text:
When it rains, it pours. I know how it gets, shit keeps piling up to the point you don't even know what to care about.
When it rains, it pours. I know how it gets, shit keeps piling up to the point you don't even know what to care about.
Regardless of what I post I don't condone any illegal graffiti, although I stayed at a holiday inn once.
Weed is the answer, rots.
Lots of weed.
Life can still be good
Life is good.
Y'all need to step your game up and realize it's all on you how you feel.
You're only going to be happy if you realize that you can make yourself happy, and that you want to be happy.
momma on the phone askin if im still trappin
I'm usually pretty happy.
One of my problems is: I had to quit smoking weed, Vagrant.
Monsters Doing Coke
Big B.A.D Rots
its not hard to stop smoking pot, its hard to stop wanting to smoke pot. theres worse things than that, ive been in a similar situation for awhile now. theres always beer
flawless victory knows the deal. i wouldnt say life is good, but it is what it is. if you want real changes in your life you cant just talk about them youve gotta be about them.
I had to quit smoking for work. It's not that big of a deal to me, bud isn't that great. But as of how the last week's been, it would seriously fucking help.
Last edited by Msfyt; 12-06-2009 at 12:47 PM. Reason: please keep your drug use to yourself, no need to brag
Monsters Doing Coke
Big B.A.D Rots
Smoking bud is so much better if you seperate it out such as a few times a week. Everyday gets old and kills the high, also makes you not want to function without being high.
Anyways if some of you are still contemplating suicide then go ahead and make way for the rest of us. I know that sounds harsh but if you are really going to toy around with a gift as great as life then you dont deserve it to begin with. But if you do get to this point try just getting away, go be a beach bum for a month, atleast thats my plan.
this is a good thread idea for sure. i had a girl i was dating try to do it. luckily i rushed over called the medics and she survived. now she is really greatful she did. got into AA and is doin much better. just an example that even when people try at the end they are glad they didnt. keep your heads up out there and please dont ignore threats or warning signs, its not always just all talk.
Let's make this clear for a sec:
Telling anyone to 'go ahead and do it' in this thread, will result, in some form of ban, if I see it. Immediately, no questions asked; NOT the place for smart ass, witty 'be a G like me' comments.
Monsters Doing Coke
Big B.A.D Rots
Do you guys ever dream about committing suicide? Lately i've been doing it a lot.
Regardless of what I post I don't condone any illegal graffiti, although I stayed at a holiday inn once.
when i think about the future it makes me want to kill myself.
i mean, eventually, my body is gonna be overcome with medical problems, and i'm going to have to undergo some pretty ridiculous things in order to keep it working correctly. i'd rather just save myself the trouble, you know?
but i'd never do it for real. it just seems like the better decision.
i did suicide today
Be a G like me
World's #1 Least Intimidating E-Thug
if you kill yourself its not like you're going to have a national holiday named after you
you're friends and family will be hurt, and may think about you for a few years, some might get a tattoo to honor you if you weren't a jackass, but given enough time most of the people who knew you will completely forget about you.
Theres plenty of people i know that killed themselves that i haven't thought about for years until just now when i thought about it for the purpose of this post.
I guess what i'm trying to say is killing yourself is the most pathetic and weak thing you could ever do.
Unless you do it like a budhist and set yourself on fire in a public place. That's fucking hardcore.


text:
Hi and greetz from The Netherlands,
For a little while now I've been using BT4 to my great satisfaction. I've been able to use the tools to audit my own network and amend the wholes I found. Many thanks for that.
I have poked around in linux off and on for years, but am still a total n00b.
One of the things I havn't been able to get fixed are the MANY errors I encounter during the boot. Buffer i/o errors, media errors etc. Though at the end of the rain of errors, I do get a prompt, I can start my GUI and the things I use seem fine. The video, the sound, my network interfaces, USB...
Seeing as how the errors take aprox. 3minutes, I would love to get rid of them and boot nice and clean and quickly.
I use: BT4 pre release DVD iso on live USB(UNetbootin). MD5 checked OK.
I made a video showing the boot containing many errors (sorry for the quality):Youtube search code: NuvpnDdPiuk.
All advise and or tips in the right direction will be greatly appreciated!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Home ·
MBA Programs ·
MBA at Dallas/Fort Worth ·
Academics ·
Hands-On Experience
As you explore new industries and business issues, experiential learning experiences both inside and outside of class will help you build on concepts and carve out a niche for yourself. UT-Austin and the McCombs School of Business are rich with opportunities to hear world-renowned speakers, participate in business case competitions, attend interdisciplinary conferences, and join student organizations. Many of these activities are student-initiated and only happen because of the ambition and passion of our MBAs.
The Texas MBA+ Leadership Program facilitates an individually-tailored leadership experience for those MBAs interested in professional development opportunities and gaining additional experience in a new function or industry while still in school. Unique to the Texas MBA program, MBA+ provides an evolving series of services, micro-consulting projects, and workshops that connect our MBAs to companies of interest. The program improves communication skills and helps to keep our students ahead of the curve through the provision of executive coaching hours. As recruiters search for applicable experience, "fit," and initiative from among candidates around the globe, MBA+ helps propel Texas MBAs to the top of their lists.
Of particular note are the MBA+ micro-consulting projects. Similar to a summer internship experience, these projects allows a team of four to seven Working Professional MBA students to tackle a well-defined business project provided by a participating organization. You and your team act as consultants on projects that address real issues a company is facing and present your solutions to the management team. This not only gives you exposure to future job possibilities, it connects you with potential mentors in your desired field.
Have a business idea you are interested in developing? The University of Texas at Austin offers unique entrepreneurial resources and competitions to help you get your idea off the ground.
The Venture Labs Investment Competition, creates an environment in which the world's most entrepreneurial MBAs solicit startup funds from experienced investors in a simulation mirroring the real-world process of raising venture capital. MBAs from around the globe converge in Austin each May to present their business plans to panels of investors, demonstrating diverse and creative perspectives on business and society. The competition is an opportunity for students from The University of Texas at Austin to obtain funding for new ventures. For the most up-to-date details subscribe to the VLIC Newsletter.
Page last updated: 11/6/2015
By phone: (512) 471-5921
2110 Speedway, B6000
Austin, TX 78705
McCombs School of Business,
The University of Texas at Austin |
Contact Us


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Hope for Trisomy 13 & 18P.O. Box 921Springtown, TX 76082Phone: (866)977-6637
fax (866) 977-6637
"I think this is an excellent tool for parents to increase the effective communication between them and their healthcare team. A definite must read!" Bess Raulerson, President of Hope for Trisomy.
Felice E. Miller, Ph.D. is a Clinical/Consulting Psychologist in private practice and faculty of UCLA Schools of Medicine and Pepperdine University. As expert in the field of interpersonal and intercultural communication, Dr. Felice has shared with us some effective communication tips to gain control when navigating in the health care system.
A Guide to Pediatric Procedures and Hospitalization
As our way of thanks for their generous contributions, we present our memorial page.We would like to thank our generous sponsors and donors. We are grateful for every gift.
In Memory of Sloane Ramsey Remaly
September 30,2013 -October 2, 2013
The Walsh Family
In memory of our precious angel Sloane Ramsey Remaly. We as
a family celebrate the newest member of our family, although not here on this
earth for us to hold but in our hearts for a lifetime. We were all so blessed
to be a part of your wonderful journey. Sloane, you have the most amazing,
selfless, kind, caring, thoughtful, loving parents in this whole wide world. We
came to love you through their sharing of your development and excitement to
finally see you one day, We love you so much baby girl, and God Bless You.
"Those we love remain with us for love itself lives on, and cherished
memories never fade because a loved one's gone. Those we love can never be more
that a thought apart. For as long there is a memory, they'll live on in our
Jason Wilson
Jennifer Traughber
Suzanne Klauer
In Memory of Sloane Ramsey Remaly
September 30,2013 -October 2, 2013
Beloved daughter of Kelly and Meredith Remaly
Leanne Oneschuk
In memory of a short, but precious life. Love, Leanne &
Janet Bridges
With love, Bill, Janet, and Colton Bridges
Laura McClendon
It was a privilege to know Alexis, she will be greatly
Sean Fennema
In loving memory of Alexis
Love Sean and Robin Fennema
Cindy Phillips
In memory of Alexis Harlow Andrews, and to help in efforts
to create awareness for families
Patricia Hurd
In honor of a beautiful little girl who left her family too
soon November 8, 2012 - January 27, 2013
May God Bless Mike, Gamze, and Carter with peace knowing their little girl is
now in his arms.
Berry Price
In memory of Alexis Andrews.
In Honor of Avery JacksonSuzanne Smith
HonoringEugenio Marcos Montalvodonation to benefit Living with Trisomy 13 Maria Marcos
Alexander Robert WillgressHappy 3rd Birthday Alexander! I love you and miss you so much. Love mommy
Catherine Yvonne Messmoredonation to benefit Living with Trisomy 13The breath you didn't take took mine away. I miss you.Love, Mom.
Adriana de Jesus Silva GuerraEn honor a la pequeña angelita de nuestros amigos Rosbel y Jovanna, Adrianita, quien ahora disfruta de su vida eterna, sin dolor ni sufrimientos, junto a nuestro propio angelito Eugenio, acompañados de Jesucristo y su misericordia. Los llevamos en nuestros corazones por siempre! donation to benefit Living with Trisomy 13 Maria Marcos
Anna C. FerlitaShe will always be remembered and loved. Donation to benefit Living with Trisomy 13 Debra Hammond
In Support of the work being done at Hope For TrisomyRobert Grogan
HonoringAlea Grace FrayerCan't wait to meet you in heaven! Merry Christmas Alea! Crystal Baxter
In Honor of Jaxton Husmanwho was diagnosed with prenatal Trisomy 13. God has given Jaxton two of the most generous parents, Josh and Lisa Husmann. Jane Grimes, Christy Rush and Cheryl Cochran
Eugenio Marcos MontalvoIn honor of my nephew, our little Angel Eugenio. Donation to benefit Living with Trisomy 13 Maria Marcos
In loving MemoryRaleigh Grace Rebecca JeffcoatIn memory of Raleigh Grace who was here just a short time, but will be loved forever by her parents who have remained strong throughout this difficult journey. May Raleigh Grace rest in peace and patiently wait to meet her parents once again and forever when the time comes. Spencer and Katelin Milbach
Honoring Alexander KerschbaumCatherine & John Walsh
Honoring Jonathan TomaschkoThis is in honor of our nephew, Jonathan Tomaschko who was diagnosed prenatally with Trisomy 13. He was born on Oct. 8th, 2009 and lived for 40 minutes until he passed in his parents' arms and went to be with Jesus. We love you sweet angel! Jeremy and Lindy Steindler
RememberingBaby LucyMy loves goes to the Grogan family who shared her little angel Lucy to many people for 5 whole days...The Lord blesses us in many ways and I feel honored to have gotten the chance to love and hold that tiny girl. Katy NowickiHonoring Lucy GroganHappy Birthday little Lucy, may you continue to rest in peace. Nicolette Oberst
In loving MemoryBrady McClintockIn honor of Brady McClintock for touching his parents Paul and Christie so deeply during the time they all shared. You will always be loved and never forgotten. Raymond, Shannon, and Caetlyn Bowles
In memory of Lilly Claire PitchfordHappy 1st Birthday Baby Girl. We love you and miss you very much. Love Momma, Daddy & Zoe
HonoringMolly DeetzIn honor of our beautiful daughter, in hopes of preventing any parents from experiencing the death of their child diagnosed with a trisomy condition Cara Deetz
In honor of Anna Louise Schrag of Cuyahoga Falls, OH Donation to be put toward researchSherry Barbiere of Willoughby, OH
In honor of Andrew Nicholas Haas of Chicago ILDoris J Haas of Denver, COKathy & Brian Elliott of Wheaton, ILMike & Sue Haas of Wheaton, IL
In honor of Connor Andrew MartinDeborah O'Neill
In honor of Ethan Robert Hoff of Independence, MOAshley & Keith HoffWilliam and Martha BehmJoel and Kim HoffWilliam & Joanne BehmScott & Michele GiffordPatsy and Mike BehmKelly Tatreau & Brett SmithScott & Kathy DanielKathy KeadyRhonda & Dick HockinsonSherry VianiDon, Cameron, and Jourdain KarnishRod & Gail BatesBrad & Becky HoffNancy OssinoDebbie MillerPam & Craig Mc CrightAudrey Jeter and Charlie BoyeGlen, Lois, Andrea, and Ashley ClatterbuckBarbara MarcheseKay JohnThe Union Pacific Railroad (Omaha, NE)Travelex Insurance (Omaha, NE)St. Vincent de Paul Elementary School (Omaha, NE)International Bortherhood of Electrical Workers (Omaha, NE)
Jo Ford of Suwanee, GA Donation to benefit Payton's Bears
In honor of Joshua James Jorgensen of Houston, TXParents James and Natalie Jorgensen of Houston, TXGrandmother Brenda Bush of Houston, TX
Edmond John EliasErin Weiss
In loving MemoryAlexander Robert WillgressHappy 2nd Birthday Alexander! I love you and miss you - love, mommy
HonoringHarry BennerIn honor of Harry Benner who has the most courageous and loving parents a boy could ever have. Many blessings and prayers to you. Leigh & Jim We are praying for Harry and his family.Suzanne and Jonathan PhilipsenHarry Philip David Benner In Honor of Harry, whose life touched so many. Tina Atkinson In memory of Harry Benner Tate Garey
Harry Philip David BennerWe pray for peace of God to reign in the lives of all of those moving through the painful circumstance of having a Trisomy 13 baby, a baby whose life is short but beautiful, valuable, and meaningful. Donation to benefit Living with Trisomy 13Stephen and Jana HarmonHarry Philip David Benner These three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. Donation to benefit Gemma's BearsTerry and Keeley Krantz
HonoringHarry Philip Brenda Hickey
Harry Philip David BennerThis doneation is in the name and honor of Harry Phillip David Benner and his very brave and courageous family; Shane, Marci and Evi. Their faith, strength and courage and trust in the lord are an inspiration to us all. In HIS Love, The Chambers Donation to benefit Living with Trisomy 13 Harry Philip David BennerIn Memory of Harry and Honor of his loving parents who so courageously gave him life. God's love is ever present in them. Janie Schafhauser
In loving MemoryEmma Grace Raulerson Also in memory of Nora Longley, who left us too soon. Dick and Deb Parker
HonoringQuinn KraseanIn Loving Memory of Quinn. With deepest sympathy, The Traynor Family
HonoringSamuel JacobsSamuel touched so many lives with his strength to survive, even if only a short time, so his parents could meet him.He was sweet and beautiful and will remain in all of our hearts forever. Brandon & Andee Bettes
Lillian MonaghanHappy 3rd Birthday Lillian!! We love you!! Donation to benefit Living with Trisomy 13 Lee & Cynthia
Samuel JacobsTo honor the birth of Samuel Cheryl & Steve Dixon
In loving memoryChristopher Ryan Sadzewicz October 6, 2006Stillborn 10-6-06 with Trisomy 13 We love you you and miss you very much. Daddy, Mommy, Nick and Jake.
With love toCharlie Joneswho was born asleep on 4/2/07 who sadly died from full trisomy 18love u always charlie my angelmiss you alwaylove mammy and tylerxxx
In Honor of Hadley Grace Dahlbergwho lived three precious days with Trisomy 13 daughter to Eric & Kendra Dahlberg, From The Hadley Grace Dahlberg Trust, Dallas TX
In memory of Max James O'NeilLaura and Ronnie GeeHonoring Max James O'NeilYour incredible strength and courage inspires us. We love you and are thinking of you. Love, Michael and Amy Putney
HonoringAlexander Robert WillgressApril 18, 2008 - April 21, 2008non-inherited translocation Trisomy 13
Alexander, thank you so much for giving us the greatestsixty-three and a half hours of our lives.Love, Mommy and DaddyBen and Christine WillgressSt. Michael, MNCraig and Denise WurmDayton, MNGerald and Ruth MathiasWabasha, MNPlease accept our heartfelt sympathy from a friend of Debbie'sJane Trump
HonoringBaby Jake Marquez
HonoringCarter Scott ClawsonIn honor of the love, strength, and courage of the Clawson family.(donation to benefit the Gemma's Bears program)Amanda Evarts
Clawson Crew, The entire Dallas Division wanted to recognize the Carter Scottand the miracle of 2 days you were able to share with him. We hold you all constantly in our thoughts and prayers and support you in every way. With love, Amanda, Cathleen, Nick, Juanita, Jared, Erica, John and Kevin I think of you often and make no outward show, But what it means to lose you, no one will ever know You wished no one farewell, not even said good-bye, You were gone before I knew it, and only God knows why. You are not forgotten nor will you ever be, As long as life and memories last, I will remember thee. To some you may be forgotten, to others a part of the past, But to me who loved you dearly, your memories will always last. Nothing can be more beautiful than the memories I have of you. To me, you were someone special, God must have thought so too! If tears could build a staircase and memories a lane, I would walk all the way to Heaven, and bring you back again.
For our precious and beautiful Grandson, Carterwho we miss and love with all of our hearts.Love forever, Nana and Papa
You are all in our thoughts and prayers.Take care and God Bless - - your strength is an inspiration to us all.(donation to benefit Living with Trisomy 13)The McCormick Family
HonoringZachary James TateBorn June 2, 2008In however long it is that he is on this earththe one constant he will have is that he wasblessed to be born into the Tate family. We love you all! (donation to benefit the Living with Trisomy 13 program) Nora and Bryan Martinez
In honor and celebration of Payton's 1st birthday.
Payton Jo BlomstromAugust 30, 2006
John BlomstromGreen Bay, WI
Greg BlomstromClear Lake, IA
Craig and Jo FordSuwannee, GA
Gary and Barb JohnsonRosemount, MN
Jeff and Susan BlomstromSauk Rapids, MN
Jarret and Rachel FordSevierville, TN
Scott and Rachel GauthierSt. Cloud, MN
In loving MemoryGemma Therese HolihenSeptember 8, 2005Full Trisomy 13
Honoring Gemma Terese HolihenKevin Holihen of Oxnar, CA
In loving MemoryRowan Johanna O'FlynnDecember 17-18, 1999Full Trisomy 18With love from Mom & Dad,& your younger sister and brothers.
In honor and memory of Gabriella Helen PiccirilloDaughter of Dean & Monica PiccirilloJune 8, 2007
Julio & Michele BarinaEstero, Florida
Ann Henley DarwishBonita Springs, FloridaJohn W. Burden Sanibel, FloridaTara RuskaFt. Myers, Florida
Charles and Libby SlaterFt. Myers, Florida
In Memory and Honor ofEmma Grace RaulersonDecember 2 - 15, 2003Full Trisomy 18Jennifer HoleshaHonoring Emma Grace RaulersonDonation to benefit Gemma's Bears Jennifer Holesha
With love for Ryan. Today, tomorrow, always; you are a precious part of our family BooBoo!
Our memorial page is made available as a thank you for our donors. If you have any questions about our memorial page, require an existing memorial be corrected, or would like to submit memorial information in connection with a previous donation, please use this contact form. Thank you!


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Baltimore's charm lies in its neighborhoods. While stellar downtown attractions such as the National Aquarium and the Inner Harbor draw torrents of tourists each year, much of the city's character can be found in bergs like Hampden (the "p" is silent) and Federal Hill. Scores of Baltimore's trademark narrow redbrick terraces with white marble steps line the city's East and West sides. Some neighborhood streets are still made of cobblestone, and grand churches and museums and towering, glassy high-rises fill out the growing skyline.
After World War II, as manufacturing jobs dried up and its populace moved to the suburbs, Baltimore declined. But in the 1970s real-estate development surged in some areas, and new arts and cultural events such as the city's ethnic festivals began to spring up. Homesteaders started moving into once-abandoned terraces, and city tourism grew dramatically when the National Aquarium opened in the early 1980s. Further development of the Inner Harbor, including Oriole Park at Camden Yards and M&T Bank Stadium, continued to fuel the city's resurgence.
Now the city's blue-collar past mixes with present urban-professional revitalization. Industrial waterfront properties are giving way to high-end condos, and corner bars formerly dominated by National Bohemian beer—once made in the city—are adding microbrews to their beverage lists. And with more and more retail stores replacing old, run-down buildings and parking lots, Baltimore is one of the nation's up-and-coming cities. Though Baltimore has seen a spike in development, signs of the city's pockmarked past still persist. Boarded-up terraces sit just west of downtown, and abandoned factory shells still dot the landscape—signs of the troubles the city still faces.
Side Trips from Baltimore
Not far from Baltimore, Maryland's landscape is dotted with well-preserved 18th- and 19th-century towns. Harford County's Havre de Grace, at the top of the bay, and nearby Aberdeen, with a legacy of military history, make for an ideal day trip. Historic Ellicott City, southwest of Baltimore in Howard County, is a fun place to explore, have lunch, and shop.


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|This material is published under the OGL
Plant Wild Shape [Wild][Epic]Edit
Knowledge (nature) 24 ranks, wild shape 4/day.
The character can use his or her normal wild shape ability to take the form of a plant. The size limitation is the same as the character's limitation on animal size.
Back to Main Page → System Reference Document → Feats


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(First, you should know that Sharpie is a bi-partisan marker. We make Personalized Sharpies for the left, right and everything in between. We can even make them for YOU!).
Now. Let's get down to business. Did you know Sarah Palin's niece is selling Sarah's headline-making Monkey Shoes on ebay? Size 7.5, for the record.
Furthermore, did you know that part of the offer includes one of the personalized Sharpies the campaign ordered?
A custom Sharpie Pen that was made for autographing while on the Presidential Campaign Trail. This pen will be used to autograph shoes if buyer would like shoes autographed.
Here's a close up of the marker imprint…
And finally, to prove we are an equal opportunity marker, from Ebony magazine. I know you can't read it, but it says that Sharpie was a must-have on the Obama campaign trail.


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- 05/13/2007
The Board meeting is set for 9:45 a.m. in Bootstrapper Hall West at the W.H. Thompson Alumni Center on the UNO campus, 60th and Dodge streets. The only item on the agenda is the approval of Dr. John E. Christensen as the next Chancellor for UNO.
President James B. Milliken announced the appointment of Christensen last week. Christensen, 58, has been interim chancellor at UNO since September, 2006, and was chosen after a national search chaired by Dr. Shelton Hendricks, Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences.
The itinerary for the UNO Campus visit follows.
8:30 a.m. Breakfast with the Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education (W.H. Thompson Alumni Center on UNO campus)
9:45 a.m. University Board of Regents meeting (W.H. Thompson Alumni Center on UNO campus, Bootstrapper Hall West)
10 am. Welcome from Chancellor John Christensen (Criss Library, UNO campus)
10:30-11:30 a.m. Collaboration Sciences, College of Information Science & Technology and Service Learning (Peter Kiewit Institute, UNO campus)
11:30 a.m. Tour and plans for Ak-Sar-Ben Village and Chili Greens property
Noon – 1:30 p.m. Lunch, Thompson Alumni Center with performance by the Freshman String Quartet, Department of Music
1:30 – 3:00 p.m. Presentation and tour at Western Hills Elementary/University Partnership Magnet Center (6523 Western Avenue)
3:15 – 4:00 p.m. UNO Health, Physical Education & Recreation Facilities (HPER) & Student Health (UNO Campus)
4:15 – 5:00 p.m. Presentation on UNO/Metropolitan Community College's STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) Talent Expansion Project (STEP) (Durham Science Center, Math/Science Center, UNO campus)


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AMD has launched the FirePro S9000, a dual-slot server graphics card for compute, virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) and workstation graphics deployments in data centers.
Equipped with next-generation Graphics Core Next architecture and AMD PowerTune and ZeroCore Power technologies, the AMD FirePro S9000 reduces power consumption by up to 95% at idle, the vendor said. It provides 4.0 Teraflops of single precision compute performance, and is equipped with 6GB GDDR5 frame buffer.
- Wireless broadband developments in Southeast Asia markets
As of 2013, the 10 ASEAN nations had a total of over 700 million mobile subscriptions, with the CAGR from 2003-2013 reaching 24%. This Digitimes Research Special Report analyzes the various mobile broadband markets in ASEAN and looks at the respective trends in 4G LTE development for those markets.
- 2015 global tablet demand forecast
This Digitimes Research Special Report provides a 2015 forecast for the global tablet market and analyzes the strategies of key market players such as Google, Apple, Intel, and Microsoft.
- 2015 China smartphone panel trend forecast
This Digitimes Research Special Report analyzes the strategies of key China-based major panel makers BOE, Tianma and IVO for attacking the different market segments through technology and pricing, and their relationship to local vendors Huawei, Lenovo, ZTE, Xiaomi and Coolpad.


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Tyre label / Efficiency class:Description
The Ultrac Sessanta is one of Vredestein's aces in the Ultra High Performance (UHP) segment. The Sessanta is based on the strong points of the Ultrac series and has been optimised even further to give very good steering and handling characteristics. Giugiaro Design has given the Ultrac Sessanta a revolutionary design, with a line pattern that clearly shows that performance comes first.
The name Sessanta refers to sixty years of Vredestein's existence in Enschede. In tribute to Vredestein's unique collaborative partnership with Giugiaro Design, "sixty" is written in Italian: Sessanta.Tyre label
Delivery time: 2-5 working days 1


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Teen's idea to fund prom dress: Sell pot brownies
(NEWSER) – Saira Munoz needed to make enough money to buy a prom dress. What to do? The then-18-year-old high school student chose quite possibly the worst course of action: She baked pot brownies, then hired another student to sell them at her high school in Yuba City, California. When one of the students who ate a brownie got sick, Munoz got caught, and on Monday she was sentenced to nine days in jail and four years' probation for employing a minor to sell marijuana.
Read the full story on Newser.com
Photo: Shutterstock


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Using EtherNet/IP in process automation instead of fieldbus
EtherNet/IP takes advantage of Ethernet commercial technologies to surpass alternative solutions.
Since its invention in 1973, Ethernet has changed the world. It will continue to deliver the fastest data throughput, improve the architectures upon which it is delivered, evolve into varying electromechanical spectrums to meet the next industry trend, and penetrate down into the tiniest of microprocessors. Our world of process and factory automation is no exception to the ever-reaching technological advancements of this network.
Around 20 years ago, the process automation market had proprietary ways to meet the demands of remote I/O peer-to-peer communications. These approaches were successful and supportable, but users began to demand that their automation systems interface and share more data automatically with their front office systems over Ethernet.
Automation vendors began connecting their control systems via Ethernet, but there was no workable way to deploy device control requirements over a non-deterministic network infrastructure like Ethernet. As process users started to transition from traditional 4-20 mA analog devices and demanded digital device communications, fieldbus networks emerged to meet the demands that Ethernet couldn't.
Today, Ethernet communication has overcome many of the disadvantages of previous years and established its presence in field device communications.
In factory automation, Ethernet-based networks are being used to connect robots, variable speed drives, and actuators to automation controllers. In the process control world, EtherNet/IP now connects flow meters, pressure instrumentation, and similar field devices to distributed control systems, programmable controllers, and hybrid programmable automation controllers (see Figure 1).
While there is no network panacea, EtherNet/IP has benefits that some fieldbus architectures cannot deliver. EtherNet/IP:
- Is easier to connect to a variety of host systems
- Can communicate with multiple hosts simultaneously
- Is instantly familiar to anyone with Ethernet experience
- Can use all available Ethernet tools and technologies
- Can use quality of service (QoS) to prioritize network traffic
- Can use simple network management protocol (SNMP) to monitor and manage the network
- Has more network topology options when switches are deployed
- Provides better support for wireless data transmission
- Provides better security through the use of standard Ethernet tools
- Offers economies of scale that promise future gains that are outpacing fieldbus.
This article explores these benefits.
Industrial Ethernet protocols
Within the Ethernet frame, one can place almost any application protocol. There is no one particular protocol that serves all the needs of industry. Instead, application protocols are like a tool chest, with users picking the ones that support the demands of their particular automation applications to provide the required performance, security, and safety.
The focus for this article is on EtherNet/IP, the industrial Ethernet protocol supported by the Open Device Vendor Association (ODVA). EtherNet/IP uses the standard Ethernet frame as defined by IEEE 802.3 and uses ODVA's and ControlNet International's Common Industrial Protocol (CIP) application protocol library of objects.
Figure 2 shows how the CIP application library can be deployed upon several different physical network architectures. This is a unique benefit to users because there are no physical application interfaces between the layers. This gives the CIP library almost seamless bridging and routing among different physical networks—both Ethernet-based and others, such as CAN-based networks.
Ethernet and EtherNet/IP
EtherNet/IP in the process industry is definitely a developing technology—unlike fieldbus, which has enjoyed 20 years of refinement. However, recent developments and technology breakthroughs are making EtherNet/IP a viable alternative to fieldbus.
Ethernet IEEE 802.3 can currently support data transmissions up to 10 Gbit/sec. Although EtherNet/IP-enabled devices deployed over the 802.3 standard currently support only 10/100 Mbit/sec transmission rates over copper and fiber, traffic through the network can still use the higher transmission rates if the network architecture supports it. And future variants of EtherNet/IP will advance along with Ethernet to support even higher transmission rates.
One advantage of EtherNet/IP is that it can support wireless transmission by using industry standard devices. When deploying EtherNet/IP over wireless, the user must consider how wireless system deployment creates latency in the EtherNet/IP message timing. Note that the same latency problems exist with wireless fieldbus, but without the advantages of the latest technological developments from the Ethernet wireless world.
Cabling distances depend on the 802.3 standard; i.e., 100 meters for device-to-device when deploying over copper and 2,000 meters when using fiber deployments. Power over Ethernet (PoE) is available so that power supplies may not be needed in the field. However, product availability varies by vendor.
Ethernet switches are also available for use in hazardous locations. Some switches use intrinsically safe PoE for connecting to field instruments in Zones 1 and 2. Unlike fieldbus, which can handle multiple devices in hazardous areas, one switch vendor recommends putting only one device on a single cable, which is becoming less of an expense as Ethernet switch prices rapidly decline. Again, product availability varies by vendor.
Typical Ethernet network topology is trunk-star. However, device manufactures are starting to embed micro Ethernet switches into their devices—allowing for linear and ring topologies—which reduce the need to create star network topologies. Redundancy can be achieved through the appropriate switch architecture and in some instances by adding a communication interface to allow a single fiber or copper port to be a node on a redundant ring infrastructure. In other words, it is possible to put multiple instruments and devices on the same cable and to provide redundancy when needed (see Figure 3).
Process instrument perspective
Looking at the EtherNet/IP protocol from the process instrument perspective, to whom and to what does an instrument have to report? The primary responsibility is to the automation or host system. Historically, this has involved the primary process variable. Secondary responsibility is instrument diagnostics, and last is instrument configuration data.
Each of the users or consumers of the data that the instrument produces has different tools and mechanisms to acquire the data. Each has its own unique requirements for the use of the data. Considering each of these areas—and how EtherNet/IP not only serves their unique requirements, but also creates commonality and convergence in the process—will help us understand how EtherNet/IP is not only a very capable fieldbus-type network, but also provides benefits beyond what typical-level fieldbuses deliver today and in the future.
Process variables: EtherNet/IP communicates process variables or I/O data back to the host system at a requested packet interval rate (RPI). This RPI is defined by the user. Typically, RPI is set based on application requirements. RPI rates for EtherNet/IP-enabled devices will vary based on the manufacturer of the device and the applications they serve.
Typical RPI times for process instruments, such as Coriolis and electromagnetic flow meters, on EtherNet/IP networks are from 5 msec to 10 sec. The device will communicate I/O data to the automation system at the RPI rate established when the device is configured in the system. This variability in selection of the RPI data rate enables the user to optimize the flow of I/O data through the process and optimize the data crunch through the microprocessors in the data chain without relying on the actual network bus rate or frame size specifications.
I/O data can also be provided simultaneously to multiple consumers (processors, devices, etc.) in the architecture. In addition to the primary process variable, multivariable devices, such as mass flow meters, can transmit multiple variables such as flow, volume, and temperature simultaneously, similar to traditional fieldbus architectures.
Configuration of what variables will be transmitted in the I/O data structure is typically determined by the manufacturer of the devices. Some manufacturers allow user configuration of the I/O data structure. Device vendors deploy device profiles that will interface with the automation system and define what these variables are.
If profiles are well defined, the process control engineer has very little work to do to get devices online and communicating data throughout the system. Typically, just verifying the actual device, revision of device, RPI, and the Ethernet address of the device is all that is required to get a device up and running.
See next page for more about diagnostics and additional graphics
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I also agree that Ethernet is making major inroads to the remote-I/O networks (level 1-1/2 in the Purdue model).
I also agree process plants have started to transition from 4-20 mA (and on/off) devices (at level 1 of the Purdue reference model) to digital device communications.
So the real question is; will sensors/transmitters and positioners/actuators/valves use Ethernet instead of hardwired 4-20 mA and on/off signals as most of them do today?
The article refers to "fieldbus" but misses the very important point that there are two distinct fieldbuses in plant architecture:
- H2 fieldbus: at level 1-1/2 of the Purdue reference model, connecting remote-I/O, PLCs, MCC, variable speed drives, motor starters, and wireless gateways to the DCS; including e.g. DeviceNet, Modbus/RTU, and PROFIBUS-DP
- H1 fieldbus: at level 1 of the Purdue reference model, connecting sensors/transmitters and positioners/actuators/valves to the DCS; including FOUNDATION fieldbus H1, PROFIBUS-PA, CompoNet, ASI, IO-link, and to some extent HART – these are taking the place of 4-20 mA and on/off signals
Because H1 and H2 are distinctly different in many ways, they should not be lumped together.
Ethernet is making inroads at level 1-1/2 of the Purdue reference model, with EtherNet/IP, Modbus/TCP, PROFINET sometimes being used in applications which previously used DeviceNet, Modbus/RTU, or PROFIBUS-DP.
I hardly see any Ethernet used in field instruments.
I agree with using Ethernet to connect variable speed drives and other MCC equipment like motor starters as well as PLC to the DCS, but these equipment aren't really in the field. I know there are magnetic flowmeters and Coriolis flowmeters using Ethernet, because these are separately powered devices, but I have not seen any pressure, temperature, level, vortex flow, interface level, pH, conductivity, or DO2 transmitter or control valve positioner or on/off valve using Ethernet, because these are generally two-wire loop powered devices. Sensors, actuators, and other field instruments traditionally use 4-20 mA and on/off signals, and I don't see Ethernet in its present form ready to take the place of 4-20 mA and on/off signals.
Indeed Ethernet has some benefits, but Ethernet also has its limitations, which prohibits it from taking the place of 4-20 mA and on/off signals:
• Copper Ethernet is too short distance
• Fiber optic Ethernet provides no power
• Intrinsically safe Power over Ethernet (PoE) has not been standardized (i.e. entity parameters are not compatible between manufacturers for plug-'n'-play interoperability)
• There are thousands of transmitters and valves in a plant so the number of LAN switches mounted in field junction boxes would be in the hundreds
• Fiber optic Ethernet makes device removal/connection for replacement and calibration etc. difficult
• TCP/IP requires IT department involvement for cyber security
• Redundant power of field UPS must be provided to the LAN switches in the field junction boxes
• LAN switches are active components that generate heat in enclosed field junction boxes; MTBF concern
• Copper to fiber media converters may have ambient temperature limitations
• Etc.
For this reason I see it as difficult for Ethernet to take the place of 4-20 mA and on/off signals.
I personally believe that to move forward indeed we do need some form of all-digital real-time networking from the very "first meter" starting from sensors and actuators. So what do we do?
Is Ethernet the only digital communication network we use in the office and home today? The answer of course is; no. Our mouse, keyboard, smart phone, digital camera, video camera, backup drive, memory stick and many other things use USB because Ethernet is not the best fit for these devices. Ethernet and USB complement each other.
Similarly, Ethernet is not the best fit for field instruments in process applications. Personally I see some H1 fieldbus protocol (not any of the H2 fieldbuses) as the best candidate to take the place of 4-20 mA and on/off signals. The key attributes of fieldbus which enables it to be used in place of 4-20 mA and on/off signals include:
• Fieldbus covers long distance
• Provides bus power
• Is intrinsically safe with standardized entity parameters enabling and device to connect to any barrier
• Simple low cost coupler in the field junction boxes enables thousands of devices to be deployed at low cost
• Easy device disconnection/connection for replacement and calibration etc.
• Requires no IT department involvement
• No separate power required to the field junction boxes
• Passive coupler generates no heat and is sealed for long MTBF
• No media converters required
• Etc.
I personally believe these important characteristics make an H1 fieldbus the ideal candidate to take the place of 4-20 mA and on/off signals in a digital plant. Indeed FOUNDATION fieldbus is used in some of the largest refineries, petrochemical complexes, chemical plants, LNG processing plants, and FLNG vessels in the world for this reason.
Ethernet and H1 fieldbus has some characteristics which are mutually exclusive; therefore H1 fieldbus and Ethernet complement each other; just like Ethernet and USB in the home and office.
For instance, EtherNet/IP does not take the place of CompoNet. Indeed CompoNet was conceived long after EtherNet/IP to fill the gap left by EtherNet/IP and DeviceNet to achieve digital from the very "first meter". Similarly PROFINET does not take the place of IO-link. IO-link was conceived long after PROFINET to fill the gap left by PROFINET and PROFIBUS.
From what I have heard, there are about three different Ethernet LAN switches available with intrinsically safe PoE. However, it appears they all have different entity parameters (I, U, P, C, and L) so it would be hard for device manufacturers to create intrinsically safe Ethernet devices that would work with all of them. What is needed is for IEC to standardize the entity parameters such that any device works with any barrier – just like what was done for FISCO for H1 fieldbus. Only then would intrinsically safe Ethernet be viable, and prices could drop. This could possibly make intrinsically safe Ethernet a possible alternative to 4-20 mA and on/off signals.
Just to be clear, fieldbus devices also deliver process variables and I/O at the requested interval, as fast as 150 ms or even faster so it is not unique to Ethernet. FOUNDATION fieldbus also provide multiple I/O data simultaneously to multiple subscribers. Device profile are used by both FOUNDATION fieldbus and PROFIBUS-PA
It is true that intelligent device management (IDM) software part of an asset management system (AMS) does communicate with the fieldbus devices through the DCS, although it is directly through the DCS interface cards not through the database or historian. Also note that the DCS needs these interface cards anyway for control and monitoring, so the interfaces are not an additional cost to access diagnostics. Also remember that Ethernet devices do not connect directly to the DCS control network even though the DCS control network is also Ethernet. Instead Ethernet devices connect to an Ethernet interface card in the DCS backplane where the data is mapped from whatever Ethernet protocol such as Modbus/TCP, PROFINET, EtherNet/IP, or FF-HSE etc. to the DCS database. Learn more about device diagnostics and intelligent device management software (IDM) architectures from the white paper and guideline found here:
Involving an IT technician or IT support engineer for field instrument signals may not necessarily be an advantage. Indeed I believe having to involve IT could be seen as a disadvantage by many instrument technicians. Every other month I see articles about the differences between IT and I&C with respect to cyber security philosophy etc. One refinery also pointed out to me that the IT department is 8/5 whereas the I&C department is 24/7.
Fieldbus technologies have now matured to a level where instrument technicians do not need be a network expert. For example, the Emerson DeltaV control system automatically detects and commission devices without the need for the technician to touch the system; they can do it using nothing but a screwdriver. Similarly the technician can replace a device without touching the system, using only a screwdriver.
While Ethernet and IP may be instantly familiar to process automation and IT professionals, these are not the guys replacing field instruments which have failed or need to be taken in for service, or commission them in a new plant being constructed. Field instruments are handled by technicians, and IP address, MAC address, subnet mask, gateway, and DHCP may not be familiar to them. You cannot send the IT guys into the field. IGMP snooping may not even be familiar to your average office IT professional.
Another clarification; FOUNDATION fieldbus does not require any code to be written in the DCS. It is entirely tag based, just point and click to the data in the device you need. They call it virtual marshalling:
All DCS today have Ethernet control networks, but no DCS permits you to connect third-party devices direct to the DCS control network. The DCS uses an Ethernet interface card which acts as a firewall and as a gateway to convert the various protocols to native DCS I/O points.
I do not agree "fieldbus installations expensive, cumbersome, difficult to support, and sometimes unappealing". The per-signal cost of fieldbus is lower than for 4-20 mA and on/off signals. It doesn't matter if the signal is fieldbus or Ethernet; both are different from 4-20 mA and on/off signals. Some technicians only want to use the multimeter; not a computer. Relcom has created a simple and easy to use fieldbus tester (FBT-6) which looks and feels like a multimeter which is well accepted by technicians. Something similar would have to be created to troubleshoot Ethernet – not everybody likes a laptop even though it has a powerful user interface.
The packet size doesn't matter. If somebody retrieves lots of data from a fieldbus device it is simply sent in multiple packages. Any fieldbus gives access to all the information in the device. Size doesn't matter.
In the home and business world Ethernet is not taking the place of USB, because Ethernet is not a the best fit for the "first meter" from the mouse and keyboard. Similarly I do not expect Ethernet to take the place of H1 fieldbus in process control applications, because Ethernet is not the best fit for the "first meter" from sensors and actuators.
Don't get me wrong, I personally believe that the future is digital, and I welcome solutions that can take the industry beyond the limitations of 4-20 mA and on/off signals towards digital communication, including Ethernet if the necessary tweaks can be achieved.
Jonas Berge


text:
Nirvana hints at 20th Anniversary reissue of "In Utero"
Listen to Nirvana on iHeartRadio
It looks like Nirvana will soon be celebrating another anniversary. A new video posted to the band's Facebook page Wednesday hints at plans to release a special edition of "In Utero" in September.
Kurt Cobain and company's third and final album turns 20 this year, and it's expected to receive the same treatment Nevermind got on its 20th anniversary. Universal Music Enterprises released multiple remastered versions of Nevermind back in 2011, including a four-disc Super Deluxe Edition loaded with b-sides, rarities, live cuts, and a full concert on DVD.
So far there has been no official announcement about the In Utero reissue. Instead, the folks behind Nirvana's official Facebook page have posted a vintage promo clip for the 1993 album along with the caption "September 2013."


text:
Eldora, Colo. • Jeremy Elliot turned in a second-place finish as the University of Utah ski team began its 2013 season in giant slalom races on the RMISA Alpine Qualifier here Monday.
"It was an exciting first day of racing in Loveland," Utah Head Alpine coach Jaka Korencan said. "Despite a few tactical mistakes, which resulted in crashes, our athletes had proven with great skiing that we will be extremely competitive this year. I am just so excited for Jeremy and Andy [Trow] to perform well in the second run and finished close to the top. They deserve it. Tim [Hribar] had a great day as well. I could not be more proud of this group of athletes. Their work ethic and willingness to learn and improve is just unparalleled and I am confident it will pay off very soon for all of them."
Elliot led the way during the opening day of the season with a second-place finish in his first race since the 2011 season. Elliot, a junior from Park City, Utah, has now finished on the podium in four races over his career.
"Today was my first college race back since injuring my knee and getting surgery last November, so I'm really happy to have finished on the podium," Elliot said. "The first run wasn't my best skiing and I was sitting in 15th place, so I knew I had to do something special on the second run. A lot of work has gone into preparing for these first races, and all of our coaches and staff have done an incredible job doing all they can for us to succeed. I'm also really happy for my teammate Andy Trow, who finished fourth in his first-ever college race. It's going to be a good year."
Trow posted an impressive debut performance during his Ute debut as he joined Elliot in the top five with a fourth-place effort. Trow was in the 14th slot after the first run of the day, but then came back nicely with the fifth-fastest time of the day in the second run to improve in the standings.
Hribar turned in a 13th-place finish for his sixth career top-20 effort, while both Ryan Wilson and Eian Sandvik both were unable to finish the second run. Wilson was slotted 13th after run No. 1, while Sandvik was 31st.
On the women's side, junior Jaime DuPratt turned in a 31st-place effort.


text:
By Diana Hefley Herald Writer
SULTAN — A Sultan man accused of kicking and choking a puppy named Precious has been charged with a felony.
Prosecutors allege that Kenneth Palmer beat a pitbull-mix puppy because he was angry that the dog wasn't housebroken. The animal suffered severe trauma, but is expected to make a full recovery, court papers said.
Palmer, 43, was charged Friday with first-degree animal cruelty. He is expected to answer to the charge later this month in Snohomish County Superior Court.
Police were called Oct. 17 to a home in Sultan, where Palmer was a houseguest. A neighbor reported that she saw Palmer kick 2-month-old Precious across her neighbors' yard and pick the dog up by the throat. Concerned for the puppy, she ran toward the pair. She told police Palmer had the animal by the throat and was hitting her head against a porch floor.
The woman screamed for Palmer to stop. She told police the puppy belonged to the homeowners, her neighbors.
Palmer allegedly told the woman the dog was his and repeatedly talked about the puppy defecating everywhere, Snohomish County deputy prosecutor Cheryl Johnson wrote in court papers.
The woman threatened to call 911 if Palmer didn't hand over the dog. She told police that eventually Palmer tossed Precious to her. The woman was able to catch the dog. She fled and called 911. Palmer allegedly chased after the woman, but she warned him that she would defend herself if he stepped onto her property. Palmer left.
Precious was vomiting and unable to hold up her head or walk, court papers said.
The puppy was taken to Pilchuck Veterinary Hospital, where an ultrasound revealed internal bleeding, most likely involving the liver or spleen. A veterinarian said that type of severe trauma is typically only present if a dog has been hit by a car or kicked in the stomach. The puppy also had an injury to her eye, either from direct trauma to the eye or increased blood pressure due to strangulation.
When police questioned Palmer, he reportedly told them that he was disciplining the dog because she wouldn't go outside to defecate, court papers said. He said "maybe" he shouldn't have kicked or thrown the puppy. He later allegedly told an animal control officer that Precious was "just" a dog.
The man told police he already owes the courts 16 hours in anger management classes.
Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463; firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Results 21 to 40 of 189
I'd go for something like this. At those prices and the handiness of being able to quickly find out what OC settings I need for GTA4 and what settings I need for Crysis 2 or what tweaks I can make for excatly my system in one location sounds good. However, if it wasn't that I'd be pissed. If I got a machine only to be told "these are the settings for this graphics card, adjust for your own accordingly", I wouldn't be a returning customer.
It does sound like a lot of work however and not something I could see a company accomplishing, but I've obviously not looked at any logistics to it other than thinking, there's going to be hundreds of combinations of hardware out there. There's hundreds of packages of software. How can you test them all?
Don't forget that for Macs, it's a limited field. There's pretty much one type of hardware and you don't get nearly as much software. Everything that's on Mac through their store is approved before it hits the user. There's a very limited number of variables.
Now how is one company going to be able to provide the same level of "hassle free" with say, every game on Steam?
No way to this. I'd rather pay less and build it myself. Hell, I'd honestly rather pay more and build it myself.
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In a word, no.
The reason is basically because you are trying to retrofit a business model into a dissimilar market niche.
The Apple customer base want a walled garden. They appreciate that Apple have taken away the boring (to them) problems of compatibility and interoperability.
Consoles have also fitted into this niche.
The PC gamer by their very nature do not want pre-packaged solutions. If they did they would use an Xbox or PS for gaming. As an example, my friend is lovely but she is computer illiterate. She was convinced to spend £2,500 ($4,500) on a Mac with Cinema screen when I know damn well she only uses the machine for web browsing, accounting and emails. That said, for her, the perecived support structure that Apple provide is worth the money. If she had bought a generic PC in Dixons for £600 she would have the anxiety of ownership.
PC gamers are, in the main, tech savvy and want the best experience for their buck. The relative 'failure' of products like Alienware and Dell gaming PC's shows me that we are more like the piston heads who spend hours replacing and fitting perfectly good car parts with slightly better after market items.
I would however welcome any better configuration tools to help spec and upgrade my PC. Generally the mobo is the heart of the PC and generally the mobo manufacturers are a decade behind most consumer tech companies in their support. It has only been a few years since I remember trawling through Abit or Gigabyte's Taiwanese website trying to find the correct USB driver - with everything badly translated into pigeon english.
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As I see it, people who want to do all sorts of silly overclocking and squeezing out 2 more FPS already know how to do it and don't need to pay someone... uhm, whatever that is in squid (why are you quoting dollars on a UK-based gaming forum?). For everyone else, that money is better spent on getting some slightly shinier components. Why buy a £450 computer from someone who's tweaked it a bit and hopefully made it a bit better, when I can get a a £550 computer?
"Swans are so big, they're like the Ostriches of the bird world"
To the guys telling him he needs a hobby, do you not possible think perhaps he's fishing around to see if this would be a viable business for him to set up and thus is casting a larger net than one forum to get feedback?
To the "just get a console", if you really think that's a solution I fear for your impression of PC gaming.
@Mash, on more consideration, I'd probably be less inclined to buy a "box" pc from someone. I enjoy making them. However, I would definitely pay for someone to take care of the tweaking/OC part of it for me and my hardware because I'd much rather just play the game than have to spend perhaps an hour or two online figuring out the best injector or .ini configurations to use.
2) it's not lego, not everything fits homogeneously. Shinier bits that don't match up properly make for a lot of sad face. That example of a budget system with a low end gpu and a 256GB SSD I read elsewhere was perfectly appropriate for this point.
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I think this is a good idea that's far too late because PC hardware just isn't that important anymore and the software components are already being handled (except for emulation which is far thornier legally than your system suggests).
Game settings adjustment - what for? Most games are pretty enough and run fairly well. The settings I do change are things like alpha and mouse sensitivity; they're personal preferences that differ with each game.
Fixes - Are nice but Gog already sells compatible games and Steam automatically patches games if you chose for it to do so.
Mods - all well and good, but Steam is already putting that together in the workshop. It's not complete yet, but it's getting there.
Emulation - far thornier than it sounds. The courts shut down a streaming service that played a purchased dvd of the media it was streaming.
Hard to find hardware - It would be better if it was standard. I prefer using adaptors to using specialized cables, and using neither when possible.
Overclock profile - Again, what for? Maxing out performance is kind of silly when games aren't nearly as taxing as they used to be relative to the power of computers. Computing power is going to keep going up for a while, and the incentive to make games that meet it is diminishing along with returns. If anything it should come preloaded anyways.
Upgrade packages - A nice idea, but games are hardly coming out that require upgrades. I expect to get one PC for the next console generation, and there might not even be consoles in the generation after that. This is not 2000, where radical graphics changes were happening every year. Few applications use all the power we have now, and the indie rise means this is extending to games too.
Support staff - This is a good idea, but computers are getting easier to use and need less support now then ever. This is not the windows 95 BSOD days. Time would be better spent creating a diagnostic program that simply explains 80% of crashes and hardware failures in simple English. Hardware failures are the usual stumpers, and I feel like most of them display some symptoms before they fail.
This is an extremely niche idea at best. Someone who wants easy gaming, doesn't want a closed ecosystem, cares deeply about performance, but doesn't want to fiddle around with it themselves. There's a slim chance it could work selling this kind of service to people who want to switch to Linux for gaming but aren't comfortable with it.
Last edited by Internet; 14-11-2012 at 04:17 PM.
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I would say no. I might be crazy, but things like picking out my own parts, building it myself, updating drivers and BIOS...that's just fun to me. I can't tell you how enjoyable it is to see the look on the face of any strictly-console gamers that come over and see my rig. I had to tell the last guy I game on a PC three times before he understood I wasn't saying "PS3". He said he didn't even know you could play games like Assassin's Creed or CoD on a computer. I showed him my setup, and he asked where I bought my computer. I told him I built it myself. From his reaction, you would have thought I had built my own Large Hadron Collider in my spare bedroom.
Also, mashakos, I sent you a PM, in case you don't see a notification :-)"What were we talking about? Pegasuses, pegasii, that's horses with wings. This motherf*cker got a sword that talks to him. Motherf*cker live in places that don't exist, it comes with a map. My God."
cool. I remember those days! I actually remember exactly when it happened: I showed an avid Fighting game fanatic Rival Schools running on Bleem at 1024x768 and bilinear filtering. He was literally speechless for an hour, heh. Then he kept asking a lot of questions about building PCs :)
That changes over time though. As the old saying goes "poor people have more time than money, not so poor people have more money than time". You might find yourself in a situation where a friend is showing you their new yacht. Custom made PC ain't gonna be that impressive then :-/
In short:
-If you want a hassle free experience you have to stick with one of the preconfigured models.
-If you customise the builds yourself, you forfeit the benefits of the "seamless" user experience offered.
That's why as a whole this whole service would be free and open to everyone.
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Not for me. Building, breaking, tweaking and fixing my PC is part of its appeal to be honest. I also have an irrational hatred of any 'hand-holdiness' and mass market appeal as its partly responsible for the present 'situation' that video gaming finds itself in. (Obviously this utterly subjective).
I've now read the last two pages and I still have no idea what it is the OP is suggesting.
Apple appeals to people who don't understand computers, and even then Apple computers have a very small market share of computers overall (their phones and tablets are the only things making deep inroads). A car example would be things like Mini Coopers or VW Bugs that are sold to people who think they look cute but otherwise don't know jack about cars (and end up paying a premium for maintenance due to the scarcity of MiniCooper and VW dealerships and parts vendors).
Is the suggestion, instead, that people would like to pay for custom building and after-market part installation? We already have that method. There's a lot of companies out there who make money assembling computers to users' specifications. I myself have three computers from CyberpowerPC.
Or is it individualized consulting about how clients may overclock and upgrade their computers? A lot of technicians freelance that on the side already, although anybody in the market to tweak their computer like such is likelier than not to do their own research. What, then is the suggestion?
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PC gaming is already piss easy. So no.
Definite no for me, hate the idea of closed platforms and I've been twiddling with computers for nearly twenty years so anything other than something a little fiddly that might take a bit of extra work but will ultimately be worth it is kind of a step backward. Some kind of paid "tailored experience" kind of misses the point when the main reason I use a PC is because I like how I can tailor it myself for my gaming and/or work needs.
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Funny thing is Apple's support is one of the worst in the industry to boot.
I wouldn't be willing to pay for it. But then I wholeheartedly support the idea of requiring a license to use a PC in the first place, which would render much of it moot.
This is probably the wrong place to ask, as people who frequent PC gaming forums are not normal (in a statistical sense). It would surprise me greatly if there werent a fair number of videogame players who would like the benefits of a PC, but have no desire to build and/or tweak stuff, but you wont find them here.
Having said that, actually selling it to them would be pretty hard because anything connected with Microsoft PCs is going to be a hardsell to those who like to plug and play.
Now if apple came out with a MacGamer a la MacPro, I'm sure that would sell. Hell, I'd probably buy one just because of love the aesthetics of the mac pro.
That doesn't exist anymore outside of a Mac and iLife, and even then you don't get gaming in the mix. I think it would be great to bring that kind of experience back to the PC.
I never once suggested that the solution would be non-customisable or mediocre. The configurations would be carefully selected and tuned for the benefit of the consumer, not the reseller.
EDIT: Wouldn't mind a PC bundled with one of these awesome 4kb scene demos to showcase the innovation happening on the PC, as well as a scene demo editor
Last edited by mashakos; 14-11-2012 at 07:27 PM.
As for tech demos, have you seen the software nVidia cards come in? Half their shit is basically that.


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Lauri Heiskari. Photo: Colin Adair.
Finnish ex-patriot, street rail ripper, tech park enthusiast, flamboyant hat wearer, DC teamrider, Melrose Place fan—Lauri Heiskari is many things. Always down for the adventure and ever turning out the jaw-dropping video part, Heiskari's latest celluloid magic involves a little more powder than years past. Yep, he's honing his backcountry talent with the true master—DC teammate Devun Walsh.
We met up with Heiskari on the steeps and deeps of Chile's Al Colorado and Valle Nevado. That's right, pow in August—there's just no rest for the wicked.—Jennifer Sherowski
So you were heli-boarding down there. What's your take on heli-ing? Is it really worth all the money and effort?
I've done it twice now, and it's amazing! I feel very fortunate for getting to do it since it's so freakin' expensive. I'm terrified of it, too, though. I'm a bit scared of the turbulence—that little hotbox is a lot shakier than an airplane! I just pump up the music and stare at the ceiling [laughs].
Helis are a great way to check out different terrain quickly and access peaks that are impossible to reach by hiking or using sleds. One bad thing is that it's really time consuming, especially if you're trying to hit a jump, and with a crew trying to film from the heli, too … it's quite a hassle.
Photographer Colin Adair said that you didn't get to see any of the lines on recon—that Devun and Iikka did all the scoping. How did it feel getting dumped out of the heli and having to approach terrain blindly?
Well, you kinda see it on the way in there, and those guys were there last year, so they already had an idea about where to go, so it was all good. I have a lot of faith in Devun's knowledge of where to go and what to do, so if he tells me to jump into a ditch blindfolded, I will.
You obviously didn't ride any backcountry growing up in Finland, right? So how'd you finally get over the lack of experience and start feeling comfortable in the backcountry?
Well, I do feel a lot more comfortable compared to when I first started filming, and every year I've learned tons and gained more confidence. Thanks, Dev! But it was really hard for me at first, because Finland is almost totally flat, and so big terrain and deep snow made me really feel out of place for a while. I just wanted to go back to the park … what was I thinking?
Seriously! Tell me about the snow on this trip—was it all time?
It snowed a ton while we were there, and it was amazing—so much fun. It sure does feel good to go straight to three feet of uncrowded pow in the middle of summertime instead of a packed, weird salt/snow summer-camp situation. Actually, that doesn't sound too bad, either—never mind.
What's Chile like?
People from Chile are really nice and polite—some of 'em are pretty hippied out and stony, but still really nice. But you probably want to make sure that the heli driver didn't have a "long dinner" the night before he's supposed to fly with you. Just a little sniff of his breath, and if you don't catch a buzz off it, then you should be good.
The trip was really good in general, besides the fact that every morning something new appeared on my board—either a kook-tag or a weird penis—so by the end of the trip everybody's boards were pretty R-rated and definitely not recommended for resale.
I heard some people recognized you on the streets of Santiago and wanted a photo with you. What's it like to be that famous?
I actually just paid them to do it, and then to ask, "Who's that?" while pointing at Iikka—just to piss him off. Nobody knows me.
Describe your most rewarding moment of the entire three days.
Every trick you land in pow keeps replaying in your mind for days. It's just awesome. Otherwise, maybe the freeride runs with the heli!
What song was listened to most often on your iPod?
Main Flow and 7L, "Forever."
Do you still have a house in Finland? Where do you officially live right now?
San Clemente [California], baby! Yeah, I love being close to everything and being able to live a beach life for a couple of months before going back to the winter wonderland life. Back when I used to live in Finland, the "beach life" was "surrounded by alcoholics in the pouring rain" life.
Haha! What's something you really miss about Finland?
If I had to name one thing, it'd be the culture. It's just different there—homey. That's where I'm from, so I know how things work. Here, everything works a little differently, and the people are different. I'm figuring everything out by myself and using my second language on all these weird forms and papers—and I just can't make that call to dad and have him to do it [laughs]. I do think there's a lot more dishonesty with people here.
What's making you happy these days?
Just life in general. I love what I do. I'm living in this great place, and I have people I've been tight with for so long around me. It's great to pick a location in the world and just move there and still have your best friends with you. I'm trying to enjoy everything. I want to learn how to cook, ride more pow, surf my ass off, take some great photos, and chill with my girl and Iikka and Eero and enjoy this crazy world.
What are some of your other recent obsessions besides snowboarding?
Surfing, working out, fish-eye-lens pictures, looking for furniture for my first house, and drawing graphics—which end up looking pretty horrible. It's a work in process. I consider myself like Picasso—like, it might take a couple lifetimes for my art to get truly appreciated … maybe more.
What's the most important lesson you've learned in life so far?
Don't be a jealous of anybody. People are always gonna have something you don't, and you'll always have something they don't. Jealousy starts everything bad, and it can ruin great friendships. People need to appreciate you because of who you are, not what you have or don't have.


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Gabrielle Union Gossip
Gabrielle Union gossip, latest news, photos, and video.
Smutty Social Media, September 1, 2016
I absolutely love this dress – the color, the cut, the sleeves, the pockets – on Renee Zellweger. I want this Bridget Jones's Baby to be a hit; rom-com, as a genre, needs it. Rom-coms are drifting away, turning into nostalgic Saturday afternoon movies. What was the last great rom-com you saw? @ferragamo @tagheuer styling @nina.clare #claridges Full Story
Smutty Social Media, July 18, 2016
I don't know who keeps Naomi Campbell's calendar but I must say she never misses a birthday or special anniversary. #i miss you so much !! Long live #Gianni Versace #R I P ❤❤❤❤❤❤🌹🌹🌹🌹🙏🏾 @versace_official Full Story
Gabrielle's summer before award season
Nate Parker and Gabrielle Union both received invitations to join the Academy late last week. The two star together in the upcoming film The Birth of a Nation, the record-breaking Sundance smash that's been generating Oscar attention since January Full Story
Beyoncé & Gabrielle
AKM-GSI, Gustavo Caballero/ Getty Images
Here are some new shots of Beyoncé today and yesterday in New York. She takes Formation to Detroit tonight and then it's a two week break before the tour heads to Europe until early August. Full Story
Smutty Social Media, April 13, 2016
Carla Gugino and Katie Holmes look a lot alike – how did I never notice this? And they both like Zac Posen. I'm obsessed with my raincoat from the ever amazing @zacposen. Just in time for El Niño. I've already put it to use! Stunning piece Zac! 😘😘 Full Story
Smutty Social Media, February 1, 2016
Orlando Jones and Angela Bassett have a great casting idea for that Michael Jackson/Elizabeth Taylor/Marlon Brando roadtrip movie. BRILLIANT! Ordered my violet contacts & bathed in White Diamonds this morning, so I'm READY! Let's do this! xo! Ang https://t.co/E8O4NY438y Full Story
Smutty Social Media, November 19, 2015
Stefanie Keenan/ Getty Images
Everyone loves Jennifer Meyer Maguire. She has as many friends as Gwyneth, I swear. She also has something else in common with Gwyneth – her husband, Toby, never, ever seems to be around when she's promoting her jewelry line or new clothing line. Follow me @barneysnyofficial when I take over their Instagram today!! Cannot get over the love and support of my friends last night to launch my capsule clothing collection with @barneysnyofficial ❤ I love my girls! I love my job! Xo #jennifermeyer #xojm #BNYxoJM Full Story
Gabrielle Union & Dwyane Wade: MET Military
Mark Sagliocco/ Larry Busacca/ Getty Images
I love what's happening underneath Dwyane Wade's jacket. And I apologise in advance for mixing up my references but it reminds me of an old European army uniform; it reminds me of Les Miserables. Exciting, right? Because men's fashion doesn't often surprise you. This is flair. Full Story
Chris Rock or Moses?
Jim Spellman/ Mike Pont/ Getty Images
There's been a discussion lately about the whitewashing of Exodus. Sarah posted about it here the other day. Exodus opens on December 12. Some are calling for a boycott. Why don't we call it an alternative? Chris Rock's Top Five opens wide on the same day. Full Story


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Better Information Becomes a Priority in the Latest Round of TAACCCT Grants
May 09, 2013
By Patrick Reimherr, Tim Harmon, Julie Strawn, and Neil Ridley
In its newest round of Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) Grants, the Department of Labor took a significant step toward transparency for students by requiring state-consortium applicants to develop an online Employment Results Scorecard. Originally enacted as part of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, the TAACCCT grant program awards funds to institutions to expand and improve education and training programs that can be completed in two years or less. TAACCCT-funded programs support displaced and other at-risk workers in their pursuit of skills and credentials in "high-wage, high-skill" employment.
The Employment Results Scorecards will help students navigate the postsecondary environment by providing, at a minimum, information on the graduation rate, employment rate, retention rate, average earnings, and transfer rate, as well as other potential metrics, for all the consortium institutions' programs of study, including those developed with TAACCCT funds. Ideally, a consortium will connect with other data initiatives and systems, such as the national Workforce Data Quality Campaign and the Unemployment Insurance (UI) program.
Research shows that access to data on labor market outcomes for students—both those who graduate and those who do not complete-is a critical unmet need, especially for low-income and first-generation college-goers.. Findings suggest that providing better information to students and parents on the labor market outcomes resulting from programs of study at individual institutions can improve the ability of students to select programs and colleges that best meet their needs:
- One study found that when parents were "provided with graduation-rate data, 15 percent switched their preference to the school with the higher graduation rate." In addition, these effects were stronger among parents with lower educational attainment levels and lower incomes.
- A review of focus group studies of how students select colleges found that "the focus group findings with low-income, first-generation, and academically underprepared students were consistent with research on adult students in that these students also collapse the search and choice stages into one abbreviated step. They tend to focus on a single college or two, primarily due to cost considerations and the fact that their grades and test scores limit their choices."
The initiative is similar in purpose to the recent College Scorecard in that it aims to supply students with more information about the institution and potential programs of interest. However, an important difference is that Employment Results Scorecard data will be collected at the state and institutional level, and reported at the program level, while the College Scorecard relies primarily on data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS), and is reported at the institution level.
Making program-level data widely available has the potential to expand the range of program and institutional options students consider when investing in their postsecondary education. The Department of Labor's inclusion of the Employment Results Scorecard is a step in the right direction and has the potential to help an especially vulnerable population access programs that better prepare them for the demands of the labor market.


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Quick Ambrosia Fruit Salad Recipe
- 1 can (8-1/4 ounces) fruit cocktail, drained
- 1 can (8 ounces) unsweetened pineapple chunks, drained
- 1 cup green grapes
- 1 cup seedless red grapes
- 1 cup miniature marshmallows
- 1 medium banana, sliced
- 3/4 cup vanilla yogurt
- 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Chill until serving. Yield: 6 servings.
Reviews forQuick Ambrosia Fruit Salad
My Review
Average Rating
"A healthy version of Ambrosia. Very good, and simple to make. I exchanged the banana for a handful of macadamia nuts. More fattening, I know - but I like the crunch."
"I prepared this for dinner tonight and it was very good. Nothing fancy, just a refreshing fruit salad. It took minutes to prepare and popped it in the fridge for about an hour. It was delicious and perfect for a last minute salad. We will have this again. I highly recommend this recipe as a Volunteer Field Editor."
"I like the fact that this uses yogurt, Both my husband and I enjoyed the recipe"
"Delicious! I made it withut coconut cuz my kids won't eat it, but next time I am going to divide it in two and make on with and one without. I don't like fruit cocktail, so I used chopped cantalope and watermelon instead. I will add strawberries, too, next time. A big hit!"
"I don't like fruit cocktail, I used fresh strawberries instead."
"I varied it by adding apples, dried cranberries and pecans. It's really simple and delicious. I for a church luncheon and everyone loved it. received a lot of comments on it."
"This was very simple and very good! My family eats it up every time I make it. It has become a staple in our house. I omit the fruit cocktail (not a fan of the stuff) and add apples and whatever fresh fruit I may have on hand. Wonderful!"


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The Florida High School Athletic Association has released the results of its 2007-2008 sports participation survey. You can read it at http://www.fhsaa.org/programs/participation/2008_09.asp. Coincidentally, or not, FHSAA board also was scheduled to meet this Wednesday to (hopefully) rescind its recent decision to reduce schedules by 20 percent for all high school sports except football and cheerleading.
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Help Desk III
1 Credit Hours
This course uniquely prepares the student to keep the customer productive by focusing on the business needs of the customer, establishing credibility and trust, by using real world scenarios. This is the 3rd course in a series of 4 in the 2 year program. Emphasis is given to problem solving and troubleshooting, team dynamics, and interpersonal communication skills in a college campus. This course exposes the student to common industry tools and technologies used in providing exceptional customer support. Prerequisites: NET 774 Help Desk I, NET 775 Help Desk II. Exceptions subject to program coordinators' discretion.


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Rice fine with being the underdog at ACC
April 5, 2012
During press call on Wednesday, former "Seinfeld" actor John O'Hurley was asked who he though would finish atop the leader board at this year's American Century Championship, which will be played at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course July 20-22.
"I think it's going to be between Jack (Wagner) and Danny Quinn," he said.
Former San Francisco 49ers great Jerry Rice playfully shouted to O'Hurley: "John, John it's going to be between us."
Rice re-stated his prediction when he got a crack at the question. "I think it's going to be John and I at Edgewood in that final group."
O'Hurley finished at the top of "Dancing with the Stars," but his best showing at Edgewood was 41st in 2003. Rice, on the other hand, has cracked the top 10 – barely. In 2009 he finished in the 10 spot, and last year was 15th. While those are respectable finishes and it isn't completely laughable to picture him with the winner's trophy, there are several celebrities other than Rice favored to finish first.
Dallas Cowboy's quarterback Tony Romo finished second to Wagner last year, who won the event for the second time. Quinn is a four-time winner of the event, finishing second three times and never doing worse than eighth. Then there is eight-time winner Rick Rhoden. His worst finish was also eighth, but until 2010 had done no worse than fifth.
But this year, Rice likes his chances to finish near the top.
"My setup is a lot better this year, the way I'm positioning myself over the ball. I'm really hitting it good," he said. "I can see exactly what I want to do and how to approach the hole and not just get out there and hit the ball."
Rice said he always felt comfortable on the football field, but not so much on the golf course. But that is changing.
"I think I'm feeling more confident this year. The confidence is there, but it's just that it's a learning process. It's not something I've done all my life," he said. "I'm excited about my progress and the direction I'm going."
Even though others might not think so, Rice feels like that direction is up the leader board.
"There's nothing wrong with being an underdog a little bit, I have no problem with that. There are some good golfers in this tournament," he said. "I don't mind being the underdog. I feel like my game is really progressing the right way. I was able to crack the top 10 and I hope to be in the top five soon."


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Hey there everyone, Well I'm facing one of the basic issues, I read through all other threads posted about the same thing but none of the solutions posted there worked for me.
So I'm trying to install BT5-R3 x64 using a live-usb, I have tried both gnome and kde versions, I face the same problem with both versions, havent yet tried the x86 ones. I'm using Dell Inspiron N5010, got 6GB of ram and plenty of hard drive space as well.
Now that from what I have gathered, this issue has something to do with the display card of the system, mine has a built in one, Intel HD Graphics and that's all I know about it. I tried the different fix methods people posted, nothing has worked for me yet.
Any kind of help would be appreciated.
Many Thanks


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To avoid travel problems from Tropical Storm Karen, coach Sean Payton said Thursday the New Orleans Saints will travel early to Chicago, where they play the Bears on Sunday
The Saints will leave town Friday evening and try to hold a walkthrough at a field near their hotel, Payton said. The team usually travels to away games on Saturday.
The last time the Saints left early for a regular-season game was when Hurricane Gustav struck Louisiana in 2008. They practiced all week in Indianapolis after their final exhibition that year and then flew home to play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1.
"We're able to handle this pretty smoothly ... just to be smart and not get caught up in what really sounds more like a wind issue potentially on Saturday," Payton said.
As of Thursday afternoon, Karen was expected to make landfall Saturday as a strong tropical storm near Mobile, Ala. Tropical storm conditions may be felt in New Orleans starting late Friday.


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Recently Updated Articles
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5 Rocket Stocks to Buy This Week - views
BALTIMORE (Stockpickr) -- Could this be the bounce week that investors have been waiting for?
>>5 Blue-Chip Stocks to Buy to Beat the S&P
But earnings season is coinciding perfectly with the S&P's fall to trend line support -- and with analysts expecting pretty tepid performance from U.S. equities this quarter, any meaningful earnings surprise could help to fuel the next leg of this rally. Despite the excitement of earnings season's start last week, only nine S&P components delivered their numbers so far. So with 84 S&P names scheduled to turn over their numbers this week and another 164 component firms handing over their quarterly results next week, it's clear that the data is going to grow exponentially, starting now.
That's why we're turning to a new set of Rocket Stock names this week.
For the uninitiated, "Rocket Stocks" are our list of companies with short-term gain catalysts and longer-term growth potential. To find them, I run a weekly quantitative screen that seeks out stocks with a combination of analyst upgrades and positive earnings surprises to identify rising analyst expectations, a bullish signal for stocks in any market. After all, where analysts' expectations are increasing, institutional cash often follows.
>>5 Stocks Poised for Breakouts
In the last 172 weeks, our weekly list of five plays has outperformed the S&P 500 by 77.07%.
Without further ado, here's a look at this week's Rocket Stocks.
2012 has been a stellar year for customer relationship management software firm Salesforce.com (CRM). Shares of the $21 billion company have rallied more than 51% since the start of the year, despite spending most of the last few months moving sideways.
Salesforce serves more than 100,000 businesses spread across the globe, helping them interact with their own customer lists, enabling everything from sending newsletters to tracking sales. That mission-critical nature of Salesforce's offering gives the firm a big economic moat for shareholders right now.
>>8 Big Technology Stocks Leading the Market Salesforce has been a leader in the cloud computing space, carving out a profitable niche using a tool that was little more than a buzzword for most tech firms. That first-to-market status for Salesforce means that it's got a measurable jumpstart over peers who are attempting to move customers over to their platforms. Software-as-a-service is also a more lucrative model for software firms like CRM. Instead of selling a software license and then trying to convince customers to spend big bucks on the next iteration of the software, the cloud model lets CRM charge recurring fees while trickling feature improvements onto the platform. And because integration with customers' systems takes place deep in the Salesforce platform, switching costs are extremely high for businesses to move to rival services.
A solid balance sheet rounds out the picture at Salesforce. The firm carries more than $1.8 billion in cash and investments, easily offsetting $508 million in debt. That's not to say that CRM's financial statements are flawless. Huge marketing costs have consistently eroded profits over the firm's life. While recent losses are self-inflicted for the sake of growth, they're losses nonetheless.
That said, rising analyst expectations are flashing a buy signal for Salesforce this week; watch out for earnings on Nov. 20.
Most investors are fixated on the big banks right now. But they should be turning their sights to North Carolina-based BB&T (BBT), a $22 billion regional bank that boasts 1,800 branches spread across the Southeast and the Midatlantic.
Shares of BB&T have rallied more than 43% since I called the firm one of four bank stocks you should still buy last year. There's reason to believe that BBT has more room to run in 2012.
>>10 Most Profitable Banks Trading Below Book Value
Regional banking names like BB&T have a big advantage in the simple fact that they're banks first and foremost. The temptation of easy profits in tertiary businesses (like investment banking, trading, and derivatives) doesn't exist for these guys, and as a result, they've largely been able to skirt the exposure that crushed the big banks in 2008. In BB&T's case, the retail and commercial banking business has helped to fuel double-digit net margins, even in an environment where rates are near zero. That should set the stage for even more impressive performance once rates normalize a few years down the road.
BB&T's loan book has remained conservative, even as its deposit base grew and sketchier loans became tempting. A push towards fee-based revenues has made services to banking customers add up to around 30% of revenues, adding some nice diversification that comes with hefty profit margins.
With a balance sheet that's in solid shape and dividend payout tipping 2.47% right now, we're betting on this bank.
BB&T shows up on a list of 5 Bank Stocks Bernanke Can't Hurt Anymore.
Yahoo! (YHOO) continues to grab the headlines, most recently for unloading half of its stake in Alibaba for around $7.1 billion. The move is a big one -- in total, the deal means that close to half of Yahoo!'s market capitalization is now made up of cash or marketable investments. And according to management, almost half of that will be returned to shareholders.
So even though the firm continues to struggle right now, there's good reason to pay attention to this stock.
>>3 Tech Stocks Hedge Funds Are Buying
When Marissa Mayer moved from Google (GOOG) to the CEO chair at Yahoo!'s Sunnyvale, California-based offices, the firm sent a big message to investors -- they confirmed that the dot-com survivor was still capable of courting top talent. Now, it's a question of what they'll do with it. It's already evident that acquisitions are on the table with the firm's huge cash position, something that normally strikes fear in the hearts of investors; the possibility of overpayment is a big unknown.
That said, sentiment remains poor for equities, so the premiums on M&A deals are lower than they've been in years past. That and Mayer's experience at a successful acquisition-hungry firm should help to make the right decisions about what they buy.
Ultimately, Yahoo! still has a strong search business that attracts more than 650 million unique visitors per month. It's easy to write off Yahoo, but the bottom line is that the firm still makes money. That, coupled with investors' anxiety over this stock's future makes it an interesting contrarian name this week.
It's been an impressive year for industrial name Ingersoll-Rand (IR). Shares of the $13.6 billion firm have rallied more than 45% since the start of the year, outperforming the S&P 500 by a factor of more than 3. IR manufactures a large number of well-known brands, ranging from Club Car golf carts to Schlage locks to Trane air conditioners.
>>4 Big Stocks to Trade (or Not)
Ingersoll was one of many industrials that decided to tighten its belt in 2008, cutting its overhead costs and ultimately ensuring that more of every dollar it brings in makes it to the bottom line of its income statement. That's helped to generate net profit margins approaching 10% in the last year. IR's brands may not be particularly complementary, but they are mainly league-leaders in their respective niches, a fact that provides for premium pricing and a stickier customer base of after market parts.
To be sure, Ingersoll still isn't in a "normal" market for its products. Despite a pickup in construction, building is still depressed from prerecession levels. When those numbers start to pick up again, particularly on the commercial side, Ingersoll-Rand should benefit disproportionately.
In the meantime, a reasonable balance sheet and a growing emerging markets business should help investors wait things out. Just keep an eye on Friday's earnings call.
Medical device maker RedMed (RMD) rounds out our list of Rocket Stocks this week. RMD's primary business is in manufacturing airflow generators and masks for sleep apnea patients, a business that could provide a springboard for ResMed to move into other breathing disorders with underserved device markets. The firm announces its next round of earnings on Oct. 25.
ResMed has built a business on being innovative. When the firm decided to move into the sleep apnea business, it used superior technology to take market share from the medical device makers who held the top spots. As RMD continues to innovate, it should open up new markets. New pushes toward home testing of sleep apnea should help lift the fortunes of all the medical device makers in the business, but a push toward treating other related breathing disorders holds the most promise in the longer-term.
Financially, ResMed is in good shape, with around $560 million in net cash on its balance sheet once debt is accounted for. Short sellers have historically mobilized against shares of ResMed, shoving the firm's short interest ratio in the double-digits and making this stock a good candidate for a short squeeze.
With RMD's short interest ratio sitting at 14.6, it would take around three weeks for shorts to exit their stakes in the stock. That adds some extra upside potential to this name ahead of earnings.
To see all of this week's Rocket Stocks in action, check out the Rocket Stocks portfolio at Stockpickr. -- Written by Jonas Elmerraji in Baltimore.
Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.
At the time of publication, author had no positions in stocks mentioned.
Jonas Elmerraji, based out of Baltimore, is the editor and portfolio manager of the Rhino Stock Report, a free investment advisory that returned 15% in 2008. He is a contributor to numerous financial outlets, including Forbes and Investopedia, and has been featured in Investor's Business Daily, in Consumer's Digest and on MSNBC.com.


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Heritage Center & Ditch Witch Museum
Perry, OK 73077
The Heritage Center & Ditch Witch Museum in Perry showcases the history of Ditch Witch equipment from invention to...Learn More
The Heritage Center & Ditch Witch Museum in Perry showcases the history of Ditch Witch equipment from invention to...Learn More
CCC Lake & Park in Perry features covered picnic areas, gazebos, a boat dock, grills and a playground. Built...Learn More
Make your way to Passow's Camel Farm, located in Perry, to spend a day on the farm enjoying the company of donkeys,...Learn More
The Stagecoach Community Theatre, located in Perry's Heritage Center, presents comedies, musicals, dramas and off-beat...Learn More
The Charles Machine Works Inc is a local manufacturer of Ditch Witch equipment used for underground construction. ...Learn More
Includes a boat ramp, restrooms, picnic area, pavilion, outdoor grills, group facilities and playground. Lake offers...Learn More
Tetik's Country Barn Bed & Breakfast offers a unique lodging option in Perry. This bed and breakfast features a...Learn More
9 hole course with putting and chipping greens, practice area, pro shop, swimming pool, snack bar and ballroom. Open to...Learn More
Head to Thorn Originals in Perry for gorgeous floral arrangements, unique gifts, home decor, scented candles,...Learn More
This antique district in downtown Perry features various antique merchants and storefronts. A historic square...Learn More
The museum collects, preserves and interprets history of the Cherokee Outlet area of northern Oklahoma with emphasis on...Learn More
Hit the tables or the slots at 7 Clans Casino Perry, owned by the Otoe-Missouria Tribal Council. Tour through all...Learn More
Sculpting since 1980, award-winning sculptor Jim Franklin has completed numerous private and public commissions...Learn More