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Belding finishes in top 50 at Vex Robotics World Championships
BELDING — On the robotics world's biggest stage, more than 2,000 miles from home, the Belding High School Robotics Team marched into Anaheim, Calif., and made an impression the students will never forget.
Competing against more than 400 of the best Vex High School Robotics teams at the World Tournament from April 23-26, the five-member team fought through frustration, nervousness and adversity to finish among the top 50 teams.
The team entered competition on an even field, but after winning eight of 10 qualifying matches, students found themselves ranked as the number 10 team in their competitive region.
With five regions consisting of 86 teams each, the top-10 spot put Belding in elite company and a chance to move on to the quarterfinals of its region.
And Belding did just that.
The five-member team, consisting of high school students Tyler Gasper, Jessie Boyd, John Parcher, Haley Davis and Taylor Sluiter, partnered with two other teams from Hawaii, and competed against teams from Oakland, Calif., Houston, Texas, and Tauranga, New Zealand.
Belding lost the best-of-three match, but in their first-ever trip to the Vex Robotics World Competition, they left achieving the highest level the program has witnessed to date.
Belding Robotics Coach Tom Daller said he couldn't be more proud of the accomplishments of his students.
"In all my years of education I have never been involved in an event that promotes academics and intense competition," he said. "These students have demonstrated qualities we all would be proud of. Small town USA was represented well by our children."
The team had a successful year, having won the Grandville Robotics League and Grandville Robotics Tournament.
The team hosted its second annual Belding Robotics Tournament at Belding High School and then competed at the state tournament at Michigan State University where the team qualified for the world competition.
"These kids balanced humility and confidence when making strategic decisions with other teams," Daller said. "I was overwhelmed by the students' drive to participate, their determination and dedication. I was amazed by their pride in themselves, community, state, and region."
For the students, competing on the world stage was a setting unlike any other.
Junior John Parcher, 16, said he found himself communicating with teams from across the world using a white board, markers, and an iPad, as he spoke with other students from as far away as China.
"We were kind of an oddball at the tournament, no one had a robot that was designed like ours, our robot was a really good support bot," he said. "It was a little scary when we got there, but we kept a positive attitude. We learned a lot and I think we'll be able to plan things out better to be more prepared in the future. We learned that there is always a different design out there that can be bigger and better than what you have."
For senior Hayley Davis, 18, the opportunity to see the designs of robots created by students from across the world was overwhelming.
"It's crazy to see how simple our robot was compared to some of the others we saw," she said. "And then to see how well we did. This program, it changes the way you view robotics. I have a passion for it now."
The team overcame major struggles that included having to rewrite the robot's software on the eve of competition.
Junior Taylor Sluiter, 17, said he spent two and a half hours rewriting code after a new update downloaded to the robot corrupted their computer.
"It was very aggravating, but we talked it out as a team," he said. "We ended up tearing our robot apart and changing our gear ratio. Eventually we did a lot better in matches."
The team that Belding lost to in the quarterfinals of their region finished as runner-up for the world tournament.
"Our robot was extremely basic compared to many of the other robots," Sluiter said. "But our team was extremely effective and had we not competed against the world runner-up, we may have won a few rounds in the quarterfinals."
Belding witnessed its highest level of success in program history, and now the students are hoping that success will translate into more popularity for the program.
Parcher said he is hoping a new advanced robotics course to be implemented at the school next year, as well as a possible middle school robotics program, will help generate buzz for the robotics program.
"I really think that younger kids would get really excited about this," Parcher said. "Opening it up to them, where they can get the skills that may lead them into an engineering career, or even just to help figure out where they want to go in life, it's an extremely helpful program."
Sluiter said the Vex Robotics program has already turned him in the direction of pursuing mechanical engineering in the future.
"Robotics has opened up the idea of mechanical engineering for me," he said. "There's a lot of places that offer mechanical engineering with a scholarship that does pertain to Vex Robotics, and I'm hoping for that."
Sophomore Jessie Boyd, 15, said she too believes her experience will help her after high school as she plans to pursue a career in the medical field.
"I think robotics is one of the major programs that is developing quickly across the country," she said. "You see robots used everywhere."
Belding High School Principal Brett Zuver said he was very proud that the team was able to qualify and participate in the world tournament, and was impressed with the level of success the students obtained.
"It was a very, very prideful moment for a lot of people in the community and here at the high school," he said. "It was a great experience for all of them, as it's not often you get a chance to travel to the Los Angeles area. Building unity, teamwork and thinking on the fly, while also experiencing the cultures of so many other teams from other countries, it was a once in a life time opportunity for our students."
Daller said he was especially thankful of the many donations that the team received, allowing them to travel to California.
The cost of the trip was approximately $8,000, of which half was covered by donations.
"We can't thank our sponsors and the people of this and other communities enough," he said. "Without you, this wouldn't have been possible, our students wouldn't have had the chance to receive this amazing experience."


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WOOSTER -- Forty students have been participating in the six-week summer session of Upward Bound, op
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It's Not How Much You Lift – It's About…Monday, May 16th, 2016
I have a few sayings I'm known for.
One of them is, "It's not about how much you lift, It's about how much you LOVE Lifting."
What that means is, lifting is about being passionate about something and doing it with fire.
Lifting is about setting goals to always be improving.
Lifting is about feeling good, and feeling good about yourself.
So, a couple months ago, or so, when I really took a look at some of my training, I came to realize I wasn't following my own advice.
The whole idea about that saying is that you should be pushing yourself because you love lifting.
It has nothing to do with pushing yourself so hard that you reach your goals at the expense of everything and everyone else.
But, there I was, trying to reach some goals related to the Barbell Bench Press, and instead of getting closer, I was coming further and further away each session because the exercise was tearing my shoulders up, and leaving me in pain.
It's now been the better part of this year, that I have quit Benching with the Bar, and moved exclusively to Dumbbell Bench Press. And although my numbers were completely embarrassing at first, I now feel like I'm living more in tune with my beliefs.
And, after a couple months, or however long it's been, I'm starting to see some good increases, feeling better in the shoulders, and I think even seeing a bit of growth.
I LOVE LIFTING, but I think I was coming severely close to having the majority of my training SHUT DOWN due to the pain I was feeling in my shoulders.
I encourage you to do the same as well – by all means train hard – don't just go through the motions in the gym.
But, if there's a movement that is tearing you up inside, don't feel the need to push through pain and suffer because of it.
Remember…It ain't about how much you lift. It's about how much you LOVE lifting.
All the best in your training.
P.S. Along these lines, I want to help you out as much as I can, to get you to your goals. And that means helping you learn to do your goal lifts properly and as safely as possible.
Check Out the the Special Offer I've Got Going On This Week:
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Tags: avoiding injuries, barbell bench press, bench press, lifting for life, loving lifting, smart strength training, smart training, strength training
Posted in athletic strength training lift odd objects, how to build muscle, how to develop strength, how to improve fitness and conditioning, strength training powerlifting, strength training to improve athletic performance, strength training to prevent injury, strength training workouts, strongman, strongman competition training, strongman training for athletes, strongman training log stone tire farmer, your daily inspiration | No Comments »
Building a Big Overhead Press – What's Been Working for MeMonday, September 28th, 2015
Improving Overhead Press
There's no question about it, Overhead Lifting is without a doubt my favorite form of lifting to test general body strength. I don't know why that is, but I just plain enjoy picking something up overhead, whether it's a barbell, log, axle, or whatever is just lying around!
I've been working on hitting a new all-time PR on my Overhead Press – 225lbs for 4 consecutive reps – for the last several months. I've done 3 reps a couple different times, but the 4th rep always escapes me.
Last week, I was finally able to hit it. The video below is of 225lbs for 4 consecutive repetitions.
Overhead Press All-Time PR – 225×4
This truly came out of nowhere, as my Press workouts haven't been too extraordinary lately, but here are a few points that might have had something to do with it.
How I've Increased My Press
I've really backed down on the volume: For several months, I was hitting my 25-rep "program." I picked one specific weight and tried to reach 25 total reps as quickly as possible, with the weight varying from 185lbs to 215lbs. That approach worked great for a while, but I think this level of intensity caught up with me and I needed a change, so I dropped it down to either 3 or 5 sets of 3 to 5 reps. One difference was I started focusing on pressing the weight up as fast as possible, no matter what the weight was.
Modified My Ramp-up Approach to Working Set Weights: I normally hit a couple sets of barbell only, then a set of 95lbs, and then a set of 135lbs for my warm-up sets. Then, I would usually go right to my working sets. I found that the jump from 135lbs to 185lbs, or whatever the weight might have been that day, has been too much recently. So I started doing intermediate sets of 3 at 155lbs and 175bs instead. This has made a big difference in reducing missed first-reps on my initial work sets.
I've re-incorporated speed work: I've been trying to stick with 1 workout every 4 to 6 weeks where I stick with lighter bar weights and press against band tension, very similar to the methods used by powerlifters on lifts such as the Bench Press, Squat and Deadlift. I'm been feeling much more powerful on my presses, especially last week when I got my new PR, since focusing more on speed.
Dead Stop Training: I was finding that I was relying too much on stretch reflex in my press training, so I was really letting the bar crash down hard and then pressing back up. I decided to allow the barbell to settle at the bottom position a bit more the last few weeks, which made my presses harder, but I felt I was developing more pure strength. You can see in the video, that I went from a dead-stop on rep #2. I didn't mean to do that, but I guess I'm just used to doing it now.
These are just a few changes I've made recently to my approach to pressing. They seem to have paid off, as a whole.
I'll also mention that I took this weekend off from any training (I was away camping), and my left shoulder which has been giving me trouble for several months feels much better. I hope it continues to improve, and maybe I will see 225lbs go up for a set of 5 reps soon!
All the best in your training.
Yoketober is Coming Soon – Will You Be Ready?
Tags: barbell press, log press, overhead, overhead lifting, press, pressing
Posted in overhead lifting, Press, strength training workouts | 1 Comment »
New All Time PR on Deadlift – 550lbsMonday, September 14th, 2015
It's been since January of 2004 since I set a regular Deadlift PR, when I lifted 545-lbs. 11+ years.
I was 26. I'm almost 37 now, so it's been a lengthy drought, you might say…
2004 is when I started experiencing routine back injuries that would sideline me for days or even a week at a time.
Unfortunately, my young, idiotic brain, just wanted to keep pushing harder and harder, and that meant the pain I'd experience would get worse and worse.
I'd hobble around for a week after my Strongman contests.
I'd literally limp through the hallway at my old job, after hard weekend workouts involving Deadlifts and Squats.
Finally, in 2008, I think, I had enough.
Since Squats and Deadlifts were so bad for me, I decided I wouldn't do them anymore.
From 2008 until 2012, I rarely did heavy Deadlifts or Squats.
Of course, I continued to do Axle Deadlifts, because it's a staple in Grip Sport competition, and I'd dabble every now and again with Squats and Deads, but never got back into them seriously until June of 2013, when I decided I was finally ready health-wise to get back under the bar and pull some weight off the floor.
For Squats, I literally started with the bar, hitting sets of 10. That's how much I lacked confidence and stability.
For Deadlifts, I decided I'd guard my back by only doing Double Overhand grip (I was afraid of tearing a biceps anyway).
The Coan Philippi Deadlift Program
This Summer, I decided I was ready to finally train the Deadlift with some conviction, and I started a run through the Coan Philippi Deadlift Program.
I gotta say, it was AWESOME to push myself on Deadlifts! It was the first time I'd EVER followed a Deadlift Program in my life.
When you start the Coan Philippi program, it asks you for your starting max and your goal max at the end of 10 weeks, and then it computes everything for you.
I stayed a bit conservative and put in a 500-lb Max to begin with and a 550-lb Max for the end. My partner, Luke Raymond, started out with the same numbers, and it worked out really easy training with him, because we didn't have to change the weights around at all.
The weights at the beginning of the program were super light, so Luke and I started on week 3 or 4. Everything went smooth until like Week 7. That's when the volume caught up with me.
I struggled through to Week 9, when I hit 535-lbs, but my body just wouldn't cooperate with me for Week 10, and I decided against going for a new PR on 3 separate Saturdays, until this past week.
The conditions still weren't optimal, as I was up at 2AM to take my parents to the airport, and I trained at 5:30AM with my buddy, Brad Martin, but my back felt fully recovered after the 3-week layoff from heavy work, so I went ahead with the Week 10 plan.
And, I'm happy to say I was successful in my 550-lb lift, with potential for probably a few pounds more, although I didn't push it.
Here's the video:
Jedd Johnson All-Time PR Deadlift – 550lbs
What an awesome sensation, to FINALLY feel somewhat strong again.
Thankfully, after staying patient, working back slowly, and using my brain instead of my ego, I have been able to break one of my longest standing PR's.
I must also say, I LOVE the Coan Philippi Program. It made me feel like a monster, and sometime this Fall, I plan on running through it again, once Luke's schedule evens back out and we get train it together again.
Look for more updates, especially on my YouTube Channel, once I start the program up again.
All the best in your training.
Tags: deadlift, deadlift training, deadlift workout, how to build your deadlift, how to increase your deadlift
Posted in how to develop strength, how to improve fitness and conditioning, how to improve strength, strength training powerlifting, strength training to improve athletic performance, strength training workouts, Uncategorized | No Comments »
7 Deadly Sins of Strength TrainingFriday, February 27th, 2015
I had the amazing opportunity to put together an article for sponsor, Onnit's magazine, Onnit Academy.
It's called "The 7 Deadly Sins of Strength Training."
Here's a picture of the magazine:
Here's what you'll learn from the article…
No matter what your main objective in your training is, it takes a LOT more than just getting your workouts in, to be successful.
There's other stuff you've gotta do to support your training and recovery in order to ensure you see the results you want.
Whether you're trying to build a massive yoke, excel at strongman, or training to close bigger grippers, when you get these 7 things right, you see better results in your training.
As my sponsors, Onnit has sent me a special link so that my readers can get a copy of this issue, and all you need to do is pay the shipping charges.
Special Onnit Academy Link for my DIESELS
This is a complete STEAL of a price, too.
This is easily the highest quality fitness magazine I've ever seen. The cover and pages actually feel more like catalog quality than cheapo magazine stock.
Plus, the information is top notch. This issue alone features contributions from:
- Mark DeGrasse, me, Lance Brazil, Joe Defranco, Jim "Smitty" Smith, Travis Stoetzel, Travis Janeway, Trey Hardee, Doug Fioranelli, Evan Brand, Luke Hocevar, Marcus Martinez, Joe Daniels Ryan Mortensen, Ken Blackburn, and Matt Wichlinski
Plus, I flipped through the thing and found just ONE ADVERTISEMENT in the whole issue.
So you're not staring and endless supplement ads as you go through it like most magazines that are out there.
Instead, you're getting solid information.
So, get yourself a copy for as cheap as you possibly can, by just paying shipping:
Onnit Academy Magazine – pay just $4.95 to cover shipping costs
I hope you pick it up and let me know what you think of the article!
Thanks and all the best in your training.
Learn the Basics of Stone Lifting Today:
Stone Lifting Fundamentals
Tags: my mad methods, onnit academy, onnit strength and performance, strength training
Posted in athletic strength training lift odd objects, bodyweight training, how to improve fitness and conditioning, how to improve strength, mace swinging, strength training muscle building workouts, strength training workouts | No Comments »
Are You Training Your Athletes to be Explosive the Correct Way?Thursday, February 28th, 2013
Training Athletes for Explosiveness
We can all identify an explosive athlete. Explosiveness is very noticeable, but extremely difficult to train and incorporate into a traditional high school strength program.
As a coach for arguably the most explosive athletes on the planet, track and field throwers, and owner of a gym that specializes in building the most explosive athletes in Rhode Island, I have been able to incorporate explosive movement training in ways that are non-traditional but very successful. In this article, you will learn how to incorporate these methods into your own coaching and training to build incredibly explosive athletes.
The "As _____ As Possible" Mentality
High school and college strength coaches have traditionally been brought up to think of athletic training in terms of maxes. It is what I like to call the "as _____ as possible" mentality.
For example, strength is defined as moving a weight "as heavy as possible" one time. A great example of this is a one rep max in the squat.
Strength endurance is defined as moving a certain weight "as many times as possible." The 225 pound bench press for reps test at the NFL combine is a perfect example of this.
Straight ahead speed like you see in track and field sprinters is defined as running a certain distance "as fast as possible."
Endurance is defined as doing a movement "as long as possible."
It is my finding through years of training young athletes and speaking to strength coaches around the country that we are taking the wrong "as _____ as possible" approach when we try to build explosiveness in athletes.
What Are We Doing Wrong?
More often than not, when a strength coach approaches me and is having trouble getting athletes more explosive, they are incorporating too much maximum weight into the equation.
For example, I recently had a coach email me his training template that consisted of Power Cleans, Hang Cleans, and Box Jumps to build explosiveness. While these are great exercises to build explosiveness in athletes, his approach was totally wrong.
He had his athletes jumping on to a box "as high as possible" 1 time for multiple sets. He has his athletes doing power cleans "as heavy as possible" for sets of 1 without varying the weight. He had his athletes doing hang cleans "as heavy as possible" for sets of 1 without changing the weight.
"Using a maximum weight for multiple sets
or jumping to a super tall box one time
is not building explosiveness,
it is merely testing explosiveness
over and over again."
The thing to keep in mind when training explosiveness is that an athlete will rarely have a heavy external load on their bodies while competing. Using a maximum weight for multiple sets or jumping to a super tall box one time is not building explosiveness, it is merely testing explosiveness over and over again.
Finding the Correct Formula
With all of this being said, what is the correct formula for building explosiveness? What is the correct "as _____ as possible" approach to ensure your athletes are doing everything they can to become as explosive as they can be. In order to guarantee your athletes are training for explosion, you must make sure they are training certain movements with "as much force as possible."
I believe this is why strength coaches have such a hard time training explosiveness. Unless you have extremely expensive testing equipment, measuring force is nearly impossible. It is a lot easier to measure the weight on a bar, the height of a box, or the time it takes to run a certain distance. Add to this the fact that athletes are asked to be explosive and produce force over and over again during the course of a game and the training difficulty multiplies.
Force equals mass times acceleration. So the easiest way to measure force, or for a coach to see if an athlete is applying more force, is to watch the speed that he performs a movement with a selected weight through 5 repetitions.
My favorite explosive exercise to do with my throwers is a one arm dumbbell clean and press for 5 reps per arm. It is a full body movement that incorporates massive force with the lower body, transferring that force through the core into the upper body, and applying that force to the dumbbell. Very similar to the way a track and field thrower applies force to a shot put, discus, or javelin.
The application is simple. Give an athlete a dumbbell you know they can easily clean and press multiple times. Have them perform 5 repetitions with each hand, starting with the non-dominant (non-throwing) arm. Watch the speed that the dumbbell moves. Ask yourself, is the dumbbell moving as fast (or almost as fast) on the 5th rep as it did on the 1st rep?
If the answer is yes, the athlete is allowed to increase the weight of the dumbbell by 5 pounds for his second set.
If the answer is no, the athlete should decrease the weight by 5 pounds on his next set.
When dealing with training explosion, the name of the game is speed. Being able to keep the same speed (or have a very slight decrease in speed) over 5 reps will ensure that an athlete is able to produce maximum force and replicate that force time and time again, similar to what they will be asked to do during a competition.
Sneaking Explosive Training into your Current Workouts
While I truly believe that having a separate day 100% dedicated to training speed and explosion is the most effective way of getting an athlete to produce more force, it is not possible in a typical high school setting. Let's face it, practicing the actual sport is the most important thing a high school student will do and should take up the most amount of practice time.
If an athlete practices 2 hours a day, 5 days a week, they might only be in the weight room 2 days a week for 30-40 minutes at a time. How does a strength coach go about training explosion with a large team in a small weightroom while the athletes are also expected to be getting bigger and stronger at the same time?
Replace Slow Reps with Explosive Reps
One strategy is to combine the strength and explosive movement training into the same exercise. This is something I have done for the past few years and it works very well, especially with large groups. When an athlete is performing a strength based exercise on a typical linear periodization template, they will normally begin with a very light weight and gradually increase each set.
For example, an athlete with a 225 pound bench press will perform 5 sets like this:
- Set 1 – 95 pounds for 10 slow and steady reps.
- Set 2 – 135 pounds for 8 slow and steady reps.
- Set 3 – 155 pounds for 6 good reps.
- Set 4 – 175 pounds for 4-5 good reps.
- Set 5 – 195 pounds for 3-4 tough reps to failure.
Instead, why not add one more set, and work the first 3 sets for 6 reps as explosive as possible?
- Set 1 – 95 pounds for 6 explosive reps (plates should be clanging)
- Set 2 – 115 pounds for 6 explosive reps (plates rattling, bar speed never decreases)
- Set 3 – 135 pounds for 6 explosive reps (weight may slow down at the 5th or 6th rep)
- Set 4 – 155 pounds for 6 good reps
- Set 5 – 175 pounds for 4-5 good reps
- Set 6 – 195 pounds for 3-4 tough reps to failure.
The athlete is still doing the same amount of reps for the exercise in both templates. As you can see, the addition of one extra set of 6 reps makes this one exercise become a blend of explosiveness for the first 3 beginning sets, and strength for the last 3 sets.
Instead of moving the lighter weight slow and steady, he is now moving the bar with as much speed as possible. Every week simply increase the weight by 5 or 10 pounds and decrease the reps by 1. After 3 weeks, change the exercise slightly (move to an incline press or a dumbbell press) and follow this same template for another 3 weeks.
This can be done with all of your basic compound lifts like squats and bench press. You will see great increases in speed and explosiveness without a decrease in strength.
Replace a Slow Assistance Movement with a Fast Bodyweight Movement
Another strategy is to replace a standard compound or isolation movement with a similar exercise focusing on explosion. For example, on the days that you have your athletes squatting, you may have them also doing a lunge variation.
Rather than do the lunge in a typical slow and steady manner, why not change the exercise to a jumping lunge?
So rather than doing 3 sets of 10 reps per leg while holding a dumbbell in each hand, do 6 sets of 5 jumps per leg working on getting as high in the air as possible? Or to look at it another way:
- Walking lunges holding dumbbells – 3 sets of 10 reps – slow pace – focus is hypertrophy.
- Repeat Jumping Lunges – 6 sets of 5 reps – explosive pace – focus is producing massive force.
(Both are lunges, both very easy to teach, but two separate results).
The same can be done by switching a dumbbell bench press to an explosive push up, or exchanging a leg press or leg extension with a repeat jumping squat.
Superset an Opposite Explosive Exercise Immediately After a Strength Exercise
A third strategy that you can use that works great with larger teams or if you have limited time is to superset an opposite explosive movement immediately after a strength exercise. For example, if you have your athletes doing a typical 5 x 5 strength template and you have 4 athletes sharing one piece of equipment, you are inevitably going to have athletes taking a large amount of rest between each set while the bar is loaded and unloaded.
Instead of having the athlete finish his set and sit down for a few minutes of rest, have him do an explosive movement immediately after his set is complete.
Here is a great example.
Exercise: Squats – 5 sets of 5 reps – increase weight each time
Superset with clapping push ups – 5 sets of 5 reps – perform immediately after squats.
This is a great way to blend a strength based exercise with an explosive exercise. With this strategy, just make sure that the explosive exercise is opposite (uses a different movement pattern) than the strength exercise. So if the main strength exercise is a bench press, superset with an explosive jumping movement.
In my experience, supersetting an explosive movement with a strength movement that is too similar will be counterproductive. The athlete will be too tired to produce the energy necessary to lift heavy and the heavy lifting will prevent them from being explosive. Truly a lose-lose situation. Neither exercise will accomplish what it sets out to do.
Implementing These Strategies Properly
Properly implementing these strategies should be done gradually so you do not throw off whatever progress you have accumulated thus far. Don't completely revamp your training templates and switch around what your team has been doing. Take one strategy from the three above and implement it for the first 4 or 5 weeks of the season. Test it out with your team (certain sports and athlete body types respond to each strategy differently) and see if the response is favorable when they play their sport. If it is, try to incorporate an additional strategy for the next 4-5 weeks and see how your athletes respond.
If your athletes show an increase of explosion in their sport, you know what you are doing is working.
If your athletes are looking lethargic and are gassing out during their weight room sessions, that is a sign to pull back and decrease the amount of explosive work.
Whatever is done in the weightroom should enhance what is done during competition. You are training athletes. They can't be bodybuilders in the weightroom and athletes on the field. They can't be Olympic lifters in the weightroom and athletes on the field. They can't be powerlifters in the weightroom and athletes on the field. Train them like athletes by blending their strength training, explosive movements, and hypertrophy in the weightroom to compliment what they do in their sport. You will see over time that their explosion increases along with their strength and muscular size.
-Coach Matt Ellis-
DIESELS, Coach Ellis and I worked together on a project last eyar and we are about to release it. It's called Grip Training for Track and Field Throwers.
You can get on the early bird list for this DVD release by adding your email to the box below. You'll be the first to know about it when it comes out.
All the best in your training – Grip for Throwers comes out next week!
Tags: athletic training, athletic workouts, explosive training, strength training, training explosion
Posted in how to improve fitness and conditioning, strength training muscle building workouts, strength training to improve athletic performance, strength training workouts | 2 Comments »
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CBS Chicago's Dan Durkin provides an excellent overview of how the Bears' new defensive coordinator has been successful against Rodgers and company.
49ers DC Vic Fangio seemed one step ahead of Aaron Rodgers for most of Sunday's 30-22 loss. Here's a look at some of the negative decisions made by the Packers QB.


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by admin on Monday, April 16, 2012
Featuring hospital and health care headlines from the media and the Web.
Iowa News
Five weekend tornadoes confirmed in Iowa
Five tornadoes hit Iowa over the weekend, meteorologists said, though the worst damage was confined to the two towns hit. Creston and Thurman were both struck by EF2 tornadoes, part of a large storm system that unleashed dozens of twisters across the Midwest. Tornadoes also touched down near New Virginia in Warren County, near the Oskaloosa airport and close to Council Bluffs, the National Weather Service confirmed. No fatalities were reported anywhere in Iowa. (Des Moines Register)
Major issues yet to be resolved as Iowa Legislature eyes adjournment
Iowa legislators are likely to have one eye on the calendar and the other on their pocketbooks as they go back to work today, the 99th day of their scheduled 100-day session. With the session scheduled to end April 17, lawmakers are trying to wrap up work on major priorities – commercial property tax reform, education reform and mental health services. If they can't reach resolution by Tuesday, they'll be paying their own way. (Eastern Iowa Government)
Will tax revenue go up in smoke?
Hundreds of Iowans are buying cigarettes at half the cost of those sold over the counter, using relatively new machines in a development that some lawmakers and others say amounts to tobacco tax evasion. Some Iowa lawmakers say the few machines already in place in Iowa will cost the state an estimated $1.2 million in lost tax revenues annually. And if the machines catch on, a good chunk of the $200 million in tobacco taxes that the state collects each year could be in jeopardy. (Des Moines Register)
Questions to ask on National Health Care Decisions Day
What if you suddenly experienced a severe injury or illness that left you unable to express your wishes regarding your health care? Would your circle of support know what kind of medical treatment you would want? Today is National Healthcare Decisions Day, a day to remind adults to have conversations about their future health care preferences, and to select a healthcare agent who would carry out their wishes if they are unable to communicate. (Iowa City Press-Citizen)
National News
Medicare moves to tie doctors' pay to quality and cost of care
Twenty-thousand physicians in four Midwest states received a glimpse into their financial future last month. Landing in their e-mail inboxes were links to reports from Medicare showing the amount their patients cost on average as well as the quality of the care they provided. The reports also showed how Medicare spending on each doctor's patients compared with their peers in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. (Washington Post)
Poor performance, patient dissatisfaction go hand in hand
Saket Girotra, MD, of the cardiovascular diseases division at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, and colleagues wrote that previous research has identified groups of hospitals that perform poorly in cardiac care, based on hospital-level analyses using Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) data in Hospital Compare. They wrote that critics of process measures such as heart failure (HF) and acute MI (AMI) metrics argue that they are imprecise and subject to gaming by hospitals that self-report the data. (Health Imaging)
OSF HealthCare, Rockford Health System may still work together
When OSF HealthCare and Rockford Health System parted ways earlier this week — ending their two-year fight to join together — they hinted at the possibility of working together in the future. Indeed, that might be their only option after spending years studying the other's business. It's unlikely they would attempt an acquisition deal again, given the millions of dollars they've spent pursuing the plan. (Rockford Register Star)
Unconventional doctor faces life as a patient
Krenie Stowe believes in science. After all, she is a doctor, a pediatrician who has practiced in the suburbs north of Houston for almost 20 years. But she also believes in alternative healing. While Stowe has an Ivy League education and a busy medical practice, she has made choices that mean, like many of her patients, she has struggled to find insurance and to pay for her medical care. (Houston Chronicle)
The difference between God and a doctor
God doesn't think he's a doctor. Surely you know that ancient wheeze. It comes to mind because the Associated Press Stylebook editors at the American Copy Editors Society's national conference in New Orleans last week restated their preference to restrict the use of the term Dr. to M.D.s and osteopaths. And, I think, dentists. Oh, and veterinarians. (Chiropractors can go roll a hoop.) Why people who spend the workday probing into other people's orifices are more worthy of dignity and respect than someone who has mastered quantum mechanics or Babylonian cuneiform continues to baffle me. (Baltimore Sun)


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Celtic have turned down a second bid from Norwich for striker Gary Hooper.
The front-man is a long-term target of the Canaries and has been attracting interest from Tottenham in recent times,
The East Anglians £5m offer for his services last week was turned down, but they came back with a slightly increased sum.
Celtic manager Neil Lennon has revealed that this refreshed bid has been rebuffed and that it will take a much larger offer to make the Scots reconsider their stance:
"It was nowhere near six million. It was completely rejected and even if it was six million it would be completely rejected." He is quoted by Sky Sports.
The Premier League duo are believed to be highly interested in the front-man, who has hit 20 goals this season, and could return with an improved bid.
Celtic may be forced to reluctantly accept, with contract negotiations between Hooper and the club stalling.
Lennon revealed a contract offer is still on the table and that he believes the 24-year-old will not be on the move this month:
"I'm pretty sure Gary will be a Celtic player come February 1. We have had private chats and he is really happy here. He wants to stay, he wants to see out the season, and we will have a look at the situation then.
"We feel it's a very good offer. It would put him in the top two or three highest-paid players at the club. I'm sure he wants to be the highest paid but you can't always get what you want."
[cat_link cat="norwich" type="grid"]


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Germany's capital city of art & culture, Berlin, will entertain you for as long as you want it to... with its thousands of bars & restaurants you can spend the evening debating politics with passionate locals eating curry sausage or wind down and relax with loved ones over Michelin star cuisine.
For those keen on World War 2 history or the interesting facts behind the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 / 90, this is the place to absorb history.
Historical, fascinating & great for a long weekend, city break or longer holiday at any time of year Berlin should be on everyone's bucket list.
One of Berlin's most important monuments, a former symbol of the divided city, which separated east from west Berlin, geographically and politically, it was here that on June 12, 1987, Ronald Regan famously said: 'Mr. Gorbachov - tear down this wall!'.
The large public square in the middle of Berlin, Alexanderplatz is a busy central hub for shopping and sights. For history buffs... approximately one million people congregated here on 4 November 1989 to demonstrate against the GDR regime shortly before the fall of the Berlin Wall.
You won't miss some of its landmarks such as the 365 metre TV tower, (Berlin's highest construction which has a rotating viewing platform), the Brunnen der Völkerfreundschaft (Fountain of Friendship amongst Peoples) and the World Time Clock.
Following on from the 2012 UK Olympics, those interested in sporting history should visit The Olympiastadion, host to the 1936 Olympics and still a top tourist destination.
You may also want to spend your weekend break checking out Checkpoint Charlie, pay your respects at the Holocaust Memorial, visit the Berliner Dom (Berlin Cathedral) or just rummage around some of the amazing markets Berlin has to offer. Whatever you do... you won't be bored here!


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ok, the first one is-
my friend is taking his ap back, so i will now be back on no tune, so how much power do you guys think i would be making at the wheels?
and the next one is-
i also might be getting a deadbolt 18g...is this a good idea? how do they perform on the ej20s? would this turbo be too big?


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Forte, Hammonds and Smart combined for 53 points – just one point less than the entire Horned Frogs team – while making 13 of 24 three-pointers on Monday night. The trio also contributed 14 rebounds and 11 assists.
Forte led the Cowboys with 23 points, making 8 of 13 shots, with four assists and two steals.
Smart, wearing jersey number 43 because his 33 jersey was accidentally left back in Stillwater, missed 10 of his first 11 shots, including all four of his three-point attempts in the first half. But he made up for it in the second half by going 5-for-5 on treys and finishing with 17 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists and 5 steals.
"We're going back to 33. But that's kind of how our season has been," Cowboys head coach Travis Ford said. "We forget his jersey. How about that? That's a new one."
Hammonds, the true freshman who entered the game averaging 1.1 points per game while making just 18.2 percent of his three-pointers this season, played a seasoned veteran against the Horned Frogs. He finished with a career-best 13 points while making three treys.
"I thought our defense was very good. I thought our offense was a little sloppy at times. We didn't really pass the ball as well as we're capable, even though we had 20 assists which was great," Ford said. "But I thought our defense was the difference in the game. I thought we really did a great job on their point guard (Kyan Anderson, who finished with 15 points but was 5 of 14 from the field), who is one of the most prolific scorers.
"We had great contributions off the bench from Leyton Hammonds. I thought he did a good job for us. Phil Forte kept us in the game in the first half with his threes. But overall our defense was the difference," Ford added.
The Cowboys led 37-22 at halftime but the Horned Frogs used a 10-0 run to trim the margin to six points midway through the second half. But that's as close as TCU would get.
Forte and Smart, who won back-to-back Texas Class 5A state championship while playing at nearby at Marcus High School in Flower Mound, looked like they were back in high school during a 32-second sequence.
The Horned Frogs were still hanging around at 58-46 with a little more than five minutes remaining when Smart drained a three from the corner. A few seconds later the Cowboys sophomore point guard made a steal and found his former high school teammate for a wide open look in front of the OSU bench, and Forte nailed the trey. Forte then made the steal on the inbounds play and fed Smart, who sank a three from the wing. In 32 seconds, OSU's led went from 58-46 to 67-46 and the game was over.
"It was a great sequence. That's good basketball," Ford said.
The Cowboys have five days now to prepare for Saturday's nationally televised showdown against fifth-ranked Kansas. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m.


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Major Crimes
1,300 Fans
Final episodes of "The Closer" will lead into a spin-off series "Major Crimes," set in the LAPD and built around Mary McDonnell's character Captain Raydor.
Played by:
Character Bio
Sharon is a LAPD Captain in charge of the Force Investigation Division.
Episode Screenshots
Captain Sharon Raydor Quotes
|Season 3 / Episode 14: - Trial by Fire
Captain Sharon Raydor: The law's not about right or wrong. It's about resolving conflicts in a civilized manner. If we want the justice system to work, we have to stand beside it when it doesn't go our way.
|Season 3 / Episode 14: - Trial by Fire
Jeff Berrier: Hey, Lieutenant Mike!
Mike Tao: Hey-hey, Jeff. Welcome to the real L.A.P.D.
Jeff Berrier: Ah, thank you so much. Thank you. Yeah, Beckin's described this place to me so well, I could probably move around with my eyes closed. Uh, oh, I got my camera here. Is it okay if I just take a few photographs?
Captain Sharon Raydor: Yeah, if you let me review them before you leave. Right, Beckin?
Rusty Beck: Oh, oh, that's my nickname at work.
Jeff Berrier: Well, it's... it's "Beck and call" because he's there when we need him, he's got a great work ethic, he, uh, he-he never complains, he's always upbeat. Just positive, positive, positive. We love it.
Captain Sharon Raydor Photos
|powered by
|Next: Detective Amy Sykes


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Adrienne Vannarsdall
Adrienne joined River Cities in February of 2008. She oversees the accounting, finance, treasury and human resource functions for the River Cities family of venture capital funds, as well as for the management company, Mayfield & Robinson, Inc. In addition, she participates in the investment committee.
Prior to joining River Cities, Adrienne was a Senior Auditor for Ernst & Young. During her time at Ernst & Young, she audited clients of various industries, including healthcare, manufacturing, airline services, coal supply, property management and transportation.
Adrienne holds a Bachelors of Science with concentration in Accountancy and a Masters of Accountancy, from Northern Kentucky University.
Adrienne serves on the Board of Directors of I Have Wings, a northern Kentucky breast cancer foundation, which aides breast cancer patients and their families.
E-mail: avannarsdall [@] rccf.com


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text:
In early 2005, Delta Air Lines said it had stopped hedging fuel expenses. Because jet fuel is a significant and volatile cost, airlines routinely enter into contracts that set floors and ceilings for the fuel prices they will pay in the future. It appeared to be an odd time for Delta to eliminate its hedges: its credit ratings were sliding, indicating that it was vulnerable to a financial shock. The previous year, its fuel expenses had jumped more than 50% due to a spike in oil prices.
Delta's decision contradicted a longstanding assumption of academic business theory, that financially constrained companies managed their risks more tightly, because they can't afford a big unexpected loss. Delta would be expected to hedge more, recognizing that unplanned expenses could push it into bankruptcy.
But its action illustrates the research findings of Chicago Booth Professor Amir Sufi and Duke University's Adriano A. Rampini and S. Viswanathan, who believe that troubled companies can't afford to manage their risks as well as healthy ones can. Their work could upend theories of risk management and help investors and managers better understand the choices facing distressed businesses.
Sufi and his collaborators examine airlines because the companies explain their hedging decisions in annual 10-K filings to the US Securities and Exchange Commission, and because fuel typically makes up 20% of an airline's operating expenses, and as much as 30% or more when oil prices are high.
Previous research indicated that larger airlines hedge more than smaller ones, and airlines with less debt and higher credit ratings hedge more than those that are financially strapped, but those studies didn't examine the hypothesis that risk management involves financing tradeoffs. "The most important insight is that hedging is not free," Sufi says. "It's actually quite expensive, because it forces you to use very valuable collateral to pledge against that hedge."
The researchers develop a model that predicts that when a company's net worth is low and the marginal value of its internal resources is high—in other words, when the company needs all the cash it can find to keep operating—firms choose to finance investment, or downsize less, at the expense of hedging.
To test their model, the researchers look at 10-K filings from 23 US airlines from 1996 through 2009. The filings allow them to measure variations in fuel hedging across the industry, as well as changes at the same airline from year to year. They believe they are the first to look at changes in airlines' risk management over time, ruling out the possibility that hedging is solely based on size, with bigger airlines hedging more. Instead, Sufi and his coresearchers find a strong correlation between changes in net worth and the fraction of the next year's fuel expenses hedged by the airline.
They also test their model using 10 situations of airlines in financial distress. During the two years before the airlines become distressed, their hedging declines from about 30% of the airlines' total expected fuel expenses to about 25%. As the airlines become distressed, hedging drops to less than 5% of those total expected fuel expenses. In the two years following distress, when the airlines begin to recover, hedging returns to almost 20%.
Although the researchers didn't study Delta's case, their findings could explain its actions in 2005. Delta's lenders and the counterparties to its hedging agreements required the airline to post collateral. As the airline's cash dwindled, it was forced to choose between the short-term goal of keeping the company running and the longer-term goal of hedging fuel expenses. It reduced its hedges from 65% of total expected fuel expenses in fiscal 2003 to 8% in fiscal 2004. But the risk didn't pay off: in September 2005, Delta sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, blaming debt and high fuel prices.
Sufi hopes to apply his findings to ongoing research about low-net-worth households, examining why these households don't protect themselves from financial shocks. His work illuminates the dilemma that families and businesses face when it comes to warding off risk: those who can afford to the least are the ones who need to the most.


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Create an Account - Increase your productivity, customize your experience, and engage in information you care about.
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Roscommon County is beautiful with large lakes, deep woods, and scenic views. We also have two major freeways, I-75 and US-127 that pass through the county with over a million yearly travelers. Whether you're a long time resident or just passing through, you will want to be found in the event of an emergency. Knowing where you're at and being able to relay that to 911 may save a life.
What if you don't know? Modern technologies are vastly improved but still often provide generalities. All 911 calls are routed to the nearest 911 center. The information of your location is then forwarded to that center. When calling from a landline phone the name and address registered to the phone is displayed. For most homes this will be the actual address of the home but for some businesses, it may be the name and address of a parent company located at a completely different address. Cellular phones do not provide 911 with an address for the caller. Under most circumstances it will provide 911 a latitude and longitude which, during perfect conditions, may be very accurate. However, factor in things such as being surrounded by a metal car, inside a building, weather, and age or condition of the phone, the information provided by the latitude and longitude could be off significantly. It all boils down to, you, the caller. Being aware of where you're at, staying calm during an emergency, and being able to verbalize your location to the 911 dispatcher will make the difference.
Roscommon Central Dispatch also has Smart911 which allows us to communicate via text message with cellular phones. It does not allow us to receive 911 calls via text message. Instead, 911 can start a text conversation with any active cell phone. The process would work like this: An individual places a 911 call via an active cell phone. That call is received at 911. The 911 dispatcher will attempt verbal communication with the caller. If there is no verbal response, it sounds as if speaking is impractical or unsafe, or the caller says they must text to communicate, the dispatcher will then start a text conversation. Callers should take whatever measures they must to ensure their safety during this process such as exit a burning building or hide in a safe place during a break-in.
Communications centers that answer 9-1-1 calls have special text telephones for responding to 9-1-1 calls from Deaf or hearing/speech impaired callers. If a caller uses a TTY/TDD, the caller should: stay calm, place the phone receiver in the TTY, dial 911. After the call is answered, press the TTY keys several times. This may help shorten the time necessary to respond to the call.Give the call taker time to connect their TTY. If necessary, press the TTY keys again. The 911 call taker should answer and type GA for Go Ahead. Tell what is needed-police, Fire Department, or ambulance. Give your name, phone number and the address where help is needed.Stay on the telephone if it is safe. Answer the call taker's questions. If a deaf or hearing/speech impaired caller doesn't have a TTY/TDD, the caller should call using a cellular phone or the relay center for assistance at 7-1-1.
Most accidental calls are considered just that, accidental. In most cases, 911 dispatchers will make an attempt to recontact the caller to ensure there is no real emergency. There have been times when a phone repeatedly dials 911 tying up valuable resources just like prank calls. Even when accidental it is treated very seriously. Callers will be provided an opportunity to correct the situation but there are laws in place similar to those against making prank calls.
If you know your phone is malfunctioning and calling 911 repeatedly some simple steps may clear up the problem. For cell phones simply turning it off and waiting for approximately 1 minute before powering it back on will clear it up. Land lines may be disconnected at the phone, waiting for a few moments, the reconnected. If the problem persists callers must contact their phone provider for a repair.
You can use any kind of phone: push button, rotary, cellular/wireless, cordless, or pay phone. Stay calm and state your emergency. Speak loudly and clearly when possible. Give the 911 call taker your name, phone number and the address where help is needed. Answer the call taker's questions. Stay on the telephone if it's safe to do so, and don't hang up until the call taker tells you to.
Don't call 911 for information, directory assistance, paying tickets, for pet-related issues, as a prank, or just for a chat. If you call 911 by mistake, do not hang up. Tell the call taker what happened so they know there really isn't an emergency.
If you know it is not an emergency but still require assistance, you may reach Roscommon Central Dispatch at 275-0911; the area code is 989 if from outside the area.
A) You can apply for child support services at www.michigan.gov/dhs and choose to apply online at MiChildSupport (see "Quick Links" on FOC main page), or complete and mail the "IV-D Child Support Services Application/Referral" form DHS-1201
B) If paternity has been established, a Custody Packet is available at no cost at our Central Filing Office. The packet contains all the forms needed to start a case.
C) You may contact an attorney for case-establishment assistance.
You may also come into our office for a copy. We are open Monday through Friday from 8:30am – 4:30pm.
Our vault is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 to 4:20 pm. We offer public computers, micro film and tract index books for searching.
If a deed is sent in through the mail and meets the recording requirements the process takes approximately 24 hours to record. The original will then be mailed back to you within 4-5 business days.


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Taking a moment to gloat
OK, so it's Thursday morning and I still haven't packed for SCALE, the Enterprise guy is going to be here in about a half-hour to pick me up so I can drive the rental car back here to load up, I have one more SCALE 10X press release to send out before hitting the road, and there's a Q-and-A interview also I have to post on the SCALE Web site.
But I'll drop all that for a moment. This is a little more important.
Recently, tech writers risked grave injury jumping on the "Linux Desktop is dead" bandwagon. Armies of writers marched lockstep to the theme that the desktop needs to have a fork stuck in it — it's over, kaput, get it a nice casket. What do we have for our departing contestant?
I told them they were all full of crap.
Meanwhile, this morning Steven J. Vaughan Nichols reports that the Linux desktop might just be growing. It seems a Web research firm called Net Applications produced data showing that Linux's desktop market share has been growing — from 0.97 percent in July 2011 to a record-breaking 1.41 percent as of this month.
OK, guys, now watch your step getting down off that bandwagon.
See you all at SCALE — arriving around 6ish in the white rental car.
(Larry Cafiero is one of the founders of the Lindependence Project and has just started developing software at Redwood Digital Research, a consultancy that provides FOSS solutions in the small business and home office environment.)
Mint, Linux Mint
On Google+ recently, Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols brought back a May 2011 item he posted on Linux Mint because "[w]ith all the chatter on one of my posts about Linux desktops, perhaps it's time for me to drag out this review of my current favourite Linux desktop."
It may seem trivial to some, but Steven calls Linux Mint "Mint" throughout the review, and in the back and forth on the comments, that seems to be OK with some. Correction: It seems to be OK with everyone but me. In my opinion, calling it just "Mint" is wrong — especially since the screen shot featured in the article says "Linux Mint" and the symbol is an "LM" — and I find it a little grating to do so, like someone calling me by my last name (Note: Unless you're a drill sergeant, don't do that).
So who's right? Is it "Mint" or "Linux Mint"?
Let's ask Clement Lefevbre, the lead developer at, ahem, Linux Mint. When I e-mailed him that question — "Mint or Linux Mint?" — he responded with the following:
Hi Larry,
You're right. The official name is "Linux Mint" and this is what we should call it.
With that said, most people nickname it "Mint", myself included. I think, when it's within a conversation or an article, it's ok to call the distribution "Mint". It's like a nickname of sorts. But when referring to it officially, we should use its proper name instead. So for instance, its entry within Distrowatch should not be "Mint", but "Linux Mint".
Personally, when I talk about the distribution to other "Mint" users, and when I talk with the other "Mint" devs, we all refer to it as "Mint". When I adress the public or anyone outside our project, I call us "Linux Mint".
Clement Lefebvre
Linux Mint
So . . . I guess that means that both Steven and I are right then.
A couple of things about Linux Mint, going forward: I've used Linux Mint off and on for a couple of years now and I've always found it solid; particularly, and most recently, the Linux Mint Debian Edition which runs flawlessly on a ThinkPad R30. Also, I think the naming convention is one of the best: in initial letter order, a woman's name ending in the letter "a" (I asked Clement once what is going to happen when he reaches "Zelda" — or whatever the "Z" name is — and he said that they'll start with "A" again, ending the name in "e")
If it's up to me, I'll keep calling it Linux Mint, thank you.
This blog, and all other blogs by Larry the Free Software Guy and Larry Cafiero, are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs CC BY-NC-ND license. In short, this license allows others to download this work and share it with others as long as they credit me as the author, but others can't change it in any way or use it commercially.
(Larry Cafiero is one of the founders of the Lindependence Project and has just started developing software in his new home office. Watch this space.)
Linux desktop: Not pining for the fjords
When radio became a popular form of entertainment, the prevailing wisdom of the time provided that live theater was dead. Of course, this so-called "wisdom" was just a little off, since live theater "survived" the onslaught of radio entertainment and still lives to this day.
When television became ubiquitous in households across the land, the death knell for movie theaters and radio was sounded by the day's pundits. There would be no reason to go to the movie theater any longer. Of course, they were wrong again, since movie theaters and radio still exist and are an integral part of the social landscape.
Even the death sentence for newspapers at the hands of the Internet — not the fault so much of the Internet as it is of bean-counting pinheads in publishers' offices around the world — is still widely premature, though admittedly it doesn't look good for the printed word.
Now there's the future — or lack thereof — of Linux desktop, where tech writers are tripping over each other recently to announce its untimely demise.
I'll just let time prove them wrong.
The problem is, to paraphrase the oft-quoted (and misquoted) Mark Twain on this particular topic, the report of its death is an exaggeration (the popular misquote, "Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated," admittedly sounds better than what Twain wrote to the New York Journal is 1897: " . . . the report of my death was an exaggeration.").
Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols points out in a recent article that the resounding butt-kicking that Android and Chrome are laying on the digital world these days doesn't bode well for the Linux desktop. Vaughan-Nichols links to a blog post by Jason Perlow that says that, essentially, we are entering the post-PC era in which, while the x86 may be dead, personal computing across different-sized hardware will continue.
I can see this and generally have no qualms with that, however I think this sales pitch for a brave new world of tablets and smartphones goes overboard. Arguably, what Perlow describes doesn't sound like post-PC, but rather PC-plus-(fill in your additional hardware here).
Linux's success in the non-desktop realm is hardly an accident and I am neither belittling it nor taking this for granted. On the contrary: Linux's superiority in servers, supercomputers and mobile provide resounding proof that it is a successful operating system, to the point where "the year of the desktop" has now become laughable since it is no longer the standard by which Linux's success should be gauged (if that was ever the case in the first place).
Yet, to those risking injury jumping on the Linux-desktop-is-dead bandwagon, my question is this: Does Linux's skyrocketing use and popularity in the mobile and tablet realms necessarily mean the "death" of something else in Linux, like — oh, I don't know — the desktop, as some sort of technological quid pro quo?
I'd say "no," and I'm willing to bet history has my back.
This blog, and all other blogs by Larry the Free Software Guy and Larry Cafiero, are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs CC BY-NC-ND license. In short, this license allows others to download this work and share it with others as long as they credit me as the author, but others can't change it in any way or use it commercially.
(Larry Cafiero is one of the founders of the Lindependence Project and has just started developing software in his new home office. Watch this space.)
As Linus was saying . . . .
Yes, I know LinuxCon is next, and that's in mid-August, but I think they've got the publicity thing covered, especially with the 20-year thing and with Linus being there and all. But if you're going to the next show, make it the Ohio LinuxFest in September. Bradley Kuhn and Cathy Malmrose are keynoting, so you'll not want to miss that (especially Cathy — Go ZaReason!)
Until recently, I had several of my lab machines using GNOME — until my hardware and I were relegated to second-class status by being only able to use the GNOME 3 Fallback Mode while the rest of the world went on its merry way using GNOME 3. But in the grand scheme of things, that's OK: Regular readers of this blog also know that in the recent past I have taken both GNOME 3 and Unity to task for bailing on already experienced users in an effort to dumb down the desktop for those who are new to Linux.
Of course, the woe I documented in past blogs about it is nothing compared to the choice words Linus Torvalds has for GNOME 3.
As widely reported by ZDNet and others, Linus had some — how can we put this tactfully? — issues with GNOME 3, which he outlined in a Google+ message.
Also, as Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols points out in the ZDNet article linked above, the request by Linus to fork GNOME 2.x "started in a public Google+ posting by Dave Jones, a Red Hat engineer and one of the maintainers of Fedora Linux, where Jones announced some minor Linux kernel news for a Fedora update. As the discussion continued, Torvalds joined in and remarked, 'Could you also fork gnome, and support a gnome-2 environment? I want my sane interfaces back. I have yet to meet anybody who likes the unholy mess that is gnome-3.' "
Well, now . . .
As just about everyone in FOSS knows, Linus is not one to mince words. Not only this, there's a Wikiquote page that backs up this assertion.
But it's not like Linus T. becomes Mr. T when in disagreement. Since he is particularly charming and well spoken in person, I would think those words coming from him verbally would not have the same edge as they do when you read them on the screen. Opinionated as he is, it doesn't appear that Linus is a jerk about taking a stand on an issue, which cannot be said for everyone in the FOSS realm.
I like to think that the GNOME 3 situation is one that's akin to what happened with KDE 4: The latter had a rough start before levelling out to a pretty decent KDE 4.7. For GNOME's sake, I just hope this is a repeat of KDE's experience. Though it appears that GNOME 3 has done something significantly radical in this new desktop, I think the curve for "correction" — for lack of a better term — could be more steep.
But as I've mentioned in past blogs, GNOME 3 — and to a great extent, Unity — and their attempts to dumb down the desktop were a mistake from the start. Whether that gets fixed or not remains to be seen.
Now to get those "Linus T. speaks for me!" T-shirts and buttons produced and out . . . .
This blog, and all other blogs by Larry the Free Software Guy and Larry Cafiero, are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs CC BY-NC-ND license. In short, this license allows others to download this work and share it with others as long as they credit me as the author, but others can't change it in any way or use it commercially.
(Larry Cafiero is one of the founders of the Lindependence Project and has just started developing software in his new home office. Watch this space.)
Unpacked and back, but Microsoft is still here
Next up: OSCON. Get there if you can, and give them my regards because I can't make it this year 😦
For those few of you who might have missed this blog, I do apologize. As many of you know, I have moved about three miles down the road to beautiful downtown Felton, about a half-mile south of the traffic light on Highway 9 — say it with me: "That enough directions for Felton." It has taken me fairly close to a month to unpack and sort out the new place; unpacking included taking things out of boxes, asking "Do I really need this?" And then putting away what I do need and taking what I don't to the Abbot's Thrift Store down the street.
But enough about me.
Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols recently wrote a piece on ZDNet that has caused some brouhaha in Linux and FOSS circles. It's a classic tempest-in-a-teapot issue: Microsoft — horrors! — is one of the top five corporate contributors to Linux kernel development and, if you just read the headline, it implies that Microsoft is fifth on the list top contributors.
Well, to paraphrase Paul Harvey (you'll have to google him, kids), here's the rest of the story: Microsoft is fifth on the list of corporate contributors to the Linux kernel and 15th overall on the list. They're behind Red Hat, Intel, Novell and IBM on the corporate list, and 15th overall.
While SJVN aptly outlines the scenario which causes Microsoft to come to the table — virtualization — what is not said, but stands out, to me is that between the four corporate contributors ahead of Microsoft and the 15th overall position that Microsoft holds are 10 non-corporate contributors to the kernel, meaning for all intents and purposes, individuals who are working for the greater good and not for some corporate benefit that Linux provides.
I have not had a chance to see the original article on Linux Weekly News from which SJVN bases his column, thanks to not having a subscription. But I would be interested to see who and what is ranked where.
[Also, I'm not going anywhere near remotely bringing up where Canonical is on the list of corporate contributors to the Linux kernel. Uh uh. Not me. No way.]
Of course the FUDmeisters are spinning this for all it's worth — Stop the presses! Microsoft a top Linux kernel contributor! — but SJVN puts it all in perspective and while it's certainly decent of the corporate giant from Redmond to help improve Hyper-V and Linux interoperability, it's not a sign of the apocalypse by any matter of means.
However, as one comment to SJVN's post points out, you don't turn your back on a coiled snake.
Watch this space, as well as that snake.
This blog, and all other blogs by Larry the Free Software Guy and Larry Cafiero, are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs CC BY-NC-ND license. In short, this license allows others to download this work and share it with others as long as they credit me as the author, but others can't change it in any way or use it commercially.
(Larry Cafiero is one of the founders of the Lindependence Project and has just started developing software in his new home office. Watch this space.)
Joining the fray: Why Debian matters
Registration is now open for SCALE 9X — register now by clicking on the winking penguin.
As mentioned in this blog in the past, and as mentioned to various people who ask, I don't like the six-month release cycle. I can go further: I hate it. There's nothing like getting comfortable with a distro, only to be prodded to update to the latest, greatest improvements — in many instances the improvements are both great and welcome, but then the cycle of getting comfortable starts all over again.
This is why we run the office of Redwood Digital Research in Felton, California, on Fedora 10. That's right, Fedora 10; a two-year old version of Fedora which reached it's so-called "end of life" already. Know why? It has worked since I installed it, and I've tweaked it to do what needs to be done to run the business. I'm too busy futzing with other people's computers and too busy developing our FOSS server project to budget time tweaking the business computer. So I left it at that particular version because, simply, it just works.
So in many ways that we'll probably not cover here, thank God for Debian and, for one reason for gratitude, its "we'll release it when it's good and ready" release cycle. Debian 6.0 "Squeeze" was just released over the weekend and its release prompted a couple of interesting items from two of FOSS's best writers.
Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols wrote in a blog item that says that Debian is not as important as it once was. He concludes with the following: "Debian is still important. Its developers do a lot of the hard work of mixing and matching basic Linux components and many open-source programs into the strong, reliable foundation that other versions of Linux, such as Ubuntu and MEPIS use. But, while Linux programmers will continue to appreciate Debian, it seems to me that Debian is becoming increasingly irrelevant to the larger user community that Ubuntu, Mint, Fedora, and openSUSE has brought into the Linux fold."
Meanwhile, Joe "Zonker" Brockmeier doesn't exactly concur in his blog item that says that Debian is still relevant; not only this, it matters more than ever.
Give them both a look. I'll wait.
So who's right, Steven or Joe?
Both are right, to varying degrees, though I think they're coming at the issue from different perspectives: Steven from the popular use aspect, and Joe from the development and contribution side of things.
Debian never gets the credit it deserves by the wider public, and that may be OK with them; or not. Personally, I think this is a tragedy — my first distro in 2006 was Debian, and while I went to Ubuntu and then to Fedora, Debian was the one where I started. If you started with Ubuntu, you really started with Debian.
That's because without Debian, there's no Ubuntu. Without Debian, there's no Linux Mint. Without Debian, there's no Mepis. The list goes on, and it's huge.
[Meanwhile, in a classic case of ADD, I found this link in one of the responses to Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols' blog — it's an update of a poster we used in Lindependence in 2008 and shows the "family tree" of GNU/Linux. If you look at the chart, you can see all the distros which can trace their roots to Debian.]
So is Debian still relevant? Depends on how you look at it. Is it eclipsed in use by easier-to-use distros, some of which don't contribute back in proportion to what they take? In that sense, it's relevancy arguably is waning.
But in uplifting the FOSS paradigm, maintaining GNU/Linux's progress in development, offering options to architectures that are thought to be extinct, and sending improvements upstream for the benefit of all, and not just for itself, then, is Debian relevant? Yeah. Hell, yeah. Debian is relevant in a big way.
In a big way.
[Incidentally, as an aside, "Squeeze" will go on the PowerPC boxes in the "Jungle Room," the name for the Redwood Digital Research computer lab. Elvis would have wanted it that way.]
And, once again, here are the last three words of a well-traveled Buddhist sutra: "Don't Waste Time." Even if it means releasing your distro in more-than-six-month cycles.
(Fedora ambassador Larry Cafiero runs Redwood Digital Research in Felton, California, and is an associate member of the Free Software Foundation. He is also one of the founders of the Lindependence Project.)
Don't fear the beard
Registration is now open for SCALE 9X — register now by clicking on the winking penguin.
During the 2010 baseball season, the San Francisco Giants — the World Series Champion San Francisco Giants (yours truly never tires of saying that) — had a slogan, "Fear the Beard." Most of the pitching staff — relievers and closer Brian Wilson specifically — were bearded pitching machines mowing down opposing batters.
Historically speaking, the tech realm and beards have never been too far apart, at least for the men. As such, there are some in the FOSS realm who deserve special recognition for not only advancing free/open source software, but also for forsaking the razor and putting a hairy face forward.
This blog item deals with beards specifically, so those with FOSS's most awesome goatees — like Red Hat's Karsten Wade, freelance FOSS journalist Joe "Zonker" Brockmeier and Oregon State University Professor Carlos Jensen, all of whom would definitely get top honors in this category — aren't included here. Sorry, guys. Same with moustaches: For example, Mark Terranova's 'stache belongs in any facial hair Hall of Fame; a piece of work that would easily get him membership in The Village People — and I mean that in a good way (however, truth be told, when he's got a beard, Mark runs with the best of 'em).
Here is a sampling of what I find are the best beards in FOSS, in no particular order other than to say that if anyone got a first prize, it would have to go to . . .
Jon 'maddog' Hall: Despite getting a lot of input from those who think Richard Stallman should get top billing, sorry, RMS: Maddog takes the prize as the FOSS advocate with historically the best beard in the realm, to which picture at right will attest. Or you could look up Father Christmas in the dictionary and, chances are, you'll find maddog's picture with the definition. Despite recently going for the Sean-Connery-as-Indiana-Jones'-Dad look (see next paragraph) to go along with the 70 or so pounds he dropped — a great thing, indeed — Hall's beard has always been the standard of epic in the FOSS beard pantheon.
[Maddog, shown at left in his new closer cropped form, comments in response to an e-mail: "And for beards, I could NEVER understand why someone would want to put a very sharp instrument close to their throat when they are only partially awake. I have not shaved since 1969 . . . ." Also, to the youngsters out there, maddog has a message: "I am glad that you are twenty . . . I enjoy seeing your youthful energy and beauty, and some days when I wake up and I am stiff, I wish I was twenty again . . . but I only wish that for about fifteen minutes." Amen to that!]
Richard Stallman: Most people I've talked to about this have said, after they stopped laughing at the topic ("No, really, I'm writing on the BEARDS of FOSS . . ."), that RMS should have the top spot, and in lieu of Jon 'maddog' Hall's change in appearance, they might be right. The bearded face that launched a thousand tools to make the Linux kernel run, and launched a free software movement to boot, has been the one most commonly associated with free-as-in-freedom software. Not only this, he also sidelines as a saint — if you've never seen the St. Ig-GNU-tius schtick, check it out. I first saw this several years ago when Stallman spoke at UC Berkeley, and it never gets old despite being bearded (and I mean that in a good way).
Timothy Budd: If you are now, or have been, a student of computer science at a university, there's a chance you may have had a class with a textbook Timothy Budd had written. An associate professor of computer science at Oregon State University — Go Beavers! — Tim has written a dozen textbooks on object-oriented programming, data structures and Leda, a multi-paradigm programming language that yours truly admits to not understanding at all. Be that as it may, Tim's advocacy for FOSS during his time at OSU — he has had me as well as others speak to his graduate classes on FOSS — and his healthy crop of hair on his chin garners him a spot on the list. Besides, since he is well known by his students for his use of the term "Administrivia," he gets on the list by simple use of that bearded word alone.
Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols: Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols' beard is one that most FOSS users and advocates are accustomed to seeing on a nearly daily basis when reading the latest developments in Free/Open Source Software news. Whenever there's news to be delivered, the FOSS community can count on Steven being the one who brings it to us; not only this, usually Steven is first with the news, which should garner him the nickname "Scoop." Now writing for ZDNet as well, Steven gets what is rightfully more exposure in writing news that's important to us — and to everyone else, for that matter. Steven gets extra points for being a Asheville Tourists fan — the Tourists being one of the most unique mascot names for a baseball team in the country.
Me: In an unprecedented display of unabashed ego worthy of another Larry — the CEO of Oracle whom, incidentally, has what's trying to be a beard on his face, but not doing a very good job of it (but I digress) — I like to think that my beard would rank up there among bearded FOSS titans, not because of any accomplishment of my own — OK, the Lindependence Project . . . maybe — but just by the mere fact that it grows, with Wolfman-like speed, on my face. Herein lies the story: I'm a werewolf. Just kidding — I grew first grew my beard after Jerry Garcia died in Jerry's honor, but my family hated it. So I went back and forth between having it and not having it until making a pact with my family: Even-numbered years, a moustache; odd-numbered years, the beard.
I've missed a lot of people, which is where you come in: Who did I miss and why is should their beard be in the FOSS Hairy-Faced Hall of Fame?
[Photos of Jon "maddog" Hall, Timothy Budd and Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols used by permission. The photo of Richard Stallman was taken by Copyleft and appears here under the GPL and CC-Share-Alike licenses afforded by the photographer. I haven't decided to give myself permission to use my photo, but it's probably OK.]
(Fedora ambassador Larry Cafiero runs Redwood Digital Research in Felton, California, and is an associate member of the Free Software Foundation. He is also one of the founders of the Lindependence Project.)


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How do you know how big your family should be? How do you know what Godwants? Discerning family size is one of the most common concerns expressed by both listeners to my radio program and clients in my counseling practice.A lot of people use the phrase "responsible parenthood" but few understand the practical implications of the concept. It's a phrase that's found in the catechism as well as most of the Church's documents on marriage and family life from Humanae Vitae to Familiaris Consorti … [Read more...]
How Big SHOULD Your Family Be?
April 12, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Wed 4/3 on More2Life Radio: It's A Baby Bonanza!
April 3, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Today on More2Life Radio it's a Baby Bonanza! As we celebrate the gift of new life at Easter, we'll look at the joys and challenges of bringing new life into your world. We'll look at sleep issues, post-baby marriage maintenance, mommy care, and every other issue related to welcoming a little one to the family.Don't forget to respond to our More2Life FB Q of the D: (Two-fer. Answer one or both). As a new parent (or when you were a new parent)... 1) When do/did you feel closes … [Read more...]


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40 Ways to B Inspired Paperback
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40 Ways to B Inspired
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In a world of sad encounters, one man defines love through God and poetry. The works of Larry "B" entertain, cause one to think and inspire with every poem and commentary. When you think you're at your lowest point, reach out and God will lift you up. These words illuminate God and His Son. From Christmas, New Year, Mother's Day, Father's Day, death and life eternal, Larry "B" captures moments of joy abound. Just when you thought Poetry was a dead art, Larry "B" jump starts with an Amen, Hallelujah! This book offers readers an opportunity to share HIM (God) with others in a unique and truly enjoyable experience. Larry "B" asks the direct questions about life, death and where will you spend eternity.
40 Ways to B Inspired by Larry B Bertram was published by B in February 2013. The ISBN for 40 Ways to B Inspired is 9780983170358.
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I had a dermal filler (Juvederm) injected to the bridge of my nose about a week ago.
first day i had it, the result seems very obvious. day by day it shrinking, and now there is some part of my nose' filler that have been completely dissolved. my nurse injector only injected a lil amount however, and she said she will complete the procedure (inject more dermal filler - juvederm) to get the result i want. but is it suppose to completely dissolved?
i paid AU$625 for this and it suppose to last for at least 6 months.
Had a dermal filler(juvederm) injected to my nose about a week ago, now the (some) of the filler has completely dissolved. what happened?


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There is no equivalent of me in New York, which is a dreadful shame. I could have really done with a blog mapping all the public pools. Someone started but gave up after three, which shows a total lack of commitment. The 50+ London pools I've written about on my blog is proof of my commitment (as is a funny chlorine-induced rash), so if any publishers are reading, I am definitely the person for writing a "where to swim in New York" book.
"For God's sake take a break!" I hear you yell. "Don't stop! You're so inspiring!" I hear others counter. I didn't go to New York specifically to swim – that would have been crazy. But I try to swim wherever I go. I like swimming: it connects me to my day (and helps with jetlag), and using public provision in cities puts you right at the heart of them; you can think about how you might live a life there. My life, I worked out, would be like so so cool, so keeping it real, it would be like an episode of Girls – the one featuring their mums.
I can now tell you several things about swimming in New York. That they really encourage swimming – in summer. After 27 June, the outdoor pools open, and they are free and multitudinous. There are 34 outdoor pools in Manhattan, and 12 mini-pools. Five Olympic-size ones in Brooklyn alone! WHO KNEW? Walking along one street, my eye was caught by a Keith Haring mural through a chain-link fence – and beneath it was a small outdoor pool, right in the heart of everything. We'd stumbled on the Tony Dapolito Recreation Centre (pronounce it like you're in The Sopranos). I checked, but it wasn't on any tourist map.
I learned that you can't just drop in for a one-off cheap swim anywhere. You have to either buy a (relatively expensive) day pass in the private pools or a minimum six-month pass for $75 (£45) to access all and any of the 12 NY Parks and Rec pools. I learned that you need to travel with a padlock and a swim cap, but not a towel. That there are very few 50m indoor pools in Manhattan. I found just one.
This we all know: it's great if you have money. If you don't, go in summer when it's too hot and use the open-air pools. This is not earth-shattering, I concede, and includes an obvious dichotomy.
Neither of the pools I swam in belonged to Parks and Rec; that $75 would have made for an expensive couple of swims. Instead I clipped a free day pass off of the internet for the Vanderbilt YMCA on E 47th St. There are plenty of Ys in the city so they're a good place to start. This one had two underground pools – one small for teaching and classes, the other 25m with generous lanes and water at a good cool temperature for training. They are incrementally pedantic on lanes here. Slow. Slow to medium. Medium, and so on. And here's a thing: if there's someone in the lane already and they ask you "Shall we split?" they're not suggesting you run off together and get a milkshake. It means that instead of going round in a loop, you each take a side of the lane and go up and down it. If a third person joins, you make eye contact to establish that now, everyone will loop. Maybe even exchange a few words. Yes, you are required to communicate with your fellow swimmer. The system practically legislates for it. I've seen marriages founded on less.
Then we tried Asphalt Green, a not-for-profit community pool on the Upper East Side. Day passes here are $35 "or free if you have a guest pass", said the receptionist. "You could give us a guest pass?" I suggested tentatively, knowing this would require a management dictat and three months' hard negotiation if we were in the UK. "OK," she said, and did. This was the only 50m we found, but it was split into two on our visit, dang it. Still, it was light and airy and well laned, with cool water. The towels were free (as at the Y) and both places had those spinny machines for your costume, so you're not dragging wet swims round with you all day. And good saunas. Being treated nicely, communicated with warmly – I've seen marriages founded on WAY less.
So far, no dollar expended, apart from six for a padlock. And time ran out before I could try the other recommended pool – the pricy, six-lane, 25m Chelsea Piers pool, with its three-sided view out on the Hudson river. If you look at the grey churning busy Hudson and think "I fancy that", you have my utmost respect and might be interested in the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim, a huge 28.5 miles long. Details are here.
The openness in the pool spilled over into the ready intimacy of women in the changing rooms. But my experience of that is universal. Our nudity (or near enough) allows us to be immediate and frank, to engage and share in a way that we often don't, fully clothed. I like your costume, said one woman. I like your haircut, said another, before we launched into a long and enthusiastic conversation about levels of grey. My hair is in an Anti-Patriarchy Crop, the reactions to which are also universal. If there are any publishers still reading, I've got views enough for a book on hair too.
To be continued.


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News About: Kevin Sweeney
Sweeney In Box Seat For Canberra Jockey's Premiership
Veteran jockey Kevin Sweeney has propelled himself into contention for the Canberra Jockey's Premiership after a spectacular day of riding yesterday.
The 57-year-old won four of his six races at Thoroughbred Park , placing himself in the lead for the Premiership title.
"I didn't really expect I would be as competitive as I was," Sweeney …
News Topics
- Chris Waller
- Melbourne Cup
- Gai Waterhouse
- Cox Plate
- Caulfield Cup
- Peter Moody
- Golden Slipper
- Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival
- Flemington
- Hugh Bowman
- Stradbroke Handicap
- Doncaster Mile
- Darren Weir
- Damien Oliver
- Black Caviar
- Queen Elizabeth Stakes
- Peter Snowden
- Craig Williams
- Caulfield Guineas
- Caulfield
- James McDonald
- Blue Diamond Stakes
- Newmarket Handicap
- David Hayes


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The final price would depend on due diligence that needs to be done while the offer is reviewed and Verizon would take a look at the books. It has also been reported that Verizon may also be looking to acquire WIND's competitor Mobilicity.
WIND is Canada's fifth largest carrier with a little over half-a-million subscribers and is currently owned by VimpelCom Ltd., based out of the Netherlands. The offer from Verizon has apparently sent a shiver down the spines of the big three Canadian carriers' stocks at the prospect of a foreign player entering the scene, an odd supposition since WIND is already foreign owned.
WIND (and the other smaller carriers) have been struggling to compete. Canada as a market is guarded with some amount of overzealous pride which up until recently did not allow significant amounts of foreign investment. Rules have been recently relaxed however, but that has not quelled concerns about what could happen to the market if big players like Verizon or AT&T entered the picture.
Verizon's (and we will assume AT&T's) interest in Canada also has to do with the fact that the Canadian government will be auctioning off spectrum early next year in the 700MHz band which is in line with the bulk of spectrum that Verizon and AT&T bought in the United States and have been feverishly building out their LTE networks with.
Hopefully, Verizon will have things clarified by the September 17th deadline to be involved in the upcoming spectrum auction in 2014. WIND Mobile's current spectrum lies in the 1700MHz range which is also in the same range as the AWS spectrum that Verizon acquired from Comcast, Time Warner and Bright House earlier this year.
source: Reuters


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Tutorial - Build an Ardubot
about 8 years ago
Made a blogpost with some hardware and software details I was missing to program my Ardubot: http://blog.didierstevens.com/2009/08/23/quickpost-ardubot-programming/
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