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THE SQL Server Blog Spot on the Web
I don't usually respond when I'm tagged with these blog memes, but this one is especially interesting so I decided to play along. I was tagged by the always-interesting Ward Pond,
and the list of people this meme hit before it even got to him is
already quite impressive, so I'll warn you in advance: most of what I'm
going to say has probably already been said by the others. But why let
that stop me? Here are a few of the tidbits I've picked up that I wish
I knew when I was starting.
"Not Invented Here" syndrome really is a sickness. I
once worked for an IT manager who felt threatened when one of the
business units purchased a prefab intranet solution. "We could have
done that, and done it better," he said. "Why didn't they come ask me
for help before buying this solution? We're going to fight back--and
create our own." And so my marching orders were handed down and I was
told to start working on it. A year later I had built a pretty cool
intranet app, but guess what? The prefab solution had more features,
and in many cases did them better. Another time I was working for a
company that had a really bad case of "we don't buy code we can build"
and I spent weeks trying to emulate the behavior and match the
performance of a commercial ActiveX grid control that I had tested. We
could have purchased the control for $200, integrated it in a day or
two, and moved on with solving actual business problems, but
instead I wasted a large chunk of time and the company's funds--all
because management felt that buying something already created would be
cheating. Well, my idealistic days are well behind me, and now I do a
Google search before I even think about firing up Visual
Studio. In the vast majority of cases if I can buy it rather than build
it that saves me--and my customers--time and money. And that's time and
money that can be spent much better solving new problems rather than
revisiting those already solved.
Great software cannot be created in a vacuum. My
threatened manager--the one who had me build an intranet system to
compete with the one the business had already purchased--subconsciously
knew that he wouldn't get buy-in from the people who had bought the
outside system. So we created our own set of specifications, without
even telling the users that we were working on it. I was actually
specifically forbidden from discussing the product with those who were
supposed to eventually use the thing. I was young and somewhat naive,
and although I knew that this felt wrong I didn't have the nerve to do
anything about it. And so--of course--when we finally did unveil a test
version the users weren't especially interested. The response we got
was something along the lines of, "that looks okay, but it doesn't
really match the work flow we need for our business processes..." And
that failed project taught me a valuable lesson: When it comes down to
it, software is created for one reason only, and that's to be used.
Failing to talk to end users about their needs is an almost certain
guarantee that they won't buy in, and failing to secure buy-in will
almost certainly mean that the software won't be used. And unused
software might as well have not been created to begin with. That
project was a dismal failure.
Guessing is (ideally) not the right way to do performance tuning. I
can't tell you how many hours I wasted, early on, trying to debug
performance problems with absolutely no clue what I was doing. "Hmm," I
would think. "Maybe if I try doing it this way it will make a
difference." Eventually (usually) I would hit on a solution, and I
would be happy, but I still had no conception of what I'd done or why.
Today I take the most scientific approach I can: I collect evidence, I
form a hypothesis, and I test that hypothesis. Sometimes I can't get
enough information to create a complete picture and a bit of guesswork
is necessary, but especially when working with SQL Server 2005 and the
DMVs, guessing is mostly a thing of the past. If you find yourself
randomly trying something different to see if it performs, take a few
steps back and think about whether you can, instead, collect more
information and think about why the current solution doesn't work and
how the perfect solution would behave. Then think about how to get
there. Chances are, you'll be a lot more productive, you'll learn
something along the way, and as a bonus you'll be able to take a lot
more pride in the results.
Sometimes it's better to get the job done quickly than to do it perfectly.
It's happened to all of us. You get so bogged down in some little tiny
data quality issue that progress comes to a halt. The users are asking
where the software is. Management is breathing down your neck. But damn
it, you are going to fix those misspelled names in the database if it's
the last thing you do! Perfection is a great goal, but in reality it's
more of a journey. If users are getting impatient and a few errors
won't hurt their overall impression or ability to use the product, ship
now and fix later. I learned this lesson firsthand while working for a
startup that managed to get a lot of press before it shipped its very
interesting product. Users were lined up waiting to get in, but the
CEO, a perfectionist, kept thinking of new ways to innovate, and six
months after press time we had made so many changes that the
once-stable product was a mess and we were not even close to a release
date. The press noise had died down and users had moved on to other
things. When we finally did ship, a year later, there was very little
fanfare; the momentum was gone. And in retrospect, all of those cool
things we did during that year could have been bolted on later; the
product had been solid and in a shippable state at press time.
Sometimes it's better to do the job perfectly than to get it done quickly. First
impressions are everything. A user, excited, turns on your new
application... And waits a full and painful two minutes as the first
screen loads and the buttons become responsive. Once things are ready,
the user starts clicking around... And hits an exception. And the user
shrugs, clicks the "X" in the title bar, and moves on to something
else--never opening your application again. Users are fickle, and it's
because they can be. Unless your application is truly revolutionary it has lots of competition. So don't ruin the first impression in your excitement to get something to market as quickly as possible.
Never stop asking questions... And always remember that there are no right answers.
If you read both of the last two items you might be wondering where I'm
headed. Are you supposed to ship now, or wait? The answer is, of
course, in this example and most others, that it depends. The most
important thing is, therefore, that you think about the right answer in
every case. Always question everyone and everything, including
yourself. Don't be afraid to change your own answers or admit that
you're wrong; it looks much worse, in the long run, to stick with a
wrong answer than to correct your path early--even if it might be
painful for a little while. Regular readers of my blog know that I've
corrected my own errors on many occasions, and I will continue to do
so. Perfection, once again, is a journey, not a goal.
... and now it's my turn to pass the torch. But who should I tag..? How about:
Kalen Delaney
Gert Drapers
Remus Rusanu
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for a small component not invented here is fine, but a lot of times like for a giant intranet system you need to pay support. quite often the vendor does not give you source code access so if you don't keep paying for support the application will start to have bug after bug. Also as other systems that you use with the application get later and later version without support it becomes a challenge to keep hiding changes from all the other applications to support this ancient legacy piece of software.
The other dark side is that you buy something external that needs to be "customized" to work with your system. this customization costs more than it would cost for you to develop it yourself. Now any change requires a huge amount of money from the vendor so you are hesitant to change anything. You are left on an ancient version of the vendor product unable to upgrade because you would have to pay again for your customization.
What a nightmare. And for a developer it is very frustrating to be in that situation where you don't know how the app works, you don't have source code or even adequate documentation, and you boss expects you to make it work even as everything else is changed/rewritten. Honestly the stress in a job like that makes it not a long time career.
I'm not saying never buy. But if you're going to buy then you're going to pay. After all the extreme case (which still happens) is you bought the system for windows 3.1 and had it customized and then never upgraded. Now you are stuck running windows 3.1, and supporting that, a long with whatever programming languages worked on windows 3.1 (I think VB 4 could do 16 bit and 32 bit apps).


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Since late in 1997, planning for HPCVL assumed some sort of access fee. Researchers at Queen's University, for example, were polled in late 1997 on their willingness to pay a modest fee from research grants to help purchase and maintain a computer to replace the existing IBM SP2. Subsequently, HPCVL was formed. Its efforts to obtain government funding (from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), from various Ontario agencies, and from NSERC), led to many discussions about the value of the proposed facilities to the researchers at member institutions, at other institutions, including industry.
During these discussions, we recognized that the institutions comprising HPCVL contributed significant resources not only in the application process but also in the operating budget as cash and in-kind. We also recognized that HPCVL was required by CFI to make 20% of its CFI-funded facilities available to researchers outside its member institutions. Because researchers at other institutions were mentioned in our applications as potential users of the proposed facilities, we assumed that fair sharing is an important component of this policy. CFI regulations governing our Innovation Fund HPC awards state that external users cannot be charged more than internal users (as part of the 20% availability commitment).
When applying for grants, HPCVL has consistently stated that an access fee would be collected and that the fee would be used to help cover a portion of our operating expenses. For budgeting purposes, the fee was treated as a portion of the each member institution's contributions (for internal users).
Access to HPCVL is open to all researchers at member institutions and to selected researchers from across Canada. The principle has been included in all funding applications.
Five Access categories were created to respond to the needs of both academic and industrial users. A General Institutional Access category fits researchers in general. Because some researchers require access to larger resources than others, HPCVL established an Enhanced Institutional Access category. For example, researchers requiring 60 CPUs to be dedicated to their work for a short period of time or at a higher priority as the work is be under time constraint would pay a higher access fee. Because some researchers also perform contract research, a Contractual Research Institutional Access category was established. A Private Sector Access category allows HPCVL to attract companies interested in using HPCVL's facilities. Finally, to broaden the user base, HPCVL recognizes that a short trial period may be granted to potential new users under the Provisional Access category.
Category 1 is primarily aimed at an PI supporting a relatively small team of graduate students, post-docs, and research associates using the HPCVL facilities.
Category 1 level access includes the following services:
Category 2 is primarily aimed at PIs with large teams and/or large resource requirements.
The Enhanced Access category includes the following services:
The Contractual Research Institutional Access category is aimed at researchers performing contract research. Fees will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis for more flexibility (cf. Category III of the Access Fee Schedule). Researchers are required to disclose any use of HPCVL resources for contract purposes so that appropriate action, if needed, can be taken to ensure that software licenses and other agreements are not endangered.
The Private-Sector category is aimed at companies interested in purchasing access to the HPCVL resources. Fees for this category must be negotiated on a case-by-case basis (cf. Category IV of the Access Fee Schedule).
This category is aimed at potential new users desiring a short trial period before they join HPCVL. The provisional access category is left to the discretion of the Executive Director and is conditional on the availability of resources.
Each user must agree to abide by the HPCVL Usage and Security policies and practices, as well as, any other policies established by the HPCVL Board of Trustees. It is emphasized that:
The need to meet various funding agency reporting requirements that can withstand an actual audit means that:
Access fees are administered in the following ways:

subset: commoncrawl


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Bobby Ryan was traded again and again and again over the last three years on the Internet, most often going to Philadelphia in dozens of rumored deals that never transpired. The Ducks shipped him for real Friday, sending him to Ottawa for two young players and a draft pick.
"Ottawa.... Im coming in hot," Ryan wrote on his Twitter account, breaking the news.
The Ducks received right wing Jakob Silfverberg, prospect Stefan Noesen and a first-round pick in 2014 from the Senators, whose general manager Bryan Murray held the same job with the Ducks from 2002-04 and was their coach in 2001-02.
Silfverberg, 22, scored 10 goals and added nine assists in 48 games during his rookie season with the Senators in 2012-13. He was the MVP of the Swedish Elite League after he had 54 points, including 24 goals, in 49 games in 2011-12.
Noesen, 20, was the Senators' second-round choice in 2011 (21st overall) and scored 220 points (99 goals, 121 assists) over the last four seasons with the junior-level Plymouth (Mich.) Whalers of the Ontario Hockey League. He hails from the Dallas suburb of Plano.
Ryan was the Ducks' third-leading scorer with 30 points (11 goals, 19 assists) in 46 games during the lockout-shortened season. The 26-year-old left wing teamed with center Ryan Getzlaf and right wing Corey Perry to form the Ducks' top line for most of his six seasons.
There was no question as to his value to the Ducks, but with Getzlaf and Perry signing eight-season contract extensions last winter worth worth $66 million and $69 million, respectively, Ryan's $5,562,500 salary for the next two seasons was an extravagance they couldn't afford.
By trading Ryan, the Ducks increased their salary cap space to $11.7 million from roughly $7 million before the deal, according to the website capgeek.com. They can use the extra cash to re-sign several of their own free agents, including veteran forwards Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu.
"Best of luck to @b_ryan9 in Ottawa. Great team mate and will be greatly missed here in Anaheim. Senators got a hell of a player," Perry wrote on Twitter. "Also would like to welcome the new Ducks coming over from Ottawa @jsilfverberg33 @stefannoesen."
@ElliottTeaford on Twitter


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Hi everyone, my name is Johnny, I'm 19, and I live in Toronto, Canada. I'm a Canadian by birth and citizenship but I consider myself a proud New Yorker and Long Islander (go Mets)! I'm of Greek descent and proud of it. I'm currently studying English lit and philosophy at the University of Toronto. I first discovered Buddhism in middle school when I was ten or eleven and I knew instantly that it was the religion for me. However I didn't really start practicing until I was about 16 and didn't start practicing really seriously until about 18 when I basically used the Dhamma to cure my own depression.
I'm really glad to have found this forum and have been reading it constantly for the last few months but this is only my second time posting. I'm looking forward to posting more!


text:
The Beethoven Game
Help Beethoven use these clues below to decipher these popular Christmas/Holiday tunes.
Example: A Triad of Monarchs
Answer: We Three Kings
1. Sir Lancelot with laryngitis.
2. Frozen precipitation commences.
3. Oh, member of the round table with missing areas.
4. I envisioned a trio of marine vessels.
5. Do you perceive the same longitudinal pressure that stimulates my auditory sense organs?
6. Leave and do a broadcast on an elevated peak.
Bonus: The apartment of 2 psychiatrists.
HintHint: The bonus one is not a song with words. Use a thesaurus to help you with some of the words.
Answer1. Silent Night
2. Let it Snow
3. O Holy Night
4. I saw Three Ships
5. Do you hear what I hear?
6. Go tell it on the Mountain
Bonus: The Nutcracker Suite
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.
Back to Top


text: Roundup: Snyder leads Fairmont State women past UC January 31, 2013 Story Share Former Sissonville star Kaitlin Snyder scored 21 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and handed out nine assists while playing all 40 minutes to lead Fairmont State to an 83-68 win against the University of Charleston at Joe Retton Arena in Fairmont.The Falcons (13-6, 11-3 West Virginia Conference) also had received 16 points from Tiffany Nicholson, 12 apiece from Briana Welch and Emily Lohr, and 11 from Hailey Gunnoe.For UC (10-8, 7-8 WVC), Chelsea Brumby scored 14 points while Jessi Cowden grabbed 11 rebounds. LeAnne Ross (11), Tianni Kelly (10) and Kayla Dozier (10) also scored in double figures for the Golden Eagles.nnSTATE HOOPS: The West Virginia State's women's basketball team outscored West Liberty 46-31 in the second half and pulled out a 73-70 upset win over the Hilltoppers Thursday night at Fleming Hall in Institute.Senior guard Jasmine Blanton poured in a game-high 27 points for the Yellow Jackets (7-11 overall, 7-8 WVC), who avenged a 71-64 loss at West Liberty in December. Blanton hit 13 of 17 free throws and shot 7 of 14 from the floor.Also for State, Asia Greenleaf scored 15 points, grabbed nine rebounds and had five blocks, Jordan Brock scored 14 and India Taste added 10 points, eight rebounds and four assists.West Liberty (12-6, 10-4) was led by Hillary Southworth's 26 points. Emily Blevins added 15 and Meghan Wiseman scored 11. nnMU WOMEN LOSE: Kyani Edwards posted a double-double with 12 points and 10 boards as East Carolina downed the Marshall women's basketball team 54-47 in Greenville, N.C.Erica Woods had 14 points for the Thundering Herd (6-13), which remains winless in conference action.nnWVU GYMNASTICS: The West Virginia Univeristy gymnastics team will open its home season with its first-ever Big 12 meet when the Mountaineers host No. 2 Oklahoma, Western Michigan and William & Mary at the Coliseum at 7 p.m. today.The meet is a "Dollar Day" event with all tickets, hot dogs, popcorn and Coca-Cola products available for $1.nn SC LITTLE LEAGUE: South Charleston Little League signups will take place Saturday and Sunday, as well as Sunday, Feb. 17, at the South Charleston Community Center. Story Share Story Share Trending Now 1 City of Milton tries to revive Morris Memorial property 2 Morgantown coal operator Laurita indicted in alleged campaign finance scheme 3 Mitch Vingle: WVU's Lyons watching bombshell merger news 4 Former Boone school board members indicted 5 Gazette editorial: Is it time for health care for all yet? Class of 2013 earning high marks Previous Story GW girls continue late-season surge Next Story


text: Published with a digital code that may no longer be redeemable from the publisher. Do not purchase with the expectation that the code is still valid. The All-New X-Men find themselves face-to-face with the UNCANNY AVENGERS! Young Cyclops meets the adult version of the little brother he thought he may never see again. $3.99 cover price.


text: Dianna 497 Report post Posted February 15, 2013 What are your favorite off-site restaurants at Disney? We enjoy Outback, Olive Garden (better than my local Olive Gardens), a great Japanese steakhouse that feeds you a ton of food (and a show) that's much better than Disney's Teppan Edo (in Epcot's Japan area in the World Showcase) and a lot less expensive, and... and... eekkk... can't remember the rest. The restuarants mentioned above are very close to Disney, and serve such large portions that we're able to bring half back with us for a second meal. I'll post again when I look over my notes to see where else we've eaten. But in the meantime, what your favorite off-site restaurants? Warmly, Dianna Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


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Before we move indoors and all gets lost in hoops hoopla, let's salute the surprises in football 2012:
* The "ChuckStrong" Indianapolis Colts. There is no better story in the NFL. The Colts were ranked as the No.32 team in ESPN's preseason "Power Poll." In other words, they were an afterthought. Now playing with heart and purpose (for ailing coach Chuck Pagano) and incredible skill (Andrew Luck to Reggie Wayne is the best connection in the league), the Colts are 6-3 and making a playoff run.
You have to pull for Pagano. I stayed up late after the Colts' 27-10 win at Jacksonville on Thursday night, watching the postgame NFL Network interviews with Luck and Wayne. Analyst Steve Mariucci was texting with Pagano, resting after another round of leukemia treatment. He asked Pagano if he had anything to say to his players. Pagano joked that Luck and Wayne needed to work on their tackling technique, as on display after a Luck interception. It was funny and loose, a camaraderie that has engulfed a franchise.
* The championship-contending Notre Dame Fighting Irish. They could be 10-0 soon. They could be playing for a national title when it's all said and done. And I'm not even sure they know who their quarterback is from Saturday to Saturday.
Irish coach Brian Kelly has won everywhere he's ever coached, and won big. It's happening now. For those who said Notre Dame could never challenge the big boys again – and plenty of people have said that – that theory is being exposed. I would suggest never to bring back the "Two-Face" helmets, however.
* Polar opposites Indiana and Purdue. These teams are surprising, in opposite directions. After a rough start, including a loss to Ball State (more on the Cardinals in a minute), Indiana has seemed to find its identity under coach Kevin Wilson. I read a story this week that included "Indiana" and "Rose Bowl" in the same sentence and was not talking about a marching band invitation.
As for Purdue, they were allegedly a Big Ten contender and looked the part in a tough loss to Notre Dame. Since then, coach Danny Hope's resume has blown up. And it looks like he's going to need it soon.
* Ball State. Coach Pete Lembo has put Ball State football back where it belongs, among the top teams in the Mid-American Conference and a bowl contender. The impressive road win at Toledo further raised the Cardinals' goals for this season. If I were the athletic director at Purdue and I suddenly found myself in need of a coach when this season ends, I'd send a close-to-blank check to Lembo. Some guys know how to build programs. And Lembo already knows how to beat Indiana.
* Local prep teams in the postseason. Did anyone have Carroll beating Penn? How about Heritage over Jimtown? How about Norwell, winless for two years, reaching a sectional title game?
I can't say enough good things about what coach Doug Dinan has done with the Carroll program, but beating Penn took it to another level. It's been a common phrase for several years that Carroll, with its growing enrollment, was a sleeping giant. It's not only awake, it appears to be on 24/7 energy drink.
Heritage is using that classic smaller-school path of a couple of great classes to take a solid program up another notch. They score points. They're fun to watch. They're fearless. You beat Jimtown, you've arrived.
Regional losses were tough on Carroll and Heritage, but didn't overshadow their special seasons.
Finally, you had to love the saga of Norwell, whether or not you're a Norwell parent like me. The Knights hadn't won in two years, were 0-9 and put it all together consecutive wins for an improbable three weeks of playoff contention. They came up short in the title game to a great performance by Dwenger junior Ryan Watercutter and teammates, but breathed fresh life into the traditionally strong program.
It's hard to top Friday night lights, but Saturdays are a blast and Sundays are pretty (Chuck) strong, too. If this football season never ends, I wouldn't complain.


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Escobar showing major value off bench
MINNEAPOLIS -- Utility infielder Eduardo Escobar is off to a blistering start offensively so far this season, but has started just five of Minnesota's first 19 games.
Escobar, who was acquired in the trade that sent Francisco Liriano to the White Sox before last year's Trade Deadline, is hitting .480 (12-for-25) with a homer, a triple and a double in 13 games.
Twins manager Ron Gardenhire jokingly took credit for Escobar's impressive start, as he said he's played him at the right times.
"I think I have him hitting .400 right now so I'm doing a good job," Gardenhire said with a laugh. "In spot duty, he's hitting .450 or something like that, so I'm managing the heck out of him."
But Gardenhire added that Escobar will get more playing time moving forward, but it's been tough to fit him in because he likes the middle infield combination of Pedro Florimon at shortstop and Brian Dozier at second base.
"I like him on the bench, but I also like him when he's out there playing too," Gardenhire said. "When he's out there, he produces. But we're going to use everybody. We've just had a lot of rainouts and snowouts and everything. But he's very valuable off the bench because he can play multiple positions."
Rhett Bollinger is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Bollinger Beat, and follow him on Twitter @RhettBollinger. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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So there was the Carroll standout, sacrificing his body for Indiana Elite 2015 in a bruising adidas Invitational game at North Central High School. He didn't get the steal against Brookwood Bounce Elite, but he showed energy, passion and toughness, attributes that don't go unnoticed during July's college basketball evaluation period.
White, a 6-2 shooting guard, was on his way to a game-high 15 points in front of several dozen college basketball coaches, including Purdue associate head coach Jack Owens and Indiana associate head coach Tim Buckley.
Indiana hasn't shown much interest in White — its main Indiana Elite targets are Hyron Edwards and Jalen Coleman — but Purdue has. While Boiler coach Matt Painter hasn't offered a scholarship, White has gotten his attention through the quality of his play and the quality of his associates.
Boilermaker freshman Bryson Scott, the former Northrop standout, is one of White's best friends.
"He's trying to recruit me to come there, too," White says. "I'd like to go there. Whatever happens, happens."
The White-Scott connection goes back to diaper days, and continuing it at the college level is an intriguing possibility.
"Bryson texts me a lot," White says. "We're really close. We've been together since we were born."
Togetherness ended late last month, when Scott headed to Purdue for summer school and workouts.
"He said he's in the gym every day working out," White says. "I watched one of their workouts when I was there during team camp. It was pretty good."
White was with his Carroll High School team during last month's team camp at Purdue. The Chargers went 3-1 with a loss to Avon.
As for his Purdue prospects, White is optimistic.
"It's a great school. I like the way they play defense. Matt Painter loves defense and hard workers. I think I can fit there well."
For the record, Purdue has only one commitment in the next three classes — guard Dakota Mathias in the Class of 2014. Painter has offered scholarships to Indiana Elite's Edwards and Coleman, so whether White gets one is uncertain.
Also for the record, Painter has thrived with Fort Wayne-area players. Huntington's Chris Kramer was a two-time Big Ten defensive player of the year for a pair of Sweet 16 Boiler teams a few years ago. Former South Side standout Rapheal Davis will be a Purdue sophomore this season.
White's only scholarship offer is from Boston College, a member of the ACC. He unofficially visited Boston last month.
"The campus is beautiful," White says. "They make sure their kids are in class. If a player misses class and the coaches know it, there is punishment."
The fact White has yet to crack the Class of 2015 national rankings hasn't hurt his confidence.
"I can play in the ACC, the Big Ten," he says. "It doesn't matter. Just go out there and play."
As far as what he's looking for in a school, White says it's that "the coaches and players make me feel comfortable. Academics are a big thing."
There's one other thing.
"How much I'll get to play."
White has visited Michigan, which has picked up its state-of-Indiana recruiting in recent years. Other schools recruiting him include Notre Dame, Ball State, IUPU-Indianapolis, Loyola of Chicago and Miami of Ohio.
"I don't know where my recruiting stands right now," he says. "I've got a lot of schools coming after me. Whoever comes to me the most and I feel most comfortable with, that's where I'm going to go."
Carroll has nearly everyone back from a team that lost to eventual sectional champ Northrop in the sectional. Optimism is high the Chargers can make a deep March run next year.
For now, though, White is focused on Indiana Elite. It won the adidas Invitational 16-U title, beating Ohio Basketball Club 97-76 in Sunday's championship game behind Edwards' 33 points. White had 14 points.
Next up is this week's Crossroads Challenge, centered at the Fishers Fieldhouse just north of Indianapolis.


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Benefit Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow/Liner Reviews
Long-Wearing Cream Flatters and Wears WellI love "swipe-and-go" products which flatter me and last for hours. Benefit's "Creaseless Cream Eye Shadow/Liner" ($20.00) is one such product. When I don't want to fuss with shadow but know that I cannot leave the house without it, I use "R.S.V.P.," a sparkling champagne which gives me a wide-awake look. "Skinny Jeans" is a sultry hue I use for lining and on my lid. As "LipGlossandSpandex" sa...read moreys, it is truly a gorgeous shade, a blend of pewter and taupe. These shadows have a lot of pigmentation and do wear for long hours sans creasing or fading, especially over a great primer. The best part is that you can use them by themselves or as a base for other colors to create unique tones. — 3 years, 8 months agoGigiSD | 1102 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 0 of 0 people said helpful
I have this in Skinny Jeans, and it is HG for me!I own Benefit Creaseless Cream shadow/liner in three colors: Gossip, Skinny Jeans, and Recess. Gossip and Recess are nice neutrals without shimmer. Skinny Jeans is a gorgeous dark pewtery taupe with shimmer. All three are great, and none of them crease on me! The pigmentation is great, the price is decent (one little jar will last you a long time). I will definitely be repurchasing this product! — 7 years, 9 months agoLipglossandSpandex | 521 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 9 of 10 people said helpful
Favorite in Spite of FlawsI love this eye shadow and hope to eventually own most of the colors. I currently have it in "flatter me" which is a nice rosy neutral shade. I like to apply it with a concealer brush because the stiff bristles work well with the creamy texture, but in a pinch it also goes on very nicely with a fingertip. I never use it with primer because I'm often in a rush, but I do have oily skin (including ey...read moree lids) so this does ALWAYS crease on me by the end of the day. It never looks too terrible, though, which is why I still love it and maybe I'd have better luck if I took the time to apply primer first. For just an evening out it's perfect and I have no trouble with creasing. — 5 years, 8 months agotallredamanda | 433 reviews
sad...this didn't seemed to work for me at all, maybe it's because of how my lids are but I had an awful time with this product both with primer and without. It creased and caked terribly for me and I couldn't even use it for a base. I have it is rsvp which I love th color of but it was like no matter how much or little it ended up in goops and creased terribly. Guess this was just bad luck for me. — 6 years, 5 months agoBon_Bon | 522 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 0 of 3 people said helpful
very nicei've used this as an eye shadow and it works very well. no creasing and very natural looking. its great to use as a base and i love the selection of colors. — 6 years, 5 months agokenya | 504 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 8 of 8 people said helpful
Review: Benefit creaseless cream shadow / linercreaseproof (with stay dont stray), cute, not too priceyy:) — 6 years, 5 months agoaly7 | 396 reviews
RSVPI have this in the color "RSVP" and it has great pigmentation. I LOOOOVE that fact that it comes in a glass pot and a metal lid instead of plastic like everything else out there. Now without a primer this creamy shadow is not "creaseless" in any sense of the word. But with my secret weapon [aka UD's Primer Potion] I can really make this product work. I think $17 US is quite expensive for the amou...read morent of product you get but here is my other secret to getting this fab bronze color: on sephora.com they have the "Stay Don't Stray" set for $10! It comes with a mini erase paste and SDS primer as well! I love anything that comes in a set it makes me feel like I am getting more bang for my buck even if the products are smaller. — 6 years, 10 months agopynkNymphette | 197 reviews
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nice!teriffic cover and feel, love it! — 7 years, 10 months agobrassa | 447 reviews
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Huseng wrote:《四分律》卷43:「爾時有比丘患風。醫教用煙。佛言聽用煙。」(CBETA, T22, no. 1428, p. 877, a12-13)
"At that time there was a bhikṣu suffering wind. The doctor instructed him to use 'smoking'. The Buddha said using 'smoking' was permissible."
Huseng wrote:Lotus415 wrote:Interesting, since Hsuan Hua said in the comments on smoking provided in the link above that, " during that time when the Buddha was in the world no one knew how to smoke."
They knew how to smoke and clearly did. It was part of Ayurveda. Again, it wasn't tobacco, but probably opium or cannabis. Also, this was for medical reasons, not to get high.
No, niether cannabis or opium is intended here. Smoking a specific blend of medicinal herbs that are good for the lungs is mentioned as part of dinācarya (regular conduct) in the Caraka Saṃhita.


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Rumors Swirl Around Microsoft's Ad Business
All Things D is reporting that Facebook (FB) is interested in buying Microsoft's (MSFT) Atlas ad platform. Sources say Facebook is looking to launch its own version of Google's (GOOG) DoubleClick as a third-party ad network.
Atlas came to Microsoft through the 2007 aQuantive purchase. It would require a lot of work to get it up to the standard Facebook wants but, according to the story's sources, it would be easier for Facebook than starting from nothing and trying to build one itself....249 more words left in this article. To read them, just click below and try Real Money FREE for 14 days.
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Shouldn't that have meant his numbers would have been better?
What's up with him only being in his 2nd (right?) year of playing the wing that I've read a few times? I never watched him at Fresno, I don't doubt him being recruited as a big, but his freshman year he didn't play the wing? I can't see anything about him that says he was an actual post, even in the WAC.
he started playing wing his somophore yr and didnt play much AAu thats why he wasnt recruit anywhere . Danny was the same way in not playing AAU.
So you saw some of him his freshman year? How was he utilized?
can't you add options?
I started watching him his sophmore yr but Hoops Guy watch him his freshmen yr so maybe ask him. But i remember servral times the broadcasters said it was his first yr playing wing.
Last edited by pacer4ever; 01-11-2011 at 07:30 PM.
The reason he left Fresno was because he felt he his teammates didnt want to win as much as him that shows leadership. I belive him also because he was a projected 2nd rder why come out early
George has the physical tools. His success will depend on his inner drive to succeed and how hard he is willing to work at it. (Hibbert has this, but not so much the physical tools.) All great players are never satisfied and are always working hard to improve their game.
"It is what we learn after we know it all that really counts" - John Wooden
I'm not meaning to call you out here, but how many of his collegiate games did you actually watch? Fresno State isn't on a great deal in our neck of the woods.
I will give u an example 2 nite at 10pm on channel 264 FCSP i get West Orgon vs St. Martin's on 262 FCSA i get Davidson vs West Carolina, plus about 20 more games mostly small schools. A lot of them on the west coast
Last edited by pacer4ever; 01-11-2011 at 08:05 PM.
speaking of collge games UCONN Rutgers just came on 266 SNY a new york channel i think
I am more excited about Paul than I was when Danny came into the league. He's a lot younger than Danny, a lot smoother, a lot quicker, better naturally at rebounding the ball. He will play above the rim while Danny plays below it. He is a confident and aggressive player who...once he starts draining shots...he will not stop shooting it. He just appears to have a higher ceiling. But yes, it's impossible to know how it will turn out.
Lance is finally home. Whether he becomes our starting PG or he's 6th man, he's getting big minutes and he's here to stay. #llortontnia
He only got 3:40 of playing time against the Pacers. Him being Paul George, he did manage to register a STEAL and score a bucket in his limited PT.
It frustrates me to see our young guys sitting on the bench for the majority of the game.
Based on pure talent, shooting stroke, size and length, youth, and fluidity he has the opportunity to be on tier with the very best in the league. It's an opportunity though and if he doesn't go through with it than that is too bad. His athleticism, shooting stroke, and student of the game approach is a ridiculous combination for a 20 year old that is just starting to get it.
We need better than solid. No JJ Redicks, Andray Blatche, Mike Dunleavy type guys to have big roles on our team.
pre draft interview
I like what he says here. He likes the ball in his hands(which we dont do also i think we should post him up some) and also some more nice info. The kid has a great head on his shoulders.
**** that video.
He's wearing a T'Wolves jersey.
I learned my lesson the first time with Rush
Takin the wait and see approach
Sittin on top of the world!
nice clip and it made me think
who will be the better pro
Paul George or Wesley Johnson?
Sittin on top of the world!
By Marc J. Spears,
Rewind Selector
Ekpe Udoh, Baylor, PF-C – Scout's take: He doesn't have a huge upside, but he is a quality big man who should be a solid pro for a long time. Might be the oldest player drafted at 23. A possible top 10 pick.The scout wasn't backing down. In five years, he said, the best player from the 2010 NBA draft won't be John Wall.
Evan Turner?
DeMarcus Cousins?
More From Marc J. Spears
Derrick Favors?
"In five years," the Eastern Conference scout said, "Paul George will be the best player to come out of this draft.
"Trust me."
Paul George?
Unless you're a well-studied draftnik or hail from Fresno, Calif., chances are you haven't heard too much about George – if you've heard of him at all. That's OK with George. He's about to go from relatively anonymous to relatively rich on Thursday, when he's projected as a possible lottery pick in the draft.
And if you listen to the 20-year-old George – who clearly isn't lacking for confidence – his climb toward stardom won't end there.
"I feel like I have all the intangibles, all the tools to be one of the best players not only in this draft, but to play in this game," George said. "It's something I'm really taking to heart. My dream is to not only get drafted – that's a goal of mine – but my dream is to someday be a legend at this game. I want to work to be that."
Before George elevates himself to legend, he'll need to introduce himself to NBA fans.
George grew up in Palmdale, Calif., in north central Los Angeles County. Among the past and present notable residents listed on Palmdale's Wikipedia entry are John Wayne, Marion Jones and Debbie Rowe, the former wife of Michael Jackson. Craig Brackins, the junior Iowa State power forward who is projected to go in the draft's second round, also is listed. As of Tuesday morning, George wasn't.
George, who grew up as a fan of the Los Angeles Clippers, not the Lakers, averaged 25 points and 12 rebounds as a senior at Knight High School. He received scholarship offers from Georgetown and Penn State, but instead chose Fresno State. The decision paid off when he received enough playing time to average 14.3 points and 6.2 rebounds as a freshman.
By the time George's sophomore year arrived, NBA scouts were already familiar with his athleticism and ability to play all three perimeter positions. One scout likened him to Tracy McGrady(notes) in terms of skills and demeanor. Listed at 6-foot-8 and 215 pounds, George averaged a team-best 16.6 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.2 steals while making 90.6 percent of his free throws as a sophomore. But he also averaged 3.2 turnovers and was inconsistent, scoring more than 20 points in nine games and fewer than 10 in four others – including a scoreless performance against rival San Jose State in front of several NBA scouts. The Bulldogs finished just 15-18 and didn't play past the first round of the Western Athletic Conference tournament.
"He could be the best in his class," a Western Conference NBA scout said. "He can also be the biggest bust, too. He went to Fresno State, but he didn't set the place on fire. I question whether he understands what it takes to be a star, but I'm not saying he won't."
Said an Eastern Conference scout: "Scoring comes easy to him. If he played with a high motor he'd be top five. But even at his pace, he does a lot of things easy."
Those scouts aren't the only ones to question George's energy and effort. It sounds as if he's aware of the criticism as well. "At this next level," he said, "you have to bring it every night."
Along with George's versatility and athleticism, his size and length have helped him move up draft boards. He stands nearly 6-9 in shoes and his wingspan measures 6-11. Every lottery team from eight through 14, with exception of the New Orleans Hornets, has worked him out.
"I'm just showing my full capabilities," George said. "I'm showing I can defend. I have the ball-handling to make plays. I'm showing everything that I couldn't show at Fresno and didn't show. I think that's really what is catching their eyes. I can be a complete package."
Apparently, a few other people think so too. George received one of the NBA's 16 invites to sit in the green room on draft night. His father, Paul George Sr., had promised to come to New York if George received an invitation. The elder George is scared of flying and wanted to save his first flight for something special. This qualifies.
"For him to take that flight to New York to get to see me in that moment, that would mean the world to me and my family," George said. "I got so much riding on this. I got the whole city of Palmdale supporting me."
George isn't the only player in this year's draft who either starred at an unheralded program or was obscured by the depth on his team's roster. Here are nine more who figure to shed some of their anonymity on draft night.
Luke Babbitt, Nevada, SF – Scout's take: He's a highly skilled offensive player and scorer. Has good size and can rebound. Athletic, tough. Can play both forward positions. Will need to improve defensively.
Larry Sanders, Virginia Commonwealth, PF-C – Scout's take: He's long and athletic. His tremendous wingspan helps him as a shot-blocker. He's only played the game five, six years. Has an average back-to-basket game.
Eric Bledsoe, Kentucky, PG – Scout's take: Lost in shadow of John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins at Kentucky. Decent shooter and defender. Tough, but will need to play point guard.
Dominique Jones, South Florida, SG – Scout's take: Might be draft's biggest sleeper. Combo guard. Aggressive scorer. Tough physically, mentally. Good athlete. Not a playmaker. Big question: What position is he?
Solomon Alabi, Florida State, C – Scout's take: Smart player, but his game – both offensively and defensively – is still raw. Has extremely good size. This is a gamble pick.
Kevin Seraphin, Cholet (France), C – Scout's take: Effort-type big man with good hustle and energy. Somewhat undersized at 6-9. Cut in the mold of Paul Millsap(notes) and Brandon Bass(notes). Should be drafted in the 20s.
Hassan Whiteside, Marshall, C – Scout's take: Raw, shot-blocking big man who has risen from obscurity. Good athlete who can run the floor. There are questions about his knowledge of the game.
Tibor Pleiss, Brose Baskets Bamberg (Germany), 7-0, 220 pounds – Scout's take: Could drop to the second round and play overseas next season. Nice body and skilled, but not ready to help an NBA team now.
Last edited by 90'sNBARocked; 01-14-2011 at 01:40 AM.
Sittin on top of the world!
Rush was a safe pick. Most people viewed Rush as a solid role player but didnt have star or superstar poetential. I love Rush still he is what i expected really good defense his offense still needs work but he is a really solid player.
No I am not that scout just so u guys know
But i share his view
Last edited by pacer4ever; 01-14-2011 at 01:34 AM.


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Thursday December 30, 2004 4:33 pm
JVC To Introduce Dual DVD/Blu Ray Disc
Posted by Hector Martinez Categories: Home Entertainment
We could go two ways with this one. Hopefully manufacturers will make things easier on the consumer by including both DVD and HDTV content on one of these dual-layered discs. But they might also ignore the technology and still make you purchase both formats, in a scheme that we can also foresee. The Register article appears to focus on the former of the two scenarios, describing how the discs can help smoothen the transition to the new HDTV standard, by assuring customers that they have both versions of a movie (Blu Ray and DVD) on one disc, for when they decide to upgrade their TV's.
Read More | The Register
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text:
Topic: Remaining hopeful during difficult times
Dear friends,
Last week at this time my husband and I were walking through Central Park in NY and planning our future. Well
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Dear friends,
Last week at this time my husband and I were walking through Central Park in NY and planning our future. Well
After reading your post tonight Danielle I got on my knees and prayed for you and Jim. A friend of mine prayed for angels to be around me when I was at my sickest. It really touched me, so I prayed for angels to surround Jim in his hospital room and also angels to be with you. I will continue to ask for peace, strength and healing. You will be in my prayers. God Bless,
Positive thoughts & prayers coming your way. You both have a good attitude & I will be hoping for the best. Take care & know that we are all here for you.
Love & Hugs,
More positive thoughts and prayers coming you and Jim's way.
My best wishes to you both.
Danielle we are so very sorry to hear of the turn in events. Keep thinking about that walk in Central Park. Our prayers go out to you both. Teddy lights a candle every morning at Mass for our CC friends. CC doesn't come with an expiration date but stay close anyway to give each other strength.
I am sending my most postive thoughts, warm wishes and prayers to you. Listen to the doctors, but only to prove them wrong. Concentrate on your family and getting things in order, but only as a precaution...As I like to say, nobody has an expiration date stamped on their foot.
I was in the hospital for a week..infections, hooked up to food and fluids and now I am out and doing well. The body just sometimes needs extra attention.
Thinking of you,
My thoughts and prayers are with you both. Read my signature line and then continue to live it!
Much love, hugs and prayers.
Danielle.....tons of good wishes coming from me also. Is your husband feeling a bit better today?
Dear Friends,
Thank you so much from both of us for your love, prayers, thoughts and positive energy!! It warms the heart and provides fuel for healing. We received some more bad news today (lots of complications, bleeding, gushing wounds, more clots and other difficulties) and actually had a bit of a crap day. It's 930pm and he's only now returned to the room after a CT scan...Nonetheless, life is still good. Thank God our kids (in Australia right now...) are en route to Phoenix and we are full of hope, peace and feel surrounded by love. It's good. Deep breath. Peace within and we'll tackle tomorrow with a vengenance. Watch out cc.
With love and prayers to all of you,
Danielle and Jim
Warm thoughts and good wishes for a better day. Sometimes I feel like Scarlett O'Hara with this cancer because in my head I say "I will think about that tommorrow. After all tommorrow is another day" Silly I know, but with this cancer, sometimes you just have to accept crap days knowing the next one can be better.
Dear Danielle,
Hoping for a better tomorrow for all of you.
Love & Hugs,
Peace, strength, and healing for you and for Jim - prayers are going straight up. I believe in angels, and felt them hold my husband and I up when we needed their help most - I pray they will be with you and surround you both.
Joyce C.
I've continued to pray for you and Jim. I am sending prayers and good thoughts your way. Don't forget to take care of yourself during ths time also. Make sure you are getting somthing to eat to keep up your strength. Keep us posted on Jim and you both will be in my prayers. God Bless,
More positive thoughts and prayers coming for you both. I hope you both have a better day today.
Best wishes
My dear friends,
Thank you so much for the continued love and prayers. YES, we did have a better day. Your energy, prayers and angels reached us today. Thank you.
Today, the team drained his ascites (?) and also took 900 ccs from the chest cavity (another pleural effusion). Now...this is a good thing. Last week's pleural effusion left him intubated and in horrible shape. The infection is under control. Spirits are down but we're regrouping and gearing up for the next fight.
The ICU team are fantastic: not only do they let me sleep in the room every night, last night no one batted an eye when I slept squashed up in Jim's bed!!! He slept like a baby with improved breathing and heart function. One of the doctors brought him Hagan Das...family, friends giving us love and support.
I wish all of you a good day tomorrow. I send you strength and peace.
With love,
I am glad things are looking up. Hans squishes in my bed when I am in the hospital too. It does make things better just to be so close.
Still sending you warm thoughts and prayers.
I am sorry to hear the 'new' news about your husband. It sounds like you have a nice team of people working with him- amazing what a huge difference that makes. My dad is finally in a really nice hospital and everyone seems sweet and caring (as opposed to the last hospital he was in where you got a bad feeling just driving up to the place and hardly anybody smiled). You both are in my thoughts and prayers.
Dear Danielle, I have been reading your posts here and am inspired by your positive energy and optimism. You're a reminder of the value of holding onto goals, faith, and the belief in miracles, even in the face of fear. Keep snuggling close to your hubby and know that you continue to be in our hearts and prayers.
Dear friends,
Thanks so much again, this site is such a comfort to me. It's 400am, I am at the hospital and can't sleep. Mamy of the doctors/social workers are telling us Jim can be discharged, "rehab is possible", "go home" (very nicely) while the nurses won't even let him stand to move from the bed to the comode because his heart and respiratory functions are so weak. They are telling me to get home health but I don't know how I can manage when he can't even sit up in bed on his own (and he can't lie flat). As background we have family in Tucson but actually live in Australia. The Mayo team wanted us to go back to Aus but explicitly stated that a commerical flight would kill him and to medievac him (at a cost of 300,000 USD, a cost our insurance won't bear as it is humanitarian repatriation as opposed to a transfer stemming from a need for urgent medical care). i don't think i can ask our family (my family, his inlaws) to completely remodel their house (i.e. wheel chair lifts).
I don't know what to do. He is so sick. He doesn't understand (and neither do the family or myself...) whether he is dying or just had a horrible setback. All of his family from Australia is here now and everyone is looking to me for leadership. Of course I know that CC will eventually take him but I don't know if this is a few weeks or a few months or longer...He is usually astute to his body's messages but he is also uncertain.
I think our the only feasible option in the short term is to go to a care facility focused upon rehab as I don't think I can bring him to a palliative care institution when some doctors are still telling us rehab.
It feels like the storm I wrote about last week has passed. The doctors had told me that he had been going down quickly but now he is doing much better. His blood is normal, infection controlled (gone), his fevers are gone and is heartbeat is much reduced (almost normal). However, he is draining approx 600 from his chest cavity each day (has a lung catheter) and as i said above he is bedridden (and dear God in heaven he has bed sores which hurt me so much my stomach bleed).
I am genuinely happy that so many of you are doing so well and I hope it continues. Nonetheless, it breaks my heart that my husband whose CC was sufficiently "non-progressed" (not sure if that's a word) to be listed for transplant in March is now to sick for chemo.
My apologies for the long winded vent...my heart is breaking for this beautiful, decent man who is suffering so much.
dear danielle,
i cannot tell you how heavy my heart feels for your husband and you, after reading your post i felt like there has to be something, anything, that we could do to help. i hate this feeling of being helpless(we all do) it makes me want to scream, but all we can do is sit back and listen to what the medical world is telling us. you are a strong women and your husband knows that you are doing your very best for him, keep positive and going forward. this is a hell of a road we travel there are many ups and downs so im praying that this is just a set back and that just around the corner there is good news for you and your husband. so i send nothing but good wishes and lots of prayers out to you and your husband...........ron
Dear Danielle,
I'm so sorry to hear that you are all suffering so much. You are deeply in my thoughts.
My only advice is to follow your heart and have no regrets and you will do the right thing. He is so lucky to have you by his side.
Wishing you both peace and strength.
Dear Danielle,
I too am so sorry to hear of what you and Jim are going through. It makes me so sad & my heart is also breaking for you. So much to think of and deal with. I know well what you are feeling, as I too was there not too long ago. My husband was also a Jim. I will be hoping for more positive things for you and your Jim. Try to be guardedly optimistic. This disease is so unpredictable, both good & bad. I too will keep you in my thoughts & prayers. Wishing you comfort, strength & peace.
Love & Hugs,
I am so sorry to hear about all the problems your Jim is encountering. You are the proof of how us caretakers find strength we never thought we had. Danielle, I don
I agree with Marions. Ask those questions and make sure they answer them. You are doing great. It is so hard to make decisions when everything is going topsy turvy. Does it feel like they are forcing you to leave when your husband isnt ready? You should not have to be forced to give a type of care you are unprepared for and have no training for. You are only one woman and despite how much you love your husband, if you need help, you need help. That is no reflection on you or your love for Jim. I am concerned that the hospital is not taking your needs into account. It is not selfish for carers to consider what is physically, mentally, and emotionally capable. Make sure the hospital sets you and Jim up right before they send him home or to rehab.
Sending good thoughts and warm wishes.
Dear Danielle;
I agree with Marion also. Ask questions and make sure you get an answer you understand. Ask them how can he go home if the nurses wont even let him get up? If he goes to a rehab hospital will they be working on getting him up and building up his strength so he can go home? Again Marion is right. You are only 1 woman and given the circumstances can't do it all by yourself. I am also worried that he has bed sores. They need to be addressing those aggresively. You can get serious infections that can be life threatening with bed sores so they need to get those cleared up. Certainly not something I'd think you could handle at home by yourself. I find myself getting a little angry that the Drs and social workers have put you in this position without a lot of guidance as far as I'm concerned. Maybe talk to one of his nurses and see if they can suggest anything else or someone else to talk to. I'll keep you both in my prayers and if there is anything I can do let me know. God Bless,
The information expressed is not medical advice. The discussion boards are not intended to replace the services of a trained health professional or to be a substitute for the medical advice of physicians or other healthcare providers. Read the full disclaimer.


text: That other craigslist thread got me thinking, some funny shit gets posted on that site all too often. Either scanning through your local craigslist portion or just the best of, post the ones you guys find funny. Some of them are stupid IMO but yeah you get the point. Stupid but I like this one: http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/sac/396375017.html For those of you that are intranets challenged and can't navigate your way to the CL Best Of, I'll provide you a link to cut out those miserable steps of confusion. http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/all/


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Andrés Arturo García Menéndez (born April 12, 1956), professionally known as Andy García, is a Cuban American actor. He became known in the late 1980s and 1990s, having appeared in several successful Hollywood films, including The Godfather: Part III, The Untouchables, and When a Man Loves a Woman. More recently, he has starred in Ocean's Eleven and its sequels, Ocean's Twelve and Ocean's Thirteen, and The Lost City. García was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Vincent Mancini in The Godfather Part III.
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The children's shoes from Aster are synonymous with quality and authenticity. The brand has a chic, timeless style that shows in their leather girls ankle boots .
Created in 1913, Aster offers children shoes made just for them. Their first model was a girls sandal with perforations for the logo. Ever since, Aster offers an entire line of shoe for small children.
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Winners will be notified by email. The refund of the order will be issued after the return period has passed, in the form of a gift voucher, as long as no return has been made and the order is still valid. Your gift voucher can be used during a one year period directly on the "Payment" page during your next order. See regulations


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Federal Emergency Management Agency
3 Jan 2013 at 14:00
Justen Beber had a chance to go to the White House with Administrator Fugate where he met President Obama and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. Justen Beber attended a meeting about hurricane preparedness. During the meeting Justen Beber learned about hurricanes and the forecast for the 2012 hurricane season.
With Justen Beber


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XML declaration
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Assertion: Setting the encoding in the XML declaration will affect the encoding of a page served as XML.
The only character encoding declaration for this XHTML file is in the XML declaration, which sets the encoding to ISO 8859-15.
The test contains a div with a class name that contains the following sequence of bytes: 0xC3 0xBD 0xC3 0xA4 0xC3 0xA8. These represent different sequences of characters in ISO 8859-15, ISO 8859-1 and UTF-8. The external, UTF-8-encoded stylesheet contains a selector
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Ever since the first Prius Hybrid took to the roads 20 years ago, Toyota has been proud to be called Hybrid leader. Today, with seven innovative Hybrid models to choose from – and many more planned – there's every reason for you to join over ten million people in choosing a better way to drive.
We are inviting customers to discover Yaris Hybrid and see how far they can travel in electric mode on a test drive. To date we have found that on average at least 50% of our test drive journeys are completed in electric mode, this means that no fuel is being used and because our cars are petrol-electric, you never have to plug the car in – it re-charges itself! Our Hybrid vehicles offer significant savings on fuel costs, reduced CO2 emissions, and a smooth, stress-free drive.
Click here to see what our customers have achieved on their journeys, and book a test drive to experience Hybrid for yourself and see how far you can go in electric mode.
Watch the video below to find out more.
Terms & conditions
~2 years free servicing on Toyota Hybrid models (excluding New Toyota C-HR) ordered between 1st June and 2nd July 2017 and registered by 30th September 2017. Offers apply to qualifying retail customers only. Free servicing includes first 2 services in accordance with manufacturer's servicing schedule (each 12 months/10,000 miles, whichever the sooner) and must be redeemed at an Official Toyota Service Outlet. Wear parts are excluded. Service plan administered by EMAC Ltd on behalf of Toyota (GB) Plc. Valid at participating Toyota Centres only. T&Cs apply.


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What Others Are Saying
" I had a small 5 pounder 10 years ago who wouldn't latch. For two days in the hospital ... " More
Stem cells in breastmilk
Breastmilk contains stem cells - taken to a higher level
The theory developed in 2007 by scientists at the University of Western Australia (UWA) that breastmilk contains stem cells has been taken to a higher level with the latest discovery by one of the team's newer members. UWA Ph.D. candidate Foteini Hassiotou has proven that stem cells from breastmilk can now be directed to become other body cell types such as bone, fat, liver and brain cells. Could this finally be the answer to ethically and easily obtaining pluripotent stem cells in a non-invasive manner? And what does this mean with regard to the unique power of breastmilk for the growth and development of babies?
The research will first be presented at Medela's 7th International Breastfeeding and Lactation Symposium.


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In the Las Vegas dictionary, a high roller is a gambler who wagers large amounts of money. The Vegas slang for a high roller is "whale." Whales are people who play a minimum of $50,000 per hand, spin or roll, and who have no problem winning or losing millions in one night. The online entertainment industry is now increasingly driven by whales, particularly where per download or a la carte pricing is used. AuManil is targeting the expected $40 billion free-to-play online games market where they help manage the most valuable players — the 1 percent of players that generate 50 percent of a game's revenues, the whales.
AuManil's products help studios and publishers reduce whale churn, increase whale conversion, improve whale acquisition and manage whales across a portfolio of games. The AuManil team of data scientists analyzes an individual player's financial and game play behavior to profile each player in order to predict lifetime value, churn risk and life-cycle patterns. The patterns let AuManil's customers engage their players with personal messaging or offers to support that player's competitive or bulk purchasing or Sunday-church-avoiding nature.
"Our first notion was to just match players better for one-v-one games based on play style – fast vs. slow or aggressive vs. measured, etc," explains Bart Bohn, Founder and CEO at AuManil. "The end objective was to increase retention and engagement. As we talked with game studios about retention and engagement, they kept mentioning that only a small percentage of the players dominated their economics and that this was a relatively new phenomenon for the industry. They all thought Zynga had this nailed and wanted some of what it was cooking up."
"We are fortunate to be based in Austin, which has a great video game industry and community," says Bohn. "We were able to get a studio to give us access to their data to see if we could pull out any whale patterns. After some messy Excel, then messy SQL, and then Python scripts, we identified some interesting player profiles and whale population analyses. We launched an alpha with that studio and, thankfully, they were very patient and generous with us to help us iterate to the closed beta version."
"For us it comes down to helping our community build sustainable businesses," continues Bohn. "The emergence of self-publishing and the free-to-play revenue model has enabled an explosion of new studios and games in the mobile, social and browser segments. Austin has a ton of this going on, and for them to be successful, they need to 1) build a good game and 2) acquire, retain and monetize whales. With the second, we are helping to fill a major gap in most studios' capabilities."
"We are in closed beta with our Whale Churn Management solution with some Austin-based studios," concludes Bohn. "We are able to serve a wide spectrum of games – from mobile to browser to Facebook to MMOs, so it is really interesting to see the commonalities across these segments when it comes to whales. Next up for AuManil is to release a commercial-grade version of the Whale Churn Management Solution and continue on-boarding additional games. There has been a fantastic reception for the AuManil solution in the industry and we are looking forward to ramping up in order to serve the demand."
The Rackspace Startup Program is looking forward to ramping up in 2013 as well by continuing to provide more startups with a world class open cloud computing platform on which to build their business. Contact the Space Cowboys to find out how you can get the rocket fuel to launch your startup.


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An array of food and transportation industry panelists warned the Department of Transportation that pending regulations limiting hours of service by truck drivers will create delays in shipments and raise costs for consumers.
In a hearing Nov. 30 by the House Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs, Stimulus Oversight and Government Spending, lawmakers were warned that the reduction in allowable driving hours from 11 hours a day to 10 hours a day and other hours of service restricts will have immediate and costly consequences.
"If the Department of Transportation decides to finalize its proposed hours of service rules, it will mean higher prices for food products and all other items sold in grocery stores," said Glen Keysaw, director of transportation and logistics for Associated Food Stores Inc., Salt Lake City.
Keysaw testified on behalf of the Washington, D.C.-based Food Marketing Institute and said his company estimates a 3% increase in freight because of the proposed regulations. What's more, he said the changes will result in reductions of deliveries to retail stores — notably night deliveries — which he said will translate to shortages of products on stores shelves.
In comments submitted to the Department of Transportation, the FMI regulatory counsel Erik Lieberman urged the agency to abandon the effort to implement new rules.
Trucking companies are nearly unanimous in advising the Department of Transportation to keep hours of service at 11 hours, said Kenny Lund, vice president of support operations for La Canada, Calif.-based Allen Lund Co. Inc.
"The changes they made in 2004 have proven to be very good changes. They have yielded a great safety record," he said.
Lund said if federal regulations cut hours of service to 10 hours, it could be devastating to produce shippers, adding that transportation time from the West Coast to the East Coast could be lengthened by a day, which for some items like strawberries can eat up 25% of the shelf life.
What's more, Lund said food distribution centers have been set up for one-day delivery schedules. If driver hours are reduced, then more distant round trip shipments could no longer be made in one day.
"It really messes up a lot of distribution by taking that one hour out," Lund said.
Tommy Chase, transportation manager with Progreso Produce Ltd., Boerne, Texas, said the regulation figures to have more of an effect on coast to coast shipments of perishable commodities such as lettuce, strawberries and broccoli as opposed to more durable commodities like onions and potatoes.
The regulations would lengthen the time it takes fresh produce to reach consumers, which raises food safety concerns, Julie Manes, director of government relations for Washington, D.C.-based United Fresh Produce Association, said in comments to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration earlier this year.
"We believe the proposed Hours of Service rule under consideration does not pass the test of balancing public safety with economic well-being and should therefore be withdrawn," Manes said.
Joe Rajkovacz, regulatory affairs specialist with the Grain Valley, Mo.-based Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, said there are expectations that the final rule regarding hours of service will be issued by the end of December.


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Oxford 4 Drawer Dresser
No longer available
- Overview
Simple styling and spacious drawers make this dresser a must for clothes collectors. Design details include your choice of two rich finishes, antique-bronze drawer handles, and plenty of space on top for prized possessions and props.
- 48" wide x 21" deep x 36" high
- Crafted with a kiln-dried wood frame.
- Features four roomy drawers to store all your belongings.
- Finished by hand in our rich wood stains or classic Antique White paint.
- Watch our recommended steps to prepare for a successful furniture delivery.
- The fit and measuring guide should be read prior to placing your order.
- Make sure it fits! Use our interactive room planner to design your floor plan.
- Dimensions + Care
- Overall: 48" wide x 21" deep x 36" high
- Small Drawer Interior (2): 19.5" wide x 16" deep x 7" high
- Large Drawer Interior (2): 41.25" wide x 16" deep x 7" high
- Dust with a soft, dry cloth.
- To protect the finish, do not apply abrasives or household cleaners.
- Shipping Info
This item is delivered by our Premium In-Home Delivery Service. With In-Home delivery, the item is brought into your home, unpacked, and assembled (except for some headboards and Style-It Desk components, which are not unpacked or assembled. Our service also does not mount hutches and shelves to customer's walls.) Delivery is by appointment. Monday-Friday, in all areas; Saturday delivery in some areas. Our delivery service will contact you to arrange a day. This service is available in the contiguous 48 states only. Please allow approximately 2-3 weeks for delivery. Returns of mattresses are subject to a $40 return shipping fee.


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Sorry for the slight lapse in posting lately. Dottie and I are devoting a lot of mental energy to planning our next trip.
Yep—that's a London-Paris-Amsterdam itinerary you're looking at. We will be there in mid-October (and I'll be in Wales and Dublin before that).
Since we have so much time to dream and plan, we'd love to get suggestions from you on what we should see—especially when it comes to Amsterdam, as neither of us has been there before. Please share in the comments! And let us know if you're interested in a reader meetup. Tea and Topshop in London??


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Popular property highlights
Located in Downtown Vancouver, Sandman Hotel Vancouver City Centre is adjacent to BC Place Stadium and within a mile (2 km) of other popular sights like Canada Place. This 3-star hotel has 302 guestrooms and offers conveniences like 2 restaurants, an indoor pool, and free in-room WiFi. It's in central Vancouver and also close to Granville Island Public Market and Stanley Park.
Enjoy dining at one of 2 onsite restaurants including Moxies Grill and Bar, which specializes in American cuisine. Savor a meal from the comfort of your room with room service. For your convenience, breakfast is available for a fee.
All 302 air-conditioned rooms provide coffee makers, phones, and ironing boards. 27-inch flat-screen TVs come with cable channels and pay movies, and guests can stay connected with free WiFi. Bathrooms offer hair dryers and free toiletries. Desks are also included.
Property features
Sandman Hotel Vancouver City Centre features a nightclub, an indoor pool, and a fitness center. Self parking is available for CAD 23.00 per night. Multilingual staff at the 24-hour front desk can assist with dry cleaning/laundry, tours or tickets, and luggage storage. Additional amenities include a spa tub, free WiFi in public areas, and a business center.
- Steps from BC Place Stadium
- Free WiFi in rooms and public areas
- Onsite dining
- Nightclub
Sandman Hotel Vancouver City Centre
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
This smoke-free downtown Vancouver hotel is two blocks from Yaletown and four blocks from historic Gastown. The Sandman Hotel Vancouver City Centre is near two major sports venues (B.C. Place and Rogers Arena), so its on-site restaurants and lounges are extremely popular on game days. In addition to an intimate lounge with a club-like atmosphere, the hotel has a restaurant, and a bar and grill with a dance floor and big-screen TVs. Garage parking is available (surcharge).
The hotel's business center (surcharge) is equipped with a PC and printer. WiFi is complimentary throughout the hotel. Faxing and photocopying services are available through the front desk. Guests enjoy complimentary access to the hotel's atrium pool and spa tub.
- Indoor pool
- Spa tub
- Breakfast available (surcharge)
- Nightclub
- Business center
- Porter/bellhop
- Express check-out
- Multilingual staff
- 24-hour front desk
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Total number of rooms - 302
- ATM/banking
- Gift shops or newsstand
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Fireplace in lobby
- Elevator/lift
- Number of bars/lounges - 2
- Fitness facilities
- Computer station
- Grocery/convenience store
- Tours/ticket assistance
- Free WiFi
- Express check-in
- Luggage storage
- Number of restaurants - 2
- Self parking (surcharge)
- Smoke-free property
- Television in common areas
Family Friendly Amenities
- Family Hotel
- Indoor pool
- Free Wi-Fi
- Grocery/convenience store
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Self parking (surcharge)
Room Amenities
- Pay movies
- Room service (limited hours)
- Air conditioning
- In-room climate control (air conditioning)
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Phone
- Coffee/tea maker
- Free toiletries
- Hair dryer
- Iron/ironing board
- Desk
- Cable TV service
- Flat-panel TV
- Daily housekeeping
- Private bathroom
- Shower/tub combination
- Free WiFi
Where to Eat
Moxie's Classic Grill - Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served daily in this multi-level restaurant offering views of the city and North Shore Mountains. American cuisine. Steak, seafood, pizza, pasta, and sandwiches are available. Children's menu offers favorites including a grilled cheese sandwich and pizza.
M Bar - A private-club atmosphere prevails in this intimate lounge offering drinks and appetizers daily. Decor features include faux-suede seating, a gas fireplace, and artistically rendered black-and-white photography.
Shark Club Bar & Grill - One of the city's most enduringly popular nightspots. It's popular with sports lovers—there are numerous big-screen TVs—as well as those looking for a good time. Open-concept kitchen offers lunch and dinner daily, and entertainment options include a dance floor.
Nearby Things to Do
This property features a 35-foot atrium pool as well as a spa tub. The hotel also has a restaurant with a dance floor and pool tables.
The Sandman is just 3 blocks from the Vancouver Seawall, a waterfront walkway suitable for walking, running, in-line skating, or cycling.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on-site or near the hotel.
- Golfing nearby
- Bicycle rentals nearby
- Scooter/moped rentals nearby
- Mountain biking nearby
- Hiking/biking trails nearby
- Ecotours nearby
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please note them at check-out when you book your room.
- In-room accessibility
- Accessible bathroom
Hotel Policies
Check-in time ends at midnight
Check-in time starts at 4 PM
Check-out time is noon
Payment types
Children and extra beds
- Children are welcome.
- Kids stay free! Children 14 years old and younger stay free when using existing bedding.
- Rollaway/extra beds are available for CAD 10.00 per night.
- Cribs (infant beds) are not available.
- Pets allowed for an extra charge of CAD 10 per pet, per night
- Restrictions apply
- For more information contact the property at the number on the booking confirmation
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy.
Optional extras
- Breakfast fee: between CAD 10 and CAD 25 per person (approximately)
- Self parking fee: CAD 23.00 per night
- Pet fee: CAD 10 per pet, per night
- Rollaway bed fee: CAD 10.00 per night
Hotel Name
- Hotel Sandman
- Sandman Hotel Vancouver City Centre
- Sandman Vancouver City Centre
- Sandman Vancouver City Centre Hotel
- Vancouver City Centre Sandman
- Sandman Hotel Vancouver
- Sandman Vancouver
- Sandman Hotel
We should mention
Children 14 years old and younger stay free when occupying the parent or guardian's room, using existing bedding. Guests can arrange to bring pets by contacting the property directly, using the contact information on the booking confirmation (surcharges apply and can be found in the Fees section).


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Introducing Perspective Warp, 3D printing,
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If you can imagine it, you can build it. With 3D printing now available in Photoshop, it's easy to create, refine, and preview your design, and then print models directly to a locally connected 3D printer or other online service.
With Photoshop CC — part of Creative Cloud — your creative process becomes seamless, intuitive, and more connected. Get it as a single-app membership or with a Creative Cloud complete membership, which includes every other creative tool.
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From the venue to the curriculum to the academic calendar, nothing about San Diego's newest high school will resemble a traditional campus.
e3 Civic High is set to open in September — in the middle of the multimillion-dollar Central Library rising from the downtown skyline. The public charter campus is being billed as the only school in the nation housed in a library.
Patrons of the library will be able to view, but not access, the school on the sixth and seventh floors as they ride a glass elevator up and down the building. Here's what they might see: Movable glass walls separating intimate classrooms furnished with modular desks, benches and recliners; a demonstration kitchen for hands-on lessons in nutrition and cooking using ingredients from nearby urban gardens; and a staircase specially designed to double as an amphitheater and work space.
The open design for e3 Civic High reflects a transparency that educators hope will promote collaboration and project-based learning.
The school also will focus on civic engagement, which includes internships at City Hall, nonprofit organizations, courthouses and businesses.
Students from local universities and the Thomas Jefferson School of Law will tutor and mentor students. The library's staff also will interact with the high school students, teaching them college-level research skills and giving them access to vast collections of printed and digital data.
The school also will have use of the library's auditorium, homework center and teen center. A sculpture garden, computer labs and other features of the library will be incorporated into the curriculum.
"To be a student here and have this as your high school experience is going to be amazing," said businessman Mel Katz, chairman of e3 Civic High's board of directors.
It's perhaps befitting that students will have significant access to the library, because the school helped rescue the library project in the first place.
Talk of a library-school partnership arose shortly after voters passed the $2.1 billion Proposition S bond measure in November 2008 for the San Diego Unified School District. The city approved a 40-year, $20 million lease for e3 Civic High in 2011, with payment to come from proceeds of that bond. The investment revived the proposal for a new Central Library, which was languishing because of a lack of private funding.
San Diego Unified authorized an additional $10 million to outfit the school's two floors with everything from science labs and classrooms to stairs and furniture. This is the district's first charter school to be built from scratch.
The new campus will help ease the need for a downtown high school for students living in or around San Diego's urban core. More than half of high school-aged students living in downtown communities currently commute across the city to attend high school, according to district data.
Faculty are scheduled to begin working at e3 Civic High in August and classes are set to start Sept. 3 for 250 freshmen and sophomores. The school will have 9th through 12th grades by 2015, with total enrollment not to exceed 500.
As construction crews work to finish the charter's interior, school officials are busy recruiting teachers and students. They are making special efforts to woo inner-city and minority students, who have historically underperformed academically compared to their white and Asian counterparts.
Helen Griffith, executive director of e3 Civic High, has been marketing the school to parents at local middle schools, churches and community centers.
"What I'm learning from parents is they don't want their children to be a number. They don't want their children to be lost in the crowd," she said. "They want their children to be developed holistically, and that's what we are all about."
If the number of applications exceeds the number of spots available — a likely scenario — enrollment will be determined by lottery. All applicants in the county will get one chance in the lottery, those residing within San Diego Unified's boundaries will get four chances overall and those living near an underperforming high school in the district (as measured by the federal No Child Left Behind Act) will have a total of seven chances.
Parents who submit applications for their children must attend an orientation to make sure they know what they are getting into.
The school day at e3 Civic High will span 7.5 hours, compared with 6.5 at most local public schools. The school year will last 190 days, about 15 more than at other San Diego Unified campuses. Freshmen will be expected to attend a two-week summer bridge program, and all other students will be offered a week of summer school.
Without an expansive ball field or gymnasium, physical education classes at e3 Civic High won't fit the standard school mold. Students will sweat through Zumba lessons and X-Box workouts in a mirrored studio. The park at Petco Park will provide space for certain outdoor activities. Students will be encouraged to participate in the many downtown charitable runs and walks.
Attending school in a downtown library will mean letting go of the trappings of a typical American high school: no football games, lockers or cheerleaders.
It's a trade-off that Velvet Wright of Paradise Hills is OK with. She's hoping that her daughter will be allowed to attend e3 Civic High.
"I like the idea of my daughter attending a small school. It just seems more personalized," Wright said. "At small schools, the students get to know the principal and the teachers."
As much as Wright likes the smaller setting, it has taken her time to become comfortable with the idea of dropping off her daughter at a downtown library every morning. Her concerns about safety and security have been alleviated after learning about the campus' design.
The school will have its own entrance, elevators and ventilation system. There will be 30 designated parking spaces in an underground garage, including five for visitors. Negotiations are underway for use of nearby parking lots to accommodate parents during special events.
Wright also likes the school's focus on community engagement. The school's officials want to cultivate students who will be ready for college. Science, technology, math and the arts will be stressed, with the aim of preparing students for jobs in those fields. Foreign-language offerings will include Spanish and Chinese.
The curriculum is based on research and programs at the successful High Tech High network of charters in San Diego County, as well as programs that rely on project-based learning.
As a charter school, e3 Civic High will be publicly funded and independently operated. In exchange for the promise to raise test scores through innovative education methods, charters are not bound by local and state education codes. They also are exempt from union hiring policies.
Several backers of e3 Civic High, including Katz, are business or community leaders who have been active in local school politics for years.
Some of them also have been critics of San Diego Unified and see this a chance to try their hand at offering an alternative.
"I don't feel pressure," Katz said. "We really want to become a lead charter school in San Diego County. It's very exciting."


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IF FEDERAL politics really is a meritocracy, Tony Abbott would not have needed to effectively sack his unique parliamentary secretary Cory Bernardi a few days back.
No. If merit actually determined party-political appointment then the good senator from South Australia - who is so concerned that legalising same-sex marriage could lead to human-animal couplings that he was compelled to say so in the Senate and on radio - would probably never have been a frontbencher in the first place.
But then Senator Bernardi may be no great exception.
Strategists across the major and minor parties all privately lament the fact that Parliament is padded with both dilettantes and ideologues - men and women who'd struggle in the private sector or at senior levels of the public service, but who linger, if not exactly thrive, under the patronage of the party system.
Strong personal belief is an important compass in public life. But obsession - where it does not reflect genuine electoral concern, and especially where it overshadows a greater party-political good or ethic - can be nothing but a distraction.
So now Senator Bernardi has reluctantly departed the front bench behind a raft of beastly publicity (pun intended) in both the Australian and the British press for the gentle charms of Oxford and the European Young Conservative Freedom Summit, where he'd been billed as a leading antipodean conservative. He'd been due to give a speech on, I don't know, let's take a guess - why bandits prefer the burqa; how plain packaging can lead to flag-burning - or something.
In any event his front-bench spot didn't even get cold before Abbott promoted New South Wales senator Arthur Sinodinos and South Australian MP Jamie Briggs to the vacancy. As it transpires, Bernardi pretty much did his boss a favour; both Sinodinos and Briggs are outstandingly talented Liberals who should have been frontbenchers long ago.
Both are very good communicators. Their obsessions, if they can be called that, are focused on policy, not ideology. Which is why they could both prove to be enormously influential and effective as the next election approaches.
Sinodinos is a former chief of staff to John Howard. He understands better than any serving Liberal - including Abbott - the pitfalls of parliamentary politics, the vagaries of election campaigns, the issues that sway electoral mood and the importance of balanced tone in national conversation.
The job of parliamentary secretary to the leader is not, when properly filled, a mere stepping stone to plusher front-bench leather. It is not a sinecure; it comes with no extra pay or staff. But when the job is done effectively (and arguably, it has not been in Bernardi's case) it offers the incumbent potentially significant influence on both policy development and strategy.
In his first interview after his promotion, Sinodinos explained his role of that of Briggs to the ABC's Lyndal Curtis: ''Part of it is . . . offering him wise counsel - but all members of the front bench are in the job of offering the leader wise counsel. Representing him on occasions. I think being a bit of a lightning rod perhaps for some on the back bench who have concerns and issues that they want to raise - not to get in the way of them being able to speak to the leader, but to have someone who is readily accessible.
''And I have an open door policy to talk to people about issues that they've got. And basically try and make sure that we get early warning of things, when there's a problem in the Coalition, and how do we work constructively on having a team approach to those problems.''
It was a candid prescription on how Abbott - who has been largely disciplined when it comes to securing away his personal preoccupations for the sake of political success - can best be helped to manage his party as the pressure to outline a succinct electoral alternative increases.
Abbott was the least likely to emerge as Liberal leader (behind Malcolm Turnbull and Joe Hockey) from the meeting that elected him almost three years ago.
The party has invested almost unprecedented faith in Abbott to deliver on the politics. Which he has done, by effectively rolling one prime minister and publicly undermining his replacement to the point where there are still suggestions the first could be returned.
But the flip-side to that has been the persistent Coalition anxiety about Abbott's plan for government - beyond merely taking government. The anxiety has morphed, at times, to anger, especially when Abbott has acted unilaterally.
The best example must be Abbott's decision to push through the party room and shadow cabinet, without endorsement, his un-funded paid parental leave scheme (a dubious policy which is to be paid for by a tax on high end business).
He explained his tactic in relation to his own party later by saying that sometimes it was better to seek forgiveness than ask permission.
This did not go down well.
The Liberal party room has invested and continues to invest enormous faith in Abbott.
Political leaders have a coded way of saying that they don't pay any attention to opinion polls - while at the same time talking up their significance, especially if they are trending their way or if any significant drop in support corresponds with a political attack on a leader's character. Lately, of course, there's been a shift, indicative rather than tectonic, in the polls.
It's been enough to intensify anxiety in the Coalition - as patience with Abbott diminishes.
To Abbott's credit, he is self-aware enough to understand this.
Which is why his appointment of Briggs, and the highly respected Sinodinos - who would be regarded as a potential future leader were he in the lower house - was so astute.
In his first interview Sinodinos said free speech was important, his predecessor Bernardi had shown a ''tin ear'' in relation to community views. But he continually brought the message back to the imperative for the Coalition to hold the government to account on spending - and, not least, to develop sound alternative policies of its own.
''At the end of the day, the [opinion] polls are looking at a change of government and so [Abbott's] role is to keep rolling out alternative policies as well as keeping the Government accountable.'' Music to many Liberal ears.
We'll see a lot more of Arthur.
Twitter @PPDaley