text:
"Gabriel Knight 2: The Beast Within" is an interesting game for many reasons. For one thing, it's one of the first games to incorporate full-motion video, and it does so effectively. Unlike Sierra's other pioneering CD-ROM project, "Phantasmogoria" or Trilobyte's "The 7th Guest," GK2 is still winning over new players today. The reasons are clear: GK2 has all the eyecandy of the other games, plus great characters, good drama, an interesting storyline, and challenging (yet not unsolvable) puzzles.
Jane Jensen's "Gabriel Knight" series is one of those things that you either love or hate. Adventure game enthusiasts are so divided on the topic that some claim the Gabriel Knight series almost single-handedly kept the genre alive through the early 90s, whereas others lament that it's responsible for the genre's demise. At any rate, if you enjoy adventure games, sooner or later you owe it to yourself to at least give this series a chance. I've now played all three games and consider them all masterpieces, even if there are flaws in each.
GK2 picks up where GK1: Sins of the Fathers left off. Gabriel Knight is struggling with a severe case of writer's block in his castle at Rittersburg. Relief comes in the guise of a mob of peasants, who ask the new Schattenjaeger for help with a werewolf problem in Munich. Gabriel relunctantly accepts the mission, and soon gets caught in a web of murder, intrigue, and a unhealthy dose of the supernatural. The official story is that a pair of escaped wolves from the local zoo are responsible for a string of seemingly random murders around Munich. However, Gabriel soon learns that there is something far more dangerous going on than a few unleashed canus canus--and a lot more at stake. Gracie, Gabe's assistant and quasi-love interest from New Orleans, gets involved as well, and soon starts to put together a bizarre tapestry: Ludwig II, the "Black Wolf," Richard Wagner...It's a very rich game.
Of course, the big question here is the production value. Most modern gamers groan or giggle whenever they hear the words "full motion video." Back in 1995, watching any kind of videoclip on your computer was nothing short of amazing, and plenty of folks were willing to purchase and play some pretty rancid games just for the novelty value of full-motion video. Everyone was talking about the marriage of the movie and game industry, and every game developer in the biz was recruiting third--no, fourth--rate actors and film crews to generate "content" which, just because it was new and cool, would push even the crappiest game to the top of the charts. We all know what happened--one suck bomb after another shot up and down the charts, and pretty soon FMV's honeymoon was over. Nobody wanted anything to do with FMV, and now even Cyan goes to great lengths to avoid it. However, I think it's a shame that FMV has such a poor reputation nowadays, and I bet now that we're older and wiser regarding it, it won't be long before we'll see it make a triumphant comeback. After all, Gabriel Knight 2 demonstrates that FMV can be a very effective style.
Okay, now that I've got my obligatory FMV spiel out of the way, let me talk about how it's incorporated into GK2. It's a bit more subtle than the bait-and-switch tactic of full-motion video cutscenes and low-rez play screens. While there are plenty of cut-scenes in GK 2, they are not overly long and at least as entertaining as the average soap opera or made-for-TV movie. The acting ranges from mediocre to pretty good--though, let's face it, no one here is Oscar material (or Emmy material, for that matter). However, let's not be too harsh--the acting is definitely good enough, and never made me cringe. That alone is a big improvement over most games attempting something similar. Some of the best acting is done by Joanne Takahashi, who plays, Gracie, and Peter J. Lucas is superb as Von Glower. I was somewhat disappointed by Dean Erickson's performance as Gabriel Knight. I hate to think that Erickson was the best Sierra could find for this all-important role. Surely there are other lesser-known but more talented actors that could've done a better job.
The rest of the game looks almost as good as the cut scenes. The backgrounds are photorealistic and only a few objects are obviously computer-generated (unfortunately, one of the worst are the wolves, who are terribly fake-looking and even laughable). A few parts of the screen are animated to look more filmic. For instance, when humans are pictured on the screen, they will occasionally shift into a brief clip (such as wiping a counter or shifting a bit). The idea is good, but it still looks rather artificial. Other games of the time (Myst and Rhem) tried to get around this problem by avoiding showing people on the screen except in cut-scenes. The reason is painfully obvious when you watch Gabe or Gracie strut across the screen. They move like those Chinese puppets you see in movies. The developers tried to reduce the problem by putting things in front of the character's legs (such as a subway terminal or low-hanging wall), but I'm not sure if this does much more than draw attention to the problem.
The gameplay is actually rather similar to that of the first game: third person point-and-click. The player clicks on various parts of the screen to have the avatar (Gabe or Gracie, depending on the chapter) move about, collect or manipulate objects, and interact with other characters. It's a fairly intuitive interface that's much more accessible than the rather forbidding interface of the third game in the series. Inventory management is fairly simple; neither Gabe nor Gracie ever collect more than a dozen objects. The explorable areas are also intelligently limited and quite manageable--and also quite interesting. Gracie gets to explore some very famous castles, and Gabe gets to wander about a Bavarian national forest and visit downtown Munich.
The GK games are always divided up into self-contained "chapters." Basically, what this means is that players must complete a set number of tasks before the game will advance to the next chapter. One of the big problems with this setup is that sometimes the tasks seem rather arbitrary, and a player might get easily stuck in a chapter and have to consult a hintbook. Though GK 2 features a "hint" system that helps players zero-in on the last remaining task, sometimes it's just not at all clear. Perhaps you need to re-visit some person and try talking again--occasionally a new piece of dialogue will unexpectedly crop up. I got totally stumped in this game and had to consult a hint site to learn that a fax had arrived that had to be picked up from the post office. How was I supposed to know that? I had several of these "moments" playing GK 2, and they always made me very angry. I hate cheating! There is also a bit of pixel-hunting here, which adds to the general frustration level. Still, I've learned that you should always consult some hints if you've been stuck for more than an hour or so. It's generally always something stupid that's more the developer's fault than the player's.
All in all, though, GK 2 is a fine game that provided my wife and I with many hours of sleuthing enjoyment. While Gabe and Gracie aren't quite as likeable here as they are in the third game, the Baron and his henchmen more than make up for it. Gracie's character starts to come into focus here, and her relationship with Gabe is complicated and authentic. Gabe's character is multi-faceted, and I doubt players will always be sympathetic to his interests. There are plenty of dramatic twists here that really caught me by surprise. Indeed, I was a bit surprised at how much GK 2 pushed the envelope. There are several homo-erotic scenes that are reminiscent of Anne Rice's novels, and I'm surprised that I haven't heard more about them. There's also quite a bit of foul language (the f-bomb is dropped frequently towards the end). I wouldn't recommend this game to a young child, but teens should be fine.
A few minor criticisms aside, Gabriel Knight 2: The Beast Within is an excellent game that is well worth tracking down and playing through. I would strongly recommend consulting this page for some useful patches and fixes if you're trying to run the game under XP.


text:
Asked by Jasmine, San Diego, California
Is it safe to fly with a 2-week-old?
Living Well Expert
Dr. Jennifer Shu
Children's Medical Group
Thanks for your question. Many parents ask me about traveling with their newborns or young infants for family events such as weddings or work obligations planned long before their baby was born. From a purely medical standpoint, healthy term babies generally are OK to fly after the first week or two, but be sure that your baby falls into this category before starting your trip. Your pediatrician will want to make sure the baby doesn't have any heart problems or jaundice and is feeding well. And although commercial airliners are pressurized and the oxygen level in the cabin carefully controlled during flight, premature infants' lungs may be more sensitive to the effects of high-altitude travel; therefore, they should fly (or visit areas of higher altitude) with greater caution.
The problem with being on a plane or in any enclosed space with lots of other people is that germs can spread very easily. While getting the sniffles as an adult is more of a nuisance than anything else, babies who get a cold stand to become seriously ill quickly, especially in the first few months of life. Fevers in newborns need to be taken seriously and require not only the involvement of health professionals but also the possibility of tests and treatment. In general, avoiding crowds and sick people in particular is definitely in your baby's best interest. However, if you do fly with your baby, remember to be extra dedicated to hand washing or sanitizing, and try to shield your baby from any direct contact with the coughs or sneezes of obviously ill travelers.
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subset: commoncrawl


text: Hi! Anderson Goulart wrote: > Hello, > > I am interested in build a dsmcc decoder beginning from libdsmcc. First > I created an object carousel with dsmcc-mhp-tools [1] and using libdsmcc > [2] I could process some sections. Until now I could decode simple DSMCC > TS files with a few files encoded. Anyone is interested in a dsmcc > decoder to work together or has any documentation to help me? I think some people will be happy to have a DSMCC client reference implementation, thats sure :) Where do you want to start a project for that? You can find some documentation inside the MHP specification which you can download from http://www.mhp.org/documents/Ts102812.V1.2.1.zip Look into Annex B, there's nearly all required information about Object Carousels and references to other documents. > [1] http://freshmeat.net/projects/dsmcc-mhp-tools/ This is the encoder I wrote for MHP application broadcast. The generator is not very configurable, but just good enough to start with and good for testing ;) > [2] http://freshmeat.net/projects/libdsmcc/ This URL is broken... I don't know how suitable it is for your project, I don't know what functionality (TS and message parsing would be sufficient) it does provide though. I can help you with your project but have little time right now. Cheers, Marek


text:
That kid who wears his headphones around his neck
It's a beautiful day. Spring is about to fold into Summer flawlessly. You're walking down a beautiful street, going home, free of all cares. The birds are singing, the flowers are blooming, and the grass is a beautiful green. Everything is perfect, you could say. But wait. Your head jerks up suddenly. You sense something. You slowly turn around 180 degrees, and its presence makes itself known. It's him. It's that kid that wears his headphones around his neck. Fuck. You start picking up the pace. You're a good 50 yards away from him anyway. It's only a few blocks to your house, right? Still, you can't shake his presence. You turn around again. He's still there, and gaining speed. You take a sharp right, taking the long way home, in hopes that he won't follow you. You notice you're sweating. You slowly turn around, and there he is. Twenty feet away. It's time to get serious. But before we do that, let's back up a little bit.
Just Who Is This Fucker, Anyway?[edit]
Come on, you all have this guy. Whether you're hanging out with friends, or alone, he just seems to be...there. And he always has those goddamn headphones around his neck. They're called headphones. Not neckphones. No one wants to hear your shitty music. And what the fuck is that you're listening to, anyway? Like, fucking Japanese trip-hop? Dude, no. And he breathes weird, too. And he's ugly.
The Race Heats Up[edit]
So anyway, you start jogging. Nothing too intense, but just fast enough so maybe he'll get the idea that you don't want him around. But no. He probably thinks you're fucking running for fun or some shit. Who does that, anyway? He's gaining on you. Shit. Just keep the pace, he'll get the idea soon. Suddenly you realize you're going the wrong way, you missed the turn to your house about two blocks ago. But going back would mean crossing paths with him, and we all know you can't do that. So you try to find another way to get to your house. You jump onto someone's lawn and start running, maybe knocking a few lawn gnomes over in the process. He does the same. You start running faster and faster, and to your bewilderment, he still seems to think you want to be with him. Goddamn. The echo of his music starts to get into your ears. He's got that shit blasting. "Kaiwa shima la desu shi~~".
Shit, no. I mean, it's got this pretty cool horn part but that's about it. I've got nothing against the Japanese, but their music is just kinda shit. Anyway, the tune is totally getting stuck into my head, and you're distracted. You slam into a house and break the window. Oh god. He's 10 feet away from you. You look up at the roof and the gutter on it, and you know what to do.
How to Recognize and Avoid The Headphones Kid[edit]
The most common misconception about the kid who wears his headphones around his neck is that he always has to have headphones. This is not true; he may not even own a pair. But someone can still be a headphones kid in spirit. This may somewhat impede your ability to spot him out. Where are you reading this? Your house? Look up. He's right there. Oh, you looked too slow. He left.[1]
The Chase Thickens[edit]
You take one last look behind you, bend your knees, jump up and grab onto the gutter, from which you pull yourself up onto the roof. You start running with longer strides, and jump onto an adjacent roof. You keep roof-jumping without looking back until you feel his presence again. You stop moving, swing your body around, and see him two roofs away. You quickly turn back around and continue running as fast as you can from roof to roof, but you realize it's not enough. After your legs start to tire you take out you cell phone and press the hidden button on the side. Your mind races and your palms are sweating, but you keep running and jumping from roof to roof until you see a helicopter off in the distance. You know if you can make it, then you're in the clear. You suddenly turn around and start running and jumping backwards. You, in a spontaneous decision, start doing acrobatic moves; cartwheeling and somersaulting over roofs. He starts doing the same.
The Escape[edit]
You hear the helicopter behind you. Without turning around, You lunge as far as you can facing backwards, and land right into the helicopter. You accidentally knocked out the pilot in the process, but no big. You put on the aviator headphones and microphones and start flying away. As soon as You turn the headphones on, a look of horror sweeps across your face, as it would anyone's: Japanese lyrics start flooding into your ears. You quickly, in one movement, turn the headphones off and throw them out of the open window. You search around; you feel his presence again. Suddenly, with utter horror, you slowly tilt your head upward. He's on top of the helicopter, right beneath the fast spinning blades.
Your horrified face quickly turns to a grin, and you know exactly what to do. You set the helicopter into over drive mode, and suddenly flip upside down, landing the kid onto the blades. His body is chopped up into a million pieces by the blades, and they all fall into a pile onto the street, along with his headphones. You take a parachute and jump out of the helicopter, which quickly crashes and burns into somebody's house. You release the parachute and float safely to the ground. You start your walk home, wondering what's for dinner, and quietly humming "Kaiwa shima la desu shi~~". What can I say, it's catchy.
- ↑ Anyone who actually looked up is a loser and probably a headphones kid too


text:
BMW Individual Interactive Experience.
The BMW Individual iPad App is available in German and English, free of charge in the iTunes App Store.
BMW Individual.
Brilliant paint finishes, premium Merino leather, sophisticated interior trims, and exclusive equipment: BMW Individual provides you with a multitude of options to give your BMW a unique character. The BMW Individual Manufactory extends the exclusive range available from BMW Individual with additional, almost limitless customisation options.
BMW Individual iPad App.
Your journey through the world of BMW Individual starts with the entry of your name, to add a personal touch to the App. An innovative user interface allows you to navigate through the multi-faceted chapters. The product content is visualized in an attractive way and describes the additional value of the BMW Individual range in detail.
The Visualizer enables you to customize your own BMW Individual. With the integrated Facebook function you can share your individual BMW online with your friends.
The application uses the technical features of the iPad perfectly - it utilizes a large variety of impressive interaction possibilities. Click, swipe, tilt – you will discover new opportunities again and again.
The unique and almost realistic visualization of the color samples makes the iPad App a multi-media experience.
The BMW Individual iPad App is available at the iTunes App Store on the following link:


text: SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY COMMISSION (As approved December 2, 2004) Minutes of the regular meeting of Thursday, October 21, 2004. The San Francisco Public Library Commission held a regular meeting on Thursday, October 21, 2004, in the Koret Auditorium, Main Library. The meeting was called to order by President Higueras at 4:21pm. The following members were present: Bautista, Chin, Higueras, and Steiman. Commissioners Coulter and Strobin were reported excused. Agenda Items: 1) Public Comment 2) City Librarian Search Process 3) Commendatory Resolution 4) Bond Program Manager's Report 6) ADJOURNMENT APPENDIX A -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AGENDA ITEM #1 PUBLIC COMMENT An anonymous member of the public expressed their views concerning public comment and about President Higueras' letter to the Editor of Library Journal concerning library gadflies. Mr. Peter Warfield asked questions about the status of the request for proposals (RFP) for RFID at the Library and urged that the public be actively involved. President Higueras reiterated, as he noted the Commission had stated several times before, that the Library would have an open process with opportunity for public discussion prior to issuing request for proposals (RFP) for RFID use by the Library. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AGENDA ITEM #2 CITY LIBRARIAN SEARCH PROCESS The Library's Executive Search consultant Mr. Hawkins presented a brief progress report (copy attached) on the City Librarian search process. Mr. Hawkins highlighted his extensive outreach efforts and described the wide spectrum of advertising being done. Mr. Hawkins next discussed the work of expert consultants June Garcia and David Duberly in identifying potential candidates and encouraging them to apply. Mr. Hawkins noted that progress was going more slowly in reaching the number of candidates he would have liked and proposed to the Commissioners that the deadline for submission of applications be extended for two more weeks, until November 5th, to allow sufficient additional time to identify, contact, and bring in more potential candidates. Mr. Hawkins proposed to present a preliminary review of the candidates search and the candidate interview process to the Commission at its regular November 18th meeting. The Library's Executive Search Consultant then discussed how the Commission might consider structuring the candidate interview process offering three suggested models. Mr. Hawkins concluded suggesting that candidate interviews could be conducted in early December and discussed the interview process. Public comment on AGENDA ITEM #2 CITY LIBRARIAN SEARCH PROCESS An anonymous member of the public commented on a previous comment that there was insufficient time to properly conduct the search process; found the use of the term stakeholder a "red flag"; suggested that inclusion of outsiders in the interview process could breech the confidentiality of the process; and stated that in their view the Commission was required by law to submit one, two, or three candidates for City Librarian to the Mayor. Mr. Peter Warfield expressed support for the motion taking sufficient time to conduct the City Librarian search; commented that he felt the Charter required submission of three candidates to the Mayor; expressed concern with use of the term "stakeholders"; and inquired about who would be chosen to assist in this process. Mr. Warfield also expressed concerns about what he felt to be exclusion of members of the public such as himself from the process and about discussions not held in public. Commission discussion of AGENDA ITEM #2 CITY LIBRARIAN SEARCH PROCESS President Higueras observed that the inclusion of outside "stakeholders" might be problematic, raising concerns with maintaining potential applicants' privacy during such a process. President Higueras expressed a preference that the Commissioners conduct the interview process themselves. Vice President Steiman agreed that maintaining confidentiality would be difficult and perhaps unwieldy with a larger group involved. However; Vice President Steiman suggested that professional and expert input could be valuable in helping the Commissioners' evaluation of candidates. Vice President Steiman remarked that input from those with extensive knowledge could be useful in looking beyond a candidates' reputation and into their actual accomplishments. In response to Commissioners' comments, Mr. Hawkins noted that interview were just one element in a thorough professional evaluation and vetting of potential applicants. Mr. Hawkins discussed the issues raised by the need to protect the confidentiality of the process and recommended a compressed schedule of time between the candidate interviews and the recommendation to the Mayor of a candidate or candidates. There followed a discussion among the Commissioners concerning potential pitfalls with staff involvement in the process, the candidates' interviews, where and when interviews might be done. President Higueras commented that he believed that with Mr. Hawkins assistance, the Commissioners could make a reasonable choice and that to involve others would add additional time to the length of the search process. Deputy City Attorney Catharine Barnes outlined a possible "closed session" scenario if the Commission conducted the process, and noted that inclusion of outsiders might require that the process be conducted in a public meeting. Mr. Hawkins clarified that the number of potential finalist candidates could be 5 to 7. MOTION: by Commissioner Bautista, 2nd Commissioner Chin for approval of an extension of the City Librarian Search Process application period until November 5, 2004. Adopted by the following vote: AYE 4-0 (Bautista, Chin, Higueras, and Steiman) The Acting City Librarian joined the meeting at 5:19pm. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AGENDA ITEM #3 COMMENDATORY RESOLUTION President Higueras read the text of a proposed resolution commending Rich Walsh for his decades of exemplary service to San Francisco and its public libraries (copy attached). Mr. Walsh thanked the Commissioners for their gesture of recognition, recalled each Commissioner's unique contributions, and recalled many of the memorable events and outstanding colleagues that he had worked with during his 32 years with the City and 27 years at the Library. Mr. Walsh urged that Commissioners remember the critical importance of maintaining the Library's infrastructure and of making appropriate investment in its properties. Public comment on AGENDA ITEM #3 COMMENDATORY RESOLUTION An anonymous member of the public recalled Mr. Walsh's beginnings at the Library as a systems analyst, and his service as Commission Secretary, and noted that Mr. Walsh was a man of practicality who did not personalize his interactions. Ms. Deborah Doyle, Acting Executive Director of the Friends of the San Francisco Public Library lauded Rich Walsh's decades of service to the Library and thanked him on behalf of Library's users. Mr. Michael Kwok thanked Mr. Walsh for his service and suggested that the Public Library Commission consider using the model employed by the City's Taxi Commission in holding its employee hiring closed session. Commission discussion of AGENDA ITEM #3 COMMENDATORY RESOLUTION Commissioner Bautista wished Mr. Walsh well in his retirement and expressed happiness that he would be able to continue to assist the Library on a part time basis. Vice President Steiman commended Mr. Walsh for his outstanding service and noting that he left the library's facilities in good condition. Commissioner Chin noted that they had worked together for many years and that his people skills had made him very effective and an asset to the Library. Acting City Librarian Paul Underwood speaking for himself and on behalf of the management team commend Mr. Walsh and recalled that former City Librarian Susan Hildreth called Mr. Walsh a "gem of a manager" and that working with him had shown Mr. Walsh to be a wizard at getting the job done with limited resources. MOTION: Commissioner Bautista, 2nd Commissioner Chin for approval of the proposed resolution commending and thanking Rich Walsh for his services on the occasion of his retirement from the Library. Adopted by the following vote: AYE 4-0 (Bautista, Chin, Higueras, and Steiman) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AGENDA ITEM #4 BOND PROGRAM MANAGER'S REPORT (Presented by Branch Library Improvement Program Manager Marilyn Thompson -This is a discussion item to allow the Branch Library Bond Program Manager to report on recent bond program related activities and make announcements.) Ms. Thompson informed the Commissioners that her report would begin with an informational presentation by Deputy City Attorney Donnell Choy concerning the Glen Park Branch Library Purchase and Sale Agreement. Mr. Choy outlined in broad strokes the changes that had been made to the, as yet, unsigned Purchase and Sale Agreement for the new Glen Park Branch. Mr. Choy noted that there were, as yet, additional details to be worked out but that it was his view that the substance of the agreement had not significantly changed. The most significant change Mr. Choy highlighted was the creation of a tenants-in common arrangement for the underlying land with a vertical separation of the structure instead of the originally proposed condominium arrangement with appropriate common areas agreements. Deputy City Attorney Choy noted that the Library would have title to its portion of the building in a manner not significantly dissimilar to the originally proposed arrangement. Mr. Choy then outlined the next steps in the process to finalize the agreement with the new owner/developer of the property. Mr. Choy concluded that the Library fully retained its rights as originally proposed including the right to terminate the agreement if found to not meet the Library's requirements. Next, Ms. Thompson presented: the current budget, reporting the current budget and expenditures and commitments of $28,652,466 and noting there were no schedule changes reflected. The BLIP Manager then updated the Commissioners concerning the active projects; and presented a community outreach update report The BLIP Manager then gave a construction activities report dated October 21, 2004. (copy attached). Ms. Thompson concluded her report with a Peer Review Panel Redesign review response report on the Sunset Branch Library and announced she would defer her design response to the Western Addition Branch library Peer Review to an upcoming meeting. Public comment on AGENDA ITEM #3 BOND PROGRAM MANAGER'S REPORT An anonymous member of the public expressed concern with the changes made to the proposed Glen Park Branch Purchase & Sale agreement suggesting that these new arrangements with a new owner and without extensive explanatory documents were difficult to verify. This person observed that in their view now that the project was out of the spotlight; anything might be done. Mr. Peter Warfield noted that he had believe the original agreement a blank check for the developer and expressed alarm that he did not have access to details of the new arrangements. Mr. Warfield suggested an increased risk of liability; had concerns with status of the branch library in the new arrangement; and saw a potential for negative financial impacts to the Library. Commission discussion of AGENDA ITEM #4 BOND PROGRAM MANAGER'S REPORT In response to questions by President Higueras, Mr. Choy discussed further the differences between the original and the current versions of the Glen Park Purchase and Sale Agreement and elaborated on the likelihood of greater risks or any loss of protection resulting from the changes in the draft agreement. Mr. Choy noted that no deal had been done yet and that mutual agreement of the parties was required to put the agreement into effect. The Deputy City Attorney pointed out that the Library fully retained its rights in the proposed new version. In response to questions by Vice President Steiman, Mr. Choy proposed to provide the Commissioners with additional information on details of several aspects of the new agreement. Deputy City Attorney Choy emphasized that each entity would own its spaces, holding as tenants-in- common only the land, with appropriate shared use agreements on joint use areas, and that the Library would continue to retain ownership of the airspace above its portion of the structure. President Higueras thanked Mr. Choy for his hard work on the proposed agreement, the useful clarity provided by his explanations, and requested that he report back to the Commission as details of the proposed final text were developed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AGENDA ITEM # 6 ADJOURNMENT MOTION: by Commissioner Bautista, 2nd Commissioner Chin that the meeting be adjourned. There being no further business, the Commission meeting was adjourned at 6:07pm ACTION: AYE 4-0 (Bautista, Chin, Higueras, and Strobin) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Michael Housh, Commission Secretary 12/3/04 Please note: Changes in these minutes are in alternative typeface. Copies of Commission Minutes and handouts are available in the Office of the Commission Secretary, 100 Larkin Street, San Francisco, CA 94102 ATTACHMENTS: City Librarian search revised schedule Rich Walsh Resolution Branch Library Improvement Program (BLIP) Manager's Report notes Branch Library Improvement Program Schedule 2/19/04 Branch Library Improvement Program Budget 10/21/04 Sunset Peer Review response notes Appendix A The Public Comment Summary Statements included in these Minutes are authorized by San Francisco Administrative Code Section 67.16. These summary statements are provided by the speaker. Their contents are neither generated by, nor subject to approval or verification of accuracy by, the San Francisco Public Library Commission. The number of members of the public who spoke anonymously at this meeting. 1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Explanatory documents: Copies of listed explanatory documents are available as follows: (1) from the Commission Secretary/Custodian of Records, Main Library, 6th Floor, (2) in the rear of the Koret Auditorium immediately before and during the meeting, and (3)to the extent possible, on the Library's Web site. Additional materials not listed as explanatory documents, if any, that are distributed to the Library Commissioners prior to or during the meeting in connection with any agenda item will be available to the public for inspection and copying in accordance with Government Code Section 54954.1 and Sunshine Ordinance §§ 67.9, 67.28(b) & 67.28(d).


text:
Kevin Costner is in full-blown Everyman mode in "Swing Vote," a political comedy that also tries to pull your heartstrings.
With the upcoming presidential election looming, "Swing Vote" is certainly timely, but it also strains to be timeless. It's as if a moldering old Frank Capra script had been retrieved from the Hollywood vaults. Dusted off and brought up to date, it's still the same old Capracorn – minus the populist pizzazz he might have provided.
Bud Johnson (Costner) is a good-natured goof-off with custody of his precocious 12-year-old daughter Molly (Madeline Carroll). He spends most of his time napping and guzzling beer and getting canned from jobs. But he's not a bad guy, really – just aimless. He doesn't follow politics and doesn't much care who wins the presidency, but Molly makes it her business to see that he votes – it doesn't even matter for whom. When he screws up on election day, she steps in for him. Through a series of implausibilities too risible to relate here, Bud's vote, which went unprocessed, becomes a do-over. Oh, and his choice will become the next president.
There's no point in deriding the ridiculousness of this premise. But, having set up this every-vote-counts scenario, why didn't director Joshua Michael Stern and his co-screenwriter Jason Richman put some teeth in it? This is the kind of "political" movie in which all sides are given equal time. Republicans and Democrats are made to look equally good-bad and no real-world issues are introduced except as the stuff of one-liners. It's all so mushily ecumenical.
When the network TV folks and demonstrators of all stripes and creeds descend on Bud's tiny town of Texico, New Mexico, the circus-like atmosphere is remarkably well-mannered. (About the worst thing that happens is that an obese cameraman leans on Bud's car.) Incumbent Republican President Andrew Boone (Kelsey Grammer) courts Bud by bringing him aboard the presidential plane for a chat. Democratic challenger Donald Greenleaf (Dennis Hopper) goes for a more down-home approach, setting up a shindig where Bud can jam with his band performing covers of Willie Nelson hits.
Grammer is surprisingly robust as the president. Maybe he should think about going into politics for real. (After all, if image is indeed everything these days, why not?) The casting – or I should say, the miscasting – of Hopper is difficult to fathom. He tries mightily to look noble but he carries too many stoned-hippie vibes to pull it off.
Costner is pleasant enough but his affability here carries too much ideological baggage. At his best, in films like "Bull Durham" and "Tin Cup," he could be marvelously easygoing and yet temperamental. Those guys had gumption. Costner wasn't trying to be an Everyman, and so, paradoxically, he sort of became one anyway. He brought us into the commonality of his characters' experiences.
In "Swing Vote," Bud's ordinariness is intended to certify his deep-down all-American decency. The fact that this single father spends most of his time loafing is presented as "cute." Molly is exasperated but, of course, since we're also in "Paper Moon" territory here, she truly loves him and is undamaged by his shenanigans. She just wants Bud to be an upstanding voter.
Molly hammers home the point that one should not give up on the system, but it's not clear that Bud ever bought into it. If he at least was exposed to a range of policy issues by the two candidates, his trajectory from slacker to model citizen might have made sense. But in the world of "Swing Vote," it's enough that you vote – why or for whom is secondary.
The filmmakers want to fashion a civics lesson but they don't bother to include anything of substance. The only time they stretch their necks out – and it's only a millimeter or two – is when they show the two candidates shamelessly pandering for Bud's vote. Of course, they come to see the error of their ways. No one, after all, ever won an election in America by pandering to the populace.
And speaking of shamelessness: The high civic tone of "Swing Vote" is belied by its vast array of product placements. (Why do you think Bud is so named?) It also showcases a galaxy of real-world newscasters and commentators, including Chris Matthews, Arianna Huffington, Bill Maher, and Larry King. I find this sort of display unseemly – further proof, if any were needed, that news and entertainment are becoming indistinguishable. The pièce de résistance will come when Larry King gives this film a good review. Grade: C (Rated PG-13 for language.)


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Getting Rankings into GA Using Custom VariablesBlog Post: October 23, 2011
In general, this lets you view rankings as a dimension rather than a metric.
GWT information likes to use about averages. This, unfortunately, blends everything together and blurs the context. You can't answer simple questions like, what's my conversion rate if I rank 4th? It does have other benefits, however, such as impression data.
You can use this to identify very specific details such as which hour of which day, where geographically, and what happened (Goals, PVs, Events) to visits for a particular keyword in a particular position.
You can use this to determine clusters of position performance and identify lift in engagement based on position. You can use this to try to see what the results page looked like for the user, to understand why they clicked on your link.
There are other parameters such as source=web in the google referral string. It might be worthwhile to capture that one and see what other values might be available for source.
I recommend inserting this type of code right into your GA tag rather than separating it out and calling it elsewhere on the page. The idea being that you can ensure that you're pushing and executing the objects in the ideal order.


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On the look out for more...
Our more...
The Doveridge Summerhouse 8'x 14' (2.43m x 4.26m)
The Doveridge is a sturdy, traditional summerhouse featuring two glazed top opening windows on the front of the building and matching side windows. This allows plenty of light to flood throughout the building allowing you to make the most of the weather and enjoy your garden throughout the year. This significant summerhouse also offers two full length glazed double doors which complete the look of the building and can be opened during the summer months to allow plenty of air to circulate throughout. By adding a verandah or partition you can maximise the use of your building by adding extra features.
Available with or without a verandah and also the option to add a partition to the building. Adding a verandah allows you to have added extra space, you can use it as an extra seating area to relax and enjoy the sun. You can use it for placing plants or an area to hang some hanging baskets and enjoy the beauty of the garden throughout the years to come.
We recommend that you use bearers to protect the most vulnerable part of any garden building, the floor. The bearers 3"x3" (75mmx75mm) timber tanalised posts, guaranteed against rot for 15 years. They completely raise the building of the floor completely allowing the air to circulate underneath to prevent any damp from entering the building from the floor.
The full length doors offer antique style hinges and a 3 lever lock and handle which not only completes the look of the building but adds some security to the building, making it a place to store your garden essentials and furniture when not in use. (Leaded glass is also available). By purchasing a bitumen paper waterproof membrane lining, which is fitted between the framing and cladding whilst the walls are being manufactured helps to act as a damp proof membrane. This impervious layer ensures that the inside of your building is drier and is ideal if you want to insulate and board your building.
*Image shows the building with the optional verandah. This is not standard and is for illustration purposes.
Standard Features:
We strongly advise against combining paint with the tanalisation treatment. If both of these treatments are applied the paint will shrink over time and will need re-applying.
Optional Extras
Note: All building fascias are supplied flat, if a scalloped fascia is required please select it from the options drop-down list below.
Extra information - The price for adding additional opening windows is different to the shed window as they are joinery made, if you would like to add additional extras please enquire.
Delivery Notice: Delivery and installation is INCLUDED to the areas highlighted in green on the map below. For any queries or enquires please donât hesitate to contact a member of our friendly sales team on 01604 780350


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Holmes & Yang Spring 2013 | Runway
Holmes & Yang Spring 2013
Holmes & Yang Spring 2013
If Katie Holmes and Jeanne Yang are intent on winning the affections of New York's hard-lined fashion types, than it's safe to say that they're off to pretty good start. Their intimate Spring 2013 presentation — the duo's first official outing on the New York fashion calendar — certainly offered up plenty of chic, downtown-tinged options.
The focus here was on basics, but there was nothing boring about these clean-lined looks. One speckle-print shorts suit, for example, was the kind of thing that someone could easily make a statement in at night, but its individual pieces were relaxed enough that they could just as easily be paired with more casual pieces for day. Likewise, a sexy V-neck tank in slick black leather with skinny spaghetti straps looked right at home paired with an olive silk maxi skirt, while one strapless jumpsuit in breezy silk had black lace insets running down the leg for a hint of romantic appeal. If this is the kind of elevated versatility Holmes & Hang is capable of, then it will be fun to see what else the pair can do.


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STOCKTON - The Downtown Transit Center was evacuated at midmorning Monday while the Stockton police bomb squad investigated, and eventually detonated, a suspicious package discovered on the southwest platform.
STOCKTON - The Downtown Transit Center was evacuated at midmorning Monday while the Stockton police bomb squad investigated, and eventually detonated, a suspicious package discovered on the southwest platform.
A transient, Christopher Day, 25, was caught on video leaving the package and was subsequently found in the area by responding police officers. He told them the package contained medical supplies that he had found, but an X-ray of the package taken by a Metro Bomb Squad officer was inconclusive, so the detonation went forward.
No one was reported injured during the two-hour police operation that began at 10:43 a.m. Monday. Investigators are still looking into whether the package contained an explosive device, but the only thing that could be heard exploding at 12:39 p.m. was the detonator itself.
Upon arrival, police cordoned off the block housing San Joaquin Regional Transit District's Downtown Transit Center, closing one block of California Street to the east. Buses continued to unload and board passengers on Weber Avenue and Channel Street, but many riders were confused.
"I don't know where my bus is," said Roberta Golden, 19, a certified nurse assistant, who had just gotten off one bus expecting to board another but was blocked from entering the transit platform. Golden and her friend, college student Bruce Washington, 19, soon found one of several yellow-vested RTD employees scattered around the perimeter providing assistance.
Tensions increased when the bomb squad determined they were going to conduct a controlled detonation of the package on scene. Officers were deployed to move the large crowd to safety off Channel Street. Once it was closed, arriving and departing buses were moved farther away to Sutter Street and Miner Avenue.
A blast suit-clad officer then used a rope to pull the suspicious package away from the transit building out into the middle of the bus platform area.
Just prior to the detonation, a police officer shouted "Fire in the hole" three times, then there was a single loud boom followed by silence.
Police collected evidence at the scene to determine what might have been in the package.
Meanwhile, hundreds of bus riders were inconvenienced during the confusion until after 1 p.m. when the "all clear" was issued and the yellow police tape came down.
Speculation among onlookers ran the gamut as the drama unfolded.
Joe Ventura Jr., 47, of Stockton said he saw the mysterious package - actually two items - and said an officer moved them outside from the lobby of the depot before deciding to move away. Ventura described the items as a cheap, red nylon drawstring backpack and a shoebox-size clear plastic box with visible gears inside that looked like a music box.
"That officer was told some lady came in, dropped it off and immediately left," Ventura said, but his account could not be verified by authorities.
Jermaine Tregle, 32, hanging out before taking the bus to his job in Lathrop, was shooting a video of the events to share with family and friends on Facebook.
"Supposedly I was told the mysterious package could be explosive or it could be contaminated. They want to take precautions. I'm not even sure it's safe for us to be at this distance," Tregle said while standing on the Channel Street sidewalk next to the bus platforms.
"I credit the troops going in to ensure our safety," he said of the officers responding to the scene.
RTD spokesman Paul Rapp said as soon as the call went out to evacuate the transit center, workers and administrative staff on the second floor left the building.
"We have a policy that if you see something, say something to let our customer service staff know for safety and security reasons. This is the first time the building has been evacuated," Rapp said, noting that employees have drilled for such an occasion.
Day, the man who police suspect left the package, was released but told not to return to the Downtown Transit Center.
"In today's world, we have to take extra precautions as it relates to suspicious packages," police spokesman Officer Joe Silva said.
"That is why we activated our Metro Bomb Squad (Monday) at the RTD Station. Our bomb squad investigators are highly trained to handle these types of situations and determine the best way to render a package safe for the public's safety.
"We want everyone to remember though," Silva said, "don't leave your belongings behind, and if you do see a suspicious package to notify authorities. It is always better to be safe than sorry."
Contact reporter Joe Goldeen at (209) 546-8278 or firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow him at recordnet.com/goldeenblog and on Twitter @JoeGoldeen.


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Now entering it's 80th year - this popular game's rules are changing! Pre-order your Mah Jongg Card to make sure you have it when the time comes! PLUS if you order today you'll receive a special pre-order price! Limited quantities are available - so don't miss out! If ordering for pickup, you will be contacted by email and/or phone to let you know that your card is ready for pickup at The Israeli Source!
Anticipated arrival mid-April - All customers who pre-order will receive an automatic email the moment the cards arrive.


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Title Tags - Is 70 Characters the Best Practice? - Whiteboard FridayBlog Post: September 29, 2011
The title has appeared. There is anyway, a very strange result.
Maybe if you have time, you could check as well.
It seems that the only part of the title that appears to intitle searches is: Cate caractere indexeaza Google din Title Tag (test)? - xn CnzreeTlrTgarGll aTxrCxxrlntc dtn This means 92 characters, including spaces.
I checked now and you are right - tweetmeme replicated the page. I can't say what was the exact moment when this was indexed (before or after the original post was ranked). Anyways, I would like to mention that at the search moment, tweetmeme was not appearing in the results, as you can see in the post screenshot.
I would like to check it again though. I did add the title in the original post (which is is in Romanian http://seogan.ro/cate-caractere-indexeaza-google-din-title-tag-test). In the moment when the title is indexed, we will be able to check again with the operator intitle to search any characters string from the title.
It will take few days, but we will have a clear answer. (I thumbed you up too, because your observation was great).
Hi. Here is seogan :).
I used a photo of the title in the post, as I wanted to be sure that it was not influenced by the post content. I wanted to check if only the title is indexed. If I would have added exactly the same characters in the text, I couldn't be sure that it was the content or the title tag that it was indexed.
And, yes, after few weeks I removed the title. It didn't make sense for users to see that title in SERPs - it was strange :). But I could add it again, this is not an issue.
Thanks for mentioning the test, Cyrus.


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This site features a library of papers on LENR, Low Energy Nuclear Reactions, also known as Cold Fusion. (CANR, Chemically Assisted Nuclear Reactions is another term for this phenomenon.) The library includes more than 1,000 original scientific papers reprinted with permission from the authors and publishers. The papers are linked to a bibliography of over 3,500 journal papers, news articles and books about LENR.
This website includes:
- The Introduction to LENR-CANR, and a list of books, videos and links to other sites about LENR.
- News about LENR.
- A look at experiments: photographs of laboratories and equipment.
- Special collections of papers, including papers from ICCF conferences, the 2004 DoE review, the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and U.S. Navy authors.
- The LIBRARY is a collection of full-text papers and books integrated with our bibliography.
Papers and Books for the general reader
This website provides scholars with papers and primary source material in easily accessible form. General readers are provided with reviews of the subject and books that give the history of the controversy and a summary of the scientific knowledge. Pictures and descriptions of experimental apparatus are also shown. Here are some of the popular papers for the general reader:
Storms, E., A Student's Guide to Cold Fusion. 2003, LENR-CANR.org. Revised April 2012. Spanish edition Estudio de la Fusión en Frío, Brazilian Portuguese edition Estudo Fusao a Frio. Russian version Руководство для изучающих холодный синтез.
Nagel, D.J., Scientific Overview of ICCF15. 2009
Rothwell, J., Cold Fusion And The Future. 2004. Chapter 1 of this book is a list of Frequently Asked Questions written by Rothwell and Mallove. Also available in Brazilian Portuguese and Japanese.
People looking for a quick, easy introduction to the field may enjoy our YouTube video A Brief Introduction to Cold Fusion. You can read the script and learn more about it here.
Here are some important reviews of the field:
U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency report on cold fusion: Technology Forecast: Worldwide Research on Low-Energy Nuclear Reactions Increasing and Gaining Acceptance DIA-08-0911-003, 13 November 2009
McKubre, M.C.H., Cold Fusion (LENR) One Perspective on the State of the Science. Proceedings 15th International Conference on Condensed Matter Nuclear Science (Part 1). 2009. See Introduction.
Hagelstein, P.L., et al. New Physical Effects in Metal Deuterides. in Eleventh International Conference on Condensed Matter Nuclear Science. 2004. Marseille, France. This paper references 130 other papers. Many are available in our library. See the list in our DoE Review Special Collection.
Several books about cold fusion have been published. General readers will find the following ones useful:
Mallove, E. "Fire From Ice" describes the early history of the subject before 1991. Read selected pages in our library.
Beaudette, C. G., "Excess Heat: Why Cold Fusion Research Prevailed" gives an in depth history of the subject up to 2002. Read sample pages in our library.
Krivit, S. and Winocur, N, "The Rebirth of Cold Fusion: Real Science, Real Hope, Real Energy" provides another view of the history up to 2004. Read selected pages in our library.
For more technical detail see:
Mizuno, T., "Nuclear Transmutation: The Reality of Cold Fusion" describes the experimental work of Prof. Mizuno. Read selected pages in our library.
Storms, E. "The Science of Low Energy Nuclear Reaction" describes the experimental work of Dr. Storms and compiles and summarizes most of the experimental and theoretical work in the field up to 2007. Read selected pages in our library. An electronic edition is here.
Marwan, J. and Krivit, S., "Low-Energy Nuclear Reactions Sourcebook" is an edited collection of scientific papers that were presented at an American Chemical Society Meeting held in 2007. Now available: Low-Energy Nclear Reactions and New Energy Technologies Sourcebook Volume 2


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2014 Outlook
Redshirt freshman D.J. Singleton spent his first season in the Nebraska program as a redshirt learning the Huskers' defensive scheme. This season, the 6-1, 200-pound Singleton will make a bid for playing time at safety where he worked with the second defense throughout the spring. Singleton should also contend for action on the Huskers' special teams units.
A New Jersey native, Singleton joined the Nebraska program in January of 2013 to get a headstart on his college career. Singleton originally signed with Wisconsin out of high school in February of 2012, but did not enroll at the school and re-opened his recruitment before deciding on the Huskers.
2013 (Redshirt)
Singleton redshirted in his first season in the progam after enrolling early in January of 2013.
Before Nebraska (St. Peter's Prep)
Singleton graduated from St. Peter's Prep in Jersey City, N.J., in 2012 and was one of the top defensive prospects in the Garden State. As a senior, Singleton posted 53 tackles, four sacks, 12 tackles for loss and three forced fumbles for Coach Rich Hansen. Singleton's play earned him second-team All-New Jersey selection by the Newark Star-Ledger, as well as all-metro and all-county honors.
As a junior, Singleton made 40 tackles, including three sacks, and forced three fumbles. His play earned him all-county honors in 2010. He first saw varsity action with 43 tackles as a sophomore in 2009. Following his senior season, Singleton was ranked as one of the top 30 safety prospects in the 2012 class by Rivals.com and 247 Sports. He was also regarded as one of the top 20 players in the state of New Jersey by several recruiting services. Singleton played in the Semper Fi All-Star game in January of 2012 and was selected to the USA Today International Bowl. Singleton was also a two-year letterwinner in track and field at St. Peter's Prep.
Singleton chose Nebraska over Wisconsin and Rutgers. In 2012, he had scholarship offers from dozens of schools, including Michigan, Michigan State and Illinois to name a few.
Singleton was born on Jan. 7, 1994, and he is the son of Dwayne Sr. and Bernadette Singleton. He has not declared a major. Singleton has volunteered his time with Husker Heroes, Uplifting Athletes and at the F Street Community Center.


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New Underwood Senior Wins Covenant Award for Community
Jenny Lockhart, a senior English and journalism major from New Underwood, S.D., is the recipient of the 2011 Augustana Covenant Award for Community, an honor given to individuals who have been committed to serving the Augustana community.
Eide/Dalrymple Gallery to Feature Works by Eleanor Spiess-Ferris
"Shallow Waters: The Art of Eleanor Spiess-Ferris," an exhibition of large-scale paintings and drawings, will be on view March 11 through April 16. An opening reception with the artist will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, March 11. The artist will give a gallery talk at 6 p.m.
Writer-in-Residence, S.D. Poet Laureate to Read, Discuss Poetry
Dr. Patrick Hicks, Augustana's Writer-in-Residence, and David Allan Evans, Poet Laureate of South Dakota, will read and discuss poetry during "An Evening of Poetry with 'The Guys'," at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 3, at Zandbroz Variety in downtown Sioux Falls.
Jazz on the Upper Great Plains to Feature Northlanders Jazz Band
The 37th annual Festival will feature world-famous trumpeter Wayne Bergeron, the Northlanders and 55 bands from area high schools and middle schools. In addition to performing, band members will participate in workshops hosted by Augustana music faculty and guest artists.
IN THE NEWS: Alumnus Argues 'Why Art Matters'
Executive Director of the Arizona Commission on the Arts Bob Booker, class of 1977, spoke about "Why Art Matters" at the Augustana Thought Leader Forum on Thursday, Feb. 24, in Sioux Falls.
'Augustana at 150' to Recount College's First 15 Decades
Pre-order your limited-edition hardcover memento of Augustana's Sesquicentennial today. The book tells the story of the College's first 150 years through never-before-seen images and interviews with iconic faculty members, administrators and students.
Civitas Lecture Series to Feature Ecologist, Theologian
Ecologist Dr. Carter Johnson will discuss "South Dakota's Prairie Farm: An Experiment in Ecological and Economic Sustainability," at 7 p.m. on Monday, March 14. Theologian Dr. Michelle Bartel will discuss "Love, Something a Good Deal More Dangerous: The Power of Subversive Ethics," at 7 p.m. on Monday, March 28.
Arts Scholarship Auditions for Today, Feb. 21
Today's auditions for music, theatre and visual art scholarships will still be held as scheduled. However, if students are unable to safely travel to Augustana, we ask that you call 605.274.5451 to reschedule your visit. There are two more audition days: Saturday, Feb. 26 and Saturday, March 5.
Celebrating Augustana Presidents on President's Day
In honor of the Sesquicentennial and in celebration of President's Day, Augustana honors the College's 23 presidents who have guided the institution through 15 decades of history, including wars, economic depressions, the civil rights movement, and major advancements in technology.
Rapid City Senior Awarded Scholarship for Study Abroad
Senior Danielle (Dani) Doran, a government, French and English major from Rapid City, S.D., has been awarded a scholarship for summer study in France by Pi Delta Phi, the National French Honor Society. She will spend eight weeks at the American University of Paris.


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Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman acrobatically tipped Colin Kaepernick's ill-fated pass into the arms of linebacker Malcolm Smith and -- just like that -- the Seahawks were MetLife-bound.
Because he's Richard Sherman, he did none of this quietly. Minutes after vanquishing the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC title game, Seattle's premier defender unleashed a postgame tirade -- centered on 49ers wideout Michael Crabtree -- that even your Aunt Millie has seen by now and has an opinion on.
But why all the Crabtree angst?
After Sherman told reporters postgame about a vague remark Crabtree made during the offseason, the cornerback opened up to NFL Media columnist Michael Silver:
"Sherman explained that he was angered by something Crabtree had said to him while the two were socializing with other players (including then-49ers receiver Kyle Williams, now with the Kansas City Chiefs) at a function associated with Fitzgerald's charity softball game in Scottsdale, Ariz., last April," Silver wrote. "Sherman wouldn't share specifics, saying only that '(Crabtree) said something to me, and I told him I'd make him pay for it on the field.'"
When Sherman saw Crabtree as the potential recipient of Kaepernick's final throw, he knew his moment had come.
"That's when the big-time players step up, in big-time situations, and I was able to do it for my team," Sherman told Silver. "Once (Crabtree) stuttered, I knew it was coming to him, and I thought, 'Finally. It's been long enough... I can't believe they'd try me. He doesn't have a chance.'"
Want more? Do yourself a favor and check out the rest of Silver's Sunday night conversation with Sherman.
The "Around The League Podcast" recapped all the Conference Championship week action.


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The man who engraved former New York City Mayor Ed Koch's tombstone has apologized for putting on the wrong birth date.
Tommy Flynn, the owner of Flynn Funeral and Cremation Memorial Services, told NBC's New York affiliate that he inadvertently listed Koch's birth year as 1942 instead of 1924. Flynn says he feels "terrible" and has vowed to correct the grave error, which was discovered over the weekend.
Koch, 88, died in February of congestive heart failure. He was buried in Trinity Church cemetery in Manhattan.
According to Koch's former Chief of Staff Diane Coffey, the Democratic mayor, preparing for his death in the 1980s, had planned "every detail of [his] burial," including the headstone.
Koch, the city's mayor from 1978 to 1989, bought the plot in the New York Washington Heights neighborhood in 2008. "I don't want to leave Manhattan, even when I'm gone," he said at the time.
[Related: A brash, colorful and often confrontational mayor (slideshow)]
According to NBC 4, Koch designed his tombstone, which included a quote from journalist Daniel Pearl before he was killed by Islamist terrorists: "My father is Jewish, my mother is Jewish, I am Jewish." Koch even visited the cemetery plot with his tombstone in place.
But the 5-foot-tall, 6-foot-wide grave marker did not list his birth date when he was buried. Flynn etched the erroneous year earlier this month.
"I have to make it right," Flynn said. "I will correct it."


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WASHINGTON – The prospect of the American economy careening off a cliff overshadowed a tax increase that takes effect immediately, rich or not.
Even with the deal on Capitol Hill, the so-called payroll tax is scheduled to bounce back up to 6.2 percent from 4.2 percent in 2011 and 2012.
In practical terms, this amounts to a $1,000 tax increase for someone earning $50,000 a year and a $2,200 tax increase for someone earning $150,000.
Even workers taking home less than $20,000 annually will be impacted, paying roughly $100 more.
"I think it will have a negative effect," says Neil Buchanan, a law and economics professor at George Washington University.
"(The payroll tax holiday) was one of those things that was designed to be invisible so that people would treat it as part of their take home pay and spend it," he says, noting many people never understood the tax reprieve and how its expiration would affect them.
Mark Vitner, senior economist at Wells Fargo, predicts the economy will grow just 1.5 percent in 2013, down from 2.2 percent in 2012.
"The expiration of the payroll tax holiday will reduce after-tax income for all workers and hit lower to middle income families the hardest," he says.
Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics, calculates that the higher payroll tax will reduce economic growth by 0.6 percentage points in 2013.
The other possible tax increases – including higher taxes on household incomes above $450,000 a year – will slice just 0.15 percentage points off annual growth, he says.
Here are some other implications of the budget deal.
- Income tax rates: Extends decade-old tax cuts on incomes up to $400,000 for individuals, $450,000 for couples. Earnings above those amounts would be taxed at a rate of 39.6 percent, up from the current 35 percent. Also extends Clinton-era caps on itemized deductions and the phase-out of the personal exemption for individuals making more than $250,000 and couples earning more than $300,000.
- Estate tax: Estates would be taxed at a top rate of 40 percent, with the first $5 million in value exempted for individual estates and $10 million for family estates. In 2012, such estates were subject to a top rate of 35 percent.
- Capital gains, dividends: Taxes on capital gains and dividend income exceeding $400,000 for individuals and $450,000 for families would increase from 15 percent to 20 percent.
- Alternative minimum tax: Permanently addresses the alternative minimum tax and indexes it for inflation to prevent nearly 30 million middle- and upper- middle income taxpayers from being hit with higher tax bills averaging almost $3,000. The tax was originally designed to ensure that the wealthy did not avoid owing taxes by using loopholes.
- Other tax changes: Extends for five years Obama-sought expansions of the child tax credit, the earned income tax credit, and an up-to-$2,500 tax credit for college tuition. Also extends for one year accelerated "bonus" depreciation of business investments in new property and equipment, a tax credit for research and development costs and a tax credit for renewable energy such as wind-generated electricity.
- Unemployment benefits: Extends jobless benefits for the long-term unemployed for one year.
- Cuts in Medicare reimbursements to doctors: Blocks a 27 percent cut in Medicare payments to doctors for one year. The cut is the product of an obsolete 1997 budget formula.
- Across-the-board cuts: Delays for two months $109 billion worth of across-the-board spending cuts set to start striking the Pentagon and domestic agencies this week. Cost of $24 billion is divided between spending cuts and new revenues from rule changes on converting traditional individual retirement accounts into Roth IRAs.
Related Story:
WTOP's Andrew Mollenbeck and the Associated Press contributed to this report. Follow @WTOP on Twitter.
(Copyright 2013 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)


text: Tim Gunn says he expects "hell to freeze over" if he runs into Anna Wintour this week. The fashion expert writes in his new book that he saw Wintour being carried by bodyguards down the stairs after a 2006 fashion show. Gunn, promoting his book, "Gunn's Golden Rules," said Wintour went "ballistic" at his comments. He told us after the "Project Runway" show, "I wasn't slinging mud or criticizing her character. More than 30 people must have seen it. I'm just the only one brave enough to tell the truth. Lord knows hell would freeze over if I came face to face with her here, but I probably wouldn't be able to see past her handlers."


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Jan H. Brown is a principal in the Law Offices of Jan H. Brown, P.C., centered in New York City. He has been practicing immigration and nationality law since 1979 and frequently lectures and writes on the subject of U.S. immigration law. Mr. Brown is a long time senior editor of AILA's Immigration & Nationality Handbook and editorial reviewer for Kurtzban's Immigration Law Sourcebook. His editorial cartoons have appeared in various publications, including Liberal Opinion Week and AILA's Immigration Law Today. Jan Brown represents clients across the immigration spectrum, from removal defense to EB-1 extraordinary ability workers. He is past chair of the AILA New York Chapter and currently co-chairs the New York State Bar Association's Immigration and Nationality Law Committee; as such he is active in efforts to reform our immigration system.


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Toyota Prius Test Drive - What Do You Think?
My Prius is the best car I've ever owned.
I live in the mountains of Colorado and have two problems.
1. It's not a 4WD so when heavy snow falls, I prefer to use my 4WD Subaru Outback if it's not being used by my wife. If she is using it, I use the Prius which has Blizak snow tires, and have never had a problem.
2. On long, straight, steep mountain passes, like on I-70 to Denver, the battery boost runs out after 5 minutes or so. You are then running only on the ICE gasoline engine which is about half the total power so you can't accelerate past 75-80 or keep up with trucks going that fast. It is worst in very cold weather, with deep snow on the road, and strong head winds. That "perfect storm" has happened to me only once in 3 years. Otherwise the car is fine. A larger engine or "bigger" battery would solve that problem but be less efficient the rest of the time. A turbo booster would probably be the perfect solution.0
Prius is a lot more than just a small car.It is very well equipped,comfortable and even has a certain status value which the ones mentioned do not.A comparably equipped Corolla for instance,would not be all that much cheaper.To get all the equipment standard on the Prius,you would need the very top of the line, and then you would not get the economy of a Prius.I have test driven a Civic and a Corolla, and neither ride as well as a Prius.For me,comfort does count.Someday,I hope to get one.0
w9cw Posts: 888I agree with you on some of your points, but I'm not interested in the "upscale" options of the aforementioned alternative vehicles, and "status value" means absolutely nothing to me. In the USA, I know I'm in the distinct minority with that position.
Another cheaper alternative is a Camry LE. Certainly as comfortable, and 32 to 34MPG on the highway, and still cheaper if you watch the option list. The Prius is a great car, and a technological tour de force, but not something I would purchase. This is somewhat a paradox, as I'm an engineer, but one who believes in the K.I.S.S theory of design (Keep It Simple, Stupid).0
Well...if creature comfort doesn't matter,then you are correct.One of the Rio,or such type would do the job.Price wise the Prius cant compete with a $13 K car.Since my car cost pretty much the same as a Prius,the price would be a wash.
"32-34"MPG...thats quite adequate,but the city mileage IMO doesn't approach what's on the sticker.My car is rated 24 cty,but I've gotten as low as 12.2 ,so to me thats where you really save with a hybrid,more than on the highway.Consumer Reports rates virtually all the cars of the size of a Camry,at real world mileage ,city,at around 15 MPG.I'm speaking of the 4 cylinder models now,not the sixes.
BTW we have several friends who have Prius,and in both cases put well 100K miles on them with no problems,so I think the technology is getting quite mature.0
Since the discussion has gotten off track, I'll let you know that I like the idea of high mileage not just for a cost standpoint, but avoiding the inconvenience. And the rear seat leg room is much better than a Camry. I just want to be sure regarding highway acceleration (also mentioned in a post above) and battery turning off when wheels fail to maintain traction.
But since you raised it, I'd love a car for 13K for my teenage son that has a good safety record and predictable handling. Your suggestions are....?0
Hyundai Accent is under 11K at the base level.I would suggest a Hyundai Elantra though it costs a bit more.Its as roomy as my Optima and starts under 14K.There are many others that fit that price range,but the small cars are not as safe in case of accident,as the mid size such as Elantra.
I hope the moderator doesn't yell at me about posting this on the Prius thread,but I'm just answering your question. :blush:0
msindallas Posts: 190I test drove the Prius twice - once in 2005 Aug, and again in 2007 March. Driving experiences are the same. In 2005, I rejected it outright because the dealer wanted a $6,000 mark up over MSRP (that's Toyota of Dallas) - trying to justify it with market conditions and tax breaks. I said "No thanks, I'll keep driving my Camry for a few more years" and left.
In 2007, they are not asking for mark ups. However, there is more road noise and engine noise compared to my 10yo Camry (4cyl). I still get mileage over 33 driving between Dallas and Houston averaging 75mph and 27-28 in the city. Going to 40/45 won't save me much on gas. The Prius also feels flimsy - like the hood/dash/fender - everything is made of cheap plastic to make the vehicle lightweight.
I remember - when I bought the Camry, the dealer asked me to lift the hood - "See, how heavy it is? This is how crumple zones work properly, and what saves you in a collision and gets the vehicle stability". The Prius dealer also told me to lift the hood - "See, how light it is? This is the new technology that helps with the great mileage". Now I don't know which is better, having a heavy hood or a light hood! :confuse:
It's great technology, the dials and gadgets are fun to look at, but I could get into an accident trying to look at the shift of power between different sources and not focusing on the road. Headroom, legroom, hip room, shoulder room - every room is more than sufficient for me. The start button and the 3" shifter on dash are unique, too. The dash has a futuristic look to it, too. The big digit display deep in the dash (speedometer) could be a distraction, and I think the display size for the other meters should be comparable (they are much smaller) so you dont have to squint. The rearview camera is a nice feature while backing up.
An aside (buying decisions are influenced by dealer reputation, too). A colleague of mine drove her Prius on a gravel road, and something went wrong with the suspension, within the warranty period. The dealer wouldn't recognize the problem, and she had a hard time with Toyota Customer Service to get the problem fixed. She will not recommend that dealership to anybody. Now we drive 12 more miles to the next dealership. :mad:
I wish some of the more popular, resale-able and reliable cars (like Camry/Accord/Civic) offered the options of Xenon headlight and backup camera, features useful for driving, as opposed to sunroof, designer wheels and surround sound systems. If they did, I would not even consider the Prius.
Bottom line - If I spend that much money on options for creature comforts like leather seats, sunroof, Xenon headlamps, and not save substantially on gas, the Lexus ES would be a better upgrade for myself. :shades:0
drfill Posts: 2,484I just test drove 3 cars (on a rainy day), and was not properly shown any of them, even with vehicles inside the showroom!
I'll guess which one has a heavy or light hood. I know more than the salesmen anywho. You know me!
Get a Hyundai Elantra if you want a new car for him. It has air bags all around and ABS brakes standard, as well as power windows and locks. The ad cars (around $11,500) are usually manual with no AC or radio, but there is a $2000 rebate right now, so you should be able to get a base GLS auto with pkg 3 (ac, radio, cruise, foglights) for around $14,000. We just bought one for my hubby to use as a commuter car and are very happy with it. If we could afford 2 car payments I would get one for my 16 yr old son also and dump the 14 mpg Explorer he is driving now, but gas is still cheaper than car payments plus higher insurance costs.
On that note: before you buy, check out what your car ins is going to be for a 16 yr old boy that has to have collision and comprehensive on it. You may quickly decide that an older car that you can pay for in full and carry liability only on is the way to go.
Good luck and best wishes
On Long Island, insurance for a 17 year-old boy driving 5000 miles per year, with $500 deductible through GEICO costs $3500 for a jalopy having little value and $5000 for a brand new Honda Civic LX.
So the bulk of the costs are to cover the damage he could cause to other people and property.0
YIKES!!! And I thought I had it bad here in Calif. I'm paying approx $1200/yr for liability only for my 16 yr old on a 95 Ford Explorer. They said it would be $3500/yr for full coverage ($500 ded) on a new Hyundai Elantra. But $5000!!!!!! Parents have to get a second job to pay for that.
I would have to get a bicycle if my insurance was anywhere near that high.I carry full coverage with a $1000 deductible on my KIA and just liability on my 97 Chrysler .Thats for 300K,100K liability coverage.My premium for both cars last year? Under $500.0
norskeyman Posts: 8I believe the Prius is as "popular, resale-able and reliable" any of the other cars you mentioned. Probably even more so than those others. According to Consumer Reports, the Prius has the highest customer satisfaction of ANY car on the road. Yes, even higher than all other Toyota AND Lexus vehicles.0
"However, I have heard of two issues that might dissuade me from purchasing this car, and I would like current Prius owners to comment on their own experiences.
1. Slow acceleration from 40 MPH to 65 MPH, i.e., accelerating to "highway speed."
2. Loss of traction in snow or gravel causes onboard computer to incorrectly think car is in idle and shut down electric power to steering wheel and brakes."
Can't speak to number 1.
Number 2 was a problem but was fixed in the 2007 model (as I recall - might have been the 2006). The problem was the traction control could not be disabled, and it was protecting the electric engine by shutting the car down instead of allowing a "rocking" technique.0
I have a 2004. 1. Acceleration is not just good but great at all speeds UNLESS the battery boost is depleted from 5-10 minutes of severe uphill driving like going over a mountain pass. It gets back to normal when you come down the other side and the battery has a chance to recharge.
2. There was a software problem that sounds like what you describe. It got a lot of publicity, thanks to GM and Ford PR firms. The fix was already being implemented when the [non-permissible content removed] hit the fan. It never happened to me and my computer had been updated a few weeks before as part of a group of TSBs.0
"There was a software problem that sounds like what you describe. It got a lot of publicity, thanks to GM and Ford PR firms. The fix was already being implemented when the [non-permissible content removed] hit the fan."
I never saw it from a GM or Ford source. It was reported by someone on this site.0
The failure was never attributed to GM or Ford. It just got a lot of newspaper and TV coverage considering there were about a dozen reported incidents out of 200,000+ Prius' on the road at the time.0
steve1c Posts: 3I've put about 60,000 miles on my 2004 Prius, and overall I like the way it accelerates and handles. Mostly desert and mountain pass driving, between Las Vegas and California. I get 45-50 mpg typically, depending on how much I have to run the lights and air conditioner or heater. About 50-50 city-hwy driving ratio. No problems maintaining 75 up & down the mountain grades or dealing with the crazy LA-Vegas friday afternoon free-for-all traffic on the I-15.
My squawks some annoying torque steer when cornering with heavy acceleration; crosswind gust sensitivity (it's a light vehicle, so not unexpected); and a recent (bad) experience with the 12V aux battery (details of which I will post in one of the other forums).0
Your original comment: "It got a lot of publicity, thanks to GM and Ford PR firms."
Hence, my clarification on the source of my information (not from the press).0
chipl Posts: 3Not sure of the rules on replying to VERY old posts, but always been interested in the Prius. Now at a point in my car ownership I decided to take one for a spin. The short of it.... I loved it! (Want to add I I have read many posts in the forums here on the Prius and loved the guidance.)
The ride was smooth to me on the short circuit in the Tysons Corner area of Virginia. Acceleration for the way I drive was up to par for my needs. More will be known when I rent one for the weekend perhaps.
The things I liked about my short time with the 2011 Prius was of course the MPG, dooh! The ride was very comfortable, maybe more so than my Subaru 2003 Baja - which was always nice on long trips. But it seemed smoother and of course quieter. The front cabin was comfortable, rear seat area seems it would work for trips with friends. What won me over is the trunk space.
Seems to be more than enough space for me and my better half for any road trips - without the need to fold down the rear seats. This has been a concern at times in my Baja and their Yaris in road trips. We never liked exposing our luggage. The benefit of the fold down seats will help in some cases with the potential loss of the bed of the Baja.
I am torn though - even as I plan on a rental of the Prius - just wish there was a car. Another factor as I look towards buying a new car is one that I don't want it to look too dated 7 to 10 years out. Along with reliability, so far the Baja and Prius fit the build. The Corolla doesn't stand the test of time IMO - nor does it ride.
In the end MPG may rule the heart over the mind...0


text:
HOPEDALE - William Gannett kept his cars in impeccable shape.
He washed them often, telling his children to get him a sponge and a shammy when they asked what he wanted for Christmas.
"He loved them," his son, W. Bristow Gannett, said Saturday. "He'd put them away and if we would go for a ride, if there was just a cloud in the sky, they would go right back into the garage."
Some of that drive for cleanliness also applied to the streets of Hopedale.
Gannett, known affectionately as Bill, would often stop and pick up trash alongside the road; a small way he could help keep Hopedale - which he called the "best place to live" - pristine.
In the other ways he could give back to the community, he did, by serving on the Board of Selectmen, through local charities and on the board of Milford Regional Medical Center.
"He did these things not because he had to, but he wanted to," Don Crowell, his son-in-law, said. "He truly loved this place. He wanted to give back."
Gannett, a former selectman, longtime Hopedale resident and the last surviving grandchild of Gov. Eben Sumner Draper, died on July 4 in Laconia, New Hampshire.
He was 93.
Gathered inside Hopedale Unitarian Church for a memorial service Saturday morning, his family and friends recalled his sense of humor and constant ability to give back: be it by working to renovate the historic Little Red Shop or by the gifts he gave his grandchildren.
Gannett - a father of five, grandfather of four and great-grandfather of four - put his family above all, they said.
"The most important lesson we ever learned was there is nothing more important than family," said Mary Crowell, his daughter.
Born Oct. 9, 1923 in Boston, Gannett was the son of Thomas B. Gannett and Dorothy (Draper) Hamlen. He joined the Air Force before graduating high school in 1943 serving through the end of World War II in Europe.
In 1947, he began working at the textile machinery giant, Draper Corp., before marrying his wife of 64 years, Nancy (Farnam) Gannett, in 1949. She passed away in 2013.
Gannett, the last Draper descendant to live in Hopedale, was a partner and founder of DREX Associates before he retired.
In Hopedale, Gannett served 13 years as a selectman while also serving on the board of the Hopedale Community House, the Hopedale Charitable Corp. and the Hopedale Foundation.
At the Milford Regional Medical Center, Gannett served as board president and was a trustee emeritus.
"Bill Gannett was a pillar, a patriarch, an elder - not only of this church, but of this community," said the Rev. Tony Lorenzen, of Hopedale Unitarian Church.
His generosity earned him quite a collection of awards, that often made Gannett, shying away from accolades, uncomfortable, Don Crowell said.
"He did this because that's what good civic-minded people like Bill (do)...they give back," Don Crowell said. "He and Nancy did that….Even though they're gone now, the legacy and impact will be felt in this community for years to come."
Christopher Gavin can be reached at 508 634-7582 or firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow him on Twitter @c_gavinMDN


text:
Sources: Google Working on Smartwatch, Too
(NEW YORK) -- The year of the smartwatch is upon us. According to rumors, Apple has a team of 100 working on a watch that works with the iPhone, and Samsung has confirmed that it is working on a watch of its own. And now sources tell The Financial Times that Google is developing a watch to work "as an extension to the smartphones using [Android]."
According to a "person briefed on the project," Google's Android team is developing the smartwatch. The source also said that "the [Android] project is separate from Samsung's efforts."
When asked about the smartwatch rumor, a Google spokesperson told ABC News that the company "doesn't comment on rumors or speculation."
The watch, like other smartwatches, will likely pair with an Android phone and allow one to view messages and incoming call notifications right on the watch's display. Google did file for a patent describing a "smart-watch including flip up display" in 2011. This patent was approved late last year.
The wearable gadget space seems to be drawing the interest of many companies. Pebble, the smartwatch that works with the iPhone and Android, beat all the odds on Kickstarter, receiving more than 85,000 orders for the watch and more than $10 million from people who wanted to back the company. Many companies have also joined the fitness tracker market, including Nike, Motorola and Jawbone.
Of course, Google is no stranger to wearable computing items right now. Google Glass, those futuristic, Internet-connected eyeglasses that show digital data right before your eyes, is now undergoing testing, and Google plans to release a version by the end of the year. Google is expected to talk more about its Glass project and its next versions of Android at its annual Google I/O conference in May.
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