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For Alumnae
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Speak at a Program!
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Today, the family completed Seal of Novia quest. It turned out to be easier than I expected. The collection of soup materials seems to be a bigger obstacle than the fight itself. Since everyone seems to be writing tips on this quest fight, I figured I probably should jump onto the bandwagon as well. Since you can re-do the quest upon failure, you may want to go in the first time just to scout out the map, then get serious when you go in a second time. A summary of tactics is as follows.
- After NPC stopped talking, quickly use Invisible Potions on all 3 characters.
- Move forward a bit to go between Selva and Garcia and get the AR/DR+5 buff.
- Move to the side and kill Montoro (Lv.100), who can see invisible characters.
- Buff up (see items used below). Invisibility should be gone by now.
- Lure the other 3 monsters (Lv.120) to the side one by one, and kill them.
- Reduce Novia (Lv.130) to 50% HP by using skills (Chain Lightning, Strike Back, etc.). Avoid clustering the characters too close to each other.
- Walk over to Invierno, who will talk about healing Garcia.
You have 20 minutes to finish the entire quest. For more tips, see Novia in Gavin's Quest.
The following are the characters and items I used in the quest fight.
Emilia the Sage [Veteran] ~ AR 57 • DR 56 [ESP, Psychokinesis]
Musketeer [Expert] ~ AR 59 • DR 59 [Outrage Shot]
Elementalist [Expert] ~ AR 59 • DR 61 [Evocation/Domination Lightning]
The AR/DR listed above are before using the items below. My weapons are +5 and have general ATK mods. You can get Anti-Daemon or Anti-Human mods, if you like.
Lucifer Wings x3
K2 gave out 6 Lucifer Wings free for Christmas. Just activate 3 of them. I didn't use Sage Necklace (AR/DR+3 for 3 days), but you can use it if you like.
AM's Boost x1
The pioneering quests should give 5 AM's Boost potions (aka Hrin's Potion). The recent influx of Mystery Boxes also lowered its market price, so buy some if you need more. The potion's effect persists after changing maps, so use it before entering the fight.
Invisible Potion x3
If you have trained at Fire Isle, you should have at least a few Invisible Potions. If not, just buy them.
Triumph Filler x1, Health Regen Potion x1
The pioneering quests should provide 10 Event Health Regen Potions and 3 Event Triumph Fillers. The event potions cannot be used for crafting or selling anyway, so use them in the fight. Health Regen Potion is used so that the characters continue healing in case of getting hit by Novia's Freeze debuff. Scout's Recover skill can also remove this debuff.
Mithridart x1, Nutrition x1, Analeptic Remedy x1
I forgot that I brought Election Reward Potion (Lv.15 buff) as well, probably should have used it instead of the 3 standard buff potions.
Skill Buffs
If you have a wizard or Emilia, use Anti-Magic Shell. If not, use Magical Resistance Potion instead. Elementalist should buff Lightning Plasma for more damage, or Ice Plasma for more resistance. The rest are pretty standard, such as Concentration for musketeer, Elemental Penetration and Enchantment Arm for Elementalist, etc.

subset: commoncrawl


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The answer to the Warriors coaching conundrum is simple - getting there is the hard part.
If everyone has their heads screwed on, Brian McClennan will be installed as the club's new coach as soon as humanly possible.
Ivan Cleary's deal ends next year, and the Penrith Panthers, whose coach Matt Elliott was dumped yesterday, are said to be on the prowl.
Let's cut to the chase; whatever the ins and outs of Cleary's situation, the time is more than right to give former Kiwis coach McClennan his chance.
Just as Auckland rugby must never forget what its true potential is, so must the Warriors keep chasing the dream. Cleary is doing a reasonable job, make no mistake. But the target for the Warriors has to be something beyond what we've seen in the Cleary era. The hunt must go on.
The oft-quoted line that Cleary gets the Warriors into the finals is a bit of a red herring - half the teams in the competition get into the finals. It's what you do once there that counts.
McClennan is, quite sensibly, keeping a low profile. He probably won't thank those of us on the sideline shoving his name up in lights.
But Kiwi candidates of his pedigree and potential rarely come along. Virtually no coach in sport is a sure bet. But if the Warriors don't grab this moment, while the man is still in his prime, they'll have missed a golden opportunity.
John Hart, one of the Warriors' movers and shakers, should understand. A founding father of one of Auckland's great rugby eras, Hart was inexplicably overlooked for sole charge of the All Blacks at the perfect time, paired inappropriately another time, and finally given a chance with most of his best coaching years behind him. He will appreciate that timing is everything.
At some point, the Warriors coaching job is likely to come down to a contest between Tony Iro, Cleary's assistant, and McClennan, and it's a no-contest for any sensible money.
Iro is firmly on the coaching ladder, but many rungs below McClennan.
McClennan has a rare coaching knack allied to an obsessive mind for the game. He has tested himself in every arena possible, with great success. He knows what makes Auckland league tick, what its true capabilities are, and how to get the best out of the city's power footballers.
Apart from Grannygate, when McClennan's Kiwis had a deliberately poor completion rate in putting the Nathan Fien family tree together, he has hardly put a foot wrong.
From Mt Albert and Hibiscus Coast to Leeds and the Kiwis, it's an NRL preparation course laced with success that simply must not be ignored.
The bottom line to the debate is this: the sky might be the limit with Brian McClennan. Iro's CV and potential just don't match.
Those who reckon Cleary is doing a great job have forgotten the potential of this club.
Take something like the Melbourne model and add New Zealand's strength and flair and, hey presto, there'll be magic in the air.
There's also an emotional angle. The Warriors were set up, in part, to give locals a chance to prove what they could do. No one has done it better in coaching than McClennan. As a player and coach, he's in a small group who've kept the league flame alive in New Zealand and that shouldn't be ignored.
McClennan is best placed to strengthen the link with the heartland, and bring magic to the Warriors not seen since the mad, glad, bad days of 1995 and the glorious moments of Daniel Anderson's reign.
His almost boyish enthusiasm will signal a new era - the remote Cleary has not helped the Warriors to connect with the masses.
The Warriors must find out what McClennan can do. It will be a sporting crime if he never gets a chance. If he fails, move on. But don't fail by not finding out.
* Todd Blackadder is in fine form. His confident fighting words are great to hear. Blackadder says the Crusaders are ready to "unleash" in the finals, and are fresh and firing.
That's the sort of talk you like to hear, and is not always common in New Zealand rugby. You never know what's around the corner. The Crusaders have surely become the people's team through their stellar Super 15 season under adverse conditions.
When the Crusaders say they're ready for a big game, you tend to believe them, unlike a few other Super 15 teams that could be mentioned. They've done their broken city proud, and we knew they would.
* Who knows what lurks beneath Christchurch, which is the point. I wonder if the Crusaders have considered setting up a more permanent second home in Nelson. Without wanting to be alarmist, it seems hard to guarantee anything about earthquakes in Christchurch any more.
The Crusaders have done magnificently this year, but they might prefer something more settled as a home away from home. If tragedy should befall their city and rugby facilities again, they'll need to do everything possible to reduce the draining effects of their wanderings.


text: There are tons of stray cats in the area I live. At night they like to sleep on my black car, heat or whatever there reasons may be. I need to stop this crap because the scratch my paint and leave a nasty oil where they sleep. Any ideas on how to take care of this problem. I have no garage, and am willing to kill.


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Gov. Mark Dayton says he has "mostly decided" which local construction projects will get to share $47.5 million in bonding money from a special development fund.
Dayton said today that he plans to announce the winning projects on Thursday. The Department of Employment and Economic Development received 90 applications, representing $288 million in requests. Dayton repeated his criticism of the Legislature for omitting several local projects from last session's bonding bill, and instead creating the competitive development fund.
"Most of them are very important projects to the communities and to the regions, and it's just a shame that it's been set up this way," Dayton said. "It was a mistake to do so in hindsight, and I don't think we should do it again."
Dayton said the local projects that aren't selected will still have a shot at future assistance. He said he plans to unveil another bonding bill proposal in January.


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This is great.. we are really having lots of fun checking out what you guys are doing over there. Anyway, hope you guys are learning a lot about brains! Anyway, how come you guys are eating lebanese food? What happened to the cheese steaks?!
First day of conference
Trip Start Apr 24, 2007
14Trip End May 06, 2007
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This is mum looking suitably serious and trying hard not to fall asleep!I think our jetlag has diminished but by the time we recover, it will be time to return home!
Take a look at the pictures we took outside the conference centre near Cambridge Square. The weather was warm as the sun was shining and there was no rain.
The speakers were good. There were lots of fantastic brain books on sale! Wish we can buy ALL of them! The MOTH is having a hard time deciding what to buy.
The conference ended at 5:30pm. We decided to explore and went visiting Harvard Square, the home of Harvard University.
This is mum at Harvard Square. They have many old grey buildings which look drab cos it is the end of winter but I suppose will look better when it is summer and the area becomes more colourful.
On the way back, we looked for the halal restaurant. Despite a search on Google map, it was still difficult to find in the dark, with rain and a cold cold windy 15OC. I was really glad we finally found it! The MOTH and I were very happy as we could eat the chicken, meat etc... The food was good. We also found a supermarket selling natural, organic food and seafood! So now we can eat well!!
Now we're back in the room, my legs ache, my back hurts. The MOTH is sleepy and we are both full of Lebanese food and we are really really COLD...... It's nice to be back in our room with the heater on!


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The SSAA Farmer Assist program has been developed to enable farmers with wildlife management issues to seek the assistance of SSAA members. The specially designed program is run via this site, allowing a farmer to choose who they invite onto their properties from the group of members replying to their post.
SSAA National is working with a number of SSAA state branches to release the SSAA Farmer Assist program throughout Australia. Please check the Program Status map for the current stage in your state.
For further information or issues during the registering process, please contact us.


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We've found 'em, boys
"We've found 'em, boys. Let's bring them in!"
"Er, we had to eat Tom, but everyone else is fine."
Encouraging words to any would be rescuers' ears. Not so much for Tom's dog (who's up for adoption now, it seems).
In the wake of the recent disappearance and rescue of the Kim family (in which there was no eating of anyone), I've become very interested in all things "survival". Not in the "hunker down in the basement stockpiled with assault rifles and canned goods so the Commies can't get us" kind of way. I just mean that as my family has grown, "what if..." pops into my head a lot more often than it used to.
As a proper geek, I am obligated to scratch this itch by finding equipment and researching obsessively. For that's the answer to pretty much any problem - equipment and research. And equipment in particular, whether it be high-tech or low, is quick to fan the flames of my heart.
I recently ran across this watch on a travel blog, Gadling. The Emergency is made by Breitling, a company whose motto is "Instruments for Professionals". They produce precision timepieces for professional divers, pilots, and wannabe divers and pilots with deep pockets. Unless you're in the music biz, you can't just go throwing the word "instrument" around unless you mean business. And they do. How serious are they? Well, the Emergency is equipped with a transmitter capable of sending a distress signal reaching approximately 100 miles. The transmitter utilizes the aircraft emergency frequency and can operate for up to 48 hours. In a situation where there are no cell towers to help rescuers triangulate your position and things look like they're about to get a whole lot worse, the Emergency is a great insurance policy. That is serious.
Breitling Emergency [Via Gadling]


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Stay Connected
An Expanding WorldviewAfter years of teaching in the same Florida education system where she went to school in the southwestern United States, Rebecca Caudill – Lincoln's Director of Education Pograms – wanted to broaden her world a bit. In her trusty Toyota Corolla, she'd already traveled to almost every state in the U.S. So when a job in Ghana called, she was eager to experience life in Africa.Here, she loves the spontaneity, warmth, and connectedness of Ghanaian culture. Through a relationship with a local taxi driver, she's formed a special bond with his home village on the edge of Accra. On a Sunday afternoon you might find her there, teaching the kids to play American games like Red Rover or sitting in the shade on a wooden bench reading them a book.Rebecca is also enjoying the diversity of experiences and cultures that Lincoln students bring to school with them every day. "There's nothing better than talking to a student and hearing about where they've been or things they do differently from me," she says. "They offer these viewpoints that open up my mind and drive me to go and inquire more myself."With a background in music and dance, Rebecca is taking full advantage of Ghana's cultural scene. She takes drumming lessons three times a week and explores Ghanaian dance with Lincoln students. She's even performed an original piece at a dance festival in Togo, where she was "the only white girl in the whole show."Whether she is pounding fufu with a local auntie under a tree in a village, sharing her love of dance with a group of schoolchildren, or watching the bats fly over her house every night at sunset, Rebecca can't imagine being anywhere else."Ghana," she says, "feels like home."
Fondest wish: that she could drive her Toyota Corolla across the ocean to Hawaii, one of only four American states she has yet to visitThing she can't stand: Kids who don't have books read to themShe'll knock your socks off: with her dance moves
© 2015 Lincoln Community School
Phone:+233 302 218 100 Fax: +233 302 78 09 85
Location Address#126/21 Reindolf RoadAbelemkpe, AccraGhana, West Africa


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Multiple wrecks in Elizabethton
ELIZABETHTON, Tn - Police are warning drivers tonight about wet roads after two cars slide into creeks. Both of those crashes were in Elizabethton.
Police tell us a truck hit a bridge on Siam Road and then went into the creek near Wilbur Dam Road, the driver only had minor injuries. Authorities believe the heavy rains were a factor.
Elizabethton Police say the second crash happened around 8 p.m. on Bristol Highway near Rasnick Hollow Road.
We're told a female was trapped inside her car that flipped into the creek. She was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injures.


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Enrollment Services will be in O'Connor from Saturday, August 13 through Thursday, August 25. They are open weekdays from 9am to 7pm and on Saturday the 13th from 8am to 5pm, Saturday the 20th from 8am to 2pm. Students are able to complete their payment arrangements any time during that time frame.
Here are a few common issues and questions that come up about payment arrangements during this time:
• What should new residential students do if they don't have a payment arrangement yet?
o New students will be allowed to move-in and complete payment arrangements during their orientation week, by Friday Aug 19th.
o New students who have a meal plan will be able to eat in the cafeteria during that week and commuter students will be able to access the campus, even if they don't have an ID yet.
o New students must have a payment arrangement to get a Trinity ID. We will also give campus residents a yellow residential clearance form to show that they are financially cleared to live on campus, and will be sending reports about their status.
• New students must be registered to finalize their payment arrangement and get a student ID. So CAS students who haven't done their assessments yet or SPS/EDU students who haven't met with an advisor yet should take care of that before coming to O'Connor for an ID. (They are welcome to come and talk to a financial aid counselor, of course, any time, but they won't be able to get their ID if they are not registered and paid.)
• There's a long line in there! o It will be busy at times, but students can always come back at another time. Even on our busiest days we have times without a line. It's fine for new SPS and EDU students to complete their payment arrangement on another day (like their first day of class) if the line is too long during their orientation. We do not charge a late fee until after add/drop, and we do not drop students for non-payment.
• I can't get through on the phone!
o We do focus resources more on students in line at this time, although our main office in room 154 will also be open and staffed during our usual business hours. We do return all voice mails, so please ask students if they have left a message. We also changed our voice mail greeting to give answers to common questions along with our email address, and we will keep updating that message to keep it timely. Counselors can answer emails in-between helping students in-person in O'Connor, so you can also suggest that students email us at email@example.com if they are not able to come to campus.
• Can I go to class if I don't have my ID yet?
o YES!! We never tell a registered student not to go to class. Everyone should go to class. After class, they can come back to O'Connor. We do not charge a late fee until after add/drop, and we do not drop students for non-payment. If a student tells you someone told them not to go to class, please let her or him know this is not correct. Similarly, students should not miss orientation activities to see financial aid or get their ID. All of the orientation schedules do allow time to handle these matters, and if it is too busy during that time they can come another day.
• Can I get my email and Self Service credentials and use Moodle if I don't have my ID yet?
o Yes, the credentials are actually issued at the time the student lets admissions know they accept the offer of admission. They are emailed to the student automatically at the email address they provided on the admissions application. If a student doesn't have the credentials, they can submit a service request here: http://www.trinitydc.edu/it/service-requests/.
• Why can't I get a book voucher?
o Students can do a lot of things before they complete a payment arrangement, but they can't get a book voucher unless they have a credit balance of financial aid on their student accounts. If students are just starting the application process by filing the FAFSA in August, it is likely they will have to purchase their books themselves, and then be reimbursed later when their aid is disbursed.


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November 15, 2012
LIJSL cancels rest of fall season due to Sandy
The Long Island Junior Soccer League has canceled the final three weeks of its fall Season due to Hurricane Sandy because not every team would be able to play because of lost fields. The shortened season also will give soccer families in the affected areas extra time to rebuild their homes and their lives.
In coordination with Long Island Cares, the LIJSL held a food drive at the Peter Collins Soccer Park in Plainview, N.Y. last weekend and the LIJSL office in Ronkonkoma. A total of 2,000 lbs. of food and numerous boxes of personal care and home-cleaning items were donated by soccer families.
The Long Island Junior Soccer League is proud to help Long Islanders in the recovery effort in any way we can, LIJSL president Addie Mattei-Iaia said. The generosity shown by our members across the island has been heart-warming, and our recent food drive is a great example of that.
Our league office and board of directors will continue to work together with our member clubs to find the most effective ways to aid those in need. Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone who has been adversely affected by these recent storms."
The East Islip Soccer Club will host an impromptu soccer tournament on Saturday and Sunday, named Soccer vs. Sandy. The club released the following statement:
"With the devastation and toll that Hurricane Sandy has left behind, many leagues have decided to cancel the rest of their season. We agree with the decision entirely but also understand there are many who may want to play and also get involved in a relief effort to help those most affected. With that in mind, we have decided to put together a mini-tournament to allow our kids to get a closing to the soccer season and help out in the relief effort as well."
An many as 64 youth intramural and travel teams will play at Westbrook Fields and Country Village Fields. All proceeds will go toward Hurricane Sandy relief efforts with the East Islip Soccer Club matching proceeds up to $5,000. The club is also interested in corporate or small business sponsors helping out as well.
Were looking to have a friendly match between the East Islip and West Islip Soccer Club Board of Directors this Sunday. The West Islip Soccer Club has offered tons of support for this effort by way of teams, volunteers and even fields should we need to use them, tournament director Jesse Maldonado said.


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This is my fifth Democratic convention, and so far it has the makings of a good one. Here I'm not talking about watching history being made or hearing Barack Obama's speech or anything like that. I just mean the social aspects, which really are the point if you're here for six days and nights waiting around to hear speeches that fill just one hour of each day.
Conventions are strange social experiments. You take 20,000 people or so and cram them into a city. Except that they aren't exactly crammed, because they're spread out all over the place, especially in a roomy city like this one. I was just on the phone with the editor of a magazine. He's way out in the boondocks. He's a prominent fellow, too, from a prominent publication. And we were chuckling because another friend of ours from an even more prominent publication is 15 minutes farther out on the periphery than he is.
We at the Guardian lucked out. More precisely, we're enjoying the residue of the perspicacious move by Carol K., the manager of our Washington office, who booked us into the Warwick before the Democratic National Committee had blocked off every hotel and motel room within a 30-mile radius. We're three blocks from the glorious Brown Palace Hotel, a sort of social nerve center for the week, and four from the 16th Street pedestrian mall, several blocks of shops and restaurants, some nice and some really cheesy, as we Yanks say.
Cheese (kitsch, essentially) is central to any political convention. A Democratic convention isn't a zoological cornucopia in the same way a GOP one is, because at least Democrats are humans I can basically relate to. But liberal school teachers from California are no more immune to cheese than born-again mid-level managers from Tennessee, so the already-tacky tchotchke shops on 16th Street have added, to their normal stock of ceramic wildlife figurines and Denver Broncos gear, tacky and over-designed Obama/Denver t-shirts. There are cops everywhere on 16th, and I mean cops, with nightsticks the size of baseball bats and enough riot gear to take on the Madhi Army.
This outfitting would seem to be designed for the protestors, but they're nowhere near 16th. I passed them in a cab this afternoon. They're in a park or plaza down by the courts building, about a five-minute drive away from the pedestrian mall. There were right-wing picketers with a "Friends of al-Qaida" sign (that would presumably be the Democrats, not the picketers themselves) and left-wingers across the street who seemed angry about the usual hodgepodge of matters. They're safely away from the Pepsi Center of course, but all things considered I think they got some pretty nice real estate, which speaks to the sense of fairness and decency of folks who live in a place like this, where most people still assume that other people are going to act in good faith.
Speaking of the Pepsi Center, I haven't laid eyes on it yet. It's a couple of miles away. One of the key questions about any convention is whether there's a place to get a drink near the hall. The best convention ever was the Republican one in San Diego in 1996. The convention hall was attached to a hotel, and the hotel bar was converted into the journalist refueling station in short order. You'd walk in there and see loads of people you knew. Not sure what the Pepsi Center holds. The Huffington Post has set up an "oasis" near the hall where the idea is very anti-booze-ish. The invite says the oasis will offer complimentary yoga classes, Thai massage and reflexology, mini-facials and "music and room to lounge."
So that's a taste of what it's like. I'm sure the Guardian's intrepid video team, here in full force, will provide some images of all this as the week goes on.


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A Silver Spring man who allegedly built an explosive device and threatened to kill someone has been arrested, the Prince George's County Sheriff's Office reported.
According to deputies, Christopher Bolton threatened to kill someone he had a disagreement with in September. He began building a device out of screws, batteries, .40 caliber ammunition rounds and an unidentitied liquid in a plastic bottle, police said.
The device was never detonated and was found Feb. 7 in a shed at a home in Aquasco.
The fire marshal's bomb squad removed the device safely and a warrant was issued for Bolton's arrest.
Bolton was arrested Monday in Montgomery County. He has been charged with manufacturing or possession of a destructive device, officials said.
He is being held at the Prince George's County Department of Corrections on a $750,000 bond.


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Food writing can offer of a delicious smorgasbord of sensory texture to your story.
The Writer
Digital Editions / Renewals / Gifts
Want to share your love of fine cuisine and flair for description? Follow these tips.
10 tips help manage in-advance seasonal assignments.
Adding references to food can spice up a novel's characters, setting and plot.
5 more young writers putting their mark on the writing world.
"If you can come up with some elaborate descriptive phrase or musical combination of words no one else could possibly come up with, congratulations. But that doesn't mean you should use it."
What can you learn about writing from the next gen of writers?
Used judiciously, a flashback will add richness and believability to your story.
Ruth Reichl's memoirs read like narrative fiction. Now her first novel is on the way.
Enter now to win a copy of Dinty W. Moore's new book "Dear Mister Essay Writer Guy."


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Speaking as part of Grass Roots' Meetings Industry Report 2010, Kimber said: "Most [corporates] are simply going through the motions of asking the right questions [about sustainability] but are neither storing nor using the results.
"At the very least, they should be looking at the hotels being used for meetings and events, asking venues to participate in the Green Globe Index and sharing their scores with meeting planners. Some corporations have sizeable in-house sustainability teams but the policies they are implementing internally have not yet filtered down to the event planners and their external agencies."
However, Kimber is optimistic that the industry will tackle the issue of CSR in the future.
"I think that CSR, as a term, will disappear, partly because many people associate it with the practice of sending a cheque rather than actually tackling emissions by doing something meaningful. In three years, I believe sustainability in the events industry will be as commonplace as their services and quality disclosures, and a declaration of performance by hotels will become standard."
The full Grass Roots Meetings Industry Report 2010 will be available here from 1 February.
Before commenting please read our rules for commenting on articles.
If you see a comment you find offensive, you can flag it as inappropriate. In the top right-hand corner of an individual comment, you will see 'flag as inappropriate'. Clicking this prompts us to review the comment. For further information see our rules for commenting on articles.


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Home repair grants may come in many forms, and are available for single-family dwellings, multi-family dwellings, manufactured homes and mobile homes. Federal, state and most local government agencies may provide grants as well as Native American tribes and non-profit organizations. Grants include varying methods of assistance besides home repair grants including free or reduced labor, materials, supplies; payments to service providers and rebates.
Although home repair grants are available for many individuals, most go to the disabled, the elderly or those in low-income households. Some grants are designed to repair health and safety hazards such as removal of mold, mildew, asbestos, lead paint and other code violations. Others may cover repairs to plumbing, electrical systems, flooring, roofing and heating and air conditioning. Grants for the disabled are available to convert homes by installing wheelchair ramps, handrails, walk-in showers, wider doors, taller toilets and lower counters and cabinets. Energy efficiency grants provide weather stripping, low-flow faucets, attic insulation and water heater blankets.
Philadelphia is a city with a large low-income population and numerous grants available to residents.
Adaptive Modification Programs convert homes to make them livable for disabled individuals.
Basic Systems Repair Programs fix leaky roofs, repair plumbing and electrical systems and other hazards.
The Heater Hotline Program provides free emergency heater repairs to help people stay warn in the winter.
The Senior Housing Assistance Repair Program offers many home repair options to senior citizens.
Weatherization Programs convert low-income dwellings to make them more energy efficient.
This large New York program provides numerous grants to qualified individuals and families. The Home Improvement Program (HIP) is a one-time grant covering a wide variety of home improvements and repairs including structural repairs to roofs, windows and foundations; repairs to major systems like electrical, heating and plumbing; and revamping for disabled accessibility with ramps, lifts, handrails and wider doorways. The grants may total as much as $10,000, but routine maintenance and cosmetic improvements are not typically covered by grants.
This state program allocates funds to help low-income residents remain in their homes by paying for a variety of repairs. Typical repair projects include fixing or replacing outdated plumbing and heating systems, dangerous electrical wiring, weathered roofs, worn siding and drafty windows. Most grants are given in the form of forgivable loans of $15,000.00 - $40,000.00 to families whose household income is at or below 80% of the area median income. All repairs must meet state health and safety standards, and families must continue to live in the repaired homes for a period of time or risk having to repay a portion of the otherwise forgivable loan.
Home repair grants differ from state to state, but most are targeted toward households with elderly or disabled individuals, veterans or low-income families with children. The availability of grants and the amounts also depend on funds each state, county or city has allocated for such projects. There are federal grants available as well, and a phone call to a local housing authority is the first step in applying for grants to repair damaged or aging homes.


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The Calcasieu Parish School Board offices at 3310 Broad St. (Photo courtesy of the Calcasieu Parish School Board)
Last Modified: Wednesday, July 02, 2014 12:41 PM
By John Guidroz / American Press
Taxable sales reported in Calcasieu Parish for the 2014 fiscal year are up by 2.4 percent from the previous fiscal year, according to the Calcasieu School Board's taxable sales analysis.
The total sales for the 2014 fiscal year are $4,671,234,603, while sales over the 2013 fiscal year totaled $4,561,005,003. The fiscal year runs from July 1 through June 30.
The collections from taxable sales for May totaled $421,366,121 — up 4 percent from the $404,137,195 in collections during May 2013.
Utilities saw the largest percentage increase in taxable sales, with $105,427,966 in the 2014 fiscal year — up just over 33 percent from the $79,122,424 from the 2013 fiscal year.
Sales of apparel, including clothing and shoe stores, had a nearly 12 percent increase. There were $111,365,465 in taxable sales reported for the 2014 fiscal year, compared with $99,547,516 in the 2013 fiscal year.
Motor vehicle sales saw a nearly 11 percent increase, with $424,977,066 in the 2014 fiscal year, compared with $383,142,855 in the previous fiscal year.
Miscellaneous — book and music stores, tobacco shops, florists and funeral homes — saw a decrease in taxable sales. The report said there were $93,514,137 in taxable sales in the 2014 fiscal year — down nearly 12 percent from the $106,196,658 reported in the 2013 fiscal year.
Manufacturing also saw an 8.1 percent decrease from the previous fiscal year. Taxable sales amounted to $891,567,622 during the 2014 fiscal year and $969,726,684 in the 2013 fiscal year.


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Casa Mañana will be welcoming back a couple of old friends Saturday: Grease and Joel Ferrell.
The 1972 musical, which tunefully celebrates youthful rebellion in the late 1950s, is an old friend to every theater. Few shows light up the box office as reliably as this duck-billed chestnut. So it is no surprise to see it presented anywhere.
But Ferrell, the associate artistic director at Dallas Theater Center, is a bit less expected.
"You could have knocked me over with a feather," said Ferrell about receiving an e-mail from Casa president and executive producer Wally Jones asking him if he wanted to direct Grease.
It is a bit unusual for a theater to seek out a director who holds a regular position at a company in the same market. But Ferrell and Casa go way back.
"It was the first place I saw professional theater [at age 5]. It was where I got my Equity Card in 1981. It was the first place I directed for the main stage," said Ferrell, an Eastern Hills High grad who served as artistic director at Casa from 1996 through 2001. He has not been directly involved with a Casa production since.
"But to this day, people come up to me and ask me how things are going at Casa," said Ferrell, who is directing and choreographing this production of Grease. "So this feels like home. It is a lovely reunion."
Ferrell also will be reuniting with a musical he has not staged for 11 years, when he directed a Casa production of the show that was presented at Bass Hall. That run was a success, as are most presentations of this nostalgic musical, it seems.
Written by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, Grease debuted on Broadway in 1972 and ran for more than eight years. Since that time, it has enjoyed two revivals on the Great White Way. Between the original and the revivals, the show has had more than 5,000 performances, making it one of the top 10 musicals of all time.
The 1978 film version, which starred John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, is also considered a classic. Most listings place it among the top 150 films of all time in terms of revenues, while some of those adjusted for inflation place it firmly in the top 50.
But the problem is that the original stage version, its two revivals and the film all have slightly different content. So, which Grease will we see at Casa?
"I think everybody who does Grease sculpts it a little bit differently. But we will be basically doing the original version," said Ferrell, although he added that this production will include You're the One That I Want, a song that was introduced in the film but which is now commonly part of the stage version.
"Sometimes the revivals make the mistake of trying to be bigger and flashier. But this will be much more pared down and focused. Because Grease is not a slick musical. There's a raw edge to it that says this needs to stay spontaneous and slightly imperfect."
And although choreography is one of Ferrell's fortes, he especially relishes working with the music of Grease, which will be performed by a five-piece band in this production.
"I think the heart of this show is the music. Every one of these numbers is a salute to a specific singer or a specific style of rock 'n' roll. Freddy, My Love is very much a girl-group number. Those Magic Changes is a guy-group number, for example."
Ferrell is aware, however, that those nuances of rock 'n' roll history may be lost on some of the younger members of his audience -- and his players.
"I have to laugh because my cast doesn't know most of the references," said the 53-year-old Ferrell.
One of those young players is New Yorker John Ashley Brown, who may not know the times of Grease, but he certainly knows the show. One of his first major professional gigs was playing Kenickie, the part he will be playing here, in the national touring production that included Frankie Avalon.
"I love the film. I used to watch it all the time as a kid. So I think that helped me," said Brown, 33, who was on that tour for 14 months in 2005-06. "But everybody can relate to this show. With every role, everybody in the crowd can say 'I was him' or 'I was her.' It's all about youth. You just have to recall what it was like when you were a kid."
Or, you can fall back on Ferrell's assessment of this musical that is so loved for its mindless joyfulness.
"I tell my cast, when in doubt, just remember that this show is about three things: sex, rock 'n' roll and fast cars."
So is it any wonder this musical is such an enduring hit?


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Re: st: How to skip logit when there is no variation in the dependent variable
Ulrich Kohler <email@example.com>
Re: st: How to skip logit when there is no variation in the dependent variable
Mon, 19 Mar 2007 12:06:36 +0100
Thomas de Hoop wrote:
> Thomas de Hoop wrote:
>> Dear Statalist users,
>> I have created dummy variables for 214 countries. For each of these
>> countries I want to estimate several logit models to estimate chances
>> of certain situations to occur, and create chance variables from the
>> prediction of these models. I estimate these chances using data from
>> the past. I have data of these situation For this I created loops with
>> the foreach and forvalue commands from stata. The problem is that in
>> some countries a certain situation never occurred. For these
>> situations there are only 0 value observations. Of course logistic
>> regression is not possible in these kind of situations. For this
>> reason I would like to skip these equations in the loop.
>> For this reason I counted the number of times a situation did occur in
>> the past and created a variable.
>> I tried to skip the equation as follows:
>> forval i=1/214 {
>> logit drought`i' variable1 variable 2 etc. if droughtcount`i'>0
>> }
>> i= the country number
>> variable1 variable2 etc are the explanatory variables.
>> drought`i'=the situation in a certain country
>> droughtcount`i'=the number of times a situation did occur in the past.
>> For country 3 this results in the following error:
>> no observations
>> r(2000);
If you _know_ that all obs are zero in the situation were outcome does not
vary, one way would be:
levelsof country, local(K)
foreach k of local K {
count if drought & country == `k'
if r(N) > 0 logit drought variable1 variable2
Problems might still arise as a result of missings in the dependent variables.
A more general approach would be something like
mark touse
markout touse variable1 variable2 variable3 <list of independent variables>
levelsof country, local(K)
foreach k of local K {
count if drought & country == `k' & touse
if r(N) > 0 logit drought variable1 variable2
It might be also sensible to set the level for calculating the equation a
little higher by using -if r(N) > 30-, for example.
Ulrich Kohler
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text:
Day 3 - cop a feel
Trip Start Sep 05, 2009
29Trip End Oct 04, 2009
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Adam towers
Went in a helicopter today man, me, the bloke who hates flying! Paul and Soph thought it weren't scary, but I was brickin my pants, extra pressure being the photographer too. This was the same helicopter flight that crashed recently with the light weight aircraft over the Hudson river.
Then we went on this long bus tour, where a Chinese guy was our tour guide telling us all about various 'praces', where Brad Pitt and his bloke girlfriend bought a multi-million $ apartment, where Bill Gates lived, Donald Trump etc. Was very interesting indeed, especially Harlem where all of the Civil Rights Movement history went down.
Really liked Times Square, it was what I imagined New York to be - made me want to go to Las Vegas
Got to ride at the front of the Helicopter with the pilot - although it could have been a more rocky flight!
Toy's 'R 'Us was cool.
That's it - are we done yet Paul?
No, we also watched Super high me - my suspicions confirmed - documented proof that smoking up helps improve verbal skills and critically physic abilities....though maths skills apparently falls.


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The clock is ticking towards the second planned Falcon 1 rocket test for the private spaceflight firm Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX), nearly one year after an unsuccessful launch debut.
Liftoff is slated for 7:00 p.m. EDT (2300 GMT) from SpaceX's Omelek Island launch site on Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific Ocean's Marshall Islands [image].
"The flight readiness review conducted [Sunday] shows all systems are go for a launch attempt," SpaceX CEO Elon Musk wrote in a mission update to his El Segundo, California-based firm's website, adding that the planned space shot could be delayed "if we have even the tiniest concern."
SpaceX has a four-hour window to launch today's Falcon 1 mission, with additional daily flight opportunities through March 22. A booster equipment concern, since resolved, and range safety personnel issues delayed the planned launch several times.
The only glitch Musk has reported for today's planned space shot involves an anomaly with the global positioning system portion of the Falcon 1's guidance system. The booster is designed to fly primarily on an inertial navigation guidance system, using the GPS system as an aid to refine its path, he added.
Poised to fly
SpaceX's upcoming launch, dubbed DemoFlight 2, is a demonstration for the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Agency (DARPA), which also funded Falcon 1's ill-fated debut in March 2006 [image].
That first Falcon 1 test ended shortly after liftoff after a fuel leak and subsequent fire forced an engine shutdown about 34 seconds into the flight [image]. Initially thought to be the result of human error, the rocket failure was ultimately traced to the corrosion of a small aluminum nut.
Since last year's test, SpaceX has literally made hundreds of improvements to both the Falcon 1 rocket and its ground support facilities on the Kwajalein Atoll, Musk told SPACE.com in a telephone interview.
"We didn't just say we'll go back to the launch pad with the same vehicle and launch again, and see if it works," Musk said. "We really have developed version two of Falcon 1."
The year of improvements has given SpaceX more confidence that, even if today's launch is unsuccessful, the spaceflight firm will be able to recover relatively quickly, Musk added.
"If anything goes wrong with this launch, I wouldn't expect our next launch to be a year from now," Musk said. "We've made every improvement we can think of. I can't think of very much we could do to improve the robustness of the design."
Falcon rocket family
SpaceX's Falcon 1 rocket is a two-stage booster that stands about 68 feet (21 meters) tall and carries a reusable first stage powered by the launch firm's Merlin 1 engine.
Designed to launch small satellites into low-Earth orbit, Falcon 1 rockets are expected to haul payloads of up to 1,256 pounds (570 kilograms) into space for about $7 million per mission, Musk told SPACE.com.
The booster is the first of SpaceX's family of Falcon rockets that includes the Falcon 9 rocket, a heavy-lift launcher currently under development to loft the Dragon crew and cargo capsule. The Dragon and Falcon 9 projects [image] comprise the SpaceX's entry for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation System (COTS) to provide crew change and resupply flights to the International Space Station (ISS).
"Falcon 1 is our test vehicle really," Musk said, adding that the technology used in the satellite booster will be upgraded for Falcon 9 launches.
Experiments aboard
While the primary goal of today's planned space shot is to demonstrate the Falcon 1 rocket's launch capability, the booster is also carrying a pair of experimental payloads, SpaceX officials have said.
Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX's vice president of business development, has said in the past that the second Falcon 1 rocket will carry a low-cost satellite communications transceiver and an experimental autonomous flight safety system during its upcoming launch.
The mission is the first of at least three scheduled Falcon 1 missions for 2007.
A planned summer launch is expected to orbit the TacSat-1 satellite for the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, with a follow-up mission to launch Razaksat - a Malaysian Earth-observation satellite - later this year.
"Falcon 1 is intended to be the smallest useful orbital launch vehicle," Musk told SPACE.com.
- Top 10 Imaginations at Work: Elon Musk
- IMAGES: Twenty Great Rocket Launches
- SpaceX Prepares for Second Falcon 1 Rocket Launch
- Falcon 1 Failure Traced to a Busted Nut
- SpaceX's Inaugural Falcon 1 Rocket Lost Just After Launch
- Explore SPACE.com's Spaceflight Archive


text:
The underlying principle when the CPS was established was, as I understand, that it should be an independent, professional service. This, I think, means that while relations between the police and the CPS should not be in any way adversarial, nor should the CPS be in the pocket of the police.
I have some fear that the permanent presence of a prosecutor in the police station would blur the important distinction between their roles. It may be true that the proposed arrangement would not necessarily impinge on the proper independence of the prosecutor. It may also be that a prosecutor determined to maintain an independent approach to his work would succeed in doing so whatever the institutional framework within which he functions.
It does, however, seem to me at least questionable whether the proposed arrangement would not in practice lead to a situation in which the line between investigation and prosecution would become blurred and the essential independence of the prosecutor would be eroded. It would further seem to me to be inconsistent with the concept of an independent professional service to deny the CPS the discretion to discontinue cases in the public interest on the ground that the offence is not serious or that the likely penalty is too trivial to justify prosecution.
One can of course understand why the police would prefer to have the last word on the subject. But I find it hard to understand how a professional service could be thought to lack the quality of judgement needed to decide whether an offence merited prosecution or whether it did not; and I do not think professional prosecutors should be obliged to prosecute offences which they judge unworthy of prosecution.
I do not know whether, in practice, differences of view between the police and the CPS give rise to serious difficulty. If they do, I would expect such difficulty to be resolved by police representations to senior authorities within the CPS.
It may be that my views are ill-founded, and that real problems do now arise. For the present, however, I myself require persuasion, and I am not in any event sure that the report proposes the right solution.
The same is true of the proposals that lay staff should have authority to review files and that non-lawyers employed by the CPS should be able to present uncontested cases in magistrates' courts. Both these proposals appear to me to reflect a belief that such matters are relatively straightforward and call for little technical understanding. In very many cases this is no doubt true. In other cases it is not.
There can be no objection in principle to the suggestion that the CPS should provide an on-call service at evenings and weekends to give the police advice on the charges which they should prefer. I assume, but this is something the report does not address, that this would place additional demands on the CPS and require an increase in its professional staff. Whatever the merits of the proposal, it would seem clear that it could not be met unless the resources available to the CPS were increased or economies made elsewhere in its existing service. My clear impression is that the CPS, like other public services, is currently subject to stringent expenditure restraint.
I do not believe that the CPS is run extravagantly; it would therefore seem to me important to explore the practicability of giving effect to this proposal.
report recommendations
The recommendations of the Review of Delay in the Criminal Justice System regarding the CPS are:
a permanent CPS presence in police stations to deal with fast-tracked guilty pleas;
an end to the CPS power to discontinue cases on public interest grounds;
non lawyers should review files;
non lawyers should be able to prosecute uncontested cases in the magistrates' courts; and
an on-call service should be provided at all times by the CPS to advise on the charging of suspects.


text:
Dem Fatigure with the "Handshake"
Well, did you expect Democrats to tell the new Republican majority "good job?"
You can hear the fatigure when Democrats talk about the Republican "Handshake With Alabama," which was a mid-summer 2010 campaign promise.
Recently, Rep. Juandalynn Givan (D-Birmingham) quipped to me "the 'Handshake' is about to break my arm."
Sunday, Dana Beyerle of the NYT Regional Papers wrote Senate Republicans will now take up the House-passed "Handshake" agenda with the greatest conflict perhaps centering around illegal immigration.
Today on Good Day Alabama, House Minority Leader Craig Ford (D-Gadsden) offered a quick criticism of the "Handshake" agenda while discussing efforts to protect last year's PACT bailout.
"They've (Republicans) addressed their 'Hand Shake With Alabama.' We spent a third of the session addressing these bills, which are unconstitutional, and now we're going after the PACT program and take money from the PACT program."
Read more of Rick Journey's blog here.
Filed under: Legislature


text:
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text:
Canadian Larisa Yurkiw earned a spot at the Winter Olympics after finishing sixth in a women's downhill skiing World Cup event on Saturday, a career-best performance.
Yurkiw, from Owen Sound, Ont., needed two top-12 results to qualify for nomination to Canada's Olympic team and followed up a seventh-place finish in the season-opening downhill in Lake Louise, Alta., with a strong run in Saturday's race in Austria.
"Larisa skied amazing today. She was super strong. It was solid skiing, top to bottom," said Hugues Ansermoz, head coach of Canada's women's team. "It's great that she has qualified for Sochi. She was already close to qualifying but she made the Olympic team through the front door without leaving anything to chance. She deserves it and she showed that today."
Elisabeth Goergl beat Anna Fenninger for an Austrian 1-2 finish, ending a two-year drought for the ski-mad nation in the sport's fastest discipline.
Goergl, the 2011 world champion, started 28th after the other top contenders had already gone down but had the fastest time at each interval.
Goergl finished the demanding three-kilometre Kaelberloch course in 1:47.45 to deny Fenninger her first career downhill win by 0.56 seconds.
"I know I had a super run. That gives me satisfaction," said Goergl, who also was the last Austrian woman to win a downhill — in Bad Kleinkirchheim, Austria, in January 2012.
"I am glad that I had a smooth run," Goergl said. "Winning isn't the most important to me. What really counts is skiing well. I wasn't able to show that last year."
It was the first 1-2 finish in a World Cup downhill for Austrian women since 2007.
Maria Hoefl-Riesch of Germany, who has won two downhills this season, came 0.63 behind in third and lost her lead in the overall standings to Fenninger by six points, 677-671. Tina Weirather of Liechtenstein is third with 659 points.
Weirather came 0.91 behind in fourth.
Marie-Michele Gagnon of Lac-Etchemin, Que., came 29th to claim her first top-30 World Cup finish in downhill to add to the seven top-10s and three top-five results she's already racked up this season in slalom, giant slalom and super-G.
"I'm more than happy with top 30. It's a huge stepping stone for me because being in the points shows you are part of the group," said Gagnon, who was the first Canadian alpine skier to meet the criteria for nomination to Canada's Olympic team. "I don't train downhill and we only had one training run this week. I just got brand new boots and I raced on them and totally different skis, so I'm super happy with that."
Starting 25th, Yurkiw — who is racing as an independent under coach Kurt Mayr — produced a strong run to cross the line in a time of 1:48.58. Yurkiw suffered a catastrophic leg injury in 2009 but returned to competition two years later.
Yurkiw has previously had success in Altenmarkt, winning the downhill portion of a combined race — and beating American superstar Lindsey Vonn in the process — in January 2009. She was also seventh in the FIS Junior World Ski Championships in Altenmarkt/Flachau in 2007.
"This is her hill — she's done well here before," Gagnon said. "It great seeing her continue her streak of top results. She's a cool girl and I think I can learn a lot from her."
Gagnon, competing in downhill as part of her training for the combined discipline, achieved her aim of a top 30 finish when she crossed the line in 1:50.17.
"That was the goal today, just to score some points and get (Canada) another spot in downhill," Ansermoz said. "Without skiing her best she was top 30 so anything is possible for her in the combined."
Both Gagnon, who was fourth in the world in super-combined last season, and Erin Mielzynski, of Collingwood, Ont., are set to compete in Sunday's super combined race.
11:50ET 11-01-14Report Typo/Error


text:
Dont live in Pudsey any more but was born and brought up there. I lived on Laurel Mount off Richardshaw Lane. across from Farsley omnibus depot. I think there is an office block there now. There used to be Harold's fish shop, a grocery shop, a cobblers shop where we always used to buy our fireworks and then a timber yard. Where the by pass goes under Rikky Lane there used to be another grocers shop on the left and on the right was an old barn and all fields. Before the Grangefield Ind Estate was completed there were two dams in the fields ...one belonged to the big mill which was fenced in and then there was the small one where we used to go tadpoling. I also notice on passing that my old infants school is now made into flats - Richardshaw Lane Infants. Moving on to the sixties brought different interests. Saturdays at Ma Porritts dancing school in Farsley, Saturday nights at Pudsey baths, where if you went outsiide you got your hand stamped by one of the Cromack brothers - the bouncers, then a quick walk round to the Butchers Arms for a couple of under age pints,where landlady Eileen and husband Les woulld stick us in the back room with the juke box and shut the door. Moving on again, there were four picture houses in our area at the time. The New Picture House, The Savoy, Pavillion and the Palace down Lowtown. If my memory is correct, the Palace was bought by the Purdys who owned the curtain shop in the market square, and they turned it into a club. I don't know how long it lasted but they put some decent turns on. I remember seeing the Four Pennies there when they were in the charts. I'm sure Hermans Hermits appeared there as well. I must mention my three best mates at the time, see if it jogs any memories, Stephen Pearson, Paul Dowgill and David Lawson. I hope they are still with us. Now we move on to work. My first job was down on Grangefield Ind Estate, loading wagons at Hanson Haulage, even before I finally left school. That brings me on to another piece of Pudsey history, I moved on to Hudsons of Pudsey. I enjoyed it there; Reggy and Harold Hudson were great to work for. With reference to a previous message on your site, regarding the Roker Lane Estate, the only families I recall on the estate were the Linnekers and the Aitkens. Signing off now. I'll follow on with more memories later.
A memory shared byon Apr 8th, 2012.
Thu Jan 1st 2015, at 8:30 pm
Sat Jan 24th 2015, at 8:55 am
Sat Jan 24th 2015, at 8:56 am
Sat Jan 24th 2015, at 8:56 am
Sun Jan 25th 2015, at 6:05 pm
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...and hundreds more! Enjoy browsing more recent contributions now.


text:
Home >> Cabinet Door Rectangle Recessed Sliding Finger Pull Handles Knob 79x42mm
- Rectangular recessed flush pull handle, widely used for sliding door, cabinet, drawer, etc.
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|Mount Hole Center Distance
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|Package Content
|1 x Pull Handle
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|Silver Tone
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|79 x 42mm/3.1" x 1.65"(L*W)
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text:
The moving story of one of the last survivors of the Titanic can be revealed for the first time after touching letters and documents were discovered after her death.
For 94 years Lillian Asplund refused to speak about the tragedy that claimed the lives of her father and three brothers.
Instead, the spinster kept the final moments of her family locked in her memory and the poignant possessions of her father Carl hidden in a shoebox in her bureau.
It was only after her death aged 99 the box was found along with the collection of Titanic-related items that, pieced together, tell the tragic story of the family's demise.
Among them were notes Mr Asplund had copied from a flyer promoting the benefits of living in California, an American dream that enticed the family to set sail for a new life.
An incredibly rare and water-stained ticket for the luxury liner was also found. Only a handful of Titanic tickets are in existance as most of them sunk with the ship.
The paper documents recovered from his body miraculously survived for 12 days after the disaster because Mr Asplund's lifejacket kept his coat's breast pocket out of the water.
His pocket watch which stopped at 19 minutes past two – the exact time the liner sank – was also found on him. And a heart-rending note written by his grief-stricken mother in which she wrote of how she hoped to see her son again in heaven formed part of the collection.
The stunning archive includes a sad photograph of Lillian, her mother Selma and three-year-old brother Felix, who both survived, at her father's grave in 1912.
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text:
Dark Hollow HTML version
24. One Secret Less
Suddenly he faced Deborah again. The crisis of feeling had passed, and he
looked almost cold.
"You have had advisers," said he. "Who are they?"
"I have talked with Mr. Black."
The judge's brows met.
"Well, you were wise," said he. Then shortly, "What is his attitude?"
Feeling that her position was fast becoming intolerable she falteringly replied,
"Friendly to you and Oliver but, even without all the reasons which move me,
sharing my convictions."
"He has told you so?"
"Not directly; but there was no misjudging his opinion of the necessity you were
under to explain, the mysteries of your life. AND IT WAS YESTERDAY WE
Like words thrown into a void, these slow, lingering, half-uttered phrases seemed
to awaken an echo which rung not only in his inmost being, but in hers. Not till in
both natures silence had settled again (the silence of despair, not peace), did he
speak. When he did, it was simply to breathe her name.
Startled, for it had always before been Madam, she looked up to find him
standing very near her and with his hand held out.
"I am going through deep waters," said he. "Am I to have your support?"
"O, Judge Ostrander, how can you doubt it?" she cried, dropping her hand into
his, and her eyes swimming with tears. "But what can I do? If I remain here I will
be questioned. If I fly--but, possibly, that is what you want;--for me to go--to
disappear--to take Reuther and sink out of all men's sight forever. If this is your
wish, I am ready to do it. Gladly will we be gone--now--at once--this very night if
you say so."
His disclaimer was peremptory.
"No; not that. I ask no such sacrifice. Neither would it avail. There is but one thing
which can reinstate Oliver and myself in the confidence and regard of these
people. Cannot you guess it, madam? I mean your own restored conviction that
the sentence passed upon John Scoville was a just one. Once satisfied of this,
your temperament is such that you would be our advocate whether you wished it
or no. Your very silence would be eloquent."
"Convince me; I am willing to have you, Judge Ostrander. But how can you do
so? A shadow stands between my wishes and the belief you mention. The
shadow cast by Oliver as he made his way towards the bridge, with my
husband's bludgeon in his hand."
"Did you see him strike the blow? Were there any opportune shadows to betray
what happened between the instant of--let us say Oliver's approach and the fall
of my friend? Much can happen in a minute, and this matter is one of minutes.
Granted that the shadow you saw was that of Oliver, and the stick he carried was


text:
The Northside ISD Board of Trustees is seeking nominations for two new schools scheduled to open in 2014.
The nomination deadline for the schools, now referred to as "Cielo Vista South area Elementary School" and "Stevens Ranch area" Middle School, is Jan. 11, 2013.
According to Board policy, elementary schools can be named after the area or subdivision in which they are located or after individuals who have made significant contributions to the educational program of the District or the community. Middle schools are named after prominent Texas leaders or those who have made significant statewide contributions to education.
To read more about the criteria and to submit a nomination, please visit the Name A School website and complete the online form.
School name nominations submitted to the Board of Trustees will remain on file for one year from the date of receipt.
Previously, nominations remained on file permanently, but the Board recently instituted the one-year time frame to streamline the nominating process and to make sure submissions are kept up-to-date.
To read biographies of Northside ISD school namesakes, visit the District's School Namesakes website.


text: A middling-to-outside bet to take over BBC1's The One Show following the exit of Jason Manford – you may have read about it on Twitter – Richard Bacon suddenly looked like a hot favourite after tweeting he had "just had lunch with the editor of the One Show". Stand down, people, because 12 minutes later he offered an urgent clarification. "PS when I say lunch with the editor of The One Show, mean in the same restaurant. Sorry er, should have explained that earlier." At least it wasn't: "When I say lunch, I served him his main course."


text:
Who wants dinner??!!
Trip Start Aug 24, 2010
54Trip End Sep 01, 2011
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Where I stayed
Angkor Star
Our tuk tuk driver in Phnom Penh arranged for his friend to pick us up in Siem Riep, for no charge. Sweet! So we had a special tuk tuk, with our names on a sign (something we're always proud of), waiting for us. He took us to our hotel...no charge and we made arrangements for him to meet us the next day to discuss our Angkor Wat trip. Our hotel is nice...the Angkor Star Hotel...even has a nice pool! We spent the evening walking along the main street, scouting restaurants and snack shops.
In the morning, we were doing some research and discovered a tour company, Tara River Boat, that offered trips to the floating village and a sunset dinner cruise...so we booked! They picked us up at 3pm. We were sitting in the lobby when the hotel guy comes up to us and says our ride is here...we look out the window and see this 1970's beat up white lemans and quickly inform him that he is incorrect
The drive was interesting...seeing all the houses and stores that are built on stilts...probably 5 metres high; however, our guide then continued to inform us that it is dry season...so this part of the "floating village" isn't floating right now...haha...just our luck! It was dried up, so the floating houses were on the ground. We drove a little further until we reached what was suppose to be a jetty...but looked more like a man made canal in the middle of a construction zone. There were bulldozers digging out the middle so that the boats could actually float down the canal! Apparently China has built a dam on the river, so less water is flowing down to Cambodia now. I'm not impressed and not looking forward to our dinner. We get on a boat that is falling apart...with chairs sitting in the middle...not boat chairs...dinner table chairs...with cushions half on them...lol. I'm re-reading the website in my head...I'm SURE it said a nice, private boat with life jackets for each tourist. No life jackets on the boat...none...and of course...it's a 15 year old and a 7 year old driving it! Sigh...why do we do this to ourselves??!! haha. We drove for about 10 minutes down this man made canal...and I'm thinking this is it...wow...unbelievable...when we approach the actual lake


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Jan 25, 2012 at 4:01 pm #1284677
I have my clothing choices for Philmont, but I wanted to run it by you guys to see what you think.
To be worn on the trail:
-Columbia Tamiami™ II LS Shirt – Longsleeve button-down shirt similar to a Cloudveil Classic Cool: Link to Shirt
-REI Sahara convertible nylon pants
-Synthetic Boxer Briefs: one pair Under Armor
-DeFeet Woolie Boolie Merino wool socks
-Colombia Ice Cap with neck drape
-Brooks Cascadia 7 Trail Runners
Additional Layers:
-Stoic Hadron Down Cardigan (Insulating Layer)
-Marmot PreCip Rain Jacket (also serves as windshirt/windbreaker)
-DriDucks RainPants
-Mountain Hardwear Dome Perignon fleece hat
Sleep Clothes:
-REI Medium Weight wool hiking socks
Extra clothes carried:
-Starter Polyester short-sleeve wicking T-Shirt
-Starter nylon boxer briefs
-DeFeet Woolie Boolie Merino wool socks
-Colombia Nylon shorts
Does this seem like a reasonable list? Do I need the third pair of socks just for sleeping, or can I just rotate my other two pairs daily and sleep in them too?Jan 25, 2012 at 7:26 pm #1829752
Carl ZimmermanBPL Member
Looks pretty good. I didn't see gloves anywhere. Some lightweight liner gloves should be there.
On my two Philmont hikes (07 & 08), I hiked in lightweight hikers (Hi-Teks). Great fit to my foot (most important feature). Never got blisters (so, naturally, Hi-Tek discontinued the shoe). I think it's more important on your pack weight rather than your physical weight when it comes to lighter weighing footgear. But, I'm not one of the uber-lite guys. I'd like to be one at some point.Jan 25, 2012 at 10:24 pm #1829806
Joshua GrayBPL Member
Overall, your clothing choices seem appropriate. Don't worry about a 3rd pair of socks. Get rid of the sock liners. Also, the cap 3 for sleeping is a bit much, unless you really need to beef up your sleeping bag.
As for the boots, switch to lighter trail shoes. I wore salomons for the 2nd summer I was a ranger and they worked wonderfully on my 6' 230lb frame. Heck, I now wear NB MT 101's and have no problem.
Good luck and enjoy Philmont!Jan 25, 2012 at 11:52 pm #1829820
Steven ParisBPL Member
@saparisorLocale: Pacific Northwest
I haven't been to Philmont and don't know the weather for when you are going, so these suggestions may not be worth much.
(1) Instead of taking a 2d boxer brief AND a 2d pair of shorts (you already have the convertible pants), think about the lightest pair of running shorts with a liner that you can find. This will be enough to wear for swimming, hiking or while washing and can be worn under the pants too.
(2) Driducks pants seem to be very fragile (according to others here) so keep that in mind. Weather will dictate if you think you need a rain shell for your legs, but you could take an extra garbage bag for a low-tech MYOG rain kilt. Mike C. made a rain kilt out of a pair of Driducks pants once, but I don't have a link to that thread now.
(3) You shouldn't need the sock liners, especially if you are taking hiking shoes instead of boots. If you do take a 3rd set of socks, take 3 sets of light wool socks (it's amazing how several ounces can be saved by weighing socks and picking the shortest and lightest you have/can buy). If you take a 3rd, save them as sleep socks until the last day.
(4) The Cap 3 sleep layers seem a little warm for that part of the country, at least in summer, especially for the legs. However, I don't have the Cap 3 weights in mind, so switching to some lighter merino tights or REI silk tights may not save that many ounces.
Otherwise, it looks good. When are you going to Philmont?Jan 26, 2012 at 11:41 am #1830028
Sarah KuhnBPL Member
@sckuhnLocale: Mountainous Ohio
Mark –
Your list looks good – here are my notes.
I did Philmont in 2010 and I'm headed back on June 18, 2012….. YEAH!!!
Also did 2 summers at PTC.
I hiked in zipoffs WITH the legs attached the entire time – kept the obnoxious trail dust out of my boots, socks, legs….. consequently my sleeping bag. Took the lightest shorts I had as a second pair for laundry day…. but could have worn my rain pants until my other pants dried… an option I'm considering.
Sleeping clothes look heavy (too warm) – I used a lightweight pair of shorts and a tshirt. Never needed anymore warmth then that even in my cheap Lafuma 30* sleeping bag.
I took long johns in 2010 because they were on 'the list' – never came out of my pack….. don't know that I'll take them this summer. I could layer my rain pants over my hiking pants if I needed the warmth.
I do swear by the 3 sock rotation – 1 on, 1 either dirty or drying, and 1 clean in my pack. (never slept in socks, I only do that when it's cold, but could do that with the 3 sock rotation if I needed to.)
Footwear – I'm sold on higher top footwear – over the ankle. I hiked in a pair of Asolo Stynger boots in 2010 – the sole on these was too stiff in my opinion, irritated my achilis and a bit heavy at 40oz. For this summer I've picked up a pair of Vasque Briza's (about the same weigh as your Keens). Depending on your trek the terrain can either be well worn paths or ankle twisting rocks – most likely a combination of the two. Lighter weight over the ankle atleast provides me with some mental support if not some actual ankle support.
Enjoy your trip!!Jan 27, 2012 at 7:47 am #1830419
Thanks everyone for their input.
I agree the Capilene 3's are a bit much… I'm packing them out of fear. My sleep system is a Neo Air mattress and a Jacks R Better 30 degree quilt. I was using these while wearing Stoic 200 merino wool tops and bottoms in January and nearly froze to death. I added a 1/8" GG CC foam pad on top and changed to the Capilene 3's and have been warm since. If I can afford it, I'm going to get a new Neo Air Xtherm pad to take with me and that should make sleeping much warmer. We're going two days early to New Mexico to acclimate. I will try lighter sleepwear those nights. If I don't freeze I'll leave the Capilene 3's in the car.
I have a pair of Salomon Men's XA Pro 3D MID GTX high-top trail runners coming to try out. Hopefully these will be lighter weight, but with enough support for peace of mind.Jan 29, 2012 at 7:17 pm #1831460
John MyersBPL Member
@dallasLocale: North Texas
If you are taking the JRB 30 degree quilt, I'd take the Capilene 3's.
I took a heavier JRB quilt and the Cap 3's and was glad I had them at the higher elevation camps. I suppose it depends on when your trek is. Ours was early June and there was still snow up on Phillips and it was in the low 30's several nights.
I think you will be fine with trail runners, but try them out on some rocky trails before you go just to be sure you like them.
JohnJan 31, 2012 at 9:06 pm #1832570
Our Trek is June 26th.
I got the Salomon 3D GTX Mid trail runners. So far I like them okay and they are much lighter than the Keen boots.Feb 6, 2012 at 9:24 pm #1835579
Walter UnderwoodBPL Member
@wunderLocale: San Francisco Bay Area
I wore Vasque Blur GTX trail runners (on the heavy end of that scale) at Philmont. I was upper end of the weight range at 6' 3" 240.
If you have trekking poles, those provide more ankle support than boots ever could. If you don't have trekking poles, get some. My poles also held up my MLD Speedmid tent.
Some extra insulation is handy when you are hanging around at campfires. I think I was coldest one long morning at Wild Horse Meadow while the guys took forever to pack up.
Try everything on shakedowns. Climb Kyle Mountain a few times in those trail runners and you'll know more about how they work. The trails at Philmont aren't much worse than that, just longer.
Expect frost at higher elevations.
Allow more than 10 pounds for food and water. Food is 800g per person per day, so four days of food and three liters of water is about 13.5 pounds. My base weight was 20, with all crew gear and my heavy camera.
For dry camps, plan on carrying 6-7 liters of water. The Nalgene 96 oz. canteen is just right for extra water.
Getting some rain at Granbury? I was on staff at Worth Ranch one summer long ago.Apr 25, 2012 at 1:54 pm #1871103
bill berklichBPL Member
@berklichLocale: Northern Mid-West
How are the Salomons working out for you?Apr 25, 2012 at 2:10 pm #1871107
My feet have high arches and the Salomons didn't have enough arch support for me. I found a couple of running shops and went through all the models I could. What was overwhelmingly most comfortable for me was:
BROOKS CASCADIA 7 Trail Runners
My crew had a shakedown campout this past weekend and we did 18 miles on some REALLY rocky trails in full packs. I didn't have any issues and NO BLISTERS. Also, FWIW, I was wearing Stoic Merino Comp Trail Crew Socks. I'm sold on trail runners for lightweight backpacking.Apr 25, 2012 at 2:18 pm #1871108
I modified my list in the first post. Several things have changed. Instead of taking the JRB Sierra Sniveller quilt, I got a down sleeping bag which allowed me to ditch the Capilene 3 sleep clothes.
I also got a Stoic Hadron down cardiagan which replaces the Patagonia Nano Puff.
I ditched the Smartwool socks in favor of the lighter DeFeet Woolie Boolie socks. This was due in part because I switched to the Brooks Cascadia Trail runners which are overall more comfortable and don't need as much padding from the socks.Apr 25, 2012 at 4:16 pm #1871173
bill berklichBPL Member
@berklichLocale: Northern Mid-West
lol. I'm trying to decide between my Stoic Hadron vest with Pearl Izumi Thermal Lite Arm Warmers or my 1/2 zip Nano Puff. Will look into a trail shoe. Not really anyplace im Michigan to give them a workout. Not quite Ohio but preyty flat.Apr 28, 2012 at 4:44 pm #1872266
Bill RoseMember
@brnpaLocale: Philly suburbs
I like your list and will probably use it, and some of the others posted, as the basis of our 2013 trip. One question I have revolves around keeping your legs warm in the morning and evening. I've seen some who pack the BPL Cocoon UL 60 pants for morning or evening warmth. What are the other options? I've considered bringing a light pair of long polypropylene pants to don if cold, but are there better options?Apr 28, 2012 at 6:18 pm #1872277
When you get up, get moving as quickly as possible. It's amazing how quickly you warm up. If I have to have more on my legs than my pair of pants, I'll slip my rain pants over them.Apr 28, 2012 at 7:00 pm #1872287
M BMember
" One question I have revolves around keeping your legs warm in the morning and evening. I've seen some who pack the BPL Cocoon UL 60 pants for morning or evening warmth. What are the other options? I've considered bringing a light pair of long polypropylene pants to don if cold, but are there better options?"
My son and I bring synthetic long underwear bottoms on our hikes if low temps expected in the 30s. These are for morning and evening comfort at camp, and sleep in too. Hike in them until warm up and then take them off, usually when temp tops about 35F. As a general rule, thats all most hikers bring unless its winter conditions. Legs just dont get as cold as the rest of your body.
Thats all Ive ever found I need with nights in the 20s and days in the 30s. For philmont in the summer, I cant see needing insulated pants unless you have a 50 degree sleeping bag.
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.


text:
I see this for sale at OSH, would it work for melting wax? Could a bottom drain valve be added?
I see this for sale at OSH, would it work for melting wax? Could a bottom drain valve be added?
Infrared?? Does it have a flame? if it has a flame I would bee afraid of it.
Ed, KA9CTT profanity is IGNORANCE made audible
you can`t fix stupid not even with duct tape
Infared turkey fryer? Sounds... well it sounds like we need more information . To fry a turkey without turning the outside to charcoal takes some control and consistency of temperature, which radiant heat can provide but takes time and lower temps (hence the many-hour baked turkey compared to the faster deep-fried turkey). What's OSH?
Bees, brews and fun
in Lyons, CO
"Life without God is like an unsharpened pencil - it has no point."
It runs on propane, so there is a flame somewhere. OSH is a hardware store chain owned by Sears.
I will have to go look at it.
Where is riverrat when we need him? This sounds like an accident waiting to happen. I would sure consider anything with an open flame dangerous to melt wax with. I'll stick with my 'lectric melters I think.
Oh yea, mee tooo, I love my Copper Creek electric kettle pot.
~What do you know there's so much to be done
Count all the bees in the hive, Chase all the clouds from the sky~
Thanks Riverrat I knew we could count on you!


text:
Item: ET356
40 Sgels
Serving Size 2 softgels
Servings Per Container 20
|Amount Per Serving
|%Daily Value
|Soledum™ brand Eucalyptus Globulus Oil Extract
|200 mg
**Daily Value not established.
Other ingredients: Gelatin, medium chain triglycerides, methacrylic acid copolymer, vegetable glycerin, sorbitol, propylene glycol, glyceryl monostearate, polysorbate 80, and hydrochloric acid.
Recommendations: Two softgels three times daily.
CAUTION: Keep out of the reach of children. Do not exceed dosage. If symptoms persist beyond 10 days or worsen, consult your healthcare practitioner. If pregnant, nursing, or taking prescription drugs, consult your healthcare practitioner prior to use.
Color variations are normal.
Contains no sugar, salt, yeast, wheat, gluten, corn, soy, dairy products, artifical coloring, artificial flavoring, or preservatives.
.05 lbs
"With my personal 100% money-back satisfaction guarantee, you have nothing to lose and great savings to gain."
Lee Swanson, Founder of Swanson Health Products
If you are dissatisfied for any reason, we'll give you a full refund and pay return shipping.
We are dedicated to offering the highest quality products at the best price. Find out more about how we ensure such a high standard in everything we do.Learn More


text:
Pillager woman injured in Friday's accident
The 71-year-old Pillager woman, who was injured in a two-vehicle accident at 3:27 p.m. Friday on Northwest Fourth and Northwest James streets in Brainerd, has been identified as Sharon Youngblom, the Brainerd Police Department reported.
Youngblom was taken to Essentia Health System St. Joseph's Medical Center and has been treated and released.
The other driver, Robert Jordan, 66, Baxter, was not injured.


text:
Equity is the difference between the appraised value of a property and the amount owed on the property. A home equity loan is a lump-sum loan secured by the property's equity, while a home equity line of credit is a revolving credit line secured by that equity. Borrowing against the equity in a rental property is similar to applying for a mortgage. However, to compensate for higher perceived risk, the interest rate offered will be higher and loan-to-value ratio lower than that of a similar loan on an owner-occupied property.
Apply for a home equity loan or line of credit with a mortgage lender. Contact your current mortgage holders first, because they are already familiar with you and your financial situation and may be willing to give you a better deal that other lenders will offer you. Consult your financial advisor to determine which product is best for you.
Provide your lender with any documentation, such as leases, rent rolls or income statements, required to complete the loan process. Meet at the property with the lender's appraiser, if necessary. Your lender may be able to determine the property's value without an actual appraisal.
Attend the closing to sign the new loan documents. Bring certified funds to pay any required fees.
Photo Credits
- atm image by chrisharvey from Fotolia.com


text:
Can we mention again what a great fucking song this is?
Not much to say about the video, except that it was shot by Jim Jarmusch, and that it appears to have been shot in less time than it takes to play the song. There's the part we're already referring to around here as the "running of the cows," and then there's the performance footage, which makes pre-Nevermind Sub Pop videos look like Anton Corbijn product. Earnest, though, and kinda hilarious how even though the band stays stonefaced, the camera starts freaking out in the chorus: that blur of arms, faces, instruments being a measure, perhaps, of how impossible it is not to start throwing yourself around the room when the guitars kick in.
WATCH: The Raconteurs, "Steady as She Goes" (by Jim Jarmusch, QuickTime video)


text:
THE SQL Server Blog Spot on the Web
How to Interview for a DBA Position and how to find a job as a SQL Server DBA have been hot topics in the community in the past year. I've seen a lot of good information given out in blog posts and online editorials about how to make oneself more attractive as a job candidate, what information you should know for the interview, as well as questions that a candidate should consider asking during the interview process. I think that it is great that people in the community like Brent Ozar, Thomas LaRock, and others take the time to cover these kinds of topics as a part of their blogs. However, what I in today's fast paced, quick results culture and environment, I see people taking this kind of information and using to oversell their abilities.
First off let me say that a competent interviewer should be able to spot when this is happening, but in my own experience, I have found that most small to medium sized companies don't have a SQL Server DBA available to perform the interview, so someone can easily BS their way into a position. I have conducted a few interviews in the past, and I have my required essentials (you'd better know about backups and recovery, end to end or the interview becomes a formality really fast), I have my general knowledge about SQL Server the different editions and changes from version to version, and I have my lets see if you will admit you don't know questions (very obscure almost impossible to answer questions that you probably won't know even if you are a senior DBA). The last set of questions are there because no one person can know it all. I don't expect someone to answer them, and they include topics that I have no idea about myself, just enough to know if you are trying to BS me on the answer.
For me one of the most important things for a DBA to be able to do, right after backups and recovery, is admit when something is beyond their level of knowledge. It might mean that I don't hire you for the position, or it might mean that you get hired, but at a lower income level until you improve your skills, but if you sell me that you know clustering, and you can't initiate a failover from the active node to the passive node without asking how to do it online in the forums or comments on someone's blog post, then we are going to have a real problem. If I hired you to manage a cluster, I expect you to know how to do so. If I hired you to solve a problem with performance and deadlocking and you don't know the first thing about creating an index, or performance tuning code, again there is a problem. Now there are always going to be problems that go above the basics, and in those cases if you can save me or my company some money by using online resources to find the answer, more power to you.
So what do you do if you are a hiring manager and you don't know what to ask or how to interview a potential DBA candidate? Well to start with, there are recruiting firms that are out there that do the basic technical review for you and prescreen potential candidates. The problem with this is that these firms get paid by placing applicants into positions, and in my own experience they do very little beyond read what is on the candidates resume and have a quick phone call to discuss the position. A step above this, and one that I really like is to hire a consultant, either privately or through a firm, to handle the technical aspects of the interview process. I've been hired to do this type of interviewing before, and in both cases, the company that was hiring ended up with a good DBA, but it can be a risky process depending on the consultants level of knowledge.
If you are the candidate and you are thinking about overselling yourself, you'd better know your actual limits. From time to time someone who has oversold their abilities as a DBA shows up on the forums, and asks dozens of questions a day frantically until a) they lose their job because they weren't qualified and couldn't produce results fast enough or damaged something, or b) they figure out enough to be able to work their way through the major hurdle and eventually learn the job. More often than not, I'd bet that the first is what happens. I have always tried to sell my abilities, but I am more than happy to tell you, I don't know if you go into something I don't know. My philosophy is simple here, it is better to not get the job, than to get fired from the job and have to start looking all over. My name and reputation means to much to me to have it tarnished. In consulting I have landed work by bidding a lower hourly rate with the understanding that the work wasn't my expertise but I would be willing to learn it to get the contract. Two good things have come of this, I generally get the work because I have underbid it, and I get to learn while being paid (as a note, I only do this for things I am interested in learning anyway, otherwise it can backfire on you).
If you happen to land a job for a lower rate that allows you to learn your way into the position the various online forums are a great place to gain information. Before asking a question take a moment to first do your own search on Google, Bing, Yahoo, whatever search engine you want so that you don't constantly ask 100 based questions that are already answered all over the internet. If you don't find an answer after a few minutes, ask away, but keep in mind that forums and newsgroups are not a guaranteed method of getting help, and if the matter is urgent, saying so in the post doesn't make it any more urgent for people answering the question. If the problem really is urgent in nature, you should be opening a CSS support case which has a better more predictable response time. Take for example the week of PASS Summit in November, the forums crawl to a halt during the day because most of the people who answer threads there are usually attending the conference.
Some posts that you might consider reading if you are interested in the topic:
Brent Ozar
Thomas LaRock
SQL Server Central
> I have my lets see if you will admit you don't know questions (very obscure almost impossible to answer questions that you probably won't know even if you are a senior DBA). The last set of questions are there because no one person can know it all. I don't expect someone to answer them, and they include topics that I have no idea about myself, just enough to know if you are trying to BS me on the answer.
Can you post an example or two of this?
since most small and medium size companies, ie, with 1 dba position out of several IT positions, cannot do a proper dba interview, perhaps some should offer this service
That would completely defeat the purpose of having that kind of question in my pocket. However, an example would be something like:
How does the maximum number of workers affect memory sizing and configuration for a 32 bit server? 64 bit? Should you increase the amount of RAM the server has if it has more logical CPU's?
I do tech screens for my clients when they're hiring DBAs/DB devs. If anyone reading is interested in some help in this area, let me know :-)
I know quite a few consultants that provide that kind of service. Shoot me a contact if you'd like me to pass your information along to one of them.
I think you have to strike a delicate balance between what the needs of the company are and the questions asked. Currently, I'm hiring for a senior level DBA to help me at my company. The position is heavy on modeling, stored proc development, and query tuning. As a result, I ask questions of varying degrees of difficulty revolving around these areas. It helps me gauge what level the candidate is at.
Not being able to answer a question does not necessarily penalize a candidate. I don't know everything and I'm admittedly weak myself in some areas (such as storage and clustering which are not my day to day focus) and I don't expect someone coming through the door to either.
I always start with a very basic skills test for developers - 10 basic questions that every SQL developer with 6 months experience should be able to answer (2-table join, NULLs, basic performance tuning, etc.) No trick questions at all - I figure we can get to that later if they know the basics. I'm always surprised by how many candidates don't seem to even know the basics.
Yes I have some horror stories. One guy claimed to have 8 years of RDBMS experience, mostly in design and performance tuning. When asked to design a mock-up of the schema for a book store, they had some crazy ideas about the design process : OrderDate in the Books table, PubishedDate in the Customers table, clustered index on Customers.LastName, etc. That was a fun interview but unfortunately it did not last long.
(This guy would have been overselling if he merely stated, "I can *spell* SQL.")
Perhaps he was thinking of one of those exclusive, membership-only rare books stores, where only one copy of each book is ever acquired or sold, and in order to join you must also be an author? In that case the design is perfect... Other than the fact that those stores don't exist. But practicality is nothing more than an implementation detail, right?
I had guy tell me that you put a clustered index on a table so it can fail over. The interview got brutal at that point.
I think it is possible to come up with such a workload that "clustered index on Customers.LastName" is the best choice.
On the horror story front, we were interviewing for a senior system administrator position which required a strong working set with Active Directory. One of the smart-alek Citrix administrators came up with a surprisingly successful weedout question: "Can you tell me the different between a forest, a domain, and a tributary?"
Only one candidate realized that a tributary has nothing to do with Active Directory. However, all the others tried to answer it and one even said, "Oh, man, I just read this on MSDN! I know this one!"
The one candidate who got it right was the one he hired. He basically said, "I don't know what a tributary has to do with anything AD or Windows related. A tributary has to do with rivers." BTW, he was also the only one that understood RAID 5.
Alex, maybe, but it was the only index he mentioned in the entire design. And did I forget to mention he also put a little key icon beside it? :-)
Great post. When I'm writing about interview questions, I try to avoid giving the answers. I've found that DBAs (and development managers) don't need to read the answers, because they usually know the answers already. They're just not sure about what questions to ask. That's why I don't post technical questions - anybody can come up with a list of technical questions, but the tougher ones show that the candidate can think fast on their feet and handle the political problems of database administration.