text:
THERE was excitement last month when Prime Minister David Cameron announced that the military alliance would be convening at the Celtic Manor Resort next autumn, as well as venues in Cardiff.
With Barack Obama and other major world leaders expected to attend, Lori Healey, who was executive director of the Chicago Nato host committee, said that the summit is a unique opportunity to market the region.
As well as representatives from 28 Nato member countries, 24 Afghanistan International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) partner countries and six other nations and international organisations took part in the May 20-21 summit, with 7,500 delegates and 7,300 staff, press and other dignitaries.
Ms Healey explained, in an interview with the Argus, how organisers in Illinois dealt with cynicism towards the summit, how the committee was brought on board and how the summit was planned.
We asked Ms Healey what advice she would give to Newport and Cardiff about the summit. She said: "They should absolutely embrace it. It was a fantastic event for Chicago. You have 60 heads of state that come to your country.
"It's a unique opportunity to show off. People spent millions of dollars marketing for tourism – it's a free opportunity to do that."
Ms Healey, who is chief executive officer of TUR Partners and has also been president of the Chicago 2016 Olympic bid, explained that the Chicago Nato summit had faced cynicism locally from "day one".
"There was constant cynicism. A lot of people left town for the weekend," she said, echoing the experience of the 2012 Olympics, when many Londoners took a leave of absence from the city.
But those who stayed, particularly those who lived near where delegates were staying, potentially had the world at their door. Ms Healey said: "You would walk out and see the King of Tonga walking down – that doesn't happen every day."
Media speculation was also an issue. "Because so many of these high-level security events don't make public certain information until the last minute there's always a lot of speculation about what's happening," said Ms Healey.
"I said to one of the reporters here, there's a reason they call it the Secret Service. Your security plans are supposed to be confidential to the point that you have to release them.
"It's a constant battle to say look, we've got this under control, there's been terrific amounts of planning and in the end everyone came back and said, wow, that was really great.
"And I said, well, you didn't believe us when you were talking about leading up to it."
Newport's experience of hosting Nato is likely to differ greatly, at the very least in security terms, from Chicago's experience. While the Celtic Manor is on the edge of Newport and shares much of its border with countryside and has its own junction off the A449, Nato 2012 took place at a city convention centre, McCormick Place, on the edge of Lake Michigan.
The US Secret Service co-ordinated security at the event, with the Chicago Police department acting as boots on the ground, with members of the public kept up to speed on how decisions could affect them.
That could include road closures, which occasionally took place when a head of state who carries a high-level threat risk, like David Cameron, had to move from one place to another. Ms Healey explained: "A motorcade could be four cars or could be 60 cars. In the morning when they left their hotels and went to McCormick Place you would have a fairly large motorcade.
"Obviously in a less urban environment the impact is not quite as big. There was a great deal of time spent planning routes, and ensuring to the public and the workforce that came downtown every day that it was clearly communicated when those motorcades would happen."
Major international summits also tend to face major protests. News agency Reuters reported that 45 demonstrators were arrested after anti-war protesters had marched on the summit.
Ms Healey said the city, and not necessarily the host committee, had negotiated with protesters' lawyers to make "sure that routes were planned and there was clear communication of issues and how they would be moving through the streets".
With so many people at the summit the host committee, which was made up of donors who had contributed £35 million to organise the event, took advantage of the opportunity to promote the city.
It went to Brussels, where the Nato headquarters is based, for a week with Chicago's first lady, the city's mayor Rahm Emanuel's wife, Amy Rule, hosting a dinner at the US ambassador to Nato's residence.
A media hotel was set up during the event with the host committee showcasing the city's food and culture and throwing a party for the foreign press.
But events were also organised in the community to engage Chicagoans with the summit.
"We had some schools would adopt a country and learn about that country," said Ms Healey. "We had a sports competition before the summit started that had soccer and basketball tournaments. We had kids from different schools representing different countries in Chicago, so they got to spend the day, for example, learning about Croatia."
On one occasion a musical exchange – via teleconference – was held between a school in Chicago and a school in Afghanistan. Host committee co-chairman and former US secretary of state Madeleine Albright also visited schools "talking to children about the importance of learning about other countries and what's happening on the national stage", said Ms Healey.
Members of Chicago's wide-ranging ethnic communities were also involved in home country events: "We just built off the network we created when we were going for the Olympics of building on the strengths of our ethnic communities in Chicago, and that's something we're very proud of here and very good at."
Chance to showcase city
ORGANISERS aim to keep disruption to a minimum for next year's Nato summit, according to the prime minister's office.
Meanwhile Gwent Police confirmed that officers from across the UK will be brought in to help police the event.
A spokeswoman for 10 Downing Street, which is currently taking the lead on the event, said the UK government would do all it can "to keep costs down" and said talks will take place with the Welsh Government about holding associated events in the wider region.
She said: "We are confident that the summit will be seen locally, and indeed nationally, as an opportunity to showcase a modern and confident Wales to the world as a great place for investment and tourism.
"We will consult closely with the local community throughout our extensive preparations and respond to their concerns. It is our aim to keep disruption to a minimum.
"We will work closely with the police, local government, business and community to manage this.
"The summit is a chance to showcase South Wales. We will be talking to the Welsh Government and the Wales Office about how we can exploit opportunities to hold associated events in the wider region."
Full details of costs are not expected until after the event. The spokeswoman added that costs would be met from existing spending commitments and will not incur further borrowing.
A Gwent Police spokeswoman confirmed that the force will get additional UK government funding to support policing the event.
She said: "A dedicated operational planning team has been established and as things progress more detail will become available.
"We will be working closely with neighbouring forces throughout the planning process and officers from all over the UK will be brought in to assist in policing the event."
Simon Gibson, chief executive of Celtic Manor owner Sir Terry Matthew's investment vehicle Wesley Clover, suggested there would be opportunities to bring world leaders to events in Newport and Cardiff.
Mr Gibson said they will be getting together with the Welsh Government and the "various city administrations to make sure we maximize the opportunities" of having so many heads of state at the summit.
He said that the Celtic Manor can be "locked down from a security perspective without disturbing thousands of people", and said he wouldn't expect for parts of the M4 to have to close.
It's too early to say, he said, if motorcades would be used, and said the Celtic Manor had the advantage of accommodation on site with helicopter landing capability.
A spokeswoman for Newport council said the decision to host Nato in Newport next year was a "real coup for the city".
She said: "It is too early to discuss the details of our involvement but clearly we will do all we can to ensure the city receives the benefits of such an important event.
"This is another great opportunity to showcase Newport on a global stage and we will undoubtedly be working with our partners in the run-up to the summit."


text:
Former AFC Wimbledon defender Jamie Stuart is hoping his old friends at Kingsmeadow can keep the Dons in League Two.
Stuart made more than 50 appearances for AFC Wimbledon, but was released in the summer before being snapped up to become the Sutton United skipper.
And after scoring his first goal of the season for United on Tuesday night, the 36-year-old turned his attentions to his former Kingsmeadow friends.
He said: "The Dons are fighting for their life down there and I don't want to see them go down.
"I enjoyed my time there – the fans and everyone associated with the club are tremendous and they deserved to get into the Football League.
"I just hope for everyone associated with the club that they do stay up and I wish them all the best."
Stuart was part of the Dons side that won promotion to the Football League in 2011, and we went on to make 33 League Two appearances.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Accommodation India Pushkar Hotel New Park Pushkar Your Review
You need to be logged in to leave a review for Hotel New Park Pushkar. If you booked with Travellerspoint, you should have received an email with log in details. If you aren't sure what your details are, please don't hesitate to contact us.
Have you forgotten your username or password? Retrieve Your Login Details
Only post a review if you have actually stayed at this property. DO NOT post a review if you are the property owner or only know about this property through hearsay.
We would also be happy to hear of anything you encountered that could be improved or rectified from Travellerspoint's side, in other words, things that are not directly relevant to your stay at this property but rather to the information on our site or the booking process itself. Was information incomplete or incorrect, did you have problems checking in etc. Please contact us.
Be fair in your review and think of what potential guests might like to know that isn't already explained.
Hotel New Park is situated on the eastern edge of Pushkar surrounded by the Aravali mountain range, a beautiful rose garden and a forest.


text:
Thornhill Digital Storytelling - Are You A Writer? Documentary Proposal Seminar What's Your Story?
The Thornhill Design Laboratory
Monday, July 16, 2012 from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Event Details
Thornhill Digital Storytelling
A Documentary Funding Proposal Seminar
For Film, Television, Radio & Branded Content
Are You A Writer?
Hollywood Wants Stories With Digital Assets & Features.
Will A Studio Invest In You?
In Association With The Digital Television Report (DTR)
Monday, July 16, 2012 – 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Friends, Philosophy & Tea
13850 Bel-Red Road, Bellevue, Washington 98005
(425) 641-4364 – http://friendsphilosophyandtea.ning.com
Advance Registration Is Required
$20.00 Per Person
To Register Go To: http://thornhilldigitalstorytellingseminars22.eventbrite.com
Documentary Funding Proposals
What's Your Story?
The focus of this leading-edge workshop is showing how to link the many necessary parts – from inception, through creative, technology and production, to traditional or digital distribution and real world business development. These are the elements that will make your funding proposal rise above all the rest.
The agenda for this brand of storytelling covers more than 50 items. Each is offered in a way that shows how to be a winner in the specific category, yet still blend them all into a meld that guarantees continuity and continuous improvement.
Are you expected to integrate digital assets into your documentary funding proposal? If you, your organization, office or company are planning a film, television show, radio special, Internet presentation or a interactive photo essay, the answer is yes!
To create a digital documentary using a competitive, multiplatform model, your timeline could be 3 years. Also, expect that your expenses might creep to $2 Million or more.
As we each grow beyond web sites and social media, Digital Storytelling is turning into a hotbed for collaborative development and ever-expanding production crews. Team members learn from one another and your end product gains from the combined intellect, energy and projections. This means greater expenses.
If your associates can't relate to Digital Storytelling as a genre, try Multimedia, Transmedia, Webisodes, Branded Content or even Branded Entertainment. We offer these and many subcategories in the Thornhill Digital Storytelling seminar.
TDS NEWS, our detailed event program, is complimentary at the seminar and includes:
· The Thornhill Digital Storytelling "50 Steps To Documentary Success" checklist and
up-to-date industry examples and news links.
· The publication lists "Everyday Resources" a slate of industry stalwarts providing no-cost,
e-mailed, daily information reports on individuals, companies and trends in digital media.
For Digital Storytelling Weekly Updates: http://digitalstorytellingseminar.blogspot.com/
Transmedia Production Is On The Way!
The Thornhill Design Laboratory and TDS will soon interview for planning and production personnel for a significant dance documentary. Let us know if you want to be on the request list. A project description will be available at the July 16, 2012 Documentary Funding Proposal seminar in Bellevue. To Register Go To: http://thornhilldigitalstorytellingseminars22.eventbrite.com or send a note to email@example.com.
Ask About The Maui Video Marketplace
Our marketplace concept brings together all parts needed to build a film, or a production studio or a collaborative cluster of film-related businesses to grow the region.
The Maui Video Marketplace will grow from an idea to a location for training, serving clients and developing proprietary and contract media products. The choices will include live events, classes, print media, audio and radio, video and television, digital and Internet, plus film industry connections.
The Thornhill Design Laboratory
Business, Communications Design
(1) Thornhill Design Lab Workshop
Design Review / Kai Zen
What is design? Aesthetics for inspiration, product development, financial planning and real-world
case studies are included - create using function and form. Design efficient operations structures,
work processes, digital networks, multi-platform media programming and manufacturing to
proceed aggressively in the digital-led economy. You will better understand and
appreciate the talents of designers, storytellers, planners and artists.
(2) Thornhill Digital Storytelling (TDS)
TDS Digital Storytelling Proposal Seminars – Series & Special Events
TDS NEWS - Subscribers / Subscription Management
TDS NEWS Digital - http://digitalstorytellingseminar.blogspot.com/
Digital Media Devices
(3) The Fashion Media Project
Research, Radio, Television
The Fashion Bloggers Connection
(4) Client Services
Case Studies / Digital Strategy / Extensions
(5 Development
Editorial, Design Continuity, Administration, Database Management
Financial Planning, Integrated Marketing Planning, Partners, Sponsor Presentations
(6) Production & Learning Studio
Schedule, Research, Internet Presence
Facilities / Environment,
Library / Archives
July 2012
Andrew W. Thornhill
www.thornhillportfolio.com - email@example.com
Copyright © 1971 - 2012, Andrew W. Thornhill, All Rights Reserved
When & Where
Friends, Philosophy & Tea
13850 Bel-Red Road
Monday, July 16, 2012 from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Add to my calendar
The Thornhill Design Laboratory
The Thornhill Design Laboratory
Communications Design
Inventory Details
(1) CATALOGUE: A Carefully Curated Presentation of Thornhill Design Laboratory Holdings
Offered in print, digital and display forms; details on processes and products, the master calendar and production schedules are provided. Key elements of scheduling are automated to provide guidance in development of and integration with the Digital Landscape.
(2) The Thornhill Design Lab Salon
An inventory meeting: A weekly synopsis of everything connected to the Thornhill Design Laboratory. Ongoing development includes Administration, The Digital Landscape, Database Management, Financial Planning, Editorial, Design Continuity, Integrated Marketing Planning, Partners & Sponsor Presentations. We compare, set direction, project & package. Presented in Fremont, an iconic neighborhood in Seattle; known as "The Center Of The Universe" by residents and neighbors.
(3) Thornhill Digital Storytelling (TDS)
TDS Digital Storytelling Documentary Proposal Seminars – Series & Special Events
TDS NEWS – Event Program, TDS NEWS Digital - http://digitalstorytellingseminar.blogspot.com/
Digital Media Devices
(4) The Fashion Media Project
Research, Events, Radio, Television, Tablets, Transmedia
The Fashion Bloggers Connection
(5) Thornhill Design Lab Workshop
Design Review / Kai Zen
What is design? Aesthetics for inspiration, product development, financial planning and real-world
case studies are included - create using function and form. Design efficient operations structures, work processes, digital networks, multi-platform media programming and manufacturing to proceed aggressively in the digital-led economy. You will better understand and appreciate the talents of designers, storytellers, planners and artists.
(6) Bookstore, Learning & Production Studio
Schedule, Research, Documentation, Internet Presence
Facilities / Environment / Library
Book Sales / Bookstore / Digital Media Devices,
Client Services: Case Studies / Strategy / Extensions,
Product Development, Co-Productions
Andrew W. Thornhill
Andrew W. Thornhill,
All Rights Reserved


text:
Original URL: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/06/20/amd_25x20_power_efficiency_pledge/
AMD details aggressive power-efficiency goal: 25X boost by 2020
10X lift in past six years, 25X in next six thanks to real-time tuning, sleepy video
Posted in Personal Tech, 20th June 2014 23:50 GMT
Deep Tech AMD has announced an ambitious 2020 goal of a 25-times improvement of the power efficiency of its APUs, the company's term for accelerated processing units – on-die mashups of CPU, GPU, video-accelerator, or any other types of cores.
Although AMD has committed itself to that goal, it won't be an easy one to achieve. Efficiency gains are no longer as automatic as they were in the past, when merely shrinking the chip-baking process resulted in steady improvements.
"The efficiency trend has started to fall off, and it just boils down to the physics," AMD Corporate Fellow Sam Naffziger told The Reg on Friday. "We've scaled the dimensions in the transistors as far as they can go in some respects, and the voltage has stalled out at about one volt."
Robert Dennard's process-scaling guidelines, as outlined in his landmark 1974 paper, have hit a wall, Naffziger said. "The ideal Dennard scaling, where you scale the device in three dimensions and get a factor of four energy improvement, yes, that's at an end. We still get an energy improvement – maybe 30, 50 per cent per generation, which is nice – but it's not what it used to be."
In other words, when it comes to power-efficiency improvements, merely shrinking the chip-baking process isn't going to provide the improvements that are needed to support a world in which the hunger for power by the information and communications technology (ICT) industry is increasing.
And that hunger is voracious. According to work done by Stanford University's Jonathan Koomey, the amount of power needed by ICT is growing fast. The explosion of connected devices, the surging number of internet users, the vast amount of digital content consumption, the need for data-center expansion to handle it – all combine to lead to ICT accounting for over 14 per cent of the world's electricity in 2020, a figure that could account for around 2 per cent of the global carbon footprint that year.
"Our intention," Naffziger said, "is to overcome the slowdown in energy-efficiency gains through intelligent power management and through architectural and software optimizations that squeeze a lot more out of the silicon than we have in the past."
When Naffziger talks about energy efficiency, by the way, he's referring to a metric set by the US Environmental Protection Agency's voluntary Energy Star program called "typical use" efficiency. "There's a definition in the Energy Star specification – a weighted sum of power states that has been shown to be representative of what the power consumption is for typical uses," he said. "What we're doing is optimizing for that typical-use scenario."
According the Naffziger, AMD has improved typical-use power efficiency by about 10 times over the past six years – from 2008's "Puma" to 2014's "Kaveri", both parts being aimed at laptops.
AMD has done a lot in the past six years, and now plans to more than double its pace (click to enlarge)
That's good, but not great, Naffziger admitted. Had silicon-scaling's efficiency improvements continued at the same pace they enjoyed during the heyday of Dennard scaling, he said, that increase should have been 14-fold.
"We need to do better, going forward," he said, noting that AMD has a roadmap of how it plans to boost that power-efficiency curve to achieve a 25-times improvement by the end of this decade – an effort the company is calling "25X20".
Not that there hasn't been a lot of good work done in this area by AMD and others. Power management has been made smarter and more fine-grained in recent years, and the trend towards putting more cores and other components onto the same die has reduced power wasted by moving bits back and forth among disparate dies, just to name a pair.
And then there's AMD's embrace of heterogeneous system architecture (HSA) across its product line. Through heterogeneous Uniform Memory Access (hUMA) and heterogeneous Queing (hQ), CPU and GPU cores share the same system memory, with the added efficiency of the CPU not needing to feed the GPU with data – the GPU is smart enough to do so itself, thus increasing efficiency. In addition, using the GPU as a compute core for appropriate tasks allows the APU to save power by offloading those tasks from the less-efficient CPU.
And now the real work begins
But there's much more to come, Naffziger told us. For example, although on-die power management has become smarter over the past few years, there's a lot more efficiency to be squeezed out of it.
Currently, an AMD APU has three primary voltage planes – areas supplied with their own power sources. The more voltage planes you have, the better you can control how much juice your die is consuming.
For example, Naffziger said, the GPU shares a voltage plane with the Northbridge – the memory interface. "A lot of times the GPU isn't doing anything," he said, "but the Northbridge is having to supply data to the CPUs, so you have to keep that voltage plane pretty high."
The GPU is power-gated with on-die switches, he said, but the switches are "imperfect – they're only about 10 per cent efficient – and then there's some things that you just can't power-gate." Solution: separate voltage planes for the GPU, Northbridge, CPU, caches, whatever. More control means more efficiency when each piece of the die gets exactly the voltage it needs.
"Now, that's easier said than done," Naffziger said. The die's smarts need to know exactly what amount of juice to apply exactly where at exactly at the right instant – but subdividing the die into multiple voltage planes is the start.
"Once we've subdivided the voltage planes," he said, "then we can optimize each one of them – and there's a whole bunch of adaptive techniques to use, some of which we've deployed, but most of which are in development that enable that kind of real-time adaptation."
As The Reg explained in our deep dive into AMD's Kaveri chip earlier this month, that chip has thousands of monitors arrayed about its die, some keeping track of temperature, and many more tracking activity and power usage. Information from these monitors are used to boost, throttle, shut down, and maintain die elements, with the goal of operating the chip at maximum efficiency.
While that may sound relatively straightforward, it's actually maddeningly complex to optimize the use of the data from those monitors to tune the chip in real time. For just one example, although temperature sensors provide valuable feedback that can be used to adjust power, there's a built-in thermal latency to temperature sensing, a latency not shared by monitors that are simply reporting on activity or power draw.
One solution to this conundrum, Naffziger said, is to use inferences algorithmically derived from power and activity data to proactively deal with impending temperature changes – speeding up the fan, for example, or switching processing from an about-to-be-hot core to a cooler, underutilized one.
"That's one example of the innovations that we're in the early stages of," he said. "There's a lot of opportunity to tune stuff real-time."
Neffziger also touched on the "race to idle" concept – not a new idea, but one that can increase efficiency by counterintuitively raising the power to enable faster performance for a short amount of time, then dropping the power more quickly than if the core had not been sped up to complete a task in less time.
As an example, he suggested "inter-frame power gating", in which a video frame is quickly rendered, then the renderer is shut down and memory is put into a low-power or sleep state until the next frame. That may also sound somewhat counterintuitive, seeing as how we perceive video frames as a continuous process – but it most certainly isn't continuous from a processor's point of view.
"It's 33 milliseconds," he said, "which is like all day. If rendering a frame takes 5, 10 milliseconds, then you've got 20-plus milliseconds to sit around and do nothing."
It may sound whack, but you can reduce overall power by selectively boosting power (click to enlarge)
What's more, not all video is created equal, so not all of it requires the same amount of rendering time. An APU's video hardware, however, has to be capable of handling the most-demanding video, so it's over-provisioned, Naffziger told us. For most video, all of that capability isn't needed, so between-frame naps can save a boatload of power.
Each and every optimization requires close coordination between software and hardware teams, and that process can be slow-going. "You'd be surprised how many years it takes. We prototype these, then have to get the bugs wrung out. Generally this is a three-year development cycle," he said.
"To come in and make bold claims about power-efficiency gains wouldn't be credible if we didn't have this pipeline of multi-year IP development now underway," said the man who's "confident" that AMD can achieve a 25X improvement in power efficiency – despite the fact that silicon is less and less on his side. ®


text:
I received a call from my TV provider the other day. After giving me a pep talk about what a great customer I am, the representative explained that I was about to receive, "A very special offer. Something that we're only offering to one percent of our clients!" Being polite, I didn't hang up on the guy, even though I knew I wasn't going to be interested in whatever he was offering. (We have the bare minimum package and don't want anything more. For years we didn't have cable at all, but we moved and now live in a donut hole where we can't reliably get any sort of over-the air-signals. For the sake of getting the local stations, we signed up.) He proceeds to tell me that I am eligible for any two movie channels of my choice for the price of one. I'll be getting all this great entertainment for practically nothing!
When I told him no, that I didn't want to increase my bill at all, he started on a different tack. "But you've earned this," he said. "You've been such a great customer that you have earned the right to receive this very select offer. This is a reward for you." I told him no thank you again and ended the call. But I wondered: How many people fall for the, "You've earned it," sales pitch?
I see this pitch often. It comes with credit card offers that tell me I've earned the right to better rewards and higher limits. It comes with loan offers that tell me I've earned the right to a new line of credit or bigger mortgage. It comes with vacation offers that tell me I've earned the right to stay in a higher class of hotel. It comes when various rewards programs send out brochures telling me that my membership entitles me to some fabulous offer. Every time I turn around I'm being told that I've earned some new offer or level of benefits.
Despite the flowery language, all I've really "earned" is the right to spend more money. Worse, I've earned the right to spend money on something I don't even need or want. None of these "earned it" offers are free. (That would be something I might actually get behind.) They are all enticements to spend and to give my money to a specific company. Take out that loan or credit card. Come into our store and redeem this reward. Give us a little extra on your monthly TV bill. None of these things are even things I wanted. I don't want a bigger TV bill. I don't want another credit card or mortgage. Yet if I were easily swayed, I might really buy into this idea that I am somehow special and that these offers really are only offered to the most preferred clients. I might believe that I should take advantage because I truly have earned this privilege of spending more money.
When you receive an offer like this, the thing you have to ask yourself is, "Is this something I would have bought/am actively looking for, anyway?" If it is and the offer is truly a good one (based on the research you've done while considering this purchase), you might want to take advantage. Were I really looking to add movie channels to my package, the offer I received wasn't a bad one. Two for one is a decent deal and the price they were charging for one wasn't a jacked up, gouging price.
Just don't believe that the offer makes you special or confers some elite status upon you. All it means is that the marketing people (or computer) tagged your account to receive the offer based on your prior history. The only thing you've earned in this scenario is the right to give some company more of your money.


text:
SMSC has announced that its Media Oriented Systems Transport (MOST) networking technology has been selected as part of the infotainment system of the new Porsche Panamera. MOST is the standard network for the infotainment systems across the range of Porsche's major car models.
"We are pleased that Porsche has again selected MOST as the in-vehicle networking system for the Panamera," said Dr. Christian Thiel, Vice President and General Manager of SMSC's Automotive Information Systems group. "Since their first model launch with MOST in 2002, the Panamera is now the fifth Porsche car model with the technology following Boxster, Cayman, 911 and Cayenne."
Source: SMSC.


text:
Editor's note: We've spotted a couple of News Feed updates from Facebook in February 2016 and wanted to share these with you. Anything you'd like to add to this post? Let us know in the comments below or drop us a tweet.
February 2016: Facebook Reactions
Update February 24, 2016: Facebook recently rolled out Reactions – their supercharged 'like' button. Initially, just as they do when someone likes a post, if someone uses a Reaction, Facebook will infer they want to see more of that type of post.
Here's more from their recent announcement:
In the beginning, it won't matter if someone likes, "wows" or "sads" a post — we will initially use any Reaction similar to a Like to infer that you want to see more of that type of content. Over time we hope to learn how the different Reactions should be weighted differently by News Feed to do a better job of showing everyone the stories they most want to see.
If you're interested to find out more about Facebook Reactions you can find all the details here.
February 2016: Relevant stories
Update February 1, 2016: Through research, Facebook found that people reported having a better News Feed experience when the stories they see at the top are stories they are both likely to rate highly if asked and likely to engage with.
As such, Facebook are making an update to News Feed that combines these two signals. The News Feed will begin to look at both the probability that someone would want to see the story at the top of their feed and the probability that they will like, comment on, click or share a story.
Facebook will start to rank stories higher in feed which they think people might take action on, and which people might want to see near the top of their News Feed.
How may this affect your page?
In their blog post announcing this change, Facebook explain:
In general this update should not impact reach or referral traffic meaningfully for the majority of Pages; however, some Pages may see some increases in referral traffic, and some Pages may see some declines in referral traffic. Pages might see some declines in referral traffic if the rate at which their stories are clicked on does not match how much people report wanting to see those stories near the top of their News Feed. This update helps rebalance those two factors, so people are seeing relevant stories to them.
Facebook also recommends that Pages should avoid encouraging people to take an action (such as encouraging lots of clicks), because this will likely only cause temporary spikes in metrics that might then be rebalanced by feed's ranking over time.
July 2015: Greater user control over the News Feed
Update July 9, 2015: In an update that's first arrived on iOS (and coming soon to all mobile and web), Facebook is making it easier for people to adjust and customize their News Feed settings.
The preferences tab will be more visible and more intuitive, allowing people to find pages and people to like and follow, and easily selecting to follow/unfollow certain content.
June 2015: Time spent on stories
Update, June 12, 2015: How much time you spend viewing stories becomes a factor Facebook uses to determine what to show at the top of your News Feed.
The signals from content you spend more time with will help determine what appears higher in the News Feed, potentially having an effect on the visibility of content from Pages. Facebook explains:
"We've discovered that if people spend significantly more time on a particular story in News Feed than the majority of other stories they look at, this is a good sign that content was relevant to them."
The social network does not expect Pages to see significant changes in distribution as a result of this update.
April 2015: Friends' content prioritized
Update, April 21, 2015: Content posted by the friends you care about will appear higher in the News Feed.
The content posted by your friends, items such as photos, videos, status updates or links, will appear higher in the News Feed, potentially having an effect on the visibility of content from Pages.
In addition, Facebook is updating the News Feed to lower the visibility of stories about friends liking or commenting on a post. And for those with less content in the News Feed, Facebook now allows content from the same source to appear in succession.
Page owners might be worried how these updates will impact their reach and traffic. As Facebook explains, "the impact of these changes on your page's distribution will vary considerably depending on the composition of your audience and your posting activity." In other words, there's no easy way to predict whether it will go up, stay flat, or go down.
March 2015: Facebook updates how Likes are counted
Update, March 5, 2015: Facebook to update the way Page likes are counted, removing the likes of memorialized accounts and deactivated accounts.
It's possible that Page owners might see a small decline in the overall Likes for their page once this update occurs.
January 2015: Facebook targets hoaxes
Update, January 20, 2015: Facebook aims to reduce the number of hoaxes in News Feed with algorithm tweak.
To reduce the number of posts containing misleading or false news, Facebook has announced that the News Feed algorithm will begin to factor in when many people flag a post as false or choose to delete posts.
You also might see these type of posts that Facebook deems misleading displayed with this warning:
This algorithm tweak is designed to keep articles that many people have reported as a hoax or chosen to delete from getting widespread distribution in News Feed.
January 2015: Video is growing
Update, January 12, 2015: Facebook has provided some new stats and tips on using video, including these:
- In just one year, the number of video posts per person has increased 75% globally and 94% in the US.
- The amount of video from people and brands in the News Feed has increased 3.6x year-over-year.
- Since June 2014, Facebook has averaged more than 1 billion video views every day.
- On average, more than 50% of people who come to Facebook every day in the US watch at least one video daily.
- 76% of people in the US who use Facebook say they tend to discover the videos they watch on Facebook.
Seems like a big clue that Facebook could be favoring video posts more highly!
November 2014: Overly promotional posts penalized
Update, November 14, 2014: Facebook will begin monitoring and reducing the appearance of overly promotional posts from Pages, beginning in January 2015. Overly promotional posts, according to Facebook, may include:
- Posts that solely push people to buy a product or install an app
- Posts that push people to enter promotions and sweepstakes with no real context
- Posts that reuse the exact same content from ads
Pages that post promotional creative should expect their organic distribution to fall significantly over time.
Here's an example of a type of promotional post:
November 2014: More Newsfeed control
Update, November 7, 2014: Facebook users now have additional control options for choosing what they see in their news feed. What's particularly interesting about this is that you can now do the following:
"You can filter the view by people, Groups or Pages, or see them all at once."
Here is how this looks inside the app:
November 2014: Post bundling
Update, November 6th 2014: Fans of a particular Facebook page may see that page's posts bundled together in the News Feed, such that the user would need to click a link to see more from the page. This happens when there are multiple posts from the Page that could appear in the News Feed (e.g., if a Page publishes multiple posts in one day).
Note: We're constantly refreshing this post. All information you read below is accurate and up-to-date as of November 6, 2014.
Does this sound familiar: People have liked your Facebook page or followed your profile, and when you post a new update, less than 10 percent of your fans and followers ever see it.
It's a challenge that many Facebook marketers face. How do you get your content seen on Facebook?
The secret is in understanding the Facebook News Feed and its mighty algorithm. The Facebook algorithm helps make sense of the huge number of potential stories and updates that could come our way, choosing updates to show in our News Feed based on a huge number of factors.
Here's our solution: We want to help you understand how your updates get viewed on Facebook. So we're collecting all the Facebook algorithm factors, updates, and changes that we can find and placing them here in this post for easy reference.
Read on, and see what goes into the complex, fascinating formulas of the Facebook News Feed.
Note: This post will be updated with the latest Facebook algorithm news and changes as they happen. We'll make a note up with for the latest date. Got something to add to this post? Let us know in the comments or by emailing firstname.lastname@example.com.
The Overview of Facebook News Feed Factors
How does Facebook decide what to show in a News Feed? Here are the factors that may determine whether your post shows up or not.
Do this: The algorithm loves …
- Posts with lots of comments
- Posts with lots of likes
- Post types that users seem to prefer more than others (e.g., photo, video, or status update)
- Posts that reference a trending topic
- Posts that receive a high volume of likes, comments, or shares in a short time
- Link posts
- Videos uploaded to Facebook that receive a large number of views or extended viewing duration
- Posts that tag other pages within the text
- Posts that are liked or commented on by one's friends
- Posts from pages that one interacts with often
- Post types that one interacts with often
- Posts from pages with complete profile information
- Posts from pages where the fan base overlaps with the fan base of other known high-quality pages
- Images and videos that have not previously appeared in the Open Graph
- Links that have not been posted before
Don't do this: The algorithm is not too keen on …
- Clickbait
- Frequently circulated content and repeated posts
- Like-baiting
- Posts that include spammy links
- Text-only status updates from pages
- Posts that are frequently hidden or reported (a sign of low quality)
- Posts that contain the words "like, comment, or share"
- Posts with unusual engagement patterns (a like-baiting signal)
- Posts that receive negative feedback categorizes as "meme content"
- Posts that are classified as memes by Facebook's visual analysis of overlayed text on image
- Passive fans of a particular Facebook page may see that page's posts bundled together in the News Feed, such that the user would need to click a link to see more from the page.
- Overly promotional content from pages—pushing people to buy an app or service, pushing people to enter a contest or sweepstakes, posts that reuse the same text from ads
Details: How Facebook decides what appears in a News Feed
The total number of comments and likes on a post impact visibility.
The post type—photo, video, or status update—impacts visibility.
The stories that show in your News Feed are influenced by your connections and activity on Facebook. This helps you to see more stories that interest you from friends you interact with the most. The number of comments and likes a post receives and what kind of story it is (ex: photo, video, status update) can also make it more likely to appear in your News Feed.
(source: Facebook, 2014)
Posts that reference a trending topic may receive higher visibility.
When a friend or Page you are connected to posts about something that is currently a hot topic of conversation on Facebook, that post is more likely to appear higher up in News Feed, so you can see it sooner.
Trending topics appear in the right sidebar of your Facebook News Feed. For timely posts, Facebook may show a "trending" notification at the top of the post.
(source: Facebook, September 2014)
The timing of when likes, comments, and shares occur on a post impacts visibility.
Currently one of the signals we look at is the total number of likes that a post has received when determining how high up to to show it in News Feed. With this update, we are going to begin looking at when people are choosing to like, comment and share.
(source: Facebook, September 2014)
Clickbait drives down the visibility of a post.
Facebook will show fewer clickbait posts in the News Feed. A couple of ways they determine clickbait include:
- If a user clicks through to a link and then comes straight back to Facebook
- If a lot of people click on the link, but relatively few people click Like or comment on the story when they return to Facebook
(source: Facebook, August 2014)
Link posts receive preference over links shared in photo captions or status updates.
(source: Facebook, August 2014)
The views and viewing duration of videos uploaded to Facebook impact visibility.
This factor does not include videos shared from YouTube, Vimeo, or other sites.
(source: Facebook, June 2014)
Frequently circulated content and repeated posts are shown less.
There are occasionally instances where photos or videos are uploaded to Facebook over and over again. We've found that people tend to find these instances of repeated content less relevant, and are more likely to complain about the Pages that frequently post them. We are improving News Feed to de-emphasize these Pages.
(source: Facebook, April 2014)
Like-baiting posts are shown less.
Like-baiting refers to posts explicitly asking users to take an action on the post like commenting, sharing, or liking. These posts tend to get greater engagement but Facebook users don't associate these posts with quality.
(source: Facebook, April 2014)
Posts that include spammy links are shown less.
By measuring how frequently people on Facebook who visit a link choose to like the original post or share that post with their friends, we've been able to better detect spammy links.
(source: Facebook, April 2014)
Tagging other pages within a post may increase visibility.
When a Page tags another Page, we may show the post to some of the people who like or follow the tagged Page.
(source: Facebook, February 2014)
Text-only status updates from pages are shown less.
the latest update to News Feed ranking treats text status updates from Pages as a different category to text status updates from friends. We are learning that posts from Pages behave differently to posts from friends … Page admins can expect a decrease in the distribution of their text status updates, but they may see some increases in engagement and distribution for other story types.
(source: Facebook, January 2014)
Posts that are liked or commented on by friends may be shown more.
You see stories in your News Feed about your friends' activity on Facebook, including when your friends like or comment on posts from people you're not friends with.
You also might see stories in your News Feed about your friends liking or commenting in public groups that you're not a member of.
(source: Facebook, 2014)
Related articles add an extra opportunity for visibility.
Soon, after you click on a link to an article, you may see up to three related articles directly below the News Feed post to help you discover more content you may find interesting.
(source: Facebook, December 2013)
4 factors that increase visibility:
- How often you interact with the friend, Page, or public figure (like an actor or journalist) who posted
- The number of likes, shares and comments a post receives from the world at large and from your friends in particular
- How much you have interacted with this type of post in the past
- Whether or not you and other people across Facebook are hiding or reporting a given post
In addition to these factors, Facebook also bumps older organic stories that people did not scroll down far enough to see the first time. These posts can reappear near the top of News Feed if they're still getting lots of likes and comments.
(source: Facebook, August 2013)
3 elements of pages that may increase visibility:
- How frequently content from a certain Page is reported as low quality (e.g., hiding a Page post),
- How complete the Page profile is
- Whether the fan base for a particular Page overlaps with the fan base of other known high quality Pages
The article on Facebook claims that over 1,000 different factors go into the News Feed system to calculate the score of a News Feed story. Recommendations from the article include:
- Make your posts timely and relevant
- Build credibility and trust with your audience
- Ask yourself, "Would people share this with their friends or recommend it to others?"
- Think about, "Would my audience want to see this in their News Feeds?"
(source: Facebook, August 2013)
Content signals
- Like-baiting signal: Words such as "like, comment, or share"
- Like-baiting signal: Unusual engagement patterns
- Meme content signal: Negative Feedback categorized as "meme content"
- Meme content signal: Visual analysis of overlayed text on image
From Social Bakers, these factors include some of the proven and theoretical ways that the Facebook artificial intelligence works to gauge the quality of a News Feed post. The above factors would lead to a post receiving lower visibility in the News Feed (like-baiting and meme content are considered low-quality). The below factors for original content would lead to a post receiving higher priority in the News Feed.
- Original content signal: Has image/video existed in Open Graph before?
- Original content signal: Has this link been posted before?
(source: Social Bakers, May 2014)
Old posts stand a good chance of being seen.
The above chart comes from an analysis by the Washington Post's Tim Herrera of his personal News Feed. He tracked and charted over 3,200 posts on a single day, posts that came from Facebook friends and pages he has liked. He ended up seeing nearly as many old posts as new posts—and missed out on a huge number of other new posts from friends and pages.
The takeaway: Old content has a longer shelf life in the News Feed than we may think.
(source: Washington Post, August 2014)
Affinity can impact the visibility of a post.
One of the factors the Facebook News Feed algorithm considers is affinity–that is, how much of a connection you have with each fan. If you can get them liking, commenting on, and sharing more content, you demonstrate a greater affinity and they will see more of your future content.
(source: Inc, October 2014)
Lower fan engagement may lead to bundled posts.
Travis Bernard of TechCrunch noticed bundling of a page's posts in the News Feed. The explanation:
Whether or not the stories collapse into a single update is completely dependent on user behavior. If you're engaging with a page's posts on a consistent basis, the stories will not collapse. If you have not been engaging with the page's posts within the News Feed on a regular basis, the stories will likely collapse for you. The difference is whether you are a passive fan or a die-hard fan.
(source: TechCrunch: November 2014)
Useful resources
Here's a must-see video about the quality of your Facebook page's fans and how this might impact the engagement on your posts and, therefore, the visibility and reach of your content.
Mark Zuckerberg addressed the topic of declining Facebook reach in a Q&A held on November 6. The discussion begins at the 16-minute mark of the below video.
Could you help us make this resource more complete?
We'd love your help in tracking any changes and factors to the Facebook News Feed so that this post can be as complete as possible.
Is there anything that we've missed?
Is there any news that came out recently that we should add?
Let us know by leaving a comment on this post or emailing us at email@example.com. We'll be happy to pass along a hat tip in the post for any and all good leads.
We hope this resource comes in handy for you as you navigate your Facebook marketing strategy. Let us know how things go, and if there's anything we can do to improve the way we help.
Image sources: Noun Project, Blurgrounds, PlaceIt


text:
Doctor insights on:
When Do You Need An Artificial Meniscus
Will a meniscus injury disqualify me from joining the u.S. Air force?
Not necessarily: Many meniscus injuries will heal without any deficit or symptoms. Depends on the location and degree of injury. Some will cause locking of the knee and severe pain and can happen in association with injury to ligaments while other meniscus injuries will be more minor and can heal without surgery, or possibly with relatively minor arthroscopic surgery. ...Read moreSee 2 more doctor answers
Can a meniscus be replaced?
Yes: A meniscus can be replaced with an allograft (from a human donor cadaver) but there are criteria for doing it. If you have arthritis in the area, then it won't work. Most surgeons feel that there is an age limit. ...Read moreSee 1 more doctor answer
What is a pinched meniscus?
Bone spur.: That's a vague term. It could be getting pinched by a bone spur, or a loose body in the knee. ...Read moreSee 1 more doctor answer
How does a meniscus get torn?
Many ways: Twisting injuries typically cause a meniscus tear. However, as we age, degenerative tears can also occur. Surgery is usually only indicated for acute injuries where the exam, symptoms, and MRI suggest that the meniscus tear is causing pain, or the torn tissue is blocking full range of motion. ...Read moreSee 1 more doctor answer
Is it possible to fix meniscus?
Yes.: Depending on the type of tear. Some can be surgically repaired. Some can't and have to be trimmed out. ...Read moreSee 2 more doctor answers
What you do for a turn meniscus?
Depends: Depends on the patient's age, the severity of the tear and whether there is instability of the knee. All these factors need to be known whether physical therapy, surgery or reconstructive surgery would be recommended. ...Read moreSee 1 more doctor answer
Can a displaced meniscus be fixed?
Yes.: Depending on the exact type of tear, it potentially can be repaired or removed. Your surgeon would make that determination. ...Read moreSee 2 more doctor answers
How to tell if i tore my meniscus?
Meniscal tears: There are several types of meniscal tears (see pic). Some meniscal tears occur w/ acute injury & some as degenerative changes (over time). Common symptoms include pain, swelling, clicking/ popping, locking/ catching, giving way, and/ or limited range of motion. Hope this helps. You may wish to try thessaly test, but it is best if you let a physician examine you and possibly order an MRI to be sure. ...Read moreSee 1 more doctor answer
How does a meniscus get displaced?
Usually it tears: The meniscus is a gristly cartilage that asked to distribute weight across the joint. It becomes more fragile with age and can tear so that the fragments flipped into and out of the joint. If the tear involves the rim of the meniscus, near the capsule, the entire meniscus can flip across the joint. This is called a bucket-handle tear and can keep the joint from moving completely (locking). ...Read more
What are ways to tear your meniscus?
Rotational force on : Most tears of the meniscus occur from a rotational force on the knee joint. Surprisingly, this force does not need to be that great to cause a tear of the meniscus. Perfect example is sitting cross legged(indian style), is enough force to tear it. ...Read more
- Talk to a doctor live online for free
- When do you need a pacemaker
- When do you need antibiotics for a sinus infection
- When do you need to get a tetanus shot
- Ask a doctor a question free online
- When do you need hospice for ovarian cancer
- When do you need to take an iron supplement
- When do you need crutches for a sprained ankle
- When do you need a tetanus shot
- Talk to a orthopedic reconstructive surgeon online for free


text:
Amazon CEO Announces "Amazon Prime Air" Flying Robot Drones [VIDEO]
As creepy and "big brother" as this sounds, it actually has "PROCRASTINATOR" written all over it. And I love it.
Last night, Jeff Bezos, the founder and CEO of Amazon, announced their new program: flying robot drones. "Amazon Prime Air" could deliver a product…THIRTY MINUTES AFTER YOU ORDER IT.
And while it sounds like something from The Jetsons, it could actually be operational in the next four or five years!
Welcome to the amazing, slightly frightening future!
Subscribe to Mix 96 on


text:
Souldivers go high: The idea is to make our expedition in a way that people support us in our expedition and make a donation to Aware.
-3.08018, 37.354889
The idea is to make our expedition in a way that people support us in our expedition and make a donation to Aware. In other words "We go to climb his huge mountain and you, our "fans" should encourage us by doing something for the underwater life.
So make your donation to AWARE, by supporting us on this trip. You can use the Donate buttom directly, stating your sponsorship to this action.
Who are we? I, Saskia Uit den Bogaard, 41 years, PADI Dive Master (in training as I write this, but expect to be certified when we leave), diving since 2004, Manager at ADP Netherlands BV, and also enthusiastic horseback rider. My husband, Frank Dorenbos, 46 years, PADI Staff Instructor, diving since 2003, General Manager at Protecteye Netherlands BV, and also enthusiastic golfer. We live in Rotterdam and from day 1 are connected to Soul Divers.
Why this choice? Well, we obviously could have done something regular as a sponsor for the sharks or manta rays. We also could have gone running. And we could have done a cleanup in any lake, sea or water. That's what we will still do, but we wanted something different, something irregular, something very contradictory, and therefore also very special.
When diving, it is often the depth to go into, whether it is 5 meters or 50 meters. But do you want to see something nice, you go below sea level, it is as simple as that (mountain lake diving aside). So what more contrast to the go all the way "up" instead of going down. After all, the world above sea level is very important for the underwater world. It can not have one without the other. Think of acid rain, environment pollution, global warming ... etc. All factors that directly or indirectly affect what we see underwater. And as I recently learned in my Divemaster training, it is all part of the cycle that flows water around our globe.
Anyway, Kilimanjaro, it has become. In the end, we see all levels, because aftre climbing the mountain after we go on safari and then another week diving course. A reverse profile so to say, from very high to the depth. But we may be forgiven.
And when will all this happen? September 22nd we fly to the Kilimanjaro and 24th September (Monday, a good beginning of the week) we go to the camps of Machame, Shira, Barranco, Barafu (on Frank's birthday), Uhuru Peak (the peak) and then back down through Mweka Camp, where we expected to arrive on 29th of september again. We will then have one day rest before we continue our way :-).


text:
US Increase Aid to Syrian Opposition as Israel Prepares to Strike
Susanne Posel
Occupy Corporatism
July 25, 2012
The Obama administration is focusing on increasing aid to the Free Syrian Army and other oppositional factions to facilitate a forced regime change in Syria. Talks with Israeli and Turkish governments will include defense and military actions as Leon Panetta, US Defense Secretary heads to Israel.
The Israeli government has plans to strike Syrian "weapons facilities". While Obama is not publicly condoning military action, the US government is supporting Israel's movement because of unsubstantiated claims that Syria has chemical weapons.
Obama has denied that the US government is arming oppositional forces, yet the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) have been in Turkey offering intelligence and training to factions aiding in the destruction of the Syrian government.
Andrew Tabler, a Syria expert at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, admits that the US government "[is] looking at the controlled demolition [of the Syrian government]. But like any controlled demolition, anything can go wrong."
Based on Israeli intelligence, the US government is warning Syria against use of their alleged chemical weapons stockpiles . The threats include the facing of "unstated consequences". It appears that the US government still wants to appear as though they are not directly behind the violence and destruction of the Syrian government and removal of Assad from power. Then the US government claimed that the chemical weapons movement was simply precautionary.
Adm. William McRaven, the head of the military's Special Operations forces, speaking to Congress back in March stated: "It's going to take an international effort when Assad falls — and he will fall — in order to secure these weapons."
The Rest…HERE


text:
Beijing: China might see increased foreign exchange inflows this year as expectations of yuan appreciation mount, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) said on Monday.
SAFE also said it expected a smaller current account surplus this year as a percentage of GDP but a larger overall balance of payments surplus. The currency regulator made the comments in a report accompanying revised balance-of-payments data for 2009.
"The relatively higher domestic interest rate and mounting expectations for yuan appreciation will increase the scale of cross-border carry trade," the report said.
The currency regulator sounded an optimistic note on a greater surplus in China's international balance of payments due to an expected narrowing of its trade surplus and a quicker pace in outbound investments.
"The country's international balance of payments situation will be further improved this year, with the momentum of widening trade surplus continuing to ease," the report added.
SAFE revised the 2009 current account surplus to $297.1 billion from the $284.1 billion figure issued earlier this year, while the capital and financial account surplus was also revised up to $144.8 billion from $109.1 billion.
The currency regulator also noted the challenges of managing inflation expectations and pursuing structural adjustments in the face of global risks.
"China's economy is still facing some pronounced problems, as there are many uncertain factors in the global financial market, and it is a big challenge to transform the economic growth model," SAFE said.


text:
Wildly Chic
Silk tassels are what make this smoky-beige silk-satin gown with beaded-lace bust and cocktail train unforgettable, about $10,500, by St. Pucchi Couture by Rani Totman, stpucchi.com. Multistrand peach-jade necklace, $525, by Destination Bliss at Fragments, fragments.com. Hand-carved wood bangle, $380, by Patricia Von Musulin, 212-206-8345.
- Featured In: Beach Wedding Dresses, Earthy Accessories


text:
Related Products:
First year of issue. These older coins have met the test of time and survived the Gold Reserve Act of 1934, which outlawed most private ownership of Gold. Remaining nearly uncirculated with just the slightest bit of wear.
Coin Highlights:
- Contains .4838 oz of Gold.
- Individual coins are packaged in a protective plastic coin flip.
- Obverse: Features Lady Liberty crowned with a war bonnet and encircled by 13 stars with the word "LIBERTY" on her hair band and the date below.
- Reverse: Features a majestic bald eagle perched on a stack of arrows that are wrapped with an olive branch.
- Designed by Augustus Saint-Gaudens and minted from 1907-1933.
- U.S. Mint issue from the following mints: Philadelphia, Denver or San Francisco.
Protect your $10 Indian Gold Eagle with this clear plastic capsule or display it in style by adding an attractive presentation box or coin bezel to your order.
The beautiful design of this coin adds to the collectability of this series. Enhance your collection by adding this 1907 $10 Indian Gold Eagle to your cart today!
Not yet rated. Be the first to Write a Review
We provide all of our customers with a refund, return and / or exchange on everything we sell including all bullion and certified coins. If for any reason, you have a problem, please feel free to call us. We will always do our best to accommodate you.


text:
Abu Dhabi, Aug 15 (IANS/WAM) UAE's ministry of foreign affairs has expressed concern over the unrest in Egypt after an operation was launched Wednesday to disperse supporters of deposed president Mohamed Morsi in Cairo.
"The UAE ministry of foreign affairs is following with great concern the developments of the situation in Egypt... The ministry re-affirms its understanding of the sovereign measures taken by the Egyptian government after having exercised maximum self-control," an official statement said Wednesday.
The United Arab Emirates urged Egyptians for starting the national reconciliation in order to achieve the "required political, civil and democratic transition".


text:
Dodge for Sale
Selected Filters:Type of Ad: Vehicles for Sale Make: Dodge
1966 Dodge Charger
St. Louis, MO
1966 Dodge Charger Two-Door Hardtop Nicely restored with fresh paint and motor Silver Metallic exterior and original black interior Hide-away headlights 383 CID V-8 with four-barrel carburetor and... More
Advertiser since 1987
2010 Dodge Ram 3500 Truck
Fort Worth, TX
Call or visit our website for more information!... More
1968 Dodge Coronet R/T
St-jerome, QC
1968 Coronet RT fully restored motor is a freshly rebuit 383CI 4 speed manual transmission paint is impeccable body is laser staright everything is new on the car underccariage is also... More
1971 Dodge Challenger Convertible
St-jerome, QC
1971 Challenger convertbile this car is in a showroom condition motor is 318ci that runs super nice and strong paint is flawless bucket seat wih console with an... More
1969 Dodge Coronet
Mankato, MN
Please call us or email for the information about this car.... More
2005 Dodge Viper Hennessey Venom 650
Houston, TX
2005 Dodge Hennessy Viper V10, 6-Speed, 10,900 miles. Hennessey Stainless Steel 3'' Exhaust, 1.75'' Long Tube Headers, Hennessey Polished Air Induction System, Hennessey... More
1949 Dodge PU
Staunton, IL
1949 Dodge Pu 5 window cab, new paint, flathead 6 cyl, 3 speed, getting harder to find, runs and drives good... More
2015 Dodge Challenger Coupe
Brookfield, WI
2015 Dodge Challenger SXT, Jazz Blue Pearl Coat on Black, 1 Owner, Clean Carfax... More
1970 Dodge Challenger RT 426 HEMI
St-jerome, QC
Dodge Hemi Challenger R/T . Super rare find!! 1 of 3 hemi 1970 challenger !! Only 2 owner car 1970 hemi challenger! (R code) Vin:jS23R Comes with original build sheet All... More
1994 Dodge Viper RT10
St-jerome, QC
1994 Dodge Viper RT10 very powerfull V10 engine with a 6 speed manual transmission engine runs very nice and smooth only 30 000 miles painT,interior and the undercarriage... More
1972 Dodge Dart 4dr
Staunton, IL
1972 dodge dart 4dr, nice orig car showing 39,xxx miles, nice int, nice body and paint, aftermarket a/c, with R134 refrigerant, runs and drives... More
1950 Dodge Wayfarer 2dr
Staunton, IL
1950 Dodge Wayfarer 2dr, nice solid body, redone cloth int, 6 cyl, 3 speed, runs and drives good... More
2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat
Mankato, MN
Please call us or email for the information about this car.... More
1971 Dodge Dart Swinger
St. Louis, MO
1971 Dodge Dart Swinger 340 Two-door Hardtop Professional finished in Light blue metallic exterior with full white vinyl top and matching rear vinyl stripe Light blue... More
Advertiser since 1987
Staunton, IL
Dart Swinger, nice original car, good body, orig paint, good orig int, 94,xxx miles, believed to be actual, full tune up, new gas tank... More


text:
Download the latest version of 2516516 drivers according to your computer's operating system. All downloads available on this website have been scanned by the latest anti-virus software and are guaranteed to be virus and malware-free.
Browse the list of top 2516516 drivers below to find the driver that meets your specifications. To see more matches from our driver database, use our customized search engine to search for all 2516516 drivers. Let us know if you do not find the driver you need.
To download, select the best match for your device and then click the Download button. Need help? You can get help and discuss drivers on our free driver forum. If all else fails, you can request the driver and we will find it for you.
2516516 Driver Update UtilitySupported OS: Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP
File Version: Version 126.96.36.199
File Size: 1.6 MB
File Name:
Download >>
2516516 Driver
NexxTechSupported OS: Win XP Pro, Win ME, Win 98
File Size: 13.4 MB
File Name:
Download >>
2,488 DownloadsSubmitted May 29, 2008 by Yann Allard (DG Member)
2516516 Driver
NexxTechSupported OS: Win Vista, Win Vista x64
File Version: Version 220.127.116.11
File Size: 13.4 MB
File Name:
Download >>
221 DownloadsSubmitted Jan 29, 2012 by Jordi Mascaró Sanahuja (DG Member)


text:
Waratahs coach Michael Cheika expects the Stormers to try to tempt his free-scoring side into kicking rather than running in Saturday's Super Rugby clash.
The Waratahs returned from South Africa on Monday after recording a 72-10 thumping of the lowly Kings in Port Elizabeth.
Next up is an Allianz Stadium clash with the Stormers, who who are one point and two spots behind eighth-placed NSW, after an 18-17 loss to the Blues.
The Tahs ran in 11 tries - eight of them through the backs - against the Kings, but the Stormers are renowned for their defence.
They have been among the competition's premier defensive outfits over recent seasons and haven't been involved in a one-sided game this year.
The Stormers past five games and seven of their last nine have been decided by seven points or less.
The other two have hardly been blowouts, an eight-point loss to the Blues and a 13-point win over the competition leading Brumbies.
"It's going to be difficult because they are very strong in a lot of areas," Cheika said of the Stormers.
"The setpiece, they will try and spoil you there, and they are very good defenders as well.
"It's going to be a temptation of whether we kick or whether we just keep running and try and do it really well."
Cheika confirmed Wallabies backs Berrick Barnes and Drew Mitchell were likely to be available after recovering from injury.
Barnes missed the past six matches with a thumb injury while Mitchell missed the past two with a hamstring tear.
Cheika said he would wait and see how the players from last weekend's game pulled up before deciding whether Barnes and Mitchell would play.
"It's not a (selection) headache, it's the plan to have everyone available where possible and just try to make the right decisions around who we've got to play," Cheika said.


text:
George McNeely
b.abt. 1760 Augusta County, Virginia
d.25 May 1819 Spencer County, Indiana
Family tree▼
m. bef. 1758
m. abt. 1782
Facts and Events
George McNeely was one of the Early Settlers of Augusta County, Virginia
Parentage of George McNeely
- Note: the parentage of George McNeely that married Sarah Rutledge is disputed. Some researchers believe he was a son of Robert McNeely (1700-1757), but his son George is NOT named in Robert's will in 1757, making it likely that his son George had died prior to that date.
Records of George McNeely in Augusta County, VA
From Chalkley's Augusta County Records:
Records in Indiana
Information on George McNeely
In 1782, the Augusta County, Virginia Delinquent Tax List (Vol. 2), includes George McNelly, Botetourt, apparently meaning that George had gone to Botetourt County, Virginia.
In January 31, 1787 George McNeely is identified as the husband of Sarah Rutledge, daughter of Edward & Sarah Rutledge, in her father's will recorded this date in Augusta County, Virginia and proved February 20, 1787 (Will Book 6, pg. 551, also Will Book 7, pg. 1).
Sources: 1) The McNeely Book, by James Kenneth Tyler (1994), pg. 13-9. 2) Joyce Brown Smith, Mustang, OK
Source: http://www.peddie.us/genealogy/getperson.php?personID=I0143&tree=Peddie-1&PHPSESSID=457ad6265021b5b64cae1be2d209874d


text:
Scotland's first offshore wind farm is being built out at sea.
The scientists behind it reckon it's a great way to make electricity without damaging the environment.
Maddy went on a sky-high adventure to take a closer look.
"Just an hour after scoffing down eggs on toast for breakfast I was being strapped into a helicopter, ready to fly seven miles to reach one of the biggest offshore wind farms in the UK.
Our pilot told me another reporter had spent her entire journey huddled over a sick bag! So I started to regret the eggs, and braced myself for an exciting but scary journey.
Clear weather
In fact, I had nothing to worry about. We had perfect flying conditions so the ride was as smooth as it could be.
It was windy - of course - but everyone on board had to wear special earphones to block out the noise from the wind and the helicopter's propellers.
It wasn't long before we spotted the wind farm in the distance - 37 turbines popping out of the sea and glistening in the sunlight. When the farm is finished, there will be 60 altogether.
Really tall
Each turbine is as tall as 30 double-decker buses piled on top of each other, and each blade's longer than two swimming pools.
The turbines are pushed deep into the seabed to stop them moving around and the parts closest to the water are painted yellow, so ships can spot them.
It's a really tricky process building the turbines out at sea. We watched workmen using boats to drag materials between them.
Some of them even live on a special platform on the water while they're working on the project. It can take at least 14 hours to finish a single turbine.
Legs dangling
While I was sat safely next to our pilot in the front, Newsround's cameraman Darryl had a much trickier job.
He had to open the helicopter's side door and dangle his legs out in order to get the best shots for our TV report!
Even though he was wearing a special harness I was still a bit worried.
The wind was so powerful he said he thought it might pull his shoes off. But he managed to keep them on and do a brilliant job!
Some campaigners reckon wind turbines are really ugly, but I think they look futuristic and cool - especially when you're hovering right next to them!"


text:
Product Spotlight
Featured Research
Quick Stats
You are here
Texas Cigarette Tax Hurts Retailers
Convenience stores in the state report a 12 percent drop in cigarette sales.
DALLAS -- In the first two months since the state of Texas implemented a $1 tax increase on cigarette packs, the state collected $53.3 million more in tobacco tax revenue compared with the year ago results, according to the comptroller's office. However, convenience retailers in the state are reporting cigarette sales down 12 percent, The Associated Press reported.
Industry lobbyists claim that cigarette sales in c-stores have dropped 12 percent statewide since the tax hike was implemented, and those stores located near bordering states that have cheaper taxes -- including New Mexico at 91 cents per pack; Arkansas at 59 cents; and Oklahoma at $1.03 -- are suffering from even steeper sales losses.
The dollar increase added to the previous tax of 41 cents. Even though the new rate generated nearly $125 million in cigarette taxes collected through February, it's too early to project whether the state will meet its previous estimate of $1 billion raised by the end of the fiscal year, said comptroller spokesman R.J. DeSilva.
"We want to take a look at sales for several months before looking at any trends," DeSilva told the AP.
Lawmakers passed the cigarette tax increase -- the first for the Lone Star state since 1991 -- to help balance cuts in local property taxes.
Concerns over a spike in cigarette smuggling once carton prices were raised $12 appears to be groundless, according to the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. The largest seizure reported so far was 25 cartons hidden inside a car in Hidalgo, Texas, said Rick Pauza, a spokesman for the agency's field office in Laredo, Texas.
"We haven't seen anything major," Franceska Perot, spokeswoman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms in Houston, told the AP.
The biggest shift since the tax hike is a nearly tenfold spike in cigarettes surrendered at the border of Mexico. With drivers looking to skirt the $1 increase, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission said the agency confiscated about 2,700 cigarette packages at entry ports through February -- up from less than 300 in the first two months of 2006.
However, convenience stores are not throwing in the white flag yet. Stores are optimistic that their sales will improve later this year, according to Doug DuBois, director of membership services and governmental affairs for the Texas Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association.
"This is about what we expected," DuBois said.


text:
Samsung Epic 4G box front - Samsung Epic 4G
Front of the Samsung Epic 4G box.
|‹Samsung Epic 4G QWERTY slide-out and box
|Samsung Epic 4G box back›
© Gear Live Inc. – User-posted content, unless source is quoted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Public Domain License. Gear Live graphics, logos, designs, page headers, button icons, videos, articles, blogs, forums, scripts and other service names are the trademarks of Gear Live Inc.


text:
Artist's description:
Large abstract, oil on canvas. Ready to hang, no frame needed. Title, signature and date on the side.
Materials used:
Abstract N°208 (2011)
Oil painting by Koen Lybaert
$3,421.71 Sold
- Oil painting on Canvas
- One of a kind artwork
- Size: 39.37 x 59.06 x 1.57 in (unframed)
- This artwork is sold unframed
- Signed on the back
- Ready to hang
- Style: Abstract
- Subject: Abstract and non-figurative
More by Koen Lybaert View all
View all
Glen Finglas II, Stirling [Abstract N° 1938]
Oil paintingby Koen Lybaert
Glen Finglas I, Stirling [Abstract N° 1937]
Oil paintingby Koen Lybaert
Wasur National Park [Abstract N° 1934]
Oil paintingby Koen Lybaert
Black Sea 11 [Abstract N° 1873]
Oil paintingby Koen Lybaert


text:
Turning your challenges into
We welcome jobs big and small
How can we help you?
Customers love us!
"MMO Solution came to my rescue - a highly competent and efficient team.
I recommend them highly for custom work. Top quality and excellent price."
Jean Edwards - ThinkShop Ltd.
"Our site was DOWN - yes DOWN, as in the word DEAD, and MMOS came to our rescue.
Quickly fixed- I can't praise their team more highly. Many thanks, guys- I heartily recommend you to anyone having website problems!"
by J.V.C., Miami, Florida
"I had a problem that day I did not know how to solve, then I asked them and they did a great job and fast! Thank you very much!!"
by Manuela Farinelli, freelance, Dubai, UAE
"The guys at MMOSOlution have to be THE BEST with OpenCart. They've given me a clean, user-friendly site, and they've made it SO EASY for me as a non-webbie, to be able to add products, make changes etc to my site. I've used other supposed tech experts before - but MMOS are superb-I can't praise them enough!"
by Angie Lole, Seattle, Washington


text:
Johannesburg - Tuesday was the sixth time that Arrigo Ferri and his tenants were appearing at the Germiston Magistrate's Court.
The landlord, who has indicated he is at his wits' end, said he has had to resort to the courts to have his non-paying tenants evicted.
Ferri, 55, said he was trying to get his tenants to pay him the four months' rent they owe him.
He said he had received a call from the police on his return from court that his tenants had obtained a protection order against him, barring him from entering his own property to ask them to pay rent.
Ferri said he could not believe that his Ethiopian tenants were staying at his Bedfordview duplex rent-free.
"They owe R37 000 in rent and utilities. I don't have a problem with losing the money; I just want them out because I want the house back to me (sic)."
Ferri said he had rented out his three-bedroom townhouse for a year - from June 2010 to May 2011 - to Etsegenet Haile and her partner, Daniel Belay, and their two children at R6 000 a month.
They had to pay for their own water, lights, electricity, other levies and services. When the contract ended, the couple asked to stay longer.
"I told them that they could stay, but that I would not renew the contract. I had realised they were problem tenants.
"Later, they started paying late or in bits and pieces. I served a notice for them to move, but they blatantly refused and stopped paying rent in January this year," he said.
Ferri said he had disconnected electricity two months ago, hoping that would drive out his tenants. They are still at the house, though, and allegedly use candles.
On Tuesday morning, Ferri disconnected the water.
"I wanted to remove the doors and all, but I was advised that I could get into trouble.
"I was also told that if I change the locks, that would be seen as forceful eviction and I would be breaking the law."
Speaking outside court, Ferri said it was not as if his tenants could not afford to pay him - they had bought a car last year, and had businesses and a domestic worker.
A senior public prosecutor said landlords must never make verbal agreements and should also be careful how they structure their lease agreements with their tenants.
"Consequences of non-payment should be clearly spelt out in the agreement.
"Locking the tenant out of the house is more effective because the other person has no claim of ownership, and if they break into the house, you call the police because that is a criminal offence," he said.
The couple refused to talk and fled when a team from The Star approached them.
The Star


text:
The Deal
- NASCAR Saturday Night racing event for the The Whelen All American Series for one or two with optional all-access pass
- When: Saturday, November 16, at 6 p.m.
- Where: Central Texas Speedway
- Door time: 4 p.m.
- Ticket values include all fees.
Ticket Options
- $7 for one general-admission ticket (a $17.25 value)
- $13 for two general-admission tickets (a $34.51 value)
- $25 for one all-access pass, including one general-admission ticket, pit access, driver meet-and-greet, and suite and sky deck access (a $54.59 value)
NASCAR Saturday Night
Central Texas Speedway invites fans to the grandstands on Saturday, November 16 for an evening of season-finale NASCAR racing and behind-the-scenes glimpses. With an all-access pass, fans can tour the pits, meet and greet the drivers, and see some of the most famous sponsor logos up close and personal. The evening continues after the main event as live music fills the Speedway and an award ceremony celebrates top racers.


text:
how do I add instructables to my guide?
To add an instructable (one at a time), find one that you want to include and open it. On the right hand column, at the bottom of one of the grey boxes titled as "guides", there will be text that says "Add to a guide" and a drop down menu to select the name of your guide (in case you have more than one). Make sure the drop down menu box shows the correct guide name, and then just click on "Add". You've now added 1 instructable to your guide.
You'll see there is a link next to the "add" button which you can use to view your guide, but since you've only added one, you may want to search out more instructables to add. When you do, just repeat the steps (noted above) until you've added all that you want to your guide.
If you have any questions, just reply. ;)
Here's a sample (screenshot) image of what you should be looking for.


text:
Tokyo: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday said that 21st century is the century of knowledge and the country with "knowledge and information will lead the world".
"...the one who has knowledge and information will lead the world than those who have wealth and arms," the prime minister said.
He was speaking at the inauguration of the TCS Japan Tech and Cultural Academy in Tokyo on the fourth day of his five-day Japan sojourn.


text:
In a typical move of the German director, a provocative statement about his roots and Hitler was delivered during 'Melancholia' press conference.
Before everything goes messier than it is, Lars von Trier has apologized for his comment at the press conference of "Melancholia" at the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday, May 18 morning. The director shocked the audience when he described himself a Nazi and the festival's execs have since demanded an explanation.
At the occasion, von Trier said about his German roots, "I thought I was a Jew and I was happy to be a Jew. But then I found out I was actually a Nazi ...And that also gave me some pleasure. What can I say? I understand Hitler ...I sympathize with him a bit." He also announced another movie with Kirsten Dunst that will have "a lot of very, very unpleasant sex."
The organizers don't quite sit well with his comment, saying "The director states that he let himself be egged on by a provocation. He presents his apology. The festival acknowledges this and is passing on Lars von Trier's apology." von Trier added, "If I have hurt someone this morning by the words I said at the press conference, I sincerely apologize. I am not anti-Semitic or racially prejudiced in any way, nor am I a Nazi."
The fest then stated that they "never allow the event to become a forum for pronouncements on such subjects."


text:
Laughter, an Antidote to Grief
Neil Chethik, editor for the Open to Hope Foundation, posted a question to his contributing writers last week:
"How has giving helped you in grieving?"
Neil's great question required a thoughtful response so I set about to write a brief synopsis about grieving, giving and giggling. I titled the article Using Laughter and Playfulness as an Antidote to Grief.
The minutes, hours and days of deep grieving about Jim Thompson's death have passed. However…I still have moments where I cry and reflect about what happened 4 years ago today – the day my friend Jim died by suicide.
The tears are infrequent now. The incessant crying, desperation and wrenching guilt I felt has been replaced by lots of smiles and laughter.
Life is good!
In reality, the loss of my friend turned into a gain. It gave me the opportunity to examine my life closely and make better choices about how I was living each day. The simple things in life give me a lot of pleasure now like riding around in my truck and drinking beer after a hot yoga class.
Rock and Roll, Tonka Truck & Post-Yoga Beer
For those who don't know me well, let me tell you a not-so-secret, secret. I LOVE MY TRUCK.My adult Tonka toy is an extension of my personality, it's practical, hard-working, down-to-earth, ballsy and unpretentious.
I enjoy driving around blasting rock-and-roll from my cheap-ass speakers every chance I get. Give me some Green Day, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Creed, Pearl Jam, classic rock like AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, 80's hair bands, grunge, great drum solos and anthematic tunes sung by rock's patron saint, Freddie Mercury. WE WILL, WE WILL, ROCK YOU!
Picture a chick (moi) smiling, wearing a purple baseball cap, red lipstick and sitting behind the wheel of a a black truck banging her head back and forth to a raucous rock tune.
This past Sunday Miss Tonka and I drove down to Newark, Delaware to attend my friend Joyce's Harvest Moon Yoga class at Empowered Yoga. I was cruising along on a perfect fall day with the windows down listening to either WMMR or WYSP at ear deafening levels (the ONLY volume for rock I might add).
I was singing, smiling and thinking about meeting up with my yoga buddies for some good old fashioned Hatha yoga action (with clown nose during balancing poses) and post Savasana beer. Yeah, yogi's drink! We're into fitness and yoga philosophy but we're not anti-social. Sheesh.
Inhale. Exhale..add a new cue… Guzzle! YEAH! (Special thanks to Twin Lakes for the Oktoberfest, delish man, delish!)
You are as Free as a Bird Now
My mood shifted from smiles, yoga and clown noses to thoughts of Jim as soon as I heard the first few chords of Lynyrd Skynyrd's Freebird from my truck speakers.
I've been reflecting about him lately due to the time of year and all the work I've been doing preparing for the E-Racing the Blues event. Jim and I also shared a love of music. He also drove a truck. I often feel like he's playing DJ for me when I'm driving around. Right after he died I would imagine him sitting in the passenger seat jamming along with me (hell, I still do now, who am I kidding).
If I leave here tomorrow
Would you still remember me?
For I must be traveling on, now,
cause there's too many places I've got to see.
I shook my head in acknowledgment as little baby tears ran down my face. Of course I will remember you, dude.
Who could forget the great talks, breaking bread, philosophizing, drinking beer, fixing houses and laughing ourselves silly?
Immediately after Freebird ended, Coldplay's song, Talk, started to play. I first heard this tune when it was released in December 2005. At that time I felt like I had written the lyrics myself. All I wanted to do was pick up the phone and call Jim…and for a while I did, just to hear his voice on his cell phone greeting.
Oh brother I can't believe it's true
I'm so scared about the future and
I want to talk to you
Oh I want to talk to you
Was it coincidence this song came on the radio while thinking of Jim during my Sunday afternoon truck ride? I doubt it, I think James was playing DJ again. *smile*
Even for all the problems and the pain, Jim loved to laugh (as noted in this unflattering photo of me and Jim taken many, many years ago).
This picture is what it's all about.
Giggling On…laughing with friends and enjoying life.
There's no pain, suffering, depression or sadness where Jim is now.
He is as free as a bird! It is my belief he is engulfed in pure love (and he's also probably drinking a beer, smoking those damned cigarettes, wearing his tool belt and boots. *giggle*).
On this, the 4th year to the day since Jim's decided to go traveling on, I commemorate his life and our friendship. I thank him for the gift he gave me, the gift of knowing my own life has meaning and purpose. I am glad I made the decision to stay on the planet, give-back and Giggle On!
I know Jim wouldn't want me to waste another moment crying or another breath feeling guilty about what happened. If he were here I think he would say…"Sweetheart, Giggle On!"
I Giggle On, Rock On, Love On, Yoga On and Give On. Join me!
An Invitation to Celebrate Life
Please join me as I celebrate the life and friendship of Jim Thompson on October 25, 2009 in the E-Racing the Blues event benefiting the Mental Health Association in Delaware.
As a tribute to Jim and his sense of playfulness, team members will receive clown noses, kazoos and bubbles.
I doubt Jim would have worn a clown nose, but he would have played a kazoo, blown bubbles and danced around shakin' his booty in his own special and most hilarious Jimmy way.
Life is meant to be enjoyed...let's do it together!
Join Team Giggle On today! 🙂
Update: October 26, 2010 – three weeks after this post originally went live I learned my other friend Jim Sims died by suicide. Jim Sims inspired me to create this site. This year Team Giggle On walks in memory of Jim Thompson and Jim Sims. If you live in the Wilmington, Delaware area, please join us this Sunday. If you cannot make it and would like to make a donation to our team, we welcome your contribution.
Depression and Addition are Treatable! Please seek help for yourself or your loved one if they suffer from these diseases. God Bless. If you are thinking of hurting yourself, please call 800-273-TALK.
If you like this post, please share it.
Related Posts:
Team Giggle On E-Races the Blues
Have Fun: Tips to bring playfulness into your life
Favorite things, relish in the good stuff


text:
Parallels Between Philadelphia Eagles' Coach Chip Kelly & A Lean Leader
The Philadelphia Eagles are playing in an NFL playoff matchup tonight against the New Orleans Saints. I'd admired Eagles head coach Chip Kelly and his somewhat unlikely rise through the coaching ranks. He's well known from his successful stint at the University of Oregon, but before that he was the offensive coordinator at New Hampshire, a school in the lower "FCS" tier that managed to upset my beloved Northwestern Wildcats in 2006 (please hold your jokes about NU being "lower tier").
When the Eagles hired Kelly, many thought that he would directly transplant his wild, fast-paced offensive game to the NFL. That strategy has failed for other college coaches who made the leap to the NFL. That, with the poor track record of other college coaches in the NFL, the odds might have been against Kelly. But, he's in the playoffs… and he's sort of like a "Lean leader."
The Wall St. Journal had an interesting article ($$) on Kelly: "Why the Eagles Aren't Ducks – Chip Kelly Defies Expectations That He Would Import Oregon's Offense to Philadelphia." You might be able to find a free version via this Google search.
Some Lean-related highlights (or ideas that make me think of the Lean style of leadership):
"Because he had so much success at Oregon, the perception is that what he did at Oregon is the exact same thing he was going to do here," said Roseman.
Added Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie : "It was never 'Here's the playbook, here's what we did at Oregon.' "
I think a good Lean leader comes into an organization and adapts his strategy and approach to the needs of the organization. I saw this at GM, when we got a new plant manager in 1996 who had great experience at the famed NUMMI plant in California (read more about this here).
When Ford hired Alan Mulally away from Boeing to be CEO, Mulally was thrown into a new industry and a company in very different financial circumstances. I'm sure he had to adapt. He probably came in with a game plan and some ideas, but he probably had to adjust.
Let's say Boeing hired a leader away from Toyota… they might have to make a very similar adjustment and adaptation to the new environment. The same would be true if a very successful Lean healthcare CEO moved to a new hospital… the game plan that made them successful someplace else might not work exactly in the new environment.
That transplanted leader might keep certain core principles and values (including basic Lean principles), but they might adapt in the details — as Chip Kelly has done. Kelly doesn't run the exact same collge offense in the NFL, but he's brought elements that would remind you this is a Chip Kelly team.
The article talks about Kelly asking questions in his Eagles' interview (a good Lean leader asks lots of questions):
Kelly, however, answered almost all the questions with questions of his own: Why worry about a perfect run-pass balance? Why try possessing the ball for long periods of time when the goal is to score more points? Why should the kicking of an extra point be automatic? Why punt automatically? Why align the tackles in a balanced way? Why practice Wednesday, Thursday, Friday? Where's the science behind that?
"There was obviously a philosophy of being inquisitive," said Lurie, calling Kelly "someone who challenged the obvious."
In the interview process, Roseman and Lurie said Kelly argued that strategy ought to be shaped to fit personnel, not to fit a coach's philosophical beliefs or mirror his previously successful schemes.
Those are all great points. I love how Kelly asks, "Where's the science behind" a certain strategy. Being inquisitive and challenging the obvious, shaping strategy to personnel are familiar themes to me in the Lean world.
I've seen transplanted leaders get into trouble when they tried to copy directly what worked for them someplace else. When I worked at Dell Computer in 1999-2000, I saw leaders come in from other computer companies and they wanted to immediately start changing some core parts of the factory's approach… this often led to a lot of whipping back and forth based on who the new leader was.
I love how Kelly challenges the "way it's always been" (another good Lean leader trait), such as moving the usual "off day" from Tuesday to Monday. Why not? Let's make a change and see what works in the PDSA model (Plan-Do-Study-Adjust). The stakes are high in the NFL… and making changes that go against the conventional wisdom are seen as risky and can garner more criticism than just going with the flow.
Isn't the same true in healthcare and other industries?
Don't forget my reader book raffle, where I'm giving away a copy of one of my books to one winner. Read more and enter the contest here.
Please post a comment and join the discussion. Subscribe to get notified about posts daily or weekly.


text:
The 'fans-tribute' video features booty dance of some females and Breezy pumping up the crowd in a live gig.
Following his reign on Billboard Hot 200 last week, Chris Brown filmed a viral video for "Spend It All" as a tribute to his devotees, and debuted it this week. Shots of scantily-clad women performing booty dances to the camera are inserted in between scenes of his live performances.
"I got the pop songs, I got the urban records," Breezy said when talking about the No. 1 album at the beginning of the video. "I always like to do all kinds of music, so now, I got to give y'all the strip club record. I would advise 18 and up to watch this."
"F.A.M.E." was released in the United States on March 22, and was celebrated by a series of TV appearances including on "Good Morning America". He topped Billboard Hot 200 by selling around 270,000 copies with the album, scoring her first No. 1 effort in the U.S. albums chart.
Chris Brown's "Spend It All" music video


text:
NINE in 10 children will attend their parent's first choice primary school.
Figures released by Bolton Council on "National Offer Day" show the numbers of children being placed at their top choice school has increased to just over 89 per cent, a rise of nearly four per cent.
For the first time this year, families in every area of the country are finding out at the same time which school their child has been allocated to.
Primary school applicat-ions in Bolton dropped slightly to 3,810, a fall of 32, after a surge in demand for places in recent years.
A breakdown of the figures show that 3,394, or 89.08 per cent, received their first choice primary place; 236, 6.19 per cent, of children were placed at their parent's second choice with 64, or 1.68 per cent, at their third choice.
The numbers of children who did not receive a place at one of the top three stood at 116, 3.05 per cent, compared to 4.7 per cent last year.
Nationally, it has been predicted one in three could lose out in some areas which are facing a shortage of places.
Cllr Kevin McKeon, Bolton Council's cabinet member for schools, said the authority was working very hard to ensure all schools in Bolton were of a high standard.
He added: "It is true to say we have not had as many good or outstanding schools as we have at the moment.
"Also we have made sure in areas where there is a need for places, schools have been expanded to increase the intake numbers of schools, so perhaps a single form entry has become a double form entry.
"I am sympathetic for those who have not got the place they wanted and am delighted for the vast majority who have."
He added that the numbers of first choice places awarded would increase through the appeals procedure and added as well as expanding, the council had, "within a limited, budget" managed to improve the learning environment for all children.
A Bolton Council spokesman said: "Those parents who have not been offered a place at their preferred schools will receive the forms and information on how to appeal. The appeals will be heard in the summer term."