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The British are Coming
English automakers created the standard for high-line vehicles. Now after wrestling turbulent economies, they introduce some of their best and most competitive cars.
(continued from page 3)
Perhaps the most well-recognized marque in the automotive world, the very name Rolls is likely to bring to mind a lumbering mass of metal, a liveried chauffeur up front and a distracted matron in the rear. But the nimble new Ghost challenges such assumptions. Decidedly smaller and more subtle than the brand's classic saloon cars—such as the ostentatious Phantom—it is surprisingly lithe and sure-footed as we charge through the tightest corners at well above the posted speed limit.
If the new Ghost lends a sporty air to the brand's staid persona, that's precisely what the planners at Rolls-Royce had in mind. The new sedan is expected to double, perhaps even triple, the British marque's sales in the coming years by appealing to a younger, hipper, but still quite affluent buyer.
And though Rolls executives tend to downplay the comparison, the Ghost takes aim at another exclusive U.K. nameplate: Bentley, whose Continental models—a sleek mix of sedans, coupes and convertibles—have, over the past decade, become the best-selling entries ever in the ultra-premium luxury car market.
For nearly three-quarters of a century, the two carmakers operated as one. The struggling Bentley was acquired by its more successful rival in 1931 and, in the decades that followed, little difference, beyond their hood ornaments, separated the brands. But as the second millennium drew to a close, the Rolls-Royce Motor Co., aware that it didn't have the resources to retain its position at the pinnacle of automotive excellence, put itself on the auction block. An unexpected turn of events—documented in Cigar Aficionado [April 1999 issue]—split the two divisions, and Rolls wound up in the hands of German luxury maker BMW, while Bentley became one of a growing corral of luxury franchises acquired by the aspiring Volkswagen AG.
In the dozen years since, they have been cordial but nevertheless aggressive rivals. And if Rolls is taking aim at the low end of its former partner's lineup, Bentley is striking out at the prestigious pinnacle of the Rolls brand with its all-new Mulsanne.
The massive machine is decidedly more modern than the outgoing Arnage, and is being positioned as a sporty alternative to Rolls's big Phantom. But it is nonetheless aimed at the exospheric elite, with a forest full of wood trim and a pasture's worth of leather. Simply sewing all that cowhide together, the maker boasts, takes Bentley craftsmen nearly three weeks.
The challenge that both manufacturers face is that the global luxury market is in the doldrums. While there are still plenty of potential customers with ready cash in hand, "they're not necessarily willing to flaunt that wealth when they may be closing plants and cutting jobs," concedes Ian Robertson, the BMW marketing executive who oversees Rolls-Royce.
The good news is that both of the high-line marques now have the luxury of waiting out the recession without fear of economic disaster, as might have been the case when they lacked substantial backing.
Financial problems have taken a heavy toll on the once-mighty British auto industry, as a whole, over the last few decades. Some of the best-known brands—Triumph and MG—have vanished from the market. With rare exception, the survivors have sought shelter in the arms—and treasuries—of erstwhile foreign rivals. In a surprising twist, two British brands, Jaguar and Land Rover, are now the prized possessions of Indian automaker, Tata.
Yet, as with Rolls-Royce and Bentley, the British makers who've survived are now turning out some of the best and most competitive products in their history. Here's a look at what they're up to.
Rolls-Royce: Taking Aim at the Affluent Mainstream
Though the big Phantom and its spin-offs, such as the Drophead Coupe, are the flagships of the Rolls-Royce fleet, the new Ghost is expected to become the best-selling model in the brand's history.
Named for the legendary 1906 Silver Ghost, it's a decidedly different animal than the in-your-face Phantom, with which it shares an assembly plant in Goodwood, a couple hours' drive from London. Yes, there's still the classic "Spirit of Ecstasy" hood ornament above the waterfall grille, but Ghost is a more subtle sedan—if one can use that term to describe a $250,000 automobile.
As always, some owners will likely prefer to have a chauffeur handle driving duties, but with Ghost, Rolls hopes to appeal to a more involved, if still top-tier, buyer. Words like driving dynamics and performance come into play, concepts that the saloon car can readily deliver with its 563 horsepower 6.2-liter V8.
As well as the requisite wood and leather, Ghost offers modern luxury touches. There's a big navigation screen in the center console, and twin video monitors for rear-seat passengers. You can even plug in an iPhone or use the Bluetooth system for hands-free calling. And borrowing from parent BMW, the new car features the latest in safety systems, including active cruise control and radar technology that can warn a driver of an impending collision.
Unveiled in 2009, in concept form, as the 200EX, the new sedan will be just one of several body styles to boast the Ghost badge, Rolls officials confirm. Although specific plans are still under wraps, expect to see a convertible—or drophead, in British parlance—among other variants.
While Rolls CEO Torsten Mueller insists the brand is now making money, the Ghost will be a critical part of its business case, going forward. After a slow and agonizing start, the maker is selling about 1,000 Phantom variants annually. Even if the Ghost triples that output, as the maker predicts, that's barely a single day's production for a mainstream assembly plant. But for this BMW subsidiary, it could provide a very handsome profit, indeed, says Mueller.
Bentley: Reaching Up
After its acquisition by Rolls in 1931, Bentley became an automotive afterthought. By the early 1980s, the brand accounted for barely 5 percent of total Rolls-Royce Motor Co. volume. Then came the introduction of performance-oriented Bentley models, such as the lightning-quick Turbo R, and suddenly the equation turned upside down.
Following its 1998 acquisition by Volkswagen, Bentley put even more of an emphasis on performance with the launch of the sleek Continental line. Models like the GT coupe and new Supersport that can deliver an unexpected blend of muscle and elegance had Bentley sales surging to more than 10,000 cars a year before the global economic meltdown.
With sales now running barely a third of their peak, Bentley is struggling, and an updated version of the Continental line is under development. Meanwhile, like its luxury rivals, the marque is facing some stiff challenges, in the years ahead, as new emissions and mileage standards go into effect in key markets like Europe and the U.S., so it is preparing to unveil new, more efficient powertrain technologies for the new Continental line.
Even the big Mulsanne will be able to run on the renewable E85 bio-fuel. With the saloon car replacing the decades-old Arnage, Bentley is betting it will let it compete with the best in the world—a less-than subtle reference to former partner Rolls-Royce.
As you'd expect, this is a very large car, and it's lavished with leather and wood—in an interesting touch, the veneer wraps around the entire passenger compartment. But then there's the powertrain. Mulsanne's 6.75-liter V8 delivers the sort of muscle the brand has been known for since the days when W.O. and the Bentley Boys dominated the Le Mans endurance racing circuit. The car produces 505 horsepower and 752 pound-feet of tire-spinning torque. The Mulsanne can be driven as deliberately as any luxury limousine, but switching to sport mode and flogging the throttle will sink you deep into its plush upholstered seats.
Intriguingly, Bentley has priced Mulsanne at $280,000, well below the Rolls-Royce Phantom and only a wee bit more than the smaller Rolls Ghost. The two makers insist they appeal to very different sorts of buyers, but spend some time around the ultra-affluent and the argument sounds less persuasive. Will they be poaching off one another with their new offerings?
Jaguar and Land Rover: The Empire Strikes Back
Perhaps no automotive manufacturer has had so lengthy a roller-coaster ride as Jaguar. The British marque was repeatedly left for dead during its first three-quarters of a century. But, as we reported in the August 2008 issue, this cat clearly has nine lives. Jaguar's seeming salvation came in 1989 with its $2.5 billion sale to Ford Motor Co. But despite the billions Ford invested over the years, success continued to elude it.
As for Land Rover, the SUV maker had come perilously close to running off the road when the British Rover Group, collapsed despite the largesse of parent BMW. But Ford snapped up the Land Rover operations, as well, merging them into its newly-created Premier Automotive Group, along with Jaguar, Aston Martin and Volvo.
A decade later, when it was clear that the PAG would never come close to yielding its promised profits, the new Ford CEO Alan Mulaly announced his One Ford strategy, beginning the piece-by-piece sell-off of the European-based luxury subsidiary. The surprise came when Jag and Land Rover, which had effectively consolidated into a single business unit, were sold to the increasingly ambitious Indian automaker, Tata Motors—a company better known for its $2,500 Nana microcar.
Though still early, insiders seem pleased with the new parent, and Tata is betting its future on nurturing its new high-line subsidiaries. Ironically, Jaguar's and Land Rover's near-term success will almost certainly depend on the launch of the final products each developed while still a part of Ford.
For Jaguar, that's the all-new XJ sedan. The brand's long-time flagship has undergone the most dramatic remake in decades. "It's the face of the brand," proclaims Gary Temple, CEO Jaguar Land Rover North America. The sweeping coupe-like design calls attention to what is a very sophisticated bit of engineering. Under the paint, Jaguar has crafted a lightweight, all-aluminum package that has somehow achieved seemingly polar opposite goals. It is refined and comfortable, yet swift and sporty. It's offered in a variety of versions, all the way up to the newest addition for 2011, the 510-horsepower XJ Supersport.
While Jaguar's goal was to regain its reputation for striking, if timeless beauty, Land Rover is trying a different strategy with the upcoming Evoque. "This is the smallest, lightest, most fuel-efficient addition to the Land Rover lineup ever," contends managing director Phil Popham. Originally shown in concept form as the LRX, the new model is the Brit marque's first car-based crossover-utility vehicle, or CUV. The move is critical considering tightening fuel consumption and emissions standards—yet Land Rover insists Evoque will still offer some enviable off-road capabilities. Initially, it will be produced in four-wheel-drive configuration, with a front-drive model to follow. But in keeping with the times, look for a battery-based hybrid to follow around 2013.
Mini: Going to the Max
The Mini launched in 1959, as the British Motor Co.'s response to the fuel shortage created by the Suez Canal crisis of a few years earlier. The design penned by Sir Alec Issigonis proved to the Brits that small could be beautiful. Americans took another four decades to catch on.
Like Triumph and Humber, Mini might have landed on the junk heap had it not been for the former BMW Chairman Bernd Pischetsrieder—coincidentally a nephew of Issigonis. The avowed Anglophile acquired an array of foundering U.K. marques, though BMW was eventually forced to sell off all but Rolls-Royce and Mini.
The original Mini went out of production in 2000, but a new version debuted a few years later, and for the first time, was backed by a serious U.S. distribution channel. Sales quickly outstripped supply. Volumes dipped a bit in 2009, but several factors seem poised to drive a comeback, especially the likelihood of another fuel-price spike once the global recession ends.
And there's plenty of new product, with most of the attention focused on the all-new Countryman. It boasts a variety of firsts, starting with the fact that it's the first Mini SUV/crossover. It's also the brand's first four-door and the first model with all-wheel-drive.
And there's plenty of new product, with most of the attention focused on the all-new Countryman. It boasts a variety of firsts, starting with the fact that it's the first Mini SUV/crossover. It's also the brand's first four-door and the first model with all-wheel-drive.
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text:
Manpower on the Move
Some of the top staffing companies are moving well today. Leaders include Korn/Ferry (KFY) (up 6%), ManpowerGroup (MAN) (3.4%), Robert Half (RHI) (3.1%) and Kelly Services (KELYB) (1.9%).
Robert Half is a standout with a surge that has lifted shares to fresh five-month highs. As it reaches the $29.60 area, the stock is testing its July highs while extending an impressive rebound off of October's 2012 lows. Manpower is not surging to this extent, but it has a more attractive technical setup than Robert Half. Manpower appears to be in early breakout mode after slicing through a heavy overhead trendline that had previously linked the September/October highs. ...252 more words left in this article. To read them, just click below and try Real Money FREE for 14 days.
There's no substitute for a trading floor to get great ideas, so Jim Cramer created a better one at Real Money and blogs there exclusively. We then added legendary hedge fund manager, Doug Kass, with his exclusive Daily Diary and best investing ideas. Staffed with more than 4 dozen investing pros, money managers, journalists and analysts, Real Money Pro gives you a flood of opinions, analysis and actionable trading advice found nowhere else, and allows you to interact directly with each expert.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Note: This item is more than 12 years old. Please take the publication date into consideration for any date references.
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News Release
Media Contact: TPWD News, firstname.lastname@example.com, 512-389-8030
Aug. 22, 2005
McCarty Becomes TPWD Deputy Executive Director
AUSTIN, Texas — A former coastal fisheries biologist who started with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department as a fisheries technician in 1978 and rose up through the ranks has been named the agency's new Deputy Executive Director for Administration.
Gene McCarty graduated from Stephen F. Austin University in Nacogdoches in 1977 and went to work the next year at TPWD's Dundee Fish Hatchery near Wichita Falls. He became hatchery superintendent at Huntsville Fish Hatchery in 1981.
In 1982, McCarty switched gears to saltwater and until 1987 was a biologist at what was then called the John Wilson Marine Fish Hatchery in Corpus Christi. He later was statewide director of fish hatchery programs for TPWD, and in 1994 he assumed the top spot in coastal fisheries. He was coastal fisheries division director until 1997, when be became chief of staff, working in the Austin executive office as right hand man to the executive director.
McCarty played a major role in steering TPWD through two legislative sessions, working with all divisions to track bills, provide information and respond to lawmaker's requests. He also worked directly with the TPW Commission, the nine-member board appointed by the governor to oversee the state agency. Both roles drew him into the often complicated and difficult agency budget process.
"Gene McCarty brings field savvy and also in-depth knowledge of headquarters operations," said Cook, "he knows TPWD inside and out. He is exactly what we need in this role—someone who understands the needs of our field staff from first-hand experience, and who also knows the administrative, legislative, regulatory, and policy ropes, and can get things done in Austin. McCarty understands the value and importance of TPWD working closely and openly with oversight agencies such as the Legislative Budget Board, the State Auditor's Office and the State Comptroller's Office. Finally, the person in this job must be totally trustworthy and honest. We have the right man."
In his new role, McCarty supervises four divisions: Administrative Resources, Communications, Human Resources, and Information Technology. That includes the people who handle finance and budgeting; communication, education and outreach; employee hiring and training; and computers and telecommunications.
"These administrative functions may be less known to many Texans, but they're critical," McCarty said. "Without good financial management and budgeting, you can't function. Good communication and education are essential to have public understanding and support for conservation. Parks and Wildlife is known for the caliber of its people, and good hiring and training are the key to that. We live in the technology age and would be crippled without good IT support. My goal is to make sure there is effective teamwork and understanding between the admin side and the field operations side of the department."
McCarty's new position is effective immediately. The position of chief of staff will not be filled as a cost-savings measure, and those duties will be spread out and re-assigned to various division directors and other employees.
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(5.4.16 i)


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AFL boss Andrew Demetriou had to remain in his position as chief executive for the years of 2010, 2011 and 2012 in order to receive his contentious $2 million performance bonus last year.
And Demetriou has a clause in his employment agreement that will bar him from working for a competing code for a period of time when he leaves the AFL at season's end.
While Demetriou received pay and bonuses totalling $3.8 million during 2013 - comprising $1.8million in annual salary salary, plus a ''long service'' bonus of $2million - he said that the $2 million bonus was actually earned over the course of three seasons - 2010, 2011 and 2012 - when he had reached certain benchmarks, including broadcast rights earnings.
Fairfax Media also has learnt that Demetriou, who announced on Monday that he would step down as AFL chief executive at season's end, has a ''no compete'' clause in his deal with the AFL, which would prevent him from working for rugby league, soccer or rugby union, for a standard period, believed to be 12 to 18 months. Competing sports are defined as ''football codes,'' leaving him free to work in any capacity for the likes of cricket, tennis or racing, though he says he has no interests in a job in another sport.
Demetriou would not comment on whether he had a ''no compete'' clause as part of his arrangements but was willing to detail how his $2million bonus worked.
''In order to achieve the bonus - which I didn't get all of it - you had to stay for three years,'' he said.
''The reason it was paid last year is that I had to stay as part of a long-term incentive bonus to complete the three years and there were milestones in each year - in one case, it was broadcast rights.
''There were other milestones along the way, but they were based on a three-year period and then paid once I had completed the three years. I actually waited 3½ years to get the money.
''It was based on '10, '11, '12. It got paid in '13, that's why it's in this year's financial accounts'' he said.
Demetriou signed the deal late in 2009.
He said the bonus $2million had not been negotiated with the AFL commission in response to an offer from another employer.
''No, what is true is if I had have left before a period of time, the end of 2012, I wouldn't have been eligible for the bonus.
''So when people are sort of writing he got paid this salary last year, I didn't get paid that salary at all. I got paid the salary that's been declared. This other money relates to '10, '11, '12.''
Demetriou repeated that he had no desire to work for another sport. ''It doesn't interest me. I'm not really interested.'' Asked why, he said: ''Because this is the sport.''
He said he had been approached, but never offered, the position as head of the Association of Tennis Professionals in July last year, when he was in New York with the AFL working party on equalisation.


text:
Brad Maddox is the new face of the WWE!
Clark Powellson
E-Fed Insider Extraordinaire
"I'm here to find out the whose who, whose hot, whose not and why not."
We all judge others even if it isn't our place to judge, but supposedly at the end we are all judged by one!!!
Wrestling, women and money who could ask for more???
Forum Rules
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text:
International Financial Aid
Virginia Wesleyan University has very limited financial assistance for students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. Applicants should remember this when applying for admission to Virginia Wesleyan University and when making financial plans. It is strongly suggested that foreign citizens who require financial assistance investigate the possibility of aid through government agencies or other independent sources. Although there are possibilities of part-time employment during the academic year, this would provide a small portion of funds needed to live and study at Virginia Wesleyan University.


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NEW kerbside recycling vehicles will be patrolling the streets of Hay-on-Wye as of late August.
The border town will be among the first in Powys to employ the vehicles, which allow household collections to made in one truck, not the two separate ones currently in use.
The vehicles underwent their first routes in Brecon on Monday (July 21) and will be rolled out across the county, switching all remaining households from bags to boxes.
Barry Thomas, Powys County Council's leader and cabinet member for waste, said: "The introduction of these new vehicles will enable us to provide a more efficient and effective service and will reduce the number of vehicles being used.
"These changes are required to help us achieve the statutory recycling targets set by Welsh Government and we would like to encourage every resident to make every effort to recycle as much of their waste wherever possible".


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General Assembly Delegation to Hold Public Hearing Jan. 9
Jan. 5, 2010
News Highlights
More Information
The Fairfax County delegation to the General Assembly will hold a hearing for public comment on the upcoming 2010 session on Saturday, Jan. 9, beginning at 9 a.m. at the Fairfax County Government Center, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax. The public is invited to attend and comment.
Individuals who want to sign up in advance to speak at the hearing should contact the Office of the Clerk to the Board of Supervisors at 703-324-3151, TTY 711, by noon on Friday, Jan. 8. Speakers also may sign up at the hearing.
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova will welcome the delegation to the Government Center on behalf of the Board of Supervisors and deliver brief remarks. Lee District Supervisor Jeffrey C. McKay, chairman of the board's Legislative Committee, also will address the delegation.
Further information on the public comment hearing is available from members of the Fairfax County legislative delegation. Contact information is available on the Virginia General Assembly Web page.
Contact: Merni Fitzgerald, Director, Office of Public Affairs
703-324-3189, TTY 711, Media Pager: 703-324-NEWS (6397)
To request this information in an alternate format, call 703-324-3187, TTY 711


text:
Marketing Information
Rugged, fast and quiet, Verbatim's SATA II Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) provides the latest hard drive replacement storage solution for notebook and desktop PCs. Offering data read speeds up to 270MB/sec Verbatim SATA II SSD drives are ideal for users that demand maximum performance in data storage and computer efficiency. Verbatim's SATA II Internal SSDs handle large amounts of data quickly and improve system responsiveness, extending notebook battery life and maximize computer performance. The internal SSD operates silently and provides faster system boot-up, application launch and shutdown times. Verbatim's SATA II Internal SSD is S.M.A.R.T. capable and offers TRIM support for Windows 7, along with a 1500G Shock Rating The package includes a 3.5" drive bay adapter plate and power cable for optional desktop installations, nothing extra to purchase. All Verbatim Solid State Drives are backed by a 3-year limited warranty.
General Information
|Product Type
|Solid State Drive
|Manufacturer Part Number
|Manufacturer Website Address
|Verbatim America, LLC
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|Solid State Drive
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Technical Information
|Storage Capacity
Drive Performance
|Maximum Read Transfer Rate
|265 MBps
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|225 MBps
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|3 Year Limited
This product is shipped only within Canada and Warranty valid for Canada only.
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This game was classified by the community with the following category scores - Violence=2/3, Sex=0/3, Mature Content=1/3. Help Guff the exploding imp destroy all the magic flowers in the fairy gardens and bring them hell! A chaotic platformer of mischievous fun. Bring destruction and carnage as you explode, hover and jump your way around multiple levels of mayhem.
Buy Xbox content on Xbox.com. Your Xbox 360 console will automatically download the content next time you turn it on and connect to Xbox Live.Learn More


text: No more Twinkies, Snowballs, Ho-Hos or Ding Dongs Hostess Brands says it is going out of business, closing plants that make Twinkies and Wonder Bread and laying off all of its 18,500 workers. The Irving, Texas, company says a nationwide worker strike crippled its ability to make and deliver its products at several locations. Hostess had warned employees that it would file a motion in U.S. Bankruptcy Court to unwind its business and sell assets if plant operations didn't return to normal levels by Thursday evening. The privately held company filed for Chapter 11 protection in January, its second trip through bankruptcy court in less than a decade. Hostess, based in Irving, Texas, has already reached a contract agreement with its largest union, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. But thousands of members in its second-biggest union went on strike late last week after rejecting in September a contract offer that cut wages and benefits. Officials for the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union say the company stopped contributing to workers' pensions last year. In an interview with Fox Business, Hostess CEO Gregory Rayburn said many workers have already crossed picket lines this week to go back to work despite warnings by union leadership that they'd be fined. "The problem is we don't have enough crossing those lines to maintain normal production," said Rayburn, who first joined Hostess earlier this year as a restructuring expert. Hostess says that production at about a dozen of the company's 33 plants has been seriously affected by the strike. Three plants were closed earlier this week. A representative for the bakery-workers union did not respond to request for comment. The Teamsters meanwhile are urging the smaller union to hold a secret ballot on whether to continue striking. Citing its financial experts who had access to the company's books, the Teamsters say that Hostess' warning of liquidation is "not an empty threat or a negotiating tactic" but a certain outcome if workers continue striking. The Teamsters also noted that the strike put its union members in the "horrible position" of deciding whether to cross picket lines. Hostess, a privately held company, filed for Chapter 11 protection in January, its second trip through bankruptcy court in less than a decade. The company cited increasing pension and medical costs for employees as one of the drivers behind its latest filing. Hostess has argued that workers must make concessions for it to exit bankruptcy and improve its financial position. The company, founded in 1930, is fighting battles beyond labor costs, however. Competition is increasing in the snack space and Americans are increasingly conscious about healthy eating. Hostess also makes Dolly Madison, Drake's and Nature's Pride snacks.


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It's the final episode of "The Amazing Race," four teams remain and, if the previews are a reliable indication, we have the delicious spectacle of "bog snorkeling" ahead of us. That should be an Olympic sport, don't you think?
As the episode begins, the final foursome are headed for Belfast via ferry and then by car to the bog at Peatlands Park.
Road block: Bog snorkel
There, one member of each team must "race in the murky marsh," Phil explains from the comfort of a cozy pub. Racers will have to don wetsuits, snorkels and flippers, do a cannonball entry into a muddy bog and then complete a 100-yard swim in under 4 minutes. OMG, this is an awesome sport.
Anthony knocks it out of the park, er, bog with a time of 2:18. Katie goes flying down the reed-lined trench, as Max voice-overs, "She likes tanning on the beach. Not so much swimming. Not so much swimming in bog water."
Soon Mona, the roller derby mom, is flailing in the water, moaning and shrieking, "Where am I?" And poor Jen, the country singer, gets confused, jumps back into the trench on the wrong side and promptly gets stuck in the mud. On the second attempt, an anxiety attack sidelines her. She finally finishes on the third try.
Detour: Tray it or spray it
The next clue waits at a giant ring, held aloft by a giant sculpture and teams have two choices. "Spray it" requires teams to finish spray-painting a piece of graffiti art, using a photo for guidance.
In "tray it," teams must descend into the dry dock where the Titanic was built and where a commemorative dinner is being served in a grand tent. There, one member of each team must prep the dishes for a five-course dinner, based on what was actually served in the ship's first class dining room, while his partner serves. The catch? It's a five-course meal but the seating chart only shows two dishes per guest — for the two courses where people had a choice about what to order.
Teams will have to use both the big menu and the seating chart to figure out who gets what, and first up is oysters for all. Katie figures it out, loads up a tray of oysters and goes pelting down several staircases and across the dry dock to deliver them. Max races off with the second course: consomme for some guests, cream of barley soup for others, depending on Katie's interpretation of the chart.
"It was much more beneficial if I did the bowl work and she did the thinking," Max says.
Bates and Anthony have to start over, but they figure it out pretty quickly, despite Anthony managing to drop an entire tray of dishes and general confusion about the color of chartreuse. Green, people, green!
But even after three, four, seven attempts, the hockey moms still have not figured out that there's a first course. Meanwhile, the country singers — who took a major accidental detour — head for the graffiti task and start spray-painting.
The pit stop
The newlyweds are first to arrive at the pit stop at Belfast's famous Ulster Hall, with hockey bros Bates and Anthony just behind.
"I have this recurring dream," Max tells Phil, "running around the corner and knowing we're first."
"I have that same one," Bates says. "But I run in front of them."
The roller derby moms are team three, and the country singers — and their adorable knitted hats — are out.
The finale at last
It's show time and the last three teams are headed for London and then Washington, D.C. to the spot where Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his "I Have a Dream" speech, the Lincoln Memorial. From there they'll head to 1100 Pennsylvania to get their picture taken with the president.
"Are you telling me the President of the United States is going to give us our next clue?" Max marvels.
Um, guys, the White House is at 1600 Pennsylvania — and 1100 is a photo shop. The roller derby moms, however, are not paying attention to addresses. They're heading straight to the White House, which promises to be all kinds of fun, until a Secret Service agent — a real one — redirects them. Darn.
Roadblock: Secret agents
Next up: the Tidal Basin, where teams must find a marked town car, knock on the window three times and receive a briefcase. Ooo, how CIAish! They'll have to go through 50 trenchcoat-clad secret agents to find the one who accepts their password — the cherry blossoms being beautiful in April or not being dressed for the weather — and exchange briefcases. Love it.
The secret combination to open the new briefcase is the order they finished in New Zealand, Indonesia and Vietnam. Bates and Anthony kept notes throughout the race, just in case, and Bates pops his case quickly. Soon the brothers are headed for the home of the Nats, DC's major league baseball team, where a truly funny challenge awaits. One teammate must fly overhead on a zip line, lobbing a baseball, while the other, dressed like a giant baseball, waits below to catch it. More mascots bobble around, offering encouragement.
The brothers polish off the task fairly quickly and soon are headed to Hains Point. It takes the newlyweds considerably longer. And the Amazing editors have given the roller derby moms a "Ride of the Valkyries" soundtrack that adds considerable amusement.
The finish line
There's one last challenge — the memory task. This time it involves an enormous cage of blowup globes, each marked with a specific country. One teammate goes into the giant ball pit — "It was like I was 10 years old again," Anthony says, disappearing in a sea of blue and green balls — then lobs globes, marked with the countries visited, to his partner, who must place them in the correct order.
First to the finish line at Mount Vernon — and the winners of the million dollar prize — are Bates and Anthony, followed by the newlyweds and then the roller derby moms.
All right, amazing viewers, what did you think? Gratifying ending? Did the right people win?


text:
Santander Bank
Hours And Locations for Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Category: Banks
About Us
Hello. We're Santander Bank. Though we've been around a long time, we're newer to the Northeast...and we're glad to be your neighbor. It's likely you don't know us well yet. Like many banks, we offer you plenty of financial products and services, but really, the similarities end there. Our origins, focus, and simplified and personal approach to banking are what set us apart.
Who we are
We are Santander Bank, N.A.– one of the country's top retail banks by deposits and a wholly owned subsidiary of one of the ...
There are over 650 Santander Bank locations in the US.
Santander Bank Hours And Locations for Williamsport, Pennsylvania PA
33 W. Third Street
Hours — Sat: Closed
Hours — Sat: Closed
301 Shiffler Avenue
Hours — Sat: 9:00am-2:00pm
Hours — Sat: 9:00am-2:00pm
Locations currently open are Green and those currently closed are Red.
As of:9:46 pm (EDT) Sat Sep 23. [Change]
As of:9:46 pm (EDT) Sat Sep 23. [Change]
See all Santander Bank locations nationwide.


text:
Wade McCollum, Scott Willis & Bryan West to Lead PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT Tour- Full Cast Announced!
Troika Entertainment has just announced the cast for the first national tour of the international hit, Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical. Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical launches its national tour on January 8 in Minneapolis, MN at the Orpheum Theatre.
Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical will star Wade McCollum ("Tick/Mitzi"), Scott Willis ("Bernadette") and BRyan West ("Adam/Felicia") as the trio of friends, on a road trip of a lifetime, who hop aboard a battered old bus searching for love and friendship in the middle of the Australian outback and end up finding more than they could ever have dreamed. Joe Hart stars as "Bob."
Rounding out the cast are Emily Afton, Nik Alexzander, John Capes, Andrew Chappelle, Shane Davis, Alex DeLeo, Taurean Everett, Christy Faber, Amy Hillner, Bre Jackson, Chris Klink, David Koch, Ralph Meitzler, Alex Ringler, Babs Rubenstein, Travis Taber, Brit West, Will B. Whitesell and Chelsea Zeno.
With over 500 dazzling 2011 Tony® Award-winning costumes, Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical features a hit parade of over 20 dance-floor favorites including "It's Raining Men," "Finally" and "I Will Survive."
The new musical opened on Broadway to critical acclaim on March 20, 2011 at the Palace Theatre. The Hollywood Reporter called Priscilla "funny and fabulous! Joyous entertainment with eye-popping visuals and unexpected heart!" NY-1 News raved "Beneath all that glitz beats a great big sequined heart!" WOR Radio sang "All the songs you've loved for years will blow you out of your seat!"
Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical won a 2011 Tony Award® for Best Costume Design for Academy Award® winners Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner's designs. The new hit musical received three Best Musical award nominations from the Drama Desk, Drama League and Outer Critics Circle Award organizations. Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner were also honored with 2011 Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Costume Design.
Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical, the most successful Australian musical of all time, had its world premiere in Sydney in 2006. Adapted from the 1994 Academy Award® winning film The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical is written by Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott. Direction: Simon Phillips, choreography: Ross Coleman, musical supervision and arrangements: Stephen 'Spud' Murphy, set design: Brian Thomson, costume design: Tim Chappel & Lizzy Gardiner, lighting design: Nick Schlieper, sound design: Jonathan Deans & Peter Fitzgerald, make up design: Cassie Hanlon.
The following cities are announced for the first national tour of Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical:
Jan. 8-13, 2013
Orpheum Theatre, Minneapolis, MN
Jan. 15-27, 2013
The Palace Theatre, Cleveland, OH
Jan. 29-Feb. 10, 2013
Fox Theatre, St. Louis, MO
Feb. 12-17, 2013
Proctor's Theatre, Schenectady, NY
Feb. 19-24, 2013
Shea's Performing Arts Center, Buffalo, NY
Feb. 26-Mar. 3, 2013
Academy of Music, Philadelphia, PA
Mar. 5-10, 2013
Benedum Centre for the Performing Arts, Pittsburgh, PA
Mar. 19-31, 2013
Auditorium Theatre, Chicago, IL
Apr. 2-7, 2013
Arsht Center, Miami, FL
Apr.9-14, 2013
Straz Center, Tampa Bay, FL
Apr. 16-21, 2013
Bob Carr Performing Arts Center, Orlando, FL
Apr. 23-28, 2013
Kravis Center, West Palm Beach, FL
Apr. 30-May 5, 2013
Durham Performing Arts Center, Durham, NC
May 8-12, 2013
Bass Concert Hall, Austin, TX
May 14-26, 2013
Music Hall, Dallas, TX
May 28-Jun. 16, 2013
Pantages Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
Sep. 3-15, 2013
Buell Theatre, Denver, CO
For more information, visit: www.priscillaontour.com


text:
Effects of Endoscopic Sinus Surgery for Chronic Sinusitis on Asthma Control
The recruitment status of this study is unknown. The completion date has passed and the status has not been verified in more than two years.
Verified February 2010 by NorthShore University HealthSystem Research Institute.
Recruitment status was: Recruiting
Recruitment status was: Recruiting
NorthShore University HealthSystem Research Institute
Information provided by:
NorthShore University HealthSystem Research Institute
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
First received: February 9, 2010
Last updated: NA
Last verified: February 2010
History: No changes posted
- Full Text View
- Tabular View
- No Study Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
It is unknown whether surgical treatment of chronic sinusitis improves asthma control in patients with poorly controlled asthma. This is a randomized trial of surgical plus medical sinus therapy versus medical therapy alone.
|Asthma Chronic Sinusitis
|Procedure: Endoscopic Sinus Surgery Other: medical therapy
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary Purpose: Treatment
|Official Title:
|Effects of Endoscopic Sinus Surgery for Chronic Sinusitis on Asthma Control
Resource links provided by NLM:
MedlinePlus related topics: Endoscopy SinusitisU.S. FDA Resources
Further study details as provided by NorthShore University HealthSystem Research Institute:
Primary Outcome Measures:
- Asthma Control Score
|Estimated Enrollment:
|Study Start Date:
|July 2009
|Estimated Study Completion Date:
|December 2015
|Estimated Primary Completion Date:
|December 2015 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
|Assigned Interventions
Placebo Comparator: Medical therapy
Patients undergo surgery 6 months after randomization
Other: medical therapy
Subjects will undergo surgery 6 months after randomization
Experimental: Surgery
Patients undergo surgery at time of randomization
|Procedure: Endoscopic Sinus Surgery
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|18 Years and older (Adult, Senior)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
Inclusion criteria: General
- 18 years of age or older
- Women need one of the following: negative pregnancy test or suitable birth control or post-menopausal status
- Informed consent and ability to comply with study procedures
- Patients must meet inclusion criteria for both asthma and sinus disease.
Inclusion criteria: Asthma
In order to qualify for the 6 week run-in, patients must have poorly controlled asthma as defined by the following criteria:
- Diagnosis of asthma confirmed either by demonstrating a positive methacholine challenge test (defined as a decrease in FEV1 by at least 20%, following administration of 8mg or less of inhaled methacholine) or a positive bronchodilator response (defined as a change from base line of >12% and at least 200ml in either FEV1 or FVC, following administration of a short-acting, inhaled bronchodilator).
- Asthma Control Questionnaire score > 1.5 or
- Use of inhaled rescue ß-agonist >/= 16 puffs per week (excluding use as a pre-medication for exercise; 1 nebulizer treatment = 2 puffs of inhaler) at any time during the past month or
- >1 hospitalization or unscheduled MD visit in the past 6 months for asthma symptoms or
- >1 course of oral steroid use in past 6 months or
- > 2 weeks of systemic steroids in last 6 months.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Current smokers or those with at least a 10 pack-year smoking history
- Presence of any concurrent diseases that, in the investigator's opinion, would interfere with participation in the study or that might put the participant at risk
Contacts and Locations
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below. For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01066416
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01066416
|Contact: stacy m raviv, MD
|United States, Illinois
|Evanston Hospital
|Evanston, Illinois, United States, 60201
|Contact: stacy m raviv, MD 847-570-2000 email@example.com
|Contact: Joseph Raviv, MD 847 570 2000
Sponsors and Collaborators
NorthShore University HealthSystem Research Institute
More Information
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 21, 2017
|Responsible Party:
|Lewis Smith, Associate Vice President for Research, Northwestern University
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT01066416 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|Study First Received:
|February 9, 2010
|Last Updated:
|February 9, 2010
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Chronic Disease
Bronchial Diseases
Respiratory Tract Diseases
Lung Diseases, Obstructive
Lung Diseases
Respiratory Hypersensitivity
Hypersensitivity, Immediate
Immune System Diseases
Paranasal Sinus Diseases
Nose Diseases
Respiratory Tract Infections
Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases
Disease Attributes
Pathologic Processes
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 21, 2017


text:
Let's finish the job, says Blacks chairman
1:45pm Friday 25th April 2014
By Andrew Simpson
1:45pm Friday 25th April 2014
By Andrew Simpson
SAM Naylor has challenged Northwich to banish the memory of one of the club's worst ever seasons by being promoted.
Blacks travel to Bolton on Saturday to take part in a play-off after finishing second in South Lancs/Cheshire Division One.
It keeps them on course to return to a higher level at the first attempt after being demoted from step six of the rugby pyramid last year.
"Let's finish the job now," said Naylor, the Moss Farm-based club's chairman.
"Quietly we hoped to bounce back as quickly as possible, though we didn't know how everybody would react after what was an annus horribilis for us last season.
"I always felt we had a chance, though one of two of the other committee members have taken some persuading.
"We've got ourselves into a great position, but there's still work to do."
Northwich were runners-up to New Brighton, setting up a winner-takes-all encounter with a team that occupied the equivalent position in North Lancs/Cumbria.
It is a prospect that appeared remote at the turn of the year, when Blacks were placed eighth in the table.
Naylor said: "We knew we had a decent squad at the start of the season, but it took a while for things to settle and for the lads to understand what the management team wanted to see on the pitch.
"The potential has always been there, though it's taken time for it to be realised.
"Success breeds success, now they're on a roll with confidence sky high."
To read a preview of Saturday's game, click here: http://bit.ly/1k0n5dT
© Copyright 2001-2017 Newsquest Media Group


text:
I've previously questioned if the voters of MLSsoccer.com's 24Under24 were actually doubting their choices, and now it seems I'm not alone in scratching my head at how some 'media' vote for various MLS honors.
Ironically, it's two MLSsoccer.com editors that wondered publicly if the media that votes for MLS awards are even watching the Colorado Rapids.
On Monday's MLSsoccer.com's ExtraTime Radio Podcast, after talking with Rookie of the Year co-front-runner Dillon Powers, editors Nick Firchau and Simon Borg raised the topic if the media that vote for the year-end awards are paying attention to the Rapids.
"I'd like to believe that voters actually watch games, and don't watch just highlights," Borg said. "Because if you watch just highlights, you're not seeing what Dillon Powers does."
Firchau then added his take on voters in regards to at least the Rookie of the Year award.
"I'm very curious on the voters, and how they are going to vote," Firchau said. "Whether or not they see the Rapids enough. We talked about 24 Under 24, and it's a similar (media) group - it's not exactly the same. And I remember thinking when guys like Chris Klute didn't show up, and Shane O'Neill, and thinking 'are you even watching these guys? Are you watching the Colorado Rapids play?'
"You'll see obviously and very quickly that these are very talented, good young players. If they're not watching the Rapids, they're not going to see Dillon Powers, and they're going to vote for DeAndre Yedlin - which isn't a bad thing either, but I'm just wondering if these guys are going to get their due."
Borg and Firchau raise an interesting point (LISTEN TO THE FULL PODCAST).
I noted earlier on Tuesday how the members of the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) – who vote for the MLS Player of the Week - have yet to select one Rapids player as the best of any week this season. That's a decision as a whole, not necessarily every individual voter.
On the flip side, we also pointed out last week that Oscar Pareja has been highly praised by national outlets:
During ESPN's broadcast of the New York-Seattle match last Sunday, commentator Taylor Twellman named Pareja as one of his top candidates for the year-end award. NBC Sports ProSoccerTalk's Steve Davis also listed Pareja as a top three candidate, Soccer America's Ridge Mahoney recently had Pareja as the top choice, and SoccerByIves also has Pareja as a top candidate. Other media have also expressed the same sentiment via social media, including Boston-based reporter Kyle McCarthy.
What I find interesting is that none of these well-known and respected national media members above are listed as voters on NASR's website.
The ballots for the year-end awards will be sent to media in a couple of weeks. We'll have to wait and see how it all turns out, though I think it shouldn't even be a question that Deshorn Brown, Dillon Powers, Clint Irwin, and Oscar Pareja should be at the top of the list in their respective categories.
(By the way, I think Yedlin is a fantastic player and rightly deserves attention for a great rookie season. But is it wrong to remind fans that perhaps part of the reason for the hype on Yedlin came from the fact that MLS Commissioner Don Garber personally selected the Seattle defender to be in the MLS All-Star game?)


text:
The Turtles don't stand a chance...
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Sideshow Collectibles pulls the curtain back on SHREDDER, their latest Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Comiquette. The Shredder Comiquette will be offered for pre-order beginning on Thursday, April 28th.
The Exclusive Shredder Comiquette, which will include a switch-out unmasked portrait will be priced at $224.99 and have an Edition Size of 500 pieces worldwide. Additionally, a regular version, without the switch-out head will be available for Pre-Order and priced at $224.99. Both versions will be sold on a first come, first served basis, and will have the FLEXPay option available as a payment choice.


text:
Got it, sorry about that Doug. Bill, I really appreciate that and will get in touch via email. Thank you!
Thu 17 Feb 2011
Thu 17 Feb 2011
Got it, sorry about that Doug. Bill, I really appreciate that and will get in touch via email. Thank you!
Wed 2 Mar 2011
In reply to Neil Orman's post on Wed 16 Feb 2011 :
Neil – cell phones generally don't make humming sounds on recordings. They make twittery, high-pitched interference noises. To minimize a hum sound in Final Cut, try using the multi-band equalizer tool and find the frequency with the hum. Then turn down that frequency for the duration of the problem. Any tool that allows you to selectively adjust volume across a small band of frequency will work for this. You might not be able to completely eliminate the offending noise, but you can make it less horrifying.
About Vimeo, try making your video 720p H264 format, assuming you are starting out with HD material. Without knowing your original format it's a little tricky to advise you on this.
But Doug is right (always) – you should be asking these questions in the pro topics.
Sat 5 Mar 2011
In reply to Avery Morgan's post on Fri 4 Feb 2011 :
What is your topic? I'm a novice doc maker, but a seasoned public historian.
Fri 11 Mar 2011
I just received word about my acceptance into Stanford's MFA program as well as the MFA in Film & Electronic Media at American University. I've done a fair amount of research about both programs online so I have a good idea of certain information, but I've found it hard (particularly with American University) to answer a number of questions not covered on website FAQs.
Is anyone familiar with the differences in structure and curriculum from the two programs? Perhaps any American University grads out there? I've already spoken to a number of Stanford grads, who were very helpful.
Sun 13 Mar 2011
Edited Sun 13 Mar 2011 by Erica Ginsberg
I am an AU alum. I graduated a while back just when they were starting the MFA program (I opted to stick with the MA). Can't compare it to Stanford b/c I don't know Stanford's program. AU is a great program if you plan to make social issue documentaries, environmental documentaries, or want to be close to the research facilities of Washington DC. It is very much a practical-focused program (since it is situated in the School of Communications).
For perspectives from more recent AU alums (including ones who have been through the MFA program), you might want to repost(sorry hosts) your specific questions in the Teaching Docs topics since not all the professionals who could answer your question check the public topics.
Congratulations on the acceptances to both institutions.
Tue 15 Mar 2011
I'm an established doc editor venturing out for the first time as a producer of his own doc. I got a couple small grants which got me started, and now have a bunch of footage shot, a trailer, treatment, and prospectus materials. I have non-profit status with IDA and intend to raise some funds that way, but want to solicit larger chunks of change from investors. I'm looking for resources (example documents, books, advice) about how to set up a situation where I can engage investors in my film (total budget = approx. $160K.) Must I set up an LLC? Is there a quick-and-easy way of doing this? What do the contracts look like when people invest? Any pointers or advice is much appreciated.
Tue 15 Mar 2011
Jacob, now that we just gave you Professional status due to your impressive experience in documentary editing, let me suggest that you just start searching and reading our whole category of Business Topics. I'm sure you'll find many answers and ideas there.
While you're at it, you should really Introduce Yourself and tell this community a bit more about your background. Thanks!
Tue 15 Mar 2011
I've been searching as you suggest and have found lots of useful tidbits. Will do an introduction, too. Thanks, Ben!
Thu 17 Mar 2011
I'm starting a documentary project that will be shot in HD, and someone at the Apple Store recommended that I talk to Maxx Digital (http://www.maxxdigital.com/) about getting consultation for a RAID setup for a MacPro that I'm thinking of getting. Has anyone dealt with Maxx Digital before? How's their consultation and, more importantly, their products?
Sun 20 Mar 2011
hey everybody,
I don't know if this is the section to be doing this in, but here it goes.
I have some experience, but not much, so I was wondering if any filmmaker would like some free help on a project this summer? I am a fast learner, but I want to be a documentary filmmaker and the cinema department at my school isn't giving me very much practical experience.
Please respond if you're interested. I have a passport and am willing to travel. I'm friendly and easy to work with, I promise.
Tue 22 Mar 2011
In reply to Erica Ginsberg's post on Sun 13 Mar 2011 :
Thanks so much for your input. I apologize for my slow acknowledgement of the reply. I was away for a few days. I've decided to put my lot in with Stanford because of its more intimate atmosphere as well as the long-standing reputation and pedigree. The decision wasn't made lightly though. Stanford, AU, and NYU (which I just received acceptance to) all have really amazing aspects that I wish I could benefit from. If only I could afford to go to all three... :)
Wed 23 Mar 2011
Well it says something about you that you were accepted into all three. I know a lot of really amazing documentarians have come through the Stanford program so certainly a good choice.
Thu 7 Apr 2011
Independent Film Week
Seeking Scripts and Documentary works-in-progress – Emerging Narrative and No Borders now open for submissions! Spotlight on Docs opens April 15!
Thu 7 Apr 2011
My husband is a DP/Director and was contacted about 2 years ago by a client wanting him to shoot an interview and broll for one woman's story of abuse, survival and healing through an alternative method called Transformational Bodywork. There was an urgency to do the shooting asap as she was also diagnosed with 4th stage Ovarian Cancer and her prognosis was not good. The purpose was to have her story documented so that sometime in the future it might be used for a documentary about the kind of work this therapist is doing.Â
Some time later, my husband was contacted again by same client to come out and film some more footage with the same subject as she had now finished with chemo and was in remission. She had made great strides in her work with our client/her therapist and was celebrating her life. This time, I went with him and shot several days with her. During the shoot, it became clear that my husband and I had gained a remarkable perspective on how best to pursue this documentary. Since the client hadn't even yet lined up a director, we pitched to him that we could helm the project, and he wholly agreed. We then did one more round of shooting this past March.
Through each stage, the client had paid my husband his standard dayrate, so everything was essentially a work-for-hire gig. But as some other parties have now come forward with additional financing and the documentary as a whole is picking up steam, we're now floundering with the business end of all of this, playing catch-up to this bass-ackwards way of producing a documentary.
Which brings me to this... We need help! We have a producer we'd like to bring on board to handle all the administrative details moving forward, but we're so ignorant about what all those details are exactly. In doing research, I've read things about fiscal sponsorship, advisory boards, non-profit, etc. As of right now, we are slated to do our final round of principal photography this May in NY and CA and still have no protection in case things go horribly awry. Husband is currently talking with a lawyer about forming an LLC and drafting an operating agreement for the three parties involved: my husband and I, and the client-turned-partner. But we're unclear how to handle things such as:
- Who should own the Copyright?
- What is an appropriate split for profit/loss between us and client-turned-partner?
- How to accept outside monies which are still unclear yet as to whether or not they'll be Donations vs. Investments?
- If the incoming monies are Investments, what's an appropriate way to handle profit splits between we the filmmakers, and them?
- Do we need an advisory board? Does it help? Offer more credibility?
I apologize for the novella, if you've made it this far... any insight into these questions would be immensely appreciated, or if there's something else I might be altogether overlooking. Thanks so much for any and all help!
Thu 7 Apr 2011
Kristen, smart questions. I just emailed you to suggest a consultant (and it's not me, even though I consult quite often). It seems like you need a good one badly and I recommended a great one.
Fri 8 Apr 2011
Thanks very much Doug.. Much appreciated! I realize it's a lot to ask. :)
Sat 9 Apr 2011
Edited Sat 9 Apr 2011 by David Freed
Hi, my name is David. I'm new to this group and to making videos' I've mostly been doing photography and printmaking up to this point.
A starting question: I want to make a short video about my art and artmaking. I'd be in it--in my studio--talking about, making and showing my artwork, hoping to make it informative and interesting. My question: is this considered to be a documentary video/film, or is there some more appropriate name for this kind of video?
Thanks, David
Mon 11 Apr 2011
hello, i'm an editor who wants to edit more documentary projects. i have an extensive background editing tv commercials and music videos. i have also cut two features and have edited a number of short (30 minute) docs for warner bros and dc comics. i would really like to work on a feature length doc with more substance. does anyone have any suggestions on how to go about finding projects which need editors. thanks!! bipasha
Mon 11 Apr 2011
Edited Mon 11 Apr 2011 by Doug Block
Yes, Bipasha. Join The D-Word as a professional member and put up a post in the Professional Classifieds topic. You can already put one up in the public Classifieds topic.
We have a lot of LA area members, so once you're a professional member you can check the F2F topic to see when there will be gatherings. Also, are you a member of Doculink? If not, would be helpful for you to join.
Sat 16 Apr 2011
Edited Sat 16 Apr 2011 by Brenda Essahaty
In reply to Kristen Turick's post on Thu 7 Apr 2011 :
Good luck karen,It was interesting to read your post,isn't it funny how complicated the business world is,by the time most finally get there they barely could breath,not having a one clear direction/one stop to help people forward with business is frustrating.
It's a very interesting documentary and I can understand why it's picking up.I have been bitching tv shows to producers,I would think the patient/partner is the owner of the copy right cause he called you to do the documentary for him.This can turn around on you 200 degrees,look at these points...He has paid you to do the documentary and the idea is his,so where do you think you fit in now??
I refuse to have anyone get in partnership with me on any of my ideas,and was determine to take the government funding and make a loan to top it up.I was told anyone who take part financially will not want to get nothing out of it,but a sponsor might pay something to contribute but have the priority on advertisement which means their logo will appear some where on the film and at every ad,but their appearance will based on how much they contribute.
Film industry is a bit difficult to get into and certainly not hassle free.
Good luck anyway,sorry can't help.But I like what you are working on.
Sun 17 Apr 2011
In reply to Jacob Bricca's post on Tue 15 Mar 2011 :
Great to see you here, Jacob B. – I hope you find the site useful.
(Jacob and I were film students together at Wesleyan U. – I will vouch for this man.)
Sun 17 Apr 2011
Hello. I am a new documentary filmmaker. I am currently working on a documentary about 30 something people in Greece. We are interviewing people of different backgrounds and different situations. I expected that it would be hard to work with people who are new to facing a camera, but it turned out that it is even more difficult than I expected. Are there any tips of more experienced filmmakers on how to make the person in front of the camera more at ease and less self conscious?
Thank you very much.
Sun 17 Apr 2011
Edited Sun 17 Apr 2011 by Ernst Gossner
I'm now on d-word trying to find my way around. Seems like a great place for doc newbies like me. I was wondering how I could ask filmmakers on here for advice on a sales agent. we are just about to finish our doc GLOBAL WARNING (45minutes) and we will premiere it at a festival in my hometown with following screening tour, DVD release and Online Release but we'd like to hand the rest of the world over to a sales agent. How should I ask them for their recommendations? Which forums are best? Thx, Ernst.
Mon 18 Apr 2011
In reply to Christina Katsiadakis's post on Sun 17 Apr 2011 :
Crack some jokes, Christina. I'm not kidding. It's all about having them be relaxed, and it's your job to relax them.
Ernst, assume you mean an international sales agent. But not sure what you're asking. Can you clarify?
Mon 18 Apr 2011
Whoopee cushions work well, particularly when preparing to interview autocratic heads of state.


text:
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Hello Wheelies!
I am going on an indefinite retreat (tomorrow) at Panditarama Forest Monastery in Myanmar.
Things happen to the body/mind on retreats because I (generally) eat less, eat healthier, lose body weight, move less, sit more, move more slowly, close my eyes, don't look arround, etc. Overall, it's all wonderful, but sometimes I feel I get out of balance with certain nutrients/vitamins, but I am not sure which ones.
Sometimes in the past, I have had a "let everything go" or "leave everything behind" mentality about bringing vitamins/supplements to retreat. Other times, I have had a "I need to feel good" attitude and I have brought Vitamin C, Vitamin B Complex, green powders, and/or spirulina.
I am wondering about your philosophies on supplements and if you bring supplements on your retreats? If so, which ones?
Be Happy!


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Give the Market Time to Prove Itself
One timely cry of warning can save nine of surprise. --Joshua Thompson
The market's recent uptrend is showing signs of sputtering. So far, the pause in the action hasn't advanced past healthy consolidation, but three of the last four trading days have closed at the lows and many individual stocks are acting poorly....368 more words left in this article. To read them, just click below and try Real Money FREE for 14 days.
There's no substitute for a trading floor to get great ideas, so Jim Cramer created a better one at Real Money and blogs there exclusively. We then added legendary hedge fund manager, Doug Kass, with his exclusive Daily Diary and best investing ideas. Staffed with more than 4 dozen investing pros, money managers, journalists and analysts, Real Money Pro gives you a flood of opinions, analysis and actionable trading advice found nowhere else, and allows you to interact directly with each expert.
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text:
Mauer, Nolasco off to good starts in rehab
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Twins received positive reports on Joe Mauer and Ricky Nolasco, who both started their rehab assignments with Class A Cedar Rapids on Tuesday night.
Mauer, who has been on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right oblique since July 3, went 1-for-3 as the designated hitter in his first rehab game.
Nolasco, on the 15-day DL retroactive to July 7 with a right elbow strain, tossed 3 2/3 scoreless innings, scattering two hits and a walk while striking out two. He threw 51 pitches, 30 going for strikes.
"Everything went well," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "Mauer is healthy and got through his at-bats. I guess it was pretty wild down there -- a mania going on.
"And Nolasco did his thing. He felt great and the velocity was good, so it was a good start for him."
Mauer is expected to remain with Cedar Rapids through the weekend, before joining the Twins in Houston on Monday, if all goes well. Nolasco is slated to make one more start with Cedar Rapids on Sunday. He is expected to throw roughly 75 pitches.
Rhett Bollinger is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Bollinger Beat, and follow him on Twitter @RhettBollinger. Alex Smith 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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ByNatalie Andrews
Turning a potential liability into a strength, Texas Governor Rick Perry is putting his police mug shot — the symbol of his indictment on felony abuse-of-power charges — on a T-shirt to raise money. For a $25 donation to Mr. Perry's political action committee, RickPAC, a shirt with the image and the text: WANTED: For securing the border and defeating Democrats can be yours.
On the back of the shirt is the mug shot of Rosemary Lehmberg, the Democratic district attorney who was convicted of driving under the influence. Mr. Perry's indictment stems from the governor's attempt to force the resignation Ms. Lehmberg.
Strategists say that indictment could actually help Mr. Perry, who is laying the groundwork to run for president in 2016. Strategists in early primary election states such as Iowa and South Carolina told The Wall Street Journal that the indictment would boost his standing among conservative voters there.
According to its mission statement, RickPAC spends its funds on helping conservatives who "will work to secure our nation's border, reduce the debt for future generations, and – unlike so many in Washington – focus on achieving results."
A spokesperson for Mr. Perry said Sunday that legal fees for Mr. Perry's case will come from his campaign account.
"This is an assault on the Constitution, and we don't want it to be an assault on the taxpayers, as well," Mr. Perry's spokeswoman Lucy Nashed said.
Republican groups seem to enjoy using tongue-in-cheek methods to fund raise this year. In July, the National Republican Senatorial Committee started selling "Romney was Right" bumper stickers and "I miss W" T-shirts as a way to raise cash.


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12 E in a D.Letter Equations are well known phrases or facts where the key words have been replaced with the first letter of that word. These are often in the form of an equation, which contain a number, an = sign and the rest of the obscured phrase or fact.
12 E in a D.
HintScrambled or fried.
Answer12 eggs in a dozen.
What Next?
See another brain teaser just like this one...
Or, just get a random brain teaser
If you become a registered user you can vote on this brain teaser, keep track of
which ones you have seen, and even make your own.
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text:
Dodgers to issue Matt Kemp figurine vouchers
LOS ANGELES - Due to unforeseeable circumstances relating to shipping and customs control, approximately fifteen thousand of the Matt Kemp Figurines that were to be given away at Dodger Stadium during the game with the New York Mets on Sunday, Aug. 24, will not be available for distribution. When the supply on hand has been distributed, those among the first 40,000 in attendance who do not receive the giveaway item will receive a voucher which, when redeemed, will be good for one Matt Kemp Figurine.
From Sept. 1-28, the vouchers will be redeemable at the Top of the Park Merchandise Store at Dodger Stadium during games and on non-game days from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week. Fans will also have the option of mailing their vouchers into the Fan Services Department, and the figurines will be sent to them at the address specified on the voucher. Details for redemption by mail will be printed on each voucher.
The Los Angeles Dodgers apologize for the inconvenience caused by the unexpected delays.


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my domain is BFdesigns | Freelance Website Designer | Bromsgrove Worcestershire should anyone wish to test it for themselves.
Thanks all
Someone can easily just view the html source and get the url of the form processing script from the form's action attribute. They can then send whatever data they like to the form processing script, as a GET or POST, without even opening the page containing the html form.
Bottom line: always do server side validation. Client side validation (javascript) is optional.
Any form validation done using JavaScript is there only for the convenience of the person filling out the form so as to save them having to wait until they submit the form to find out they entered everything wrong.
The real validation of the form always needs to be done on the server as if you don't validate the data when you first receive it on the server you have no way of telling what it contains (as it need not have even come from your form).
You need to run the validation in your php code as well. If it does not validate, let the user know just like you do with the redirect to the thanks page.
Hi guys,Just sorted the issue and now put in place the following, which now stops the user from submitting the form when JS has been disabled: (domain to try out for yourself and prove me wrong is www.bfdesigns.co.uk )
/*Redirects the user to the error page if JS is disabled and the form is submitted*/
header('Location: error.html');
/* Redirects the visitor to the thanks page */
header('Location: thanks.htm');
What if something other than the first name is missed out?Server-side validation MUST be mandatory, and client-side validation SHOULD be used too.
First and foremost has to be the server-side PHP validation. Without that, people can cause any strange types of things to happen with your server-server-side script.
Hi Paul,
Im getting somewhat confused as to what level of security regarding validation of specific fields in contact forms I should be implementing.
As a minimum, with my simple contact form, what validation checks should be put in place in order to not receive spam or abuse from a naughty hacker ?
I look forward to hearing from you on this matter or anybody else should they wish to chip in.
Nothing can stop all spam or abuse, but you can make it more difficult for automatic abuse to occur.
At a minimum, you should ensure that required values are present, and that values are within range of how they're going to be stored. That means that the inputs need to be sanitized, and then validated. You can read more about this side of things in the PHP tips article about Handling Input and Output
To deal with spammers, there are some easy Captcha's (Completely Automatic Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart)One of my favorites is reCaptcha
Thankyou for your wise tips.
I must admit Im not a fan of reCaptcha as I do sometimes struggle to read the words you have to type in whenever I come across these on sites.From that I try to put myself in the shoes of an everyday user, who probably wouldnt stick around to submit a form and move on to the next site.
Going slightly off topic, I know from previous posts you have replied to, you are abit of a whizz with the old Palavascript :-), so can you possibly recommend any upto date books for beginners on JS and or PHP, I have bought the latest JavaScript and Ajax for dummies by Andy harris, but I need more ?
Another layer of protection you can use is an API that checks through all the currently logged spams and bots in the world which is updated daily, a friend and I made a mod for this and so far it has proven to be a 100% success against fighting spammers and bots.
You're in luck then, for we have a sticky thread that's called JavaScript Books Help
For example, check out our very own [Simply JavaScript, Jeremy Keith's [url="http://domscripting.com/book/"]DOM Scripting book, or his [url="http://bulletproofajax.com/"]Bulletproof AJAX book, or David Flanagan's book, [url="http://shop.oreilly.com/product/9780596517748.do"]JavaScript: The Good Parts](http://www.sitepoint.com/books/javascript1/)
Cheers to Sgtlegend for the link, do you want all my blocked email address`s from my hotmail account, must have close on 700
Also thankyou to Paul for the book links, will definately make sure I got through them all and blow some hard earned cash.
This question kind of goes to anybody and everybody, should I tackle Javascript and get that under my belt before I start on PHP ? or, should I do both at the same time, will the one help me to undertand the other ?
Im in a need to grasp the basics of both as quickly as possible.
You would be better off learning about PHP first. When it comes to computer security, server-side security is vitally important, compared with JavaScript which is primarily for providing an improved experience for the user.
There's no point focusing on JavaScript first if you've left the server insecure and wide open to exploitation. So my advice is PHP first, and then JavaScript.
Even better might be to employ someone to do parts of the job for you who already knows about what dangers to protect against, but that's a different topic.
Since in this case you have an instant need for server side processing, I agree with paul wilkins and you should tackle learning php first since javascript validation is optional, but obviously advisable from ux point of view.
But if you were learning website development without a particular project to work on at the same time then I would suggest learning javascript first before php in order to make your web pages interactive and/or functional without having to submit data or to actually redirect to another url. Then when you have a reasonable grasp of html, css and javascript, you could tackle learning php.


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Your browser does not support iframes.
During summer breaks my last two years in college, I sold cemetery property door to door in Houston, Texas. One of my favorite sales pitches was the line, "It's not a matter of if, but when and where and under what circumstances you will need cemetery property."
"Jesus wept."
- John 11:35
This past week was a bad week.
In one, a young family that I wrote about once lost their ten-year-old daughter after a long and painful illness. In another, a young man who is a friend of my son, lost his father unexpectedly. He and his two siblings had lost their mother a couple of years earlier.
What can you do when good people suffer such heart-breaking tragedies?
"One way to get the most out of life is to look upon it as an adventure."
- William Feather
You know, when I was young and single, I got to do a lot of interesting adventures.
I joined the U.S. Navy at 17 and saw a lot of ocean and Europe in the process. I even watched us collide with another ship and nearly sink it.
I drove a motorcycle from Kentucky to Daytona Beach when I was 19 on my learner's permit.
Even if you're not a horse racing fan, you've got to love the story of how this year's Kentucky Derby winner, California Chrome, fulfilled the dream of his owners, Steve Coburn and Perry Martin. It's a story that inspires us to dream big and take the necessary steps to give dreams a chance of being realized.
Dear Natalie,
I just wanted to introduce myself to you and set the ground rules for our new relationship. You may only be a month old, but I figure it's never too early to get things off on the right foot.
First off, I am your Grandpaw. I have staked out that name. It's mine.
You can call your other grandfather whatever you like except Grandpaw. I have a few suggestions, such as Gramps, Grandad, Granddaddy, grand pappy, Granpop or Bobo.
But remember, I am your one and only Grandpaw.
The year was 1965. We — my mother, dad, and older brother, Mark — had just finished supper.
That's when Eric called to speak to Mark.
Capitalism without bankruptcy is like Christianity without hell.
- Unknown Author
I hold three college degrees, including a Master of Business Administration. My specialty is accounting, with 25 years of experience in the area. I've worked for the government, a non-profit, and for the past 20 years at a manufacturing company.
You know, it's a really crazy, fast-paced world we live in. It's so fast paced that we frequently get on each other's nerves, and the resulting stress makes you just want to run away.
You ever feel that way?
You ever wish you could be on some deserted island or off in some faraway mountains? Go where no one was and you had nothing you had to do? If so, then you might enjoy a couple of stories I have, and the answer might be surprising.
He was sitting on the front pew, crumpled over in a heap, like one of those college basketball players writhing on the court because his team has just lost a game in the Final Four.
Only this young man had not just lost a game. He had lost his mother. She had been killed in a car accident that morning as she drove to church — the church I pastor.
I knew her well; a good, godly woman.
As was the case for any UK fan, my weekend was filled with a roller-coaster of emotions, from desperation to worry to unmatched joy. The NCAA tournament games on Friday and Sunday were nothing more than two-hour heart attacks, and I can't take much more of it.
In what was clearly an effort to wrack my own nerves to an irreparable level, I even decided to head to Louisville to watch the games with friends.
But there's more.
Copyright © 2017
The Springfield Sun is your source for local news, sports, events and information in Springfield, KY, and the surrounding area.


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I am quite bored with the trade discussions (I think we have had MANY more than TPTB have had) and needed a new topic so this is my question. Which will be followed by several more as I respect your opinion and knowledge of the game UB. KSTAT I will need your expertise on the Pistons as my perspective of them may not be what it should be or is.
Are you ready UncleBuck?
In the 3 or 4 years that I have been reading here (and at Rats) I have read that you like your game to be based inside out. Is this true?
Also in a post somewhere over the last month or so you have stated that you felt that if you could trade everyone for a starting lineup (maybe it was if you could pick a starting lineup) it would be Detroit. Is this true?
You must answer these two before I go any further.


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A Market Prone to Exaggeration
So are we linked again to Italy's fortunes?
For the moment, yes....228 more words left in this article. To read them, just click below and try Real Money FREE for 14 days.
There's no substitute for a trading floor to get great ideas, so Jim Cramer created a better one at Real Money and blogs there exclusively. We then added legendary hedge fund manager, Doug Kass, with his exclusive Daily Diary and best investing ideas. Staffed with more than 4 dozen investing pros, money managers, journalists and analysts, Real Money Pro gives you a flood of opinions, analysis and actionable trading advice found nowhere else, and allows you to interact directly with each expert.
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text:
California's Proposition 65 Warning: May This item contains chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm. Reference by California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) at: www.oehha.ca.gov/prop65/prop65_list/Newlist.html.
This air freshener is great. It smell very nice and it really does freshen the air immediately. Air Wick is a pretty good brand overall.


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Oracle Tumbles 8%: 'Cloud' Gathers in a Big Way, Say Bull and Bear
Shares of Oracle (ORCL) are down $2.97, or over 8%, at $32.80, after the company last night missed fiscal Q3 estimates and projected revenue growth this quarter below consensus.
On the conference call following the report, CEO Larry Ellison, and his co-COOs Safra Catz and Mark Hurd, said that a decline of 2% in new license revenue and cloud computing software was a product of not sufficiently closing deals, in part because of having added 4,000 sales people in the last year and a half.
Said Hurd,
We have increased the sales force dramatically, and we feel great about our coverage, and that really shows up first in the pipeline performance that we got. Our pipeline is up significantly. We don't give you a number, because frankly I don't want you to give me a comparison every quarter with the pipe, but it is up materially. The issue for us is simply conversion. While listen, you can come up and anybody can come up with all kinds of factors.There's always something going on around the world at any given time, and for us, we feel good about our ability to execute through it. In this case, as I said, it really was just the conversion rate against the context of a materially higher pipeline.
Estimates on the Street are going down today, and there are at least two ratings cuts, from CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets and Evercore Partners. Both bull and bear seem in agreement that no matter how good or bad the results were, Oracle is seeing the effect of greater competition from cloud computing software vendors, such as Workday (WDAY) or Salesforce.com (CRM).
Rick Sherlund, Nomura Equity Research: Reiterates a Buy rating and a $39 price target. "Tough Q3 follows strong Q2. Not sure we have seen too many misses in Q4 historically given the compensation incentives for salespeople. Oracle's organic cc growth had been modest for the past 2 years, reflecting a loss of market share in applications as it transitions to the new Fusion family of products and the market's secular shift to SaaS based solutions. Oracle's database and infrastructure business is mature and is being repurposed we think to be better positioned for the cloud. This likely involves enabling customers to adopt an Oracle infrastructure based private cloud environment and scale out to an Oracle hybrid cloud for essentially unlimited compute capacity on an as needed basis to meet peak demand. This may be particularly useful for big data analysis, where massively parallel compute capacity is likely a growing market opportunity. We are more positive on Oracle's ability to address this infrastructure market opportunity than we are in the near-term applications opportunity. Oracle's Fusion applications are mostly in its core HR, which is where most of Fusion's traction is. Fusion financials are probably still a year or two from being ready for prime time, just as with Workday."
Brian Schwartz, Oppenheimer & Co.: Reiterates an Outperform rating a $40 price target. "Oracle reported soft 3Q results owing to poor sales execution, hardware product transitions, and sequestration timing. We believe something more secular is occurring as cloud computing increasingly entices CIOs to refresh their legacy IT systems with cloud services rather than infrastructure. Additionally, software purchasing is becoming more decentralized with decision-making power shifting away from IT and weakening the selling advantage as a "one-shop supplier." These trends dampen big-ticket on-premise software purchasing and remain a headwind for the infrastructure vendors. Nevertheless, Oracle's cloud-computing product strategy (M&A and innovations) should put it in good position to monetize on its large installed base, and along with positive 4Q seasonality, makes us think its execution issues are unlikely to linger near term." Schwartz cut his fiscal 2013 estimate to $37.4 billion in revenue from $38.1 billion, while maintaining a $2.69 EPS estimate.
Kirk Materne, Evercore Partners: Cuts the stock to Equal Weight from Overweight, and projects "downside risk" to $31 or $32. "While we are loath to downgrade post earnings, we see limited upside for the shares (even after accounting for the roughly 8% pullback this evening) over the next 6-9 months given the lack of organic license growth and a second license miss in five quarters. We stuck with ORCL following its last sales execution miss, but with shares +38% since 12/21/11 (vs. +24% for the S&P), we see a more limited risk/reward opportunity this time around. Clearly, Oracle could (and likely will) see a snap back in demand in its seasonally strong 4Q, but we expect any 4Q rally is likely to be sold into given that the sales execution choppiness is likely to result in more conservative guidance going forward, especially for 1Q14." Materne cut his estimate for this year to $10.58 billion in revenue and $2.69 per share from a prior $10.89 billion and $2.71. For next year, he sees $11.2 billion and $2.94, down from a prior $11.7 billion and $2.99 per share.
Ed Maguire, CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets: Cuts his rating to Underperform from Outperform, and cuts his price target to $35 from $38. "It's not just about the 3Q miss (second in six quarters) - Oracle's business model is struggling to achieve growth ambitions as increasingly disruptive forces array on multiple fronts. Management acknowledges a fundamental issue: that its cloud offerings are too small to offset the challenges navigating its portfolio through a transition to the cloud's economic model. Yes, sales execution is largely at fault for the 3Q miss, but we believe SaaS, open source and cloud-based architectures will increasingly challenge growth, pricing power and vendor lock-in […] Again management pushed expectations for a bottom in hardware into 1QFY14. We're not so sure - the hardware business remains prone to commoditizing forces both from competition and as workloads move to the cloud." Maguire cut his fiscal 2013 estimate to $37.4 billion from $38.2 billion, while maintaining a $2.70 per share EPS estimate. For 2014, he goes to $38.38 billion from $39.72 billion.


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This week get to know Yakura Coffee in this interview where he talks about new things happening around WebSphere emerging technology and the online community he's working to build.
Tell me about yourself and what you're currently working on...
I have been been with IBM for 11 years with a B.S in Industrial Engineering from PennState and an MBA from UNC-Chapel Hill. My current role is Technical Evangelist and Community Manager for the WebSphere Foundation suite of products WebSphere eXtreme Scale , WebSphere Cloudburst, and WebSphere Application Server Feature Pack OSGi and JPA. My responsibilities include businesses development of our online communities, allowing satisfied customers to congregate and extol the virtues of a IBM WebSphere's Emerging Technology while leveraging mechanisms such as blogs, podcasts, message boards, product reviews, conferences, and technical articles.
What cool new things are happening in WebSphere that you think alot of people aren't aware of (but should be!)?
When people think WebSphere, they natural think software, but we have introduced 2 products WebSphere Cloudburst and WebSphere DataPower XC10 Appliances that are hardware-based solution that customers can drop into their existing infrastructure to manage and scale their cloud-based images and software with ease.
I'm really intrigued to see the new WebSphere Emerge group that you're building. Can you tell me more about your vision and your plans for WebSphere Emerge?
We are trying to build synergies with this community between developers, business partners, and university relations to build high-touch relationships that will provide transparent content and drive customer-driven requirements into our products. WebSphere Emerge is just starting out but we have some great content and contributions to come.
How did you end up leading the development of an online community?
I was recruited to join the www.projectzero.org Community 2-years ago based on my Web development and PHP scripting experience. My experience on helping launch and manage the www.projectzero.org Community and my early dive in to social media technologies made it a natural fit. My MBA comes into play as we leverage marketing techniques to spreading our mission and business analytics in measuring our ROI.
What social networking tools do you use the most and why?
1. CoTweet: Great at organizing twitter streams and managing multiple accounts via a browser.
2. bit.ly: Its authenticated browser bookmarklet allows me to push url shortened tweets fast...and then track the click-thrus for additional metrics.
3. Delicious: Its authenticated browser bookmarklet allows my team to categorize our content/links and share it with customers very efficiently. Our elaborate tagging allows users to follow specific feeds based on their interest.
If you just won a contest and won a shiny new gadget, what would make you most excited?
I am a home theater movie fanatic. Therefore the item that would get me the most excited would be the Panasonic AE4000 Projector. Projecting my favorite Sci-Fi movies on a 120+ screen try to mimic the IMAX experience would be totally awesome!
- Thanks Yakura!
Yin meets yang
Blog Authors: Valerie Skinner 060000VKGS is part of the IBM developerWorks team, getting to know the real developers who make up the My developerWorks community and exploring the world of social networking. I'm enjoying learning what makes developers tick! I'm very interested in exploring online communities and social media and understanding real world application - how they can help people solve problems and work together.
with Tags: project_zero X
Interview with Yakura Coffee on WebSphere emerging technology
vskinner 060000VKGS Tags:  websphere cloud interview social_networking project_zero 3,946 Views