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NEWS20 December 2011
NEWS20 December 2011
US— The broadcasting division of The Washington Post Company is adopting Rentrak's local market ratings as the trading currency for ad space on its TV stations.
Post-Newsweek has been using Rentrak's StationView Essentials data for its Houston and Miami/Fort Lauderdale stations since June last year. Coverage will now be expanded to Detroit/Windsor, Orlando/Daytona Beach/Melbourne, San Antonio and Jacksonville.
StationView Essentials uses return-path data from cable and satellite set-top boxes to measure household viewing in each of the 210 US media markets. Viewing data is linked with demographic and consumer information to produce audience profiles for stations.
Nielsen is the dominant force in US TV ratings, but Rentrak argues that its census-based approach to audience measurement has the edge on Nielsen's sample-based approach when it comes to correctly sizing the audience for smaller, local stations.
Post-Newsweek CEO Alan Frank (pictured) said: "The industry has been waiting decades for a viable and robust competitive environment in the television measurement arena. We wanted to be the first of many station groups to comprehensively support Rentrak's efforts."
UK businesses lower Brexit expectations ahead of budget https://t.co/iVAoAYEhoz #mrx #marketresearch
Global online grocery market grows 30% https://t.co/UZRVRW8l1v #mrx #marketresearch
Andrew Wiseman steps down as ICM Unlimited MD https://t.co/J06kHTAak0 #mrx #marketresearch


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Good stuff
Break a leg, or several
Past Times
Jan. 19, 1956 Top stories of the Pleasanton Times
Headline: "Noses Win Out as Skunk Pelt Business Brought to Close"
The conflict of a unique skunk pelt drying process and the acute noses of half the community finally came to a head this week, and the verdict was in favor of the sensitive sniffers.
Residents along Livermore Road and Walnut Drive in particular had been complaining for weeks of a "terrible smell … almost like skunks," which every now and then filled the air about them. The odor hit a new peak last Thursday and public indignation rose accordingly.
The sheriff's department was called in. They checked a shed on the Americo Zaro Gravel Plant on Livermore Road. Inside they found 10 skunk pelts hanging to dry. There were five more skunks in a sack awaiting a similar fate. Deputy Sheriff Frank Munn investigated and determined that Kenneth Sapp, 21, was apparently a young man with a nose for new business but little else.
The operation was ordered to a halt by Munn, who obviously is as sensitive of such things as the rest of us.
Headline: "County Births Exceed Deaths"
A report released by the Alameda County Health Department shows that births exceeded deaths by more than 5,000.
Tuberculosis was the most important communicable disease in terms of time lost to the individual and expense to the community, requiring public health nursing in 592 cases, 129 of which were active.
A five-year upward trend in polio cases was broken last year with a sharp drop from 82 to 38 cases reported in the county. And 1955 saw the nation take a major step toward solving the polio problem. More than 12,000 children in the health department area were protected by vaccination before July 1955. With the appropriation of federal and county funds in the fall a program has been launched to make vaccine available to the remaining 40,000 school children.
An alarming statewide increase in animal rabies called for an emergency dog quarantine. In 1955 there were 391 cases of animal rabies in California as compared to 83 in 1954. This is the main factor in why cities in southern Alameda County have enacted laws requiring the licensing and vaccination of dogs.
At the Grocery: Hagstrom's. Pot roast, 29 cents a pound; frozen orange juice, five for 89 cents; Ivory soap flakes, 31 cents for a large box; and bananas, two for 29 cents.
At the Movies: Niles Theatre. "The Last Frontier," "where survival was the only law," starring Victor Mature, Guy Madison and Robert Preston. Second big hit, Walt Disney's "The African Lion."
Trivia Question: On Jan. 11, 1963, the first discothèque opened. What was it called, and where was it located?
Answer to last week's question: On Jan. 9, 1956, Abigail Van Buren's "Dear Abby" column first appeared in newspapers.

subset: commoncrawl


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Despite defeat Capello 'happy' with performance
Fabio Capello watched his England team slump to a dismal 1-0 defeat against France in the Stade de France and then announced he was 'happy' with the performance.
He also praised David Beckham, who won his 100th cap to join a club which also comprises Billy Wright, Sir Bobby Charlton, Bobby Moore and Peter Shilton.
Beckham played from the start and true to form in a career which has had its fair share of highs and lows received a yellow card before being replaced just after the hour mark by Blackburn's David Bentley.
Capello also saw goalkeeper David James bring down Chelsea's Nicolas Anelka to allow Franck Ribery to score the game's only goal from the penalty spot.
Capello, however, insisted the performance was better than the 2-1 victory against Switzerland at Wembley last month.
He said: 'I told the players I am happy we made progress compared to Switzerland, even though we won that game.
'I'm happy I saw some very good things against a top-level team. That showed me what our worth is.'
Capello made four substitutions at half-time, John Terry being replaced by Joleon Lescott and Stewart Downing coming on for Joe Cole, Peter Crouch for Gerrard and Michael Owen for Wayne Rooney.
It was Owen's first action under Capello but he had little opportunity to demonstrate the goalscoring form he has shown recently for Newcastle.
Capello also switched formations, changing the lone striker role played by Rooney and partnering Owen and Crouch.
He said: 'I made the team play two different ways so I could see many players. My ideas are now a lot clearer.'
He also maintained that he substituted Beckham, who picked up his booking for tugging the shirt of Ribery, only so that he could take a look at Bentley against top-rated opposition.
Capello said: 'I'm very happy about David Beckham. He played like I know how he can play. I only substituted him because I wanted to see other players and I know Beckham as a player very well.'
The most pleasing aspect for Capello was the way the side refused to give in, even though they were outplayed for long periods by a French side missing several of their biggest stars, including Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, Karim Benzema and Louis Saha.
He said: 'I'm happy that the team showed they didn't want to lose the game. They played right to the end. This was most positive thing considering the level of the opponent.
'Anelka and Ribery showed pace for them but I think we had more pace in the first half. We slowed down a bit though in the second half.'
Capello also revealed that his plans suffered a late hitch when Frank Lampard fell ill at the team hotel.


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Founded by:Existential therapy was not founded by one certain person or group of people. However, Viktor Frankl, Rollo May, and Irvin Yalom are some of the key figures of existential therapy.
Viktor Frankl (1905-1997)
Rollo May (1909-1994)
Irvin Yalom (b.1931-)
Key Concepts:*"The existential movement stands for respect for the person, for exploring new aspects of human behavior, and for divergent methods of understanding people" (Corey p. 145).
*Existential tradition- Recognizes limits and opportunities of human life. We have both limitations and freedom.
*Proposition 1: The Capacity for Self-Awareness
*"Freedom, choice, and responsibility constitute the foundation of self-awareness" (Corey
*We have a limited amount of time.
*We can choose between action and inaction.
*We help creact our destiny by choosing our action or inaction.
*We increase our responsibility for the consequences of our actions or inactions as we
become more aware of our choices.
*We may experience loneliness, a sense of meaninglessness, emptiness, etc.
*We are alone but can relate to others.
*Proposition 2: Freedom and Responsibility
*"A central existential concept is that although we long for freedom, we often try to escape
from our freedom by defining ourselves as a fixed or static entity" (Corey p. 147).
*Inauthenticity- Unawareness of responsibility for own life and assumes external forces are in
*Freedom- We are responsible for our lives and actions.
*Existential guilt- Awareness of evading a commitment or choosing not to make a choice.
*Authenticity- Live by what we view is a valuable exsistence for ourselves.
*Frankl postulates that "We are not free from conditions, but we are free to take a stand against
these restrictions" (Corey p. 148).
*Proposition 3: Striving for Identity and Relationship to Others
*We want to be unique but also be able to relate to others and nature.
*We move forward even though we are aware of situations we will face in the future.
*Aloneness is part of being human but we can gain strength from being alone.
*We want to experience relatedness. We want to feel important to others have others be
important to us.
*We struggle with our identity. We do not want to be alone and therefore we sometimes let
others design our life for us and stay trapped in an identity from our childhood.
*Proposition 4: The Search for Meaning
*We struggle with feeling significant and that we have purpose
*People may discard their old traditional/imposed values and not look for any to replace them.
*People may feel their world has no meaning and it is pointless to struggle through it or in
some cases to live.
*"Meaninglessness in life can lead to emptiness and hollowness, or a condition that Frankl calls
the existential vacuum" (Corey p. 152).
* In logotherapy therapist point out that clients can create meaning for their lives even in
struggles and suffering.
*Meaning is not something that can be searched for and found it is achieved through
*Proposition 5: Anxiety as a Condition of Living
*Existential anxiety- Unavoidable anxiety that results from facing things such as death,
freedom, meaninglessness, etc.
*Normal anxiety- Appropriate response to the situation. We cannot survive without some
anxiety and it is not a therapeutic goal to eliminate normal anxiety.
*Neurotic anxiety- Anxiety that is out of proportion to the situation. Neurotic anxiety is
immobilizing. In order to be psychologically healthy one needs to experience little neurotic
anxiety but accepting existential anxiety.
*Proposition 6: Awareness of Death and Nonbeing
*Death is not viewed as a negative but instead is an inevitable human condition that adds
significance to life and living.
*Death provides the opportunity for us to appreciate the present moment.
Therapeutic Goals:*The main therapeutic goal is increased self-awareness. Teaching clients to look at what they already know about themselves.
*Lead clients to see they are not living authentic lives and teach them to make choices that will lead them to their fullest potential.
*Lead clients to become more authentic and recognize when they are self-deceiving.
*Help clients face anxiety and create a meaningful life.
*Restricted existence- A limited awareness of self and clients experiencing this will be vague about their problems during therapy.
Techniques:*Existential therapy is not technique oriented and incorporates many techniques from other models.
*Prefer description, understanding and exploration of subjective reality instead of diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis.
*Uses three phases:
*Initial phase- Assist client in identifying and clarifying thier view of the world.
*Second phase- Assist client in examining their values.
*Final phase- Assist client in taking what they have learned and practicing it or putting it into
Video clip about existential therapy http://youtu.be/gathih6EgwM
Corey, G. (2013). Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.
(2010, July 27). Existential Psychotherapy. Video clip retrieved from http://www.youtube.com
rightwords.ed "Viktor Frankl"
quotezuki.com "Rollo May"
cafegradiva.ro "Irvin Yalom"


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Founded in 1965, Messerli & Kramer is a Top 20 Minnesota law firm with locations in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Plymouth, Bismarck, North Dakota, Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Omaha, Nebraska. We have a hard-earned reputation within the business community of providing sound, reasoned and comprehensive legal services. With an emphasis on building lasting relationships with our clients, our professionals take the time to listen and understand legal issues within the larger framework of the business as a whole. Known for our dedication and responsiveness, Messerli & Kramer is focused on finding pragmatic solutions and producing remarkable results for our clients.
Messerli & Kramer consists of eleven practice areas in three unique – yet complementary – divisions, including appeals, banking and finance, corporate and general business law, commercial real estate, business litigation, collections, divorce and family law, employment, estate planning, government relations and intellectual property. We represent a variety of clients, from large corporations and banks, to closely-held entrepreneurial businesses, to individuals seeking divorce and family law or estate planning services.
For many clients, the process of choosing a law firm can be overwhelming. At Messerli & Kramer, we make the choice simple, describing the qualities that distinguish us from other law firms in three simple words:
- Respected
- Responsive
- Reliable
Respected. We have a team of highly skilled professionals working diligently to provide consistent results for our clients. Our peers recognize us as knowledgeable, creative and ethical attorneys who advocate aggressively on behalf of our clients.
Responsive. We help our clients think strategically, but recognize that life and business often require a quick answer or action to get things done. We are committed to being available for our clients whenever and wherever the need arises, and our clients know we will do what it takes to get the job done.
Reliable. Many of our clients have been with us for years, some for decades, because they are able to count on us to provide the services they need for success. We have earned our reputation through many late hours spent working with clients to close a key deal and tireless advocacy shown in the courtroom and at the Capital.
The team of professionals at Messerli & Kramer takes pride in helping our clients navigate the myriad of legal and business issues that confront them in their business and personal lives. We welcome the opportunity to do the same for you.
Visit us on LinkedIn.


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Find the Right Healthcare Job. Right Now.
Dental Assistant
Englewood, CO | Part-time
How would you like to start 2018 at a new Dental Office? We need a Dental Assistant with cosmetic dentistry experience that can work Thursdays & Fridays 8am -5pm. Dental Assistant would need to have at least a year of experince and open to 4 days a week eventually. If you are a Dental Assistant that likes cosmetic dentistry please apply online.
• Must have current certificate or state license with no stipulations
• Must have two (2) references in your field
• Able to pass a background check and drug screen
• Minimum of 6 month's experience in the last 12 months
About WSi Healthcare Personnel
Since 1988, WSi Healthcare Personnel, Inc. has been committed to providing complete job placement services to the Western Region. Recently voted one of the 10 most dependable staffing agencies in the region we push the boundaries of what a healthcare staffing company can offer both its candidates and its clients.
Healthcare professionals trust their careers with WSi Healthcare Personnel. Our professionals are the most loyal because of WSi's outstanding placement services, pay rates and opportunities. Whether you need a full time position, part time or temporary opportunity, contact WSi Healthcare Personnel today for more information on how you can join our esteemed team of healthcare professionals.
Referral Bonus Program
Even if you are not currently needing assistance, if you know of other qualified healthcare workers seeking employment opportunities please pass on my contact information. Once they become active and have worked at least 40 hours on our payroll, we will send you a $100 referral bonus. There is no limit to the number of people you can refer!


text: I see a lot of companies using this method and whatever they are applying they are simply spraying a similar volume of a home watering hose. Are insecticides, fungicides, termiticides, etc. the more common applications with this set up or are fertilizers just as popular? It would seem that with this method, applying fertilizers "perfect" would be impossible and cause a nonuniform green to the turf. My guess is that the dilution is so high that it doesn't have to be applied perfectly? is that correct? Obviously I am primarily a granular/herbicide spot sprayer applicator. Any info. would be helpful.


text: My wife and I drove to whistler this past weekend. The construction widening BC 99 for the olympics is nuts. Gravel Rat wasn't lieing about B.C. having nothing but rock. It was quite entertaining watching huge equipment work as I drove by. Lots of Volvo Hual Trucks, Cat D8+ size dozers, Cat 960 loaders, and a mishmash of Cat, Komatsu and Deer excavators. Mostly Cat though. I was like a kid in a candy store. I was hoping to see a Komatsu PC1000, but the largest I saw was a Cat 345.


text:
All Android applications categories
3D Aquarium HD Live Wallpaper, New high-quality live wallpaper, totally free for you.
The most beautiful undersea world--colorful fishes and plants.
Underwater World Live Wallpapers of Coral and Marine Fishes here for you to enjoy. Many different fishes to choose from. Who could resist the beauty of the Oceans added with lighting effects.
A very beautiful underwater world of wallpaper, sea constantly effervescent, tropical fish free swimming, very nice! Colorful fishes are swimming just under the glass of your smartphone, very realistic and really amazing!
Enjoy it!
Please set as wallpaper,if you like it.
Software Description:
1) New designed user interfaces. Very smooth and ease of use. User friendly menu for navigation.
2) Over 5000+ high quality picture wallpapers.
3) All pics are wallpapers with high quality and HD, carefully chosen!
4) You can save either one wallpaper you like, or all wallpaper if you like them all!!
5) All Pics are completed free and Off-line! Whoo! no 3G data cost at all!
6) Better user experience with WiFi!
7) The program can automatically be translated into the language you are familiar with, so you use more convenient.
8) Free, and always will be free!
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text:
Rosario Dawson in The Edit Magazine 28st March 2013 by Cliff WattsCovers, Editorial, Rosario Dawson, The Edit
Friday, March 29, 2013
Into the Light - 'The actress opens up to Leslie Gornstein about her on- and off- screen relationship with the director and shows a softer side in this season's most precious, romantic pieces.' Rosario Dawson wears delicate, white attire by the likes of Chloe, Emilio Pucci, Alessandra Rich, & Reed Krakoff, styled together by Tracy Taylor for the 28th March issue of The Edit Magazine. Dawson poses on the beach, in a light and airy shoot by Cliff Watts. Hair by Kylee Heath, Makeup by Mai Quynh.


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I was wondering if it is possible to dynamically update select statements on a web page without using javascript. For instance, suppose you have two drop down select menus, and you want to update the options in the second select based on the value chosen in the first.
Any ideas?
dynamic menus with jsp only (no javascript) (1 messages)
- Posted by: geoff boushey
- Posted on: September 04 2001 16:30 EDT
Threaded Messages (1)
- dynamic menus with jsp only (no javascript) by Andrew Reynolds on September 04 2001 19:28 EDT
dynamic menus with jsp only (no javascript)[ Go to top ]
One way I've seen this implemented is by using dynamically created javascript arrays. I realize you said you prefer not to use javascript at all (I tend to agree)) but there can be situations that efficient use of it prevents server requests and thus increases overall performance.
- Posted by: Andrew Reynolds
- Posted on: September 04 2001 19:28 EDT
- in response to geoff boushey
What you can do is create arrays of the second menu choices with java and store then in the page as javascript arrays upon first load. When a selection is made in the first drop down, set the appropriate array as the second menu's options. While this solution is not pure java, it does prevent nasty urls and essentially uses javascript for what its intended; simple, client side manipulation.
I'm don't have any sample code to post here but I can point you www.carsdirect.com which atleast shows the necessary javascript. The java's simple - you just need to generate the array code similar to:
MenuOneOptions[0]='option 1';
MenuTwoOptions[0]='choice based on option 1, another choice based on option 1';
MenuOneOptions[1]='option 2';
MenuTwoOptions[1]='choice based on option 2, another choice based on option 2';
I think this would do the trick. Haven't really tested it but it shows the general idea:
String[] firstChoiceArray = { "option 1", "option 2" };
for (int i=0; i< firstChoiceArray.length; i++) {
System.out.println("MenuOneOptions[" + i + "] = '" + firstChoiceArray[i] + "';");
// This array would be constructed from a sql result based on
// firstChoiceArray[i]
String[] secondChoiceArray = {
"option based on choice " + i,
"another option based on choice " + i };
System.out.print("MenuTwoOptions[" + i + "] = 'Select an option");
for (int j=0; j<secondChoiceArray.length; j++) {
System.out.print("," + secondChoiceArray[j]);
Good luck,


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This previously unavailable concert recorded at Cornell University more than 40 years ago is as riveting and impressive as anything recorded since. Like the set captured at UCLA the following year, this 2-CD set represents new found recordings that Sue Mingus is making available to the public. It is, simply, a masterpiece. Co-produced by Ms. Mingus and Michael Cuscuna, the release is an important addition to the catalog of one of the most important members of the historic jazz community.
Opening with a spectacular Jaki Byard solo piano performance on "ATFW," the concert is wonderful from top to bottom. Mingus' solo bass on "Sophisticated Lady" is equally superb, and leads into the centerpiece of the concert, the nearly 30 minute version of "Fables Of Faubus." Eric Dolphy's bass clarinet works in and around the bass and piano, Dannie Richmond's drums, Clifford Jordan's tenor, and Johnny Coles' trumpet. Mingus' recital and criticism against the then segregationist Arkansas governor is lost in the mix, but longtime fans will hear it in intention, at least. All of the players shine on this performance, particularly Cole and Jordan, and Dolphy is simply mesmerizing. The audience is appreciative throughout, realizing that they were in the presence of one of the masters. Being that master, Mingus was noted for assembling bands that were up to the task. This aggregation is certainly all of that.
There is little stage patter here, with the program edited to the music. The musical performances are, of course, stellar. "Orange Was the Color of Her Dress, Then Blue Silk" is a 15-plus minute subdued piece that features Dolphy, again on bass clarinet. As relatively muted as the ensemble performance is, Dolphy seems to want to light a fire.
On the 17-minute "Take The A-Train," the fire is lit. Byard does a fine take on the Ellington intro and Mingus and Richmond set the pace with the horns taking turns and working in delightful tandem. Jordan's solo is followed by an impressive turn from the bandleader, then the drummer, before breaking back to the ensemble.
The second disc opens with a 31 minute "Meditations." Dolphy plays flute here, Byard very stately piano, and Mingus a deep and woody meditation for a full seven minutes before the horns enter. Dolphy plays alto in tandem with Jordan's tenor, then picks up the bass clarinet. The bass and drums remain busy while the piano sketches out complimentary chords. Byard takes it to the rhythmic edge, drops it back to a tender solo, and then the band brings the level back up, with Cole offering sharp impressive lines.
Mingus opens with a bass solo on "So Long Eric," a piece that has moments of flat out romping interspersed with more meditative sections. Mingus is a rock solid time keeper here, and Cole is particularly impressive, though all of the players make solid statements. The piece is quite impressive in the ensemble work,as well. Dolphy's alto is superb, though the micing could have been better. Ironically, Dolphy would die in a diabetic coma a few months later.
Byard offers the opening lines of "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling," which leads into a wonderful Cole solo. Richmond fires everyone through their solos. Mingus seemed to enjoy interjecting the wholly unexpected into live performances. On the recording from the following year at UCLA it was "Muskrat Ramble."
The closing version of Fats Waller's "Jitterbug Waltz" benefits from Dolphy's spirited flute. The 10 minute piece is the most upbeat on the program and allows Dolphy the most room to stretch. Byard is likewise on fire throughout, unleashing torrents of chords. Jordan and Coles have impressive solo turns, as well.
This unearthing of the teaming of Mingus and Dolphy follows that of the Mingus octet released in 2006 -- as well as the equally historic finding of Monk and Coltrane at Carnegie Hall a couple of years ago. These are all vital recordings that almost slipped away. Thanks to Sue Mingus for bringing the recordings of her husband to light.


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Distributorship services in the field of recreational vehicle parts and accessories
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Hastings Ford plans fundraiser for HHS choirs
Hastings Ford will be hosting the fall Drive 4UR School from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 16.
For every person who takes a spin in a new Ford during the Drive 4UR School event, Ford Motor Company will donate $20 to the Hastings High School Choirs. After a qualifying test drive in another eligible Ford vehicle, participants have an opportunity to earn an additional $10 (up to $30 per person) for the Hastings High School Choirs by taking a spin in the 2013 Escape. The Escape Bonus Drive can increase total donations from Ford to the Hastings Band Boosters from $6,000 to $8,000.
Hastings Ford has also teamed up with Hastings TLC in providing a free meal for all who attend. Hastings TLC is a community-based, non-profit organization that provides ongoing education, support and mentoring to individuals and families in crisis.
"It's great to be hosting the Drive 4UR School event for the Hastings High School Choirs" said Doug Erickson, owner of Hastings Ford. "By sponsoring events like Drive 4UR School, Ford continues to bless the students of our community."
Hastings High School Choir event chair Mike Ventry said, "What a great opportunity we have with Ford Motor Company and Hastings Ford to raise funds locally for Hastings High School choir members. Every year, choir members are required to fundraise for performance expenses. Drive 4UR School allows individual choir members to earn up to $30 for every qualified driver that takes a test drive on their behalf. Family and friends wanting to support their favorite choir member should obtain a Drive 4UR School business card from that student."
To participate in this free event, visit Hastings Ford located at Highway 61 south, between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 16.
The event is limited to one driver per household, and drivers must be 18 years or older with a valid license to participate.


text:
Time Schedule:
Wanda V Gregory
Bothell Campus
Examines a variety of issues involved in understanding different forms of media and their impact on our lives, in contexts spanning from local to global, using a wide range of theoretical, disciplinary, and methodological approaches.
Class description
The World of Doctor Who
This class focuses on the popular British television program Doctor Who, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. We will look at the early episodes along with those since the 2005 relaunch. We will explore the program from a number of perspectives including the ethics of time-travel, the nature of humanity, concepts of morality and justice, the Doctor as a mythological figure, the changing role and archetypes of companions, the fan culture surrounding the series, the transmedia media elements which have been created over the decades and much more. Finally we will try to answer the question Doctor Who?
Student learning goals
General method of instruction
Recommended preparation
Class assignments and grading


text:
Hill Country Live Presents
Moot Davis
Hill Country NYC
30 W. 26th St.
New York, NY, 10010
From Auckland to Austin to Nashville, New Jersey-based country musician Moot Davis took quite a journey to make his third CD, Man About Town, but it was certainly worth it. Davis describes his new release as the one he likes the most because "it wasn't altered to suit anybody's tastes but mine."
Moot Davis burst onto the country music scene in the mid-2000s. With his self-titled debut, Davis delivered a set of timeless honky tonk that brought comparisons to Hank Williams Sr. Entertainment Today touted Davis as "primed to be the leader in the new insurgent country music scene." The kudos continued for his second effort, Already Moved On, which about.com's Kathy Coleman ranked as the Fourth Best Country Album of the Year, ahead of the likes of Dwight Yoakam and Brad Paisley.
Man About Town fulfills the promise of his earlier efforts while also expanding into new musical territory. Tracks like "Day the World Shook My Hand," "How Long" and "Only You" should resonate with fans of his earlier, retro honky-tonk sound. "Queensbury Rules," on the other hand, boasts a harder, rockier sound, while "Rust" mixes country twang with a funky beat. Davis wanted a change with this disc. "I didn't want to make the same album again and again."
In a sign of his artistic growth, Davis accomplishes several firsts on Man About Town. "Crazy in Love With You" stands as his first duet, with the delightful Elizabeth Cook serving as his singing partner. He also delivers his first murder ballad with "Black & White Picture," a highly cinematic tale driven by Mexican-style guitar picking.
Davis populates this CD with a number of vivid character studies. The lead-off track, "Rags to Rhinestones," is a prime example of his storytelling talents. In this classic honky-tonk number, a musician goes from "rented rooms to mansion homes" only to squander it all and wind up being kicked "out of bars on Lower Broadway." The tune came together for Davis after his buddy, musician Dave Gleason, told him of a successful country musician whose life and career veered off course. Davis became intrigued by the idea of "someone who rises to a certain level and then just dive-bombs."
The song's Nashville references reflect the fact that this album is the first one Davis recorded in Music City. (His first two, released on Little Dog Records, were done with the esteemed producer Pete Anderson in Los Angeles.) The ace players on Man About Town are from Marty Stuart's band: guitarist Kenny Vaughan, who served as producer; pedal and lap steel player Chris Scruggs; drummer Harry Stinson and bassist Paul Martin. Also featured is fiddler Hank Singer, who plays with George Jones. These guys, according to Davis, are "all serious players but they are all regular guys too." He describes the sessions as "one of those things where everything comes together. It's kinda rare."
Man About Town marks a return to recording after a short hiatus as Davis extricated himself from his Little Dog contract. A bit disillusioned with the music business, he travelled to New Zealand to do some acting. There, he says, "I fell back in love with music" and started writing songs again on an acoustic guitar. He next moved to Austin, bought a Telecaster and continued working on his tunes. The music evolved even more upon his return to New Jersey, where he played with some local guys. "They'd rehearse for hours with me, just kicking songs around. It was kind of like a therapy session."
Growing up in New Jersey, Davis actually was more into classic rock than country. In fact, he sparked to traditional country from an unusual source: a TV ad. In his early 20s, he heard Hank Williams' "Your Cheatin' Heart" in a Pepsi ad and, in Davis' words, "it just got my antenna going." He immersed himself in the music of Hank Sr., Lefty Frizzell, Webb Pierce and others from the golden era of honky tonk. This music inspired him to learn to play an acoustic guitar and start writing songs.
A major turning point came for him when he wrote the song "Whiskey Town." When he played it for other people and saw their reactions, Davis recalls, "I knew I was onto something." Within a year of writing that tune, he had moved to Nashville and a year later he was flying to L.A. to record with Pete Anderson. "Whiskey Town" also landed a spot on the Crash soundtrack — the first of now nearly 20 song placements that Davis has had over the years, from movies like The Hills Have Eyes to TV shows such as Criminal Minds.
Man About Town also is the first album on Davis' own label, Highway Kind Records. He started the label with Paul W. Reed, a Texas businessman who is a huge Davis fan. Davis marvels how this friendship developed and evolved into a business relationship too. "He really had some guts to help get this going," Davis admits, adding, "I find it's always better to be in charge of your own destiny." Davis feels the current music scene has created a leveled playing field that allows the opportunity to achieve the American Dream if you work hard enough and have some talent. "Every success is a victory," he exclaims — and with this new album, Moot Davis should have many more victories in his future.
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text: I think the beds here were great. I liked the linens and the softer bed. The room was spacious and this hotel is quite clean. We didn't do much sightseeing as it rained non stop during our stay, but otherwise it looked nice to walk around. The bar area was filled with friendly happy people I didn't like the parking,... More


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NEW ORLEANS — According to NFL analysts, the New Orleans Saints, one of two 10-0 teams in the NFL, don't have what it takes to be 10-0.
Off to their best start in franchise history, the Saints have found themselves in the hunt for the one thing which has always eluded the team even in their best years: a whole new way to be completely and utterly dismissed by the experts.
NFL power rankings consistently feature the Saints and the Indianapolis Colts in the top two spots. Commentary generally praises the Colts for pulling off close wins, while questioning how long the Saints can last after blowout victories.
"Drew Brees is a monster quarterback, but it's too early to put him in the class of Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Brett Favre," said Pat Kirwan of NFL.com, of the quarterback currently ranked No. 2 overall in the NFL, between Favre and Manning, and three spots above Brady. "And, boy, how about that Brett Favre!"
Kirwan then spent the next 30 minutes talking about Favre.
"Simply put, the Minnesota Vikings would blast the Saints anywhere at any time. Why? Two words: Favre. Peterson," Kirwan said. "They drive that team to excellence. The Saints are simply too balanced to match that star wattage."
Former St. Louis Rams head coach Mike Martz, also of NFL.com, voiced similar concerns about the Saints' defense.
"And how about that New Orleans defense? They've given up 204 points already this season," Martz said. "Moreover, they've completed just 20 interceptions and have scored only seven touchdowns in 2009. The Saints' defense is, at best, a mediocre offense."
Will Holt of Bleacher Report is even more blunt: "The Saints suck. They're the cheapest 10-0 team in history. Their schedule is so easy, I'm pretty sure I saw some Pop Warner teams on there. Who have they played? The Giants? They lost four in a row after the Saints beat them. The Jets slid, too. Every time they've played an undefeated team this season, that team has fallen into a severe rut. It's almost like New Orleans is literally generating losers every time they take the field.
"Name one team that the Saints have played that were better than them. You can't do it. I rest my case."
Some sports experts have more faith in the Saints. In its Nov. 16 issue, Sports Illustrated picked the Saints to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Super Bowl in a glance box placed at the end of a six-page story on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. On the cover of the issue was New Orleans' favorite golden-boy quarterback — Peyton Manning.
The Big Easy to Overlook
Football fans in New Orleans have endured decades of losing. In this notorious party town, winning has almost always taken a backseat to just letting les bon temps rouler. This combination of laissez-faire attitude and lovable losership has given a rough edge to even the most hard-core Saints fan, who even in the glory years always seems to be waiting for the countdown to collapse.
Football fans in New Orleans have endured decades of losing. In this notorious party town, winning has almost always taken a backseat to just letting les bon temps rouler. This combination of laissez-faire attitude and lovable losership has given a rough edge to even the most hard-core Saints fan, who even in the glory years always seems to be waiting for the countdown to collapse.
"I've been a fan since the first disappointing loss back in 1967," said season-ticket holder Jeff Robideaux of Metairie. "And ever since, the Saints have always found a way to lose that keeps me coming back for more. But this year is unbelievable. I can't believe how bad they are at losing! It's at epic proportions. Bench Brees! Fire Payton! Who Dat?"
Analyst and native New Orleanian Marshall Faulk, at least, recognizes the Saints' high-powered offense, its potent defense and the team's ability to find wins even with several key injuries and huge deficits to overcome.
"New Orleans is the most complete team in the NFL," Faulk said. "With that in mind, I don't think it's too early to forecast a Vikings-Colts Super Bowl."
Former New Orleans head coach Mike Ditka, now of ESPN, thinks the Saints can run the table. "New Orleans can beat every team on their schedule. But they probably won't.
"When I coached the Saints, they sucked," he said, referring to his 1997-99 tenure. "I'll bet Billy Joe Tolliver doesn't even show up Monday night."
And what a Monday night. In less than a week, the unproven 10-0 New Orleans Saints welcome the majestic, dynastic New England Patriots (7-3) to the Superdome in front of a national audience on Monday Night Football. The game is being touted as one of the biggest of the year, particularly because an undefeated season is on the line.
"Any game featuring the Patriots is going to be huge," Pat Kirwan said. "When you think of perfection, you think of the Patriots.
"They went 16-0 in 2007," he added.
As for the Saints' prospects, Kirwan isn't quite convinced.
"Sure, the Saints have come through every time in the clutch. They've won blowouts. They've won after overcoming serious deficits. They've never relinquished a lead all season. They've won with their Pro Bowl starters. They've won with their backups. They've won on the ground, in the air and on defense, at home and on the road. They've won pretty much every way there is to win.
"But still, we don't know how New Orleans would handle a situation in which they take the lead, relinquish the lead, take the lead again and then find themselves down by five after a safety late in the fourth quarter removes the possibility of getting a game-tying field goal as time winds down. Until that happens, I can't be sure this 10-0 streak isn't a fluke."
Staying humble
For their part, Saints players aren't letting the attention swell their heads.
Head coach Sean Payton has kept his squad's feet firmly on the ground since arriving from Dallas in 2006.
"We take it one week at a time and don't live in the past," said Payton, who famously buried mementoes of the superb 2006 season in a grave as a physical metaphor in 2007. "Maybe one day, everyone else won't either."
The team, much like its home city, is full of colorful characters and inspirational tales of redemption.
Defensive tackle Anthony Hargrove has made occasional Page 2 headlines for his comeback story. After a yearlong ban due to substance abuse and a stint in a halfway house, the defensive tackle has been a force for the Saints. He notched a key turnover against Tampa Bay and scored the game-sealing turnover touchdown against Carolina.
"I remain ever-grateful that the Saints gave me a chance to play," Hargrove said. "I hope my story serves as an inspiration for others in my situation, as soon as anyone ever hears about it."
As for quarterback Drew Brees, he isn't listening to any of the naysayers.
"We're trying to avoid the hype and just get out there and play the best we can," Brees said. "It's pretty easy, actually, the avoid the hype."
(*-Quotes are not actually those of the analysts listed, though for the most part they've all said very similar things.)


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The Blessed Church: The Simple Secret to Growing the Church You Love (Hardcover)
How can I help my church stay focused on its purpose?
What would a culture of generosity look like for my church?
What part does rest play in a healthy church?
Whether you are a pastor, a volunteer, or a church member, you want your church to grow well. After all, there's no better place to experience God than in the loving, healthy community of a church. But what does an effective church look like? Is it possible to grow and be healthy at the same time?
Pastor Robert Morris has experienced firsthand the spiritual and relational excitement of a growing, dynamic church. In The Blessed Church, Pastor Morris brings you practical wisdom for cultivating real growth by nurturing true and Biblical health in your spiritual community.
"In The Blessed Church Robert Morris reveals why Gateway Church in Dallas-Fort Worth has become not just one of the largest churches in America but also one of the most influential. Robert's devoted, attentive shepherding of this great fl ock is one reason why Gateway is so'blessed.' In The Blessed Church the biblical principles that lead to true success in the body of Christ are carefully explained. If you love the local church, as both Robert and I do, you won't want to miss the insights found in this helpful and practical book."
--Dr. Tony Evans, senior pastor, Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship; and president, The Urban Alternative
"Our world desperately needs healthy, vibrant churches, so I'm so thankful Robert Morris has written The Blessed Church--a book that draws on the Gateway 'back story' to describe the qualities of a healthy local church. More than anything, a heart for God and a love of people define the ministry of Pastor Morris and Gateway Church. If you want a growing vitality in your church, you will profit from every page of The Blessed Church."
--Chris Hodges, senior pastor, Church of the Highlands
"How has your church remained so healthy while growing so quickly?"
Robert Morris gets this question a lot. In other words, people want to know: "What's your secret?"
In The Blessed Church: The Simple Secret to Growing the Church You Love, Pastor Robert Morris unfolds why Gateway Church in suburban Dallas-Fort Worth is one of America's fastest-growing, spiritually enriching local churches--and still one of its healthiest. Written for both church leaders and lay people, The Blessed Church looks at the qualities that make church "work" in the twenty-first century and how that can enrich your church--whatever its size or vision.
With the humor and powerful stories he's known for, Morris shows how every component of your church--including mission, church government, teaching, worship, small groups, giving, and outreach--can receive God's richest blessings. Rather than bemoaning the problems of the contemporary evangelical church, The Blessed Church celebrates the expanding role of the body of Christ in the lives of individuals--starting right where you and your church are today.
About the Author
Robert Morris is the founding senior pastor of Gateway Church, a multicampus, evangelistic, Spirit-empowered church in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Since it began in 2000, the church has grown to more than twenty-four thousand active members. He is featured on the weekly television program The Blessed Life, broadcast to approximately ninety million homes in the United States and more than two hundred countries around the world. Robert holds a doctorate of literature and serves as chairman of the board of The King's University. He is the best-selling author of nearly a dozen books, including The Blessed Life, From Dream to Destiny, The Power of Your Words, and The God I Never Knew. Robert and his wife, Debbie, have been married more than thirty years and are blessedwith one married daughter, two married sons, and grandchildren.
Praise For…
"God has blessed Gateway Church with explosive growth. Pastor Robert Morris humbly unpacks many of the invaluable lessons he and his team have learned along the journey. His spiritual insight and practical instruction will help you build a stronger, deeper, and broader ministry."
—Craig Groeschel, senior pastor of LifeChurch.tv and author of Soul Detox: Clean Living in a Contaminated World
"Our world desperately needs healthy, vibrant churches, so I'm thankful Robert Morris has written The Blessed Church—a book that draws on the Gateway backstory to describe the qualities of a healthy local church. More than anything, a heart for God and a love of people define the ministry of Pastor Morris and Gateway Church. If you want a growing vitality in your church, you will profit from every page of The Blessed Church."
—Chris Hodges, senior pastor of Church of the Highlands
"In The Blessed Church, Robert Morris reveals why Gateway Church in Dallas–Fort Worth has become not just one of the largest churches in America but also one of the most influential. Robert's devoted, attentive shepherding of this great flock is one reason why Gateway is so blessed. In The Blessed Church, the biblical principles that lead to true success in the body of Christ are carefully explained. If you love the local church, as both Robert and I do, you won't want to miss the insights found in this helpful and practical book."
—Dr. Tony Evans, senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship and president of The Urban Alternative
"When I refer to the blessed church, I am speaking from firsthand experience. My wife, Betty, and I are active members of Gateway Church, which Robert Morris pastors. We have witnessed and experienced the dynamic power and profound impact made on personal lives, families, the community, the church at large, and the nation. The blessed church members live a blessed life and continually seek to be a blessing to others. Through Pastor Morris's leadership, Gateway Church has become a model and inspiration to the whole church around the world. Your church can experience the bountiful blessings of our God and Father right here on earth right now!"
—James Robison, founder and president of LIFE Outreach International and co-host of LIFE Today
"Robert has put together a master playbook for victory in the church. Every pastor can learn from the insight and wisdom God has given Robert and the Gateway team. In fact, I truly believe that practicing the biblical principles of health and growth outlined in The Blessed Church will help us all further the Great Commission and experience radical transformation and blessing in our communities."
—Tom Mullins, founding pastor of Christ Fellowship Church
"Every pastor, layman, leader, and churchgoer should read The Blessed Church. Morris has done it again. Readable and inspiring, The Blessed Church is a must-read for all who want their own church to walk in the blessings of God."
—Mark Rutland, PhD, president of Oral Roberts University and Global Servants
"The story of Gateway Church is one of radical trust, bold vision, and the faithfulness of God. Now my friend, Robert Morris, has written a book telling that extraordinary story. Read it! You will realize that God wants to bless your church more than you ever could have imagined."
—Greg Surratt, senior pastor of Seacoast Church


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London, UK–31st July 2008: Leading publisher of PC and console interactive entertainment, Koch Media UK, is today pleased to announce the launch of its Cherry Tree Lane brand, which will be used to promote an exciting new range of family-focused games on both Nintendo Wii and DS from Q4 2008 and beyond.
The Cherry Tree Lane brand marks the start of a lively and entertaining new range of gaming titles that have been designed to specifically promote strong family values and help children's imagination come to life. Each title has been picked for its unique family-friendly appeal, with a bias towards girl gamers aged 6-12, and features gameplay that promotes the brand's core message of fun and safety, ensuring parents and gift buyers of the suitability of all Cherry Tree Lane's products.
Titles that are to be showcased by the new Cherry Tree Lane brand at launch include:
• Groovy Chick Nursery and Groovy Chick Fashion Shop: two titles aimed at fashion-conscious, pre-teenage girls who just love to shop!
• Ellen Whitaker's Horse Life: Is the perfect solution of living your dream to own and care for your very own champion pony.
• Baby Life: Allows you to love and care your very own virtual baby .
• Let's Play: a range of six unique titles, Shops, Firemen, Schools, Pet Hospitals, Fashion Designer, Mums, that allow children to let their imagination run wild in the safety of the game's controlled environment.
All launch games in the Cherry Tree Lane range are exclusive to Nintendo DS, with the exception of Ellen Whitaker's Horse Life, which is available on both Wii and DS.
To help promote this ground-breaking launch, Koch Media has put together a massive print and television advertising campaign, with primetime slots booked across both terrestrial and satellite channels. In addition, the launch will be accompanied by trade presentations and in-store marketing displays, and all games have been positioned at a competitive SRP of?29.99 to help encourage strong sales throughout the Christmas period and beyond.
"We're immensely excited to be launching the Cherry Tree Lane range," said Craig McNicol, Managing Director at Koch Media."There is a huge market for family-focused games, particularly for girls in the 6-12 age range, and we expect our hand picked titles to stand out in retail due to unique positioning and strong licensed endorsements. We will work diligently so that the Cherry Tree Lane brand name becomes synonymous with strong, positive family values and high-quality gaming."
About Koch Media.
Koch Media is a leading producer and distributor of digital entertainment products (software, games and movies on DVD). The company's own sales activities, marketing and distribution extend throughout Europe, and it has formed strategic alliances with numerous software and games manufacturers: Ascaron, Braingame, D3P, G-Data, Gamelife, Kaspersky Lab, Lexware, Namco Bandai, Pinnacle, Square Enix, Sony Online Entertainment, System3, etc. Headquartered in Planegg near Munich, Koch Media owns branches in Germany, England, France, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy. www.kochmedia.com?;
For further information please contact Danielle Woodyatt or Charlotte Fraczek Lunch PR tele)0207 575 3215 firstname.lastname@example.com firstname.lastname@example.com


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Armeni Village Rooms & Suites
Select your stay dates to check availability at Armeni Village Rooms & Suites
Armeni Village Rooms & Suites
About the Hotel
Property Location
With a stay at Armeni Village Rooms & Suites in Santorini (Oia), you'll be minutes from Naval Museum and close to Oia Castle. This romantic hotel is within close proximity of Baxedes Beach and Cape Columbo Beach.
Make yourself at home in one of the 15 guestrooms featuring refrigerators and LCD televisions. Rooms have private balconies or patios. Satellite programming and DVD players are provided for your entertainment, while complimentary wireless Internet access keeps you connected. Private bathrooms with showers feature complimentary toiletries and hair dryers.
Rec, Spa, Premium Amenities
Enjoy recreational amenities such as an outdoor pool and a spa tub. Additional features include complimentary wireless Internet access, concierge services, and tour/ticket assistance.
Take advantage of the hotel's room service (during limited hours).
Business, Other Amenities
Featured amenities include dry cleaning/laundry services, multilingual staff, and luggage storage. A roundtrip airport shuttle is provided for a surcharge (available on request).
Hotel Facilities
- Multilingual staff
- Tours/ticket assistance
- Airport transportation (surcharge)
- Laundry facilities
- Free WiFi
- Luggage storage
- Outdoor pool
- Concierge services
- Spa tub
- Number of buildings/towers - 2
- Breakfast available (surcharge)
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Porter/bellhop
- Total number of rooms - 15
- Free parking nearby
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
Room Facilities
- Hair dryer
- Balcony or patio
- Iron/ironing board (on request)
- Refrigerator
- Private bathroom
- Minibar
- Climate control
- Slippers
- In-room safe
- Satellite TV service
- Free toiletries
- Daily housekeeping
- Free WiFi
- Coffee/tea maker
- Room service (limited hours)
- DVD player
- Shower only
Hotel Policy
Know Before You Go
- Cash transactions at this property cannot exceed EUR 1500, due to national regulations. For further details, please contact the property using information in the booking confirmation.
- This property offers transfers from the airport (surcharges may apply). Guests must contact the property with arrival details 72 hours prior to arrival, using the contact information on the booking confirmation.
- Reservations are required for massage services. Reservations can be made by contacting the hotel prior to arrival, using the contact information on the booking confirmation.
- A resort fee is included in the total price displayed.
- Children 11 years old and younger are not permitted at this property.
- No pets and no service animals are allowed at this property.
The following fees and deposits are charged by the property at time of service, check-in, or check-out.
- Fee for continental breakfast: EUR 10 per person (approximately)
- Airport shuttle fee: EUR 50 per vehicle (one way)
- Rollaway bed fee: EUR 80 per night
The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.
Mandatory Fees and Taxes
The charges below are included in your overall room price:
- Resort fee
We have included all charges provided to us by the property. However, charges can vary, for example, based on length of stay or the room you book.Show all hotel policy Show less hotel policy


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ATLANTA - Republican lawmakers are considering proposals for next year's legislative session that would shorten Georgia's early voting season and make it more difficult for close elections to reach a runoff.
State Rep. Austin Scott said he expects legislators to discuss tightening runoff guidelines in the wake of the surprising showing by Democrat Jim Martin that forced a Dec. 2 showdown with Republican U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss. He also said he was considering whether to draft a measure that would shorten Georgia's 45-day advance voting period.
"Most people think it was stretched out too far," said Scott, a Tifton Republican who chairs the House committee charged with drafting electoral policy. "Maybe two weeks would be long enough."
Early voting began this year on Sept. 22 and expanded to more sites a week before the November election. More than 2 million people voted during the period, and some waited in lines as long as eight hours.
Secretary of State Karen Handel, a Republican, said the long lines proved that "voters like the flexibility of having these options" but added a thorough conversation is needed before deciding whether to revive the policy.
Her predecessor Cathy Cox, a Democrat, has said the popularity was a sign that elections officials should devote more resources toward early voting.
Scott said the six-week advance period also could expose the system to more voter fraud, and he said legislators could limit potential abuse by tightening early voting.
"The two goals of the election are access and integrity," he said. "And reaching that balance is sometimes easier said than done."
Republicans also could overhaul election rules that now require a runoff if none of the candidates earn more than 50 percent of the vote.
Scott and a slew of House Republican leaders unsuccessfully proposed lowering the bar to 45 percent last year, and he said the provision could resurface from legislators concerned about the mounting costs of runoffs.
Statewide runoffs have cost tens of thousands of dollars in the past, and the Dec. 2 contest could top $100,000.
"The counties have asked for that 45 percent threshold because of the cost of elections," Scott said.
Georgia partisans have changed runoff guidelines twice in recent years, after elections in 1992 and 2004.
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Architecting Service Broker Applications
I signed up to do a presentation on Architecting Service Broker Applications so I thought I would write up my thinking here to see if I got any useful feedback. Pretty much all the presentations, papers, and books I have seen or written talk about how to build a Service Broker (SSB) application. In this presentation, I'm trying to go up a level to talk about how to make the architectural choices required for a SSB application. This is based on a bunch of thinking I have done over the past four years and helping quite a few people design their SSB solutions. Let me know what you think.
I wanted to be an architect when I was a kid (I think this came somewhere between Astronaut and Aerospace Engineer). This ambition was probably because our neighbor was an architect and when we did neighborhood projects, he used drawings and a transit while the rest of us used hammers and shovels. Now that I'm a software architect, I like to think about software in real architecture terms. There are a lot of parallels between designing a building and designing an application.
The art and science of design
When you design a building, the land it's going to be built on is usually a given. You might start with a building design and then go looking for a place to build it but this is unusual. The land imposes constraints on your design. The size of the land determines the maximum dimensions of the foundation. The soil conditions (or zoning laws) may limit the maximum height. The slope may determine what kind of building you build. The surrounding buildings will influence the design and materials used. In the case of an SSB application, the land would be Windows and
The biggest constraint on a building design is the customer requirements. Does he need a place to live or an office building? Does he need two bathrooms or 200? Is the customer a bank or a steel mill? No architect would start construction before the critical decisions are made. Some decisions can be deferred – the color of paint, the furniture, etc. but all the decisions necessary for each phase of construction must be made and signed off on before construction starts. If a customer decides he really needs to build a three bedroom split entry house after 50 floors of steel has been completed on his original request for an office building, it's going to cost him a lot of money. There's a perception that software is flexible so major changes in requirements can be accommodated at any point. While the cost of changing software requirements might not be as big as changing the design of a half-built building, there are costs and changes hurt so getting the requirements right is vital.
The next step in building design is selecting the materials and tools to use. In some cases, there's quite a bit of freedom in these choices but if you're building a 30 story office tower, framing it with pine 2X4's is not an option. The customer's requirements may also limit your options. If the customer loves brick, you may not be able to use
Once the constraints, requirements, and materials available have been determined, the architect can design a building that satisfies the requirements, fits the constraints including the time and resources available, and satisfies the architect's and the customer's aesthetic sense and professional pride. A professional architect won't design an ugly eyesore even if that's exactly what the customer wants because it will reflect badly on his reputation and perceived competence. Similarly, a software architect should never design an application that won't work just because the customer demands it. If what the customer wants won't work, it's the architect's job to tell him that and if that means he finds someone else to design the application, at least your name won't be associated with a software disaster.
Once the architect has a design, his responsibilities don't end. The architect must closely monitor construction, be ready to make design changes as circumstances change, and be responsible for ensuring that the building satisfies the design criteria. Similarly, a software architect can't throw a design over the wall to the developers. The software architect must shepherd the project through implementation, test and implementation.
WOW, that was a lot more philosophical than I intended but I want to use this analogy as a framework for explaining SSB application architecture. Let me know if it was helpful or too over the top.
When is Service Broker the right material?
Service Broker is a platform for building loosely coupled, reliable, distributed database applications. It is built into all editions of SQL Server 2005 so it can be used in any SQL Server 2005 application. If you would like more information about Service Broker, you might try: http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnsql90/html/sqlsvcbroker.asp or http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnsql90/html/sqlsvcbroker.asp If you want a lot more information I recommend: http://www.amazon.com/Rational-Server-Service-Broker-Guides/dp/1932577270/sr=1-1/qid=1158009357/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-0049023-7244631?ie=UTF8&s=books
While I like to think all applications are potential Service Broker applications, the reality is only most of them are. The way an architect decides whether to use a building material is by matching its characteristics against the requirements. I'll try to give you some guidance on how to do this for Service Broker.
One of the fundamental features of Service Broker is a queue as a native database object. Most large database applications I have worked with use one of more tables as queues. An application puts something it doesn't want to deal with right now into a table and at some point either the original application or another application reads the queue and handles what's in it. A good example of this is a stock trading application. The trades have to happen with sub-second response time or money can be lost and SEC rules violated but all the work to complete the trade – transferring the shares, exchanging money, billing the clients, paying commissions, etc. can happen later. This "back office" work can be processed by putting the required information in a queue. The trading application is then free to handle the next trade and the settlement will happen when the system has some spare cycles. It's critical that once the Trade transaction is committed, the settlement information is not lost because the trade isn't complete until settlement is complete. That's why the queue has to be in a database. If the settlement information was put into a memory queue or a file, a system crash could result in a lost trade. The queue also must be transactional because the settlement must either be completed or rolled back and started over. A real settlement system would probably use several queues so that each part of the settlement activity can proceed at its own pace and in parallel.
So queues in the database are a good thing but why not just use tables as queues instead of inventing a new database object? The answer is that it's hard to use tables as queues. Concurrency, lock escalation, deadlocks, poison messages, etc, are all difficult problems to resolve. The Service Broker team spent years coming up with a reliable, high-performance queue so that you can just call CREATE QUEUE to take advantage of all that work in your application. The logic to put a message on a queue, pull it off, and delete it when your done with it has been incorporated into new TSQL commands (SEND and RECEIVE) so you don't have to write that logic either.
SSB queues can be used for just about any asynchronous activity a database application wants to do. An order-entry application might want to do shipping and billing asynchronously to improve order response times. A trigger that needs to do a significant amount of processing might use SSB to do the processing asynchronously so updates to the original table aren't impacted. A stored procedure might need to call several other stored procedures in parallel. This list goes on.
The asynchronous queue pattern is applicable to a tremendous number of applications. Just about any large, scalable application uses queues somewhere. Windows does almost all its IO through queues. IIS receives http messages on queues.
The sweet spot for using SSB queues is for database applications that need to do things reliably and asynchronously. If the action must happen synchronously then a normal function call or COM or RPC is the right technology. If the action needs to be started asynchronously but it's OK for it to disappear if the application dies then some kind of in-memory queue will perform better. Service Broker is a
One of the most unique features of Service Broker is the dialog. A dialogs is a reliable, ordered, persistent, bi-directional stream of messages. In most messaging/queuing systems the messaging primitive is the message – each message is independent and not related to other messages at a messaging level. If the application wants to establish relationships between messages – linking a request to a response for example – the application is responsible for doing the tracking.
In SSB, the dialog is the messaging primitive. Messages sent on a dialog are processed in the order they were sent – even if they were sent in different transactions from different applications. Dialogs are bi-directional so request-response relationships are automatically tracked. Dialogs are persistent so the dialog remains even when both ends of the dialog go away, the database is shut down, the database is moved to another server, etc. This means you can use dialogs to implement long-running conversational business transactions that last for months or years. For example, processing a purchase order typically involves an long-running exchange of messages between the purchaser and supplier as prices are negotiated, delivery dates agreed upon, status communicated, delivery confirmed and payment exchanged. This whole exchange can be a single Service Broker dialog that may last for months.
Conversation Groups
Dialogs exist in Conversation Groups. A conversation group is the unit of locking for a Service Broker queue. Every time a RECEIVE or SEND is executed, the conversation group that contains the dialog used for the RECEIVE or SEND is locked. One of the more difficult problems with asynchronous, queued applications is that if related messages are received by different application threads, the applications state can get corrupted because of simultaneous changes or changes processed out of order. For example, an order line might be processed before its order header causing the order line to be rejected. In many cases, this can only be resolved by making the application single-threaded which obviously limits scalability and performance. With Service Broker, the application puts all the dialogs related to a given business transaction in a single conversation group so that only one thread will be processing that business transaction at one time. For example, an order entry application would put all the dialogs associated with a given order into the same conversation group so that when hundreds of threads are processing hundreds of order messages simultaneously, the messages for any given order are only processed on one thread at a time. This allows you to write a single-threaded application and let Service Broker manage running it on hundreds of threads simultaneously.
A multi-reader queue is probably the most efficient load-balancing system available. The queue readers whether they are on the database server or on remote servers open a connection to the database and start receiving and processing messages. After each message is processed the queue reader application receives another one. In this way, each queue reader receives as much work as it is able to process. If one of the readers slows down for some reason, it just does receives less often and other readers are free to pick up the slack. If one of the readers shuts down or crashes, the receive transaction for the message it was processing rolls back and the message appears of the queue again for another reader to handle. If the queue starts growing because the readers can't keep up, you can start up another one and it will start processing messages. There's no reconfiguration necessary, just start and stop readers as required. Conversation Group locking makes this all possible. The sending application does know or care how may queue readers there are or where they are running.
One of the fundamental issues with asynchronous, queued applications is the RECEIVE command pulls messages off the queue for processing. This means that the receiving application has to be running when a message arrives on the queue. There are several approaches to this such as receiving from a Windows service which always runs or from a startup stored procedure that starts when the database starts. These are good solutions when messages arrive at a constant rate but in many cases the receiving application is wasting resources when there are no messages on the queue and getting behind when the message arrival rate peaks.
Service Broker offers a better alternative called activation. To use activation, you associate a queue with a stored procedure that knows how to handle messages in that queue. When a message arrive on the queue, the SSB logic that handles commits checks to see if there is a copy of the stored procedure running. If there is a copy running then the commit continues. If there isn't, the activation logic starts one. This is better than the triggers that some messaging systems offer because a new copy is only started when it is needed. Activation assumes that the stored procedure will keep reading messages until the queue is empty while triggers will start a new reader for every message. If 1000 messages arrive on a queue per second, activation will start one reader while triggers would start 1000. Activation also looks at whether the queue is growing because messages are arriving faster than the stored procedure is processing them. If the queue is growing, activation will start new copies of the stored procedure until the queue stops growing. When the queue is empty, the stored procedures should exit because there is no work to do. In this way, activation assures that there are enough resources dedicated to processing messages on the queue but no more resources than are needed.
Activation has another useful side benefit. You can execute a stored procedure by sending a message to a queue. This stored procedure runs in the background on a different execution, transaction, and security context than the stored procedure that sent the message. This is what enables asynchronous triggers and stored procedures that start up multiple other stored procedures in parallel. Because the activated procedure runs in a different security context, it can have more or fewer privileges than the caller. Because the activated procedure runs in a different transaction, deadlocks or failures don't affect the original transaction. For example, I worked with a customer who inserted an audit record into a log table at the end of every transaction. In too many cases, this insert would cause a deadlock or timeout and the whole transaction would be rolled back – leading to user frustration. They changed their auditing logic to SEND a message to a SSB queue and now a problem with the audit table doesn't cause the original transaction to fail. Another customer wrote a simple stored procedure that receives a message from a queue, calls EXEC on the contents of the message, and sends the results back to the originator on the same dialog. They can now run TSQL commands in the background on any system in their data center by sending a message to it. SSB security makes this more secure than allowing an administrator to log on to the server and SSB reliable delivery means the commands and responses are never lost.
Reliable Messaging
We've already seen the value of Service Broker in designing asynchronous, queued applications. Dialogs, Conversation Group locking, and Activation make Service Broker a unique platform for building loosely coupled database services. Once you understand all the powerful applications you can write with SSB queues, it won't take long for you to come up with application ideas that require putting messages on a queue in another database. If the other database runs on a different server, SSB reliability assurances require that the message is sent reliably. This means that the remote database acknowledges receipt of the message and the local Service Broker keeps sending it until an acknowledgement is received. In this way an application can SEND a message to a remote queue and have the same reliability assurances as if it was sent to a local queue. In fact, the application doesn't know or care whether the message it is sending will be processed locally or remotely. Writing distributed, queued, asynchronous Service Broker applications is no different than writing local applications. This means that can start with a local application and make it distributed as processing load or business requirement change.
Unfortunately, including reliable messaging in Service Broker has lead to a lot of confusion. As soon as people see reliable messaging they think MSMQ or MQ Series. While SSB has a lot of the same capabilities, it is primarily a platform for building distributed database applications. For example, it's trivially easy for a stored procedure to reliably and asynchronously start a stored procedure in a remote database with Service Broker but doing the same thing using MSMQ would be very difficult. I have some more thoughts on these issues here http://blogs.msdn.com/rogerwolterblog/archive/2006/02/28/540803.aspx and here http://www.architecturejournal.net/2006/issue8/F1_Reliability/
Because Service Broker communicates reliably between database queues, all the reliability and fault tolerance built into
What's Next?
Well that's enough for now. I'll post this to see if I get any reaction and write up the next installment over the weekend. Now that we've seen what the Service Broker "material" characteristics are, next we'll delve into decisions you have to make when designing a Service Broker application
Part 2: http://blogs.msdn.com/rogerwolterblog/archive/2006/09/15/Roger_Wolter.aspx
Part 3: http://blogs.msdn.com/rogerwolterblog/archive/2006/09/16/758387.aspx


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Tuesday November 13, 2007 12:28 pm
Warm up to Aliens with the Space Invaders Scarf
Posted by Lolita Beckwith Categories: Accessories, Culture, Retro,
Hmmm. It's been a couple of weeks since we obsessed over anything Space Invaders, such as the tote bag, baby mobile and doormat. This week we give love to the Space Invaders scarf, decorated with a phalanx of blue, purple and magenta-colored aliens, and handcrafted from 100% Merino lambswool for comfort and warmth. The perfect holiday gift for that video game-obsessed loved one—including you. The scarf costs $45 USD, but is currently sold out.
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Reedley College public speaking class
Think about what career is best suited for you, and where you want to study. Request more information now.
Think about what career is best suited for you, and where you want to study. Request more information now.
Think about what career is best suited for you, and where you want to study. Request more information now.
Information about Reedley College public speaking class, and registering for elective lectures and seminars. As a student, your first stop should be the registrar's office, where you can pick up a free copy of both the academic calendar and course catalog, in order to find available credit classes that you may be interested in taking. In-person class registration has largely been replaced with online sign-up, and many schools offer mobile apps that streamline the course registration process. Finally, check with your major department for assistance with prerequisites, tuition payment deadlines, and Reedley College Performing Arts information. Please use the form above to request admissions info for Reedley College.
Not all people working as actors in film, television, or theater are professionally trained. For example, Bob Hoskins didn't have any formal training before taking up acting. Universities may offer drama programs derived from the system of Constantine Stanislavski, which was popularized in America by Lee Strasberg and Stella Adler. Regardless of a school's approach, students should study human emotions, character interpretation, voice and dance.
While most modern theatre companies rehearse only one new piece of theatre at a time, and then perform that piece for a set run, retire the piece, repertory companies often rehearse multiple shows at once. Repertory theatre involves a group of accomplished actors, and relies more on the reputation of the group, rather than on an individual star performer. Further, actors who have worked together in several productions can respond to each other's nonverbal cues without relying as much on external direction or adherence to theatrical conventions. Beyond consideration for Reedley College public speaking class, you may think about Siena Heights University basic studies for complementary electives to your primary course of study.
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The Womb: The Most Unsafe Place for Girls
Recent reports reveal the costly socio-economic and human reality of four decades of gendercide in China. Gendercide is sex-selective abortion, which has resulted in the murder of girls (born or unborn) at disproportionately higher rates than boys. Gendercide is a direct result of China's One Child Policy.
If the consequences of China's policies are not seriously heeded, tragedies of unknown proportions will occur in America—as they are already occurring around the world.
In 1964, the first national Family Planning Office was established to oversee China's fertility reduction program, which included implementing a One Child Policy (one child per couple). To enforce the policy, the government instituted mandatory birth control and abortion (often referred to as "remedial measures").
By 1979, China enforced stricter rules. Government officials chart women's menstrual cycles and require monthly pelvic exams to prevent pregnancies. Every married couple must apply for a birth permit before starting a pregnancy. After having one child, women are required to be inserted with IUDs or be sterilized. If a pregnancy is unauthorized, it is to be terminated and one spouse is required to be sterilized. For the majority of people, a second pregnancy and any pregnancy without a birth permit, is referred to as "out-of-plan" and illegal.
Today, nearly two-thirds of all Chinese couples (approximately 900 million people, or the equivalent to three times the size of the U.S. population) are under the jurisdiction of the One Child Policy, which is enforced by 300,000 officials.
The consequences of the One Child Policy are direr than could have ever been foreseen.
China has the highest abortion rate in the world. Since 1971, the Chinese Health Ministry reported that it has recorded 336 million abortions, 196 million sterilizations, and 403 million IUD implants. Approximately 30-60 percent of Chinese women, depending on their age, have an abortion each year. Abortions and sterilizations are often unsafe, lack proper sanitation or anesthesia, and frequently result in hemorrhaging, infection, paralysis, or death.
China has the highest rate of suicide among women worldwide, but China only accounts for one fifth of the world's population. And, according to the World Health Organization, China is the only country in the world in which suicide is higher among women than men.
And China, which rivals India with the highest gendercide rate in the world, over the last four decades has witnessed an unprecedented gender imbalance—a direct result of gendercide. There are nearly 40 million more men then women in China (a population difference the size of California). This has resulted in less women with whom men can marry and have children, less participants in the workforce, and escalated rates of unemployment and crime among men.
Social scientists have correlated China's gender imbalance to staggering levels of increased crime, bride abduction, trafficking of women and children, rape, and prostitution—that are taking place all over Asia—not just within China.
For the Chinese who largely live in rural areas, they leave behind over seventeen million children in orphanages because they cannot afford the fine or endure imprisonment, punishments enforced by the government for breaking the One Child Policy. These orphans are "out-of-plan," which means that they have no legal rights. If they survive, they suffer deplorable conditions and weaker or less healthy girls are often neglected in "dying rooms."
Many human rights organizations, governments, and NGOs rightly condemn China's One Child Policy, and are in their own ways seeking to respond to the results of gendercide. Yet, Americans should be troubled to learn that the U.S. is not far behind its communist trade partner when it comes to sex-selective abortion.
While even members of Congress might state that such a practice does not occur in America, it does. (Congresswoman Diana DeGette (D-CO) said she didn't support "abortion for gender selection… I don't know anyone who does. Maybe that's because there is no problem in this country of abortion for gender selection.") And Congressional leaders, the President, and abortion activists do support the practice—in America.
To date, Live Action Films has produced undercover videos of Planned Parenthood employees explaining how a woman can have a sex-selective abortion within the legal timeframe in Arizona, Hawaii, New York, North Carolina, and Texas. Even the Economist reported that within Chinese and Japanese-American populations, distorted sex ratios exist in America, which are directly linked to sex-selective abortions.
Last year, Congressman Trent Franks (R-Az.) sponsored the Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act (PRENDA), which would make it illegal for doctors to perform sex-selective abortions, punishable by jail. The measure failed in the House. This year, Franks resubmitted the bill and it is currently in committee.
Organizations like NARAL claim that PRENDA would "limit access to abortions" and that PRENDA is a "race and sex-based attack on choice," meaning that NARAL supports abortion based on race and sex. President Obama, who supports infanticide, told ABC News that he opposes PRENDA because "the government should not intrude in medical decisions or private family matters in this way."
But sex-selective abortions are not private matters. If the effects of gendercide in China are any guide, social scientists have only just begun to uncover what seem to be globally reaching and devastating socio-economic consequences.


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Madhuri invokes rain gods with 'Chak dhum dhum' song
Madhuri recited the song 'koi ladki hai, jab wo hansti hai, baarish hoti hai....chak dhum dhum...' from the movie 'Dil to pagal hai', even as her husband Dr Sriram Nene sat in the audience listening to her.
The song, featuring Madhuri and Shahrukh Khan, was a hit when the movie was released in 1997. Both Madhuri and her husband were attending a blood donation camp organised here on Sunday to mark the birthday of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.
Lauding the gesture of the donors, Madhuri said, "Since I am a doctor's wife, I fully understand the importance of blood donation."
The camp, in which about 8,000 donors participated, was organised by NCP MLA Anil Bhosale who said the blood collected would be supplied to blood banks in rural Maharashtra.