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Doctors joining Obama at White House on Monday -- Senate Finance wraps mark-up at 2:15 a.m. – POTUS hails 'milestone,' sees 'reform passed this year': 'We are now closer than ever before'
BREAKING --- The Senate Finance Committee finished its work at about 2:15 a.m. today. The amended bill will now be posted and sent to CBO for a cost estimate. The panel will then consider CBO's analysis, make any needed changes and vote on the bill. The committee is scheduled to reconvene 10 a.m. Tuesday.
EXCLUSIVE: On Monday, doctors from around the country will join the President at the White House to show their support for passing health insurance reform legislation this year. These doctors were invited for many reasons: Many are leaders in their communities. Others belong to one of the many physician organizations in this country. All are supporters of health insurance reform. Senior administration official: "We are reaching the end of the Senate Finance Committee process in Washington, so now is a good time to bring the discussion back to Americans who are struggling with rising costs and growing insecurity in the health insurance market in their home towns. Their local doctors see these struggles every day and know more than anyone how cruel and arbitrary the health care system can be. Doctors all around America believe that we need health insurance reform this year. They agree with the President that inaction is not an option, and they are offering their help and support."
Story Continued Below
It's Friday. "Pack it up, pack it in. Let Pulse begin." (h/t: Gary Karr)
MARK UP OVER AND GOP LIKELY OUT: The Senate Finance Committee finished its longest mark-up in 15 years early this morning in much the same way it started – divided. After seven days of debate, the sides seem as entrenched as ever with swing vote Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe still firmly on the fence. Snowe's outsized influence was felt throughout the proceedings as Chairman Max Baucus worked to accommodate her concerns –lowering the penalties for not carrying insurance, for instance – but it may not have been enough. "I have a lot to think about," she said. And Ranking Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley foreshadowed the coming vote saying, "There's a product here that most of the people on my side, maybe all the people on my side, may not vote for next week." But even if it doesn't get bipartisan support, Democrats will continue to say, as Baucus and the president did early this morning, that the bill contains bipartisan ideas.
2:20 a.m. ET -- STATEMENT OF PRESIDENT OBAMA ON THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE'S WORK ON HEALTH INSURANCE REFORM: "Thanks to the unyielding commitment of Senator Baucus and members of the Senate Finance Committee, we have reached another milestone in our effort to pass health insurance reform. Over the past two weeks, the Committee has engaged in long hours of thoughtful deliberation and vigorous debate. They have considered hundreds of amendments, and incorporated many of the best ideas from both parties. And they have shown a spirit of civility, a seriousness of purpose, and a willingness to compromise that embodies our democratic process at its very best.
"The Finance Committee's work is the culmination of tireless efforts over the better part of this year by the five committees and many members of Congress involved in health reform – holding numerous hearings and bi-partisan meetings; reaching out to stakeholders across the spectrum; and striving to find common ground. As a result of this work, we are now closer than ever before to finally passing reform that will offer security to those who have coverage and affordable insurance to those who don't. We have a long way to go, but I am confident that as we move forward, we will continue to engage with each other as productively as the members of the Finance Committee, and will get reform passed this year."
THE CARPER ONE-PAGER. Text of "the one-page explainer … Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) [circulated] on his public plan alternative. Note: There is no trigger mechanism in this latest version. States would be allowed to start a government health plan if approved by the governor and legislature."
** Pfizer Helpful Answers offers patient assistance programs to uninsured and underinsured Americans who need help getting access to their Pfizer medicines. www.pfizerhelpfulanswers.com **
TOP STORY -- POLITICO's Carrie Budoff Brown reports from the finish line: "The Senate Finance Committee finished its work Friday on a sweeping health care reform bill, moving President Barack Obama a step closer to fulfilling his campaign pledge to overhaul the $2.5 trillion system. The committee must wait for a cost analysis from the Congressional Budget Office before voting on the bill, which Baucus hopes to schedule for next week. But that step will be largely a formality. Baucus is expected to round up enough votes to approve the estimated $900 billion bill. …
"Obama and Vice President Joe Biden threw their weight behind the proposal this week, lobbying Democratic senators by phone to move the bill out of the committee. Nancy-Ann DeParle, director of the White House Office of Health Reform, took a seat in the hearing room to observe the closing minutes of the markup. She and a team of White House aides had monitored the proceedings very closely, stepping in to resolve problems as they arose. …
"The close of the Finance markup means five congressional committees have approved health legislation, putting the Obama administration within reach of a goal that has eluded presidents for decades. Significant work remains to resolve differences – chief among them, the Democratic divide over the government insurance plan – but the Senate is on track to begin a floor debate by mid-month. Baucus allowed the bill to drift leftward over the two-week markup in a bid to lock in support from Democrats, but the modifications are still not enough for certain senators, who vowed to press for further changes on the Senate floor."
ALSO STAYING LATE -- WaPo's Shailagh Murray and Lori Montgomery: "The long quest to reform the nation's health-care system entered uncharted legislative territory early Friday when a key Senate panel wrapped up work on its bill and House and Senate leaders prepared for historic floor debates.
"The Senate Finance Committee, the fifth and final to contribute to the legislation, rejected the final amendment of the session at 2:08 a.m, sending President Obama's top domestic policy initiative to a threshold that had eluded presidents since Harry S. Truman. As the panel completed the measure that is expected to form the backbone of health-reform legislation, a political consensus large enough to carry the plan to final passage appeared to emerge. Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) delayed a vote until next week, though he said he has enough support to pass the package out of committee. The bill, which Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) will merge with a Senate health committee measure, appears to meet the reform criteria Obama laid out last month in an address to Congress. …
"The battle lines for the remainder of the debate were clearly drawn during the committee's deliberations and centered on how the bill would affect the middle class. Republicans on the panel said the measure was riddled with revenue provisions that would violate Obama's 2008 campaign promise not to raise taxes on middle-class Americans. … Democrats said broad support for reform would drive the effort forward."
FINANCE PASSES "QUASI" PUBLIC OPTION -- POLITICO's Chris Frates: "Shortly after the Finance Committee passed a quasi, state-based public option sponsored by Sen. Maria Cantwell, Senate Republicans were circulating a memo highlighting all the problems with the plan in Cantwell's home state of Washington. The memo linked to a New York Times story that reported Washington's basic insurance plan, which Cantwell's amendment uses as a model, has seen insurers drop out, premiums increase and enrollment drop. The program has a waiting list of 30,000 even as the state has moved to push 40,000 people off the plan because of budget problems.
"But Cantwell said the state still has four insurers who are providing benefits at a price that's good for the state. … The plan would allow states to negotiate with insurance companies to create plans that cover people making between 133 percent and 200 percent of the federal poverty limit, which includes about 75 percent of the nation's uninsured. (200 percent of federal poverty is about $44,000 for a family of four.) The program is funded by using money that would otherwise help people buy insurance through insurance exchanges that the bill sets up to help people buy insurance. Cantwell estimated that about $200 billion of the $463 billion in subsidies would be available to the states under her plan.
"If a state chooses not to set up the quasi public option plan, low-income families would qualify for subsidies to buy insurance through the exchanges. If states choose to set up a quasi public option, the subsidy money would be used to set up the program and go to insurers instead of people. But states would be required to give citizens a choice of at least two plans. Cantwell argues that subsidies do nothing to drive down the cost of the insurance. But using the subsidy funding to create a program where the state negotiates better rates will better control costs and help low-income families afford insurance."
PEAR WATCH – NYT's Robert Pear and Jackie Calmes: "The Senate Finance Committee voted Thursday to soften the impact of financial penalties that would be imposed on people who did not obtain insurance under sweeping health care legislation. Members of the committee changed the bill to exempt an estimated two million people who would face financial burdens in buying even the cheapest insurance available. Lawmakers delayed and reduced the penalties for others.
"The action, taken by a vote of 22 to 1, came after lawmakers heard an impassioned plea from Senator Olympia J. Snowe, Republican of Maine, who denounced the idea of punishing people who could not afford the insurance they would be required to buy under the legislation. It was the latest indication of the influence that Ms. Snowe has over Democrats as the only member of her party in Congress who has shown any inclination to support President Obama's drive to overhaul the health care system."
INSURANCE EXES PAY CURBED reports WSJ's Greg Hitt and Janet Adamy: "Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee voted Thursday to encourage limits on the compensation of insurance executives, responding to charges that expanding health insurance coverage would enrich insurance companies. The action came as the influential panel brought debate to a close on sweeping legislation that would overhaul the nation's health system, setting the stage for a pivotal panel vote next week on President Barack Obama's top domestic priority.
"Voting 14-8, the committee approved an amendment that would limit the tax deductibility of compensation for insurance executives to $500,000 a year. The limit would apply to executives at companies that get significant business generated by the bill's mandate that nearly all Americans must have insurance. Under current law, businesses can deduct up to $1 million a year in compensation for executives."
GOP POUNDS THE TAX MESSAGE -- NYT's Nagourney and Herszenhorn report: "First came the warnings that government would take over health care and panels of bureaucrats would decide when America's elderly should die. Then came assertions that President Obama would force reductions in Medicare spending that would cut off the elderly from favored doctors and critical lab tests. In recent days, Republican leaders hoping to derail Mr. Obama's health care effort have seized on a new line of attack: that the proposed overhaul is a vehicle for a barrage of hidden and not-so-hidden tax increases, and a violation of Mr. Obama's pledge not to raise taxes on families earning less than $250,000 a year. …
"The new message seeks to move the health care debate to ground that Republicans know well and have long exploited to their advantage. It has the benefit for them of relative simplicity amid the torrent of complex and often confusing elements of the health care legislation. And it could have a particular political resonance among the group likely to determine the fate — or at least the shape — of the health bill: those Democrats in the House and the Senate who come from relatively conservative districts and states. The president and Democrats flatly reject the assertions, and say the bill will provide tax credits to help millions of moderate-income Americans buy insurance, amounting to what they say is actually a tax cut.
"The back-and-forth volleys over taxes played out Thursday on Capitol Hill as the Senate Finance Committee voted down a series of Republican amendments intended to highlight tax provisions. The Republican attack line on taxes is also the theme of a new advertisement by the Republican National Committee, and the national party chairman, Michael Steele, said it would be a central element of his party's effort to block Mr. Obama."
-- WSJ's Jane Zhang and Avery Johnson: "More than 660,000 seniors next year will lose the private Medicare plans they now have because some insurers are dropping coverage in response to tougher federal requirements. Most of those beneficiaries are enrolled in a type of Medicare Advantage plan called Private Fee for Service, where enrollment has surged from about 820,000 three years ago to more than 2.44 million today. … Congress, alarmed by the high cost of PFFS plans, voted in 2008 to require the plans to establish networks of providers beginning in 2011. Companies such as Humana Inc., which has established networks that can cover at least 80% of PFFS enrollees, are doing just that. But Medicare officials acknowledged Thursday that others are pulling out. Plans with a total enrollment of 667,000 people are scheduled to be canceled next year, they said."
-- USA Today's John Fritze: "The industry that makes wheelchairs, pacemakers and other medical devices has launched a lobbying blitz to kill a tax on its products proposed in a health care bill moving through the Senate. The $40 billion, 10-year tax is one of several new fees included in the Senate Finance Committee's health care legislation. It has drawn significant opposition from Democrats — many of whom have large medical device makers in their states. Twenty House members from California, home to heart-valve maker Edwards Lifesciences, signed a letter asking the Senate Finance Committee to reconsider the tax. Senators from Minnesota and Indiana — three Democrats and one Republican, in all — sent a similar letter."
-- The Hill's Mike Soraghan and Jared Allen: "Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is shifting to the center on a government-run public health insurance plan, warming to a version that is being supported by some Blue Dog Democrats. Pelosi's recent public statements and private conversations indicate her willingness to move away from the more liberal proposal, which she had been promoting as being more cost-effective. The centrist view was negotiated with Blue Dogs to move the bill out of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Liberals want a public option that is tied to Medicare rates plus 5 percent. Blue Dogs and other centrist Democrats want rates to be negotiated individually with providers."
--"Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.V.) choked up and brought the markup to a standstill as he told a story about his experience working with the poor in West Virginia."
--"Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) isn't talking about the damaging New York Times story. During a break in the Finance Committee markup, Ensign told POLITICO that he doesn't intend to get into the details."
Monday: Journey, "Any Way You Want It"
Tuesday: U2, "Where the Streets Have No Name"
Wednesday: The Doors, "Love Me Two Times"
Thursday: Family Ties' Theme Song
Friday: House of Pain, "Jump Around"
** For more than 20 years, Pfizer has been helping people in need get access to Pfizer medicines. Today, Pfizer provides this assistance through Pfizer Helpful Answers, our family of assistance programs for uninsured and underinsured Americans who need help getting Pfizer medicines. These programs provide medicines for free or at a savings to patients in need. Some programs also offer reimbursement support services for people with insurance. In just the last 5 years alone, Pfizer has been able to help mover 5 million patients receive 51.1 million Pfizer prescriptions, the equivalent of $4.8 billion worth of free medicines and savings. Pfizer Helpful Answers is a joint program of Pfizer Inc and the Pfizer Patient Assistance Foundation™. To learn more, go to www.pfizerhelpfulanswers.com. **
** A message from UNITE HERE: We've all heard President Trump repeatedly speak about a need to bring drug prices "way down." And 77% of Americans agree that prescription drug costs are unreasonable. Trump also has gone on record saying that drug companies are "getting away with murder" – a point 73% of Americans agree with, saying drug companies make too much profit. Yet, Trump recently nominated drug company executive Alex Azar to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Azar's appointment would contradict Trump's pledge to "drain the swamp" and change Washington D.C.'s pay-to-play atmosphere, where a revolving door shifts federal regulators to high-ranking corporate execs, and back into government positions. Alex Azar's past as a pharma profiteer disqualifies him from DHHS. To learn more about Azar the Price Gouging Czar, check out this website, including a white paper examining his time at Eli Lilly. www.saynotoazar.org **


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IDF operation in Khan Yunis
Photo: Reuters
Two Palestinians were killed on Wednesday in an explosion in a house in the Zeitun neighborhood of Gaza City, Palestinian eyewitnesses said.
The explosion ripped through the house of the Dahdouh family whose sons are members of the Islamic Jihad. Two family members were killed in an Israeli air strike.
The IDF has denied involvement while Palestinian sources said the explosion was caused by a work accident.
Three people were critically injured in the explosion.
The sources added the two brothers were probably preparing an explosive device which prematurely detonated.
The IDF meanwhile continued its operations in northern Gaza and exchanges of fire between soldiers and gunmen were heard in the Beit Hanun area.
Hamas gunmen hurled explosive devices at IDF troops.
Palestinian medical sources told Ynet that an 11-year-old Palestinian boy was shot in the face by IDF soldiers near the Erez crossing. Doctors said the youth was in critical condition.
Hamas vows more attacks
Meanwhile, Hamas' military wing threatened a severe response to Israel's continued operations in Gaza. Hamas officials said should Israel harm the group's leaders they will bring their struggle to the streets of Israel.
Officials said the unprecedented firing of a Qassam rocket into Ashkelon on Tuesday night will be followed by "more surprises."
A senior Hamas official said the group will continue attacks against strategic sites in Israel.
Hanan Greenberg contributed to this report
See all talkbacks "2 Palestinians killed in Gaza explosion"

subset: commoncrawl


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(Originally posted by me to the Metal Music Archives: http://www.metalmusicarchives.com/)
Since there are people going around claiming that Blind Guardian is the only power metal band that you can wear a shirt bearing their logo and still get laid, I had to go ahead and buy this album (for around 5 or 6 dollars) at a used CD store. What I can tell you now is that I ended up being less than impressed. Nightfall in Middle-Earth promises a whole, literal fantasy landscape and ends up throwing the listener a book (almost literally with the ridiculous liner notes) and telling them to work off that.
I'll start off with what irks me the most about this album: interludes! Too many fucking interludes! They take up around seven minutes of this album and occur right after almost all the real songs on here. They are totally unnecessary and totally unwanted. I thought this was supposed to be power metal, not German time waste! Hansi Kürsch, if you wanted to bow to Tolkien so badly and convince others to do the same, you shouldn't have put such useless filler in. In fact, stupid shit like "The Minstrel" makes me want to do the exact opposite. "What will be next? I still don't have a clue." Go to hell.
However, there are some really good tunes to be heard among the actual songs. There's excellent songs here with catchy hooks and well crafted variations. When Blind Guardian get it right, they really produce some valuable pieces of gold. "The Curse of Feanor" and "Mirror Mirror" are some awesome fast-paced licks, and "Nightfall" is a pretty epic if you're looking for a slower piece. There is one song here though that really annoys me: "Noldor (Dead Winter Reigns)". You know those slow power metal ballads that nobody really likes? This is by-far one of the worst ones I've listened to. I know these types of songs are supposed to be emotional and whatnot, but this is just unnecessary overkill.
And there are also songs like "Blood Tears" and "Time Stands Still (At the Iron Hill)" that are just okay. It's in songs like these that Hansi's voice gets grating, wearing out my enthusiasm. With the interludes added alongside, the album seems to get old faster than it really should. The Middle Earth vibe that seemed intriguing at first ultimately became too much for me and had me looking for something decidedly less nerdy by the end of the album.
There are single songs or parts of songs that were really good in this album, but ultimately this isn't worth getting if you're just a casual power metal fan. There's plenty of power metal material out there (including other albums by Blind Guardian) that isn't as tiring as 'Nightfall in Middle-Earth'. Go find them instead.


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How We Can Help (CC)
Don't panic - we are here for you!
Hearing that you have cancer can be overwhelming, but we are right here in your community and have many ways to support you and your family, along with state-of-the-art treatment. The Gastro-Intestinal (GI) Cancer Program at Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center is a multi-disciplinary and unique team that offers streamlined quality care. You can rest assured that your individual situation will be handled by our team physicians with your best interests in mind and treatment will be designed specifically for you.
We can offer you access to clinical trials and cutting edge anti-cancer drugs that earned our Cancer Program the maximum accreditation from the American College of Surgeons, Commission on Cancer. The Trilogy System and our new TomoTherapy machine delivers ultra-precise radiation with greater speed and accuracy, making it possible to safely deliver the maximum treatment while not damaging surrounding tissue.
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We are not far away and parking is close and convenient to our Cancer Care Center. The home-like atmosphere is comforting during this stressful time.
Click on the left to learn more about our Oncology Services.
Click on the left to access all of the Education and Support that is available online and at the Cancer Care Center. Explore links to online reputable sources, read other survivors stories, and see what support groups and wellness programs are available.


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Cute new accessory for teen, young adult, adult and elder females. Simple low-poly mesh, available with 5 preset flavours :
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[ Accessory takes the place of glasses. ]
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Father: James Arnold Jerrauld b: 2 Feb 1746 in Warwick, Kent, RI
Mother: Mary Rice b: Abt 1750 in East Greenwich, , RI
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text: GoU Intern Application GoU Student Opportunities Please be sure to read through each description to see what works best for you. Please note that these are opportunities for Go U students to offset classes, not a job application. * 1. Name: * 2. Current Class at GoU * 3. Phone Number: * 4. Email: Next


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Employers Limitations On Weapons
View Single Post
October 28, 2011, 10:20 PM
Join Date: February 12, 2001
Location: DFW Area
Posts: 21,015
Employee: OK, but you need to get a warrant and do it legally.
That's not how it works at all in a "right to work" state with an "at will" employer.
An employer doesn't need a warrant to legally search your car. Just like the police, they can ask permission to search your vehicle and if you say yes then the search is legal.
You don't have to say yes in either case, but if you refuse to give your employer permission to search your vehicle while its parked in the employer's lot in a right to work/at will employment state then he can legally fire you for your refusal.
You can always sue, but the courts haven't taken the employees' side in any of the cases I'm aware of. So you'd just compound your financial difficulties by adding legal bills to pay on top of being unemployed.
One option is to park off the employer's property. The employer can counter by making it against official company policy to park off the property. Like my employer does.
Another option is to change employers. Obviously that's not an attractive option in today's economy.
Another option, if there's sufficient support, is to get a law passed that makes it illegal to fire an employee for having a legally possessed firearm in a locked, private vehicle that's parked in the company lot. That's been done in Florida, Oklahoma and Texas, possibly elsewhere. Interestingly enough, the employer can still fire you for refusing to allow the search, but if he finds a legal firearm he can't fire you for that.
Of course, from a practical perspective, an employer in a right to work/at will employment state can always fire you for something else and then it would be up to you to prove that you were fired illegally for having a firearm in your vehicle and not for some other reason. If you couldn't then you'd be without a job and with legal bills on top of it.
Did you know that there is a
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William P. Keane, state trooper, Navy veteran
May 30, 1957 – Aug. 23, 2013
William P. Keane, of Lake View, who had a 26-year career with the State Police, died unexpectedly Friday in Salt Lake City after suffering a heart attack while taking part in an inspectors competition sponsored by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance. He was 56.
Born in Buffalo, he was a 1975 graduate of Bishop Timon High School and served for four years in the Navy. Returning from service, he worked for several years for General Mills.
Mr. Keane joined the State Police in 1987 and was first assigned to the Fredonia station. He had been a member of the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit since 1995, working in Troop A headquartered in Batavia.
He was chosen to represent New York State in the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance's North American Inspectors Competition in 2008 and again this year. At this year's event, he received the John Youngblood Award of Excellence, given by his fellow contestants to "the inspector who exemplifies the high standards and unwavering dedication to the profession."
He was a member of the State Troopers Police Benevolent Association and enjoyed sailing and auto racing. He served in pit crews for friends who raced at Holland Speedway.
Survivors include his wife, the former Sharon Bugenhagen; a son, Brian Rothermel; six daughters, Julie Rothermel, Carolyn, Melissa Pallini, Kelsey Lynn Gabriel, Allison and Kelsey Beth; five brothers, Daniel, Patrick, Joseph, John and James; and three sisters, Elizabeth Jones, Karen Curtis and Anne Marie.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10 a.m. Friday in SS. Peter & Paul Catholic Church, 66 E. Main St., Hamburg.


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Howes works on bonding bill
Rep. Larry Howes, R-Walker, is Gov. Tim Pawlenty's point man in public works bonding negotiations.
Howes is the lead Republican on the House Capital Investment Committee and serves on the capital bonding bill conference committee.
Pawlenty threatened to veto the $999.9 million bonding bill sent to him, so legislative leaders kept the bill - which now resides in the Senate - to allow for further negotiations. Howes and three legislative colleagues are working to reach a compromise in order to find one the Legislature and the governor can agree upon.
"I have been close to this situation throughout the process and have been working on shaping it into something that focuses on our priorities and has a modest price," said Howes in a statement. "It's paid off because this bill will be something that is good for Minnesota but is an affordable amount."
Pawlenty's bonding bill spent $685 million, but he has said he could move to $725 million.
Howes said that whatever the final dollar amount is, some people will say it's too large and still others will say it's too small. He said he anticipates the finished product to be in the $750 million range.
"We won't put the final stamp on anything the governor won't sign," Howes said. "A lot of the pork projects have been cut out and what we wind up with in the end will be a unanimous decision. The governor has asked me to serve as his point man in these discussions and offered me his full support. That's why it has been so important for me to vote for the bill in the early stages and remain involved in the process from beginning to end."
In addition to Howes, other negotiators are the two bonding chairmen - Rep. Alice Hausman, DFL-St. Paul, and Sen. Keith Langseth, DFL-Glyndon - and Sen. Paul Koering, R-Fort Ripley.
Local projects at stake which were included in the final legislative bill include planning funds for a new Headwaters Science Center, construction funds for Red Lake School District improvements, Paul Bunyan Trail bridge in Bemidji and a new University of Minnesota research facility at Itasca State Park.
Howes said he thought the group may reach an agreement on a revised bill this week.


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Oglesby return elevates Iowa's B1G chances
Hawkeyes open league play Tuesday against Nebraska at Carver-Hawkeye Arena
Dec 30, 2013 at 2:27 pm | Print ViewIOWA CITY — Iowa guard Josh Oglesby has elevated his status from excluded to X-factor.
Oglesby, a 6-foot-6 junior from Cedar Rapids, debuted last week after a broken foot and drained four 3-pointers in his first four attempts. From spreading the floor and loosening up his teammates on offense to playing solid, deceptive on-ball defense, it's possible Oglesby provides the final piece in the Hawkeyes' Big Ten-contending puzzle.
The No. 22 Hawkeyes (11-2) face Nebraska (8-4) at 6 p.m. Tuesday (BTN) in search of their first Big Ten regular-season title since 1979. Iowa boasts the league's best collection of depth and sprinkles in length, size, experience, toughness and talent. Few teams can match their transition game, and the Hawkeyes rank first in scoring (88.7) and scoring margin (23.2) in the Big Ten. Iowa is fourth in both categories nationally.
Additionally, Iowa quietly has provided solid numbers from 3-point range, ranking fourth in the Big Ten at 37.6 percent. But it's a different team if Oglesby is hitting shots.
"When he's shooting the ball like that he's phenomenal," Iowa Coach Fran McCaffery said. "But also he's not a mistake guy. He's a solid player in the back court who defends.
"It just takes a lot of the pressure off of particularly (Devyn) Marble and Aaron White, who are key guys. You look at Josh and Jarrod (Uthoff), in particular, who are scoring the ball the way they're scoring it, it gives you that much more to prepare for to get ready for us."
Oglesby had a well-documented down season a year ago, shooting just 27 percent from 3-point range. He worked on a quicker release and spoke with a sports psychologist in the off-season. He entered the season in better shape and with a better frame of mind, but a broken right foot in early November detoured that progress.
With his perimeter prowess in his first game back, Oglesby proved when he's clicking, he gives Iowa an added dimension.
"Hopefully he'll have confidence in his shot because he can shoot the ball real well," Marble said. "He helps everybody out. He opens up driving lanes and stuff like that, somebody you can kick it to when the defense collapses. It helps the overall offense and spreading the floor."
But Oglesby's teammates also just as quick to say he's much better than a 3-point specialist and helps in other phases, too.
"I think a lot of people kind of discount how good of a basketball player he is," White said. "A lot of people just say he's a shooter, but he's way more than that. A great ballhandler, great passer, tremendous feel for the game, I think it will help us with the shooting aspect but also with the way he moves the ball. The way the offense moves around him is really crisp. I'm happy he's back. I love playing with him."
Of course Iowa requires more than just Oglesby's success to navigate through a challenging Big Ten slate. The Hawkeyes need a full season of consistency from Marble and continued growth in the post from sophomore Adam Woodbury and junior Gabe Olaseni. They need power forward Melsahn Basabe to play with effort and toughness on each possession. They want forwards Uthoff and Zach McCabe to thrive as inside-outside specialists, and White to elevate his stock as perhaps the league's best transition big man. Sophomore point guards Mike Gesell and Anthony Clemmons must lead to allow everybody to excel in their role.
If all of those details are met, combined with a healthy and confident Oglesby, it's possible Iowa could finish with some Big Ten hardware. That goal starts against the Cornhuskers at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, where the Hawkeyes have won 17 straight.
"You really have to protect your home court," McCaffery said. "Everybody knows that and at the same time, everybody looks at opportunity on the road. Can we go get a road win, because we're going to have to play nine tough road games. What kind of team do we have? Are we tough enough? Are we together? Can we deal with the crowd because every place has an atmosphere that's impressive? That's what it is. When you get to the end, the ones that are able to do that, are the ones who are still standing and still playing in March. So it's a big test for us, and we'll be ready for it."
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text:
Blood ran hot on the picket line, and I was about to get burned. Five Teamsters were in my face.
"Hey, bro, we got a strike going on here!"
"You a scab?" Shove. "Huh?" Shove. "You here for my job?"
One striker brandished a picket sign in one hand, a pastrami sandwich in the other.
"You know how it makes a father feel, he can't buy his little girl patent leather shoes? Buddy, it breaks my heart!"
Getting an interview had become secondary to not getting my ass kicked outside the employee entrance to the Fry's grocery warehouse on 99th Avenue. As loudly and quickly as I could, I explained I was a reporter, not a replacement worker, and gave out business cards like a blackjack dealer with a full table.
It was day 12 of the strike, which began one minute after midnight on Saturday, October 2 -- the exact hour a temporary labor agreement ran out between the International Brotherhood's Local 104 and Kroger Corporation, the Ohio-based supermarket conglomerate that owns Fry's.
Since then, Teamsters have picketed the food distribution center 24/7, and not without incident. Tolleson police chief Rick Patscheider told me last week his department had responded to more than 60 calls to the picket line, and made three arrests of replacement workers.
"We're overwhelmed just trying to keep the peace," he said.
Hours before I approached the picket line, one man coming on shift had pulled a gun when he was challenged at the gate. Another went to his trunk for a tire iron after Teamsters reportedly beat on his car with picket signs.
Security guards interceded in both confrontations, and there were no injuries. Undeterred, strikers continued to harass anyone entering or leaving the Fry's compound. When Al Gore breezed through the Valley last week on the eve of cementing an endorsement from the AFL-CIO, it's no wonder he visited with construction workers on the job in Phoenix, instead of strikers on the line in Tolleson. The Local 104 Teamsters behaved like pro-lifers outside a clinic. Except with better invectives.
"You wad-guzzling scab!" howled Matthew Stalter, he of the pastrami sandwich.
His target, a bald man trying to leave the warehouse, cringed behind the wheel as security guards herded picketers to both sides of his car.
Stalter fired away: "Pick up a sign, don't cross the line, you scummy bootlicker!"
A tattooed Teamster in his 20s taunted the driver through a bull horn: "Damn, you ugly! Look at all them scabs on your shiny head, scab!"
Stalter described the intimidation tactics as "totally justified."
"If somebody wants to go to work in a scab shop, he should be man enough to cross a picket line," he said.
The driver of a passing semi, en route to another Tolleson warehouse, yanked a blast from his truck's horn as he passed the picket line. Stalter rattled his sign in response.
"Hey, there goes a union man," he said.
I asked Stalter why he was on strike.
He walked over to a stone sign that said "Corporate Offices."
"Thieves and liars, man," he declared, pointing. "Thieves and liars."
The morning of May 20, Kroger Corporation CEO Joe Pichler approached the dais inside the ballroom of Cincinnati's Regal Hotel. He was addressing the annual meeting of Kroger stockholders.
"During Fiscal Year 1998, Kroger produced record financial results and initiated strategic actions directed toward increasing the size, scope and cash flow of our company," Pichler said.
Some of those actions led to the Teamsters strike in Tolleson.
For 25 years before Pichler's speech, there were two Fry's warehouses in the Valley. Both were in west Phoenix, and both were union shops. Teamsters got the food to Fry's shelves before Kroger bought the Fry's chain in 1981, and Teamsters got the food to the shelves thereafter.
The trouble started seven months ago, when Kroger purchased Fred Meyer Inc. for $11.8 billion. Eager to slash labor costs, Kroger immediately shut down its two Phoenix warehouses and consolidated Fry's distribution with Fred Meyer's distribution in the Tolleson facility. That warehouse, previously owned by Fred Meyer, was non-union.
Kroger laid off the entire work force at both Phoenix warehouses, from clerical workers to truck mechanics. Four hundred and fifty Teamsters were out of a job. (Last week, in a similar move, Kroger announced it was pink-slipping all 88 employees at its Jackson and Company dairy in Phoenix, which will close in November, when Kroger moves its dairy operations to a former Fred Meyer dairy in Tolleson.)
Under union pressure (the Teamsters represent workers at Kroger facilities across the country), Kroger agreed to hire back 207 of the Fry's warehouse Teamsters to jobs in Tolleson, but for less pay and diluted benefits.
(Kroger is hardly destitute. The company recently announced that its acquisition of Fred Meyer will boost profits $225 million in 1999. I called Pichler five times last week to ask him how much fruit from the money tree he plans to pass on to consumers, since apparently none of it's going to reward the Phoenix laborers who helped build the Kroger empire. I'm still waiting to hear back from him.)
Under the terms of their Tolleson employment, as laid out in the temporary contract, the Teamsters lost their base pay guarantee of $16.85 an hour. Their wages were cut $4 an hour, across the board. They lost their guarantee of a 40-hour workweek with two consecutive days off. They lost their pension and health plans, which Kroger refused to pay into.
The Teamsters also lost their seniority. Union guys who had worked in the Fry's warehouse on 59th Avenue for 20 years found themselves lower on the totem pole than non-union guys who have worked in Tolleson for two.
Stalter, 37, drove a pallet jack for seven years at the old Fry's warehouse.
"If I come out here, and there's a guy who worked here for eight years, I'll fall below him, because that's the right thing to do," Stalter says.
"But when I come out here, and there's some guy been here one year, and he gets to pick his work assignments before me, and he gets to pick his vacations before me, I have a problem with that."
So do the Teamsters.
On 13 occasions in six months, Local 104 negotiators met with Kroger, asking for better terms on a long-term contract. The Teamsters came away 0-13 and called a strike.
Then Kroger got crafty.
On September 30 -- two days before the strike hit -- Kroger announced the sale of its Tolleson distribution center to Central Services Integrated, a New Jersey-based subsidiary of Security Capital Industries (stick close to me here; multinational conglomerates are labyrinthine on purpose).
Security Capital Industries, or SCI, handles storage and global distribution for Nike, Xerox and FedEx, among others. SCI is also a major player in the Mexican maquiladora industry -- assembly plants where Mexican workers earn a few dollars a day.
Kroger likes to shuffle the shells of ownership when a labor force gets restless. Six times in recent years, Kroger sold a distribution center, either right after a union contract expired, right before a union went on strike, or both. Three of those seven times -- in Atlanta, Georgia; Nashville, Tennessee; and Roanoke, Virginia -- Kroger's buyer was Security Capital Industries.
Dogging the paper trail is of little interest to Stalter.
"Kroger says, 'You're not on strike against us, now, you're on strike against CSI, who's really SCI, just like Fry's and Fred Meyer's are really Kroger," he said. "So, if you go back to work, you won't be working for Kroger anymore, you'll be working for CSI.
"Well, all we know is we're doin' the same damn job, and the orders are goin' to the same damn place, except now we're getting screwed. It's bullshit. Kroger, SCI, CSI, it's all the same damn people. No one out here is fooled."
The white pickup parked outside the Local 104 office sports matching rear window decals of the ubiquitous winking, pissing Calvin. Only this Calvin isn't relieving himself on a Ford or Chevy logo. He's pissing on the word "Scabs."
Inside the building on 27th Avenue near Buckeye Road, Local 104 president Cliff Davis greets me in a Teamsters shirt bearing the image of a cigar-chomping bulldog in sunglasses. Paws crossed, it stands defiantly in front of a globe.
"It's a Dog Eat Dog world," the shirt says.
At this point in the strike, Davis says, it's hard to tell how acutely Fry's/CSI is feeling the union's bite. Two weeks into the strike, the Teamsters have received no word from their opponents.
"No phone call, nothing," Davis says. "We're not worried. "We have a $1 million strike fund, and we're firmly entrenched in our position."
CSI has overstaffed the Tolleson warehouse with temporary laborers who are earning more than the Teamsters they replaced. CSI and Fry's say there has been no disruption of service. The Teamsters say that's not true.
"Loads are getting to the stores six, seven hours late," says Davis. "It's going to be a cumulative effect. The guys they have in there now can't do the jobs as well as our guys. All we have to do is keep the pressure up."
Last week, the Teamsters distributed 170,000 boycott leaflets in Fry's parking lots, churches, the State Fair and sports events. The fliers show a dragon busting through the front glass of a Fry's store. Terrified shoppers flee the beast's menace.
"We want people to know what the hell's going on," Davis says. "We want them to know it's not their friendly neighborhood Fry's anymore."
Nor has it been since Kroger bought the Fry's chain 18 years ago. Then, if Kroger thought it could profit by laying off Teamsters, it would have. It just took this long before it became economically viable -- from a capitalist pig's perspective -- for Kroger to bust up the union shops and move operations to a non-union shop next door.
But if Local 104's boycott flier seems like a page torn from a 1960s playbook, it's because the Tolleson Teamsters strike is an old-school labor conflict -- a remnant from a time before you could buy an American flag stamped "Made in China."
There are millions of men in Mexico who would weep and thank God for deliverance were they to be hired into the same $13-an-hour job Matthew Stalter walked away from in disgust. Except Kroger wouldn't pay these men $13 an hour. It would pay them whatever it could get away with -- four dollars, maybe three -- so the dragon's horde could grow fatter, and CEO Pichler could speak to stockholders not of soulless exploitation, but "strategic action."
But Kroger can't do that. Because it sells groceries instead of computer chips, garage door openers or Beanie Babies, Kroger can't move its labor force to Mexico, or Indonesia, or El Salvador, or Bangladesh, or any other place where sweat comes cheap, and the authorities are known to shoot foul-mouthed picketers outside the company gates.
So we have a good seat for the Tolleson strike because the local union has a tangible target to strike against. We've even been asked by the Teamsters to participate by refusing to spend our money at Fry's.
If you like this story, consider signing up for our email newsletters.
You have successfully signed up for your selected newsletter(s) - please keep an eye on your mailbox, we're movin' in!
So, we have a decision to make. Do we side with the strikers, or with Pichler and his anonymous Kroger underlings?
Ask yourself this: Whom do you like more, and whom are you more like?
And remember -- it's not a boycott. It's a strategic action.
Contact David Holthouse at his online address: firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
Pricing Strategies for beauty goods
"Pricing Strategies" Please respond to the following:
- Pick a health and beauty brand and item you use regularly; for example, shampoo, shaving cream, moisturizer, razor blades, etc. Imagine this brand is extending its reach to a new target audience with a new product. Identify this new target audience and then outline the beginnings of a pricing strategy for this new product, by offering specifics instead of generalities about the strategy. For example, do not merely say "I suggest a competitive price." Instead say, "I suggest a high-volume, low-introductory price." Provide a rationale for your strategy choice(s).
- In today's economic climate, retailers are continuously conducting sales in order to get customers in their doors. Analyze the short-term and long-term effects of continuous sales to all stakeholders.
Tutor Answer
Brown University
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text:
Double G Stable's Tour of the Cat took the early lead and never looked back, winning the $150,000 Miami Mile Breeders' Cup Handicap at Calder Race Course by 2 1/2 lengths. Last Stand finished second in the one-mile race originally carded for grass but run over a main track rated good.
(Under rules established by the American Graded Stakes Committee, the Mile Breeders' Cup Handicap was originally carded as a grade III race but was run as an ungraded event after being moved to the main track. The committee will review the race to determine if the grade should be restored or if the race will be recorded as a non-graded race for this running.)
Hear No Evil stalked Tour of the Cat through the first three-quarters of a mile as the 5-year-old Tour d'Or gelding set fractions of :24.12, :47.59, and 1:12.06. Last Stand also established a stalking place in third throughout before making a mild gain to take second, with Lavender's Lad third. Favored Supah Blitz was unhurried early, advanced three wide far turn, but could not gain on the leaders.
Tour of the Cat, who got the mile in final time of 1:38.65 under jockey Abad Cabassa Jr., paid $8.60, $5.20, and $3.80. Last Stand returned $10.00 and $5.40, with Lavender's Lad paying $5.20.
"This horse has good early speed so I sent him away from the gate thinking that someone would outrun him early and we could just sit behind the pacesetters," Cabassa said. "As it turned out, he was so eager to run we wound up in front. I slowed him down as much as I could but when we got pressure from Hear No Evil, he wanted to run on again, so I let him and he still had something for the finish."
The victory was the ninth in 30 career starts for Tour of the Cat, who has earned $696,261. Produced from the Tunerup mare Tune in to the Cat, the gelding was bred in Florida by CVS Sales Company. Monday's race was the first for Tour of the Cat since finishing sixth in the Smile Sprint Handicap (gr. III) on July 12.
" He came out of the Smile (July 12) full of mucus," said winning trainer Myra Mora, noting she did not know when the gelding would make his next start. "He hadn't shown any signs before the race, but he was sick."
(Chart, Equibase)


text:
Open Payments
The Data is Out!
- The second year of Open Payments data is now available. Check out the summary data to get a data overview, or dive right in and use the search tool.
Open Payments
Sometimes, doctors and hospitals have financial relationships with health care manufacturing companies. These relationships can include money for research activities, gifts, speaking fees, meals, or travel. The Affordable Care Act requires CMS to collect information from applicable manufacturers and group purchasing organizations (GPOs) in order to report information about their financial relationships with physicians and hospitals. Open Payments is the federally run program that collects the information about these financial relationships and makes it available to you. View the summary data dashboard for an overview of the published data.
Search & Explore
Open Payments Data
Use the search tool to look up a doctor or hospital, or a company that's made payments. Download all Open Payments data in detail. Interact with all the data sets. States can create and download custom reports.
Open Payments Data in Context
What is a conflict of interest? What is nature of payment? Learn about Open Payments and what it may mean for physicians, industry, and you.


text:
FBLA students attend national conference
Seven Fairfield High School students will return today after spending a week at the Future Business Leaders of America's national leadership conference in Anaheim, Calif.
FHS business instructor and FBLA sponsor Diane Goudy flew with six of the students to California Tuesday including Makayla Kessel, Adam Mueller, Alex Shier, Ammon Shaner, Jenna Nelson and Sage Richmond. Kara Greiner and chaperone Michele Greiner met the group in California the following day.
The students qualified for the conference at the state level duirng spring break and competed in the following categories: Richmond, banking and financial systems; Shier, Nelson and Shaner, marketing; Kessel, economics; Mueller, business planning; and Greiner, healthcare administration.
While at the conference, students toured main attractions in Los Angeles including Grauman's Chinese Theater, the Hollywood sign and Rodeo Drive. They dined at the Farmer's Market and spent an afternoon and evening on the Santa Monica Beach and Pier. In addition, they spent a day giving back to the community by helping clean up a seal beach.
FBLA is the largest and oldest business student organization in the world. A quarter of a million high school and middle school students, college and university students, faculty, educators, administrators, and business professionals have chosen to be members of the business education association preparing students for careers in business.


text:
GENEALOGY-DNA-L ArchivesArchiver > GENEALOGY-DNA > 2005-09 > 1128133046
From: (John Chandler)
Subject: Re: [DNA] STR mutation rates
Date: Fri, 30 Sep 2005 22:17:26 -0400 (EDT)
References: <firstname.lastname@example.com>
In-Reply-To: <email@example.com> (firstname.lastname@example.com)
Ann wrote:
> But... isn't the purpose of Charles' log to assemble data about *differences*
> in mutation rates between various Y-lines? A few transmission events isn't
> going to be sufficient to make any statements about that.
Nobody is expecting to find in the log a family study that stands out
so far in terms of mutation rate that it can single-handedly prove a
statistically significant difference. In fact, if such an entry were
to surface, the immediate suspicion would be that the study was using
flawed selection criteria -- either achieving a zero mutation rate
by rejecting as "unrelated" anyone with even one mutation, or achieving
a very high mutation rate by accepting as related anyone who thinks he
has traced his ancestry back to the founder.
Indeed, the "flag" for serious, systematic variation in the mutation
rate, if it shows up, will be a skewed distribution of many small
studies, each of which is plausible as an outlier by itself. The
trick will be to eliminate various types of selection bias as
alternative explanations for such a skewed distribution.
John Chandler
This thread:
|Re: [DNA] STR mutation rates by (John Chandler)


text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|28 Dec 2004
|Filing date
|19 Sep 2000
|Priority date
|8 May 2000
|Fee status
|Also published as
|Publication number
|Dan Kikinis
|Original Assignee
|Eagle New Media Investments, Llc
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (40), Referenced by (13), Classifications (38), Legal Events (7)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. �119(e) from provisional patent application, entitled "Three Dimensional EPG", Ser. No. 60/203,128 filed on May 8, 2000.
In The invention relates to the field of creating electronic programming guides (EPGs) for television viewing. More specifically, the invention relates to providing a three dimensional EPC.
Electronic Programming Guides (EPGs) allow a viewer to receive information about programs being shown on their cable television system. Currently available EPGs typically display program information, such as which programs are on what channels, and when those programs will be shown. Typically, because there is more information than can be displayed on the television at once, these EPGs scroll past the screen at a specified rate, making navigation frustrating. These EPGs are usually displayed on one channel of a cable television system and do not allow for interactivity.
Newer digital EPGs allow a user to interact using their remote control or other means. These EPGs allow users to scan the program selections and seek out programs which they want to view, and do allow some interaction by the user. However, they are still quite simple, and generally not very attractive.
Digital EPGs also typically require a set top box (STB) to be attached to a user's television. The STB contains hardware and software necessary to process the EPG and the user's input, and also to descramble certain cable channels.
Most EPGs have been simple two-dimensional (2D) text-oriented Electronic Programming Guides. They typically display only one text size and very limited graphics. In general the use of graphics is mostly limited to character-based graphics, capable of drawing boxes, outlines, fields, etc. What is needed is a more interactive and dynamic EPG that can be used on the current generation of STBs.
The present invention provides a method and an apparatus for displaying an Electronic Programming Guide (EPG) having a reduced graphics hardware requirement and capable of three-dimensional graphics. In one embodiment the method includes displaying a virtual mesh comprising independent objects situated in a set of parallel planes. The mesh can be displayed in a full three dimensional perspective view. In an alternative embodiment, hardware requirements may be further reduced if a three dimensional isometric view is utilized. The user can then navigate the mesh, and programs can be positioned in the mesh based on predetermined criteria.
The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1a illustrates a three dimensional object as generated by a three dimensional graphics pipeline;
FIG. 1b illustrates a pixel array;
FIG. 1c illustrates a pixel array bound to a parallelogram;
FIG. 1d illustrates a pixel array bound to a trapezoid;
FIG. 1e illustrates a three dimensional object with a perspective view;
FIG. 1f illustrates a three dimensional object with an isometric view;
FIG. 2 illustrates an isometric three-dimensional Electronic Programming Guide (EPG) according to one embodiment;
FIG. 3 illustrates a category list according to one embodiment;
FIG. 4 illustrates the position of an EPG relative to a television screen according to one embodiment; and
FIG. 5 illustrates a system having a readable medium with instructions stored thereon according to one embodiment.
One embodiment provides a method and apparatus for displaying an Electronic Programming Guide (EPG) with a reduced hardware requirement. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that these specific details are not required in order to practice the present invention.
Commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/488,361, filed Jan. 16, 2000, introduced a three-dimensional (3D) EPG which allows for a much more configurable and user friendly interface than previous two dimensional (2D) EPGs.
The invention describe herein is sometimes referred to as 3D EPG "Light." The arrangement and method of displaying the EPG will reduce the hardware requirements of the STB, to further allow current STBs to display the described EPG.
In order to display a 3D EPG, a STB typically requires a 3D graphics pipeline. Either a hardware-accelerated 3D graphics pipeline or a software-only 3D graphics pipeline may be used. A hardware-accelerated 3D graphics pipeline has the advantage of faster processing because it has dedicated hardware that handles calculations that would otherwise be performed by the central processing unit (CPU). A software-only pipeline is typically slower than a hardware-accelerated pipeline because the CPU must handle graphics processing. However, a software pipeline does not require dedicated 3D graphics hardware, and thus is less expensive and can easily be adapted to currently available STBs that do not already have 3D hardware acceleration.
The following is meant to be a short description of a 3D graphics pipeline. The commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/488,361, describes 3D accelerator technology in more detail, and is incorporated herein by reference.
FIG. 1a illustrates the construction of a 3D object using a 3D pipeline. A 3D graphics pipeline, either hardware or software, operates as a subsystem of a larger computer system that may be part of, for example, a STB. A 3D graphics pipeline creates a 3D object by first receiving data describing the object from the larger system. The data includes coordinates describing a geometric surface, and pixel arrays. A geometric surface 2 is created from polygons 4. For example, in FIG. 1a, a baseball bat is constructed from triangles.
A pixel array is in essence a graphic image displayed on a computer system. After the geometric surface is created, the pixel array is bound to the surface. By binding the array to the geometric surface, the 3D pipeline effectively covers the surface with the array. For example, the array corresponding to the object in FIG. 1a would contain a bitmapped image resembling wood. The array would then be bound to the geometric surface, and it would resemble a baseball bat.
Once the image is bound, the 3D pipeline displays the image from a reference point 6. Reference point 6 is the point from where a viewer sees the object. Reference point 6 can be moved to give different views of the object.
FIG. 1b is an example of a pixel array. A pixel is essentially a point of light on a display. A display is made up of a grid of pixels, each representing a specific color. The pixels are arranged to create an image on the display. Pixel arrays are image files that are typically rectangular in shape and defined by the number of pixels long by the number of pixels wide. Pixel array 10 is a grid of 9�9 pixels. In pixel array 10, there are two colors, black pixels 12 and white pixels 14. Pixel array 10 resembles a house.
As an example, consider that there is a simple geometric surface consisting of a single polygon, a square. A graphics pipeline could bind pixel array 10 to the square. If the square were the same size as the pixel array, the pixel array could be bound to the square by simply placing the pixels within the square. This operation requires minimal processing. Were the square larger or smaller than the pixel array, the pipeline would have to add or remove pixels, or "resize" the pixel array, to approximate the size of the square. Resizing a pixel array still requires only a small amount of processing.
Now, consider binding the pixel array to a rhomboid, such as rhomboid 18 in FIG. 1c. If the lines of the rhomboid had the same dimensions as the pixel array, you could bit shift the pixel array. Rhomboidal pixel array 20 is an example of a bit shift of pixel array 10. In rhomboidal pixel array 20, the leftmost column of pixels remains in its place, and the column to the right is shifted up one or more pixels. Each successive column to the right is shifted a certain number of pixels until the rightmost column has been moved. As bitshifting only requires rearrangement of pixels, it too is a relatively minor burden on a graphics subsystem.
If you wanted to bind the pixel array to a trapezoid, such as trapezoid 28 in FIG. 1d, you might need to compress some areas of the array, while you might need to expand others. A pixel array is compressed when certain pixels are removed to make the image smaller, and is expanded when pixels are added to make the image larger. As a result, different areas of the image may be compressed or expanded at different rates. Trapezoidal pixel array 30 is an example of binding pixel array 10 to a trapezoid. This type of operation requires a greater amount of processing than either resizing or bitshifting, and can become burdensome on a system that does not have a hardware accelerated graphics pipeline.
FIG. 1e is an example of a three dimensional object with a perspective view. When displayed with a perspective view, the lines of a 3D object such as perspective cube 40 will appear to converge upon a vanishing point 42. A perspective view requires processing in addition to the processing necessary to create a 3D object. This is because many of the surfaces of an object with a perspective view, such as top 44, will be trapezoidal. As explained above, when binding a rectangular pixel array to a trapezoidal surface, extensive processing will be required. Additionally, many of the surfaces in a perspective view will also need to be bitshifted, which further increases the necessary amount of processing.
FIG. 1f is an example of a three dimensional object with an isometric view. With an isometric view, a 3D object such as isometric cube 46 appears uniform, and does not seem to disappear at a vanishing point. In other words, parallel lines will always look parallel with an isometric view, while in a perspective view they will appear to converge.
Some rectangular surfaces in an isometric view become rhomboids, such as top 48. As explained above in FIG. 1d, binding a pixel array to a rhomboid requires only that a 3D graphics pipeline bitshifts the pixels, a relatively undemanding process. Thus, an EPG that has an isometric view will provide more acceptable performance with a software pipeline. As a result, a software pipeline may be desirable because it can be easily adapted to current set top boxes.
FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary EPG according to one embodiment. As shown the EPG includes virtual mesh 100 for displaying television programming information. A user may navigate through virtual mesh 100 to find desired television programs.
Virtual mesh 100 is a polyhedron. A polyhedron is a three dimensional object, such as a cube or a pyramid, that is essentially a solid bounded by polygons. Virtual mesh 100 is also a geometric object (see e.g., FIG. 1a, element 2) constructed from independent objects 101, and three planes 102-104. There are relatively few elements to process in virtual mesh 100 when compared to a typical geometric object.
A geometric object, such as geometric surface 2, generally comprises many polygons 4 in order to create a smooth, realistic looking surface. In addition, with a typical scene displayed by a hardware accelerated 3D graphics pipeline contains many geometric objects which all require a significant amount of processing. Even a few geometric objects may comprise several hundred polygons which all require binding bitmap images to their surfaces.
In contrast to most geometric objects, the EPG described below comprises only dozens of surfaces that are mostly stationary. Compared to the typical application which requires a 3D graphics pipeline, the number of elements of the here enumerated EPG is quite small. The simplicity of this EPG is one factor that reduces the amount of processing required by the EPG, and allows it to be implemented on current set top boxes (STBs).
Virtual mesh 100 can be displayed either with an isometric view or in a full 3D perspective view. As explained above, if virtual mesh 100 is displayed in a perspective view, a hardware-accelerated 3-D pipeline may be required. Displaying virtual mesh 100 with an isometric view may allow the implementation of the EPG on an STB exclusive of a hardware accelerated 3D graphics pipeline. One advantage of the current invention is that new set top boxes may not be required, which may allow this new EPG to be brought to market more quickly and less expensively.
Virtual mesh 100 is constructed of individual mesh lines, which give the mesh its shape and its structure. As shown in FIG. 2, virtual mesh 100 has the shape of a cube, but it is clear that virtual mesh 100 may also be in the shape of other polyhedrons. The mesh lines are arranged as to create a set of columns and rows, in which television programming information can be displayed.
As shown in FIG. 2, virtual mesh 100 is a group of lines displayed on a video screen configured so that objects 101 may be displayed within the mesh. In one embodiment, objects 101 represent individual television programs. Independent objects 101 are arranged as to make navigation of the mesh simple, and to bring to the user's attention those programs in which they may be interested.
Virtual mesh 100 is further a virtual 3-D view of three parallel planes 102, 103 and 104 housing at least one independent object 101 positioned in virtual mesh 100. Virtual mesh 100 is further aligned along three axes, the x-axis, the y-axis and the z-axis. As shown in FIG. 2, planes 102, 103, and 104 are aligned along the z-axis.
In one embodiment, planes 102-104 are rectangular and parallel. The first plane 102 creates the face of mesh 100, the second plane 103 bisects mesh 100, and the third plane 104 creates the backing of mesh 100. The three planes house objects 101 so as to give the appearance of a table of television listings.
Each plane may have its own color and form. For example, plane 102 can be assigned the color red, and thus its mesh lines are red. Plane 103 can be assigned the color blue, and thus its mesh lines are blue, and plane 104 can be assigned the color green, which means its mesh lines are green.
In one embodiment, objects 101 are not a part of virtual mesh 100; they are merely situated within the mesh 100. Each of the program elements 101 is a fully independent object that may be manipulated by the EPG independent of virtual mesh 100. Objects 101 further comprise one or more interactive surfaces. Interactive surfaces may be acted upon by the user to create a desired result, such as selecting a new channel.
Objects 101 may be arranged in planes 102, 103, 104 according to user selected categories. In one embodiment, the three planes shown represent levels of preference, and specifically represent the categories "preferred," "neutral," and "don't prefer." However, any alternative number of categories greater than one could be used. In FIG. 2, the first plane 102 represents the "preferred" category, the second plane 103 represents the "neutral" category and the third plane 104 represents the "don't prefer" category.
Although one embodiment shows planes 102, 103 and 104 that are parallel with a rectangular shape, and objects 101 that are rectangular, in other embodiments the program listings could be displayed in various different forms. An object 101 could be a pictogram that graphically displays the type of programming represented by that object. For example, the program listing of a baseball game could appear in a virtual 3-D shape of a baseball bat, or a baseball (not shown). Additionally, the planes need not be parallel and aligned along the z-axis. Any variety of shapes, sizes, and alignments of listings and listing planes could be created within the scope of the invention.
The top plane of virtual mesh 100, formed by the x and y axes of the three planes is a Time Plane. It has time numerals 105 a through n, the first two of which are shown as "9:00" and "9:30". Time lines 106 a through 106 n extend along the z axis from front to back, as seen in FIG. 2, across planes 102, 103, and 104. The numbers and the time lines may also be a distinctive color, such as, for example, yellow or gold.
Mesh rows 108 a through 108 n represent channels, and columns 110 a through 110 n represent times. Names identifying channels are listed in the first column 110 a. The rows corresponding to a specific channel listed in column 110 a further list the programs on that channel at different times. For example, row 108 b contains listings for the channel "ABC" 111.
Virtual mesh 100 can contain all available channels from a service provider or can contain a subset of channels selected by interest group or by certain other criteria. The selection criteria may be either user-selectable or pre-selected by the provider.
A user may navigate the mesh using a remote control device attached to a set-top box (not shown). A user navigates mesh 100 by moving a cursor or highlight bar throughout the mesh. For example, in FIG. 2, row 108 b is highlighted by highlight bar 112, which indicates to the user that they have currently selected that channel. In FIG. 2, the selected channel is ABC 111. Because row 108 b is highlighted, a semi-transparent colored band extends from the front row to the back to indicate the location of the elements.
The cursor 114 is currently highlighting element 116, which is an object that represents the user's currently selected program, the news. In one embodiment, because the news 116 is currently selected, the full title of the program "ABC Evening News" is displayed on sign 120. Sign 120 is placed on top of the mesh and displays details of the selected program. The user may move cursor 114 throughout the mesh 100 to select and preview different television programs. In addition to showing the selected element on table 120, a further enhancement in one embodiment could pull that show to the front and display it hovering in front of the mesh 100.
In the example illustration of FIG. 2, the news 114 is in the first plane 102 because the user has designated newscasts as a preferred television program. Based on selected interest categories, the programs matching certain criteria are displayed in the first plane 102, indicating shows of the highest interest, the second plane 103 indicating shows of neutral interest, or displayed in the third plane 104, indicating shows of the lowest interest. Although planes 102, 103, and 104 are described above as representing level of interest, it is clear than a variety of criterias may be used to determine which programs are listed in which planes.
Furthermore, in the example shown in FIG. 2, Johnny Sitcom 122 is set back into the second plane 103, "neutral," because the user has given sitcoms a "neutral" preference setting. Womantalk 124 is set back into the third plane 104, or "not preferred."
The user views virtual mesh 100 from the front. Program listings in the front plane 102 appear to be at the front of the screen. Program listings in the middle plane 103 appear to be set back from the front of the screen, and program listings in the back plane 104 appear to be set further back than program listings in plane 103. In one embodiment, the programs that the user wishes to view are displayed more prominently, so that the user's attention will be immediately drawn to them. This increases the ease of use of the EPG and creates an attractive visual effect.
Although this example of one embodiment shows three planes, the EPG may contain any number of planes, such as only two, representing interested and not interested, or four or five planes, for varying levels of interest. In yet another embodiment, multiple users on the same set-top box may have different preferential profiles and may accordingly assign different categories to different preference levels.
The reduced number of elements that comprise the above described EPG helps to reduce the hardware requirements. Compared to most geometric objects processed by 3D pipelines, virtual mesh 100 and independent objects 101 are quite simple, and therefore will not require a great deal of processing to display. Additionally, the number of objects that comprise the EPG is also comparatively few, and thus there is less processing required.
FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a category list where all categories of the various available programs are shown. List 200 has two columns. Column 201 lists categories and column 202 shows the interest level assignment of each category. Either a user-selectable or preassigned value is assigned to each category. These values are then used by the system to tie the shows falling into each category to the correct planes 102 through 104.
In FIG. 3, for example, sports programs are given an interest level 1, and would therefore be in the first plane 102. Likewise, sitcoms are assigned interest level 2, and would be set in the second plane 103. And, late night shows are given interest level 3, and would be set in the third plane, 104.
Multiple customized tables can be programmed for different users, so when a user identifies himself, the EPG rearranges shows within the mesh accordingly. By pushing back certain shows and also making their entries visibly smaller than those in the foreground, shows of lesser interest are de-emphasized.
FIG. 4 shows virtual mesh 100 as seen on a television screen. In one embodiment, the angle between the top line and the perpendicular, as viewed on a 2-D screen, is between 90 and 97 degrees. The embodiment shown in FIG. 4 is exemplary. Other arrangements may be chosen without affecting the functionality of the EPG.
The method of displaying an EPG in three dimensions, as described above, can be stored in the memory of a computer system (e.g., set top box, video recorders, etc.) as a set of instructions to be executed, as shown by way of example in FIG. 5. In addition, the instructions to display an EPG in three dimensions as described above could alternatively be stored on other forms of machine-readable medium, including magnetic and optical disks. For example, the method of the present invention could be stored on machine-readable mediums, such as magnetic disks or optical disks, which are accessible via a disk drive (or computer-readable medium drive). Further, the instructions can be downloaded into a computing device over a data network in a form of compiled and linked version.
Alternatively, the logic to perform the methods as discussed above, could be implemented in additional computer and/or machine readable mediums, such as discrete hardware components as large-scale integrated circuits (LSI's), application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC's), firmware such as electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM's); and electrical, optical, acoustical and other forms of propagated signals (e.g., carrier waves, infrared signals, digital signals, etc.); etc.
The embodiments above have been described in sufficient detail with a certain degree of particularity. It is understood to those skilled in the art that the present disclosure of embodiments has been made by way of examples only and that numerous changes in the arrangement and combination of parts may be resorted without departing from the spirit and scope of the embodiments as claimed. Accordingly, the scope is defined by the appended claims rather than the forgoing descriptions of embodiments.
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|U.S. Classification
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|19 Dec 2000
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text:
Internap Announces World's First Commercially Available OpenStack Cloud Compute Service
- World's first cloud compute service built on OpenStack open source platform
- Full range of OpenStack and VMware public and private cloud services provides enterprises with unmatched flexibility
- Global, high-performance network with 100% uptime SLA ensures seamless access to cloud services
Oct 27, 2011, 09:00 ET from Internap Network Services Corporation
ATLANTA, Oct. 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Internap Network Services Corporation (NASDAQ: INAP), a provider of intelligent IT Infrastructure services, today announced the world's first commercially available public cloud compute service based on the OpenStack open source platform. Internap's Open Public Cloud compute service delivers high-performance, on-demand provisioning and scaling of enterprise computing capacity to meet changing web and application demands. The OpenStack platform offers a set of standardized APIs allowing customers to utilize the cloud without worrying about being locked in to a single provider.
The Open Public Cloud complements Internap's Custom Public Cloud, a VMware®-based compute cloud, resulting in unparalleled flexibility for customers. These public cloud compute offerings build on Internap's private cloud services and its recently introduced cloud storage service, also based on OpenStack, creating one of the most comprehensive enterprise cloud offerings available today. Internap's global Performance IP™ network, with a 100% uptime SLA, is fully-integrated with its cloud services, ensuring seamless access and an optimized experience for end users.
According to a recent report from Gartner, public cloud services spending is expected to grow four times faster than overall IT spending, reaching nearly $177 billion by 2015. "Enterprises moving to the cloud want the ability to select services that meet their specific control, security and cost requirements rather than a 'one size fits all' option," said Paul Carmody, senior vice president of product management and business development at Internap. "As an active member of the OpenStack open source community and a provider of VMware vCloud® Powered services, Internap offers enterprises maximum flexibility with public cloud, private cloud and a scalable cloud storage service. This allows customers to 'future-proof' cloud investments, moving from one cloud platform to another or using a hybrid approach as priorities and business needs evolve."
MedAptus, a leader in the healthcare revenue cycle space for charge capture, management and workflow efficiency, is using a hybrid cloud solution from Internap. MedAptus counts amongst its customers some of the nation's largest and most prestigious healthcare organizations.
"We were seeking both a private cloud that could support our growing customer base and a scalable and cost-efficient disaster recovery solution. The flexibility of Internap's cloud offering allowed us to easily select the services that fit our unique requirements," said Larry Hagerty, president at MedAptus. "Internap's Dedicated Private Cloud gives us the benefits of a VMware environment, including enterprise-class security, fully-dedicated resources and the control to create our own virtual machines. Its Custom Public Cloud provides a back-up site that allows us to spin up virtual machines on demand if needed and, because it's a pay-as-you-go model, there's no recurring charge, which drives down our total cost of ownership for the overall solution."
Internap's Enterprise Public Cloud Offering
- Open Public Cloud: A highly-scalable, cost-effective public cloud with an easy-to-use management interface and APIs that can meet dynamic capacity needs on demand. Based on the OpenStack platform, this service leverages the low-cost, open source Xen Cloud Platform and is integrated with Internap's OpenStack-based cloud storage offering for maximum flexibility.
- Custom Public Cloud: A "pay-as-you-go," multi-tenant public cloud that speeds adoption and delivery by leveraging the VMware platform, thereby eliminating the need to re-architect applications that have already been virtualized internally. Customers can architect tailored cloud configurations and create customized network configurations on demand through VMware's vCloud Director portal.
Internap at Cloud Computing Expo
At Cloud Computing Expo November 7–10 in Santa Clara, Calif., Internap will showcase its cloud portfolio, with demonstrations spanning Open Public Cloud, Custom Public Cloud and the company's patented Managed Internet Route Optimizer™ (MIRO) technology, which analyzes network performance characteristics in real time to route traffic over major Internet backbones globally for intelligent, optimized and highly-reliable delivery of data and applications.
Additionally, Adam Weissmuller, director of product management at Internap, will present a speaking session, "Overcoming Latency: The Achilles Heel of Cloud Computing" at the event on November 10 at 2:45 p.m.
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About Internap
Internap provides intelligent IT Infrastructure services that enable our customers to focus on their core business, improve service levels, and lower the cost of IT operations. Our enterprise IP, CDN, colocation, managed hosting and cloud solutions are differentiated by unparalleled levels of performance, availability and support. Since 1996, thousands of businesses have entrusted Internap with the delivery and protection of their online applications. Transform your IT infrastructure into a competitive advantage with IT IQ from Internap. For more information, visit http://www.internap.com/, our blog at http://www.internap.com/blog, or follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/internap.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include statements related to the features, functionality and performance of our products and services, including our cloud storage and cloud compute services, and the benefits our customers are expected to receive from them. Because such statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, there are important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. These factors include the actual performance of our products and services; our ability to respond successfully to technological change; the availability of services from Internet network service providers or network service providers providing network access loops and local loops on favorable terms, or at all; failure of third party suppliers to deliver their products and services on favorable terms, or at all; failures in our network operations centers, data centers, network access points or computer systems; our ability to provide or improve Internet infrastructure services to our customers; and our ability to protect our intellectual property, as well as other factors discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Given these risks and uncertainties, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. We undertake no obligation to update, amend or clarify any forward-looking statement for any reason.
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Mariah Torpey
Andrew McBath
Davies Murphy Group, Inc.
SOURCE Internap Network Services Corporation


text:
Authorities are looking for a pair of thieves who stole more an $6,400 worth of seafood from a Dania Beach restaurant.
The theft happened back on July 5 at the Rustic Inn at 4311 Ravenswood Boulevard when the two men entered the restaurant around 4:20 a.m. and used a wrench and fishhook to open the locked kitchen freezers, the Broward Sheriff's Office said Monday.
The burglars grabbed $6435 worth of expensive seafood, including 200 pounds of Maine lobster, 100 pounds of blue crab, 40 pounds of crab meat, 100 pounds of Dungeness crab, 100 pounds of grouper and 100 pounds of snapper.
Surveillance footage showed the men struggling to carry a cooler at the dock of the restaurant.
Both men, who appear to be in their 20s, were heavily tattooed, the BSO said.
Anyone with information is asked to call Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.