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Cigar Review by Steve Royston (guest)
Cigar Photography by Jay L (cigarphoto.net)
Jay's Notes:
This week we are photographing and reviewing the Oliva Serie V Melanio Maduro – the latest project from the Oliva Cigar Company and a follow-up to well received Oliva Serie V Melanio (ecuadorian sumatra wrapper).
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Mexican maduro from San Andrés Valley
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Length: 6.5"
Ring: 52
Steve's Review:
For starters, this cigar is aesthetically gorgeous. A smooth, dark chocolate wrapper with minimal veins and a beautiful box press. A sniff of the foot gives off a rich, sweet tobacco aroma. I used an angle cut, taking off about a 1/3 of an inch. Too snug. Took off about another 1/8 of an inch. We'll see how it works out. Putting the cigar in my mouth to take a cold draw was instantly like chocolate hitting my lips. Very mild flavor on the cold draw, but a sweet richness is definitely there. Let's put some fire to this stick.
Right away I'm hit with a boldness that I was not expecting. I can already tell that this is vastly different from its regular Melanio counterpart. A very smooth, but slightly gritty, feeling coats my palate. A powerful spice comes through on the retrohale. The aftertaste, crazy as it might sound, reminds me of Andes mint chocolates. Now don't go taking this seriously. I don't mean it literally tastes like chocolate mint. Just a subtle, rich, cocoa undertone with a slight effervescence to it. This combination makes me reminiscent of the holidays at my parent's house as a kid eating handfuls of those candies. About 3/4 of an inch in, a slightly woody note comes through. I can't quite pinpoint it. Sometimes it tastes like cedar and sometimes like oak. Both are enjoyable. At the inch mark, the burn has gone slightly crooked but has been almost razor straight up until now. Nothing to cry about. (side note: The draw has been perfect for me. Just enough tug for my liking.) That woody note I mentioned has gone full blown cedar, which I love. And the richness has gone the route of a slight mocha flavor. The retrohale spice is still present, but very toned down.
At the 1/3 mark, a strong, roasted coffee bean note has popped up with just a touch of cream in the aftertaste. Pretty consistent coming to the halfway mark. But now, a very slow and steady retrohale gives off a subtle, sweet clove spice. Into the final 1/3, the upfront flavor has turned to a dark, bitter espresso with a spice that tingles the tip of my tongue. The smoke has gotten very chewy and that prominent richness has taken a backseat in the aftertaste. This is pretty consistent through the finish with the exception of a smokey, toasty characteristic.
Final thoughts:
I was very pleased, overall, with this cigar. Much more so than when I first smoked the original Melanio, which had to grow on me. I think the finish could benefit from a little age, but I'd certainly recommend this cigar. Happy smoking my friends.
Please consider the following posts:
* Oliva Master Blends 1
* Oliva Master Blends 2
* Oliva Serie V Maduro 2011
* Oliva Serie V No4
* Oliva Cain F lancero
- click on photographs (slideshow)-


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1. [techspeak] A quantitative change, especially a small or incremental one (this use is general in physics and engineering). "I just doubled the speed of my program!" "What was the delta on program size?" "About 30 percent." (He doubled the speed of his program, but increased its size by only 30 percent.)
2. [Unix] A diff, especially a diff stored under the set of version-control tools called SCCS (Source Code Control System) or RCS (Revision Control System).
3. n. A small quantity, but not as small as epsilon. The jargon usage of delta and epsilon stems from the traditional use of these letters in mathematics for very small numerical quantities, particularly in 'epsilon-delta' proofs in limit theory (as in the differential calculus). The term delta is often used, once epsilon has been mentioned, to mean a quantity that is slightly bigger than epsilon but still very small. "The cost isn't epsilon, but it's delta" means that the cost isn't totally negligible, but it is nevertheless very small. Common constructions include within delta of —, within epsilon of —: that is, 'close to' and 'even closer to'.

subset: commoncrawl


text: >= > TOOLS Europe usually somewhere in France >= >= It's a pity none of these -Europe (e.g. Ada-Europe, TOOLS-Europe) >= conferences etc ever get held in the UK. I was hoping someone would correct me on that one (it was a bit of a troll really - sorry :-) >Ada-Europe'97, the International Conference on Reliable Software >Technologies, was held on June 2-6, 1997 in London, UK. Of course it was! I'd forgotten about that one! I even considered going along to it, but I would have found it difficult to persuade my company to support me as I had just handed my notice in! >We DO try to organize the Ada-Europe conferences in most countries of >Europe, including the UK, but we also prefer to not return to the same >country too soon after a previous conference. That makes sense! >Of course, the most important factor in choosing a location is the availability >of local organizers committing to do a lot of work. We're always on the >look-out for such volunteers... ;-) Is that some kind of a hint? :-) John


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This time out, I talk about star ratings and trying to be reasonable with them; the weird differences in cultures across rating sites; and the dilemma of rating books written by people you know.
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Carly Fiorina has been described as flamboyant, bold, polarizing, decisive, imperious and unqualified. Her six-year tenure as CEO of Hewlett-Packard ended with her forced resignation, something that's not helpful as she begins a presidential run.
If Fiorina's bid for the Republican nomination, announced on Monday, registers more than a single digit in the polls, her tenure at HP will be scrutinized -- as will her exit. (Though she might be able to explain the latter away.)
Fiorina, who ran HP from 1999 to 2006, was ousted by one of the most dysfunctional corporate boards in post-dot-com bubble America. Not a year after she was dismissed, the board got caught up in the "pre-texting" scandal. Pre-texting was the term used for trying to obtain telephone records of HP board members and reporters to determine corporate leaks. And that was before the board hired and fired former HP CEO Leo Apotheker in the span of a year.
Fiorina herself has put her performance at HP as central to understanding how she might run the country. She has little choice but to make her corporate leadership a key reason for electing her president.
Her only real experience as a political candidate came in 2010, when she was the Republican nominee for Senate against incumbent Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.). Fiorina lost with 42% of the vote to Boxer's 52%.
On the Carly for President website, Fiorina describes her role at HP in heroic terms, saying she's someone who "faced headwinds from people who did not want to see HP change. They wanted to double-down on a flawed agenda that simply wasn't sustainable against the new challenges of the 21st Century. Our nation faces the same problem today...."
Much analysis will likely focus on Compaq, the $25 billion acquisition in 2001 that gave HP a sizeable PC business as well as number of enterprise legacy systems.
Describing Fiorina's "time at HP in triumphal terms requires some serious rewriting of history, but that sort of process is fairly common among the seriously and serially ambitious," said Charles King, an analyst at Pund-IT.
The Compaq deal allowed HP to become the undisputed leader in PC sales for several years, but faltered otherwise, said King. That was partly because HP's leadership, including Fiorina, "either denied or ignored the central challenge [of] blending corporate cultures," resulting in thousands of layoffs.
But Rob Enderle, of the Enderle Group, believes that Fiorina set a strong direction for HP that predecessor HP CEO Mark Hurd "continued with very little change." It could be argued that Hurd's success was largely due to Fiorina's strategy, he said.
He noted that the Compaq merger, when first proposed, faced a proxy fight from HP founders -- "a painful political process" that she won. "She successfully executed one of the largest and most complex mergers ever," Enderle said.
Another place for clues to Fiorina's leadership could be the decisions around the HP e3000, a mid-range system that was widely regarded for its durability and reliability. To the shock of users, HP in 2001 announced that the HP e3000 was being discontinued.
It was not the right decision, said Ron Seybold, who heads The 3000 Newswire. "'If it isn't growing, then it's going' were her marching orders after buying Compaq," said Seybold. He argued that the system was small, but profitable.
In his mind, that decision proved "she wasn't looking any farther ahead than tomorrow's earnings reports."


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Rarely has a movie subtitle so capably assessed a movie's content as does "Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed." There is not a shred of intelligence on display in this just released "documentary" purporting to be a careful examination of the fight over teaching creationism and evolution in America.
The movie seeks to explain why, as a matter of freedom of speech, intelligent design should be taught in America's science classrooms and presented in America's publicly funded science museums. But what is really on display in this film is a toxic mishmash of persecution fantasies, disconnected and inappropriate references to fallen communist regimes and their leaders and a very repugnant form of Holocaust denial from the monotone big mouth Ben Stein.
You may know Stein from his days a speech writer for Richard Nixon, the host of the comedy show, "Win Ben Stein's Money," his appearances offering economic advice on many television programs or the commentaries he offers on Sundays on the "CBS Morning Show." What you may not know but most certainly cannot fail to realize by the time this film ends is that Stein has no understanding of science and is a proponent of a singularly despicable explanation of the cause of the Holocaust in Nazi Germany. Stein is so far gone in his hatred of evolution that when asking the flamboyant British atheist and evolutionist Richard Dawkins if he believes in any god he perseverates so long that it raises the suspicion that Mr. Stein is displaying the sort of repetitive behavior seen when zoo animals are kept caged up in small places for too long. Making this narrow, crimped mess of a movie may not have been good for his mental health.
We get a long running start toward irresponsibility early in the film in the form of case studies of persons supposedly fired from their jobs for subscribing to a belief in intelligent design. The movie implies that this is just the tip of a McCarthyesque cleansing of the faculty ranks by jack-booted Darwinians. In fact, in the few cases presented in the movie, the removal of faculty members seems more closely tied to their either wandering away from the subjects they were hired to teach or getting into subject areas outside their area of expertise. At most universities that I am familiar with, a belief in intelligent design would make you the object of gossip but hardly the target of dismissal.
What the heck is Intelligent Design anyway?
What is especially startling and monumentally deceptive is that the movie never bothers to tell us what Intelligent Design actually is. We hear cries of persecution but we don't know why.
What is it that devotees of intelligent design believe that gets their colleagues in such a rage? Do they just want to invoke god as the starting point of the universe? Do they see god's hand in the design of every creature? Are they asking us to see the gods of every faith and tradition — those posited in Catholicism, Hinduism, Mormonism, Islam, Buddhism, Sikhism, Rastafarianism, etc. — in our DNA? Do they believe that competitive accounts of creation based on the Bible need to be in every American classroom? Do they see empirical proof of god in every molecule, plant, animal, rock, vegetable and fungus? "Expelled" never really tells us.
One suspects that sympathy for those portrayed in the movie as hapless pariahs might be reduced if the movie spent more time describing what it is this tiny handful of Ben Stein-proclaimed martyrs actually believe.
The definition of what science is and what should be taught as science in a world in which Asia and Europe are itching to clean our economic clocks by seeing us throw away our considerable lead in synthetic biology, genomics, agriculture and the biomedical, oceanographic, geological and energy sciences escapes Stein and his producers. This despite the fact they have ample time to regale us with all the documentary stylings involving old movies, public health messages and TV film clips that Michael Moore has already made stale. The failure to say what science is constitutes a huge failing in this cinematic cant.
Pitting science against religion
Science, by the very definition of the term, wants to invoke god or divine intervention as little as possible in seeking explanations for natural phenomena. Is that because, as "Expelled" suggests, scientists hate religion? No. Rather it is because the whole point of science is to press to see how far natural causes and mechanisms can go in explaining what is going on around us. There is not much room in science, although there is in history, religion, philosophy or sociology class, for jumping up and down and invoking god as the explanation of anything and everything. Could such an explanation be true? Sure. Is it science? Hardly. Does the movie get us anywhere close to understanding the difference? Not a bit.
Worse, those who embrace intelligent design — either the view that evidence of a designer's hand can be found in living things or that the creationism of the Bible is a valid account of how we came to exist — have to behave as if these accounts are subject to empirical disproof. But, think about it, Ben. Is that any way to save religion? Isn't the price of making faith into science and subject to empirical falsification heresy?
If you believe in god one hopes you are not going to give up that belief because of a geological discovery of a new type of rock or the identification of new oddball microorganism! Faith is faith. Those who would save faith by arguing that it is ultimately to be treated as a branch of science are recommending saving the patient by killing him. That is exactly what "Expelled" wants you to do. And that is why mainstream religion should ignore this film.
The movie's faux tale of an evolutionist led Inquisition is followed by Stein interviewing a short parade of self-avowed atheists who also are fervent Darwinians as they mock intelligent design in particular and religion in general. They also look frumpy. As an antidote we get deep, sincere ruminations mainly from some monumentally pompous thinker no one has ever heard of who is nevertheless stylishly attired and living in a gorgeous apartment in Paris. He assures what is hopefully an increasingly irritated audience that god and science can live together in peace. They can but for no reasons ever articulated by this fellow or in this film.
Then, and most culpably in terms of the downright immorality of the movie and everyone associated with it, we are presented with what will happen if we keep teaching Darwinism in our schools. The logical consequence of Darwinism is Nazi eugenics: the state directed murder of the handicapped, mentally ill, political dissidents and racial "inferiors"!
No, I am not making this up. The core of the movie consists of a sequence in which Stein visits the former German psychiatric hospital at Hadamar where the mass sterilization and murder techniques were first perfected that were later to be used in the concentration camps. Then Ben heads to Dachau, the first concentration camp, where 35,000 people died. These excursions are followed by a visit to Down House, Charles Darwin's country home outside of London where Ben looks warily at the memorabilia of Darwin's scientific work that led him to posit the theory of evolution. Stein finishes this sequence by bravely visiting a statue of Darwin where he stares the long deceased now marbleized evil-doer down while making it clear who is directly to blame for Hitler, the sterilization of tens of thousands of German children, the death of 6 million Jews and the deaths of countless other millions of victims of Nazism and those who died fighting the Nazi regime.
This frighteningly immoral narrative is capped off with a lot of shots of the Berlin Wall, old stock footage of East German police kicking around those trying to escape through the wall to the West and some solemn blather by Ben, who calls upon each one of us to rise up in defense of freedom and knock down a few walls in order to get creationism back into the curriculum at Iowa State, Baylor, and other dens of American secular iniquity.
Why Darwinism doesn't equal Nazism
This is the core of what is ethically rotten about this movie. Darwinism did not lead to Nazism in Germany. Nor does Darwinism inherently contain the seeds of Nazism.
There were many nations, such as Brazil, where Darwinism led to no political ideology. There were some such as Britain which embraced Darwinism but saw a considerable number of their population killed trying to eliminate Nazism. There were other nations, such as the Soviet Union, where Darwinism was seen as so dangerous and subversive to state sponsored dreams of social engineering that those who espoused it were killed or exiled and a complete biological fairy tale, Lysenkoism, put into classrooms and agricultural policy ultimately leading to the deaths of millions from starvation.
And there were some nations where Darwinism was greeted with glee because it seemed so compatible with the prevailing ideology of the day. In particular the United States at the turn of the 20th century where robber-baron capitalists like the Carnegies, Mellons, Sumners, Stanfords and yes, even Jack London, could not stop rattling on about how the "survival of the fittest" justified crushing unions, exploiting immigrant labor or being left unregulated to amass huge fortunes while administering monopolies.
Ben Stein apparently understands none of this. He flags Darwin but does not bother to go and stare at the busts of Adam Smith, Herbert Spencer, Ernst Haeckel, Thomas Malthus so much beloved by American proponents of survival of the fittest.
Worse yet, while frowning at Darwin's statute in a manly fashion, Stein makes no mention of the key factors driving Nazi ideology — racism, homophobia and hatred of the mentally ill and disabled.
To lay blame for the Holocaust upon Charles Darwin is to engage in a form of Holocaust denial that should forever make Ben Stein the subject of scorn not because of his nudnik concern that evolution somehow undermines morality but because in this contemptible movie he is willing to subvert the key reason why the Holocaust took place — racism — to serve his own ideological end. Expelled indeed.
Arthur Caplan, Ph.D., is director of the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania.


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Saturday, November 25, 2006
My Camera...
My lovely brand new PowerShot sat in it's box for 2-3 months. Then Annie came to town with the same camera and showed me how ridiculously easy it was to take a picture.
I think it's useful to have a number of cards. This last trip I went daily to the Odean photo shop, unloaded my picts onto a CD, cleaned my card, and was ready for the next day. They have machines in France that spit out your photos in seconds too. I would love one of those...
I did buy a back-up camera, a Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S90. It's got a huge LCD window 2.5" vs the Canon's 1.8". I made sure to take it out of the box. But I have not shot a single pic sorry to say :(
Now if Annie would just get a Sony I could get cracking on it :)
30 comments:
- Anonymous9:40 AM
Carol, I can relate! I have a sweet little Olympus 3.2 that takes marvelous photos, including macros. Sharp, crisp, NICE. My Kodak, at 5 megapixels, isn't as satisfying, for a number of reasons, but unfortunately I needed the higher megapixels for print media, when I started the current book. Nuts...
ReplyDelete - Anonymous11:31 AM
If you will take your Sony out of the box you will discover that it (as well as most cameras) come with "quick start" easy instructions that will get you off and running taking pictures with out a lot of extra reading. Then when you have the time or Annie comes with a Sony (smile) take time to learn the great bells and whisles of your camera. Thank you for sharing regardless !!
ReplyDelete Hi Carol,
Finally something I can talk about 'cause I adore photography,for me it´s an Art(with Capital letters).I love all those personal points of view:Cartier-Bresson,Doisneau,Orkin,Salgado,Brassaï...I love taking pictures when I travel,since last year I use a Fuji Finepix V10,I adorre the quality of Fuji cameras and this one has an incredible screen.But even now I prefer shooting with my father´s old analogical camera(a Nikon one).
Nice your Russian night"tail"- Anonymous5:20 PM
You're post is so funny! Please start using your Sony.
I have a Sony Cybershot DSC-P10 which is at least 3 years old now but still works like a charm. I must remember to buy a huge capacity card for it as i will be taking it with me on holiday in Dec [well, the Fiance is taking it with him as he prefers to use it than any chunky SLR]. He said it's people friendly. He likes to point and shoot. :) I agree Carol. 3.2 mega pixels is fine.. too much and it really sucks the time/power etc.
Like you i also carry a few cards.
I have a Fuji which as a 10x zoom, plus 2x optical.
I use it for wildlife photography. It has been wonderful. I am about to upgrade to get more zoom.. but i don't need more pixels!I totally agree. I have a Konica Minolta Z1 with 3.2 pixels. It take amazing shots. They have now upgraded the camera to far more pixels, but me, I'm happy with my baby, ta very much...
My pictures are often so large they take forever to email. But the quality is perfect for me. I take lots of flower shots as well as close ups of all the cards , mini books & page layouts that I make. Why on earth do I need bigger!! I don't...Paula Here's a tip for emailing photos in a managable size. If you have MSN's Outlook Express, it will offer to resize yr picts from 100's of KB down to 30-50KB.It makes for easier uploading to your blog too.All you have to do is right click on the pic. Then E-mail to recipient. I send the resized pic to myself and then into a desktop file for posting.
Glad you agree on this pixel thing.What's bigger is not always better.If you'd like some serious photo/camera tips, particularly if you're shooting food check out Elise's simply recipes
..I'm having doubts about my idiot PowerShot now :(I have a nice canon 5mp that I love. I'm thinking of going higher just so I can crop and keep clarity. You know, I might just have been able to get that long range shot of a heron taking off...I don't know.
Re: talk about sending pictures ..Have any of you tried the free downloadable program from Google.. Picasa? I love it. Great quick tools for editing..automatically sets it to decent size for sending and blogs with one click!- Anonymous11:31 AM
hi carol, your friend told you the right things. worrying about large pixel numbers only makes sense when you want to have big enlargements of your pics. if you only shoot for the screen and only want small prints, you're fine with what you have. on the other hand: does that sony cyber shot contain zeiss lenses (i know the good ones do)? then i would probably give it a try, because the quality of those lenses really do make a difference. cheers, anne :)


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By Roger Overall
Here's a question for you. If someone offered you a 6-MP DSLR for free, seven or eight years old but never been out of the box, would you accept it, and, importantly, would you use it? You know the high ISO performance isn't going to be up to much. Start up will be lethargic. And you get more pixels in a decent smartphone these days.
Gear fear
Let's be honest. Most of us would feel more comfortable with something a bit more current. Digital cameras have a use-by date, or a user-bye-bye date. It's what camera manufacturers trade on. Their marketing departments have a genius for convincing photographers that their newest camera is so much better than their previous model. They operate some kind of reality distortion field. Suddenly, the camera that has served you perfectly well just doesn't seem up to the job. It's practically a miracle you managed to produce a useable file from it to begin with.
And guess what? Eighteen months hence, you'll find out that this new model is equally inadequate in the face of the latest and greatest release. And so on and so forth. It's a relentless acquisition cycle of barely adequate cameras that can only be redeemed by the feature set of the next model.
Several years ago, I decided enough was enough. I'm an intelligent guy—moderately so, anyway. At the end of 2005, I decided to invest in a Canon 1Ds Mark II—a camera that would last me for many years beyond the day that the final payment would leave my bank account. The specs were impressive and I knew it would deliver what I and my clients needed regardless of what subsequent models would bring. I applied devastating logic to the situation. If I was happy with the camera today, I would be happy with it tomorrow, and for many, many days into the future. Canon's marketing department be damned.
Happily married
The Canon 1DsII has almost 17 MP, housed in what feels like an indestructible shell of battlefield-grade armour. (That turned out not to be entirely true following a sharp interaction with a marble floor in 2010, which cracked the camera casing but left the stone floor undisturbed). It has 45 autofocus points, and its ISO 1600 files are very useable—a real boon for a documentary photographer often working in dull conditions.
Taken with my workhorse 1DsII. Plenty of light, no troubles locking on.
From the moment it arrived in my life, new camera releases left me cold. The 1DsII and I produced wonderful work together. Clients were satisfied. I was winning awards. We were happy. Even the acquisition of a back-up Canon 5D Mark II, with its even better high ISO performance and high-definition video, didn't diminish our bond. If anything, I felt even less inclined to worry about new camera releases. Together, the two cameras covered more bases than I needed covered. OK, neither could focus particularly well in murky light, or particularly fast in any kind of light, but that was a minor quibble. For three years, no new camera release, or rumoured release, could pique my interest.
The Lapland Shift
Lapland changed everything.
It wasn't intentional. I wasn't looking for my head to be turned. It was just one of those things.
A Dutch couple asked me to photograph their wedding in Lapland, in northern Finland, in November of last year. I knew from experience that at that latitude, daylight would be at a premium so late in the year, but I wasn't unduly concerned. For most of the day, the light levels would be no worse than what I encounter on wedding assignments here in Ireland. I was more concerned about the cold, and how I would marshall my cameras to deal with the changes in temperature as they went from indoors to outdoors. Bringing a cold camera inside would cause condensation on the lens that would take a while to clear. I could hardly ask everyone to hold it for ten minutes while the lenses defogged—particularly during the ceremony.
My solution was to place one camera coupled with a wide-angle lens inside the ceremony venue early on the day of the wedding. It would be at temperature and ready to go when the ceremony started. I chose a wide-angle because the venue—a glass tipi—was a tight space.
That brought with it another problem. I'd only have a single camera to photograph all of the preparations with. There is a saying in professional photography: "If a job requires one camera, bring two." Redundancy is important when there's a pay cheque involved.
A friend offered me the use of his Canon 1D Mark III. A piece of equipment designed for press and sports photography. If my 1DsII is a bit of a Bentley (serene and measured), the 1DIII is more like a Ferrari. It goes. Boy...does it go.
You might remember that when it was launched, the 1DIII was derided for its autofocus performance. Under certain conditions, the camera simply couldn't produce a sharp picture. Eventually, Canon identified a fix to the sub-mirror assembly of the autofocus rig, though that didn't appease the camera's detractors. The reputation of the 1DIII never recovered.
Taken practically in the dark with the loaner 1DIII. This is a photograph that I would have struggled to get with the 1DsII or 5DII.
I do wonder why. It is a remarkable machine. In Lapland, it became my go-to camera ahead of my own 1DsII and the 5DII. Regardless of its reputation, its autofocus was doing things I'd never experienced before. It was locking on perfectly in virtually no light at all. And it was doing so on moving targets—during the dancing, for instance. This was autofocus by clairvoyance, or divine intervention, or something. Whatever the magic ingredient was, Canon hadn't included it in the 1DsII or the 5DII—both of which, in dim conditions, just throw up their hands and go into a sulk.
I was getting photographs with ease that I'd previously had great difficulty taking.
Moreover, the 1DIII was a good deal lighter than the 1DsII, due to improved battery design.
For the first time ever, the 1DsII looked less attractive to me.
The gap
Since Lapland, I've been working happily with my own cameras again—there's only so long you can hang on to a loaner before its owner really does want it back. The photographs are just as good as before. I shouldn't be surprised. After all, the overriding input device hasn't changed: the photographer. But still, now that I've had a taste of what current autofocus systems are capable of (and there have been further improvements since the 1DIII), the gear acquisition node in my brain is itching again: I want a new camera.
The camera I desire has the almost marble-proof ruggedness of a current 1 series EOS camera, the size of a 5DII and the autofocus performance of a current 1 series EOS camera (or Nikon equivalent). Dual card slots too. High-definition video is important to me as well. About 18 MP would be nice.
The problem is, nobody, as far as I can tell, makes this camera. Yet.
But I'm back monitoring the rumoured releases for 2012.
And despite my best efforts, I have to concede that the latest camera sometimes really is the greatest.
Roger Overall is a photographer based in Cork, Ireland. Here's his blog.
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Featured Comment by Gordon Cahill: "I admit it. I gave in to the lust. I succumbed. I'm weak. I love the new gear. It's fun. Even if I don't need it and I'm never going to use all of its capabilities, I'll want to see where it may take my photography. I'm honest enough to admit thee only reason I ever say I don't need a new camera (or that the one I have is 'perfect') is that I can't afford it."


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[Update] Notch Cancels Oculus Rift Version Of Minecraft
Update: Following his note on Twitter about canceling Minecraft for Oculus, Mojang founder Markus "notch" Persson elaborated his position on his personal blog. He recounts his recent trip to Oculus headquarters, which was a backer reward for funding the Oculus Rift Kickstarter at the $10,000 level.
"What I saw was every bit as impressive as you could imagine," he writes. "They had fixed all the major issues, and all that remained was huge design and software implementation challenges. My head started spinning with potential applications and how to deal with all the issues (how do you do gui? how do you deal with locomotion? what input do you use? what happens if the player leans far enough forward to clip into a wall? how do you prevent vr induced existential crisis?)"
As Persson mentioned on Twitter, he doesn't trust Facebook. He explains why in his blog post.
"Facebook is not a company of grass-roots tech enthusiasts," Persson writes. "Facebook is not a game tech company. Facebook has a history of caring about building user numbers, and nothing but building user numbers."
He goes on to acknowledge that social might be a great use of VR technology (business meetings and virtual cinemas are two examples), but says unequivocally that he does not want to work in that space. Persson reinforces his interest in virtual reality, but is clear that he will pursue it in another way.
"I definitely want to be a part of VR, but I will not work with Facebook," he states. "Their motives are too unclear and shifting, and they haven't historically been a stable platform. There's nothing about their history that makes me trust them, and that makes them seem creepy to me."
Persson concludes by wishing both parties well after stating that he feels his $10,000 funding was simply used to build value for a Facebook acquisition. According to the original Kickstarter, the deliverables for Persson's tier ($5,000 and higher) were 10 developer kits, support evaluation, Doom 3 BFG, the trip to the Oculus offices, and a variety of collectible items (t-shirt, poster, etc.). You can read the entire post on Persson's blog.
Original Story:
While some people are still trying to figure out all of the implications of Facebook's recent acquisition of Oculus VR, the situation is pretty clear to others. It has influenced at least one gaming decision, with Mojang's Markus "Notch" Persson pulling out of a potential deal with Oculus for the VR version of Minecraft.
The news comes via Twitter, where Persson reveals that he scuttled talks about bringing Mojang's hit to the Rift.
We were in talks about maybe bringing a version of Minecraft to Oculus. I just cancelled that deal. Facebook creeps me out.
— Markus Persson (@notch) March 25, 2014
Of course, industrious gamers can still work up their own mods to get the game working on the VR headset, but it doesn't look like an official release is forthcoming.
(Source: Twitter)
Our Take
The purchase puts indie developers in a strange place; many love the Oculus Rift, but potentially hate being associated with Facebook. I wouldn't be surprised to see even more cancelled Oculus projects in the coming days; they were started with the assumption that the Rift was a gaming device, but with Facebook expanding the scope, one has to wonder how central video games will be in the company's long-term strategy.


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We finally had snow this week! Snow days for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday! I was one happy camper. I love my job, but there is nothing like a snow day!
In the spirit of a good snow day, Reese and I have been catching up on our movies. I downloaded The Last Five Years from itunes (have y'all ever done this? It was insanely easy and convenient!). I adore all things Anna Kendrick and this movie was the best. I love musicals so it was perfection for me. Except the ending. Has anyone ever seen this movie or musical? Please email me and discuss the ending. Seriously firstname.lastname@example.com
When I'm not engrossed in a movie, I've been reading these new additions for our classroom library so I can tell the kids about them. I love children's books, but I may or may not be in need of a grown up book. Recommendations?
My favorite part of a snow day is hands down the mornings. Time to sip coffee and read/blog
For those of you who have asked, I am turning the Comp Files into a monthly resource. I'm currently working on March (slowly working, but working nonetheless!)
Link up with Doodle Bugs and share your Five for Friday!


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Dominik Fankhauser
I'm a bachelor student currently working on my bachelor's thesis under the supervision of Claudio Corrodi. During my work as a board member of a sports club, I recognized some problems in the domains member and event management. Currently existing software solutions cover either one or the other topic, but not both. So the goal of the project is to create an application that allows clubs to do their member management and their event management in one application. Furthermore, club members should be able to see upcoming events and to register if they want to help at a particular event.


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By Karen Lee Richards
For too many years, people with fibromyalgia have been forced to deal with medical professionals, family and friends who don't believe fibromyalgia is a real medical illness. Gradually over the past 15 years, more and more people, including doctors, have accepted the fact that FM is a very real biological condition – helped in large part by the FDA's approval of three drugs to treat FM.
Despite the progress, however, it still takes an average of three to five years – and according to the Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy, between $4,800-$9,300 annually – for someone with FM to get an accurate diagnosis. And there are still far too many doctors who remain skeptical even though multiple studies have demonstrated some of the biological underpinnings of FM.
Needless to say, a simple blood test that can definitively diagnose fibromyalgia would be a huge boon to the millions who suffer daily with this painful illness. If nothing else, it should put and end to all of the skepticism about FM.
Enter EpicGenetics, a company who, according to their Website, "is a leader in the field of molecular diagnostics." On March 4, EpicGenetics issued a press release announcing the first test to objectively diagnose fibromyalgia. The test was developed in conjunction with a study that identified unique immunologic patterns in FM patients.
The Research Behind the Test
In a study published December 17, 2012 in the journal BMC Clinical Pathology, researchers measured plasma cytokine levels in a group of 110 patients with a diagnosis of FM and determined responses to mitogen challenges of their peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). The cytokine levels of these patients were then compared with those in a group of 91 matched healthy controls.
The found that cytokine levels of stimulated PBMC cultures of healthy control subjects were significantly increased as compared to matched non-stimulated PBMC cultures. In contrast, the concentrations of most cytokines were lower in stimulated samples from patients with FM compared to controls.
"The result was the discovery of a major set of differences in cell-mediated immunity in the fibromyalgia group versus the healthy patients." said Bruce S. Gillis, MD, MPH, member of the clinical faculty at the University of Illinois Chicago College of Medicine and founder of EpicGenetics, in the March/April 2013 issue of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain Life. "And this discovery was opposite to what was anticipated. Specifically, while fibromyalgia patients are often considered to be "hyper/overactive responders," we identified that the fibromyalgia patients had a depressed and dysregulated immune system…"
Another Significant Conclusion
Up until now, FM has had somewhat of a confusing history, being assigned to a variety of medical specialties. At first it was thought that FM was a rheumatologic disorder because it seemed to be some type of inflammatory fibro-connective problem. Then when it was discovered that FM had some central nervous system abnormalities, it was thought to be more of a neurologic disorder. The current hypothesis is that "FM develops from interactions between the autonomic central nervous system, the hypothalmic-pituitary axis and the immune system.
According to Dr. Gillis, in addition to developing the test, the study also revealed that "there is a specific pathway in fibromyalgia – and it defines fibromyalgia as an immunologic medical disorder."
Unanswered Questions
This study and the resulting test are certainly interesting and potentially very exciting, but there remain some unanswered questions and concerns.
- In the discussion portion of the study, it was noted, "Chronically depressed patients are characterized by higher pro-inflammatory cytokine blood levels and lower anti-inflammatory cytokine levels in blood, similar to what has been found in patients with chronic pain. Decreased IL-10, IL-1? and IFN-? production by mitogen-stimulated PBMC was observed in depressed patients which correlated with our findings." The question is, would this test be able to distinguish between depression, other chronic pain conditions and fibromyalgia?
- Patients with any rheumatologic, autoimmune, immunologic, inflammatory, infectious or neoplastic disorder were excluded from the study. Would the test identify FM if a patient has another immunologic disorder as well?
- Finally, we have to keep in mind that this was just one study. Studies need to be replicated before they they can be accepted as absolute scientific fact. Just a little over three years ago, we thought that the cause of ME/CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome) was discovered when a study found the retrovirus XMRV in ME/CFS patients. A test to detect XMRV was quickly brought to market. Unfortunately, after many additional studies, the original findings were retracted.
Hopefully, this study and test will hold up to further testing that includes other cohorts in addition to healthy controls. Only time will tell.
Info About the FM Test
The FM/a Test Kit can be ordered at thefmtest.com or by calling 855-775-FIBRO, however, the test is only available upon the order of a licensed physician. Visit The FM Test Website for instructions on what to do when you receive the test kit. They also have an option available for people who do not have a regular doctor.
The FM/a Test is not an inexpensive test. It costs $744, plus your doctor's office or laboratory may charge an additional fee for drawing the blood. And since it is a new test, it's unlikely that most insurance companies will cover it yet, although EpicGenetics says they will work with patients to try to get as much reimbursement as possible for the test from their insurance companies.


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Disputes over restaurant trademarks are not exactly rare. However, we couldn't help noticing that on September 28, 2018, injunctions issued hours apart in two restaurant name disputes involving high profile New York marks.
City of New York v. Tavern on the Green
The iconic Tavern on the Green restaurant in Central Park is owned by the City of New York, but has been operated by concessionaires since it opened in 1934.… More


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USDA announces $28.4 million in funding for specialty crop research
Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer announced on July 11 that USDA is making available $28.4 million for research and extension projects in fiscal year 2008 to address the critical needs of the specialty crop industry by developing and disseminating science-based tools to address needs of specific crops.
"This is a substantial investment in scientific research and technology for production of specialty crops that will advance their large contribution to America's agriculture both domestically and in world markets," said Schafer.
The U.S. specialty crop industry is comprised of producers and handlers of fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits and nursery crops, including floriculture. It is a major contributor to the U.S. agricultural economy, accounting for 10 million harvested cropland acres in 2004. The total value of U.S. specialty crops is over $50 billion in sales, which puts the combined value of these crops in league with the five major program crops.
Funding for the Specialty Crop Research Initiative was a major initiative in USDA's farm bill proposal and is authorized through the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008. The 2008 farm bill provides an additional $50 million each year for fiscal years 2009 through 2012 for a total of $230 million over the five years of the farm bill. Those interested in applying for funding can access the request for applications online at www.csrees.usda.gov/funding/rfas/specialty_crop.html
The Specialty Crop Research Initiative has five focus areas: 1) plant breeding, genetics and genomics research to improve crop characteristics; 2) efforts to identify and address threats from pests and diseases; 3) innovations and technology, including improved mechanization and technologies that delay or inhibit ripening; 4) efforts to improve production efficiency, productivity and profitability; and 5) methods to prevent, detect, monitor, control and respond to potential food safety hazards in the production and processing of specialty crops.
Through federal funding and leadership for research, education and extension programs, CSREES focuses on investing in science and solving critical issues impacting people's daily lives and the nation's future. For more information, visit www.csrees.usda.gov.
NOTE: As of Friday, July 11, 2008, application forms and instructions for completing and submitting those forms via the Grants.gov Web site are not available for download. These materials will be available on the USDA site Monday, July 14, 2008.
To view this news release online, visit http://www.csrees.usda.gov/newsroom/news/2008news/07111_specialty_crop_rfa.html.


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Upcoming Events Calendar
Stop by our booth at this event and learn more about LESA Research.
Lighting Structures and Habitats Underwater for Sensing, Communications, and Robotics
David Fries
Interdisciplinary Senior Scientist
Florida Institute for Human & Machine Cognition
David Fries' technical interests include the development of microsystems and robotics/automation for sensing applications, advanced sensor development and mobile robotic systems for field applications. He is an entrepreneur, having founded the companies Spyglass Technologies and Micro Patterning, the non-profit SciFlies, and was an original member of the University of South Florida's Center for Ocean Technology. He was the university's inaugural Entrepreneur in Residence, and held simultaneous positions in the Colleges of Marine Science and Engineering and Arts. He has 35 patents issued, 12 technologies licensed, and over 60 publications in oceanography, analytical chemistry, ocean technology, biotechnology, chemistry, micro-technology, electronics and robotics. He has held a past appointment at Sandia National Laboratories/Lockheed Martin in the nuclear weapons program and defense aerospace and holds a BS in Chemistry (University of Pittsburgh) and a MS in Chemistry (University of South Florida).
Florida Institute for Human & Machine Cognition
Institute for Human & Machine Cognition is a not-for-profit research institute of the State University System of Florida, with locations in Pensacola and Ocala, Florida. IHMC scientists and engineers investigate a broad range of topics related to building technological systems aimed at amplifying and extending human cognitive, physical and perceptual capacities. These include artificial intelligence, robotics, human-centered computing, agile and distributed computing and many related areas.
For series details contact: Dr. Silvia Mioc, Director of Industrial Collaborations, email@example.com, 518-276-4010.
Stop by and learn more about innovative LESA research!


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Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more.
Show All Answers
AMI stands for Advanced Metering Infrastructure. It is a method of using communication technology to read meters remotely without having to access the meter located in meter boxes in the ground.
The City of Terrell has chosen a fixed-based network that provides two-way communication from the meter box to strategically located Base Stations. The City is replacing water meters throughout our system with new meters equipped with a meter transceiver. The meter transceiver will collect and transmit meter reading data, unique identification numbers, operating status, and various alarms at regular intervals to the Base Stations.
The City has contracted with Aqua Metric to perform the replacements.
No. Since the water meters are located outside of the home and mostly in the City right-of-way, you will not need to be home for the replacement work. Any specific requirements for scheduling can be coordinated with the crew performing the replacement.
Advanced meter systems are quickly becoming the standard for utilities around the country. These new devices allow for more accurate and faster collection of water usage readings than the current manual method and improve safety conditions for City staff. Currently, meter reading is completed by driving around town and collecting the reads through an AMR system (ie., computer read from a vehicle) once per month. Most of our existing meters are 15 years old and as batteries weaken, it requires more manual reads each month. Introducing automatic meter reading as the standard for Terrell is one of the ways we can better serve our customers and improve the overall efficiency of the utility department.
All of the City's 6,000 retail meters will be replaced with new Sensus AMI meters. Completion is schedule around February 2023.
No. The radio transmission operates in compliance with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations to avoid interference with other electronic devices.
Yes. Data transmitted from the meter through the system is encrypted through the entire process. No personal data is transmitted over the radio sytem.
Yes. The fixed network will collect readings at fixed data collection points and transmit them electronically for billing purposes without staff needing to go to the location of the meters.
In the future, "yes". The City of Terrell will make a Customer Portal available once the system is fully implemented, around the Spring of 2023. Water customers will have the ability to access their daily water consumption online. Additional information will be provided through public awareness notice and published instructions for online account access nearer to the completion date of the meter installation process.
If you have a leak, low pressure or some other problem after the installation, or at any other time, you will be provided contact numbers that you can call to report your concern. Because your water will be turned off temporarily during the meter change process, you may experience a brief period of air or discolored water. In most cases briefly running your cold water will clear up this situation.
To upgrade the meter to one capable of communicating with the AMI equipment. With the introduction of newer technology, the existing meters are not able to communicate using the AMI equipment. The newer meters will save labor time, prevent recording errors, minimize wear and tear on vehicles, minimize the need for City employees to access the meter pit, and decrease the need to estimate accounts due to severe weather conditions.
Yes. All meters will be changed to be read by the automated metering infrastructure technology. Customers cannot choose to remain on the older manual reading system.
Yes. Meters come pretested along with results directly from the manufacturer. The radio device is calibrated during set up to insure linking with the meter and AMI equipment to insure accuracy.
Any annual rate increase will cause the bill to increase. Additionally, it is likely the new equipment will be more accurate in recording the volume of water used. Since older mechanical meters tend to lose accuracy as they age, they may not accurately measure all the water being used. All new meters are tested prior to delivery by the manufacturer to ensure that they register properly. If you see a higher usage than normal immediately upon the new meter installation and you have not changed your water use pattern, it is likely the old meter was running slow, or you have a minor leak in the system that wasn't registering correctly through the old meter.
No. Access needs to be available at all times. There will still be instances when meter technicians will visit the meter on site to perform routine maintenance or verify high readings. Obstructions to the meter box are subject to removal by City personnel.
Please keep access to the water meter available at all times to ensure it is accessible for any potential emergency that would require the meter to be turned off. Be careful during the fall foliage season not to cover your water meter with piles of leaves.
Each radio frequency device has a unique identification number, which is transmitted along with the meter reading. The unique number is compared to your account record electronically to ensure a match.


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I am running top
to monitor my server performance and 2 of my java processes show virtual memory of up to 800MB-1GB. Is that a bad thing?
What does virtual memory mean?
And oh btw, I have swap of 1GB and it shows 0% used. So I am confused.
Java process = 1 Tomcat server + my own java daemon Server = Ubuntu 9.10 (karmic)


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West Yorkshire Police preparing for budget cuts and job losses
The force is bracing itself for restrictions on its budget after the government's autumn spending review in November, it has emerged.
A report to West Yorkshire Police and Crime Panel said the force had been relying on vacant job posts to make savings, but must now cut 190 roles to balance the books.
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Hide AdThe government has asked all departments to plan for savings of between 25 and 40 per cent by 2019-20 - and the policing budget is not protected from the cuts.
The financial briefing report said: "In 2014-15 the force relied heavily on police staff vacancies to deliver savings, but now urgently needs to identify robust, recurrent plans to remove 190 posts from the organisation".
The results of the government spending review will be announced on November 25.
The report said that on top of the overall budget cuts, changes to the way funding is calculated could also hit West Yorkshire Police.
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Hide AdIt warns that "...there appears to be a shift in funding from the metropolitan areas such as West Yorkshire to the shire areas.
"The Home Office have advised that no individual force will gain or lose by more than 20 per cent. Any change will be on top of the funding reductions due to the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR)."
The panel said Mark Burns-Williamson, West Yorkshire's police and crime commissioner, voiced concern over the cuts at the last panel meeting on Friday at Dewsbury Town Hall.
In a statement issued after the meeting, panel chairwoman Alison Lowe said: "The Police and Crime Panel believes that West Yorkshire Police should receive its fair amount of central government funding and we welcome a review of how this money is to be allocated across the country.
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Hide Ad"We will continue to hold the Police and Crime Commissioner to account for how these limited resources are spent to ensure that we have an efficient and effective police force for the people of West Yorkshire."
The panel was also worried about the proposed closure of magistrates' courts in Wakefield and Halifax.
Panel vice chairman Alan Wassell said: "We are concerned that victims of crime will be dissuaded from attending court if they have to travel further afield.
"We have asked the Police and Crime Commissioner to provide support to victims if these local magistrates' courts do close."


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UIA became the industry leader in passenger air transportation!
In May, 2009 UIA gained the lead on Ukraine's passenger air transportation market and has been successfully holding its leading position during the summer tourist season. The number of passengers carried by UIA in 2009 has exceeded 1 million so far, considerably exceeding the competitors' performance.
"It is worth noting that despite obvious manifestations of the crisis felt by airlines all over the world, in 2009 our company has not only continued operating all its routes but launched new destinations: Kyiv – Nice, Lviv – Milan and Kyiv – Abu Dhabi," said Yuri Miroshnikov, UIA President, "UIA has strengthened its leadership on Ukraine's airline market and started realization of its previously planned fleet upgrade program putting into operation two new Boeing 737-800 aircraft delivered from Boeing plant in Seattle."


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19 Nights | ETERNAL FAVORITES
You will visit the following 16 places:
Palma is a resort city, the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands in Spain. It is situated on the south coast of Majorca on the Bay of Palma. As of the 2009 census, the population of the city of Palma proper was 401,270, and the population of the entire urban area was 621,000, making it the twelfth largest urban area of Spain. Almost half of the total population of Majorca live in Palma. The Cabrera Archipelago, though widely separated from Palma proper, is administratively considered part of the municipality. Its airport, Son Sant Joan, serves over 22 million passengers each year.
Dubrovnik is a gorgeous Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea coast positioned at the terminal end of the Isthmus of Dubrovnik. It is one of the most prominent tourist resorts of the Mediterranean and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. The city is nicknamed "Pearl of the Adriatic". The success of Dubrovnik's tourist industry has brought a certain degree of complacency and self-satisfaction. Certain aspects of the city's appeal remain immune to tourist numbers, however, most notably the uniquely stunning setting and the unjaded straightforwardness of the Dubrovčani themselves.
Venice is a city in northeastern Italy sited on a group of 118 small islands separated by canals and linked by bridges. The city is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture, and its artwork. The city in its entirety is listed as a World Heritage Site, along with its lagoon. Venice has been known as the La Dominante, Serenissima, Queen of the Adriatic, City of Water, City of Masks, City of Bridges, The Floating City, and City of Canals. It has also been described as being one of Europe's most romantic cities. It is truly an amazing, stunning and interesting city for the adventurous to explore!
Pisa is a city in central Italy's Tuscany region best known for its iconic Leaning Tower (the bell tower of the city's cathedral). Although Pisa is known worldwide for its leaning tower, the city contains more than 20 other historic churches, several medieval palaces and various bridges across the River Arno. Much of the city's architecture was financed from its history as one of the Italian maritime republics. The city is also home of the University of Pisa, which has a history going back to the 12th century and also has the mythic Napoleonic Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa and Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies as the best sanctioned Superior Graduate Schools in Italy.
Corfu, an island off Greece's northwest coast in the Ionian Sea, is defined by rugged mountains and a resort-studded shoreline. Nicknamed ''the island of the Phaeacians'', Corfu is home to the Ionian University. Known also as Kerkyra, is the northernmost of the Ionian Islands in Greece. Located off of the far northwest coast of the country, Corfu lies in the Adriatic sea, east of Italy and southwest of Albania. Historically Corfu has been controlled by many foreign powers, notably the Venetians, French, and British.
Valletta is the capital of Malta, colloquially known as Il-Belt in Maltese. It is located in the central-eastern portion of the island of Malta and the city proper has a population of 6,098. According to Eurostat, the larger urban zone of Valletta has a population of 368,250. Valletta contains buildings from the 16th century onwards, built during the rule of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, also known as Knights Hospitaller. The city is essentially Baroque in character, with elements of Mannerist, Neo-Classical and Modern architecture in selected areas, though World War II left major scars on the city. The City of Valletta was officially recognised as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1980. The city is named for Jean Parisot de la Valette, who succeeded in defending the island from an Ottoman invasion in 1565. $$https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGlRHAOUQvk$$
Messina, Italy
Messina is a harbor city in northeast Sicily, Italy. It is the capital of the Italian Metropolitan City of Messina, and has close ties with Reggio Calabria. The city's main resources are its seaports (commercial and military shipyards), cruise tourism, commerce, and agriculture (wine production and cultivating lemons, oranges, mandarin oranges, and olives). The city has been a Roman Catholic Archdiocese and Archimandrite seat since 1548 and is home to a locally important international fair. The city has the University of Messina, founded in 1548 by Ignatius of Loyola. Messina has a light rail system, Tranvia di Messina, that was opened on 3 April 2003. This line is 7.7 kilometres (4.8 mi) and links the city's central railway station with the city centre and harbour. The city is home to a significant Greek-speaking minority, rooted in its history and officially recognised.
Marseille, known in antiquity as Massalia, is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of 240.62 km2. The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of 1,204 km2. 1,530,000 or 1,601,095 people live in the Marseille metropolitan area. Located on the southeast coast of France on the Mediterranean Sea, Marseille is France's largest commercial port and largest French city on the Mediterranean coast. Marseille is the capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, as well as the capital of the Bouches-du-Rhône department. Its inhabitants are called Marseillais.
Barcelona – Spain's enchanting capital, second largest and most populous city. It is a huge city that vibrates with life, and there's certainly not another city in the country to touch it for its sheer style, looks or energy. It is one of the world's leading tourist, economic, trade fair and cultural centers, and its influence in commerce, education, entertainment, media, fashion, science, and the arts all contribute to its status as one of the world's major global cities. Barcelona is home to masterpieces of many great architects – the most famous of which is Antoni Gaudí.
Kotor is a coastal town in Montenegro with a population of about 13,500. It is well-known for its World heritage medieval structures (including churches and fortifications) and its stunning natural setting at the very edge of the mountain-rimmed Kotor Bay. It is situated in a most secluded tip of Boka Kotorska bay, in the northern part of the Montenegro coast on the Adriatic Sea. Kotor has developed around Stari Grad (local language for "old town"), the city's old town and best known landmark, which is listed with UNESCO World heritage sites. Kotor Bay is the deepest natural fjord-like bay in the Mediterranean Sea, and the scenery around it (including the steep mountains which come almost straight down to the waters edge) is spectacular.
Sorrento Neapolitan: Surriento is a town overlooking the Bay of Naples in Southern Italy. A popular tourist destination, it can be reached easily from Naples and Pompeii as it is at the south-eastern end of the Circumvesuviana rail line. The Sorrentine Peninsula has views of Naples, Vesuvius and the Isle of Capri. The Amalfi Drive, connecting Sorrento and Amalfi, is a narrow road that threads along the high cliffs above the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo, officially refers to an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco, specifically the ward of Monte Carlo/Spélugues, where the Monte Carlo Casino is located. Monaco has four traditional quarters - from west to east they are: Fontvieille (the newest), Monaco-Ville (the oldest), La Condamine, and Monte Carlo. Monte Carlo (literally "Mount Charles") is situated on a prominent escarpment at the base of the Maritime Alps along the French Riviera. Near the western end of the quarter is the world-famous Place du Casino, the gambling center which has made Monte Carlo "an international byword for the extravagant display and reckless dispersal of wealth". It is also the location of the Hôtel de Paris, the Café de Paris, and the Salle Garnier (the casino theatre which is the home of the Opéra de Monte-Carlo).
Civitavecchia is a town and comune of the Metropolitan City of Rome in the central Italian region of Lazio. A sea port on the Tyrrhenian Sea, the name ''Civitavecchia'' means "ancient town". The modern city was built over a pre-existing Etruscan settlement. The massive Forte Michelangelo was first commissioned from Donato Bramante by Pope Julius II, to defend the port of Rome. The upper part of the "maschio" tower, however, was designed by Michelangelo, whose name is generally applied to the fortress. North of the city at Ficoncella are the Terme Taurine baths frequented by Romans and still popular with the Civitavecchiesi. The modern name stems from the common fig plants among the various pools. And also next to the town is the location of the cruise ship docks. All major cruise lines start and end their cruises at this location, and others stop for shore excursion days that allow guests to see Rome and Vatican sights, which are ninety minutes away.
Cinque Terre
Argostoli is a town and a former municipality on the island of Kefalonia, Ionian Islands, Greece. It has been the capital and administrative centre of Kefalonia since 1757, following a population shift down from the old capital of Agios Georgios (also known as Kastro) to take advantage of the trading opportunities provided by the sheltered bay upon which Argostoli sits. Argostoli developed into one of the busiest ports in Greece, leading to prosperity and growth. The 2011 census recorded a population of 10,633 in the Argostoli municipal unit. Its largest towns are Argostóli (pop. 9,748), Razata (507), Dilináta (496) and Kompothekráta (449).


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Ukraine International laid the first stone of a park in memoriam of the PS752 passengers and crew
On Monday, February 17, at Boryspil International airport, Ukraine International Airlines launched the construction of a park in memoriam of the victims of UIA aircraft crash on January 8, 2020, over Tehran
To commemorate those who lost their lives in the sky of Iran, Ukraine International arranged an official ceremony of laying the first stone of a memorial park. The ceremony was attended by the families and friends of the deceased; Vadym Prystaiko, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine; Oleksiy Danilov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine; diplomatic representatives of countries that lost their citizens – Ms. Melinda Simmons, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to Ukraine; Mr. Andreas Edevald, Consul, Second Secretary of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Sweden to Ukraine; Mr. Sardar Mohammad Rahman Oghli, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to Ukraine; official representatives of the Embassy of Canada & the Canadian Police Mission in Ukraine – as well as Ukraine International and Boryspil International Airport teams, the Safe Sky Charity Fund co-founders and board members, governmental officials, and civic leaders of Ukraine.
"I would like to bow my head in sorrow for the victims of PS752 flight, – noted Vadym Prystaiko, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. – It must have never happened. It must have never happened in the world where rule of law and order is declared to be of the greatest value. We do our utmost to restore justice and impose liability upon those responsible. We will demand just compensation for this tragedy."
"Today, it turned 40 days since the tragic loss of 176 lives in the sky of Iran, – noted Yevhenii Dykhne, CEO Ukraine International. – To mark this date and pay homage to the victims of PS752 Tehran – Kyiv flight, we at Ukraine International decided to launch the construction of a memorial park. We sincerely thank everyone who shared this moment with us and supported us in these difficult times."
Eventually, the airline plans to erect a monument created following the results of an open contest among Ukrainian sculptors.
"Anyone who dedicated his life to aviation is part of a kinship family. On January 8, this family suffered a terrible loss, – noted Pavlo Riabikin, CEO of Boryspil International Airport State Enterprise. – We mourn together with our friends and colleagues from Ukraine International, the families of the deceased, and the whole world. We feel it essential to perpetuate the memory of the victims of Ukraine's largest-ever aviation accident."
Additionally, Ukrainian civic leaders founded the Safe Sky charity fund aiming at raising funds for families of deceased Ukrainians, informing the public on the investigation into the causes of the tragedy, and initializing substantive steps regarding safety and security of civil aviation in Ukraine and globally.


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More ire and words of wisdom for Unfaithful (Chronicles 2-19-10)
Dear Rachel,
I take issue with your column becoming a forum for every sickening person to have his or her "2 minutes of fame" aired in public. That this person will have children who could grow up to be murderers is a given and he shouldn't be surprised at the connection: the Commandment against murder (Lo Tirtzach) is directly followed by the Commandment against adultery (Lo Sinaf). The meforshim explain that should one commit adultery, the direct result will be to produce progeny who are murderers.
These are not only commandments given to us Jews; they are part of the seven Noahide Laws and are supposed to be practiced by all humankind. The writer flagrantly flaunts his disgusting behavior, boasts of not just "walking the streets" and "doing it" but is also coarsely proud of getting others to follow in his lewd footsteps.
Though I am not Chassidic, I have dozens of family members who are: they all married after meeting their respective spouses just 2 – 3 times and all are happy in stable marriages. It is so easy and totally unjustifiable to blame "the system" for one's craven crimes against G-d and our people.
The writer accomplished precisely what he set out to do: to goad the public readership's collective mind into the gutter with him. This letter should not have seen the light of day in a Torah-true publication like The Jewish Press!
Respectfully yours
Dear Respectfully,
Unfortunately the world we live in is not what it once was. With the advent of the Internet, many of our own – as letters to this column testify time and again – get caught up in the massive web of degeneracy. Can we really afford to pretend that the menace does not exist and to ignore those who attempt to reach out from the gutter to grasp at some semblance of sanity?
Can we delude ourselves into believing that if we close our eyes everyone will just hang in there, heal or that things will simply improve of their own accord? If we failed to turn the barrel over to pluck loose the rotten apple buried among the fresh ripe ones, would the rot not fester to putrefy all the healthy apples in the proximity of the decay?
Many readers, as a result of their letters to this column (see below for a perfect example), contribute their opinions as well as invaluable perspective learned from their own experiences, all of which are instrumental in some degree towards helping the floundering souls desperate for us not to ignore them or to pretend they do not exist.
Your concern and contribution are herewith acknowledged and appreciated.
Dear Rachel,
I invite the reader to visualize the following common scenario: Several children enjoying the yummy taste of their favorite dinner – grilled hot dogs – wonder in amazement at their grown-up peers standing around eating nothing. Do they know what they're missing?
In reality, the grown-ups know well what hot dogs taste like but they are in on a little secret. They are saving their appetite for the gourmet steaks on the grill that take a little longer to cook. The pleasure of eating a prime cut rib steak cannot quite compare to the 5 or 10 hot dogs – even if you add the relish and mustard! But that's only if you're grown-up enough to understand what real eating is all about.
Dear Mr. Unfaithful,
I am sure you've experienced many "hot dog-type" pleasures. But I'd like to introduce to you the ultimate love affair that I doubt you are familiar with, based on the way you speak. You see I too have flirted with the temptations and pleasures you refer to as indispensable. But I have found a book that describes in vivid detail the road to ultimate pleasures that will make any pleasure you had until now seem like a mere hot dog in the shadow of the real experience!
You know how you get a little depressed after the sin is committed and the pleasure comes to an end because you have to go home? Deep in your subconscious there's a gnawing feeling of dissatisfaction. After eating a 40 oz. steak, how much room is there for another 40 oz. steak? In one escapade, how much satisfaction can one achieve?
My book will show you how to increase your appetite and savor the pleasure of this ultimate affair without ever becoming "full." Also, this book can teach you how to involve your wife and gain her consent to your affair!
I am recommending a novel approach in love affairs that is guaranteed to make you happy and satisfied with pleasures growing every day instead of going stale! All you have to do is follow the book's instructions carefully and you will be on the road to a complete, pleasure-filled existence.
In the book you will actually be introduced to your new lover. This lover is guaranteed to love you 100% and provide all the pleasures you can dream of. In fact, even as you committed your various sins in the past, this Lover has been with you.
You may not be aware of it, but Hashem loves you very much because He kept your heart pumping even when some of your friends would have loved to see it stop.
The book I refer to is the Torah. Believe it or not, the recipe for the ultimate love affair is found right inside. All it takes is a little growing up to appreciate it! Chazal tell us that the ultimate pleasure is basking in Hashem's glory.
The thrill of going undercover and secretly indulging your fantasies can also be found when you go against the grain of society and secretly harbor a love for Hashem and think about Him all your waking moments.
When you are ready to grow up and experience this ultimate pleasure, you can speak to any of the many rabbanim in our community and I am sure they will help you. You can also talk to me if you wish, as I am somewhat experienced in the counterfeit pleasures of the world, as well as my ever-growing love affair with the Almighty. I can be reached at [email protected].
* * * * *
We encourage women and men of all ages to send in their personal stories via email to [email protected] or by mail to Rachel/Chronicles, c/o The Jewish Press, 338 Third Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y. 11215. If you wish to make a contribution and help agunot, your tax-deductible donation should be sent to The Jewish Press Foundation. Please make sure to specify that it is to help agunot, as the foundation supports many worthwhile causes.


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Podcast: Why consensus doesn't count in science
Here's a podcast on why consensus is meaningless in a field like science.
But honestly, I don't know why John West bothers to explain it. It shouldn't need explaining.
Consensus is meaningless in any field where being right means hitting a target.
You can cure cancer? Who cares whether people who can't cure cancer disagree with you?
You can put a man on Mars? Who cares about the people who said it couldn't be done?
Would you rather be part of the 95% consensus that didn't hit the bull's eye, or the 5% non-consensus that did?
[ ... ]
Yuh, I thought you'd say that ....


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Leavander W. Johnson Statue
Statue is located in City Center Park, on Atlantic Avenue between North Carolina and South Carolina Avenues
Text on statue:
Leavander W. Johnson
1969 - 2005
34 Wins - 5 Losses - 2 Draws - 26 KO'S
An Atlantic City native who became the IBF and IBO Lightweight World Champion
Additional information:
Born in Atlantic City and coached by his father, Leavander Johnson honed his boxing skills early, practicing at the Police Athletic League's boxing gym. His professional career began in 1989, and featured 12 straight bouts in Atlantic City casinos before launching an international career. Johnson quickly worked his way up to the coveted title of the International Boxing Federation's Lightweight Champion, but, tragically, he sustained brain injuries while attempting to defend this title and died in 2005 after a Las Vegas match. Following his death, a number of local tributes took place to honor Atlantic City's own boxing star. The statue in City Center Park was sculpted by Brian Hanlon and dedicated in 2010. The street outside of the PAL gym used by Leavander has been renamed in his honor, and the gym itself is adorned with a banner celebrating his achievements. Leavander Johnson was also inducted into the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame in 2005. Perhaps the best tribute of all, however, is Leavander's father Bill Johnson's decision to continue his career as a boxing coach. In an Atlantic City Press interview, Bill Johnson said, "When Leavander died, I stayed away for a while and thought about giving it up. But I thought it would be an injustice to Leavander if I didn't keep helping guys and training fighters. Leavander kept fighting right to the end and I know he would want me to do the same thing."
For more information, see articles from:
Atlantic City Press, July 9, 2010, September 22, 2006 and November 10, 2005
Casino Connection, September 2010


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4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
The quest for immortality is a tale as old has time. Luckily, David Castello has put a new spin on this classic idea in The Diary of an Immortal (1945-1959). The novel is set during the time of Nazi rule, when inhumane experimentation of prisoners occurred all too often. Steven, a war medic for the United States Army, stumbles across immortality pills during the overthrow of the Dachau prison camp. The little pills take Steven on a wild ride from the jazz scene in New York City to the Buddhist monasteries of China and the mountains of Tibet. The Diary of an Immortal is an extravagant work of fantasy set against very real, historic events. Castello weaves a tale of love, magic, evil, and the perils of everlasting life in his debut novel.
The story is full of complex, likable characters. Steven, the narrator of the novel, struggles with life after serving his country in World War II. After seeing the most horrible of human acts, Steven only wishes to prolong his life in order to gain back the years of happiness and joy stolen by the war. On the contrary, Buddhist immortals teach that extending one's life is actually a form of punishment. Throughout the novel, Steven internally struggles to understand the meaning of immortality and questions if everlasting life is actually a good thing. This ongoing battle results in Steven being a strong, well developed and empathetic character.
The most fascinating aspect of the novel is that the author delves into the dichotomy between the Buddhist and American cultures. In the Buddhist religion, the act of killing another being is not allowed. However, Chang Sou, an immortal Buddhist and the story's antagonist, wants to use his powers to wreak havoc on the inhabitants of Earth. Chow Li, a rival immortal, cannot kill Chang Sou himself because of his Buddhist principals and thus relies on Steven to rid the world of the evil Chang Sou. These differing cultural stances make the reader question character motives as well as the premise of immortality.
Although I greatly enjoyed the author's play on good versus evil, at times it felt a little over done and predictable. Similarly, there were certain religious elements thrown into the narrative, namely that Jesus Christ may not be from this planet, that did not seem relevant and that some readers may have trouble accepting.
The Diary of an Immortal (1945-1959) is an inventive fantasy story that is not only well written, but truly engrossing as well. The author superbly creates a fantastical story based on exciting historical events and also introduces interesting characters all while engaging the reader with thought provoking material. Though I had some minor criticisms of this book, I rate it 4 out of 4 stars and recommend it to fans of alternative history books as well as fans of the fantasy genre.
The Diary Of An Immortal (1945-1959)
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
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CLEVELAND (AP) - The Browns' switch on defense started with Frostee Rucker being shifted out the door.
Rucker was released by Cleveland on Tuesday, the first major move as the Browns change from a 4-3 defense to a multi-front system under new coach Rob Chudzinski and coordinator Ray Horton.
A top free-agent signing by Cleveland last year, Rucker started all 16 games and finished with 48 tackles and four sacks in his one season with the Browns. Rucker made $6 million last season and $2 million of his $2.5 million contract for 2013 would have been guaranteed if he was still on the roster Wednesday, according to a report by TheSidelineView.com.
The 29-year-old Rucker spent six seasons with Cincinnati before signing last March with Cleveland. He established himself as a leader in the Browns' locker room and Rucker was a staunch supporter of coach Pat Shurmur and general manager Tom Heckert, who were both fired after the Browns went 5-11 last season.
Last week, Chudzinski and Horton, who spent the past two seasons with Arizona, said the Browns hope to have an aggressive defense next season. Horton tried to downplay concerns about the team changing schemes, saying several times that he was simply looking for ``big men that can run and little men that can hit.''
Apparently, the 6-foot-3, 280-pound Rucker did not fit into either of those groups.
The Bengals selected Rucker, who played at Southern Caliornia, in the third round (No. 91 overall) of the 2006 draft.
Rucker's departure could signal the beginning of a busy offseason for the Browns, the first one under new owner Jimmy Haslam. At the Super Bowl last week, Haslam said the Browns would be active in free agency if the moves made sense.
I think we'll be selective in what we do in free agency, but if there's some talent out there that matches our needs and it's at the right dollar level, then, I think we'll probably make some moves,'' he said.
I don't think you'll see us making any big, splashy, high-priced moves because I think we've said all along, we're going to build through the draft.''


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Running a Single Test
During development, you may run a single test class repeatedly. To run this through Maven, set the test property to a specific test case.
mvn -Dtest=TestCircle test
The value for the test parameter is the name of the test class (without the extension; we'll strip off the extension if you accidentally provide one).
You may also use patterns to run a number of tests:
mvn -Dtest=TestCi*le test
And you may use multiple names/patterns, separated by commas:
mvn -Dtest=TestSquare,TestCi*le test
Running a set of methods in a Single Test Class
With version 2.7.3, you can run only n tests in a single Test Class.
NOTE : it's supported for junit 4.x and TestNG.
You must use the following syntax
mvn -Dtest=TestCircle#mytest test
You can use patterns too
mvn -Dtest=TestCircle#test* test
As of surefire 2.12.1, you can select multiple methods (JUnit4X only at this time, patches welcome)
mvn -Dtest=TestCircle#testOne+testTwo test


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Justice Beyond The Hague
Supporting the Prosecution of International Crimes in National Courts
- Council Special Report
- Concise policy briefs that provide timely responses to developing crises or contributions to current policy dilemmas.
When the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) was established more than twenty years ago, the international community had little experience prosecuting the perpetrators of genocide, war crimes, and other atrocities. Unfortunately, there has been ample opportunity to build expertise in the intervening decades; ad hoc tribunals have been established to address past crimes in Cambodia and Sierra Leone, and a formal International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) was convened in the aftermath of Rwanda's 1994 genocide. Since 2002, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has assumed responsibility for new prosecutions, pursuing war criminals in countries unable or unwilling to bring them to justice domestically.
Yet, after more than two decades of experience, the limits of these courts' capabilities are becoming clear. While they have brought some senior leaders to justice, the scope of the courts' budgets and their enquiries can never reach all--or even most--perpetrators of atrocities. They are physically far removed from the scenes of the crimes they are prosecuting, cannot compel evidence or conduct independent investigations, and are vulnerable to changes in funding and international political support.
More on:
To overcome these and other difficulties, the international community must place greater emphasis on strengthening the national justice systems of the countries where atrocities have occurred. In this Council Special Report, David Kaye examines existing international justice mechanisms, analyzes how they have succeeded and where they have failed, and explains what reforms national legal systems will require to secure just and peaceful outcomes. Cognizant of the myriad individual challenges facing countries experiencing or emerging from violent conflict, Kaye nevertheless identifies a core set of common needs: political pressure on governments reluctant to prosecute perpetrators; assistance in building legal frameworks and training legal officials; support for investigations, including forensic analysis and security sector reform; and creating belief in the justice system among the local population.
To these ends, Kaye outlines several recommendations for U.S. policymakers and their governmental and nongovernmental partners worldwide. Beginning in the United States, Kaye argues that Washington should expand diplomatic and financial support for national justice systems and appoint a senior official to oversee initiatives from the State Department, Justice Department, USAID, and other agencies. Abroad, he calls for the secretary of state to organize a donor conference to agree on funding priorities and responsibilities for the international community, and to establish a coordinating body to ensure that support for national-level justice systems is properly coordinated and informed by best practices.
Justice Beyond The Hague provides important insights into the strengths and limitations of current international justice mechanisms. It makes a clear case for increasing support to national legal systems and outlines a variety of ways that the U.S. government can improve and coordinate its aid with others. While there will always be a place for international courts in countries that cannot or will not prosecute perpetrators themselves, this Council Special Report successfully argues that domestic systems can and should play a more meaningful role.
More on:


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Sell iPhone X
Trade in your iPhone X and get paid quickly. Selling your iPhone X is the perfect way to make a little extra money in order to upgrade or change your phone. Maximize your money by using it to purchase a phone on our Buy page.
The process of selling your iPhone X is simple. Just tell us about your device and its condition, we'll make you an offer on the spot, then send us your used iPhone X in the mail. After we give your device a quick check, you get paid via Virtual MasterCard® Gift Card or PayPal. And if you decide you're dissatisfied with your final offer, we're happy to return your iPhone X to you.
It couldn't be easier. Start the process and sell your iPhone X today.


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[shadeydave] wanted to build his own Lawnbot, but he had no idea where to start. He purchased some DIY plans online which looked like they would get the job done, but then he strayed from the path in a big way and spent gobs of money in the process.
In his Instructable writeup, he details each misstep he made, explaining why his choices were bad as well as how much each mistake cost him. It sounds like pretty much everything that could go wrong did go wrong, from spending money on unnecessary microcontrollers to choosing the wrong wheels. Our favorite part is where he mentions that he couldn't figure out how to create a "kill switch" for the Lawnbot in the event that his transmitter loses contact with the speedy whirling death machine.
[shadeydave] is well aware of how poorly his build went, and primarily wrote it up as a cautionary tale to others out there who might decide to take on a similar project. He says that the Lawnbot works for the most part, but with his newfound wisdom he will be revising the bot, having learned from his mistakes.
We actually like to see this kind of writeup as they can be quite beneficial to someone trying to put together a similar project. So if you have some major flubs under your belt, don't be shy about digging them out and letting us know. As Thomas Edison said, "I have not failed. I have just found 10,000 ways that won't work."
Continue reading to see a quick video tour of [shadeydave's] mostly working Lawnbot.


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He included several contract-based claims, as well as a disability claim under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), and violations of the California labor code. Paragraph 87 features some comic relief with allegations that Mr. Lorre made vanity cards at the end of his shows (frankly, I don't know what this means) that included such statments as:
We employ a highly paid Hollywood professional who has years of experience with putting his life at risk. And sadly no, I'm not talking about our stuntman.The Complaint also includes lyrics to a song Lorre wrote called "Hooker in the Closet." Sounds catchy!
Attorney Martin Singer filed the Complaint. I was really pulling for a Charlie Sheen pro se filing in which his alleged disability is Tiger Blood and perhaps a GINA claim for his Adonis DNA. It's a serious lawsuit though, and he claims damages in the amount of $100,000,000... not including interest, punitive damages, and attorneys' fees of course. "Ninth Step Productions" is a co-plaintiff... not sure who that is.
Hat tip to Jon Hyman for pointing me to the Complaint. He is currently celebrating successfully predicting a disability claim in Sheen's Complaint.
Posted by Philip Miles, an attorney with McQuaide Blasko in State College, Pennsylvania in the firm's civil litigation and labor and employment law practice groups.


text: Home - Search - Browse - Alphabetic Index: 0- 1- 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8- 9 A- B- C- D- E- F- G- H- I- J- K- L- M- N- O- P- Q- R- S- T- U- V- W- X- Y- Z More Details for 1998-11-01 Discovery's crew released a second satellite today, a telescope package that will fly free of the Shuttle for two days to study the sun and the solar wind, research that may help scientists better understand a phenomenon that sometimes can cause widespread disruptions of communications and power supplies on Earth. Mission Specialist Steve Robinson, using Discovery's robotic arm, lifted the Spartan satellite from the shuttle's cargo bay and released it into orbit at 12:59 p.m. Central. A few minutes later, after a maneuver by the satellite indicated it was operating properly, Commander Curt Brown fired Discovery's jets to move away. Brown maintained a distance from six to 10 statute miles from the satellite for about nine hours while several tests of an experimental communications system on Spartan were conducted, using the Shuttle as a relay station. After a couple of minor problems early on, the communications link has worked well. Spartan normally requires no communications for its studies, and it is capable of performing all of its observations automatically and recording the data gathered onboard without any interaction with the ground. Just before the crew goes to bed this evening, Brown will fire Discovery's jets to further separate from Spartan, slowly moving out to a distance of more than 30 miles from the satellite. Spartan is scheduled to be retrieved by the Shuttle at 2:45 p.m. Central on Tuesday. Following the satellite release this afternoon, Brown and astronaut John Glenn took time out to speak with reporters at the Johnson Space Center, fielding questions about all aspects of the historic flight during a 40-minute press conference. Discovery remains in excellent condition. The crew is scheduled to begin a sleep period at 10 p.m. Central tonight and awaken at 6 a.m. on Monday. During the night, Glenn and fellow Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai will wear a host of sensors recording their movements and other information as part of the sleep research being conducted during the flight. Discovery is in a 348 by 338 statute mile orbit. Home - Search - Browse - Alphabetic Index: 0- 1- 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8- 9 A- B- C- D- E- F- G- H- I- J- K- L- M- N- O- P- Q- R- S- T- U- V- W- X- Y- Z © 1997-2017 Mark Wade - Contact © / Conditions for Use |