came a little earlier then everyone would have liked it is time to move on, wish Bobby the best, and look towards the future.
The team has holes to fill and players that they want to unload.
Chipper seems set on returning and with Infante and Prado a backup 3B likely isn't high on the list of needs.
Gonzalez is likely to comeback next year but if you look at the numbers in Atlanta the question is should he?
1B is likely filled but it is hard to believe that a veteran RH backup won't be brought in to spell Freddie every now and then.
If I had my way 4 OFers from this year's team wouldn't be coming back.
A veteran in the pen could be added unless the Braves go with a cheap and young option instead.
The big elephant in the room is of course replacing a Legend though it seems like the choice has already been made it will be interesting to see how it plays out.
So what do you guys think or hope will happen this offseason.


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openatrium - a group collaboration application
Openatrium.org is a drupal (in core) group collaboration application. You can create groups and switch on features for document versioning, calendaring, shoutbox and you can send email notifications to group members. It also has a dashboard for each group that lists all recent activities or posts in the group space. Nice thing is that it has a neat interface, with easy to understand bubble notes to users and on top of that spaces can be color coded (even your personal space ;) ).


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Facebook Page Helps Santa Cruz Man Find Stolen Work Van
Victim Credits Take Back Santa Cruz Facebook page
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. - A Santa Cruz businessman credits a local community watch Facebook page for helping him get his stolen van back.
Jacy Aragao has been a plumber for 15 years. For the last four, he's been running his own company, called Super Rooter Plumbing.
"I can't complain. Business is very good right now," he said.
But on Saturday, he woke up and the thing he worked so hard for vanished.
"I took a look in the window and couldn't find my van, just freaking out," he said.
Aragao's wife posted a picture of the van on the "Take Back Santa Cruz" Facebook page. Twenty-four hours later, this comment was posted from a complete stranger: "Your van is parked in front of 512 Maple Street. It's there right now." And there it was. Aragao tried to put his reaction into words.
"When you are a little kid and you really want a toy. And then you get back home and you see it, like Santa Claus left there for you," he said. "I cannot describe it."
Aragao had his van back, but lost upwards of $10,000 in equipment. Besides the monetary damage, there was also physical damage to the car.
Take Back Santa Cruz is a notorious lost-and-found destination with people recovering bikes, purses and even dogs.
"A few more days, about a week, I'll be able to help the community like they helped me find the van," Aragao said. "So just call me."


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In conjunction with the NSCAA Coaches convention in Indianapolis this week, the MLS and NWSL held their drafts. Rush was well represented with three players being selected.
In the 2013 MLS Superdraft, Kekuta Manneh, originally from Gambia Rush and also a brief member of both Georgia Rush and Texas Rush, was drafted Number 4 overall to the Vancouver Whitecaps.
"This boy has talent. We knew this when he was 12 years old," states Omar Sise, Technical Director of Gambia Rush. "At age 15 he was playing with our men's first team. When we partnered with Rush, we thought we should get him over to the states."
Kekuta, first came to Georgia Rush where he impressed the locals immediately by lighting up the net. Within a few months, the Texas Rush had him playing in the academy.
"Kekuta developed in the Rush on three different Rush clubs and he will always be a Rush player. We are very proud of him," Don Gemmell, Technical Director of Texas Rush says.
Colorado Rush was well represented as Paolo DelPiccolo (University of Louisville) was drafted number 27 overall in the MLS Superdraft to the Montreal Impact where fellow Rush players Collen Warner and Jeb Brovsky are currently rostered. Click here for more on the MLS Draft.
On the women's side, Colorado Rush Women's star Kendall Johnson (University of Portland) was drafted number 12 by Sky Blue FC (New Jersey) where she will join US National Team players Christie Rampone and Kelley O'Hara. Click here for more on the NWSL Draft.


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Town Square
Pioneer Cemetery a disappointment
Original post made by Jeb Bing, editor of the Pleasanton Weekly, on Oct 5, 2010
The cost for double-burial gravesites at $10,198 for full burial and $4,277 for plots holding the cremains of two individuals seems steep given the condition of the cemetery, which the city plans to leave as is. No grass, no sprinkling system.
Add to that a regulation stipulating that the sites can't be re-sold once purchased could leave the cemetery with a number of unused plots if owners move away from Pleasanton.
These prices and policies need to be revisited.
Comments (1)
a resident of Downtown
on Mar 23, 2011 at 3:34 pm
Gary Schwaegerle is a registered user.
For those interested in Supporting or keeping up with the Pleasanton Pioneer Cemetery. Join the Newly Formed Group on Facebook. Web Link Description: "This Group was Created in Support of Pleasanton Pioneer Cemetery - Preserving Heritage & History in Pleasanton, CA. The Cemetery was adopted by the Rotary Club of Pleasanton as 1 of its many Community Service Projects. Also supported by many other Orgainizations: ALVHS, VFW, DAR, BSA and many Individuals. With a Special Thanks to the original Pioneers moving the City of Pleasanton to adopt the Cemetery: The original 7 members: Howard Neely 1st chairman, Chris Beratlis 2nd chairman, Frank Capilla, Joe Cook, Bill Hirst, John Innis, Jim Wright Additional members: Pete Bailey, Jack Bras, Harold Ceizler, Vic Lund, and Gary Schwaegerle. The untold story: The Original 7 secured the Cemetery in Contract, ponied up $50,000. as well as the legal work to establish a 501c3 non-profit in order to preserve this asset a jewel in The Community of Pleasanton. "
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Livermore trustees demonstrating wisdom
By Tim Hunt | 11 comments | 1,347 views
2017 guide to summer camps
Looking for something for the kids to do this summer, learn something new and have fun? The 2017 Summer Camp Guide features local camps for all ages and interests.


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Petrol prices are at their lowest levels in three months.
The price of petrol and diesel both fell 3 cents a litre during October. The AA said 91 octane petrol ended the month on $2.12 a litre in the main centres, and diesel fell to $1.52 at most service stations.
Petrol prices briefly rose 3 cents earlier in the month with commodity prices, but then fell 6 cents later in the month.
AA PetrolWatch spokesman Mark Stockdale said falling commodity prices and improved fuel supply were behind the fall.
"However, the AA's analysis shows the imported cost of petrol has fallen nearly 10 cents per litre since October 10, while retail prices are only down 6 cents per litre. So there is room for fuel companies to cut prices further and we hope they will do so soon.''
The AA says diesel commodity prices have fallen about 5 cents per litre in the last fortnight, half as much as petrol commodity prices, although diesel importer margins are still above average.


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Oil's well: American universities with Persian Gulf campuses. By Harvey Silverglate and Kyle Smeallie.
Old school? No way.
Dozens of elite American universities are establishing satellite campuses in the United Arab Emirates, a region with bottomless petro-dollars but — in the modern era — limited (if not restrictive) academic history and culture. Some of these campuses have the look and feel of an upscale theme park. The UAE University is the oldest institution in the country, established in 1976. Walt Disney World, in Florida, is five years older.
For better or worse, this type of encounter will become increasingly more rare in the United States. That's because foreign potentates, especially those from oil-rich sheikdoms, no longer need to send their children to this country to hobnob with the heathens (and boors) in order to acquire world-class degrees. Enticed by seemingly bottomless petro-dollars, American universities are flocking to the Persian Gulf to establish satellite campuses. And these aren't the traditional study-abroad programs — they are, rather, elegantly designed campuses with state-of-the-art facilities that bear such prestigious names as Harvard, MIT, Boston University, Carnegie Mellon, and New York University. Now, the well-born-and-bred children of well-heeled oil billionaires no longer have to wander far from the royal palace to do some learning — they can get an American degree right at home.
This development raises questions for universities involved in exporting education — indeed, whole campuses — to far-off very wealthy lands: how will a foreign branch affect the home campus? Will Western educational values clash with the very different cultures of these foreign states? Will certain subjects, such as humanities courses that challenge traditional views about academic freedom or gender roles, be taboo? Will earning a Georgetown degree in Qatar — not DC — require the same intellectual rigor and hard work? And, most fundamental, what is motivating American academic institutions to set up remote campuses in such seemingly unlikely places where a culture of learning as we know it has not exactly taken root? The answer tells us much about the trend toward the corporatization of American higher education.
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