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The wind shrieked like a child in pain. The herd of shoveltusk huddled together for warmth, their thick, shaggy coats protecting them from the worst of the storm. They formed a circle, with the calves shivering and bleating in the center. Their heads, each crowned with a massive antler, drooped toward the snow-covered earth, eyes shut against the whirling snow. Their own breath frosted their muzzles as they planted themselves and endured.
. . . In their various dens, the wolves and bears waited out the storms, one with the comfort of their pack, the other solitary and resigned. Whatever their hunger, nothing would drive them forth until after the keening wind had ceased its weeping and the blinding snow had worn itself out.
The wind, roaring in from the ocean to beat at the village of Kamagua, tore at the hides that stretched over frames made of the bones of great sea creatures. When the storm passed, the tuskarr whose home this had been for years uncounted knew they would need to repair or replace nets and traps. Their dwellings, sturdy though they were, were always harmed when this storm descended. They had all gathered inside the large group dwelling that had been dug deep into the earth, lacing the flaps tight against the storm and lighting smoky oil lamps.
Elder Atuik waited in stoic silence. He had seen many of these storms over the last seven years. Long had he lived, the length and yellowness of his tusks and the wrinkles on his brown skin testament to the fact. But these storms were more than storms, were more than natural. He glanced at the young ones, shivering not with cold, not the tuskarr, but with fear.
"He dreams," one of them murmured, eyes bright, whiskers bristling.
"Silence," snapped Atuik, more gruffly than he had intended. The child, startled, fell silent, and once again the only sound was the aching sob of the snow and wind.
It rose like the smoke, the deep bellowing noise, wordless but full of meaning; a chant, carried by a dozen voices. The sounds of drums and rattles and bone striking bone formed a fierce undercurrent to the wordless call. The worst of the wind's anger was deflected from the taunka village by the circle of posts and hides, and the lodges, their curving roofs arching over a large interior space in defiance of the hardships of this land, were strong.
Over the sound of deep and ancient ritual, the wind's cry could still be heard. The dancer, a shaman by the name of Kamiku, missed a step and his hoof struck awkwardly. He recovered and continued. Focus. It was all about focus. It was how one harnessed the elements and wrung from them obedience; it was how his people survived in a land that was harsh and unforgiving.
Sweat dampened and darkened his fur as he danced. His large brown eyes were closed in concentration, his hooves again finding their powerful rhythm. He tossed his head, short horns stabbing the air, tail twitching. Others danced beside him. Their body heat and that of the fire, burning brightly despite the flakes and wind drifting down from the smoke hole in the roof, kept the lodge warm and comfortable.
They all knew what was transpiring outside. They could not control these winds and snow, as they could ordinary such things. No, this was his doing. But they could dance and feast and laugh in defiance of the onslaught. They were taunka; they would endure. The world was blue and white and raging outside, but inside the Great Hall the air was warm and still. A fireplace tall enough for a man to stand in was filled with thick logs, the crackling of their burning the only noise. Over the ornately decorated mantel, carved with images of fantastical creatures, the giant antler of a shoveltusk was mounted. Carved dragon heads served as sconces, holding torches with flames burning bright. Heavy beams supported the feast hall that could have housed dozens, the warm orange hue of the fires chasing away the shadows to hide on the corners. The cold stone of the floor was softened and warmed by thick pelts of polar bears, shoveltusk, and other creatures.
A table, long and heavy and carved, occupied most of the space in the room. It could have hosted three dozen easily. Only three figures sat at the table now: a man, an orc, and a boy. None of it was real, of course. The man who sat at the place of honor at the table, slightly elevated before the other two in a mammoth carved chair that was not quite a throne, understood this. He was dreaming; he had been dreaming for a long, long time. The hall, the shoveltusk trophies, the fire, the table—the orc and the boy—all were simply a part of his dreaming.
The orc, on his left, was elderly, but still powerful. The orange fireand torchlight flickered off the ghastly image he bore on his heavyjawed face—that of a skull, painted on. He had been a shaman, able to direct and wield vast powers, and even now, even just as a figment of the man's imagination, he was intimidating. The boy was not. Once, he might have been a handsome child, with wide sea-green eyes, fair features, and golden hair. But once was not now.
The boy was sick.
He was thin, so emaciated that his bones seemed to threaten to slice through the skin. The once-bright eyes were dimmed and sunken, a thin film covering them. Pustules marked his skin, bursting and oozing forth a green fluid. Breathing seemed difficult and the child's chest hitched in little panting gasps. The man thought he could almost see the labored thumping of a heart that should have faltered long ago, but persisted in continuing to beat.
"He is still here," the orc said, stabbing a finger in the boy's direction.
"He will not last," the man said.
As if to confirm the words, the boy began to cough. Blood and mucus spattered the table in front of him, and he wiped a thin arm clad in rotting finery across his pale mouth. He drew breath to speak in a halting voice, the effort obviously taxing him.
"You have not—yet won him. And I will—prove it to you."
"You are as foolish as you are stubborn," the orc growled. "That battle was won long ago."
The man's hands tightened on the arms of his chair as he listened to both of them. This had been a recurring dream over the last few years; he found it now more tiresome than entertaining. "I grow weary of the struggle. Let us end this once and for all."
The orc leered at the boy, his skull-face grinning hideously. The boy coughed again, but did not quail from the orc's regard. Slowly, with dignity, he straightened, his milky eyes darting from the orc to the man.
"Yes," the orc said, "this serves nothing. Soon it will be time to awaken. Awaken, and move forward into this world once more." He turned to the man, his eyes gleaming. "Walk again the path you have taken."
The skull seemed to detach itself from his face, hovering above it like another entity, and the room changed with its movement. The carved sconces that a moment before were simple wooden dragons undulated and rippled, coming to life, the torches in their mouths flaring and casting grotesque dancing shadows as they shook their heads. The wind screamed outside and the door to the hall slammed open. Snow whirled about the three figures. The man spread his arms and let the freezing wind wrap about him like a cloak. The orc laughed, the skull floating over his face issuing its own manic peals of mirth.
"Let me show you that your destiny lies with me, and you can only know true power through eliminating him."
The boy, fragile and slight, had been knocked out of his chair by the violent gusts of frigid air. Now he propped himself up with an effort, shaking, his breaths coming in small puffs as he struggled to climb back into his chair. He threw the man a look—of hope, fear, and odd determination.
"All is not lost," he whispered, and somehow, despite the orc and the skull's laughter, despite the shrieking of the wind, the man heard him.


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There has been a lot of speculation, but no more…I want to start off by saying how proud I am to have been part of the most successful new franchise in MLS history, the Seattle Sounders FC. I didn't know exactly what to expect when I first came to Seattle but I have to say that how the city and the fans have embraced me has gone beyond my wildest dreams and for that I am forever grateful. I also want to thank my teammates who are absolutely great on and off the pitch. I have made some very close friends who I know I will be in contact with forever.
I have been thinking long and hard about the next step in my career and I am extremely happy to announce that I will be the newest member of the Chicago Fire Soccer Club and I will join the team this Sunday in Los Angeles.
To read the rest of Freddie's blog, visit Freddie Speaks Up

subset: commoncrawl


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In December 2009, a homeless couple in San Antonio called 911 after witnessing a mysterious creature carry away a deer. News 4's Delaine Mathieu recently joined Dallas-based Bigfoot investigators TBIG for an evening of man-ape hunting. What did they find?
Delaine Mathieu of News 4 recently joined TBIG's team in the woods near Leakey, Texas. A trucker spotted a Bigfoot here in 2006 , and according to TBIG's Troy Hudson, "I've been in the woods a lot as a child and I've seen things I can't explain to you."
Here's Mathieu's report.
They didn't find anything that night, but Hudson remains sanguine about Americans finding the missing link in their own backyards:
If people in Vermont are reporting a tree knock and a whoop as well as someone in California, Florida, Utah, Oklahoma, Texas — it only leads you to believe that there's something out there.
TBIG investigator Chase Robinson encourages Bigfoot naysayers to give a night in Bigfoot-sighting hot zones a go - "Try it. Before you condemn us, go out and try it [...] See what they see and listen to the sounds of the night."
[via WOAI]


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Florida Gulf Coast Makes History – 2013 NCAA Tournament Roundup For March 25th
UNDATED (AP) — History has been made in the NCAA men's basketball tournament.
Florida Gulf Coast has become the first No. 15 seed to make it to the Sweet 16, doing so with an 81-71 win over No. 7 San Diego State. Bernard Thompson scored 23 points and Sherwood Brown added 17 for the Eagles, who are in just their second season of eligibility for postseason play.
Brown scored eight of the first 10 points in a 17-0 run that put FGCU ahead 71-52 with 4:19 remaining.
The outcome sets up an all-Florida game in the South Region semifinals, with the Eagles taking on third seed Florida.
Third seed Florida built a 21-point halftime lead and whipped Minnesota 78-64 to reach the South Region semifinals in Dallas against either San Diego State of Florida Gulf Coast.
Mike Rosario scored 25 points for the Gators, who shot 65 percent in the first half to take a 48-27 lead.
Miami is the third Florida team to reach the Sweet 16 after Rion Brown hit five three-pointers and finished with 21 points in the Hurricanes' 63-59 win over Illinois in the East Region. Shane Larkin added 17 points, including a go-ahead three-pointer with a minute left.
No. 13 La Salle continued its unexpected run by beating No. 12 Mississippi 76-74 on Tyrone Garland's layup with two seconds left. Ramon Galloway had 24 points for the Explorers, who were playing its third game in five days as they reached the Round of 16 for the first time since playing for the 1955 national championship.
Next up for La Salle is No. 9 Witchia State in the West regional semifinals in Los Angeles.
Jeff Withey had 16 points and 16 rebounds as No. 1 Kansas downed Roy Williams and North Carolina 70-58. Travis Releford added 22 points and helped Kansas storm back from a 30-21 halftime deficit.
K-U will take on Michigan in the South Region semifinals.
Top seed Indiana staved off a challenge by closing on a 10-0 run to beat No. 9 seed Temple 58-52 in an East Region game in Dayton, Ohio. Victor Olapido (oh-lah-PEE'-dohz) 3-pointer with 13 seconds left was the final nail in the Owls' coffin. He finished with a team-high 16 points and teammate Cody Zeller had 15.
Indiana earned a date with fourth-seeded Syracuse in the regional semifinals on Thursday in Washington.
No. 2 Ohio State earned a school-record fourth straight trip to the round of 16 in Dayton. Aaron Craft's swished a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 0.5 seconds on the clock to lift the Buckeyes past No. 10 Iowa State 78-75 in a West Regional game. Craft finished with 18 points and DeShaun Thomas added 22 as Ohio State earned the right to play sixth seed Arizona on Thursday in Los Angeles.
Second seed Duke capped Sunday's third-round action by whipping Creighton 66-50. Rasheed Sulaimon paced the Blue Devils with 21 points and Seth Curry had 17 as Duke earned a meeting with Michigan State on Friday.


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TUSCALOOSA | New restaurants, the demolition of Dillard's and a possible new site for Books-A-Million are some of the changes in the works at McFarland Mall, now dubbed Encore Tuscaloosa by its new owner, developer Stan Pate.
TUSCALOOSA | New restaurants, the demolition of Dillard's and a possible new site for Books-A-Million are some of the changes in the works at McFarland Mall, now dubbed Encore Tuscaloosa by its new owner, developer Stan Pate.
Cheddar's Casual Cafe, a Midwest-based restaurant franchise that's beginning its first forays into the southeastern and northeastern U.S., is planning for a late April opening.
Cheddars' nearly 8,000-square-foot building is under construction now and, once complete, the investment of more than $3 million will have a seating capacity of more than 275.
"Cheddars will bring a new dining experience to Tuscaloosa with a from-scratch kitchen, quality foods and service at a fair price, all in a polished, casual environment," said Michael Pacini, a real estate consultant for the restaurant chain that began in 1979.
Pacini said that Cheddar's has been looking to enter the Tuscaloosa market for about three years because of the high number of college students and steady population growth spawned by industries such as
Mercedes-Benz U.S. International near Vance.
Authentic Austin rock will line the entrance and gas lamps will surround the doorway, Pacini said.
"When you get in, you're just not going to believe the bang for your buck," he said.
Menu prices for the American cuisine include no entree priced above $15 and plenty of offerings for under $10.
Demolition on the former Dillard's at McFarland Mall is planned to start in the coming weeks, and Pate said Dec. 21 that he was intending to sign that day a contract with Texas Roadhouse, a steak house restaurant chain with a Southwestern theme, for the development he purchased in May 2009.
But it is Cheddar's that, at this point, people are starting to notice.
"It's going to be a great addition to casual dining in Tuscaloosa," Pate said. "They're enjoying phenomenal success across the country as they open stores."
The challenge, he said, is luring retail developers in a struggling economy.
Pate said several well-known retailers, including Bed, Bath & Beyond and Kohl's, have expressed interest in entering the Tuscaloosa market.
The difficulty, however, is making the numbers work.
"Retail is still having a tough time," he said. "All you've got to do is read about Christmas sales and the fiscal cliff and a possible recession and that makes it very difficult to do comprehensive retail development. ...
"Not just in Tuscaloosa, but across the country."
Books-A-Million and T.J. Maxx have expressed interest in remaining in the development, although Pate said the free-standing building that now houses the bookstore will go away.
And Bed, Bath & Beyond, in particular, has contacted Pate's development company several times, but so far have been unable to make the numbers work out.
"We've got tremendous interest from retailers," he said.
One avenue he's yet to approach is the recently overhauled economic incentives available through City Hall, which now offer tax rebates and similar refunds to large, qualified developments.
Pate said that he's encouraged by the City Council's willingness to change the rules in order to better accommodate corporate enterprise amid the tornado recovery efforts.
"I see very positive signs out of City Hall that they see what it's going to take for the community to reach its full commercial potential given the current economic climate," Pate said.
McFarland Mall opened in 1969 and was the third enclosed mall in Alabama. For decades, it was a major shopping destination in West Alabama, but has been in decline for the past decade. The McFarland family, which had developed and owned the mall, sold the property to Pate in 2009. The location at the intersection of McFarland and Skyland boulevards is visible from and close to Interstate 20/59.
Reach Jason Morton at email@example.com or 205-722-0200.


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Penninsula Dental, L.L.C.
We specialize in your comfort
26670 Centerview Drive, Unit:19 Millsboro DE 19966
Peninsula Dental of Millsboro, Delaware
Peninsula Dental is a full service general dental office offering a wide range of services for children and adults. Our highly skilled doctors and professional staff provide quality care in a friendly, comfortable atmosphere.
Sedation and Sleep Dentistry Center
Working with a board-certified anesthesiologist, our Sedation Center at our Peninsula Dental office in Millsboro, Delaware, allows us to treat a greater range of patients in-office, including young children, and adults with disabilities. Medicaid will often cover eligible children for this procedure. We also offer light conscious sedation, oral sedation, and nitrous oxide gas.


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Baby Bump
Exif: F Number: 14, Exposure Bias Value: 0.00, ExposureTime: 1/160 seconds, Flash: fired, compulsory flash mode, ISO: 100, White balance: Auto white balance, FocalLength: 32.00 mm, Model: Canon EOS-1D Mark II N
Uploaded on December 17, 2011
Copyright for this gallery photo belongs solely to Jillian Danielson.
Images may not be copied, downloaded, or used in any way without the expressed, written permission of the photographer.
Log in to follow or message this photographer or report this photo.


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U.S. Beach Volleyball Update: 2012 Yearbook
B.J. Hoeptner Evans, Manager, Communications, Phone: (719) 228-6800, E-Mail: email@example.com
USAV Facebook - @USA_Volleyball - @USAV Beach
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (April 17, 2013) – The USA Beach Volleyball 2012 Yearbook is now available for viewing and download at http://issuu.com/usav/docs/2012_beach_yearbook.
The Yearbook includes match recaps and statistics from the 2012 Olympic Games, recaps and results from the 2012 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour along with results from NORCECA and domestic events, player profiles and many full-color photos.
USA Volleyball will host its second Beach Collegiate Challenge of 2013 on April 20-21 in Hermosa Beach, Calif. The tournament will be the last sand volleyball competition before the AVCA Collegiate Sand Volleyball National Championships on May 3-5 in Gulf Shores, Ala.
Teams that are scheduled to compete in Hermosa Beach (north side of the pier in front of the Beach House Hotel) are Pepperdine, Southern California (USC), CSU Long Beach, Hawaii, Loyola Marymount, UCLA, Santa Clara and CSU Bakersfield.
To view the Beach Collegiate Challenge event page with a schedule and results from the first 2013 Collegiate Challenge, click here.
Four U.S. beach volleyball teams will compete April 19-21 in the NORCECA Beach Circuit event at Campo Marte Park in Guatemala City, Guatemala.
In the women's bracket, Jenny Kropp (Grand Island, Neb.) and Whitney Pavlik (Laguna Beach, Calif.), the USA-A team, will return to Guatemala to try to defend the gold medal they won there in 2012. The pair took silver at the opening 2013 NORCECA Beach Circuit event in Cayman Islands.
Joining Kropp and Pavlik in the women's bracket will be Brittany Hochevar (Fowler, Colo.) and Emily Day (Torrance, Calif.). Day won a gold medal with Heather Hughes at the 2012 NORCECA Beach Circuit event in Chula Vista, Calif. Hochevar won silver with Summer Ross (San Diego, Calif.) at the NORCECA event on March 29-31 in the Dominican Republic
On the men's side, John Mayer (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) will pair with Stafford Slick (Andover, Minn.) as the USA-A team. Mayer won the silver medal with Brad Keenan (Westminster, Calif.) at the last NORCECA Beach Circuit event on March 29-31 in the Dominican Republic.
For USA-B, Joey Dykstra (Hermosa Beach, Calif.) will play with Andy McGuire (Manhattan Beach, Calif.).
The FIVB has determined main draw and qualifying teams for the Fuzhou Open, the first FIVB Beach Volleyball Open of 2013, which will be played April 23-28 in Fuzhou, China.
On the women's side, Jennifer Kessy (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) and April Ross (Costa Mesa, Calif.) will open in the main draw along with Lauren Fendrick (Carlsbad, Ind.) and Nicole Branagh (Orinda, Calif.) as well as Brittany Hochevar and April Ross.
The team of Jennifer Fopma (Bellflower, Calif.) and Brooke Sweat (Fort Myers, Fla.) will compete in the qualification bracket. Emily Day (Torrance, Calif.) and Heather Hughes (Fallbrook, Calif.) along with Jenny Kropp (Grand Island, Neb.) and Whitney Pavlik (Laguna Beach, Calif.) are listed as reserve teams.
In the men's bracket, Phil Dalhausser (Ormond Beach, Fla.) and Sean Rosenthal (Redondo Beach, Calif.) will start in the main draw along with Jake Gibb (Bountiful, Utah) and Casey Patterson (Van Nuys, Calif.) and also Todd Rogers (Santa Barbara, Calif.) and Ryan Doherty (Toms River, N.J.).
No U.S. men's teams are scheduled to compete in the qualifier.
Olympic gold medalist Eric Fonoimoana and his family survived a scary car accident in California. To read about it on his web site, click here.


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Do Other Internet Providers in Crofton Maryland Compare With CenturyLink's Cheap Wireless Internet?
There are a few internet providers servicing the Crofton, MD area. While you might have internet options, if you're looking for the cheapest high speed broadband internet service offering a wireless connection, CenturyLink may be your best bet. A new ISP company offering a new kind of home internet service in Crofton, CenturyLink provides its customers good deals on fast broadband wireless internet. While our internet service plans are already low price, you can save even more when you choose to bundle your internet with television or phone service for one low price. Before you go with another internet provider, take a look and explore some of the possibilities for saving money that Century Link provides your home or business in Crofton, MD.
1-866-812-0698 to order. ×
CenturyLink: a Good, Cheap Alternative to Cable, Satellite and Dial-Up Internet in Crofton, MD
There are a lot of different kinds of internet connections out there in Crofton, each with their individual benefits and disadvantages. Satellite internet costs twice as much as Century Link DSL per month and comes with data caps, cable internet is only available in certain locations, and dial-up is just too slow. CenturyLink bridges the gap left by these other internet services. Using a high speed DSL internet connection, CenturyLink connects you to a whole new world of cheap, affordable high speed internet access in Crofton, Maryland.
Exercise your American freedom of choice to decide which internet speed and service plan will serve your home's needs the best when you order CenturyLink Internet in Crofton, MD. Century Link is making high speed internet faster, more affordable and more accessible than it ever has been before in Maryland. With CenturyLink, you'll experience uploads speeds up to 5 Mbps and download speeds of up to 40 Mbps in your home or at your company. CenturyLink wireless internet helps you do so much more than you ever could before in Crofton.
- Easily surf the Internet.
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At My Century Link, we understand that not every home and business in Crofton, MD wants or needs internet, telephone, and television service. Most of our customers like to mix and match, so that's why we introduced the Create Your Own bundle plan! Select the exact services you want instead of being forced to choose premade bundles. Design the bundle package that best fits your needs in Crofton, Maryland. For the cheapest prices and additional savings, you can even avoid future rate increases by locking in your broadband Internet rate when you sign up for home services with CenturyLink. Century Link's bundle pricing always make home services affordable for you. Mix and match:
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- A reliable wireless DSL internet connection, based on the speeds that are available in your location.
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- Lanham, MD - 20703


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The 10th anniversary of the American invasion of Iraq seems an appropriate time to look back at how it all happened and what it has wrought, not so much for Iraq as for the United States, which poured its own troops, treasure and world reputation into that colossal misadventure.
American combat forces have finally been withdrawn, but with a continuing U.S. hand-holding of a propped-up and shaky regime in Baghdad. Saddam Hussein is dead, but outbursts of deadly violence continue as the war in Afghanistan, from which the Iraq invasion was a costly diversion, drags on.
Was it worth it? The debate doubtless will go on, but there can be little question about the decision of the invasion itself, based at best on faulty intelligence about the alleged existence of weapons of mass destruction never found, and by stirring up misplaced domestic fear and fervor.
If the war itself was a calamity, so was the general performance of the American press in swallowing the Bush administration's justifications for the invasion and its wishful thinking on how our forces would be welcomed as liberators. The case was best made in Frank Rich's later book, "The Greatest Story Ever Sold," but with few mea culpas from prominent commentators who bought the administration's frenzied pitch -- hook, line and sinker.
Permit me to say, "I told you so." From the day in late April 2002 when Bush legal apologist John Yoo told a Senate subcommitee that President Bush could take the country to war on his own under his constitutional power as commander in chief, I raised a caution flag in my columns for The Baltimore Sun.
I wrote then that "this is an issue that cries out for further exploration now, before the president confronts Congress with a fait accompli in an unauthorized attack on Iraq of indeterminate ramifications." And a week later, about ignoring the War Powers Act: "This issue, which goes to the heart of constitutional government, warrants further discussion here, and will get it."
In subsequent columns in 2002 and early 2003, I questioned the rush to war. In June 2002, I argued that "the concept of hot pre-emption by a democracy whose laws require at least advance consultation with the legislative branch on the use of force merits a thorough airing before Congress now."
In September, six months before the invasion, I noted that U.N. members continued to ask: "Why now? The specter of nuclear weapons in Baghdad or environs doesn't seem to spook them as it does the American president. Unless he does a better job convincing them, he may have to do without that U.N. resolution (sanctioning war) -- which, after all, may be all right with him."
And 10 days later, in reference to Lyndon Johnson's Gulf of Tonkin resolution that misled Congress on the Vietnam War: "If the peril is as direct and imminent as Bush says, he should back up his doomsday fears by providing concrete intelligence to congressional leaders. Otherwise, he should encounter resistance in his call for the kind of blank check Congress gave LBJ nearly 40 years ago, and later regretted it. But don't bet on it."
In January 2003, when Secretary of State Colin Powell made his flawed pitch for the invasion in what he later called "a blot" on his record, I noted that he also "warned that if the United Nations is going to be relevant, it has to take a stand." I added: "There can be no better way for the United Nations to prove its relevancy than to stop the Bush runaway war-making train in its tracks."
Once the invasion started, I felt compelled to ask: "What is being urgently pre-empted in the absence of an imminent threat?" And later: "If [the absence of WMDs] reveals any intentional misrepresentation by the [administration] the whole concept of 'anticipatory self-defense' and pre-emptive war will be undermined, and should be."
And so it went. There were, to be sure, other voices sounding the alarm, but not enough to change public opinion until years later. Accordingly, the performance of the American press in dealing with the whole fiasco has generally been condemned as one of its most disappointing of the post-Cold War era.
Jules Witcover is a former longtime writer for The Baltimore Sun. His latest book is "Joe Biden: A Life of Trial and Redemption" (William Morrow). You can respond to this column at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Alternative Treatments for Turf Disease
Fungicides are a critical tool for controlling fungus-incited diseases on amenity turf, as well as in commercial and residential plantings of selected herbaceous plants, shrubs and small trees. While the heaviest fungicide use occurs on intensively managed turf such as golf course greens, fungicides are also used on home lawns and, to a lesser extent, on greenhouse crops and woody plants like roses. Because these fungicides work to quickly remove disease and recover turf and ornamentals, grounds managers are often tempted to repeatedly use "the same ones that worked last time." However, over-reliance on one or several fungicides, particularly those that attack a single site in fungal cells, has resulted in control failures due to declining sensitivity or resistance in some plant pathogenic fungi. As expected, golf courses have been the focal point of nearly all of the resistance-related control failures reported on amenity turf and ornamentals.
The most catastrophic control failure due to resistance in a target fungus occurred in the early 1970s with the systemic benzimidiazole fungicide benomyl. When introduced, benomyl, which interferes with microtubule formation in the nucleus, had better activity against dollar spot on cool- and warm-season turfgrasses than any other fungicide. Golf course superintendents embraced this superior product and largely abandoned other dollar spot fungicides. Within a year or two of heavy benomyl use, dollar spot control failures cropped up on golf courses across the United States. A mutation in one gene had rendered strains of Sclerotinia homoeocarpa almost immune to benomyl. Those resistant strains still make up a sizable percentage of S. homoeocarpa populations found on golf courses today. Benomyl-resistant target fungi are also cross-resistant with other benzimidiazole fungicides, such as thiophanate-methyl.
Resistance to thiophanate-methyl was also recently identified in Colletotrichium gloeosporioides, the causal fungus of anthracnose on container-grown euonymus. Presumably, the benzimidiazole-resistant form of this fungus has been widely distributed throughout landscapes in New England.
Sclerotinia homoeocarpa is one of a group of plant pathogenic fungi where selection of fungicide-resistant strains is common. Resistance to the dicarboximide fungicides, such as iprodione and vinclozolin, and demethylation inhibitors (DMIs) — a type of sterol biosynthesis inhibiting (SBI) fungicide — such as triadimefon, propiconazole, fenarimol and myclobutanil, has also been reported. Resistance to one dicarboximide or DMI fungicide almost always results in cross-resistance with other fungicides that have the same mode of action. Resistance to two or three of the above fungicide groups has been identified in S. homoeocarpa collected from a few golf courses. As is the case with the benzimidiazole-resistant strains, the dicarobximide and DMI-resistant populations, which are nearly as fit as the wild type S. homoeocarpa, will persist without the selective pressure from these fungicides.
Resistance in other fungi has been reported to dicarboximide fungicides. As few as six applications of recommended rates of iprodione have resulted in the appearance of resistant strains of Microdochium nivale, the causal agent of pink snow mold. This fungus has developed resistance to benzimidiazole fungicides, as well. Although few resistance-induced control failures with dicarboximide fungicides have been noted on ornamentals, resistance to iprodione in Botrytis cinerea, the causal fungus of grey mold on landscape and greenhouse floral crops, is widespread.
Unlike other fungicide groups, control failures due to resistance are relatively rare for DMI fungicides such as fenarimol, myclobutanil, propiconazole, triadimefon and trifloxystrobin. With the exclusive use of one or more DMI fungicides, the target fungal population gradually shifts from highly sensitive to a level of insensitivity that results in the recommended rates failing to give effective disease control. Of course, the more often you apply a DMI fungicide, the faster this shift in sensitivity occurs. Given the intensive disease control programs on bentgrass and annual bluegrass greens, the appearance of a highly tolerant or resistant strain of an adaptive fungus like S. homoeocarpa took only a few years.
Resistance to the DMI fungicide propiconazole was recently identified in S. homoeocarpa isolates taken from several locations in Georgia. These isolates were cross-resistant with other DMIs except for triadimefon. Dependence on DMI fungicides to control pink snow mold will result in appearance of DMI-resistant strains of M. nivale. Due to limited exposure, no problems with DMI-resistance in fungal pathogens of landscape ornamentals have been observed. However, powdery mildew fungi have a history of quickly becoming tolerant to this class of fungicides.
The strobilurin [QoI] fungicides azoxystrobin, pyraclostrobin and trifloxystrobin are equally as likely as a benzimidiazole fungicide to suffer from a catastrophic resistance-induced control failure. Fungal strains that develop resistance to one strobilurin fungicide will be cross-resistant to all of them. While azoxystrobin and trifloxystrobin are ineffective against dollar spot, over-using them could accelerate the appearance of strains of S. homoeocarpa resistant to pyraclostrobin. Widespread use of strobilurin fungicides to control grey leaf spot on perennial rye grass fairways has already resulted in the appearance of resistant strains of Pyricularia grisea. Strobilurin resistance in Colletotrichum graminicola, the causal fungus of anthracnose in bentgrass and annual bluegrass, and Pythium aphanidermatum, the causal fungus of Pythium blight on bentgrass and perennial ryegrass, have also been reported. There is also a high risk that a strain of the pink snow mold fungus M. nivale with resistance to a strobilurin fungicide may appear.
With over-reliance on the phenylamide fungicides — metalaxyl and its replacement, mefenoxam — you run the risk of selecting out a resistant population of the fungi Pythium and Phytophthora. While resistant strains are most likely to appear following the intensive use of the above fungicides on greens, greenhouses and container nurseries, their occurrence has been sporadic. So far, mefenoxam, when rotated with fungicides with other modes of action, is an effective component in the near year-round Pythium blight control programs that are required to maintain bentgrass greens across the South.
While some fungi appear prone to develop resistance to a wide range of single-site fungicides, others, for a number of reasons, remain sensitive to benzimidiazole, dicarboximide and DMI fungicides. For example, Rhizoctonia solani, the causal fungus of brown patch on bentgrass and annual bluegrass greens, along with St. Augustinegrass and zoysiagrass lawns, can still be controlled with timely applications of the benzimidiazole, dicarboximide or DMI fungicides. After 20 years of use, iprodione remains one of the fungicides of choice for the control of Bipolaris, Exserohilum and Drechlera leaf spot as well as crown rot fungi.
Resistance to fungicides that attack multiple sites in a fungal cell is rare. Chlorothalonil and mancozeb, which are marketed under a number of trade names, continue to provide effective control of a wide range of target diseases on amenity turf and ornamentals. Among Pythium fungicides, etridiazole and chloroneb, as well as the systemic propamocarb, fosetyl Al and related phosphorous acid fungicides, remain effective and are considered very low risks for resistance-related control failures.
Fungicide control failures not always can be blamed on resistance. They are often caused by other factors relating to the time of disease identification and onset; weather patterns; fungicide specificity and placement; application rate and timeliness; residual activity in the target zone; and a variety of cultural practices. These factors also can influence selection pressure on at-risk fungicide groups.
While it is a little late to worry about benzimidiazole, dicarboximide and possibly phenylamide resistance, there is still time to avoid resistance-related control failures to the DMI and particularly strobilurin fungicides. Establishment of disease-resistant cultivars of ornamentals and turfgrasses, particularly those prone to attack by fungi that are likely to develop fungicide resistance under intense management, is the first step in the development of a comprehensive disease management program. Use best management practices to promote plant health and minimize stress, while altering the environment at vulnerable sites to delay or suppress disease onset.
Guidelines for resistance avoidance for dicarboximide, DMI, phenylamide and strobilurin fungicides have been established by the Fungicide Resistance Action Committee (FRAC). You can find these guidelines on the Internet at www.frac.com. You should apply these fungicides on a preventative and not a curative or rescue basis. When a disease like Pythium blight is active, one or more applications of a multi-site, low-risk fungicide is your best option. On golf courses, use a disease advisory to improve application timing and limit the number of applications of at-risk fungicides. If an advisory is not available, do some research so that you're familiar with weather patterns that favor disease onset, and initiate a preventative treatment program when necessary.
Strobilurin and DMI fungicides, when applied alone, must not make up any more than ⅓ or ½, respectively, of the total number of applications in your disease management program. As a general rule, make no more than two consecutive applications of a strobilurin fungicide at any time, regardless of the target disease. When tank-mixed with a fungicide with a different mode of action, the total number of applications of a strobilurin fungicide may not exceed ½ of those made to a particular site during a production cycle or year. Although tank-mix combinations of a DMI with an unrelated fungicide may make up more than ½ of total fungicide applications, limiting the number of DMI applications, particularly to greens to control dollar spot and pink snow mold, will enhance their longevity. To facilitate the use of resistance-suppressing tank-mix combinations, you can implement formulations of thiophanate methyl or one of several DMI fungicides with chlorothalonil, flutolanil or thiram. To reduce selection pressure, use the recommended rates of these fungicides at proper treatment intervals. Increase application rates or shorten treatment intervals as needed to prevent disease development. Target the use of an at-risk fungicide just before onset and then rely on a multi-site fungicide when pathogen activity is low. You can also apply the above guidelines to reduce your risk of selecting phenylamide and dicarboximide-resistant fungal strains.
Strobilurin and DMI fungicides have proven highly effective in controlling a wide range of destructive diseases on amenity turf and ornaments. However, the use of these fungicides will be greatly restricted if you do not follow the above guidelines for avoiding the selection of DMI- and strobilurin-resistant plant pathogenic fungi. I encourage you to monitor the success of your disease management programs that employ at-risk fungicides and report suspected resistance to your state's extension plant pathologist.
Austin Hagan is an extension specialist and professor at Auburn University (Auburn, Ala.).
|Fungicide Class
|Common Name
|Selected Trade Name(s)
|High Risk
|Cleary's 3336, OPH 6672, Systec 1998, Cavalier, Fungo, Proturf Fluid Fungicide, T-Strom
|Subdue Maxx, Subdue 2G, Quell
|Moderate Risk
|Chipco GT, Chipco 26019, Sexton, Proturf Fungicide X
|Curalan, Touche
|DMI (sterol biosynthesis inhibiting)
|Eagle, Systhane
|Banner Maxx, Spectator, Propiconazole Pro
|Bayleton T/O, Proturf Fungicide VII, LESCO Granular Turf Fungicide
|Low Risk
|Aliette WDG, Aliette Signature, Prodigy
|phosphorous acid
|Potassium salts of phosphorous acid
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Calendar |
Logan, Menard and
Sangamon Extension
Recent articles
Chris Cox, Yvonne Barteau headline 25th
Illinois Horse Fair
December finished cold in Illinois
Seasonal weight limits on
Logan County highways
Heartland Horseman's Challenge to feature Illinois-based horsemen
and horse rescues at 25th Illinois Horse Fair
U of I news:
New licensing for U of I's
MarketMaker food supply chain website
Slow Food Film Festival scheduled for Jan. 25
USDA improves loan program for single-family
Weekly Outlook:
Will China cancel some soybean purchases?
State agriculture employees honored for outstanding service
Illinois Farm Bureau elects new president, vice president
Firearm deer season preliminary harvest totals
Farmers identify regulations as biggest threat
to long-term profitability
3 elected to Illinois Farm Bureau board of
Frels awarded Illinois Farm Bureau Award for
Illinois Farm Bureau Young Leader
Committee members chosen for 2013-2014
U.S. farmers lose as
bumper grain harvest overwhelms ships, trains
IDNR supports proposed changes to off-road
vehicle usage
November 2013 in Illinois — cold and dry
IFB donates $10,000 to help fund Illinois tornado disaster
FSA acreage reporting dates for 2014
U of I news:
'Let's just harvest invasive species.' Problem solved?
Wildlife biologists to examine cougar found in
Whiteside County
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Needs approval.
Awesome man! Thanks!
Vehicle spawn doesnt work.
Hey shadowy, what are all your hotkeys on this thing? Ive used it for I dont even know how long now, and all I know is most the f's and some letter ones, such B to freeze a heli, any way i could get a list of them?
Is this for DayZ 126.96.36.199 and will work on any other mod?
doses this still work m8


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(Reuters) - Amgen Inc's trebananib drug for ovarian cancer extended the length of time that patients lived without the disease getting worse by about two months, meeting the main goal of a late-stage clinical trial, the company said on Wednesday.
The trial is the first of three pivotal-stage studies of the experimental drug, and analysts said U.S. regulators will likely need to see evidence that trebananib extends overall patient survival before considering the drug for marketing approval.
Amgen said median progression free survival (PFS) in the trial was 7.2 months for patients given trebananib and chemotherapy, compared with 5.4 months for patients treated with a placebo drug and chemotherapy.
"This is an incremental positive as expectations were very modest," RBC Capital Markets analyst Michael Yee said in a research note. "However, it remains uncertain, in our view, whether PFS benefit alone is sufficient for U.S. FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approval."
Shares of Amgen were down $1.05 at $96.88 in midday trading on Nasdaq.
Trebananib is designed to block the process used by tumors to grow the blood and lymphatic vessels they need to survive and spread.
Amgen said that while it was working on the primary analysis of overall survival for 2014, it saw a favorable survival trend in an interim analysis.
Reporting by Caroline Humer and Deena Beasley; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and John Wallace


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As Texas.gov works with the Department of Public Safety to offer new portal services, project leaders look to agile software development.
Texas.gov is upgrading the state's systems faster than people are used to and they're doing it using agile software development -- a method that brings cross-functional teams together throughout the life of a project, to collaborate and course-correct along the way. The approach results in a finished project that can look quite different from what was first envisioned, given the evolution of technology and customer needs. There are various agile methodologies, each of which contain different components, such as self-assembling groups and co-location of teams.
Agile development is a deviation from the waterfall approach to software development, a linear methodology that has long been the standard in government and elsewhere. In waterfall, each phase of a project is completed before developers move on -- the approach is less flexible, and more focused on hitting milestones and budget targets than delivering optimal value. Waterfall is widely criticized for sometimes leading to projects that are out of date before they are even finished.
In August 2012, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and Texas.gov completed an eight-month project to create a new vehicle inspection service. The endeavor was finished faster and more cheaply than previous implementations, and the state has continued adding functionality for additional services and departments, all using agile development. Eventually, the DPS will host a central portal for services offered by business units and departments across the state.
DPS and the team from Texas.gov created a tool that allows vehicle inspectors to complete the process online, and now includes other functionality, such as inspector certificate renewal. The new vehicle inspection service replaces an expiring vendor contract, said Erin Hutchins, director of portal operations at Texas.gov. The old system took the vendor 18 months to develop. They were looking for a way to do things more efficiently, Hutchins said, and that's why they looked at agile software development.
"We've done projects of varying size, scope and scale with all sorts of different project methods over time," she said. "Most of the time we had done things using waterfall [development methodology]. What we figured out was that by the time we got through a requirements process for something of this size … we have actually 15 minutes to build the application. You then go through user acceptance testing where you may or may not have actually met the needs of the business unit and the Department of Public Safety and then you have no time to actually respond."
Using an agile methodology allowed the teams from the DPS and Texas.gov to work together more cooperatively and stay on track as they worked, Hutchins said. Three teams of 10 employees met every two weeks to discuss what they had developed and make adjustments to keep the project on course, she added, rather than waiting until the end, hoping that everything turned out right.
The reduced development cycle made people more accountable, and gave everyone an increased sense of engagement and reward, she said. Everyone, including the customer, could all see the work being done along the way -- if they were off course, the team could make a small adjustment and it wasn't a big deal. Hutchins explained that she had been part of large projects before that didn't assess the completed work until months or years had passed. Sometimes the work wasn't done correctly and a lot of time was lost.
Using a different methodology can be a big change for people, said Peter Eichorn, director of technology for Texas.gov. For that reason, he said, before they started the project they led a boot camp for both developers and managers so everyone understood how agile development works. A lot of people say they're interested in agile development, Eichorn said, but it takes commitment – you have to stick to the process the whole way through.
In many ways, an agile methodology fits how software development works much better than traditional methodologies, according to Eichorn. Often, so much is learned during the development process by everyone involved, that it's hard to develop an end-product that looks exactly like what was initially planned. People come up with new ideas and make realizations as projects go on, so it can be constricting to be on a rigid development cycle. The perceived lack of structure can be scary for some people, he said, but that's why they met every two weeks. "You don't miss by inches after a year -- you miss by a lot," he said. "Here, you miss by an inch, you just adjust it and it takes a lot of the drama out of it."
The team did face many of the challenges found in all software projects, regardless of methodology, he said, like difficulty knowing when the project is "good enough" and developers can stop trying to take on the feature backlog.
One of the best things about using agile development, Eichorn said, was seeing workers from the two departments working side by side, solving problems together. The change in culture manifested itself in the quality of their work.
Since finishing the initial development period, the team has continued adding functionality migrating data from the old system. Their plan is to continue adding functionality for more services and eventually more departments. "The concept is to get to a place where all those services now live in one database, that they leverage an online product framework that allows for simple configuration and new services over time without tons of maintenance and specific development for every one of those online services," Hutchins said.
Texas.gov has used agile development for internal projects in the past, Hutchins said, but this is the first time they've teamed up with another agency on an agile project. Bringing developers and the business side together, though, is one of the things agile is good at, said Sean Kenefick, research director for Gartner.
One of the pitfalls of using agile, Kenefick said, is that people sometimes start skipping important parts of the methodology and the work suffers. "Agile has gained ground over the past few years," he said. "People are seeing it as an alternative to waterfall. The problem that folks are having is that they are limiting agile to just the development phase. They don't necessarily include the requirements aspect to it."
Like going to the gym, results from agile development depend on personal discipline. "The goal of agile is providing a higher quality and more useful product to the end user. As a byproduct, you sometimes get it faster," Kenefick said. "The important goal is that you are providing the user and the business with what they really need."


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Ruth Sidel
Ruth Sidel received her B A. from Wellesley College, her M.S.W. from the Boston University School of Social Work, and her Ph.D. from Union Graduate School. Her research interests center around poverty, particularly its impact on women and children, and the need to develop a comprehensive, universal family policy in the United States. She has made several study visits to China and has written extensively on health care and human services in China as well as in Great Britain and Sweden. She teaches Introduction to Sociology, Child Welfare and special seminars such as Childhood in New York and Women and Leadership.
She is the author of several books including On Her Own: Growing Up in the Shadow of the American Dream and Keeping Women and Children Last: America's War on the Poor. Her most recent book, Unsung Heroines: Single Mothers and the American Dream, was published by the University of California Press in 2006.


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Demo applications
Three Web Service Demos | SOAP
Demonstrations of consuming web services in Application Express 4.1
Marcie Young, at Oracle, has created three new excellent demonstrations of consuming web services in Application Express 4.1.
The first demonstration called "Creating and Using a Manual SOAP Web Service in Your Application" takes you step by step through creating a manual web service reference, and then using the Create Form and Report on Web Service wizard to create the page to interact with the service. The ability to use that wizard on a manual web reference was a new feature on 4.0. (This demonstration even exposed a slight branching inconvenience that I am going to file and fix in 4.1.1.)
"Creating and Using a RESTful Web Service with an XML Response" uses the Google Geocoder v3 web service and is a classic example of consuming a RESTful style web service in Application Express.
Finally, "Creating and Using a RESTful Web Service with an XML Response and a Bind Variable" is a great example of consuming a RESTful service where the parameter is passed as part of the URI path (not part of the query string), like http://someservice.com/employees/%7Bid%7D, where {id} is the employee that you want to retrieve. This can be accomplished by using &ITEM_NAME. syntax when you specify the URL endpoint in the RESTful web service reference.
All of these demonstrations reinforce your need to learn to write XPath expressions to traverse an XML document. If you don't know what I am talking about, there is an excellent XPath tutorial at http://www.w3schools.com/.
So check these demonstrations out (they are nice videos) and give your mad props to Marcie!
Original article written by: Jason Straub


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Pete Nelson is a teacher, writer, essayist and activist whose work has appeared in a variety of Adirondack publications, and regularly in the Adirondack Almanack since 2005. Pete is also a founder and current Coordinator of the Adirondack Diversity Advisory Council, which is working to make the Park more welcoming and inclusive.When not writing or teaching mathematics at North Country Community College, Pete can be found in the back country, making music or even walking on stilts, which he and his wife Amy have done professionally throughout the United States for nearly two decades.Pete is a proud resident of Keene, and along with Amy and his dog Henderson owns Lost Brook Tract, a forty-acre inholding deep in the High Peaks Wilderness.
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It's Friday, which means for it's time for a new round of iPhone apps. This time around, we're giving you plenty of goodness. Between an app that gives you fake numbers, and an iPhone version of one of your old favorite magazines, you'll have plenty of new titles to download.
Burner: We've all been in that hard spot where some weirdo asks for your digits, and though you don't want to give it to him, you have to because he's going to call you immediately to make sure you have his. Avoid this problem completely with Burner, an app that gives you temporary numbers that you can kill at any time. $1.99
New Yorker: The longstanding publication has been on the iPad for almost two years, and now it's finally available in iPhone size. It's the same mag you know and love, with the usual extras like audio, video, and the cartoon gallery. As an added bonus, the first issue is free. And there's a launch video featuring Lena Dunham and John Hamm. Subscription
Obama for America: With election day three months away, it's time to pick your pony. This well-designed app from the Obama campaign spells out the big issues like the economy, women's health, and health care, and explains how you can get involved in your area. November really can't get here soon enough. Free
Twheel: You follow like 500 people on Twitter and sometimes you miss important tweets. Twheel visualizes the relevance of these posts in brightly colored graphics, so you never gloss over the messages you want to see. Free
Setlist: Even if you miss a band you like concert, you want to know what they played. This app fills you in, by linking to your Rdio account, and automatically showing you what Jay-Z, for example, included in his last gig. Free


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Mars rover driver leaves the steering wheel
(CNN) — NASA's Mars rover driver Scott Maxwell shared all kinds of amazing things about himself when we last spoke in August. He's a cancer survivor, for one. And his father was a railroad engineer, passionate about driving trains, while Maxwell himself has been enthusiastically controlling vehicles on Mars since 2004.
"This is the kind of thing that I, as a kid, grew up dreaming about doing, and I have been unbelievably lucky to be able to do this with part of my life," Maxwell told me.
Given how much he loves working on Mars missions, it was shocking when he revealed on social media that he would be leaving NASA for Google.
"It's a lot like when my 15-year marriage broke up: JPL and I have grown in different directions, and I'm not a good fit there anymore," he wrote on Google+. His last day at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory was Friday.
Now wait a minute: What does driving a rover on Mars have to do with working for a massive company best known for its search engine? According to Maxwell, the jobs are not as different as you think.
At Google, Maxwell will be writing high-reliability software – in other words, making sure that everything runs the way it's supposed to. For instance, when you direct your browser to google.com, you should get the Google homepage. It's critical to keep errors rare, just like with software that controls equipment on Mars.
Maxwell helped write the software that has been used for the rovers Spirit and Opportunity, and for Curiosity, which landed August 6 and recently got to try out its drill on the Martian surface.
"If it fails even once you maybe don't get your commands up to the rover that day," he told me. "We can't tolerate those kinds of failures. I'm proud to say that never happened, by the way, in nearly 10 years."
From a software-development standpoint, it's not a stretch to launch into highly reliable software that happens to be controlling machines on Earth rather than Mars.
The most fun parts of the Mars rover missions were living on Mars time, he said. For Spirit and Opportunity, the schedule was pretty regular: As the rover "wakes up" 40 minutes later every day, so do you, because a day on Mars is about 40 minutes longer than a day on Earth.
But for Curiosity, the work day schedule had to be tied to when an orbiter would be flying overhead, which is less of a regular timetable.
"Spirit and Opportunity helped us prove that relaying through an orbiter has tremendous value for you," he said. "It greatly increases the amount of data you can send back to Earth."
Because Curiosity is a bigger, more complicated rover, the pace of the mission has been slower from Maxwell's standpoint. The expected lifetime of the Spirit and Opportunity rovers was 90 days on Mars, so Maxwell and other mission specialists packed everything they could into that short period of time. (As it turned out, Spirit lasted more than six years and Opportunity is still going. They landed in 2004).
"I loved it when we were straining to the utmost limit and doing everything we possibly could to fit in as much stuff as possible on every given sol (solar day) of operations on Mars," he said.
By contrast, it took 180 days on Mars for Curiosity to use its drill for the first time, marking the checkout of the last instrument on the rover. The projected lifetime of Curiosity is two years, although, like its predecessors, it could keep going much longer.
Although Maxwell misses the all-or-nothing, fast-paced nature of the Spirit and Opportunity rovers' first months on Mars, he has also enjoyed working with more scientists with expert knowledge on a variety of subjects for the Curiosity mission.
Maxwell will miss the tactical aspect of his job: the actual process of planning a day on Mars for the rover. His day began with problems that needed to be solved. He and his colleagues solved them and sent instructions to the rover at the end.
"I've been privileged to be one of the few humans on Earth who does that," he said.
Maxwell said he'll miss the people he has worked with at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, such as the other rover drivers and science team members.
"I'm still being invited to poker nights for rover drivers, but it's not going to be the same," he said.
For the new job, Maxwell won't have to take an airplane, let alone a space shuttle. His new role will be at a Google office in the Los Angeles area, where he is based. That's good news for his romantic life because he and fellow NASA-er Kim Lichtenberg are a ridiculously cute, science-loving couple.
"I'm not sure my girlfriend would like it a whole lot if I were moving up to Mountain View permanently, and I wouldn't want to leave her," he said.
He'll be following the Curiosity mission from the sidelines, but he wouldn't totally rule out going back into the space field one day. Should technology allow it, Mars remains his destination of choice.
"If they have a rocket ship leaving tomorrow, I'm quitting Google and I'm on it," he said.


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Anthony Williams is author of the book C++ Concurrency in Action and of the just::thread C++0x thread library. He can be contacted at [email protected]
"Concepts" was set to be one of the major selling points of the new C++0x standard, until it was removed from the draft in July 2009. The "Concepts" feature promised better compile-time checking of templates, and the ability to overload functions based on whether or not their parameters supported specific templates.
In this article I look at some techniques for obtaining some of the benefits of concepts, with the facilities we already have in C++. Source code that illustrates these techniques is listed at the end of this article.
Basic Tools
The basic tools we need for concept checking and concept-based overloading are static_assert, enable_if, and a particular property of template instantiation dubbed SFINAE (short for "Substitution Failure Is Not An Error"). static_assert is useful for the checking, enable_if for the overloading. SFINAE is the mechanism that makes enable_if work, and can be used to write additional checks for testing with static_assert or enable_if.
static_assert is a new C++0x language feature, and is available in the latest versions of some compilers, such as Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 and g++ 4.3 or later. It allows you to specify a boolean constant expression and an error message -- if the constant expression evaluates to False at compile time then the compilation fails and the specified error message is output. For example, this simple program compiled with gcc -std=c++0x:
int main() { static_assert(false,"your message goes here"); }
yields this error message:
test.cpp: In function 'int main()' test.cpp:3: error: static assertion failed: "your message goes here"
The constant expression can of course depend on template parameters, and that's where the checking comes in: if you put a static_assert in a template then the compilation will fail if the specified condition is not True, and the error message will be a lot clearer than what you would get otherwise.
static_assert works really well with the standard type traits -- you can assert that a given type is convertible to bool, or is derived from a particular base class, or is a POD. Of course, you can also define your own traits for any characteristic that you can build a test for. Later in this article I'll show how you can build a test for the presence of particular member functions.
You could, for example enforce the constraint that a particular template parameter is a POD type, so you can copy instances with memcpy:
template<typename T> void copy(T const* source,T* dest,unsigned count) { static_assert(std::is_pod<T>::value,"T must be a POD"); memcpy(dest,source,count*sizeof(T)); } is
If you try and use this copy function with a non-POD type such as std::string, then you will get a compilation error.
The Boost Concept Check Library provides an alternative to static_assert for checking for concept conformance. Just like static_assert, it generates compiler errors if the concept is not matched. However, it may provide an easier way of specifying the constraints than plain static_assert if concept-based overloading is not required.
Whereas static_assert is all about hard and fast requirements, enable_if is about choices. You use it to enable certain function overloads if and only if a given property is True. This enables you to specify different versions of an algorithm based on the properties of the template parameters.
For example, you could use enable_if to use memcpy when copying PODs, rather than copying each element individually:
template<typename T> typename std::enable_if<std::is_pod<T>::value,void>::type copy(T const* source,T* dest,unsigned count) { memcpy(dest,source,count*sizeof(T)); } template<typename T> typename std::enable_if<!std::is_pod<T>::value,void>::type copy(T const* source,T* dest,unsigned count) { for(unsigned i=0;i<count;++i) { *dest++=*source++; } }
enable_if is quite simple in and of itself -- if the first template parameter (which must be a boolean constant expression) evaluates to true then the nested "type" member is a typedef to the second template parameter. If the the first parameter evaluates to False then there is no nested "type" member.
The SFINAE rules mean that if enable_if<some-expression,some-type>::type is used in the signature of a function template (as here), then that function overload is discarded if some-expression is False -- that overload is only enabled if some-expression is True.
SFINAEThe basic premise of SFINAE is that when the compiler is deducing the template parameters for a function template from a function call, if the deduced parameters would make the signature invalid then that function template is not considered for overload resolution rather than resulting in a compilation failure. There are limits, and some template instantiation errors will still cause compilation failure, but this is the basic principle that makes enable_if work.
For example, given the function template:
template<typename T> typename T::type foo(T t) {}
If you try and call foo(3), then T is deduced to be int. The type int does not have a member called type. The instantiation is therefore invalid when substituting "int" as the template parameter. By the SFINAE rule, this is not an error: instead the overload is ignored. If there is another overload of foo that can match foo(3), then that will be chosen instead. Of course, if there are no other overloads or none of the others match, then you still get a compilation error.
SFINAE does not work if the required instantiation of the function template depends on the instantiation of another template and that instantiation fails; for example:
template<typename T> struct bar { typedef typename T::type type; }; template<typename T> typename bar<T>::type foo2(T t) { // ... }
If you call foo2(3), then T is again deduced as int. However, bar<int> cannot be instantiated, since int does not have a member called type. This is a failure in the instantiation of bar<int> , not in the instantiation of foo2<int> , so is a real compiler error, and will not be ignored by SFINAE.
Availability of Features
Newer compilers (such as gcc 4.3 or later, and Microsoft Visual Studio 2010) are starting to provide C++0x features. static_assert is one of the most common C++0x language features added to compilers, but for those compilers that don't have static_assert, you can emulate it with BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT.
enable_if on the other hand is purely a library facility, and was part of the C++ Technical Report 1. As such it is even more widely available as part of the library supplied with compilers. For those compilers that don't provide their own version, it is also available as part of the Boost Library.


text:
Portugal secured a last-gasp 2-2 draw on Sunday with Silvestre Varela heading home in the final minute to deny the United States victory.
The USA had come from behind to lead 2-1 on Sunday and looked to have ended Portugal's FIFA World Cup campaign in Manaus, before Cristiano Ronaldo got free on the right in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time and picked out Varela, who powered a header past Tim Howard.
An early goal to Nani saw Portugal respond well to their devastating 4-0 loss to Germany last week, but second-half strikes to Jermaine Jones and captain Clint Dempsey had put the USA in front and on the verge of securing a berth in the round of 16 for the second tournament in a row.
But Varela's late header ensured the top two positions in Group G remain up for grabs with Germany (four points) on top, level with the USA, while Ghana and Portugal both have slim chances of advancing with one point each.
Despite speculation that a knee injury would keep him out of Portugal's line-up, Ronaldo started, while Helder Postiga, Ricardo Costa, Andre Almeida and Beto replaced the unavailable quartet of Hugo Almeida (thigh), Pepe (suspension), Fabio Coentrao (groin) and Rui Patricio (thigh).
Klinsmann picked Graham Zusi to replace the injured Jozy Altidore (hamstring) with the Sporting Kansas City midfielder lining up on the left and Dempsey moving into a lone striker's role.
The match started horribly for the USA with Nani opening the scoring in just the fifth minute.
Miguel Veloso's poor cross bounced in front of Geoff Cameron and the central defender sliced his clearance to the back post, where Nani took a touch and then smashed his shot high into the net with Howard stranded.
Portugal pinned the Americans back in the opening stages with Klinsmann's side creating their first decent opportunity when Fabian Johnson, who was a regular outlet pushing up from right-back, got free in the 10th minute but his shot was deflected for a corner.
Six minutes later, Portugal's injury curse seemingly struck again with Postiga getting subbed off for Eder with an apparent hamstring strain.
The substitution seemed to halt Portugal's momentum, with Michael Bradley and Dempsey each failing to convert a pair of half chances for the USA before the half-hour mark.
Portugal reminded the USA of their counter-attacking threat three minutes before half-time with Nani unleashing a scorching drive that was parried by Howard, while in the 45th minute, the American gloveman made a double save to ensure his team were just 1-0 behind at the break.
Although Howard was unimpressed by his initial save onto the post from a strike from Nani, the 35-year-old did brilliantly to keep his balance and tip Eder's follow-up over the bar.
Almeida came off at half-time with another possible injury, with Veloso moving to left-back and William Carvalho promoted to defensive midfield.
The second half almost started exactly as the first had with Eder acrobatically volleying over the bar after another poor clearance from Cameron, before Johnson got forward to force Beto into a save.
In the 55th minute, Bradley should have equalised when Johnson again got free on the right, cutting it back but the Toronto FC midfielder's shot was blocked on the line by Costa.
The USA notched a deserved equaliser in the 63rd minute when a corner was cleared to Jones and the Schalke midfielder smashed his shot inside the far post, while Howard made another sharp save soon after to deny Raul Meireles.
Although Portugal had a few chances to lead again, the USA hit the front with nine minutes remaining when Zusi collected a loose ball in box and crossed for Dempsey to score off his midriff, although Klinsmann's men were denied victory thanks to Varela's late heroics.


text:
- 3/4 cup chilled buttermilk
- 1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
- 2 cups self-rising flour
- 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper plus additional for sprinkling
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, plus 1 tablespoon melted butter
- Coarse sea salt
Recipe Preparation
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 425°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine buttermilk and green onions in medium bowl. Whisk flour, cornmeal, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper in large bowl to blend. Add 1/2 cup chilled butter and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk mixture and stir until moist clumps form.
Gather dough together. Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead gently just to combine, about 3 to 4 turns. Roll out to 3/4-inch thickness. Using floured 2-inch cookie or biscuit cutter, cut out rounds. Reroll scraps and cut out additional rounds. Place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet. Brush tops of biscuits with melted butter. Sprinkle each lightly with coarse sea salt and ground black pepper.
Bake biscuits until golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.


text:
|University of California, Berkeley
|Jepson Herbarium
|Jepson eFlora: Key page
|Vascular Plants of California
Key to families | Table of families and genera
Key to Polypodium
View taxon page for Polypodium
(For a list of species in Polypodium, use the above link.)
Jepson Manual glossary definitions can be seen by moving your cursor over words underlined with dots.
Citation for the whole project: Jepson Flora Project (eds.) [year] Jepson eFlora, http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/ [accessed on month, day, year]
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We encourage links to these pages, but the content may not be downloaded for reposting, repackaging, redistributing, or sale in any form, without written permission from The Jepson Herbarium.


text:
Breaking News: British sensation [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Tinie Tempah[/lastfm] is scheduled to bring his mad rhymes to the Ed Sullivan Theater on May 17th for a once in a lifetime concert webcast. It's true. This epic event is "written in the stars."
Tinie (aka Patrick Chukwuemeka Okogwu) rose to fame on the British rap scene in the late 2000s. While he was a local hit, it wasn't until he released the song "Pass Out" in 2010 when U.S. audiences began to take notice. In the past 12 months, the eager newcomer has released a string of hit singles including "Frisky," "Invincible" and "Written in the Stars."
Tinie is bringing his British beats to our exclusive online webcast on May 17th, 2011. He follows music giants [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Katy Perry[/lastfm], [lastfm link_type=""]Foo Fighters[/lastfm] and [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Snoop Dogg[/lastfm], who have all previously graced the stage of the Ed Sullivan Theater to perform their hits for an intimate in house crowd and millions of rabid fans watching online.
Check out Tinie's hottest new video "Written in the Stars."
Then check out the song that started it all "Pass Out." It has over 26 million views on Vevo!
Then come back Tuesday, May 17th to watch Tinie perform a complete concert live from the Ed Sullivan Theater as part of the Live on Letterman web series. This amazing broadcast is brought to you by AT&T.
Get More Tinie Tempah
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text:
HappyChick wrote:This is probably a stupid question, but why would one want to register their pit bull? The majority of us spay/neuter our dogs and the only reason I can think of to register a dog would be breeding purposes. I never register my dogs cause they are all speutered so it seems pointless for me.
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text: Parents often wonder how much of the world their young children really understand. Though typically developing children are not able to speak or point to objects on command until they are between eighteen months and two years old, they do provide clues that they understand language as early as the age of one. These clues provide a point of measurement for psychologists interested in language comprehension of toddlers and young children with autism. In the assessment, psychologists track a child's eye movements while they are watching two side by side videos. Children who understand language are more likely to look at the video that the audio corresponds to. This way, language comprehension is tested by attention, not by asking the child to respond or point something out. Furthermore, all assessments can be conducted in the child's home, using mobile, commercially available equipment. The technique was developed in the laboratory of Dr. Letitia Naigles, and is known as a portable intermodal preferential looking assessment (IPL). "When I started working with children with autism, I realized that they have similar issues with strangers that very young typical children do," Dr. Naigles tells us. "Children with autism may understand more than they can show because they are not socially inclined and find social interaction aversive and challenging." Dr. Naigles' approach helps make this assessment more valuable. By testing the child in the home, where they are comfortable, Dr. Naigles removes much of the anxiety associated with a new environment that may skew results. While this technique identifies some similarities between typically developing toddlers and children with autism spectrum disorder, such as understanding some types of sentences before they produce them, this does not mean that these children are the same. "Some strategies of word learning that typical children have acquired are not demonstrated in children with autism." Dr. Naigles says. By illuminating both strengths and weaknesses, the test is valuable for assessing language development. "JoVE is useful because in the past, I have gone to visit various labs to coach them in putting together an IPL. JoVE will enable other labs to set up the procedure more efficiently." JoVE associate editor Allison Diamond stated, "Showing this work in a video format will allow other scientists in the field to quickly adapt Dr. Naigles' technique, and use it to address the question of language development in autism, an extremely important field of research." * Story Source: The above story is reprinted from materials provided by The Journal of Visualized Experiments Reference: Demonstrated in a new video-article published in JoVE (Journal of Visualized Experiments) Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ConductDisorders or its staff


text:
DOVER — The Children's Museum of New Hampshire is gearing up for its 4th annual PizzaFest and Silent Auction, which will host a generous list of items to bid on and nearly 200 pizzas to enjoy.
Sponsored by D.F. Richard, the event welcomes parents, children, families and friends to sample pizza from a variety of restaurants in the area and vote on their favorites. While tasting plain cheese pizza to chicken alfredo pizza to 7-layer-bar dessert pizza, guests can also bid on silent auction items.
Pizza will come from Goodfellas Brick Oven Pizzeria of Rochester, Kendall Pond II of Dover, La Festa Brick & Brew Pizzeria of Dover, Papa Gino's of Dover, Papa Jay's of Dover, Raider Laser Center of Newington, The Spaghetti Stain of Dover, Terra Cotta Pasta of Dover and Uno's Chicago Grill in Dover. Some crazy pizza specials may include macaroni and cheese, peach cobbler, taco, honey-BBQ chicken & bacon, lasagna and very veggie.
Guests can wash down the pizza this year with a Smuttynose Beer. In response to popular demand, adults will now be able to purchase Old Brown Dog Ale, Finestkind IPA, Star Island Single and other favorites from the event's new beer sponsor, Smuttynose Brewing Company. Water and juice will also be available.
Items up for auction were generously donated by local and regional businesses and individuals and include jewelry, artwork, gift baskets, ski passes, surf lessons, yoga lessons, autographed children's books and posted by New Hampshire illustrator Eric Ingraham, dog boarding from K9 Kaos, a ride on the Dover Fire & Rescue truck, a flight over the Seacoast with Premier Aviation and more.
The event will be held at the Children's Museum of New Hampshire at 6 Washington St. in Dover on Friday, Nov. 16, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Space is limited, so reserve tickets in advance by calling the museum at (603) 742-2002, by going on the museum's website for tickets at
https://cmnh.ejoinme.org/MyPages/PizzaFestTickets2012/tabid/414561/Default.aspx or by visiting the museum's front desk. Adult tickets are $10 in advance, children tickets are $7 and children under 3 are free. If space is available, tickets can also be purchased at the door at $12 for adults and $8 for children. All proceeds benefit the museum's education-based programs and exhibits.
PizzaFest coming to Children's Museum in Dover
DOVER — The Children's Museum of New Hampshire is gearing up for its 4th annual PizzaFest and Silent Auction, which will host a generous list of items to bid on and nearly 200 pizzas to enjoy.