text:
|N·mero de publicaci¾n
|Tipo de publicaci¾n
|N·mero de solicitud
|Fecha de publicaci¾n
|9 Jul 2002
|Fecha de presentaci¾n
|13 Ene 2000
|Fecha de prioridad
|13 Ene 2000
|N·mero de publicaci¾n
|Cherng-Chyi Han, Mao-Min Chen, Jen-Wei Koo, Rodney Lee, Li-Yan Zhu, Jei-Wei Chang
|Cesionario original
|Headway Technologies, Inc.
|Exportar cita
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Citas de patentes (19), Citada por (32), Clasificaciones (28), Eventos legales (4)
|Enlaces externos: USPTO, Cesi¾n de USPTO, Espacenet
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to protecting read/write heads of magnetic disk drives from electrostatic discharge (ESD) during manufacture, and more particularly to methods and a structure for preventing dielectric breakdown during magnetoresistive (MR) and giant magnetoresistive (GMR) head fabrication.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a state-of-the-art magnetic disk drive a magnetic transducer, referred to as a read/write head, is formed integrally with a "slider". The slider flies over a rotating disk, thus allowing the read/write head to record/retrieve information to and from a thin film of magnetic medium, which is coated on the disk. The read portion of the transducer, referred to as a read head, consists of a thin layer of MR or GMR sensor stripe sandwiched between two magnetic shields. A constant current is passed through the sensor stripe, whose resistance varies in response to a previously recorded magnetic pattern. Thus a corresponding varying voltage is detected across the sensor stripe. The magnetic shields help the sensor stripe to focus on a narrow region of the magnetic medium, hence improving the spatial resolution of the read head. The space between the shields is called the read gap.
The magnetic shields are electrically conductive. To prevent the sensing current from leaking into the shields, a thin dielectric film insulates the sensor stripe from each shield. However, if the electric potentials differ sufficiently across any of the two dielectric films, the dielectric film will break down, and the read head will be destroyed. Such undesirable destruction occurs quite often in the fabrication of read heads for two reasons. First, the sensor stripe and the shields are deposited and patterned by electrical processes in the vacuum, such as sputtering or ion-beam. Static charge inevitably builds up on all isolated surfaces. Thus an electrostatic field exists between isolated conductors situated at different depth of the wafer, for example between the sensor stripe and the shields. Attempts to neutralize the static surface charge are tedious, costly, and with limited success. Secondly, the read gap is extremely thin (for example, about 150 nm, where n stands for nano or 10−9) in the state-of-the-art read/write heads, in order to achieve high resolution. Correspondingly, the dielectric films are even thinner (for example, a mere 20 nm). These dielectric films can break down under a few volts, and cause electrostatic discharge (ESD) which permanently damages the read sensor. As the magnetic recording technology advances, the dielectric films continue to become thinner and more susceptible to the static charge buildup and dielectric breakdown.
The read/write heads are produced en masse in the form of a wafer. Typically each wafer contains over 10,000 heads. A finished wafer is subsequently cut into rows and further diced into sliders. The surface of a read/write head facing the disk medium, known as the air bearing surface (ABS), is created when the wafer is cut into rows. The ABS is subsequently polished to achieve a precise MR stripe height, and etched to form an intricate pattern which is needed in order for the slider to fly on the disk. A finished slider is mounted on an elastic structure, referred to as a suspension. The suspension is then assembled into a disk drive. In each of the above processes, a read head is susceptible to ESD. Even in a finished disk drive, the performance of a read/write head can be adversely affected by static charge buildup on the magnetic medium. Numerous workers in the field have sought solutions to these problems, as demonstrated by the following U.S. patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,186 (Bajorek et al.) teaches a method for shunting MR by soldering the lead terminals at the slider surface, thereby diverting transient current during ESD events.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,605 (Hughbanks et al.) shows the leads of the MR read head and inductive write head shunted together and connected to the slider substrate through a conductive layer at the ABS.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,699,212 (Erpelding et al.) places solder shunts across adjacent leads of the MR read head, on the suspension. In this and the above two patents, the shunts must be removed before operation of the read/write head.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,757,590 (Phipps et al.) describes removable fusible-links to shunt the MR sensor stripe. The shunts can be opened by electrical means.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,539,598 (Denison et al.) teaches an arrangement wherein each magnetic shield is connected to a ground lead of the MR sensor, through a resistor deposited with the MR sensor stripe.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,802,043 (Sato et al.) describes connections between a sensor stripe and both magnetic shields, through an electrical lead.
Note that U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,465,186, 5,491,605, 5,699,212, and 5,757,590 alleviate problems caused by static buildup after wafer fabrication. None of them provides any protection against static buildup during wafer fabrication of the MR or GMR read heads. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,539,598 and 4,802,043 do describe electrical connections between the sensor stripe and the shields within the wafer. However, the connections are established too late in the wafer fabrication. In both U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,539,598 and 4,802,043, the sensor stripe and the shields are deposited and patterned as isolated conductors before they are connected to each other. In the state-of-the-art MR/GMR sensors, the dielectric films are too thin to withstand the static charge buildup during the deposition and patterning of the sensor stripe and the second (upper) magnetic shield. The dielectric films often break down before the sensor stripe is connected to either shield. Therefore, the patents cited above did not solve the problem of dielectric breakdown during wafer process.
In addition, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,539,598 and 4,802,043 establish permanent electrical connections between the MR sensor and two magnetic shields. In some applications, the sensor stripe must be isolated from the shields before the slider is assembled into a disk drive. This is usually due to the concern that electrical noise from the write head may couple capacitively into the shields. For these applications, the permanent connections described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,539,598 and 4,802,043 are unacceptable. A removable MR-to-shield connection is needed to provide ESD protection during wafer fabrication and slider processes.
It is an object of the present invention to provide methods and a structure to avoid dielectric breakdown during the wafer fabrication of MR or GMR read heads of magnetic disk drives.
Another object of the present invention is to avoid dielectric breakdown, without excessively stringent requirements on charge neutralization during wafer fabrication of MR or GMR read heads.
A further object of the present invention is to provide methods and a structure for the manufacture of MR or GMR read heads having an isolated read-stripe free of defects from dielectric breakdown.
These objects have been achieved by depositing the sensor stripe and the magnetic shields contiguously as an integral conductor. In the present invention, the sensor stripe and the magnetic shields are never electrically isolated from each other during the entire wafer process. The sensor stripe and the magnetic shields are always kept in equipotential. Therefore, the risk of dielectric breakdown is eliminated. The electrical connections between the sensor stripe and the magnetic shields are severed only after the wafer process is complete.
FIG. 1 a shows a plan view of a MR/GMR sensor of the prior art.
FIG. 1b shows a cross-section of the MR/GMR sensor in FIG. 1a, with abutted leads.
FIG. 2a shows a plan view of a MR sensor of U.S. Pat. No. 4,802,043.
FIG. 2b shows a cross-section of the MR sensor in FIG. 2a. The MR sensor is formed in isolation before it is connected to the first magnetic shield.
FIGS. 3a through 3 l illustrate the process flow of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4a shows the plan view of a MR/GMR head immediately before lead deposition.
FIG. 4b shows a cross section of the MR sensor in FIG. 4a. The MR/GMR sensor stripe is temporarily isolated from the first shield.
FIG. 5 shows an improvement over the first preferred embodiment, by extending the sensor stripe below at least one of the leads.
FIG. 6 shows a plan view of the MR/GMR film during initial phase of deposition. The film is not yet uniform and contiguous.
FIG. 7 shows a block diagram of deposition rate control which further enhances the present invention.
FIG. 8a shows a wafer plan view, illustrating the relative position of sliders, row-kerfs, and column-kerfs.
FIG. 8b represents one slider of FIG. 8a, showing a plan view of the first preferred embodiment of a slider in relation to a slider- and a row-kerf.
FIG. 9 shows an alternate layout of the MR/GMR patch, where the connection to both shields are routed through the column-kerf.
FIG. 10 shows a plan view of the first embodiment, with two additional via holes for the purpose of cutting off the connection to and between shields.
We now describe the present invention contrasting it with the prior art. Typical prior art MR/GMR heads are shown in FIG. 1a and FIG. 1b. FIG. 1a shows a plan view of a head with sensor stripe 10 between leads 12. FIG. 1b is the cross-section 1 b- 1 b of FIG. 1a showing a substrate 2, which is followed by: an insulating film 4, a first magnetic shield 6, a thin dielectric film 8, a MR/GMR sensor stripe 10, leads 12, another dielectric film 14, and a second magnetic shield 16. In the prior state-of-the-art MR/GMR heads, as shown in FIG. 1a and FIG. 1b, the MR/GMR sensor stripe 10 and magnetic shields 6 and 16 are built and maintained separately as isolated structures. It is a disadvantage that the dielectric films 8 and 14 of the prior state-of-the-art MR/GMR heads are vulnerable to breakdown during the wafer process. U.S. Pat. No. 4,802,043 describes a method and structure, in which the sensor stripe 10 and the first magnetic shield 6 are built as separate conductors before being connected together.
FIG. 2a and FIG. 2b are figures adapted from FIG. 4a and FIG. 4b of U.S. Pat. No. 4,802,043 showing, in FIG. 2a, sensor stripe 10, leads 12, and the air bearing surface (ABS). FIG. 2b is the cross-section 2 b— 2 b of FIG. 2a and shows the same sequence of layers as FIG. 1b except that insulating film 4 is omitted, and where the same numerals in FIGS. 1a/b and FIGS. 2a/b indicate the same item. Referring again to FIG. 2a and FIG. 2b, it is similarly disadvantageous that the dielectric film 8 is susceptible to breakdown before the connection is established. In the present invention, the sensor stripe 10 and shields 6, 16 are built contiguously as an integral conductive structure, as described below in detail.
A first preferred embodiment of the present invention, is illustrated in FIG. 3a to FIG. 3l. Referring now to FIG. 3a and FIG. 3b, a first magnetic shield 6 is first deposited on a wafer substrate 2, as in the prior art. It is understood that shield 6 is usually separated from substrate 2 by a first dielectric film 4, which is typically 3 μm (micron) thick, but which may range from 1 μm to 10 μm. Optionally, one or more via holes (not shown) may be made through dielectric film 4, to connect shield 6 and substrate 2. It is understood that shield 6 can be either a contiguous piece over the entire substrate 2, or patterned into individual pieces (typically one piece per read head) at this stage of the process.
Next, a second thin dielectric film 8 is then deposited over the wafer surface, covering shield 6. As described earlier, thousands of substantially identical MR/GMR read heads are constructed on each wafer. The following description will be focused on a typical read head, unless otherwise specified. The first preferred embodiment consists of the following steps:
i. A via hole 22 is made through film 8, exposing shield 6 therein, as shown in FIG. 3a and FIG. 3b.
ii. A MR/GMR film 24 is deposited over the wafer surface, contacting shield 6 through via hole 22. See FIG. 3c and FIG. 3d.
iii. Film 24 is then patterned, using a mask and through an etch process. For each read head, a separate patch 26 is created as shown in FIG. 3e. In this illustrative example, patch 26 consists of five integral pieces: a top piece 42 which will be later patterned into the read sensor stripe 10; a bottom piece 46 covering the via hole 22 and electrically contacting shield 6; a first tab 44 connecting pieces 42 and 46; a right piece 50; and a second tab 48 connecting pieces 46 and 50. The number and shape of pieces is can vary to suit requirements and is for illustrative purposes only.
iv. Using a different mask, deposit two leads 12 on opposite sides of piece 42. Leads 12 and piece 42 are electrically connected upon deposition. Leads 12 define the width of sensor stripe 10. See FIG. 3f. Leads 12 also include magnetic layers providing longitudinal bias for the MR sensor (not shown).
v. Depositing third thin dielectric film 14 over the entire wafer surface. See FIG. 3g and FIG. 3h.
vi. Using a different mask, create a second via hole 52 through film 14 and expose portion of the piece 50. See FIG. 3i.
vii. Depositing a second magnetic shield 16 over the just formed structures. Shield 16 and bottom piece 46 are electrically connected through via 52, upon deposition. See FIG. 3j and FIG. 3k.
viii. The sensor stripe 10 and magnetic shields 6, 16 are now constructed as an integral part, i.e., items 6, 26, and 16 are a contiguous conductive structure. Proceed with normal wafer process. Dielectric films 8 and 14 are protected against dielectric breakdown all the way to the completion of wafer process.
ix. After the completion of wafer fabrication, all material below the air bearing surface (ABS) will be removed when the wafer is cut into rows (this is illustrated in FIGS. 8a/b). The electrical connection between sensor stripe 10 and shields 6, 16 are automatically removed.
The above process is shown as block diagram in FIG. 31.
Through the above description, the following advantages of the present invention become apparent by referring to FIG. 3a to FIG. 3l: First, the MR/GMR sensor stripe 10 and magnetic shields 6, 16 are constructed as a contiguous piece. Therefore, they are always in equipotential. Dielectric films 8 and 14 are never subject to an electrostatic field, hence immune to ESD throughout the wafer process. Second, the electrical connection between stripe 10 and shields 6, 16 are automatically removed during slider fabrication, creating a MR/GMR read head with isolated sensor stripe 10, which many disk drive manufacturers demand.
The present invention offers yet another advantage: Each shield 6 or 16 is connected to stripe 10 through tab 44 or 48, respectively. Since tabs 44 and 48 are formed from the MR/GMR thin film, it affords modest resistivity, which is low enough to maintain equipotential between stripe 10 and shields 6, 16, yet high enough to permit detection of an inadvertent electrical short across each of the dielectric films 8 and 14. Typically, the inadvertent short is caused by defects such as pinhole, residual of photo-resist, and re-deposition of etched material. It has relatively low resistance, usually below 100 Ohms, and rarely exceeding 10 kOhms. Advantageously, tabs 44 and 48 can be made with precisely known resistance, for example 1000▒100 Ohms. Depending on the application, a resistance may be selected which can range from 100 to 5000 Ohms. An inadvertent short would shunt either tab 44 or tab 48, thereby reducing the corresponding tab resistance by a noticeable amount. By comparing measured tab resistance with the nominal value, and comparing the value of adjacent sliders, such an inadvertent short can be identified. Furthermore, whether the short exists across film 8 or 14 can also be identified. This information is useful for the failure analysis and process improvement.
The first preferred embodiment described above is particularly suitable for MR/GMR heads with contiguous leads. A contiguous lead is constructed on top of a MR/GMR film 24, as shown in FIG. 3g and FIG. 3h. Therefore, the deposition of leads 12 in step iv described above does not sever the electrical connection between the top piece 42 and first tab 44. Presently most MR/GMR heads are built with abutted junctions, as shown in FIG. 1b. An abutted junction is constructed by first etching away the MR/GMR film in the area which will be occupied by leads 12. We next refer to FIG. 4a and FIG. 4b, where FIG. 4b is the cross-section 4 b— 4 b of FIG. 4a. After the MR/GMR film is etched away, and before leads 12 are deposited, top piece 42 is electrically isolated from first tab 44 and shield 6. During this period of time the portion of film 8 directly under sensor stripe 10 is susceptible to dielectric breakdown, although photo-resist 11 provides some protection by keeping the static charge at a height above sensor stripe 10.
For MR/GMR heads with abutted leads, the first preferred embodiment may be improved by a second preferred embodiment by expanding the top piece 42 (see Arrow A), or reducing the length of left lead 12 (see Arrow B), as shown in FIG. 5, so that it is not disconnected from first tab 44 during the lead construction. This improvement is also applicable, however not required, for read heads with contiguous leads.
Referring back to FIG. 3c and FIG. 3d and examining more closely the electrical connection between MR/GMR film 24 and shield 6 it is apparent that, through via hole 22, film 24 is electrically connected to shield 6 as soon as film 24 is deposited. However, film 24 is not created instantly as a contiguous film. Due to slight spatial variation in the deposit rate, a multitude of isolated patches may exist during the initial phase of the deposition. It is also possible that at least one patch 25 of film 24 is located away from via hole 22 and temporarily isolated from shield 6 at the beginning of the deposition process, as illustrated in FIG. 6. As MR/GMR film 24 becomes thicker, it becomes contiguous and electrically connected to shield 6. To protect dielectric film 8 from breakdown, a novel process improvement is described now. The deposit rate of film 24 should be substantially lower (i.e., between 0.2 and 2 Å/second than the average deposit rate at the beginning of deposition) thereby reducing the rate of static charge built up and allowing the static charge to dissipate through the dielectric film 8, or to be neutralized by thermal electrons. This effectively reduces the electrostatic field in film 8, thus preventing dielectric breakdown at the beginning of the deposition. After film 24 becomes contiguous, typically when a few Å (Angstrom) thick, e.g., from 1 to 10 Å, the deposit rate can be raised substantially to a range from 0.5 to 5 Å/second to improve the throughput, without risk of dielectric breakdown. The novel process is shown as a block diagram in FIG. 7. Block 71 illustrates the period of lower deposit rate followed by Block 72, illustrating the period of higher deposit rate. The deposit rate may be raised either continuously (i.e., ramped) or in discrete steps (i.e., stepped). It is also applicable to the deposition of shield 16.
As noted above, the sensor stripe to shield connections in the first preferred embodiment are preserved throughout the wafer process. After the wafer fabrication is complete, the wafer is cut into rows and diced into sliders 58. Refer to FIG. 8a where four sliders 58 in a 2 by 2 array are depicted. The space between adjacent rows which will be consumed by cutting is called the row-kerf 62. Cutting of the row-kerf creates the air bearing surface (ABS). The space between adjacent sliders on the same row, also to be consumed by cutting, is called the column-kerf 60. In the first preferred embodiment, the sensor stripe-to-shield connections are removed when the wafer is cut into rows. This is why via holes 22 and 52 are located in row-kerfs 62, as shown in FIG. 8b.
It is often desirable to keep the sensor stripe-to-shield connection until the rows are diced into sliders. This is because during the post-wafer fabrication, the rows are still subject to high electrostatic fields in the carbon overcoat (COC) and ABS etching processes. Although the electrostatic field in these processes can be reduced somewhat through process optimization and equipment improvement, it is more cost-effective to eliminate the hazard of dielectric breakdown by maintaining the sensor stripe to shield connection. For this purpose via holes 22 and 52 can be relocated away from the row-kerf 62, i.e., to the area above the ABS. It is understood that components shown in one Figure which are similar to components shown in another Figure are identified by the same reference numbers. To preserve real-estate in the column-kerf 60 (for other useful features such as electronic lapping guide, serial number, and alignment marks), via holes 22 and 52 may reside within the slider 58. In order to sever the sensor stripe-to-shield connections, first tab 44 may be routed through column-kerf 60, as illustrated in FIG. 9.
Occasionally, and primarily for the purpose of failure analysis, it is desirable to disconnect sensor stripe 10 from shields 6 and 16 during the wafer process. This can be accomplished in yet another preferred embodiment by creating a via hole 62 through first tab 44. An additional via hole 64 can also be created through 48, if it is desirable to disconnect shield 6 from shield 16 as well. See FIG. 10.
It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, tabs 44 and 48 can be made to have resistance values other than 1 kOhm. "Dead-shorts" of near zero resistance serve equally well the purpose of ESD protection, although they do not preserve the ability to detect inadvertent sensor stripe to shield shorts. Similarly, tab 48 can be eliminated, so that pieces 46 and 50 are merged into one piece, also via holes 22 and 52 overlap. This saves real estate in the wafer surface, while losing the capability to distinguish inadvertent shorts across dielectric films 8 and 14. Furthermore, if the MR/GMR sensors are designed such that film 24 lies on top of leads 12, the order of film 24 and leads 12 deposition, as described in the first preferred embodiment, has to be reversed accordingly.
While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
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|Clasificaci¾n de EE.UU.
|Clasificaci¾n internacional
|Clasificaci¾n cooperativa
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|13 Ene 2000
Owner name: HEADWAY TECHNOLOGIES, INC., CALIFORNIA
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:HAN, CHERNG-CHYI;CHEN, MAO-MIN;KOO, JEN-WEI;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:010494/0673
Effective date: 19991229
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text:
Obama Calls on Romney for More Transparency
July 10, 2012 in Politics
Melissa Melton
July 10, 2012
In an interview with ABC News yesterday, President Barack Obama attempted to school opponent Mitt Romney on the value of transparency in any presidential candidate:
"What's important is if you are running for president is that the American people know who you are and what you've done and that you're an open book. And that's been true of every presidential candidate dating all the way back to Mr. Romney's father."
Obama made the comments in a bid that Romney is not forthcoming enough with his overseas financial records.
How important is being an "open book" to Obama? On the day after he was sworn into office, Obama signed his first Executive Order: 13489, "Presidential Records". While some have claimed this was the new president's first act towards a more transparent office, section 2 of the order leaves many with a different impression:
Notice Of Intent To Disclose Presidential Records
When the Archivist provides notice to the incumbent and former Presidents of his intent to disclose Presidential records pursuant to section 1270.46 of the NARA regulations, the Archivist, using any guidelines provided by the incumbent and former Presidents, shall identify any specific materials, the disclosure of which he believes may raise a substantial question of executive privilege.
Why would Obama feel the need, as his first order of presidential duty, to identify materials to be sealed that may raise questions of his executive privilege? As Infowars has reported at length, perhaps it is because a multitude of records regarding our president have never been released to the American people. These items include:
Passport records, Obama kindergarten records, Punahou School records, Occidental College records, Columbia University records, Columbia thesis, Harvard Law School records, Harvard Law Review articles, University of Chicago scholarly articles, Illinois State Bar Association records, Illinois State Senate records/schedules (said to be lost), Medical records, Obama/Dunham marriage license, Obama/Dunham divorce documents, Soetoro/Dunham marriage license, Adoption records and of course the long-form Certificate of Live Birth.
Questions surrounding the president's eligibility have spawned a flurry of ballot lawsuits across the nation, including in New Jersey, North Carolina, Georgia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Alabama, and Florida. Many judges have struck down such suits, claiming that presidential candidates are not required to present an official birth certificate or vet themselves. An attorney representing the president in New Jersey actually argued that Disney cartoon character Mickey Mouse would be legally allowable on the state's ballot under current NJ laws.
State Rep. Carl Seel (R-Phoenix) and state Sen. Judy Burges (R-Sun City West) have also revived a previously struck down bill in Arizona HB 2480, which would require U.S. presidential candidates to prove their citizenship before they can be officially added to the state's ballot. Candidates would be required to sign a sworn affidavit along with their national party chairs; both could be charged with perjury if the candidate was later found ineligible. If Seel and Burges' bill passes, Arizona would be the first state in U.S. history to adopt such a requirement.
This legislation may seem necessary in light of the proven fraudulent Obama birth certificate released by the White House last year. After Arizona constituents presented Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio with a petition expressing their concerns Obama may not be eligible for the presidency, Arpaio spearheaded an investigation which concluded there was probable cause the birth certificate had indeed been forged. In addition, veteran private investigator Susan Daniels has recently filed a lawsuit in Ohio to require Obama to prove his Social Security Number is legitimate after repeated attempts to validate it failed.
Irony continues to abound that Obama invoked Mitt Romney's father in his comments on presidential candidate transparency. Filmmaker Joel Gilbert has recently released convincing evidence that Kenyan goat herder Barack Obama Sr. is not our president's father in Dreams from My Real Father: A Story of Reds and Deception. This documentary thoroughly exposes the possibility that Frank Marshall Davis, a communist activist and Obama childhood mentor, may actually be Obama's real biological father.
Even as Obama and Romney slam each other up and down the campaign trail, unanswered questions regarding Obama's past continue to mount. Arpaio's cold case posse is set to release "shocking" new information regarding the president's birth certificate at an upcoming press conference later this month.
The reality is, in a technological age when we have more information at our fingertips than ever before, the American people know less about our sitting president than any other president in the history of our nation. While Romney's financial records are certainly of public interest, perhaps the president should take his own advice and clue the American people in to who he really is.

subset: commoncrawl


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TQ: Immortal Throne - Review @ AtomicGamer
Another good score for Immortal Throne with AtomicGamer's critique awarding 88%. Here's a clip:
The new skill set included is called Dream Mastery, and it allows you to gain control over time, summon a new pet, and deal damage to your opponents. It's a very well-rounded mastery and combines with the other eight quite nicely. Beyond that, there's also a new item slot for something called an Artifact. You'll have to build these things out of a recipe, completed relics or other items, and a ton of gold, but they add tons of great abilities - they act like a super piece of jewelry. The guy you can build these at also has another feature which will be nice for those who are constantly changing loot: you can now break items away from relics you had put in them. There are two downsides to this in that it costs a lot of money, and you only get to keep either the relic or the item the relic went into. The other one is broken permanently in the process.
Source: Bluesnews
Information aboutTQ: Immortal Throne
SP/MP: Single + MP
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: Hack & Slash
Platform: PC
Release: Released


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All finishes can be damaged. Unlike most finishes, damage to shellac is easy to repair...
All finishes can be damaged. Unlike most finishes, damage to shellac is easy to repair...
Shellac Repair
Perhaps the most often mentioned disadvantage of shellac is that it is easily damaged by alcohol. Ignoring for now that this "downside" is greatly overstated since most of the alcohol with which shellac finishes come in contact is in the form of alcoholic beverages. And, since the alcohol contents in these drinks is quite low compared to the "pure" alcohol in which we dissolve shellac, actually "damage" from alcohol is rare. To illustrate this reality I offer two examples.
First, if you have ever mixed your own shellac from dry flakes you know how long it takes denatured alcohol to dissolve the flakes of shellac. Mixing shellac requires far more time than dissolving sugar in hot coffee. Clearly, if it takes hours for shellac to dissolve in 200-proof grain alcohol, how much longer will it take a beverage with far less alcohol to damage a shellac finish if someone accidentally spills an adult beverage in which the alcohol has been "thinned" to only 20 to 50 proof?
Second, at the beginning of my classes on shellac I initiate a demonstration of the durability of shellac by preparing a "mixed drink". I have a small bottle in which I keep denatured alcohol cut 50/50 with distilled water to simulate a typical 100-proof "adult beverage" (denatured alcohol is almost 200-proof, or pure alcohol--not many among us drink anything that strong!). I pour a shot of my "home brew" into a glass and add water to simulate a typical mixed drink. I then "spill" my drink on a tabletop finished with shellac. Then, I proceed with my program. Near the end, I return to the tabletop and remind those in attendance of my spill. I simply wipe up the liquid that remains and ask those in attendance to examine the finish for "damage". Fully expecting confirmation of all that they have been told, they inspect the finish only to find that there is no damage. In point of fact, most of the alcohol has simply evaporated before it was able to do any damage to the finish. "Myths" are very powerful in shaping "facts"!.
Please understand; I am not suggesting that alcohol will not damage shellac. Clearly, long-term exposure to alcohol, even at low concentrations if it is trapped against the shellac film and not able to evaporate, will soften and damage a shellac finish. My point, however, is that the mere mention of the word "alcohol" will not destroy all of your hard work. Shellac is not nearly as easily damaged by alcohol as some would have us believe. Therefore, your present shellac finish may be well worth restoring instead of stripping and replacing with a "modern" finish.
So, even though shellac is far more durable than some would have us believe, we can take advantage of the "evaporative nature" of shellac to repair damage when it does occur. Since we know that shellac is dissolved in alcohol it stands to reason that we can also use alcohol to soften a dry shellac film. It follows, then that we can take advantage of this knowledge to repair a damaged shellac finish rather than resorting to stripping and sanding. Alcohol, properly employed, will allow us to return to the later stages of the shellac padding process to repair and/or restore a damaged or aged shellac finish. Further, there is often no need to add more shellac; the shellac that is already there is sufficient to produce a "new" finish.
Testing the Existing Finish
Before begriming to repair an existing shellac finish is it a good idea to test the finish to be sure that it is indeed shellac. "What is that Finish?" is a short article describing a simple test you can use. Please note that old nitrocellulose lacquer can be removed with denatured alcohol. Therefore, in performing these tests be sure not to rub the surface. Just apply the solvents and let them to the work.
Restore the Original Finish
Even if the present shellac finish is damaged, heavily "alligatored", or contains bare spots from which the original finish has been worn thin (or even removed) the finish can almost certainly be restored. It is also quite possible that the restoration can be undertaken without adding "new" shellac. If shellac must be added we will need to make every effort to duplicate the original grade. The process we will follow will begin with the later stages of the padding technique. It is very probable that this is the same application technique used by the original finisher. If you have not padded shellac you may want to read the padding information (see Applying Shellac) and practice this technique to some test panels before you proceed.
Make a new pad for this process (see instructions in Making a Shellac Pad). Our initial objective is to soften the existing shellac so that it can be easily spread into the restored film. To do this we will use only alcohol in our pad. Unlike some of my earlier padding instructions, in addition to the alcohol in the pad we will also apply a "liberal" amount of alcohol to the surface so that it will begin to soften the shellac across the entire surface, not just the area that we are working. At this stage we will not lubricate the face of the pad with mineral oil; the higher than normal amount of alcohol will provide sufficient lubrication.
Begin by charging your pad with alcohol following the instructions in Applying Shellac. Then, while the alcohol is still handy, squirt a stream of it on the surface. Confine it to the area you will work initially; typically I work an area that I can easily span with my arm comfortably extended. Next, land the pad (the technique is not critical here, but it provides an opportunity to practice) somewhere in the middle of the area to be worked and quickly spread the alcohol that you just squirted on into an even film over your work area. Then, beginning at a point that is furthest from your off-hand (I am right-handed so I begin to my left at the point furthest from me) work the pad over the surface in a series of "Os" and figure eights while applying moderate pressure, until you reach the point opposite your starting point. The key here is even coverage; whether you proceed up and down, or from left to right is not important. Just make sure that you work all of the area. Continue padding (still applying moderate pressure) by returning quickly to the starting point and begin the process over again. As the alcohol evaporates from the surface apply more from your squeeze bottle so as to maintain its solvent action (Use caution and judgment. The objective is to keep the surface wet but not "puddle".)
In short order the shellac will begin to soften as evidenced by the appearance of swirl marks left by your pad. When these swirl marks are more or less uniform over the entire surface you are ready to begin to refine the renewed finish. At this point you will no longer add alcohol directly to the surface being worked; all future alcohol will be added to the inside of the pad in accordance with the instructions in Applying Shellac. You will also begin to use mineral oil to lubricate the face of the pad as you reconstitute and refine the shellac into a restored film. The instructions for the process are exactly the same as those for padding shellac so refer to that material as you continue to repair the shellac finish.
One final note of caution is in order. Unless someone has physically removed shellac from the piece you are restoring it is very unlikely that you will need to add any new shellac throughout this process. This is particularly true if the shellac finish that you are restoring is badly "alligatored"—an indication of a shellac film that was applied too heavily (even the old-time finishers got it wrong from time to time). However, if there are areas where there is significant loss of shellac from sanding, stripping, or abrasive action in use, you may need to add small quantities of shellac to your pad. If this is necessary follow the instructions in Applying Shellac having to do with "bodying" or applying the base at the beginning of Step Two of those instructions. You will also need to match the grade in so far as possible. Typically, if the shellac is dark this will mean using either garnet or seedlac. If the shellac finish is lighter you will likely use blond or orange. DO NOT use pre-mixed shellac. It does not pad well, and once mixed with the existing finish may lead to total removal and starting again.
Removing a Shellac Finish
On occasion you may need to remove a badly damage shellac finish because it is simply too worn to repair, or because the surface of the underlying furniture needs to be repaired. Removal may also be indicated if you want to refinish with a different finish. Please use caution in coming to this conclusion. Much of the value of true antique furniture is in its original finish (I am speaking here about furniture that legitimately qualifies as "antique", not just old furniture that is in bad need of refinishing).
In removing a shellac finish we will again rely on the ability of shellac to be dissolved by its solvent, alcohol. Therefore, begin the process by applying a liberal amount of alcohol to the surface from which the shellac is to be removed. I generally dispense alcohol from a squeeze bottle and spread it around with a pad or inexpensive brush. My objective is to wet the surface with alcohol and keep it wet for a period of 10 or 15-minutes before I begin to remove the shellac. Clearly, on vertical surfaces I have no choice other than to keep padding alcohol on before it dries, thus keeping the shellac "bathed" in alcohol.
I then use one of two methods to remove the old shellac finish. Perhaps it would be more precise to say that I typically begin with one method and end with the other. I begin removal of the old finish with a card type cabinet scraper on which I have rolled only a small bur; my objective is only to remove the finish, not the wood. This is a easy edge to produce. Simply joint or flatten the edge of the scraper and then apply a small "hook" with just light to moderate pressure with the burnisher.
I move the scraper with the grain while applying moderate downward pressure to the shellac finish. Great gobs of alcohol softened shellac will be removed with every pass, resulting quickly in the almost total removal of the old finish.
I then squirt more alcohol on the surface, spread it around, wait a few more minutes and then vigorously attack the remaining shellac film with a "removal" pad. This pad is constructed in exactly the same way as the pad described in Applying Shellac with one significant exception—the outer covering is burlap. By burlap, I am not referring to the civilized, soft stuff sold in many colors by your friendly neighborhood fabric store, and used to make coverings for bulletin boards (some stores also carry the "real" stuff). This is the industrial strength stuff, the Biblical garment of contrition known as "sack cloth". It has the abrasive qualities of 80g sandpaper to dislodge the softened shellac. It also has large spaces in the weave of the fabric to gather and hold the shellac once it is removed. Periodically, the shellac trapped in the material must be flushed out with a quick rinse and wring in alcohol. In use, this pad is to be literally scrubbed over the surface to remove as much of the remaining shellac as possible. The burlap cloth alone, without the wool reservoir, can be opened and "sawed" back and forth over turnings, edges, and other difficult to reach places. It can also be wrapped over the end of sticks of various shapes and worked into groves and carved detail to remove shellac from these difficult to reach locations.
Why Burlap and not Steel wool?
Very simple. Does the term "rust" come to mind? Steel wool quickly disintegrates leaving tiny shards of steel (a ferrous metal) behind. Ferrous metal rusts! "Oh, but I wiped the surface to get rid of all the steel wool." Sure you did! Just like the wipe down with mineral spirits got rid of all the silicone furniture polish residue on your last refinishing job, which is why you are still trying to figure out why you still got all those little craters in our finish. You may get most of the shards—you will not get them all (we'll solve that problem in another article).
"Well, yes; but, I am not using a water-borne finish ...I know that would create a rust problem, so I would never do that." Nice try, but the problem is than NO finish is water-proof. Understand that the issue is not liquid water; the problem is water vapor—a.k.a. relative humidity. No finish is impervious to the passage of water vapor through the finish with seasonal changes in humidity that cause moisture to move in and out of the wood. Some finishes are far more porous than others. Oil and wax finishes, for example, offer virtually no protection at all. Lacquer is only marginally better. Even the most moisture resistant finishes, gloss varnish (including polyurethane) and shellac, are not impervious. In time even these finishes will allow the passage of water vapor thru the finish film. As that occurs, steel wool shards left behind, firmly embedded in the finish, are going to rust. Your finish is going to develop a "freckled" completion. In my never to be humble opinion, steel wool has absolutely no place in the finish room, with the possible solitary exception of rubbing out a completely cured finish.
After the Scraper and Burlap Pad
Having successfully removed the old shellac finish you can now undertake necessary repairs and begin to apply the new finish. You will not have removed all of the shellac, but this is not a problem. Shellac is frequently used as a "sealer", so you can view the shellac that remains as the sealer coat for your new finish. Its presence, by the way, will go a long way to preserving the patina that has developed in the wood over time.
If you are going to reapply a shellac finish refer to the article on Applying Shellac. You may also want to apply a shellac "color coat" and then topcoat with varnish or lacquer. You can also apply a water-borne finish if you are so inclined. The point is that you have successfully removed the old shellac finish without the use of a harsh chemical stripper or aggressive sanding. Your antique is much the better for the experience.


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Kept calling during a lecture at uni, very annoyed.
keep getting calls from this number which I don't recognise so don't answer. Very annoying. I have to keep my phone switched on at all times.
Called from this number this evening. I didn't answer because I've had these 0845 numbers before (and never answered). I cancelled my contract with Orange yesterday, so there may be a connection there. But I don't know because I will not answer these unsolicited calls.
I'm confused about why they dont ring me at once, I'm cancelled the contract with Orange yesterday, it rang me today to know if they could deal with this? Could orange cancelled my contract? Could some1 help me? Thank you very much.
I cancelled my Orange contract yesterday and have had calls from this number
I get called at least once a month from this number.Don't recognise it so don't answer it.
I cancelled my orange contract yesterday and this number rang today. Didn't answer as it's 0845.
I cancelled a contract with ORANGE and they keep phoning me on this number, sour grapes spring to mind
I've had several missed calls from this number. I have not called back because its an 0845 number, but I'm worried as my daughter is on a transplant list, and I don't want to miss that call.
I cancelled my Orange contract yesterday and started to get calls from this number today - I've added to my blocked callers list.
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"The Terminator" is clearly science fiction, but it speaks to a deep intuition that the robotization of warfare is a slippery slope—the endpoint of which can neither be predicted nor fully controlled. Two reports released soon after the November 2012 election have propelled the issue of autonomous killing machines onto the political radar.
Hidden in the subtext is a plea for the civilian sector not to regulate the Department of Defense's use of autonomous weapons. Military planners do not want their near-term options limited by speculative possibilities. Neither military leaders nor anyone else, however, want warfare to expand beyond the bounds of human control. The directive repeats eight times that the Department of Defense is concerned with minimizing "failures that could lead to unintended engagements or loss of control of the system." Nevertheless, a core problem remains. Even if one trusts that the Department of Defense will establish robust command and control in deploying autonomous weaponry, there is no basis for assuming that other countries and nonstate actors will do the same. The directive does nothing to limit an arms race in autonomous weapons capable of initiating lethal force. In fact, it may actually be promoting it.
For thousands of years the machines used in warfare have been extensions of human will and intention. Bad design and flawed programming have been the primary dangers posed by much of the computerized weaponry deployed to date, but this is rapidly changing as computer systems with some degree of artificial intelligence become increasingly autonomous and complex.
The "Autonomy in Weapons Systems Directive" promises that the weaponry the U.S. military deploys will be fully tested. Military necessity during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, however, prompted the Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, to authorize the deployment of new drone systems—unmanned air vehicles, or UAVs, with very little autonomy—before they were fully tested. The unique and changing circumstances of the battlefield give rise to situations for which no weapons system can be fully tested. Even the designers and engineers who build complex systems cannot always predict how they will function in new situations with untested combinations of inputs.
Increasing autonomy will increase uncertainties as to how weaponry will perform in new situations. Personnel find it extremely difficult to coordinate their actions with "intelligent" systems whose behavior they cannot absolutely predict. David Woods and Erik Hollnagel's book Joint Cognitive Systems: Patterns in Cognitive Systems Engineering illustrates this problem with the example of a 1999 accident in which a Global Hawk UAV went off the runway, causing a collapsed nose and $5.3 million in damage. The accident occurred because the operators misunderstood what the system was trying to do. Unfortunately, placing blame on the operators and increasing the autonomy of the system may actually exacerbate coordinating the activities of human and robotic agents.
The intent of the military planners who authored the directive is to put in place extensive controls for maintaining the safety of autonomous weaponry. But the nature of complex autonomous systems and of war is such that they will be less successful in doing so than the directive suggests.
Research on artificial intelligence over the past 50 years has arguably been a contemporary Tower of Babel. While AI continues to be a rich field of study and innovation, much of its edifice is built upon hype, speculation, and promises that cannot be fulfilled. The U.S. military and other government agencies have been the leaders in bankrolling new computer innovations and the AI tower of babble, and they have wasted countless billions of dollars in the process. Buying into hype and promises that cannot be fulfilled is wasteful. Failure to adequately assess the dangers posed by new weapons systems, however, places us all at risk.
The long-term consequences of building autonomous weapons systems may well exceed the short-term tactical and strategic advantages they provide. Yet the logic of maintaining technological superiority demands that we acquire new weapons systems before our potential adversaries—even if in doing so we become the lead driver propelling the arms race forward. There is, however, an alternative to a totally open-ended competition for superiority in autonomous weapons.
A longstanding concept in just war theory and international humanitarian law is that certain activities such as rape and the use of biological weapons are evil in and of themselves—what Roman philosophers called "mala in se." I contend that machines picking targets and initiating lethal and nonlethal force are not just a bad idea, but also mala in se. Machines lack discrimination, empathy, and the capacity to make the proportional judgments necessary for weighing civilian casualties against achieving military objectives. Furthermore, delegating life and death decisions to machines is immoral because machines cannot be held responsible for their actions.
So let us establish an international principle that machines should not be making decisions that are harmful to humans. This principle will set parameters on what is and what is not acceptable. We can then go on to a more exacting discussion as to the situations in which robotic weapons are indeed an extension of human will and when their actions are beyond direct human control. This is something less than the absolute ban on killer robots proposed by Human Rights Watch, but it will set limits on what can be deployed.
The primary argument I have heard against this principle is the contention that future machines will have the capacity for discrimination and will be more moral in their choices and actions than human soldiers. This is all highly speculative. Systems with these capabilities may never exist. If and when robots become ethical actors that can be held responsible for their actions, we can then begin debating whether they are no longer machines and are deserving of some form of personhood. But warfare is not the place to test speculative possibilities.
As a first step, President Barack Obama should sign an executive order declaring that a deliberate attack with lethal and nonlethal force by fully autonomous weaponry violates the Law of War. This executive order would establish that the United States holds that this principle already exists in international law. NATO would soon follow suit, leading to the prospect of an international agreement that all nations will consider computers and robots to be machines that can never make life and death decisions. A responsible human actor must always be in the loop for any offensive strike that harms a human. An executive order establishing limits on autonomous weapons will reinforce the contention that the United States places humanitarian concerns as a priority in fulfilling its defense responsibilities.
The Department of Defense directive should have declared a five-year moratorium on the deployment of autonomous weapons. A moratorium would indicate that military planners recognize that this class of weaponry is problematic. More importantly, it would provide an opportunity to explore with our allies the issues in international humanitarian law that impinge upon the use of lethal autonomous weapons. In addition, a moratorium signals to defense contractors that they lack a ready buyer for autonomous systems they might develop. No one, however, anticipates that autonomous weapons capable of precision targeting will be available in the next five years. Furthermore, a moratorium is unlikely to reassure other countries that look to the United States as they gauge their own defense needs.
There is no way to ensure that other countries and nonstate actors will emulate standards and testing protocols similar to those outlined in the directive before they use autonomous weapons. Some country is likely to deploy crude autonomous drones or ground-based robots capable of initiating lethal force, and that will justify efforts within the U.S. defense industry to establish our superiority in this class of weaponry.
The only viable route to slow and hopefully arrest an inexorable march toward future wars that pit one country's autonomous weapons against another's is a principle or international treaty that puts the onus on any party that deploys such weapons. Instead of placing faith in the decisions made by a few military planners within the Pentagon about the feasibility of autonomous weapons, we need an open debate within the Obama administration and within the international community as to whether prohibitions on autonomous offensive weapons are implicit under existing international humanitarian law. A prohibition on machines making life-and-death decisions must either be made explicit and/or established and codified in a new international treaty.
The inflection point for setting limits on autonomous weaponry initiating lethal force exists now. This opportunity will disappear, however, as soon as many arms manufacturers and countries perceive short-term advantages that could accrue to them from a robot arms race.


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A MAN has been arrested and bailed after a truck crashed into a house in Selsey.
The home in East Street, Selsey, had been empty for two years while the owners were renovating it – and it was close to completion.
Owner Neil Armstrong said: "It was an accident, it is one of those things, what can you do."
But it will be a major setback, as the front of the house needs urgent repair.
At around 10am on Saturday (February 5), the truck hit a car on East Street, and crashed through the wall in the front garden, into the house, leaving a gaping hole.
Neighbour Ernest Meyer said he heard 'a big bang' and went outside to see what had happened.
He said the driver had fled the scene, but there was a male passenger in the truck, and there was a woman in another car which the truck had hit.
He said the passenger in the truck was injured, and an ambulance was called.
"There were ladies tending to him, he had a cut on his face," said Mr Meyers.
"There were three police cars, an ambulance and a fire crew."
"Everybody was running around like headless chickens."
He said it was lucky the house was unoccupied at the time of the accident.
"It's been empty for two years," he said.
"They were doing it up, they had nearly finished.
"I just can't get my head around how it happened."
Chichester Police said a man was arrested on Monday night in connection with the incident.
A Sussex Police spokeswoman said: "A Mercedes Sprinter truck collided with a Jaguar, mounted the pavement, through the front wall and then collided with a house in East Street. The driver of the car left the scene and the passenger, a 26-year-old man from Selsey, was treated for minor injuries.
"The driver of the vehicle, a 27-year-old man from Selsey, was arrested on Monday for dangerous driving, no insurance, failing to stop and report a collision. He has been bailed until March 6 while investigations continue."


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Popular Google Maps™
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Equipment Type: Bike
Intensity Level: 1
Number of Workouts: 20
Our community builds hundreds of Google Maps™ routes on iFit everyday. These workouts take you all over the world and let you experience a new challenge during every workout. We have packaged together the 20 most popular Google Maps™ routes for bikes, ready to download for your next workout.
- Total Distance: 289.0 mi
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Kevin Rudolf: Beyond the Surface
By Souleo. If you think you know producer, songwriter and artist Kevin Rudolf, well, think again. As part of Cash Money Records he skyrocketed to fame with the club anthem, "Let it Rock," feat. Lil' Wayne. Still, Kevin wants listeners to know that there is more to him than meets the ear; case in point being the underlying message of his megahit.
"I think 'Let it Rock' is really deep. It came out and people thought it was only a club record 'cause of the beat but I was talking about my life in that song. I didn't have anything going on when I made the song and I was trying to make it and find my way. I was talking about hypocrisy and wanting to be the truth," he revealed.
Kevin is intent on making sure that listeners hear the truth on his upcoming sophomore release, To the Sky. To accomplish the goal Kevin is expanding his production and showing more of his musical diversity.
"I'm really versatile and this new album reflects that. It's almost like a Prince album where nothing necessarily fits together. It's based on whatever you feel and the thing in common is great songs that mean something," he said.
Kevin is hoping that it's the message of those "great songs," such as his hit new single, "I Made It," featuring Lil' Wayne, Birdman and Jay Sean that people will pay more attention to from now on.
"The pop stuff is great and I love making beats and fun sounding records. But lyrically I am always in a deeper lane than most of the stuff on the radio. There is always more going on than what's on the surface."
For more information on Kevin Rudolf please visit:


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Ioana Spangenberg, 30, features a 20-inch waist and 32-inch hips. Her figure is like the old Barbie dolls before Mattel changed them into more real-life figure.
Spangenberg, had a hard time coping with her figure as she developed her unconventional body. She says she has tried to gain weight by eating sweets, but it did not work.
'In Romania it is better to be overweight, because that means you are from a wealthy family,' she says.
After meeting her husband Jan in 2006, he encourged her to model after photographs he took of her received good reviews online.
She still insists that she eats three big meals a day including fatty foods such as pizza and kebabs.


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BEIJING, May 5 (Reuters) - Hong Kong shares finished lower on Monday, after a private survey showed mainland manufacturing activity contracting for a fourth straight month, triggering a sell-off across the board.
The Hang Seng Index closed down 1.3 percent. The China Enterprises Index of the leading offshore Chinese listings in Hong Kong was down 0.6 percent.
The HSBC/Markit purchasing managers' index (PMI) for April came in at 48.1 on Monday, lower than a preliminary reading of 48.3, though up slightly from an eight-month low of 48.0 in March.
Property stocks were some of the heaviest hit after pessimistic comments made by a top executive from the mainland's largest listed developer were leaked to the press over the holiday weekend.
Cheung Kong Holdings Ltd slid 2.5 percent, while Wharf Holdings Ltd dropped 3.1 percent. (Reporting by Natalie Thomas; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)


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More Moneyball
In my previous post, I argued that Michael Lewis's influential bestseller Moneyball, widely cited in academia, ultimately relies too much on hyperbole to make its claims about the superiority of Billy Beane's statistical methods in managing the Oakland Athletics baseball team. In this post, I assess the value of those Moneyball methods by examining the results of Oakland's 2002 draft, a central event glamorized in the book as a showcase of Beane's "scientific selection of amateur baseball players."
This is a long, baseball-heavy post, so let me cut to the chase at the outset. Oakland's Moneyball draft of 2002 was not the smash success that Lewis's book forecasted. The seven years since the draft bear that out. Beane had seven first-round picks that year but drafted none of the eleven all-stars signed from the 2002 draft, despite exercising almost twenty percent of all first-round choices in the draft. In fact, only half the players on Beane's wish list of the top twenty players in the draft ended up playing even a game in the major leagues. To tell a compelling story of Beane's superiority, Lewis overstates what Cass Sunstein and Richard Thaler call the "blunders and the confusions of those who run baseball teams." It turns out that other teams do a pretty good job of identifying talent too. In the 2002 draft, Oakland did not draft the best players available, while other teams using traditional methods did equally well or better.
So, what is the lesson for Moneyball? Lewis describes how Beane imported quantitative methods from the academic and financial worlds to identify assets, in this case baseball players, undervalued by the market. The modest notion that statistical methods can be invaluable in the search for these undervalued assets, particularly in an industry so obsessively numbers-oriented as baseball, is unassailable. But Lewis's claims that Moneyball demonstrates the outright superiority of Beane's quantitative methods in identifying the best talent are much more difficult to sustain, and Moneyball does not convincingly establish the backwardness of other teams, which had already begun erasing whatever advantages Oakland possessed by the time of Moneyball's publication.
Instead, Moneyball demonstrates a slightly but importantly different lesson about Oakland's successes during the early 2000s.
So, the familiar Moneyball theme of Beane outsmarting the league by finding great talents invisible to other teams clouded by their prejudices is largely overstated by Lewis. Not even the most committed Moneyball devotee would argue that the heroes of the book—Scott Hatteberg, Chad Bradford, Ricardo Rincon, Jeremy Brown—were star players. They were role players, and it's in finding role players at a bargain where Moneyball was most useful. The advantage of Moneyball methods was not that they were so superior per se to traditional approaches in identifying top talent, or that traditional approaches were as wrongheaded as Lewis depicts. Moneyball, by offering a different playbook than other teams followed at the time, rarely identified star players with any more accuracy than traditional methods, but instead represented an alternate strategy that helped Oakland maximize the return from the pile of cheaper, marginal players that other teams did not covet. Moneyball was most valuable for finding cheaper players, not better ones. Finding cheaper is different from finding better, and Moneyball gave Oakland an advantage mainly at the former rather than the latter.
The best way to explain this lesson is by carefully assessing Oakland's 2002 June amateur draft. Lewis documents this draft minute-by-minute in the book to illustrate Beane's methods. And for good reason. Oakland held seven first-round picks (including sandwich picks), and seven of the first thirty-nine picks overall—a historic opportunity for Beane and his team. However, judged seven years later, Oakland's results from the draft appear unremarkable. Among Oakland's seven first-rounders, only three had more than a cup of coffee in the major leagues—Nick Swisher, Joe Blanton, and Mark Teahen—though none is too much more than an average player and all three were traded away by Oakland. As a Bay Area sportswriter summarized, "Basically, Moneyball happened, and it didn't change the course of the A's. Nice story. Good book. Not a lot of history made by those seven players."
My point is not that Oakland's 2002 draft was a failure, as some suggest, or decisively undercuts Moneyball as baseball philosophy. Neither is quite right in my view. But Beane and the Oakland braintrust, at least in Lewis's account, dramatically overrate ex ante the success of their draft. Oakland's draft is not just good in their view at the time, but "unfair," nearly otherworldly. "It counted as one of the happiest days of Billy Beane's career," according to Lewis, and Beane warned "[t]his doesn't happen. Don't think this is normal."
Thanks to the book, we have Beane's internal ranking of the top twenty players available for the 2002 draft and can judge Beane's skills at player evaluation with rare insight. Beane's list, as documented by Lewis, were the "twenty players they'd draft in a perfect world" if "money were no object and twenty-nine other teams were not also vying to draft the best amateur players." As a first cut, only ten of the twenty players on Beane's list ever appeared in even a regular major league game. Although the major league draft is a "f_cking crapshoot" in Beane's words, his list's 50 percent success rate is less than the 60 percent rate for first rounders from 2000 to 2005. When compared to the first twenty players selected in the 2002 draft (as opposed to the entire first round), Beane's list looks even worse by comparison. Ninety percent, eighteen of the first twenty picks in the 2002 draft reached the majors, including five all-stars.
To compare Beane's acumen against the rest of the majors yet more precisely, we can focus on only the twelve players on his list who were not first-round picks of, nor likely considered first-round talents by other teams—Ben Fritz, Stephen Obenchain, John McCurdy, Jeremy Brown, Bill Murphy, Steve Stanley, John Baker, Mark Kiger, Brian Stavinsky, Shaun Larkin, Brant Colamarino, Mark Teahen. None of these players were ranked among Baseball America's top forty prospects in the 2002 draft, but Beane staked his draft on them by drafting all but one of them. Mark Teahen was a nice find who has enjoyed a solid if unspectacular career with Kansas City. John Baker, who was released by Oakland, eventually caught on with Florida. But unfortunately for Oakland fans, Beane selected Fritz, Obenchain, McCurdy, and Brown with first-round picks, and took Murphy, Stanley, Kiger, Stavinsky and Colamarino later. Those nine players combined to appear in just twenty-three major league games total among them over eight seasons.
Lewis carelessly attributes the other teams' disinterest in players like Brown and Colamarino, as two examples, to an irrational prejudice that they "do not look the way a young baseball player is meant to look." But many teams weren't interested for the simpler, less interesting reason that Brown and Colamarino just weren't very good. In the end, Lewis was wrong to crow about how smart Beane was not to share other teams' bias against Jeremy Brown's lack of athleticism and defensive ineptitude—the very characteristics that killed his major-league prospects. Jeremy Brown, cited by Ian Ayres and Sunstein and Thaler among others as the poster child for Moneyball's value, washed out of baseball not long after the book's publication.
One aspect of Oakland's 2002 draft truly was not "normal"—the Athletics took a college player with their first 23 picks and drafted 25 collegians among their first 28 picks. The 2002 draft turned out to be an unfortunate moment to be so strongly biased against high school players. Eight of the eleven players signed from the richly talented 2002 draft who were eventually selected as a major-league all-star came right out of high school: Zack Greinke, Prince Fielder, Scott Kazmir, Cole Hamels, Matt Cain, Jonathan Broxton, Brian McCann, and Josh Johnson. All but Johnson (fourth round) were taken in the first two rounds. Only three players signed out of college from the 2002 draft have been chosen as an all-star so far—Joe Saunders (first round), Curtis Granderson (third round), and Russell Martin (seventeenth round). It is worthwhile to point out as well that not a single one of these eleven all-star players was on Beane's list of the top twenty players in the 2002 draft. As Beane admitted to Baseball Prospectus in a recent interview, "That list would look very different today."
Oakland's focus on college players was clearly by design, as Lewis colorfully explained by reference to Beane's view of one particular high schooler in the draft. Lewis noted that Beane had no interest in Scott Kazmir, a high school pitcher coveted by Detroit and Milwaukee (though drafted by the New York Mets). As Lewis explained, "[P]icking a high school pitcher like Kazmir is exactly the sort of not-so-bright decision both franchises had a knack for making." Yet Kazmir was one of six high school pitchers from that draft to become a major league all-star, as well as one of the first 2002 draftees to reach the majors.
The cost of dismissing high school players illustrates a tension in Lewis's presentation of the Moneyball philosophy. Lewis explains that the Moneyball insight is that "when you rule out an entire class of people from doing a job simply by their appearance, you are less likely to find the best person for the job." However, Oakland ruled out as a practical matter an entire class of prospects from consideration in the draft—high schoolers. As Lewis admitted, "[W]ith rare exceptions the new scouting directors toss all high school players immediately onto the dumping ground." Oakland has backed away from this attitude since 2002, but it is revealing that the supposedly clear-eyed Moneyballers possessed a clear bias at the time that might have proved as costly to them as more familiar biases, criticized in the book, were for traditionally-oriented teams. Those teams correctly passed on busts like Jeremy Brown for their biases, while Beane's own bias cost Oakland the chance to draft any of the eight all-stars who signed out of high school in the draft. In other words, it is not clear from Moneyball that Oakland managed to do a better job of identifying the best talent or was much less affected by inaccurate prejudices of its own.
Instead, the great value of Moneyball methods was not better prediction or fewer mistakes, but finding cheaper, though not necessarily better players, and making cheaper mistakes when they occur. Beane's insight, which Lewis perhaps misidentifies, is not that Moneyball methods find more or better major league players than conventional approaches used by other teams. Each approach finds players that the other misses. And it isn't clear whether Beane ended up finding more production among players that other teams ruled out, or whether other teams end up finding more production among players that he ruled out. Beane's insight, instead, was to locate a different set of good players, and miss on a different set of good players, than most of the other teams do, and thereby avoid competing for the same talent and driving up his costs. Although the book emphasizes the supposed superiority of Beane's methods, it's the cost-effectiveness of asymmetry that is the more compelling point to take away from Moneyball.
In the end, Oakland's decline on the field might be understood in part as a combination of two trends. First, as many note, other teams learned to co-opt the Moneyball playbook and negate some advantages Oakland enjoyed early on. But this is only a part of the story, and it is important to note that Oakland has gravitated nearly as much in the direction of traditional approaches since Moneyball's publication.
Second, Moneyball methods proved somewhat limited over the longer run for Oakland. Moneyball has been insufficient help, at least thus far, for replacing the star players lost over time to free agency. If Moneyball provided a great advantage for finding top talent, Beane should have been able to draft replacements for Barry Zito, Miguel Tejada, Jason Giambi, and other departed all-stars. As Lewis explained, the 2002 draft was "the best chance [Oakland] might ever have to find several Barry Zito's." However, as effective as Moneyball proved for finding cheap complementary players like Hatteberg, Moneyball wasn't as helpful for finding the next set of star players like Zito. Other teams, with their traditional methods, proved very likely to find those star players just as well as Oakland.
Lewis's thesis of Moneyball superiority assumed the "blunders and the confusions" of other teams, but it turns out other teams aren't usually so stupid—in fact, Kenny Williams, the White Sox general manager repeatedly mocked in the book, won a World Series only a couple years after the book's publication. Oakland today still has nice role players discarded by other teams, such as Brad Ziegler and Justin Duchscherer, but it hasn't been able so far to adapt Moneyball methods to outperform other teams in locating the critical new stars to lead them. Borrowing the words of one baseball scout, Moneyball helped Oakland find "a bunch of safe players," but "it gets you a losing team" without the star players for them to support. Over the longer run, the greatest beneficiaries of Moneyball seem to be teams, like the Red Sox, that have nicely blended some Moneyball methods with traditional ones, rather than choosing one side or the other in what Lewis depicts too starkly as a baseball culture war.


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Upton Tea Sample Buying Spree Tea #6:
Chosen because my brother, with whom I have been jointly doing these tastings, is not here and this is the tea that made him make the most grossed out face. Honestly, his worries were completely baseless since (and I freely admit that this COULD be the result of congestion – although I am at least able to breath through my nose this morning so it's not THAT bad) I couldn't get ANYTHING out of this tea.
Seriously, it just tasted like tea. Tea-flavored tea. Perhaps lavender has the magic property of canceling out bergamot! Maybe if you made a tisane that was JUST lavender and bergamot you would get something that tasted like water! Somebody must do this…FOR SCIENCE! (I volunteer someone who is not me)
I did start to get some citrusy hints toward the end of the cup, and it certainly brewed up nice and fragrant – although fairly light colored. Definitely need to do another tasting of this one.
Upton Tea Sample Buying Spree Tea #6:


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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department has approved a possible $1.3 billion sale to Australia of up to five Gulfstream G550 aircraft with Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Electronic Warfare mission systems, a Pentagon agency said on Monday.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a statement it told Congress of the approval on June 23. The prime contractor is L3 Technologies Inc (LLL.N) of Greenville, Texas, it said.
Reporting by Eric Beech; Writing by Eric Walsh


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The year 2003 was another difficult one for the Uruguayan economy, but it was not as disastrous as the previous year. After a fall in GDP of more than 10% in 2002 and an additional decline of 6% in the first half of 2003, data for the second half showed that there was enough economic strengthening for Uruguay to record no growth or a modest decline for 2003. In May, Uruguay successfully renegotiated its private debt with an innovative bond exchange that stretched out the repayment schedule and thereby gave some breathing room for the last two years of the administration of Pres. Jorge Batlle Ibáñez and the first year of the next government. The banking system remained deeply depressed; 25% of loans at private banks were nonperforming, and such key public institutions as the Banco de la República and the Mortgage Bank (Banco Hipotecario) saw a staggering nonperforming-loan rate of 50%. The latter institution lost $1.1 billion in 2002. The sudden resignation of Finance Minister Alejandro Atchugarry did not inspire confidence, although his replacement, Isaac Alfie, was generally well received by key financial, diplomatic, and political players. A major strike in the hospital and health care system ended only after strenuous negotiations and concessions from the government.
Politically, the presidential candidates began positioning for the October 2004 elections. Former presidents—Julio María Sanguinetti of the ruling Colorado Party and Luis Alberto Lacalle of the Blanco Party—expressed interest in running, but both faced a daunting task in light of polls that showed the leftist Broad Front–Progressive Encounter coalition obtaining a majority or near majority behind its leader, Tabaré Vázquez. The December 7 national referendum on whether to break up the state-owned oil refinery monopoly or allow it to take on private partners was seen as a test of political strength prior to the upcoming elections.
|Quick Facts
|176,215 sq km (68,037 sq mi)
|(2003 est.): 3,380,000
|Head of state and government:
|President Jorge Batlle Ibáñez


text: I know this is asking a lot, but I thought I'd just request it and throw it out there. I'm not a proffessional developer or anything that's for sure, but I don't think it should be that hard to port ICS to the Thrill/O3D. The only reason it's not out already is because literally nobody has been working on it, and it's a little upsetting to me. And to be honest, I could care less if the 3D capibilities worked on the ROM or not. ICS for LG Nitro has been released on XDA I believe, I've seen a video of it. Wouldn't it be easy just to port that release onto the Thrill instead of starting from scratch and creating ICS for the Thrill? Plus, I love the new UI LG has came up with for it's ICS phones, and I believe that UI is included for the released update for the Nitro. I don't know, I'm just throwing this out there since nobody seems interested in it anymore, maybe I can get some developers out there working on it? It'd be nice, but I'm not holding my breath.


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Section 11.01 Director.
Section 11.02 Qualifications.
Section 11.03 Organization.
Section 11.04 Functions.
Section 11.05 Cooperation with other departments.
Section 11.06 Appointments.
Section 11.01 Director.
There shall be a Department of Public Works, the head of which shall be the Director of Public Works, who shall be the Town Manager or a person appointed by the manager.
Section 11.02 Qualifications.
The Director of Public Works, if the director be other than the Town Manager, shall have at least a minimum of five (5) years experience in municipal engineering.
Section 11.03 Organization.
Further organization of the department into divisions or offices shall be made by the Town Council upon the recommendation of the Town Manager. The office of Town Engineer shall be included in the Department of Public Works.
Section 11.04 Functions.
[Amended 11-7-1978]
The Department of Public Works shall be responsible for the functions and services of the town relating to:
Streets, highways, sidewalks, bridges, water courses and storm sewers;
The construction, maintenance, repair, and operation of all public buildings and other properties, other than those of the School Department, belonging to or used by the town;
The regulation of weights and measures;
Solid and liquid waste disposal; and
Any other functions as the Town Council may prescribe.
Section 11.05 Cooperation with other departments.
The Department of Public Works, under the direction of the Town Manager, shall cooperate with other departments, offices, or agencies of the town by furnishing labor, materials, and equipment provided that the cost of such cooperative effort be charged to the appropriation of the agencies thus served.
Section 11.06 Appointments.
The Town Manager shall be, or the manager shall appoint or designate the following:
The tree warden;
The town engineer;
The building inspector and assistants of the building inspector, including the plumbing and electrical inspector; and
The sealer of weights and measures.
The person holding any of said offices shall have all the powers and duties prescribed by ordinances of the Town Council and the laws of the state. The Director of Public Works shall have general supervision over the operation of said offices.


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David Wright
0 Shouts - 60,758 Scrobbles
1- David WRIGHT, american jazz guitaristRead More...
2014 has already been a productive and busy year for David, including several new group situations and two album releases! His latest release, Blue Beach Boardwalk is a mellow mainstream jazz release with bossa and latin elements, it's an enjoyable mellow and relaxing jazz jaunt ideal for the warm summer months.
His other release of 2014, Music From The International Airport Hotel Lounge is an offering solidly in the 'Modern Jazz' genre.
These releases follow up an equally busy and productive 2013, which also saw the release of two all new material jazz albums! Jazz Social a jazz release in the tradition of blues influenced jazz guitar and Juniper Snowberries, a much more 'new age jazz' type of recording. (which has been favorably likened to the early work of Pat Metheny)
Following his warmly received releases of 2006, CDBaby editors recommended Cachet and critically appreciated instrumental release Dajinosaurus and after a several year hiatus David is back, excited, inspired and rejuvenated!
Venturing into the new social technology realm David has been involved in a number of online collaborations with musicians from all over the world, including two fine Italian musicians, Tommaso Monopoli and Gianluca Grasso, Drums and Piano respectively who are currently collaborating on a project which should culminate in a CD and DVD! at some point later this year.
In a more geographically local way David has been really lucky to have been involved in the underground jazz scene at the now defunct "Berkeley Birdland Jazzista Social Club" in Berkeley California. With fellow musicians Eric Allen and Paul Lynch (the band leader), drums and bass respectively, David was a core member of this original group and helped launched this bit of Berkeley lore. He is very thankful to have benefitted from weekly performances here for several years!
From his initial early training on classical guitar and his early pianistic attempts of trying copy Keith Jarrett (Koln Concert), "I would get inspired and sit at the piano and try to play and emulate the feeling of the "Koln" concerts".
To his time spent living in Vermont, Boston, Chicago, New York playing everything from Hip Hop to Rock, backing singer-songwriters and being present in musical theatre orchestras, To his years spent playing and learning jazz, absorbing and appreciating the many sub genres of Jazz. Including Sonny Rollins, Hank Mobley, Pat Metheny, Kenny Burrell, Grant Green and Wes Montgomery. (To this day, in his appreciation of Wes Montgomery and Kevin Eubanks, Dave employs the use of his thumb and fingers exclusively, in place of a 'pick')
So although being a late bloomer, getting a late start in music at age 15, David is having more fun than ever and is finally able to combine his many varied musical influences into a cohesive end result and is very excited about what lies ahead!
David is currently focused on writing, recording and performing original music.
2-David Wright is the UK based keyboard player and composer of instrumental music who founded the electronic music label AD Music in 1989. He is also co-founder of the ambient/electronic rock band Code Indigo and the electronic instrumental music duo Callisto. His music is characterised as melodic and emotive with atmospheric, ambient and ethereal traits. His gently rhythmic style is also laced with classical, rock, jazz and cultural influences making his albums as diverse as they are original.
David Wright was born in the UK in 1953 but lived much of his early years in the Far East. An avid fan of progressive rock, his musical influences range from Pink Floyd & Mike Oldfield to the classics. David came to public attention in 1989 when his first solo release 'Reflections' was signed by Klaus Schulze's manager KD Mueller, who published David's output until 1995. Since 'Reflections', David Wright has released many instrumental music albums as a solo performer, establishing a strong reputation in Europe and the USA.
His music has been likened to Kitaro, Vangelis, Tangerine Dream, Jean Michel Jarre and Mike Oldfield. An established live performer, he has appeared with, amongst others, Jonn Serrie and Klaus Schulze. His music is regularly featured on radio playlists worldwide and has featured on Sky, British TV and numerous international CD compilations. His music has been published by Notting Hill Music since 1995 and he has released over 20 solo albums and numerous collaborative works, including with Robert Fox, Ian Boddy and Klaus Hoffmann-Hoock (Mind Over Matter).
For more information see http://www.admusiconline.com/ or http://www.davidwrightmusic.com/
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Whoa--that was a very cool and trippy effect! Really enjoyed watching it unfold! 5/5
Ooooooooooooo This is sooooo NEAT!!! I love the way it starts out in black and white and then goes into glorious colour!! 5/5 Collection!
very cool
very creative and interesting work!!!