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Editor's note: This is another in a series of "WND/WENZEL POLLS" conducted exclusively for WND by the public-opinion research and media consulting company Wenzel Strategies.
A new poll of Democrats on their preferred candidates for the 2016 presidential race has produced the Obama name, which pollster Fritz Wenzel described as "bizarre."
The results come from a poll by Wenzel of Wenzel Strategies, who found that Hillary Clinton is winning 55 percent of the support from respondents who said they plan to vote in the Democrat Party primary.
But in the No. 2 position was Michelle Obama, with support from 19 percent of the respondents.
TRENDING: The latest despicable lie about Israel-Hamas war
"In a limited field of just four candidates – Clinton, Joe Biden, Michelle Obama, and John Kerry, Michelle Obama finished a very distant second place at 19 percent support. The second-place finish of Obama is every bit as bizarre as Clinton's first-place finish is predictable," he said.
"Joe Biden's support by just 8 percent of likely Democratic voters is simply pathetic, and if John Kerry ever harbored a thought that his current role as Secretary of State might support a presidential comeback, this survey shows he should discard such a thought," Wenzel said.
Only some 2 percent said they would pick Kerry.
WND reported earlier that political junkies were creating a buzz over a "dream" ticket of Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama.
According to the Washington Examiner, former Clinton spokeswoman Karen Finney said, "All due respect for President Obama and Vice President Biden, but that would truly be a dream team for America."
Democratic strategist Chris Lehane told the paper, "More than anything else, this reflects the growing awareness that it is time for the glass ceiling of the last old boys club to be firmly shattered."
There are already bumper stickers in the marketplace with messages such as "2016-Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama," and "Hillary-Michelle 2016 First First Lady Ticket For President," and Cafe Press reported a 60 percent hike in sales of the Hillary-Michelle sticker from December to March, with the largest jump in March.
Some have suggested putting Mrs. Obama at the top of the ticket and having Mrs. Clinton run for VP, especially after Michelle announced the Best Picture Oscar at this year's Academy Awards.
Among them is NBC late-night TV host Jimmy Fallon, who told Michelle Obama on his show, "I've said it here first. Dream team: Michelle and Hillary, '16. What do you think?"
"You know, I have my eye actually on another job," Mrs. Obama responded. "You know I hear that when Jay Leno retires, that 'The Tonight Show' position is gonna be open and I'm thinking about putting my hat in the ring."
As WND reported in 2009, an online poll by CNN had viewers overwhelmingly saying Michelle Obama should never run for president.
The question specifically asked: "Should Michelle Obama run for president in 2020?"
With 200,000 votes tallied in the unscientific poll, 83 percent of respondents answered no, with a ratio of over 165,000 against the idea to only 35,000 in favor.
According to the Washington Examiner, pollster John Zogby questioned if a Hillary-Michelle ticket would sell.
"Hillary and Michelle are both very popular and accomplished, but this smacks of too much celebrity and is a tad too dynastic for American voters," he said. "An interesting reality show, yes. A ticket, no."
The new poll also showed the GOP contenders are Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., a sudden GOP supporter of a Senate amnesty plan, and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who rattled establishment Washington recently with an old-fashioned filibuster over the Obama administration use of drones to kill people.
"When it comes to the presidential primary campaigns for 2016, the latest WND/Wenzel polling shows that Democrats have pretty much already made up their minds and the Republicans are mulling a variety to options," Wenzel reported.
His telephone poll was conducted from April 25-29 and has a margin of error of 3.03 percentage points.
Get "Taking America Back," Joseph Farah's manifesto for sovereignty, self-reliance and moral renewal
"Democrats appear settled already on Hillary Clinton as their nominee, as she wins 55 percent support among those respondents in the survey who said they plan to vote in the Democratic Party primary or caucus in their state," said Wenzel.
He noted 2016 is some time away yet, and other Democrat challengers may surface, "But at this point, it is a one-woman race for the presidential nomination."
The reveals Republicans are in a different position, when a choice of multiple leaders.
"Several possible candidates win double-digit support," said Wenzel. "Sen. Marco Rubio holds a small lead over Sen. Rand Paul, but the edge is statistically insignificant. Rubio wins 22 percent support, compared to 21 percent support for Paul."
Wenzel added, "Congressman Paul Ryan placed third in this survey with 18 percent, while New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie wins 12 percent and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush wins 11 percent support.
"This has all the earmarks of a real dogfight for the GOP nomination, which might be a very good thing, given that the last two presidential nominees proved to be failures at representing the conservative values at the heart of the Republican Party and big disappointments at the ballot box," Wenzel said.
"It is not clear how firm the support is for each of the candidates, but 17 percent of Democrats and 15 percent of Republicans said they were unable to make up their minds on the question," Wenzel said.
On related questions about how Americans view the candidates, more than 45 percent said they had a very or somewhat unfavorable opinion of Biden, with another 8 percent undecided.
That included nearly 12 percent of Democrats, the vide president's own party. Nearly 80 percent of the GOP shared that opinion.
Michelle Obama's popularity within her party was strong, with some 84 percent having a very or somewhat favorable opinion of her. Even 10 percent of the GOP and one-third of the independents said they thought of Obama very favorably.
The opinion on Kerry was split nearly down the middle, with 44 percent holding a favorable opinion and 43 percent unfavorable.
For the Republicans, there is a close race, with Christie getting very or somewhat favorable ratings from 48 percent, Ryan 47 percent, Bush 46 percent, Rubio 45 percent and Paul 44 percent.
Rubio has pushed himself into leadership role by promoting the Senate's bipartisan plan for "comprehensive immigration reform," dubbed "amnesty" by critics.
The comprehensive immigration reform plan can be viewed here.
It already is generating significant opposition in the U.S. House. While Rubio was endorsing the strategy, he took a subtle swipe at his tea party base, saying, "To my friends who believe in limited government and free enterprise … who helped me got elected … we are a nation of immigrants. We're not going to deport them."
The pending proposal was over John Brennan's nomination as CIA director but the underlying dispute was over drones, and the president's claim to power.
Attorney General Eric Holder had made a statement that a drone attack could be ordered on a U.S. citizen on American soil. On the Senate floor, Paul said: "If our country is a battlefield, if our country is a war zone, what is left? What are we fighting for it we are not going to fight for our rights at home?"
Joshua Foust of the American Security Project said that "from a legal perspective, there is nothing problematic about floating a drone over a city."
However, he said, "In terms of getting armed drones, I would be very nervous about that happening right now."
Paul's alarm stems from Holder's statement that using armed drones against Americans in the U.S. is not impossible.
Holder told Paul in response to a question from the senator that the U.S. never has carried out a drone strike against a U.S. citizen on American soil and it would be "unlikely."
However, Holder also said he could not rule it out entirely.
"It is possible, I suppose, to imagine an extraordinary circumstance in which it would be necessary and appropriate under the Constitution and applicable laws of the United States for the president to authorize the military to use lethal force within the territory of the United States," Holder's letter said.
He confirmed Obama "has the power to authorize lethal force, such as a drone strike, against a U.S. citizen on U.S. soil, and without trial."
See detailed results of survey questions:
Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Hillary Clinton?
Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Joe Biden?
Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Michelle Obama?
Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of John Kerry?
Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Marco Rubio?
Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Rand Paul?
Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Paul Ryan?
Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Jeb Bush?
Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Chris Christie?


text:
Board of Regents Meeting
December 6-8, 2006
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Fairbanks, Alaska
PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE HEARD IN TWO SESSIONS : WEDNESDAY MORNING AT APPROXIMATELY 10:00 A.M. AND THURSDAY MORNING AT APPROXIMATELY 9:00 A.M. Sign-up sheets will be available prior to the meeting. The chair will determine when public testimony is closed.
Comments are limited to three minutes per individual. Written comments are accepted and will be distributed to the Board of Regents and President Hamilton following the meeting.
Full agenda with references are sent to all University of Alaska campus libraries. For further information, please call the Board of Regents' Office at 450-8010 or e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com.
Meeting Schedule
Full Board Agenda
Academic & Student Affairs Committee Agenda
Audit Committee Agenda
Facilities & Land Management Committee Agenda
Finance Committee Agenda
Human Resources Committee Agenda
Planning and Development Committee Agenda

subset: commoncrawl


text:
So you missed it. Maybe you're stuck in the office, traveling, at an ill-timed appointment, the victim of bad weather, unable to procure eclipse glasses, driving or simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. It happens.
If you weren't able to see one of the most anticipated and unifying events this country has witnessed in nearly a hundred years, don't worry. You won't have to wait an entire century until the next one — just seven years. Another total solar eclipse will be visible in the United States on April 8, 2024.
Traveling a different path from the 2017 eclipse, the total eclipse will be visible in Mexico, the central US and east Canada, with a partial eclipse visible across North and Central America.
Although Monday's eclipse was peaking over two minutes in the path of totality, the 2024 eclipse will have peaks of 4½ minutes. In the United States, it will be visible in a diagonal path crossing from Texas to Maine, according to NASA.
Cities like Austin, Texas; Dallas; Little Rock, Arkansas; Indianapolis; Toledo, Cleveland and Akron, Ohio; Buffalo and Rochester, New York; Montpelier, Vermont; and Montreal will be directly in the path of totality.
Given the planning by many in preparation for the 2017 eclipse, you might want to start making your hotel and travel arrangements now. And stock up on eclipse glasses once they become widely available again.
If you're eclipse chaser who doesn't mind globetrotting, you can also catch these total solar eclipses around the world in the coming years:
2019: South Pacific, Chile, Argentina
2020: South Pacific, Chile, Argentina, South Atlantic
2021: Antarctica
2026: the Arctic, Greenland, Iceland, Spain
2027: Morocco, Spain, Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Somalia
2028: Australia, New Zealand
2030: Botswana, South Africa, Australia


text:
Jumping on the trend of using printers to churn out objects, Microsoft has developed a 3D printing app for Windows 8.1, betting that this will become mainstream.
Windows 8.1 has plug-and-play support for printers and "understands" 3D file formats, and the upcoming 3D Builder app will leverage those native OS features, Microsoft said on Friday.
"Now, with the 3D Builder app, we've made it even easier for people to create and print objects in 3D," wrote Microsoft official Kristina Libby in a blog post.
The app, available now for download from the Windows Store, comes with a set of predefined objects that users can modify and adjust, including toys and ornaments, the company said.
3D Builder can also be used to print out objects designed in other applications or downloaded pre-built.
"We're entering an exciting new era in which everyone will be able to create and print three dimensional objects. Just imagine being able to print a spare part for a household appliance, or creating your own jewelry line of custom 3D-printed earrings," Libby wrote.
3D printing vendors 3D Systems, MakerBot and TierTime will add support for Windows 8.1 in their products before the holiday shopping season, according to Microsoft.
Juan Carlos Perez covers enterprise communication/collaboration suites, operating systems, browsers and general technology breaking news for The IDG News Service. Follow Juan on Twitter at @JuanCPerezIDG.


text:
By Vicki Brown, Word&Way News Writer
Three unmarked graves and entry walls filled with photos are constant reminders of tragedy — and of God's grace not only to endure it, but also to use it to minister to others. "I want to share His goodness and provision, not just the tragedy," Hazel Kinder said recently at her home in Paris, near Moberly.
Through the care and prayers of family and friends and the healing power of music, God brought her from despair to a concert and testimony ministry that reaches throughout Missouri and across state lines.
Hazel carries the recessive gene for the rare genetic disorder Nieman-Pick Type C. Although she only had a one-in-a-million chance of meeting and marrying a man who also carries the gene, her husband, Steve, does.
And even though each of their three sons had only a one-in-four chance of inheriting double-dominate genes for the disease, all three did. The boys died of pneumonia, a complication of the disease that shuts down the nervous system
The Kinders' oldest son, David, was diagnosed at about a year old. Hazel was already pregnant with their middle child, Paul. As David became progressively less able to function, Paul was diagnosed. All three boys developed normally until about 18 months, when symptoms began to appear.
To care for her children, Hazel learned to suction and respirate the boys and how to give them liquids through their nose. Caring for them became a 24-hour-a-day job. Although she had little time each day, she determined to read the Bible, pray and fast. "Every chance I got, I read Scripture to the boys," she said.
When David and Paul were young, the Kinders lived in New Hampshire because of Steve's work as a civil engineer. As Hazel concentrated on caring for her sons, church members and other Christians began caring for her.
Hazel prayed for someone to help with laundry and housecleaning. "I felt guilty, but I just couldn't keep up," she said. A woman soon volunteered to come by three to four times each week.
The family had had to move every six months. Then a person offered to let them stay in a house that met almost all their needs.
The nearest special-needs school was an hour away from their home. By the time the boys were ready and she could get them there, they were too tired to function. Hazel began to pray and the family took a short vacation. When they returned, they discovered the school closest to them had started a special-needs class.
One woman became the family's grocery-buyer. Another friend stopped by about twice a month with a bag of doughnuts and coffee just to pray with Hazel and encourage her.
Women of the church put together a "blue-day box" filled with small gifts. Whenever Hazel felt especially downhearted, she opened a gift. "What a really neat thing that was," she said.
And the ladies organized their Bible study around the nurse's visits to the Kinder home so that Hazel could participate.
God provided Hazel a way to focus on others, even as she dealt with her sons' illness. She witnessed to everyone she met, including doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers. She talked with people whenever she could, often praying with them over the phone.
But as the illness took its toll, Kinder began to withdraw. "I really believed the boys would be healed," she said.
David died at 7 years of age. "I couldn't read the Bible and I blamed myself, particularly after David died," she said.
Even though she was still caring for Paul, Hazel often remembered David's death. God reminded her that she had given the boys to Jesus. "In the midst of the illness, God had asked if these are His boys," she explained. "At the time, I couldn't say yes. But later I went back to Him and said, 'Yes, they are Yours."
Paul died four years later, when Jonathan was just 11 months old. The family had moved back to the Paris area, where Steve built their home. "I didn't really remember much from Paul's death until a few months later. I poured my life into Jonathan," she said.
Jonathan died in 1998, when he was four and a half. Again, Hazel had believed that her youngest would be spared. Not only did he die, but because hospital personnel were unfamiliar with the family's struggles, they held Hazel at the hospital on suspicion of child abuse. The coroner and family physician cleared her.
"I can't tell you how I got through it," Hazel said. After the funeral, she withdrew. "I became kind of like a turtle. I would peek out but withdraw again."
Because an old cemetery already existed on the family's property, Missouri law allowed the family to bury the boys near it. "They don't have headstones yet," she said. "That's just too final."
She worked out in the expansive yard as much as she could each day to wear herself out enough to get a little sleep at night.
A few months later, her brother died unexpectedly, and Hazel had to call her sisters and help her mom with housecleaning. "That night I felt like I was having a nervous breakdown," she said.
She got into her Jacuzzi and started praying. Then she and Steve went outside and dangled their feet in their pond. "I was not well, but I knew I was on the upswing."
As she continued to struggle with depression and anxiety attacks, she began to write music. With a degree in music education, she started practicing piano and playing the guitar. "Words started to come – and melodies," she said.
God had given her one song of hope shortly before David died. Someone sent Hazel a copy of an anonymous poem, "A Tapestry of My Life." The poem, which Hazel later learned was written by B.M. Franklin, describes how God weaves the fabric of life. His people only see the fabric's underside, but God sees the beauty His weaving creates.
Hazel often read the poem to Paul. Then she started singing it to him. That became "Divine Weaver," the song that has become her signature.
One day before Jonathan died, Hazel prayed for help. "God, if you don't put wood in my furnace, I'm not going to burn," she said. When He asked what she wanted, she had to think about it.
Later she told Him, "For every tear I cried, I want 10 souls." God and Hazel talked back and forth for awhile and each time, "I kept upping the ante and ended up with 1,000 souls for every tear," she said.
"Pick Up the Pieces" is one of the first songs she wrote. "It was like giving birth. That song came from my soul."
The Christmas after Jonathan died, Steve asked Hazel for ideas for a gift. She asked for a karaoke machine to use to minister at a nearby nursing home. Instead, he bought her a new guitar, an amplifier and microphones. "It's time you shared your songs," he challenged.
At her first concert, she only sang one of her own compositions — "Divine Weaver" — and some traditional hymns.
"Then people started calling, but I only booked one each month to give me time to get over the emotional part of it," she said.
People began asking if a recording was available. Because she couldn't afford to record in Nashville, her husband agreed to find out what type equipment she would need and designed a studio at their home.
Then Hazel looked for musicians. Most of the Christians she approached didn't have time. So she checked out local honky-tonks or secular bars. "The drummer was born again, but the others weren't," she said. Hazel led a prayer time at each recording session, and the musicians donated their time and talent.
"It took 18 months to record because we had to do it on weekends," she said.
As she became stronger, she booked more and more concerts, usually including her testimony. Last year, she gave concerts nearly every weekend and three to four times during each week.
But the ministry isn't about concerts. She focuses on ministry. Often people approach her at each appearance. "When you are really sad, nobody really wants to be around you," Hazel said.
People see that she wants to be with them, to help them through the pain. "When people see they can trust me because of my testimony, they will talk," she said.
"I've been helped and I want to help," she added. "I always have had a heart for the lost. I gave out Bibles and witnessed. But I still asked God why after the boys got sick. Like a child, I asked why, why, why. And like most moms will do, God had to say, 'Because I said so.'"
Not only does she minister through concerts. Hazel makes a point of going places where people are. She often hangs out at Simple Pleasures, a Christian bookstore and gift shop in Moberly, just to be able to talk to folks who need a word. And it isn't unusual to receive calls and letters at home. Hazel will interrupt whatever she's doing to respond to a hurting individual.
Now she has turned her attention to assisting local musicians. She and Steve are building a theater just off I-70 at the Millersburg exit, where they hope to offer reasonably priced, family oriented entertainment and encouragement for budding talent. "I really love making people look good on stage," she said.
She loves helping people find the good in themselves and the good God wants for them. Her testimony and her love for her boys allow her to keep pointing others to Christ. (03-08-05)


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BillboardIn its 114th year, Billboard remains the world's premier weekly music publication and a diverse digital, events, brand, content and data licensing platform. Billboard publishes the most trusted charts and offers unrivaled reporting about the latest music, video, gaming, media, digital and mobile entertainment issues and trends. |
Common terms and phrases
acts Alicia Keys American American Idol artist Assn band Billboard 200 Billboard Music Awards Bonnaroo catalog CD/DVD Century Award chairman/CEO chart Christmas companies concert Continued deal debut Destiny's Child DVD/CD Ecast EMI Music executive fans featuring film FOXVIDEO going Grammy Gretchen Wilson Gwen Stefani holiday HOME ENTERTAINMENT IFPI Impala indie iTunes Jay-Z jukebox label Latin launch licensing Lil Jon Linkin Park live Lohan Los Lonely Boys Ludacris Media merger million months movie MUSIC & VIDEO Music Group music industry Music Publishing Nashville Nielsen SoundScan Obsesion perform play promotion radio shows radio stations rapper Recording Academy release retail RIAA ringback rock says senior VP singer single song songwriter Sony BMG Stevie Wonder studio T-Mobile tells Billboard tion Tootsie's tour track VIDEO DIST VIDEO/SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT Vodka WARNER HOME VIDEO Warner Music week


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Curiosity's Godus prize has a time limit, Molyneux says
Designer Peter Molyneux is saying that the Curiosity prize of being a god among computer-generated men is but a temporary boon.
The life-changing prize for hitting the center of the Curiosity cube allowed the winner to become a God among computer-generated men in 22Cans' followup title Godus, and reap some monetary reward as well. But now, designer Peter Molyneux is saying that the prize is but a temporary boon.
"The interesting thing is that what [winner] Bryan [Henderson] has won is a grace period where he can be god of gods for a certain amount of time," Molyneux told Rock, Paper, Shotgun. "We're talking about that period of time [right now]. It won't be less than a few months. It might not be more than a year. And then we'll unveil the ability to usurp the god of gods and replace him with someone else. That someone else will then take on all of Bryan's powers."
Molyneux said that the when and how of Henderson's eventual overthrow is yet to be determined. But during his temporary reign, he will be the first to gain a small portion of Godus's sales profits, depending on its success. So several months to a year of initial sales cash will probably be more substantial than any subsequent deity usurper. But how do the Kickstarter backers feel about being at the mercy of some non-developer entity?
"I want to gauge people's reactions--not just to the center of Curiosity, but also to gauge the reaction to Godus," Molyneux said. "... It didn't seem like that sort of decision should be made without some sort of feedback from the people who will actually be playing Godus." Molyneux said the alpha of Godus should be released to backers today.
Molyneux said that the god powers, probably provided through some sort of in-game control scheme, won't break the game's balance, as final say will still rest with 22Cans. "He can't decide everybody in Canada will explode or anything like that. There are limits to his power."
John Keefer posted a new article, Curiosity's Godus prize has a time limit, Molyneux says.
Designer Peter Molyneux is saying that the Curiosity prize of being a god among computer-generated men is but a temporary boon. -


text:
Paul writes the following in his first letter to the Corinthian church:
Were you called while a slave? Do not worry about it; but if you are able also to become free, rather do that. For he who was called in the Lord while a slave, is the Lord's freedman; likewise he who was called while free, is Christ's slave. You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. -1 Corinthians 7:21-23
As a modern American, when I read "slavery", the following sorts of things scroll through my head:
The movie Amazing Grace, with all its graphic descriptions of Africans being shackled and crammed into tiny ships where they waded in puke and dysentery for weeks prior to having rope shoved up their rectum so they could bring more profit when they were sold at the auction
Israelites conquering their enemies and turning them into slaves
Stuff I've heard about how "back in Bible times" slavery was more like indentured servitude... poor people would make an agreement with a land-owner to work for them for some period of time, and received food and shelter in return.
Commentaries I've read that apply New Testament passages about slavery to modern employment arrangements
I'm not looking for an overview of all of the different types of "slavery" throughout history, but needless to say, there's a lot swimming around in my head on this topic. My question here is pretty simple: what was Paul referring to in 1 Corinthians 7:21-23 when he spoke of "slaves"? A good answer will include some historical context, some clues from the literary context, and perhaps some support from other relevant places in the New Testament (esp. Paul's writings.)
And, if you're itching to take it a step further, does Paul's situation have any direct, modern, Western equivalent? (I.e. would Paul urge the Engineers at Intel to quit their jobs and "free" themselves from their "slavery"?)


text:
Oxford Reference provides more than 177,000 concise definitions and in-depth, specialist encyclopedic entries across Literature. Our coverage comprises authoritative, accessible information on writers, works, movements, historical context, literary theories, and allusions—from African American literature and Irish literature to Canadian and Italian, from Classical to Romantic, from poetry to plays.
Written by trusted experts for researchers at every level, entries are complemented by chronologies, line drawings, and charts wherever useful.
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Discover literature on Oxford Reference with the below sample content:
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'Dialect and Obsolete Words' from The Oxford Companion to the Brontës
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Biography of Herman Melville (The Oxford Encyclopedia of American Cultural and Intellectual History)
Author Q&A
In your opinion, which is the most fascinating entry you have written for Oxford Reference and why?
I think the most fascinating entry, not necessarily in the way that I composed it but definitely with regard to what the term represents, is jinās or wordplay. This is because wordplay is a universal phenomenon but the precise techniques of wordplay vary from language to language, according to its specificities. Arabic morphology rests on a system of roots and patterns. Most words derive from roots of three radicals, and manipulating these letters and reordering them create phonic correspondences between divergent meanings in interesting ways. A brilliant example may be found in the opening lines of a famous poem by Abū Tammām (d.c. 232/845):
The sword is more truthful than books,
In its edge is the limit between seriousness and jest
White blades (ṣafāˀiḥ) not black pages (ṣaḥāˀif), in
Its surfaces doubt and uncertainty become clear
The Arabic word for 'blades' is derived from ṣ-f-ḥ and that of pages from ṣ-ḥ-f, and both words are formed on the plural pattern faˁāˀil. This tongue-twisting root-play comes amidst a very neat opposition (or ṭibāq) between 'white' and 'black' as well as a pleasing similarity between the meanings of the words in question: both 'blade' and 'page' evoke flat surfaces. It is the kind of exquisite structure that makes learning Arabic poetry worth the effort.
What is the one term or concept that everyone—from students to everyday web users—should be familiar with? Why?
If there is one term with which everyone should be familiar it is iltizām. Iltizām is a verbal noun meaning 'adherence', 'sticking', or 'persevering', and, in a modern Arabic literary context it refers to 'commitment' in a political sense. It serves as a translation of the French concept of littérature engagée promoted by Jean-Paul Sartre. Its advocates, who have perhaps made up the majority of avant-garde writers in the Arab world since events of the mid-twentieth century—most notably the Nakba or 'catastrophe' of Palestine with the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948—do not believe in artistic experimentation for its own sake but rather see the role of the artist as one actively working to improve the human condition. A preoccupation with social justice runs deep through Arabic fiction, drama, and poetry, to the extent that even Postmodernist Arab authors, who are meant to eschew ideologies and other forms of grand narrative, often demonstrate this impulse. In a study of Moroccan novelist Mohamed Berrada, for example, Magda Al-Nowaihi has called this phenomenon 'committed postmodernity'. I think it is important for people to understand, when they pick up a piece of Arabic literature in translation, that it is often the case that one cannot fully appreciate its artistry without an awareness of the forms of political, social, and economic oppression against which its creator struggles.
What do you think is the most commonly held misconception in your subject area?
Here I will discuss not so much a misconception but more of a misnomer, which causes a lot of confusion when translating from Arabic to English. Al-shiˁr al-ḥurr means 'free poetry' or 'free verse', but whereas the term 'free verse' in English refers to poetry which is free from the constraints of metre and rhyme, al-shiˁr al-ḥurr exhibits both. It is called 'free' not because it dispenses with metre and rhyme altogether, but rather because it is liberated from the ancient traditional model of the monorhymed qaṣīda, with its strictly regulated combinations of feet into lines with balanced hemistichs. The Iraqi poet Nāzik al-Malāˀika (1923–2007), who along with her compatriot Badr Shākir al-Sayyāb (1926–1964) was one of the first composers of al-shiˁr al-ḥurr, theorized and systematized this new form of verse, which considered the foot rather than the line as its basic unit. Whereas a poem was previously divided into lines of a fixed combination of feet, now the poem could be divided into lines of varying lengths. The lines were still composed with feet, but the number of feet in a line could change. Moreover, whereas the rhyme that marked the end of a line used to be uniform throughout the qaṣīda, al-shiˁr al-ḥurr introduced variation into the rhyme schemes and the monorhyme was dropped. Meanwhile, the Arabic term which is equivalent to the English 'free verse'—in other words that form of poetry which dispenses with metre and rhyme—is called al-shiˁr al-manthūr or 'prose poetry'. This is, indeed, an accurate translation, since all non-versified texts in Arabic are labelled as prose (nathr), but its connotations in English would suggest a more radical departure from the poetic paradigm than is necessarily the case. For example, al-shiˁr al-manthūr tends to appear in columns and to be divided into stanzas rather than formatted in paragraphs. The Arabic equivalent of 'prose poem' or poème-en-prose is qaṣīdat al-nathr. Early experimentation with prose poetry, be it al-shiˁr al-manthūr or qaṣīdat al-nathr is associated with the avant-garde journal Shiˁr (Poetry) and its contributors, such as the internationally renowned Syrian poet Adonis (Adūnīs, born 1930).
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A Université de Montréal research team is developing a pill composed of leptin, the protein that tells our brain to stop eating.
"Mice deprived of leptin will not stop eating. They become so big they have trouble moving around," says Moïse Bendayan, a pathology professor at the Université de Montréal Faculty of Medicine who has studied the leptin protein extensively.
Leptin regulates appetite in mammals and its levels decrease when fasting and rise during meals. It has been proven to be an appetite suppressant when administered intravenously to pathologically obese people.
Postdoctoral student Philippe Cammisotto is leading the charge for a leptin-based, appetite suppressing pill with Dr. Bendayan and Émile Levy, a professor from the Department of Nutrition. "Taken orally, such a pill would provide obese people with the sensation of being full. They would eat less and in turn lose weight," says Dr. Cammisotto.
"We hope to start animal testing in 2010," says Bendayan. "The molecule is easy to synthesize and the protocol is ready."
After decades of building his reputation in fundamental research, Bendayan is happy to collaborate on something more tangible. "Obesity is a big problem in our society, no pun intended," says Bendayan. "To develop medication to combat obesity would be a great way for our laboratory to contribute to public health."
The new pill is being created based on a startling Université de Montréal discovery from 2006: leptin isn't only secreted by fatty tissues. "From the first bite of any meal, leptin levels skyrocket in the bloodstream. Yet this has nothing to do with the leptin stored in the fatty tissues," says Bendayan. "In the lab, we proved that up to 80 percent of cells in our stomach also produce leptin. Those are the ones that regulate appetite."
The Université de Montréal finding led to a different understanding of how the protein works, since leptin alone can't survive in an acidic stomach without assistance. Indeed, leptin protects itself with an accomplice that acts as its bodyguard and accompanies the protein through the digestive system until it can be absorbed into the bloodstream.
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From start to finish, consistent print quality, ease of application, and versatility will keep your business moving no matter how many vehicles you're wrapping.
Cost-effective solutions can still turn heads and these films are designed to do just that for your everyday promotional graphics.
Get the Latest Arlon Product Updates, Videos, and Events


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Simply Vietnam with Laos & Cambodia
With their long histories, interesting cultures, and gorgeous scenery, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos offer something for everyone. On this Southeast Asia tour, you'll overnight in Luang Prabang, Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Phong Nha National Park, Hoi An, Hue, Ho Chi Minh City, Phnom Penh, and Siem Reap. Sightseeing tours in the cities feature the must-see sites, including Luang Prabang's Wat Xieng Thong, a 16th-century temple featuring Buddhist art and architecture; Hanoi's One Pillar Pagoda, built in 1049; Hue's Forbidden Purple City, the emperor's residence constructed in 1804; Hoi An's Thien Mu Pagoda; and Phnom Penh's Royal Palace.. In Ho Chi Minh City, your sightseeing includes the War Remnants Museum and the Cu Chi region, where you'll get to explore the deep, narrow tunnels constructed by the Viet Cong during the war. You'll enjoy seeing gorgeous scenery and destinations via the water. Cruise on Vietnam's Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with some of the world's most amazing scenery. You'll sail by islets, caves, beaches, and floating villages. In Phong Nha National Park, a boat ride on the Son River takes you to Phong Nha Cave. Enjoy a cruise in Hoi An on the Thu Bon River, where you'll pass unspoiled countryside. A highlight of this Southeast Asia tour are the spectacular ruins at Angkor, including Angkor Wat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; Angkor Thom; and 10th-century Banteay Srei Temple, known for its intricate decorations. These are just some of the many highlights on this tour through Southeast Asia. Designed for savvy, value-minded travelers, it's a dream vacation!
City Highlights
LUANG PRABANGVisit Mount Phousi, Wat Mai, the National Museum, and Wat Xieng Thong; Host service during your stayHANOIVisit the Temple of Literature, One Pillar Pagoda; water puppets performanceHA LONG BAYDay cruise on the bayPHONG NHA-KE BANG NATIONAL PARKBoat ride on Son River, visit Phong Nha CaveHUEVisit the Forbidden Purple City, Imperial Tomb of Minh Mang, Thien Mu PagodaHOI ANCruise on Thu Bon River; walking tour through Hoi An Ancient TownHO CHI MINH CITYVisit the Reunification Palace, the War Remnants Museum, and Cu Chi TunnelsPHNOM PENHVisit the Royal Palace and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum; Host service during your staySIEM REAPVisit Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Bayon Temple, Banteay Srai, and Ta Prohm; Host service during your stay
18 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 3 dinners
Private, deluxe, air-conditioned motorcoach while touring in Vietnam. Sightseeing vehicle in Laos & Cambodia.


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One of the indelible moments of Super Bowl XLVII is San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaughscreaming for a penalty on Baltimore Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith after Colin Kaepernick's fourth-and-season pass attempt to Michael Crabtree fell incomplete.
NFL Season in Moments
Relive the most unforgettable moments of the entire NFL season with exclusive videos and articles. More...
Many spectators, commentators and former NFL players have argued in the week since that while it might have been an infraction, a referee should just let the players play in that situation.
Naturally, Harbaugh continues to disagree with that sentiment.
"I would say it exactly like Bill Polian: A penalty is a penalty no matter when it occurs in a game," he told KBWF-FM radio via SportsRadioInterviews.com.
"It could occur in the first play of the game. It could occur on the last play of the game, or any play in between. That's the rules of football. You let 'em play or let 'em get away with something. Which would you rather have? Let's play the rules of the game. ... If there's a penalty then it's a penalty -- doesn't matter what kind of game. ... It's the rules of football. If it's a penalty, you call it. If you see it, you call it. That's how I feel about it."
There are some fans in Atlanta who are wondering if Harbaugh felt that way after Navarro Bowman and Roddy White collided to essentially end the NFC Championship Game.
Follow Kevin Patra on Twitter @kpatra.


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American Hustle declares what it is about with disarming bluntness. The two con artists around whom it revolves confide to us in voice-over right at the start: Sydney (Amy Adams), aka Lady Edith Greensley, wanted "to become anyone else other than who I was." Irving (Christian Bale) acknowledges that "we even con ourselves." What could be more guileless than such flat-out admissions? With the juxtaposition of two unrelated fragments, David O. Russell has already established the key in which the movie is to be pitched: the opening bars of Duke Ellington's 1956 Newport Jazz Festival recording of "Jeep's Blues" and the spectacle of Christian Bale at the mirror putting a toupee in place with almost devotional attentiveness before combing over it with equal care, to face the world in the guise of a sophisticated operator of the late 1970s, complete with tinted glasses, silk scarf, and burgundy velvet jacket and vest. The Ellington speaks of an unattainable ideal of style and verve; Bale's get-up has the eloquence of a heartfelt if not quite adequate effort to create an image worthy of that ideal.
In the prelude Bale recounts how he met Adams and found "that thing where you just want to be with the one person all the time." It's a romantic fantasy perfectly realized, from the scene where he woos her by giving her designer dresses (abandoned by customers at the string of dry cleaners he owns) to the dreamy shot of the two of them racing in madcap exhilaration across Park Avenue. This movie-within-a-movie has its own inner arc. Madly in love with Adams, Bale takes her to the office where he conducts his main business, a scam operation involving nonrefundable fees for obtaining fake loans; she appears troubled and walks out; alone, he surrenders to despair; a moment later she comes back and, with her exquisitely phony British accent, makes clear she will be his partner. The whole episode is deeply moving and we're only minutes into the picture. We're sold, like one of their marks, on the sincerity and reliability of this love in a world otherwise not to be trusted.
Bale and Adams are professional swindlers; the opening scene finds them at the Plaza Hotel in the middle of two tangles at once, a triangle situation involving an emotionally stormy FBI agent (Bradley Cooper) and a drama of surveillance and entrapment. This latter will turn out to be a simplified and fictionalized version of that great epic of fraudulence known as Abscam, the sting operation that in 1980 offered television viewers a variety show of cluelessly corrupt politicians, drawn by the promised millions of a non-existent oil-rich Arab, taking bribes before candid FBI cameras.
The Abscam saga, approached in a more documentary fashion, might have lent itself to a different sort of film, a more rancid and certainly more complicated journey into a world of pure chicanery, with a designated thief—the consummate con man Mel Weinberg—coerced by the FBI into planning and executing the ultimate hustle, bringing down a senator, a New Jersey mayor, and a raft of Congressmen. The details are to be found in Robert W. Greene's recently reprinted The Sting Man: Inside Abscam (1981), a book richly informed by the recollections and opinions of Weinberg: "It's nervous work bein' a con man. You spend a lotta time sittin' in your hotel room just waitin'. Most of the time you're waitin' for the mark to bring the money… After a while, I learned to turn on the TV.…I know a lotta con men are the same way. Sometimes, just watchin' TV you learn somethin' that can help with a con, so it's not a complete waste of time."
Although Russell and screenwriter Eric Warren Singer have created an artful collage from the most amusing elements of Abscam, they show no interest in dredging through the clutter or assessing the moral conundrums of that multipronged operation and, by the end of the film, it becomes only one plot strand among many. They have used it as the main ingredient of a dish also flavored with other bits of 1970s culture, from orgiastic disco clubs to the doctrines of self-help guru Wayne Dyer. The mere artifacts of the 1970s have at this point become so identified with comical self-delusion and self-display that they scarcely need further elaboration. Every detail of personal grooming is a joke in itself. The con games of Bale and Adams easily become metaphors for a wider illusoriness.
Nothing here—from Bradley Cooper's crazy love for Adams to the grand political ambitions of the sublimely well-cast Jeremy Renner as the big-hearted and thoroughly corrupt mayor of Camden—has anything real to stand on. The FBI agent wears his hair in curlers to jazz up his otherwise straight-arrow appearance. Jennifer Lawrence, as Bale's depressed and manipulative wife, is obsessed with a nail polish that carries a remote whiff of decay: "The best perfumes in the world, they're all laced with something nasty." The film's central moment, as con artists, Feds, politicians, and Mafiosi converge in an atmosphere of exuberant fakery at a gala in an Atlantic City casino-to-be, is underscored by the Bee Gees' lush and maudlin ballad "How Do You Mend a Broken Heart?"
The film might best be described as a comedy with music, and at times comes close to crossing over into an out-and-out musical. Bale and Adams fall in love to the strains of Duke Ellington, and dance while Jack Jones croons "I've Got Your Number"; the hapless Cooper pursues his doomed amour fou as Donna Summer chants "I Feel Love" at Studio 54; Lawrence lip-syncs "Live and Let Die" in close-up as she boils with rage against her cheating husband; Bale and Renner seal their newfound friendship by singing along with Tom Jones on "Delilah." The steady stream of Chicago, America, Elton John, Santana, Steely Dan, and Jeff Lynne tracks sometimes gives the impression of a Top 40 station playing permanently, inescapably, in the background of everyone's personal drama—an impression quite faithful to the texture of urban life in the 70s.
American Hustle slides with such grace through its intrigues, slipping in so many diverting props and devices and walk-ons that you may start to feel you're being hustled by the film itself: the fish tank in the cramped apartment where Cooper lives with his mother, the interminable anecdote about ice-fishing that Cooper's FBI boss (Louis C. K.) never quite gets done relating, the Mexican appointed to play the role of the Arab, the angry women outside the bathroom stall at the disco where Adams is slickly fending off Cooper's passion, the cat photographs that the FBI employee in charge of wire transfers posts on her office wall, the exploding microwave that Lawrence calls "the space oven." It's the classic con man's tactic: keep talking and keep changing the subject whenever necessary, and make sure the mark can never quite put all the pieces together. If so, it's a hustle of the pleasant sort that can be savored even while you know you're being conned.
Surfaces are all we have. As the film progresses, more than one doubt will emerge as to how much the great love between Bale and Adams can be trusted: but the trust is there, carefully planted. Christian Bale and Amy Adams are so consummately charming in their very different ways, so adept at finding ways to convey frankness and open-heartedness, that it would hurt to lose all faith in them. Bale creates a fantastically rich and detailed comic character who operates at all times on multiple levels. He persuades us that he loves and suffers and is fearful just like anyone else, that he is at the mercy of his controlling but sexually irresistible wife but he cannot live without his adored mistress, that he agonizes over the wrong he is doing to the mayor he helps to indict; at the same time he has already demonstrated how easily he could have been play-acting all the while. American Hustle remains a feel-good movie even as it pares to the minimum what there is to feel good about: Bale's final voice-over invokes nothing more than "the story of survival," a story that would put all the cops, crooks, and dazed onlookers pretty much in the same boat. But—in what is perhaps the triumph that every con man plays for—we choose to believe him, and to believe in her, because after all one must believe in something, if only in the music of Duke Ellington that links them together.


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Jason Fried's company, 37signals, builds niche business applications and sells them by subscription on the Web. But this small fry's philosophy could be a good model for developers of internal Web applications at large corporations.
"My advice to corporate Web developers is that the most effective thing is to have something you can use right now," Fried says. "Build something in three weeks, because people love results. And the way you do that is you cut your vision in half."
In other words, don't get bogged down in writing the spec for the perfect system and spending weeks locked in meetings ironing out the project plan. Developers trying to "prove their worth" often wind up "biting off more than they can chew," Fried says in an interview.
This is consistent with studies showing that the risk of project failure goes up as the project schedule stretches out. For that reason, research firm Gartner recommends that anything taking longer than a month or so requires additional planning to mitigate that risk (read: more meetings). Of course, there are inherently complex projects for which a three-week schedule just won't work. Still, Fried suggests taking a hard look at whether there's a simpler solution, something that meets the 80% or more of project goals that really matter and can be done quicker.
If you're building rather than buying software within an enterprise these days, you're probably filling a niche need–some set of requirements within your company that differ from everybody else's, or solve a problem in a slightly different way. And that's not so different from what 37signals does.
The company outlines its simpler-is-better software design philosophy in Getting Real, a self-published book released on its Web site earlier this year, and serially in its blog, Signal vs. Noise.
The Getting Real approach is about starting simple, then trying hard to keep your system simple so that it's easier to use and maintain.
Among the recommendations:
That's how the 37signals developers approached project management a few years ago, when they looked at the tools on the market and decided products like Microsoft Project were too complicated. They wanted something simpler and more flexible, so they started work on what became Basecamp, a free-form project coordination tool. At the time, the company was a Web development consultancy rather than a software-as-a-service vendor, but it was managing some big projects that it needed to coordinate with its customers. Once 37signals began offering Basecamp to the public, it became popular with small businesses and startups, particularly for coordinating projects with subcontractors and outsourcers.
37signals subsequently turned itself into a Web software products firm, introducing Backpack, an information manager for contacts and other personal and business information; Writeboard, a collaborative writing tool; and most recently Campfire, a business-oriented group chat tool.
Although 37signals is private and doesn't release revenue figures, Fried says the firm is self-funded, debt-free and profitable, and has more than 500,000 users of its products.
And the reviews have been positive. "37signals' products are beautifully simple, elegant and intuitive tools that make an Outlook screen look like the software equivalent of a torture chamber," opined Wall Street Journal columnist Jeremy Wagstaff.
"Getting Real is at once an operating manual on building great software, and a comprehensive condemnation of the startlingly dumb preconceptions that animate most software development," commented Stowe Boyd, managing director at consultancy A Working Model and member of the Web 2.0 Workgroup, in his blog at www.stoweboyd.com.
Although he has never been a cubicle slave himself, and runs a company that consists of just seven people, Fried thinks he has some idea of what corporate work is like from past consulting on intranets and other big company projects. When corporate projects fail, it's usually because some manager has made a political ruling about how the system will work, rather than looking at the evidence of what really works. Or the project gets bogged down in specifications and meetings, rather than working code.
"The thing that gets me is, everyone talks about how the enterprise is so complex, and has such special requirements," Fried says. "But people are people. Most people have the same problems. Simple solutions are the ones people are going to use."


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Back in the 60's, CBS had an interesting show about the exciting future, The 21st Century, hosted by the famous TV personality of the time Walter Cronkite.
Matt Novak has gotten hold of a few vintage clips from the classic show, and posted this Walter Cronkite in the Home Office of 2001 video a month ago that now stands with over a quarter million hits.
In the video, Cronkite tours the then futuristic home of the 21st century. Amazingly, many of the predictions from forty years ago, such as how home offices would be equipped with multiple screens that offer instant access to weather, stocks, news, entertainment, and more, have obviously come to fruition.
The video is reminiscent of the AT&T commercials of the 90's that also correctly prophesied our contemporary world.
Read more on Smithsonian.


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Part Loner...Part Gambler...Part Gunslinger...All Hero
After bandits steal his poker winnings this American legend makes his way to the next town in search of them. Seeking out his revenge during a poker game gone bad Doc West finds himself in the local town jail. When his past is exposed and a battle amongst the town breaks out in gunfire he will have to choose sides, between the outlaw or the law-abiding citizens.
- Starring: Terence Hill, Paul Sorvino, Boots Sutherland
Small time Hungarian matchmakers get the job to make a Hollywood star fall in love with a Russian 'businessman's spoiled brat sister. They get one million dollars if they succeed, but if they fail, they will have to pay with their lives.
- Starring: C.J. Thomason, Christine Kelly, Darryl Hannah, Billy Zane
Set in New York City and written by career cop Michael Lovaglio, "The Night Never Sleeps" follows the journey of New York Street Crimes Sargent Thomas Cavanaugh (Dan Brennan) during the course of one night as he and his partners Rourke (Stephanie Finochio) and Jablonsky (Robert Clohessy) hunt down murderers of one of their task force. Pulling information from the denizens of the crime infested neighborhood, like seedy pimp, Hector (Eric Roberts), it becomes clear to the cops that those responsible are the Chicos Locos gang.
- Starring: Eric Roberts, Armand Assante, Dan Brennan, Russ Camarda


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A specific biomarker, a protein released by dying tumor cells, has been identified as an effective tool in an animal model to gauge the response to a novel gene therapy treatment for glioblastoma mulitforme. The finding, reported in the July 1 issue of Clinical Cancer Research, paves the way for a Phase 1 clinical trial expected to begin in late 2009.
The gene therapy is a two-pronged strategy devised by scientists at the Cedars-Sinai Board of Governors Gene Therapeutics Research Institute. It uses a genetically engineered, harmless virus to deliver a combination of proteins and a drug to kill tumor cells, which triggers an ongoing immune response against malignant brain tumors cells.
The Cedars-Sinai team led by Pedro R. Lowenstein, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Board of Governors Gene Therapeutics Research Institute, and Maria G. Castro, Ph.D., co-director of the Institute, developed this gene therapy strategy during 10 years of laboratory research.
"Using this therapy, we have shrunk and completely eliminated very large brain tumors in animals and have trained their immune systems to develop memory so that recurrent tumors are also destroyed," said Castro, principal investigator of the study. "The biomarker identified in this study will help us determine the effectiveness of the therapy in patients with glioblastoma multiforme."
In this study, the researchers identified the most effective and least toxic combination of therapeutic agents that would offer the best results. They found that a protein released by dying tumor cells may be used as a "biomarker" to gauge the effectiveness of treatment. This protein, called "high mobility group box 1" (HMGB1), regulates gene expression in healthy cells by binding to the cells' DNA. When cancerous cells are killed, however, HMGB1 is released into the general blood circulation. This research shows that measuring the levels of HMGB1 in the blood could be a non-invasive but essential way to monitor the effectiveness of cancer therapeutics in patients. These findings will be used to fine-tune the therapy as it enters the Phase I clinical trial.
Traditional treatments have little impact on long-term survival of patients with glioblastoma multiforme, the most common malignancy in the brain, diagnosed in about 18,000 people in the United States every year.
The immune system is considered a potential ally, but the brain has few dendritic cells -- key sentries of the immune system that detect foreign proteins and provide the very initial signals for the T cells to mount an anti-tumor immune attack. Without the surveillance of dendritic cells, brain tumors go undetected and proliferate rapidly.
In the technique devised by Castro and Lowenstein, one of the proteins (the immune stimulatory cytokine Flt3L) attracts dendritic cells from bone marrow into the tumor while another protein (thymidine kinase) and the antiviral drug gancyclovir combine to kill tumor cells. The dying tumor cells are detected by the newly recruited dendritic cells, which initiate the anti-tumor response. The biomarker identified in this study is a result of the ongoing battle between the T cells and the tumor cells. As such, the biomarker will be a useful direct reporter of the ensuing fight to kill the tumor.
This study was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, The Bram and Elaine Goldsmith and the Medallions Group Endowed Chairs in Gene Therapeutics, The Linda Tallen and David Paul Kane Foundation Annual Fellowship and the Board of Governors at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
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The U.S. dollar is mixed against other North American currencies in New York trading.
It's worth 1.26 Canadian dollars, unchanged from late Monday.
And the dollar is trading at 20.08 Mexican pesos, down from late Monday.
Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.


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Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2024.
Friday, June 28, 2013
Comparing "Old Search" and "New Search" Results on Ancestry.com
One of the claims is that Ancestry's "New Search" algorithms provide results that are not as good as the "Old Search" algorithms. I decided to do a study of both search algorithms using someone in my database (but someone whom I have not extensively searched). At random, I picked Floyd Leonard Seaver, born 1892. It's a relatively unique name. I knew, from an Ancestry Member Tree and earlier research in census records, who his parents were, and his spouse's name (Verna Daniels). I also considered who a person new to genealogy might search for - typically, a grandparent or great-grandparent.
1) In "New Search," here is the search form I used on the Home Page - I entered first names, last name, and a birth year:
The Search results (using the "Records" list of results) have 52,872 listed. The first 20 are shown below (in 3 screens, no overlap):
The results in order are:
* Public Member Photo & Scanned Documents - Floyd Leonard Seaver (1892-1939)
* Public Member Photo & Scanned Documents - Floyd Leonard Seaver (1892-1939)
* 1920 U.S. Federal Census - Floyd L. Seaver (born 1893), Solway, Bertrami, Minnesota
* 1930 U.S. Federal Census - Floyd Seaver (born 1890), Emporium, Cameron, Pennsylvania
* 1920 U.S. Federal Census - Floyd Seaver (born 1890), Zeeland, Ottawa, Michigan
* 1900 U.S. Federal Census - Floyd Seaver (born 1894), Bertha, Todd, Minnesota
* 1910 U.S. Federal Census - Floyd Seaver (born 1893), Woodside, Otter Tail, Minnesota
* Minnesota Territorial; and State Census, 1849-1905 - 1905, Floyd Seaver (born 1894), Bertha, Todd, Minnesota
* U.S. World War II Draft Registrations, 1942 - David Floyd Seaver (born 1889), Cameron, Pennsylvania
* U.S. WWI Civilian Draft Registrations, 1917-1918 - David Floyd Seaver (born 1889), Emporium, Penn.
* U.S. WWI Draft Registration Cards, 1917-`1918 - David Floyd Seaver (born 1889), Emporium, Cameron, Penn.
* 1900 U.S. Federal Census - Floyd E. Seaver (born 1887), Prairie, Keokuk, Iowa
* 1900 U.S. Federal Census - Leonard Seaver (born 1895), Windsor, Windsor, Vermont
* U.S. WWI Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 - Elfred Floyd Seaver (born 1888), Ottawa, Michigan
* 1930 U.S. Federal Census - Leonard Seaver (born 1896), Claremont, Sullivan, N.H.
* Public Member Photos and Scanned Documents - Lena Siegfried Joe Seaver and son Floyd at Thomber Cemetery
* U.s. Social Security Death Index, 1935-Current - Leonard Seaver (born 1895), died Claremont, Sullivan, N.H.
* Vermont Vital Records, 1720-1908 - Leonard Roy Seaver (born 1895), Windsor, Vermont
* 1920 U.S. Federal Census - Leonard R. Seaver (born 1896), Claremont, Sullivan, N.H.
* U.S. World War I Draft Registrations, 1917-1918 - Leonard Roy Seaver (born 1895) , Sullivan, N.H.
After reviewing those 20, I concluded that Results #1, 2, 3, 6, 7, and 8 pertained to Floyd Leonard Seaver (1892-1939), who married Verna E. Daniels in about 1912, and resided in Minnesota.
2) The "Old Search" form looks like this (with Floyd Leonard, Seaver, and 1892 in the search fields):
The Results list does not give an umber of matches. Here are the first 20 matches (3 screens, no overlap):
I won't go through the match list, because they are almost the same. Missing from the "Old Search" results are the Public Member Photos and Scanned Documents items.
Records pertaining to Floyd Leonard Seaver, born 1892, are # 1, 4, 5 and 6. They are identical to #3, 6, 7 and 8 on the "New Search" list.
3) Frankly, I don't see any significant difference from the "New Search" results. The only differences are the Public Member Photos & Scanned Documents items. If this was your grandfather, wouldn't you like to have the two photos? And the link to the Ancestry Member Tree that has more information about him? I would. [Note: In this study, I'm not concerned with accuracy of an AMT, only the results obtained.]
4) Thinking that maybe I just picked someone and lucked out, I did three more studies with essentially the same results. These results match studies I've done in the past year - there is not much difference between the "Old Search" and "New Search" algorithms. There used to be some differences, but now there are not.
What about common name persons? Yes, those are harder - there will be hundreds or thousands of matches just on the name. The solution there is to narrow your search - use what you know about birth date, birth place, spouse's name, parents names, etc. to narrow your search in a specific collection. Using wild cards to account for spelling variations works well also, and sometimes you have to search for no surname, or even no name at all (but using narrowing parameters). Every serious researcher should know how to do this - and needs to practice it regularly.
5) This is why I present "Searching Ancestry.com Effectively" all over Southern California. My next presentation is at the San Diego Genealogical Society meeting on Saturday, 13 July 2013. At the end of each presentation on this topic, people come up to me and say something like "I didn't know that there were all of those options and features." I tell them that the Ancestry.com "New Search" algorithm is the most complex and most powerful search engine for genealogy records, and needs to be practiced and learned on a regular basis. If you are paying for an Ancestry.com subscription, you should be willing to invest enough time to learn how to use it efficiently and effectively.
6) For those readers who think that "Old Search" is superior, I encourage you to do a similar study for several of your ancestral persons. Please tell me about it, or write your own blog or Facebook post, even if it's just a summary of your effort.
I hope that other geneabloggers will perform similar studies as the one above (you don't have to do everything I did), and demonstrate that the "New Search" capabilities are similar to the "Old Search" capabilities.
The URL for this post is: http://www.geneamusings.com/2013/06/comparing-old-search-and-new-search.html
Copyright (c) 2013, Randall J. Seaver
9 comments:
The reason you don't see much of a difference is that you do not have the Exact Matches box checked on the Old Search form.
When you do, the list is much more compact, much easier to navigate and I find what I am looking for much faster. - Friday, June 28, 2013 at 2:02:00 PM PDT
- Geolover said...
There also has been some discussion (some not nice) and an Ancestry staffer's input on an Ancestry.com message board, here:
- Friday, June 28, 2013 at 2:20:00 PM PDT
- Andrew Hatchett said...
Denise, the "Exact Match" boxes weren't checked in the NewSearch example so it was a fair test.
Checking them in one test and not is the other is comparing apples to oranges -i.e no test at all. - Friday, June 28, 2013 at 2:30:00 PM PDT
- Geolover said...
Another series of discussions pro and con are here:
- Friday, June 28, 2013 at 2:36:00 PM PDT
- Heather Wilkinson Rojo said...
Thanks for the mention and link, Randy. I added this post to the list, too.
- Friday, June 28, 2013 at 2:46:00 PM PDT
- Randy Seaver said...
I had "Exact Matches" unchecked for both the "New Search" and "Old Search" tests. The results are similar with "Exact Matches" checked as one would expect in 2013.
I can do a test with "Exact Matches" checked if you want!
Randy - Friday, June 28, 2013 at 3:20:00 PM PDT
- Randy Seaver said...
I think "New Search" has changed considerably since 2010, so the 2010 comparison may not apply. I think I did a comparison several years ago also.
The Ancestry staffers seem to have the patience of Job...
Cheers -- Randy
- Friday, June 28, 2013 at 3:22:00 PM PDT
Checking what seems to be the equivalent of "exact matches" on New Search gives results that have the same appearance.
My issue is the extreme amount of empty space presented on New Search, requiring much scrolling to read them all. Therefore it takes longer to scan through and find possible real matches.
When I use Old Search with exact matches checked I am presented with about 5 possible census collection matches, 5 birth, death etc collection matches, 5 military collection matches. This can be clicked through much more quickly. - Friday, June 28, 2013 at 5:49:00 PM PDT
- Randy Seaver said...
Are you saying that you are getting a list of matches for your search in "New Search" that are from different databases? If so, you are seeing results on the "Records" tab. If you switch to the "Categories" tab (top of the Results page, on the right) you will see the orderly list of databases within the categories - the 5 census databases, the 5 vital records databases, etc. Does that work for you?
Maybe i'll post about that feature again - I last wrote about it in http://www.geneamusings.com/2013/05/ancestrycom-changes-search-results-page.html
Regards -- Randy - Friday, June 28, 2013 at 8:25:00 PM PDT


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Living in Apple Valley, we all enjoy convenient access to the Minneapolis / St. Paul International Airport. But, our proximity to the airport also has had negative noise consequences after the new Runway 17/35 opened in 2005. The runway was built by the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) to increase the overall capacity of the airport.
The new runway is expected to handle 17% of arrivals and 37% of departures at the airport annually. Maps showing the noise levels around the airport are available from the MAC.
The MAC holds quarterly public input and informational meetings. Much of the noise information presented at the meetings can be found on the MAC website. The MAC noise programs webpage offers a variety of tools to help residents locate their property in relation to the flight tracks.


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I would like to say a good word about the Continuum Quixotic stage production my wife and I saw Oct. 18. But how can you find just one word that can express the fantastic, extraordinary, unbelievable performance?
I would like to thank Homer Council on the Arts, all its members and our very special thank you to all the performers. Your artistry is a genuine gift.
Jim and Bonnie Nelson


text:
Explore a comprehensive suite of insurance products, all built to meet the unique needs of dentists.
Manage coverage 24/7. Log in to access policies, pay bills, get a quote or start a claim.
To create an account, have your ADA number, policy number and associated zip code handy.
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Tap into enlightening resources and C.E., time-saving forms and one-on-one expert guidance.
Discover a company founded by dentists, to protect only dentists, and led by your peers.
Document discussions and reduce liability risks.
Informed consent is more than just a form. It's a dialogue between you and your patient about treatment risks, benefits, alternatives and likelihood of success. Use these multilingual forms to support documenting those dialogues.
Download the discussion and informed consent form for all listed procedures in English.
Download the discussion and informed consent form for all listed procedures in Spanish.
Discussion and informed consent form for gingival (gum) graft.
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Access a dentistry-focused risk management articles, guides, sample letters, informed consent forms and more.
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text:
Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Associated Press
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - The levels of harmful contaminants at Superstorm Sandy cleanup sites in New York and New Jersey have so far not exceeded federal workplace exposure limits, officials said Wednesday.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration tested dozens of cleanup sites, measuring worker exposure to toxic substances. The agency fanned out to workplaces and debris sites ranging from beaches to landfills, testing for airborne contaminants and taking samples from debris and storm water.
Some sites showed the presence of contaminants including asbestos, carbon monoxide, lead and silica. Others had increased levels of noise. None, however, were above OSHA's permissible exposure limits.
Among the jobs being done include debris and sand removal, tree cutting and other cleanup. Other testing came after an employee complained about fumes or air quality.
Results of some tests of the test sites _ which include private businesses, parks and roads _ are still pending. The agency tested residential demolition sites, but not inside private homes.
"These initial results should not be taken by employers as an "all clear" signal regarding potential exposure to health hazards," said Robert Kulick, OSHA's regional administrator in New York, in a statement. "It is important that each employer continually ensure that workers are not overexposed."
Testing began Nov. 5. The agency said it continues to monitor sites and look for "additional potential contamination left behind in structures as well as in cleanup and recovery process areas where workers may be exposed to additional health hazards." It will post results on its Hurricane Sandy page.
OSHA representatives have also been talking to employees at worksites about workplace rights and safety.
OSHA did not test places that were previously known to be contaminated for further hazards, but it did check workers for exposure to existing toxins at some of those sites. If a spill happened inside a business that handles hazardous materials, such as a refinery that had an oil spill, it is up to the employer to clean it, assess employee exposure, provide protective equipment or deem the site safe to return to work.
Lenore Uddyback-Fortson, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Labor, said OSHA tested for toxic material "based on what substances were in the area before the storm" and contaminants moved by floodwaters. Other things, including carbon monoxide and noise, occurred because of the cleanup. Some sites were chosen based on the location of floodwaters or proximity to hazardous waste.
However, Uddyback-Fortson said it is not the agency's "intent or mission to sample every site," and employers are ultimately responsible for detecting dangers.
Paul J. Lioy, a professor and vice chair of the Department of Environmental Medicine at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and expert on toxic exposure, said storms like Sandy can dilute chemicals, but they can also push hazards around. It is no surprise that the results are not all in, he said, because testing takes time.
It is hard to know what toxins the storm could have washed in.
"We have no idea what's in the soil that's washed up from sediment that's coming through flooding or through the groundwater, but they're testing the right things," Lioy said. "You test for metals and you test for some organics, you test for highly toxic stuff."
OSHA contamination results: http://www.osha.gov/sandy
Follow Zezima at www.twitter.com/katiezez
(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)


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Media portrays US/NATO client state Georgia as victim
despite war crimes provocation to launch conflict
Paul Joseph Watson
Prison Planet
Monday, August 11, 2008
The truth behind who is primarily responsible for the bloodshed unfolding in
South Ossetia and surrounding areas has been buried by the western corporate
media. Georgian forces, with a green light from NATO and the support of
American and Ukrainian mercenaries, launched a brutal attack targeting
civilians and Russian peacekeepers timed to coincide with the opening of the
Beijing Olympics so as to temporarily deflect attention before the
inevitable Russian response, by which time the global media machine kicked
into high gear to smear Russia as the villains of the entire piece.
To accept such a characterization is not parroting Russian military
propaganda, it is a reflection of the stone cold fact that Georgia was
responsible for the first provocation – which itself amounted to a war
crime – that launched the conflict.
That is not to hide from the fact that Russia's unrelenting response
continues to slaughter untold numbers of innocent people.
The initial Georgian bombardment of the provincial capital Tskhinvali was
primarily directed to achieve maximum civilian casualties, with residential
areas, hospitals and the university being targeted, leading to at least 1500
civilian deaths according to both western and Russian sources.
"The air and artillery bombardment left the provincial capital without
water, food, electricity and gas. Horrified civilians crawled out of the
basements into the streets as fighting eased, looking for supplies,"
reported the Associated Press.
Reports of the initial carnage metered out by Georgian forces and the
slaughter of Russian peacekeepers are difficult to find, because they have
already been buried under the deluge of condemnation about Russia's
heavy-handed response.
American citizen and resident of South Ossetia Joe Mestas described the war
crimes he witnessed being carried out by Georgian forces, back by U.S.
support, against innocent civilians.
"I thought that since U.S. is supporting Georgia there would be some control
over the situation in South Ossetia and that there would be a peaceful
solution to the conflict. But what is happening there now it's not just war,
but war crimes. George Bush and [Georgian president] Mikhail Saakashvili
should answer to the crimes that are being committed – the killing of
innocent people, running over by tanks of children and women, throwing
grenades into cellars where people are hiding," Mestas said.
"The war is when military fight against military. But the Georgian army is
killing innocent civilians. This is genocide," he added.
A prime example of media bias in shielding Georgia from responsibility for
the carnage is the fact that news outlets like the BBC continue to report
that 1500 civilians have been killed in Georgia, with the obvious inference
being that these are victims of the Russian onslaught. But these victims
were not killed in Georgia, they were killed in Ossetia – by Georgian
As the Chimes of Freedom Blog elaborates, "While the Ossetians claimed over
1000 dead the BBC neither reported this or any newsreel coming out of
Ossetia showing the destruction caused by the Georgian shelling of the
breakaway republic. All we are getting is one-sided reports of the
destruction being caused by the Russians."
"The BBC is giving carte blanche to the Georgian point-of-view to be aired
on its services while nothing whatsoever is being heard from the Ossetian
side. The BBC's repetitive playing of a statement by George Bush, given
several days ago, without balancing these against statements from the
Russian side indicates where the BBC is coming from."
Other mainstream news outlets are either aping the portrayal of Georgia,
which enjoys the support of the American empire and NATO, as a poor isolated
little country under brutal assault by the big bully Russia, or simply
ignoring events altogether and obsessing about John Edwards' extramarital
In reality, Georgia is being used as a proxy client state through which the
U.S. and NATO are advancing their geopolitical motives – to the cost of
Ossetian, Georgian and Russian civilians alike caught in the middle of the
As Professor Michel Chossudovsky explains, "Georgia is an outpost of US and
NATO forces, on the immediate border of the Russian Federation and within
proximity of the Middle East Central Asian war theater. South Ossetia is
also at the crossroads of strategic oil and gas pipeline routes."
"Georgia does not act militarily without the assent of Washington. The
Georgian head of State is a US proxy and Georgia is a de facto US
The price of the U.S. and NATO's latest proxy war is already being paid with
the deaths of thousands of innocent civilians – along with American
mercenaries supporting Georgian forces.
According to the president of South Ossetia, Eduard Kokoity, the bodies of
black men were found at the site of one battle near a school.
Russian envoy Dmitry Medoyev indicated the men may have been American
"In yesterday's attack, the advancing tanks were supposedly crewed by
Ukrainians. Two unidentified bodies found today are said to have black skin.
Possibly they are Americans but we can't say for sure yet. We will be able
to publish the official conclusions after carrying out special tests,"
Medoyev said.
Last month, the United States, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Ukraine
conducted Immediate Response 2008, a joint training exercise said to be in
"spirit of the NATO Partnership for Peace program," according to Blackanthem
Military News. Immediate Response 2008 was held at the Vaziani Military Base
in Georgia.
In another report, a woman interviewed by Russia Today in Tskhinvali, South
Ossetia, talked about the presence of Georgian troops with American
insignias. "There are lots of bodies over there, a lot of people have been
killed, mostly Ossetians, but also Georgians, they had American emblems on
their forearms and they were in black uniforms," she said.
Black uniforms are a trademark of Blackwater and DynCorp mercenaries (see
Chris Hedges, America's Holy Warriors). DynCorp's presence in Eastern Europe
is well documented, particularly in occupied Bosnia where it engaged in
sex-trafficking and prostitution.
In a Friday press conference, Chairman of Russia's State Duma Security
Committee Vladimir Vasilyev said without U.S. aid, Tbilisi would have been
unable to start military operation in South Ossetia. "The further the
situation unfolds, the more the world will understand that Georgia would
never be able to do all this without America," said Vasilyev. "In essence,
the Americans have prepared the force, which destroys everything in South
Ossetia, attacks civilians and hospitals."
It is entirely feasible the U.S. has "prepared the force" with mercenaries
as well.
Michel Chossudovsky explores the reasoning behind Georgia's act of
provocation that launched the conflict.
US-NATO military and intelligence planners invariably examine various
"scenarios" of a proposed military operation– i.e. in this case, a limited
Georgian attack largely directed against civilian targets, with a view to
inflicting civilian casualties.
The examination of scenarios is a routine practice. With limited military
capabilities, a Georgian victory and occupation of Tskhinvali, was an
impossibility from the outset. And this was known and understood to US-NATO
military planners.
A humanitarian disaster rather than a military victory was an integral part
of the scenario. The objective was to destroy the provincial capital, while
also inflicting a significant loss of human life.
If the objective were to restore Georgian political control over the
provincial government, the operation would have been undertaken in a very
different fashion, with Special Forces occupying key public buildings,
communications networks and provincial institutions, rather than waging an
all out bombing raid on residential areas, hospitals, not to mention
Tskhinvali's University.
The Russian response was entirely predictable.
Georgia was "encouraged" by NATO and the US. Both Washington and NATO
headquarters in Brussels were acutely aware of what would happen in the case
of a Russian counterattack.
The question is: was this a deliberate provocation intended to trigger a
Russian military response and suck the Russians into a broader military
confrontation with Georgia (and allied forces) which could potentially
escalate into an all out war?
With rhetoric from figures like President Bush and Condoleezza Rice becoming
increasingly heated towards Russia, the potential for an escalation in
tensions is readily apparent.
Only the most naive would believe that the U.S. missile defense shield is
anything other than a bulwark against Russian military expansion, and Russia
's response in resuming bomber patrols across the Atlantic sends a clear
Knowing that Americans remain completely unconvinced about the necessity of
attacking Iran, have the Neo-Cons in control of the White House lit the blue
touch paper for a wider war that could swing the U.S. election in favor of
pro-war candidate John McCain?
Or is this merely payback for Russia lending their expertise in building
Iranian nuclear reactors?
The motives will become clear in due course but what's certain is that
innocent lives will continue to be lost as the American empire lurches into
its next theatre of conflict and the Neo-Cons play a deadly game that could
have devastating wider consequences.


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Giving The Godfather Part II a run for its money as the best sequel in filmdom, Pixar's Toy Story 2 upholds the quality of Toy Story and arguably builds a better mousetrap. This CGI-animated adventure "plus"es the original without being remotely obnoxious about it: the adventure is on a tonally grander scale, while the emotions can be even more delicate than before—most notably in a montage set to Randy Newman's "When She Loved Me" that's an unbearably sad precursor to Up's marriage sequence.
Toy Story 2 continues to delve into the hidden anxieties of toys: troubleshooting a yard sale that threatens to break up the gang, old-fashioned cowboy doll Woody suffering the horror of being "shelved" (or, worse, cold "storage"), and Buzz finds himself temporarily replaced by a newer model. All, of course, are variations on the rejection all humans primally fear from their loved ones. The sequel also deals with an issue specific to toys: whether they are to be kept in their original packaging as collector's items or lovingly used. When a Shanghai'd Woody has an existential breakthrough—by watching episodes of the black-and-white marionette show that spawned him, "Woody's Roundup"—he feels obliged to stick by his original "complete set" family and break with his friends from Andy's room. "This is my only chance," says Woody. "To do what?" Buzz asks. "Watch kids from behind glass and never be loved again? Some life."
Toy Story 2 has a villain in Al (Wayne Knight), proprietor of Al's Toy Barn and a ruthless, weaselly toy collector. He's looking to score by selling Woody along with Jessie the Yodeling Cowgirl (Joan Cusack), Stinky Pete the Prospector (Kelsey Grammer) and Woody's horse Bullseye. In Buzz's "universe," we check back in with three-eyed aliens and learn of Buzz's arch-nemesis, the Evil Emperor Zurg. Also among the new characters are Mrs. Potato Head (Estelle Harris), Barbie ("Little Mermaid" Jodi Benson), and squeak toy Wheezy the Penguin (Joe Ranft), who Buzz rescues astride Andy's dog Buster, and there's an indispensible cameo by Rock'em Sock'em Robots. A team of nine writers collaborated to produce the clever plot and witty dialogue, and an army of animators prove equally adept at fast-paced action and minute subtleties of "body" language, as when Woody does his best hip-swinging suave.
The whole endeavor is best summed up by a brief scene between Al and toy restorer Geri the Cleaner (Jonathan Harris), who crosses over from the Pixar short "Geri's Game." Impatient, Al sputters, "How long is this going to take?" Geri replies, "You can't rush art." Pixar's bliss in art and play is part and parcel of both the creation and the meaning of Toy Story 2, a celebration of the pure joy of doing.
Not surprisingly, Toy Story 2 is reference-quality A/V material on Disney Blu-ray, at least as good-looking and sounding as—if not better than—its predecessor. The new Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy combo pack clearly sets the standard for this title. Though not originally designed for 3D exhibition, Toy Story 2 is a CGI-animated film using three dimensional models for characters and other elements, so it's no great leap to 3D presentation. Plus, as it turns out, the swift action plays very well in 3D, with plenty of flaily bits to make the format feel more than justified. Taken as the extension of the likewise handsome 2D transfer, the 3D image maximizes the already featured brilliant color, rock-solid imagery and pinpoint detail. The picture shares disc space with a skillfully discrete DTS-HD Master 5.1 mix that well serves the fast-paced action as well as Newman's lilting ballads. Of course, the combo packs area feature-laden special editions with hi-def bonuses as well as a ton of archival extras.
Returning is the wall-to-wall audio commentary by director John Lasseter, co-directors Lee Unkrich and Ash Brannon, and co-writer Andrew Stanton, a sort of Pixar master class.
New bonuses include "Toy Story 3 Sneak Peek: 'The Characters'" (4:01, HD) with director Lee Unkrich; "Buzz Lightyear Mission Logs: International Space Station" (3:45, HD), which finds an actual Buzz in actual outer space; studio staff profile "Paths to Pixar - Technical Artists" (4:24, HD) with Rick Sayre, Ana Lacaze Jordan, Guido Quaroni, Mike Krummhoefener, Bill Reeves, and Lisa Forssell; "Pixar's Zoetrope" (2:12, HD), with Docter, project manager Nick Berry, and animator Warren Trezevant explaining an ingenious device; and a trio of simply animated "Studio Stories": "Toy Story 2 Sleep Deprivation Lab" (1:27, HD), "Pinocchio" (2:16, HD) and "The Movie Vanishes" (2:34, HD), narrated by various staffers.
Best in show among the new features is the historically significant "Celebrating Our Friend Joe Ranft" (12:47, HD), featuring wonderful behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with the late Ranft, Lasseter, story supervisor Dan Scanlon, Up co-director Bob Peterson, Up director Pete Docter, and Stanton.
The bonuses roll on with great archival features that will be familiar to owners of previous editions: "Making Toy Story 2" (8:10, SD); "John Lasseter Profile" (3:02, SD); "Cast of Characters" (3:28, SD); Toy Box with "Outtakes" (5:27, SD), "Jessie's Gag" (1:00, SD), "Who's the Coolest Toy?" (3:19, SD), "Riders in the Sky Music Medley" (3:11, SD) and "Autographed Pictures" (:45, SD), a few Deleted Scenes (4:11, SD), and sections devoted to Design, Production, Music & Sound, and Publicity that branch out to featurettes, galleries, early production footage, character interviews, music videos, and more.
This is definitely the way to see Toy Story 2 on home video—until the 3D Blu-ray rolls around, anyway...
Review gear: |
Panasonic Viera TC-P55VT30 55" Plasma 1080p 3D HDTV
Oppo BDP-93 Universal Network 3D Blu-ray Disc Player
Denon AVR2112CI Integrated Network A/V Surround Receiver
Pioneer SP-BS41-LR Bookshelf Speaker (2)
Pioneer SP-C21 Center Speaker
Pioneer SW-8 Subwoofer


text:
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe introduced update to Playstation Plus which allows customers to download three games per month from the top titles offred by PlayStation Store.
PSN cards allow to add some value to your virtual wallet safe and easy. You may do that without giving an information about your credit card.
PlayStation Network card is the protected code consists of 12 marks which add money to your accounts' virtual wallet. PSN cards allow to buy games, movies, bonuses and even songs safe and fast.
PlayStation Store covers Play Station 3, PSP and PS Vita.


text:
- These bi-weekly posts explain the current state of add-on reviews and other information relevant to add-on developers. There's a lengthy overview of the Add-on Review Process posted in this blog that should be read as a general guide about the review process.
- Most nominations are being reviewed within 2 weeks.
- Almost every update is being reviewed within 1 week.
- The Mozilla Summit and the Firefox 4 beta launches have delayed reviews noticeably, but we're catching up.
The Review Queues
- The stats are taken from the latest queue report from last Friday.
- 42 new nominations that week. 128 nominations in the queue awaiting review.
- 60 updates that week. 80 updates in the queue awaiting review.
- 256 reviews performed by AMO Editors this month. There were 13 editors performing reviews last week.
See the Add-on Review Process and You for information on how to check your add-on status.
Firefox 4 Compatibility
Firefox 4 is coming later this year, and beta 3 is currently available for download. This will likely be the most difficult upgrade path for add-on developers in the history of Firefox, so everybody should keep an eye on beta updates and all the documentation that will be published around them. At the moment these are the most useful documentation resources:
- Firefox 4 for developers at MDC.
- Firefox 4 Compatibility blog post.
- Firefox 4 Compatibility discussion in the Add-ons Forum. This is the best place to post any feedback, bugs or insight surrounding Firefox 4 and add-on development.
I'll do my best to keep everybody up to date with breaking changes in Firefox 4, but I don't want to bombard you with information. I will post a new extensive update after beta 4 is out later this month. In the interim I'll use these reports to post all the new (sometimes unconfirmed) feedback I've received, with as much information I have at hand. Here are the notes I have so far:
- Toolbar buttons have different dimensions. Toolbar buttons now have a different look and a different size at least on Mac and Windows, but it is unclear if they will remain this way. Michael Kaply filed a bug about it and there's an ongoing discussion happening over there. Like I mention in the Firefox 4 Compatibility blog post, the UI is the most volatile part in the 4.0 update, so it is not a good idea to rely on how it is in its current state. If you want your toolbar icons to look right in current betas without spending too much time, you'll need some CSS trickery. Chrome manifest flags are very useful for these kinds of hack.
- Toolbar customization. There's a bug in toolbar customization that can revert changes performed by users. There's also an empty bar that appears under the toolbars after customization at least on Mac OS. Note that the bug can be triggered by add-ons that access certain browser features before the onload event is fired. If this is the case for your add-on, please read the comments on the linked bug carefully.
- xpcnativewrappers=no going away. This practice has always been considered unsafe, and there are safer alternatives for it. The post doesn't mention that this will happen for Firefox 4, but the bug has a patch that is already approved, so it's likely to happen soon.
- Details on the App button. If you have an add-on that relies on the main menu, keep in mind that the classic menu can still be toggled with the Alt key, but most of the time you'll only see the App button (on Windows, at least). I've been told that the new place to overlay your menus in this menu will be under the Exit menu item. This is still changing, so don't take my word for it.
- From Mook: How do I override a contract ID dynamically, and forwarding things to the old implementation (essentially wrapping it) so only behaviour I specifically care about get modified? Is this something that the new XPCOM registration method won't support?
- From Christopher Finke: app tabs can be toggled using gBrowser.pinTab(tab);
- The new Gecko SDK is still not available in the MDC page. Developers that use binary XPCOM have to build it themselves from source. The source code for beta releases is available on the FTP site.
- From Matthew Wilson: after being deprecated for a while, the nsIPref interface has been removed.
- From Jason Barnabe: command line options on the new XPCOM registration system are currently undocumented.
- From Raphael: the content context menu is broken.
Notes for Developers
- How to Improve Extension Startup Performance. All extension developers should read this blog post. It explains how extensions can have a significant impact in startup performance and, some very simple steps you can follow to minimize this impact. There's also a link to some tools that can be used to easily measure startup.
- New Proposal for Review Process and Delightful Add-ons. This is a new and different approach to resolve the issue of add-on safety in the sandbox and code reviews. All add-on developers should read this and give feedback. It's been a long process to try to find the right balance of the many elements involved, and we think this is it.
- The AMO Editor Guide. This new page in the wiki is a comprehensive guide to the work performed by AMO Editors. It will serve as an introductory guide for new editors, and is a step forward in being as transparent as possible with our review process.
- Useful Information for Add-on Authors. How to improve review times for your add-on, information about the review process, etc.
Jorge Villalobos
Add-ons Developer Relations Lead, Mozilla