text:
Councilman: Cincinnati will seize P&G heir's home | The Columbus Dispatch
There are 25 comments on the Columbus Dispatch story from Jan 27, 2011, titled Councilman: Cincinnati will seize P&G heir's home | The Columbus Dispatch. In it, Columbus Dispatch reports that:A preservation group trying to buy a Cincinnati mansion once owned by a Procter & Gamble Co.
Join the discussion below, or Read more at Columbus Dispatch.
#1 Jan 27, 2011
Shouldn't the city stay out of this?
#2 Jan 27, 2011
#3 Jan 27, 2011
No, its a blight and the owner would rather let it fall apart-a hazard-than sell it to the city. Eminent domain was made for these kinds of situations. Don't know if the owner is senile or just a selfish old goat, but its not like he didn't have the cash to maintain it-if it actually meant anything to him.
United States
#4 Jan 27, 2011
Did you even read the article??? It is currently owned by a foundation who wants to tear it down and build something in its place. Sheesh!
#5 Jan 27, 2011
If the foundation can't afford it, why can the city , they must have extra money ( yours ) just condemn it and make him tear it down ,the city has that power to and they won't spend your money
#6 Jan 27, 2011
OK...YOU RED COMMIE!!! You are a communist!
Eminent domain was NOT made for cases like this where government has the right to take a person's property because they don't like the way they take care of it. If that's the case, why don't we take a person's property if we don't like how they handle their life and think they are a bad person and social influence? You DON'T have a right to take a person's property for this.
I can't believe how many people in this country have become traitors to our Consitution or Bill of Rights. It is cowards and those that don't deserve to live in this country that are unwilling to stand up against unjust and the rights and liberties we were founded upon!
#7 Jan 27, 2011
eminent domain wasnt for this kind of thing. Our city and state governments have used this in a way that would make our founding fathers turn in their graves. Stop using eminent domain to get what your supporters want.
#8 Jan 27, 2011
Hell just like all things , If a government wants it and can not buy it at there price. They just take it under this law, What a great country we have and we call other countries bad,
#9 Jan 27, 2011
Eminate Domain is only recognized when a city needs the ground for community development that will benefit the citizens of the area ,,
Besides , another Park wouldn't be such a bad Idea anyway,,Of coarse the taxpayers would have to maintain it...
#10 Jan 27, 2011
What is the point in purchasing real estate when, considering the city/gov can steal it from you at any time under the guise of 'eminent domain'? All they have to do is say we want to economically exploit your property and then they get to steal it from you. Sickening. Frightening. Land of the Opressed.
#11 Jan 27, 2011
I like turtles!
#12 Jan 27, 2011
You obviously don't know a darn thing. You must be a liberal Democrat where we owe you everything.
Tear the thing down. It is in a crime infested neighborhood. No one in their right mind would want to go down
in the ghetto at night.
Perhaps you can stop by and pick up some used needles?
#13 Jan 27, 2011
To me, it sounds as though a midnight visit from a bulldozer is called for. This may be legal to use eminant domain, but is sure as hell is not the proper way.
#14 Jan 27, 2011
Why are we so fascinated where ordinary people live? The government has no business confiscating/stealing this property.
#15 Jan 27, 2011
Try to take mine and see what happens i my go to h but others will also
United States
#16 Jan 27, 2011
It is could, why not give a bum a bale of straw and some diesel fuel to warm themselves ?
Oh band make sure that councilman is inside so he can have a nice sendoff to hell.
#17 Jan 27, 2011
How many of you actually read the article???? The plan is to turn the home into an educational center and museum, which would be for the good of the community. Hmm, sounds like "community development that would benifit the citizens of the area" to me. It is amazing how little sense of history people in this country have. It is no wonder that people from other countries look down on us. Go to Europe, they don't tear down and build new, they preserve the histroy of the country and take pride in that history. You all would tear down the Eifel Tower to put a high rise office building up, forget the fact that the history would be lost. Let the group restore the building and make it useful instead of turning it into another empty lot full of trash.
#18 Jan 27, 2011
Welcome to the USSA Comrades!
#19 Jan 27, 2011
Emminent domain is to be used exclusively for projects "for the public good." Will someone explain to me how buying an apparently dilapidated house by a preservation group fits this definition?
#20 Jan 27, 2011
To "Give Me A Break"
I'm about as left-leaning as one can be. Read my previous post. You are quite misinformed about what we liberals believe.
Tell me when this thread is updated:Subscribe Now Add to my Tracker
Add your comments below
Procter and Gamble Discussions
|Last By
|Manchin attends Martinsburg job fair (Sep '16)
|Sep '16
|Can Medicine Boost Female Sex Drive? (Apr '07)
|Jun '16
|HP Ceo Meg Whitman makes the whole company foll... (Feb '15)
|Feb '15
|Case study on Procter and Gamble (Nov '14)
|Nov '14
|Comparing America's 3 Largest Personal Products... (Nov '14)
|Nov '14
|Activist pleads guilty in Ohio for P&G HQ protest (Sep '14)
|Sep '14
|Obama picks ex-P&G head to lead Veterans Affairs (Jun '14)
|Jul '14
|the Light
Find what you want!
Search Procter and Gamble Forum Now
Copyright © 2017 Topix LLC


text:
To qualify for the discount, you need to install the Isis app on your phone and load your American Express card into your digital wallet. Amex and Isis are combining to offer the discount on your cab ride.
As you might expect, there are a few caveats. First, your discount is capped at $100. Secondly, you receive the discount on your next American Express bill following the cab ride. And the discount will be good for only one Amex statement cycle. You can though, add two American Express cards to your Isis Mobile Wallet and score up to $200 in savings. However, you have to take all of those rides during the same statement cycle.
The Isis Mobile Wallet app can be found in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. Those using an Apple iPhone 4, Apple iPhone 4s, Apple iPhone 5 and Apple iPhone 5s will need to have the special Incipio Cashwrap case on their device. The case is embedded with an NFC chip that allows the iPhone to handle the mobile payment.
source: Isis via NYPost

subset: commoncrawl


text:
I feel like my hair has been ruined for good...very dry, discolored, horrible :'(
View Single Post
View Public Profile
Send a private message to BlondeBeauty
Find More Posts by BlondeBeauty
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 71
Thursday, June 27, 2013 at 12:25AM
Kathy Thanks for the helpful link! I didnt think about my hair being porous from the coloring because I thought it was only bleach/lightening that damages the hair, not dye/darkening.
Firefox I think diet and lifestyle could definitely be contributing to it, thats why I plan on getting the blood test done this week. I dont eat a lot of meat or protein and hair is dead protein so that could be contributing to it. The flat iron they used on me at the salon prior to January was very hot, Idk the exact temperature. But it would make my cheeks feel hot, thats how hot it was. I havent got that done in 6 months though. My current flat iron that is terrible does not get very hot or straighten well for that matter. The new flat iron I am getting has an adjustable temperature and goes to 400 something. But Im not using that high a temperature on my hair. I checked out your link which was very helpful so thank you and I will not turn it up higher than 300. But I dont plan on straightening at all until my hair gets healthy. Also, I never straighten it when its wet.
I did not realize that most semi-permanents are PPD free. Is there a good brand you would suggest that wont dry it out more? I had the Redken put on it about 5-6 times every few months. My hair stylist told me it was semi, not demi so I didnt even realize until recently. Is the dye whats damaging my hair now? The last time I had it put on was December. I would think it wouldnt still be damaged from that, especially not new growth. Is there anywhere I can find the ingredients to this dye? Ive searched and cant find it anywhere.
I did not realize that silicones werent actually making the hair healthy but disguising the damage. Thats not helping the problem ugh I dont know what to use
I really appreciate your thoughts and you trying to get me to embrace my natural hair. However, I have hated my hair since Ive been in fifth grade. I dont see myself embracing it anytime in the near future and maybe not ever. I have been through a lot in the last few years, and I plan on a new start/a new look with includes straight hair. And from my experience, flat ironing hasnt done anywhere close to the damage that bleaching/coloring did. This girl has naturally curly hair and straightens it frequently, her hair is VERY healthy. The flat iron shes using is the one I plan on using once I get my hair healthy. I realize that most people on this site embrace their curly hair but I dont. But my natural hair is still curly and needs to be treated gently so I came here for advice with getting it healthy again.
How to Straighten Curly Hair & Maintain It - YouTube
Im not that familiar with conditioning washing. Do you use just any conditioner? Wouldnt the hair be greasy and dirty from no shampooing? I only shampoo twice a week right now but I never condition at all. I just use all these silicone products that I thought were helping. Should I condition every day and stick with shampooing twice a week and see how that works?
I do sleep on a satin pillowcase and the hat I bought says block out the sun on it so I would think it works. Is it bad to use a comb when the hair is wet? Thats what I do when I get out of the shower. I comb it out and use detangler. I only thought it was bad to use a brush.


text:
If you're new to Olympus, most day-to-day features are selected from the info panel using a combination of the various buttons and the command dial. Olympus was one of the first to offer the option, and it remains one of the best systems; being both quick and intuitive to use.
Picture quality isn't necessarily an improvement over the E-520, but there are differences. For one there's more detail at lower ISOs but the incidence of noise is increased slightly at higher ISOs. That said, Olympus has both altered and improved noise reduction algorithms, as the once distracting coloured speckles are all but eliminated (with the exception of the deepest shadows) from out-of-camera JPEGs up to ISO1600.
Raw files have a little more detail to give, and have more dynamic range than I expected, though this can be seen to a point with the results of the shadow adjustment technology at work using the Auto Gradation option. Dynamic range doesn't equal that say of the APS-C D90, but the image integrity (colour rendition, tonality and the rest) is very good, even at high ISOs.
Metering tends to favour shadows, often clipping bright highlights but at least it's a pretty consistent result, and one you can compensate for if need be. The bundled Olympus Master 2 Raw conversion software is often overlooked as a reasonable, if a little clunky utility. If that's not up to scratch you can always plump for the latest edition of Photoshop's ACR plug-in for Elements, or if you can stretch for the full version then, Photoshop CS4.
Although according to Olympus the E-520 is staying in the range, in many ways the E-620 can be seen as the natural replacement. Inevitably some features have filtered down from the E-30, which is a good thing but that camera is significantly larger and heavier and a good deal more expensive.
So while the E-620 fits well into the Olympus line-up, it has to go head-to-head with the likes of the slightly more expensive yet video-enabled 12MP Nikon D5000 and 15MP Canon EOS 500D. Both are extremely strong contenders for your cash, but unlike previous years the differences now maybe just too close to make the call, unless video is your thing.
Olympus EVOLT E-620 12.3MP Digital SLR Camera Kit w/ 14-42mm & 40-150mm Lenses$389.00 View Item
Olympus Evolt E-600 12.3 MP Digital SLR Camera Body European Version of E-620$239.00 View Item
Olympus Evolt E620 Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)$250.00 View Item
Olympus EVOLT E-620 12.3MP Digital SLR Camera - Kit w/ 14-42mm, 40-150mm Lenses$350.00 View Item
Olympus EVOLT E-620 12.3MP Digital SLR Camera - Black (Kit w/ 14-42mm and...$500.00 View Item
More information -
Trusted Reviews is part of the Time Inc. (UK) Ltd Technology Network
Get TrustedReviews' award-winning reviews and advice delivered to your inbox for free!


text:
We recently reported that Apple has begun expanding iPad distribution to resellers across the U.S and now Target has also announced that they will start selling Apple's iPad on October 3.
Target will sell Apple's tablet at the same price starting at $499 for 16 GB Wi-Fi only model and will carry all six versions of the tablet.
In an interview with CNET, Target spokeswoman said:
the iPad will be included in a special store promotion beginning October 17 that gives customers a 5 percent discount if they use their Target credit card for purchases.
The availability of iPad across different stores will only boost sales for Apple and make it easy for users to purchase and pick up the device from the nearest store.


text:
Morning everyone I have my Guest Dt Card for
The challenge is sponsored by
Be sure to stop by the challenge blog to check out the fantastic DT creations and you have until ..... to enter.
As soon as I saw the images that were sent to me I knew what I wanted to do and for once it has all come together as I imagined. All the images on my card are by "LImited Runs". I wanted to create a magical toadstool house deep in the woods where all the wildlife come to life and can talk and sing :) lol.
I coloured all images with my promarkers: Lipstick Red, Red, Cardinal Red, Putty, Tan, Caramel, Cinnamon, Pine, Forest Green, Lemon, cool grey 1 to 5, Black, Dusky Rose, Baby Pink, Aubergine, Bluebell, Aqua Blue, Powder Blue, China Blue, Pastel Blue, and Denim Blue.
I decided an easel card was the best way to showcase the scene I've created, the butterflies and birds were raised on foam pads for depth. The picket fence was created with my "Magnolia - Doo hickey Die - Lovely Fence" and it was also raised on foam pads.
The design papers I have used are "My Minds Eye - Beloved " as they kind of remind me of grass lol and the sentiment stamp is from "Lili Of The Valley" This card is perfect for celebrating a move to a new home and who wouldn't want to live in a magical house lol :).
Thanks for looking.


text:
Your Dog, Your Life
The Scoop
Dog News, Politics
Bark-Out-Loud Humor
Doggie Style
Gear and Glam
Wildebeest creates the perfect present for new dog parents.
Dog Breeds
Foods & Treats
Health & Care
Behavior & Training
Dogs & Cleaning
Dog of the Day
Photo Comments
Photo Comments (1)
Hey Diary,
Sorry its been so long since my last post. I've been a really busy dog! Turns out we're expecting!! A baby - that is. Mom's having it - at least that's what she told me. Says there's gonna be some changes around the house regarding "my room" and my weekend fun time and all that sleeping in the middle of the bed.
Yea right - good luck Lady - nothing's changing on my watch - and it certainly isn't going to happen by a baby. By the way, Diary, do you know what a baby is?
Anyway, in other news the parents have given up on clipping my nails themselves. I guess I'm just a little too much to handle. I mean I do hate it and I do whine and I do wiggle and stuff. So, they took me to PetSmart and some nice lady there did it. She put me on a table and put a leash around my head and everything. There was no where to go. I didn't really like it but I guess she wasn't fazed by all my squirming around since she doesn't love me like my parents do. Oh, she cleaned my ears too and I'm embarrassed to say those puppies were a little dirty. I had even had a bath before we went to the store. I think I'll have to start reminding Dad to get in my ears when he washes me. For my good behavior I got a new pink bandana. Which is cool because its totally my signature color!! Its brings out all the warm colors in my coat. Plus Mom likes it and we like to humor her.
What else? I got a new bed. Its great for sleeping next to - which is what I did last night. I'll have to have Mom put up the pics. Its really quite lovely but I'm a bed people puppy. We all know that and I have the photos to prove it. I'm not sure if they'll try to get me on it again tonight but if they do...I'll be ready.
When Mom got home from work yesterday she and I decided to take a walk. Well, she decided but I thought it was one FAB idea. I could not contain my wigglyness. It's a funny thing – wigglyness. Mom says I wear mine on my rear. Meaning: when I'm happy that thing is a wiggling and there's nothing I can do to stop it. It's kinda like those hounds who blush at any site – immediately giving away their feelings. But I digress, Diary.
We started out the back door and I saw Mom pick up the ball launcher. WE WERE HEADING TO THE OPEN FIELD!! Yippee! I shrieked. And with that we were off. Heading to the field I sniffed everything in site – empty chip bags, bird poop, sticks and leaves. Leaves are starting to fall everywhere and I love it. I like to run through them as if I'm blazing a new path to...well, somewhere.
By the time we get to the open field I am so ready to be let loose! Ma lets me go and I run and run and then immediately circle back to her because I know she's gonna toss that ball. And toss it she did! I bounded down the hill in pursuit of the ball as I would chase, say, a duck. And chase some ducks I did.
You see Diary there were a bunch of ducks waddling around in a mock pond in MY open field. Said mock pond must have been created as an aftermath of all the rain we've had recently. Whatever reason I was certainly glad it was there!! I chased those lazy ducks right on out of MY field. You should have seen them trying to get away – bow-lairous!!
The only thing was, I chased them into the pond area and as I put on my Kasey breaks I realized they were stalling. Before I could react or readjust I was slipping and sliding around the pond. My back legs flew out from under me and I plopped right down in the middle of it. Mom was just standing there cracking up. Can you believe her rudeness Diary? I mean I could have been hurt BUT of course I wasn't because I have skills like graceful cat.
DIARY? Are you laughing at me too? Well, I never.
Anybow-wow, the rest of the adventure was fun. There was much ball chasing to be done. I was wet. The ducks were wet. Mom was wet. I guess that's what we get for walking after the rain but be assured Diary, good times were had by all.
Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
Sad isn't it Diary? I have nothing exciting at all to report. In fact, and I hate to admit it, but it's kind of been a boring week around the 'ole homestead. Mom's been falling asleep early (she blames in on the presidential address), we ran out of puppy food gravy (there's really no excuse for this) and it's literally been raining since Sunday (the only thing I hate more than rain is, well...nothing...I just hate rain - mostly because I do not enjoy using the "facilities" while tiny rain pellets hit my delicate snoot. In fact, I won't even go - I just stand there and get pelleted in the snoot...but I digress, Diary).
What's a Dogg to do?
Well, for starters, I ate a whole bone Monday night just to, ya know, pass the time. Then I puked up the whole bone Tuesday morning after I launched myself outta bed like a rocket.
Oh, and I've started this new low-growl whine that totally commands petting. And if they stop petting - I do it again. I get lots of petting.
I still love my Balone...SQUEAK!
I have also learned to love salad. All kinds - the shiny green leaves, the dark purple radicchio, the tiny strings of carrot. All kinds of yum.
And in closing during this the most boring of all boring weeks, I have truly turned sleeping style of spooning into a work of art. I spoon left, I spoon right. Chest up, chest down. With Mom, with Dad. At the top of the bed, at the bottom. Hello my name is Kasey and I am a spooner.
Copyright © I-5 Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved.
Visit Catster


text:
Recently, Bollywood shahenshah Amitabh Bachchan was suffering from bad health and spent quite a few days in the hospital. Big B has finally left the hospital and has come back to his home in Juhu, Mumbai.
Amitabh Bachchan is one of those persons who would never forget their promises. Amitabh Bachchan proved it again. To fulfill his promise he made Siddhatha Basu to shoot for the game show Kaun Banega Crorepati Season 6. Despite his ill helth Big B decided to contact the KBC production house to start shooting.
After discharge from the hospital, Amitabh Bachchan thanked his well-wishers and expressed his gratitude for their support. He also promised his fans that he wouldn't break his promises. Though, he is on rest now soon he will be back in action.
Big B 's presence in KBC Season 6 will again help SONY TV channel to get highrt TRPs.


text:
Discover high-capacity, low-cost removable digital storage.
One of the world's most popular digital mass-storage devices, CompactFlash® memory cards from Kingston® bridge the gap between hungry storage requirements and affordability. Users of digital cameras, PDAs and other digital devices can quickly and easily download or transfer digital files between various digital devices and the Internet, using a card that easily fits in the palm of the hand.
With the speed of a memory chip, Kingston's CompactFlash memory cards offer greater storage than many other media cards, at a fraction of the cost. They're available in a variety of capacities up to 8GB, so users are sure to find the right size to fit their needs. All cards are backed by a lifetime warranty and legendary Kingston reliability.


text:
Zinc Main Uses
Over 13 million tons of zinc are produced annually worldwide. Fifty eight percent of this amount is used for galvanizing to protect steel from corrosion.
Approximately 14% goes into the production of zinc base alloys, mainly to supply the die casting industry and 10% to produce brass and bronze. Significant amounts are also utilized in rolled zinc applications including roofing, gutters and down-pipes.
The remainder is consumed in compounds such as zinc oxide and zinc sulfate.
These first-use suppliers then convert zinc into in a broad range of products. Main application areas include: construction, transport, consumer goods and electrical appliances and general engineering.


text:
Medical Definition of Laxative
Laxative: Something that promotes emptying of the bowels. Laxatives are used to combat constipation. They are sometimes overused, producing diarrhea. Laxatives include milk of magnesia and many others.Source: MedTerms™ Medical Dictionary
Last Editorial Review: 5/13/2016
Drug Medical Dictionary of Terms by Letter
Medical Dictionary Term:
GI Disorders
Get the latest treatment options.


text:
Kovacevic: Maatta made Penguins' call easy
It's all just so easy with Olli Maatta.
Anyone wanting to fully appreciate what it meant for the Penguins to announce Thursday that they're keeping their precocious 19-year-old defenseman in the NHL this season, pull up a locker stool and start right there.
Everything about this kid, from a chip up the boards to a 50-foot breakout to a one-timed blast to his broader ascent through the sport across two hemispheres … it's all just so elementary, so effortless.
"Maybe," Maatta playfully conceded in our talk Thursday at Southpointe. "But I don't really think about it that way."
Of course he doesn't.
Probably never has.
Flash back to his Finnish past: Maatta was a toddler in the modest but growing education hub of Jyväskylä, brought up the same as most children there.
"Lots of sports for everybody," he recalled. "Mostly soccer and hockey."
Maatta was missing half of that. He'd begun soccer at age 4 and, despite early success, that didn't satisfy.
"I was 6 years old, almost 7, and I would look out the window and see my friends playing hockey in the winter. I wanted to be like them. I remember going to my mom crying about it."
So tough call for the folks?
"Oh, no," he came back with a grin. "I didn't give them a choice."
Of course not.
By the time he turned 14, Maatta had to choose between soccer and hockey.
"I loved hockey. That was easy."
Of course it was.
Put it all together, in fact, and you get this: Maatta didn't play hockey until he was 7, which is, as he'll confirm, "really old." He didn't fully commit until 14, which is crazy old. But by 16, he became the youngest player ever for Finland in the World Junior Championships. The following season, he was a man-child in Finland's second-tier pro league. And the season after that, once the Penguins drafted him 22nd overall in 2012, he led all Ontario Hockey League rookie defensemen in scoring.
All that's in five years, a tantalizing trajectory for the most elite of prospects.
Now carry the narrative into this fall.
Maatta had virtually no chance to stick on the Penguins' roster, counter to whatever they'd stated publicly. He ranked no higher than eighth on the depth chart, and even more ominous were NHL rules restricting junior players and salary-cap considerations for years to come.
But then Kris Letang was hurt late in camp, Maatta excelled in the opening nine games and, just in time for the 10th game that marked the Penguins' deadline to keep him or send him back to the OHL, Letang and Maatta will take the ice Friday night against the New York Islanders.
As Shero put it, "What are the chances?"
Probably pretty good, actually. Maatta's special. The Penguins know it and, in his own understated way, I think he knows it, too.
Don't misunderstand. He was blushing like a beet through that baby-ish face Thursday when teammates tapped their sticks on the ice to celebrate Dan Bylsma telling the group that Maatta was staying. But he also didn't flinch when I asked the following:
Did he feel he'd earned this opportunity?
"For sure. I feel like I worked hard for this."
Did he really believe he had a shot?
"Yeah, we talked about it, and I knew what was going on. I just had to do by best."
Was there any one game where he first felt like he truly belonged?
"Not one game, no. It's every game. Every game I'm out there, I feel more confident."
Like that line?
It's that level of poise, on and off the rink, that's won over so many so quickly.
Listen to Sidney Crosby: "He's got a great all-around game, and all you see is that he keeps getting better. It's been great to see."
Listen to Brooks Orpik, as tough as any veteran for a rookie to win over: "I'm so happy for him. He deserves it. I mean, there will be down moments, and I hope people keep that in focus. But with his talent and work ethic, I don't think those stretches will last too long."
They all saw it. The coaching staff began lobbying for Maatta after the second game. Crosby told me the players were convinced "after just four or five." And ultimately, over the past week, Shero and his evaluators realized that Maatta had cornered them like a common forechecker.
Good for Maatta, but better, I say, for the Penguins.
They wouldn't paint it this way, but this is a team that's still built off the same then-young core that won the Stanley Cup in 2009, and that core is now in its late 20s. It's needed not just new blood but new elite blood for far too long.
This kid is exactly that, and I dare say it's easy to see.
You are solely responsible for your comments and by using TribLive.com you agree to our Terms of Service.
We moderate comments. Our goal is to provide substantive commentary for a general readership. By screening submissions, we provide a space where readers can share intelligent and informed commentary that enhances the quality of our news and information.
While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderating decisions are subjective. We will make them as carefully and consistently as we can. Because of the volume of reader comments, we cannot review individual moderation decisions with readers.
We value thoughtful comments representing a range of views that make their point quickly and politely. We make an effort to protect discussions from repeated comments either by the same reader or different readers
We follow the same standards for taste as the daily newspaper. A few things we won't tolerate: personal attacks, obscenity, vulgarity, profanity (including expletives and letters followed by dashes), commercial promotion, impersonations, incoherence, proselytizing and SHOUTING. Don't include URLs to Web sites.
We do not edit comments. They are either approved or deleted. We reserve the right to edit a comment that is quoted or excerpted in an article. In this case, we may fix spelling and punctuation.
We welcome strong opinions and criticism of our work, but we don't want comments to become bogged down with discussions of our policies and we will moderate accordingly.
We appreciate it when readers and people quoted in articles or blog posts point out errors of fact or emphasis and will investigate all assertions. But these suggestions should be sent via e-mail. To avoid distracting other readers, we won't publish comments that suggest a correction. Instead, corrections will be made in a blog post or in an article.


text:
|diyAudio Store
|Today's Posts
|Mark Forums Read
|Tubes / Valves All about our sweet vacuum tubes :) Threads about Musical Instrument Amps of all kinds should be in the Instruments & Amps forum
Please consider donating to help us continue to serve you.
Ads on/off / Custom Title / More PMs / More album space / Advanced printing & mass image saving
|Thread Tools
|Search this Thread
|24th May 2013, 09:49 PM
diyAudio Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Cheltenham
Hey Stajo, not sure from the photo but your grounding scheme seems a bit random ie you did your grounding the way you built it? I would recommend that you sort it before any other modifications. Looks like you have room to go to a star ground or a tree of stars. I'm sure there's a lengthy thread on here about grounding.
Cheers Matt.
|24th May 2013, 10:11 PM
diyAudio Member
Join Date: May 2007
Another thing to try is reducing the coupling caps. The aim is to get their LF pole well away from the OPT LF pole, so this could mean moving it up or down.
|25th May 2013, 07:35 AM
diyAudio Member
Friends! The boating seems to go away with decreased GNF/increased resistor (2k4 instead of 1k atm). Im gonna let it play a while and see if its stable.
I think the sound firmed up a little to, not as wet and fluffy as before.
Any suggestions on how to get to optimum values? Just try until I'm satisfied? Scope and find an optimum squarewave with random decoupling caps?
|25th May 2013, 09:33 AM
diyAudio Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Colorado
Hi Stajo,
Changing the 1k resistor in the feedback to a 2.4k also moves the 12AX7 operating point - that circuit uses the feedback resistor to set the grid bias. Might have fixed the motorboating, but could cause other problems.
You may know that already, but I was wondering if you had checked the 12AX7 bias voltages after your change to make sure your operating range is still sufficient.
Also, you might try going back to the 1k feedback resistor (which seems to be the "normal" feedback resistor value for that circuit) and increasing the 100uF cathode bypass cap on the 12AX7.
Increase it to 200uF or 300uF. The cathodes should be at AC ground, but at 1Hz the 100uF cathode bypass impedance is about 1600ohms which may be too high.
EDIT - Well, ONE of the cathodes should be at AC ground. The other is 100 ohms resistive above AC ground. Minor point, just being clear.
Anyway, I think this was a commercial design so cost was a consideration so they didn't go overboard with parts values. Since this is a DIY project you, of course, have the option to increase the design margins a bit.
Good luck!
EDIT 2 - I saw that Artosalo recommended increasing the cathode bypass on the output tubes. Just to be clear, I'm recommending increasing the cathode bypass on the input 12AX7 tube - I think that may be where your problem is.
I think I would also separate the cathode bias on the output tubes - running them in common is another commercial practice to save money which we can spend like Midas on these DIY projects - but that is another story and " if it ain't broke don't fix it " is the best approach here
-- Just an average Man of Bronze --
Last edited by rfengineer2013; 25th May 2013 at 09:51 AM.
|25th May 2013, 09:40 AM
diyAudio Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: UK
Putting the feedback on the 8 ohm tap to see what happens...leave everything else standard just to try it..
Change grounding to Star grounding..does it do it with no connection to other inputs and the input turned to different levels..you also seem to have output and input very close.... Keep output gnd as close to earth as possible no variation in Gnd resistance. Variation in Gnd resistance creates a voltage drop and possible voltages in the ground system.
M. Gregg
Last edited by M Gregg; 25th May 2013 at 09:46 AM.
|25th May 2013, 09:51 AM
diyAudio Member
When you say it I have the feedback on the 8 ohm tap. I dont use an original A-410 as it was designed for by Mr Hafler, but a some salvaged Z 565s.
Its been playing for a while now, and its stable. Firm and controlled in sound. Maybe a little to much controlled to my taste.
Im gonna turn it upside down later, and I find your suggestions to try to go back as close to the 1 k as it allowes. Maybe increase cathode bypass in the splitters and find me a good cap value with squarewaves over the feedback resistor (right now I have none).
Is that correctly percieved from my side?
Last edited by stajo; 25th May 2013 at 09:54 AM.
|25th May 2013, 10:00 AM
diyAudio Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: UK
You need to find out if its a stability issue or a grounding issue.
Might sound strange..ie is it wiring layout or is it stability created by resistance in the Gnd.
Output Gnds should be as close to Gnd/earth as possible.
The feedback resistor as stated sets the bias so it should be as close as possible..(to value)
The feedback is already lower if you are on the 8 ohm tap..
I assume the feedback is in the correct phase<<just asking
M. Gregg
Last edited by M Gregg; 25th May 2013 at 10:03 AM.
|25th May 2013, 10:04 AM
diyAudio Member
Another thing that I find a little odd is that the completely oversized powertranny gets almost to hot to touch after some hour playing. It might be that it has some minor shorts in windings? This one should easily drive a 6L6 PPP or similar and I dont think it should be this hot on this little circuit.
About grounding it might not look star:ish but I have actually worked that a couple of time and I dont have any 50 or 100 Hz tendensies.
Excuse the dust, its been collecting a while.
|25th May 2013, 10:04 AM
diyAudio Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Colorado
If you are already taking the feedback off the 8-ohm tap, the feedback has been reduced by 6dB from the original design. Increasing the feedback resistor to 2.4k reduces it another 6-ish dB so you're down 12dB from the original.
Seems that you would actually need to decrease the feedback resistor to get back to the original design level.
The compensating cap will almost certainly be different (from the original) due to the different output transformer, but that is a fine-tune you can do with a square-wave test.
This doesn't sound like a grounding issue to me, especially if you are not hearing other noise in your system.
-- Just an average Man of Bronze --
|25th May 2013, 11:25 AM
diyAudio Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: UK
Looking at the power Tx,
ER....Its not a good idea to have single cables through holes on AC supplies..
The two AC cables for each supply should come through the same hole..
I guess (two grey) two green (two black)<<each supply? (you can just cut a slot across each pair of holes to overcome this)
Whats the chassis made of?
I also don't see any isolation for the transformer mounting pins...I guess you have a shorted turn on the Iron??? (Not the windings the mountings)
Easy to check there should be no connection between each of the four mounting screws and Tx iron..with a meter set to ohms.
ie no connection across the laminations to the screws so you dont get a loop via the screws and the laminations. (shorted turn)
Does the incomming mains have a grommet (through the chassis)?
Keep Feedback and output wiring away from inputs..check phasing of feedback..
M. Gregg
Last edited by M Gregg; 25th May 2013 at 11:43 AM.
|Thread Tools
|Search this Thread
|Similar Threads
|Thread Starter
|Last Post
|Building an ISO booth
|Everything Else
|1st January 2011 04:48 AM
|17th July 2008 03:00 AM
|Iso Loom
|Car Audio
|21st July 2006 10:05 PM
|iso-barik sub
|13th March 2006 07:01 PM
|ISO a few 816's
|Swap Meet
|1st January 2004 12:52 PM
|New To Site?
|Need Help?


text:
Guillermo Scott Herren, better known as Prefuse 73, is an innovative beatsmith who, over the course of a decade and a half, has helped lay the groundwork for the Flying Lotuses of the world. He's just launched a new label, Yellow Year Records (expect releases from the likes of Teebs, Nosaj Thing, Lapalux, Synkro, Nathan Fake and Dimlite in the coming months), and to celebrate that fact, he'll be laying down his richly melodic, often-psychedlia-tinged sounds tonight at Output.
|Event website:
To improve this listing email: email@example.com


text:
Mostly Mozart Festival 2003 Opening Night Gala
On Tuesday, July 29 at 8pm, WNYC will present a live broadcast of the Opening Night Gala of Lincoln Center's Mostly Mozart Festival. Launching the festival's 37th season at Avery Fisher Hall, this program will mark French conductor Louis Langrée's first appearance as music director of the festival. It will also feature the festival debuts of pianist Lang Lang and mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe. WNYC listeners can simultaneously listen to the concert as part of Evening Music with David Garland on 93.9 FM and watch a Live From Lincoln Center telecast carried in New York on Channel 13 WNET. Beverly Sills will host the telecast.
What to Listen For:
|Louis Langrée
If opening night galas are typically longer on flash than substance, this program promises to balance virtuoso fireworks and glamour with a wide range of core classical and romantic repertoire. Twenty-one-year-old Chinese pianist Lang Lang will wield his phenomenal technique and mercurial warmth in Mendelssohn's Piano Concerto No. 1, a work he recently recorded for Deutsche Grammophon to favorable reviews. Stephanie Blythe, a young American mezzo who is often considered to be the successor to Marilyn Horne, will bring her burnished voice to Mozart's "Deh per questo istante solo" and "Ecco il punto, oh Vitelia...Non piu di fiori vaghe catene" from "La clemenza de Tito." And the venerable Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra will present two orchestral favorites: Mozart's Overture to Le nozze di Figaro, K. 492 and Beethoven's Symphony No. 4 in B-flat major, Op. 60.
Emerging Young Conductor:
Presiding over the program is the boyish, 42-year-old Frenchman Louis Langrée, who was named music director of the Mostly Mozart Festival last year. Langrée--who conducts five of the festival's 19 programs in 2003--was a surprise choice to follow Gerard Schwarz, who stepped down in 2001 after 18 years with the festival. Born in Alsace, Langrée is considered a French "outsider," hailing from a mixed German and French region and consciously avoiding the Paris-centric pull of the country's musical culture. An emerging opera conductor, he works regularly at Glyndebourne Festival Opera in England, where he has conducted Mozart's Don Giovanni, Marriage of Figaro, and Così fan tutte. He is also the music director of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Liège, a post he assumed in 2001. Langrée has conducted the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra three times since 1998, and in 2002 appeared at the festival leading the period-instrument group, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.
Programming Note: On July 28 at 2pm, Louis Langrée will be John Schaefer's guest on Soundcheck.
Soloist Bios:
Lang Lang (piano) is one of the most exciting and moving pianists of our time. Since his astonishing and masterful last-minute substitution for an indisposed André Watts at the Ravinia Festival's Gala of the Century in August 1999, Lang Lang has performed with many of the world's leading orchestras. He made his sold-out Carnegie Hall debut in April 2001 to great critical acclaim with the Baltimore Symphony and Yuri Temirkanov. Most recently, Lang Lang joined the New York Philharmonic and Lorin Maazel for performances in New York. CNN recently aired profiles on Lang Lang, featuring him on three programs: NewsNight with Aaron Brown, American Morning with Paula Zahn, and Inside Asia. To coincide with the Mostly Mozart Festival Opening Night Gala, Deutsche Grammophone (DG) will release Lang Lang Plays Tchaikovsky and Mendelssohn on July 15.
Blythe (mezzo-soprano) is one of the finest artists of her generation. Ms.
Blythe's most recent operatic appearances include Cornelia in Guilio Cesare
at the Paris Opera, Mere Marie in Dialogues des Carmélites and Baba the
Turk in The Rake's Progress at the Metropolitan Opera (where she is an alumna
of the Lindemann Young Artists Program), Mistress Quickly in Falstaff and Ino/Juno
in Semele at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and Malcolm in La donna del
lago with the Opera Orchestra of New York in Carnegie Hall. She has been presented
in recital by Lincoln Center's Great Performers series at Alice Tully Hall,
the Vocal Arts Society in Washington, DC, the Supreme Court at the invitation
of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Ginsberg, the 92nd Street Y in New York, the Cleveland
Art Song Festival and the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society.
Program Details:
Avery Fisher Hall
Louis Langrée, conductor
Lang Lang, piano
Stephanie Blythe, mezzo-soprano
Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra
Related Features:
Please Note: This program will not be available for Online listening on WNYC.org.


text:
Anne Hathaway says she is definitely "more wary" of men in the wake of boyfriend Raffaello Follieri being sentenced to prison in 2008 for bilking investors out of millions in a church property scheme.
"It takes a minute for me to let my guard down, but once I do and I get to know someone, I'm very open, very trusting. Some might say too trusting," she says in the November issue of Vogue.
Her new boyfriend is actor Adam Shulman, whom she met through mutual friends. "We hit it off immediately, but it took us a pretty long time to get together," Hathaway says. "He thought that I had a boyfriend, and I thought that he had a girlfriend, so I thought that I'd better keep my distance because I didn't want to be that girl." Once they figured out that neither of them was attached, Hathaway says, "things sped up a bit—and I think I'll leave it at that."
Sign up for Lifeline Live e-mail alerts


text:
Mean Mother SR09540 - Synthetic Rope Dyneema SK759.5mm x 40m
- Constructed using Genuine Dyneema SK75 fibres
- Dyneema is the worlds strongest fibre
- 70% lighter than steel wire
- 8 times stronger than steel wire
2-5 business days
Enjoy Free Returns as part of our 100% Fitment Guarantee.
Product Description
- Constructed using Genuine Dyneema SK75 fibres
- Dyneema is the worlds strongest fibre
- 8 times stronger than steel wire
- 70% lighter than steel wire
- High resistance to UV exposure
- Non abrasive
- Minimal stretch
- Will not kink
- Virtually no recoil
- Does not absord water so it floats
- Stainless steel thimble
- Quality clevis hook
- Inner & outer protection sleeves
- Size: Size: 9.5mm x 40m
- Breaking strain: 19310lb/8775kg
Is it Genuine Dyneema?
Not all synthetic ropes are the same. The word Dyneema gets thrown around quite a bit to describe these newer synthetic ropes but many are not actually made using genuine Dyneema SK75 fibre. Misleading information can create confusion in the marketplace. There is quite a bit of difference in quality and price between synthetic ropes made using genuine Dyneema fibre and some so called Dyneema branded ropes. If you are in the market to buy a winch with synthetic cable or you want to replace your existing steel cable then consider this. If the price sounds too good to be true, then buyer beware.
|Mean Mother
|Part Number
|Winch - Ropes & Cables
|Manufacturers warranty


text:
Franklin Regional school board candidates discuss issues as election nears
Next month, the same eight candidates who vied for their party's nominations in May will face-off one final time to determine who will fill the four open seats on Franklin Regional School Board.
On the Republican ticket are four political newcomers – retired engineer George Harding, sales representative Susan Ilgenfritz, account manager Gregg Neavin and attorney Jeremy Samek. Three Republican incumbents – Kimberly Bondi, Dennis Irvine and Paul Scheinert – and political newcomer and Democrat Bobbi Watt-Geer won nominations on the Democratic ballot.
During the past week, candidates answered a series of questions from the Murrysville Star, dealing with tax increases, teacher contract negotiations and program cuts.
Fixed costs, tax increases
This spring, the school board did not raise taxes for the first time since 2002. Board members and administrators have cited fixed costs such as state retirement contributions, insurance premiums and other expenses not controlled by the district as the impetus behind the previous increases. Those costs will continue to rise, as retirement contributions are slated to nearly double by the 2019 school year.
Scheinert said Franklin Regional doesn't see an increase in its income for day-to-day expenses – the district regularly does more with less, he said.
"To me, where the rubber meets the road and where you have to start tax increases is when you have to consider cutting valuable programs," Scheinert said.
Irvine said he thinks he has done a good job in recent years focusing on balancing tax increases with the quality of education offered at the district.
"We need a balance between wise spending on one hand and student opportunity on the other hand. The last two boards have been very diligent to set money aside for those fixed costs," he said.
Some candidates said they would like to look at alternative ways of funding the district. Ilgenfritz suggested exploring capital grants, advertising on the district website and "making alliances" with surrounding districts.
"Before we can raise taxes just to keep programs, I feel the board needs to come up with solutions that are out of the box. … It's imperative that FR exhaust every option possible before just raising taxes to balance the budget," Ilgenfritz said.
Harding suggested using "zero-based" budgeting to see where costs could be saved, rather than assuming a cost will increase each year.
"We should identify which costs are truly fixed, as opposed to so-called fixed costs which are actually contract negotiation issues," Harding said.
Samek said the district's budget should be treated like a business – where an educated child is the product.
"Any good business, you're providing a service and a product. We're not going to simply increase the products' price without going over costs and seeing if greater efficiencies can be found," Samek said.
Watt-Geer said she would want to advocate at the state level for better funding for public education. Locally, she said she would consider cutting costs in areas that would not damage the quality of education.
"I think it's a very delicate balance that year over year, looking at what these fixed costs are, to look at creative ways to save money. If we make decisions that jeopardize academic quality of our school district, our homes and property values will end up declining as well" she said.
Bondi said the district has planned well, and she wants board members to continue to plan ahead and look at budgetary line items to find savings.
"We need to be very reflective. You can't make these decisions erratically," Bondi said.
Neavin said he wants future board members to delve deeper into various ways to control costs, including reevaluating contracts, funding sources and various expenditures.
"I don't get that we've spent enough time and energy and careful thought around finding areas to save money," Neavin said.
Program cut criteria
In 2011, there were recurring conversations about potentially program cutting programs such as full-day kindergarten, elementary strings instruction and various electives at the high school. While the district hasn't eliminated entire programs, the topic is raised each year during budget deliberations.
Irvine said his ultimate goal, if re-elected, is to avoid cutting programs, particularly full-day kindergarten. He said he would not support cutting any program that would affect the type of education FR offers.
Scheinert said he considers music and arts programs important in education and that cutting programs are a last choice. He said he thinks students need programs such as foreign language and said he would elicit recommendations from administrators, based on the number of students affected and the cost.
Ilgenfritz said she would seek input from all community stakeholders – parents, teachers, administrators and taxpayers – and look at adding high value courses to enrich students. She said she would consider other courses based on value, demand and cost.
Samek, too, said he would rely on parent feedback and said he would focus on nonessential areas first if cuts were proposed for financial reasons.
When faced with a prospective program cut, Bondi said she looks at the effectiveness of a program and how many students would be affected by its elimination.
Neavin, a musician himself, said he realizes all board members have their favorite programs and would suggest creating a scorecard approach to look at whether a program is education or recreation. He would evaluate costs and benefits to students and whether a program is something parents should provide privately.
Programs that will help prepare students for life and their careers are paramount for Watt-Geer. She said arts and language are important, as well as English and math, and she would like to see the board have a comprehensive discussion about programs and their costs.
Harding said he would do a cost-benefit analysis of programs – looking at the educational value, benefits and cost – before elimination. He also suggested looking at programs offered in neighboring districts or community colleges to share or send students.
The incoming school board will be responsible for negotiating a new contract with the teachers union. The current contract expires in August 2016, but negotiations will begin much sooner. The district agreed to a contract extension in 2011, when teachers agreed to increase contributions to health care. However, that came at a cost – the district agreed not to lay off any teachers during the first two years of the agreement. The district also agreed to forfeit a portion of the contributions if teachers were laid off during the three-year extension.
That agreement has been controversial with several candidates. Harding and Neavin both referred to the agreement as a "no-cut provision" and said they refuse to agree to that again.
"I don't know of any contract that has that," Harding said. "We need to evaluate each and every position. Do we need it? What does it cost? And what is the benefit?"
Ilgenfritz said the basics should be looked at closer when developing the next contract.
"Salaries and benefit contributions need to be reevaluated, but I think it's important we keep salaries competitive to attract quality staff while considering the current economic status as well," Ilgenfritz said.
Salaries aren't the only issue at hand. Bondi said she wants to see other things, including the new teacher evaluation model required by the state, addressed.
"Right now, the language in the contract needs to be changed to best meet the needs of our students," Bondi said. "It limits the amount of professional development time and also limits the amount of time teachers have for collaboration to address student needs."
Scheinert said the idea of steps – guaranteed annual pay raises for teachers – would need looked at again. He also would like to see the board continue to look at salary and benefits.
"Eight years ago, our teachers were making no contribution on health care, and now we're the highest in Westmoreland County," he said. "We've made big strides."
Health care is also important for Watt-Geer. She said it is important that the board look at teacher issues that affect student achievement.
"I hope we have more conversations about issues that impact the education of students, such as class sizes and building systems that recognize the types of teachers that promote excellence," she said.
Irvine, a former teacher, said he avoids being involved in negotiations because he believes it would be a conflict of interest. However, he would like to see a contract continue to address permitting students to take classes the district doesn't offer.
"We've laid the ground work for that, and we're ahead of the curve there," Irvine said.
That's something Neavin would like to see expanded as well. Neavin said he doesn't understand why that's part of a teacher negotiation, however. He said it should be determined between administrators, parents and board members.
"I get it, but it seems to be more 'protectionist' than student-value based. I don't see the benefits for the students, but I see the benefit for the teachers. I would like to see students first in the next contract," he said.
It's a policy that Samek called "antiquated," and said he would like to see loosened. Samek also is interested in talking about performance-based pay in the next contract.
"I would treat it like a business would – you pay for good employees. We can have a dialogue about compensation based on performance," Samek said.
Daveen Rae Kurutz is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 412-856-7400, ext. 8627, or firstname.lastname@example.com.
You are solely responsible for your comments and by using TribLive.com you agree to our Terms of Service.
We moderate comments. Our goal is to provide substantive commentary for a general readership. By screening submissions, we provide a space where readers can share intelligent and informed commentary that enhances the quality of our news and information.
While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderating decisions are subjective. We will make them as carefully and consistently as we can. Because of the volume of reader comments, we cannot review individual moderation decisions with readers.
We value thoughtful comments representing a range of views that make their point quickly and politely. We make an effort to protect discussions from repeated comments either by the same reader or different readers
We follow the same standards for taste as the daily newspaper. A few things we won't tolerate: personal attacks, obscenity, vulgarity, profanity (including expletives and letters followed by dashes), commercial promotion, impersonations, incoherence, proselytizing and SHOUTING. Don't include URLs to Web sites.
We do not edit comments. They are either approved or deleted. We reserve the right to edit a comment that is quoted or excerpted in an article. In this case, we may fix spelling and punctuation.
We welcome strong opinions and criticism of our work, but we don't want comments to become bogged down with discussions of our policies and we will moderate accordingly.
We appreciate it when readers and people quoted in articles or blog posts point out errors of fact or emphasis and will investigate all assertions. But these suggestions should be sent via e-mail. To avoid distracting other readers, we won't publish comments that suggest a correction. Instead, corrections will be made in a blog post or in an article.


text:
Free personalized radio that
plays the music you love
I'm That N**ga
Features of This Trackhardcore rap influence
club rap influences
southern rap roots
gangsta rap attitude
syncopated beats
southern vocal twang
clear pronunciation
explicit lyrics
boastin' lyrics
the use of chordal patterning
a bumpin' kick sound
a slow moving bass line
a highly synthetic sonority
radio friendly stylings
lyrics by a respected rap artist
and many other similarities identified in the Music Genome Project
These are just a few of the hundreds of attributes cataloged for this track by the Music Genome Project.show more
Similar Tracks
Don't have a Pandora account? Sign up
Already have a Pandora account? Log In


text:
Cohen Courtside: Magic vs. Bucks (2/17/12)
By Josh Cohen
February 17, 2012
In Cohen Courtside, Josh Cohen examines the state of the Orlando Magic after games this season. He will tackle sidebar storylines and focus on topics that stretch far beyond the box score. There will also be some analysis on league-wide subjects.
ORLANDO -- On this night, Hedo Turkoglu lived up to that everlasting nickname, Mr. Fourth Quarter.
On this night, Jameer Nelson did what we have always admired of him, closed the show with a fury.
On this night, Dwight Howard overcame the pressure at the stripe and buried some critical free throws.
On this night, the Orlando Magic awoke at the most important time to shut down the feisty Milwaukee Bucks for their fourth straight victory.
It didn't come easy and it took a while to realize that a win on their home floor against a mediocre opponent was essential before journeying for four games in five nights on the road.
While their effort over the first three quarters was less than satisfactory, the Orlando Magic finished on a 17-0 run to help eradicate any chances of something totally unsuspecting and unsettling.
Howard enjoyed his seventh 20-20 of the season (26 points, 20 rebounds), but more impressively, the six-time NBA All-Star shot 10-of-14 from the free throw line.
And Ryan Anderson, meanwhile – well, he just continues to show that you can rely on him to deliver big performances on a nightly basis. Anderson finished with 23 points and shot 4-of-7 from 3-point distance.
"The only thing that matters is that we brought it when we needed to and we got a win," Anderson said.
Yet, with triumphs against the Heat and 76ers and even in their losses, both in overtime to two extremely competent opponents (Clippers and Hawks), the Magic look like a team who deserve to be mentioned in the same conversation with all championship contenders.
The big test is approaching and Orlando must be prepared to overcome any obstacle imaginable.
The adventure starts with a trip to Miami for a clash with their Sunshine State rivals. Then, they must hop on a four-hour flight to Milwaukee to play against a team that is looking for revenge. Orlando stops in New Jersey to play against the Nets, one of the teams; of course, on Howard's short list of teams he requested a trade to during training camp. And finally, they arrive in Atlanta where haunted memories from last season's playoffs remain likely unforgotten. It's probably unreasonable to try and come up with an "acceptable" win-loss percentage during this stretch of four games in five nights.
However, it's undeniable that if the Magic win more than they lose (4-0 or 3-1), there will be some serious talk around the league that Orlando is for real and that championship uncertainty will evolve into championship veracity.
"Very tough," Quentin Richardson said about this arduous road trip. "We've just got to take it one game at a time. We can't look past anyone and we just need to stay focused."
Let's all remember, the NBA trade deadline is March 15 and every player understands that it is imperative to be playing first-rate basketball to avoid any potential roster shakeups.
As of right now and despite all the distractions and drama, the Magic look real strong and ready to challenge any opponent -- whenever, wherever.
Oh yea and by the way, Philadelphia lost to Dallas on Friday -- meaning the Magic and Sixers are tied for third place in the East. And if you read my commentary often, you know how important I think playoff seeds are in the NBA.
What record do you think the Magic will finish with during this upcoming four-game road trip?Latest Opinions
Follow Josh Cohen on Twitter here


text:
Canadian dairy producer Saputo posts lower profit
June 2 (Reuters) - Saputo Inc, one of Canada's largest dairy producers, reported lower quarterly earnings on Thursday.
For its fiscal fourth quarter, net income dropped to C$141.2 million, or 36 Canadian cents a share, from C$157.4 million, or 39 Canadian cents, a year earlier. (By Rod Nickel in Winnipeg, Manitoba)
© Thomson Reuters 2017 All rights reserved.