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CES 2014: Digital Storm Bolt II SFF Steam Machine
Subject: General Tech, Systems, Shows and Expos | January 6, 2014 - 12:00 PM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: SteamOS, Digital Storm, CES 2014, CES
Another big expectation coming into CES, this year, was the announcement of Steam Machines. We have already seen a few announcements but most of those were just teasers of what is to come at the event. Unlike our fears with G-Sync, many of the products we have seen differ from one-another and attack specific niches. One attaches to the back of your TV while another is a pretty beefy system with a console price-tag.
This one is another small form factor (SFF) machine that includes both SteamOS and Windows to access both libraries. The Digital Storm Bolt II goes after the high end with a factory-overclocked CPU and easily accessible (their claim, I cannot form an opinion without using it) graphics card, storage, optical drive, and cooling system. They do stress the cooling capabilities of their SFF design so it would seem that was their development priority.
I am somewhat confused about the default dual-install, however. Everything special about SteamOS will be ported to the Steam Client so the main advantage of leaving Windows would be to access Linux-exclusive games. That does not seem like much of a market at least for the moment. I expect that, unless Microsoft completely blows away their own foot, anything that comes out for SteamOS will also be released on Windows. I would expect this feature to come much further down the line. It is certainly not a bad thing, however, apart from a little recovered harddrive space.
Apparently the device will be available soon, this month, with an $1899 MSRP.
PC Perspective's CES 2014 coverage is sponsored by AMD.
Follow all of our coverage of the show at http://pcper.com/ces!
(ZDNet) Windows 7 End-of-Life Dates
Subject: General Tech, Systems | December 8, 2013 - 11:14 PM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: windows xp, Windows 7
Users of Windows 7, current and planned, have a few dates to remember. First, as of October 30th, Microsoft has stopped selling retail (boxed) packages of that operating system. Second, OEMs can continue to sell systems with Windows 7 preloaded for a year after that date (October 30th, 2014). Third, the operating system will receive typical updates until January 13th, 2015. Fourth, security fixes will be provided until January 14th, 2020. Oddly, Microsoft's website disagrees with Mary Jo Foley's timeline; I expect it might just be out of date.
Windows XP is creeping towards the oblivion as April slowly arrives. The 8th of that month marks the end of security updates and other forms of utter chaos for machines with a vibrant green Start button. With Microsoft essentially turning a blind eye to unpatched exploits, it will become progressively more unsafe to use XP except in well controlled (virtualized, firewalled, etc.) instances.
But, according to Mary Jo Foley of ZDNet, Microsoft will not sell them a retail copy of the Windows 7 any more (as of October 30th, 2013). The official Windows Product Lifecycle guide, however, still lists this date as "To be determined". Either Microsoft is very slow (updating their warning website after the date passes) or it was a much softer deadline than the editorial claims. Most of the Amazon product pages are for third party resellers, except for Windows 7 Pro Full, so it might just be clearing stock. Who knows.
OEMs will have a much easier time, however. Microsoft will continue allowing them to sell Windows 7 with new PCs for another year, until October 30th 2014. Again, this date is unlisted from the Windows Product Lifecycle guide.
It will all need to come to an end at some point though. Windows XP lost mainstream support back in April 14th, 2009; the same will come of Windows 7 in a little over a year: January 13th, 2015. That said, beyond new versions of Internet Explorer, Windows 7 has not been receiving too many updates as it stands. With DirectX now considered a core feature of Windows, the last couple of revisions are exclusive to the latest release. We still have Firefox and Chrome when they pull IE from our cold dead hands. I feel weird writing this...
The most devastating date, which XP users are about to face, is the end of extended support. Come January 14th, 2020, Microsoft will not longer provide security updates. Users of Windows 7 will need to be extra cautious and only deploy it in well controlled environments.
Like for me, if Microsoft continues going down the Windows Store path, a VM on a Linux machine.
PiixL Jetpack Mounts To Your TV
Subject: General Tech, Systems | December 7, 2013 - 04:04 AM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: SteamOS, PiixL Jetpack
This is what an open ecosystem does best.
The Jetpack, by British PC developer Piixl, is a computer that can attach to the back of a TV. If your TV stands on its own, the Jetpack clings to the television's unused wall mount point. If you were intending to mount your TV on the wall, the PC can reside between the two. These are the user needs that can only be addressed by allowing organizations (large companies, small businesses, hobbyist groups, and individuals) to explore in the niches either to "scratch their own itch"or differentiate their product.
The computer is branded mostly for SteamOS but can also be installed with a full version of Windows or Linux (which you can then install a Steam Client on). It is looking more and more like Valve is successful in herding OEMs.
The internals of this computer are quite interesting. It looks like they are attaching a 2-wide videocard 90-degrees to a mini-ITX motherboard with the other components spaced out around those two parts. Their official media claims that they will support any GPU (I assume they are not considering ones with extra- thick coolers) which should make future upgrades easy.
I may never purchase a Steam machine but I am excited that they exist. The purpose for the PC ecosystem is that every user with any need can find or create a solution. That is why general purpose computation devices exist: perform whatever information storage or manipulation the user desires. I do not have many of the needs that these boxes satisfy... but some people do and there should be systems available for them.
The Verge claims that the Jetpack will be available in January. I can sense a theme for CES 2014.
MSI Announces a 3K Gaming and a 3K Workstation Notebook
Subject: General Tech, Systems, Mobile | December 5, 2013 - 02:47 PM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: WQHD+, msi, 3K
High resolution displays are very nice to have especially when you are looking at text and symbols (or edges of 3D geometry). WQHD+ is one of the resolutions classified under the 3K moniker with dimensions of 2880 x 1620. It has slightly more pixels than 1440p.
MSI has launched two notebooks with a 15.6" display in this resolution: one gaming and one workstation. Both laptops are remarkably similar except for a few key differences.
Both laptops include:
- Intel Core i7-4700MQ CPU (2.4 GHz w/ 3.4 GHz Turbo)
- 15.6" 2880x1620 (16:9) display
- Killer E2200 networking (yes, the workstation too)
- Killer N1202 a/b/g/n wireless (yes, workstation too)
- SDXC card reader
- HDMI 1.4, 2x USB 3.0, etc.
- Backlit Keyboard from SteelSeries
The GT60 2OD-261US (Gaming) also includes:
- Windows 8
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M GPU (4GB)
- Blu-ray reader
The GT60 2OKWS-278US (Workstation) instead includes:
- Windows 7 Professional
- NVIDIA Quadro K3100M (4GB)
- Blu-ray recorder
These laptops are currently available at two price points: $2200 for the gaming version and $2800 for the workstation. Press release after the break!
iBuyPower Steam Machine: $499?
Subject: General Tech, Systems | December 5, 2013 - 02:38 AM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: amd, r9 270, Steam Machine, SteamOS
I cannot see how they will be making any money at this but, next year, iBuyPower will launch their first Steam Machine. At the price of $499, the same as an Xbox One, you will get an AMD CPU bundled with a discrete Radeon R9 270 graphics card.
Image Credit: The Verge
Oh, and Valve's controller will be included in that price.
Sure, they can save money on the free operating system, but that still looks pretty awesome. In terms of actual dimensions, the case is said to be between the size of the PS4 and the Xbox one. Frankly, if you like the look of home theater appliances, this could be a nice twist on that aesthetic. It will also come with a 500GB hard drive. Don't worry, though: it is a PC. If there is a USB 3.0 port anywhere on it, you can attach a giant drive for your games.
And the power supply is internal, too!
iBuyPower is expected to ship this device at some point in 2014 along with a wave of other Steam Machines. Prepare for many of these innovations to come out of CES.
Does your NUC need a nice quiet home?
Subject: Systems | November 28, 2013 - 02:26 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: htpc, fanless, nuc, Logic Supply, LGX ML300
Logic Supply's LGX ML300 lineup offers you choices from an empty case to a pre-built system costing over $1000, allowing to pick and choose the HTPC system you want. The case is completely fanless and the system sent to Silent PC Review consisted of a Core i5-3427U, 8GB DDR3-1333 and a 128GB mSATA SSD. The outputs offer enough choice for most users, a pair of USB 2.0 ports, two mini DisplayPort a mini-HDMI and gigabit LAN. Thermal performance was great with this case compared to some previous NUCs and SPCR had no issues with overheating during their tests.
"A slim, silent, fanless case for an Intel NUC with room enough for a 2.5" drive is Logic Supply's latest passively cooled project. With the right NUC innards, it becomes a perfect ultra-mini media PC with both zippy performance and enough storage space."
Here are some more Systems articles from around the web:
- Shuttle XPC Barebone SH87R6 w/ Core i5-4570T @ techPowerUp
- Tranquil PC D33217GKE NUC Case @ techPowerUp
- Silverstone ML05 mini-ITX HTPC case @ SPCR
- Building an HTPC: Planning, Part Picking & Building @ Techgage
- Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex TV HD Media Player Review @ PCSTATS
(IHS) New Consoles Not Nearly As Expensive As Last Time
Subject: General Tech, Systems | November 27, 2013 - 12:18 AM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: xbox one, ps4, IHS
Parts and labor costs have surfaced for the Xbox One and Playstation 4. Last time around, both Microsoft and Sony were bleeding over a hundred dollars each time a console was produced and sold before you even consider research, development, support, and so forth. This time, both are fluttering around the break-even point.
Console fans commonly say, "You cannot build an equivalent gaming PC for what I can get a console for." My response has been, "Correct and neither can Sony or Microsoft; they are bleeding to gouge you later. Add up those license fees and PC gaming is often cheaper." That may change.
Easier for developers... and their CFO.
Also, check out our teardowns (and reassembly!!!) of the PS4 and the Xbox One.
While it has not changed that PC gaming can still be cheaper, because it has less middlemen demanding license fees, the consoles might not be losing as much money. Last week, IHS iSuppli inventoried the Playstation 4 and determined that it costs Sony around $381 USD for every $399 console they sell. The Xbox One has also had its turn: $471 USD for the $499 device.
Update #1 (12/4/2013): IHS Electronics 360 contacted me about their full iSuppli teardown report and video for the PS4 (also the Xbox One, but that was not mentioned in their email).
This may seem a lot, but the $499 launch PS3 (20GB) cost Sony $805.85 in parts and labor. The Xbox 360 was less devastating for Microsoft at a cost of $525 for their $399 console. None of these fees include research, development, support, store markup (if they are allowed any), etc.
The last generation of consoles, despite its length, may or may not have delivered any profit for either party. The recent several quarters of profits are easily offset by many more of losses. I expect that neither company is interested in repeating the last generation. It hurt.
But the consoles, despite being cheaper than last time, could still have a reasonable lifespan. A large chunk of the original PS3 bill of materials was the hardware "Emotion Engine" (most links are broken by now but I believe it was about as much per chip as the Cell processor). The consoles are now based upon commodity PC hardware. They can finally take advantage of the competition between other companies to focus their research and development costs on the platform itself.
A fresh new season of system recommendations
Subject: Systems | November 25, 2013 - 03:31 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: DIY, system build
It is once again time for The Tech Report to refresh their recommended system builds. This is a perfect time to do it as we have recently seen the new generation of GPUs from both AMD and NVIDIA. Gamers looking to build a machine from scratch or to complete a partial upgrade can utilize these recommendations in addition to our HWLB. Make sure to also check out the new mobile sidekicks section to get an idea of other hardware you might want to pick up as well.
"We've updated our four staple builds to account for all of the latest hardware releases, including the arrival of new graphics cards from AMD and Nvidia."
Here are some more Systems articles from around the web:
- Asrock M8 Mini-ITX Gaming PC @ Techspot
- ASRock M8 @ Hardawre.info
- Mesh Elite 4770K Gamer System @ Kitguru
- Overclockers UK 'Ultima 460i Scimitar' Watercooled Gaming System @ eTeknix
Video: How to Build a Gaming PC: OS Install, Steam Setup
Subject: General Tech, Systems | November 25, 2013 - 01:35 PM | Ryan Shrout
Tagged: xbox one, video, r9 270x, ps4, playstation 4, fx 6300, amd, 200r
Over the past week or so, we have been slowly putting together a guide to help interested readers select, build and now install everything necessary to build the perfect PC to compete against the new console generation.
In the first part, Josh and I discussed the new console architectures and how they were similar, and different, from modern PC gaming systems. We also discussed a couple of specific build outs that we thought were price competitive with the Xbox One and the PS4 while also offering quite a bit more performance and flexibility for the user.
|Gaming Build
|PlayStation 4
|Xbox One
|AMD FX-6300 6-core CPU - $109
|8-core Jaguar APU
|8-core Jaguar APU
|Corsair Vengeance LP 8GB 1866 MHz (2 x 4GB) - $80
|Graphics Card
|Gigabyte Radeon R9 270X 2GB - $199
|1152 Stream Unit APU
|768 Stream Unit APU
|Seagate Barracuda 1TB 7200 RPM HDD - $64
|Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case - $59
|Power Supply
|Corsair CX 600 watt 80+ Bronze - $69
|Optical Drive
|Pioneer Blu-ray Reader - $49
|Windows 8.1 OEM - $98
|Custom, FreeBSD
|Custom, Windows
|Peak Compute
|Total Price
|$780 - Amazon
|$399 - Amazon
|$499 - Amazon
In part 2, we recorded a video of me actually assembling the parts (or nearly the same parts) in the build to show users that might be intimidated by the process exactly how easy it is to build a PC from scratch.
Today, we finalize our journey with the installation of the operating system, setup of the Steam gaming platform and even how easy it is to run the PC when attached to a TV.
After briefly discussing the BIOS and UEFI on the motherboard, installing Windows 8.1 and then running the latest Steam client on the new PC, a brief demonstration of Metro: Last Light running in Big Picture Mode takes place. With that we can demonstrate the power of the PC and the flexibility it truly offers over even the latest consoles.
I hope this set of videos has been useful for our readers that might have been interested in the idea of a gaming PC but were worried or unsure of their own ability to get the job done. I think we have demonstrated that the entire process is easy, fun and rewarding - and can be done in a single afternoon as long as you order the right parts.
Let me know in the comments if you have any questions or feedback - and happy building!!
Xbox One Teardown - Microsoft still hates you
Subject: General Tech, Systems | November 22, 2013 - 08:02 PM | Ryan Shrout
Tagged: video, teardown, xbox one, APU, amd, xbox, xb1
Last week we brought a teardown of the new Sony PlayStation 4 (PS4) console and this week we do the same for Microsoft's new Xbox One console.
In this video, which is a recording of our live stream that started last night at 12:30am EST, you'll see us unbox the Xbox One, turn it on, play with the new Kinect, take it apart and put it back together. And this time we didn't even break anything - though removing the plastic clips on the Xbox One are particularly more annoying and time consuming than the screws on the PS4.
Though they are out of stock, Amazon.com appears to be getting additional Xbox One consoles in stock pretty regularly, so keep an eye out.
Video: How to Build a Gaming PC to Beat the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One
Subject: General Tech, Systems | November 22, 2013 - 07:45 PM | Ryan Shrout
Tagged: xbox one, video, r9 270x, ps4, playstation 4, fx 6300, amd, 200r
After Josh and I discussed and debated which components would be best suited for a low cost gaming PC to compete with the Sony PS4 and Microsoft Xbox One, Ken and I set about to create a video to show those users nervous about the idea of building a PC how easy it can be.
Though Josh and I built systems at $550 and $750 price tags that compare to the new gaming consoles in different ways, for this build I thought it was best to focus on the higher performance, though higher priced option, detailed below.
|Gaming Build
|PlayStation 4
|Xbox One
|AMD FX-6300 6-core CPU - $109
|8-core Jaguar APU
|8-core Jaguar APU
|Corsair Vengeance LP 8GB 1866 MHz (2 x 4GB) - $80
|Graphics Card
|AMD Radeon R9 270X 2GB - $209
(Alternate: ASUS GTX 760 - $259)
|1152 Stream Unit APU
|768 Stream Unit APU
|Seagate Barracuda 1TB 7200 RPM HDD - $64
|Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case - $59
|Power Supply
|Corsair CX 600 watt 80+ Bronze - $69
|Optical Drive
|Pioneer Blu-ray Reader - $49
|Windows 8.1 OEM - $98
|Custom, FreeBSD
|Custom, Windows
|Peak Compute
|Total Price
|$790 - Amazon Full Cart
|$399 - Amazon
|$499 - Amazon
The links above will take you to the Amazon pages if you want duplicate our setup for a system of your own.
If you have never built a PC before, gaming or otherwise, it can be a little intimidating to see the list of parts you need to order. But don't fear! The build process is surprisingly easy if you pick the right parts and have the right help. The video below will detail the exact installation process for the components listed above (or close proximity thereof) to get you up and running!
If you happen to have missed the video where Josh and I discuss the REASONS for selecting the above hardware, I have included it below as well. Stay tuned in the next day or so for our video that shows the operating system installation process, Steam installation, gaming and Big Picture Mode.
Tokyo Tech Goes Green with KFC (NVIDIA and Efficiency)
Subject: General Tech, Graphics Cards, Systems | November 21, 2013 - 09:47 PM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: nvidia, tesla, supercomputing
GPUs are very efficient in terms of operations per watt. Their architecture is best suited for a gigantic bundle of similar calculations (such as a set of operations for each entry of a large blob of data). These are the tasks which also take up the most computation time especially for, not surprisingly, 3D graphics (where you need to do something to every pixel, fragment, vertex, etc.). It is also very relevant for scientific calculations, financial and other "big data" services, weather prediction, and so forth.
Tokyo Tech KFC achieves over 4 GigaFLOPs per watt of power draw from 160 Tesla K20X GPUs in its cluster. That is about 25% more calculations per watt than current leader of the Green500 (CINECA Eurora System in Italy, with 3.208 GFLOPs/W).
One interesting trait: this supercomputer will be cooled by oil immersion. NVIDIA offers passively cooled Tesla cards which, according to my understanding of how this works, suit very well to this fluid system. I am fairly certain that they remove all of the fans before dunking the servers (I figured they would be left on).
By the way, was it intentional to name computers dunked in giant vats of heat-conducting oil, "KFC"?
Intel has done a similar test, which we reported on last September, submerging numerous servers for over a year. Another benefit of being green is that you are not nearly as concerned about air conditioning.
NVIDIA is actually taking it to the practical market with another nice supercomputer win.
Other NVIDIA Supercomputing News:
- IBM and NVIDIA collaborate on GPU-accelerating IBM's enterprise software.
- Piz Daint, powered by Tesla K20X GPUs, greenest PFLOP-scale supercomputer.
Sony Playstation 4 (PS4) Teardown and Disassembly
Subject: General Tech, Systems | November 15, 2013 - 02:42 PM | Ryan Shrout
Tagged: video, teardown, ps4, playstation 4, APU, amd
Last night Ken and I headed over the local Best Buy to pick up my preorder of the new Playstation 4. What would any hardware geek immediately do with this hardware? Obviously we take a screwdriver to it and take it apart.
In this video, which is a recording of our live stream that started last night at 12:30am EST, you'll see us unbox the PS4, turn it on, take it apart and put it back together. And I only had to fix one piece with gaffers tape, so there's that.
(We'll have a collection of high-resolution photos later today as well.)
Though they are out of stock, Amazon.com appears to be getting more PS4s in stock pretty regularly, so keep an eye out if you are interested in picking one up still.
Happy Friday!
NVIDIA Grid GPUs Available for Amazon EC2
Subject: General Tech, Graphics Cards, Systems | November 5, 2013 - 09:33 PM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: nvidia, grid, AWS, amazon
Amazon Web Services allows customers (individuals, organizations, or companies) to rent servers of certain qualities to match their needs. Many websites are hosted at their data centers, mostly because you can purchase different (or multiple) servers if you have big variations in traffic.
I, personally, sometimes use it as a game server for scheduled multiplayer events. The traditional method is spending $50-80 USD per month on a... decent... server running all-day every-day and using it a couple of hours per week. With Amazon EC2, we hosted a 200 player event (100 vs 100) by purchasing a dual-Xeon (ironically the fastest single-threaded instance) server connected to Amazon's internet backbone by 10 Gigabit Ethernet. This server cost just under $5 per hour all expenses considered. It was not much of a discount but it ran like butter.
This leads me to today's story: NVIDIA GRID GPUs are now available at Amazon Web Services. Both companies hope their customers will use (or create services based on) these instances. Applications they expect to see are streamed games, CAD and media creation, and other server-side graphics processing. These Kepler-based instances, named "g2.2xlarge", will be available along side the older Fermi-based Cluster Compute Instances ("cg1.4xlarge").
It is also noteworthy that the older Fermi-based Tesla servers are about 4x as expensive. GRID GPUs are based on GK104 (or GK107, but those are not available on Amazon EC2) and not the more compute-intensive GK110. It would probably be a step backwards for customers intending to perform GPGPU workloads for computational science or "big data" analysis. The newer GRID systems do not have 10 Gigabit Ethernet, either.
So what does it have? Well, I created an AWS instance to find out.
Its CPU is advertised as an Intel E5-2670 with 8 threads and 26 Compute Units (CUs). This is particularly odd as that particular CPU is eight-core with 16 threads; it is also usually rated by Amazon at 22 CUs per 8 threads. This made me wonder whether the CPU is split between two clients or if Amazon disabled Hyper-Threading to push the clock rates higher (and ultimately led me to just log in to an instance and see). As it turns out, HT is still enabled and the processor registers as having 4 physical cores.
The GPU was slightly more... complicated.
NVIDIA control panel apparently does not work over remote desktop and the GPU registers as a "Standard VGA Graphics Adapter". Actually, two are available in Device Manager although one has the yellow exclamation mark of driver woe (random integrated graphics that wasn't disabled in BIOS?). GPU-Z was not able to pick much up from it but it was of some help.
Keep in mind: I did this without contacting either Amazon or NVIDIA. It is entirely possible that the OS I used (Windows Server 2008 R2) was a poor choice. OTOY, as a part of this announcement, offers Amazon Machine Image (AMI)s for Linux and Windows installations integrated with their ORBX middleware.
I spot three key pieces of information: The base clock is 797 MHz, the memory size is 2990 MB, and the default drivers are Forceware 276.52 (??). The core and default clock rate, GK104 and 797 MHz respectively, are characteristic of the GRID K520 GPU with its 2 GK104 GPUs clocked at 800 MHz. However, since the K520 gives each GPU 4GB and this instance only has 3GB of vRAM, I can tell that the product is slightly different.
I was unable to query the device's shader count. The K520 (similar to a GeForce 680) has 1536 per GPU which sounds about right (but, again, pure speculation).
I also tested the server with TCPing to measure its networking performance versus the cluster compute instances. I did not do anything like Speedtest or Netalyzr. With a normal cluster instance I achieve about 20-25ms pings; with this instance I was more in the 45-50ms range. Of course, your mileage may vary and this should not be used as any official benchmark. If you are considering using the instance for your product, launch an instance and run your own tests. It is not expensive. Still, it seems to be less responsive than Cluster Compute instances which is odd considering its intended gaming usage.
Regardless, now that Amazon picked up GRID, we might see more services (be it consumer or enterprise) which utilizes this technology. The new GPU instances start at $0.65/hr for Linux and $0.767/hr for Windows (excluding extra charges like network bandwidth) on demand. Like always with EC2, if you will use these instances a lot, you can get reduced rates if you pay a fee upfront.
Official press blast after the break.
(The Verge) Valve's Steam Machine and Steam Controller
Subject: General Tech, Systems, Shows and Expos | November 4, 2013 - 03:36 PM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: valve, Steam Machine, steam os, CES 2014
I guess The Verge, with its Steam Machine photos, prove all three next-gen consoles (trollolol) are designed to look like home theater devices. Of course you will never be able to purchase a Steam Machine from Valve but, since they are releasing their CAD files, I am sure at least one Steam Machine will be exactly to reference spec.
Image Source: The Verge
And, for the record, I think the reference enclosure is classy. Living room appliances suit a lot better than kitchen ones.
On a serious note: pictures of the internals. The beta Steam Machines will contain full desktop components aligned in such a way that each has its own sector to breathe from. The hottest parts intake and exhaust as far away from one another as possible. This makes the chassis relatively wide and short: a video card's length, in depth; about 3 expansion slots, tall; and about 3 PCIe cards height, wide. The actual measurements are 12" x 12" x 3" (W x D x H).
Photo Credit: The Verge
This is mostly possible because the GeForce Titan GPU is mounted upside-down and parallel with the motherboard. I have never experienced a 90-degree PCIe extension slot but, according to Josh Walrath, this is a common accessory in servers (especially 1U and 2U racks). The Titan intakes downward into a relatively unoccupied section of the case and exhausts out the back.
The Verge also had some things to say about the Steam Controller. The design motivations are interesting but I will leave that discussion to the original article (this news post will be long enough when I'm done with it). There are two points that I would like to bring up, though:
The first is a clarification of the original Steam Controller announcement: Valve will produce and sell Steam Controller on its own. This was originally a big question mark as it could water down how "reference" Valve's controller actually is. With Valve taking all-the-reins, the hardware looks more set in stone.
Will Valve still allow OEMs to learn from their design? Who knows.
The second is also interesting.
What Valve left out of the Steam Controller is almost as intriguing as what went in. Though Valve co-founder Gabe Newell told us that the company wanted to put biometric sensors into game controllers, the team discovered that hands weren't a good source of biofeedback since they were always moving around. However, the team hinted to me — strongly — that an unannounced future VR headset might measure your body's reaction to games at the earlobe. Such a device could know when you're scared or excited, for instance, and adjust the experience to match.
Seeing Google, Valve, and possibly Apple all approach content delivery, mobile, home theater, and wearable computing... simultaneously... felt like there was a heavy link between them. This only supports that gut feeling. I believe this is the first step in a long portfolio integrating each of these seemingly unrelated technologies together. We should really watch how these companies develop these technologies: especially in relation to their other products.
Stay tuned for CES 2014 in early January. This will be the stage for Valve's hardware and software partners to unbutton their lips and spill their guts. I'm sure Josh and Ryan will have no problems cleaning it all up.
(WinSupersite) Surface 2 Reviewed
Subject: General Tech, Systems, Mobile | November 1, 2013 - 04:49 PM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: windows rt, Surface 2
The Surface 2 is what happened to the Surface RT. Microsoft decided that "RT" has no place on this product except, of course, its software ("Windows RT") because they painted themselves into a corner on that one. The message is something like, "It's Windows RT 8.1 but not Windows 8.1; in fact, you cannot run that software on it". I expect, and you probably know I have voiced, that this all is a moot point in the semi-near future (and that sucks).
Microsoft's "Official" Surface 2 overviews.
Paul Thurrott down at his Supersite for Windows reviewed Surface 2 in terms of the original Surface RT. The inclusion of Tegra 4 was a major plus for him yielding "night and day" improvement over the previous Tegra 3. In fact, he thinks that everything is at least as good as the original. There is not a single point on his rubric where the Surface RT beats its successor.
Of course there is a single section where the Surface 2 lacks (it is shared with the Surface RT and I think you can guess what it is). The ecosystem, apps for Windows RT, is the platform's "Achilles Heel". It is better than it once was, with the inclusion of apps like Facebook, but glaring omissions will drive people away. He makes this point almost in passing but I, of course, believe this is a key issue.
It is absolutely lacking in key apps, and you will most likely never see such crucial solutions as full Photoshop, iTunes, or Google Chrome on this platform. But if we're being honest with ourselves here, as we must, these apps are, for better or worse, important. (The addition of Chrome alone would be a huge win for both Windows RT and Surface 2.)
You are paying Microsoft to not let you install third party browsers. Literally.
Not only does this limit its usefulness but it also reduces the pressure to continue innovation. Why add developer features to Internet Explorer when you can control their use with Windows Store? Sure, Internet Explorer has been on a great trajectory since IE9. I would say that versions 10 and especially 11 could be considered "top 3" contenders as app platforms.
The other alternative is the web, and this is where Internet Explorer 11 plays such a crucial role. While many tier-one online services—Spotify, Pandora, Amazon Cloud Player and Prime Video, and so on—are lacking native Windows RT aps, the web interfaces (should) work fine, and IE 11 is evolving into a full-featured web app platform that should present a reasonable compromise for those users.
Only if Microsoft continues their effort. No-one else is allowed to.
Now that I expanded that point, be sure to check out the rest of Paul Thurrott's review. He broke his review down into sections, big and small, and stuck his opinion wherever he could. Also check out his preview of the Nokia Lumia 2520 to see whether that (if either device) is worth waiting for.
Lenovo's gaming series, meet the Erazer
Subject: Systems | October 31, 2013 - 01:45 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: Lenovo, Erazer X700
Early this week a deal on the Lenovo Erazer X700 Gaming System was posted and now you can have a chance to see how it performs at Benchmark Reviews. The bundle it arrives with is rather impressive, a backlit keyboard and a gaming mouse which you can modify the weight to your preference. While the external aesthetics are interesting it is the internals that we want to know about, especially the watercooling which is revealed below. It performed well but their are some caveats you should read about in the review if you imagine yourself buying this system and upgrading it in the future.
"It's been years since I've bought a pre-built desktop computer, so I was interested in the opportunity to check out the Erazer X700 Gaming System that Lenovo offered to us to review. The Erazer occupies a space between the sub-$500 generic boxes most people are satisfied with and the expensive boutique systems at the other end of the scale."
Here are some more Systems articles from around the web:
- Alienware X51 R2 Desktop Gaming System Review @ Legit Reviews
- UK Gaming Computers Flagship Minos Mini PC System @ eTeknix
- Aria GLADIATOR Sparta i5 4.40GHz Overclocked Bundle @ Kitguru
- CyberpowerPC Infinity Achilles Pro @ eTeknix
- MSI AG2712A All-In-One Gaming PC @ Kitguru
- Asus M51AC-US015S Review @ TechReviewSource
- Apple iMac 21.5 inch and 27 inch 2013 review: the Haswell generation @ Hardware.info
Seasonic PSUs Will Power HashFast Bitcoin Miners
Subject: General Tech, Cases and Cooling, Systems | October 22, 2013 - 07:10 PM | Tim Verry
Tagged: seasonic, Power Supplies, mining, bitcoin, asic
Seasonic (Sea Sonic Electronics) has announced a design win that will see its power supplies used in HashFast's bitcoin mining rigs. The upcoming HashFast mining rigs feature the company's "Golden Nonce" ASIC(s) and all-in-one water coolers. HashFast has a single ASIC Baby Jet and multi-ASIC Sierra rig. Both units will be available December 15 starting at $2,250 and $6,300 respectively.
The Seasonic power supplies are high efficiency models with Japanese capacitors and at least 80 PLUS Bronze. On the high end, Seasonic has PSUs that are up to 93% efficient. HashFast stated that it chose Seasonic for its mining rigs because of the build quality and efficiency. The Baby Jet and Sierra mining rigs allow users to overclock the ASICs, and the systems can be rather demanding on PSUs.
The Golden Nonce ASIC is a 28nm chip that is rated at 400 GHash/s and 0.65 Watts per Gigahash.
Beyond that, the companies have not gone into specifics. It is good news for Seasonic, and should mean a stable system for bitcoin miners (the 93% efficiency rating is nice as well, as it means less wasted electricity and slightly more bitcoin mining profit).
The full press blast is below for reference.
Read more about Bitcoin @ PC Perspective!
PC Shipments Fell Less Than Expected. Tablets Grew Less
Subject: General Tech, Systems, Mobile | October 14, 2013 - 09:27 PM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: Lenovo, hp, dell, tablets
About 81 million PCs were sold in the third quarter of this year; a decline of 8 percent from the same quarter of last year. This is according to reports from Windows IT Pro who averaged figures from IDC and Gartner.
The firms, however, were expecting somewhere between a 9 and 10 percent drop.
A further decline (in global shipments) is still expected to occur next year. Tablet sales have slowed from projections, albeit still on a growing trend, due to emerging markets and the simplification of generic content consumption. Our viewers probably extend beyond the generic but many others do not, for whatever number of reasons, use their devices except for media and text-based web browsing; as such, customers are more hesitant to replace their PCs.
Lenovo, HP, and Dell were 1-2-3 in terms of worldwide PC sales with each experiencing slight growth. HP is very near to Lenovo in terms of unit sales, less than a quarter million units separating the two, although I would expect Lenovo would have wider margins on each unit sold. HP extends further into the low value segments. Acer and ASUS had a sharp decline in sales.
Unfortunately, the article does not give any specific details on the tablet side. They did not reach their projections.
Valve's Steam Controller Demonstration... 001... .avi?
Subject: General Tech, Systems | October 11, 2013 - 06:36 PM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: valve, Steam Machine, Steam Controller
Jeff Bellinghausen, former Chief Technology Officer at Sixense, currently works for Valve with their hardware initiative. He will be provide the voice over for today's controller walkthrough video. Four very different games are shown with very input configurations.
As a little background, Sixense partnered with Valve and Razer to develop the Hydra motion controller. I had a strong feeling that this technology would form the basis of the Steam hardware experience when first rumors of "The Steam Box" circulated. Clearly, either I was wrong or Valve dumped the prototype for their current (slightly more standard) gamepad.
Yet at least one of the engineering minds behind it kept with Steam OS.
The first and third games shown are Portal 2 and CounterStrike: Global Offensive, respectively. Portal 2 is operating in keyboard and mouse "legacy mode" where sliding your right thumb emulates the movement of a mouse and the left thumb activates a virtual D-Pad. This input method seems to have some sort of throw velocity when you quickly swipe your thumb across the pad and release although I obviously have not directly experienced it.
On the other hand, CounterStrike does not require auto aim.
Civilization V has the left thumb pad bound to map scroll and the right thumb pad controlling mouse movement. While precise, I could see speed being a problem for a game such as Starcraft 2. It seems to be slightly slower than a mouse. I would like to see someone learn the controller and attempt to ladder for a relevant amount of time.
Speaking of speed to complement precision: Papers, Please blends both thumbs into a single mouse movement. This highlights what, at least I guess, is the entire point of the new controller: allow new schemes to be tested.
Certainly, there are a bunch of possibilities even before the design leaves Valve's hands.
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text:
Rome Research Corporation
B-291162: Nov 20, 2002
Additional Materials:
- Full Report:
(202) 512-8278
Kenneth E. Patton
(202) 512-8205
Office of Public Affairs
(202) 512-4800
Rome Research Corporation protests the award of a contract to BAE Systems under request for proposals (RFP) No. N00244-02-R-0028, issued by the Department of the Navy for operation and maintenance services for the Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station Pacific. Rome challenges as unreasonable the agency's evaluation of its technical proposal under each of the solicitation's stated evaluation factors and the evaluation of the awardee's proposal under the past performance factor.
We deny the protest.
B-291162, Rome Research Corporation, November 20, 2002
The decision issued on the date below was subject to a GAO Protective Order. This redacted version has been approved for public release.
Matter of: Rome Research Corporation
File: B-291162
Date: November 20, 2002
Louis D. Victorino, Esq., Anne B. Perry, Esq., and A. Cristina Burbach, Esq., Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson, for the protester.
Marc F. Efron, Esq., Daniel R. Forman, Esq., Amy E. Laderberg, Esq., and J. Catherine Kunz, Esq., Crowell & Moring, for BAE Systems, the intervenor.
Theresa A. Chesnut, Esq., and Barbara J. Amster, Esq., Department of the Navy, for the agency.
Susan K. McAuliffe, Esq., and Christine S. Melody, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision.
Protest of agency's evaluation of proposals is denied where the record shows that the evaluation was reasonable and consistent with the solicitation's evaluation scheme.
Rome Research Corporation protests the award of a contract to BAE Systems under request for proposals (RFP) No. N00244-02-R-0028, issued by the Department of the Navy for operation and maintenance (O&M) services for the Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station Pacific. Rome challenges as unreasonable the agency's evaluation of its technical proposal under each of the solicitation's stated evaluation factors and the evaluation of the awardee's proposal under the past performance factor.[1]
We deny the protest.
The RFP, issued on April 16, 2002, contemplated the award of a fixed-price contract for a base year and three option periods. The RFP's scope of work includes O&M services for the station's Naval Radio Transmitting Facility (NRTF) Very Low Frequency (VLF) and High Frequency (HF) sites, Satellite Communication (SATCOM) facility, and Tactical Support Communication (TSCOMM) facility.[2] Section M of the RFP set forth the following four evaluation factors for award, listed in descending order of importance: management, key personnel/staffing, past performance, and price. The RFP stated that the technical factors combined were significantly more important than price (price, however, was to become more important as proposals approached technical equality); key personnel/staffing and past performance combined were approximately equal in importance to the most important technical factor, management.
Each offeror's technical proposal was to be adjectivally rated under each evaluation factor; the adjectival ratings were outstanding, highly satisfactory, satisfactory, marginal, or unacceptable. The RFP's definitions for the adjectival ratings applicable to management and key personnel/staffing included the following:
Outstanding -- The proposal earns the score of Outstanding since it meets and exceeds the solicitation requirements and the excess is beneficial to the Navy. . . . The proposal contains several enhancements of value (exceptional features, approaches, and/or innovations) that are worthwhile . . . .
Highly Satisfactory -- Fully meets all solicitation requirements and exceeds many of the solicitation requirements. Response exceeds a Satisfactory rating. . . . The proposal contains a few enhancements of value. . . .
Satisfactory -- Meets all solicitation requirements. Complete, comprehensive, and exemplifies an understanding of the scope and depth of the task requirements as well as the offeror's understanding of the Government's requirements. . . . The proposal demonstrates no enhancements of value . . . .
RFP at 34 (emphasis added).
For evaluation of past performance, each offeror was to submit information describing its performance on directly related or similar contracts and subcontracts held within the last 5 years and all contracts and subcontracts currently in progress which are of scope, magnitude and complexity similar to the RFP's requirements. RFP at 28. The RFP stated that a rating of outstanding for the past performance factor was appropriate where an offeror's performance of previously awarded contracts met contractual requirements and was accomplished with very few or very minor problems for which corrective actions taken by the [o]fferor were, or are, highly effective and where the firm's performance of completed contracts was consistently of the highest quality. RFP at 34 (emphasis added). The rating of highly satisfactory was to be given where a firm's past performance met contract requirements with some minor problems for which corrective action was taken or was expected to be effective, and where performance of completed contracts either was consistently of high quality or exhibited a trend of becoming so.[3] Id. (emphasis added). Award under the RFP was to be made to the firm that the agency determined submitted the proposal deemed most advantageous to the agency, considering all of the RFP's stated technical factors and price.
Four proposals were received by the scheduled closing time on June 10; two proposals were included in the competitive range, Rome's and BAE's. Discussions were held with the two firms and final proposal revisions were submitted by the scheduled closing time on July 24. The evaluators determined that the firms' revised proposals adequately addressed the items raised during discussions, but that the responses did not warrant a change in the evaluation ratings assigned to the initial proposals. BAE's proposal was rated higher than the Rome proposal under each evaluation factor, and (at $26.3 million) was lower in price than Rome's proposal (at $26.9 million).
The agency generally reports that both firms submitted strong technical submissions at competitive prices, but that BAE's proposal offered a few enhancements of value to the agency. In light of these enhancements, the BAE proposal was rated highly satisfactory under the RFP's most important evaluation factor, management. On the other hand, the evaluators found that Rome's final revised proposal failed to offer any enhancement of value to the agency; Rome's proposal therefore received a rating of satisfactory for the management factor. For the key personnel/staffing factor, BAE's proposal was rated as highly satisfactory and Rome's was rated as satisfactory (although the Rome proposal received a highly satisfactory rating for the key personnel component of the factor, it received only a satisfactory rating for the staffing subfactor). BAE's past performance, found to be consistently of the highest quality, was rated outstanding; Rome's past performance, found to be consistently of high quality, due to one past performance reference's lower than outstanding ratings, was rated highly satisfactory.
On August 7, the agency awarded a contract under the RFP to BAE, having determined the firm's higher-rated, lower-priced proposal offered the best value to the agency. Rome received a debriefing on August 19. This protest followed.
Rome challenges the agency's evaluation of proposals. The protester contends that its proposal should have received higher ratings than it did under each of the technical evaluation factors (management, key personnel/staffing, and past performance). Rome also contests the high rating assigned to the BAE proposal under the past performance factor in light of performance problems Rome asserts BAE experienced under its current VLF O&M services contract at the same facility.
An agency's method for evaluating the relative merits of competing proposals is a matter within the agency's discretion, since the agency is responsible for defining its needs and the best method of accommodating them. NLX Corp., B-288785, B'288785.2, Dec. 7, 2001, 2001 CPD 198 at 4. Where an evaluation is challenged, our Office will not reevaluate proposals but instead will examine the record to determine whether the agency's judgment was reasonable and consistent with the stated evaluation criteria and applicable procurement statutes and regulations. Lear Siegler Servs., Inc., B-280834, B-280834.2, Nov. 25, 1998, 98-2 CPD 136 at 7. The fact that the protester disagrees with the agency and generally believes its proposal should have been rated higher than it was does not render the evaluation unreasonable. ESCO, Inc., B-225565, Apr. 29, 1987, 87-1 CPD 450 at 7. We have reviewed all of Rome's evaluation challenges and find each to be without merit. As discussed below, the protest provides no basis to question the agency's evaluation of proposals or the award determination.
The management factor was the most important factor for award under the RFP's evaluation scheme, and our review of the record confirms that the evaluation of proposals under the management factor became the determinative factor in the current source selection. As stated above, the RFP specifically identified the importance of enhancements of value to the agency, such as exceptional features, approaches or innovations. The evaluators found five enhancements in the BAE proposal that were determined to offer value to the agency; Rome's proposal was found to offer no enhancements of value. Rome does not challenge the highly satisfactory management rating assigned to the BAE proposal for the five enhancements of value identified by the agency or the agency's determination of the value of these enhancements.[4] The protester therefore has provided no reason for us to question the rating assigned to the BAE proposal under the management factor.
Rome contends that its proposal should have been rated at least as highly as the BAE proposal under the management factor (i.e., as highly satisfactory rather than satisfactory), because Rome believes it proposed efforts that exceed the stated requirements and that these additional efforts are beneficial to the agency. As an example of these enhancements of value, Rome cites [deleted]; Rome also contends that the proposal's [deleted] should be viewed as valuable to the agency. As the agency points out, however, these two elements were offered in the BAE proposal as well, and were not considered to be enhancements of value for BAE. The record therefore shows that these items, even if considered enhancements, would not improve Rome's proposal's evaluation rating relative to BAE's proposal.
Rome also suggests that two other enhancements of value were included in its proposal: [deleted]. Our review of the record, however, confirms the reasonableness of the agency's decision not to regard these elements as enhancements of value. As to the [deleted], the agency points out that the contractor is already required under the RFP to [deleted] if requested to do so by the contracting officer. The agency also explains that the proposed [deleted] fail to provide additional value, since agency personnel administering the contract themselves frequently provide such [deleted] to the contracting officer. As to the proposal's mention of the [deleted], the agency points out that, since a resume was not provided for the individual, it is difficult, if not impossible, to assess the role of the individual or his value to the agency, if any. Accordingly, our review of the record provides no basis to question the reasonableness of the agency's determination that these elements of the Rome proposal, contrary to Rome's suggestion, did not offer enhancements of value to the agency. Since the evaluation record supports the reasonableness of the agency's actions, and the satisfactory rating assigned to the Rome proposal under the management factor is consistent with the RFP's definition of the rating, we conclude the record provides no reason to question the noted technical disparity between the proposals in this area.[5]
Rome next generally challenges the agency's evaluation of its proposal under the key personnel/staffing factor--Rome contends its proposal should have been rated higher under both subfactors of this factor.[6] For instance, the protester questions the fact that its [deleted] received an overall rating of highly satisfactory, even though two of the three evaluators rated him outstanding. This allegation, pertaining to only one of Rome's key personnel, provides no basis to conclude that the overall key personnel subfactor rating should be raised to outstanding. Even if the individual's rating were outstanding overall, the record simply does not suggest that it would change the proposal's overall consensus rating under the key personnel subfactor from the highly satisfactory rating received to a rating of outstanding. The proposal's overall key personnel rating reflects a consensus of all the evaluators' assessments of not only that individual, but of all the key personnel proposed, and Rome has not demonstrated that a rating of outstanding is otherwise warranted for its staff of key personnel. Rather, as the agency points out, the record shows that the key personnel proposed by the two firms were comparable; [deleted].
The record instead indicates that the disparity in overall ratings between the proposals under the key personnel/staffing factor was due to the difference in evaluation ratings assigned to the two proposals under the equally weighted staffing subfactor. The record shows that, although the two firms' staffing proposals also were relatively comparable, the BAE proposal received a slightly higher rating based on a few elements regarded as strengths, such as BAE's [deleted].[7] In short, Rome has not persuasively supported its general contentions that its proposal should have received a higher rating under the key personnel/staffing factor, that the evaluation of its proposal under this factor was unreasonable, or that the evaluation of proposals under this factor otherwise provides any basis to challenge the award determination.
The protester's challenge to the past performance evaluations also provides no reason to question the award to BAE. Rome alleges that BAE suffered performance problems at the start of its incumbent contract in that it was unable to recruit some of the government personnel who had been stationed at the VLF site when it converted to BAE's operation. Rome also asserts that the BAE proposal was improperly rated higher than Rome's despite Rome's performance of allegedly more relevant and more numerous contracts for similar services than those performed by BAE. BAE received a rating of outstanding for past performance; Rome received a rating of highly satisfactory. As discussed below, our review of the record supports the reasonableness of the agency's past performance evaluations.
First, the agency reports that no performance problems arose under the challenged BAE contract, and that BAE promptly staffed the project with qualified personnel from its other sites.[8]
Second, despite Rome's general disagreement, our review of the record supports the reasonableness of the evaluators' determination of the relevance of both firms' past contracts. In accordance with the RFP, the similarity in work requirements and the magnitude of the past performance projects considered by the agency evaluators served as appropriate bases to determine the most relevant projects for review; the protester does not persuasively challenge the agency's determination of the relevance of the past contracts considered in the evaluation. As to Rome's challenge that the two firms' incumbent contracts were not considered, the record is clear that the contracting officer for both those incumbent contracts was an evaluator under the current RFP, and he states that he considered that both firms' contract performance under the firms' incumbent contracts was excellent.
Our review of the evaluation record reveals that the difference in the ratings assigned to the proposals under the past performance factor did not result from an unequal evaluation, but rather, is wholly consistent with the terms of the evaluation criteria themselves. As stated above, the RFP contemplated a rating of outstanding where the offeror's references reported performance of past contracts consistently of the highest quality; a rating of highly satisfactory was appropriate where the reports that showed performance was consistently of high quality. RFP at 34. The evaluators determined that BAE's references, and other past performance information they had before them, demonstrated that BAE's past contracts reflected performance consistently of the highest quality--all of the firm's references evaluated the firm's performance as excellent. Rome's past performance on a directly relevant contract, however, received several ratings of satisfactory from the reference for that contract. The agency thus reasonably determined, consistent with the evaluation scheme set out in the RFP, that although Rome's other references considered its work to have been excellent, Rome's past performance should not be evaluated as outstanding under the terms of this RFP because the performance was not reported to have been consistently of the highest quality; the proposal instead was rated as highly satisfactory for performance reported to the agency as having been consistently of high quality overall. Rome has not shown, and we see no basis to conclude, that the agency's past performance evaluation was unreasonable or inconsistent with the evaluation criteria.
In sum, we find that the record here demonstrates the reasonableness of the agency's thorough and comprehensive evaluation of the firms' technical proposals, consistent with the stated evaluation scheme for award. We therefore have no reason to question the propriety of the agency's determination that BAE's higher-rated, lower-priced proposal offered the best value to the agency.
The protest is denied.
Anthony H. Gamboa
General Counsel
[1] See The Big Picture Co., Inc.
[4] see
[5] See Du & Assocs., Inc.
Nov 24, 2017
FEI Systems
We deny the protest in part and dismiss it in part.
Nov 22, 2017
Fattani Offset Printers
We deny the protest.
Geotech Environmental Services, Inc.
We deny the protest.
DynCorp International LLC
We deny the protest.
InGenesis, Inc.
We deny the protest.
Nov 21, 2017
A-P-T Research, Inc.
We deny the protest in part and dismiss the protest in part.
Nov 20, 2017
Fluor Federal Solutions, LLC
We sustain the protest.
Nov 16, 2017
We deny the protest.
Epsilon Systems Solutions, Inc.
We dismiss the protest because it raises a matter of contract administration over which we do not exercise jurisdiction.
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
2 days ago - 1 Likes
Dragons & St George Bank extend partnership
The St George Illawarra Dragons have received a major boost to the start of the new NRL season with Major Partner St.George Bank agreeing to extend their arrangement with the Club for a further four years.
The new deal will continue until the end of the 2015 season and will extend St.George's period as Major Sponsor to 12 years.
St.George Bank's Managing Director NSW & ACT, Greg Kenny made the announcement at the St.George Illawarra Dragons Training Session on Tuesday.


text:
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Related links
Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia
Print version ISSN 0365-0596On-line version ISSN 1806-4841
An. Bras. Dermatol. vol.79 no.2 Rio de Janeiro Mar./Apr. 2004
Márcia Rodrigues Garbin Pereira
Dermatologist, Specialist at "Sociedade Brasileira de Dermatologia"
The following demonstrative case exhibits the likenesses between a dermatological lesion and photographic images of items found in nature or daily life.
The aim of this photographic essay presentation is to demonstrate the likeness between keratoacanthoma (Figure 1) and Punica granatum (pomegranate) (Figure 2).
Very common in elderly patients and usually appearing alone, the lesion is a firm nodule with a cupola shape measuring 1 to 2 cm in diameter. The center has a crater with horny material. It develops in a few weeks' time most often on sun-exposed areas and progresses spontaneously for a few months (median: six months). Its spontaneous cure determines a slightly depressed scar.
In the case presented in this paper, the lesion is solitary. It has a cupola shape and measures roughly 4 cm in diameter, 1 cm in height and has no any central horny material on the distal third of the extensor surface of the left arm (Figure 1).
The likeness to the Punica granatum fruit (pomegranate) is very significant indeed (Figure 2). q
Correspondence to
Márcia Rodrigues Garbin Pereira
Rua Osório Prudenciano de Souza, 292
Jd. Ouro Verde Borborema SP 14955-000
Tel.: (16) 3266-2430
in September, 17th of 2002
Approved by the Editorial Council and accepted for publication in December, 12th of 2002
Work done at "Clínica Santa Rita"


text:
Sybarites shows us some looks at the latest collaboration from the Dunhill family. "Dunhill have commissioned Jaeger LeCoultre to create a line of watches for them using their movements furthering the relationship started earlier this year with the release of the Jaeger LeCoultre Atmos Clock for Dunhill. The Jaeger LeCoultre watches made for Dunhill are designed by Dunhill and influenced by some of the watches they have made over the past one hundred years, the collection consists of the Dunhill Facet and the Dunhill Classic. The Dunhill Facet uses the Jaeger LeCoultre caliber 822 automatic movement and is available in either white or rose gold."
What To Read Next


text:
Research Topics
D N Cox
Country: Australia
Detail Information
- Sensory and hedonic judgments of common foods by lean consumers and consumers with obesityD N Cox
Institute of Food Research, Reading, UK
Obes Res 6:438-47. 1998..To establish differences between lean subjects and subjects with obesity in subjective reports of predominant taste and texture attributes of common foods, and the relationships of these qualities and foods with overall liking...
- Sensory and hedonic associations with macronutrient and energy intakes of lean and obese consumersD N Cox
Institute of Food Research, Reading, UK
Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 23:403-10. 1999....
- Determination of energy density of freely selected diets: methodological issues and implicationsD N Cox
CSIRO Health Sciences and Nutrition, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 24:49-54. 2000....
- UK consumer attitudes, beliefs and barriers to increasing fruit and vegetable consumptionD N Cox
Consumer Sciences Department, Institute of Food Research, Earley Gate, Reading, UK
Public Health Nutr 1:61-8. 1998..To assess attitudes, predictors of intention, and identify perceived barriers to increasing fruit and vegetable (F&V) intakes...
- Take Five, a nutrition education intervention to increase fruit and vegetable intakes: impact on consumer choice and nutrient intakesD N Cox
Consumer Sciences Department, Institute of Food Research, Reading, UK
Br J Nutr 80:123-31. 1998..In conclusion, the intervention led to significant increases in fruit and vegetable intakes largely via conventional eating habits, with some desirable effects on macro- and micronutrient intakes...
- Predicting intentions to consume functional foods and supplements to offset memory loss using an adaptation of protection motivation theoryD N Cox
Commonwealth Scientific Industrial Research Organisation CSIRO Health Sciences and Nutrition, P O Box 10041, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
Appetite 43:55-64. 2004..Overall, perceived 'efficacy' (of the behaviour) and self-efficacy were the most important predictors of intentions to consume...
- Predictors of Australian consumers' intentions to consume conventional and novel sources of long-chain omega-3 fatty acidsD N Cox
CSIRO Food Futures National Research Flagship and CSIRO Human Nutrition, Adelaide BC, South Australia 5000, Australia
Public Health Nutr 11:8-16. 2008..To elicit predictors of variation in likelihood to purchase foods rich in long-chain omega-3 fatty acids...


text:
Phase Technology and Audyssey play dARTS!
The modular speaker elements consist of a two-way main (DCB1.0-LR), a three-way center (DCB5.0-C), a two-way dipole/bipole surround (DCB-SURR), and a subwoofer (DCB210-S) with 2 10" drivers and a 500W BASH amplifier. All but the subwoofer are composed of various combinations of the same 6.5" glass/honeycomb-cone woofer/midrange and 1" soft-dome tweeter. (The soft-dome tweeter, by the way, was invented by PT's founder, Bill Hecht.) All speakers are being made available for custom (in-wall) installation, for on-wall installation, or as free-standing cabinets and, in an effort to permit maximum flexibility, are identically voiced, at the factory, so that the different versions can be mixed as needed.
This is accomplished via the DP-2000 digital amp/controller, which is factory-set for the specific speaker system that it is shipped with, so that every element is completely balanced (±0.1%!) as well as phase- and time-aligned with the others. The data are also stored at the factory, so that, in the event that a speaker or driver is replaced, the DP-2000 can be updated to perfectly integrate the new element into the system. The DP-2000 box is simplicity itself with 16 single-ended analog inputs and 16 D2Audio digital amps (each with on-board DSP and memory, and capable of 125Wpc into 8ohms, 250Wpc into 4ohms), as well as an obligatory USB jack for communication with the PC. The 16 channels of amplification permit the multi-amping of all the speakers in a 7.1 or 7.2 system. (Remember the center is a three-way!)
After the dARTS system is physically installed in a listening/viewing location, the installer then finalizes the system with a new and more flexible version of the Audyssey MultiEQ XT. Unlike prior appearances of this system in home theater receivers, the measurement and programming is accomplished in a separate PC and then downloaded into the DP-2000. The advantages of this include a more flexible user interface, the capacity for more measurement locations in each room (up to 16), faster calculations, and easier software updates. Unfortunately, this means that the measurement and programming is not user accessible, as PT places this in the hands of custom installers. Still, the cost of the install kit is less than $500 and I can see a demand for it from many hands-on users, especially since Audyssey suggests re-equalizing when any element in the system or the listening room is changed. Otherwise, call your installer when you get new drapes.
The demo system was the custom-install black-box renditions, but prototypes of the snazzy free-standing units were on display as well. Demos were mostly movies but the system was powerful and clean. As in past Audyssey demos, Chris Kyriakakis provided several A/B comparisons, and the improvements wrought by adding MultiEQ XT were apparent. Chris also pointed out that, since the system "knows" the capabilities of the amps and the speakers, it is possible to run them to, but not beyond, their limits with security. Perhaps this hotel ballroom had fewer and different characteristics than more familiar listening rooms or, as PT president Ken Hecht suggested, the dARTS system comes from the factory better balanced and integrated than typical systems. Nonetheless, the effect of MultiEQ XT was quantitatively less than I have experienced with more modest systems.
Pricing for complete systems ranges from $14,500 (5.1) to $17,500 (7.2) with the user's choice of dipole/bipole or direct-radiator surround speakers, all including the DP-2000 amp/controller. Clearly, the technology is widely applicable and, I think, a harbinger of future domestically compatible sound systems with outstanding performance.


text:
The UC Berkeley School of Information was created in 1994 to address one of society's most compelling challenges: enabling people to create, find, manipulate, share, store, and use information in myriad forms.
Originally known as the School of Information Management and Systems (SIMS), this research-and-learning enterprise became the School of Information in 2006. The I School traces its roots to the 1920s, when UC Berkeley founded its School of Librarianship, ensuring universal access to information and educating "knowledge" professionals well before the age of the Internet. In 1976 the School of Librarianship became the School of Library and Information Studies.
The I School proudly carries forward its library school heritage through its alumni, and through an enduring commitment to making information accessible, useful, and relevant.
1918 - UC Berkeley establishes a department of library science in the undergraduate College of Letters and Science.
1926 - The department of library science becomes the graduate School of Librarianship, with associate university librarian Sydney Mitchell as its founding dean. Initially the school offers a one-year certificate of librarianship; in 1947, the bachelor of library science degree is authorized. In 1955, with an expanded curriculum, this became the master of library science. In 1954, the university authorized advanced programs for the degrees of doctor of library science and doctor of philosophy.
1976 - The School of Librarianship is renamed the School of Library and Information Studies (SLIS).
1994 - The university establishes the School of Information Management and Systems (SIMS) on the foundation of the previous School of Library and Information Studies. The school offers the master of information management and systems (MIMS), a new professional master's degree, as well as an academic Ph.D. degree. The first students in the new master's program are admitted in Fall 1997.
2006 - The School of Information Management and Systems is renamed the School of Information.
2013 - The school begins offering a new professional master's degree, the master of information and data science (MIDS). The first MIDS students are admitted in January 2014 and graduate in August 2015.
Reference: University of California Digital Archives


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The Psychopathology of the Human-Nature Relationship" Metzner,
- Which of the 4 pathologies described by the author do you think best describes our relationship with the natural world and why?
- Why do you agree/disagree with the reasons the article gives for why we choose to "distance" ourselves from our habitat?
- Why do you think Americans choose not to live like the countries living within their "biocapacity"?
Tutor Answer
Brown University
1271 Tutors
California Institute of Technology
2131 Tutors
Carnegie Mellon University
982 Tutors
Columbia University
1256 Tutors
Dartmouth University
2113 Tutors
Emory University
2279 Tutors
Harvard University
599 Tutors
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2319 Tutors
New York University
1645 Tutors
Notre Dam University
1911 Tutors
Oklahoma University
2122 Tutors
Pennsylvania State University
932 Tutors
Princeton University
1211 Tutors
Stanford University
983 Tutors
University of California
1282 Tutors
Oxford University
123 Tutors
Yale University
2325 Tutors


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ESL Job Feed is the most eclectic and broad source of ESL jobs and teaching positions available worldwide.?ESL Job Feed publishes links to ESL Job postings from a variety of sources including TESall, Total ESL, Yahoo!/Monster, Guardian Jobs, Chronicle of Higher Education, craigslist, TESOL Org, TEFL and many more. From conversation schools for beginners to university positions for teaching veterans,?ESL Job Feed is your source for English teaching positions worldwide.
Lecturer in English Language Studies, MIT
Date 2012-12-25 21:12:32 Location : North America
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Summary: We seek highly qualified applicants for the position of Lecturer in English Language Studies. You will have the opportunity to teach academic writing and speaking to motivated, matriculated undergraduate and graduate students in a stimulating environment. You will teach three courses/semester and design course materials and assessments. This is a three-year appointment with the possibility of renewal and promotion to Lecturer II. The position includes full benefits. The start date is Summer 2013.
To succeed in this role, you will need:
Minimum of a Master�s degree in teaching English as a second language (TESL), second language acquisition, rhetoric and composition with a specialization in ESL/ELL, or a related field.
Strong record of effective teaching
Applied knowledge of current research relevant to L2 teaching and learning, including familiarity with web- and video-technology
Excellent written and oral academic communication skills
Demonstrated understanding of communication requirements of students in humanities, social sciences, engineering and sciences
Minimum of three consecutive years experience teaching in higher education
Record of on-going professional engagement and development
M.I.T. is an affirmative-action employer and welcomes applications from women and members of minority groups. Applicants should submit a letter of application, a CV, a sample of material development (print or digital) or writing (maximum 20 pages), and three letters of recommendation. All materials should be submitted no later than March 01, 2013, via Academic Jobs Online:
Any questions should be directed firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Integrated 4STAR
The UriLift integrated 4 STAR is an automatic, self-cleaning public (unisex) toilet. With an attractive combination of design and technology, it is aimed at safety and hygiene. It is a free-standing toilet facility which replaces existing toilets.
The seating section and toilet bowl are rinsed with water and disinfectant.
A continuous water flow within the toilet bowl during use prevents accumulation of soiling
The walls around the toilet bowl rinsed up to a height of 0.8 metres.
Armrests (also available in a stainless steel version) for disabled users
The floor is cleaned by means of an advanced and innovative system which removes waste, rinses the floor, disinfects and dries it.
The bottom and sides of the wash basin are rinsed by a special rinsing system after use.
Double pneumatic emergency buttons.
Integrated stainless steel waste bin.
Environment-friendly toilet paper.
Large polycarbonate dome: daylight and automatic ventilation
Display with available time and alarm for the final 3 minutes.
Automatic soap dispenser.
Automatic hand dryer.
Semi-automatic but full-service
The 4 Star public toilet is fitted with electronic components, such as an automatic sliding door and floor rinsing, automatic dispensers and detection system.
Constructed for very frequent use
The 4 STAR is suitable for locations where public toilet facilities are very frequently used by able-bodied and disabled people, such as car parks, market squares and parks.
4Star is:
1 Safe
Presence detection using electronic weight sensors under the floor (min/max weight can be set). This prevents children becoming locked in, or more than one person entering the toilet simultaneously.
2 Always clean
The special floor cleaning system automatically removes dirt and waste products. The technology of the 5 STAR ensures perfect cleaning, disinfection and drying of the toilet, toilet seat and the floor, while complying with the highest standard of cleaning and treatment.
3 Remote control and maintenance
The special nightly disinfection system ensures optimum cleanliness
4 Hugienic
The special nightly disinfection system ensures optimum cleanliness
5 Accessible
Accessible for people with disabilities, in accordance with European regulations.
Met aandacht en zorg voor het milieu
The unique cleaning system in the 4STAR has extremely low water consumption (approximately 20 litres/cycle). Nightly disinfection takes place without pollutants being released into the environment. On purchasing the 4STAR, your old toilets can be recycled in our factory.
Installed ready for use
It has never been so simple to replace toilets which no longer comply with modern requirements in terms of hygiene, safety and the environment. No more worries about tiling or laying floors; simply compile the integrated STAR to meet your needs, and it will be installed ready for use on location.
Kit winter Pro
Solution for a more pleasant winter experience:
- COMFORTPLUS winter heating
- Automatic emptying of the water system
- Extra thermal and acoustic insulation
- Hot water boiler
Stainless steel kit
Option with stainless steel accessories, vandalism proof:
- stainless steel wall hung WC with overflow protection
- stainless steel baby changing table
- stainless steel handrail for disabled users
Kit VISTA PT®
PT audio system with spoken instructions and messages for people with limited vision.
Internal buttons with instructions in Braille, with LED lighting.
With attention and care for the environment
Call UriLift on + 31 (0) 55 576 3033 or send us a e-mail via contact @ urilift.com (no spaces before and after the @)!


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Legally Binding— There are ways to make an attorney perform.
Sugar Fix (Craving Sugar 3)— Sugar introduces Bruce to the world of burlesque.
A Timeless Place Ch. 01— Sequel to Bigrig.
Masculine Magic Ch. 01— Harry discovers Bruce's secret.
Bruce— Jane selected Bruce to make her a woman.
Never Letting Go— Sex with an ex - just what the doctor ordered.
Weather Channel Strip Poker Ch. 02— Will the weathermen get oral?
Special Birthday Present— Divorcee gets a special present from neighbour.
Beach Ball Brad— Sexual encounter with a very large friend.
Military Ball— An Old lover reminds her of their shared past.
The In-laws Pay a Visit— Father gets a warm welcome from his daughter.
Tiffany's Game Of Seduction Ch. 01— Brother to pops her cherry.
Jelena's First Threesome— She has two men for the first time.
A Cock for Daddy's Girl— Daughter needs Daddy's brand of reeducation.
Rock Me— BBW rocker chick gets her chance with Bruce Kulick.
An Unexpected Trip Ch. 02-03— She's blindfolded, and at Bruce's mercy.
An Unexpected Trip Ch. 01— Young woman discovers another side to her lover.
Swinging with Bruce— Swinging threesome with a new friend.
101 Jobs To Do— Bruce suspects wife's infidelity.
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Chapter 17 : Ginny Tells All
|Rating: 15+
|Chapter Reviews: 9
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"Um, yeah, I'm fine. Can I come in?" Ginny said nervously.
"Of course", Hermione said and then added, "What's wrong?"
"I don't know how to tell you this." Ginny said.
"Just tell me" Hermione said worried.
"What's going on?" Harry said coming into the room.
"Harry, you're here." Ginny said.
"Are you okay?" Harry asked knowing that something was wrong.
Hermione and Harry both exchanged a look of concern and then Harry came over to sit by Hermione and they both looked at Ginny who was now crying.
"You can tell us." Hermione said reaching for Ginny's hand.
Ginny looked up at her best friend and then over at Harry and then buried her face into her hands again crying. "I just can't be the one to tell you".
"Whatever it is, we can handle it." Harry said.
Harry and Hermione sat patiently and waited for the worst. Hermione clutched Harry's hand for she had no idea what Ginny was going to say. Harry was just as concerned.
"It's not Ron, is it?" Harry finally asked wanting to make sure that he was okay.
"No. This is about you." Ginny said looking at Harry and then Hermione.
"Tell us" Hermione insisted.
"Well, I ran into Cho in town at the potions shop." Ginny started.
"This is what you had to tell us, something about Cho." Harry said. "I really don't care about her or anything that she has done now."
"Well, you might." Ginny said.
"Ginny, please, just tell us whatever it is. Something has made you upset, what is it?" Hermione said getting a little impatient.
"Okay. Cho was getting a certain kind of potion there for her." Ginny said slowly.
Hermione's eyebrows raised and said, "What kind?"
"A father-tell potion" Ginny said getting teary again.
Hermione sat back and wondered if she heard right. She let go of Harry's hand and stood up. Harry who was wondering what a 'father-tell potion' was.
"What is a father-tell potion?" asked Harry not sure if he wanted to know.
"It's a potion that a woman takes when she's pregnant and doesn't know who the father is!" Hermione yelled.
"What!" Harry said stunned. "How can that be?"
"I don't know, Harry, let's think about it for a minute, how does one become pregnant?" Hermione said angrily.
"Hermione, calm down, I can't think with you yelling." Harry said standing up and pacing.
"Are you sure, Ginny?" Harry asked.
Ginny nodded instead of speaking for she felt like she already said too much.
"I can't believe this. So, why does Cho not know?" Hermione asked Ginny and then answered her own question and said, "Oh. You've got to be kidding me."
Ginny nodded and then said, "I'm sorry".
"I have to get out of here. I can't be around you right now." Hermione said towards Harry.
"Wait, you don't even know if it's mine. You can't just leave." Harry said.
"I really don't care right now whose baby it is. All I know is that there is a 50% chance that my fiancé is a father right this moment. Do you know how that feels? No, wait, you don't. So, don't tell me to just wait. I need some fresh air. You coming, Ginny?" Hermione said in a cold tone towards Harry.
Harry understood and couldn't say anything in his defense. He should have been more careful. He couldn't believe that he might be a father. He felt that it was most likely his, but, he didn't know. Harry watched Hermione leave in tears followed by Ginny who didn't know what to say. Harry sat on the couch and put his head into the palms of his hands. "What the bloody hell am I going to do now?" he said aloud.
Hermione walked fast while Ginny tried to keep up. "Wait." Ginny said towards Hermione.
"I can't believe this. I can't believe it." Hermione said stopping and then collapsing on the ground next to the sidewalk.
"Let's go to my house. You can stay as long as you like." said Ginny helping Hermione up.
"Why did this have to happen?" Hermione said through tears.
"I don't know. But, I do know that Harry loves you and you love him. It's going to be okay. Everything will work out, you'll see." Ginny said.
"How do you know that? I wanted to give Harry his first child and now I may not be able too." Hermione said.
"We don't even know if it's Harry's." Ginny said.
"Are you sure it was Cho?" Hermione asked Ginny.
"Yes. I don't know when Cho plans on talking to Harry or Ron, but, I wanted to tell you. I'm sorry if I picked a lousy time. I didn't know what to do and I knew that I needed to tell you. I didn't know that Harry was going to be there." Ginny rambled on.
"I'm glad you told me. I'm glad it was you and not Cho." Hermione said.
"What am I going to do if it's Harry's?" Hermione said.
"I don't know. But, do you still love him?" Ginny asked.
"Of course I do." Hermione said.
"Well, so does Harry. So, what does it matter? You are engaged now. You are both going to be married." Ginny said.
"But" Hermione said.
"But what?" Ginny said after a long pause.
"But, if Cho has Harry's baby, that baby will be apart of his life and he will want his child to be with him all the time." Hermione said.
"So" Ginny said.
"How can I ever love a child that was Harry's and Cho's." Hermione said and then quickly added, "That makes me a horrible person, doesn't it."
"No, you're just upset right now." Ginny said. "If it does turn out to be Harry's, you will find a way in your heart to love that child because it is Harry's child."
"No, I won't. If that child is Harry's, he'll have to be with Cho, not me. He won't want that child to not have a father and a mother in their life" Hermione said.
"The child will have a father and a mother. He doesn't have to be married to Cho or with Cho in order to be the father." Ginny said and then was cut off by someone unexpected.
"What the bloody hell are you talking about?" Cho said.
"Get away from me now" Hermione said with a glare.
"Don't talk to me that way." Cho said.
"Look, I told Hermione and Harry about what you got at the Potions Shop." Ginny said stepping back from Cho.
"What! It's my place to tell Harry. I don't even know who the father is. Where is Harry? I need to talk to him right away." Cho said.
"You probably do need to talk to him." Hermione said softly.
Hermione closed her eyes and then opened them. Ginny and Cho looked puzzled and then Ginny asked, "What was that?"
"I told Harry to come meet me here. He'll be out in a minute." Hermione said.
"Uh." Cho said.
"Harry and I can talk in our minds. We learned it while we were, oh, it doesn't matter. Here he comes now." Hermione said.
Harry was thrilled to go see Hermione, but, his world suddenly crumbled when he saw Cho standing there along side her. He braced himself for the worst and walked up to them.
"We need to talk." Cho said.
"I know" Harry said.
"Let's go." Cho said walking down the street.
Harry looked over at Hermione who was looking at the ground. He closed his eyes and whispered in her mind, 'You know I love you'. She looked up and told him back, 'I know. I love you too'.
Harry turned and walked towards Cho was standing and waiting impatiently for him.
"Come on, we have to go see Ron." Cho said. "I want to get this over with."
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Benjamin Verdery announces his 14th guitar class on the island of Maui in Hawaii from Wednesday, July 24 through Thursday, August 1, 2013. Joining him as guest teacher this year will be the renowned guitarist and Emmy-winning composer Frederic Hand. Joining as guest ukulele teacher and ensemble assistant will be Hawaiian guitarist and ukulele player Ian O'Sullivan. There will be an opening concert by Mr. Verdery and Mr. Hand on Tuesday, July 23. The class will include student recitals, masterclass sessions with Mr. Verdery and Mr. Hand, and a guitar ensemble led by Mr. Verdery and Mr. O'Sullivan. Application deadline is February 15. For more information, visit benjaminverdery.com.
Guitar Foundation of America
PO Box 2900
Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA 90274
Phone: 877-570-1651
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
The Guitar Foundation of America inspires artistry, builds community, and promotes the classical guitar internationally through excellence in performance, literature, education and research.


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© 2005 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. All rights reserved.
Cards, Padres reach expectations
By /
There are expectations, and then there are expectations. And, when it comes right down to it, you never really know what to expect. All that matters is where you wind up, and the Cardinals and Padres are right where they wanted to be -- in the National League Division Series, with a chance to take their 2005 hopes all the way. When you're talking about the Cardinals, their brand of expectation lives in rarified air -- we're talking lofty. After reaching the World Series last year, they came into the season expecting to get there again, and expecting to win it this time instead of becoming part of baseball history as the team the Red Sox beat to end their 86 years of frustration. When you're talking about the Padres, the brand of expectation is a little less focused squarely on the World Series, but this club in its second year in a new ballpark definitely expected to be playing October baseball there by this year. Now, how each team reached their expectations so far, well, that's a whole different story. Neither one could have predicted the exact road traveled to October. The Cardinals didn't script out an October without Scott Rolen, that's for certain. Their slugging third baseman figured he'd do more harm than good if he kept playing on a bum shoulder, so he sent the Cardinals on their way without him. The name Abraham Nunez doesn't have quite the same chilling effect on opponents, but you can't knock the job the guy's done. Still, it's a different club without Rolen. Granted, a lot has gone as planned for the Cardinals. They knew pitching would have to lead the day this year more than last, and they've followed through there with a top of the rotation that's hard to beat and a bullpen that has the best ERA in the National League. Add that to an offense that's still among the best in the game (even if it's not off the charts like it was a year ago) and a defense that remains among the best, and you're meeting some high expectations -- even if not precisely the way it was mapped out. As for the Padres, they certainly didn't expect to be at or around .500 the entire season. They hoped to build a few more wins off their 87-win season in 2004, and they had a team better suited to PETCO Park that could do it. Injuries and ineffectiveness from some key hitters conspired to create a spin cycle of ups and downs that wound up even. The roster they have now is a shell of the one they brought into the season, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. They've had bench players Mark Sweeney, Robert Fick and Damian Jackson step up when needed, and they pulled in the likes of starter Pedro Astacio and catcher Miguel Olivo from the outside for big contributions down the stretch. So 2005 wasn't what exactly either team thought it would be, even if the final chapter is playing out as planned. The destination is all that matters now.
Well, at least until we find out if the Cardinals keep reaching their expectations, or the Padres exceed theirs.That's exactly what the Padres would be doing if they won this series, because even if they hoped to advance in October they couldn't expect it like the Cardinals do, especially after the way the regular season went. Still, the Padres pose a real threat to the Cardinals. They took three of four at Busch Stadium this year, so they obviously can win on the road there. But that was May, when the Padres were having the best month in franchise history with 22 wins. Those wins were highlights of the Padres' season. They hardly register a blip on the Cardinals' rise toward the century mark in win. Still, a short series generally plays to the underdog, and that distinction definitely belongs to the Padres here. Beyond that, they're also equipped to come up with the upset with ace Jake Peavy giving the Padres a chance to win a game in St. Louis that could set the tone for the series. Of course, he'd have to get past Cy Young candidate Chris Carpenter -- not to mention Albert Pujols and Co. -- to do that. But that's all part of the fun of a five-game series. Anything can happen. In other words, expect the unexpected, but don't be surprised when the Cardinals' expectations of reaching the World Series continue to be met, either.
John Schlegel is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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© 2010 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. All rights reserved.
Brewers rumors center on Valentine
General manager Melvin: 'No decision has been made'
By Adam McCalvy / MLB.com
MILWAUKEE -- Is former Mets and Rangers manager Bobby Valentine in line to be the next skipper of the Milwaukee Brewers? Maybe, but it appears the process is not as far along as one report on Wednesday indicated. The Wisconsin Radio Network's Bill Scott cited a source inside the Brewers front office in reporting that the team had agreed in principle with Valentine but had yet to reach contract terms. According to the report, posted on the network's website, Valentine wants $10 million over three years. Valentine told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel via text message that while he had met once with Brewers general manager Doug Melvin about the position, there had been no conversations at all about a contract. Asked by the newspaper whether he had been at least offered the job, Valentine said, "We have met but there is nothing ongoing and no follow-up meeting is scheduled." A Brewers spokesperson said he knew nothing of an agreement with Valentine, or anybody else. Melvin has been conducting his search behind closed doors and continued that approach, saying only that, "No decision has been made." Valentine, 60, who has also managed in Japan's Major Leagues, is currently working as an analyst for ESPN. Melvin has shot down a false alarm before. Immediately after the season, a report surfaced that the Brewers were set to hire former D-backs skipper Bob Brenly, but Melvin had yet to conduct any interviews at that point. Mets scout Bob Melvin and White Sox coach Joey Cora are reportedly among the Brewers' other finalists. Angels coach Ron Roenicke, reached by MLB.com earlier in the week, wouldn't say whether he was still in the running, but he appears to be the fourth of Doug Melvin's finalists.
Adam McCalvy is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Brew Beat, and follow him on Twitter at @AdamMcCalvy. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Prostate Cancer Prevention and Screening: Weighing Evidence to Make Choices
What Can Be Done to Prevent Cancer Before It Is Diagnosed? -- Mini Medical School for the Public Presented by UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Medicine
Premiere Date: 2/16/2009; 89 minutes
Are there modifiable risk factors for prostate cancer? Nutrition? Environment? June Chan, UCSF Division of Cancer Epidemiology, explores the nutritional and hormonal risk factors for prostate cancer. Recorded on 12/10/2008. (#15574)
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The former chief of staff to former Hidalgo County Sheriff Lupe Trevino has been sentenced to 11 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to failing to report a crime.
A federal judge in McAllen sentenced Maria Patricia Medina on Thursday. U.S. District Judge Ricardo Hinojosa also fined her $2,000.
The 40-year-old Medina could have been sentenced to up to three years in prison for her April 11 guilty plea.
Prosecutors say Trevino received cash donations from a suspected drug trafficker in 2011 and 2012. Medina, as chief of staff and campaign treasurer, admitted helping Trevino conceal the donations by falsifying election records.
Trevino was sentenced to five years in prison July 17 after pleading guilty to money laundering. He resigned as sheriff March 28.


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Police fired tear gas to disperse hundreds of Muslim protesters outside a church in southern Egypt Friday. The demonstrators were demanding an investigation into allegations that a Christian man sexually assaulted a 6-year-old girl.
Residents in the province of Qena said four shops owned by Coptic Christians were torched overnight after villagers accused one of the store owners of molesting the young girl. Residents said protesters threw stones at the local church after midday Friday Islamic prayers. Police fired tear gas to scatter the crowd, which is in one of Egypt's poorest areas.


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According to two healthcare human resource specialists, the remainder of this year may be the last chance for those in the healthcare industry to prepare for a likely union organizing onslaught. The authors observe,
The political and economic events of the past several months should be taken as a small warning of what is to come, as the next six months are expected to be a relative period of calm before Big Labor's wrath is fully realized after the November 2010 mid-term elections. We believe the path healthcare employers choose to take over the next six months will likely separate those organizations who are able to successfully remain union-free in 2011 and beyond from those that find themselves unprepared and at the mercy of the new environment as it relates to union organizing.
The list of potential risk factors is lengthy, including:
• NLRB rule-making to impose restrictions on "employer free speech"
• Expanding union access to employer premises during organizing campaigns
• Imposing limitations on employer communications during campaigns
• Use of employer technology to promote union organizing
• Amending rules relating to supervisors and union eligibility
• Redefining of employer unfair labor practices
• Recent and potential political appointees
• New union leadership
• Continued volatile economic conditions
• Reports of early-stage union surveillance and canvassing
Not mentioned, but no less valid a threat, is the possibility that once the SEIU and NUHW quit fighting over currently unionized healthcare employees in California, they will both focus their attention on non-union targets. With the Kaiser Permanente election scheduled for September, this could happen sooner rather than later.
The authors strongly encourage healthcare businesses to employ strategies we have enumerated in our Left of Boom white paper as proactive measures to prevent falling prey to an emboldened union with new weapons in its arsenal:
Employers who wisely utilize this opportunity to inoculate their organizations now through training, education and creating a foundation for a strategic labor relations plan that could be effectively implemented in the face of expedited elections and a labor-friendly NLRB.
The authors conclude,
Organizations that take a "wait and see" approach may find themselves not only an early target for a union that has done its homework to assess the most favorable opponents, but also may be unable to respond quickly enough or effectively enough under the anticipated new NLRB guidelines.