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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 1/1/2013 (1693 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Pro football's wild-card weekend is upon us, and just in time too with the NHL and its players desperately in need of an example of how billionaires and millionaires can co-exist in relative harmony.
That being said, Saturday's first wild-card matchup is an AFC repeat of last year's game, with the Cincinnati Bengals travelling to Houston to play the Texans.
In researching this contest, I was surprised to discover that the hottest team in the NFL right now is actually the Bengals, as they have won seven of their last eight. I did not realize this because the Cincinnati football franchise is kind of an afterthought in the NFL, and four of these seven wins came against the Chiefs, Raiders, Chargers, and Eagles, which impresses no one but the stat line.
Conversely, all the talk in Texas is how the Texans are hobbling into the post-season, having dropped three of their last four.
Well, when you are 11-1, like Houston used to be, it is pretty easy to lose focus. Yet instead of this manifesting with a first-round exit, I'm taking the Texans to regroup at home and play with a greater purpose. The Texans are one of the most well rounded teams in the league and that should propel them to victory over the most irrelevant team in the NFL.
Saturday's NFC tilt will be a repeat of the regular season finale as the Minnesota Vikings will travel to fabled Lambeau field to play Green Bay. The Packers were once one of the hottest teams in the NFL, winning five of their last six until they lost to the Vikings as time expired with a field goal two days ago.
Offensively, Minnesota is not too good outside of running the football, and to no one's surprise their chances on Saturday rest on the shoulders of workhorse Adrian Peterson, who came up nine yards short of putting together the most prolific rushing season of all time.
Both these teams held court in the regular season, winning their respective games against each other at home, and I expect more of the same from Green Bay, a team that always plays better when they have to work for it.
Sunday will see the Indianapolis Colts travel to Baltimore to play the Ravens. Everyone is talking about the emotional edge that the return of head coach Chuck Pagano has brought to the Colts, but that will pale in comparison if Ray Lewis returns to the roster of the Ravens as expected, especially since he has had ample time to come up with a new pre-game address for the ages.
The Colts are not the same Manning-led team we once admired from afar, but they still have the familiar calling cards of a porous defence and an accomplished passing attack.
It is always a gamble to pick a team with a rookie QB that is going on the road, even if his last name is "Luck," so I'm taking Joe Flacco, Ray Rice and the Ravens at home, as long as Ray Lewis plays the entire game.
Lastly, the Seattle Seahawks will travel to Fed Ex Field to play the Redskins on Sunday, in a game where we have no choice but to pick a rookie quarterback to win.
The Redskins have been out of division contention for so long, the last time they actually won the NFC East was when yours truly was playing for them, but back to the upstart quarterbacks.
Russell Wilson tied Peyton Manning's rookie record for TD passes this year with 26, but RG3 should win NFL rookie of the year honors with the number of highlight reel plays he has authored.
The Seahawks were the only team to go undefeated at home in the NFL this year, but they have been a completely different team on the road, winning three and losing five.
If the Seahawks have a problem traveling, they could not have been paired to a worse combatant as the Redskins are as East as Eastern teams get, and the 'Hawks are of the Pacific variety. Seattle has the best defence in the NFL, in terms of points surrendered, but I don't think they will be much of a match for a Redskins team that head coach Mike Shanahan has been trying to forge into the mold of his 1998 and '99 Terrell Davis and Jon Elway-led Denver Broncos.
Take Houston, Green Bay, Baltimore, and Washington this weekend, and feel good about it.
Doug Brown, once a hard-hitting defensive lineman and frequently a hard-hitting columnist, usually appears Tuesdays and game days in the Free Press.
Twitter: @DougBrown97


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Shortly before Mario Draghi started his press conference at the European Central Bank's meeting in Barcelona on Thursday, his predecessor Jean-Claude Trichet was addressing a more sympathetic audience at the St Gallen Symposium in Switzerland. If anything, Mr Trichet was probably the cagier of the two.
In spite of some robust questioning from the BBC's Stephen Sackur, the former ECB president came across as unrepentant about the ECB's role during the eurozone crisis. He argued, for example, that 14 years ago, 99 per cent of observers would have dismissed as impossible that the euro would keep its value amid low inflation – a performance that he said bettered that achieved by the national central banks in the 15 years before the single currency's birth. "Had I added that this [performance] would be observed after five years of the worst crisis ever, [the sceptics] would have been 100 per cent," Mr Trichet said. The nearest he came to admitting to flaws in the eurozone project was when he said the financial crisis had been "like an X-ray or scanner that reveals the problem you might have". Read more

subset: commoncrawl


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You exercise your body to stay physically in shape, so why shouldn't you exercise your brain to stay mentally fit? With these daily exercises you will learn how to flex your mind, improve your creativity and boost your memory. As with any exercise, repetition is necessary for you to see improvement, so pick your favorite exercises from our daily suggestions and repeat them as desired. Try to do some mentalrobics every single day!
The sense of smell is one of those underused senses that has a strong connection to memories. You already associate certain smells to certain feelings. For example, the smell of fresh cut grass may be associated with early weekend mornings.
You can easily prepare some scent canisters that contain some of your favorite smells. You can then open the canister to get the scent whenever you want. You could use this to help strengthen certain things that you want to remember, based on the principles of strong associations.
You'll need a film canister or other small airtight container. For scents such as lavender or rosemary, you could crumble the herb into the canister. For liquid scents such as vanilla or citrus, you could put a small piece of sponge inside the container and drop in some of the scent. The scents in these canisters should last several weeks.
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Ranking Arizona hosted it's special awards reception, recognizing the companies that Arizona's public ranks as their favorites with which to do business.
Some of the Companies recognized this year include Donovan's Steak & Chop House, St. Joseph's Hospital & Medical Center, National Bank of Arizona, The Go Daddy Group Inc., Rossmar & Graham, Scottsdale Fashion Square, CB Richard Ellis, Phoenix Convention Center, KPNX-TV – Channel 12 and Wist Office Products.
Check out the full Gallery on Flickr…
[slickr-flickr tag="Best of the Best 2011″ items="106″ type="galleria" use_key="y"]


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An all-star cast that included Rip Zinger, Jules Gayton and Ray Barbee were all brought together at the Coldsmoke space in Venice, California for an incredible finale to the CS Summer Series of events. Rip Zinger has traveled the globe capturing some incredible moments – for this exhibit "Retro-Random-Spective," Rip selected an incredible array of photographs from skateboarding, surfing and snow escapades over the last few years. In addition the Rip's exhibit, Ray Barbee played guitar for the crowd and the legendary DJ Jules (Gayton) spun tracks.
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Pittsburgh, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - The Pittsburgh Steelers signed cornerback Brice McCain to a one-year contract on Tuesday.
McCain joins the Steelers after spending the first five years of his career with the Houston Texans.
The 27-year-old Utah product set personal highs with 30 tackles in 16 games (four starts) last season. He has registered 111 tackles and five interceptions in 72 career regular-season games.
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"I am so fobd of these. I have been looking for vintage style undergarments that are affordable and this blow out sale has made it possible. Thank you, thank you, thank you! God is good!" (E67628)
"Very Nicely made. Looks professional. Perfect size for the up and coming NFL stars. Highly recommend buying it." (E27188)
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Epic Sports
JB Bloomers Cotton/Spandex Sport Bras [E16879]


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After three weeks in Uganda and Rwanda, our fifteen Oakland Zoo expeditioners safely returned. We had an epic adventure! This blog is a general overview – with detailed blogs to come.
Eco-travel with the Oakland Zoo Conservation team is a bit different than most safaris. We do go on safari, of course, but we give each safari, each activity, and each day a dose of authenticity – a genuine experience of African culture and conservation. Our participants join us because they are passionate about conserving wildlife, and our partnerships in these countries allow them to jump in and do just that.
We started at the Ugandan Wildlife Education Centre in Entebbe with a hug and tour from Henry Opio, an animal keeper who spent time at the Oakland Zoo earlier in the year. We brought Henry and his crew a much needed primate net that could be used for emergency capturing (apparently one monkey was quite the escape artist).
Onward, we spend some time with the Budongo Snare Removal Project . We walked through the gorgeous forest with the snare removal team, visited a school to exchange a few songs and dances, and listened to poetry written by their conservation club. We participated in an eye-opening meeting of ex-hunters who have renounced poaching to instead raise goats. A day I will never forget was when we set up a goat clinic for the participating villages. Under the leadership of Dr. Goodnight of the Oakland Zoo and Dr. Carol of the Budongo project, we de-wormed over 300 goats!
The beautiful Semliki Valley Wildlife Reserve and lodge were next, with cushy couches to take in views of the expansive savannah. Game drives were in an old-school open truck and delicious meals were served by lantern light at a giant dining room table.
The Kibale forest was our next adventure – and our crew enjoyed chimp treks and bird walks in the lush forests. Our special treat there was a visit to the Kibale Fuel Wood Project. It was inspiring to see how this innovative project protects forests. Highlights were attending their outdoor movie night, visiting their science center, dancing along with their talented dancers and learning how to make their colorful paper beads.
At Queen Elizabeth Park we lost count of the number of elephants, hippopotamus and birds we saw. Spending time with Dr. Ludwig Seifert, lion conservation expert, gave us insight into issues facing predators that live near pastoral communities. Seeing a pride of lions out in the bush and up in a tree was breathtaking.
We then crossed the border into Rwanda where our focus was the endangered Mountain Gorilla. Trekking to see these majestic great apes is a once in a life time experience – and spending time with the International Gorilla Conservation Project, the Mountain Gorilla Vet Project and the Virunga Artisans offered us the big picture once again.
We returned with more than great art and wildlife photos, but with great connections, insight and wisdom that can only be gained when you jump in!
Tags: chimpanzee, elephant, gorilla, Oakland Zoo, Travel


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PCMS RJ45 CAT5E Molded ethernet network patch cable in blue color provides clean/clear transmission with 50-micron gold plated male-to-male connectors and is 14' long, sold as 10 per pack.
PCMS CAT5E Ethernet network patch cable in blue color has bare copper conductors for high-conductivity. 14' Cable ensures a secure connection with molded strain relief and avoids damage by staying within bending radius, sold as 10 per pack.
Computer Cable TypeCAT-5e
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You'll really enjoy wearing this sensible light weight fabric. This wide strap tank features a scoop neck and a side zip closure to provide you with full coverage. You'll find it to be versatile and easy to pair with many different pieces. Layer it under a jacket or cardigan. Perfect to wear alone when the weather is warm. Great for dressing up, being casual or even traveling!
Additional Information:
Side zip closure. Made of 100% Polyester. Dry clean only. Made in China.
View the Size Chart to determine your size.
Garment Measurements:
XS: Bust: 36", Center Back: 14-1/4"
Small: Bust: 38", Center Back: 14-1/2"
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Give your wardrobe the chic, feminine style of aDRESSing WOMAN - a fashionable collection of figure-flattering dresses and wardrobe staples designed to address the needs of real women. Fun and flirty with just a pinch of attitude, aDRESSing WOMAN can be worn throughout the day and transitions effortlessly from the office to evening affairs. Give yourself a whole new look with one of the brand's trend-right maxi dresses or add one of their fashionable tunics to your existing wardrobe. Whatever the occasion, you'll feel confident wearing every sophisticated style. Because aDRESSing WOMAN fashions are designed with real women in mind, they create each silhouette to fit easily and comfortably. No matter your size or shape, you'll look great in aDRESSing WOMAN.


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A Note from the Dean of Students
A quick look at our Parents and Families website should tell you all you need to know about how we at Wheaton see our relationship with parents and others who trust us with the education of a student you care about. We see this as a partnership, one with the same goal: the success of your student, culminating in a walk across the stage on Commencement Day, you in the audience taking pictures while your student is handed a hard-earned diploma.
That image is a good metaphor for the relationship we hope you'll have with your student. She, or he, does the work and gets the credit, and you are in the cheering section, encouraging the kind of intellectual engagement Wheaton is known for.
We hope we get to know you over your student's time at Wheaton. Please come to Family Weekend, to concerts and plays, to games, meets and matches. I'm often at these as well, and if you see me, please come introduce yourself and let me know how we're doing educating and supporting your Wheaton student.
Best wishes,
Kate Kenny
Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students
Please contact us if you have questions or concerns.


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Toni&Guy's fall / winter 2014 runway show was unveiled on one of the many catwalks of Athens fashion week (AXDW) and Fashionising.com was there to capture each look.
You can see all of the Toni&Guy autumn (fall) / winter 2014 runway collection by clicking on a thumbnail on the left. From there you can browse through each of the pictures from the fashion show.
Photography by Chrysa Koutroumanou


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Twins' Berrios exhibits early dominance
First-rounder fans 11, allows two hits in five scoreless innings
By Sam Dykstra / Special to MLB.com | August 17, 2012 7:34 PM ET
"It was a great moment for both me and my family," Berrios said through a translator Friday night. "It's something I'm never going to forget. It was a very emotional moment for me."
Following that fleeting instance of pure joy, there always comes the time to perform on the field. Thankfully for the Twins and their first-round pick, that part has been pretty exciting as well.
The 32nd overall pick in the Draft recorded a career-high 11 strikeouts and allowed two hits over five scoreless innings in Rookie-level Elizabethton's 5-1 win over Kingsport.
Berrios (1-0) lowered his ERA to 0.70 and his WHIP to 0.55 in 10 appearances (three starts) between the Appalachian and Gulf Coast leagues.
With numbers like those, the 18-year-old right-hander has made his debut season look easy. According to him, however, it's been the opposite.
"It hasn't been easy," Berrios said. "I've been working really hard just to do well here so far. Everything I do goes toward my goal of making it to the big leagues someday."
While the Puerto Rico native already has his eye on Minnesota, the Twins might want to keep their collective eyes on him, especially after Friday's dominant start.
Berrios' only serious speed bump came in the opening inning when he gave up a leadoff single to Yeixon Ruiz and uncorked a wild pitch. The pitcher's reaction? He struck out the next three batters, all swinging.
The right-hander, who throws a mid-90s fastball with a plus slider and average changeup, struck out the side again in the third and worked around a fifth-inning single and stolen base by Anthony Chavez with two more punchouts. The 11 strikeouts nearly doubled his previous of six, achieved in each of his final two starts for the GCL Twins.
"I thought I located my fastball pretty well," Berrios said. "It was the pitch I used most of the night, although I used the off-speed pitches to strike people out or get important outs. If I get the sequencing right, I'll try to locate the pitch and get a strikeout. But mostly, I'm just trying to not make a mistake."
While the miscues have been few and far between so far, the teenager knows he still has plenty of learning to do if he wants to go from happy draftee to Major League star.
"The hardest part for me so far has been taking in all the information that comes to me here," he said. "They give you all this information here about your pitching, the competition, and I have to adjust to everything based on that. When it comes to the training and the working physically, that's no big deal. I'm used to that."
Rory Rhodes provided support for Berrios with a homer, double, two RBIs and two runs scored. Adam Walker added a two-run blast.
Sam Dykstra is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.View More


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A LASTING tribute to two jockeys killed in a flats fire in Norton has moved a step closer.
Racing Welfare has announced it had bought a property in Malton which will provide "safe, supported accommodation" for young stable staff in the North Yorkshire racing centre.
The property at 4 Old Maltongate was formerly a solicitor's office and was granted residential change of use by Ryedale District Council earlier this year.
Conversion works on the Victorian building are due to start next spring and the £500,000 redevelopment will see the ground floor become the charity's welfare office, while the upper floors will be converted into four bedrooms, a communal lounge, kitchen and bathrooms.
The property will provide young people entering the racing industry in Malton with comfortable homes with added personal support available from the local Racing Welfare's team.
Part of the funds for development came following the deaths of Jamie Kyne and Jan Wilson in a blaze at Buckrose Court in September 2009.
The pair, both talented apprentices, lost their lives after Peter Brown set fire to rubbish in a stairwell after being refused entry to a private party at the flat.
Brown, then 37, and at the time also a resident of Buckrose Court, was convicted of manslaughter and jailed indefinitely the following year.
Simon Clarke, chairman of Racing Homes, which is Racing Welfare's housing association, said: "Our ongoing consultation with Malton's racing community will ensure that our latest development caters for the needs of the town's racing people.
"Our potential plans for the development of the basement into a community and IT suite will enlist the help of the Wilson and Kyne families to ensure we develop a facility that can act as a lasting tribute to two young lives so tragically lost.
"The new homes provided at 4 Old Maltongate will give peace of mind to the young residents and their families as they take their first steps into the challenging world of racing, while the development of the basement will benefit the Malton racing community as a whole."
It is hoped the building will open late next year.


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Kinesis Advantage Review: Long-Term Evaluationby Jarred Walton on 7/2/2013 10:15 PM EST
67 Comments
Back to Article
rs2 - Tuesday, July 02, 2013 - linkMore discussion of the gaming aspect would have been welcome. Like actually loading up a couple of multiplayer games and comparing the average player ranking you achieve on one keyboard versus another.
What's it matter how fast you can type on this keyboard, if it's useless for games? Reply
JarredWalton - Tuesday, July 02, 2013 - linkI mentioned this on page three, that the split makes it less practical for many games. Frankly, I'm nowhere near a competitive enough gamer to make my rankings at all meaningful. As to your question: it's an ergonomic keyboard, designed specifically for typists. What's it matter if it's useful for games? That's like asking for battery life numbers from a desktop system. Perhaps that's too far; it's like criticizing a professional GPU because it runs games slower than a consumer GPU.
Q: How fast can the new NVIDIA Tesla cards run Crysis 3?
A: They can't, as they have no video outputs, but more importantly: who cares? Reply
rs2 - Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - linkMaybe, but how many people use their computer *just* in the capacity of a typist? There are probably some in that category, particularly when you consider applications in the professional/office context. But if you're a company that makes these kind of products, it seems like you'd want to avoid being stuck in such a narrow niche?
I'd be interested in having a more efficient keyboard, but not if it's going to be impossible to play games with. I do both things on my computer; so I care, for one. Probably there are at least a few others in that boat with me.
Maybe someone will cook up a 'transformer-style' version of this keyboard, where it can be arranged into full ergonomic mode for fast and comfortable typing and easily switched over to a more conventional layout for gaming. Shouldn't be terribly difficult, though would certainly drive up costs. Reply
fluxtatic - Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - linkThe company I work for sell buttloads of ergonomic furniture - inverted keyboard trays, oddly uncomfortable ergo mice, what have you. There is also a surprisingly large market for custom-fitted ergo chairs that cost $2000+. I also work with a number of people that use the more conventional split-style keyboards and don't use computers at home virtually at all.
Just because you don't understand a market doesn't mean it doesn't exist Reply
Murloc - Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - linkactually gamers are a minority, and it's the office people that get hurt due to computer overuse. Reply
damianrobertjones - Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - link"Maybe, but how many people use their computer *just* in the capacity of a typist? " - Thousands and thousands of people within business. Reply
MrSpadge - Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - linkIn the games I like to play (RPG, Strategy) you can often remap the keys yourself. In this case you shouldn't have much trouble creating soem config which works well with this keyboard. A Shooter without remapping miht be another story, though. Reply
jasonelmore - Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - linkGaming is the niche market, not office style typing. Reply
Bonesdad - Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - linkTo be honest MOST people use their computer "just" in the capacity of a typist, or at least the vast majority of the time. This is clearly not a keyboard designed for gamers...that should be obvious from a glance. Gamers are a minority of the computer using crowd, esp with the advent of consoles. Reply
ShieTar - Thursday, July 04, 2013 - linkI think you are ignoring the fact here that most of those "MOST" people use two finger typing. People willing to use a strangely distorted Keyboard are the true minority (even my own MS natural is causing most people into massive confusion), but within this group of people willing to invest time into getting used to new hardware, gamers are unlikely to be a minority.
That being said, this keyboard looks like its only an option for people who plan to never, ever use a notebook again. At least, I personally could never imagine to invest hundreds of hours into learning a new keyboard just to keep switching between keyboards extremely different. Reply
Ktracho - Friday, July 05, 2013 - linkI've been using the Kinesis Advantage since the late 90's. I certainly didn't invest hundreds of hours into getting used to it - half a day to a day is more like it. It's certainly less effort than learning a new keyboard layout like Dvorak, which took me a couple days to be comfortable with. I do have an Apple laptop at work, though I rarely remove it from my desk, so when I use it, I always have my Kinesis keyboard connected to it. However, we have a couple labs with dozens of systems, and my wife and kids don't use a Kinesis keyboard at home on their computers (I do have a Kinesis keyboard for my computer at home), so I often have to switch between my Kinesis keyboard with Dvorak layout and standard keyboards with QWERTY layout. It's not a big deal - it's like being fluent in two languages and having to switch between them, which I have to do as well. Every once in a while I start typing in the wrong "language", but it's easy to get back to the right "language". Reply
JayJoe - Sunday, January 11, 2015 - linkNope, switching is really not that hard. You are not replacing your knowledge (or rather muscle memory) you are extending it. Have you ever forgotten a language when learning another? Have you ever forgotten one type of sport you practice when learning another? In this case it is not problem to use standard keyboards and the Kinesis simultaneously. The same way you can type Querty AND Dvorak (once you learned it). People are so afraid of new things, but we don't forget the old things by doing so. Reply
Menty - Saturday, July 06, 2013 - linkFar, far more people use desktop PCs for business than use them for gaming. Reply
Manch78 - Saturday, July 06, 2013 - linkAt work, I type....a lot!, so I would be in that category. At home I mostly play games. While this would be useless for me at home, it would be great to have at work. Ergonomic keyboards are defnitely not a niche in the business world. You could always get one of these for typing and a nostromo or something similar for gaming. Best of both worlds. Reply
subvertigo - Saturday, September 21, 2013 - linkErgonomic keyboards are about getting the right tool for the job. You trade off the flat, common array of keys for better typing. There /are/ ergonomic keyboards for gaming, and instead of having to remap games, you remap the board. Notably the Razer Orbweaver has mechanical keys, but altogether the Razer Nostromo, Saitek Command Unit, and Logitech G13 all have ergonomic aspects for gaming: thumbsticks for WASD, macros and shift levels so you don't have to run all over the keyboard to ergonomically play games.
In addition, any gameboard bigger than the Belkin/Razer Nostromo has enough keys to function as a complete numpad which many ergonomic keyboards don't have. Reply
Chubblez - Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - linkI suppose gaming comes down to type of game, mouse, and modifier keys. I game on a Goldtouch Key Ovation because I need the smartcard for work, and am too lazy to change back and forth. Mouse is a standard Microsoft 5 button.
No issues with Crysis (Original) and very little issue with WoW, using 1-6 with ALT and Shift as modifier keys. Reply
krazyderek - Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - linkkinesis lets you do hardware remapping of the keys directly in the keyboard, i swapped the backspace, delete, enter space buttons so it was a mirror image of how the keyboard comes stock, that pretty much removed any gaming problems, and swapping the windows key and end key was also really nice, once i remapped them in the keyboard it's self, i just popped the keys off with a butter knife and physically moved them and never had trouble again! Reply
Azethoth - Saturday, July 06, 2013 - linkYou are wrong in generalizing about the split: it makes it better for games because it reduces positioning errors and hitting keys beyond your target keys. Gaming means left hand on keyboard, right hand on mouse. A split layout lets you accurately position your left hand to the right hand position to use infrequent keys.
Take a look at that MS natural of yours: The inner edge keys (like T G N, etc. are larger than usual as well). MS Natural had the best layout and sizing of keys for me. The Kinesis does not have the fatter keys of course but would retain the other advantages of splitting.
Also: I remap to ESDF always so nothing to complain about on that front. The lack of G keys is what kills this board for me, not gaming.
Finally you are wrong to diss gamers like that. I have an easy existence proof of a gamer that also wants a good keyboard: me. I am willing to pay lots for that keyboard and have many times. I buy them in pairs to cover work and home, and they need to game as well as produce code and forum rants;-) Reply
Azethoth - Wednesday, July 10, 2013 - linkI forgot to add, this is just in response to dismissing the concerns of gamers for a keyboard. I am totally fine with Jarred not having the time, energy or bandwidth to test gaming in addition to typing for a month+ per keyboard.
If you can type fast on the board, its likely also going to be good for gaming. +/- tweaky cherry red vs brown vs black etc. preferences. Reply
randomstar - Monday, July 08, 2013 - linkAs a note: to the guys commmenting negative - anyone who can afford one of these to help their typing comfort can have two keyboards - one for powetyping, and one for gaming. Reply
Azethoth - Wednesday, July 10, 2013 - linkNo. Reply
HisDivineOrder - Tuesday, July 09, 2013 - linkSeems like a valid question.
You say it's like asking how a Tesla is for games. I say it's more akin to having a professional workstation you also game on. Like asking how a Quadro is for games. I get that you are defensive over this new product category you seem to like, but you must less biased and more objective. Reply
ppeterka - Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - link"What's it matter how fast you can type on this keyboard, if it's useless for games?"
I use a computer for 8-10-12 hours of work. On each weekday. Sometimes a bit on weekends.
I play games average 10 minutes each day.
And so do my very own few thousand colleagues.
And so do the few million people using computers to earn money.
In this concern, gamers are a minority. A tiny rounding error. For your own balance of mind, please go and read articles about watercooled triple GPU configs - that seems to be more your field of interest. And don't forget to ask for money from dad. Reply
geniekid - Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - linkThis is a hardware enthusiast site so I think a significant number of people who come here use their computers for gaming, maybe not for its primary purpose, but at least a significant amount of the time. So I don't think it's that crazy to want a little more perspective on how well this keyboard is used for gaming purposes.
"For your own balance of mind, please go and read articles about watercooled triple GPU configs - that seems to be more your field of interest. And don't forget to ask for money from dad."
That was rude, unconstructive, and detracts from the argument you're trying to make. Reply
damianrobertjones - Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - link"This is a hardware enthusiast site so I think a significant number of people who come here use their computers for gaming" - Not exactly true. Reply
geniekid - Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - linkI don't think you have any evidence to back up that claim. Not that I have any to back up mine anyway, but do you really think a significant number of the people who read this site don't play games on a daily basis? By significant I mean at least 20%. Reply
KLC - Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - linkI'm a long time Anandtech reader, very interested in computer tech since I first got to use a dual floppy IBM PC about 30 years ago. I have zero interest in games. Broaden your horizons. Reply
geniekid - Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - linkI'm also a long time Anandtech reader, and I have lots of interest in games and how well ergonomic keyboards deal with them.
Please note I'm not arguing that any content in the article be replaced with some kind of gaming test, just that a request for a little more information is not that unreasonable. Reply
hfm - Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - linkI have been reading Anand for a ridiculously long time as well, since the late 90's if I'm not mistaken. I am 100% sure that over that time most of the content has been geared toward people who care about high performance computing, most of those people being gamers. That said, there's also plenty of content that would be of use to those who couldn't care less about games.
The big problem is that these two statements are just closed-minded:
"What's it matter how fast you can type on this keyboard, if it's useless for games?"
"For your own balance of mind, please go and read articles about watercooled triple GPU configs - that seems to be more your field of interest. And don't forget to ask for money from dad."
Article like this particular one will bring out the set that doesn't care about games since they are probably the ones that care most about how many WPM they can type in a day. The cross-section is going to be much larger here than a review of the Titan or a Gaming Notebook.
Can't we just all get along? :) (never is the answer to that question... hasn't happened yet.. probably won't.. ever..) Reply
Chapbass - Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - linkI guess I can shed some light on this. I'm a Kinesis Advantage user, I have two of them (one at work one at home) and am a relatively serious gamer. I'm of decent skill level (CAL-M CS1.6, CAL-I DOD:S, and I've played lots of MMOs, RTS, and other genres), and i actually really enjoy using the Kinesis for gaming. Theres a few differences from a normal keyboard:
1. I've switched from WASD to ESDF for any and all movement. This is because the E and D keys are physically lower than W and S. Because your middle finger is the longest finger on your hand, this ends up feeling incredibly natural, and I actually like it better than a standard keyboard.
2. Your thumb is incredible on this keyboard. With barely moving, I have easy access to: Backspace, Delete, Control, Alt, Home, and End. The one issue with this is that some games don't like using Backspace and Delete as bindable keys. The way around this is to have the Kinesis remap that as a different key (any key) so that it will treat it as such (its easy to unmap and remap). The macros I would imagine could come in handy, but I almost never use them. (fighting games might be ridiculous...)
3. The one major issue I've found: With your left hand, you only have access to the numbers 1-5. This can become problematic with games like WoW where you have a ton of spells, keybinds, macros, whatever. I would've enjoyed having access to 6 or 7 with my left hand, but no big deal. There is also the +/= key to the left of 1 (where tilde normally is) so that gives you an extra key. Plus, with the extra keys on your thumb it almost balances out.
Any other questions, feel free to ask or PM me on the forums (since I'm not sure how much I'll check this). Reply
JarredWalton - Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - linkThis is mostly what I was trying to get at with the gaming discussion in the article, but I suppose I stopped before fully completing the circle. Basically, yes it can be used for games, but it will in practice requires you to remap the default keys in virtually every game, as well as potentially needing to use the Kinesis remapping feature to also switch out the Backspace and Delete keys. It goes back the the whole "standard keyboard" phrase again: the Advantage isn't a standard layout and thus you have to resort to custom mappings. But the key action, number of keys you can use at once, etc. should be a problem.
Now I'm going to go add the above to the article.... Reply
JarredWalton - Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - linkEdit: that second to last sentence should say "should *not* be a problem". Reply
Azethoth - Saturday, July 06, 2013 - linkThat is why you get a Cyborg RAT MMO7 for your mouse. It has a good set of extra buttons you can pick from to supplement your ESDF keyboard setup (making sure your mousepad is red so it helps and not hinders the laser). Reply
branney - Saturday, July 06, 2013 - linkthe advantage of USB keyboards is that you can have more than one plugged in at once, which only leaves physically swapping the keyboards, but at least you don't have to fiddle with wires. any avid PC gamer worth their salt would probably not mind making space for an extra keyboard? i have made do with a gaming steering wheel permanently fixed on my desk above the keyboard tray for almost a decade and a half! Reply
glockjs - Tuesday, July 02, 2013 - linkI need a TL;DR in effect to: Do you think the price tag is justifiable enough to save my hands over the long run? Is it that much more natural/comfortable vs a normal keyboard? etc etc... Reply
f54 - Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - linkTo me, the TL;DR is "Yes, it's worth it because prevention is better than the cure." I've had the Advantage since 2008 when I started to develop pain in my shoulders, arms, and hands. I debated a lot about the cost, then was reminded a friend who went through surgery and therapy. The pain of spending ~$300 is much less than that.
That being said, I was using a Microsoft Ergonomic 4000 (which I now realize is a bad design) before that and had really bad shoulder pain. Simply moving the mouse to my left hand helped a lot since I didn't have to stretch my hand so much. That's a free ergonomic upgrade. Moving the mouse probably did more for me than buying the Advantage, but I still think the Kinesis is worth it because it did help a lot. Reply
f54 - Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - linkSomebody else posted this, but another option is the Kinesis Freestyle. For 1/3 the price you get an adjustable split keyboard and no numpad, which (IMO), are the two biggest plus points of the Advantage. Reply
everythingis1 - Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - linkAs a Kinesis Freestyle owner, I can say that it is a the most ergonomic keyboard for the money, but it is pretty terrible to type on and is of poor overall quality. Reply
shinjin - Saturday, July 06, 2013 - linkLet me put it this way. I've been using a Kinesis at home and work (software development) for ~17 years or so. Relatively recently I switched to a 'regular' wireless Logitech keyboard that is roughly the size of a laptop keyboard, when you ignore the 10-key keypad. After 6 months of this torture I switched back to the Kinesis. This laptop-sized keyboard had my wrists packed so closely together and contorted so badly that my wrists and forearms were just screaming. Reply
hrbngr2 - Tuesday, July 02, 2013 - linkJarred,
I made a similar comment in your initial review of the Kinesis keyboard, but I wanted to reiterate how much using the footswitch along the the "Advantage" model helped with my RSI issues. I used the single button footswitch and then set it to emulate the "shift" key. Once that was configured, I was able to type Capital letters without having to use my pinkie fingers to hold down the regular shift key. It really reduced the fatigue in my weak pinkie finger and made a real difference in my pain levels. I really recommend you giving it a try. Reply
teiglin - Tuesday, July 02, 2013 - linkI almost laughed out loud when I read the second line of your signature after all the noise you made about your age. Cheap shot, I know, but it just struck me as hilarious, especially with the cut-off email address. Even though you're only 10 years older than I am...
Fun read though, I switched from a MS ergonomic keyboard to non-ergonomic mechanical a few years ago and have been on-and-off considering something like this. Always useful to read an *experienced* perspective. ;) Reply
praftman - Tuesday, July 02, 2013 - linkSafetype Keyboard and Datahand are the two most radical, yet seemingly valid, keyboard rethinks I've come across. Reply
JonnyDough - Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - linkAt those prices? No thanks. I'll stick to a regular keyboard. You can get "decent" ones for under $50. Reply
Chapbass - Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - linkIt all depends on your needs. If you type very often and for long periods of time, then "decent" ones turn out to be "terrible" over the long run, when many start developing RSI problems. Those can end up being a LOT more than $300 for treatment (worst case: surgery) and don't always work. Its much better to get the proper tools to ensure that you can work without issue for many years.
The previous generation didn't use computers daily nearly as much as this generation does, so who knows how many people will end up with RSI related injuries in 20-40 years. Better to nip it in the bud before you become a statistic. Reply
greghopenz - Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - linkI have owned a pair of Kinesis keyboards for over 14 years for work station duties, one at home and one at work. Gaming has been with normal keyboards, mostly as I find the layout not conducive to gaming.
One finally failed last year, and I replaced it with another modern one with a usb connector (my olds ones have an original fat pc connector to give you some idea of age). I think my ones are not mechanical switches. For a $300 keyboard, I cannot complain about it lasting 12 years. In the interim, I have destroyed many generic pc keyboards, so $30 per year is excellent value.
Other than the chicklet keys, the keyboard is fantastic. I got them when I had oos or rsi issues, and they helped greatly. Replacing the mouse with a trackball was more important, but the ability to rest the weight of your arms on the keyboard really helped. Reply
Murloc - Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - linkI think I would be covered in vomit and tears after reviewing such a keyboard, you're a hero jarred. Reply
Ninhalem - Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - linkI understand totally about switching from a regular keyboard to something like the ErgoDox. I'm still trying to sort out hitting the v and b keys. Reply
EBSP - Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - linkThanks for your keyboard reviews. I am finishing my PhD thesis was shopping for an alternative to my MS 4000. After reading your TECK review I decided that it was time to get serious and make a decision. I really wanted to hold off my purchase until after you completed the the Advantage review but ruled it out as an option due to its cost. I settled on the Kinesis Freestyle. I absolutely love being able to reposition each half of the keyboard (right now "G" and "H" are 11" apart) and the key force is just right. I think it is a good compromise between enhanced ergonomics and traditional key layout as it took almost zero adjustment to get used to. I'm excited to read your ErgoDox review. Reply
jseliger2 - Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - linkYears ago I got a review model, wrote this: http://jseliger.wordpress.com/2009/07/20/kinesis-a... and then returned the review model. A week or so later I bought one of my own, which I'm typing on right now.
I suspect that the improvement between a regular keyboard and the TECK or Advantage is very large, but the marginal improvement between either keyboard for any particular user is pretty small. That is, you get diminishing returns when comparing the TECK or Advantage to each other but very large returns comparing either to a conventional keyboard. Reply
chadrandom - Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - linkJarred, as it sounds like these keyboard reviews are grinding on you, I'd just like you to know that I really appreciate these mechanical switch ergonomic keyboard reviews. Most all of my friends and colleagues think I'm crazy for going through so many mice and keyboards in effort to find the perfect solution. I've looked into these mechanical switch ergo keyboards but haven't mustered up the courage to trust in the money back guarantees. As such, I've been looking for reviews just like yours to help me determine the best course of action, and your sharing of your experience has been extremely valuable. The ErgoDox looks very interesting for a few different reasons to me, size being one of the important factors to me. I'm looking forward to your review. Again, many thanks for your thorough reviews of important products which are peripheral in a sense, and yet are the principal tool in the human-computer interaction. Cheers. Reply
JarredWalton - Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - linkHonestly, the hardest part is that just when I reach the point where I'm thinking, "Yeah, I actually like this keyboard a lot and could see myself sticking with this particular model..." I have to unplug it and start testing the next one. Argh! I admit to being a bit shocked at how bad I was at typing on the TECK after a two month break; it will be interesting to see if the same thing happens with the Advantage once I put it aside and start using the ErgoDox daily in its place. Reply
gwolfman - Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - linkJarred, you mentioned Dragon in your article. I know Anand (at least used to) uses Dragon a lot. Can you ask him to write a companion article on his experiences with Dragon? Or do that + you take up Dragon and give your hands a break entirely from the keyboard! I tried Dragon for a few semesters while in college, but haven't touched it in quite a while. Please chime in. Reply
JarredWalton - Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - linkActually, I think you're remembering my Dragon articles -- I'm not sure that Anand has done much with Dragon in recent years. I've got a copy and a microphone to use with it, and now I just need to spend some time testing.... Reply
gwolfman - Monday, July 08, 2013 - linkYeah, I Sounds great, I'm looking forward to it. Reply
damonlynch - Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - linkI've been using the Kinesis keyboard since the mid-1990s. Like others my first model was pre-USB, and for about 10 years now I have the same model reviewed. I love it! I find the keyboard macros are helpful for things like my name (mapped to Shift+Backspace), my email address, website etc.
The only maintenance aspect of the keyboard that is required after long-term use is to occasionally replace the foam pads. Those pads really make a difference if you are like me and rest your arms on the palm rest when not typing.
The other thing to be aware of is USB 3.0. Kinesis write (grammatical error included) "Advantage keyboard's currently do not work with Intel based USB 3.0 ports on Windows 7 operating systems. The Advantage however will work with Intel based USB 3.0 ports with other operating systems, including Windows 8, Mac & Linux. The Advantage should work with most other non-Intel USB 3.0 chipset manufacturers and Windows 7." Reply
7amood - Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - linkHello Jarred, Get an A4Tech A-Shape keyboard for a review and make sure it is not a slim model. You will enjoy the most comfortable ergonomic typing on a standard keyboard layout. There is no learning curve, you just put your hands and start typing. Your hands will give you the happiest feedback you'll ever get from typing on a keyboard ever. I used one for years 10 years before I had the courage to retire it and get a normal mechanical keyboard (Logitech). I would love to hear your thoughts about it. Reply
flowrush - Thursday, July 04, 2013 - linkJust a note that the prices on those kb's can be had for a good deal cheaper if you don't buy directly on manufacturer's site. See here - http://search.thehumansolution.com/search?vwcatalo... Reply
Azethoth - Saturday, July 06, 2013 - linkNow I miss my old original white MS Naturals. The silver black ones I replaced them with sucked and I jumped ship to G keys and Logitech. Currently Corsair K-90 with mechanical keys. Its got the lame non split layout and is also spaced closer than I want so lots of double key hits and the keys are twitchy and double tapping a lot.
My perfect keyboard: I really just want the MS split key layout but with G keys and mechanical keys. (existing inverted T arrow keys and num pad mandatory of course). I would be happy to banish caps lock, insert, num & scroll lock to the bottom of the keyboard. Also textured ESDF keys (with spare WA as well for the sheeple). This hardware remapping sounds good as well. Reply
z0phi3l - Monday, July 08, 2013 - linkJust looking at that thing and my wrists started hurting, not sure why it's called ergonomic, it looks more like a wrist torture device Reply
JarredWalton - Tuesday, July 09, 2013 - linkDon't knock it until you try it. :-p Reply
proci - Tuesday, July 09, 2013 - linkI have the same issue as the author, also the need of switching between workspaces (stationary/laptop). The natural ergonomic 4k is very good in this regard, as learning it goes fast. The only problem is the rubber dome.
The Kinesis is nice, but it is big and expensive. The website of Teck compares it the whole time to the NatErgo, however for those who need to switch between workspaces, the Nat Ergo is better.
Which leaves me with the problem, that Nat Ergo has rubber dome switches, and cherry mx red is much better to write on.
Well, I hope some time MS will announce the Nat Ergo Brown/Red. I would definitively go for it. I have tried a Steelseries 6g v2 too, it was very nice to write on it, but it was a pain to my wrists, so it needed to go. Reply
2disbetter - Wednesday, July 10, 2013 - linkJarred, Thank you for this review. This kind of thing helps to bring attention to something that people who use computers for a living should be thinking about: Keyboard quality, longevity, and the improved health benefits a quality keyboard provides. I hope the Ergodox review doesn't take long. I'm super pumped to read about it. Will you be building your own, or did you have it made? I currently own a HHKB Pro 2, but have been thinking I may need to get something a bit more ergo. Thanks again! Reply
phipywr - Tuesday, August 06, 2013 - linkHave you tried the SafeType. The switch to it is easier and it's ergonomics are quite a bit different. http://safetype.com/
I have one and I liked it for typing, but as a programmer I needed my 10 key pad too much. It has a 10 key but it's a little difficult to get to. For someone who does mostly typing, though it might work great. Reply
GreenReaper - Monday, September 16, 2013 - linkMacro-wise, can't you just cut the last line of your signature to "AnandTech.com"? Problem solved! Reply
timlin - Friday, February 28, 2014 - linkJarred - how did you map the Windows context key? I have a Kinesis Advantage and I don't see a way to do that. I really miss that key though. Reply
lacc - Sunday, July 12, 2015 - linkAnother split keyboard that may be of your interest is https://UltimateHackingKeyboard.com/ - It'll be kickstarted soon. Reply
mondalaci - Thursday, September 17, 2015 - linkThe Ultimate Hacking Keyboard is also a relevant keyboard that is compact and ergonomic. https://UltimateHackingKeyboard.com/ Reply


text:
Mariners' bats silenced in homestand opener
Elias battles pitch count; Morrison has two of club's four hits
SEATTLE -- Maybe it was the cross-country flight after a draining, nine-game East Coast road trip. Perhaps it was Sunday's coronary-inducing win over the Red Sox that seemed longer than its 4-hour, 7-minute running time and chewed through a good chunk of the bullpen.
Whatever the cause, the Mariners simply couldn't muster any offense Monday night at Safeco Field in a 2-0 loss to the Rangers.
With a chance to increase their lead on the idle Tigers in the race for the second American League Wild Card, Seattle's bats rarely hit the ball hard against Rangers starting pitcher Miles Mikolas.
Despite entering with a 7.48 ERA in nine starts, Mikolas allowed just three hits over a career-high eight innings in his first appearance against the Mariners. He fanned five and walked just one en route to his second win of the year.
He dropped the Mariners to 71-59 with 32 games left in the regular season and a half-game ahead of Detroit for the final AL postseason spot, while the Rangers improved to 51-79.
"As good as we've been -- I hate to break the news -- we're going to lose a few games," manager Lloyd McClendon said. "We're probably going to lose a few games that people thought we should win. That's just the way it goes. This is baseball. ... It's hard to win at this level every night, so as disappointed as people are, and I'm sure the world's probably caving in tonight, we'll be OK tomorrow."
The Mariners brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth inning when Austin Jackson hit a one-out single off Rangers closer Neftali Feliz. Dustin Ackley followed with a lineout, then Robinson Cano flied out to end the game. It befitted a night the Mariners finished with four hits.
"I thought he had good stuff. His fastball jumps on you. He has a four-seamer and a two-seamer," said Logan Morrison of Mikolas. "His breaking balls were tight and kept us off-balance."
Morrison provided the lineup's lone offensive punch. He finished 2-for-3 to boost his hitting streak to nine games.
"I think we had a lot of hard-hit balls tonight. It's part of the game. It's baseball. It's not an excuse, but the 6-hour flight probably didn't help things, so we'll be back at it tomorrow and forget about this one."
Seattle entered winners in 15 of its last 20 games, in large part thanks to a resurgent offense averaging five runs per game since acquiring Jackson and Chris Denorfia at the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline. That came shortly after they dealt reliever Stephen Pryor to the Twins in exchange for designated hitter Kendrys Morales.
On Monday, their first and only major threat came with two outs in the second inning and didn't yield any runs. Morrison started it with a single and catcher Mike Zunino walked to put runners on first and second, but Endy Chavez grounded out to first base for the third out.
The Mariners didn't do much else to help starter Roenis Elias. The rookie southpaw was better than his last start, when he allowed a career-high six walks and hit a batter over four innings in a loss to the Phillies.
But he wasn't especially efficient. It took him 101 pitches to get through five innings. Elias has allowed two runs or fewer in each of his last six starts, yet he's failed to last six innings each time.
"He was his own worst enemy tonight," McClendon said. "He battled the whole night with himself, command. I'm not sure what's going on. Can't quite put my finger on it but we got to get him straightened out. He's got to go deeper into ballgames."
Elias allowed one run on three hits and four walks while striking out six en route to the loss.
"My velocity is the same from start to finish," Elias said through interpreter Fernando Alcala. "It's just mechanics."
Elias was fortunate to allow just one run in the fourth inning, when Rangers designated hitter J.P. Arencibia lined a one-out single to give Texas a 1-0 lead. After Adam Rosales flied out, Elias issued a two-out walk to Leonys Martin to load the bases. Catcher Tomas Telis followed by slapping a slow roller in the hole between first and second.
Cano ranged far to his left, fielded and spun before throwing to first to nab Telis for the third out. The call stood following an instant-replay review.
The Rangers added an insurance run against reliever Brandon Maurer in the seventh on Rougned Odor's fielder's choice groundout. That capped the scoring from either side.
"You look at the numbers, you look at the paper, you think you ought to dominate, but it doesn't work that way," McClendon said after the Mariners were blanked for the 15th time this season. "You still have to go out there and play a game. Tonight, the Texas Rangers played a better game than we did."
Adam Lewis is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
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text:
It seems reasonable that he should kick himself for letting Apple take the lead. But, in Microsoft's defense, no one foresaw Apple's plans for domination.
Apple had been working on the iPhone in secret for years, which put them years ahead of the competition.
It's not so much Microsoft doing poorly as it is Apple just knocking it out of the park.
Microsoft was always a 'following' company. Their only true innovation was DOS. And for that achievement they got to dominate the business world software usage for the last 30 years. Apple will never surpass them EVER in the business software world.
But in every other arena Microsoft has been a 'borrower' of ideas - not an innovator - and then they just excel at mass producing. Windows was a direct steal from Apple.
And now Gates is wondering what the deal is.
I respect Gates. Amazing businessman and laudable giver to the less fortunate. But there are few great innovators. Jobs innovated. Gates mass-produced. And Microsoft is simply missing in action in the mobile phone arena.
Gates is a good guy, I respect him. He's done amazing things in the world of computers. It's nice that he can admit that Microsoft dropped the ball when it comes to smartphones. I really wish they would step up their game and get to a level where they can really compete with iOS & Android.
Wow, I love how deluded he is. Windows 8's UI is horrible and no one wants it. Bing has always sucked. No one wants to buy their "flagship" technology because everyone wants things that work.
Windows 8 is NOT the future. Live tiles..no no! I look at it this way, when my friends that actually use Windows 8 opt for the classic view or experience over live tiles, that would be a fail in my eyes. I know the test subjects in this case are limited but i even asked coworkers and they advise they don't like it. When asked why you dont like an iPhone most say its too small. Not that they don't like the OS big difference for obvious reasons.
Jahooba, while no one foresaw the plans Apple had for the mobile industry, the fact of the matter is Gates is disappointed that Microsoft hadn't done it. It, quite obviously, was an achievable goal, and Microsoft made no headway in achieving it until it was much too late.
Personally I'm a huge fan of the windows 8 tile ui. It's refreshing in a world of small static icons. I bought a surface pro 4 days ago and I love it. I still like my iPhone but after 4 years of jailbreaking to get what I wanted out of it I've become pretty sick of the closed ecosystem. Windows 8 is perfect for me because I can have the elegance of a touch interface but when I really need to get work done I can in a more traditional way (although there are plenty of apps that let me do it in a more metro ui way) as far as I'm concerned windows 8 is home run and exactly what's I've been looking for in an OS.
I don't understand why so much crap is given to Microsoft about Windows 8.
At the very least, you can say that they're trying something different. A lot of people give Apple crap about iOS do to the fact that the UI remains the same virtually after five years. So I have to ask, "which is it?" It seems like you're screwed if you do, and your screwed if you don't. Apple gets crap because iOS is practically the same and stale, and Microsoft gets crap because Windows 8 is different and people are not used to it.
Yes, it seems like a big change, but at least they're trying. And even still, they've included the old interface so it's not like people are boxed into using the modern UI


text:
A9 TV; 18 May 2012
In verse 28 of Surat al-Ahzab, Almighty Allah sends revelation down to our Prophet (saas). "O Prophet," says Almighty Allah, "tell your wives:" inform them, "If you desire the life of the world and its finery, come and I will give you all you need and release you with kindness."
What a disaster, may Allah forbid. Look how the wives of the Prophet (saas) must have behaved toward him for Allah to say such a thing. " If you desire the life of the world" if you have renounced the hereafter, in other words, if you have renounced Allah's mercy "...and its finery," what is the finery of this world? Empty things, glass and the like, that will fade and rot. "...come and I will give you all you need," in other words, I will give you payment for divorce. I will give you material means. Then I will release you, He says. You can go since you do not wish to remain with me. Disaster, disaster, disaster!
"But if you desire Allah and His Messenger and the abode of the hereafter," what is marriage for? If you want Allah, the Sunnah of His Messenger and the abode of the hereafter. In other words, if you want the mercy of Allah. "Allah has prepared an immense reward for those among you who are good-doers." (Surat al-Ahzab, 29) You will earn great merit, says Almighty Allah. But if a marriage is one of the society of ignorance, that ruins a person. But it is delightful if done for Allah's mercy.
"Wives of the Prophet! If any of you commits an obvious act of indecency," look, "...if any of you commits an obvious act of indecency," if she does a bad thing, if she does something wrong or unlawful, "she will receive double the punishment. That is an easy matter for Allah."
In other words, if other people receive one, you will receive two. You get double because you are the wives of a prophet. Since you are with the Prophet (saas) and enjoy many blessings, you will receive double the punishment.
"But those of you who are obedient to Allah and His Messenger..." What does obedience to Allah and His Messenger mean? You must abide by the Qur'an and the commands of Rasulullah. They must abide by the Sunnah. "...and act rightly," if they do sincere good deeds, not just any regular act of worship or action. I will accept those who are sincere, Allah says. Who are pure and genuine. "...will be given their reward twice over;" says Allah. If ordinary people receive one measure of merit, you will earn two, he says. "...and We have prepared generous provision for them."
(Surat al-Ahzab, 31) Provision in this world and the hereafter. The wives of the Prophet (saas) really did lead wealthy lives, and also lead wealthy lives in the hereafter, they are happy together with the Prophet (saas) in the hereafter, insha'Allah.
"Wives of the Prophet!" says Almighty Allah, "you are not like other women;" in other words, Muslim women and you are different. You are the wives of a prophet. Muslim women have freedom, but you do not. You cannot behave freely like them. Look, "...you are not like other women;" There is a difference between you. You are special. Why? You are the wives of the Prophet (saas). Other women can behave with greater liberty. They can speak more freely and go about more freely. They can behave more freely. But you cannot, says Allah. "Do not be too soft-spoken in your speech," Do not speak in such a way as to attract people, "lest someone with sickness in his heart becomes desirous." May Allah forbid, they may look at you in an illicit way. They may adopt an illicit state of mind toward you or harbor ugly thoughts. "Speak correct and courteous words." (Surat al-Ahzab, 32) In other words, speak in such a way that such an image does not enter their hearts. Do not use words that will affect them. That will have a negative impact, that will cloud their minds and cause them to think of earthly desires.
"Remain in your houses," [make your homes your headquarters] In other words, leave your home as little as possible. Who does that apply to? The wives of the Prophet (saas). Because He says, "...you are not like other women;" they are different. They can be free. They can go out. They can enjoy all licit freedoms. "...and do not display your beauty as it was previously displayed in the Time of Ignorance." Do not go about naked. Do not be seen naked. Cover the lines of your body. "Establish prayer and pay poor-alms and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah desires to remove all impurity from you, People of the House, and to purify you completely." The family of the Prophet (saas). (Surat al-Ahzab, 33)
"And remember the Signs of Allah and the wise words which are recited in your rooms." Look, our Prophet (saas) is there, but what does the Prophet (saas) emphasize? The verses of the Qur'an. He says, I am subject to the Qur'an and you are subject to the Qur'an. Therefore, "...remember the Signs of Allah and the wise words which are recited in your rooms." Reflect on the verses and their wisdom, he says. "Allah is All-Pervading, All-Aware."
(Surat al-Ahzab, 34) Allah sends me revelation in any case.
"It [the Qur'an] is a Book We have sent down to you, full of blessing, so let people of intelligence ponder its Signs and take heed." Look, reflect most carefully on the verses. Do the bigots read the Qur'an? They read it in Arabic. Not in Turkish. So they never reflect on its meaning. And since they do not know Arabic (as a native language) they cannot understand it. Look, Almighty Allah says, "...so let people of intelligence ponder its Signs," let them reflect and consider very deeply, "...and take heed," people with clear minds. Can a Muslim have an unclear mind? He will have a clear mind. Who is this addressed to? To all Muslims. That means that all Muslims, with clear minds, have learned from the Qur'an. Some people say, "We cannot learn from the Qur'an and we cannot understand it." We could not understand it even if we spent 30 years trying, they say. Allah says that those who ascribe equals to Him cannot understand the Qur'an. He says He has placed a wall in front of them. And they say they cannot understand the Qur'an. But Allah says it can be understood. "It is a Book We have sent down to you, full of blessing, so let people of intelligence ponder its Signs and take heed." (Surah Sad, 29) So it is accessible. And since Muslims have clear minds…
"We gave David Solomon.What an excellent slave!" Allah creates a fine believer. What an excellent slave he was, says Allah. He was physically and spiritually excellent. The Prophet Solomon (pbuh) was very handsome. Really lovely. Allah says he was an excellent slave. He was physically and morally excellent. He was well groomed and immaculate. "He truly turned to his Lord." (Surah Sad, 30) He constantly turned his heart to Allah. He was a blessed person who constantly remembered Allah.
"When swift horses, champing at the bit,were displayed before him in the afternoon," (Surah Sad, 31) The horses were lovely animals, well trained and grooms. The horses were brought as a blessing.
"he said, 'I have put the love of good things above the remembrance of my Lord until the sun disappeared behind its veil'."
What does he say when he is asked why he is so wealthy, why he wants such wealth, why he delights in majesty and beauty and quality? "...he said, 'I have put the love of good things above the remembrance of my Lord until the sun disappeared behind its veil'." Why do we prefer the love of good things? Because of remembering our Lord. Because it has a great effect in the service of Islam and the Qur'an. Because it has a positive effect on people. Because people like to see the effect of Allah's blessings on people. Because when they see the strength of Muslims it increases their love of Muslims. "...until the sun disappeared behind its veil [of their dust]. (Surah Sad, 32) This is a most meaningful term. They hid behind a veil.
"Return them to me!'And he set about stroking through their shanks and necks." (Surah Sad, 33) He was in a state of intense love. He had a huge love of horses. He used to rub their legs and necks.
"We tested Solomon and placed a lifeless body on his throne. Then he made repentance." (Surah Sad, 34) . I will elaborate on this in due course. These horses hiding behind a veil is also a secret. I will also discuss that in due course, insha'Allah.
"He said, 'My Lord, forgive me and give me a kingdom the like of which will never be granted to anyone after me." Never to a disbeliever. He does not say may it never be given to a Muslim. He says may it never be granted to disbeliever. "...the like of which will never be granted to anyone after me. Truly You are the Ever-Giving." (Surah Sad, 35) Most want something back when they give a present, but Almighty Allah wants nothing in return, it says. Muslims pray and worship solely for the sake of Allah's approval. They submit to Allah. Allah heeded that prayer. He bestowed great wealth on the Prophet Solomon (pbuh).
"So We subjected the wind to him to blow at his command, softly, wherever he directed." (Surah Sad, 36) Air transportation was available in that time. Gliders and things, the Prophet Solomon (pbuh) used them.
"And the devils, every builder and diver," (Surah Sad, 37)
"and others of them, yoked together in chains [so they should not commit evil]." (Surah Sad, 38) He placed the devils at his command. To work. The demons did all kinds of things. They found jewels. They showed where jewels were to be found. They helped with the construction of the pools there. They assisted with the manufacture of all kinds of objects. He used the demons. What is a demon ? An enemy of Allah. A perverse creature. Everything about him is perverse. He is a classic crazy and utterly immoral. Seriously immoral; he commits perversions of all kinds and he leads human beings to commit perversions of all kinds. But here they make things for the Prophet Solomon (pbuh). And the Prophet Solomon (pbuh) uses the objects they make. So what are these objects? Spoils. Bigots say that nothing built by disbeliever or a pervert, no clothes or cars or houses, can be used. But what does Allah say? Devils made him objects of all kinds, He says. For the Prophet Solomon (pbuh). And the Prophet Solomon (pbuh) used them. Objects commit no crimes. Objects are just spoils, guiltless. But in the eyes of the bigots, the Prophet Solomon (pbuh) should not use anything built by demons, no clothes or buildings or vehicles. Isn't that right? In their eyes. According to the bigots. But according to Allah? Allah says you can use them. Is anyone more perverse than a demon? He is the worst pervert of all. Not even the worst human pervert is as bad as a devil. Demons exhibits all perversions. But you can use the things made by him. You can use the spoils left by disbelievers. So why do you try to say that things that are lawful for Muslims are unlawful?
"This is Our gift: so bestow it or withhold it without reckoning."
(Surah Sad, 39) What is this? A characteristic of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh). It says that, like the Prophet Solomon (pbuh), Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will distribute unlimited amounts of goods. That is also what the hadiths say. The Prophet Solomon (pbuh) does a good thing. And he will do the same. "...or withhold it," keep it all back. But hand it out if it is needed, without limits. Truckloads of it.
"He will have nearness to Us and a good Homecoming." (Surah Sad, 40) The Prophet Solomon (pbuh) will go to paradise. The verse is explicit.
"Remember Our slave Job when he called on his Lord:'The devil has afflicted me with exhaustion and suffering'."
(Surah Sad, 41) The devil inflicts a nervous, psychological pain. One feels a pain or unease in the body, for instance. A sharp trouble.
Almighty Allah says, "Stamp your foot!." Move. It happens because he does not love. In order to eliminate the effect of demons. "Here is a cool bath and water to drink. [As We promised.]" (Surah Sad, 42) Have a shower, says Almighty Allah. Cold though, to shock the body and stimulate the cells. And "Drink," says Allah. Thirst also wearies people. Satan imposes it on the body as negative electricity. But water takes up the internal electricity. When one washes, it takes up the electricity on the outside. When one moves, the electricity in the body is discharged when the feet touch the ground. And the body relaxes. But satan produces that tension. It does not happen by itself. Satan produces it by using the body, or by using some other entity unknown to human beings. But it can be washed away. Water absorbs it. Moving about can get rid of it. The Qur'an is referring to that, insha'Allah.
Abu Abdullah bin Hussein Ali (pbuh) said, "I asked him when Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will appear." Everyone who sees him asks things. That is love. "He said, when armies are seen in the province of Ambar in Iraq, on the banks of the Euphrates, the Shiraz and the Tigris." American and French armies. They are foreign armies, aren't they. The Koreans sent forces there. It has happened word for word. The military occupation is only ending now. "When the dome of Kufa collapses." the Mosque of Kufa. "Allah will truly bring about what He wishes, when some houses burn and you see all these things. Nobody can stand in the way of Allah's command. Nobody can alter that commandment. That is when Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will appear."
The Dome of Kufa collapsed in the American bombing. Our Prophet (saas) says this is a sign of the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh). When houses are destroyed, he says. And that has happened exactly.
Look, our prophet (saas) foretold that the Mosque of Kufa would be damaged in this way 1,400 years before the event. He says it will happen in the time of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh). The dome will be destroyed, he says. And it collapsed in the American bombing. Can they say that? No.
Now, the village called Haresta in Sham, the hadiths say that part of the region will be devastated. A sign of the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh). Haresta was destroyed. But they cannot say that.
Our Muslim brothers should investigate why people want to cover up the End Times. There is something extraordinary. A miracle. Why are they in such a panic and so eager to cover up the system of the Mahdi? Why do they want to hide so many of our Prophet's (saas) miracles? This is a very great phenomenon. It is a historic matter. A great miracle is taking place.
The Jews were expecting a prophet in the time of Rasulullah (saas), when Rasulullah (saas) declared his prophethood. They knew a prophet would be coming. The whole Christian world knew as well. The Jews knew. But then they fell into opposition when he did not appear from among them. Otherwise, they all knew. And now our brothers have seen that their own communities and teachers are now old, they are about to die or else they are not accepted anywhere. Or they themselves do not regard them as suitable. They do not regard them as suitable in appearance. So they have given up. In that case, my brother, tell people of the miracles of Rasulullah (saas). Love of Rasulullah (saas) and of faith will grow, so tell people.
Look, he foretold the Mosque of Kufa and he gives the place. He gives the name of the mosque. He says which part of it will collapse. Rasulullah (saas) gives the detail. And he says when it will happen, right down to the finest detail. So tell people. But they; they are terrified. There are many more such arrogant and foolish people. My apologies to those who do not speak out of ignorance.
(It has emerged that various discussion disparaging women and regarding violence toward women as legitimate have been made in some mosques in Switzerland. A debate then arose as to imams trained in their Swiss universities should be appointed rather than imams from Arab countries.)
The bigots have only now begun grasping these things. America is also unaware, or it gives that idea. The second alternative is stronger, by the law of Allah because there is no stronger tendency than the bigots when it comes to eliminating Islamic moral values. The masons? Not a bit. The bigots are a million times more powerful than atheist masons. The bigots possess a huge destructive power when it comes to opposing the moral values of Islam and the Qur'an. Their most sensitive spot is their enmity toward women. They harbor an unbelievable hatred, these horrible people.
(To a viewer who says, "Were it not for you, my dear hodja, who would take an interest in people with no idea about religion, who would preach to them? Thanks be to Allah that you exist.")
There are people, but their language is a bit too complex. They sit and show off with Ottoman and Farsi words. A young person will not understand. You should explain things honestly, but instead you talk about, "...predicated on this assumption or on that assertion…" You don't even understand it yourself. So why prolong the issue? You should just tell the truth in simple sentences. Say what you truly believe, so as to win hearts and minds.
2012-08-02 11:08:16


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2011 Tapestry for Tomorrow Art Contest
Attention artists of all ages! Neighborhood and Community Services (NCS) is now accepting applications for our 2011 Tapestry for Tomorrow art contest. The theme for this year's contest is "Art Uniting Communities for Compassion and Peace." If you are a member of any NCS program or are a Fairfax County Public School student, you are eligible to participate in this contest. If you are not a member, it is never too late to become one. Registration for the contest is free. Prizes valued up to $200 will be awarded to those who best capture the contest theme. All entries must be submitted to an NCS facility the week of March 21 – 24.
Contest: Self-exploration and appreciation for the arts is the goal of Tapestry for Tomorrow. Although the Tapestry for Tomorrow program recognizes those entries that best interpret the theme, winning is not the main emphasis. Participation in the program is a great way for individuals to explore and learn about various art forms. Creating art is a valuable learning process that challenges everyone to use their critical thinking skills and their creative talents to create art that supports a specific theme.
Eligibility: This competition is for all ages—from 5 to 55 plus. Any person who is a resident of Fairfax County and is a registered participant at one of the NCS programs or a Fairfax County Public Schools student may enter. If you are not a member, it's never too late to join. The following are the judging categories:
• Elementary School – Grades K-5 (ages 5-10)
• Middle School - Grades 6-8 (ages 11-13)
• High School - Grades 9-12 (ages 14-19)
• Adults/Seniors (ages 20-55+)
Art Areas: Photography and Two Dimensional Art
Rules: All participants must submit a completed competition application and artwork with the completed Entry Form Label attached to the back of the artwork. Artwork must be delivered to a location listed on the back of the application the week of March 21 – 24.
Awards: Individuals entering artwork in the Tapestry for Tomorrow program will receive a certificate for participating. The artwork will be on display in the lower level of the Fairfax County Government Center for the month of April 2011. The entries chosen as the best representation of "Art Uniting Communities for Compassion and Peace" will receive a prize with a value of up to $200.
Recognition Ceremony and Reception: An Art Show and Recognition Ceremony to announce the winners of the competition will be held on Tuesday, May 3, at 7 p.m. (reception at 6:30) in the lower level of the Fairfax County Government Center, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, Virginia. Artists and their families are invited to attend this free event.
For complete rules of the contest and an application, please click here.
For more information, please call 703-704-6733, TTY 711.
Fairfax County is committed to nondiscrimination on the basis of disability in all county programs, services and activities. Reasonable accommodations will be provided upon request. For more information, call 703-324-4600, TTY 711.


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Cards hold on vs. Brewers after Freese's grand slam
Third baseman snaps homerless drought while doubling RBI total
ST. LOUIS -- Alone, one swing will not erase a tumultuous six weeks for David Freese. It won't serve as a cure-all for all the trouble he's having finding a consistent swing and making the right pitch selection. But the third baseman certainly hopes that it can kick start his trip on the path back.
With a first-inning grand slam on Friday night, Freese snapped a homerless drought that extended back to last season and doubled his RBI total for the year. The blast highlighted a five-run first for the Cardinals, who needed every bit of the cushion they built up early to hold off the Brewers for a 7-6 victory at Busch Stadium.
Now 7-1 against the Brewers this season, the Cardinals improved to 12-3 in May. The Brewers, in contrast, has won just twice this month.
"For some reason, they put a lot of runs early in the game against us," said Aramis Ramirez, who nearly willed the Brewers all the way back with his pair of three-run homers off lefty Jaime Garcia. "They did it back [at Miller Park]. They did it when we came here the first time. We just have to play the game. We have to stop them."
Freese's struggles have been as pronounced as Milwaukee's. Set back initially by a spring back injury, Freese has been overwhelmed in his efforts to find any evidence that he is headed toward an emergence from a six-week slump that he described as the toughest of his baseball career.
He entered the series totaling only five hits in his last nine starts. Freese's last extra-base hit -- one of only three all season -- came back on May 3. He tallied his most recent RBI a day before that. A stretch of 132 plate appearance had passed since he last hit a ball over the fence in a regular-season game.
"It's no fun failing all the time," Freese said. "There are so many people trying to help me. It escalates when you're in the big leagues, but man, this game is supposed to be fun. You try your darndest to make it that way."
It was the context of Freese's season -- not simply a single swing -- that prompted the crowd of 39,426 to summon the third baseman out of the dugout with the first curtain call of the season.
"That just shows what type of fans you play in front of," Freese said. "That's incredible. That curtain call was probably more special than the home run."
For as trying as Freese's season has been so far, the few positives have routinely come at the Brewers' expense. Freese is now 9-for-27 with three extra-base hits and three multi-hit games against Milwaukee this year. Against everyone else: 11-for-68 with one extra-base hit and one multi-hit game.
The critical adjustment now, said Freese, is in pitch selection and plate discipline, both of which he has been exhaustively attempting to improve with extra work.
"You try everything and so he's just been working," manager Mike Matheny said. "I've seen him handle it well in that regard. He's putting his nose down. He keeps going. He knows he's going to find it, but it's just frustrating along the way."
The three at-bats Freese took after the blast, though, were a reminder that there is no quick fix. Brewers starter Wily Peralta retired him in the third and fifth on swinging strikeouts. Freese grounded to short in his final at-bat.
"I don't even know if I've turned the corner," Freese said. "It just feels good to help the team. You want to join the fun. You want to continue to help this team win. Fortunately enough, I haven't done squat this year and we have a heck of a record."
Seemingly on their way to a blowout win, the Cardinals watched Ramirez almost erase it. With his three-run homer of Cardinals starter Jaime Garcia in the fourth, Ramirez halved the Cardinals' six-run lead.
He then delivered another three-run blast in the sixth, this time taking a straight first-pitch slider over the wall in center to pull Milwaukee within one. Ramirez, who played in only two of the first seven meetings between these two clubs, has batted .307 with 32 home runs in his career against St. Louis.
"I just made some mistakes and was falling behind in the count," Garcia said. "I didn't make the pitch when I had to with Ramirez."
Garcia's 5 1/3-inning outing was similar to his six-inning start last Sunday in that a pair of home runs marred his final line. Last weekend, Garcia served up a two-run and three-run homer in a loss. Despite allowing six runs, he became the fourth Cardinals starter to reach the five-win mark.
"I didn't think he was as sharp as he's been," Matheny said. "He gave up six hits, two of them that really hurt him. Pitches got too much of the plate."
Reliever Seth Maness bailed Garcia out of trouble to close the sixth and followed with a scoreless seventh that concluded with a tough defensive play turned by shortstop Pete Kozma.
Trevor Rosenthal was then given the toughest task, asked to preserve a one-run lead while facing two players he had never previously retired. Ryan Braun improved to 4-for-4 off Rosenthal with an infield single. But the Brewers' gamble to send Braun on a 3-2 pitch to Ramirez backfired.
Ramirez, surprised by a changeup, swung through it. Catcher Yadier Molina threw out Braun to complete the double play.
"I faced him twice before, and I've never seen that [pitch]," Ramirez said. "Even then, when a guy throws 100 [mph], you can't go up there looking for changeups. You have to look for fastball and adjust. Good pitch."
Edward Mujica closed the win with his 12th save. He's converted each of his last five by pitching 1-2-3 ninth innings.
Jenifer Langosch is a reporter for MLB.com. Read her blog, By Gosh, It's Langosch, and follow her on Twitter @LangoschMLB. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
This mission
statement provides the basis for determining the general direction
of the agency, the business of the agency, the products provided
to agency customers, and the focus needed among agency personnel.
Our mission
is to provide a world-class transportation experience that delights
our customers and promotes a prosperous Missouri.
MoDOT Values
represent the fundamental principles and philosophy of the agency
and guide the agency's behavior. These values establish
the boundaries within which all department activities will be
So we can be a great organization
MoDOT Values (pdf)
Live MoDOT Values
Be Safe
I'm Safe. My knowledge, awareness and attitude make me a safe employee.
What I Use is Safe. I properly use personal protective equipment, procedures, equipment and materials to ensure my safety.
Where I Am is Safe. My environment, building and job site are prepared and maintained to ensure my co-workers, partners and I are safe.
My Customers are Safe. I consider the impact, timing, awareness, visibility and flow through work areas.
So We Go Home Safe. I share safety information with my team and speak up when I see something is unsafe.
Be Accountable
I am Responsible for What I Do. I take personal responsibility for completing quality work and honoring MoDOT's commitments to its customers.
I am Responsible for My Customers. I follow through on all customer requests and share information that may impact my
So We Can Be Accountable to Each Other and Our Customers. I work each day to deliver what is expected by my customers and my co-workers.
Be Respectful
I Treat My Customers with Respect. I am responsive and courteous with my customers.
I Treat My Co-Workers with Respect. I value the dignity of every member of my team.
So We Build Stronger Relationships. I treat everyone the way they want to be treated.
Be Inclusive
I Embrace the Diversity Within My Team. I recognize the differences within my team make it stronger.
I Consider Other Viewpoints in My Decisions. I seek out opinions that may differ from my own to make better decisions.
So We Are More Inclusive of Others. I work to make our agency a reflection of the diverse communities it serves.
Be Bold
I Embrace New Ways of Doing Work. I will be flexible and support changes that help us all get better.
I Take Risks and Accept Failure. I will use my failures to identify ways to get better.
So We Can Be Innovative in Our Pursuit of Excellence. I will push myself and others around me to not be satisfied with
average results.
Be Better
I Always Try to Improve My Results. I continually look for ways to reduce the cost of my work while still delivering quality
products and services.
I Improve Myself. I take advantage of opportunities to build my work skills and knowledge.
I Watch for Ways to Innovate. I take advantage of new products and technology whenever I can.
So We Get Better Each Day. I approach each day as an opportunity to improve.
Be One Team
I am Part of Team MoDOT. I recognize and accept my role in the success of the entire organization.
I Partner with Others to Improve What I Do. I involve my customers and partners to deliver practical solutions.
So We Become One Team. Together we can create a great workforce and a great place to work.
Live MoDOT Values (PDF)
MoDOT Tangible Results
Tangible Results are what MoDOT's customers expect the department to accomplish. These are the tangible things that MoDOT's customers will see as the department fulfills its mission.
Tangible Results (pdf)
For more
information contact MoDOT at 1-888 ASK MODOT.


text:
• myrmidon •
Pronunciation: mêr-mê-dahn • Hear it!
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: 1. A faithful follower who carries out orders unquestioningly. 2. A member of a warrior nation of ancient Thessaly, Greece, that was led by Achilles in the Trojan War.
Notes: Today's Good Word is very unEnglish, a fact brought about by its Greek heritage. It is not quite as pejorative as lackey and might be used to refer to someone who simply carries out tasks faithfully. It has been assigned an adjective, myrmidonian, and long ago someone thought to use myrmidonize as a verb, but the word didn't catch on.
In Play: The alliteration created by today's word next to its near synonym, minion, makes them a great pair for emphasizing the concept: "Our fearless leader, followed by his minions and myrmidons, stormed into the conference room and took control of the meeting." In the singular, it offers a welcome respite from all its synonyms: "That hen-pecked twerp, Ben Dover, is nothing but his wife's chief myrmidon."
Word History: Since today's word comes from a proper noun, the likelihood that it has a traceable etymology is slim to nil. The interesting historical question is, however: how did the name of a warrior nation that fought bravely in the Siege of Troy come to refer to a docile follower? The explanation goes back to a pseudo-etymology apparently introduced by the French in the 16th century. The French associated this name with the Greek word myrmes "ant", shifting the meaning to "insignificant person". English then (re)combined this meaning with the original sense of the followers of Achilles. (Frank Myers of the State University of New York, Stony Brook, is anything but a myrmidon for having the gumption to suggest today's Good Word.)


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If you do a search on "pizza stone", you'll pull up several threads. The general gist is make sure you let the stone heat up with the grill. If you throw a cold stone on a hot grill, it will crack. Some folks use unglazed tiles or kiln bricks as well. I haven't tried it yet, but I have a stone in my cupboard just waiting for me to get around to it.
Rob - TX Sandman


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LTC Robert Neumann - 310th BG and 321st BG WWII MTO
1943 — Italy
Col. Robert H Neumann, USAF (Ret)
Neumann -- Lt. Col. Robert H. Neumann (USAF Ret.), a resident of Albuquerque since 1959, died Monday, January 25, 1999. He is survived by his wife of 41 years, Cherie Neumann of Albuquerque; daughter, C. Lauren Neumann of Las Vegas, NV; brother, John Neumann and wife, Pricilla of Massachusetts; and numerous other family members. He was preceded in death by his parents, Harry and Elsie Neumann; son, Robbie"Colonel" Neumann in 1979; sister, Marion Larson. Mr. Neumann was the Jersey Observer City Marble Champion Shooter in 1931. With a scholarship for basketball and baseball, Bob was known as one of the spark plugs for Seton Hall's basketball team. His major was Physical Education. Lt. Col. Neumann was a member of the 57th Bomb Wing-310th & 321st Groups. He served four years, 11 months in the Army Air Corps. He retired with the rank of Lt. Col. Lt. Col. Neumann flew over 100 missions, 76 of which were combat missions, total number of combat hours 348, total number of flying hours 1200. On August 18th, 1944, he flew the lead bomber plane, of a 36 plane formation, which knocked out the Nazi Battle Ship, Strasbourg, at Toulon Harbor in the Mediterranean Theater. Bob received many decorations and awards among them were the Air Force Cross, Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, and Purple Heart. He was a loving husband and father. He was always able to express his sense of humor. During his working years here in Albuquerque, he was employed with the Operating Engineers as an Oiler. He was a member of 953 A, retiring in 1978. Mass will be celebrated Friday, 11:00 a.m., at Gate of Heaven Chapel, Paseo del Norte and Wyoming, with Fr. Paul Baca, Celebrant. Graveside services will follow the Mass with Chaplain Lemuel Boyles officiating. Full military honors will be provided by the Kirtland Air Force Base Honor Guard. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Muscular Dystrophy Association, 6733 Academy Rd. NE 87109, in memory of Robbie (Colonel) Neumann or the Animal Humane Assoc., 615 Virginia SE 87108. Friends