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Upgrading Oracle: Linux vs. Windows
An ITKnowledge Exchange member asked about moving Oracle from RISC/Unix to either Windows or Linux, and fellow techies jumped in on the conversation.
"ROMEROGT" asked:
We are planning an upgrade of our main database cluster (RS6000/AIX) to Oracle on Intel. The research we've done has provided us with a lot of papers from Dell, HP and Intel about the ROI of moving out of RISC/Unix, but there is no clear evidence about performance issues between Linux and Windows Server as the selected OS. Do you have info about Oracle on Linux vs. Windows ROI and TCO? What about a performance comparison? I would appreciate something specific about Oracle, since I'm not comparing the OS, but rather the performance Oracle has on both platforms.
"ETHERAPE" responded:
We migrated four servers running Windows Oracle databases to one Linux server (Dell Poweredge with external SCSI). The advantage to us is RedHat Linux is able to address the 8+ GB of RAM for Oracle vs. only 2 GB for Windows standard server. The Enterprise CPU licenses we freed from the Windows servers are now utilized in a data warehouse project. We have a massive increase in performance, in part due to the hardware.
TCO and ROI may be hard to quantify. There was a good paper showing a 38% improvement on identical hardware using Linux, but it is gone now. If you have to provide numerical data, you may be forced to use the vendor stuff. Like I said we have a great improvement in performance, but no methodology to prove it.
I was able to convince the executives based on the savings for consolidation related to the data warehouse ($40k for a CPU is substantial), less administration costs (we have Linux/Unix servers up without reboots for years, and that is pretty convincing compared to Windows), less critical security issues and the fact that Oracle develops on Unix/Linux and ports to Windows. Gartner has some great stuff on cost of administration for Windows vs. *nix.
Even CIO and CEO marketing material is hawking Linux solutions at this point, so they should be familiar with it. Hope this helps.
"ARCHITECT57" responded:
Two years ago we performed performance trials for an SAP landscape with Red Hat and an Oracle database vs. Win2K and an Oracle database. The results were that Linux ran more than 30% faster than Win2K on the same hardware. As a result, we chose Red Hat and ultimately ran more than 1100 users in a three-tier architecture.
We also ran a significant Win2K SQL Server environment for another application. Downtime on that system far exceeds the downtime on Linux. My administrators like it better!
"MARKALLCOCK" responded:
We've been running Oracle applications on Windows NT since 1997, from 10.7 smart client through Release 11 and currently 11i. We were the first site live (in the world!) running apps on NT. We're also an official Oracle reference site. So we know a thing or two about this!
There's plenty of press about Linux vs. Windows, and most of it is conflicting. So you can always find an article to support one over the other. I think the argument is relatively simple. Both Windows and Linux offer a potentially low-cost computing platform, so the choice is more readily driven by:
- If you come from a Unix background, then migrating to Linux is no big deal, and I would suggest you stick to what you pretty much know and love.
- If you come from a non-Unix background (especially if it's mainly a Windows background), then the migration to Unix can be very costly in training and skills conversion. For those Unix/Linux lovers/Windows haters out there, here is some factual information about Oracle on Windows:
- There can be memory issues running Oracle on the 32-bit versions of Windows. The main problem is that Oracle coded all of the database-related processes to run within a single ORACLE.EXE executable, rather than keeping the processes as separate executables/threads as they do on other operating systems. All 32-bit operating systems have a fundamental 4 GB memory limit, unless they invoke some kind of extended memory handling.
- Windows Server Standard editions (NT, 2000 and 2003 varieties) limit any single process to address only 2 GB of memory, even though up to 4 GB of physical memory may be installed; the other 2 GB is reserved for operating system use. If you install the Enterprise Editions (or above) of Windows Server, you can use the 4 GT (4 GB Tuning -- use /3GB in BOOT.INI) feature to allow any executable to address up to 3 GB of memory. Also, with Windows 2000/2003 Server Enterprise Editions (and above) Oracle can address memory above 4 GB for database read buffers (check the /PAE setting at microsoft.com and AWE on Oracle MetaLink). We are currently implementing new server hardware running Windows 2003 Server Enterprise Edition with 12 GB of memory. So it can be done if you know what you are doing.
- If you use 64-bit versions of Windows, then you can have (pretty much!) as much memory as you like and can afford. At the moment, this is limited to Itanium processors, but the latest generation Intel processors with 64-bit extensions (look for EMT) and AMD 64-bit processors will be properly supported with the x86 64-bit version of Windows Server due in 2005.
- As for overall performance and reliability of Windows? Well, as an Oracle reference site, we have hosted visits from many large corporations with large, Unix-based installs. All of them were envious of both the performance of our Oracle apps and the reliability. Our system is available 24x7 and is rarely shut down, usually for applying Oracle patches!
- There can be memory issues running Oracle on the 32-bit versions of Windows. The main problem is that Oracle coded all of the database-related processes to run within a single ORACLE.EXE executable, rather than keeping the processes as separate executables/threads as they do on other operating systems. All 32-bit operating systems have a fundamental 4 GB memory limit, unless they invoke some kind of extended memory handling.
Read the rest of this thread here.
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Tourbillon MarsCONTACT
Tourbillon Mars
The Tourbillon Mars dial features a hand-crafted fragment of the Jiddat al Harasis 479 meteorite, an authentic piece of the planet Mars that fell to Earth. The Jiddat al Harasis 479 is probably more than 180 million years old.
Because of their rarity, Martian meteorites can sell for as much as US$1,000 per gram – more than 15 times the current price of gold.
The greenish-grey colour of the meteorite throws into stark relief the central silvered hour and minute hands as well as the main spring and tourbillon escapement that are revealed by the dazzling open-work dial architecture.
The escapement at 6 o'clock is mounted in a rotating tourbillon cage that helps to maximise timekeeping precision by averaging the effects of positional variations caused by gravity, while the state of wind revealed by the visible main spring at 12 o'clock provides an organic indication of the available power.
The exceptional 18k white gold case of this Meteoris Tourbillon comprises 50 components including the signature Louis Moinet crown guard and the display-back is just as spectacular as the dial-side, with the 'octopus spring' of the winding and setting mechanism taking centre stage.
The latter is effectively three springs in one – pull-out piece spring, lever spring and click spring, impressively radiating from the centre like the swirling legs of an octopus.
Technical Specifications
Tourbillon Mars is a unique piece and is showcased as part of the Meteoris Solar System.
Features and Indications
Dial and Hands
Movement and Finishing
Case and Strap

subset: commoncrawl


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An etiquette quiz for generation text
Old habits die hard, or so the saying goes. But this is a brand-new year, presenting hope and opportunity for a brand-new you - a more cultured, civilized you. To that end, we bring you an unofficial guide to improving your manners in 2009, in quiz form, dealing with everything from riding Muni to text-messaging while in the company of friends to using the correct plate for bread at a dinner party.
Why is this necessary? To make you more pleasant to be around, of course. And, in the words of Dale Carnegie, to win friends and influence people. You don't need to impress anyone? Oh, stop being a curmudgeon. There's nothing wrong with being courteous. Try it - you may like it. We know your pals will.
Electronic whirl
1Your cell phone rings in a public place. It's your significant other, loudly continuing the argument that started this morning. You:
A) Begin crying inconsolably and wail, "It's because my mother never loved me" and hope someone will offer you a tissue.
B) Shout back, "I never loved you" and include at least one swear word in every ensuing sentence. Hey, it's great entertainment for fellow citizens.
C) Suggest, "This isn't an appropriate place for me to continue this conversation. Let's talk in person tonight, OK? Goodbye."
2You're at a tapas bar with a group of friends and you get a text message from a prospective date who wants you to meet him/her somewhere else, pronto. You:
A) Feign sudden illness, cough a lot on the way out of the restaurant, then skedaddle to the nightclub to meet up with Mr./Ms. Wonderful. It's rude to ignore a message.
B) Privacy, schmivacy. Start a teasing conversation with him/her, blurting out what he/she has said to your friends and asking them to help you think up witty rejoinders so you come across as a comic genius, a la Tina Fey or Ricky Gervais.
C) Do the dinosaur: Ignore incoming messages as if you don't use a cell phone, or at least were out of range. The entertainment is live, not electronic. Your friends will be there when the romance isn't.
3A person who is a friend of a friend wants to befriend you on Facebook. You don't know this person at all. You:
A) Blow off the request. What kind of lonely freak does that?
B) Frantically search for the person on the Internet and scavenge every shred of material you can about him or her on Facebook in case he/she is hot and you may want to date him/her. Then decide.
C) Decline the request. If asked, tell your mutual friend that it is your policy to keep your online connections limited to those you truly know. Honesty is the best policy.
Social occasions
4Before dinner, you notice you've been seated at a table with people you don't know. You:
A) Ignore your table mates and bury your head in your food. Eating a lot will show the host that you really like the meal, if not the party.
B) Scout around for another table where friends are sitting, and quickly swap one of those place cards with yours at the other table. Who cares about the seating chart? You want to have fun.
C) Resolve to converse equally with the person to your right and to your left (never about politics or religion - try books, movies, vacation plans). You don't go to a party because you're hungry, you go to socialize.
5A formal invitation arrives for a party, addressed to you (not you "and guest"). You:
A) Call the host and say, "Hey, you forgot to invite Pat. I don't go anywhere without him/her, so I guess I won't be coming."
B) Show up with a guest on your arm and expect room at the table for him/her.
C) Buck up and arrive alone; the invitation had one name on it. Do you really want to bungle your host's catering plans? Furthermore: Do you ever want to be invited again?
6When you're sitting at the table, how do you know which plate to use for your bread?
A) It doesn't matter, as long as you don't drop crumbs in your lap.
B) Balance the dinner roll on the edge of your dinner plate, slather butter on it and tug with your teeth like a caveman tearing into raw meat.
C) On the small butter plate to the left of your fork, place your dinner roll and a pat of butter. Using your fingers, break a bite-size piece of your dinner roll, butter it and eat it. Dainty, but who wants to see a mouth full of cud? (If there is no bread plate, keep the bread to the left of the plate in front of you.)
Transit world
7On Muni, the only seat left is near the door. You take it, and at the next stop, a pregnant woman/elderly person boards. You:
A) Keep sitting. Finders, keepers.
B) Remain seated on the theory that standing is good exercise for old people and women about to give birth.
C) Say, "Hello, would you like this seat?" and yield it to them, no matter how much your feet hurt.
8As the Caltrain approaches the station, people on the platform begin to huddle in groups. The doors open and you:
A) Elbow your way through the crowd, jockeying for position so you can get a solo seat upstairs rather than sit next to a stranger in the four-seat configurations down below.
B) Pretend you are in a Tokyo subway and push against fellow passengers, even those with bicycles, to get them to hurry up and get on the train.
C) Stand back and wait for exiting riders to get off before you climb up the steps. You were a hall monitor in grade school: Safety and courtesy come first.
9It's rush hour on BART and commuters are packed in cheek by jowl. You board, heading to San Francisco International Airport with more than your share of luggage. You should:
A) Get off and take a cab. Why inconvenience everyone else to save $30?
B) Stand, balancing your oversize Tumi bag, rolling carry-on, laptop and purse, hoping none of it topples over onto a seated rider's head.
C) Find the face-to-face benches with more leg room and cram your luggage in there - or on your lap, not in the aisle.
Answers to etiquette quiz on Page F1 If you picked mostly A's, you are not intentionally impolite but inept, nonetheless. Most people your age have already picked up a few pointers on protocol, by osmosis. Stop living like a hermit and get out into the social swim more often. If you picked mostly B's, you are out for numero uno, and not thinking of others first, which makes you intentionally rude. Bone up for your next real-life test by cramming an etiquette handbook (or three) before accepting any more invitations. If you picked mostly C's, you are a shining beacon of good behavior. You hate to make anyone feel uncomfortable in any situation, no matter how difficult it is. Good for you. Now stop rubbing it in if your partner/spouse/significant other failed the quiz. That's bad manners. Sources: "Miss Manners' Guide to Excruciatingly Correct Behavior"; Letitia Baldrige's "New Manners for New Times"; MuniManners.com; common sense.


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Red Auerbach, who built the Boston Celtics into one of the greatest dynasties in sports, presiding over 16 National Basketball Association championship teams as a coach, general manager and club president, died Saturday in Washington. He was 89.
His death was announced by the Celtics. The cause was a heart attack, The Associated Press reported.
A presence in pro basketball for 60 years -- his coaching career stretching back to the birth of the N.B.A. -- Auerbach had a relentless will to win and he was a supreme judge of talent. He was a combative figure who always sought an edge, whether taunting his foes by lighting premature victory cigars on the bench or going jaw to jaw with the referees. Auerbach coached the Celtics to nine N.B.A. championships, eight of them consecutively from 1959 to 1966. He built another six championship teams as the Celtics' general manager and oversaw a final one, in 1986, as the team's president, a position he held at the time of his death.
When Auerbach turned over the Celtics' coaching position to his star center Bill Russell in 1966, after 20 seasons as an N.B.A. coach and 16 of them in Boston, he was No. 1 in career victories with a record of 938-479. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1969 and he was named the greatest coach in N.B.A. history by the Professional Basketball Writers Association of America in 1980.
His nine N.B.A. championships as a coach have been equaled only by Phil Jackson, who won six with the Chicago Bulls and three with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Auerbach was also a pioneer in race relations. In 1950, his first season coaching the Celtics, he chose Chuck Cooper of Duquesne University as the first black player selected in an N.B.A. draft. In the 1963-64 season, the Celtics became the first N.B.A. team to start a game with an all-black lineup: Russell, K. C. Jones, Sam Jones, Tom Sanders and Willie Naulls.
When Auerbach named Russell as his coaching successor, it was the first time a black had become coach of a major American professional sports team.
A Brooklyn native, Auerbach took his place among the historical figures of New England on his 68th birthday, when a life-size statue of him was unveiled in Boston's Faneuil Hall. Auerbach's book "Basketball for the Player, the Fan and the Coach," written in the early 1950's, has been widely translated.
Auerbach was consumed by a quest to excel on the basketball court. It brought him something of a lonely existence. Because his wife, Dorothy, and their two daughters remained at the Auerbachs' home in Washington during the long basketball winters, family life seldom encroached on his single-minded devotion to the sport.
"The game was my livelihood, my whole guts," he said in "Red Auerbach: An Autobiography," written with Joe Fitzgerald. As he put it: "I had to win. I wanted to be good in whatever I did. I wanted to be the very best teacher I possibly could be. I wanted to be the very best player I could possibly be. And I wanted to be the very best coach I could possibly be. Could I be a good coach and lose? To me, that's like asking if a guy can be a good doctor even though his patients keep dying."
Auerbach was often crusty and left no question as to who was the boss, although he considered his players' suggestions on strategy. Insisting on team play over individual goals, he created an aura around the Celtics perhaps matched in American sports only by the Yankees' mystique.
"He wanted everybody to know that when they put on a Celtics uniform, they were part of a tradition, something that was worth working for," Wayne Embry, a former Celtics center and later an N.B.A. coach and executive, once told The Chicago Tribune. "He'd bark and growl at his players, but there was always a reason for it, and they got the message. On the Celtics, you accepted your role and took pride in being the best."
Arnold Jacob Auerbach was born Sept. 20, 1917, in Brooklyn. His father was an immigrant from Russia who ran a dry-cleaning business. Everyone called him Red from the days when he helped in the family business. A 5-foot-10 guard, he played basketball at Eastern District High School in Brooklyn and at George Washington University.
His college coach, Bill Reinhart, who taught a fast-break style that few teams used in those days, proved to be a major influence on his tactics. Auerbach was soon teaching the game, coaching high school basketball in Washington.
After serving in the Navy during World War II, Auerbach made his pro coaching debut with the 1946-47 Washington Capitols in the inaugural season of the Basketball Association of America, the forerunner of the N.B.A. He coached the Capitols to the Eastern Division title with a 49-11 regular-season record, although the Philadelphia Warriors won the league championship. After three seasons with the Capitols, Auerbach coached the Tri-Cities Blackhawks, a team based in Illinois, for a season.
In 1950, Walter Brown, the founder and owner of the Celtics, an original N.B.A. franchise but a floundering team with little fan support, hired Auerbach as coach and gave him full authority over the basketball operations. Boston was a baseball and a hockey town, the Red Sox and the Bruins dominating the sports scene at a time when pro basketball was a poor relation to the college game.
Auerbach got off to a shaky start with the Boston news media and many local college basketball fans when he passed up a chance to select Bob Cousy, a star guard at Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass., in the 1950 draft. He dismissed Cousy as a "local yokel" whose ball-handling brilliance clashed with his concepts of team play.
But Cousy became a Celtic when his Chicago Stags team folded before the season and Auerbach had to take him in a dispersal arrangement. Auerbach's basketball acumen now began to pay off. He helped Cousy harness his talents, developing him into the rookie of the year. Cousy soon became a fan attraction rivaling only George Mikan, the Minneapolis Lakers center.
Auerbach picked up Ed Macauley, a fine frontcourt shooter, and he molded teams that went to the playoffs for six consecutive seasons. He had turned the Celtics' fortunes around, but the team lacked one key ingredient -- a center who could snare rebounds to touch off fast breaks, and frustrate opposing shooters with stifling defense.
Auerbach got his man when he worked a deal with the St. Louis Hawks to enable him to draft Russell in 1956 out of the University of San Francisco. Russell's athleticism at a position formerly dominated by slow, plodding types complemented Cousy's passing and shooting and the offensive skills of guard Bill Sharman, propelling the Celtics into a dynasty.
The Celtics won their first championship in 1957. Then, after losing to the Hawks in the 1958 finals, they won eight championships in a row.
"Well, there was a lot of luck involved," Cousy told Jeff Greenfield in "The World's Greatest Team: A Portrait of the Boston Celtics, 1957-69."
Cousy, among the few people who referred to Auerbach as anything but Red, added: "But Arnold directed that luck. I give him much more credit for what he did after he won the first few championships than before. At the start of every year, the guys, particularly those who had been through the losing years, knew what it meant to win. And each year, they wanted it again and again."
Russell paid tribute to Auerbach's ability to handle his players as individuals while blending them into a speedy and defensively aggressive team. "Red had the greatest of ears," Russell told USA Today in 2004. "After he talked to a player four times, he knew how to communicate with him. And that's important. And you can't treat everybody the same. If you treated everybody the same, they'd all get the same salary.
"Each year after I got in shape, Red didn't have me scrimmage anymore. He said he's not going to play me 46 minutes a game and wear me out in practice, too. So when we started scrimmaging, I'd go sit on the scorer's table and drink tea."
As John Havlicek put it in his foreword to Auerbach's autobiography: "His greatest talent was knowing how to handle men and how to react to any game situation. He would curse us, coddle us, maybe even enrage us. Anything he thought would make us perform better."
Auerbach's combativeness bedeviled the referees. Game program in hand, he would harangue officials like Sid Borgia and Mendy Rudolph. In a 1963 Celtics-Knicks matchup, Rudolph slapped three technical fouls on Auerbach and threw him out. Auerbach retaliated by ordering his team off the floor for a while. And that was in an exhibition game.
Before a game in the 1957 finals in St. Louis, Auerbach angered the Hawks' owner, Ben Kerner, who charged at him when the Celtics measured the height of the baskets to make sure they were within regulations. Auerbach won that dust-up by punching Kerner in the mouth.
Auerbach relished enraging opposing owners, coaches and players by lighting up his victory cigar in the closing moments of a game the Celtics had put away. Cousy once remembered how "Paul Seymour and Alex Hannum used to tell me they didn't care about the N.B.A. championship; they just wanted to squash Arnold's cigar."
With Auerbach concentrating solely on his general manager's role, the Celtics won N.B.A. championships in 1968, '69, '74, '76, '81 and '84. One of his greatest coups was exploiting a loophole to draft Larry Bird in 1978, when Bird was a junior at Indiana State, still a year away from the N.B.A. His last championship team as general manager featured Bird, Robert Parish and Kevin McHale.
Auerbach relinquished day-to-day control of the Celtics before the 1984-85 season, turning the general manager's role over to his assistant, Jan Volk, but retaining the club presidency he had held for the previous decade and a half. The Celtics captured the N.B.A. championship in 1986, but they have not won a league title since.
Auerbach is survived by his daughters, Nancy Auerbach Collins and Randy Auerbach, a granddaughter and three great-grandchildren. His wife, Dorothy, died in 2000.
In January 1985, Auerbach was honored at Boston Garden. Some 40 Celtics from four decades of Auerbach teams surrounded him in a circle on the parquet floor, and a banner was hoisted with a symbolic No. 2. (Banner No. 1 was for Walter Brown.)
Tom Heinsohn, a former star forward who often incurred Auerbach's wrath, noticed a large sound system on the court set up for the ceremony. Heinsohn exclaimed, "They need a sound system for him?"
Reprinted from yesterday's late editions.


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Hastings is so lucky to have such willing and able folks who help us run every screening.
In return for volunteering with us, we have an active social calendar including regular volunteer get-togethers, pizza and movie nights, the famous annual Christmas Dinner, and a general affable atmosphere!
If you'd like to join the team, please get in touch with Alan the manager by email, and he'll get back to you with more info as soon as he can.
We ask that volunteers be available for two screenings a month.
Other ways to support the Electric Palace
If you're unable to commit to volunteering at the moment, but you'd like to help us in another way, we're all ears! Do get in touch if so (see the various contact info).
We rely on your support and enthusiasm for our calendar of events and the venue as a whole, and we appreciate all your kind compliments – on and offline.
If you'd like to support us further, here are just a few ideas for how you can help:
- Follow us on Facebook (and invite your friends to do the same)
- Follow us on Twitter (and retweet us when you fancy it!)
- Follow us on Instagram
- Sign up to our enewsletter and encourage others to do the same
- Review us online
- Hire us for your event
- Stock our listings brochure in your venue (contact us if you'd like us to drop some round)
- Donate to us
- See films at the Electric Palace whenever you get the opportunity!


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System Integrators Critical in Kaizen Events According to Business Excellence Magazine
Livonia, MI -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/28/2014 -- Trilogiq USA, based in Livonia, Michigan, pioneered the holistic team consultative approach using an evaluation methodology. In the current issue of Business Excellence, Thomas R. Cutler explored the relationship between a Kaizen event and system integrators. The article, titled, "The Role of Expert System Integrators for Best Practice," Cutler explained the majority of system integrators in material handling can be described as order-takers. Rather than actively seeking all the possible integrated automation solutions for the end-user customer, products are ordered, delivered, and installed.
At Trilogiq USA, lean manufacturing is an elevated concept, yet much of the waste to be eliminated and continued process improvement can be made in the very smallest incremental improvements. Strategically planning to work with a singular expert system integrator to analyze, assess, and acquire the best overall integrated solutions may reveal something as simple as tubing selection to achieve lean best practice results.
According to Cutler, "Kaizen is a daily process, the purpose of which goes beyond simple productivity improvement. It is also a process that, when done correctly, humanizes the workplace, eliminates overly hard work, and teaches people how to perform experiments on their work using the scientific method and how to learn to spot and eliminate waste in business processes. The process suggests a humanized approach to workers and to increase productivity."
To read the entire article, go to: http://www.trcutlerinc.com/businessexcellence-2014-01.pdf.
About Trilogiq USA
Trilogiq USA is a full service provider of holistic material handling solutions including in-house engineering capabilities, proprietary products, purchased products, as well as custom designed solutions. The company delivers engineered to order material handling applications to the manufacturing industry. While the company specialty is turnkey projects taken from design to delivery, experience ranges from large turnkey projects to specific, single application development, and any specialty projects.
Trilogiq USA (http://www.trilogiqusa.com) was founded in 2000 to provide material handling solutions to manufacturing organizations, with an initial focus on the automotive industry. Trilogiq USA was a pioneer in identifying automotive industry manufacturing successes and adapting solutions to other industries including aerospace, electronics, appliances, and logistics. Working in all production and manufacturing industry sectors including distribution and warehousing, has made Trilogiq USA the first full-service implementer of best-practice production process improvement solutions.
Follow Trilogiq USA on Twitter @TrilogiqUSA.
Sarah Cunningham
Marketing Coordinator


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Scholastic's Reading Pro scheme
Note: Please open in Google Chrome, as certain functions will not work correctly in Internet Explorer
Library Information
The Anglo European School Library is open throughout the school day and is a vibrant, busy and popular area of the school where students are able to study, work and read in an engaging environment.
All students are encouraged to use the wide range of exceptional and diverse resources available to them within the library for assistance and progress with their studies, as well as for leisure and general interest, and to enable them to develop their study skills. All students in years 7 and 8 take part in one library lesson per cycle, and all Year 7 students take part in a comprehensive library induction.
As well as 30 computers, all linked to the internet with coloured printing ability, there are numerous tables and seating areas for individual and/or class use. There are also sofas and comfortable chairs to enhance quiet reading time and an excellent, well stocked selection of resources to facilitate effective study and support wider reading.
All students are automatically members of the library and can borrow up to three resources at any one time for a maximum of three weeks. The library stocks a variety of resources for all levels and abilities, including;
- Modern fiction, classic novels, graphic and Manga novels, short stories, poetry, plays and autobiographies.
- Information books covering subjects such as cookery, art, geography, history, sciences, sports and religion. All students have access to a large selection of Key Stage 3 and GCSE Study Guides covering all the main subject areas.
- Reference books including encyclopaedias, English and foreign language dictionaries and atlas guides (please note, most reference books are for use within the library only and are therefore not available for loan).
- We can also offer foreign language books, a selection of magazines (including BBC Focus, Good Food, The Economist) and newspapers.
- Other facilities available include document scanning, photocopying from 10p per sheet and a mini 'Stationery Shop' which is open at morning break and lunchtime. We are also fortunate to have separate Sixth Form and Careers resource areas as well.
What's happening in the Library
We often have activities and events taking place in the library. We have been lucky enough in the past to host visits from numerous popular authors such as Meg Rosoff, Darren Shan, Joe Craig and Simon Mayo.
We actively encourage students to take part in literary competitions and make use of opportunities, for example promoting the BBC's 500 Words competition and volunteer opportunities with local libraries. We also encourage students to become 'Library Assistants' whereby students wishing to become more involved in the day to day running of the school library can learn more about what goes on and play an active role.
(March 2017)
Study Club
As the Anglo European School Study Club enters its tenth year its popularity and success continues to grow. This unique resource is open to all pupils every day before school from 8am, during lunch time and after school until 5pm. It offers independent learning where pupils choose to attend whenever they wish for as long as they wish, as long as they have school work to complete.
David Barrs Co-Head Teacher had a vision that all pupils should be offered the opportunity to complete all assignments and homework, whilst fresh in their mind, within the school environment, thereby extending the school day and alleviating the stress of homework away from the home.
With so many parents working long hours, homework can be an added burden. Added to this, the schools unique ethos contributes too many pupils choosing to travel long distances and time becomes a key factor in stress at home at the end of the day. Offering a resource where there are resources and staff on hand to give support and guidance to any pupil should they need it, alleviates this issue.
The Anglo European Study Club opened its doors in the spring term of 2007, with one member of staff whose challenge was to integrate this resource into the normal school day where pupils and staff were all familiar with the benefits that could be afforded by using it. Mrs Hill, the Study Club Manager, quickly recognised that communication and promotion would be key to this, and regular assemblies with pupils and communication with all staff have greatly contributed to its success. By the end of the first year it was apparent that its success with pupil's attendance meant that additional staffing was required and Mrs Whitehead joined the team. The aim at this stage was to promote the resource as soon as pupils entered the school, with the view that they would continue to use it as they progressed throughout their school life. During this period, it was recognised that those pupils who travel on the school buses were missing-out on having the opportunity to use the resource as travel times are controlled. To meet this demand lunch time Study Club was introduced and managed by Mrs Whitehead.
As the popularity of the resource continued to grow with pupils, additional staff members have been introduced into the team and three members of staff are available to support and guide the pupils. Staff who work in the resource are completely committed to giving all pupils who attend the support, guidance and help that they can to ensure that the pupils can complete the task they have. If this is not possible pupils can be re-directed to the many subject specific clinics that are available to them to use within the school.
All pupils within the school are familiar with the resource and fully recognise the benefits that they can get from using it. Pupils are aware that they should only use the resource if they have a task to complete, whether that be homework or revision. Those attending can be from any Year group, those who can complete the task in hand without assistance and those who require support, all know that there will always be a member of staff available to assist them. Creating a stimulating ever changing working environment for the staff who never know what subject area or at what level they might be required to give support in.
When asked how pupils feel they have benefited from using the resource, comments have included:-
"I didn't come in Year 7, but then my friends started to go, so I thought it would be easier to do homework than go home and then trying to get on with it.
I found I liked the atmosphere because there are people around you and people to help you. If I was to do my homework at home, like I use to, it would be in the lounge but here there is noise, but its good noise".
"Coming to Study Club has benefited me in revising for exams and completing my homework the resources are good there are computers that I can use and there are always staff here to help. Also I enjoy knowing that I can get all my homework done then go home and have my own free time".
"I come when I need to do my homework, not every day. I come and work independently but I know there will always be someone there to help me if I'm stuck".
"I've attended since Year 8, it's good, I think it's had a great impact on me because you can get stressed out at home but at school I feel less stressed in Study Club. I like that I can come and do what I need to do and just go. It's in a good place where there is plenty of room, better than a class room, we have good resources and we can ask the Study Club staff for anything, if they don't' have and they will get it for us quickly".
"We do not have a computer or printer at home so I would really miss it. I will always use it because it helps me and it's a really nice place to come".
By using the resource, pupils can benefit not only from having staff on- hand to help them, if they require it, and all the resources they may need, it also fosters friendships across the school within different Year groups, where pupils work together to help one another.
As each new academic year commences, Mrs Hill sets- out to achieve another goal. Over the past two years, the focus has been around ensuring that those pupils taking their GCSE exams are fully prepared. By focusing pupils at the beginning of Year 10 on the benefits of preparation through promotional assemblies it has been Study Club's aim to ensure that all GCSE pupils have the opportunity to use the resource.
When asked his thoughts on what impact he felt Study Club had on his Year group last year Mr Burrows commented :-
"The Study Club is a lifeline to GCSE success, it's as simple as that. It's no coincidence that those students who performed the best, were the same students who had the self-discipline and work ethic to make use of the business-like and supportive environment of the Study Club every night after school until 5pm. Highflyers like Jelani Watson-Gayle, Pippa Blunden and Harry Tomsett had a lot of extra-curricular commitments and were still able to get the best out of themselves thanks to the Study Club and their own perseverance in using it.
Similarly, students who hadn't given a good account of themselves in the past, post-mock exams, were able to turn things around and get good results. That's because they changed their ways and buckled down. They became regular faces in the Study Club from 8am until 5pm, every single day. This was from late January right up until May. I wish I'd had a Study Club for my GCSEs, I had to use my grandparents' house".
Miss Dempster past Year Leader commented on the impact Study Club had on a particular student in her Year group:-
"I never appreciated how much Study Club can help students grow in confidence and overcome some of the challenges they face at secondary school until I worked with Mrs Hill, our Study Club Manager, as a Year Leader. One of the students in my year group was struggling with completing homework as they did not always understand what to do. I suggested going to Study Club to help overcome this and it was met with worry from the student. They reluctantly agreed to go and see what happened. As soon as they arrived Mrs Hill introduced herself and put the student at ease, from which point forward, they attended regularly and credited the support received from Study Club as one of the reasons for their success at GCSE and beyond. Study Club provides a safe and supportive environment for all students to complete work and gain extra guidance and support and I know students of all abilities and years appreciate it and find it invaluable, especially when worrying about exams".
When asked her opinion as an overview of Study Club Mrs Keans Science Teacher commented:-
"As a teacher, I have found the Study club has been a very useful resource. I know that if my Year 7 students forget their instructions about using Showmyhomework they can obtain guidance at Study Club (and so avoid a homework detention!). Similarly, if a student has missed a lesson, the staff at Study Club will find the appropriate topic in a Revision Guide, to help the student to cover the missed work. The staff are also adept at helping students to find appropriate websites to tackle individual research projects. I particularly valued the help given to a GCSE student who was struggling to prepare for his Controlled Assessment. Mrs Hill kindly took the time to familiarise herself with the precise requirements of the assessment in order to guide the student through his preparation. Many thanks to all the staff at the Study Club"!
Mrs Hill believes that:- "With the ever increasing expectations on parents, more families find themselves in a situation where both parents work long hours, putting greater pressure on the family unit when they join together at the end of the day. This is a time when they should have family time together and not have this compromised by the additional stress of completing homework. By offering a resource that enables pupils to choose to attend if they have homework to complete both before and after school, it is meeting two requirements; it not only takes the pressure away from the home it also give pupils empowerment to be responsible for their own learning making them independent, self-disciplined learners who will develop the independent commitment to learning that is required of them to achieve the very best GCSE grades".
When asked, parents have expressed their delight at how the resource has impacted on their children and their home life, commenting:-
"Just one of the greatest things that The Anglo European School offers.
My daughter, Serena, finds this club very useful to her; it contributes to how well she does at school too. "One continuous day's work, better than bringing it home to do" says Serena. She enjoys the atmosphere around her, the help she receives from Mrs Hill, when stuck on tricky homework. She makes use of all the resources that are available to her.
Once homework is done, she has the evening free to relax and continue with her outside school activities.
Serena's life has been so much more organised since attending Study Club. Thank you very much for offering this club! We are truly grateful to the staff".
Another parent commented:-
"I would strongly recommend any parent to encourage their child to attend Study Club. Mrs Hill gives every child tremendous support. It is a welcoming environment with all the resources required at hand to help with any homework, revision or questions your child may have and there are other students of all ages and abilities that attend who all help each other.
Mrs Hill provided fantastic support for my son who attended regularly from year 7-11".
A template such as this, is certainly a great additional resource that any school could replicate. By giving the pupils, rather than the parents, the responsibility of choice, it is not an 'After School Club' rather an independent learning resource and therefore holds no responsibility to the school for the pupils time once they have completed their chosen assignment. Resources such as this give flexibility to the extended school day and works particularly well in areas where pupils commute to school, as well as to those who live in close proximity. Additionally, by offering a Study Club resource at lunch time, managed by Mrs Whitehead, it ensures that those pupils who travel by school transport, and therefore must leave at the end of the normal school day, are not penalised from having use of the resource and the support and guidance of the staff within it. This also ensures that at all times the school is offering independent learning opportunities for all pupils when they are not in lesson time.
The Study Club is a tremendously popular and important feature of the Library and the services it offers. Before and after school and during the lunch break – monitored and supported by our Study Club Managers and students are able to use all library facilities for study, research and completion of school work.
Students are enthusiastically encouraged to attend and given guidance to assist them in the completion all school assignments and homework, and have access to the school network, textbooks, revision guides and any other resources required to complete their work.


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My history with fighting games runs long and deep. Street Fighter 2: Turbo was my introduction to the scene with my brother and my local friends often battling it out for hours on end. The obsession continued through multiple console generations and titles like Tekken and Soul Calibur. It's always been a genre that has only ever done well with local multiplayer, the few forays I've had into online fighting games stymied by lag (a sin in a frame perfect world). So when I saw For Honor, a fighting game/hack and slash hybrid, I was instantly intrigued. However the execution has unfortunately brought back some bad memories whilst cementing a few not-so-great ones.
For ages the world of man has been at war, spurred on by the upheaval of the world that came without warning. But the world has always searched for peace and for a time it has come. However there are those who seek to return the world to war; to find the strongest to rule over the weak. You are but a pawn in this war, ordered to do the bidding of Apollyon: the one who seeks nothing more than eternal conflict. Are you a sheep who awaits their slaughter? Or will you rise as a wolf among those sheep and feast upon those who fall to your blade.
For Honor is a spectacular looking game, one that's sure to make good use of all the horsepower available to it. This comes to us care of the AnvilNext 2.0 engine which has powered the last 2 Assassin's Creeds, Steep and Rainbow Six Siege. All the modern trimmings like physically based rendering, proper global illumination and realistic cloth and weather systems are all present and very noticeable. It's one of the few games which, at least on my system, looks far better in the cut scenes that aren't pre-rendered. If you're playing on PC it's probably worth tweaking a few settings as the selected defaults are a little weird, like turning v-sync on by default (a sin for us G-Sync/FreeSync users). It also manages to maintain fairly consistent performance even when there's a lot going on, something which is unfortunately rare these days.
The combination of a fighting game with a hack and slash is For Honor's selling point; an attempt to recreate the kind of epic knightly battles we're all used to seeing in movies. How it works in practice is thus: you're on a battlefield with other players (and AI, if you're playing a mode with them) and when you and another player lock eyes with each other you go into fighting mode. After that point it's quite like a traditional fighting game with all the combos, blocks and parries that fighting game veterans will be familiar with. Of course if you're playing with more than one other player there's every chance you'll be ganged up on (or be doing that yourself to others) which changes the fighting dynamics considerably. Outside of that part of the game you'll likely be running around slaughtering the AI whilst capping points. There's 12 classes to choose from and as you play through the game you'll unlock new abilities and loot to customise both your looks and stats. It's a lot to take in at first look but the mandatory tutorials ensure that you'll have a firm grounding before you're thrown into the mix with other players.
The online combat however unfortunately suffers from what all online fighting games have: lag. For Honor is probably the only game that I know of that utilises a peer to peer netcode that also includes each player running their own simulation. What this means is that, instead of one player keeping the game state consistent (which can give rise to the "host advantage" issue) each and every player is calculating the game state. When you're playing this means that your ping is different to each and every player on the battle field, leading to rather inconsistent results. Moves that would appear to work perfectly on one player will seemingly fail to work on others, some players will glitch around whilst others don't and, worst of all, one person desynching can end up completely trashing the entire game state and killing the game (I had this happen no less than 3 times).
Part of this is due to the matchmaking which seemingly struggles to find a game even at the busiest periods of the day. Even during "very high activity" periods, as identified by the game itself, it would still have to look at all regions and all player skill levels to find me a game. Undoubtedly this has led to me being matched with people who have pings in the hundreds of milliseconds to me which means we're dozens of frames apart from each other. It might not sound like much but it can be the difference between being able to parry attacks and getting hit every single time. This lacklustre matchmaking meant that no two games played out the same way, each of them having some kind of annoying lag or netcode related glitch that impacted on game play.
The UI, which was obviously designed with consoles in mind, also needs some love in order for it to be usable. Menu items appear to defy common conventions for where they should be with numerous things stashed under Social or Multiplayer for inexplicable reasons. Further to this the party system, whilst allowing you to send invites in game, requires you to Shift + F2 to accept an invite through Uplay instead. I wouldn't even bother mentioning a minor annoyance like that if it wasn't for the fact that the parties also seem to randomly drop players whenever the game feels like it. Honestly for a game that had a relatively long closed beta, as well as a shorter open beta, I would have expected teething issues like this to be sorted already.
The loot system teeters on the edge of being pay to win with obvious gaps between players who've dumped cash on it and those who haven't. Whilst it's tempered by the fact that all loot is a trade off some are far, far better trade offs than others. This means that, when you're not matched against similarly geared players, it's an order of magnitude harder to win than it is otherwise. If you're skilled enough sure, you can still beat them, but if they're even mildly co-ordinated there's really no point in sticking around. Indeed since there's no penalty for leaving games you should do exactly that if winning is a distant possibility.
The amount of effort put into the single player is surprising, given that much of the game's marketing focused on the online multi aspect. Unfortunately it's not particularly engaging as fighting AIs are either outright cheaters or a push over. The story is also somewhat confused, seemingly searching for a reason to match up all the various factions against each other at least once and to demonstrate all the multiplayer maps. Personally if they had gone multi-only I don't think I would've missed the campaign as it felt like a chore more than anything else. After I got bored of playing on hard I dropped it down to easy hoping that would improve things (being an unstoppable killing machine can be fun, for a while) but even that couldn't slake my boredom.
Despite all this I do appreciate what Ubisoft Montreal tried to accomplish here. It's rare these days that a game can be truly unique and For Honor, for all its faults, really is a new kind of game. There are some issues that could be fixed easily enough, like the UI and loot system, but further fundamental improvements likely aren't possible. Fighting games and online play have always had a troubled past and Ubisoft's attempt at fixing it simply doesn't work as intended. I honestly don't know how you'd go about making this work either but there has to be a solution that doesn't lead to the consistently inconsistent experience that I had whilst playing For Honor. Hopefully Ubisoft sells enough copies this time that they can revisit the IP, potentially with a new idea for improving the netcode in hand.
Rating: 6.5/10
For Honor is available on PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4 right now for $59.99. Game was played on the PC with 13 hours of total play time and 78% of the achievements unlocked.
Atmospheric puzzlers have typically been bound to the mobile market. The bite sized puzzles lend themselves well to the platform, allowing you to work through a few when you have a moment or two spare. This often means they don't translate well; it's rare that you'll want to boot up your PC or console just to play for a couple minutes. Some do better than others though and Linelight, which is only available on PC and PlayStation 4, manages to be better than most. It is, however, still a step below story based puzzler games, but that's par for the course in this genre.
The game's core mechanic is simple: you're a little green light and you have to collect the yellow stars by following a pre-determined path. At first this is pretty easy, simply follow the route and you're done. As the puzzles roll on though more and more mechanics will get thrown at you, requiring you to figure out how best to use them. Towards the end of each world you'll then also be greeted by a sister line that will follow you around, presenting another layer of challenge. There's also a bevy of secret puzzles laid around for you to find, all of them hiding in plain sight.
Linelight takes an extremely minimalistic approach to visuals, favouring soft colours bathed in neon glows from all the little lines. There's the odd particle effect here or there for when you pick up something or complete a level, but nothing more beyond that. The backing soundtrack though is decidedly pleasant, providing a lovely ambience that casually reacts to whatever is happening on screen. This makes playing Linelight quite a relaxing and zen-like experience which is probably my favourite thing about atmospheric puzzlers. Well that and their shorter lengths, something this reviewer appreciates when he's short on time!
The mechanics are relatively straightforward with the "tutorial" for each mechanic built into the puzzles themselves. You'll be introduced to the mechanic using a simple puzzle and after there it quickly ramps up, requiring a healthy dose of non-linear thinking. Quite a few will also require semi-precise timing in order to pull off, lest you find yourself trapped or dead. Also unless you're probing every nook and cranny of Linelight's puzzles you're not likely going to trip over any of the secrets. Indeed I didn't know there were any secrets until I accidentally managed to go in a direction that appeared to be impossible.
The puzzles don't lend themselves well to emergent solutions but I did manage to encounter a few issues when I solved something in particular ways. For instance it appears when you get the "tail" addition that part isn't capable of progressing you to the next section, only your front line is. Of course this only necessitated a restart to checkpoint to solve so it was no big deal. Other than that there really were no technical issues to report.
However, even though Linelight does a lot better than its peers in terms game play, I still couldn't do more than about 20 minutes per session with it. Like all games based on a core mechanic with slight variations there's not much to drive you on once you reach a good stopping point. I mean I still came back 3 times over a few days but past that I didn't really feel compelled to go back. I'm really not sure what games like this can do to keep people like me coming back though.
Linelight is a great distraction that combines minimal visuals with a great backing soundtrack. The simple mechanics make for frustration free play, the puzzles whizzing on by as your little light speeds from one side of the screen to the other. It is a little lacking in the (re)playability department though with most of my sessions not exceeding 20 minutes or so. That being said I think it's still worth the price of admission, if only for the lovely piano plinking.
Rating: 7.5/10
Linelight is available on PC and PlayStation 4 right now for $9.99. Game was played on the PC with 84 minutes of total play time and 24% of the achievements unlocked.
If there's one genre I'll go to great lengths to avoid it's survival horror. This wasn't always the case though. Back in my youth I spent many a night playing my way through the top titles of the genre like Silent Hill and Resident Evil. However after about Resident Evil 3 I found myself attracted to other genres and left survival horror behind me. Looking back over my reviews the only real game I've played in this genre recently would be Dying Light, some 2 years previous. Try as I might to avoid the hype around the latest Resident Evil it seemed like, if I was ever going to dive back into the series, now would be the time. I'm glad I did as whilst I've affirmed that survival horror still isn't my favourite thing in the world it's hard to deny that Resident Evil 7: Biohazard is a very well crafted game.
In a stark departure from (what I remember of) the Resident Evil series you play as a civilian called Ethan. Your wife, Mia, went missing 3 years ago after taking a job at sea for an undetermined period of time. Out of the blue you received an email from her, saying that she needed help and to come and get her. So you make your way down to a derelict plantation estate in Dulvey, Louisiana to try and find her. What you discover there though is beyond any reasonable explanation and you soon discover the horrors that have kept Mia away from you all that time.
Biohazard is Capcom's first full game to use the new RE Engine which, if I'm honest, doesn't seem that impressive on first blush. There are some parts which are definitely impressive, like Mia's hair and some of the more…lively parts of the environment. However the level of detail is probably a step or two behind what I've come to expect in games of this calibre. Since the majority of the game is spent in dark areas this isn't an issue most of the time. However when you get up and close the lack of detail becomes readily apparent. This is made up for somewhat by the animations which are much better done. Of course you're not playing a survival horror game for the visuals, you're playing it to get the pants scared off of you.
Biohazard's game play feels similar to other successful survival horror games like Outlast and Amnesia. The trademark mechanics of the series are still here, like the inventory management, crafting and obscure puzzles. However with everything taking place in the first person you're now up close and personal with everything that's going on (and for those brave enough to try this out on PlayStation VR you can fully immerse yourself in it, joy!). This does make some things easier, like combat, but of course there's trade offs like not being able to see around corners to see some things before they have chance to induce a pants soiling moment. Indeed Biohazard tends much more towards horror than previous instalments have.
Combat is as you'd expect it to be: frustrating, panic inducing and often at times completely futile. This is, of course, by design as something that had the glass smooth FPS combat mechanics of Call of Duty would not make for great survival horror. Still your FPS skills aren't completely useless with well placed head shots ensuring that you use less ammo overall, giving you a bit of a buffer to play with. Mastering the block will ensure that you don't burn through as many healing items but, honestly, you shouldn't need to use it most of the time if you know how to kite the enemies around properly. One thing (and most survival horror games are guilty of this) that really irritated me is that it's sometimes impossible to tell when an enemy has actually died save for pumping a few more bullets into them. Again, this is a design decision (done to make ammo even more precious) but it does get annoying when that moulded gets up for the billionth time in a row.
Biohazard isn't a fan of holding your hand and will only sparingly grant tips upon your death. For the most part this is fine as it encourages you to explore and figure things out for yourself. Sometimes though it's an exercise in frustration, like when you learn that the first big enemy you face can't actually be killed (only after wasting several clips on him). After a while though you'll get familiar enough with the various quirks and things start to get a lot better from then on. There are some parts that are maybe a little too subtle in the way they hint at what you're supposed to do, leading to a lot of unnecessary back-tracking to try and figure out what you missed. This might just be me though, having not played the Resident Evil series for the better part of 15 years.
The horror aspect is done exceptionally well, making you scared of the smallest bump or scrape that you might here. I can't tell you how many times I had to step back and forwards over a little patch to make sure it was me making the noise and not something else. The jump scares are used sparingly enough that they really are quite shocking and do their job in putting you on edge for the rest of the game. Moments of panic are used to great effect, ensuring that you'll blow through a lot more ammo than you'd otherwise would have. Whilst this isn't the type of game I'd regularly play it's hard not to admire the way they use the environment to keep you on edge all the time. It does start to run out of puff in the last third of so, which is probably my biggest gripe with Biohazard.
You see in games like this I pride myself on being able to build a massive stockpile in order to take some of the "survival" out of the horror. Now it seems most games have a horrible habit of stripping that horde away from you in aid of an artificial challenge bump. Biohazard does this at a pivotal moment, forcing you to start from the beginning again. The game does provide context for this, and to its credit does give you back everything at the end of that section, but that means that particular part drags on significantly. The last section then just feels unnecessary as you're packed to the rafters with very little that can challenge you. I'm sure veterans of the series could blast through this in no time flat, and thus the last third be much less of an issue, but 8 hours of being on tenterhooks did tire this old gamer out.
The story is somewhat predictable with the standard "Choose A or B for a different ending" scenario presented to you just before the final third. Ethan seems weirdly at peace with a lot of the crazy stuff that goes on around him (although that changes during cut scenes), something which, if changed, might have added a bit more depth to the experience. There's also one character which we're supposed to empathise with but, since your interaction with them is severely limited and they're given no backstory, it's pretty hard to care for them. I've also checked both endings and, honestly, choosing the non-obvious path seems like a total waste of time. It's a bit of a shame as previous Resident Evil games had some cool, super secret endings that completely changed how you'd view the entire game. That's what I remember of playing Nemesis at least, anyway.
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard is a fantastic horror experience. Whilst the visuals might not win any awards they serve their purpose well, creating a foreboding environment that keeps you suspicious of every shadow. The lean towards horror makes for a high adrenaline experience with every creak, scrape and whine cause to get your gun ready. The game does include my usual gripes about games in this genre, namely the artificial challenge increase through taking away your stash and the lack of a decent story. Still I can recognise quality when I see it and, whilst I personally won't rate this game as high as some of my peers, it does stand above others that I have played in this genre.
Rating: 8.5/10
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard is available on PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One for $59.99. Game was played on the PC with a total of 8 hours played and 57% of the achievements unlocked.


text: Benjamin1984 139 Posted December 12, 2018 Couldn't find a thread for this season. 28/8/3 with 5 threes in 37 minutes the other night. Granted, Blake was out. Guard and wing depth in Detroit is super thin at the moment with GR3 and Ish out for weeks. Anybody else keeping an eye on him? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


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4 snowboarders. 4 races. 4 chances at love.
Oliver Hanson, funny, sweet, and a great guy to hang around. Being a PR assistant for the Gold Medal Winter Games has been a challenge, but Oliver is the last snowboarder on my list. I'm almost ready to hand in my clipboard and fly home. Oliver and I click like no one else I've ever met. Spending time with the laid back snowboarder doesn't feel like work.
But I can't let myself get distracted. My job is to keep Oliver out of trouble until he finishes his event, no matter what. I'm not being paid to screw around and fall for the hot snowboarder. As things heat up and the games come to a close will there be enough time for me to become Oliver's last love?


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RTC NBA Draft Profiles: Terrence JonesPosted by EJacoby on June 23rd, 2012
The 2012 NBA Draft is scheduled for Thursday, June 28, in New York City. As we have done for the last several years, RTC's team of writers (including Andrew Murawa, Kevin Doyle, Evan Jacoby, Matt Patton, and Danny Spewak) will provide comprehensive breakdowns of each of the 35 collegians most likely to hear his name called by David Stern in the first round on draft night. We'll work backwards, starting with players who are projected near the end of the first round before getting into the lottery as June progresses. As an added bonus, we'll also bring you a scouting take from NBADraft.net's Aran Smith at the bottom of each player evaluation.
Note: Click here for all published 2012 NBA Draft profiles.
Player Name: Terrence Jones
School: Kentucky
Height/Weight: 6'9.5" / 250 lbs.
NBA Position: Power Forward / Small Forward
Projected Draft Range: Mid-First Round
Overview: Terrence Jones entered the 2010-11 season as one of Kentucky's top two recruits, expected to become a potential one-and-done candidate with elite physical tools and versatile scoring prowess. But Jones decided to stick around for year two after a strong freshman season and was included on the 2011-12 Preseason All-American list, expected to be the leader of UK's super crop of new rookies. While he was no doubt a key part of the Wildcats' National Championship team, he regressed some as a player from his first to second year and fell off somewhat while his freshmen (Davis, Kidd-Gilchrist) and senior (Miller) teammates thrived more as team leaders. Jones averaged the fifth-most minutes on the team and saw his scoring and rebounding numbers dip from 15.7 PPG and 8.8 RPG to 12.3 PPG and 7.2 RPG, respectively. The loaded roster explains some of that regression, but Jones also displayed occasional poor body language with an inability to assert himself and fit in with the other stars during some games. He shot 85 fewer free throws as a sophomore and was at times an afterthought in the offense. But in other contests, he proved what a versatile beast that he can be, dominating the paint on both ends with his big, strong frame and extending out to hit some threes to keep defenses honest. He became a scouting report sleeper, not displaying any one skill that teams must account for but possessing the ability to do many things on the floor. His terrific defensive contributions are also notable, racking up nice steal and block numbers with an ability to guard several positions. Jones is strong and versatile but needs proper motivation to produce at a high level.
Will Translate to the NBA: Measuring nearly 6'10" in shoes with a 7'2.25" wingspan, Jones' legitimate power forward physical traits alleviated concerns about being undersized for a four. He's a load on the low block who can turn one or two steps into a soaring slam dunk near the basket. But he's also skilled from the perimeter, showing a solid handle and slashing skills with an ability to knock down long jumpers as well as get his man off balance with the use of a good ball fake. Jones isn't an elite defender but his strength and length allowed him to tally great blocks (1.8 BPG) and steals (1.3 SPG) numbers, capable of guarding three positions on the floor.
Needs Work: Above all else, Jones need to shed the label that he lacks a strong motor and doesn't compete hard when things aren't going his way. This shouldn't be too difficult, but his attitude issues remain a concern. While he's quite versatile offensively, nothing is very polished. He can hit a three but needs much work on long-range consistency and mechanics. He can eat up smaller defenders in the post but loses ground against strong forwards, requiring work on his footwork and post moves. And he can drive it and pass the ball, but Jones needs work on his decision-making as a slasher. He must become more consistent and stray from disappearing for long stretches of games as he did as a sophomore.
Comparison Players: Jones draws comparisons to the many versatile forwards in the league who can play both the small and power forward positions. The high end comparisons are guys like Jeff Green and Lamar Odom. Sticking with Odom, who has had a long career that's easy to fully compare, Jones has a good 20 pounds on him and isn't the same kind of playmaker or passer. But both are left-handed, the same height, excellent as versatile offensive weapons, and sneaky rebounders and shot-blockers due to great length. Odom can play on the block or as a kind of point-forward from the perimeter. Jones shares a similar skill set.
Best Case Scenario: Jones is another one of the 'does everything well, but nothing great' kind of players who are so difficult to assess. He is so intriguing because he has terrific strength to match his versatile skill set. But does Jones have the proper work ethic and desire to keep improving his game? Will he end up just cruising as an NBA afterthought or will he develop specific skills to become trademark advantages? In a best case, Jones shores up his shooting and post moves and becomes a reliable weapon on both ends; again think about Odom either as a valuable sixth man or a starting four who is a constant mismatch.
Best NBA Fit: Jones has a pretty wide draft range, but he is looking more like a post-lottery guy who can become a sleeper for a good team. The best fit for him is a team that will motivate him and understand what drives him to perform at his best. A team that also needs some versatility at the forward position would be a good match. The Dallas Mavericks, ironically, just released Lamar Odom after he failed to fill the versatile sixth man role they expected, and perhaps Jones is their man at #17. Another great fit would be the Boston Celtics at #21 or #22, where he'd fit in well and become a potential massive steal.
Scout's Take (from NBADraft.net): "Has lottery talent but struggled with consistency throughout his two-year college career. A tweener without a clean shooting stroke, but an aggressive versatile scorer."
*This post was contributed by RTC's Evan Jacoby. He can be found on Twitter @evanJacoby.


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Serial ATA: Here, now
Is Serial ATA ready for the big leagues?
Serial ATA (SATA), a rejuvenation of tried and true parallel ATA interconnection (IDE) technology, is poised to make changes that will be subtle and perhaps not so subtle in enterprise storage. While traditional ATA is part of almost every desktop computer, it has been excluded from enterprise applications by its relatively low reliability and interconnection difficulties.
Mike Kahn with the Clipper Group, a technology analyst and advisory company in Wellesley, Mass., explains that SATA is focused on lowering costs. "We aren't talking about reaching the performance or reliability of a Fibre Channel drive but rather at something better than today's ATA drives," he says. Put another way, SATA aims to provide storage that's pretty darn good -- at a compelling price point. "So this will be seen as a new class of storage," adds Kahn.
Stan Skelton, Director of Strategic Planning at LSI Logic, says SATA has tremendous promise in providing storage for non-mission-critical data in networked storage. According to Skelton SATA applications may include: intermediate storage (near term repository for data on its way to eventually being archived to tape; "target" storage for copy services (snapshot repository, destination for remote volume mirroring, electronic vaulting); tiered storage for applications that desire storage with varying performance, availability, and cost characteristics; and, low cost, entry-level SANs (especially when coupled with iSCSI).
Skelton advises Storage pros that SATA's perceived deficiencies (lower MTBF, poor rotational vibration characteristics) will be masked from the end users. Storage pros should also ensure that SATA technology is targeted at applications that best match its attributes. These include bandwidth oriented, low cost,non-mission critical (initially) applications. By first implementing SATA in these environments, it will prove if and/or when SATA technology can be moved into more mission-critical, 24x7 environments.Mike Cush, Chief Technology Officer at value added storage reseller Adexis Storage, says depending on where the costing, MTBFs, and other reliability issues shake out will most likely invade most array enclosures as a replacement to SCSI and FC disk. "With everyone today in business striving for cost reductions, Serial ATA can be a great way to reduce raw material costs," he says. At Intel, which got the ball rolling on SATA when it kicked off the SATA working group in early 2000, Jason Ziller says the roadmap for SATA provides plenty of room to grow. The group released its specification in the fall of 2001 providing the basis for the industry to develop the range of products now starting to hit the market. Ziller says Serial ATA will have initial transfer rates of up to 1.5Gb/sec. Serial ATA II, arriving in 2004 will have 300MB/s of bandwidth, growing to 600MB/s around 2007 with SATA III. Summarizing, John Webster, founder and analyst of Data Mobility Group, Nashua, NH, says SATA ranks in importance somewhere between "earth shattering and just another incremental improvement." "It could get big right away but more likely it will take some time to ramp up," he added.
For more information:Expert advice: ATA vs. SCSI
Featured article: Serial ATA hard drives are coming, but when and where will they fit in?
Expert advice: Using ATA and RAID controllers
About the author: Alan Earls is a freelance writer in Franklin, MA.


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Has anyone had any issues completing an equivalent exchange? A support rep named "Casey Zamora" at 3DRobotics had promised me an equivalent exchange for my rattling transmitter then just tries to file an RMA instead without addressing the equivalent exchange promise? I even have his statements in e-mail and I quote them in reply. However the quotes and links I give them are simply not addressed in response. Has anyone else had similar issues? How did you handle it? Is 3DRobotics support simply becoming another DJI? Should I just fix it myself and ignore the (seemingly worthless) warranty?
Views: 1393
still nothing...should I give up?
I got an email toady from Technical UNsupport...it's only been 38 days!!
Here we go again. If you read the 18 emails, you would know "my side of the story". Are we 10!?!!
"Thank you for contacting Technical Support.
My name is Enrique, manager at Tech support. First off I wanted to let you know that I've already gone through all the emails so I'm up to speed with what's been going on, having said that I'd still like to hear your side of the story before we go any further. Can you please tell me what happened?
In the mean time if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us, we'll be happy to assist you.
Have a great day.
Best Regards,
Enrique Amaya - Manager
[3DR Technical Support Engineer]"
They are not interested in solving problems. I am not looking for a handout. I want to make sure the aircraft is safe to fly. The 3DR team takes the approach just keep flying until you crash.
Perhaps my aerospace has set an unrealistic standard for quality and support....time for a new source.
3drobotics customer service is getting worse every time I order. This time they had motors on sale for 6$ and I thought wow what a deal. A few hers after I placed the order they lowered them to 3$. No kidding a few hours after I placed the order. I email CS and asked to get a refund for the difference. They told me no and that I would need to cancel the order and reorder the motors and hope that they didn't sell out before I did this. That's ridiculous. There has to be a way to process this transaction but it seems to me that the person wood rather go the easy route and make the customer do the leg work and possibly loss out on the item on sale. Terrible customer service. I think I am done ordering anything from 3D Robotics.


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Depression Treatment Programs
Depression is a highly prevalent and often debilitating mood disorder. It causes persistent sadness and a loss of interest in otherwise enjoyable activities. Recovering from depression can feel impossible (depression also can cause a lack of motivation), but with our professional inpatient depression treatment in San Diego, it's completely doable.
Depression Causes and Symptoms
Depression can be dangerous. If you are depressed, it might feel like life is not worth living. Depression can lead to a wide range of physical and mental problems, and it's often exacerbated by well-meaning people encouraging you to "snap out of it." However, just like you couldn't "snap out of" a broken leg, depression is a real illness. Therefore, needing a depression treatment program is nothing to be ashamed of.
Doctors don't know exactly what causes depression, although there seem to be many factors involved. These include brain chemistry, hormones and genetics. Having depression, and seeking treatment for depression, is absolutely not your fault. It does not matter how "good" your life seems from the outside; people from all walks of life seek inpatient depression treatment.
Some risk factors make it more likely that you or someone you love will develop depression. These include having blood relatives with a history of depression, experiencing traumatic events, low self-esteem, being LGBTQ and unsupported, substance abuse, and chronic illnesses. Not everyone with one or even multiple of these risk factors will develop depression, but it does make it more likely.
The symptoms of depression are numerous and typically occur all day every day. They include feelings of tearfulness and hopelessness, angry outbursts, slowed thinking, agitation, weight loss or gain, suicidal thoughts, and unexplained physical aches and pains. These symptoms will usually be severe enough to cause notable problems in daily life.
Depression Treatment Programs
If you're ready to seek treatment for your depression, you've come to the right place. Just landing on this website is a great first step on your road to depression recovery.
Most depression treatment program centers will use a combination of medication and psychotherapy to help overcome depression. Inpatient depression treatment centers are staffed by a team of professionals that usually includes nurses, therapists, and more, as well as the support staff that keeps the depression treatment facilities running smoothly.
Many people think of residential treatment as something that is only available for substance abuse and severe mental illnesses. However, residential treatment centers for depression are common and can provide a great supportive environment as you work on moving past major depression. These programs for depression give patients a safe space to figure out exactly which medication works best for them (it's different for everyone), and develop coping strategies without the stressors of the outside world distracting them. One month in an inpatient depression treatment facility can allow a person to make the same amount of progress that they would in a year of outpatient treatment.
As mentioned, depression recovery centers usually focus heavily on psychotherapy, which is a general term for talking about your condition with a mental health professional. It's also known as talk therapy. While you are in rehab with depression, your psychotherapist will help you with myriad things. This could include replacing negative beliefs and behaviors with positive ones, developing coping skills, adapting to crisis, setting realistic goals, and regaining a sense of satisfaction with your life. After going through depression inpatient treatment, you'll be able to return to your "normal" life with a new capability to face down difficulties and stay positive.
Depression often coexists with anxiety, which is why there are treatment centers for depression and anxiety combined. Here at Solara Mental Health, we believe in and provide rehab for depression and anxiety. Residential treatment for depression and anxiety is a great option for anyone who finds that their depression or anxiety is overwhelming and who wants the focused help of an inpatient treatment program.
Depression Treatment in San Diego
You've probably landed on this website seeking treatment for depression, and that's a great sign that you're ready to commit to recovery. At Solara Mental Health, our depression treatment retreats are an excellent way to focus solely on your mental health for an extended period of time. These therapy retreats for depression are filled with both individual therapy and support group sessions so your depression residential treatment can be as effective as possible.
By taking the first step of searching for "treatment centers for depression near me," you have announced that you are ready to be in control of your mental health. Our San Diego psychiatric facilities for depression are beautiful, and our staff is professionally trained in the residential treatment of depression. If you are looking at rehab centers for depression, you can't do better than Solara Mental Health. Our in-residence program for depression has helped many people overcome their symptoms and get back to the life they want to live.
If you have any questions or want more information about our depression treatment programs at Solara Mental Health, give us a call today.


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Did you know your skeleton is renewed every 7-10 years completely?
Bone is continuously remodeling itself. Bone is a metabolically active tissue. Bone remodeling is a coupled response of formation and resorption.
Did you know that bone formation can be monitored using blood tests?
These are the tests: Osteocalcin, Bone Specific Alkaline Phosphatase, P1NP
Did you know the bone resorption can be monitored using blood and urine tests?
These are the tests Serum C-Telopeptide and 2nd AM Urine for N-Telopeptide
Did you know how much Calcium you are losing can be measured in the urine?
It is measured by a 24 hour urine collection for total Calcium and creatinine clearance.
Using the results of this test can help the physician know how much calcium you need.
Did you know how much Calcium your absorbing with food and supplements?
If you are taking Calcium supplements and you have a Vitamin D deficiency you will not absorb the supplements. Vitamin D levels affect your calcium absorption.
Did you know that Vitamin D levels can be measured in the blood?
These are blood tests for Vitamin D:
Vitamin D, 1,25-Dihydroxy
Vitamin D, 25-Hydroxy
Did you know that some drugs can cause bone loss?
These are some drugs that may cause bone loss.
- Aluminum-containing antacids
- Antiseizure medicines (only some) such as Dilantin® or Phenobarbital
- Aromatase inhibitors such as Arimidex®, Aromasin® and Femara®
- Cancer chemotherapeutic drugs
- Cyclosporine A and FK506 (Tacrolimus)
- Gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) such as Lupron® and Zoladex®
- Heparin
- Lithium
- Medroxyprogesterone acetate for contraception (Depo-Provera®)
- Methotrexate
- Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) such as Nexium®, Prevacid® and Prilosec®
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Lexapro®, Prozac® and Zoloft®
- Steroids (glucocorticoids) such as cortisone and prednisone
- Tamoxifen® (premenopausal use)
- Thiazolidinediones such as Actos® and Avandia®
- Thyroid hormones in excess
Note: This list may not include all drugs that may cause bone loss.
If a medication is required that causes loss of bone. Bone density testing can be indicated and the above lab tests can help in monitoring the effect of such drugs on your bones. You can ask your physician if a bone density testing is needed, then you can contact us directly with your Physician's order.
A good resource for Medicines that May Cause Bone Loss is the National Osteoporosis Foundation.
Did you know that Vitamin D is essential for Calcium absorption?
Vitamin D and Magnesium are necessary to help convert calcium in food and supplements to a form your body can use. Check your calcium supplement; does it have vitamin d and magnesium? While it's more convenient to have them together, it's not absolutely necessary if you are already taking a vitamin d supplement, along with a multivitamin containing magnesium. But it doesn't hurt!
Here's something you may not realize when it comes to calcium. At best, the body can use 40% of what you take in via food. And supplements tend to be worse; anywhere from negligible to around 25%. Why? Because the Calcium in food is more bio-available.
Also consider this; calcium uptake starts in the stomach, where it's broken apart by stomach acids. If your calcium supplement isn't being digested by your stomach acids, then it's just passing through your body and on its way out.
Here's an easy way to tell if your calcium supplement is letting you down or not. Take a half-cup of vinegar and drop a serving (however many tablets that is) into the vinegar. Walk away and come back 20 minutes later. If your supplement is still recognizable as what you put in, your body can't use it. If it's dissolved, your body can start the uptake.


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You asked for it, and you got it! The popular PDF The Newbie's Guide to Positive Parenting is now a full-length paperback! I've revised prior chapters and added 6 entirely new chapters!
Do you want to create a more positive and peaceful home? Are you tired of parenting formulas and techniques that just don't work and leave you feeling at odds with your child?
Learn the 5 principles of positive parenting and discover how to bring connection and peace back into your relationship with your child. You'll learn a new way in which to relate to your child, one which fosters connection rather than disconnection, respect rather than rebellion, and cultivates a healthy relationship which you can enjoy throughout the years.
This is what you're getting:
One: What is Positive Parenting
Two: This is Not Permissive Parenting
Three: Changing Your Mindset
Four: Self-Regulation-Peace Starts With You
Five: Leader of the Pack
Six: Building a Positive Self-Concept
Seven: The Power of the Tongue
Eight: Teaching Tools
Nine: Consequences and Problem-Solving
Ten: Limit Enforcement Versus Punishment
Eleven: 10 Alternatives to Punishments
Twelve: 10 Things That Are More Important Than Discipline
Thirteen: Bring It Home
Fourteen: Change the World


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Tesco has announced the launch of its app for Google Glass, becoming the first major British retailer to experiment with wearable technologies.
Tesco Grocery Glassware is linked to customers' Tesco.com grocery accounts. Users are able to browse products, view nutritional information and scan the barcode of items they are running low on using the built in camera to add it to their online shopping basket.
Users can then review their baskets and complete their order via their desktop, smart phone or tablet device.
Tesco Labs began to experiment with a prototype last June, and it is now available to download for free via the built in MyGlass app or on desktop.
Tesco doesn't see Glass becoming the only platform that shoppers will use. Innovation Engineer at Tesco Labs, Pablo Coberly said that the supermarket wants customers to be able to shop "whenever, however they want", and that the app "integrates shopping into everyday life".
The launch this week comes after an effort to create savings of £250m per year were revealed by the retailer, including the closure of 40 of its worst performing stores, the sale of Blinkbox to TalkTalk and ongoing talks regarding Dunnhumby, the data company behind Clubcard.
Mixed fortunes for Google's wearable
The launch of Tesco Grocery Glassware comes during an uncertain period for Google Glass which went on sale in the UK last June, priced at £1,000.
So far, it has failed to really take off in the UK. Twitter withdrew their support in October last year and it is now no longer being sold through Google's Basecamp stores, where customers could previously purchase Glass in person.
While currently there isn't an abundance of Glass wearers in the UK, the ambition of Tesco to integrate Glass into the lives of customers by complimenting existing online shopping platforms might be a positive step in increasing its popularity in the future.


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PIPA often appears in the news.
Therefore we provide an overview of the press articles and the advertisements.
Reread old articles on how it all got started, up to the big auctions we do now. Also check out our advertisements, and see how we make publicity all over the world about our well-known auctions.


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Pool Team
Winter League 2014/15 is upon us and we need you to sign up and join the team.
We already have 7 names down on the list and we have been told we can have a few more weeks to get the names in so please do message us
if you are interested in becoming part of the pool team.
We will be playing on a Wednesday evening from 8pm so don't delay email to find out how you can join the team.


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Prop Data
Prop Data is an internet marketing company that is solely focused on and dedicated to marketing real estate on the internet. At Prop Data we think of ourselves less as web developers and more as internet marketing consultants to the real estate industry. From the beginning we have understood that our role in marketing real estate on the internet should extend far beyond web design, development and hosting.
North Coast Courier
The North Coast Courier has been the leader in local news for the past 28 years.
Founded in 1985 by Bruce and Rose Stephenson, the North Coast Courier is the largest community newspaper in its area of distribution in KZN from Umdloti to the Tugela River.


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AVcommunications continues its push for Canada's multicultural recognition in the advertising industry with two 1st place wins in the NAMIC EMMA 2017 competition.
The Toronto-based multicultural ad agency won top honours in Digital and Experiential Marketing under the Marketing Tactics category for their work in "The Beauty Channel" that targeted Chinese Canadian women for Elizabeth Arden's new product line. The winning campaign employed an unconventional strategy that engaged an ethnic segment with an evident bias against the presenting brand.
In recognition of the top marketing campaigns aimed at multi-ethnic audiences, the National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC) presents the Excellence in Multicultural Marketing Awards (EMMA) at a luncheon conference held this year in New York City.