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" Genre: Travel / Author: Philip Marsden / Edition: New edition / Paperback / 256 Pages / Book is published 1994-05-09 by Flamingo "
* Prices may differ from that shown
Growing up with a strong Armenian heritage, one of the things I was convinced of was that no one could possible know our people better than we knew ourselves. Armenians have a word for foreigner - "odar" - a term used almost exclusively for non-Armenians in the same way Greeks use "xeno". As with our Hellenic near neighbours, when used in a certain context, it has a slightly negative connotation - as if something foreign can never be quite as good.
As such, being a relatively small people (8 million spread around the world) we are sometimes absurdly quick to claim fame by association, and take an inordinate amount of pride in the accomplishments of those with even the smallest trace of Armenian blood in them. For example, we confidently claim the likes of chess champion Gary Kasparov, tennis ace Andre Agassi, and actress and entertainer Cher as our own.
However, every now and again an "odar" comes along and helps us see ourselves in a new light, providing us with a perspective only an outsider can offer. Those who know of Armenians and their proud history are in a small minority - admirers of our culture number even less - so those who actually put pen to paper and write about us - or dare I say it even mention us - are treated as honorary Armenians and bestowed with nothing short of hero status.
These writers may be few, but they are distinguished, with notable names such as Robert Fisk (a columnist for the Independent), Christopher J. Walker, and travel writer William Dalrymple. However, perhaps no one is more celebrated for his insight and appreciation of our culture than British writer Philip Marsden, the author of "The Crossing Place: A Journey Among The Armenians".
Armenians are a proud and ancient people, who by historical accident, occupied one of the most criss-crossed and travelled pieces of earth on the planet, constantly acting as a buffer between competing empires. The geographic area that forms its historic boundaries has often been called the crossroads of civilisation. It's a minor miracle that such a small and insignificant people did not assimilate into other cultures, instead showing an indomitable spirit - accepting and then maintaining the Christian faith whilst surrounded by Muslim neighbours, developing their own language and alphabet, and showing a superb talent for commerce and trade.
Like determined little ants, whenever their homes were destroyed, they simply built them up again somewhere else. As such, throughout the last three or four hundred years in particular, many more Armenians have lived away from the historic fatherland than have lived in it, creating a worldwide Diaspora that is largely concentrated around the Mediterranean. Perhaps no one has captured the essence of this happy knack for survival better than Armenian-American author William Saroyan:
"I should like to see any power of this world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have all crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia. See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without food and water. Burn their homes and their churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia."
"The Crossing Place: A Journey Among The Armenians" was first published by Flamingo (an imprint of Harper-Collins) in 1994, winning Marsden the Somerset Maugham Award, an annual accolade bestowed by the Society of Authors to the best writer under the age of thirty-five with a work published in that year. The paperback version is usually available from Amazon for £6.99 (reduced from its £8.99 RRP) but at the time of writing (March 2010) was temporarily out of stock.
The book runs to around 250 pages and contains a number of black and white plates, maps and illustrations which complement the writing and help bring the text to life. Each of the 23 chapters is prefaced by a quote - some of which are relatively obscure - but in each case, fitting and relevant to the subsequent narrative.
Taking the Saroyan quote as his inspiration, Marsden sets off on a journey to Armenia by taking "the long way round" to ensure that he takes in as many elements of the Armenian Diaspora as possible before arriving at the Fatherland. Starting in Venice, he takes a circuitous route around the Mediterranean, first taking a boat to Cyprus, before landing in Beirut and working his way through Syria, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania and then around the Black Sea to Armenia.
At every step of his journey, he eschews modern comforts and hotels, preferring to walk, take the train and hitchhike, more often than not staying with local families, many of whom willingly offer him hospitality without prompting, despite their meagre means. It's this emphasis on walking in the shoes of everyday folk and seeing the world through their eyes (as best as he can) that really gives the book its character.
For many of these people, clinging on to the last vestiges of their ancient culture in decaying foreign communities, the record of his journey would serve as the only lasting testament to their existence. They seem eager to open up to him and share their stories, curious, rather than suspicious as to why this "Ingilish" would take an interest.
These historical Armenian communities, some of which are to found in the most unlikely corners of Europe and the Middle East, are invariably centred around their churches - beautiful and architecturally distinct structures that combine an almost obstinate durability with exceptional craftsmanship and fine detail - a fitting analogy for the Armenian character. Given the central role of these holy places in Armenian life, the priests of the Armenian Orthodox church ("Vartabed" if celibate; "Der Hayr" if married) are often the repositories of local community history, making them Marsden's first and most important port of call.
Marsden paints confident, vivid and colourful pictures of the people and the places he visits using language much in the same way an artist would use a brush. I consider myself relatively well read, but found myself occasionally scrambling for a dictionary as he utilised parts of the English lexicon that I had previously been totally oblivious to. This outstanding piece of work provides real depth and insight, managing to get under the skin of the Armenian character in a way I never thought possible from an "odar". The fact that he manages this so effortlessly is testament to his ability as a writer.
However, putting aside my clear cultural prejudices and trying to assess this work with a more objective eye, it's a superb piece of travel writing regardless of the people it follows. Marsden displays a mature eye and a keen talent for observation, expertly weaving in politics and cultural history and mixing it with humour and humility to create a rich tapestry.
It's hard to be objective about the merits of this book, but even through my rose-tinted Armenian spectacles, I feel confident in recommending this book as an exceptional travelogue. If you ever have the opportunity to visit Armenia, I would urge you to read this before you go. The back cover of the book is generously garlanded with some excellent superlatives from Marsden's contemporaries, but the best of them, said simply, comes from William Dalrymple.
"Brilliantly Crafted."
© Hishyeness 2010


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Jose Mourinho arrives in Manchester: Message to United fans, more transfers expected
What they said
Rio Ferdinand:
"This is Jose Mourinho's most exciting & most challenging job yet.
"The first thing he needs to do is install 'winning mentality' back into the club. Get this ingredient back into the players but also the people that work inside the club day to day.
"Give them back that belief so it is breathing throughout the club again, which is so important. But doing the above in the Manchester United way is equally as important."
Pep Guardiola:
"The most important thing in football is that people don't come to the stadium to see how good the manager is. They come to see how good our players are," he said.
"It's not just this year – there have been many, many good managers in the Premier League, with Jose, with Jurgen Klopp, with Antonio Conte, with Claudio Ranieri, with Mauricio Pochettino, with Ronald Koeman."
Cristiano Ronaldo:
"I see it [working] well. If that's what Manchester want, I wish him well. I hope that Manchester can get back to what it was. It hurts me seeing Manchester United like that because is a club that I carry in my heart. I hope he can put United back on track."

subset: commoncrawl


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Recording of the first of two of Shakespeare's love plays took place this week in the BBC's studios at Broadcasting House. The cast of Romeo And Juliet, including David Tennant, were working in Studio 60A, the newest drama studio among the company's resources. The play is due to be broadcast on BBC Radio 3 as part of the Shakespeare Season later this year, and stars Trystan Gravelle and Vanessa Kirby in the title roles and David Tennant as Prince Escalus.
Work on the play has continued all week. Fortunately for fans, the lovely staff of Studio 60A have their own Twitter account so it has been possible throughout the week to have a little insight into what has been going on during recording through their regular updates. The following are all tweets posted by the studio (and one cast member) relating to the recording of the production. Although David Tennant himself is not mentioned it has definitely been fun and interesting to follow.
Monday 13th
Recording a little-known play called Romeo and Juliet today. I have a feeling it could go onto great things one day. #whereforartthou #drama
Cast member Carl Prekopp also added:
Monday! Begins with Romeo and Juliet in @Studio60A followed by 8.30pm performance from my band at Proud in Camden.
The studio didn't update on Tuesday, but it was known from the BBC Radio Drama Newsletter the previous Friday that very appropriately Valentine's Day was the day scheduled for the recording of the balcony scene. The tweets started again on Wednesday:
Wednesday 15th
Well after a day of love, it's back to the war… Capulet versus Montague. The actors are swapping words for swords. #danger #romeoandjuliet
Capulets & Montagues sit side by side in the green room, sharing anectdotes and biscuits. Wasn't like this in Shakespeare's time.#drama
So how do you like your Romeo and Juliet? Our balcony scene definitely got some pulses racing in the cubicle! #tisthesun
Benvolio and Mercutio….the likely lads enter the studio #isensetrouble #runtybalt #romeoandjuliet
Romeo's banished, crying on the floor. Still, cheered up by the fact that his wedding night's just round the corner. #glasshalffull
Thursday 16th
Another day dawns in fair Verona…star-cross'd lovers…check! #romeoandjuliet
A funny thing about recording a play out of sequence: killing a character, then bringing them back to life for the next scene #playinggod
Juliet and the Nurse are centre stage (well, mic) this afternoon. News of Tybalt reaches the Capulet's pad…. #ohromeo
The wedding night arrives! The Studio Manager has fashioned a lovely bed for R&J, and she's now trying to get R to take of his…er…shoes.
didn't realise how many times Romeo has to leg it over the balcony in this play! #musthavebeenfit #luckyitsradio
Friday 17th
Last day in fair Verona. Still fair. Still Verona. #romeoandjuliet
Director's note for the background whispering when Tybalt walks in…"pretend you're in The Wire, and Omar has just walked in…" #whistles
PARTY IN 60A!! Friday afternoon and the Capulets have put on quite a shindig! #sadlywaterworksforwineonradio
Toying with the idea of recording R&J: THE HAPPY ENDING (a kind of Dennis Potter affair) – but do we have the nerve? #sunshineandhappiness
Dancing at Capulet's – mainly men in studio, so some had to wear practice skirts. I got to lead Ron Cook…he was the woman in a red skirt.
…. mainly we just like to play dress up!!
Finishing up on Romeo and Juliet. Or to quote a certain writer, parting..is such sweet sorrow…
The same cast return to the studio next week to start recording Twelfth Night. At the moment, roles are not known, but we look forward to similar updates from the studio!
In other audio drama news, it was confirmed this week that David Tennant would be recording an adaptation of the Daniel Glattauer novel Love Virtually with Emilia Fox for broadcast on Thursday 8th March. However, it does appear that David's other recent recording, Waiting For The Boatman, originally listed for Friday 9th March, has been rescheduled with a new date yet to be announced.
Romeo And Juliet and Twelfth Night will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3 during April.You can keep up to date with the radio drama news through the weekly radio drama newsletter from the BBC.


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Citigroup Maintains Hold Rating On Acorda Therapeutics (ACOR)
Analysts at Citigroup have recommended that investors 'Hold' for Acorda Therapeutics (NASDAQ: ACOR). The target price for the biopharmaceutical company is at $39.00.
Analysts are positive about the launch of Ampyra, an Acorda product, which has received rosy reviews from the medical community. However, the demand backlog on Ampyra is a point of concern, but Acorda is working on it.
Additionally, Acorda received a non-final rejection on one of its 24 filed patents. Acorda, on the other hand, says that the rejection is routine and that they would reply back in 6 months.
Posted-In: Analyst Color Analyst Ratings
© 2017 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.


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1. The Essay
- The topic for the 2016 Junior Achievement Essay Competition is:
"Entrepreneurs have been around since the very beginning of our country's history. Their contributions to society are as diverse as the backgrounds and personal experiences of these men and women.
George Washington and Dr. Dre are two such innovators from very different time periods, who both had a profound impact on American culture. But who would you consider a greater entrepreneur and why? Construct a persuasive essay that compares and contrasts the entrepreneurial contributions of each man before making a conclusion and explaining why you made your choice."
- Essays will be judged on the following criteria:
- Creativity & originality
- Persuasiveness
- Grammar & spelling
- Content & Relevancy of response
- Essays must be 1,000 – 1,500 words. Footnotes, citations, endnotes, and essay titles will not be counted as part of the 1,000 – 1,500 words allotted to the applicant.
- Applicants must use proper grammar and spelling in the essay and will be penalized for use of improper grammar or spelling.
- Applicants are not permitted to include any forms of media other than plain text in their essays, such as photos, diagrams, or charts.
- Essays must be typed in 12 point Times New Roman font, double spaced.
- Essays must include the Applicant ID Code assigned by Junior Achievement in the upper right corner of each page. Applicant ID Codes will be automatically assigned after the completion of the first step of the online submission process.
- Applicants may opt to cite external references in their essays, such as statistics or quotes. All external references must be properly cited as parenthetical citations, footnotes, or endnotes.
- Essays must be the original work of the applicant. Essays must neither have been entered in another competition nor have been published previously in any form or sold for publication. Essays must not contain material that infringes on the intellectual property rights of others. Any essay that violates these rules will be disqualified and any awards made for such essay will be rescinded and must be returned to Junior Achievement. All essays will be checked for plagiarism by Junior Achievement with SafeAssign by Blackboard.
- Junior Achievement will collect personally identifiable information about applicants as part of the application process. This information will be used to contact applicants in connection with the essay competition and in announcements, events, and press releases related to the essay competition and will be provided only to parties related to Junior Achievement of Greater Washington ("Junior Achievement"), and the applicant's school and legal guardians. No personally identifiable information about the applicants will be revealed to any member of the judging committee at any time during the judging process. Applicants should not include their name, their school's name, or personally identifiable information either within the content of the essay or on any pages on which the essay is printed. Personal information may only be included on the completed application form.
2. Awards
- The winning essays will be determined by a judging committee selected by Junior Achievement.
- A first, second, and third place winner will be selected from each of Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Additionally, one grand prize winner will be selected from among all three regions, for a total of ten winning applicants.
- The grand prize winner will receive a $20,000 scholarship. The first, second, and third place winners from Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia will each receive a $10,000 scholarship.
- The scholarship must be applied to higher education expenses.
- All winners will be invited to attend a private awards ceremony in spring 2017, and will have their essays published on Junior Achievement's website.
- Winners will be announced on www.myJA.org in spring 2017.
- In each of Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia, the school with the greatest number of eligible applications will receive a $6,000 grant, for a total of three winning schools.
3. Who May Enter
- Applicant must be a student enrolled in the 9th – 12th grade at an accredited high school or accredited home school program in Junior Achievement's Franchised Region on the date on which he or she submits a conforming essay and application. Junior Achievement's Franchised Region comprises the following counties and cities:
- Maryland: Calvert, Charles, Montgomery, Prince George's, Saint Mary's
- Virginia: Alexandria City, Arlington, Clarke, Culpeper, Fairfax City, Fairfax County, Falls Church City, Fauquier, Fredericksburg, King George, Loudoun, Manassas City, Manassas Park City, Prince William, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Warren
- Washington, DC
- Applicant must be a citizen or legal resident of the United States.
- Immediate family members of judging committee members and of Mr. David Rubenstein are ineligible for this essay competition. Immediate family members of employees of Junior Achievement, the Board of Directors of Junior Achievement, the Associate Leadership Council of Junior Achievement, and the Montgomery County Advisory Council of Junior Achievement are also ineligible.
- Grand Prize winners from any prior Junior Achievement Essay Competition are ineligible for this essay competition.
- Any applicant who has been previously disqualified from a Junior Achievement competition is ineligible for this essay competition.
- Each applicant may enter only once and may only provide one essay on the topic.
4. How to Enter
- Applicant must submit his or her essay to Junior Achievement between September 26, 2016 – February 1, 2017. Essays received by Junior Achievement after 11:59 p.m. on February 1, 2017, will not qualify and will not be considered.
- Applicants must submit an application form via the competition's website, www.jagw-award.fluidreview.com. Essays submitted by mail, courier, fax, or any means other than the competition's website will not qualify and will not be considered. Essays must be submitted as a .doc (Microsoft Word 2003), .docx (Microsoft Word 2007/2010/2013), .odt (OpenOffice.org), or .txt (plain text) file. Essays submitted in an alternate file format and essays that contain corrupted data which cannot be opened will not qualify and will not be considered. The file must be under 1.0 MB in size.
- Essays submitted with an incomplete or non-conforming application form or essay format or by an applicant who does not meet the qualifications of the essay competition will not qualify and will not be considered for any award.
5. Conditions for Participation
- All submitted essays become the exclusive intellectual property of Junior Achievement, and Junior Achievement obtains all rights to use and republish all or any part of such essays upon submission to our website.
- Junior Achievement may use prizewinners' names, likeness, and other identifying information (such as hometown, school, or grade) in promotional materials relating to this essay competition.
- Winners (or their parents or guardians) will be required to sign an affidavit of eligibility, originality, and compliance with the official rules, a liability release, and a publicity release as a condition to receiving their scholarship.
- Winners will be required to have an educator, guidance counselor or other official at his or her accredited school or accredited home school program in the Franchised Region submit verification of the winner's school enrollment in the Franchised Region on the date of submission.
- Winners will be required to provide written evidence from an institution of higher education confirming their intent to matriculate to that institution as a condition to receiving their scholarship.
- Winners will be required to affirm that the scholarship will be used solely for paying expenses incurred as part of attending an institution of higher education as a condition to receiving their scholarship.
- All taxes shall be the responsibility of the winners of the competition. Winners will be required to submit a completed IRS Form W-9 to Junior Achievement as a condition to receiving their scholarship.
- The scholarship will be disbursed to each winner in June of the calendar year that the winner will matriculate to the verified institution of higher education.
- By submitting an application and/or essay to Junior Achievement, the applicant agrees to all of the terms and conditions set forth in these Official Rules and on Junior Achievement's website governing the 2016 Junior Achievement Essay Competition.
6. Miscellaneous
- No essay will be given preference over any other essay on the basis of an applicant's name, school, grade, gender, race, ethnicity, geographic origin, or any legally protected status.
- No essay will be given preference over any other essay on the basis of an applicant's ability or inability to attend the private awards ceremony in spring 2017.
- Applicant acknowledges that Junior Achievement shall have no liability of any kind as a result of any errors or omissions in the administration of this essay competition, or any network or website errors or incompatibilities, and by entering this competition applicant releases any and all claims applicant may have against Junior Achievement in this regard.
- No essays or applications will be returned to applicants.
- No notice will be given to applicants with non-winning or non-conforming essays or applications.
For more information or if you have any questions,
contact Brea Neri, Senior Communications Manager, at (202) 777-4481 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Wife of 35-year-old Pastor Ayuba Moriya who was reportedly killed by Gunmen in Bauchi on Saturday recounts how her husband was murdered.
According to Eyewitnesses, the Gunmen stormed the pastor's house at Dilimi Village in Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State around 11pm.
Residents said the gunmen gain access to the pastor's house through the back-door after a failed attempt to destroy the main gate made of iron.
According to a resident who said obody could rescue the family from the hands of the heavily armed killers said: "There was sound of gunshots and screams and so we ran away".
The widow, Mrs. Rifkatu Ayuba Moriya, amid tears, while narrating what happened said the gunmen were over 20 as they stormed their house wearing army uniforms.
She said: "On getting to the house, they told me that they were here to kill my husband. We were not left with any option than to say our last prayer. They dragged my husband outside and shot him severally while others macheted him until he died."
Rifkatu said the gunmen had wanted to kill her two-year-old son with an option to abduct their daughter while others said they should kill her.
She said that three other people staying in the mission house had to flee with one seriously injured while the gunmen raided the place and carted away unspecified mount of money.
"When they killed my husband, they demanded for money and later they ransacked the whole house looking for more with a threat to kill all of us, but I had to beg them to spare our lives before they left. They shot sporadically into the air," Rifkatu said.Continue reading
Know more about this news? Update the info!


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prarie dogs want to get shot by my rem 700 vs 308, are there inexpensive rounds for v
View Single Post
March 4, 2006, 04:48 PM
Shooter 973
Senior Member
Join Date: February 3, 2001
Location: Home town of John M. Browning, Utah
Posts: 499
308 for Prairie Dogs!!
Get A couple of Boxes of Black Hills 308 with the 168 gr Hollows and give them a try. They do cost more but with such a fine and expensive set-up I think you'll find the Black Hills ammo meets your need better. Then you can work up a load to try and match the 168gr. Black hills stuff. Good Luck!!!
The problem with America is stupidity. I'm not saying there should be capital punishment for stupidity, but why don't we just take the safety labels off of everything and let the problem solve itself?
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BLADENBORO, NC (WWAY) — Investigator James Daniels of the Bladenboro Police Department says more than 30 guns, including an assault rifle, were confiscated before the night was over during a raid on Butler Mill Road.
Police say Morris Bellamy Jr. and his father were hosting huge parties in their back yard, setting up a make-shift nightclub and charging cover and selling alcohol to minors. Police have been keeping track of the parties for a few months seeing fliers posted on social media.
Five agencies came together for the raid including the Bladenboro and Elizabethtown Police Departments.


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Don't miss your chance to see Luke Bryan in Saint Paul! Check out the schedule below for the concert date of your choice, then buy your Luke Bryan Saint Paul tickets before they sell out!
Looking for Luke Bryan tickets in other cities? View all Luke Bryan tickets »
Sorry! We couldn't find any events for Luke Bryan in Saint Paul.
If you were searching to see if Luke Bryan is coming to Saint Paul, then you're in luck! For their latest tour, Luke Bryan will indeed hold a concert in Saint Paul. Have an awesome concert experience when you go to see Luke Bryan in Saint Paul. Get your Luke Bryan tickets Saint Paul and join fellow fans for a concert to remember!


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The parents of two pre-teenagers are suing over injuries their children sustained at two separate trampoline parks.
David and Lisa Mulatz, of Lombard, and Nevin and Lauren Hofing, of Chicago, filed lawsuits Tuesday against trampoline parks claiming that the staff's negligence and unenforcement of rules led to their children suffering injuries, according to both families' attorney Antonio M. Romanucci.
In both cases the parents are claiming that multiple children using the trampolines at once caused a rebound effect which led to the children's injuries.
"The defendants should have known that it was unreasonably dangerous to allow multiple individuals to utilize any trampoline in its trampoline park at a given time," Romanucci explained in a statement. "Furthermore, the staff at these parks did not enforce their own safety rules."
Joseph Mulatz fractured his femur while jumping at Xtreme Trampolines in Carol Stream in June of 2011, and Eliana Hofing fractured her tibia and fibula at Jump Niles' trampoline facility Sky High Sports Niles in November of 2011.


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Records & Registration
Student Records
Registration & Tuition
Withdrawal Information
Transcript Request Policy
In accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), students and former students needing official copies of their academic transcript must make request electronically through the college website. Rowan-Cabarrus Community College in partnership with SCRIP-SAFE International provides twenty-four hour access to online transcript ordering through a secure website. This process is completely secure and can be delivered to your intended recipient by mail and/or electronically.
Students requesting:
When requesting college-level coursework (curriculum) transcripts only, go to iwantmytranscript.com/rccc to get things started.
Rowan-Cabarrus Community College in partnership with Credentials eScrip-Safe provides twenty-four hour access to online transcript ordering through a secure website.This process is completely secure and can be delivered to your intended recipient by mail and/or electronically.
The first time you use this service, you will establish an account. It's as simple as selecting "Sign Up." To continue, follow the simple process that asks for your current/former names, address, student ID, dates of attendance and other information.
Because Federal Law requires your signature in order to release your academic records, you must complete a Consent Form and return it as directed before your first request can be processed. Consent forms are approved within 4 hours of submission during regular business hours: 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday – Friday, Eastern Time. The signed Consent Form remains on file with Credentials eScrip-Safe to cover your future RCCC transcript requests through this service.
You will pay for your transcript through Credentials eScrip-Safe at the time of ordering, via credit card and they accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover. The most current security available is used to protect your credit card and personal information.
RCCC transcript fee is $3.00 for mail and/or electronic delivery and Credentials eScrip-Safe will apply a minimal processing fee for each recipient. An itemized statement will be provided upon completion of your request.
Please note that any outstanding balance at RCCC will delay your request. All financial obligations must be resolved prior to release of any transcript. We will allow 30 days for resolution before cancelling your transcript request.
Any questions regarding placing an order, a recent request, or consent forms, should be directed to Transcripts On Demand at email@example.com or 1-847-716-3805 or the Consent Forms FAX number: 1-847-716-3710.


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Posted byon
We're back after taking a week off last week. This week on the show, Nick and I look at the NCAA Indoor Championships and the IAAF World Indoor Championships first through the eyes of Penn State athletes past and present, and then as a whole. We have an extended exclusive interview with Olympic Trials qualifier Cas Loxsom, who most recently ran at the NCAA Championships (7:18-16:05). We discuss Robby Andrews decision to become a professional as well as the Kenyan Olympic Trials race being held in Oregon this year.
IAAF World Championship Results
Follow Nittany Lion's Den on Twitter, Facebook and Google+.


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NEW YORK, April 25 (UPI) -- NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Wednesday the investigation into players' roles in the New Orleans Saints' bounty program is in its "final stages."
Investigators still have "some additional work" to do, Goodell told reporters at a "Play 60'' youth football event at New York's Chelsea Waterside Park, USA Today reported.
"We should be in a position where we should be able to wrap that up soon and as soon as we do, we'll let you know our decision. ... We expect to be doing that very soon to get that behind us. …
"In my office I have an NFL shield up and I point to that and said, 'Everything we do has to reflect well on the integrity of the league and that shield,'' Goodell said. "And everything that they do and I do, our clubs, coaches do has to reflect well on that.
"And it's our responsibility to improve the integrity of the league and make the league better than when they came into it. I think they all understood that.''
Former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was suspended indefinitely for his lead role in "Bountygate," a 2009-11 program that paid bonuses to players who intentionally injured opponents.
New Orleans Coach Sean Payton was suspended for the 2012 season and General Manager Mickey Loomis was suspended for eight regular-season games.
Penalties for players involved in the bounty program likely would not be announced before the NFL draft, which begins Thursday, the newspaper said.


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Downistie: A Sexy Soap Opera Starring People with Downs Syndrome
Our exclusive EgoTV team of international investigators have uncovered a soap opera. With Downs Syndrome sufferers in every acting roles, good for them! And normal everyday plot lines, good for them! And sex scenes, good for, um, them! Don't laugh, you insensitive jackass.Speak Your MindTell us what you're thinking... and oh, if you want a pic to show with your comment, go get a gravatar!


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Frazee gymnastics team has solid section meet
The Frazee gymnastics team built on another level in the program's rebuilding process, capping the 2008-09 season with a strong Section 8-1A meet Saturday in Park Rapids.
The Hornets finished with a team score of 113.425 and was led by senior Alane Sauer, who finished 11th all-around with a score of 32.050.
The senior gymnast had a sticky beam and a personal best in the event with an 8.1 for 13th.
Vaulting her handspring full-twist earned her an 8.7 for 12th, while she marked a 7.5 on bars and 7.75 on floor.
"Alane has been a much valued member to our team, not only for her gymnastic ability, but for her ability to befriend all those around her," said Frazee had coach Aimee Erickson, who also was named Section 8-1A Coach of the Year with the vast improvement of the Hornets.
Quincy Mickelson also hit a personal best, finishing with an 8.45 on vault after establishing good height on her half-on, half-off vault.
Jessica Irish had a personal best on bars with a 6.65.
"Jessica Irish's early-season ankle injury may have been a blessing in disguise, as she spent a lot of hours on the bars building upper body and core strength," Erickson said. "She learned several release moves and developed beautiful high bar kips."
Co-captain Emma Buhr half-on, half-off handspring on vault continued to be strong, after finishing with an 8.25.
"Her upper body strength has notably improved, as well," Erickson included about Buhr. "Emma hopes to build long hang kips into her routine."
The Perham Yellow Jackets won their sixth straight section championship and will be vying for their sixth-consecutive Class 1A state championship, as well, Thursday inside the University of Minnesota Sports Pavilion, starting a 11 a.m.
The individual Class 1A state meet is Friday, starting at 11 a.m.
Hornet results
Section 8-1A meet in Park Rapids, Saturday, Feb. 21.
Team results (*state qualifier): Perham 148.5, Detroit Lakes 144.425, Fergus Falls 125.425, Park Rapids 124.9, Frazee 113.425.
Frazee event results -- All-around: 11. Alane Sauer 32.050; 13. Jessica Irish 27.050; 14. Quincy Mickelson 26.5; 15. Tiffany Haugen 26.275; 16. Emma Buhr 26.15...Vault: 12. Sauer 8.7; 15. Mickelson 8.45; 16. Buhr 8.25; 17. Haugen 8.225; 19. Irish 8.05...Bars: 15. Sauer 7.5; 20. Irish 6.65; 21. Mickelson 6.45; 24. Buhr 5.6; 25. Haugen 4.95...Beam: 13. Sauer 8.1; 21. Buhr 5.65; 22. Haugen 5.6; 24. Irish 5.25; 25. Mickelson 5.05...Floor: 15. Sauer 7.75; 16. Haugen 7.5; 18. Irish 7.1; 20. Buhr 6.65; 21. Mickelson 6.55.


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EDMONTON - Having lost his personal battle with Edmonton Oilers general manager Steve Tambellini, it appeared as though Sheldon Souray may have seen the last of the NHL.
The Oilers couldn't give the defenceman away after banishing him to the American Hockey League due to an ill-advised trade request.
But having signed a one-year free agent-deal with the Dallas Stars at considerably less than what the Oilers were paying him in the minors last year, Souray is thriving.
Heading into Monday's contest, he has four goals and 13 points and has a plus-nine rating.
"He's doing great, he's a good player," said Oilers captain Shawn Horcoff. "It was only a matter of time before he found his way back into the league. It's good to see both sides move on and having some success. Hopefully though, it won't come against us."
The relationships with Souray and the Oilers soured when he asked the club for a trade, going public with his demand.
The problem was Souray was injured at the time and was collecting too big of a cheque for anyone to want him.
The following season, he showed up at training camp, only to be told to go home pending a deal. When that didn't materialize the Oilers waived him on multiple occasions hoping someone would take Souray off their hands. Eventually, they sent Souray to play in the AHL with the Hershey Bears, who the Oilers weren't even affiliated with.
"He's a great player," said Oilers defenceman Tom Gilbert. "You don't score 26 goals in a year, become an NHL all-star and not find your way back in the league.
"It was unfortunate it didn't work out here, but he's found a good spot in Dallas and it's worked out for him there."


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Use this site to apply for Medicare, find supplemental insurance plans, hospitals, drug plans, doctors, nursing homes, dialysis facilities, and more.
Review Date: Friday, August 28, 2015
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
This helpline offers Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) seniors bilingual assistance with questions about their Medicare Prescription Drug plans and other health matters. Languages include English, Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese), Korean, and Vietnamese.
Review Date: Monday, March 25, 2013
National Asian Pacific Center on Aging
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Have You Filed Your Taxes Yet? April 15 Is Rapidly Approaching [Poll]
In case you forgot, your 2013 federal tax return is due next Tuesday, April 15th. Oh, were you hoping to skip over that day on the calendar? (It's also Passover…so might as well find those two birds now…). The horrible annual ritual of filing your tax return will be here before you know it–if you haven't already filed, of course. If you have, excellent! If you haven't–We're sorry.
Do you normally wait to fill out your taxes? File them as soon as possible? Just chalk it up to taking ages and automatically file for an extension?
Let us know in the poll below!


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22 October, 2012@1:56 am
4 comments
Game took to Twitter to show off what may be the final artwork for his upcoming Jesus Piece LP, which depicts Jesus Christ wearing a red bandana over his face, wearing a gold Jesus chain, and sporting a tear drop tattoo. While this doesn't really faze us, we imagine that it will cause quite a bit of controversy, and may find trouble landing on that Wal-Mart rack.
It's ok to make joke pictures depicting Jesus nowadays. Christians are a forgiving bunch. If he had made the same cover using the image of the Prophet Muhammad however, I'm sure it wouldn't have gone down too well.
No doubt P.B. Christians can take a little diss now and then without getting so butt-hurt. The cover is pretty sacreligous, but I could care less, the game is a shitty rapper, so this gimmick won't get me to listen to his crap anyway.
It screams of desperation but I'm glad he decided to make a Christmas album Cee lo can't have all the sales this festive season.
[...] looks like Game's original controversial Jesus Piece album cover isn't flying with the execs at Wal-Mart, so a new version of the cover has been revealed, now [...]
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Andrea Bargnani scored 15 points to lead a balanced Toronto Raptors attack in a 108-103 pre-season win over the New York Knicks on Friday night in front of a packed house of 22,114 at the Bell Centre.
Bargnani also went 3 for 4 on three-pointers, while David Andersen, Leandro Barbosa and Linas Kleiza had 12 points apiece for the Raptors, who completed the pre-season with four wins and three losses.
Amar'e Stoudemire scored 24 points in only 25 minutes, while Canadian national team member Andy Rautins scored five points in 22 minutes for the Knicks (3-4).
It was the final pre-season game for both teams, who will face each other again in Toronto on Wednesday night for the regular season opener at the Air Canada Centre.
It was the first time the NBA visited the city since 1990, when Charles Barkley's Philadelphia 76ers faced the Washington Bullets at the old Montreal Forum.
The venerable hockey arena was about three quarters full for that pre-season game, but scalpers outside the Bell Centre on Friday were looking for people selling tickets just a half hour before tip-off.
And the crowd was largely behind the "home" Raptors, with little evidence of a trickle-down effect of the hated hockey rivalry between the Canadiens and Maple Leafs.
The crowd was just over 800 more than the 21,273 capacity for a Canadiens game.
The crowd hung on every play, even though the quality was considerably lower than what is normal for an NBA contest. Routine behind-the-back passes drew a reaction, and every dunk was met with a thunderous roar.
In the absence of star Chris Bosh's free-agent departure, the Raptors have displayed a balanced attack the entire pre-season, with seven players averaging double-figures in points entering Friday night and Barbosa leading the way at only 13.9 points per game.
It was no different Friday night, with seven Raptors in double figures and points coming from everyone.
Ahead 62-45 at halftime, Toronto's lead was steady until midway through the fourth quarter when former Raptor Roger Mason Jr. drained a three-pointer to cut the lead to six, 92-86.
But Toronto responded with a 10-2 run, fuelled by a Sonny Weems running hook and three-pointer.
The Knicks put on a full court press late and used a late run to cut the lead to 104-100, but two thunderous dunks by Julian Wright in the final minute helped the Raptors pull away and brought the house down to send the fans home happy.
Both teams played their starters for much of the first quarter, and Stoudamire quickly showed why the Knicks handed him a US$99.7-million, five-year deal in the off-season. He scored 13 points in the opening 12 minutes on 5-of-6 shooting to keep New York down by a point, 27-26.
But both team's benches took over in the second quarter and the Raptors pulled away, with Barbosa scoring 12 points on 4-for-7 shooting in the second to lead Toronto into the half.
Notes: The Raptors were without F Ed Davis (knee), while the Knicks were missing C Eddy Curry (hamstring) and G/F Kelenna Azubuike (knee). . . Win Butler, the lead singer of Montreal-based indie rockers Arcade Fire, was sitting courtside.


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Uh Oh, Lil' Kim Is Starting To Look Like Michael Jackson
It's time to talk about Lil' Kim's plastic surgery, guys.
The 38-year-old hiphop star was spotted out in West Hollywood earlier this week sporting a strange new look in her facial region. As you can see, her cheeks look extra apple-y, and her skin is stretched tighter than that curve-hugging dress she's wearing. Most unnerving, though, is the shape of her nose, which is starting to tilt upwards in that same extraterrestrial way that Michael Jackson's did after his surgery addiction had gotten out of control.
Here's a picture of Lil' Kim two years ago for comparison:
And here is a picture of her in 1999, right before Diana Ross famously fondled her boob:
Lil' Kim is certainly no stranger to plastic surgery; as Buzzfeed points out, she has had many difference procedures over the years. I also realize that it's a tricky continuum; who gets to judge how much plastic surgery is "too much"? When is someone having "tasteful" plastic surgery for rational, personal reasons, and when is someone acting out a disorder of some sort?
When you start to look like latter period Michael Jackson.
At least, according to the admittedly arbitrary, but probably uncontroversial standard I just made up. Quit, Lil' Kim. Quit while you're…I don't want to say "ahead," exactly, but not as far behind as you will be soon.
(Via E! Online)


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2014 Mountain West Ruby Conference Day 2
By Brian Gadoury · Thursday, March 27, 2014
This past Friday concluded my second Mountain West Ruby Conference right here in my backyard of Salt Lake City, Utah. Just like the 2013 MWRC, this year's conference was great. It was also nice to meet up with fellow remote co-worker Mike Farmer for both days. Here are a few of my personal favorites from day 2 of the conference, which I almost missed when I had the audacity to show up without a Macbook Air/Pro. (Kidding!)
Randy Coulman - Affordances in Programming Languages
Affordances ("A quality of an object or environment that allows someone to perform an action") are all around us. Randy opened with some examples of poor affordances such as a crosswalk button with two enticing-looking widgets that requires arrows drawn on the box to point to the one that actually is a button. Then, a counter-example showing the "walking" or "standing" footprints painted on an escalator and how they instantly and intuitively communicate how to best use the escalator.
Randy followed with a few examples of affordances in software. One of them was a simple Ruby implementation of an affordance called Deterministic Destructors. It was a method that acquired a resource, yielded to a block argument, then automatically released that resource when the block returned.
The last affordance Randy showed is most near and dear to my heart because it happens to be something I can use in my current project: Subclass iteration. Rather than use a registry pattern to explicitly register components that can handle specific file formats (for example), you can leverage Ruby's built-in inherited(subklass) class method by overriding it in your parent class. That, along with a one-liner helper method, can be used to automagically register your subclasses. Implement a standard interface (can_handle_thing?) for your subclasses to advertise what type of data they can handle, then use your de facto subclass registry to delegate appropriately at runtime.
Ultimately, Randy's list of takeaways summed it all up nicely:
"Languages afford certain designs and inhibit others," thereby shaping how we think about certain problems
"Learning new languages will increase your "solution space" and expose you to different approaches that may be applicable elsewhere.
Thanks for the talk, Randy! Here is his "Affordances in Programming Languages" Slideshare
John Athayde - The Timeless Way of Building
Patterns. Patterns in nature, human behavior, architecture. Patterns are only truly valuable when used appropriately, which, it is said, requires a certain amount of fluency in the language of patterns. Treating them as "a library of code templates" is a problem, says John. I would agree. Correctly applying design patterns in software development is more than finding a GoF design pattern and squeezing your problem through it like so much delicious looking Play dough.
John discussed patterns using some interesting architectural examples and ran through a number of anti-patterns and their corresponding pattern "solutions" in a helpful before/after format. He touched on a number of such anti-patterns that one might see in the wild; code that walks the object graph a la @account.customer.address.state,) fat models in need of some module, concern, or gem treatment, and ActiveRecord callback soup.
John's overall takeaway was that memorizing and applying patterns is neither the crux of the matter, nor is it even sufficient. True skill and the mark of proficiency is to be "fluent in the language of patterns." This reminds me of the difference between being able to speak a foreign language and being able to think in that language and seamlessly express those thoughts without a need for intermediate translation.
John's recommended reading: The Timeless Way of Building, A Pattern Language, The Oregon Experiment, Rails Antipatterns, Design Patterns in Ruby
Ryan Davis - Nerd Party v3.1
Ryan's talk covering the various "versions" of the Seattle.rb Ruby user group throughout the years gets an honorable mention because it convinced me to get involved with one of the Ruby user groups here in Salt Lake City.


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"A penny saved is a penny earned" is a very old and wise saying. When applied to your business, it can not only save you money but increase your profits as well. Getting a handle on how you spend your "to-buy dollars" and mark up your product is very important to the success of your business. With more competition and shrinking profit margins on some products, you need to pay close attention to your bottom line. To start economizing you need to be proactive and make a solid commitment. Make your money work for you, and you'll soon be reaping the benefits. Here are a few ways to stretch your buying dollars and make the most of them.
One of the easiest ways to save money on goods and maximize your profit is to take advantage of prebooking and/or trade-show discounts. Many companies will offer percentage-based discounts for placing orders in advance of product availability. Prebooking shows your commitment to buy, and allows companies to better forecast their production. As an incentive, they may offer discounts from as little as two percent to as much as fifteen percent off the regular wholesale price. Keep in mind that these discounts are designed to increase your margins and need not be passed on to your customers. Prebook deals expire after a certain date, and reorders for the same product will not carry the same discounts.
Another way to maximize savings is to take advantage of quantity discounts. Warehouse superstores work in this same manner: the more you buy, the better the price. As a skateboard retailer you need to be aware of these discounts. They work best and carry the least risk on staple shop supplies. "Items like griptape, bearings, and hardware are a necessity to run the skate department and never become outdated," says Shane Driskill, skate buyer for Wave Riding Vehicles in Virginia Beach, Virginia. "By buying in large quantities, we get the best margins on products that we use every day."
Quantity discounts can work with products other than shop supplies, but the benefits should be considered carefully. If the product becomes outdated and must eventually be discounted, the benefits hardly worth the savings, and they could end up costing you money.
Ask your sales rep about split shipments, and if quantity discounts still apply. If they do, you can take advantage of the discount but take delivery of the product in intervals. You may also be able to pay in installments.
Many retailers live and die by their net terms. Terms offer two major advantages in your quest to save money and maximize your margins. From the start, a net term can save you the C.O.D. fee on the shipment¿usually a minimum of five dollars per box. Depending on how many shipments you receive per year, this can add 500 or more dollars per year to your gross profit.
The other advantage that terms offer is the ability to sell the merchandise before you pay for it. If a product has a typical markup of 100 percent, selling just half the merchandise will cover your wholesale cost. "Net terms allow the retailer to float the bill and increases their buying potential," says Alex Almeida, national sales manager at DuFFS shoes. "The more product they are able to bring in the store gives the brand higher recognition, and hopefully will translate to a higher amount in sales."
A downside to terms is the possibility of overbuying and failing to sell the product before the terms are due. Pay close attention to when terms are due so you don't find yourself having to write checks when sales are slow; minimize extra expenses when you have poor cash flow, such as the beginning of the month when rent is due. Protect your terms by always paying on-time and buying only as much as you believe you can sell. When you keep these things in mind, terms can be a great tool to help build your business.
If you are not able to get terms directly from a company, paying with a credit card gives you automatic 30-day terms. The trick to this game, however, is tthat you must pay the balance in full when the statement is due. Any balance will be subject to finance charges, which can run twenty percent or more. Not paying the full balance will completely defeat the purpose of using the card, and will definitely reduce your profit margins.
An added benefit to using a credit card to pay for orders are cash-back bonuses or frequent-flyer miles offered by some companies. Using these cards regularly, you can accumulate money and miles to help pay for airfare and trips to trade shows, where you can take advantage of show discounts.
Consolidating orders through an independent skateboard distributor can also save you overall shipping costs. While you may order directly from companies most of the time, consider using an independent distributor for fill-in orders from multiple brands. This will reduce your total shipments, and allow you to be adequately stocked at all times. "Our variety allows retailers to buy a variety of products and sometimes still take advantage of the quantity discounts they are accustomed to getting by buying direct," says Reggie Barnes, owner of Eastern Skate Supply.
One more way to watch your bottom line is to know your competitors' prices, and price your merchandise accordingly. There may be times when your prices are much lower, and you'll be able to increase your profit margins without the risk of losing any customers. Also be aware of which products have high profit margins and which do not, and be sure to have a good mix of both to insure that your overall margins are where they need to be.
There are many ways to save money and increase your overall profit margins. Often, discounts are available that you simply need to ask for. Communicating your needs to your reps will help them help you; as your business grows and succeeds, so will theirs. "There are many different programs out there," says Damon Richards, manager at Val Surf in North Hollywood, California. "Working closely with your reps, you will find the ones that work best for you and give you the best return."
It takes some effort to maximize your profits, but what else could be more important to your business? Pennies, nickels, and dimes add up over the course of a year, so keep a close eye to your bottom line. Even without increased gross sales, you could still see a big increase in your gross profit at year's end. When that happens, your extra efforts will prove worthwhile¿and you may need to find a bigger piggy bank.


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camp conditions jordan, conflict displaced, conflict ips, conflict refugees, displaced women, idp families, IDP women, jordan refugee camp, jordan refugee camp update, jordan refugees, metered, refugee camp jordan, refugee camp needs, refugee camp update, refugee camps, refugee families, refugee women, syria displaced, syria refugees, syrian civil war, syrian conflict, syrian war, syrian women, syrian women displaced, syrian women refugees, syrian womena idps, wnn, wnn improve it, wnn syria, women in refugee camps, women news network, za'atari camp
Yifat Susskin – WNN Improve It
(WNN/MADRE) Mafraq, JORDAN, WEST ASIA: When I visited Za'atari camp, where Syrian refugees have fled by the thousands, I spoke to a woman named Hanan. She said the biggest problem in the camp is the toilets. They are far away from the tents and very dark at night. No woman or girl goes there after nightfall. And in the daytime, the women go in groups for safety. There is no way to lock the door, and they don't feel safe.
One part of camp has lighting, but it's only a small part, and the electricity is intermittent. "We need light," the women told us. "It is too dangerous for us here in the dark."
The camp is so big that some women have to walk an hour and 15 minutes to reach the area of the camp where there are services — clinics, feeding centers and schools. But services can't keep pace with the exploding population, so people don't have access to care or basic supplies.
We talked to Rima who is helping to distribute basic needs like diapers in the camp. She told us how the women help each other, even just by talking together. "This fills a huge need that we have — to share our pain and our strength," she said. "That's the support that women give each other here. We have no money, clothes or food to give, but we can give our ear to listen and our shoulder to cry on. I never cry when my children are watching. They have seen enough tears."
We also talked with some NGO workers who told us that sanitation is a big concern. Because the toilets are so far, many families dig holes by their tents as toilets. In the winter, torrential rain spreads the contents of these toilet pits throughout the camp. Water is easily contaminated. And now that it's dry, the dust that's everywhere in the camp carries fecal particles that are also a health hazard, causing respiratory illnesses and other diseases.
Menstrual health and hygiene are also a challenge. Women don't have access to sanitary napkins and have no appropriate places to change or dispose of their pads.
We did see one happy sight: a group of girls playing soccer and laughing together. "In Syria, we would never have this chance," they told us. "Girls don't play soccer at home. Everyone knows it is terrible here, but this is our one good thing."
Somehow, these women and girls find opportunity in crisis.
Yifat Susskind is the Executive Director of MADRE who recently went to Jordan to see the Za'atari camp up close. To support MADRE's work with the Syrian displaced LINK HERE.


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Here's a little something I've been kicking around in my brain lately: Why don't we study healthy people more? And by "we," I mean researchers and the medical community.
While I keep up on fitness trends and major studies, I do not claim to know every single research study out there, but it seems to me like everything I read is about studying the polarized ends of the spectrum. When it comes to weight-loss, we study the overweight and obese. When it comes to sports performance, we study the elite or professional athletes. But what about the everyday healthy people? Where is the research on them?
This question really formed in my head after watching the HBO documentary Weight of the Nation, which was awesome. It brought so many issues to light in regards to the obesity epidemic, and it did touch on some of the studies that have been done on people who have been successful at losing weight (namely, The National Weight Control Registry, which is pretty darn amazing). It focused on both the problems and the answers. And, I guess as I think about what we should be studying, I'd like to see a better understanding of the answers—and not just the problems.
I may be way too Pollyanna in my thinking and, gosh knows I'm a huge proponent of preventive medicine (another reason why working out and eating right is so darn awesome!), but what if we took healthy everyday people and studied more closely how they act, what their bodies do, what they eat, and how they move? What if we studied the norm? Focused on the good and how to encourage that instead of just fixing the bad? What if the secrets to health have already been figured out, and we just need someone to show us the way?
Obviously, I'm not trying to oversimplify the issue—there are serious medical conditions that need cures and treatments. But when it comes to weight-loss and fitness and nutrition, why not look to those who seem to have it figured out?
Know of any good studies on healthy people? Agree? Think what I'm saying is total bunk? Let's discuss in the comments! —Jenn


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Video Streaming
I have this cross-section of several popular media formats stored on my home server for performing streaming tests.
The files formats were as follows:
(1) .mts AVCHD video
(1) .mpg movie clip
(1) .mp4 file
(3) .ts MPEG-2 TS files (did not attempt as these files do not even play correctly directly from the HTPC HDD)
(3) .mov QuickTime files
(3) .avi Video clips
(2) .mkv matroska videos (did not attempt as I do not have the proper codecs installed)
(2) .wmv Window Media file
To see how the Netgear WNCE2001 WiFi adapter handled media streaming, I played each file from the WHS through this adapter to my ATOM/ION powered HTPC. The pix shown with each file outlines the container format for each video. Please note that I attempted to play these videos only through Windows Media Player, given that based upon previous tests, playing files in Windows Media Center has been a redundant test.
- 1.mov
Results: audio/video was choppy
- 9.mov
Results: audio/video was choppy
- 24 – s08e13 – Day 8 400 AM – 500 AM.avi
Results: audio/video were good and in sync
- 169_gearsofwar_x360_ot_102506.wmv
Results:audio/video were good and in sync
- Fantastic_Four.avi
Results: audio/video were good and in sync
- flowers3.avi
Results: video good, file does not include sound
- I Am Legend – Trailer.mp4
Results: audio/video were good and in sync
- KungfuPanda.mov
- menton – city 50p – 10958212 – 19162636.mts
Results: audio very choppy, video was good
- Pepsi.mpg
Results: video good, file does not include sound
- Wildlife.wmv
Results: audio/video were good and in sync
The only files I had problems with in the end were the .mts file and .mov files. For the record, I had the same problem trying to stream these particular files types using other configurations
The above files are a cross-section of several popular media formats that I use for testing purposes. The next media format (and most important to me) to check out are
- Ripped DVD (.VOB) movies
I skimmed through several of the movies stored on my WHS. The result? No skips, no stutters, pure DVD quality on a 1080p screen. For example, Avatar
is but one example. My problem child of earlier times, the movie 9, played flawlessly.
Verdict: Excellent!
To this point, streaming has been through my LAN. However, streaming is not limited to just the LAN; we also have Internet remote streaming of video from various popular sites. For example,
- Hulu
I played a few videos in 480p format with the TV resolution set to 1080p. The audio was good; the video seemed a bit jerky initially than became fairly fluid after a very short time.
Verdict: Excellent!
- Netflix
I skimmed through a few TV shows and some movies. The audio was good; the video was good.
Verdict: Excellent!


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While the majority of us were spending July 4th of this year shooting off fireworks and gobbling down hot dogs and hamburgers, Sean Kingston spent a large part of the day in his L.A. home getting a brand new tattoo to add to his collection of body ink.
And it wasn't just any tattoo. It was an extremely large, very detailed replica of the Mario Kart video game that he had placed on his right arm.
TMZ reported on the ink job after it happened, revealing that it took over 5 hours to complete and cost a whopping $1,2500. When Kingston dropped by 102 JAMZ last week, Melony Torres wanted to know exactly what prompted him to put a replica of the moustachioed Mario on his arm.
"I'm a huge fan of Mario, you know what I'm sayin'," Kingston explained. "I grew up on Mario, like Luigi and everybody. So I had to get it. I love Mario. Mario Kart is dope!"
Click here to get a full view of the tattoo right after its completion.


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My glasses steamed up, but OK with me
Awkward, delicious time at Little Sheep
Ian Anderson 9:30 a.m., Nov. 23
(Page 2 of 2)
In Womack's happiest dreams, collectors would eventually create a groundswell of demand for a cellar guarantee, one provided through the company's cellar certification. "You put in our hardware -- have our sensor in your cellar -- and after 30 days, we'll give you a certificate saying that the hardware measures to a certain degree of accuracy to a measured standard and that there is an historical record of the temperature and humidity. If you're a storage facility, and you want to show that to your customers, it certifies that the facility hasn't tampered with the data. We believe that as more facilities do that and more collectors do that, it will become more of a branded certification. We want to become the trusted brand."
Besides providing peace of mind to collectors interested in storing their product under optimal conditions, Womack suggests that such a brand could provide added value. "If I took all my wine to Zachy's or Christie's for auction today and said, 'I have this report about temperature and humidity in my cellar,' I think they would look at it and go, 'Good for you -- so what? We inspect all of our wine. We might be able to get a little bit of a premium for that, but not much.'" But if it began to matter to auction buyers -- if the Cellar Central certification began to provide assurance the way "cellared at the Chateau" provides assurance -- well, then. It's one less thing to place under the old caveat emptor. "Ideally, in my grand world, if somebody put a lot of wine on WineBid or WineCommune, they could have a link in there that went right to the temperature and humidity profile. They could say, 'Here's what my cellar looks like. Here's how I take care of my wine.'"


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I had just gotten to the first bonfire in Blighttown, and I became human in order to kindle. Within a minute or two, I got invaded. I had a bunch of souls already that I didn't want to lose, roughly 80% what I needed to level, so I ran over to the bonfire I'd just rested at and jumped off the ledge to my death. That way I would spawn right next to my souls for retrieval.
Was that rude of me?


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> Dallas Headhunters
: find top headhunters by cities.
By Cities
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16 Popular Dallas Headhunters - Handpicked Recommendation
Egon Zehnder International aims to make their clients their top priority and to provide a significant service through the assessment and recruitment of top-level management positions.' This firm maintains offices around the world, arranged around a private single-profit partnership, in order to foster smooth operation. Egon Zehnder arranges to provide excellent resources for clients no matter where they reside and whatever the size of their business.
With a prominent office in Dallas, Egon Zehnder International dedicates themselves to the evaluation and engagement of business leaders who can bring to any group competitive advantage and sustainable value.' They pride themselves on possessing sensitivity to the unique needs of any business so as to offer the highest level of service.
If you're looking for a dedicated Dallas headhunting firm, consider the services of Egon Zehnder International. For more information, visit them online at egonzehnder.com.
Priding themselves on being 'one of the nation's largest executive search firms,' Lucas Group is a dedicated recruiter serving a diversified client base in a number of markets and industries. This firm employs a number of specialists with connections and work experience in the industries they are serving, so as to provide the best possible candidates for recruitment.
If you're looking to fill a position in the Dallas area, Lucas Group operates an executive recruitment service. The company is familiar with local business and industry, making them a top choice in recruitment services for executive positions in the Dallas metro area. On top of trends in the Dallas market, Lucas Group maintains a versatile and intelligent business that is ready to handle any search.
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'CSI' stands for 'Comprehensive Search Initiatives.' This means that recruiters at CSI Executive Search are dedicated to finding the most dedicated and qualified candidates for employment in a number of industries. They have given their search operation the title of 'Pinpoint Placement,' signifying a close attention to the needs and objectives of the clients, as well as the personalities and skills of the candidates in order to ensure a successful pairing. CSI Executive Search understands that each client is unique; therefore their services aim to cater to the specialized requirements of each user.
The recruiters at CSI are very familiar with the Dallas business industry and employment environment. They maintain a network of excellent sources and talent within the area and can offer the experienced service of top talent. Dallas is the center of many corporate headquarters, and CSI can cater to the representation of all major industries present. For personalized recruitment services in Dallas, consider taking your business to CSI ' visit them online at csi-executivesearch.com.
For a recruitment agency that services marketers and designers, Aquent aims to provide a specialized approach to locating the best talent available. Aquent describes their services as more than just recruitment and talent, however. Their operation hopes to innovate the way in which both companies and talent function by fostering techniques that better the client/candidate structure. The goal is to foster an environment in which the services of marketers and designers can flourish to the best of their abilities.
With an office located in Dallas, TX, Aquent is available to providing local clients the opportunity to fully engage with a world-wide market. Work with a specialized agent to help create a productive and beneficial partnership. Aquent hopes to help you learn and flourish in your industry.
To read more about their objectives and services, go online to aquent.com.
The Korn/Ferry International recruitment agency has been on the business for years, eventually having 'evolved as the world's premier provider of talent management solutions.' They have dedicated their services to ensuring that clients are provided with the most qualified and professional candidates. Korn/Ferry services also include consultation offerings and solutions for talent acquisitions. It is their goal to provide longer-lasting advantages than simply locating the most effective talent.
Korn/Ferry maintains offices in Dallas, with a staff of expert agents with intimate knowledge of specific regional operations. If your organization is ready to hand over the talent management reins, you will be rewarded with professional experience, expertise and an in-depth knowledge of the industry.
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A local and personalized approach, Carl J. Taylor & Co. makes an effort to fully understand the individual objectives and requirements of your organization to provide the most fulfilling and impactful service. They are serious about making sure business is conducted in a manner that fosters the utmost respect, claiming that 'you should expect a customized and thorough search of the market place using the highest level of professional standards.'
Carl J. Taylor & Co. specializes in providing services that are focused specifically on the Texas market. They have a strong connection to the Dallas business environment and can provide quality work for both local and global businesses. What you will find when working with this company is the cultivation of a personal relationship that is predicated on honesty and professionalism. You are sure to receive quality attention and care when you employ their services.
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Spencer Stuart is an international recruiting firm that maintains 51 offices in 27 countries. Such an expansive network allows this company to employ the services of a wide-range of experts across borders, who can work together in maximizing resources to foster a specialized and expert approach. All the consultants on staff possess industry expertise and have the support of research associates and innovative technologies. This company values creating long-term relationships with clients to ensure the most qualified and dedicated service.
One of their global offices is located in Dallas, allowing for a dynamic relationship between local and international markets. Professionals here can help you to locate the most appropriate talent via global collaboration and an increased expertise through team-work. At Spencer Stuart you can expect a high level of dedication and professionalism.
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Creative Circle offers a specialized approach to staffing, representing advertising agencies, marketing firms and design industries. They aim to support those in need of 'creative, marketing, or interactive resources.' The staff takes up a collaborative approach in all of its endeavors, helping candidates strengthen their appeal and getting familiar with clients in order to provide the most comprehensive services possible. They stress face-to-face meeting with candidates to ensure all parties involved the most productive partnership.
The company maintains offices in major US cities, one of which is their prominent Dallas office. There you can meet with Creative Circle's team of specialists in helping you to develop, expand and increase the competitive edge of your business. Their stringent screening process and personalized approach will provide you with a rewarding solution to whatever your needs.
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In your search to appoint a senior-level executive, you ought to consider the services of Russell Reynolds Associates. This firm understands the importance of selecting the most suitable and impactful candidate to take on senior-level position. Their approach in finding the right candidate is an in-depth process that involves rigorous interviews and evaluations that include psychometric testing and behavioral analysis. They will also work closely with clients in order to develop a comprehensive understanding of who they are and what their goals are.
Located in cities around the globe, Russell Reynolds Associates run an office in Dallas. At their local office you will have the opportunity to develop long-term relationships with the consultants on staff. They maintain the ability to provide exceptional insight into the Dallas market so as to provide business with competent knowledge of local opportunities and candidates.
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Conselium is an executive search firm that specializes in corporate compliance, audit and IT security. Located in offices around the United States they aim to 'provide comprehensive executive search and placement for fortune 500 level companies.' Though they do possess large-scale clients, they also cater to the needs of smaller growing businesses. No matter the client, they aim to provide an effective service utilizing the team's industry knowledge and experience, as well as their large network of partners.
This firm is headquartered in Dallas, and is therefore able to provide expert insight on the local market. For Dallas-based business looking to employ the help of a recruitment agency, Conselium offers a personalized approach to help their clients become more successful.
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In business for almost 60 years, Heidrick & Struggles has focused on developing quality client services that has altered according to the demands of an ever-changing market and growing international client base. The mission behind Heindrick & Struggles is unwavering. They aim to provide a service based on trust and respect for all members involved, and are serious about proving themselves as an example of good corporate governance.
With an office in Dallas, the firm can provide specialty service in industries integral in shaping the Texas economy. This office offers consultations for a wide variety of businesses with their team of expert staff that have had previous experience as executives in the industries they serve. They can provide expert advice for public and private firms and are capable of meeting the challenges presented by today's demanding business environment.
Read more about their objectives and opportunities at Heidrick.com!
Corporate Search Partners is a recruitment firm that specializes in staffing for finance, accounting, and banking industries from the staff to executive level. The offer focused expertise to allow for successful placement of skilled talent in specific positions. This specialized approach fosters a comprehensive relationship between themselves, their clients and candidates. Corporate Search Partners also offers services in the screening of talent with background checks and psychological testing. They are dedicated to providing the information to help you make the best hiring decisions in your specific field.
This company maintains only two offices, both in Texas with one located in Dallas. They are available to provide their services for companies both local and global. For contact information and other details, visit them online at cspjobs.com!
An entrepreneurial firm with offices around the world, Stanton Chase is a fast growing leader in the global executive search operation. They are committed to providing a very detailed and personalized experience for clients no matter their size or their location. One of their greatest values is close listening ' being able to fully comprehend the needs of their client in order to respond effectively. Finding it important to be in tune with the specificities of each business, Stanton Chase will promote the growth of a long-term relationship to help enhance your company's competitive edge.
Stanton Chase operates one of the largest search firms in Dallas, with a team that specializes in both global and local clientele. The firm's entrepreneurial model helps to ensure that each branch can provide localized attention. The Dallas team has expertise in the local business market with the skills and knowledge to provide the most relevant and effective help.
There is more to learn by visiting the website at stantonchase.com!
This Dallas based search firm has the expertise to provide recruitment services in a variety of fields and industries. Roll International is a 'highly contacted' firm who realize the appointment of executive positions is about finding an individual who is capable of making a significant contribution to the success and growth of the company. They call this service 'relationship recruiting' as their services focus on the establishment of trust and the growth of long-term relationships with clients that keep returning. They also maintain the hope that both client and candidate will find opportunity for growth even throughout the recruitment process.
Located in Dallas, Roll International is sensitive to the needs of both the local and global market. No matter the size or location of the client, this firm is dedicated to providing a service with the utmost respect and professionalism.
Visit rollintl.com to learn more about their objectives!
Another Dallas-based recruiting firm, Career Directions specializes in serving those companies involved in technology/computer sales and marketing. This firm is in tune to the demands of today's market and can provide a relevant service in accordance with industry standards. One aspect of contemporary business they respond to is the need for more stringent confidentiality. This means that client information will not be released to a candidate until interest in them is expressed, nor will candidates be asked permission before submitted. They utilize a very in-depth searching process to ensure that only the top-quality candidates will be presented.
Career Directions' Dallas corporate location helps to create strong ties with local industry but also provides services for other international and domestic clients.
To learn more about the services offered, visit career-directions.net!
HealthCare Recruiters is dedicated solely to serving the health care industry and is in fact the only executive search firm in the Unites States that makes health care their exclusive priority. The recruiters on staff have occupied positions as former business leaders and health care professionals; therefore they can provide valuable insight into the specific demands of the market. HealthCare Recruiters maintains franchise offices in 30 cities ' allowing staff to customize a personal recruiting program. This firm aims to uphold a position as providers of adamant standards and respectful, professional service. HCRI works closely with clients and recruiters to discover the best possible match and to foster growth for all parties involved.
Dallas is the location of the company headquarters, as well as home to the first of the 30 HCRI franchises. This was the first office to bill over $1million in revenue and has for years been successful in finding flourishing matches for individuals and businesses in the health care industry. They are in-tune with advancements in this demanding and rapidly growing market, and will help both clients and candidates stay at the top of their industry.
For more information about the services provided, visit hcrintl.com!
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text:
Type: Improvement
Status: Closed
Priority: Major
Resolution: Fixed
Affects Version/s: None
Fix Version/s: 0.21.0
Component/s: None
Hadoop Flags:Reviewed
Currently, the final spill and sort doesn't record any progress while it runs, leading to the perception that the map is done, but "stuck".
This patch reserves 33.3% of map task's progress to sort by dividing map task in to 2 phases. Also makes the progress of sort phase(merges) work, both in map side and reduce side.
Issue Links
- relates to
MAPREDUCE-2264 Job status exceeds 100% in some cases
- Closed
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- Comments
- Work Log
- History
- Activity
- Transitions
I think we should reserve 33% of the map task's progress range for the final sort. It is probably more than necessary, but is consistent with the reduce's sort.
We are planning to allocate 33% of map task's progress to final sort.
Since merge progress is not updated currently(both map side and reduce side), even if we allocate 33% of mapTask progress to sort(merge), map progress will be stuck at 66.7% till sort(merge) is finished and progress will jump from 66.7% to 100%. This could affect speculative execution.
Here is a proposal for updating sort/merge progress approximately.
In merge(), we consider the smallest io.sort.factor files for each merge. So we assume that there is no combiner and we calculate the denominator for mergeProgress using the following before the begining of merges:
We maintain a list of sizes of segments to be merged(sorted list). We add the sizes of smallest factor segments(that are going be merged first) and add the sum to the list and remove the smallest factor sizes. Do this again and again until we are left with 1 element in the list. This element is the denominator for mergeProgress for 1st merge.
As and when the segments are read for a merge, the numerator is incremented based on position in the segment and mergeProgress is updated.
Denominator is decreased by the difference (inputRecordsForThisMerge - mergedRecordsInThisMerge). This is to get better approximation of mergeProgress with combiner being called in merges.
mergeProgress is not very accurate(when combiner is used in merges) in the above approach because of 2 reasons:
(1) Exact estimation of total size of data(going to be merged in all the merges) before merges is not possible when combiner is there.
(2) sizes of compressed and uncompressed segments(inMemory segments) are treated alike.
This would also avoid jump of reduce task progress from 33.3% to 66.7%. On reduce side, for mergeProgress, we will have to avoid adding the sizes of segments of last merge of factor segments in estimating the total size of data that will be merged(computation of denominator from the list of sizes of segments), because the last merge is considered as part of the 3rd phase of reduce task(i.e. reduce phase).
Thoughts ?
For example, if there are 6 segments(of lengths 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 200) as input to merge() in map task, then totalBytesProcessed is incremented as and when the position in any segment is updated.
totalBytes = (10+20) // 1st merge
+ (30+30+40) // 2nd merge
+ (100+50+200) // 3rd merge
= 480 // denominator in computation of mergeProgress during 1st merge
After 1st merge, mergeProgress = totalBytesProcessed/totalBytes = (10+20)/480;
Let us say the length of the merged segment(of 1st merge with i/p sizes 10, 20) is 25 because of combiner.
totalBytes = 480 - (30-25) = 475; // denominator in computation of mergeProgress during 2nd merge
After 2nd merge, mergeProgress = (30+(25+30+40))/475;
Let us say the length of the merged segment(of 2nd merge with i/p sizes 25, 30, 40) is 85 because of combiner.
totalBytes = 475 - (25+30+40 - 85) = 465; // denominator in computation of mergeProgress during 3rd merge
After 3rd merge, mergeProgress = (30+85+(100+50+200))/465=1.0;
The simple change would help speculative execution, since it is a closer approximation of the actual progress. Currently, speculative on maps often doesn't happen when it should because the map is stuck at 100%.
I don't think we should be tracking the progress as each record is consumed in the merge sort. That will be too much overhead, unless you are very careful. If you want to weight the progress by how many bytes are in each segment, that would provide a better match. Do make sure that you consider how combiners will affect the progress meters.
This patch reserves 33.3% of map task to sort. So map task now has 2 phases: map phase and sort phase. Progress can have different weightages for different phases now. In map task, map phase accounts for 66.7% and sort phase 33.3%. This patch also makes code changes needed for updating of merge progress both on map side and reduce side.
Testing is in progress.
Please review and provide your comments.
Some initial comments:
- Ensure that the sum of weights for a phase does not cross 1
- Having a boolean variable to keep track of whether the weights are fixed or variable is a better option
- Merger – Sort the segments only if numSegments > factor
- Relying on writesCounter to decide includeFinalMerge variable is not a good idea.
- computeBytesInMerges should disregard empty segments – we probably need to add a isEmpty() API to Segment.
Incorporated Jothi's 1st 3 comments.
Discussed with Jothi offline regarding comments 4 & 5. For comment 4, there seems to be no cleaner way, so keeping it that way. Regarding comment 5, it seems checking for empty segments(by reading segments) before actual merges seem to be costly in terms of performance. So not handling empty segments separately in our estimation assuming that it wouldn't hurt much in the approximation of mergeProgress.
Fixed an issue in informReduceProgress() by changing the call from Progress.get() to Progress.getInternal() because we need progress for this phase/node only(and not for the whole tree). Made Progress.getInternal() public.
Attaching patch with the above changes. Please review and provide your comments.
Earlier patch doesn't have the code change for boolean variable to keep track of whether the weights are fixed or variable.
Attaching a new patch with that change.
Please review and provide your comments.
Looks good. A few more points:
- Create a new method getProgressForCurrentNode() and keep getInternal() private
- addPhases(int) should call existing addPhase method instead of duplicating code
- Check for (mapFinishTime.length() > 0) is not required in JT
- MapTask: isMapOrReduceTask can use isMapTask()
- Check if progress is being updated correctly and works fine with new Reducer API
- Merger: Remove Collections.sort() in the beginning
- Can we do better than relying on writesCounter to determine if the final merge needs to be included in the calculation or not?
Made code changes as per Jothi's 1st 4 comments.
- Check if progress is being updated correctly and works fine with new Reducer API
As progress is not updated with new Reducer api while records are being fed to reducer, reduce task progress is not updated from 66.66% and jumps to 100% when the task is done. May be we need to file a separate JIRA for the new API to have the updation of progress similar to old api.
- Merger: Remove Collections.sort() in the beginning
OK. Removed sort() in the begining of merge() and changed the code in the callers to get sorted segments to merge() if there are more than ioSortFactor segments.
Changed mergeParts() to call merge() with sorted segments if there are more than ioSortFactor segments. Earlier, mergeParts() was sending unsorted segments to merge() and after first intermediate merge only, segments are sorted — so 1st merge is not merging the smallest segments.
Removed sort() call after each intermediate merge and 'insertion into sorted segments list' is done. This could improve performance as calling sort with complexity O(n.logn) after each intermediate merge is costly.
- Can we do better than relying on writesCounter to determine if the final merge needs to be included in the calculation or not?
I couldn't see a cleaner/better way of doing this.
Attaching patch with the above changes. Please review and provide your comments.
Earlier, missed backward compatibility of public method JobHistory.MapAttempt.logFinished() because of adding a new param.
Attaching new patch with the change. Please review and provide your comments.
In Merger, removed reliance on writesCounter to determine if the final merge needs to be included as part of sort phase in the calculation by adding a new static method for setting this boolean variable includeFinalMerge.
Also made code changes such that web UI now shows "Map Phase Finished" time for map tasks.
Please review and provide your comments.
ant test-patch gave:
[exec] -1 overall.
[exec] +1 @author. The patch does not contain any @author tags.
[exec] +1 tests included. The patch appears to include 6 new or modified tests.
[exec] +1 javadoc. The javadoc tool did not generate any warning messages.
[exec] +1 javac. The applied patch does not increase the total number of javac compiler warnings.
[exec] +1 findbugs. The patch does not introduce any new Findbugs warnings.
[exec] +1 Eclipse classpath. The patch retains Eclipse classpath integrity.
[exec] -1 release audit. The applied patch generated 492 release audit warnings (more than the trunk's current 489 warnings).
Unit tests passed on my local machine.
Editorial pass over all release notes prior to publication of 0.21.