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Don't miss out on a lower price on this hotel
Get an overview of this hotelSuburban hotel with free area shuttle and restaurant
Popular property highlights
Situated near the airport, this hotel is 0.2 mi (0.3 km) from Beavercreek Golf Course and within 3 mi (5 km) of Mall at Fairfield Commons and Wright State University. Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park and Wright-Patterson AFB are also within 6 mi (10 km).
Hotel Features
Along with a restaurant, this smoke-free hotel has an indoor pool and a 24-hour fitness center. Free WiFi in public areas is provided, as well as free self parking, a free area shuttle, and a free shopping center shuttle. Additionally, a bar/lounge, a spa tub, and a 24-hour business center are onsite.
Room Amenities
All 145 rooms provide free WiFi and free wired Internet, flat-screen TVs with cable channels, and conveniences like refrigerators and microwaves. Guests will also find MP3 docks, room service, and coffee makers.
Guest Highlights
- Good location
- Proximity to shopping
- Breakfast
- Helpful staff
- Clean guestrooms
- Comfy beds
Hilton Garden Inn Dayton/Beavercreek
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
In addition to an indoor pool, Hilton Garden Inn Dayton/Beavercreek provides a spa tub and a 24-hour fitness center. The hotel offers a restaurant. A bar/lounge is on site where guests can unwind with a drink. Wireless Internet access is complimentary.
This 3-star property offers access to a 24-hour business center and meeting rooms. Event facilities measuring 10000 square feet (900 square meters) include conference space. This business-friendly hotel also offers multilingual staff, gift shops/newsstands, and complimentary newspapers in the lobby. An area shuttle within 5 mi and a shopping center shuttle are complimentary for guests. Complimentary self parking is available on site.
Hilton Garden Inn Dayton/Beavercreek is a smoke-free property.
- 24-hour fitness facilities
- Number of buildings/towers - 1
- ATM/banking
- 24-hour front desk
- Number of floors - 5
- Express check-out
- Total number of rooms - 145
- Restaurant
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Conference space size (meters) - 900
- Free self parking
- Smoke-free property
- Spa tub
- Indoor pool
- Bar/lounge
- Breakfast available (surcharge)
- Free newspapers in lobby
- Conference space
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Elevator/lift
- Fireplace in lobby
- Free shopping center shuttle
- Gift shops or newsstand
- Grocery/convenience store
- Free WiFi
- Laundry facilities
- Meeting rooms
- Multilingual staff
- Number of meeting rooms - 6
- Year Built 2008
- Free area shuttle
- 24-hour business center
- Conference space size (feet) - 10000
- Television in common areas
- Wedding services
Family Friendly Amenities
- Family Hotel
- Indoor pool
- Free Wi-Fi
- Area shuttle (complimentary)
- Grocery/convenience store
- Laundry facilities
- Refrigerator
- Microwave
- Cribs/infant beds (complimentary)
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi , Free wired Internet
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Free self parking
Room Amenities
- Free cribs/infant beds
- Connecting/adjoining rooms available
- Cable TV service
- Flat-panel TV
- Room service (limited hours)
- Air conditioning
- Phone
- Coffee/tea maker
- Microwave
- Hair dryer
- Iron/ironing board
- Hypo-allergenic bedding available
- In-room climate control (air conditioning)
- Free weekday newspaper
- Free local calls
- Refrigerator
- Daily housekeeping
- Private bathroom
- Free toiletries
- Shower/tub combination
- Desk
- Free WiFi
- Free wired Internet
- MP3 docking station
Where to Eat
Cooked-to-order breakfasts are available for a surcharge.
Great American Grill - This restaurant specializes in American cuisine and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Room service (during limited hours) is available.
Nearby Things to Do
An indoor pool and a spa tub are on site. Other recreational amenities include a 24-hour fitness center.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
- Golfing nearby
- Kayaking nearby
- Bicycle rentals nearby
- Hiking/biking trails nearby
- Golf lessons available nearby
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please note them at check-out when you book your room.
- Accessible bathroom
- In-room accessibility
- Roll-in shower
Hotel Policies
Check-in time starts at 3 PM
Check-out time is noon
Payment types
Children and extra beds
- Children are welcome.
- Rollaway/extra beds are not available.
- Free cribs (infant beds)!
- Pets not allowed
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy.
Optional extras
- Fee for cooked-to-order breakfast: USD 10.95 per person (approximately)
Hotel Name
- Hilton Garden Inn Dayton/Beavercreek
- Hilton Garden Inn Hotel Dayton/Beavercreek
- Hilton Garden Inn Dayton Beavercreek Hotel Beavercreek
- Hilton Garden Inn Dayton Beavercreek Ohio
We should mention
The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation.


text: Religious Geography and Peace Download (PDF, 39KB) AllSession ProposalsTheme Sessions Imagine there's no countries: space metaphors and anarchist re-worlding in anti-war songs Theme Sessions Geographies for Peace and Urban Development: Complementing or Contrasting? Theme Sessions Geografía, y la construcción de la paz en Colombia: 'Paz territorial' y la negociación de cartografías. Theme Sessions Oficina geográfica: la educación para un mundo de paz. Theme Sessions Paz en los espacios públicos, ¿espacios públicos en paz? Theme Sessions Religious Geography and Peace (II) Theme Sessions Religious Geography and Peace Theme Sessions The Ores of War and Peace: Mining, Resource Frontiers, and Histories of Industry and Imperialism Theme Sessions Did we dry your shallow well? Sorry we need it for our flowers destined for export markets" – taking stock of emerging conflicts over (ground)water resources in Africa. Theme Sessions Periferias en proceso de integración: conflictos, crisis… ¿y después? Theme Sessions Performing peace: From the perspective of border Theme Sessions Violent Cartographies Theme Sessions Cross-border women's networks: Theme Sessions Peace Ecology. Theme Sessions Geography, (post)development cooperation and peace. Theme Sessions Art and Peace Theme Sessions Anarchist and Left-Libertarian Perspectives on the Geographies of Peace Theme Sessions Ethnic, territorial and political conditions of peace in Central and Eastern Europe. Theme Sessions Territorial cooperation and paradiplomacy: a tool for peace Theme Sessions Peace in Colombia: a long road. Theme Sessions Geographical education for global understanding Session Proposals Geographical education for peace Session Proposals Mobilities and Geographies of Peace Session Proposals International Tourism and Cultural Diplomacy. Session Proposals Issues, challenges and actions in the quest for peace in Latin America. Session Proposals Indigenous peoples, territories of peace Session Proposals Globalization as a source of marginalization; marginality as a source of tensions and conflicts. Session Proposals Peace in history and philosophy of geography: which possible approaches? Session Proposals The African Union and African Economic Community: Territorial and economic arrangements for peace in Africa? Session Proposals Transnational conflicts in Africa: Migration, mobility and peace. Session Proposals Common Histories and Border Ethics beyond Securitization Session Proposals Cultural Practices against the Militarization of Occupied Territories Session Proposals Geopolitics of Peace and Peace geopolitics Session Proposals Political geographies of Pax Americana and other forms of peace imposed by force. Session Proposals Twinnings, sister cities and citizens diplomacy Session Proposals Mediating between languages Session Proposals Cities of Peace Session Proposals Geographies of diplomacy and peace. Session Proposals The role of human mobility dealing with violence and conflicts Session Proposals Human mobility as a deviation of vulnerability and conflicts in the service of peace Session Proposals ← The Ores of War and Peace: Mining, Resource Frontiers, and Histories of Industry and Imperialism Religious Geography and Peace (II) →

subset: commoncrawl


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Can GPS and LightSquared coexist? Within the civil and military GPS community, the answer has been emphatically and unequivocally, "No." Until last week, that is. Attendees at the annual convention of the U.S. Institute of Navigation held in Portland, Ore., had been confident that the laws of physics made coexistence of the two impossible. So the announcement during the convention by LightSquared that, to solve the problem, it had teamed with Javad Inc.–a developer of precision GPS receivers–was met with both surprise and skepticism. Javad founder Javad Ashjaae, known as an outside-the-box innovator, is understood to have already developed proof-of-concept precision GPS prototypes that are unaffected by LightSquared's 4G broadband transmissions. Further, production units are forecast to come out next year with estimated upgrade costs of $300 to $400 each. Since Javad has surprised the GPS industry before, most of those who previously criticized LightSquared's plans due to GPS interference are reserving judgment until more details are forthcoming. However, the Coalition to Save Our GPS said that if the solution does indeed work, LightSquared should be required to foot the bill for the upgrades.
CaptChas (not verified)
October 4, 2011 - 6:52pm
I'd take that seriously. JAVAD is a respected provider of precision GPS receivers.
Now Lightsquared is running around telling everyone 'I told you so. Interference is a simple engineering problem and we solved it'.
What problem did they solve? The original problem was GPS compatibility with both upper and lower LTE network channels. Now they say JAVAD will demonstrate compatibility with only the lower channel.
That's kinda like Captain Kirk beating Kaboyashi Maru by reprogramming the parameters of the problem.
Then we still don't know if GPS avionics can be fixed. Testing revealed a large differential in interference rejection between the best and worst performing equipments. That would imply superior front end designs do exist or, perhaps, robust processing algorithms can be implemented.
Some avionics tracked GPS signals but couldn't acquire/reacquire signals while others experienced an unacceptable degradation of WAAS data integrity.
In reality, nobody knows what to redesign until FCC acts to reconfigure the Lightsquared spectrum for more compatibility with GPS weak signal reception.
The overall problem will not be solved overnight.
Keith Peshak (not verified)
October 4, 2011 - 10:11pm
LightSquared shuts down GPS receivers because the powerful signal (15,750 watts, or, maybe ½ that) just right near GPS receivers (up to many miles away) saturates the antenna amplifier in the GPS receiver trying to receive about 300 watts from about 11,000 miles away. No filter on LightSquared transmitters can prevent that. Need a filter on the GPS receiver after the patch before the gain stage to ground out the LightSquared off band signal. Here is ours: $1200 and the size of a brick and NOT a complete solution. Sanjiv Ahuja has said he has one for 30 cents. We are waiting to see one. Javad says they have a better GPS. We are waiting to see one. Either way, you all get to buy a new GPS.
Another way is to alter the LightSquared protocol, to contain "holes" that GPS can listen through. Doug Smith who is Chief Network Officer for LightSquared says "…I do not intend to follow up with you regarding your proposal" and "Please understand we have received hundreds of offers to solve our issue and simply do not have time to engage everyone." That option does not have you all buying a new GPS.
Michael Swisher (not verified)
October 4, 2011 - 11:00pm
The reality of this situation is this. LightSquared pulled a fast one to acquire the spectrum at next to nothing in comparison to competitors. They smooth talked the FCC and the WH into giving them a waiver. Now they have sold BILLIONS in contracts and will threaten the FCC into giving them a pass. What will likely happen is a costly lawsuit which we the taxpayers will pay for and the FCC will ultimately move LightSquared into a different part of the spectrum, which was the ultimate goal from the start. I guess the hedge fund game works in the spectrum world as well as the collapse of the AMERICAN HOUSING MARKET, and Falcone wins again.
Holly Glaser GISP (not verified)
October 5, 2011 - 1:24am
So we built a satellite based navigation system. The GPS receivers have changed the way we coordinate emergency responders, locate hazardous waste scattered during hurricanes, avoid getting lost on a trip and make possible military operations that were impossible without GPS.
This took years to design. We built rockets to launch the constellation. Tons of people have had a career working to improve the accuracy of GPS location.
GPS changed how we work and play.
How much money did it cost to create the working GPS we have now?
Currently the GNSS is being improved and will add L5 spectrum
- these changes will require new devices that could bring the cost of high accuracy location down to something reasonable. The planned budget for all this is quite spendy.
Lightsquared has delusions of grandeur, claiming that finding a legal loophole is exactly the same as changing the physics of our universe. They should have listened in high school science class because their ignorance is showing.
What do you think of this idea ?
1. Lightsquared broadband broadcast, if allowed, will damage the GPS system we use.
2. Damages have to be fixed; after my home run goes through your window, I have to pay to restore your window to it's undamaged state.
3. Lightsquared should not be permitted to damage businesses or public safety and national security that relies on receiving a clear GPS signal without any penalty.
4. Therefore, Lightsquared must pay for new GPS devices to replace all current GPS receivers that may be affected by their broadband wifi signal.
Kevin (not verified)
October 5, 2011 - 4:49am
Will Lightsquared retrofit older GPS receivers with filters at no additional cost to the end consumer?
Of course not.
So, all those who already own a GPS receiver, whether it's installed in an airplane, a ship, a truck or a bus will have to either modify their equipment or purchase new equipment.
The total cost for those who depend on GPS for commercial, governmental or private use -- throughout the US and possibly along the Canada and Mexico borders -- will certainly exceed 100 million dollars.
Instead, Lightsquared should purchase a different frequency block and foot the bill. The entire country need NOT have to change to accommodate one stinkin' company. It should be the other way around.
Tom Kalkowski (not verified)
October 5, 2011 - 8:47am
I have over $50,000 invested in a GPS system (Trimble) for just one tractor. This system steers the tractor between the row crops and allows me to cultivate out weeds with precision instead of just spraying the whole field with herbicides and insecticides. If Lightsquared screws up this precision GPS it will cost me a ton. Hope you smart guys either come up with a solution or stomp Lightsquared until they move to another part of the spectrum that will not ruin my precision GPS. Thanks for all the help those working on this are giving us farmers...
DarCK (not verified)
October 5, 2011 - 10:07am
There is only so much usable spectrum. Some of it better than other.
Personally I'd like a standard that fully uses the spectrum for public internet.
This reminds me of the people who were squatting in the white space only not quite as egregious.
All radio systems should be built so they can isolate and use only the desired bands without making other bands unusable to the point where we maximize usable communication spectrum. Technology will advance and some equipment will inevitably become obsolete. How long that period is, is open to reasonable debate.
Lightsquared is play dirty pool and should have to pay the public for the appropriate price for the spectrum in the intended use.
What seems like poor hardware design to me seems like an issue with the GPS manufactures being cheap stupid or lazy with regard to potentially interfering spectrum.
Watcher (not verified)
October 5, 2011 - 1:03pm
This spectrum was suppose to be kept "quiet" so what LightSquared is trying to do wouldn't happen. Was set up that way by US government with knowledge of all players. Nothing wrong with GPS receivers. They were designed to work with what was available and within the rules and they do. LightSquared wants to change the rules- which is what they are trying to do with the WAIVER- so that the rest of the world conforms to their rules.
Michael (not verified)
October 5, 2011 - 1:09pm
All the arguments against L2 being able to use its designated L-band spectrum have merit, however most of the opposition appears to be predisposed to the fact that L2 got its spectrum on the cheap.
With demand for spectrum growing geometrically the need for opening up available spectrum should be a priority and if L2 can solve 99.5% of the interference to GPS, why then shouldn't they be able to use their spectrum. Nevertheless, L2 success will be conducive to the consumer as a whole in bringing much limited spectrum to the wireless industry and making the telecom industry much more competitive.
With L2 the smaller telcos will be able to compete with the likes of ATT and VZ, however without an alternative to the duopoly, ATT & VZ, the consumer is in for some major surprises.
mike (not verified)
October 5, 2011 - 3:12pm
Javad did nothing magical, several other GPS companies have demonstrated similar ability to filter the LS signal. Once the LS spectrum is put into the lower block, and a decision is made not to use services such as OmniStar and Starfire, filtering the LS signal is not too difficult. That is if you are building a new receiver or a special adapter. Of course, the problem is all the receivers deployed in the field, whose going to pay to fix those?


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Marouane Chamakh is looking forward to returning to West Ham when Crystal Palace visit Upton Park for a London derby this weekend.
The Moroccan striker started in Palace's 3-2 win at Goodison Park on Wednesday, a result which all but secured Premier League football next season for the Eagles.
Chamakh hailed his team's "perfect" four-game win streak before looking ahead to West Ham, where he played on loan in 2013.
"Four wins, 12 points - we can't do much better than that," said the Palace striker.
"We are so happy. Everton played very well but we concentrated hard and I think we are sure to stay up now.
"I said before the season I felt we were going to stay up.
"It was a big challenge for us but we did it - It's unbelievable.
"We were at the bottom but I still thought we were going to stay up.
"West Ham will be a good derby.
"They had one more day of rest but I think it will be a good game."
Follow us on Twitter @NewsShopperSprt for live updates from Upton Park this weekend


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The Front Page restaurant has been serving guests nice 1987 with their great food and drink specials in the Dupont Circle area. Located just outside the Dupont Circle metro station, the Front Page offers an amazing happy hour on Thursdays with their Free Taco Bar from 6-8pm. As for menu options, the signature Lamb Burger is my personal favorite. $2 Corona's are unbeatable in this area of town and the nightlife is the "go-to" spot for many locals and visitors.
The American Guest House is located just a short walk from the Front Page and we highly recommend visiting their restaurant for the great food and drink specials. If you are staying in DC, join us for your hotel accommodations in DC and receive a complementary breakfast and WiFi with your stay. We offer specials on our rooms year room depending on availability so "Like" us on Facebook, Google + or Twitter and get access to our special friends discounts not offered anywhere else.
View The Front Page in a larger map
Joseph, Innkeeper
The American Guest House in Washington DC


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Major Damage Reported In Mississippi Following Storms, Possible Tornado
An apparent tornado has passed through the heart of Hattiesburg, Miss., as part of a wave of severe storms that have caused injuries and significant damage.
A Forrest County fire official says there's major damage in Hattiesburg and to the northeast in Petal, including on the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi. He can't confirm injuries.
The university says several buildings have been damaged but no injuries reported. Campus police have declared a state of emergency and asked anyone not on campus to stay away.
Pictures posted on Facebook by WDAM in Hattiesburg show rows of trees flattened in the Oak Grove area and damage to commercial buildings.
The emergency director in Marion County says three injuries have been reported in the community of Pickwick, about seven miles south of Columbia.
The National Weather Service says there have also been reports of injuries in Marion County.
Nasty weather has settled in on much of Louisiana and Mississippi, including tornado or flash flood watches.
The National Weather Service says bad weather is likely to stretch into Fat Tuesday in southeast Louisiana. Jefferson Parish has canceled a Monday night parade.
Watch 10TV and refresh 10TV.com for the latest news.


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Katrina may have been a sport horse broodmare and was likely started under saddle at some point before becoming a bit rusty and finding her way to the Center. She has been test ridden and was polite but can be inattentive at times to handle on the ground. Katrina deserves a special person to love her. She has a previous coronet injury that doesn't affect her serviceability but requires minimal daily attention.
For more information email Karen at email@example.com.
To provide humane treatment and shelter while working as a clearinghouse
to seek adoptive homes for all of Kentucky's unwanted equines, regardless of breed.
To educate the public and raise awareness for responsible
equine ownership so that fewer horses end up in crisis.
To work with and serve as a model for organizations with the same mission
in other states: to save America's equines from inhumane treatment.
KyEHC will not process any application unless the required photos, proof of residence and application fee are included.
Once an application is received, KyEHC will begin the screening process. This usually takes about 2-3 days, depending upon how easy it is to make contact with your references.
KyEHC will notify you when your application has been approved and you may then make an appointment with KyEHC to visit the equine(s) you are interested in adopting.
All adopters must sign an Equine Adoption and Placement Agreement and pay the adoption fee before the equine leaves KyEHC.
Adopters are responsible for transportation arrangements and costs at the time of the adoption and in the event of return.
After the Equine Adoption and Placement Agreement is signed, you must pick up the equine from KyEHC within 5 days from the date on the Agreement.
Adoption fees are non-refundable.
Terms of the Equine Adoption and Placement Agreement
The equine may not be raced, bred, sold, given away, assigned or disposed of, nor may any interest in the equine be transferred. The Adopter may only release the equine from his/her care to KyEHC for one year.
Transportation arrangements and costs are the responsibility of the adopter at the time of placement and in the event of return.
KyEHC has the right to visit the property where the equine resides. If, in the sole discretion of KyEHC, it is determined that the living arrangements and/or care of the equine are inadequate or inappropriate, KyEHC reserves the right to seize and re-take possession of the equine.
If the Adopter changes the location of the equine or changes the equine's veterinarian, KyEHC must be provided with the new stabling and veterinarian information within 30 days of said change. In addition, the Adopter agrees to provide KyEHC with any change in his/her address within 30 days of said change.
The Adopter agrees to forward a veterinarian's brief statement of the adopted equine's residence, general condition, weight, teeth and hoof condition (a brief health check form will be provided by KyEHC for this purpose twice a year). This form is to be returned to KyEHC six months from the date of adoption and on the one year anniversary of the adoption date.
Any equine returned to KyEHC must possess a current negative coggins and health certificate, which is the responsibility of the Adopter to provide
Thank You!
Your message has been sent to Kentucky Equine Humane Center.
You'll receive a copy, too, at to help you keep track of which pets you've inquired about, and which shelters and rescues you've emailed.
NOTE: Some shelters have physical locations you can visit; some of these shelters may only have pets for a limited time, so please do not wait for a reply—just go visit the shelter! Other organizations are rescue groups run by busy volunteers who may take a while to reply. You can find information about the shelter or rescue group caring for this pet, and their adoption procedures, on the pet's details page on Adopt-a-Pet.com.


text: +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | TPWD News Release 20100423a | +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | This page contains only plain text, no HTML formatting codes. | | It is not designed for display in a browser but for copying | | and editing in whatever software you use to lay out pages. | | To copy the text into an editing program: | | --Display this page in your browser. | | --Select all. | | --Copy. | | --Paste in a document in your editing program. | | If you have any suggestions for improving these pages, send | | an e-mail to firstname.lastname@example.com and mention Plain Text Pages. | +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ [ Note: This item is more than seven years old. Please take the publication date into consideration for any date references. ] [ Media Contact: TPWD News, email@example.com, 512-389-8030 ] [ Additional Contacts: Bryan Frazier, TPWD, (512) 826-8703 or email@example.com McCorkle, TPWD, (830) 866-3533 or email@example.com ] April 23, 2010 Texas State Parks Launching New Reservations, Business Software System May 12 TxParks to Make Park Web Reservations Cheaper, Improve Park Pass Purchases AUSTIN -- The state park system of Texas is scheduled to launch a new business software system this spring, that integrates customer-friendly features along with comprehensive and trackable real-time park and financial data, and is expected to improve numerous facets of the agency's business and reservation functions for parks. A key benefit for park customers is that people making online camping reservations will no longer pay the extra $3 fee that has been traditionally charged for booking via the Web. "In the long run, this will be very beneficial for the millions of people who love our state parks, and for our state agency," said Walt Dabney, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department state parks director. "However, we do ask folks to bear with us on a few short-term inconveniences. We'll have to temporarily suspend statewide park reservations for two weeks when we transition to TxParks. And there may be occasional delays to pay and enter some parks the first few weeks as we break in the new system." The new system, coined TxParks, is scheduled to go live May 12, and is being implemented across the board at all 93 state park locations as well as the park Customer Service Center for centralized reservations, which is located at the division's Austin headquarters. Phase 1 of the new system, which has been contracted out to Active Network, a company specializing in outdoor reservations software, has been in development for more than two years. In order to meet the system's go live date in May, the park's central reservation desk and all internet reservations will be temporarily suspended for two weeks, beginning at 6 p.m. April 27, while the new software is installed, and then resume business as usual at 9 a.m. on May 12. During this hiatus of the main central reservations office, park visitors can still contact the Customer Service Center with questions, but those needing to make reservations, will need to contact each park individually during those two weeks. Although the new system is expected to make wholesale improvements to most all aspects of future park services-such as faster on-site customer processing, site fulfillment of State Parks Passes, as well as improved state park reservations-customers may experience some interim delays, as park operations migrate to the new platform. However, steps have been taken to reduce the amount of down time associated with the switchover, such as installing the new system after the annual spring break camping reservations rush. "For starters, Phase 1 of this new system launch will make state park annual pass cards now immediately available for folks to take with them as soon as they purchase one; no more temporary cards or lag time waiting through the mail. And they can use their park pass and discounts on their very first visit," said Mike Crevier, state parks business management director. "By eliminating the fee that is currently being charged to campers who want to make a reservation over the internet, we hope to encourage more folks to use the convenience of online reservations." Other benefits to the system include the availability of new State Park Gift Cards, which can be procured at any park and redeemed as a cash equivalent for any park purchase or rental, such as entrance or camping fees, state park store merchandise, canoe or kayak rental, or any other transaction. New, color-coded Parklands Passport cards, commonly called "Bluebonnet Passes," which are free to senior citizens, people with disabilities and disabled veterans, also will be available. All park-related pass cards will also now include a bar code and magnetic stripe on the back, and will be scan-able for customer data upon park entry. Furthermore, the new holistic software program should also help the park system more efficiently serve its customers by simply knowing more about the kinds of things they want, as well as when and where they want them. The business software component is able to produce reports that more accurately calculate fiscal control, and track consumer trends, popular items and features. For more information about Texas State Parks, contact (512) 389-8900, or visit the Web site at http://www.texasstateparks.org/. -30-


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jubuttib wrote:I can't believe I've been so unlucky with Northmen. My first runs were kinda like good premium plastic Valks, though a bit more understable, and then when I was asked to review them I got three new ones, randomly picked from the stack (2 vip 1 tp) they were even more understable, really fliptastic. I want to find these stable Northmen people have been throwing. =(
I have had the best luck with the purple and teal vips with the older foil stamp with big domes.


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Eleven picture-perfect meringue petals top the S'more Tart ($10) at Craftbar. They're toasted a deep golden brown, and to fully appreciate them, you'll want to sink you fork all the way though the bottom of the tart shell, capturing the lush, almost frothy chocolate custard. This is not your average s'more: it's miles lighter, with a delicate custard. The secret weapon? Apple cider vinegar. You won't taste it, but it gives the custard a subtle lift and lightness. That quenelle of cacao nib sorbet is no slouch either—good enough to order as dessert alone.
900 Broadway, New York, NY 10003 (map)
About the author: Originally from Honolulu, Kathy YL Chan blogs at Kathy YL Chan, where she chronicles her eats and travel adventures between Hawai'i, New York and beyond. She firmly believes that there is always room for dessert.


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The Mendocino County Sheriff's Office has announced the public memorial service for fallen Deputy Ricky Del Fiorentino on Wednesday, March 26, at 10 a.m. at Cotton Auditorium, 500 N. Harold St., Fort Bragg.
A reception will immediately follow the service at the Fort Bragg Middle School located adjacent to the Cotton Auditorium.
That morning, law enforcement agencies will participate in a marked patrol vehicle procession from Ukiah to Fort Bragg. The procession will depart the Redwood Empire Fair & Event Center, Ukiah, at 6:45 a.m. and will travel about 60 miles along Highways 101, 20 and 1 before reaching the Georgia Pacific mill site in Fort Bragg.The procession will then travel southbound on Highway 1 and turn eastbound onto Boice Lane where it will join the family procession to the Cotton Auditorium.
Coast procession
A coast procession will depart the mill site at 8:30 a.m. to stage on Boice Lane. At 8:45 a.m., the inland and coastal procession teams will depart together from Boice Lane traveling northbound on Highway 1, eastbound on Maple Street, northbound on North Harold Street stopping at the Cotton Auditorium.
Both procession teams will utilize the Nalemars radio frequency for communications.
Parking on Maple Street and North Harold Street will be reserved for family, law enforcement and special guests. Carpooling to the memorial service is highly recommended.
The public should expect traffic delays in addition to the parking restrictions during the memorial service.
The mill site will be the main parking area for the memorial service with buses shuttling attendees to and from Cotton Auditorium. Parking near the Cotton Auditorium will be reserved for family, law enforcement and special guests. Carpooling to the memorial service is recommended.
There will be no parking on either side of Harold street from Fir street south to Maple Street from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., Wednesday. There will be handicap parking available on Pine Street between North Harold and North Corry Street.
City Hall asks the public to make alternative parking arrangements for any vehicles along the procession route. Members of the public who wish to show their support may gather along the route in a safe location, out of the flow of traffic.
Attendance at the memorial service is expected to exceed the seating capacity of Cotton Auditorium, so there will be overflow seating in the Middle School gymnasium and a large enclosed outdoor tent beside the gymnasium.
A live steaming video feed will be transmitted from inside the Cotton Auditorium to the gymnasium and tent. The video also will be broadcast on cable channels 3 and 65 in the Ukiah Valley area and on the Internet at the www.mendocinoaccess.org website. Individuals who are unable to attend are encouraged to watch the cable broadcast, if possible, to avoid possible disruptions to the internet broadcast due heavy volume of viewers.
At this time, East Fir Street has been deemed the exit point for all vehicles leaving the memorial service after its conclusion.
Candlelight vigil Tuesday
In addition to the memorial service at Cotton Auditorium, there will be a candlelight vigil on Tuesday, March 25, at 8 p.m., in front of the Fort Bragg Justice Center, 700 S. Franklin St. in Fort Bragg. The vigil is open to anyone wishing to pay their respects to Del Fiorentino. Information about the vigil can be found on the Candle Light Vigil in Honor of Ricky Del Fiorentino Facebook page.
Procession route
The procession will turn from Highway 20 north onto Main Street, turn east on Maple Street, then north on Harold Street to Cotton Auditorium.
Memorial Fund
Anyone wishing to make monetary donations to the Ricky Del Fiorentino Memorial Fund can do so by contacting or visiting any of the Savings Bank of Mendocino County locations or by mail to PO Box 3600 Ukiah, Ca 95482.
Information is also available at the MCSO Facebook page, Mendocino Sheriff.
Tsunami warning test The tsunami warning test scheduled for Wednesday, March 26, was cancelled by the NOAA at the request of MCSO.


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Industry News
Make Your Arrangements for ISSE Long Beach 2013!
It's almost go-time for the West Coast's total beauty event, the International Salon & Spa Expo (ISSE) Long Beach show, January 26 - 28 2013, at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, CA.
MODERN Editors will be covering all of the news at ISSE Long Beach LIVE through our social media websites and modernsalon.com. Make sure you follow MODERN at ISSE on Twitter using #modernisse. Modern will be showcasing the latest in product innovations and education on our Facebook (facebook.com/modernsalon), so make sure to visit our page.
If you are attending the show, make sure you stop by MODERN's Booth #1708 where you can pick up free copies of MODERN SALON, SALON TODAY and FIRST CHAIR.
If you haven't made your arrangements, now is the time! To help make your ISSE Long Beach show experience the best possible, here are a few tips:
1) Make sure to register first at www.probeauty.org/isselb for your tickets. (Free Tickets… If you are a PBA Salon/Spa member you receive two complimentary 3-day tickets. Members of PBA's Beauty Professional/NCA section receive one complimentary 3-day expo ticket.)
2) Double check that you have the proper credentials for on-site check-in, www.probeauty.org/isselb. Remember, ISSE Long Beach is a professionals only show and they will check. Credential checks will be on-site so you can speed up the process.
3) Download the ISSE Long Beach 2013 application. It's available on Google Play and the IPhone app store – ISSE LB 2013. It's a great way to find exhibitors, show times, classes and more.
4) Speaking of show times and classes – take a moment to check out who you are going to see and/or what class to take. Some of the biggest names in the industry will be at ISSE Long Beach and you don't want to miss them. Center Stage and the NAHA Theater are two great places for the bigger stage shows.
5) Three On-Site To-Do's: 1) Stop by the MODERN SALON booth (#1708) to say "Hi!". 2) If you want to win an Ipad Mini or other prizes, stop by the PBA Booth #2422 for a free PBA Prize Peel and 3) While at the PBA booth, make sure to get your special lanyard if you are a PBA member so that you can receive Member-to-Member specials on the show floor.
6) Have fun, learn, take lots of pics and be sure to follow the activites of MODERN SALON MEDIA Editors on modernsalon.com, salontoday.com, firstchair.com and MODERN, SALON TODAY and FIRST CHAIR's Facebooks!
Saturday, January 26th - 1:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Sunday, January 27th - 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Monday, January 28th - 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.


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'"Playing against that kind of goalie, it's never easy to score goals," Rask said. "If you don't get traffic and make the plays we did today, you're not going to score on him. He played really good games but as a goalie you know that there are shots that you can't stop."'
You are here: Home / SabresBeat / Rask revels after outdueling Miller


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Hi, everyone! This is Perhin from Alabama, USA, and I'm a newbie to Buddhism. I chose this path because it seemed to make the most sense to me and because of what now seems selfish(enlightenment over being a Bodhisattva), but either way, it does make me feel...like, I guess, I'm in control of myself. I like that very much.
Anyway, I cannot wait to begin talking to you all and to make friends, oh, and to learn!


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There is a big argument going on saying that Buddha never said to pay homage to his images.
True! A Buddha does not have such a low character or is full of defilements to ask others to pay reverence to his images.
Though Buddha has never said to revere his images, he accepted homage with compassion because he knew that devotees acquired merit by doing so.
Read more >> http://www.thebuddhism.net/2013/01/16/p ... at-buddha/


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Join our newsletter for new products, special offers, and more!
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PvP revolves around the staff of a gaming magazine (including a big blue troll intern named Skull) and their day-to-day adventures. The humor is often sparked by the relationships within the office, but is easily accessible to a broad readership.


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2014 ConocoPhillips Rodeo Run 10K/5K
Downtown Houston
Sat 03/01/2014
14000 Participants
Race Course: The 10K race and 5K fun run/walk courses start in downtown Houston at the corner of Walker and Bagby and finish on Allen Parkway. To ensure everyone's safety, the event will kick off with the start of the 10K race followed minutes later by the 5K fun run/walk. Expect plenty of hoopla and large crowds of cheering spectators as participants lead the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Parade. The ConocoPhillips Rodeo Run 10K is sanctioned by USA Track & Field and the Gulf Association of USA Track & Field. 10K race participants are expected to strictly adhere to USA Track & Field operating regulations. The 5K fun run/walk is unsanctioned, noncompetitive and fun for the whole family! Race Day Schedule: 8:55 a.m. Costume contest judging near the Hobby Center. 9:10 a.m. Wheelchair division start. Brakes and helmets required. No hand crank/cycle wheelchairs. 9:20 a.m. Start of 10K race. 9:45 a.m. Start of 5K fun run/walk. 10:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Post-race party and awards ceremony. Downtown Parking: Parking is available for a nominal fee at the Allen Center Garage, Metropolitan Garage, Heritage Society Garage, as well as various downtown parking lots. Participants are strongly encouraged to monitor the race website for parking updates. Race Results and Timing: The ConocoPhillips Rodeo Run 10K and 5K will use an electronic timing system that records race time and place via a transponder tag attached to a runner's shoe. Times will not be recorded without a tag. The timing tag will be included in the runner packet for all participants. The noncompetitive 5K walkers will not utilize tag timing and individual times will not be recorded. Walkers must finish the course by 11:30 a.m. Individual timing and race results will be provided via e-mail to all 10K and 5K finishers. The timing tag net time will be used to score all 10K and 5K participants except the overall first-place male and female winners and the first-place male and female wheelchair winners. 10K and 5K results will be posted via the official race website at www.conocophillipsrodeorun.com, including streaming video of runners crossing the finish line. Runners can download the file for individual use or send the clip via e-mail to their friends and family. Houston Rodeo Run Tradition Continues: Runners, walkers, families and friends of all ages are invited to participate in the 27th annual ConocoPhillips Rodeo Run on Saturday, Mar. 1, 2014. This tradition, which raises scholarship funds for Texas youth, will once again lead the Houston Livestock Show and RodeoTM (HLSR) Parade past thousands of cheering spectators in downtown Houston. Last year, more than 15,000 participants took part in the Rodeo Run, raising a record $400,000 for the HLSR Educational Fund. Since the race began in 1988, the company has raised $3.7 million. A combination of Southern hospitality and generosity, along with a Texas-sized post-race party, makes the run one of the most popular and memorable events in the region. Teams: The ConocoPhillips Rodeo Run welcomes team participation. For 2014, there will be no competitive team scoring. The team segment will feature: Open teams for the 10K and 5K. Team members can be co-workers, friends or family. Members of the same team can participate in either the 10K and 5K event. No team scoring will be conducted and there is no limit to the number of participants on a team. Coordinated team packet pickup at Luke's Locker. This allows team captains the opportunity to pick up their registered team packets between Feb. 26-28. Deadline for participants to sign up for your team is Feb. 2. Contact firstname.lastname@example.com for team information or to register your team. Additional information is also available at www.ConocoPhillipsRodeoRun.com Hurry! Registration is limited to 15,000 participants. Special Offer: The first 1,900 ONLINE registrants are eligible to choose between a cotton Rodeo Run T-shirt or a Brooks Podium Rodeo Run performance shirt (while supplies and sizes last ). If the Brooks size selected is not available, a cotton Rodeo Run T-shirt will be provided. ONLINE REGISTRANTS ONLY! Age Groups: Male and female age groups: 14 and under, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75 and over. Packet Pickup and Registration: Wednesday, February 26 - $35 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Luke's Locker 1953 West Gray (River Oaks shopping area) Store phone number: 713.529.0786 Thursday, February 27 - $35 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Luke's Locker 1953 West Gray (River Oaks shopping area) Store phone number: 713.529.0786 Friday, February 28 - $35 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Luke's Locker 1953 West Gray (River Oaks shopping area) Store phone number: 713.529.0786 NO BAGGAGE DROP-OFF/PICK-UP NO Race Day registration NO Race Day packet pickup NO switching events NO refunds or exchanges NO roller skates NO baby joggers NO pets For safety reasons, headphones are discouraged. Awards: 10K First-place overall male and female runners, first-place male and female masters runners, and first-place male and female wheelchair winners will receive a custom, etched-glass trophy and two round-trip (nonrefundable) tickets to anywhere United Airlines flies in the U.S. 48, Alaska, Canada, Mexico, Central America or the Caribbean. The top three age group finishers in the male and female divisions will receive special trophies. No Duplicate Winners. There must be at least two competitors in a category to be eligible for airline tickets. 5K Run First-place overall male and female winners; and male and female wheelchair winners will receive a cowboy hat. 10K & 5K All entrants will receive an official 2014 ConocoPhillips Rodeo Run T-shirt. Prizes and Giveaways: Registrants will have the opportunity to receive the following giveaways and prizes (see the Rodeo Run website for eligibility requirements): First 1,000 online registrants will be mailed separately a pass to the Livestock Show and carnival ride coupons. United Airlines tickets will be given away to the winners of the early online registration drawing and the adult costume contest.
- Address:Walker and Bagby
Houston, TX 77210


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BSO Detectives Investigating
Broward Sheriff's Office deputies, acting on tips from concerned citizens in Southwest Ranches, confiscated two emaciated horses Monday from an owner who said he could no longer care for them. The horses, which are in poor health, were turned over to Peaceful Ridge Rescue, a non-profit organization that stepped forward to care for them. BSO Special Victims unit detectives are investigating to determine what led to the horses' condition. The horses were taken from 6331 S.W. 136 Ave., Southwest Ranches. Detectives say the alert residents who phoned in tips about the horses did the right thing, and they encourage anyone who encounters abused or neglected animals to contact law enforcement. Peaceful Ridge Rescue employees named the horses, a thoroughbred mare and a gelding pony, Lucky and Tass. For more information about the rescue group, which operates on donations, visit www.PeacefulRidgeRescue.com online.
CUTLINES (photos 1-3): Peaceful Ridge Rescue president Victor Cutino looks at a black thoroughbred mare his employees named Lucky.
(photo 4): A Peaceful Ridge Rescue employee moves a gelding pony dubbed Tass.
Posted At: 07/30/2013 05:20 PM
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Matter.io: Helping E-Commerce Sites Plug Into 3-D Printing
While world-renowned brands like American Girl, BlueNile, BMW's Mini Cooper and Nike generate business and buzz by allowing shoppers to customize their products online, smaller merchants often lack the technology and resources to do the same.
New 3-D printing technology and services should change all of that, and soon, says Matter Labs Inc. Chief Executive Dylan Reid.
The Cambridge, Mass., startup created software to help e-commerce businesses plug into 3-D printing, and add sophisticated product customization features to their online stores with little effort. (The company's "plug and play" API is called Matter Remix.)


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Did you ever wonder whether you'd be happy selling homeowners insurance for a living? Or perhaps working behind the scenes as an underwriter, actuary or claims adjuster for an auto insurance company?
Now you can stop daydreaming and actually test your aptitude for and interest in a wide range of insurance positions on a new website called InsuranceCareers.org, sponsored by the Ohio Insurance Institute, a trade association based in Columbus, Ohio.
InsuranceCareers.org takes you behind the public face of the auto insurance agent and homeowners insurance broker that most of us know and into the busy behind-the-scenes insurance world few of us ever see. Many who wander into the back office find rewarding careers as actuaries, underwriters, IT directors, risk managers or marketing communications specialists.
It's immediately tempting to take the site's career survey. Based on your answers to four simple questions, you'll be guided to three insurance careers that most closely match your interests and education level. For example, if you're a "people person" with a high school degree, you'll best match such front-end careers as insurance agent, customer service representative or training and development manager. If you're the analytical type with a bachelor's degree, you'd probably be happier as an actuary, IT or risk manager.
When you select one of your three best fits, you'll read a brief description of the job, skills required, salary range and potential career path.
What's especially engaging about the site is its use of dozens of two-minute video clips of actual insurance pros young and old from each of 14 specialties who speak candidly about their backgrounds, how they came to work in insurance and the interesting opportunities therein. Many had never considered insurance before they stumbled into the industry and, to their surprise, found fulfilling careers.
Why consider a career in insurance now? InsuranceCareers.org summarizes it succinctly:
"Did you know that more than 60 percent of insurance professionals belong to the baby boomer generation (ages 45 and older)? Every seven seconds, a baby boomer turns 60, which means that more than half of the industry's professionals will turn over by 2025. The evolving workforce will create thousands of job openings (or opportunities) for the next generation of professionals."
Follow me on Twitter: @omnisaurus.
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Not sure if this qualifies as a suggestion, but I was just thinking the Chat Room is a bit useless when you have to choose between the forum and the Chat. So, I came up with a way to have them both in the same window. You can test it here:
You can adjust the size ratio by dragging the bar in the middle. Closing down the User List in the chat makes it quite useable. I think this sort of layout would get more people using the chat, since it could be open while you type a post, as it is here:


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[10 July 2002]
Perhaps we should start where just about anyone with eyes and institutional memory has: with the hair. In place of the normal obsidian, there's a billowing cherry-apple Mohawk; instead of the ubiquitous raven black, there's a ruddy vanilla-scrubbed mop-top; rather than the standard-issue charcoal, one encounters the understated teak Continental cut. Hell, the only one sporting black tresses had it coiled rastafari-style. Well, him and the guy wearing a batman mask. Of course, it wasn't just what was upstairs, but what's on the skin, as well. About half of the 23 featured some kind of facial fuzz hints or suggestions, if not outright declarations. Informing us "this is Japan today". But what was most significant of all was where we were observing this noisy display. Not on some platform in Shinjuku station or in the aisles of a Glay concert. Rather, these coiffures adorned the high profile, government-sanctioned, Coke and Kirin-sponsored billboard that was serving to define and advertise the nation, itself. The colorful locks and non-traditional touches belonged to the select, steely warriors clad in blue and white: 2002's national soccer team.
Yes, fair readers, another article about the World Cup. Sorry if you English-speakers have already had your fill. You Canucks and Kiwis and Aussies who didn't even get a ticket stamped to this Asian dance; you Brits who got bumped by Brazil; and you Yanks who got, well, yanked back to earth by your Deutschland über allies.
But a riff on the Cup can't really be avoided, can it? After all, it was the major cultural event in Japan this year and this is a column about Japanese culture. Popular culture. And when it comes to Japan's (oh, ahem, and Korea's) World Cup, nothing could be said to have been more popular. On this side of the pond, television ratings for the event were as tall as Tokyo Tower: 35% of all Japanese households were tuned to the opening match between France and Senegal; 41% plus caught the England-Argentina tiff; 35% saw co-host South Korea dispatch the favored Azurri (that's Italy for you football er, soccer-challenged readers). And when it came to Japan's games, why, the needle flew clear off the fanometer. Fifty-nine percent viewed the first match with Belgium witnesses to the nation's first-ever point earned in World Cup play. Even more unbelievable, two-thirds of all Japanese households tuned into the match with Russia the first-ever victory for Japan in a World Cup tournament. After that, a certain drop-off in interest, which is to say, a mere 46%, observed Japan's win over Tunisia a game that secured Japan's first-ever second-round qualification, followed up by 45% who endured the all-too-swift denouement: a rain-soaked one-nil setback at the hands of Turkey.
Of course, demise was inevitable, what with powerhouses Brazil and Germany lurking further on down the road. But the Japanese were hoping for a tad longer run. Perhaps the kind of hellacious, irrational, mega-stropic Hiroshige-like wave that its neighboring foe-feigning-friend, South Korea, rode all the way to Final Four shores. A ride that left the so-called "Red Devils" utterly spent just as the hallowed sands of eternal celebrity loomed in full sight.
The co-host's success had to be bittersweet for Japanese. There has always been a jittery rivalry between these neighbors. Of course, war and occupation could have something to do with it; but so, too, the sense of inferiority that simmers just beneath the surface because one nation has been just slightly behind the other. Try since the year 553. Anyway, that's what the one that fancies itself ahead (Japan) is always implying to the other (South Korea). In economy, sure; but also in matters of manners and cultural achievement. Not all of it is real; but imaginations can be a mighty powerful impediment to inner happiness and outer harmony. Even in the lands of Zen. In any case, whatever they may feel on the Korean peninsula, on this side of the Japan Sea, by Cup's end, it was more like envy.
Sure, the Japanese television folks heaped hearty praise on their co-host's triumphant march. But in Japanese culture there is a social condition that one must master: a paired set called "honne" and "tatemae" what amounts to front stage and backstage. Living in Japan one quickly learns to navigate the nuances of what can and is said aloud (tatemae) versus what is actually believed and felt within (honne). (Thus so many misunderstandings and ruffled feathers when, just to pick one common example, a Japanese woman says to a western man: "Sure, let's go on a date sometime . . ."). The point is that seldom do the twain perfectly align (physically or conceptually). More often, it is the case that there is some kind of inverse principle at work: as in what is most loudly proclaimed is what is least strongly felt. It's what you can think of as ReDot logic.
To return to the case in point: something along the lines of: "screw you &%$#@"! South Koreans for kicking ass." Sure, it may be true that 60% of Japanese respondents indicated in a poll that they wished the South Koreans would beat Germany and reach the finals, but let me ask this: if the Japanese loved the Koreans so much, why didn't they arrange to hold joint opening and closing ceremonies for the games? Of course, that question cuts both ways.
As for the Japanese, since sporting cynosure was but half-attained, the Cup's placement in television news and newsprint rapidly receded from its daily position front and center, top shelf, first and foremost; it now became just another story in which Japan happened to be tangentially related kind of like a G8 summit. Only here Japan was more than simply a rumpled gray suit on the margins of a pack of darker, bigger, more photogenic wardrobes. Here Japan was the cradle, the pitch as well as the borders; the background as well as the faces in the crowd. Why, Japan was the crowd itself by virtue of being host and all-around monsoon-sopped postcard. Despite this, in the Cup's stead, arose the same-old same-old mix of incompetence, misfeasance, and fluffy entertainment in short, the manna of ReDotPopdom. The communication environment was quickly flooded with stories such as: The perpetually languid economy prompted Prime Minister Koizumi to pen a second tax reform package in advance of his meeting with world leaders. Although the measures were quickly adopted by his cabinet, few analysts deemed the effort sincere or likely efficacious. The media bristled with skepticism.
A high-ranking politico was indicted for diverting public funds for personal use. The legislator, a Japanese caricature of Willy Stark from All the King's Men steadfastly refused to resign. His party, the all-powerful Liberal Democratic Party, similarly balked at censuring him. The fact that they had done just that two weeks before (for appreciably less cause) to a popular female member, provided provocative fodder for the contentious infotainment machine that is the Japanese news media.
The Yokohama Municipal Assembly voted to expel two members for occupying the assembly chair's seat. Their refusal to vacate the chair (or the building) came in protest to the council's raising the Hinomaru (the national flag) in chambers; Tsuyoshi Shinjo, a Japanese baseball export to the U.S. threatened to make the National League All-Star team despite batting a paltry .246 with five home runs and 23 runs batted in (RBIs). The 200,000 votes he suddenly garnered over one week were enough to propel him from fifth to fourth place still not close enough to ascend to one of the guaranteed top three slots but .031 points, 17 home runs and 40 RBIs less than the player he nosed out of fourth. The votes presumably came from supporters in Japan who are now allowed to vote for All-Stars in "America's favorite pastime".
But that's Japan now, and we were talking about then. When Japan had a national soccer team more popular than any idol topping the charts. A team headed by a French coach and stocked with studs playing for teams in Italy and Holland, and warming the benches in England. A team featuring a halfback who, until six months ago, was a Brazilian citizen. A team that no longer boasted the popular free kick specialist with the droopy (black) hair and Charley Brown pessi-cution complex. The kid who, if it had been left to the fans and marketers, would have been first name on the roster. So popular was he that he had appeared in more ads than even those peerless world-conquering footballers, Hidetoshi Nakata and Shinji Ono. As loyal followers of this column surely know, the Japanese ad world is one of the major motors of ReDotPop. Ads may even be ReDotPop incarnate; for the stars and talent they feature, the songs and behaviors they boast, the ideas and situations that are interwoven in ad text are but chutes and ladders between the realm of popular culture and everyday life. Broadcast via these widely-distributed 15-second entertainments, such ideas, people and acts become the stuff of popular consciousness. Amplified and glamorized, ad content becomes firmly ensconced in everyday existence. What is sung or done today in a TV spot will be reprised or mimicked in the clubs and cafes, conveyed over the cell phones and on the streets, and remembered in the bedrooms and boardrooms tomorrow. Which is why ReDotPop is so all-fired significant.
Significant, too, that Nakata, Japan's first bona-fide soccer export, speaks Italian or goes to Africa while selling digital cameras and color copiers, and that Ono, the prodigy who helped deliver a club championship to his Dutch side in his first year abroad, shops for food in Holland and speaks Flemish while promoting Japanese cars. But it is even more significant that Charley Brown (oh, all right, if you must know, his real name is Shunsuke Nakamura), though continually spurned, neglected and disrespected by the international soccer community, fills his free time by pitching Adidas shoes, Fuji Zerox copiers, Nihon Victor music boxes and Aquarius sports drink. Or, that is, he did sell all those goods until the French coach decided Shunsuke didn't have game. Not enough game, at least, to counter the versatility of the recent import: the Brazilian-cum-Japanese mid-fielder, Alessandro Santos. And, alas, with Charley scratched from the Cup squad, advertisers drew a red card: having to shelve their Shunsuke ads for another day, locate other talent in the interim and most likely absorb a World Cup loss.
What is so ReDotPop about the preceding fact pattern is that it provides us a glimpse at where Japan's head is at: cuddly male heroes, making their way in a globalizing world, but ultimately, bringing it all back home. Because no matter how much the World Cup was a celebration of multi-national concourse, for Japanese it was all about Japan. It was about a country (and, by extrapolation, its people) gaining respect, trying to put forever to rest its centuries-old "gaijin complex", settle its endemic love-hate relationship with itself. All that in a simple sporting event? Well . . . yes! Because, you see, for all its post-war success, its unrivalled rise from the ashes, Japan views itself as the national equivalent of Charley Brown: never able to buy a break, never capable of elevating above its own limitations, forever berating itself for its failures, real or imagined. Never making the foreign coach's final cut. Losing out on all the big contracts.
"Gaijin complex" is the term Robert Christopher coined for the Japanese belief that they are a "psychological outsider in the developed world." Gaijin, itself, means "outsider" and that applies to you and me when we're over here. At the same time, it is us who, according to Christopher, the majority of Japanese have developed a complex about (in the sense of perceived inadequacy, social inequality, a lack of comparative standing). All of which makes them, the Japanese, the outsider. Well, that's ReDot logic for you. Everything ultimately gets twisted inside-out. As for the complex, it has existed since well before Meiji and even at Japan's imperialist height was never far from the foreground. High-ranking officials in the Japanese Navy looked at a U.S. industrial capacity ten times its size and thought (to themselves) that the Pearl Harbor attack was tantamount to suicide. Japan simply could not measure up. Of course, they never told the Emperor that (for that would have been suicide).
In any case, it could be argued that the history that World War II spawned, as well as the ideas of Christopher and his fellow Japanologists, has been supplanted by a new generation of conquerors this time in the realm of popular culture. The Nomos and Ichiros and Nakatas may have helped a new generation of Japanese erase their predecessor's gaijin complex. And if they didn't, then maybe the thousands of twenty-somethings who flooded the streets following Japan's victory over Russia did. This cohort, mindless of the rigid social conventions of their elders, engaged in unprecedented social displays: exchanged high fives with hundreds of passing strangers, stripping in public, jumping off bridges into the polluted rivers all in celebration of a simple soccer victory; in commemoration of earned respect. Welcome to the world, Nippon. Glad you could finally make it.
One of globalization's big effects has been on Japan-watchers as much as the Japanese. This is not necessary a positive development. Many Japanologists make their living seeking to divine cultural change in every tweak in language or mutation in comportment. For this they seek to trace from change to some all-powerful smoking gun. Most often this gun is said to be "globalization"; the specific bullets inflicting the damage (or, more positively, the change): "westernization". "The western" can be words like "rice" at a so-called "family restaurant" in lieu of the Japanese word for rice, "gohan". "The western" can also be in practices, such as use of a fork and spoon (instead of chopsticks) when eating spaghetti, whereas chopsticks tend to be employed when eating Japanese noodles. Where Japanologists often step off the pier and take the plunge is by rendering "the western" synonymous with accreting indigenous self-centeredness. (One has to wonder whether the focus on that topic doesn't betray Japanologist's own self-possession, seeing as how most of us hail from the west. Seeing, as well, that there is no necessary correspondence between concern for self and westernization).
While we analysts are busy regarding ourselves in the mirror and pronouncing it "Japan", we also tend to fixate on the native's increasing individuality. (Ironically, a theme we analysts pursue unreflexively, doggedly, with little variation, as one). Which is why we all latch on to the hair thing. Or better, why we lap it up when Junichi Inamoto, a benchwarmer for Arsenal in the Premier League, publicly outted his long-repressed Id after scoring Japan's second tourney goal. Not only did he launch into a dazzling sprint across the pitch rather standard fare for any soccer scorer, (but then this was only Japan's third World Cup goal EVER) but (and get this), here is a representative for "don't-signal-me-out-for-attention" Japan and he had the audacity to aim his pointer finger squarely at his nose (the Japanese equivalent of self-recognition) and mouth the words "Me! Me! Me!" as he sped past the cameras. Just in case any of the 48,000 raving fans had possibly missed seeing him drill his breakaway into the back of the net.
And if that wasn't enough to set our Japanologist pencils feverishly a-scribbling, then what Hidetoshi Nakata had to say after Japan's ouster from the field of 16 certainly did. Nakata, who, after a few years in Italy seems to have remastered, updated and re-released that long-playing Continental nihilist chic, stated (fully in character): "I feel nothing". After which he snuck behind his wraparound designer shades, struck a pose, and chucked aside his national team's standard-issue gray suit, white shirt and black tie in favor of his preferred leather vest, bare chest and silver chains. A stark contrast to fellow countrymen who have committed suicide in the past over matters as significant as poor examination results, a failed business presentation, or perhaps even a postal package delivered 20 minutes late.
Thinking through all of the above, one arrives at the $64,000 question: is Japan changing or isn't it? Well, in a word, the answer doesn't lie in the hair. Nor does it rest with the behavior of the high profile players. If one pans back to the fans lending support the stadia full of frenzied folks who arrive in identical electric blue jerseys, jiggle with delight as one, and rise in unison to hum "Country Roads" the verdict seems more equivocal. The evidence suggests that Japan is still very much an "I wear what you wear, I act as you act, I think as you think" show room of interchangeable parts. Even as the kids on the street are busy being so individual tinting their locks, piercing their skin, downloading their favorite songs to serve as cell phone advisories that they've got mail it can't be ignored that everyone is doing all this together. Without an exception, they are performing individual acts that depart not a whit from the clan. And when one factors in the "Beckham Boom" the hysteria with which an entire society greeted a single player, hanging on his every breath and trying (with little success) to decipher his every unintelligible utterance one realizes that this behavior differs little from that of generations past.
Like every cohort of the past four decades, the folks of 2002 are experiencing ReDotPop in contagion form. The "World Cup boom" (and its cancerous offshoots such as "the Beckham boom" and "the Azurri boom") infect the popular consciousness and inspire predatory marketers no different than did the "jogging boom", the "tennis boom", the "golfing boom", the "my car boom", the "my-home boom", the "Juliana's (or disco) boom", the "Brand (or designer goods) boom", the "tour (or foreign vacation) boom", the "internationalization boom", the "hip-hop boom", the "loose socks boom", the "ko-gyal (high school girl) boom", the "ganguro (or yamaba-inspired) boom", and the "Internet boom" of years past.
Is it possible that we are merely passing through a "globalization" boom and with the expiration of extra time in the final World Cup match, with the hoisting of the diminutive, twisted golden championship statuary, with the last interviews with Ronaldo (and his bizarre wedge-cut hair) and Kahn (and his equally macabre mutton-chop sideburns), with the last wave "goodbye" at Narita airport, the twin ascents of the Varig plane to Brazil and the Lufthansa liner to Germany, that the Japanese will collectively sigh the sigh of spiritual depletion, disperse, then jointly dispose of the soccer boom? They will then put their collective imaginations together to tell their collective eyes what the next piece of ReDotPop should be collectively consumed. Although I have no way of knowing what it will be, I can guarantee you with utter certitude what it won't be: a tube of Vidal Sasson hair coloring.
Published at: http://www.popmatters.com/pm/column/holden020710/


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After initially rejecting the tentative agreements that ended an eight-day strike that shut down much of the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports, clerical workers have voted to ratify the contracts.
Members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 63 Office Clerical Unit voted Wednesday on the terms of the contracts reached by negotiators Dec. 4, it was announced late that night after the voting.
The contracts concerning about 600 clerical workers and 14 employers will run through June 30, 2016, according to a joint statement from Office Clerical Unit lead negotiator John Fageaux and Stephen Berry, lead negotiator for the Harbor Employers Association.
"The approved agreements, to be finalized in coming days, are good for workers, good for employers and - most of all - important in ensuring smooth operations at our Southern California ports," they said in the statement. "Our local, regional and national economies depend on these ports, and the agreements ratified tonight pave the way for continued growth in the years ahead."
Fageaux and Berry couldn't be reached for further comment Thursday.
Earlier this month, representatives for the employers said the 16 clerical worker bargaining units had failed to ratify the agreements, leading to concerns of another port slowdown.
More than two years of talks crumbled between the two sides in late November because clerical workers feared that terminal companies had been moving jobs to lower-wage workers in other states and countries. Management negotiators denied the accusations and said the new contracts would need to stop providing temporary and permanent jobs to workers when there was no work to perform.
Because longshore workers were allowed to honor the strike, it led to the largest near-shutdown of the nation's busiest seaport complex in a decade, effectively closing 10 of 14 terminals and slowing goods movement to the rest of the nation.
More than 60 percent of goods that move through the two ports are bound for destinations outside of Southern California.
Meanwhile, ships were left stranded in the water and at the docks awaiting a chance to unload, and many were forced to divert to ports elsewhere.
After an eight-day strike, a tentative agreement had been reached by both parties with the help of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and a federal mediator.
According to the Harbor Employers Association, the proposed contract covers the period of July 2010 through June 2016 and would be effective upon ratification. It includes job guarantees, raises, the ability to reduce 14 full-time positions through attrition and a one-time $4,000 payment covering increases clerical workers would have had during the past 30 months.
Officials at the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles said they were pleased to see both sides come to an agreement.
"A stable work force is a critical component of our Port's success and helps ensure that the hundreds of thousands of trade-related jobs stay here in Southern California," Port of Long Beach spokesman Daniel Yi said. "We commend the employers and the union for reaching a resolution."
firstname.lastname@example.com, 562-714-2088, twitter.com/KarenMeeksPT


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Belk Bowl: Cincinnati (9-3) vs. Duke (6-6)
When: Dec. 27
Where: Charlotte
Time/TV: 6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Duke coach David Cutcliffe was named the ACC coach of the year, and for good reason. This is the Blue Devils' first bowl game since the 1994 season. The Bearcats, meanwhile, have gone through coaching turnover since the end of the regular season, with the departure of Butch Jones and arrival of Tommy Tuberville. Duke, led by quarterback Sean Renfree, enters the postseason on a four-game losing streak. The Bearcats switched QBs during the season, from Munchie Legaux to Brendon Kay, and rode Kay through the end of the year.
NFL prospect to watch: Conner Vernon, WR, Duke. At 6-1, 200 pounds with his toughness and route-running ability that allow him to get open quickly, Vernon will get a long look as a late-round slot receiver type.
SN's pick: Cincinnati. Duke is a great story, and Cutcliffe has something special going in Durham. But it isn't special enough to knock off the Bearcats.
Instant replay: The ACC has a 6-3 advantage against the Big East in this bowl, whose previous names have included the Meineke Car Care Bowl and the Continental Tire Bowl. N.C. State defeated Louisville 31-24 in 2011.


text: Domestic technologies have been a popular area of study for ubiquitous computing researchers, however there is relatively little recent data on how families currently use and share technologies in domestic environments. This paper presents results from an empirical study of 15 families in the U.S in early 2007. We examined the types of technologies families own, including TVs, music players, phones and computers; where they were situated within the home; and the degree of shared ownership and use. Our results call attention to the prevalence of shared usage of technology in domestic environments and also suggest opportunistic spaces for ubiquitous computing technology. While not all ubiquitous computing technologies for domestic environments will be shared, the diverse ways families chose to share their computers suggest that future devices might better match how families wish to use shared technology by supporting both the shared usage model of appliances and the ability to access a personal profile.


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Waldorf fatal shooting: Suspect description released
WALDORF, Md. (AP) - The Charles County sheriff's office is asking for the public's help in identifying a suspect in the fatal shooting of a woman.
A $15,000 reward has also been offered. The shooting occurred Friday.
Police say a man and a woman were walking their dog along a foot path when they were shot by a man.
The woman died of her injuries; the man was seriously wounded.
The Washington Post reports that police describe the suspect as a black man with a light complexion, in his early 20s, about 6 feet tall with a slim build and short, curly hair.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Charles County sheriff's office at 301-932-2222.
Information from: http://www.washingtonpost.com
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Rays stung by costly error, big rally in Astros' third
Archer's miscue leads to five runs, nullifying Longoria's three RBIs
HOUSTON -- Just when the Rays seemed to have momentum on their side, it slipped out of Chris Archer's glove.
With two outs and Marwin Gonzalez on third during the third inning, Archer ran to first to cover for James Loney, who was fielding a hard-hit grounder by Dexter Fowler. Loney's toss was low, and Archer couldn't make the grab as the ball fell out of his glove while he lost his footing at first base. Fowler was safe, and Gonzalez came home to tie the game.
"I should've made the play," Archer said. "We're baseball players. I work on my fielding. We work on those plays in Spring Training countless times. I should've made the play."
The error was charged to Archer, who allowed four additional unearned runs in the inning before escaping from the inning in the Rays' 7-3 loss to Houston on Saturday at Minute Maid Park. Just like that, Tampa Bay's first back-to-back wins in 15 games would stay as a two-game blip. There would be no three-game winning streak, as the Rays fell to 26-43.
After the error, Archer hit George Springer with a fastball to put runners on first and second. Then, after getting ahead 1-2 in the count, he walked Jon Singleton, before also throwing another four balls to Jason Castro to walk in a run.
With the bases loaded, Archer threw a slider over the plate resulting in a three-run double to Matt Dominguez that was inches shy of a grand slam -- the umpires called for a review -- before getting out of the inning with a strikeout of Chris Carter.
"I made the guy work for strikes," Dominguez said. "It came at the right opportunity and I was able to get the ball in the air and get a double. I came out and battled."
All five runs were unearned. By the time the third inning was over, the Astros led 5-1.
"It had nothing to do with me not making that play at first base," Archer said. "Yeah, I was frustrated, but there's a ton of plays in the game. There were 40 pitches after that where I could've executed."
In the fourth, Archer walked Alex Presley, who later scored, before being pulled. He finished by giving up six runs, one earned, on three hits in three-plus innings.
Just one day earlier, manager Joe Maddon complimented Archer for his recent ability to avoid stringing walks together, along with Archer no longer struggling with two outs in an inning. Both circumstances of prior trouble ended up stinging Archer on Saturday.
"It's always with two outs it seems and sometimes at innocuous moments," Maddon said.
Archer took responsibility for a loss that didn't have the Rays sulking. After being shut out for three consecutive games from June 8-10, the bats have made steady progress in the team's last three games.
The Rays broke the scoreless streak in a 6-3 win against St. Louis, and busted a 10-game road losing streak in Friday's 6-1 win against the Astros.
Tampa Bay scored first Saturday, with Evan Longoria, who drove in all three runs, hitting an RBI single to score Kevin Kiermaier in the opening frame. Longoria hit a two-run home run in the fifth to cut Houston's lead to 7-3.
"We can find it tomorrow by winning the series," Maddon said. "That's the one thing we need to start doing. To me that would be garnering momentum."
Mike Vernon is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Pediatric brain tumors are masses or growths of abnormal cells that occur in the brain or the tissue and structures that are near it. Many different types of pediatric brain tumors exist — some are noncancerous (benign) and some are cancerous (malignant).
Treatment and chance of recovery (prognosis) depend on the tumor type, its location within the brain, whether it has spread, and your child's age and general health. Because new treatments and technologies are continually being developed, several options may be available at different points in treatment.
Treatment for pediatric brain tumors is typically quite different from treatment for adult brain tumors, so it's very important to enlist the expertise and experience of pediatric specialists.
Treatment of brain tumors in children usually differs from treatment in adults. You can expect the best care for your child at Mayo Clinic for these reasons:
Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., ranks No. 1 for neurology and neurosurgery in the U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals rankings. Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Ariz., and Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla., are ranked among the Best Hospitals for neurology and neurosurgery by U.S. News & World Report.
Mayo Clinic works with hundreds of insurance companies and is an in-network provider for millions of people. In most cases, Mayo Clinic doesn't require a physician referral. Some insurers require referrals or may have additional requirements for certain medical care. All appointments are prioritized on the basis of medical need.
Specialists in neuro-oncology at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, treat people 16 years and older, but may see younger teenagers on a case-by-case basis. Younger teenagers may also be seen in conjunction with Nemours Children's Clinic in Jacksonville.
For appointments or more information, call the Central Appointment Office at 904-953-0853 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday or complete an online appointment request form.
At Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, pediatric specialists in neuro-oncology, neurology, neurosurgery, radiology, endocrinology, radiation oncology, psychology and brain rehabilitation, along with other specialists as needed, work together to determine the treatment plan for each child.
For appointments or more information, call the Central Appointment Office at 507-538-3270 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Central time, Monday through Friday or complete an online appointment request form.
See information on patient services at the three Mayo Clinic locations, including transportation options and lodging.
The Mayo Clinic Cancer Center is designated as a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute — recognition for an institution's scientific excellence and multidisciplinary resources focused on cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Mayo Clinic Cancer Center received a National Cancer Institute-sponsored Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) grant for brain cancer research.
Mayo Clinic researchers involved in pediatric hematology and oncology research are working to better understand how and why pediatric brain tumors develop and how to best stop their growth.
See a list of publications by Mayo Clinic authors on pediatric brain tumors on PubMed, a service of the National Library of Medicine.
Original article: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pediatric-brain-tumors/care-at-mayo-clinic/why-choose-mayo-clinic/CON-20035978
Any use of this site constitutes your agreement to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy linked below.
Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit organization and proceeds from Web advertising help support our mission. Mayo Clinic does not endorse any of the third party products and services advertised.
A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.org," "Mayo Clinic Healthy Living," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.


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On the day the Washington Redskins broke training camp in Richmond, Va., general manager Bruce Allen expressed no concern about the war of words between his quarterback and his head coach. But, he admitted, he was concerned about the ramifications of the NFL's salary-cap penalty imposed last year.
"First of all, that salary cap penalty will hurt us for a number of years. It's just not those two years because of the repercussions of it down the road,'' Allen told reporters Friday, the last day of the team's first training camp at their new facility. "We'll keep the best 53 players, and we'll probably have to renegotiate some contracts and maneuver around it, but well absolutely keep the best 53."
MORE: RG3 in pics | Preseason power rankings | Podcast: NFC preview
The Redskins had $36 million total taken from their salary cap for the 2012 and '13 seasons, and the Dallas Cowboys had $10 million taken away, both for what the league ruled were circumventions of the owners' agreement for the uncapped 2010 season at the end of the previous labor agreement.
Washington split the reduction to $18 million each year; both years, they renegotiated several contracts to absorb the hit. They also released starting cornerback DeAngelo Hall and re-signed him to a lesser contract. Veteran linebacker Lorenzo Alexander was also released, and he later told reporters that it was because of the cap restriction.
The NFL's deadline for teams to cut down to 53 players for the regular season is Aug. 31.
NFL PRESEASON: Steelers at Redskins, 8 p.m. ET | Week 2 scores | Week 3 schedule
On the week-long dissecting of Robert Griffin III's comments about coac's plans for his rehab, Allen recalled the team's quarterback tug-of-war in the 1970s, when his late father, George Allen, had Billy Kilmer and Sonny Jurgensen fighting for the starting job.
"I don't see a controversy at all. I know somehow Billy and Sonny are laughing that we creating a quarterback controversy with Robert Griffin,'' Bruce Allen said. "But we have a very competitive player who's dying to play football and we have a very experienced coach who is doing the right thing."
Allen said that Griffin is "ahead of schedule" and added, "I think if Coach wants to progress him over the next couple of weeks, he will but we've had no setbacks so far.'' He knocked on wood while continuing, "The goal is for him to play in Week 1. I don't know if it will happen."
Meanwhile, Redskins players prepare for the season and see the QB-coach controversy as the clash of two men who want to win.
"For our team, it's irrelevant," linebacker Brian Orakpo told The Washington Post. "There's no problem. There's no issues. Robert just has a desire to get back out on the field like any player, any competitor, would. I'd be the same way if I was in his situation."
Shanahan has decreed that RG3 won't play during the preseason while recovering from major knee surgery. Griffin has been lobbying to play. He put on the full uniform for the first preseason game and said he's "dang near close to 100 percent."
More football: Fantasy Source insight | The Linemakers: Steelers-'Skins odds
Contributing: Associated Press


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Here's a few recordings I made with 5 iOS music creation apps. Many of these apps I've owned on the iPhone but never really used because the screen was too small. On the iPad these are all quite joyful.
5 iOS Music Apps by thingstocome
nanloop – iTunes link
TweakyBeat – iTunes link
Dropophone – iTunes link
Sampletoy – iTunes link
Tiction AV – iTunes link
Which one do you like best?


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Awesome response to an interview question…
Just a quicky here. I've been reading "Practical Common Lisp" by Peter Seibel (great book by the way) and came across a really funny footnote. I think I'll use the interviewing engineer's response if given the chance in the future. … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized 2 Comments
Note on sets in hibernate/nHibernate
I just wanted to share this with anyone who is not aware… Caveat: After reviewing my original post and the comments that follow I had initially elected to change the container tag in the example below from set to list. … Continue reading
Posted in Hibernate, Java 7 Comments
Virtual Joy
At home I have only my Linux box to work with. I'm quite content with it, but I do have some DOS and older Windows apps that I like to use. Unfortunately, by DOS floppy's are now dead (as is … Continue reading
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Nested classes with JUnit
Recently I was playing with JUnit 4.X. I wanted to be able to define tests in nested classes as I had before with NUnit. This was to facilitate BDD-ish test definitions, where I break up unit tests by test context. … Continue reading
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Using SSL Websphere MQSeries and .Net
Hi all, I've haven't posted anything since my last contract…sorry about that (what can I say, I've been busy…Ma, AgileJoe's been abusing me!). In any case, this is as much for my benefit (and documentation for the current team) as it … Continue reading
Posted in .Net, c#, IBM, integration, MQSeries, Mutual Authentication, SSL, WebSphere 6 Comments
Metaphors and Mathematics
I haven't posted myself in a bit and decided to go ahead and drop a few lines…albeit a little off topic. I've been looking for supplemental maths books for both my children. As you Computer Science types know, texts for … Continue reading
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Calling .Net Web Services from Oracle PL/SQL
I'm working relatively closely these days with an Oracle DBA on this super-cool mainframe integration project (anyone want to join me? LOL). The old batch ops were managed through cron'd jobs in Oracle and I was asked to take a … Continue reading
Posted in Oracle, SOAP, SQL, Web Services 29 Comments
Subversion Tip of the Day – Moving Files
Many of you are beginning to use Subversion for your source control repository these days. I am also sure that you have found SVNTortoise to be a welcome addition to Subversion and use it also. Moving files and directories at … Continue reading
Posted in Subversion, Tools 13 Comments
VB.Net oddity of the day – Array Declarations
I ran into a recent issue today relating to array declarations in VB.Net. I looked up array declarations on the net and found something that gave me hope, but alas… "Arrays In VB6 declaring an array Dim Items(5) As String gives you … Continue reading
Posted in Programming, VB.Net 2 Comments
Things I hate…
BTW, sorry I've been out of the loop for a while. Whatever. Things I hate…Windows Vista. Just kidding (well, not really). Anyway, I hate Web Services that do little more than allow inefficient remote access to a databases. As you … Continue reading
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April 2014: Recipes
Click through a Snapshots of all the recipes for the April 2014 issue.
Beef Pastitsio - UC Berkeley/Cal Dining
This cheesy beef pasta dish features fresh onions, tomatoes and three different types of cheese.
Beef Pastitsio - UC Berkeley/Cal Dining
This cheesy beef pasta dish features fresh onions, tomatoes and three different types of cheese.
As summer begins to fade and vacation season comes to a close, it's time to start thinking about revitalizing staffers' connections to one another . It's certainly no secret in the Winsight offices that I'm a bit of a social butterfly, which, in turn, means I'm a rockstar at team building. Can you spot the inter-office activity I haven't organized from the list below?
• Breakfast Sandwich Fridays: Co-workers rotate responsibility of providing ingredients for customizable sandwiches. Mimosas may have been involved. • "Sound of Music" Soundtrack Singalong Thursdays. The majority of...
The School Nutrition Foundation —the School Nutrition Association's philanthropic sibling—and Share Our Strength's No Kid Hungry campaign have partnered to launch an initiative called Schools as Nutrition Hubs.
"No Kid Hungry really sees schools as a critical place in the fight against childhood hunger," says Laura Hatch, director of national partnerships for No Kid Hungry. "Schools are really a no-brainer because they have the infrastructure, they have the experience, it's a trusted place for families. And being able to maximize their programs and maximize the federal...
The walk-in cooler can serve as a gathering place for more than just produce. When temperatures rise, staff at Empire State South restaurant in Atlanta host meetings in the walk-in and make occasional trips to hang out throughout the day to beat the back-of-house heat.
Taste may reign supreme when college students choose their next snack, but operators should also pay attention to factors such as price and portion size. Here are the most important attributes students consider when choosing snacks, according to Technomic's 2017 College and University Consumer Trend Report .Taste: 78% Ability to satisfy my appetite between meals: 67% Price: 64% Portion size: 54% Familiarity: 46% Overall nutrition value: 40% Protein content: 36% All-natural ingredients: 29% Fiber content: 27% Uniqueness: 24%


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Massachusetts Republican Sen. Scott Brown is rejecting the comments of Indiana Senate candidate Richard Mourdock, who said that when a woman becomes pregnant during a rape, "that's something God intended."
Alleigh Marre, a spokeswoman for Brown, said Wednesday that the senator favors abortion rights and does not agree with Mourdock. Brown is locked in a close race with Elizabeth Warren in Democratic-leaning Massachusetts.
Mourdock made the comment at a debate Tuesday night. The GOP nominee is in a tight contest with Democratic Rep. Joe Donnelly.
The remark pushed the issues of rape and abortion to the forefront. The campaign of Republican Mitt Romney, who appears in a television ad for Mourdock, said the presidential nominee disagrees with Mourdock.


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Romero focused on positive aspects of latest outing
SARASOTA, Fla. -- Left-hander Ricky Romero focused on the positives after pitching a scoreless inning vs. Baltimore that included a pair of walks.
Romero walked the first two batters he faced on a total of nine pitches. The first four balls all missed low and away, but he was able to get back on track and finish the rest of his outing unscathed.
The 29-year-old stranded the two baserunners by getting Baltimore's Chris Davis, Adam Jones and Nick Markakis to hit weak fly balls. The start was far from pretty, but that's not what Romero decided to focus on afterwards.
"It was good, it could have been a lot worse," said Romero, who entered in the fifth. "I was excited to get out there and it's different coming out of the bullpen. It's just weird to me, but I got three good hitters out after those two walks. Threw strikes when I had to, bared down, and nothing but positive things other than those two walks."
The fact that Romero decided to talk about the positives is probably a good sign. The last thing the Blue Jays and Romero want to do is spend anymore time going over a 2013 season that saw him outrighted to the Minor Leagues just one year after he was the club's No. 1 starter.
It has been a frustrating couple of years, but the focus is now on taking those steps to regain his confidence and figure out his mechanics on the mound. The walks weren't a good sign, but the following three quick outs were. More won't be known until he's given an opportunity to go beyond just one inning.
"We sped up his delivery a little bit," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "He has a little rhythm and that's a key to pitching. When you get into those ruts, and you could see it last year, real slow and deliberate and a lot of times that works against you. But that's kind of the natural way guys do things when they're trying to put everything back together and trying to repeat things. But he looks a heck of a lot better.
"It has been a battle for him. Mentally, it has been tough on him, but he has hung in there pretty good. He has been to the top of this game and now he's down to the bottom. You're probably pulling for that guy a lot extra than you are some of the other guys, simply because of what he has been through."
Gregor Chisholm is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, North of the Border, and follow him on Twitter @gregorMLB. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.