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Translation - thanks so much to @oldmoriartyy for taking the time to translate this REALLY long interview :)
Scans/ViaArticle - quotes from Rob, Kristen, Taylor and Stephenie Meyer
Article starts with a recap description of the last scene in BD1 and the synopsis of BD2.
Cinemanía met up with the team behind Breaking Dawn Part 2 this summer, first in San Diego and then again in Los Angeles, a few days before the scandal that put Pattinson and Stewart in danger broke. With Stephenie Meyer and the actors we reflected over the success of the Twilight Saga, fan enthusiasm, the sadness of saying goodbye, the memories and the excitement of finally taking some much deserved vacations.
The end of an era
We've seen them mature in front of cameras and our eyes, becoming grown up actors with a promising career. Stewart was only 18 when she played the insecure and in love Bella for the first time. Lautner was only 16 and had to get in shape with the possibility of a new actor replacing him for New Moon, and Pattinson was only an English actor that we saw dying in the fourth Harry Potter film. After four years and five movies, these guys agree in a lot of things: this franchise has changed their lives. They also admit to having a certain sadness because of never returning to that universe. The non-stop filming of both Breaking Dawn releases, for seven long months in Vancouver, were too long and tiring for the actors.
"If they told me tomorrow that we had to film new scenes, I'd be really happy. I'd start vibrating with excitement, because I enjoy playing this character," Stewart explained to us about the bittersweet end that is approaching.
The actress also added that in reality, she hasn't had to say goodbye to Bella, because all the characters she plays stay with her after she's done portraying them, "I've taken all I needed from her and now this stage is over. This project has been something very special, it lasted a long time, it's been very indulging and wonderful, although at the same time we were all rushing, not to be done with it, but to complete the experience. Now that we've made it, I like looking at it from a distance."
Lautner, aware of the end of this very long and meaningful stage in his career, was sure to enjoy every single last moment on set, "I remember that the final date was approaching. There were three weeks of shooting left and I said to myself: 'Now is when I should start soaking in every moment, because I know that when we're done I'm going to want to turn back time and start this again.' I'm very happy I did." He confessed.
For him, there was an especially memorable instant during Breaking Dawn filming, "The most exciting scene to me was the dance with Bella, after the wedding, it's on Part 1. It was the last thing I filmed in the entire franchise. It was a unique moment, but at the same time it was a tough scene on Jacob, it's when he has to say goodbye to Bella," he told, and admitted that the end of this saga allowed him to do something he'd been wanting to for a while, "When a movie ends, you need to take a week to sleep and not do anything. It's fun because, after this week you thing: 'Stop. I need to get back to work.'"
Pattinson's words are probably more enticing to saddened fans of the saga, the actor wanted us to know that this isn't really the end of the Twilight era, "I see the Harry Potter series and nobody is behaving like it's over. Everybody looks at the cast the same way. I don't think it affects in any way. It'll take years for things to calm down or you need to do something more definitive after this to show the direction you want to take."
The secret of success
For Meyer, the reason why these stories she wrote and these movies have become a worldwide phenomenon is still a mystery, and she assures to be surprised by it all the time.
Lautner is convinced the writer is too humble, "I never know how to answer that question, but all the merit is to the books and the characters she created. That's where it all started. It's a huge honor to be in the situation that allows me to bring them to life. The characters in the books are what made fans fall in love. I have no idea why they feel so identified with them, but I know that's where it all started."
Her cast made dared to go in deeper in this subject, indentifying the shared experience that she supposes is part of the key to success in this franchise, "I've been obsessed over it and it's been a very personal experience. There are other people who are into the same things as me and we share that energy. It's contagious. If you like something, and you can share it with your friends, you like it even more." Stewart told us.
Sentimental value set
Lautner and Stewart couldn't hide this from us, they didn't want to leave Vancouver without stealing a memoir of their days while shooting. Lautner kept the last clothes he used in Breaking Dawn, but he admitted that he would've liked to keep the motorcycle.
Stewart was more ambitious than the werewolf, taking various objects, "I kept the wedding ring and some bracelets. Actually, all of Bella's jewelry. I also have some clothes, at the end of every film I go: 'I want this, I want that'. I have the jacket from the first film, the one she takes to school: the brown one. It's fun because it's something I'd wear, but it actually doesn't zip up because it's a prop." The actress also shared that she'll also miss the Vancouver air and that especial connection connection she'll always have with the crew.
Pattinson was the only one that didn't claim possessions from his character; he's convinced that Edwards wedding ring should be found on sale on Ebay right now. The actor talked to us about other, maybe less sentimental, things that he'll miss now that his days filming the vampire saga are over, "There's this incredibly good place to eat shawarmas in Vancouver, it's one of the best in the world, which is very strange because it's in Vancouver. The worst part is I don't even know where it is, it was always other people that bought them [laughs]. But I really liked it, and also the fried chicken you got on the hotel's room service [laughs]."
Final notes
For Stewart, there's a clear reason why she should not be sad over the end of the story: Edward and Bella have finally found happiness and a way to be together, "I don't want anything else to happen to them, please, leave them in peace. At the end of the film we get to a point that is so satisfactory, it makes you feel really good," the actress previewed. "I don't want this to sound arrogant, but we do really cool things with this ending. I think Bill [Condon] was the perfect person to direct this fourth book. The audience expects something very emotional with this ending and I've watched it four times, I can tell you that I've cried every time."
Maybe Pattinson's right, maybe this isn't the end of an era for the actors of this franchise, but they all have to prove whether they're in Hollywood to stay, if within a few years these titles will just be one more in their filmography, or whether the adventures of Bella, Edward and Jacob will define their careers forever. Only time has the answer.
Rob's Interview Q&A
The actor attended our interview at the Four Seasons hotel in Los Angeles dressed in casual jeans and a short sleeved shirt over a t-shirt. His hat, covering his almost-orange hair, and the electronic cigarette he smokes between answers catch attention. He's tired; this is his thousand interview in a long day of talks with journalists, after a promotional weekend talking about his role in the final movie of the Twilight saga.
It's to be admired that Rob puts all of those factors aside, smiles while he chats with me and always tries to give a sincere, smart and unique answer.
Talk to us about Edward in this film. A lot has happened since you began playing him.
I've had to deal during the whole series with fundamental means, and at this point, I think Stephenie [Meyer] had already gotten over that aspect of his personality. The moment Bella turns into a vampire, they're both fine. She's the best vampire-human turn that has ever happened, so he has nothing to worry about, and nothing happens to the little girl they have together, she's a great daughter. I think one of the differences in this movie is that he's more excited over things. He has something that motivates him, and that's always interesting to play. Finally, he doesn't have to worry about anything, he knows he has to protect his daughter, but he doesn't doubt how to do it for a second. It was very attractive to play him as a secure person, a complete change.
Are you going to miss the character or are you glad to leave him behind?
I don't know. If Stephenie had written another book after Breaking Dawn in which something crazy happened, I would like to play him. But you don't long for something unless it exists [laughter and a mischievous look]. I never even imagined that the fourth book would be divided into two parts, because when I signed to make these films, they hadn't divided the last two parts of Harry Potter. Nobody knew that the new tendency of making a series was dividing the last book into two parts [laughs].
I think shooting the last two films wasn't easy…
Filming them at the same time was tough, and, when we filmed this one, there were different direction units because there's a lot of action sequences. We were filming things that none of us really knew how they'd end up fitting in the finished version. In the first version of the film, there's a scene of the final fight, that's supposed to be a secret, but everybody knows and it'll last around 45 minutes. A really, really long fight scene. It took us two and a half months to shoot it in the studio with a green screen, fake snow and a lot of filming hours a day. We spent so much time surrounded by green that when we left the studio it all still looked green. It was crazy.
How has this saga changed you?
It's interesting. A lot of people go nuts when they get to do a film with these characteristics. Especially in those moments where you completely lose your social life and end up with a new one. I was lucky to have had the same friends for ten years before all of this happened, and I had no interest in meeting new people [laughs]. So not a lot changed, really. You also need to try to not see people in a different way, and sometimes it's very easy because you spend a few years in which the whole world asks you the same things over and over again. Not only journalists, people in general, people in your daily life, and even strangers, they all ask the same thing and it's weird. Besides, you know that after they'll be telling something about you and that's an even weirder feeling. So you need to concentrate on reality again and again [laughs].
Do you see yourself doing a franchise again soon? Or do you prefer stand alone films?
If it's a good franchise there's no problem. Every film that's being done now ends up being a franchise [laughs], but I have to tell you that there's something beautiful in distributing a film with a big studio behind it; there's a certain guarantee that people will see it. You're going to have a good team of people working. In that sense, I like the way studio's systems work.
We've seen Kristen Stewart reach certain prime professionally, precisely because of this system. Have you become braver and have you been taking more risks by her side?
A lot more. I remember when they sent me the script for 'Cosmopolis', we were about to start filming 'Breaking Dawn' and I asked everyone whether I should accept it. I knew I liked it, but strangely I didn't know what to do. I asked Kristen to read the script and she told me: "What the hell are you talking about? You have to do this! It's Cronenberg!" [laughs]. That influenced my decisions, of course. Kristen is living proof that you can be successful only doing things that she finds specifically interesting. She never makes decisions thinking about her career and it's something that works more and more as time passes. It's good that this method works for someone.
Did the Cosmopolis experience change you?
Just getting that part changes you a lot, and not having to force anything to play it. I can't believe that I haven't done a film since then. It's ridiculous. It's making me a bit crazy.
How long have you not been working?
Practically a year, but in that time I've had to promote like four films [laughs hysterically], which is also ridiculous. I feel like that's my whole job because it's all I do. Before, I thought having a Twilight movie after every project would make me be less afraid. But, as soon as this is over, you realize that it's not easy to make decisions. I think, in part, it has to do with the fact that I'm getting older. Now I can do different things, I start to fit into different roles and, of course, I can't play a high school student [laugs].
So it hasn't been an intentional pause…
There was a while where I couldn't find anything at all. And, suddenly, a few months ago, I found a bunch of things, all at once. But none of those projects started until the fall. Fall, spring and summer are full, four movies at once, but it's taken me a long time to be able to organize it. I really want to start working again.
Mission: Blacklist, which is about the US soldier whose interrogations led to finding Saddam Hussein, is actually your next project…
I think so. The director's in Iraq, staying in the same palace where the guy we're making the movie about stayed. He's sending me pictures. It's crazy. We'd like to film in Iraq, but it's going to be very difficult because of safety. I wonder if Afghanistan would make a good Iraq double [laughs].
Is writing something that attracts your attention? What kind of books would you like to be the author of?
Surely something like 'Fifty Shades of Grey' [laughs hysterically]. I would really like to do that and invert the roles: making the woman the one who punishes the man. It'd be so much fun. Something like 'Misery', but really he loves to be in that situation.
You've been chased by the shadow of fame for years. Do you do anything to avoid all public attention?
Nothing works. Sometimes you try the typical things like a hat and sunglasses. It ends up being a thing of where you go to, it has to be places where people wouldn't expect to find you. Sometimes that works, but not always. Once I went to an Indian reservation in New Mexico, there was a little town in the middle of nowhere with 200 or 300 habitants, I got out of the car and literally five minutes later someone was approaching me and saying: "Robert?". I couldn't believe it. But normally the only annoying thing is paparazzi or anyone who follows you. It's irritating. When people really like you, that's great. You don't get tired of that. I'd say 90 percent of people that approach me are a bit intimidated. They tell me things like: "My three year old cousin is a really big fan." They're never the fans [laughs].
Our talk ends with this new showing of humbleness from the actor. A lot of things have changed in his life since he put on the pale make-up of Edward Cullen for the first time, but it looks like fame hasn't gotten to his head.


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Sometimes it's nice to have others make minor decisions for me. I'm happy when my wife decides what we're cooking for dinner. It's more convenient when a friend suggests a specific date to get together. If I look in my closet and see only one pair of pants (the others being in the laundry), no problem, it makes deciding what to wear very easy.
Sometimes though it can be difficult to avoid others trying to make decisions for me. From political commentators telling me who "won" a debate, to companies telling me what product will make me happy, to programmers at Netflix creating algorithms that tell me what movies to watch, I'm bombarded with recommendations from people I've never met.
For important lifecycle events—baby naming ceremonies, bat and bar mitzvahs, weddings and funerals—affiliated and unaffiliated Jews alike tend to rely heavily on others, most often experienced and knowledgeable rabbis. For unaffiliated Jews and interfaith couples who do not belong to a synagogue, however, rabbis are often strangers whom we don't know and who don't know us.
Stepping away from the cast of strangers
The day my grandfather died, my mother said aloud what we were all thinking, "Arrangements need to be made." I immediately pictured the typical funeral service with a rabbi we didn't know talking to us about a man he didn't know. Something inside me cried out, "No more strangers!"
Since my grandfather suffered from dementia, the nurses, doctors and staff at the assisted living facility were always strangers. As my grandfather's dementia progressed, the cast of strangers in his life expanded to include even us, his own family. I was extremely grateful for the care he received, and yet I wondered, "Why must we rely on someone we don't know to care for Papa even after he's dead? Do we really need a stranger to show us how to say goodbye to the man we loved so much?"
Rabbis, like all individuals, can be wonderful people, but I was hesitant to have a rabbi who did not know my grandfather lead us through such an emotional experience. Although a rabbi would help ensure that Jewish rituals were met with accuracy, this had never been a priority for my grandfather. He loved to poke holes in theology and remind us not to take ourselves too seriously. I wanted a service that was as loving and authentic as my grandfather; an experience that was both Jewish and completely tailored for the man I admired.
I asked my mother and aunt—my grandfather's daughters—if I could lead the funeral service. Initially, they said they'd think about it. In our next conversation I learned that their hesitation stemmed only out of concern for me. "Would you be OK?" they asked. "Would it be too difficult, since you and Papa were so close?" Truth is, I was scared to get what I asked for. Even thinking about attending a funeral makes me nervous.
Interfaith marriage as a confidence-booster
The determination to create and lead my grandfather's funeral service grew in large part from my experiences in an interfaith marriage—I was raised a Reform Jew and my wife was raised Christian, though she has since developed an aversion to all organized religion. To build rituals and Jewish holiday celebrations that are meaningful for both of us (and our friends who are Jewish and of other faiths), we experiment with ideas from within and outside Judaism. Together, we've learned that we can try anything—if a ritual works we can do it again; if it doesn't we can try something new.
Developing a practice of spiritual self-reliance and interfaith experimentation gave me the strength to take responsibility for my grandfather's funeral, to help lead rather than be led and to do so without the pressure of trying to be exactly perfect.
Getting my hands dirty in self-reliance
The Jewish ritual at the end of a burial service is to place dirt atop the casket. This voluntary ritual gives loved ones an opportunity to participate in the burial process. Creating and officiating my grandfather's funeral service felt like an extension of this dirt ritual, a way for me to get my hands dirty, to get involved and to get uncomfortable for the sake of love and gratitude.
Preparing the funeral service also helped me appreciate all of the work done by strangers of all faiths whom we rely on to help us say goodbye, particularly the gravediggers. I prepared the words; they prepared the land. After they carefully lowered the patriarch of my family into the earth, I thanked the cemetery workers for their work. A couple of the men nodded in recognition as they walked away wordlessly to their next task.
"I am officiating this funeral service as a grandson mourning the loss of my grandfather, my Papa," I said at the start of the service to the group of family and friends gathered in front of me. Minutes later as my wife and I were performing the song "Lechi Lach" on flute and guitar—a duet my Papa always treasured—a gust of wind sent my yarmulke flying. As a family friend chased after the yarmulke and plopped it back on my head, I cherished the intimacy of the imperfect graveside service.
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I have a netbook which has about 3-4 gigs of space on it. Since it is a netbook, I didn't want to perform a full install of latex (~1gig) on it. It runs linux.
I was wondering if I could install latex on an external hard drive or perhaps have a light version (quite barebones) of latex which would need me to place packages in my compile directory without having them all.
I have read LaTeX for netbook OSes. However, most of the options available are for compiling in the "cloud" which I don't want as internet access, whilst travelling, is sketchy at best.
This forum post on Installing/running MikTeX on an external harddrive doesn't inspire too much confidence either.
What are my options? Are there any lightweight distributions of latex that I should sudo apt-get
with my netbook?


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Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more.
Please keep in mind, the homeowner is responsible for proving a property is a primary residence and applying for an exemption. Failure to apply for the exemption is a not a mistake on behalf of the county.
Show All Answers
The exemption can only be granted on up to one acre. Any remaining acreage will be taxed at 100% of market value.
If you live in the home or condominium full time, simply fill out the Signed Statement of Primary Residence and return it and copy a current driver's license, to the Assessor's office. Signed statements must be received before May 1st of the tax year to receive the exemption for that tax year. Signed Statements are available in the Assessor's Office or on the right hand side of this page. Completed forms may be mailed (PO Box 128 Coalville, UT 84017), faxed (435-578-3532) emailed (firstname.lastname@example.com) or hand delivered (60 N Main Street, Coalville, Utah). If the property is rented on a full time basis, you must provide a copy of the current lease along with the signed statement. Primary residence status may be appealed August 1st through September 15th of each year. All applications received after September 15th will be considered for the next calendar year.
The primary residence exemption can only be granted on up to one acre of land, any remaining acreage will be taxed as "Non-Primary land".


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Request to Amend Accountability Plans – Nevada – NCLB Policy Letters to States
June 10, 2008
The Honorable Keith Rheault
Superintendent of Public Instruction
Nevada Department of Education
700 East 5th Street
Carson City, Nevada 89701-5096
Dear Superintendent Rheault:
I am writing in response to Nevada's request to amend its State accountability plan under Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). Following discussions between the Department and your staff, you made certain changes to Nevada's accountability plan, which are now included in the amended State accountability plan that Nevada submitted to the Department on May 28, 2008. I am pleased to fully approve Nevada's amended plan, which we will post on the Department's website. A summary of the approved amendment is enclosed with this letter. As you know, any further requests to amend the Nevada accountability plan must be submitted to the Department for review and approval as required by section 1111(f)(2) of Title I.
Please also be aware that approval of Nevada's accountability plan for Title I, including the amendment approved herein, does not indicate that the plan complies with Federal civil rights requirements, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and requirements under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
I am confident that Nevada will continue to advance its efforts to hold schools and school districts accountable for the achievement of all students. If you need any additional assistance to implement the standards, assessments, and accountability provisions of NCLB, please do not hesitate to contact Abigail Potts (email@example.com) or Sharon Hall (email@example.com) of my staff.
Kerri L. Briggs, Ph.D.
cc: Governor Jim Gibbons
Carol Crothers
Amendments to the Nevada Accountability Plan
The following is a summary of the Nevada's amendment request. Please refer to the Department's website (www.ed.govhttps://www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/account/stateplans03/index.html) for Nevada's complete accountability plan.
Acceptable amendments
The following amendment is aligned with the statute and regulations.
Including students with disabilities in adequate yearly progress (AYP) (Element 5.3)
Revision: Nevada will include students who were formerly classified as students with a disability in the students with disabilities subgroup for two additional years for purposes of calculating AYP.


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"With Jose Aldo, I think everyone is so intimidated and so concerned
about what he's gonna do, and I'm just going in there and I know I can
beat him. I know I have the tools to beat him and that's the mentality
I'm bringing in."
Anyone who has met Mark "The Machine" Hominick will tell you that he's a true gentleman, one of the politest people in the sport of mixed martial arts. But then there was January 22, 2011, the night the quiet 28-year old from Thamesford became a "Mean Machine."
"I wanted to make a statement with the fight," said Hominick of his 88 second stoppage of George Roop on the UFC Fight for The Troops 2 card in Killeen, Texas. "There was talk that I was going to get the title shot, so I knew I was close, but I just wanted to go in there and make a statement, silence any of the critics, and just prove why I was the number one contender, and I went in there and that's what I did."
It sounds a lot less intimidating than what the reality was. On this night, Hominick tore out of his corner at the opening bell and the look on his face said it all. He was going to do everything he could to knock Roop out as cleanly and quickly as possible, and he was going to end the fight, leave the Octagon with no bumps or bruises, and leave himself in perfect condition to challenge UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo on April 30 in Toronto.
Mission accomplished, and in two and half months, he will challenge for his first world title. Better yet, he will do it in his home province in front of 40,000 of his closest friends at the Rogers Centre.
"It's an iconic place, especially for Toronto and people in Ontario," said Hominick of the home field of the Toronto Blue Jays and Toronto Argonauts. "Like back when it was the Skydome and the Jays won back-to-back World Series and the Joe Carter homerun. But I never thought the UFC would be coming there. This is beyond dreams."
It's a great story on a lot of levels, and being just an hour and a half away by car, Hominick will likely be the focal point of many in the media leading up to the fight. He's already become a favorite of friends who date all the way back to his kindergarten days in terms of ticket requests, but he's not about to get distracted, even with his wife expecting their first child five days after UFC 129.
"I focus on the task at hand, and I've always been good at that," he said. "This is the first thing when I wake up and the last thing I'm thinking about when I go to bed, and finally, everything's come together."
A pro since 2002, Hominick paid his dues on the Canadian circuit, winning the country's super lightweight title as well as the featherweight belt from the TKO organization that propelled his career to the next level. But it's been a five fight winning streak that began in 2008 that has really proved Hominick to be ready for prime time in the 145-pound weight class.
"You can see in my last five fights, I got five in a row, and I think every fight, I've gained in confidence and believing I'm the best in the division," said Hominick, 20-8, a victor over Roop, Leonard Garcia, Yves Jabouin, Bryan Caraway, and Savant Young during his unbeaten string. "And with Jose Aldo, I think everyone is so intimidated and so concerned about what he's gonna do, and I'm just going in there and I know I can beat him. I know I have the tools to beat him and that's the mentality I'm bringing in."
Brazil's Aldo, who will be defending the UFC belt he was awarded last November for the first time, has yet to be tested in his time under the Zuffa umbrella. His 8-0 record in the WEC is filled with jaw-dropping knockouts and dominant performances against the cream of the featherweight crop. Hominick certainly respects the champion, but he doesn't fear him.
"First off, I think he's one of the best pound for pound fighters, there's no denying that," said Hominick of Aldo. "But I match up very well with him, and there's nobody that's brought the skill set that I have. No one's been in his face, no one's had the technical standup skills that is gonna back him up. He dictates the fight, and everyone moves backwards because they're intimidated by his standup and what he's done to everybody else. I plan on putting the pressure on him, and nobody's done that."
Hominick's confidence comes not with bluster or arrogance; it comes from a place where you let your fists and feet do the talking. So he's ready for April 30 and ready to enjoy every day leading up to the defining fight of his career.
"I'm just trying to take it all in, and not get swallowed by the hype," he said. "I'm pumped to be a part of this, and I always enjoy the moments leading up to the fight, but this one's gonna be extra special. And I'm a fan of the sport too, so it's pretty cool to be up there with Georges St-Pierre and headlining an event in Toronto. This is ten years fighting as a pro all coming to one moment, and I'm gonna give it everything I got."
UFC Performance Institute
Dana White On The Opening Of UFC PI Mexico


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I think the S4 was ruled out long ago due to poor build quality and no standalone mixer functionality.
I think the S4 was ruled out long ago due to poor build quality and no standalone mixer functionality.
VCM100 / X1 / DJM250 / DJM900 / CDJ2000s / Maschine / Audio2+4 / 2i4 / HS8s / TSP 2.6.8
Macbook Air i7-3667U+8GB 10.9 / Win7x64 i5-3570k+24GB
Trailer an I went through a similar dilemma to you recently and went for the MC6000 due to its build and input options. I don't think you will be dissapointed. It's a great solution to take to a bar, plug in the existing TT's and have digital options alongside a vinyl bag.
A composer is a guy who goes around forcing his will on unsuspecting air molecules, often with the assistance of unsuspecting musicians.
SSD Dual drive MBP, VCI100SE, 2 MF's, Audio 8, Echo Audiofire 2, 2x1200's, CDJ800s, Novation Twitch, XoneS2, X1, tons of PA Gear.
Hey guys,
I have a HUGE problem. I bought a 4TRAK a few months ago and quite happy with it, but now I want to take it with me on gigs on the road with a decent and protective backpack. Obviously my eye fell on the Numark Controller Backpack first, because it has the exact dimensions of the piece of gear. I live in Europe and trangely enough, the backpack is sold out EVERYWHERE. I called almost every store in Europe to see if they got one left. I even mailed Numark but their poor customer support didn't even answer. Now I'm looking for a decent, protective & obviously fitting bag, but big players like UDG don't even have one. U guys have any suggestions on which bag to buy? I encountered the DJC-SC5 from Pioneer on my search, but don't know if it will fit due to the seperate FX-unit that the 4TRAK offers.
Plz guys I'm desperate :'(


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Unmaned Surface Vehicles
Echo Sounders
Side Scan Sonars
Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers
Total Stations
Electronic Theodolites
Digital Levels
Automatic Levels
Handhelds Distance Meters
Mapping Drones & Payloads
UAV Applications
Terrestrial Laser Scanners
SLAM LiDAR
Satellite Imagery
Automatic Deformation Monitoring Systems
Environmental Monitoring Systems
Relevant Sensors
VR Simulated Surveying Training Systems
Auto Steering
Track Geometry Measuring Trolley Systems
Automated Tunnel Scanning & Inspection Systems
South Group (hereafter as "the Company") has been developed as a provider for GIS solutions, which integrated with R&D, production, sales and services since its inception. South Group always putting efforts on industry informatization and the increasing value for GIS applications, our service is fully covered the survey equipment, precise measurement system, data process project, GIS system and smart city application, etc.
By our independent innovation spirit, the Company committed to Geo-information industry and revitalizing the national industry as our own duty as always. South also achieved the localization for survey equipment, for example the total station, GNSS products, Theodolite, Distance Meter, and becoming the leader for Chinese survey equipment manufacture. According to the qualification test from the National Administration of Surveying and Geo-information, South already owing the technology for world-advanced level in TOP4. At the same time, South is also listed the NO.1 position in Top 100 Enterprises for GIS industry.
With over 3000 employees in South Group, the Company captured over 60% share in the domestic market and built a seamless network by 30 provincial branch offices, over 100 municipal sub-branches in nationwide, and there are 9 headquarters donate the oversea sales to export the products over 100 religions in worldwide. Combine with 5 affiliated manufacture factories which located in Beijing, Wuhan, Changzhou and Guangzhou, the Company has grown the R&D technology for GNSS, high-speed railway measurement, UAV system, mobile laser scanning, precise position service, GIS software from strength to strength.
Adhere to the idea for Star Service, the Company focus to the professionality and real-time response to meet all the requirements for our customers. We not only insisting the importance for humanized management and regulated cooperation, but also our employee's value.
South devote ourselves to the developments of Geo-information industry in China, will continue our steps to becoming the world-class suppler for surveying instruments and GIS solutions.


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For example, Evolving Wilds has a mana fixing ability, but it doesn't say you can tap it for mana. Other non-basic lands have a mana ability listed on the card. Should I assume that Evolving Winds cannot be tapped for mana?
Basic lands don't have mana tapping abilities listed, but are assumed you can tap them for mana of the color they represent.


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Timelined a week or so after Surprise Family Reunion
Shaw: The coffee pot in his workroom seemed to have finally died a most noble death. Although he could most certainly take it apart and repair it, he really wanted coffee to do so. Sebastian wandered from the room, cracking his back and rolling his shoulders.
Jessica: Jess sat in the living room, attempting to do some reading for classes while keeping an eye on Miriam who was happily chewing on some blocks and watching kids tv.
Shaw: He exited the stairs and headed into the kitchen, puttering about and turning on the coffee pot. Hello, love, he sent to Jessica in the living room as he measured coffee into the filter. Tea?
Jessica: Sounds lovely, she replied, setting her text book aside to stretch.
Shaw: Checking for water in the kettle, he refilled it and flipped it on, wandering into the living room and dropping a kiss on his wife's cheek.
Jessica: She smiled, dropping her arms to catch him and kiss him properly, "I'm sure Miriam would be happy to see her daddy too... but tv has claimed her soul."
Shaw: Once he looked up from the kiss, he smirked toward the television. "Well, at least I suppose muppets are an acceptable claim on her soul, for now." Sebastian came around the sofa and flopped down beside her.
Jessica: "It keeps her out of trouble," she agreed, giving him a smile as he joined her and wrapping her arms around him.
Shaw: "Oh, I'm sure. That show has been keeping generations out of trouble," he laughed, helping her settle against him and kissing her temple.
Jessica: "Good to know," she nodded, "How's the working going?"
Shaw: "My coffee pot finally died." He heaved a dramatic sigh and reached to pick up her book and study the cover. "How is homework going?"
Jessica: "It's.... not. Distracted by that lump of cuteness over there." She nodded to their daughter.
Shaw: Miriam was still ignoring both of her parents in favor of Cookie Monster, but he could see her dark curls and the occasional flailing of a hand and squeak. "There are worse ways to be distracted," he chuckled.
Jessica: "Definitely," she agreed, "And it's only reading so technically I did that already...."
Shaw: "Ah, well in that case, you're not averse to additional distraction..." Sebastian nuzzled her ear, grinning to himself.
Jessica: She giggled, "I am while our kid's in the room... and where's my cup of tea?"
Shaw: He nipped her earlobe and sighed heavily, but wriggled himself free to go get said tea. "Right away, m'lady."
Jessica: She gave him a grin, "Thank yoooou!"
Shaw: "Mmhmm," he responded over his shoulder, already almost to the kitchen. Sebastian set to making Jessica's tea first, just as she liked it - disgusting though it was - then his coffee.
Jessica: Jess watched Miriam bouncing along and clapping happily to some song on her show while she waited.
Shaw: The phone in his pocket chirped and Sebastian paused to check it, then found himself reading the email from his attorney.
Jessica: Wondering what was taking so long, Jess got up from the sofa and poked her head out into the hall, not wanting to leave Miriam alone. "Sebastian...?"
Shaw: "Mmm? Oh! Yes, one moment..." He quickly skimmed the rest and dropped the phone on the counter, picking up both cups to return to the living room. Sebastian handed over the tea with a faint smile. "Sorry, koibito. I was distracted."
Jessica: Jess took her tea, leaning to kiss his cheek softly before she returned to the sofa, "By anything good?"
Shaw: "Well, I suppose that depends," he said, returning to the sofa and setting the cup aside to cool while he cuddled Jess again. "I do have an uncle."
Jessica: She blinked at him, "... Really? I thought you said your immediate family were all dead?"
Shaw: "I thought they were dead myself." His brows rose in bemusement. "My mother was an only child, and I don't recall my father ever mentioning having a brother."
Jessica: "So... are you sure this uncle's legit and not another plant?" Because it wouldn't be the first time. She frowned and looked down at her tea.
Shaw: "Well, aside from asking him for a DNA test - a thought that has occurred to me - his birth certificate checks out." He kissed her temple and watched the steam rising from her tea as well.
Jessica: She sighed, "Well we all know paperwork can be faked..." the past few years seemed to have awakened the same level of paranoia in her as her father had had.
Shaw: "Yes, although this wasn't a check of a certificate he supplied - my attorney checked birth and death records for Allegheny County and there was an Esau Shaw, born five years before my father Jacob, to my grandparents." He shrugged, jostling them both a bit.
Shaw: "Whether this man is truly he or not... we have yet to determine."
Jessica: "Oookay... starting to see why he was hiding out. Does your family hate their children? Because the naming thing... needs some work. Miriam was lucky I was involved."
Shaw: Sebastian laughed. "If there was some sort of reason for it, I've never known. I got off lightly, except for the middle name, which I can easily conceal." He nuzzled her hair again. "Apparently my father only half hated me."
Jessica: "Maybe he was feeling generous because he got a normalish name," she suggested, then sighed, "How do we find out if this guy is who he says he is? And why is he only turning up now?"
Shaw: "I have no idea." Miriam finally realized she could hear both her parents and turned around, dropping the slobbery block she'd been chewing. With a happy squeak, she started crawling to them.
Jessica: "Well... I suppose if it comes to it we could ask Viper.... but I haven't heard anything from her since the whole thing with Hydra so... I guess she's busy..." She set her tea down to lift Miriam onto her lap.
Shaw: "Hello, little love," he greeted, holding his hand out to Miriam. She grabbed his fingers, and immediately pulled them to her mouth. "I suppose I should try to meet him. Hope and Michael said he did resemble me..."
Jessica: "Well don't go on your own..." she turned a worried frown on him.
Shaw: "Well, I considered taking Yukio, but we could make it a trip. I'm certain if we met him in a public place he would behave if he has any nefarious intent."
Jessica: She nodded, "I think I'd rather go with you... less worrying. How public were you thinking?"
Shaw: "If I investigate him a bit more in advance, I would perhaps feel comfortable enough to suggest we make a family vacation of it. We could take Miriam and spend a weekend in Pittsburgh." Sebastian looked up at her to gauge her reaction.
Jessica: "Only if we're sure it's safe to bring her..." she cuddled her daughter to her, "I don't want to put her in danger..." she was thinking seriously about calling Viper no matter how busy she may be.
Shaw: He blinked at her. "I don't either. I wouldn't even entertain the notion if anything questionable came up in the investigation." Miriam was still mauling his hand and he curled his free arm further around them both.
Jessica: She nodded, resting her head against him, "So let's find out what we can and then decide what to do next."
Shaw: "Of course." He kissed her through her hair and settled her closer. Miriam twisted to blink up at them.
Jessica: "If you want me to contact Viper, let me know... But I know you have your own resources too."
Shaw: "I will keep it in mind." He gave her a half-smile, then looked down at Miriam. "What do you think?" he said, pitching his voice into baby mode. Miriam wriggled and babbled, looking between them.
Jessica: "I think she says 'where's my lunch?'" Jess guessed with a laugh.
Shaw: He joined her laughter, and Miriam squealed, then began blowing spit bubbles. She frowned, as if in concentration. "Or something else..." Before he could finish the thought, she starting making noise. "Mmm... M-m-ma..."
Jessica: Jess looked down at her, her eyes wide, Is she trying to talk?!
Shaw: "Mmmmaaaa..." Miriam tried. It seems so? Sebastian grinned. "Mama? Are you trying to say mama? You're doing well, little love."
Jessica: "Clever girl!" Jess praised her.
Shaw: Miriam snuffled and frowned again. "Maaaaamamamama!"
Jessica: Jess cheered for her and bounced her on her knee, "Good girl!"
Shaw: "That's fantastic!" Sebastian laughed and tucked Miriam's soft fluffy hair behind her ear. "You said mama!" Pleased with herself, Miriam said it again.
Jessica: "Well, that's it," Jess said with a laugh, "We'll never shut her up now!"
Shaw: "I suspect once she begins picking up words from Hope we'll wish she'd never learned to talk." He laughed when Miriam responded with another enthusiastic "Mamamama!"


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BuddyPress 1.0.3 is now available for download.
This version fixes compatibility issues with WordPress MU 2.8.1. Due to major changes in this version of WordPress the updates to BuddyPress are very specific, therefore WordPress MU 2.8.1 is required for BuddyPress 1.0.3 and higher. Please upgrade your version of WordPress MU before upgrading BuddyPress.
There are now complete upgrade instructions, so please follow these step-by-step when upgrading BuddyPress.
Once you have upgraded to the latest, you will need to re-add your BuddyPress widgets. The widgets have been completely rebuilt with the new widget API. This is a one time step only.
As always, please backup before upgrading anything.


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[Bryan] sent in this old but excellent guitar cable hack. [J. Donald Tillman] managed to fit a fet based pre-amp inside the 1/4″ connector of a guitar cable. It's phantom powered – so it'll leach power from the sound board/mixer. I'm just impressed that he fit the thing inside there.
On a side note, This is the kind of crap that gives hackers a bad name. I hope the jerks behind it end up as Soylent Green.


text: I was walking along 10th Avenue when I saw this large poster outside the Equinox Gym. I love the picture and the good humored pun. I'm pretty sure this would have been an image that someone picked up from stock rather than commissioned, so it also shows the afterlife of a well executed image in today's fluid picture market. And lastly, in this summer of no summer, it's nice to be cheered up by a funny sunny photo!


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A property appraisal is an opinion of value. In ad valorem appraisal, the appraiser is attempting to estimate market value, which is defined as "the most probable sale price of a property in terms of money in a competitive and open market, assuming that the buyer and seller are acting prudently and knowledgeably, allowing for a sufficient time for the sale, and assuming that the transaction is not affected by undue pressures." There are many factors which must be analyzed before current market value can be determined.
Golf Course List (PDF)


text:
I have a mouse with lots of buttons, but it's not a mainstream make like Logitech. For Windows, I have a driver that lets me assign actions like close-window (Ctrl+W) or next-tab (Ctrl+Tab), but I don't have a Linux driver. Since Linux is so flexible, I thought perhaps there is a general way to do this, regardless of brand?
Update: Based on input from Cyrex, I installed and ran sudo apt-get install btnx
which found several but not all mouse buttons.
Found: left, right, wheel, wheelclick, thumb fwd, thumb back.
Not found: wheel left, wheel right, thumb middle button.
Vendor ID is 0x04d9, Model ID is 0xa015.
Update 2: In System>Prefs>Mouse there's a lightbulb icon for testing double-click speed. Every working button can turn the bulb on&off, but the missing buttons can't. It would seem that Ubuntu isn't aware of these buttons and thus doesn't register their clicks. I guess I need to hunt for a driver, though a mainstream mouse is probably the easier way.


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Home >
News & Policies >
September 2005
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
September 2, 2005
President Remarks on Hurricane Recovery Efforts
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport
Kenner, Louisiana
THE PRESIDENT: The Governor and the Mayor of New Orleans, Senator Landrieu, Senator Vitter and Congressman Jefferson, Congressman Jindal and General Blum and I have just completed a tour of some devastated country. I started in Alabama, and worked our way down through Mississippi, and ended up here in one of America's great cities, and saw first-hand the devastation that this city has gone through. I know the people of this part of the world are suffering, and I want them to know that there's a flow of progress. We're making progress. I want to thank the Governor for her hard work, and I want to thank the Mayor.
I know that some of the folks in the outlying parishes here in Louisiana are wondering whether or not people are paying attention to them. We are. St. Charles, St. Bernard, Plaquemine Parish, I understand the devastation that you've gone through as well. So does the Governor --
GOVERNOR BLANCO: St. Tammany.
THE PRESIDENT: St. Tammany. So does the Governor, and so are the senators. This is a devastating storm. This is a storm that's going to require immediate action now. I'm pleased to report, thanks to the good work of the adjutant general from Louisiana, and troops that have been called in, that the convention center is secure. One of the objectives that we had today was to move in and secure that convention center, and make sure the good folks there got food and water.
The caravans -- the bus caravans are continuing on, as is the airlift. The people of this part of the world have got to understand -- and by the way, we just came from the 17th Street levee. A lot of folks are working hard to repair that levee. They've been working around the clock, 24 hours a day. People from the federal government and the state government and the local government are working to breach that -- to fill that breach. The Mayor has been telling me, not only by telephone, but here in person, how important it is that we get that breach filled and get that pump station up and running. And we went there to inspect the progress being done, and the people of New Orleans have got to understand there's a lot of people working hard, and they're making good progress.
You know, I'm going to fly out of her in a minute, but I want you to know that I'm not going to forget what I've seen. I understand the devastation requires more than one day's attention. It's going to require the attention of this country for a long period of time. This is a -- one of the worst natural disasters we have faced, with national consequences. And therefore, there will be a national response. And I look forward to continuing to work with the governor and the mayor and the members of the Senate and the House of Representatives to do our duty to help the good folks of this part of the world get back on their feet.
Here's what I believe. I believe that the great city of New Orleans will rise again and be a greater city of New Orleans. (Applause.) I believe the town where I used to come from, Houston, Texas, to enjoy myself -- occasionally too much -- (laughter) -- will be that very same town, that it will be a better place to come to. That's what I believe. I believe the great state of Louisiana will get its feet back and become a vital contributor to the country.
I believe the people of Mississippi will recover. I understand we got a lot of work to do. And I understand it seems dark right now, but by working together and pulling together and capturing that great spirit of our country, a great city will rise again, a great state will be vibrant.
If you want to help, if you're listening to this broadcast, contribute cash to the Salvation Army and the Red Cross. There will be other opportunities to give, and we hope you do give. But right now, we need cash to the Salvation Army and the Red Cross. They're on the front lines providing help to the people who need help.
May God bless the people of this part of the world, and may God continue to bless our country. Thank you very much. (Applause.)


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What is Link Bait? 10 Examples of Effective Link Bait
The author's views are entirely their own (excluding the unlikely event of hypnosis) and may not always reflect the views of Moz.
Despite what most SEOs will tell you, it's not easy to create outstanding content that people will want to link to. So many "SEOs" make it seem like there's a key on your keyboard that magically turns what you just wrote into something link-worthy. In reality, it's never that simple.
I'm not one to keep throwing mud at the wall until it sticks. You can continuously tell someone to go create exceptional content, or you can actually show them an example. Because, being the sensible person I am, I'd rather choose the second option, here are 10 fantastic examples of link bait and what makes them so spectacular.
What is Link Bait?
Link Bait is providing valuable content on your website so that other websites will naturally reference/link to it without you ever having to ask. Linkable content can be anything from an in depth research project, to an evergreen guide, to a popular video.
10 Extraordinary Examples of Effective Link Bait:
Sidenote: PA stands for Page Authority, LRD stands for linking root domains, and TL stands for total links. Also, I didn't include .gov, .edu, or any other pieces of link bait from Moz besides the first one below. The same goes for .edu and .gov sites.
1. Moz's Search Ranking Factors – PA: 91. LRD: 2,727. TL: 17,750.
What is it?
This is an article on the different search ranking factors by your very own Moz. With yearly updates, 132 contributors, and roughly 20 pages of content on one URL, this gives information on what search engines are measuring in order to rank websites. If you call yourself an SEO and you haven't read this, then I suggest you quietly open this up, read it twice, and hope no one noticed.
Why was it so successful?
This link bait was highly successful because of the visualizations, depth of content, the trust of the contributors involved, and the website it was hosted on (Moz is very influential in the SEO community). While the content is great, there's also a far greater reason for all of the links: Moz didn't do the promotion; the contributors did. In the future, this should be your go-to example for creating a collaborative study.
2. Xkcd's Radiation Dose Chart - PA: 88. LRD: 988. TL: 5,863.
What is it?
This is a chart about the radiation a person absorbs from various sources. This is a great way to visualize how much radiation poisoning you can get from things like airplane flights, x-rays, and CT scans.
Why was it successful?
Being able to visualize something that's hard to grasp is one of your best friends when creating link bait. By using tiny blocks to put together just how many "siverts" are in these different sources of radiation, this chart makes this concept very easy to understand. The key takeaway here is that if you can get people to understand your content, and actually read it all, the likelihood of them sharing and linking to it increases dramatically.
3. Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch – PA: 86. LRD: 631. TL: 9,149.
What is it?
If you ever need a guide on what seafood to choose based on where you live or travel, this is your go-to place. You can choose to download eight different regional guides, with two of them also available in Spanish.
Why was it so successful?
The main reason this was so successful was because of the outright awesome information these guides provide. They're updated regularly (most recently July 2011) and they're free for anyone that wants them. It also doesn't hurt to have a top-notch interactive map to help you choose the guide best for you.
4. SEOBook's 101 Link Popularity Tips – PA: 84. LRD: 723. TL: 2,843.
What is it?
Created by Aaron Wall & Andy Hagans, this is a list of 101 different link building strategies, and even though it's over five years old, it still provides some of the best link building tips on the Web. To add a little humor, the last 30 tips are bad ways to build links.
Why was it successful?
Everyone loves lists. It's that simple. It got traction in the right community, it's easy to read, and it's on a subject that people want to know about.
5. Mark Nottingham's RSS Tutorial - PA: 83. LRD: 540. TL: 7,033.
What is it?
Published in 2005, this was and still is the go-to resource to find out more about why your blog should be utilizing an RSS feed. It gives detailed analysis and can be translated to Brazilian and Portuguese (see links at the bottom).
Why was it successful?
When this was published, the post gave in-depth information on a relatively unexplored subject that people wanted to know about. It also provides ready-to-go snippets of code, making the content very actionable. On another note, one reason for its success that you might have noticed is the design of the website. There's no clutter and it's very easy to read.
6. OKCupid's Politics Test - PA: 82. LRD: 456. TL: 1,274.
What is it?
OKCupid, a free online dating site, put together a test on what your political views are based on what your answers are to each question. This is one of many tests featured on OKCupid's site.
Why was it successful?
People like personalized content, such as tests and quizzes. In this case, people like to see how they scored, and they want to compare their score with their friends (thus, they link to it asking others to do it and share their results). There's also a bit of controversy involved with politics (just a bit?), which never hurts in terms of link juice.
7. Yoast's Wordpress SEO Guide - PA: 81. LRD: 701. TL: 2,642.
What is it?
This is an extensive guide to implementing SEO on the Wordpress CMS created by Joost de Valk.
Why was it successful?
It's the go-to resource because it has the best information on this subject all in one place. It's as simple as that. The information is instructional and easy to understand, and it's helpful in areas that people want to know about. With a resource like this, people will often cite information in it, and with each citation comes yet another link.
8. SEJ's Social Media Infographic - PA: 81. LRD: 282. TL: 876.
What is it?
This is an infographic by Search Engine Journal on the growth of social media. This is a great visualization of the progress social media has made and what lies in the future according to statistical data.
Why was it successful?
In a nutshell, it's visually appealing. Putting such a great amount of raw data into an easy, understandable visualization is something I'd go out of my way to share. It also helps when it's initially displayed to a large audience (SEJ is a fairly popular SEO site if you didn't already know).
I'd also like to point out that although it may not have the sheer number of links some of the other pieces of linkbait have, it's the quality of the links that count. This link bait got links from the Huffington Post, Reuters, and The Next Web.
9. WUIW's Water Conservation Tips - PA: 77. LRD: 347. TL: 1,536.
What is it?
This is a list of 112 different ways to conserve water. The tips are very short and provide quick, actionable information.
Why was it successful?
The first reason is because of each item's brevity. This list is quite easy to read and scan because each tip isn't a paragraph, it's a sentence. Another cool thing they did was highlight one specific tip out of every 10 or so. They enlarged the number, added a picture, and bolded the text. This puts emphasis on the specific item highlighted, and it's a great way to segment the list into something readable. Also, the post is listed in the website's navigation bar, making it easy to locate.
10. Thomson's Evolution of Music - PA: 77. LRD: 80. TL: 955.
What is it?
This is a visualization of how music has traveled over the past 200 years. As you play the timeline, new genres pop up around the world and you can see how they've moved and connected throughout the world.
Why was it successful?
Hmm. How wasn't it? If you aren't blown away, I'm sorry, because if this won't impress you, nothing will. The two main reasons it was successful are the quality of the visualization and the social share buttons on the page. Making it easy to share gets the page in front of more eyes, and more eyes mean more links.
Yes, the link metrics show that it's not as successful as some of the ones above, but this is only because of how new this piece of content is.
So, what can we conclude about link bait from these 10 examples?
- Get influencers involved.
- Make it easy to understand.
- Give away free stuff.
- People love lists.
- Choose a highly desired topic.
- People like personalized content.
- Establish it as the go-to resource.
- Make it visually appealing.
- Segment large lists to make them readable.
- Use social share buttons.
Thanks for reading! Make sure you give this post a thumbs up if you enjoyed it! If you want to find out more about me, make sure you follow me on twitter.


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DARRELL LOVELL, Associated Press
HOUSTON (AP) — The scuffling Houston Texans fired Gary Kubiak on Friday, parting ways with the only coach to lead the team to the playoffs.
The team announced the decision one day after the Texans lost their 11th straight game, 27-20 at Jacksonville, a stunning fall for a team that expected to make a Super Bowl run. Houston (2-11) played miserably and was flagged 14 times for a franchise-record 177 yards.
The 52-year-old Kubiak was hired in 2006 and led the team to back-to-back AFC South titles in 2011-2012, the highlights of his eight-year tenure.
The Texans said they couldn't wait any longer to start turning things around.
"What's taken place with this organization is unacceptable," general manager Rick Smith said. "We've got three weeks of an evaluation process left and we've got to right the ship."
Kubiak's overall record is 61-64, with a 2-2 mark in the playoffs. Owner Bob McNair said the decision to let him go was a hard one.
"It was difficult for me because I think so much of Gary," McNair said. "We're here to have a winning culture and this year has not contributed to that."
The Texans said defensive coordinator Wade Phillips would serve as interim coach for the rest of the season.
Kubiak suffered a mini-stroke Nov. 3 in a frightening scene, collapsing at halftime during a game against the Colts and being rushed to a Houston hospital. He had returned to the sidelines, but the Texans have been unable to rebound from injuries to top players including quarterback Matt Schaub and running back Arian Foster.
The team later said Kubiak suffered a transient ischemic attack, or TIA, which occurs when blood flow to the brain is briefly interrupted, typically by a blood clot or narrowed blood vessels. Experts say they are often a warning sign for a future stroke, particularly within three months of a TIA.
The workaholic coach said he has learned through this ordeal he must take the advice of others and slow down some.
Kubiak, a former NFL quarterback who calls the team's plays, has long been known as a top offensive coach, mentoring quarterbacks in Denver under Mike Shanahan and then Schaub and Case Keenum in Houston.
He was hired in 2006, along with Smith, after the Texans finished a franchise-worst 2-14. Smith spent 10 years with Kubiak while the coach was offensive coordinator of the Broncos. Smith was Denver's defensive assistant for four seasons before moving into the front office for his last six years with the Broncos.
The pair helped transform the Texans, which began play in 2002, from league laughingstock to contender. The team went 6-10 in their first year and 8-8 in each of the next two seasons. Expectations were high in 2010 after Houston finished at 9-7 for its first winning record in 2009. The Texans instead fell to 6-10, which led to many fans calling for Kubiak's firing.
His original contract was due to expire after the 2010 season, but McNair defended him several times amid the bumps.
Last year, the Texans announced contract extensions for both Smith and Kubiak, rewarding them for taking the team to the playoffs last year for the first time. Kubiak's three-year agreement has him under contract through 2014.
McNair said at the time he offered Kubiak a four-year deal, but the coach preferred to make it for three.
Kubiak made his mark as Denver's offensive coordinator under Shanahan, winning two Super Bowls. An eighth-round pick out of Texas A&M, he spent nine years as John Elway's backup. He finished his career 4-1 as a starter, all in emergency relief of Elway.
Other recent departures from the Texans include assistant head coach Alex Gibbs (for Seattle) and offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan went to join his father in Washington.
AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org


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(Family Features) For many households, there are some requirements when you make time to prepare a family meal. Each component must be something you can prepare quickly around extra-curricular activities and homework, and it must feature foods that even the pickiest of eaters will happily devour.
These simple recipes can help you focus that precious time on catching up around the table together. Find more family-friendly recipes at Culinary.net.
A Sweet Dinner Idea
Chicken is a favorite for all ages, and this recipe gives crunchy chicken a sweet twist that's sure to earn clean plates. Baked, not fried, these tenders are a healthier take on traditional dippers. The tangy barbecue sauce and sweet honey mixed right into the breading makes them tasty on their own, but even better dipped in a sweet honey barbecue sauce that complements those flavors. Look for more sweet meal ideas at honey.com.
Honey Barbecue Baked Chicken Tenders
Recipe courtesy of The National Honey Board
Servings: 4
- 2/3 cup whole-wheat flour
- 2 1/2 cups whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
- 1/3 cup milk
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken tenders
- nonstick cooking spray
- Honey Barbecue Dipping Sauce:
- 1/4 cup barbecue sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- Heat oven to 400° F. Cover baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In large bowl, mix flour and panko with salt and pepper. In another large bowl, whip together barbecue sauce, milk, eggs and honey. Dip tenders in wet mixture then generously roll chicken tenders in panko mix. Spray tenders with nonstick cooking spray.
- To make Honey Barbecue Dipping Sauce: Combine barbecue sauce and honey, stirring together until fully mixed.
- Place chicken strips on baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes. Flip tenders and bake until cooked through and outsides are crisp, about 10 minutes. Serve with Honey Barbecue Dipping Sauce.
Create Lifelong Memories in the Kitchen
Give your family an opportunity to spend quality time together in the kitchen by engaging little ones. Simply involve them in the process to teach them some lifelong kitchen skills while having fun.
Turn cooking time into family time with these tips from Uncle Ben's "Ben's Beginners" campaign.
1. Have Kids Set the Table. Convince your kids to help set the table by putting out utensils, plates and napkins. It's a simple task to get children of any age involved in family routines.
2. Let Them Stir. Give those fidgety fingers something to do by letting kids stir ingredients.
3. Get Clean. Use this time to teach food safety as your children help you scrub produce. As a bonus, it also helps reinforce washing hands.
4. Count on the Counter. Put your kids to the test to help count and measure ingredients as you add them to the recipe.
5. Rock 'n' Roll. Blast some fun tunes. This can help hold kids' attention while working.
6. Share the Joy. Make every moment sharable by staging the final product for a quick photo shoot.
7. Have Fun. Dress for the occasion with matching aprons and chefs' hats. Tweak recipes to embrace your family's interests and make dinner something to smile about.
For more tips and tricks on getting kids in the kitchen, and for recipes the entire family can cook together, visit beginners.unclebens.com.
Easy Rice
Prep time: 30-45 minutes
Servings: 6
- 1 box Uncle Ben's Long Grain & Wild Rice, Original Recipe
- 2 1/4 cups water
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 2 cups chopped leeks (white parts only)
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
- 1 large clove garlic, passed through press
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- In 2-quart saucepan, add rice and spice packet, water and 1/2 tablespoon butter. Bring to boil, cover and reduce heat to simmer. Cook 25 minutes.
- In large skillet, melt remaining butter. Add leeks and cook over medium heat 15 minutes, stirring, until soft and golden. Add orange juice, lemon juice, sage and garlic. Cook over high heat 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add cooked rice to skillet and stir 1 minute until rice is hot. Add salt and pepper, to taste, and cinnamon.
Delicious Dessert in Minutes
These no-bake frozen cupcakes are the perfect size for a light and refreshing after-school or evening dessert. Creamy and tart, they're just the right blend of flavor for a treat the whole family can enjoy. Even better, the prep time is minimal so you can whip up a batch after bedtime and have them ready to enjoy the next day. Or ask your little ones for help with making the cakes for a fun activity together. Find more desserts you can share together at nestleusa.com.
Frozen Lemonade Cupcakes
Recipe courtesy of Nestlé Kitchens
Servings: 18
- 1 frozen pound cake (10 3/4 ounces), reduced-fat or fat-free
- 1 can (14 ounces) Nestlé La Lechera Fat Free Sweetened Condensed Milk or Nestlé Carnation Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 1 container (6 ounces) frozen lemonade or limeade concentrate, partially thawed
- 1 tub (12 ounces) frozen light whipped topping, thawed
- grated lemon peel (optional)
- Prepare 18 muffin cups with 18 liners.
- Cut pound cake into 18 slices. Using 1 3/4-inch round cookie cutter or appropriate size to fit into paper liners, cut slices into rounds; discard cake scraps or save for another use. Place cake rounds into paper liners.
- In large bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk and lemonade concentrate; stir well. Stir large spoonful of whipped topping into mixture. Fold in remaining whipped topping. Spoon evenly into liners.
- Freeze 2 hours. Cover; freeze several hours, or overnight, before serving. Garnish with lemon peel, if desired.


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American Latino Heritage Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary
Since the age of exploration, Latino peoples have played a profoundly important role in American history, contributing to and shaping the rich heritage of the United States in many ways for some 500 years. Explore their stories and their legacy by visiting the units of the National Park System and places listed in the National Register of Historic Places, most of which are designated as National Historic Landmarks, throughout the nation featured in this itinerary.The National Park Service preserves historic places and stories of America's diverse cultural heritage and expands and maintains the National Register of Historic Places. The American Latino Heritage Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary was produced by the National Park Service's Heritage Education Services in partnership with the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers.
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"As Bad As Rumsfeld?" The title jars, doesn't it. The more so, since Defense Secretary Robert Gates found his predecessor, Donald Rumsfeld, such an easy act to follow. But the jarring part reflects how malnourished most of us are on the thin gruel served up by the Fawning Corporate Media (FCM).
Over the past few months, Defense Secretary Robert Gates has generated accolades from FCM pundits like the Washington Post's David Ignatius that read like letters of recommendation to graduate school. This comes as no surprise to those of us familiar with Gates' dexterity in orchestrating his own advancement. What DOES come as a surprise is the recurring rumor that President-elect Barack Obama may decide to put new wine in old wineskins by letting Gates stay.
What can Barack Obama be thinking?
I suspect that those in Obama's circle who are promoting Gates may be the same advisers responsible for Obama's most naïve comment of the recent presidential campaign: that the "surge" of US troops into Iraq in 2007-08 "succeeded beyond our wildest dreams."
Succeeded? You betcha the surge was a great success in terms of the administration's overriding objective. The aim was to stave off definitive defeat in Iraq until President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney could swagger from the West Wing into the western sunset on Jan. 20, 2009. As author Steve Coll has put it, "The decision [to surge] at a minimum guaranteed that his [Bush's] presidency would not end with a defeat in history's eyes. By committing to the surge [the president] was certain to at least achieve a stalemate."
According to Bob Woodward, Bush told key Republicans in late 2005 that he would not withdraw from Iraq, "even if Laura and [first-dog] Barney are the only ones supporting me." Later, Woodward made it clear that Bush was well aware in fall 2006 that the US was losing. Suddenly, with some fancy footwork, it became Laura, Barney and Robert Gates. And at the turn of 2006-07 the short-term fix was in.
But Please, No More Troops!
By the fall of 2006 it had become unavoidably clear that a new course had to be chosen and implemented in Iraq, and virtually every sober thinker seemed opposed to sending more troops. The senior military, especially CENTCOM commander Gen. John Abizaid and his man on the ground, Gen. George Casey, emphasized that sending still more US troops to Iraq would simply reassure leading Iraqi politicians that they could relax and continue to take forever to get their act together.
Here, for example, is Gen. Abizaid's answer at the Senate Armed Services Committee, Nov. 15, 2006 to Sen. John McCain, who had long been pressing vigorously for sending 20,000 more troops to Iraq:
"Senator McCain, I met with every divisional commander, General Casey, the corps commander, General Dempsey, we all talked together. And I said, in your professional opinion, if we were to bring in more American troops now, does it add considerably to our ability to achieve success in Iraq? And they all said no. And the reason is because we want the Iraqis to do more. It is easy for the Iraqis to rely upon to us do this work. I believe that more American forces prevent the Iraqis from doing more, from taking more responsibility for their own future."
The US ambassador to Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad sent a classified cable to Washington warning that "proposals to send more US forces to Iraq would not produce a long-term solution and would make our policy less, not more, sustainable," according to a New York Times retrospective on the surge by Michael R. Gordon published on Aug. 31, 2008.
Khalilzad was arguing, unsuccessfully, for authority to negotiate a political solution with the Iraqis.
There was also the establishment-heavy Iraq Study Group, created by Congress and led by Republican stalwart James Baker and Democrat Lee Hamilton. After months of policy review during 2006 with Gates as a member it issued a final report on Dec. 6, 2006, which began with the ominous sentence, "The situation in Iraq is grave and deteriorating." The report called for:
"A change in the primary mission of US Forces in Iraq that will enable the United States to begin to move its combat forces out of Iraq responsibly By the first quarter of 2008 all combat brigades not necessary for force protection could be out of Iraq."
Robert Gates, who was CIA director under President George H. W. Bush and then president of Texas A&M, had returned to the Washington stage as a member of the Iraq Study Group. While on the ISG, he evidenced no disagreement with its emerging conclusions at least not until Bush asked him in early November if he might like to become secretary of defense.
Never one to let truth derail ambition, Gates suddenly saw things quite differently. After Bush announced his nomination on Nov. 8, Gates quit the ISG, but kept his counsel about its already widely reported recommendations.
Gates to the Rescue
Gates would do what he needed to do to become defense secretary. At his confirmation hearing on Dec. 5, he obscured his opinions by telling the Senate Armed Services Committee only that "all options are on the table in terms of Iraq." Many Democrats, however, assumed that Gates would help persuade Bush and Cheney to implement the ISG's recommendation of a troop drawdown.
With unanimous Democratic support and only two conservative Republicans opposed, Gates was confirmed by the full Senate on Dec. 6, the same day the ISG report was formally released.
Yet, the little-understood story behind Bush's decision to catapult Robert Gate into his Pentagon perch hinges on the astonishing fact that Donald Rumsfeld, of all people, was pulling a Robert McNamara; that is, he was going wobbly on a war based largely on his own hubris-laden, misguided advice. As Robert Parry of Consortiumnews.com has reported, in the fall of 2006 Rumsfeld was having a reality attack. In Rumsfeldian parlance, the man had come face to face with a "known known."
On Nov. 6, 2006, a day before the midterm elections, Rumsfeld sent a memo to the White House. In the memo Rumsfeld acknowledged, "Clearly, what US forces are currently doing in Iraq is not working well enough or fast enough." The rest of his memo sounded very much like the emerging troop-drawdown conclusions of the Iraq Study Group report.
The first 80 percent of Rumsfeld's memo addressed "Illustrative Options," including his preferred or "above the line" options like "an accelerated drawdown of US bases to five by July 2007" and withdrawal of US forces "from vulnerable positions cities, patrolling, etc .so the Iraqis know they have to pull up their socks, step up and take responsibility for their country."
Finally, Rumsfeld had begun to listen to his generals and others who knew which end was up.
The hurdle? Bush and Cheney were not about to follow Rumsfeld's example in going wobbly. Like Robert McNamara at a similar juncture during Vietnam, Rumsfeld had to be let go before he caused a president to "lose a war."
Acutely sensitive to this political bugaboo, Rumsfeld included the following sentences at the end of the preferred-options section of his Nov. 6 memo:
"Announce that whatever new approach the US decides on, the US is doing so on a trial basis. This will give us the ability to readjust and move to another course, if necessary, and therefore not 'lose.'" (emphasis added)
The remainder of the memo listed "Below the Line less attractive options." The top three in the "less attractive" category were:
" Continue on the current path.
Move a large fraction of all US forces into Baghdad to attempt to control it.
Increase Brigade Combat Teams and US forces substantially."
In other words, a surge. (It is a safe bet that people loyal to Rumsfeld at the National Security Council alerted him to the surge-type of plans being hatched off line by neoconservative strategists, and that he and his generals wanted to bury them well "below the line.")
But in the White House's view, Rumsfeld had outlived his usefulness. One can assume that he floated these trial balloons with Cheney and others, before he sent over the actual memo on Nov. 6, 2006. What were Bush and Cheney to do?
Exit Left
It was awkward. Right up to the week before the mid-term election on Nov. 7, 2006, President Bush had kept insisting that he intended to keep Rumsfeld in place for the next two years. Suddenly, the president had to deal with Rumsfeld's apostasy.
The secretary of defense had strayed off the reservation and he was putting his "above-the-line" recommendations in writing, no less. Rumsfeld had let reality get to him, together with the very strong protestations of all senior uniformed officers save one the ambitious David Petraeus, fingered to become Petraeus ex machina for the White House. With the bemedaled Petraeus in the wings, the White House just needed a new Pentagon chief who could be counted on to take Rumsfeld's place, do the White House's bidding, and trot out Petraeus as needed.
On Nov. 5, 2006, Bush had a one-on-one with Gates in Crawford and the deal was struck. Forget the tortuously hammered-out recommendations of the Iraq Study Group; forget what the military commanders were saying. Gates suddenly found the surge an outstanding idea.
Well, not really. That's just what he let Bush believe. Gates is second to none not even Petraeus in ambition and self-promotion. He wanted to be secretary of defense, to be back at center stage in Washington after nearly 14 years in exile from the big show. And so he quickly agreed to tell Gen. Abizaid to retire; offer Gen. Casey a sinecure as Army chief of staff, providing he kept his mouth shut; and eagle-scout his way through Senate confirmation with the help of pundits like Ignatius composing panegyrics in honor of "Gates the realist."
So relieved were the Senators to be rid of the hated-but-feared Rumsfeld, that the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Dec. 5 on Gates' nomination had the aura of a pajama party (I was there). Gates told them bedtime stories. He said he thought there were no new ideas to be had in addressing the conflict in Iraq, and vowed to show "great deference to the judgment of generals." (sic)
Trying to Explain the Surge
It was hardly two years ago, but memories fade and the FCM, of course, is no help in shedding light on what actually happened. Gates did his part in getting rid of Abizaid and Casey, but the administration faltered embarrassingly in coming up with a rationale to "justify" the surge. The truth, of course, was not an option. The White House could not exactly say, "We simply cannot live with the thought of losing a war before we leave town."
On Dec. 20, 2006, President Bush told the Washington Post that he was "inclined to believe we do need to increase our troops, the Army and Marines." He added, tellingly, "There's got to be a specific mission that can be accomplished with the addition of more troops." And he said he would look to Gates, just back from a quick trip to Baghdad, to help explain.
By way of preliminary explanation for the surge, President Bush wandered back and forth between "ideological struggle" and "sectarian violence." He told the Post, "I'm going to keep repeating this over and over again, that I believe we're in an ideological struggle" and, besides, "sectarian violence [is] obviously the real problem we face." (Sic)
When it became clear that those dogs wouldn't hunt, the White House justified the surge as necessary to give Iraqi government leaders "breathing space" to work out their differences. Breathing space for the leading Iraqi officials was the rationale offered by Bush in a major address on Jan 10, 2007. Pulling out all the stops, he raised the specter of another 9/11, and spoke of the "decisive ideological struggle of our time."
Bush dismissed those who "are concerned that the Iraqis are becoming too dependent on the United States" and those whose "solution is to scale back America's efforts in Baghdad or announce a phased withdrawal of our combat forces." The president did warn that the year ahead would be "bloody and violent, even if our strategy works."
One would be tempted to laugh at Bush's self-absorption and Gates' ambition were we not talking about the completely unnecessary killing of over 1,000 US troops a quarter of all US troops killed in this godforsaken war/occupation.
In reality, by throwing 20,000-30,000 additional troops into Baghdad, Bush and Cheney were the ones who got the two-year breathing space.
But what about that? What about the thousand-plus US troops killed during the surge? The tens of thousand Iraqis? The hundreds of thousands displaced from their homes in the Baghdad area?
I fear the attitude was this: Nobody important will get killed; just a bunch of Iraqis and GIs mostly from small-town and inner-city America. And, anyway, our soldiers and Marines all volunteered, didn't they? (I almost did something violent to the last person I heard say that.)
Bush, Cheney, and Gates apparently deemed it a small price to pay for enabling them to blame a successor administration for the inevitable withdrawal from America's first large-scale war of aggression.
And sure enough, in late 2006 a small group of "neoconservatives," including members of Bush's National Security Council, came up with a plan called "Changing the Dynamics: Surge and Fight, Create Breathing Space and Then Accelerate the Transition." It called for a substantial troop increase in Baghdad and other hot spots.
Rumsfeld Out, Gates In: Clear Sailing
The FCM missed it (surprise, surprise) but one did not have to be a crackerjack intelligence analyst to see what was happening. At the time, Col. W. Patrick Lang, USA (retired), and I wrote a piece in which we exposed the chicanery and branded such a surge strategy "nothing short of immoral, in view of the predicable troop losses and the huge number of Iraqis who would meet violent injury and death."
Surprisingly, we were joined by Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Oregon, who explained to ABC's George Stephanopoulos why Smith had said on the Senate floor that US policy on Iraq may be "criminal."
"You can use any adjective you want, George. But I have long believed that in a military context, when you do the same thing over and over again without a clear strategy for victory, at the expense of your young people in arms, that is dereliction. That is deeply immoral."
Go West, Young Man
There are a host of reasons why Robert Gates should not be asked to stay on by President-elect Obama. Robert Parry has put together much of Gates' history in Parry's 2004 book, Secrecy & Privilege; readers may also wish to see what former intelligence analysts and I, who knew Gates at CIA, have written by going to Consortiumnews.com's Gates archive.
For me, Gates' role in the unnecessary killing of still more Americans and Iraqis is quite enough to disqualify him. I have known him for almost 40 years; he has always been transparently ambitious, but he is also bright. He knew better; and he did it anyway.
One can only hope that, once President-elect Obama has time to focus seriously on prospective cabinet appointments, he will discount advice from those taken in by the cheerleading for Gates or from the kind of dullard who suggested Obama finesse the FCM's simplistic embrace of the surge by saying it "succeeded beyond our wildest dreams."
For Gates, Rumsfeld was an extremely easy act to follow. But, at least in one sense, Gates is worse than Rumsfeld, for Rumsfeld had finally begun to listen to the right people and adjust. It now seems the height of irony that the adjustments he proposed in his memo of Nov. 6, 2006 would have had most US troops out of Iraq by now.
But can one portray Gates as worse than Rumsfeld across the board? I think not. When you crank in torture, lying, and total disrespect for law, Rumsfeld has the clear edge in moral turpitude.
Still, I suspect this matters little to the thousands now dead because of the surge that Gates did so much to enable and to the families of the fallen.
Surely, it should not be too much to expect that President-elect Obama find someone more suitable to select for secretary of defense than an unprincipled chameleon like Gates.
This article appeared originally on Consortiumnews.com.


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The Pleiades
In Greek mythology, the Pleiades were seven sisters. Their names were Maia, Electra, Alcyone, Taygete, Asterope, Celaeno, and Merope. Their parents were the Titan Atlas and the Oceanid, Pleione. One day while traveling, the Pleiades and their mother met the giant hunter Orion.He fell in love with the young women and started to pursue them. After being chased for years, Zeus changed them into doves to help them escape. They flew into the sky to become the cluster of stars in the constellation Taurus the Bull.
However, only six stars are visible in the sky without a telescope. The ancient Greeks explained the absence of a seventh star with several different stories. According to one story, all the Pleiades consorted with gods except Merope. Merope deserted her sisters because she was ashamed of having a mortal husband, Sisyphus.
Another explanation is related to the myth of the Pleiad Electra who is considered the
ancestress of the royal house of
Troy. The Greeks believed that Electra abandoned her sisters in despair and transformed
herself into a comet when the
city of Troy was destroyed. These legends seem to be confirmed by a scientific finding
according to which a seventh star in the group of the Pleiades became extinct toward
the end of the second millennium BC.


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Introducing my new children's book series, Starman Jones, in collaboration with Dr. Frank Drake, world famous director of the Carl Sagan Institute for the Study of Life in the Universe and the SETI Institute. In this series of delightful stories about Starman Jones, Space Pup, and Billy, I create in children an intuitive understanding of many of the esoteric scientific concepts of Relativity, Quantum Mechanics, and other sciences. The first book in this series, Starman Jones: A Relativity Birthday Present, is available online (click on the book cover below), and at book stores everywhere by special order.
(Cick on cover to visit book site.)
A Relativity Birthday Present is the first story in the captivating, educational and beautifully illustrated Starman Jones series designed to give young readers an intuitive grasp of esoteric scientific concepts like Relativity. It teaches young readers about one of the amazing effects of Relativity.
Starman Jones and Spacepup are anxious to take Baby Billy on their adventurous trips from star to star in their starship, Willywinder. Billy, unfortunately, is too young, so Starman Jones devises a trip to the star Alpha Centauri. During the journey he and Spacepup will travel so fast that time slows down for them on Willywinder, while time progresses normally back on Earth for Baby Billy.
Ultimately, Starman Jones and Spacepup return to Earth nine years later on Billy's ninth birthday, but they have hardly aged at all. Billy has caught up with them, and can now accompany them on future star trips. It is the best birthday present Billy has ever had – a relativity birthday present.


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New Start Time Set For Cheyenne Frontier Days 2013 Rodeo Performances
Rodeo fans who are accustomed to arrive at Frontier Park in time for the grand entry parade will need to be there a half-hour early this year.
For many years, the kick-off to the rodeo has started at 12:45 with the first bull bucking at 1 p.m. This year the grand entry will start at 12:15 p.m. daily July 20-28 with the first bull bucking at 12:30 p.m. The change was made for a variety of reasons.
Cheyenne Frontier Days General Chairman Darin Westby said folks should get to the park early, take in a Behind the Chutes Tour, and go to the rodeo.They will get out of the rodeo early enough to see the Indian Village and Old Frontier Town or go to the Old West Museum.