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Jos Creese, CIO for Hampshire County Council, is in the middle of completing a major project on the day that Computing interviews him. Called the "Internal Integrated Business Centre", the service brings together HR, finance, procurement and various other internal functions into a single self-service application accessible over mobile.
The project, which took 12 months to deliver, was developed in tandem with Hampshire's fire and police services, both of whom will be live on the same platform later this year. Creese calls it "true modernisation by digital means".
"It gives access to everybody, not just those who work in headquarters," Creese says. "It empowers staff, supports mobile and flexible working, reduces administration as there's less need for manual checking, and speeds up transactions, including payments to suppliers.
"Not everybody's doing this sort of thing yet, but everyone should be to get better value from their IT investment," he argues.
And the plan is to extend this functionality to the big back-end systems too, with Creese stating that the council's SAP system could be made "more accessible and intuitive for everyday users who need a few simple functions".
Besides this project, Creese cites three drivers that determine his priorities in IT: efficiency, service improvement, and productivity and partnership. He explains that the principles of online self-service tick each of these boxes.
"We need to save money in the public sector, so being as efficient as possible through the best use of IT is fundamental. We know we want to improve customer service and meet the growing demand for public services that are better designed around individuals and communities. But how can we do this while also delivering better outcomes? Online self-service can do both, it puts control in the hands of the user. What's important is to design interfaces so citizens can do what they want, when they want and how they want. It's better, simpler, and cheaper," he says.
And this "growing demand" for public services, Creese adds, means that front-line staff need to be even more productive.
"Staff don't want to be tied to the IT, they want the IT to work for them, with better and more agile services at the point of delivery," he says.
Creese explains that enabling mobile and flexible working can drive productivity, or it can be a cost saving – but it's rarely both.
"Flexible working is about the ability to access systems on the move, rather than travelling to a point of presence, and being able to communicate in real time with service users and colleagues. It can deliver efficiency as well as productivity. But some initiatives will save cash, yet not make us more productive, sometimes it's the other way round. We need to do both, and when investing in technology, you need to be clear which outcomes are desired: productivity, efficiency, service improvement or all three."
Flexible working at Hampshire County Council means that Creese is able to work in any one of the organisation's 1,200 buildings which are connected to the Hampshire PSN (Public Sector Network), and have access to the same desktop, or indeed enjoy the same connectivity from home. And this extends to staff, too.
"It's also possible to use your own device with remote access, so staff can use the devices they're familiar with when and where they want. More people can then access basic transactions and the information they need using a range of devices from any location. The point is that IT is moving to a new world where the large cumbersome back-office systems lie behind a range of consumer-driven, low cost access devices and tools."
Having discussed efficiency, and productivity and partnership, Creese expands on the other driver: service improvement. He explains that the focus is user-centric, with services designed around the people who will be using them. All of this fits in with the government's Digital by Default agenda, but Creese is aware that the rush to digital risks leaving some users behind.
"There's an argument to ensure we don't disenfranchise the user in the rush to digital, but if you design services well with a view to ease of access and usability, then it can be extremely effective in empowering people and giving them more, not less, control. It needs to be cheaper, intuitive, trusted and relevant."Cyber threats
All of which sounds very positive and progressive, but Creese is all too aware of the potential dangers in mobile working, and providing internet access to services – an area in which he sees room for improvement in the private sector.
"Some parts of the private sector have not yet woken up to the potential scale and impact of some of the cyber threats out there. The public sector is often more aware of those risks, and we are closely scrutinised by the press.
"We hold a lot of sensitive personal data and we need to protect the public data we own. Yet the public is not as trusting of the public sector holding their data as we need them to be if we're going to implement these new digital services – there is a balance to be struck between need for rigour and protection, against the need for flexible and modern operation."
So does Creese feel that the public sector is getting this balance right?
"We haven't always. We can err on the side of protecting against every level of risk, but instead we need a base level of security against which we apportion judgement."
And this over-caution means that the public sector can sometimes miss out on the value of linking data together, or sharing it with partner organisations, Creese argues.
He explains that his organisation won't link data if the Data Protection Act, PSN Code of Compliance or other policy won't allow it. But he adds that making those connections, if done safely and securely, could save money and improve services.
"These issues need to be solved nationally, [we need] an accredited framework for sharing information appropriately and safely between 'blue light' services and local councils, for example.
Different funding regimes, protocols, standards, governance and processes can make this unnecessarily hard," he says.
He adds that even with this tendency to be risk averse in the public sector, public perception of local authorities' ability to safeguard data is unreasonably low.
"The bottom line is ensuring we can maintain and improve public trust in managing their data. Local governments do this quite well, but I don't think that's the perception of the public. There are a few high-profile cases of data being lost, but it's the same in the private sector as well," he argues.
For Creese, this is a crucial point, because until public trust in the capabilities of the public sector rises, it will not be able to realise the full potential of its digital services.
"If we can't make the right connections between health, social care, and community services, then we can't help [people]," Creese says.
And he adds that the public needs to be involved in the choice about how their data is used.A national debate
"We need a national debate around how to improve digital services without people becoming disenfranchised or unempowered, without feeling we're doing things without their consent, and this needs policy thinking up front. For example, everyone should have access to their health record in full in my opinion. But how can we do that so it's safe, and won't be misused? Once we work that out, then we can make connections, and put the public in control."
He admits that these links will be technically complex, due to the different systems in his council alone between social care and health, let alone the myriad systems used across the country. But he adds that a key consideration, once the complexities have been ironed out, is that the solution is designed in a transparent way so the public can see that it's in their interests.
"Consider junk email or late night phone calls from companies, they're very annoying, [and the result of an] abuse of our data. Generally, the public sector does not do that. We need to shift the mind-set so that if you trust anyone with your data, it's the public sector, because we take that very seriously.
"Most data breaches are incompetence rather than technology failing. You can put any amount of technology control in place to stop [breaches] happening – so encryption is important for instance, but it's about the responsibility that individuals have, the guidance they follow, and the common-sense they apply that minimises the risk. It's down to people at the end of the day."
But this concern for safeguarding information hasn't put Creese off the drive for big data, confident as he is in his organisation's ability to manage it properly. However, he does admit that the level of sophistication necessary to gain enough value from big data to improve public services doesn't yet exist.
"There's lots of data out there, but we're not yet clever enough at making the connections in that data that will provide intelligence to improve service delivery."
But projects to bring different datasets together from various partner organisations have already borne fruit. One example is the "Hampshire Hub", a website pooling geographical and other information from various councils and other bodies in and around Hampshire – and administered by Hampshire County Council's Research & Intelligence unit.
Nevertheless, Creese is worried that big data is being over-sold.
"My concern is that 'Big Data' is one of these hype cycle things. It's fashionable and exciting, but
Tesco knew about it in the 1990s, and they recognised even then how hard it is to analyse the data.
"Joining these systems together and making connections requires data quality and compatibility, and massive processing. Public service organisations need to think know how they want to use this in the future, but [they should] focus on 'little data' first – the stuff you know you can use and link in a meaningful way."
He explains that much as he'd like to make clever connections with data gleaned from social media, he lacks the necessary tools, and adds that the public sector cannot invest time and money into new technologies without a clear plan to generate a return on that investment.
"We can't afford to look back in two years and wish we hadn't started. We need to plan carefully to avoid a long trawl of expensive blind alleys," he states.
But he does see opportunities in the realm of "cognitive IT" – using information that the public sector naturally captures about an individual, such as their library use, and using it to tailor their services.
"Once we know what services you've used in the past, we can join that data together – in the same way as the private sector does to sell more and target their advertising – to target our services better," says Creese.
"If we provide the right service at the right time, it can improve that service and reduce cost. Like providing the right support for a vulnerable child early enough, it's great for them and it will save [public] money. But will the public want us to do this? It comes back to trust and ensuring the citizen is in control of their data," he concludes.


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We have updated our Privacy Policy and encourage you to read it by clicking here.
In one fell swoop, AWS has:
Legitimized Private Cloud as a reasonable, needed, and prudent step toward Cloud adoption for enterprises,
Substantiated the value proposition of Private Cloud as a way of removing a barrier to Cloud entry for enterprises, and
Validated the ultimate vision toward hybrid Clouds and Inter-Cloud
I often get asked to define "The Cloud," especially because of the many permutations that different vendors use in trying to make their existing businesses look like a cloud offering. I define the cloud by it benefits, as those are very clear. What are called private clouds have little of these benefits and as such, I don't think of them as true clouds.
The cloud:
Eliminates Cost. The cloud changes capital expense to variable expense and lowers operating costs. The utility-based pricing model of the cloud combined with its on-demand access to resources eliminates the needs for capital investments in IT Infrastructure. And because resources can be released when no longer needed, effective utilization rises dramatically and our customers see a significant reduction in operational costs.
Is Elastic. The ready access to vast cloud resources eliminates the need for complex procurement cycles, improving the time-to-market for its users. Many organizations have deployment cycles that are counted in weeks or months, while cloud resources such as Amazon EC2 only take minutes to deploy. The scalability of the cloud no longer forces designers and architects to think in resource-constrained ways and they can now pursue opportunities without having to worry how to grow their infrastructure if their product becomes successful.
Removes Undifferentiated "Heavy Lifting."The cloud let its users focus on delivering differentiating business value instead of wasting valuable resources on the undifferentiated heavy lifting that makes up most of IT infrastructure. Over time Amazon has invested over $2B in developing technologies that could deliver security, reliability and performance at tremendous scale and at low cost. Our teams have created a culture of operational excellence that power some of the world's largest distributed systems. All of this expertise is instantly available to customers through the AWS services.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
You're invited to watch what is possibly the weirdest, most incomprehensible short film ever made (if you discount everything from Cyriak Harris). Sunspring was written by an artificial intelligence program. It&rsq...http://www.neatorama.com/2016/06/10/Sunspring-a-Movie-Made-by-Algorithm/
Today's CommitStrip bemoans the unbelievable... ...ust the "recommendations" selected by algorithms that go by your browsing history? Maybe, if you t...http://www.neatorama.com/2016/02/24/Trust-the-Artificial-Intelligence-No/
(Video Link)As video game quality goes... ...nes to help keep those file sizes manageable- the algorithm .Revision is a programming demoparty held in Saarb...http://www.neatorama.com/2014/04/28/Incredible-Animation-Generated-By-Code-That-Fits-On-A-Floppy-Disk/
If you've been around for a while, you probably kn... ...engineer at IBM in 1954. Originally patented, the algorithm is now in the public domain and a Worldwide stand... ...ber having the correct check digit), but the Luhn algorithm is clever in that it detects any single error (ge...http://www.neatorama.com/2013/07/24/How-Credit-Card-Numbers-are-Determined/
Image: Jeremyville Actually, it's... ...oduct engineered according to a complex algorithm called the "Black Book":... ...other attributes of each batch of raw juice. The algorithm then tells Coke how to blend batches...http://www.neatorama.com/2013/02/05/Simply-Orange-is-Anything-But-Simple/
In the future all cartoons and comics will be drawn by robots, and they will be extremely strange looking and incomprehensible to humans.Want proof? Check out these odd cartoon faces which were all drawn by a computer vi...http://www.neatorama.com/2012/12/22/Weird-Cartoon-Faces-All-Drawn-By-An-Algorithm/
The Making of a Fly by Peter Lawrence is a well-re... ...f sorts, with the prices rising daily by a steady algorithm . Profnath's price was always lower, but both sell...http://www.neatorama.com/2011/04/23/a-23-million-book-about-flies/


text:
Duff & Phelps Advised Organic Resource Management Inc. on its Sale to Walker Industries Holdings Limited
Transaction Description
Organic Resource Management Inc. ("ORMI"), a public company that traded on the TSX Venture Exchange under the ticker symbol "ORI", was acquired through a plan of arrangement by Walker Industries Holdings Limited ("Walker"). The transaction closed on December 14, 2012.
About Organic Resource Management Inc.
Organic Resource Management is Canada's largest provider of vacuum truck services for the collection, processing and recycling of food-related organic residuals into feedstock for biogas renewable energy production. ORMI services in excess of 10,000 grease interceptors for industrial, commercial and institutional food-industry customers across Canada on a regularly-scheduled basis. These services are a critical component of current program initiatives in North American landfill waste diversion and wastewater treatment. The Company employs over 100 people at its transfer station facilities and at its corporate office located in Woodbridge, Ontario.
About Walker Industries Holdings Limited
Walker Industries is a private company based in Niagara Falls, ON. Walker's businesses include aggregates, construction, emulsions, environmental project management, waste management, renewable energy projects and green building.
Role of Duff & Phelps
Duff & Phelps was engaged by the special committee of the board of directors of ORMI to serve as its exclusive financial advisor in connection with a review of strategic alternatives that resulted in the sale of ORMI. Duff & Phelps performed extensive pre-marketing diligence to understand the business and develop an appropriate positioning strategy. Working closely with ORMI's management team, Duff & Phelps developed and executed a marketing process that could maximize the value for ORMI's shareholders. Duff & Phelps also rendered a fairness opinion in connection with the transaction.


text: uOn Tue, 27 May 2003, Andrea Arcangeli wrote:> On Tue, May 27, 2003 at 08:08:43PM +0200, Marc-Christian Petersen wrote:> > On Tuesday 27 May 2003 19:57, Marcelo Tosatti wrote:> >> > Hi Marcelo,> >> > > > I do, people I know do also, numbers of those people only _I_ know are> > > > about ~30. I've reported this problem over a year ago while 2.4.19-pre> > > > time.> > > Can you please try to reproduce it with -aa?> > not again ;)> >> > I've tried almost all known kernel tree's around, every kernel has the same> > effect. I even tried SuSE and Redhat Kernels.> >> > I've 'wasted' tons of time just find a solution for it.> >> > Andrea introduced, to address _exact_ this problem (pauses, stops, mouse is> > dead etc.), his lowlatency elevator. Side effect: decreases i/o throughput,>> not exactly decreases I/O throughput, the latest I/O benchmarks I seen> from Randy (dbench/tiotest/bonnie/etc..) were still the fastest and it> included the lowlatency elevator patch. So it may not help latency but> it doesn't hurt in the numbers, at least not in the high end (that in> theory is the one that needs the overkill length in the I/O queue most).>> However it definitely helps latency for me and I had a number of> positive reports.>> Also make sure that you elvtune -r 0 -w 0 /dev/hda, also the journaling> may affect the latency so you can try with plain ext2 to be sure it's> not a fs issue.>> the lowlatency elevator patch may not be perfect but it definitely seems> to work better here. especially since there's no apparent throughput> loss, it makes lots of sense to keep it applied, or it would waste lots> of ram for apparently no gain.Andrea,It seems your "fix-pausing" patch is fixing a potential wakeupmiss, right? (I looked quickly throught it). Could you explain me theproblem its trying to fix and how?Its too late to fix that in 2.4.21 (rc5 is going out in hours).-To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" inthe body of a message to firstname.lastname@example.com majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.htmlPlease read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/


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Siemens Transportation Systems (STS) relies on Kontron Transportation high-end technology to design new, successful products. Kontron 6U CompactPCI, 19 inches/84TE meets highest constraining railway requirements and norms. This system is composed of 2 calculators networked with a permanent Ethernet connection installed in the underground driving cab.
It allows following functionalities:
Permanently connected to the centralized driving cab, this system guarantees to its owners a perfect reactivity and a real time management of all vehicles.


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Last week, I was on a chicken kick and made Michelle's Mediterranean Chicken Salad from her guest post over at Smoothie Girl.
Bird Vs. Bean
{ 75 comments }
- October 28, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Still haven't tried tempeh but yours looks like meatloaf, so I would probably try that without fear.
Hey, I just realized that Zesty must have been two-timing us 😉
- October 28, 2009 at 8:16 am
Wow – I am loving the new site layout! Clean and fresh! 😀
Healthy Eating
- October 28, 2009 at 7:36 am
Loving the get up Heabs! You know how I feel about tempeh 🙂
- October 28, 2009 at 7:23 am
I looove tempeh too. It looks a little scary, but the taste is just so good. I need to experiment making it in different ways. Love the food as always 🙂
- October 28, 2009 at 7:02 am
Hey Heather! The blog banner is looking great!
I've yet to try tempeh due to not-so-good experiences with tofu. I love the "good germs" and my sister-in-law speaks highly of it as well so it will make it to my plate soon.
Have a great day! We could use some sun up here in Ohio, too.
- October 28, 2009 at 6:47 am
I've actually never tried tempeh yet–so I must!
- October 28, 2009 at 6:32 am
That chicken salad looks so good! I've never had Tempeh. I hear it's amazing though! 🙂 Love the new header!
- October 28, 2009 at 6:31 am
I have loved tempeh when made by others, but I haven't made a particularly successful dish yet. I'll have to try again. I've also never cooked with Braggs. I'll have to do some more research.
I can't wait to try your Kabocha though – looks amazing.
- October 27, 2009 at 10:05 pm
Hey Heather!
Love the new layout! The pictures look great!
I had Tempeh for the first time last week, and I must say, I prefer it to Tofu! I love all the big hunks of veggies packed into every bite :D!
- October 27, 2009 at 8:45 pm
eatmovelove – besides making you gassy, the jury's still out on soy & women's health/thyroid in particular. I can only speak for myself but since I have a thyroid condition I try to avoid it. (I say "try" because one of my new fave things has a bit of soy in it and I ignore it. I'm not perfect.)
- October 27, 2009 at 8:35 pm
So glad you tried (and liked!) the recipe! I am going to have to try it w/ tempeh now. Having vegan parents, I have definitely tried it before but it's been a while.
You inspired me to get some brussels goin' in the kitchen the other night! 😉
Good luck on the blog transition … Am looking forward to the new look as I am Lara's!
- October 27, 2009 at 8:20 pm
i haven't been able to view your blog either than the mobile version lately but i wanted to say i love the new header!!!
- October 27, 2009 at 8:30 pm
Melissa S. Thanks. I love it too. 🙂
- October 27, 2009 at 8:01 pm
We have a Mac too! Have thought about trying Ecto but have not got around to it. We are still searching for something…hopefully soon us MAC users will have a good blogging software ; )
We are not big soy people, does not sit well with our stomachs. We actually never really liked tofu…couldn't stand the texture. But in the past had tempeh a few times and liked it.
- October 27, 2009 at 7:29 pm
Okay…so why are alot of people against tofu and soy by the way? Is it because the soy is fermented and difficult to digest? What kind of 'symptoms' do you get ?! Like, 'digestion' stuff (bloating, indigestion, reflux…is that what you mean??).
I will definitely be doing the tempeh soon Heather! I'll post pics when I do. Tonight I had tuna (yum first time in a while) and a 'boat-load' of veggies – I too eat a ridiculous amount…with spaghetti sauce of course 🙂 (i've got a problem I know it's not normal…)
Oh and one more question!! – what's your take on meat and vegetarianism/veganism, etc…it seems that so many people/blogs are all about not eating meat and overload of protein, etc…have you heard of Vega products and "Thrive Diet"…similar type of concept…
I'm very confused with it all. And wonder if I would serve my body/running performance better by fueling it differently? But at the same time , I don't want to 'eliminate' anything from my diet and some days I just feel like chicken or fish or eggs and I also adooooore cheese…
Any opinions (from you or anyone !) Thanks! (Oh and love the header – yummy)
- October 27, 2009 at 7:52 pm
I'll email you here in just a bit.
- October 27, 2009 at 7:08 pm
I have never tried tempeh but that all looks amazing. I will need to have some in the future, for sure!
- October 27, 2009 at 6:41 pm
I love tempeh too, but I was wondering, why do you say you love fermented vegetables? Is it just for the taste, or do fermented foods have particular health benefits? Thanks Heather!
- October 27, 2009 at 7:20 pm
MarathonVal, I posted about the health benefits of fermented foods here: http://heathereatsalmondbutter.com/2009/05/30/dont-fear-the-good-bacteria/. 🙂
- October 27, 2009 at 6:16 pm
Heather, would you believe I've never had tempeh?! Nope, I haven't.
I'm not really a "tofu person" so I guess that's why I've never tried it – that, and I try to stay away from soy in general.
And about the publishing program, I'm using Windows Live Writer (just the last couple of posts) and I'm loving it!
How exciting about the new blog design. It's always neat to experiment and upgrade and see new designs. 🙂
- October 27, 2009 at 7:18 pm
Michele, I've heard only amazing things about Windows Live Writer, but I'm a Mac. I think I can make it compatible, but I'd have to buy a bunch of software. Maybe they'll make it easier someday b/c I never want to go back to a PC. Love my computer.
- October 27, 2009 at 6:01 pm
Love tempeh, but I'm meh on the Braggs, though I do use it. Funny story: this weekend I didnt have any worceshire sauce for bloody marys to serve the familia in honor of Annie RHo's birthday (or it being noon), so I spritzed a couple of Braggs squirts and they said that they were YUMM. I did have one myself and it was good! So there's another use for Braggs! Bottom's up! 🙂 Sooooo off topic, but oh well! 🙂 Miss you!
- October 27, 2009 at 5:22 pm
Got any other good Tempeh recipes. I just bought some but don't know what to do with it.
I just made my first Kabocha tonight. I steamed it and then purreed it with cinnamon, nutmeg, agave and almond milk. So delicious like pudding. I even added some pumpkin granola on top and loved it 🙂
- October 27, 2009 at 5:48 pm
Missyrayn, My favorite way to eat tempeh is to marinate it in Braggs and roast it in a 400 degree oven for about 15 to 20 minutes. However, you can use it in any recipe as you would chicken or tofu. Love it!
So glad you found a kabocha. Your *pudding* sound delicious…especially with the crunchy granola topping. Yum.
- October 27, 2009 at 4:53 pm
I haven't tried tempeh yet… some people says it lacks flavor, others love it. So I guess I need to try it to give my own opinion.
which brand do you use Heather?
- October 27, 2009 at 5:43 pm
Balancejoyanddelicias, I usually just buy the Trader Joe's brand. It's cheap and good. 🙂
- October 27, 2009 at 4:48 pm
Need to make this recipe SOON! I've been slacking on making meals, we've been so busy and so tired. Seems like most lunches and dinners are raw veggies with hummus, or green monsters. Something prepared sounds decadent right now!
I too prefer tempeh to tofu. Not a tofu fan at all. I forgot to pick up almond butter yesterday, have to run back to the health food store today and will snag some tempeh while I'm at it to try this recipe with. Thanks for sharing!
- October 27, 2009 at 4:05 pm
hello love bug!!!
Girl.. almond butter is so yummy. Just had to say that. Hope your brussel sprouts and temph and kabacha were yummy!
Did you know I've never eaten any of those 3 things, like ever? hehe I know, I don't get out much. 😉 hehe
Love you, my friend. It's raining today in Indiana too, did get in a short walk to the store for walnuts. I made some new cookies for D today. Okay, gotta clean my kitchen… Ab is done with her homework at last. Almost time for KNITTNG! 😀
I might have to eat some beans tomorrow… you made me hungry for my black bean and pumpkin combo. Do beans count as a veggie? hmm. I am thinking yes. 🙂
- October 27, 2009 at 4:28 pm
Polly, I don't know about the beans, but the pumpkin should cover your veggie quota for the day. 🙂
- October 27, 2009 at 3:18 pm
I'm a Tempeh virgin, but my mom ate it once and said it tasted like the sole of a homeless man's shoe. Like Averie, I also avoid soy so there's two reasons I can live without it. Not to say never, just highly unlikely.
I post pics quickly through WordPress but I do reformat them with Photoshop Elements first. I make them smaller and save for web. That's what takes the longest – then they upload super fast, but then again I post smaller pics.
Seattle's full of rain (what a shock) and I have a cold so life is moving at a snail's pace lately.
Weird – my smoke/carbon monoxide detector went off the other day when I ran the Vitamix. It's now down on the counter with the battery removed. Big help it's doing there!
Good luck dealing with your frustrations! At least your eats look fabulous!
- October 27, 2009 at 2:22 pm
I definitely prefer meat over tempeh. I don't mind eating it, but I have kinda of "hide it" in things.
- October 27, 2009 at 2:10 pm
thanks for the link! i'm looking for all new ways to incorporate veggies!
- October 27, 2009 at 2:05 pm
Hi Heather!
Tempeh-No b/c I am anti soy. I did make a salad dressing using 1 Tbsp of vegan mayo that has canola and soy in it, but that 1 Tbsp lasts me like half a week. I reallly avoid soy. I have some chronic health conditions that I dont blog about but when I eat soy, I feel it, period. So I just avoid. Tempeh is a big fat no-no for me. Even fermented food love still no-go.
Smoke alarm-Brand new house and mine was going off twice in the last 4 days. I about flipped a lid. Once was from cooking and yesterday it was from running the a/c. Was 88F here yesterday.
Roasted a squash in your honor today 🙂
Ecto-OMG IT ATE TWO POSTS OF MINE. And I never used it again. I cannot tell you how much I freaked. Freaked. I am a Firefox MAC user. Perhaps it's better/easier for PCs, but if I was on a PC I'd be using Windows Live WRiter as I hear that's the best. But for MAC there is nothing. There is anohter one that I forget the name of but I also hated it. It required an extra step to upload pics to Flickr first.
What are you using now? Or before your trial of the new software?
- October 27, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Averie, I was just blogging through Wordpress, and it took sooooo long to upload pictures. Ecto is much faster, but I'm still trying to figure it all out and actually missing some of the things that Wordpress allowed me to do. I think it will just take getting used to something new.
- October 27, 2009 at 1:40 pm
oh tempeh!! it has been wayyyyyyyyy too long. I miss that soybean of love. love the little protein LOTS OF VEGGIES. my fav. way to eat.
gluck with the new blog design and smoke alarms!!!
smoke alarms can be such pains in the bottom!
- October 27, 2009 at 1:21 pm
Ok, I guess I'm going to have to give tempeh another try. I tried it once but it could have been the recipe I made…does it take on the flavor of what you marinade it in like tofu does? Or does it already have a flavor of its own that is only enhanced by certain spices?
Oh and the rain–must be the rainy weather traveled down to you. This summer in Boston, it rained for 6 weeks straight…no joke…from the end of May, all of June, and then again the second half of July..luckily the weather in VA has been much better. I know how you feel…like it's never ending. Keep your head up! It could be snow and ice!
- October 27, 2009 at 1:37 pm
Nicole, Tempeh kind of has its own flavor. In fact, I like eating it plain straight from the package. However, my favorite way to eat it is to squirt it with Braggs and roast in the oven. I like it better than tofu b/c you don't have to press water out of it, an it's more dense. It's chewy rather than slimy. So, it will take on a flavor from a marinade, but not always required in my opinion.
- October 27, 2009 at 1:07 pm
Oh wow! Tempeh chicken salad? I will need to make that, asap! 😀
- October 27, 2009 at 12:47 pm
I agree-nuttier is better! 🙂 I had a Reuben which used tempeh at a local restaurant and it was ah-mazing!
- October 27, 2009 at 12:40 pm
I love tempeh so much that I eat pieces of it broken right off the cake. No cooking or seasoning…I know, I'm a freak.
- October 27, 2009 at 12:42 pm
Lily, I do the same thing!
- October 27, 2009 at 12:28 pm
I adore tempeh! I don't have it very often though because it is hard to find around here. Bummer because your meal sounds fantastic!
- October 27, 2009 at 12:28 pm
I haven't had tempeh in a long time. I don't love it but I don't hate it either.
- October 27, 2009 at 12:04 pm
Your steamed veggies always look so yummy in photos! Makes me want to cook up a batch of brocc and brussel sprouts!
- October 27, 2009 at 11:39 am
It took me awhile to get the hang of Tempeh, but it's definitely grown on me and now I love it…I'll have to try out this recipe, looks good!
- October 27, 2009 at 11:28 am
I picked up Tempeh the other day – but have no idea what to do with it! Seems like I'll get a few good ideas here! Can I treat it the same as tofu…just grill it or bake it in the oven? I do eat tofu but want to try tempeh as I heard it's supposed to be 'better' than you than the other soy products? My stomach is weird to everything really…so I have no idea if it's really soy it's sensitive to or not.
- October 27, 2009 at 11:30 am
EatMoveLove, Yep, just cook it up like you would tofu, except you don't have to press any water out of the tempeh. Tempeh is fermented making the proteins easier to digest. Can't wait to hear what you think!
- October 27, 2009 at 11:28 am
I baked up my first kabocha a few days ago and I already got another one from the farmer's market! I'm a tempeh lover, I also like the nuttiness. Happy Tuesday!
- October 27, 2009 at 11:25 am
oooooo i will try that tempeh recipe! i'm currently not a fan, but i guess it's that i don't exactly know what to do with it 🙂
- October 27, 2009 at 11:18 am
I've never tried tempeh! I've heard good things about it, so I hope to try it soon.
Your blog always make me want almond butter and we are out of it here! Hopefully some is coming soon. 🙂
- October 27, 2009 at 11:15 am
I've only been able to find pre-seasoned tempeh burgers in these parts. I kinda go back and forth with it. Some days I loooove it (same as you, it's a texture thing) other days I think it tastes like old socks. I'd really like to try just the plain tempeh blocks so I can make up my mind already 😛
- October 27, 2009 at 11:06 am
I love tempeh too! Looks good 🙂
- October 27, 2009 at 11:02 am
I definitely don't eat it often, but I am a tempeh fan– one of the few sources of soy I rarely eat. Much better than tofu too! But ya know what I do eat of lot of- KABOCHA. SO GOOD! Maybe someday we will share our love of Kabocha together and have a Kabocha feast. Until then…
- October 27, 2009 at 11:02 am
Kabocha, my love!!!!!!!
- October 27, 2009 at 10:42 am
Tempeh definitely takes getting used to, but I love how nutty it is too! And as much as I love my veggies, there's something nice about biting into something you can tell is more calorically-dense. And in a good way! I'm so done buying tofu…not that it was a staple to begin with…bring me tempeh and miso and I'll be soy happy. 😛
So when you have a sec, have a look at the pics of that oat groat bread I made after reading about it here. Mine was all floppy like a flatbread – not cakey at all, which is what I expected from your picture. Don't get me wrong, it was DELICIOUSSSSSS, but totally not what I anticipated! Carb-huggable nonetheless. 🙂
- October 27, 2009 at 10:41 am
I adore both tempeh and tofu. I do think I would prefer the chicken version though. 😉
- October 27, 2009 at 10:28 am
I love tempeh! I like it more than tofu actually.
- October 27, 2009 at 10:27 am
Brussels sprouts make any dish divine. Great dinner!
- October 27, 2009 at 10:25 am
Ugh, the smoke alarm. Is it hard-wired into your home? Mine was, and I seriously considered jumping off the second-floor balcony when it wouldn't stop beeping. I had to call my boyfriend and have him mess around with the wiring so it would stop. Although I had to buy a new one because the parts that I did get off the alarm had been shattered into a million pieces (by me smashing them with a hammer in frustration? nooo… never… what kind of crazed individual would do such a thing? ;))
- October 27, 2009 at 10:37 am
JessicaR, Not sure, but the beeping has stopped now…was about to grab the hammer myself. 🙂
- October 27, 2009 at 10:20 am
Definite tempeh lover here. I love its nuttiness. But I'm not sure how I would go about flavoring tempeh and preparing it myself in a dorm, so I usually get premarinated tempehtation or fakin' bacon tempeh
- October 27, 2009 at 10:20 am
Hi Heather,
Two questions-
How do you roast your kabocha?? because mine tends to fall apart unlike yours all nice and intact. Second I was wondering if you or anyone have ever used a yogurt maker to make oatgurt. Thanks so much for your help inadvane.
take care,
- October 27, 2009 at 10:40 am
Ozlen, Scott in OH used his yogurt maker for oagurt, and I posted about it here: http://heathereatsalmondbutter.com/2009/08/15/im-completely-out-of-jay-robb/ .
As far as roasting kabocha goes, I slice my little pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds, and place the halves face down on a cutting board. I then slice it into strips – about 1/2″ thick and roast on parchment lined baking sheets (usually takes 2) in a 425º oven for 40 to 50 minutes. Comes out perfect every time, and I usually just eat it plain.
- October 27, 2009 at 10:18 am
..I feel your pain with the smoke alarm… have lived that…
Roasted kabocha squash slices with the rinds almost cut off this AM. The thin remaining part tasted like potato skin that way…yummm
…i haven't eaten Wilson yet… But his days are numbered…
Cooked that orange "almost hat kabocha-nut" squash whole in the oven…sent it in to work with Paul! Very mushy…but he loved it…
Can wait to see the new HEABS webpage design…
- October 27, 2009 at 10:14 am
Haven't tried tempeh yet, but neat idea using it in the recipe instead of chicken!
Good luck with all the computer stuff!
- October 27, 2009 at 10:07 am
It's crazy, but I used to HATE tempeh and nooch, and now I LOVE them both! I had to ease my way in with the tempeh, starting first with the fakin' bacon, but now I just love it! I'm going to try a tempeh stroganoff recipe on my man this week and see if I can make him feel the love too 🙂
- October 27, 2009 at 10:16 am
Mama Pea, Please let me know if the stroganoff recipe works. 😉
- October 27, 2009 at 10:07 am
Never actually tried Tempeh! Its texture always looks strange to me–but I have a feeling I'd like it.
- October 27, 2009 at 10:06 am
Good luck with the technical problems! I've never tried tempeh either, I can't believe it 😉 I need to get on that, I'm sure I would love it.
- October 27, 2009 at 10:05 am
I've never tried Tempeh. I'm a sinner.
- October 27, 2009 at 10:04 am
I have never even tried tempeh before. But it sounds tempting 😛
I don't even know if I can buy it here in the UK?! Beats me!!
- October 27, 2009 at 9:58 am
Very cool- love the two different takes on 1 recipe. I liked the taste of tempeh but the texture drove me nuts 🙁
- October 27, 2009 at 9:58 am
Heather, I tried roasting squash in the oven the other night and LOVED it! Thanks for the great idea!
- October 27, 2009 at 9:57 am
Your salad looks delicious.. I need to try that out. You're like me.. I always have more veggies on my plate than protein. YA for the roasted kabocha.. YUM! 🙂
- October 27, 2009 at 9:56 am
I LOVE tempeh! I could seriously eat it everyday. Your "chicken" salad looks delicious. 🙂
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Conduit 2
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UltimateFlame13 7 years ago#1
Table of Contents
1. General Comments
2. Story
3. Gameplay
4. Weapons
5. Multiplayer
6. Useful Links
1. General Comments
I'm going to have to ask you guys to send in new sticky requests. This new version will give me a chance to add in the new info released yesterday, and to fix a few typos here and there.
Conduit 2 has been announced and with that came a good chunk of info. While we do not know too much, I thought it was enough to at least start an easy to find topic that has all of this info organized in one place. Hopefully anyone that just heard about this games announcement will find this useful. Keep in mind that some of this information may or may not change throughout the games development. I'll try to keep posting new info in this as it comes until an updated topic is created.
2. Story
"...it's going to feel more like a full-blown science fiction adventure than an episode of the X-files" - Olson
High Voltage Software is giving more focus to the story of the game than they did on the first conduit. The story will revolve around what happens after Mr. Ford rushed through the conduit in the ending of the previous game. He will soon learn that there are other aliens similar to Adams. These aliens control different territories around the world. What makes Adams different is that he has been more successful than the other aliens, and now the ambitious Adams wants to take over the rest of the world. Ford now has to enlist the help of the other aliens in order to take down Adams.
The game itself starts up right after the first game with Ford out in the middle of the ocean after he charged through the conduit. He comes across a facility filled with hostile enemies just waiting to gun him down. This will all lead up to a battle against a sea serpent who is attacking the facility. Fords own weapons won't be able to damage it, so he will have to rely on turrets and a harpoon on the turrets to take the creature out before it destroys the generators that are powering the turrets.
Throughout the game you will be using Atlantis as a hub. There will be multiple portals in Atlantis that lead to different parts of the world, and you will have some freedom in choosing what area you want to go into first. One of these will lead back to Washington D.C. to recover an artifact from the Smithsonian. Battles within the city between Drudge and Trust are still happening, so Ford will have to work his way through these sides already battling each other.
3. Gameplay
First off the control system from the first game is back. For those of you who do not know this means the controls will be fully customizable. The control mapping customizable and more technical details like the size of the dead zone, running speed, turning speed, the cursors sensitivity to movement, horizontal look angle, vertical look angle, allowing you to turn when the cursor is off screen, and if the cursor auto-centers itself when pointed off screen are as well.
Many complaints about the first game were with the monotonous level design and the constant hallways. Conduit 2 will not be plagued by these same problems because HVS are designing more intricate levels with multi-tiered areas, big vistas, and multiple pathways. There will also be a variety of environments that you visit such as Atlantis, Agartha, Washington D.C., and Siberia.
UltimateFlame13 (Topic Creator)7 years ago#2
The enemies will be more varied and seem more alive then they did in the previous game. The enemies will no longer just sit and wait there for you to show up before they do anything. In certain areas there will be AI fighting AI as you enter. Enemies will also use the environment more now. One example is the AI will knock over a soda machine to use for cover. The enemies you fight will be specific to the areas that you visit. In Atlantis there will be thirty foot tall guardians, in siberia there will be robotic dogs that will come after you if you are detected by security.
The AI's intelligence has been upgraded as well. They now can use any weapon, and their AI will change depending on what weapon they are using. For example someone using a shotgun will be focused on rushing towards you, whereas someone with a sniper rifle will try to stay back and hit you from afar. HVS has also improved the variety of enemy appearances so it's not just like you're fighting the say guy over and over again. They have made a system that they can use to mix and match different helmets, shoulder pads, etc. to create a dozen different looks. Because of this there will also be destructible armor, so you will now be able to shoot the helmet off of an enemy soldier if you wanted to.
The All-Seeing Eye is getting some improvements as well. In the previous game it allowed you to detect traps, enemies, and other secrets. HVS agrees that this was underutilized in the previous game and are going to try to correct this. There will be more puzzles and hacking games in this game. It's also going to be used as a detective tool. There will be more hidden conspiracy objects and secrets in the environment, and when you scan an object you will also get more info on it in a data log. Because the ASE is tied to Atlantis you will be able to use it to have limited control over the guardians and other denizens of the city. You will be able to either repel or attract them depending on how you use the ASE.
4. Weapons
There is not too much to put into this section yet, but HVS has revealed several new weapons, and stated that all of the older weapons will be in as well.
Vortex Cannon- By charging this weapon you can create a temporary shield that will cause incoming bullets, rockets, and grenades to float in front of you. You can then send these back at your target.
Phase Rifle- This is not only just a long ranged weapon, but it shoots through walls as well. For balance this gun will slow Ford down significantly, and once you've taken aim at your target you have to tune the weapon by twisting the wii mote.
Deployable Turret- You can set this down anywhere and control it with a hand held display that will alert you when the turret has detected someone. When it detects something you can either pull the trigger and let auto-aim go to work, or control the turret manually.
TPC Launcher Secondary Function- The TPC launcher can now lay mines around the area.
UltimateFlame13 (Topic Creator)7 years ago#3
5. Multiplayer
Conduit 2 is improving upon the online system from the first game. 12 players will be able to compete online and will be able to talk to each other with wii speak. HVS promises new online modes, but is not willing to reveal any details on the modes just yet. What they are willing to reveal is that Conduit 2 will feature a class system and a ELO matchmaking system. You will be able to set up weapon load-outs and suit upgrades (perks). This means that there will be no more weapon sets and no more voting system. New suit and weapon upgrades will be purchased through a currency system. For example you could unlock robotic legs which will allow you to sprint over longer distances. They are planning on having one primary and two secondary slots for these upgrades, but this could change. You will also have the ability to customize your characters looks using the same system that is used to customize the enemies in single player. Other new features in the gameplay will include a sprint button and the ability to revive your team mates.
Local play will now be featured in this game as well. Two to four player splitscreen will be available for all of the games competitive modes. You will also be able to team up in a co-op invasion mode (also available online), which is mostly being kept secret. At this point we do not know if there will be splitscreen online play.
6. Useful Links
Nintendo Power Article
pages in order:
Sega Q&A
you can now post
Everything I've learned about life can be summed up into three words: It goes on -Robert Frost
Waiting for Lost Planet 2, Brink, Civ V, SC2
Requested stickey!
Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: CASAKI
Offical Creater of The Conduit 2 board.
I doubt this will get sticky'd, but very comprehensive work.
Time for male modeling!
The_Shader 7 years ago#6
stickied.... come on moderaters
Sparkster returns after 15 years in..... "Rocket Knight"
The Conduit= 5113-1194-6759 Name= Shader
The_Shader 7 years ago#7
gonna need more stickies.
Sparkster returns after 15 years in..... "Rocket Knight"
The Conduit= 5113-1194-6759 Name= Shader
xIIConradIIx 7 years ago#8
Request sent old friend
The Conduit : IConradI--1977-7953-9169
Brawl FC: 1590-7662-7737
Request + 1
...*stabs j00* Number of stabs: 1006
The Conduit FC: 1333-5480-2178
drummerkid38 7 years ago#10
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Most of the characters are idiots... Romeo is a creepy stalker. The play is filled with sexual allusions.
I can't comprehend how anyone can see this play as "beautiful."
I get why its a comedy. Its funny to laugh at how stupid Shakespeare's characters are, and some of the innuendoes are funny, but, not beautiful.
The dialog is sometimes beautiful, but I cannot fathom how anyone could think that the play as a whole is beautiful.
Last Edit: 1 year 9 months ago by trumpsanidiot. Reason: grammar and shit.
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You should try and put the story in the context of 400 years ago. Maybe Romeo would be looked at as a "creepy stalker" today, but it wasn't the case at the time.
First of all, romantic teenage love is looked upon as "beautiful" when you are much older. You remember your first boyfriend/girlfriend, how impetuous you probably were, the stupid things you did, or the silly things you said. This is a normal period of everyone's life and this is eloquently depicted in the play.
The fact that the love between the two families is forbidden because they hate each other, makes it all the more dramatic. This is a timeless situation that's very common even today. Cultures that have strict rules or racial prejudices still forbid marrying outside of one's own religion, race or culture. The teens, very much in "puppy love", chose to go against those rules.
The consequences of their choice lead to a series of unfortunate events that result in their deaths. Juliet, thinking it was a good idea to drink a potion that made it seem like she was dead would be crazy today. But in that time, people very much believed in astrology, witchcraft, and medicinal drinks that could cure you of all kinds of diseases (they were really just water and herbs or other ingredients that didn't actually cure anything). Romeo, discovering Juliet's body, would be very distraught at the sight and could easily be so emotional and passionate about her so as to take his own life. Today's equivalent might be the situation when a teenage boy breaks up with a girl and she cries and swears she will never love anyone else. In truth, the sadness and heartbreak will pass, but in the moment it feels like the end of the world to her. It's similar to what Romeo felt and subsequently what Juliet felt when she finds Romeo has killed himself because he thought she was dead. Her "brilliant" plan was not really a good one—and has mortally failed.
When you consider the story of two young people in love, with the entire world against that love, and their passion and determination to be together, that's a beautiful thing. Love is above everything else, even enemies. But when that love ends in tragedy and causes more pain, Shakespeare shows us the flip side of the "coin of love"—the great euphoria is intrinsically linked to great pain. One doesn't exist without the other.
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I love your post, Ron.
Shakespeare's genius was staggering. He knew and understood everything of the human spectrum. He saw the human experience better than anyone I've ever read. He could see into the core of human emotion.
"Shakespeare - The nearest thing in incarnation to the Eye of God." -- Sir Laurence Olivier.
He captures that visceral experience of teenage love, when the passion of love is the most powerful in our lives, and the immaturity of our teenage years, when everything is new, scary, and awkward.
During this time we can't control our passions, and we are without the cynicism and the caution that comes as we get older. The love feels so pure, so furious.
It's a powder keg just waiting to go off, as well as it's a forbidden relationship that comes from two warring families.
The violence of the love and the conflict of the families are captured perfectly. I have heard about teenage love suicide pacts in today's world, and even though Romeo and Juliet didn't have a suicide pact, the outcome is still the same.
Basically, my point is that what happened in the play is still mirrored in the modern world, yet we can't quite see the the why's of the development of the human nature involved. Shakespeare could see it perfectly.
And we see at the end the tragedy that makes the play beautiful. There were only a couple of minutes between Romeo's suicide and Juliet's waking, which, had they waited, would have changed everything. But they were too young and too passionate. Their love for each other saw them both kill themselves.
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Pharrell is planning on releasing a new, untitled, book online tomorrow (April 24th).
It's hard to argue that Pharrell isn't one the biggest and hottest artist of 2014 so far. The Neptunes hitmaker has had a years worth of accomplishments already in these first few months. He's released a new album titled G I R L, signed a deal with Adidas for a clothing and shoe deal, and launched his first fragrance line. Now adding to that long list, Skateboard P is about to release a new online book tomorrow as well.
Pharrell took to twitter the other day to announce that his new, untitled, book will be released online tomorrow (April 24th). While P gave very little details on the book, he did reveal that the book will be readable online Thursday and he'll tweet the link out.
This won't be Pharrell's first book though, as he released his successful "Pharrell: Places and Spaces I've Been" back in October 2012. However, that saw physical copies whereas Thursday's release will only be online.
Check out his tweet below, and keep your eyes peeled on his timeline Thursday.
Happy...just finished my new book. You can only read it online. I'll tweet the link on Thursday. Hope you enjoy.
— Pharrell Williams (@Pharrell) April 21, 2014


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The vehicle was damaged and had to be towed from the area. Police say it will be examined by the Forensic Identification Branch.


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BIKES - due to demand, bikes are only available for same-day use. They are due back by closing each day. All other items that can be taken outside the building are due back by 4pm the day after they are checked out.
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You ask too much!! :P
But seriosly, Mickey will have a head like a watermelon soon...
Just some thoughts....
I was thinking, if you do implement someday different types of units (Tanks, Bombers, whatsoever) you couls also implement some other resources (copper, steel, carbonmines...) and use specific resources to get these units.
The other thing i´d love to see would be a historial of the exchange rates...
(How was it, by the way there are influenced by?)
Saludos, Nico
You ask too much!! :P
But seriosly, Mickey will have a head like a watermelon soon...
There was also thought previously that you would need oil (because it already is a resource) aswell as time to move troops across the map, or that troops would need oil (for machinations) and cotton (uniforms) to upkeep. Those that don't have mines would have to buy the supplies - supply and demand....
Yep. Someday hope it will be that way.
We are on our way. The bank is there. That's the first step we needed.
Yes you are right. What about a tax for moving armies. There should be a small expence for movement.Originally Posted by blitzkriegmj
Last edited by anthonywitt; 09-18-2005 at 12:35 PM.
I would like to be able to refresh an expired oil well that belongs too me using less less geos (30). The well has been drilled so the price to refresh should be less.Originally Posted by blitzkriegmj
War_Peace if there is one good answer out of many question than the many question paid for the good answer. This is called brainstorming.Originally Posted by War_Peace
Originally Posted by anthonywitt
That's the best idea I've heard yet, hate owning a bunch of useless wells and mines.
New, the Unofficial Site of GEwar. A trashtalk forum for all players. Check it out:
Now with GAMES, so even if you can't be the best at GEWar, maybe you can set some highscores.
Unfortunately that leaves noobs at a distict disadvantage. There are only a finite amount of mine/well places in the map and if all those are taken and the owners are refreshing them when they go dry, then the only source of income for the nooby is jewels, and that'd suck!Originally Posted by anthonywitt
You gotta be on the ball as does a noob to stay ahead of the pack.


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Here, then, are six essential pages to include in your site layout:
1. Home page. Every site has a home page — even if that's the only page the site has. Since this is the starting point for many visitors (especially if your SEO efforts focus on delivering people to your home page first), it's really the most important part of your site design. It should also be easily reached from everywhere else on your site; from any page (except perhaps a shopping cart page), visitors should be able to click your logo and instantly return here.
2. Blog page. As a webmaster, you have to make the decision whether to give your blog its own page on your site, or to offer it on your home page. If you choose to give it its own page, and if you then depend on the regular updates of that blog to fuel your SEO (as you should), then it's essential to feature your blog entries prominently on your home page as well, and to make sure it's easy for visitors to get to your blog from home.
3. About page. Even if you don't have much to say about yourself, don't ignore your "about" page. Most website templates (including WordPress) offer an automatic About Us page as part of the site layout, and you just have to write brief entries where applicable. This is a great chance to sell yourself. Tell visitors about why you're qualified to write about this niche, and provide a bit of humor or insight — a reason to get visitors to return.
4. Contact page. Even if you don't want people to know your physical address or phone number, it's essential to offer at least an email address where you can be reached. If you don't, you're potentially missing out on some great opportunities for linking and networking.
5. SSL / security page. If your site asks visitors at any time for personal info — and even if it doesn' t —offering a page explaining your security measures will go a long way towards giving them confidence in you. If nothing else, this page can just explain the security measures of your hosting company (most of which advertise a 99.9% uptime guarantee, and other appealing info that might convince visitors that it's okay to click on your ads).
6. Newsletter sign-up page. Since the sign-up field for your mailing list is often included "contact" or "about" pages, it's not always given its own page. And that's probably a mistake: While newsletter sign-ups should of course be added to those pages — and all of your pages, really — it also deserves its own exclusive page. Why? So you can include a "newsletter sign-up" link on your website's navigation bar (navbar) and provide users with the easiest route possible to get on your marketing list.
It might be easy to fit some of these concepts into your existing site layout; others might be more of a challenge. Either way, we advise testing and monitoring as the best means to find out if your pages and site layout are working in the way you want them to and helping visitors find their way around your site.


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Welcome from the Director
Rob Bruce, PhD
Welcome to the Friday Center for Continuing Education. In 1913 we began our work as UNC-Chapel Hill's Bureau of Extension. Today, nearly 100 years later, our role within the University has been greatly expanded, but our work still focuses on one important goal—to extend our University's remarkable resources to a broader population.
In 1991, our conference center doors opened and William and Ida Friday's vision of creating a "citizen's classroom" was realized. That vision has never been more apt than it is today. Technological advances and economic shifts are reshaping the traditional university education. Working adults are heading back to school to become more competitive in the workplace, and today's students expect flexible, technology-enhanced learning experiences. Cross-disciplinary collaborations and other strategic partnerships across campus are opening up new areas of discussion and research. These evolving trends in the educational community have put continuing education in the spotlight, making the Friday Center's work not only relevant, but essential to the larger work of the University and its constituents.
Through the Friday Center, learners from all walks of life have access to the University's outstanding faculty, extensive knowledge base, and groundbreaking research. If you are not already a member of our community of learners and supporters, I invite you to join us. Find out more about current offerings here on our website, or stop by to visit us in person at the Friday Center. We are looking forward to getting to know you.
Rob Bruce


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When he woke this morning – presuming he went to bed…he may not have – I'm certain Stuart Gibson never expected to be naked, in a boat, waving a Brazilian flag in front of an indeterminate but significant global audience, but yet there he was. "Gibbo" is the resident photographer/barman on Namotu Island, a Tasmanian, mad, and possibly the most Australian man in the world. And yet here he was, pipe in the breeze, waving the Brazilian flag in support of Gabriel Medina, who was paddling out to surf the Final of the Fiji Pro. An Australian showing such enthusiastic support for a Brazilian surfer is rare. An Australian showing any support for a Brazilian surfer is rare. But Gabriel Medina is a rare surfer.
Gabriel's foamball-wrestling 9.87 put him out of range of Nat Young, who looked like the only guy capable of getting near him this morning.
Gabriel dominated the Final of the Fiji Pro this morning. His foamball-wrestling 9.87 put him out of range of Nat Young, who looked like the only guy capable of getting near him this morning. After the shock of seeing Stu Gibson swinging in the breeze, Gabriel had taken off waaaay up the reef, past The Ledge and almost down to Vanuatu. Nat followed. They were miles out of position but Gabriel never wants to give up the first wave of the heat and if that means paddling off to New Caledonia then so be it. But he is so comfortable on this reef that it's hard to believe he only first surfed here four years ago. Nat had been the wave magnet all event, but this morning it was Gabriel in the sweet spot. When asked afterward about where his affinity with the reef comes from, Gabriel replied, "When I'm feeling it, I don't think about it."
Gabriel was feeling it all the way back to Namotu Island, where he's staying. The contest boat followed him back, the PA blaring South Pacific disco, Gabriel standing and sambaing all the way back to the island. The Brazilian flag was flying at the bow of the boat, but Gabriel was flying a few flags today.
His win here today means he leads the ratings by a fair margin, and if he can hang on until December and become the first Brazilian world champ you'll hear a million Brazilian voices from over the horizon.
He was, of course, surfing for Brazil. There was a lone Brazilian spectator in the channel today in a beaten up ol' sloop that looked like it had a date with the bottom of the ocean, but he was flying the Brazilian flag on the stern and Gabriel made a point of circling our boat back around to acknowledge him. But Gabriel's win will be huge news back home, and will even cut through the World Cup noise. His win here today means he leads the ratings by a fair margin, and if he can hang on until December and become the first Brazilian world champ you'll hear a million Brazilian voices from over the horizon. "There's never been a Brazilian world champ and this is the chance, so I don't want to waste it."
Gabriel was also surfing for Namotu. When we turned up two years ago and he was staying on the island it was an odd cultural billet. Namotu is Australian-owned and over the years has earned a reputation for Aussie surfers going wild in and around the contest. Suddenly here was this young Brazilian upstart, the only Brazilian on the island, in amongst the piracy. But after making the Final that year, Gabriel came back to the island and skolled a ritual Skulldrag (essentially a whole bar in a glass) and partied as hard as any of the Aussies. The Aussies, the Fijians, and the island itself have adopted him ever since. "The Fijian crew are great they always smile and are positive and I feel just like home, I have a family here." Gabriel is the first Namotu surfer to win the event in 15 years, the last winner being Occy in 1999. Occy went on to win the world title that year.
Ever since he won the first event of the year, the theme has been generational renewal. A decade of 30-and-over dominance is finally being challenged.
But Gabriel was also flying the flag today for his generation. Ever since he won the first event of the year, beating Joel Parkinson at his homebreak of Snapper, the theme has been generational renewal. A decade of 30-and-over dominance is finally being challenged, and while Gabriel's Snapper win came with a few question marks over it, there was no doubt at all today. He owned it. "It's great. The new generation is coming…I'm happy to represent my generation but it's not just me, it's Kolohe, Nat, they're all going strong." Gabriel heads to J-Bay having never surfed it before, and questions are already being raised about whether he'll be able to surf it. The same questions were asked about him of Cloudbreak two years ago and we all know how that ended up.
Gabriel is still over at the presentation on Tavarua but is due back on Namotu any minute. The Fijians are decorating the place and firing up the barbecue for a big party this afternoon. And Gibbo is back behind the bar – shorts on – preparing Gabriel's Skulldrag.
2014 ASP Fiji Pro Final Day Results
Semifinal No.1: Nat Young (USA) 14.00 def. Michel Bourez (PYF) 12.10
Semifinal No.2: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 17.50 def. Kolohe Andino (USA) 9.57
Final: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 18.40 def. Nat Young (USA) 14.77


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Bureaucrat in the Spotlight, Scientist in the Lab
Even as the United States' top energy official, R&D Magazine's 2011 Scientist of the Year Steven Chu keeps science close to home.
After five years as director of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Steven Chu was appointed Secretary of Energy in early 2009. Photo: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
In 1978, when a young physicist named Steven Chu arrived in Holmdel, N.J., to begin his new job doing research work for AT&T, he was shocked to discover he had no specific job description. In fact, he was told to do whatever he wanted, as long as it wasn't something really expensive, like high-energy physics.
Recently, the same Steven Chu faced sharp questioning about the process solar panel manufacturer Solyndra procured a large loan guarantee from the U.S. Department of Energy, then filed for bankruptcy two years later. Chu, the researcher, was now Chu, Secretary of Energy. He was now a bureaucrat, and he likely felt far, far away from his "random walk" in science at Bell Laboratories.
When the editors of R&D Magazine make their selection for the year's top individual honor, they look to active researchers who have, over their careers, made, and continue to make, a deep and lasting impact on the world through science. At first glance, Chu's selection is unusual. Unlike most Scientists of the Year, Chu has delved into a wide variety of disciplines in the course of his career, never becoming too specialized in any one field. And unlike almost all previous Scientists of the Year, he is now in a political post, albeit one that oversees a lot of R&D.
Chu, 63, has certainly made a lasting impact on science, and his Nobel Prize in Physics is a testament to that. Among his many accomplishments, he has resolved long-standing questions about Maxwell's electromagnetic laws, led the team that pioneered the first method for trapping and holding atoms, and made numerous discoveries and advances in the field of biophysics.
Neither has Chu shed his research mantle. Even as he serves as administrator of a Cabinet-level organization with 16,000 employees and a $24 billion budget, he is still publishing scientific papers. He is the first to admit that his current schedule has relegated research to more of a hobby, but his ability to contribute to three papers since 2009 highlights his passion for scientific thought.
Most tellingly, though, Chu approaches his job as a scientist first. Throughout his career, Chu has bucked any temptation to specialize or settle down by embarking on different research roads. As energy secretary, he has kept scientific thought alive even as political pressure mounts.
The right sort of science
To judge from his family, Chu was destined for great academic achievements. His father, a Chinese immigrant, studied chemical engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and retired as a member of Taiwan's most distinguished scholarly society, Academica Sinica. His mother studied economics, also at MIT. His two brothers and four cousins collected a law degree, three medical doctor certificates, and four doctorates.
In his younger years, however, at Garden City High School on Long Island, N.Y., Chu's future as a scientist was uncertain. He confesses he was not a great student, but he did earn A's and gravitate toward science and math topics. Despite finding his way later in his college years, he has often described himself the "black sheep" of the family.
According to his autobiography, Chu treated his schoolwork like a chore, and it showed in academic performance that lagged behind his older brother. But he liked sports and enjoyed his erector set. Later, he found chemistry.
Chu recalls that he and a friend experimented with home-made rockets, funded by money his parents gave him for lunch at school. This became a business during one summer, as they tested the neighbors' soil for acidity and missing nutrients.
Perhaps the biggest influence on his future was a high school physics teacher, Thomas Miner, who encouraged his students to learn physics through experimentation and building things. It was also a wake-up call and a shot of discipline for Chu.
In comments to Teach.gov given in 2010, Chu recalled, "In the 12th grade there was a final exam and I kind of flubbed the question. He had written in the margin 'I'm disappointed.'"
He was challenged by Miner in ways that he hadn't been before.
"He wasn't teaching us fact, he was actually trying to teach us a learning process. Learning whether you understand something or not was probably the most important thing I began to learn in his class," said Chu.
Chu went on to the University of Rochester (N.Y.) to become a theoretical physicist. He wasn't happy, however, unless he was in the laboratory. Chu took to experimentation like a fish to water. He was constantly designing new experiments and testing new ideas. His thesis and postdoctoral work at University of California, Berkeley dealt with the observation of parity non-conservation in atomic transitions.
"When I first began to study physics, it was known that magnetic and electric forces were different manifestations of the same force. By the time I was a graduate student, electromagnetic and nuclear forces responsible for radioactive decay were unified and now added to the work of Maxwell, a century earlier," said Chu in a UC Berkeley discussion about his life.
His graduate and doctoral thesis and postdoctoral work were spent testing and validating this theory. Published in 1978, it was one of the earliest atomic physics confirmations of the Weinberg-Salam-Glashow theory that unifies the weak and electromagnetic forces.
Eager to broaden his horizons outside of campus, Chu arrived at Bell Labs in 1978. He didn't know what to expect. What he found was both exciting and disconcerting. He was among a small group of researchers who were given the freedom to explore any sort of research project they wanted. Chu's supervisor, however, did warn him against any expensive high-energy physics experiments. The shareholders at Bell, he was told, might not be happy. Unfortunately, Chu's doctoral thesis had addressed a fundamental problem in high-energy physics.
"This was a devastating experience for me. On the one hand you have someone telling me to do whatever I wanted to do. On the other hand, I'm told not to do what I've been doing," said Chu.
He took the advice and began experimenting anew. But even more importantly, he began asking people whether or not his newest brainstorms were worth exploring. He says this approach set the tone for what he's done for the rest of his life, which is to collaborate with others.
"Scientific progress is seldom made by a lone explorer, working in seclusion," said Chu. A common misconception about scientists is that they go to school, take classes, study, and after years and years of study, they learn everything there is to know in a narrow sub-field. That becomes their career. This, he said, is rare.
"That is a form, but it's rarely taken," said Chu.
It's especially untrue for the way Chu approaches science. A dozen years ago, after spending much of his career in particle physics, he explored an interest in biology. He picked up a 1,500-page tome about biology and made it to page 150 before realizing he was forgetting the material as fast as he read it. Surrounded by top biologists at Stanford University, he realized he could go to them. He read articles in publications like Scientific American, got an idea for a research project, and bounced it off biologists.
"Sometimes they would say 'Oh no, that's not worth it', or 'Oh no, that's been done before'. But sometimes they would say that's really interesting, or that's the central problem to biology," said Chu.
Energy Secretary Steven Chu examines a target for the National Ignition Facility, being held by NIF director Ed Moses. Once a director of nearby Lawrence Berkeley National
Experimentation with lasers, and their effects at the atomic scale, clearly played a special role in Chu's research career, and after his work at UC Berkeley, he was eager to explore more of these ideas at Bell Labs. He and Allen Mills did the first laser spectroscopy of positronium, the bound state of an electron and positron in 1982. They also measured the energy level splitting of that atom to an accuracy of a few parts per billion and made the first measurement of the corresponding transition in muonium, an atom consisting of muon+ and an electron. He also worked on exciton energy transfer in solids and picosecond pulse propagation in solids.
His inclination to "play" with equipment in the laboratory was an advantage in the open-source, cross-disciplinary research environment at Bell Labs. He was part of a few dozen people tasked with doing "something" important. What that was, was never truly delineated, but he worked there at night and on the weekends. It was a fertile environment. Six of the researchers there at the time eventually got Nobel Prizes. A dozen are now in the National Academy of Sciences.
Trapping atoms for the first time
While still at Bell Labs, Chu began working specifically on the most fundamental atom, consisting of an electron and its antiparticle. He also worked on the motion of energy in disordered materials. It was during that time that he led the research group that demonstrated the technique for slowing down atoms using laser light.
"The conventional wisdom at that time was first you hold the atom with light and then you make it cold so you can do what you want with it," said Chu. "My idea was to reverse this by cooling the atom first, then grabbing it with light."
He and his co-workers employed six laser beams opposed in pairs and arranged in three directions at right angles to each other. They cooled the atoms to near absolute zero, creating an "optical molasses". Using optical tweezer technology pioneered by Arthur Ashkin, they "trapped" an atom for the first time.
"Atoms and molecules at room temperature move at the speed of a supersonic jet plane," said Chu. "We were able to slow them down to the speed of a walking ant. With atoms moving that slowly, we showed how to hold onto them with a single-focused laser beam and move them at will."
In 1987, when he left Bell Labs to teach physics at Stanford, he and others showed how this technology could be used to hold and manipulate individual DNA molecules. That demonstration led him into polymer physics, biophysics, and biology.
"New applications of these and other laser-cooling and trapping methods are still being discovered a quarter of a century later," said Chu.
The atom trapping breakthrough has led to a variety of physics milestones, including atomic clocks and Bose-Einstein condensates that have informed high-temperature superconductor research. Chu's efforts earned him a Nobel Prize in 1997.
Chu founded a research group at Stanford and continued his particle physics work, overturning a theory on the minimum temperature for multi-level atoms and demonstrating the first atomic fountain. He and his group also developed a new atom interferometer that exceeded the accuracy of the most accurate commercial inertial sensors.
Chu also developed methods to simultaneously visualize and manipulate single bio-molecules. Using this new technique, his group has used single DNA molecules to address a number of problems in polymer science. They have also applied methods such as fluorescence energy transfer, and atomic force microscope methods to study the protein and RNA folding, translation, and other enzyme activity at the level of individual bio-molecules. His group continues this work to this day.
In addition to work in atomic physics, he established the Bio-X program, which focuses on interdisciplinary research in biology and medicine. He also added polymer physics to his repertoire.
After becoming the sixth director of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in 2004, Chu added energy research to his fields of interest, and guided the laboratory to a leadership position in biofuels and solar energy technologies. During this time, he began to advocate for increased research in alternative energy and nuclear power, and his leadership in this area reshaped the direction of research at Berkeley Lab and helped, in part, to prompt his selection for secretary of energy position. Applying his analytical approach to large-scale energy problems, he made sweeping proposals, including a low-carbon "glucose" economy, and efforts to help manage global temperatures through reflection and absorption of sunlight.
Preaching the gospel of innovation
Chu's accomplishments have made him a public figure, but in Taiwan, where scientists are often publicly revered more than movie stars and sports figures, Chu is reportedly second only to actor Leonardo di Caprio in the echelon of celebrity royalty. In the U.S., he earned some fame as the only Nobel-winning, and one of the few actively practicing, scientists to be named secretary of energy. Most recently, of course, his celebrity has been both clouded and magnified over the failure of Solyndra.
His appearances at federal subcommittee hearings are a jarring contrast to the typical picture of Chu, a grinning and youthful researcher surrounded by high-energy laser equipment in the laboratory. And to hear him speak, he doesn't get much enjoyment from the political aspects of his job. Rather, he views them as a necessary step on the path to help his country gain some measure of control over its energy future.
"While I never wondered about or even imagined a career as the administrator of a 4,000-person organization, I was willing to leave Stanford and become the director of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory because of my increasing concern about climate change," said Chu.
As energy secretary, he has added to his agenda an emphasis on America's global technological competitiveness. Chu is self-deprecating when describing his ascent in the DOE, referring to it as his "downward spiral". But he has become an enormously influential voice in Washington.
Keeping a toe in the research waters
Washington is a far different world than the now-empty research rooms at Bell Labs. Perhaps Chu's biggest challenge is keeping himself as fresh and engaged in the process of discovery as he was during his years as a full-time scientist. Part of his way of dealing with the shift is to constantly remind the public—and others in Washington—what science can and can't do.
"Science is about trying to make sense of the natural world and experiments are the final arbitrator of any scientific debate," said Chu. "The Second Law of Thermodynamics cannot be repealed by a majority vote in Congress."
At the same time, he is a strong believer in the role of federal government in helping to address some of science's most arduous tasks, such as getting to the bottom of the Earth's climate patterns, or finally finding an effective alternative to fossil fuels.
When he left Berkeley Lab to become energy secretary, he still had a sizable group of post-doctorates and graduate students. They are continuing many of the same research paths that Chu pursued before he left, and with his input a number of publications have been made.
"Over the past three years I've discovered that I'm disposable as a mentor," he said. Nevertheless, his own research efforts continue and he has published papers that explore adhesion physics at the molecular level, pioneered a new form of subnanometer live cell optical microscopy, and made precision measurements of the gravitational redshift by the interference of matter waves.
"I never imagined that working on a scientific manuscript and thinking about data and new research directions would become a way of recharging my batteries," Chu said. "I discovered that my job for the past 40 years, was my favorite hobby. How lucky can you get?"


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Restaurants in Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Northern New Mexico, searchable by cuisine and location, with ratings and reviews. Get educated before you eat!
Sidelines Sports Grille & Bar
(505) 897-4633www.myspace.com/181276853
Mon-Sat: 11am-2am, Sun: 10am-midnight (hours can change without notice)
Nearby Theater: Movies West (See Film Times)
Cuisine: Bar and Grill/Pub, American, New Mexican


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Accountability. Efficiency. Service.
This report is for all Department of Central Management Services' accounts held outside the State Treasury.
As of October 31, 2017
Pursuant to the Executive Reorganization Act, 15 ILCS 15/11, CMS respectfully submits the following reports that summarize consolidation and reorganization activities, status and results of the transfer of certain media functions, and the abolishment of 11 boards and commissions.


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LIGHT middleweight James Moore's right hand ligament injury is healing well, and the Co. Wicklow native will be back in action before Christmas in the biggest fight of his career to date.
"There is talk of me of me fighting Yuri Foreman on December 13 in Atlantic City for the NABF light middleweight title." Moore, 16-1, told the Irish Voice Monday before the fight was confirmed.
The fight, which is the co-main event on the undercard of the Top Rank-promoted rubber match between Kendall Holt and Ricardo Torres, will see Moore take on the Belarus-born 28-year-old who fights out of Brooklyn.
Foreman, who grew up in Israel and is studying to be a rabbi, has a 26-0 record and is a highly touted prospect, but Moore is looking forward to the challenge.
"He is ranked in the top eight of all four organizations, and he is ranked number four in the WBA. If I could come out the winner it would put me right up there for a title shot," continued Moore, adding that this fight is a win-win situation for his career as it is an opportunity to show he can compete with a fighter of Foreman's caliber.
"I have done a lot of sparring with him and I would be confident going into the fight. If the contract is right for this fight then I will be heading to Vegas for camp next week for six weeks."
Moore and trainer Lennox Blackmoore chose Las Vegas for the warmer climate and wider range of sparring partners.
The 30-year-old, out of the ring since injuring his hand in August, has never left the gym and has been keeping in shape and improving his jab. Moore has been working with Blackmoore on his movement, shadow boxing and is doing a lot of roadwork. He will have another MRI to confirm all is well on the right hand and if so, will ease back in to work with wearing bigger gloves.
Also on the agenda for Moore is a possible grudge rematch with Co. Mayo native Henry Coyle, this time in the paid ranks. The two enjoy a healthy disdain for each other since their amateur days when Coyle beat Moore for the 2004 Irish senior title. Both have been talking up the fight to press in recent weeks.
Irish boxing promoter Tommy Egan is trying to get the two to fight each other in Ireland early in the New Year, and there seems to be television interest from Irish station TV3.
Moore also went on to say that it is feasible for the fight to take place in the U.S. if the officials and judge are Irish and the fight follows Irish regulations. However, television interest would keep the fight in Ireland where the two men have large local fan bases.
"It's a bit of banter in the press. There is talk of fighting him in the early New Year, in January for the Irish title," said Moore.
The current Irish light middleweight titleholder, Jamie Moore (the Manchester-based fighter of Irish parentage not to be confused with the subject of this article) is expected to relinquish the title.
"The only reasons to fight Henry Coyle, apart from an Irish title which would be nice, would be all personal," said Moore, who added that the Foreman date is the only thing occupying his thoughts right now.
Coyle has also stoked the fire for the fight in recent weeks.
"I'd fight James Moore in the morning. I think he's said that he'd like the fight as well. I honestly believe that would be such a punishing fight that it would be a career ending fight for the loser, but I can only see one winner," said Coyle.
"That would be something else though. We'd a great rivalry in the amateurs. I'm sure it would be the fight of the decade if we met again in the pros."
First things first for the Western Warrior, whose opponent for his Irish professional debut in Castlebar on November 15 has been confirmed. The 8-1 light middleweight will fight Birmingham's Delroy "Sweet D" Mitchell, who has a record of 8-2. The 31-year-old is trained by Richie Woodhall and will present Coyle with a far sterner test than some of his recent opponents.
Bernard Dunne's opponent for the main event on the same night will be Eduardo Garcia. The Mexican has a record of 18-5-1 and fought for the world title against Nobuo Nashiro in 2006, losing a unanimous decision.
Finally, Ronald Hearns, a possible opponent for John Duddy on January 17 if the Co. Derry native can beat Sam Hill on November 21, beat Paul Clavette in Montreal on Friday night, stopping the Canadian at the end of the sixth round.


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Who's playing is still up in the air, but at least we know this about the Super Bowl: Bud Light will dominate the first quarter.
Come Feb. 3, Anheuser-Busch again will enter the game as the dominant advertiser, with five minutes of commercial time during the telecast. It's a familiar role for Anheuser-Busch, which has debuted some of its most memorable ads--including the Bud Bowl, the "Whassup guys" and the famous talking frogs--on Super Sunday.


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The Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA) has praised former Rupiah Banda, for the role he has played in preparing Kenya for the general elections set for March 4, 2013.
And the Millennium Excellence Foundation (MEF) has described President Banda's appointment to lead a 50-person Carter Centre international election observer mission in Kenya as hardly surprising.
In a letter to the immediate past Zambian head of State EISA Kenya country director Felix Odhiambo says President Banda's willingness to attend the election preparation conference and deliver the keynote speech in Nairobi last month made a great deal on the success of the conference and re-engineering of the EISA work towards supporting democratic free and fair elections in Kenya and the African continent.
He adds that the EISA family is forever indebted to President Banda for the support he has accorded the pursuit of its mission to strive for excellence in the promotion of credible elections, citizen participation, and the strengthening of political institutions for sustainable democracy in Africa.
Banda last year led an EISA election observer mission to the National Assembly elections in Lesotho.
And Millennium Excellence Foundation chairman Ashim Morton says President Banda's commitment to creating an enabling democratic environment at the regional, sub regional, national and local levels in order to achieve sustained economic growth and sustainable development, is seen in his support for African efforts for peace, stability and security.
This is according to a statement released by the deputy administrative assistant to the former president Kennedy Limwanya.


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PEBBLE BEACH, CALIF. - The NHL is riding a pretty high tide right now. So, it would seem to be the perfect time for expansion, no?
People trot out Quebec City, a second team in Toronto or the Pacific Northwest as areas ripe for the league's 31st and 32nd franchises, but NHL commissioner Gary Bettman threw cold water on the idea of adding more teams any time soon.
That doesn't mean there isn't interest.


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Every Day on 101.9 Lite FM, at 7:40 am, take a guest at the Mystery Guest. Click "more" to find out all the wrong guesses.
We had a winner on 3/18/10. Linda knew the last Mystery guest was Bette Midler. So, we are on to a new Mystery Guest. Here are the wrong guesses for this round.
Wrong On-Air Guesses:
Tom Cruise
Wrong Blogged Guesses:
Leonardo Di Caprio


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TORONTO, May 13 (UPI) -- A Canadian teenager using a supercomputer to find a new drug combination that shows potential in cystic fibrosis treatment has been honored, officials say.
Marshall Zhang, 16, an 11th-grade student at Toronto's Bayview Secondary School, won first place in the 2011 Sanofi-Aventis BioTalent Challenge, a contest for students conducting their own research projects with the help of mentors, LiveScience.com reported Thursday.
Cystic fibrosis is a potentially fatal condition caused by a genetic mutation that causes thick mucus to build up in the lungs and elsewhere, often killing its victims in their teens.
Zhang used a Canadian supercomputing network to model how two promising new compounds acted against the defective protein that causes the condition.
When Zhang's results were tested with living cells, the results were better than he expected, he said.
"They actually worked together in creating an effect that was greater than the sum of its parts," Zhang told LiveScience.
Zhang will move on to compete against U.S. and Australian contestants at the International BioGENEius Challenge in Washington June 27.


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New 20mm f/2.8 pancake gets DxOmarked.
DxOmark (Click here) tested the new 20mm f/2.8 E-mount lens. They didn't test the "older" 16mm pancake so we can't know if the new 20mm lens is better. Obviously the lens can't match the quality of other more expensive primes like the 35mm f/1.8.
I still think Sony should do a tiny bit faster and a tiny bit higher quality pancake. I know, it's easier to be said than made :)