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Tech Essentials for the Business Traveler
This story appears in the November 2005 issue of Entrepreneur. Subscribe »
Editor's note: Looking for our online exclusives? Read about hot spots here and wireless security here.
Bradley Skaggs lost track of his frequent flier mileage balance long ago. But the 38-year-old keeps close tabs on the messenger bag he carries on routine cross-country flights for his eponymous firm, Skaggs. It's loaded with gadgets including his 15-inch G4 Apple PowerBook, his Sony Ericsson P900 mobile phone and, yes, his Apple iPod. The latter, by the way, doubles as a backup drive for his computer. "I could boot off it if I needed to," Skaggs says.
The 10-person boutique advertising and graphic design agency, whose sales are expected to reach $1 million this year, has headquarters in both San Francisco and New York City, so Skaggs and his wife and co-founder, Jonina, are often on the go. All the technology Skaggs uses is, by design, mobile. And rather than buying, he arranges for leases that let him update his gadgets more frequently.
"The last thing you want is to have a bunch of computers piled up in the corner," says Skaggs, who enjoys the flexibility leasing gives him to keep his equipment up-to-date.
So what could Skaggs buy now if his lease was up? And what about your business: Are you thinking about adding to your arsenal? No matter your situation, you'll find the answers you need in our special annual report on technology products, trends and innovations that make the life of the mobile entrepreneur a little bit easier--from cell phones and data communications devices to full-featured notebook computers. If you're on the go, at least one of these products is for you.
Call Me Anytime
When it comes to mobile phones, the thinner, the better. But that's no reason to sacrifice all the goodies you've come to expect in mobile handsets, including larger, crisper color displays; basic text-messaging support; digital cameras; and Bluetooth wireless connectivity for running peripherals such as hands-free headsets.
"We're finally at a point where consumers understand they can do more with their mobile phones than voice," says David Linsalata, analyst for mobile devices at research firm IDC in Framingham, Massachusetts. "Voice will always be the killer application, but they're starting to look beyond that."
Another researcher, Gartner Inc. in Dripping Springs, Texas, projects 13 percent unit growth in mobile phone sales this year, to approximately 750 million units. For the first quarter of 2005, Gartner and IDC reported that worldwide phone shipments reached approximately 180 million devices. While Nokia retained its No. 1 position globally, Motorola was the leader in the United States, buoyed in part by interest in its ultrathin RAZR V3, both research firms reported.
Weighing 3.3 ounces, the RAZR V3 measures 3.8 inches long by 2 inches wide by 0.5 inches thick. The phone supports quad-band usage, and its technical specifications claim a talk time of five hours. It comes with Bluetooth, a 4x digital zoom camera and a speaker-phone, among other features; the price in mid-September was $249 (all prices street), or $199 with a two-year contract from Cingular or T-Mobile.
This fall, Motorola plans to introduce at least two variations on the RAZR platform, both designed to take advantage of EDGE communications services, which will support applications such as music and data file downloads. The first phone, called SLVR, will come with push-to-talk capabilities (the walkie-talkie-style feature popularized by Nextel Communications) and the ability to add up to 512MB of memory. The PEBL V6, due by the end of 2005, will feature an oval-shaped, dual-hinged design.
LG Electronics, which ranks fourth worldwide in mobile-phone shipments, is also coming on strong in the North American market, according to IDC. One of its latest phones is the LG VX8000, a flip phone that takes advantage of 3G data services. In mid-September, the phone cost approximately $155 after a $70 mail-in rebate from LG.
Linsalata says handset manufacturers will continue to stress more multimedia features into early 2006, improving cameras and enhancing audio capabilities. While these advances are primarily consumer-focused, they will provide the foundation for business applications such as two-way mobile videoconferencing, he says. While some carriers offer entry-level phones for next to nothing if you make a long-term commitment to their monthly service, you can expect to pay a differential of $200 to $250 for these premium features.
This latest twist in the evolution of mobile phones points toward a new kind of converged device--in this case, one that marries the phone with a portable digital music player. A deal between Apple and Motorola, for example, lets you download files from the iTunes online music store onto certain next-generation handsets. While this won't necessarily help you seal a business deal, it might help you kill time in an airport lounge.
Palm Reading
Of course, the most prevalent converged mobile device remains the smart-phone, which combines the ability to make voice calls with data-centric communications tasks such as retrieving and sending e-mail or downloading file attachments or other content from remote servers.
Here, too, the offerings continue to explode, ranging from the Treo 650, the latest edition from U.S. smartphone leader Palm; to the planned Hewlett-Packard iPAQ hw6500 Mobile Messenger, shipped over the summer; to the BlackBerry 7100 series from Research In Motion--the force to reckon with when it comes to handheld e-mail and data communications. These devices still carry a serious premium over more traditional mobile phones, costing from about $400 to $900, depending on the service.
But price is just one reason for their slow adoption. Another is that form factors remain awkward. While most mobile phones can be used with one hand, many smartphones require both. "The fact is that any smartphone is something of a compromise between a great phone and a great PDA," says Todd Kort, principal analyst at Gartner.
Kort says about 16 million smartphones shipped in 2004, and that number will likely more than double in 2005. (U.S. shipments were about 2 million last year, and the Treo line accounted for just over half, he estimates.)
But the lines have blurred: When counting unit shipments, Gartner now lumps smartphones with their kin from the data world, most notably the handheld market leader, BlackBerry. By the time you read this, Kort predicts, RIM will have reached the 4 million-subscriber mark. "It's pretty clear that wireless e-mail is the first sort of killer application there's been in the wireless device market," he says.
E-mail software application providers that conduct research in this segment include Intellisync, which released in June an offering called Wireless Email Express. It pushes e-mail to handheld devices running Palm, Pocket PC, Symbian, SyncML or Windows Mobile Smart-phone. The Intellisync service carries an introductory price of $120 per year.
Other players are Good Technology, Seven Networks and Visto, all of which aim to bring the same sort of e-mail capabilities once associated only with the BlackBerry to more basic mobile phones. Visto, for example, teamed up with Nextel in May to launch a push e-mail service that works with Java-based phones such as the Motorola i605, i355 and i275 models. The service starts at $14.99 per month with 2MB of data access.
Another factor driving sales of converged handhelds, experts say, is the advent this year of applications that let users access data housed in their offices. One example is MobileAccess from Ten-Digits Software, which lets a BlackBerry user get to data stored in the Microsoft CRM application. "Prior to things like MobileAccess, mobile devices were only good for lookup. Now I have my customer database at my fingertips no matter where I am, including their histories," says Karen Brodie, 47, founder of Brodie Computes Inc., a 10-person IT consulting company in Guelph, Ontario, and a TenDigits customer. "It's way beyond being able to look up a phone number or access e-mail."
Brodie says she pays about $500 per user for the software, plus mobile service and update fees. She uses the software on her BlackBerry 7250.
The wild card for the converged hand-held segment is Microsoft. The software giant is including features in its Windows Mobile 5.0 software that will hook handheld devices more directly into Exchange mail servers back in the office, providing the same message-pushing features offered on the Black-Berry. Devices using the new Microsoft software are slated to ship late this year.
New and Noteworthy
This could well be the crossover year for notebooks. Gartner projects that worldwide mobile PC shipments will grow 26.5 percent this year, compared with just 4.6 percent growth for desktops. Portables now account for slightly less than 30 percent of all PCs shipped, the firm reports. And another researcher, San Diego-based Current Analysis, made waves earlier this year when it reported that second-quarter retail sales of notebooks had outstripped those of desktops.
One big factor in the notebook upswing has been price, says Sam Bhavnani, principal analyst of mobile computing for Current Analysis. As of July, average entry-level notebook price tags were around $1,100, down from $1,400 in summer 2004, Bhavnani reports. During the same time frame, average desktop prices declined by only about $30.
The Dell Latitude D510, as an example, starts at $929 and comes with a choice of a Pentium M or a Celeron M microprocessor from Intel. The notebook includes a rugged Tri-Metal chassis and Strike Zone shock absorber; starts with 256MB of DDR2 RAM (expandable up to 2GB); offers a choice of hard drives ranging from 30GB to 80GB; and comes standard with internal Intel Pro Wireless 802.11 b/g, a 24X CD-ROM drive and four USB 2.0 slots, among other ports.
Advanced Micro Devices' introduction of its Turion 64-bit mobile technology in March should inspire further price reductions in the category, experts say. Turion is AMD's latest answer to the Centrino mobile platform, which serves as the foundation for notebooks using Intel processors and wireless technology.
Bahr Mahony, divisional marketing manager for AMD's Mobile Business Division, Microprocessor Solutions Sector, says Turion was optimized to encourage the design of thin and light notebooks operating at lower thermal levels. It has the added benefit of providing a 64-bit upgrade path for buyers looking to invest in future editions of Microsoft's Windows operating system, he says.
Hewlett-Packard was the first major brand to ship a commercial notebook product based on Turion. The HP Compaq nx6125 Notebook PC, which starts at under $1,000, comes with options including AMD's PowerNow power management technology, along with an optional travel battery; a built-in fingerprint sensor that supports secure single sign-on; integrated wireless LAN connectivity; a 15-inch display; and a three-year warranty.
HP hopes to sweeten the deal with a bundle for small businesses that combines an HP ProLiant Server with Microsoft Small Business Server, a choice of mobile devices and a wireless network. It has also applied its HP Financial Services Budget Stretcher lease program to purchases of its new notebooks.
Among other major notebook vendors, IBM this summer shipped the ThinkPad X41 Tablet series, a 12-inch convertible notebook/tablet computer that weighs 3.5 pounds and is 1.14 inches thick. Certain models offer up to 6.3 hours of battery life. What makes the product especially interesting is that at $1,899, it's only $100 more than a traditional notebook, Bhavnani says.
At this writing, Sony Electronics' latest innovation was an ultraportable, 3-pound VAIO T-Series notebook with built-in connectivity to Cingular Wireless' nationwide EDGE network, which offers speeds of 70Kbps to 135Kbps. Priced at about $2,200, the system supports one-click DVD burning and comes with a 10.6-inch wide-format LCD.
Also in June, Toshiba introduced a 14-inch diagonal, under-$1,000 wide-screen model that weighs less than 5 pounds and measures 1.2 inches thick. One of the more notable options for the new Tecra A5 series: the ConfigFree application, which monitors wireless access points and Bluetooth presence, analyzes connectivity problems and enables quick file-sharing with other nearby users.
By the time you read this, experts predict we'll see notebooks coming standard with DVD rewriters, 60GB to 80GB hard drives, and up to 1GB of memory.
"It's a social dynamic, in addition to a price/performance equation," says Gerry Purdy, principal analyst with Cupertino, California-based MobileTrax, which advises clients on mobile and wireless computing. "Inherently, people are mobile, even if they're not traveling from city to city. HR departments are also now offering [mobile devices] to new employees as time-shifting devices."
Don't forget that when you're mobile, your cell phones, notebooks, and handhelds are vulnerable to security threats. For tips on how to keep your data safe, go to "Wireless Security" .
Wireless Conundrum
When it comes to keeping in touch, Wi-Fi hot spots keep getting hotter, while the adoption of high-speed, wider-area wireless remains lukewarm. Still, experts believe the rollout of 3G services will continue fast and furious over the next 18 months.
"Generally speaking, the 2.5G data uptake has been marginal both in the consumer and enterprise space," says Ellen Daley, principal analyst with Forrester Research in Cambridge, Massachusetts. "But the carriers have been deploying 3G-type services."
Sprint PCS launched its Evolution-Data Optimized service in July in major airports and along well-trafficked business corridors, and expects to reach 150 million people in 60 metropolitan areas by early 2006. At the time of its launch, the carrier offered two different connection cards (necessary to access the network) that cost approximately $249 each; subscription pricing starts at $40 per month for 40MB. Sprint EV-DO mobile-phone handsets are expected in the fourth quarter.
Verizon Wireless offers EV-DO service in 30 to 35 markets and aims to cover half of the U.S. population by the end of the year. It has segmented its services into its BroadbandAccess service for business customers and V Cast, a multi-media service for consumers offering video, 3-D games and music. By mid-summer, some Verizon EV-DO customers were experiencing download speed bursts of 400Kbps to 700Kbps. In late July, the carrier shipped its PC 5740 wireless card, which you can use in a notebook to access Broadband-Access services. The card is backward-compatible: That is, if you travel outside an area where BroadbandAccess is available, the card will work on Verizon's existing 1xRTT National Access network. The card costs $49.99 after a mail-in rebate if you commit to a two-year contract.
Lewis Ward, senior research analyst for IDC's mobile and wireless communications program, says users need to upgrade their handsets to take true advantage of most next-generation services. Then there are the extra fees. For example, Verizon charges an extra $15 per month for V Cast, and certain types of content cost extra to download. If you're using 3G services via a laptop connection, you can expect to pay $60 to $80 per month for that privilege, he estimates.
True national availability won't be likely until 2008, Ward predicts. That means carriers have plenty of catching up to do, considering the ongoing expansion of T-Mobile HotSpot, billed as the most extensive commercial Wi-Fi network in the U.S. (including the ubiquitous Starbucks locations).
Deals announced earlier this year should eventually enable T-Mobile Hot-Spot customers to use their accounts at hotels including Doubletree, Hilton and Marriott, as well as 72 airports across the U.S. The pacts will bring T-Mobile's total number of Wi-Fi locations to 25,000 internationally. Existing T-Mobile cell phone customers can buy a subscription for $19.99 per month, but you can also buy bundles of usage, such as a $9 day pass.
Other Wi-Fi providers include Wayport, which covers more than 9,000 locations including 800 major hotels, plus McDonald's and Hertz sites; and Boingo Wireless, which also covers thousands of areas. For the lowdown on where to Wi-Fi from Boston to Los Angeles, go to "Wi-Fi Hot Spots" --we've rounded up some happening hot spots in eight major cities.
Wi-Fi speeds will continue to become more robust through the addition of features such as multiple-input, multiple-output technology. MIMO, slated to be part of the 802.11n standard that will eventually replace today's 802.11g, is designed to help enable data transmission rates of up to 108Mbps.
Last year, we reported on several experiments and projects that will bring Wi-Fi access to airplanes, trains and ferryboats. Since that time, United Airlines has received the nod from the Federal Aviation Administration to install Wi-Fi 802.11b/g equipment on its planes for in-flight use. The airline plans to install the technology along with its partner, Verizon Communications. At press time, the launch date depended on the results of the FCC's Air-to-Ground spectrum auction. That's because United needs to provide a link from the self-contained wireless network back to an internet access point on the ground .
Indeed, the need for deeper cooperation between wireless telecommunications carriers and Wi-Fi evangelists is something wireless experts think will become imperative over the next year. They believe an increasing number of users crave a single handset that combines Wi-Fi and GSM/GPRS cellular communications--both voice and data flavors. Such devices would enable Voice WLAN applications. That means a person could place calls or send data using whichever wireless network is available or most cost-effective depending on their situation, swapping back and forth between network types.
The cost of current devices combining Wi-Fi and cellular radios, such as the Siemens SX66 Pocket PC Phone or the HP iPAQ h6315, is about $550. That's in part because the microprocessors needed to support multiple modes are still pricey. Carriers also need to invest in technology to guarantee the seamless handoff of calls between different networks. Daley predicts it will take at least three years for the multimode technology to become mainstream: "Still, we're moving toward a tapestry of access methods that ultimately will be interoperable."
Location, Location, Location
If you're the sort of person who hates stopping to ask for directions, then you're in luck: More handhelds are adding support for Global Positioning Satellite systems.
Todd Kort, principal analyst for mobile technology at Gartner Inc., an IT research firm in Dripping Springs, Texas, estimates about 1 million PDAs that integrate GPS features will be sold this year worldwide. Although interest in these products is strongest in Europe, U.S. buyers now have a broadening array of choices, including Hewlett-Packard's planned iPAQ hw6500 Mobile Messenger--it will be the first handheld to include GPS support.
At a price point of $750 in the U.S. market (all prices street), the Garmin iQue m5 is a handheld that makes GPS its priority, Kort says. What makes the product unique is a 3.5-inch diagonal display that can be used in either a landscape or portrait orientation. Other GPS-enabled devices specifically optimized for mobile navigation purposes include the $599 Mio168RS from Mio Technology and the $499 Navman PiN 570 Pocket PC.
Kort says buyers opting for integrated GPS should expect to make some trade-offs. "What you want with a good GPS device is a large display, high resolution, and an interface that isn't cluttered," he says. Another thing you'll need: long battery life.
The problem is that these goals are at odds with the overriding design theme for many handhelds: to become smaller and more compact. "At the end of the day, GPS is not something that is a killer application for handhelds," says David Linsalata, analyst
for mobile devices with research firm IDC in Framingham, Massachusetts.
That's why, aside from the integrated GPS handhelds mentioned above, you can expect to see an increasing number of peripherals that serve as adjuncts to your PDA or notebook, most often via a Bluetooth connection.
One example is Socket Communications' GPS Nav Kit, a receiver that includes personal routing software. The kit, priced at just under $350, hooks into your handheld or your notebook and works for up to 9 hours. Another option is Gate5's Smart2Go Mobile Navigator, due this fall in the U.S., which also costs roughly $350. The 3-inch receiver links to smartphones including the Palm Treo, Pocket PC and Windows Smartphone models, as well as Nokia offerings.
Perfect Setup
Since the lines between your office, home and the road are blurring, entrepreneurs need to make the most of mobile devices. We asked Will Luden, CEO of IT service provider Info Partners , and Keith Costas, the company's director of engineering, for a few recommendations.
Costas suggests Palm Treos or BlackBerries for highly mobile entrepreneurs. For those who are occasionally mobile, he suggests laptops like Dell (for general purposes), IBM (for more rugged applications), and Sony (for ultraportable needs). For your home office, a smartphone-type device is basically self-contained if you have a server like the BlackBerry Server back at the office. Broadband internet is a must. And laptop users should consider buying a $200 docking station. "With screen sizes these days, you don't need the full docking station with the external monitor," says Costas.
A little Wi-Fi goes a long way. "Now there's virtually no downside to wireless," says Luden. A home Wi-Fi network lets you work anywhere in your house, share an internet connection with your family and connect home electronics and smart appliances with your computer. A VPN or terminal services setup can keep you in secure communication with your office from home or from a hot spot while traveling. So when making your next technology purchase, consider how you can get the most out of it, wherever you are.--Amanda C. Kooser
More Power to You
All the mobile technology in the world is useless without the juice to power it. Long battery life is something business travelers seek out to help tide them over through those many hours away from power outlets. New types of battery technologies are teasing us from the horizon. Fuel cells hold a lot of promise, but it will be awhile before they actually become available for laptops and other mobile devices. In the meantime, there are some battery add-ons you can take advantage of to maximize your working time on the go. In notebooks, Intel's Centrino mobile processors can help extend battery life. APC's $249 Universal Notebook Battery is handy to have around for those long flights or as an emergency backup. For smaller gadgets, look into an item like ZAP's Portable Energy. This $100 rechargeable, 4.9-ounce device has a 500-cycle life span and can charge or power a cell phone, digital camera, PDA or other mobile gadget. Another option is the Cellboost from Compact Power Systems, a disposable cell phone charger that costs about $10. It will give you the extra time you need to wrap up that important business call.--A.C.K.
Traveling Light
It may feel like the weight of the world on your shoulders, but it's actually just your laptop and gear. It's time to slim down. Here's the challenge: Put together a powerful mobile computing package that weighs under 5 pounds.
Toshiba's $2,099 Libretto U105 comes with an LED-backlit 7.2-inch screen, Windows XP Pro, built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, a fingerprint reader and a 60GB hard drive. All that weighs just over 2 pounds. Add the removable DVD multi-drive for reading and writing, and you're at about 3.2 pounds. A $45 BenQ m310 wireless optical mouse provides computing comfort for just 2.8 ounces. And to keep you entertained while traveling, add in an Apple iPod nano. The 4GB model runs $249 and weighs in at 1.5 ounces. More than just music, users can load up their contacts and calendar information. Downloadable iPod scripts from Apple also let you view notes on the go. To carry all your gear, the $25 Targus CVR200 is a 1-pound notebook slipcase that can be used as a stand-alone case. It features a protected notebook section, a file pocket and a front storage section for your business card holder and pen. All together, we're at less than 4.5 pounds, which leaves you with some wiggle room. Business travel doesn't have to be a pain in the back.--A.C.K.
Wi-Fi Hot Spots and Wireless Security
In most urban areas these days, you can find a Wi-Fi hot spot within a PDA's throw of wherever you are. Places like Barnes & Noble, Borders and Starbucks are reliable stops for internet access. Boingo and T-Mobile are two major hot-spot aggregators to check in with. We rounded up some happening hot spots in eight major cities, but to locate hot spots all across the U.S., visit www.jiwire.com or www.wifinder.com .
Boston: Head to Newbury Street, where a host of restaurants and hotels will be happy to hook you up. The Wrap at 247 offers free Wi-Fi, so you can enjoy a smoothie while you surf. Over at 241, the Armani Caf� serves up Wi-Fi and Italian food. It's a good location for a small, informal business meeting.
Chicago: If you find yourself near Daley Center Plaza, stop by to access the City of Chicago Wireless Network. Free hot spots can also be found at the north and south ends of Millennium Park along Michigan Avenue, as well as in almost every branch the city's 79 public libraries.
Dallas: Driving through Dallas? Pull off I-20 to the Flying J Travel Plaza at Exit 472, where a one-day wireless pass costs about $5. If you're destined for the sky, you can log on at the Dallas-Fort Worth airport, where T-Mobile provides a pay hot spot across Terminal A.
Denver: Mile-high Mac lovers can stop in at the Apple Store at 3000 E. 1st Ave. to hop online and take care of business while browsing for PowerBook accessories. When it comes to hotels, the Hyatt Regency Tech Center is just 10 miles from downtown and offers wireless internet in all 451 guest rooms.
Los Angeles: When you're craving a cool and refreshing treat, stop in at Lickety Split for frozen custard. They offer free Wi-Fi at their three locations in Manhattan Beach, El Segundo, and on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles. Downtown at Pershing Square, you can hop online as part of a free public Wi-Fi project launched earlier this year.
New York City: Grand Central Station is not just for trains--it's also for Wi-Fi. Boingo offers coverage in the lower level food court. The Downtown Alliance provides free access in eight public spaces in Lower Manhattan, including Bowling Green Park, the South Street Seaport and Wall Street Park.
Phoenix: Most FedEx Kinko's Office and Print Centers are Wi-Fi hot spots, so look out for a nearby store when you're in the Phoenix area. If you have business at or near the Arizona Legislature, you're in luck: Free wireless reaches through the hearing rooms, hallways and courtyard areas.
Portland, Oregon: Web development firm OakTree Digital provides free Wi-Fi at Tom McCall Park in the busy waterfront area. For other hot spots across the city, visit the volunteer-run Personal Telco Project .
Wireless Security
A word of caution before reading this section: Gartner Inc. recently listed mobile phone viruses and fears about wireless hot-spot security as two of the five most over-hyped security threats of the past year.
The fact is, although the R&D laboratories for various anti-virus companies report that close to 100 cell phone viruses have been identified over the past 18 months (most of them for products using the Symbian OS), the risk of your mobile phone becoming infected with a nasty virus is relatively minor. When they do spread, these viruses more often than not take advantage of Bluetooth connectivity to jump from phone to phone.
Gartner analysts predict that the chances for a virus outbreak are minimal until the end of 2007. Why 2007? In that year, the research firm predicts smartphone shipments of about 109 million, or 15 percent of all wireless phones, which would give virus writers a critical mass of products against which to launch an attack.
That's not to say cell phones, notebooks and handhelds are invulnerable. Securing Bluetooth connections and wireless provisioning methods, as well as configuring USB ports properly, are important strategies for locking down mobile devices. Plus, you need to prepare for a more serious mobile security threat: theft of your data or intellectual property. Recent statistics from the FBI estimate there were 1.5 million laptop computers stolen in 2004, up 50 percent over the year before. And that doesn't count all the notebooks or phones left in taxicabs and rental cars or forgotten in airplane seat-back pockets. Very few of these notebooks and phones are ever recovered, which has led to the release of myriad mobile encryption products.
"Anything that is mobile has a higher risk of being lost or stolen. Often, the data on the laptop is much more valuable than the laptop itself," says Brad Grob, vice president of marketing for SecureTrieve, a Los Angeles company that provides security technology for notebooks. Its product, dubbed SecureTrievePro, offers both encryption and a backup service that snatches back files you've identified for retrieval if a thief later uses your notebook to log on to the internet.
"The way it works is that when you report the computer stolen, and when the thief logs on to the internet, the files are retrieved automatically and invisibly," says Grob. That link also puts a trace on the location, so there is a greater chance of finding the stolen hardware. If the thief doesn't connect, the data is lost and irretrievable. A 30-day free trial can be downloaded from www.securetrieve.com . After that, a six-month subscription is $39.95; a year is $69.95.
Perlego Systems of Gig Harbor, Washington, sells a product for smartphones developed with a similar philosophy: It can be used to reset or wipe a phone clean wirelessly through special over-the-air management technology. Elsewhere, Credant Technologies of Dallas sells a product called Credant Mobile Guardian, starting at about $70, that lets companies create login policies for notebooks.
Heather Clancy, editor of technology newsweekly CRN, has been covering the industry for 14 years.


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subset: commoncrawl


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Yup, that's a nekkid woman swimming in below-freezing seawater.
The rationale:
Braving sub-zero temperatures, she has thrown caution — and her clothes — to the wind to tame two beluga whales in a unique and controversial experiment.
Natalia Avseenko, 36, was persuaded to strip naked as marine experts believe belugas do not like to be touched by artificial materials such as diving suits.
The skilled Russian diver took the plunge as the water temperature hit minus 1.5 degrees Centigrade.
The taming of the whales happened in the Murmansk Oblast region in the far north-west of Russia at the shore of the White Sea near the Arctic Circle branch of the Utrish Dophinarium.
An area of the sea is enclosed to stop whales and dolphins getting out and instructors tame the mammals before they are transported to dolphinariums around the world — a practice many animal conservationists consider cruel.
— "Princess of whales: How a naked female scientist tries to tame belugas in the freezing Arctic." Daily Mail, 16 June 2011.
Let's assume that their theory is correct and that the belugas do not enjoy contact with artificial materials, such as diving suits. This would be an argument for taking off one's gloves, at best. What other parts of the human body do belugas need to be familiarised with?
The staff at whatever aquarium or zoo these captured belugas end up in are going to be wearing wetsuits, after all.


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Spend some time in downtown San Diego — 125 years, say — and you'll experience a few surprises. That's what happened to First Lutheran Church one Friday in 1975.
Outside the sanctuary that morning, congregation members started something called "Bread Day," offering passers-by fresh baked goods and coffee. "The idea," explained the current pastor, the Rev. Wilbert "Wilk" Miller, "was to serve people on their way to work. But no one stopped."
While the 9-to-5ers hustled past, though, another population eventually wandered over — and the rest is First Lutheran history. The same population still visits First Lutheran on Fridays for breakfast. In fact, that meal was so popular, the church added a simple but equally well-attended Monday dinner.
"There are now about 200, 250 people we serve meals to on Mondays and Fridays," Miller said. "And they all tend to be the homeless, the working poor and senior citizens."
That wasn't the original intent, but since 1888 First Lutheran has adapted to the physical and spiritual needs of its community. Miller noted that the church's slogan, "The Heart of Christ in the Heart of the City," has led the congregation into some challenging areas. But he insists that this downtown institution must engage with downtown's problems as well as its promise.
"You have all the beauty of the city and all the struggles of the city," he said. "That is what it means to do ministry in the city."
This Sunday, First Lutheran will celebrate its first century-and-a-quarter. In honor of the occasion, Bishop Mark Hanson — the presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the nation's largest Lutheran denomination — will fly out from his Chicago headquarters to preach at both the 9 and 11:15 a.m. services. Between those engagements, Hanson will join congregants and other guests at a celebratory brunch. This is the presiding bishop's first visit to First Lutheran and Pastor Miller is thrilled.
"For us," he said, "this is really a big deal."
But if Hanson is a special guest, so are all the folks in the pews. "Every person who enters these doors," Miller said, "is our most honored member."
Less than polished
In March 1888, the Board of Home Missions asked the Rev. C.W. Heisler to journey down from Los Angeles to organize a church. He did, but Heisler's job was strictly to organize, not lead, this flock. By October, First Lutheran had hired as its first pastor the Rev. Edwin Reuben Wagner, a descendant of
The San Diego Union soon took note of the congregation's industrious nature. "Few missions accomplish more in a year than the one in San Diego," the paper editorialized in 1889, "and none have a brighter future."
The church bought a downtown parcel for $5,000 in 1892, then spent another $10,000 to erect a sanctuary. Civic engagement has always been part of First Lutheran's tradition, whether the pastor in 1918 blasting "the tomfoolery which passes for a city council in this city" or the church in 1960 building Luther Tower, high rise housing for seniors.
So when "Bread Day" brought the homeless to this sanctuary's doorstep, many in the congregation saw this as an extension of their mission. Even if this extension was less than polished. Over the years, First Lutheran has had call the police to stop drug dealing and using, as well as drunken arguments. Urination and defecation around an electrical transformer outside the church led to tense exchanges with Shapery Enterprises, since 2008 the owner of several neighboring apartments.
"We met with the pastor a couple of times and we got a little bit aggressive with them," said Rick Polischuk, a Shapery associate. "But they built an enclosure around the transformer and that solved the problem."
Miller, who became pastor in 2005, also opened First Lutheran's restrooms to everyone in the neighborhood during daylight hours.
"We want to be part of the solution," he said.
And that solution includes understanding you don't need a home to have a deep spiritual life.
"This church has recognized that just because people are impoverished, just because they are suffering, doesn't mean they don't already have fantastic relationships with God," said Jim Lovell, executive director of First Lutheran's Third Avenue Charitable Organization (TACO). "The goal is to recognize this, rather than be in a position of 'We have it all and we are going to save you.' "
Small numbers, large ministry
Formed in 1996, TACO oversees the Friday breakfasts and Monday dinners — and much more. With student volunteers from UC San Diego, San Diego State University and California Western School of Law, the nonprofit also hosts clinics offering medical, dental, legal and psychological services. Jim's wife, Nance Lovell, oversees "Going Home," a program that counsels and cares for homeless people who are dying.
All this activity is impressive given the relative scarcity of Lutherans in San Diego County — in 2010, there were fewer than 30,000, the Association of Religion Data Archives reported; the county's largest denomination, Catholic, accounts for more than 801,000 residents. First Lutheran's congregation numbers a modest 225.
"But the congregation's ministry is huge," said Miller, 62, who has been a minister at Lutheran churches in inner-city
Active and, members say, outgoing.
"We have always been known for being the friendliest church," said Doris Shimizu, a Serra Mesa resident who has worshipped here since 1965.
"Always" might be an exaggeration. But in this neighborhood, 125 years is a long time.


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Something unusual happened just the other day. I actually had a player approach me about getting retested on his movement patterns in order to improve his workout program and to help him continue to stay injury free. While this might not seem like a big deal, it is something that took me completely by surprise and made me appreciate the dedication that our players have to getting better and being true professionals. Ideally, I try to retest the guys a couple of times a year to assess where they are at from a movement quality standpoint, so I was extremely impressed that Omar Gonzalez decided to take a proactive approach and seek out additional help to make sure that he was progressing physically and doing everything needed to improve his performance and aid in his injury prevention.
Read: All Eyes on Omar Gonzalez
The test that Omar wanted to do is called the Functional Movement Screen (FMS). The FMS is a series of seven different exercises that allow us to analyze how the body is moving and consequently adjust the players' lifting and injury prevention programs based off of how well they perform the exercises and if they are feeling pain with any of them. In terms of analyzing the performance of the exercises, we are looking for asymmetries or imbalances between the right and left sides, mobility and stability.
Below we will break down each exercise in the Functional Movement Screen and show how the performance of the exercise impacts our lifting programs as well as how each screen applies to a specific element while on the pitch.
Deep Squat
Hurdle Step
Click image to enlarge
Click image to enlarge
In the gym: We use this exercise to determine the starting position for front and back squats for our players and what coaching cues we need to give them to perform the exercise better. For Omar, we add a miniband at his knees to cue him to keep his knees over his feet when performing his front squat.
On the pitch: The deep squat addresses players' ability to sit into their hips, which is very important when trying to slow their bodies down on the field and change direction.
In the gym: This exercise helps us with all the single leg exercises we have the players perform in the gym, like single leg squats and step ups. With Omar, we have him do one additional set of single leg squats on his right leg because it is harder for him to balance and stabilize on that leg.
On the pitch: This exercise helps us assess how the players run on the field. By stepping over the bar during the test it mimics a running stride so we can start to look at the mechanics of the player without him running at full speed.
Inline Lunge
Shoulder Mobility
Click image to enlarge
Click image to enlarge
In the gym: This exercise applies to split squats and lunges in the gym. Omar likes to lead with his knees so we try to get him to sit into his front hip a little more and not put too much pressure on his knees.
On the pitch: On the pitch, this exercise helps us start to see what posture and angles the players like to make, which we can then address when they are sprinting.
In the gym: This exercise helps determine which other upper body exercises we do with the players in the gym. With Omar, we have him perform several shoulder and scapula exercises to improve his mobility and stability such as Floor Y's, T's, and W's and ½ kneeling Overhead Press.
On the pitch: Players' arms play an active role in all the movements they perform on the pitch. Running, jumping, and holding off a defender all require upper body and shoulder strength and stability. This exercise is particularly important for the keepers who need to have freedom to move their arms in all directions, especially overhead when reaching for a ball.
Active Straight Leg Raise
Trunk Stability Push-Up
Click image to enlarge
Click image to enlarge
In the gym: Hamstring flexibility impacts many exercises a player performs in the gym. For example, the single leg RDL which requires him to balance on one leg and bring the rest of his body parallel to the ground. Omar has very good hamstring flexibility but we make sure he stays on top of it by using the stretch rope after each practice for 3 sets of 30 second holds on each leg.
On the pitch: Soccer is a game that involves a lot of running and hamstrings play a big role in how efficiently the players are able to do that. If a player has tight hamstrings, that can lead to pain in the lower back so it is important to maintain proper hamstring flexibility to support 90 minutes of running on the pitch.
In the gym: We use the results of this screen to further evaluate our ability to activate and control our core muscles, thus helping determine what core exercises we need the players to do to strengthen their trunks. With Omar we have him do front and side pillars to strengthen his core muscles by holding these positions for 2 sets of 30-45 seconds.
On the pitch: Core strength is very important for everything the players do on the pitch. If their cores are not strong they are going to lose energy and not be as powerful. This screen will determine that a player has enough strength and stability in his core to run, jump, cut, kick and hold off a defender.
Rotational Stability
Click image to enlarge
In the gym: This screen addresses how the players use their cores to rotate or stabilize against rotation. Rotational Stability impacts exercises such as cable chops and lifts, rotational rows, and medicine ball throws. With Omar, we have him do TRX marches to work on controlling his pelvic rotation and strengthen his core.
On the pitch: This screen helps us when looking at multi-directional movements on the field especially how we plant, cut and change direction.
Have questions about anything you read in this article? Want to learn more? Leave Ben a question below, tweet it to him @byauss1 or email email@example.com.
Follow all of Ben's Galaxy Fitness Insider updates at www.lagalaxy.com/fitnessinsider. Fans are encouraged to participate by leaving questions for Ben at the bottom of each article, which he will aim to incorporate into these weekly posts.


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With character to spare, it's no secret that Charlotte is more than your gateway to all the Carolinas have to offer. Charlotte delivers cultural distractions and attractions, dining and nightlife for every persuasion, and all with a Southern ambiance all its own.
More than just the nation's second largest financial center, the Queen City's changing face will surprise you. As a magnet for progressive growth and smart development, the city finds itself welcoming more and more new faces both visitors and residents alike. Charlotte was dubbed one of the "Top 50 Cities that Sizzle" by Restaurant News Magazine due to its growing number of dynamic chefs, invigorating restaurant concepts, and the addition of the culinary leader Johnson & Wales University. Over 150 eateries, cafes, and restaurants are all within walking distance of the Charlotte Convention Center.
Photo credit: Visit Charlotte


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[Originally published in November 2007]
Both Greta and I are big wine fans. Despite Jonah's recent extremely popular post, I, at least, believe that I can tell the difference between good and bad wines. I'm still convinced that a good wine is more than just an attractive label (though I'm a sucker for labels with Zinfandel puns like "Zen of Zin" or "Amazin"). That said, the research suggesting that labeling has a lot to do with wine preference is also quite convincing.
Several studies suggest that we expect to prefer wines from certain vineyards or regions, and in many cases wine drinkers will actually rate the identical wine higher when it's presented in a fancier bottle. These results apply not only to wine, but to a variety of foods. Restaurateurs have known this for years, placing special emphasis on the presentation of the food in addition to the actual preparation and ingredients.
So if presentation matters, then perhaps the presentation of wine could actually affect the taste of the food it's served with. This is the premise of a study by Brian Wansink, Collin Payne, and Jill North.
In their first experiment they served 49 graduate students cheese and one of two types of wine as they arrived at a reception. The wine — in both cases the identical cheap Cabernet — was served in bottles labeled as being from California or North Dakota. Prior to drinking the wine, they rated its expected tastiness on a scale of 1 to 9. After sampling both wine and cheese, they rated both of them for actual taste. Here are the results:
Both expected and actual tastiness ratings were significantly higher for the "California" wine — despite the fact that the wine bottles had identical, professionally-designed labels from the fictitious "Noah's Winery." What's more, the tastiness ratings for the cheese, which was the same, unlabeled mild goat cheese for everyone, matched the wine ratings. When people thought they were drinking better wine, they also liked the cheese more.
In a second experiment, 51 patrons of the Spice Box, the white-tablecloth campus restaurant at the University of Illinois, were served identical prix-fixe meals. When they were seated, the waiter at each table made the following announcement:
Thank you for joining us tonight for this special meal at the Spice Box. Because this is the first meal of this new year, we are offering each person at the table a free glass of this new Cabernet from the state of California [or North Dakota].
The wines were labeled as before, but the patrons were all actually given an identical glass of Charles Shaw Cabernet Sauvignon (the to-my-view undrinkable "Two-Buck Chuck"). Their meal and drink portions were carefully weighed in the kitchen before and after consumption, so that the amount consumed could easily be calculated. Here are the results:
The patrons who thought they were drinking "California" wine consumed significantly more food (p = .02), and marginally more food and wine combined (p = .08). There was no difference in the amount of wine consumed, probably because everyone was limited to one glass.
One possible explanation for the result is social facilitation — diners might have felt compelled to eat more if their table mates were cleaning their plates. However, the researchers controlled for social facilitation and found that the labeling difference still explained the differences in amount of food consumed.
So apparently if we believe we're drinking better wine — whether or not it's actually better — we'll not only think the accompanying food tastes better, we'll eat more of it too. Maybe the next time I try to lose weight I should start drinking bad wine!
Wansink, B., Payne, C., & North, J. (2007). Fine as North Dakota wine: Sensory expectations and the intake of companion foods. Physiology & Behavior, 90 (5), 712-716 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2006.12.010


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Views: 547
I've always been partial to the concept behind the Tibetan sky burial. In Tibet the ground is mostly rocks and there is very little wood to burn. So they partially cut up a body to facilitate predation and natural decomposition and place them on a mountain. To them, the body of the deceased is just seen as an empty vessel that they are returning to nature.
Dylan, I like their attitude
I wanted to donate my body to the Body Farm, where they do experiments for forensic applications. However, you have to pay to have the body shipped there and I am retired on social security. Don't have any money. No close family. I told my friends not to claim my body. The county can burn, bury, use it for cat food. I don't care. I am also a donor but, after a certain age, they rarely use your organs -- still, maybe something will be usable.
Other options include donating your body to medical school. This allows med students to practice autopsy.
Yes, I tried that too, but they also required that one pay shipping. I live in a small town; no medical school for hundreds of miles.
what Dylan said. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afGkv0IT4dU
I'm a full body donor. I like the idea that my body will go to use when I die. Also, I'll be cremated rather than senselessly taking up space in the ground. There is a new option available where your body can be dissolved in water. But I think its only available in Florida so far. I love the idea of having my ashes ejected into space. Too bad it's probably not a feasible option.
I wouldn't mind being ejected into space. Never heard of the dissolving-in-water plan. Must take quite a while.
From what I read, it takes about the same as cremation. The water is highly pressurized, heated and alkaline. The liquid is then dumped into the water system and the bones are recovered and crushed to ash.
Cremation makes complete sense in our world. I agree with the total waste of land and money when it comes to grave yards. And if you notice historically, they always picked the best and most potentially valuable real estate in the community, usually on a hill overlooking the water, etc.with obviously no thought of the never ending maintenance requirements. Also no concern with tying up land forever, when you consider the room for all of the population of the earth past and going forward.It all just goes with the pagan based denial that dead bodies are just deteriorating carcases after death, and when people are gone they are just memories in the minds of the people they left behind.
I may be seventeen, but one idea that I like is just having my body dumped in the woods somewhere. That way I can say I came from the nature, and I returned to it.
I am an organ donor, btw.


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Farmington Presbyterian Manor is a special place. Home to hardworking, independent thinkers. Self-reliant people who are used to living life on their own terms. Our residents appreciate the value of planning ahead and the freedom to determine their own destiny in a community of like-minded friends and neighbors. Whether you're looking to swap the lawn mower for the iced tea or trade a mountain of dishes for flexible meal plans, Farmington Presbyterian Manor is here for you.
As a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC), Farmington Presbyterian Manor offers Farmington, Missouri and area seniors independent living, assisted living, memory care, and long-term and skilled care. Review our living options below to find out more.
Whether active or relaxed, enjoy the peace of mind and freedom that comes with a maintenance-free lifestyle.
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Experience independence with just the right amount of support when needed.
Our Alzheimer's and dementia care programs provide specialized care designed to meet your loved one's needs.
We offer care and support in a dignified setting, allowing residents freedom to make the most out of each day.
Farmington Presbyterian Manor is a faith-based, not-for-profit senior living community dedicated to serving our residents with a culture inspired by our Christian values and heritage. As a CCRC, also called a Life Plan Community, we offer a full continuum of care—all in one active community. We believe you should enjoy the way you want to live, with the security of knowing there is a plan in place should your future needs change with priority access to other levels of care.
Our parent organization, Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America (PMMA), is a not-for-profit organization, allowing us to focus on our residents and our local communities above all else. Thanks to PMMA's support, we have the resources and team members to serve Farmington, Missouri, seniors in every stage of their journey.
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Teacher fired for punching student
Superintendent wants 'zero-tolerance policy on hitting students'
School officials in Jacksonville have fire a physical education teacher who is accused of punching a middle school student in the face.
The Florida Times-Union reports Michael Louis Green was fired earlier this month. He was arrested following and a hearing is set for Oct. 3.
According to school district documents, Green hit the female student with his fist after she pushed him in the chest.
Superintendent Nikolai Vitte called the incident "excessively egregious" and said the district moved that day to have Green fired.
He says there has to be a "zero-tolerance policy on hitting students."
Investigators say Green was trying to remove a student who was cursing and shouting at another teacher from the gym.
The student had no significant injuries and is back in school.


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New Partnership Provides Future Teachers Experiences Working with English Language Learning Students
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.— A new partnership between Penn State's College of Education and an organization in the city of Hazleton, Pa., is helping improve education for English language learners (ELLs). By joining together with the Hazleton Integration Project (HIP), a community-based effort that seeks to unite the people of many different cultures in Hazleton, the College of Education is helping to better prepare future teachers and support K-12 students who are struggling academically.
As part of the partnership, College of Education Assistant Professor Megan Hopkins developed a two-week immersion program for Penn State students offered as a Maymester course in Hazleton. Hopkins said that this course aims to provide Penn State education students with hands-on experience working with ELLs and to prepare them to work with this population.
"This type of preparation is increasingly important as demographics are shifting across the U.S., and research shows that teachers are vastly underprepared to work with ELLs," said Hopkins.
The course, titled "Introduction to Teaching English Language Learners," is a state-mandated course that all education majors have to take before graduating. Although the state does not require a field experience in the course, Hopkins said that research has shown the benefits of such experience for pre-service teachers' development of positive attitudes toward ELLs and knowledge of how to teach them effectively."Because many Penn State undergraduates have had little experience in diverse educational settings, I found it essential that we begin to facilitate experiences with ELLs so that they can apply the course content in practice," said Hopkins. "We wanted to provide fun and meaningful learning experiences that support the language development and academic achievement of Hazleton students."
Hazleton is an ideal site for this work, according to Hopkins, who added that the city has the fastest-growing Latino population in the state. Additionally, a large proportion of the district's students are designated as ELLs.
Bob Curry, one of the founders of HIP, said there are several challenges facing Hazleton's student ELLs.
"First, and very likely the greatest challenge, is with the bilingual children who have already mastered basic English," said Curry. "Because they speak relatively well, there is often an assumption that these children are on equal footing with other students for whom English is their native tongue. This perception is misleading."
ELLs can also face challenges learning other subjects, such as comprehending key science terms that are necessary to fully grasp the topic, said Curry.
He added that the lack of bilingual teachers in Hazleton is a major issue for ELLs."Progress for these students is generally painfully slow, and the short 'window of opportunity' to reach these children closes too quickly," said Curry.
While in Hazleton, 17 Penn State undergraduates spent eight days in the local schools, observing and working directly with ELLs in kindergarten to eighth grade. After school, the Penn State students worked one-on-one with students at the Hazleton One Community Center, where they worked on a literacy project. The school children wrote poems and stories about themselves.
In addition to supporting education in Hazleton, the Penn State students participated in community service projects. The Penn State students helped paint and decorate the Hazleton One Community Center. They also took part in Hazleton's first Unity Walk, an event designed to allow community members to support community throughout Hazleton.Another component of the partnership was an eight-week virtual tutoring program where College of Education students work with one or two Hazleton students via Skype for one hour each week.
"Our students began the tutoring program by getting to know their student(s), their interests, and academic needs," said Hopkins. "Then, they designed activities and lessons around those interests and needs."
Anne Zimmerman, a Penn State student who participated in the virtual tutoring program, said she enjoyed working with her student, and the course provided excellent career experience.
"It opened my eyes to a new world and line of work that I have come to find is something I might choose to spend my life doing," said Zimmerman.
The tutoring program was modeled after the College's successful online tutoring program with Sheppard Elementary School, which offers tutoring to the Philadelphia school in the same fashion.
The Hazleton students also came to Penn State to visit. The College of Education's Office of Multicultural Programs, led by Assistant Dean Maria Schmidt, arranged and financed the visit.
"We went to the dining hall and the All-Sports Museum. A student gave them a dorm tour, and we went to the Berkey Creamery," said Hopkins.
According to Hopkins, the Penn State students responded very well to both the virtual tutoring and the Maymester course.
"They learned quite a bit about ELLs, and their previous biases and assumptions about culturally and linguistically diverse learners were challenged," said Hopkins.
Curry added that due to the Maymester course, they saw several of their students improve their grades and exhibit a far more positive attitude about education in general.
"The Maymester program also had a dramatic effect on some of our children who speak very little English," said Curry. "The student-teachers from Penn State brought their own vitality and enthusiasm every day, and our ELL students responded with new-found dedication."
--by Kevin Sliman (June 2014)


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As our daughter's birthday quickly approached, my husband and I have been wondering for the past few weeks, Can she really be 18 already? It really doesn't seem like THAT long ago when we were taking her to the library for story-time and pushing her on the swings. Now, she's borrowing the car, holding down a part-time job and graduating from high school.
How do you celebrate your child officially entering adulthood? What are the best gifts for teenage girls? My husband and I batted around birthday gift ideas for her. We thought about a mother/daughter trip or jewellery. We wanted something special to mark the occasion. We kept prying for ideas and asking her how she wanted to celebrate. She was really no help, until a few days before her birthday when she texted me that she knew what she wanted for her birthday. A tattoo. Yikes.
Not really being into tattoos myself, (read "From Catastrophe to Connection"), I reacted immediately with a, "Hmm…what ELSE do you think you'd like?" and tried hard to think of ANY other teen birthday ideas that might be the perfect gift.
On the morning of her birthday, I filled a special jar labeled, "18 Random Things About You," with little slips of paper with all the amazing and quirky things that we love about her. She read each one and then lined all the pieces of paper up and took a picture of them. I wrote my traditional birthday letter to her recounting the previous year and marveling at what an incredible person she was growing up to be. We made plans for a special dinner out. My husband made the card below and handed her the key to the Mustang convertible to drive all day. She squealed with excitement, immediately got dressed, and headed out to visit friends and drive around town in the shiny red convertible.
And what about the tattoo?
As an official adult, she didn't need our permission to get a tattoo. Knowing that she would be getting one anyway, we gave her a card printed with the lyrics to a Beatle song that my husband and I had at our wedding, along with some money tucked in for her tattoo. She made the appointment and a few days later got a tattoo that read, "In My Life" the same Beatles song from our wedding, something that she'd dreamt about getting for years. I hope she loves it forever and that when she glances down at it, knows how much she means in OUR lives and that we love her with all our hearts.
What's the best birthday gift you've ever given one of your children? Do you have any special birthday traditions?
About the Author:
Karen Pearson is one of the friendly voices you'll hear on the other end of the phone when calling Customer Service at Mabel's Labels. She enjoys writing about her family, which includes a husband, 3 kids and a rescue dog from Greece.


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Former Cub Orie remembers time with Ryno
PITTSBURGH -- On Friday, Ryne Sandberg returns to Wrigley Field with the Phillies. The former Cubs second baseman is now Philadelphia's manager, and this will be his second trip to his former home ballpark as a skipper.
Another former Cub, Kevin Orie, remembers when Sandberg was his teammate on Chicago back in 1997 and some souvenirs the second baseman gave him.
"I either got sent down or went to [Triple-A] Iowa on rehab, or both, but when I got to Iowa, I unloaded my bag and I'm getting ready to strap it on and I pulled out my cleats and here were his wristbands, his baseball cards," said Orie, now a member of the Pirates' radio broadcast team. "That was all in my shoes, along with some Bazooka gum. It was funny. It was such a good laugh -- nobody wants to be at Triple-A for rehab or if you're sent down. At the right time, you get a little chuckle."
That was typical Sandberg humor, Orie said.
"I could play with eight Rynos on the field any day of the week," Orie said. "We had the same agent. We had some stuff in common, except for the Hall of Fame. I can't draw that comparison."
Orie said it was easy to play with Sandberg.
"Fundamentally, he was as sound as anybody," Orie said. "He had really great hands. His top hand was something that jumped out at me. It's all about the glove, but that top hand, you learn, is a second glove for you and he was really good at it. You see a lot of bad hops that look routine because of his hands."
Sandberg was generous as well.
"He gave me a few of his bats, they were Rawlings, and let's just say they were Hall of Fame-type bats and real good wood," Orie said. "As for mine, if I had a dozen bats, nine were pretty good. And that's in the big leagues. You go to the Minors and zero were good. I think I ended up hitting a majority of my home runs with his bats. You'd think I would've been smart enough to switch, but I didn't. I think it was because the barrel was a little skinnier than my model."


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Why Do We Love These 5 Fresh and Awesome jQuery Plugins?
We – You and Us, always love everything is fresh and useful design stuff especially plugins for jQuery. We – AEXT.NET, love to provide new fresh and useful jQuery plugins for our readers. This entry is in jQuery Plugins series that our visitors love very much. Enjoy the post of 5 fresh and awesome jQuery plugins, then you will find out why we love them by their cool features.


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Alison Lord
Class of 2013
GIS Intern
Alison is a senior from Newark, Delaware. A Business Management major, she is also President of the Club Volleyball team. This is her first year working in the GIS Lab as a member of the marketing team, focusing on social media and crime mapping promotion.


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Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 16PK - Funky Foliage
Tim Holtz
Tim Holtz is a signature product designer for various companies in the craft industry including Sizzix® Alterations™, Ranger Industries®, Advantus®/idea-ology®, Stampers Anonymous, Tonic Studios® and Westminster Fibers. Tim plays an integral part in the development and design of cutting-edge crafting products bringing his unique vintage style. As a well-known designer, Tim travels across the country and internationally to educate and introduce people to his world of techniques and philosophy to simply enjoy the journey...View Designer
New to die-cutting?
Or simply want to know more about it? We've got plenty of tips and tricks to help you get started.Learn More
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Look below to explore the complete compatibility of this product
Thinlits create dazzling detailed shapes for more creative cardmaking and papercrafting projects. These wafer-thin chemically-etched die sets are designed to cut, emboss or stencil a single sheet of cardstock, paper, metallic foil or vellum. They are simple to use, compact and portable for cutting at home or on the go. Use them for enhanced intricacy and to add a special touch of inspiration to all your projects.
The Thinlits dies in this set are compatible with the BIGkick and Big Shot machines.
To cut, the sandwich requires use of a pair of Cutting Pads and the machine's included Platform; when using the Essentials Platform or Solo Platform & Shim, the Extended Adapter or Solo Adapter is required. Because of their intricacy, Thinlits dies may require up to three passes to cut. If extra ejection is needed for easier separation of the die-cut from the design, place wax paper between the Thinlits die and your material and then cut.
These die can also emboss when the machine's included Platform is combined with an Impressions Pad and Silicone Rubber sheet. The diagrams on the Platform offer easy guidelines about how to make the perfect Sizzix sandwich.
To stencil, place the die over desired material and apply ink or chalk to the die indentations. This technique can be used alone or to enhance embossed designs.
This set includes a handy storage envelope. For easy identification, trim off the packaging front flap, keep and slip into the envelope. All items sold separately.
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Passion Project: Making Ice Wine
Here's the thing: making icewine is a crazy project. It's insane to leave your grapes on the vine deep into the winter. You have to shield them from birds and from mold and hope the weather is right for a hard freeze. It's crazy to not pick your grapes when they're plump and full of juice, and instead to wait as the temperature drops.
It's crazy to get up (often in the middle of the night) when it's minus-10 degrees to pick the frozen grapes, which will each yield just drops of juice. Literally drops: the yield is often just 10 percent of a regular cluster of wine grapes, which is part of why icewine can be so pricey.
Why do it, then? For the love of the luscious, concentrated flavor, to carry on a tradition of cool-climate winemakers, and because crafting this wine is fun and a bit daring. And the reward is great: one sip of icewine paired with something decadent, whether that's molten foie gras, gooey cheese, or some kind of dessert, and you might start to realize why winemakers go to such lengths to make these bottles.
The history of German Eiswein goes back at least as far as the 1800s, and Canada and Germany are the largest producers of icewine today, though it's also produced in smaller quantities in a number of other areas including Austria and New York State.
Want to explore these sweet wines with your sweetheart this Valentine's day? Plan a rich meal, and don't pigeonhole this wine as a dessert offering. Try it with toasted nuts, cheese, or pate, mushrooms and caramelized onions, duck or goose, even lobster or scallops in creamy preparations. And if you don't think you can finish a whole bottle, keep in mind: it keeps well in the fridge, so you can savor it over a series of evenings.
We love the icewines from Canada's Inniskillin. Their 2007 Niagara Vidal Gold offers a burst of intense lychee fragrance. This burnished gold wine balances tartness and honey in a way that leaves your mouth watering. There's a hint of candied ginger and tangerine, but loads of that lychee-in-syrup flavor—drink a little glass of this luscious wine with cheesecake or creme brulee, or pair it with seriously creamy cheeses like Taleggio.
Inniskillin's 2008 Niagara Riesling Icewine has a livelier high end, with ribbons of acidity that brighten the musky peach flavors and hints of mango nectar. This wine is floral and rich and fresh and sweet, perfect for pouring with cheeses and nuts, seared duck breast or foie gras if you're really going to get indulgent. (It's also totally delicious on its own.) If you want to go sweet, stick with biscotti or simple puff pastry desserts, nothing that will outshine the rich clove-spiked fruit flavors of this expensive elixir.
We also have tried a few from upstate New York. Sheldrake Point's riesling icewine has an intense, warming spice. Though it lacks some of the bright acidity and minerality of the Inniskillin, it offers a layer of maple-like flavor that would be right at home with gingerbread or spice cake. You can also find quite a few Cabernet Franc based icewines from the Finger Lakes area. Fulkerson's version has a rich, fruity sweetness, like strawberry jam left to dry in the sun. Serve it with brownies or gooey cheeses.
Have you ever tried icewine? What dishes do you like with it?
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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Discounted Miscellaneous Tickets
Miscellaneous sports tickets are attracting great attention since every fan can now find tickets to sports of their particular liking. For racing enthusiasts, it gets no bigger than the upcoming Rolex Sports Car Series, running into its 11th year. The tracks will be alive with the smell of burning rubber as the Historic Sports Car Festival also launches in the coming month. And it isn't only motor racing fanatics that are going mad running for Miscellaneous Sports tickets. Collegiate games will be coming thick and fast in the shape of basketball's 2K Sports College Hoops Classic and football's crunching Champs Sports Bowl.
After the success of the Martini Trophy Meet, fans of historic cars are anticipating a successful Algarve Historic Sports Car Festival. The following classes are available for racing: Historic Formula 2, Classic Formula 3, Formula Ford 2000, Classic Racing Cars, and Historic Formula Ford. The extravaganza offers great entertainment for eligible racers with HSCC open wheel cars up to 2 liters. The Rolex Sports Car Series, run by the Grand American Road Racing Association, has been revolutionized by the introduction of Daytona Prototypes in 2003. New regulations mean the field now consists of two classes: Daytona Prototypes and Grand Touring-style cars. A payout of $2,250,000 is what the team will be playing for in college football's prestigious Champs Sports Bowl. The new agreements see Atlantic Coast Conference's third pick square off against the Big East Conference's second selection in the year-ending slugfest. The college basketball season will once again kick off with the big guns laying down their markers in the 2K Sports College Hoops Classic. Four top-notch team are listed this year, as Texas AandM will head off against Mississippi State, while Arizona tackle St John's in November 17's lineup. The next day will pit the two winners against each other.
Over 19,763 delirious basketball fans with their miscellaneous sports tickets can pack into the World's Most Famous Arena, Madison Square Garden, for the 2K Sports College Hoops Classic. This is the much-storied arena's fourth incarnation, serving the New York populace since 1879. Orlando, Florida's Citrus Bowl can seat a massive 70,000 for the Champs Sports Bowl. The Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course will host the Rolex Sports Car Series' next race. The 2.4 mile 15-turn road circuit can comfortably seat over 65,000 enthusiasts for the race as competitors look to dethrone Memo Rojas from the leader-board. Portugal's Portimao Circuit will be the scenic location of the Historic Sports Cars Festival.
European and American audiences will be tuned in keenly to watch the competitions unfold. A fan base for these miscellaneous sports is buzzing with excitement. Sponsors include Rolex, Crown Royal, Champs Sports, American Airlines, Toyota, 2K Sports, and Empire. An eclectic mix of top-drawer miscellaneous sports events is at the fingertips of fans nowadays. An opportunity to grab Miscellaneous Sports tickets and get overwhelmed by the excitement is just a click away.
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There's Always Something Fun Going On In Our Communities!
Curious what fun events we have planned for our communities? You're in the right place! Browse the calendar below and discover everything going on year round right within our family friendly neighborhoods.
Come check out 10 new floor plans for Annafeld at this OPEN HOUSE event. Tapas and refreshments will be served while you peruse the new plans. Take a tour if you'd like of one of our new plans, The Roosevelt! Walk through our newly updated Design Showroom and see all the included features that come […]Find out more »
If you're a McCall Homes community resident, you can book the amphitheater in Josephine Crossing for a private celebration or event. All you need to do is submit your request below, and include your name, address, contact info and event. All resident requests will be approved on a first-come, first-served basis.
Don't forget, we're all part of this wonderful, safe community. Respect your neighbors by ensuring you leave the facility in pristine condition so the next family who has booked an event has the same positive experience as your family did.
If you have reserved space and wish to notify the rest of the community, please post your event on the news board on the back of the amphitheater.
If you have any questions please feel free to send us an email to the address above!


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CHICAGO--The wait is now over. After a year-and-a-half quiet period and a deadline extension, Bally Total Fitness released its financial statements for 2004 and the first nine months of 2005. The company also restated its financials for 2000 through 2003. Visit the company's investor Web site to download the annual and quarterly reports. The company announced that it posted a $1.8 million net profit versus losses in 2003 and 2004. While the number of new members increased in 2005, the total members slipped 1 percent.
In today's investor conference call, Paul Toback compared the process of turning around a company with a "debt heavy capital structure and a "languished and broken business model" to changing the tires on a car that's going 60 miles an hour. He said to increase shareholder value, the company is working with J.P. Morgan and the Blackstone Group to consider a sale of Bally or a merger with another company. Toback said he has not received any formal offers for the company, and he's not prepared to set a timetable for a future sale of Bally.
"I believe Bally has the positive ability to grow and address the capital issues plaguing our company," he said. "The sooner we can get the ability to grow clubs and get more available capital the better, but we don't want to rush into something that's not in the best interest of our shareholders."


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"Star parties" to observe the night sky on Friday will kick off the second annual Bay Area Science Festival at observatories, schools and colleges from Santa Cruz to Santa Rosa.
Telescopes and astronomers will be available at several locations around the greater Bay Area, to guide viewing of the moon's craters, bright stars, galaxies and the rising of Jupiter. For information on star parties and the more than 70 events of the science festival, go to http://www.bayareascience.org/festival/bay-area-star-party.
Among star parties that are free and open to the public are:
* San Jose State University Physics and Astronomy Club, Tower Lawn, 1 Washington Square, San Jose, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.: Family-friendly activities and hands-on demonstrations. For information go to www.physics.sjsu.edu.
* Evergreen Valley College Montgomery Hill Observatory, 3095 Yerba Buena Road, San Jose, 7:30 p.m.: For reservations, contact firstname.lastname@example.com.
* San Jose Astronomical Association, Houge Park on Twilight Drive, San Jose, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.: Star party. For information go to http://www.sjaa.net/.
* Foothill College Observatory, 12345 El Monte Road, Los Altos Hill, 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.: Peninsula Astronomical Society will hold a star party at the observatory. Go to http://www.pastro.org/dnn/Home.aspx.
* UC Santa Cruz, on the field behind the Music Center, 7:30 p.m.: Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics will host a star party. Go to http://www.astro.ucsc.edu/news-events/astro_club1.
* Cal State East Bay, in Hayward, Science East Lawn Picnic Area, 25800 Carlos Bee Blvd., 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. For information, contact firstname.lastname@example.com.
* Chabot College Astronomy Department, 25555 Hesperian Blvd., Hayward: 7 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. free public planetarium show (reservations required); 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. free public viewing. Go to http://www.chabotcollege.edu/faculty/shildreth/basf2012.htm.
Contact Sharon Noguchi at 408-271-3775. Follow her at Twitter.com/NoguchiOnK12.


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Just came across this interesting post on Apartment Therapy that talks a bit about the history of the travel trunk, particularly by Louis Vuitton. Although these heavy duty pieces of luggage were created for completely practical purposes, they are now often used strictly as home decor.
Would you use a vintage Louis Vuitton trunk as a coffee table? Here are a couple to ponder:
LOUIS VUITTON Antique Monogram Steamer Trunk
LOUIS VUITTON 1890's Antique Damier Steamer Trunk~Owned by Abraham Lincoln's Granddaughter!
Image courtesy Louis Vuitton archives


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Every spring in Central California the Volkswagen religious come out to show their Sunday's Best. Here is a quick recap of the Spring Fling.
The event was half car show and half swap meet where you could get rare V-Dub parts on the cheap.
Yes, you are looking at this correctly. That is a V-8 in that VW. Scary.
The notchback is still the "hard to find" Type-3. Back when I was in high school you were the sh... tuff if you had one of these babies.
The 23 window Type-2's are still the bus of choice for collectors and any store who sells Windex.
This is the sort of Bug that the SNL cast would refer to as something you could "put your weed in."
This vintage split window Type-1 interior had the coolest old school radio in it.
This clean flame job Type-1 picked up first place in its class.
This is the power plant for the flame job ride. I guess the size of the engine is supposed to be impressive?
This is the cleanest Baja Bug I've ever run across. Most of the ones I have seen were beat to death in the Beetleball.
Obviously, this is the short bus. But you rode in a different short bus to school.
I don't know if the owner of this bus was trying to be funny or if he really thought it was necessary to put The Club on a clapped out bus in the middle of a car show.
Probably one of the most obvious signs I've ever read.


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Kinderteppich My little Zoo
If you are an admirer of noble yet sustainable accents and accessories in its decor, this cork carpet from Corkando with its unique baroque pattern on natural cork is lovely! All cork carpets from Corkando are made of high quality and sustainable cork in Portugal and Germany at fair conditions. Beautify your room with new and high quality comfort by choosing a vegan natural carpet, as cork brings many positive qualities. Thus, cork is e.g. Insulating and can store heat. In addition, the cork is also a resistant, robust and dirt repellent, similar to leather, and is exceptionally resistant to wear. So you will benefit from the high quality of the carpet for a long time. The warm colours of our cork carpets look pleasant and cozy, and at the same time depicts high quality design. With our sustainable and vegan design rugs, your individual taste is at the forefront, because you can also express your individual colour and size presentations with us. Please note that the delivery time of our cork carpets can be up to 14 days since all products are handmade in Portugal. Upper material cork leather back material cork granules sides are hand sewn Sustainable production Recyclable Vegan Suitable for allergic persons Slip resistant Brand Corkando
|Natur Multicolour Pink Türkis
|138cm x 200cm
|Cork Cork Leather Baumwolle
|Cork Rug
|easy care pflegeleicht suitable for allergy sufferers fußwarm gelenkschonend sound absorbing rutschhemmend vegan umwelfreundlich
|Custom made :
|Auf Anfrage


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Mass Audubon at Wachusett Meadow in Princeton is starting a youth camera club affiliated with the New England Camera Club Council.
Meetings will be held twice a month at a time determined by the group. Nature photographer Gail Hansche Godin will be an adult advisor along with other adults.
For more information, call 978-464- 2712.


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Prospect of the Week (9.25.11)
(Week ending September 25)
This season Bolt Prospects will be introducing our Prospect of the Week award. The award is (virtually) given to one Tampa Bay Lightning prospect for their on-ice contributions. There are no trophies or plaques or women jumping out of a cake involved (unfortunately), but we're fairly certain this will carry heavy weight among players in the global hockey community and with agents negotiating contracts (were this Twitter, we'd use #sarcasm here).
Quite simply, we wanted to highlight prospects throughout the year to help fans get better acquainted with the next round of Lightning stars while recognizing the prospect's achievement on the ice.
The first ever BP Prospect of the Week award goes to … Mattias Ritola, Tampa Bay Lightning.
As has been well documented since last winter, Ritola overcame his Meniere's disease to get his hockey career back on track. As Lightning General Manager Steve Yzerman said, he "dominated in Norfolk†when demoted last season and Ritola has been his best ever since. He got off to a slow start in camp scrimmages, then turned it on and has been on fire in recent weeks. He told Bolt Prospects last week that he is excited to be in Tampa and stressed hard work as the reason why he's there.
That hard work showed up on the scoresheet last week as he had two goals and two assists in three NHL preseason games. We're going to count the Panthers as an NHL team for the purposes of this story.
Ritola is tied with newcomer Ryan Shannon and the rejuvenated Pavel Kubina for the team lead in points. Ritola is also tied for the team lead in plus/minus at plus-2.
He also gets the award because we have a heart. Ritola turned 24 in the spring and under Bolt Prospects' strict guidelines, he will not be considered a prospect on opening day. This is us saying thanks for the memories. No one player has made us recall throat lozenge commercials so frequently (And it's not just us, someone in the Lightning lockerroom during camp was yelling out Riiiii-tola!).
Congratulations again to Mattias Ritola for being our first Prospect of the Week.
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The following is a guest post from our friends at Lucky.
Wearing white denim past Labor Day weekend and into early fall is simple enough. Add a cardigan here, a closed-toe shoe there, and voila! It's done. So easy and always, always so much more striking than basic blue.
[imagebrowser id=794]
The same effect requires more effort and energy during winter, when color schemes are darker, fabrics are heavier and there are so. many. layers. to deal with. That said, don't be deterred—I'm here to help! In the slideshow below, I've included four fresh ways to style your favorite white jeans through the chilly months.
For more fashion, beauty, news, and shopping advice, visit Lucky. And here are some other awesome stories –


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Ron Paul snubbed one last time by Republicans?
Steve Watson
Aug 7, 2012
Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul will accept a speaking slot at the Republican National Convention in Tampa later this month, along with Jeb Bush, Rick Santorum and Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin, according to a senior GOP official.
The anonymous official told CNN that Paul has been selected as a primetime speaker at the event specifically to appeal to "anti-government, young, libertarian minded activists."
Readers will be divided over whether it has been Paul's success as a Senator and his continued growth in popularity among libertarians and disillusioned tea partiers over the past year or whether it was his controversial endorsement of Mitt Romney back in June that has garnered him the slot.
Brain Doherty of Reason makes the following observation:
"As much as it annoys many of the Paul hardcore, it will be easier to help define the future of the Republican Party from a believable position of being Loyal Opposition rather than rebel outsider."
"So don't expect Rand Paul to attack Romney explicitly in Tampa. But I do hold out hope he may speak of serious spending cuts, serious curbing of government's civil liberties violations, and seriously sensible foreign policy in a way that implicitly does so."
And what of Ron Paul? It "remains unclear" as to whether the Congressman will be afforded a slot, but is seemingly unlikely given that his son has been given the nod by the party elite.
The Congressman has so far stuck to his guns and refused to endorse Romney on the grounds that he simply disagrees with the presumed nominee on so many issues.
However, for the party to completely ignore the Congressman, despite the fact that he has fought a long hard campaign and will have many delegates on the floor of the convention, and given the fact that he is also retiring, represents an unmitigated slap in the face. Yet this is hardly surprising coming from a GOP leadership that has scratched and clawed to keep Paul in the shadows for so long.
Is Rand Paul worthy of a speaking slot at the convention? Will he inject real issues that cut through the phony left right paradigm, or is this just another attempt by the GOP at co-opting the growing freedom movement?
Steve Watson is the London based writer and editor for Alex Jones' Infowars.com, and Prisonplanet.com. He has a Masters Degree in International Relations from the School of Politics at The University of Nottingham in England.
Pick up the next evolution of activated nascent iodine today with Survival Shield X-3 now at 60% off!


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Sean Paul - Body
Produced by: Rico Love
Check out an exclusive look at the latest video from Sean Paul-"Body" directed by Antwan Smith (@antwanSMITH305). Produced by Rico Love, is off of Paul's' recently released album Tomahawk Technique availabile on i-tunes now.
Find out all things Sean Paul at allseanpaul.com and @duttypaul
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Plies (Feat. Sean Garrett) - Street Light
Video for Plies "Street Light" featuring Sean Garrett off of Da Realist in stores now.
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