text:
8:00 pm
Walking The Great Divide: A Journey Along The Continental Divide Trail "2 of 2" Mark Flagler, who started his outdoor film career in Oregon, and the hikers continue northward into Wyoming, Idaho and Montana, heading for the Canadian border. Along the trail, Flagler documents the wild remote country and highlights educational and historical components of the trail. Part 2 of 2G
9:00 pm
Attenborough's Giant Egg On a hot day in 1961, while a young David Attenborough was filming Zoo Quest, a Malagasy boy handed him some pieces of a huge eggshell found on a sandy river bank. Spreading the fragments on the ground, the British scientist surveys the pieces of a unique and important jigsaw puzzle. The egg fragments he was given belonged to the largest bird that has ever lived, the half-ton extinct elephant bird Aepyornis.G
10:00 pm
Treasuring Our Natural Heritage "Understanding The Work of Nature" This program sheds new light on biological diversity by making meaningful comparisons between the natural world and the human economy. Ultimately, biological diversity is seen as a kind of "insurance policy," giving natural communities the greatest number of options for remaining healthy and productive in the face of environmental changes. Part 1 of 3G
11:00 pm
Wild! "Penguins Under Siege" This is one penguin's dramatic story of life and death, set against the backdrop of one of the harshest coastlines in the world, the Skeleton Coast of South Western Africa. D


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Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories
Six Doodle Bugs! Children's Center locations in Buffalo recently hosted an annual food drive and collected 2,026 nonperishable food items to be donated to local organizations in time for the Thanksgiving holiday.
The Cheektowaga, Clarence, East Amherst, Lancaster, Orchard Park and West Amherst centers began the collection Nov. 4. Boxes decorated as turkeys were placed outside of each classroom in the center as collection points. The Food Bank of WNY and St. Vincent de Paul Society received the donated food items.
"Our November curriculum focuses around the topics of thankfulness and generosity and learning appreciation. Hosting a food drive is the perfect opportunity to introduce children to the joy of giving," said Christina Fecio, director of education at Doodle Bugs! Children's Center. "It's so inspiring to watch young children get excited about bringing in items that will help local families enjoy a holiday meal. We have to thank our parents and center families for their tremendous support of this initiative."
Doodle Bugs! Children's Center cares for and educates children from six weeks to 12 years of age, including preschool/pre-K and summer camp programs. The BRAVO! Curriculum, which is professionally designed and exclusive to Doodle Bugs!, combines theme-related, age-appropriate classroom experiences, all-inclusive enrichment activities and a series of center events. Enrichment activities include tae kwon do and "Doodle Dance & Fitness."
For more information on Doodle Bugs! Children's Center, visit www.doodlebugs.com or call 866-668-5111.

subset: commoncrawl


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Linked by snydeq on Thu 17th Nov 2011 22:47 UTC
Fatal Exception's Neil McAllister discusses why code analysis and similar metrics provide little insight into what really makes an effective software development team, in the wake of a new scorecard system employed at IBM. "Code metrics are fine if all you care about is raw code production. But what happens to all that code once it's written? Do you just ship it and move on? Hardly - in fact, many developers spend far more of their time maintaining code than adding to it. Do your metrics take into account time spent refactoring or documenting existing code? Is it even possible to devise metrics for these activities?" McAllister writes, "Are developers who take time to train and mentor other teams about the latest code changes considered less productive than ones who stay heads-down at their desks and never reach out to their peers? How about teams that take time at the beginning of a project to coordinate with other teams for code reuse, versus those who charge ahead blindly? Can any automated tool measure these kinds of best practices?"
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text: Allergies occur when the immune system responds to a false alarm, attacking harmless materials like pollen, dust or mold. For practical purposes, allergies are split up into allergies to foods, chemicals (includes drugs), and inhalants (pollens and micro-organisms such as bacteria, mites, etc.). Inhalant allergies usually present with problems in the airways – rhinitis, sinusitis, itchy palate and/or throat, or asthma with cough, wheezing and shortness of breath.


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My question is about the letter (vowel) alif. I have read in many places that alif is used as a long vowel as well as a weak..
Assalamu 'Alaykum,
I like your website a lot because it helps me to learn. My question is about the letter (vowel) alif. I have read in many places that alif is used as a long vowel as well as a weak consonant. The most common examples of how it is used as a long vowel is when it's preceded by a fathah. But I can't seem to find an example where it is used as a weak consonant. Can you please provide me with an example?
Wa alaikum assalaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.
The problem arises from English grammar terms and similar sounds being applied to the Arabic language, when often it isn't possible to do.
The true alif is always saakinah preceded by a , any other case is not a real alif. The alif in Arabic is considered a weak letter, just as the saakinah and saakinah are. The term "long vowel" is an English term and not used in Arabic; it is however called a lengthened letter (medd letter) because it is lengthened two vowel counts at least if not followed by a sukoon. The true alif is always both of these, so it is always a weak letter and at the same time is always a medd letter. In other words, the alif in the word: is both a weak letter and a medd letter at the same time.
May Allah increase you in beneficial knowledge.


text:
SolFocus, a solar technology company that was incubated at the Palo Alto Research Center (now an offshoot of Xerox), has raised $52 million more dollars to help it launch in Europe.
The company, which had previously raised $27 million, specializes in solar concentrators, which direct more sunlight onto solar cells that would ordinarily fall on them. The more sunlight, the more electricity the solar cell can generate. The more electricity a cell can generate, the more economical solar energy--which generally still costs about twice as much as regular grid power--becomes.
SolFocus' concentrators magnify the light 500 times. Several companies make solar concentrators, and SolFocus' figures are in the general ballpark of efficiency. Some, such as GreenVolts, claim higher efficiency, but others sport lower. Buyers, though, are also concerned about durability and maintenance. Concentrators move with the sun to maximize output.
The company's products are aimed at the commercial market, such as retail stores or office parks. Placed on a roof, solar concentrators can cool off a building and generate power on-site. SolFocus also intends to build large-scale power generation, where a field of panels could generate several hundred megawatts of power.
SolFocus Europe will concentrate on the European market, which is larger than the U.S. solar market. The company will also start to develop products for the solar thermal market. In solar thermal technology, heat from the sun is converted to electricity. SolFocus' original products work with photovoltaic panels, which convert light to electricity.


text:
Old building with a 1930s update
The second and third floors appear to have their original fancy window heads. I think the windows might have some Italianate influence, even though the roof line isn't anything special. (If I'm wrong about Italianate, please don't hesitate to correct me.)
I am positive about this -- the concrete front of the building at ground level is Art Deco in style. It was almost certainly added in the 1920s or 1930s. My theory is that a new generation took ownership of the building and wanted to modernize the store front. The fine Art Deco fire station and city hall, built by WPA workers just a block away, may have provided inspiration.
The Art Deco facade was an inappropriate modernization that totally destroyed the building's architectural integrity. However, it's interesting that the facade has developed some architectural value of its own, with the passage of time. I doubt if that will happen with the 1960s facades that Mark wrote about in the comments of another post.
Note: I originally subtitled this post "19th century building with a 1930s update", but I've changed it to "Old building with a 1930s update". I've decided I shouldn't try to estimate the building's age. The building appears to be made of concrete blocks. I did some research on concrete blocks this morning. Hollow concrete block became widely available in the early 1900s, due to new, widely-available block-making machinery. However, both solid and hollow concrete blocks were made and used by individual contractors as early as the mid-1800s.


text:
NetWellness is a global, community service providing quality, unbiased health information from our partners. NetWellness is commercial-free and does not accept advertising.
Friday, September 11, 2015
Worksite Health
Carrier Program vs. Third Party Wellness Vendor
I am inquiring what your experience with wellness programs are- is it better to have your carrier provide a wellness program, and offer it only to your health plan members. Or, is it better to hire a third pary wellness vendor- and offer it to all employees?
On that note- if you use your carrier for wellness and incent these programs- but want to extend incentives to all employees- how can you do this? If you offer a health plan discount to some members- can you offer cash to the others?
Determining the goal(s) for any wellness program that you want to implement is a key initial decision. After identifying key goals for the program, exploring vendor options would be the next step. Finding the option that meets the majority of the organization's goals will help you with decision making.
Most insurance carriers offer some type of health promotion or wellness plan options to covered members. Encouraging use of those already available programs would be an easy and cost-effective option to pursue. That choice would also work well for an organization that has limited internal resources to support such an effort.
On the other hand, since it is unlikely that all employees within an organization are covered by the same carrier, an organization may wish to find an outside vendor to manage such a program for all employees and/or to work with internal staff to support their efforts. This type of comprehensive plan may have an increased likelihood of leading to goal attainment. This option also offers the opportunity to be more strategic in working towards specific outcomes (e.g., decreasing specific high health care costs, etc.).
Finally, some organizations opt for a "mixed" approach due to geographic differences, size and location differences, plan participation differences, etc. For example, larger locations that can support an internal fitness center may decide to offer fitness center membership discounts to those employees working in a smaller location that is financially unable to support an internal exercise facility.
Whatever the final decision is, developing a plan that supports that core mission of the organization and meets the comprehensive program goals is vital for its success.
Elizabeth R Click, ND, RN, CWP
Assistant Professor of Nursing and Medical Director
Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing
Case Western Reserve University


text:
|Incentive Type:
|State Rebate Program
|Eligible Efficiency Technologies:
|CHP/Cogeneration, Wind, Fuel Cells, CHP/Cogeneration, Fuel Cells using Renewable Fuels
|Applicable Sectors:
|Incentive Amount:
For projects 30 kW or larger, 50% of incentive will be received up-front; 50% will be received based on actual kWh production over the first 5 years. For projects under 30kW, 100% of the incentive will be paid up front.
Wind: 1.19/W
Waste Heat to Power: 1.19/W
Pressure Reduction Turbine: 1.19/W
Internal Combustion Engine (CHP): 0.48/W
Microturbine (CHP): 0.48/W
Gas Turbine (CHP): 0.48/W
Advanced Energy Storage: 1.80/W
Biogas: 1.80/W
Fuel Cell (CHP or Electric Only): 2.03/W
An additional incentive of 20 percent will be provided for the installation of eligible distributed generation or Advanced Energy Storage technologies from a California Supplier.
For projects with capacities greater than 1 MW, the first 1 MW receives 100% of the incentive rate, the next capacity increment above 1 MW up to 2 MW receives 50% of the incentive rate, while the last capacity increment above 2 MW up to 3 MW receives 25% of the incentive rate.
|Eligible System Size:
|Systems must be sized according to customer's electricity demand; wind turbine projects may be sized up to 200% of the previous 12 month annual peak demand
|Equipment Requirements:
|Systems must be new, and in compliance with all applicable performance and safety standards. Wind systems, fuel cells and advanced energy storage systems must be covered by a minimum ten year warranty. The warranty must protect against the breakdown or degradation in electrical output of more than ten percent from the originally rated electrical output. The warranty should cover all replacement and labor costs.
|Expiration Date:
Initiated in 2001, the Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) offers incentives to customers who produce electricity with wind turbines, fuel cells, various forms of combined heat and power (CHP) and advanced energy storage. For 2013, the incentive payments range from $0.48/W - $2.03/W depending on the type of system. Retail electric and gas customers of San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), Southern California Edison (SCE) or Southern California Gas (SoCal Gas) are eligible for the SGIP. Beginning in May 2012, all technologies previously eligible for the expired Emerging Renewables Program are now eligible for the SGIP program. Originally set to expire at the end of 2011, SB 412 of 2009 amended the Public Utilities Code to allow incentives to be available through January 1, 2016. Any program funding remaining after January 1, 2016 must be returned to the utilities to reduce ratepayer costs.
Systems less than 30 kW will receive their full incentive upfront. Systems with a capacity of 30 kilowatts (kW) or greater will receive half the incentive upfront, and the the other half will be paid over the following five years based on the actual performance. The following technologies will receive the corresponding upfront incentive (or half of this figure if the system is 30 kW or larger):
Renewable and Waste Heat Capture:
Conventional CHP:
Emerging Technologies
There is no minimum or maximum eligible system size, although the incentive payment is capped at 3 MW. Further, the first megawatt (MW) in capacity will receive 100% of the calculated incentive, the second MW will receive 50% of the calculated incentive, and the third MW will receive 25% of the calculated amount. Applicants must pay a minimum of 40% of eligible project costs (the biogas adder is not included in calculating the limit). Projects using the Federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) must pay 40% of the eligible project costs after the ITC is subtracted from the project costs (i.e., the SGIP credit is limited to 30% of project costs).
PG&E, SCE, and SoCal Gas administer the SGIP program in their service territories, and the California Center for Sustainable Energy administers the program in SDG&E's territory. Customers of PG&E, SDG&E, SCE and SoCal Gas should contact their program administrator for an application, program handbook and additional eligibility information.
Program Administrator Contact Information:
Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)
Web: http://www.pge.com/mybusiness/energysavingsrebates/selfgenerationincentive/index.shtml
Phone: 415-973-6436
Email: email@example.com
Fax: (415) 973-2510
Mailing Address: Self-Generation Incentive Program
P.O. Box 770000
Mail Code B27P
San Francisco, CA 94177-001
California Center for Sustainable Energy (CCSE)
Web: http://energycenter.org/sgip
Phone: (858) 244-1177
Fax: (858) 244-1178
Email: email@example.com
Address: California Center for Sustainable Energy
Attn: SELFGEN Program
8690 Balboa Ave, Suite 100
San Diego, CA 92123
Southern California Edison (SCE)
Web: http://www.sce.com/b-rs/sgip/self-generation-incentive-program.htm
Phone: 1-866-584-7436
Fax: (626) 633-3402
Email: email@example.com
Address: Program Manager Self-Generation Incentive Program
Southern California Edison
2131 Walnut Grove Avenue, 3rd Floor, B 10
Rosemead, California 91770
Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas)
Web: http://www.socalgas.com/innovation/self-generation/
Phone: 1-866-347-3228
Email: email@example.com
Fax: (213) 244-8222
Address: Self-Generation Incentive Program Administrator
Southern California Gas Company
555 West Fifth Street, GT22H4
Los Angeles, CA 90013-1011


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- Speeding-up builtin Matlab functions – part 2
- Speeding-up builtin Matlab functions – part 1
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TagsActiveX AppDesigner Callbacks COM Compiler Desktop Donn Shull Editor Figure FindJObj GUI GUIDE Handle graphics HG2 Hidden property HTML Icons Internal component Java JavaFrame JIDE JMI Listener Malcolm Lidierth MCOS Memory Menubar Mex Optical illusion Performance Profiler Pure Matlab schema schema.class schema.prop Semi-documented function Toolbar uicontrol uifigure UIInspect uitable uitools Undocumented feature Undocumented function Undocumented property
Recent Comments
- Dan (7 hours 23 minutes ago): Thank you so much. This works well for UITables embedded in a traditional figure but I'm having issues getting findjobj to work when the UITable is embedded in a UIFigure, it just...
- Joe Burgel (3 days 14 hours ago): Hi Yair, Once again, saving my life! Thanks so much for what you do for all these years.
- Sarah (4 days 12 hours ago): Thank you!
- Yaroslav (4 days 21 hours ago): @Mark, the zoom function calls resetplotview (undocumented). It, in turn, resets all modes (X/YLimMode) to auto. That is why the listeners do not trigger. To solve the issue, link...
- Mark D. (5 days 17 hours ago): @Yaroslav your solution works great, but the double mouseclick (of zoom out or zoom in), which puts the plot in the default optimized axes, doesn't work or behaves the same,...
- Peter Cook (7 days 8 hours ago): Yair, One multithreaded mex file I can't say enough good things about is getmatvar which, in addition to being faster than MATLAB builtins (i.e. matfile objects), allows...
- Jan Afridi (8 days 19 hours ago): Thanks for community referring. I wish this help to understand Matlab and resolve the issue that I am facing.
- David Sampson (9 days 20 hours ago): See also uix.ScrollingPanel in GUI Layout Toolbox. This works for figures (not uifigures) from R2014b onwards.
- Yair Altman (17 days 12 hours ago): @Royi – yes, but this is definitely not easy. Hopefully custom JS integration will be better in future Matlab versions. Perhaps I'll post something similar to this...
- Yair Altman (17 days 12 hours ago): @Royi – I'm not familiar with any such control within Matlab, but you may possibly find such in one of the numerous online Java libraries (there were hundreds of...
- Royi (17 days 12 hours ago): Hi, Is there a way to import and use other JS UI libraries in MATLAB App Designer?
- Royi (17 days 13 hours ago): Hi, Is there a way to create triple slider? Namely a slider with 3 knobs to set left, center and right value? Thank You.
- Yair Altman (19 days 18 hours ago): @Vaishta – you have to read the Matlab documentation about how to create GUI callbacks and how to share data between GUI components/callbacks (https://www.mathworks.com/...
- vaishta (19 days 18 hours ago): I have also tried the set(ax1,'NextPlot','replaceall ') set(ax2,'NextPlot','replaceall ') set(ax3,'NextPlot','replaceall ') in the callback after the plot() function but its of no...
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Tag Archives: Kesh Ikuma3 relevant articles found:
ScreenCapture utility
The ScreenCapture utility uses purely-documented Matlab for capturing a screen region as an image from within Matlab.
Categories: GUI, Java, Low risk of breaking in future versions
Tags: GUI, Java, Kesh Ikuma, Performance, Toolbar
34 Comments
Tags: GUI, Java, Kesh Ikuma, Performance, Toolbar
34 Comments
GUI automation utilities
This article explains a couple of Matlab utilities that use Java's Robot class to programmatically control mouse and keyboard actions
Categories: Figure window, Guest bloggers, GUI, Java, Low risk of breaking in future versions
Tags: GUI, Java, Kesh Ikuma
7 Comments
Tags: GUI, Java, Kesh Ikuma
7 Comments
GUI automation using a Robot
This article explains how Java's Robot class can be used to programmatically control mouse and keyboard actions
Categories: Figure window, Guest bloggers, GUI, Java, Low risk of breaking in future versions
Tags: GUI, Java, Kesh Ikuma
32 Comments
Tags: GUI, Java, Kesh Ikuma
32 Comments


text:
My husband was very sweet this last weekend and offered to do some of the shopping, unfortunately one of the things he bought was a huge bag of fresh broccoli florets (seriously huge, who can eat 5 lb of broccoli before it goes bad?).
Since even thinking about trying to consume that much broccoli within the next couple of days makes me sick, I decided to try freezing most of the bag. I will be blanching a portion of the bag to freeze. Does any one have any other ideas as far as freezable (or possibly freezable, I have enough I can try some things out) recipes for broccoli?
Broccoli soup. I made a heap of it when my broccoli started sprouting faster than I could eat it. Am reaping the rewards now; when I can't be bothered cooking dinner, I defrost a bag of it.
Boil your broccoli in salted water according to preference - I like mine a little crunchy, but you might like it smooth. Sauté some garlic and onions in a bit of butter or oil. Add flour to the oniony garlicy butter to make a roux, turn it into a thin-ish sauce (which is a thick soup) by adding some of the broccoli water and some milk (proportions depend on how "diet" you want to soup to be), stirring furiously to prevent lumps. Add pepper and salt to taste, and some cheese if you're not going the "diet" route. Put the cooked broccoli in the food processor and whizz it, then add it to the soup. Heat. Eat. Cool the leftovers and freeze. I use plastic ziplock bags.
I'm assuming everyone knows how to make a roux, and sauce therefrom? Plenty of instructions on the web and in recipe books if not.
Nice with cauliflower too, from my personal experience, and I think it'd be fine with most veges - you might want to use different seasonings though. I make cream of tomato soup in a similar way, though without the water of course, and use savory, marjoram, thyme, etc - depending on what I feel like and what is flourishing in the garden at the time.
My blog is Food and Shoes
I was under the impression that milk and dairy did not freeze well, but I will give it a try. My husband said that he would eat cream of broccoli soup (which is good since I do not eat dairy, so he will be the only one eating it).
Thank you for the idea!
Full fat milk and cream do not freeze well in their natural state - their texture goes funny. Low fat milk freezes fine, and is a good thing to keep in the freezer for emergencies so long as it is not in glass and you pour away a little from the top of the bottle to allow for expansion. Cream actually freezes OK if all you want to do with it is put in in a pasta sauce or something - just don't try whipping it or putting it on your dessert straight. Foods that are cooked with dairy also freeze well so long as the rest of the ingredients do.
If you've not see it, I included two broccoli recipes in this recent thread:
The first is my absolutely favourite way to eat broccoli (as a variation brown a little garlic and 'melt' a couple of anchovies into some olive oil and spoon it over the broccoli once it's done. A little bit of crushed chilli, a squeeze of lemon juice, and (optionally) some panko/breadcrumbs browned in a little olive oil with herbs and/or garlic scattered over the top is also delicious.
The Tsukemono Broccoli recipe (which is supposed to be best 30 to 60 minutes after it's made) is not one I've tried yet.
I've stumbled over a nice recipe a couple of days ago, which actually made me go out and buy more broccoli! I give you the broccoli pasta meatball gratin (and maybe you can replace the dairy or just omit it and use more stock):
500g broccoli (about one broccoli head)
250g short pasta, like penne
300g ground meat
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
2 Tbs breadcrumbs (I usually cut part of a fresh slice in small bits)
2 Tbs jogurt
Salt, pepper, (italian) herbs to taste
grated cheese
150ml (about 2/3 cup) vegetable stock
250ml (1 cup) cream
Parboil the pasta for a couple of minutes. Parboil the broccoli in the vegetable stock, it should still have a good bite. Don't discard the stock! Mix the meat, diced onion and garlic, breadcrumbs and jogurt in a bowl, season with herbs, salt and pepper. Form small meatballs. Add the cream to the stock and bring to a boil, season with salt and pepper.
Fill broccoli, pasta and meatballs in a ceramic dish, pour the cream mixture over it. Spread the grated cheese and put the whole thing in the oven at 220°C (ca. 450°F) for 30 - 35 minutes.
I just recently came across a site with an interesting broccoli recipe.
It sounds pretty tasty actually :)
Hope you like it.
I'm getting my Bento on:P
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The Software & Information Industry Association has issued a guide with five recommendations to help federal CIOs and IT companies work together to effectively transition to a new cloud-based environment. SIIA's newly created Public Sector Innovation Group released the guide as part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology's Cloud Computing Forum and Workshop, which kicked off June 5, and to coincide with the June 9 deadline for the 18-month deliverables for the 25-Point Plan to Reform Federal IT, released in December 2010. The government is at the starting line for transforming federal IT, not the finish line, according to the SIIA white paper, "Beyond the 25 Point Plan: A Roadmap to Implementing Cloud Computing and Reforming Federal IT."
Related coverage:
NIST guide explains cloud in plain terms
Key technologies in digital strategy have one thing in common
Many of the 25 points put the building blocks in place but do not affect change, the paper states. For instance, the plan calls for a shift to a cloud-first strategy in which agencies must consider cloud computing as the first option for new IT projects. Agencies have shifted in theory, but still not one cloud service provider has been certified to provide cloud computing broadly under the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program.
Additionally, the plan calls for procurement reforms and for the hiring of a cadre of specialized IT acquisition personnel. Although the plan is in place and training programs have been developed, "how many acquisition personnel have actually been deployed?" SIIA officials ask.
Agencies also are tasked with implementing a number of policies to reduce the cost of IT and improve service to citizens, including the Federal Data Center Consolidation Initiative, Cloud First, Shared Services Strategy and FedRAMP. Taken at face value, the policies might appear to be in conflict. However, a deeper look reveals that the policies work together as tools in a toolbox to help agencies leverage new and innovative technologies available as a result of the shift toward cloud computing, the paper states. As a result, SIIA provides specific recommendations for fostering development of the cloud and harnessing its full economic potential, said Michael Hettinger, director of the SIIA Public Sector Innovation Group. The report offers five key recommendations for federal decision-makers:
"Working closely with both federal IT executives and so many companies that do business with the government gives us a unique perspective on the future of IT reform. At this important time, our goal is to help focus attention on what we see as the core priorities," Hettinger said. SIIA has played a pivotal role in the development and legitimization of the software as a service and cloud computing models. Many of SIIA's more than 500 member companies are key enablers of cloud computing. The full report, which includes detailed discussion of each recommendation, is available here.
About the Author
Rutrell Yasin is is a freelance technology writer for GCN.
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I thought the out-sourcer buddies of the pols couldn't handle FED-RAMP controls so the administration suspended them. Of course the FISMA controls still apply to the in-sourced feds. Where is the equivalent cost benefit? Who's the loser? Anyone who expects information security is going to lose in this turbulent environment. The same standards must apply to both environments or its not a standard.
In short, turn it all over to contractors. What a large earthernware container. 1. Standardize and common-service all federal (including DOD) IT and comm functions wherever possible. 2. As service contracts expire, or new missions appear, do an honest cost-benefits study on doing the work in-house versus outsourcing. 3. Forget about the 'cloud' buzzword, and call it what it is- outsourcing the data center. Only do it when it makes cost-benefits sense, and enough belt-and-suspenders backups are in place in case that cloud turns into rain, taking mission-critical data with it.
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Ed Bouchette mentioned today of 2 more draft picks that visited the Steelers. Nothing earth shattering with either but one or both could be late round or UDFA depth.
Alabama linebacker Jerrell Harris and West Virginia cornerback Keith Tandy. Neither player attended the combine workouts in Indianapolis.
That brings to six the known official visits made by college players to the Steelers. Guard Brandon Brooks of Miami (Ohio) was there Friday and three others visited previously: Ohio State OT Mike Adams, Florida International WR T.Y. Hilton and Cincinnati DL Derek Wolfe.
Bouchette's Blog


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And I mean the nonreligious stuff. We talk about that all day long here. I'll start...
People who insist on turning against heavy traffic from the driving lane even though there is a middle lane set aside for turning.
People who can't take two additional seconds to push their shopping cart into the stacked carts, but leave it laying around two or three feet away from where it should properly be put.
Men who piss into toilets without putting the seat up and/or don't wipe the seat. (Were you raised in a barn or is it that you're afraid of the germs on the seat but are also afraid of washing your hands after touching something "dirty"?)
Otherwise intelligent people who can't pronounce "nuclear" without putting two u's in it.
Views: 1360
It could be that they turn their fear into anger as part of a coping mechanism... I'm not a psychologist but it should plausible enough.
I think there can be a tendency here at TA to take the literal or traditional meaning. Ex.: homo=same(sex, from homosexual) + phobia=fear MUST mean fear of homosexuals. But language isn't a chemical formula. I do the same sometimes.
Working in a retail store:
When people fill their carts with a ton of stuff then get to the register and decide they only want 2 items.
When people get to the checkout and think everything is 50 cents or free.
When people pick shit up and bring it ALL THE WAY around the store and through it on a random shelf.
When people let their kids run through the store and tear shit up.
Shopping with that person. I end up cleaning up their mess out of embarrassment.
people who were clearly there at a stop sign before you, but act like they don't understand how all-way stops work.
and visa versa, of course
also, i hate when people talk over you right as you're trying to start talking. and they don't even give a courteous pause to see if you really had anything to say, just keep on going.
At the risk of starting a flame war, I find the overly-polite driver typically is a woman. One thing that was drilled into me as a youth is that you cede right of way when it's owned by the other driver, and you take it (with appropriate caution, of course) when it's yours. Otherwise, you're creating an ambiguous situation and potentially putting the innocent party in a bad legal position of they take the bait.
I hate it when people seem unaware of the give and take of conversation. When you want to interject an observation that's pertinent to something the other person just said, it's just good conversational manners to relax, shut up, and let the other person jump in. That thing our parents taught us, to never interrupt another, may apply to people giving speeches or sermons or making announcements, but not to friendly banter.
Forgive my ignorance but I've never heard of all-way stops...I guess we don't have them in Australia. What is it and how does it work?
Oh interesting...I'm fairly sure Australia doesn't have any of these... usually in that situation we would have one of the roads not having to stop at all and the other road would have to stop all the time. That way one road is essentially unbroken and the other road intersects it.
People who insist on petting my guide dog thus distracting her while we are out and she is clearly working in her uniform coat and harness. Last time this happened I walked slap into a crotch high bollard in the pavement (sidewalk) as a result, the bruises were impressive and in a very delicate place ! Please don't disturb our guide dogs when they are working.
People who start talking to me but then as soon as they realise I am deaf switch to talking over me to whoever I am with. This said, as much as it annoys me it enrages my wife who is very likely to slap the face of anyone doing this when she is present !
Seeing children in diapers past the age of three.
Going to another parents house and not seeing children's toys and books about the main living area of the home yet big screen TVs, laptops, multiple smartphones and iPads all on display. Every time I come across this I come across this I know its a home of children missing out on the simple joy of parental interaction and play, it makes me weep - why have children at all when you do not spend all the hours you can playing with them.
"I h8 it whn ppl use inet spk n ask ASL?" What the hell is this gibberish ! Perhaps I am a bit too anal when it comes to language because I have such restricted access to it, but language is utterly wonderful and it deserves some respect, so use it well.
Being addressed as "Dear, Honey or Sweetie" by people who are not relatives or a lover, so rude.
People who think public parks and spaces are a waste of tax payers money, that wild flowers which encourage bees and insects are a menace to their children and should be eradicated - I just want to put a bullet in the worthless brains of those people !
4x4 (SUV) drivers who park in the disabled parking bays simply because they were dumb assed enough to buy a car of idiotic dimensions that they cannot fit into a normal space.
Women in Europe who wear the hijab and niqaab, for goodness sake stop being slaves to that misogynistic religion, you are not in the middle east now !
judith vd R.
LOL, Hi Kris, "Petting my eye balls" what a thought ! My Sissi is a hearing and seeing eye dog and as such she looks after my sight in my lower field of vision so any distraction means threats are on me in three or four paces, hence me taking a metal post hit.
The KNGFGeleidehonden here in the Netherlands run TV ads at times to raise awareness such as this one (you dont need to know Dutch to follow it)
That's very cute and really drives the point home!
Ok, I'll bite.
People who walk more than two abreast on a city sidewalk.
People who get on an elevator or subway and remain by the doorway no matter how many other people get on, so that they can be the first person off the elevator/subway when it's their stop.
Getting takeout or delivery, and it comes with flimsy plastic utensils. You know the kind that you can barely pick up anything because it's so flexible and weak? Just don't give me utensils if you are going to waste my time on that shit.
People who leave a mess in a workplace kitchen or bathroom. Guess what, I don't want to clean up your fucking soy sauce or wet paper towels so why don't you be an adult and do it yourself? It takes a split second.
I also get unreasonably irritated by my own alarm clock. I actually wake up angry almost every morning. Maybe that's why all this other shit eats at me all the time?!??!?


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An 84-year-old Arlington Heights man last seen asking for driving directions at 12:25 a.m. Friday in Yorkville was still listed as missing this afternoon, authorities said.
Eugene Jonsson left his Arlington Heights home Thursday at 7:45 p.m. to travel to a nearby restaurant but never arrived and was later reported missing by family members, police said. His gray 2004 Buick LeSabre four-door with Illinois license plate JONS507 was last seen in Yorkville when he asked for directions to Ogden Avenue and Route 59 in Naperville.
"We didn't get a call over the weekend," said Det. Sgt. Nathan Hayes, of the Arlington Heights Police criminal investigations bureau, reporting no new information in the case Monday. "We're still looking at tracking leads to locate this individual."
Family members told police he had no known medical conditions, however, he did recently get lost while driving, officials said. He does not have a cellphone but was traveling with his wallet, officials said.
He is described as 5 foot 10 inches tall weighing 190 pounds with gray balding hair, blue eyes and wears eye glasses. Any information can be directed to Arlington Heights police at 847-368-5348.
Twitter: @ChicagoBreaking


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Total time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Servings: 4 to 6
Note: Adapted from "Jerusalem: A Cookbook" by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi.
1 1/3 cups (8¾ ounces) green or brown lentils
4 onions (1½ pounds before peeling)
3 tablespoons flour
Salt and pepper
About 1 cup sunflower oil, more as needed
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 1/2 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 cup (7 ounces) basmati rice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon sugar
About 1½ cups (350 milliliters) water
1. Place the lentils in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until the lentils have softened but still have a little bite, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain.
2. Peel and thinly slice the onions. Sprinkle over the flour and 1 teaspoon salt, and mix well. In a saucepan, heat up the sunflower oil over high heat. Check the temperature of the oil by tossing in a small piece of onion; it should sizzle vigorously.
3. Reduce the temperature to medium-high and fry the onions, one-third at a time, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crispy, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a colander lined with paper towels and sprinkle over a little more salt. Repeat with the remaining onions, adding additional oil as needed.
4. Discard the oil and wipe the saucepan clean. Add the cumin and coriander seeds. Place the pan over medium heat and toast the seeds until lightly toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the rice, olive oil, turmeric, allspice, cinnamon, sugar, one-half teaspoon salt and a good sprinkling of pepper. Stir to coat the rice with the oil and then add the cooked lentils and the water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Remove from heat, remove the lid and quickly cover the pan with a clean tea towel. Seal tightly with the lid and set aside for 10 minutes.
6. Add half of the fried onion to the rice and lentils and stir gently with a fork; this makes about 8 cups mejadra. Top with the rest of the onion.
Each of 6 servings: 525 calories; 15 grams protein; 66 grams carbohydrates; 13 grams fiber; 24 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 cholesterol; 7 grams sugar; 592 mg sodium.


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8:30 pm
Barbra Streisand - One Night Only at the Village Vanguard Streisand returns to her roots of more than 40 years ago when she was honing her craft and discovering her artistry in New York's West Village. The audience at the 2009 concert is packed tightly in the tiny jazz club and includes friends, celebrities, and 74 lucky winners of various online contests. The singer, backed by a jazz quartet, gives them all a lifetime thrill with songs from her album Love Is the Answer and enduring favorites.G
10:00 pm
Austin City Limits "Widespread Panic" The Georgian jam band celebrates its 25th anniversary with songs from across the group's career.G
11:00 pm
Independent Lens "Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry" First-time director Alison Klayman gains access to Ai Weiwei while working as a journalist in China. She has made a detailed portrait that provides a nuanced exploration of contemporary China and its most famous international artist and outspoken domestic critic. A dissident for the digital age, the artist inspires global audiences and blurs the boundaries of art and politics.G


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13 Questions We Have After Watching Peter Pan Live!
Dec 5, 2014 10:43 AM EST
It's an annual tradition two whole years strong: NBC pulls out some of the stops and puts together a live singalong stage production of a popular musical for all of the Internet to snark at. Last year, it was Nazis versus Carrie Underwood and that gu… Read more


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Team Performance Membership Renewal
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A Challenge to Finish the Great Commission
By Melissa McCutchan
CIU Student Writer
Columbia International University students were challenged to finish the task of making disciples of all nations during World Christian Week, Feb. 24-27.
The week featured chapel messages from keynote speakers Steve and Laura Smith, who serve as church planters in Asia using the Training for Trainers (T4T) church-planting method.
"I am hopeful as I look at this room, that I am looking at the last generation," Steve said in Monday's chapel. "God's purpose for this generation is to finish what He has begun."
The Hub, a student team in the College of Intercultural Studies, hosted Global Connect nights that included games, a photo booth, international food, and most importantly, a time for students to chat with visiting missionary representatives.
"I liked the connection made between students and missions representatives," sophomore Hannah Lingenhoel said. "It really showed the unity of the body of Christ."
The Smiths also held intensive training sessions for those interested in the T4T church-planting method, which has resulted in more than 1.5 million baptisms and more than 150,000 churches planted since it began in 2001.
The week concluded with a prayer day hosted by Student Missions Connection (SMC). After a final message from the Smiths, students walked to Moore Fitness Center for a time of prayer at themed prayer stations such as prayer for Muslims or for college campuses in America.
That afternoon, students participated in a Progress of Redemption Interactive Chapel, which took students from Genesis to Revelation. From a drama representing the fall of mankind in Genesis 3, to an on-stage painting of the crucifixion of Christ, students used their talents to tell the story of God's redemptive plan.
"We just want everyone to be reminded of the gospel," SMC member and junior Whitney Spradley said. "The gospel is the reason we do what we do."
Thursday evening, CIU hosted a concert by a traveling Chinese Folk Orchestra from Qingdao University of Science and Technology. The orchestra director, Sun Pei Shan, explained the various Chinese folk instruments, which the orchestra then demonstrated with elegant songs.
World Christian Week was a time for students and faculty to be encouraged and to be reminded of God's mission to all nations.
"The goal of World Christian Week is to stir and connect the student body with God's passion for the nations," Hub member and senior Jamie Bennett said. "My team and I have been praying that CIU's body will not forget that God has forever been on a mission of redeeming and advancing His Kingdom and that we should hastily join Him."
See photos from World Christian Week 2014 at CIU's Flickr page:


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Glitches resolved in new managed-care Medicaid systemBy GARRY RAYNO
State House Bureau
December 11. 2013 12:25PM
CONCORD – Glitches in the new managed-care Medicaid system have been resolved, state health officials said Wednesday.
The biggest difficulty concerned pharmacy claims, according to Health and Human Services officials. Pharmacies need to know which of the three private managed-care companies handle a customer's coverage in order to process prescriptions.
The agency and the three managed-care companies worked with pharmacies last week to resolve the problem, according to Lisabritt Solsky, state deputy Medicaid director.
"Though some instances have required work behind the scenes to assure continuity of care and timely payment," said Solsky, "in nearly every such instance, the challenges were resolved rapidly and the member experience was smooth."
All Medicaid recipients should carry their health plan identification cards, but should not discard their Medicaid cards. The new health-plan identification cards should resolve the issues, Solsky said.
The agency said the daily calls to the new insurers are about what was expected during the first week of the transition from a fee-for-service to a managed-care program.
"We are pleased with the transition thus far," said Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Nicholas Toumpas. "We had a very thorough implementation plan, and the issues that have come up are the types of things we anticipated and planned for. That said, we continue to closely monitor daily operations of all three health plans and our internal processes so that we can take care of clients and providers' needs as they arise."
The managed care program began Dec. 1.
Each health plan — Meridian, NH Healthy Families and Well Sense — has a call center for members to call with questions.
State lawmakers first approved moving to a managed-care system for Medicaid in 2011, but the program failed to get off the ground when hospitals, mental health and community health centers balked at the low rates offered by the three companies hired to administer the program.
The state's largest hospitals sued the state two years ago, claiming the reimbursement rates under the Medicaid program were too low to sustain the health care system for the poor and were set illegally. That case is still pending in federal court.
To entice the hospitals to join the managed-care networks, Gov. Maggie Hassan, the House and Senate put additional money into the uncompensated care program and increased some provider rates.
The budget passed by lawmakers in June uses general fund money for some of the state's uncompensated care share, but health care providers had to join the managed-care networks by July 1 to receive the money.
The nine community mental health centers were the last to agree to join the program in August. The hospitals and community health centers agreed to join the managed care networks in July.
There are about 130,000 Medicaid recipients in New Hampshire.
Information about the managed-care Medicaid program and the three insurers is available on the DHHS website at www.dhhs.nh.gov.


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We are sorry, this product is currently not available.
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This photo was taken on a chilly summer evening in northern Sweden. The fog is slowly rolling in as the midnight sun is still brightening up the sky. I hurried down to the lake to capture this photo. This is one of my favorite places in the world.
About the Artist Johanna Phillips Huuva:
I am a Swedish born photographer and graphic designer. A lot of my inspiration comes from nature and all it's beauty. I also have a passion for old worn things and the stories they tell.
Artist Location: Lake Zurich, Illinois
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text: Item# W04-00047 Thermal Spray Tape, 2975-8RK, (36-yrd Roll, Case of 48), CHR®, Flurosilicone, Silicone, (0.008 in x 0.500 in x 108 ft), Pressure Sensitive Adhesive Pricing for this item is not available online at this time. Click the Quote button to request a price quote. There may be a minimum order requirement. Quote Item Details Specification Thickness 0.008 in Width 0.500 in Length 108 ft Brand CHR® Adhesive Type Silicone Grade Pressure Sensitive Adhesive


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GULLANE, Scotland – Martin Laird was at home in Scotland, closing in on the lead at the British Open when it all went wrong.
His mess at Muirfield began with a 2-iron that strayed into nasty, yellow rough right of the fairway. After a couple of hacks - and a couple of penalty shots - he staggered off with a quintuple-bogey 9.
And that wasn't even the worst of his forgettable Saturday. Walking up the 16th fairway, he was informed an additional shot was being added to his score for failing to alert all the right people when he moved his ball in the rough on the 10th hole to identify it.
''To say that deflated me, I think would be an understatement,'' Laird said.
He ended his long day with an 81 - 12 shots out of the lead.
''Every time I hit a shot that could go one way, it went the other,'' Laird said.
Even after chopping his way to a 9 on the third hole, Laird was only 3 over for the tournament. He bounced back with a beautiful 5-iron into the toughest hole, and then made birdie. What gnawed at him was the 10th hole.
In deep rough, Laird marked his ball with a tee and told the marshal who found it that he was going to make it was his. One problem. The rules require him to tell playing partner Dustin Johnson or one of the walking officials.
''If I had said, 'Dustin, just went down to find my ball.' Or, 'Rules Official, I'm going to identify my ball.' Even if I said it loud enough for one of them to hear, it would have been fine,'' Laird said. ''It's the fact that none of them heard it, even though I said it. So it's one of those lovely rules of golf.''
Instead, he violated Rule 12-2 that says, ''Before lifting the ball, the player must announce his intention to his ... fellow competitor.''
David Rickman, the rules director for the Royal & Ancient, said letting the spotter know wasn't enough.
''The rule is very specific,'' Rickman said. ''It needs to be the fellow competitor. The fellow competitor is there to protect the interests of the rest of the field, and therefore, we are specific about who that needs to be. Because you need to give that fellow competitor, or as I say this week, the referee, the opportunity to come over and observe the player's actions. That's the protection that the rule gives.''
Worse yet was finding out so deep in a round that had already gone so wrong.
''Walking up 16 when I was told I got a one-shot penalty on No. 10, I don't even think rubbing salt in the wounds would do enough to describe it,'' Laird said.
MECHANIC SPUTTERS: Miguel Angel Jimenez likes to relax with a good cigar and a glass of red wine. He might need something a little stronger after Saturday.
''The Mechanic'' played solidly over the first two rounds and went into Saturday with a one-stroke lead. But he plummeted from contention with a 6-over 77.
This one started bad - four bogeys in the first eight holes - and didn't improve much. Still within striking distance of the leaders, Jimenez played the final five holes at 4-over par. He took double-bogey at the 16th, needing two swings to escape a pot bunker. At the 17th, he lipped out a 3-footer to save par.
He still has an outside shot, going to the final round six strokes behind leader Lee Westwood. But the fun-loving Spaniard knows his chances are slim, especially with nine players between him and the lead, including Tiger Woods, Adam Scott, Angel Cabrera, Zach Johnson and Phil Mickelson - major winners all.
Jimenez hoped to become the oldest major winner in golf history at age 49. Instead, he'll likely have to settle for a good smoke and a sip of vino from something besides the claret jug.
WHERE'S THE CROWDS?: Despite flawless weather, the crowds at Muirfield are noticeably smaller than the last time the British Open came here in 2002.
The R&A reported attendance figures for the first three days of the tournament, as well as the practice. The turnout was slightly higher for practice - a total of 31,320 turned out, but the higher-priced tournament tickets haven't been as much as 11 years ago.
The opening-round crowd Thursday was 23,393, a significant drop from 30,620 in '02. The trend was much the same the last two days. At Muirfield's previous Open, the crowds were 34,479 for the second round, 33,212 for the third.
Also noticeable: the number of empty seats at the 18th hole when Lee Westwood and Tiger Woods arrived. Even the BBC commentators noted that plenty of fans headed home early, despite two of the most popular players still contending for the lead.
No one can blame the weather for the smaller turnouts. It has been sunny all week, with temperatures in the 70s.
SCHOOL'S STILL IN SESSION: Jordan Spieth created a stir last weekend by becoming the youngest PGA Tour winner in 82 years.
But he's smart enough to know there's plenty left to learn.
The 19-year-old hobbled to a 5-over 76 Saturday, hurt by bad bounces and worse decisions.
''I wasn't patient and that was the issue,'' he said. ''Bad bounces are going to happen out here, but I could have shot three shots lower, without even playing any different.''
Despite being 6 over for the tournament, Spieth enjoyed himself, in part because he played alongside Northern Irishman and major winner Darren Clarke.
''He's obviously loved and I can see why. Extremely nice guy, he's very selfless, he's rooting for me. It was cool,'' Spieth said.
Despite a full schedule since March and the pressures of being in contention the previous three weekends, Spieth said he didn't think fatigue was a factor in his performance here. That said, he wasn't unhappy about taking time off after the Open.
''Yeah,'' Spieth acknowledged, ''I'm looking forward to it.''
MICKELSON'S GRIND: Phil Mickelson criticized the course setup at Muirfield after his first round in the British Open, then apologized for it after his second.
After finishing play Saturday, he was sticking with the party line.
''I thought today was excellent,'' Mickelson said. ''It was set up very well. We saw a few scores under par. We saw quite a few over par. If you manage your game well, I thought you could make pars, and an occasional birdie here and there.''
Mickelson shot a 72 in the third round, leaving him five shots behind leader Lee Westwood.


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Posted on June 17, 2013
Once upon a time, we had a scribal job at the Book Fair, a job where a volunteer sat and wrote things down. It was one of the few low-energy jobs we had going, so we didn't advertise it much.
The Newberry, as I have sometimes mentioned, has dibs on the books we get through the back door, and when something comes in that they'd like to add to the collection—a first edition Jane Austen, Peggy Guggenheim's copy of Samuel Beckett's first book—we set it aside. That's only the beginning, see. We can't just send it right up to have numbers put on the spine and a bookplate pasted down to the front pastedown and the angry miniaturized wolverine that will expand to full size and devour anyone who steals the book—oh, sorry, I wasn't supposed to mention that. Security likes to keep its secrets. Anyway, we can't send it upstairs right away because there's an important step to go through first.
The Newberry already has lots of books, you understand. That's what makes it the Newberry. And, contrary to popular belief, no curator knows every single volume on the shelves (except maybe John). So the book must be checked against our holdings. If a copy already sits on the shelf upstairs, we get ours back. During the last century, this involved taking the books up to the library catalog for checking. This was a lot of work. One of the great rules of library card catalogs is that the card you want to see is always in a drawer near the floor. You either reach down, pull it out, and set it on the table provided, if you're a library expert, or you kneel or squat next to the drawer to riffle through it down there, if you're like the other ninety-nine percent of the population.
So early on, we streamlined the process by having a volunteer write down the title, author, and publication data for each book the selectors selected. This list could then be passed along to a looker-upper who could carry the list from drawer to drawer of the catalog instead of pushing a fully-loaded book truck. This saved wear and tear on books and volunteers.
It also, since we had the writer-downer working into a handsome leatherbound volume (because somebody donated a blank one once) provided us with a record of what we'd sent upstairs. Whenever somebody at the library wanted to know what we'd done for the joint lately, we could haul out this book and say, "Well, we just sent you a whole set of Washington Irving with a page of his original manuscript in it."
With the new computerized age, and the online card catalog, the writer-downer became obsolete. Books could now be looked up from a seated position. Gone now are theleatherbound volumes of handwritten lists, gone the genteel volunteer occupation of sitting in a corner and transcribing all this publication data. And, alas, gone are the lists in black and white of what we've sent up to the collection. No gain without some pain, of course.
Speaking of pain, we said goodbye last week to the last of our writer-downers and the first of our computer looker-uppers. For years, Dr. Edward S. Peterson would come in and take a seat at the desk in the Receiving Room and write down title after title after title. He was a congenial companion and found the work congenial, and it was with some trepidation that I introduced him to our first laptop, and venture to explain to a volunteer about forty years older than I was how to check the books online.
"You need to move this little arrow…" I said.
He glanced up and inquired, gently, "Do you mean the cursor?" I hate being shown that I'm the last person left behind in the twentieth century.
Until his health got in the way, he continued to take up his usual seat and work on a contraption of metal and plastic instead of paper and leather. He got through a great number of books and though now he is gone, he leaves behind half a dozen volumes of titles, authors, and publication data. This is not just a record of what the Book Fair sent upstairs, either, but a valuable historical document.
If a generation used to mobile devices ever wants to look back and see if all the jokes about a doctor's handwriting were true…well, as I said, no gain without some pain.
Submitted by Dr Tim on June 17, 2013 Permalink


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IPM1026, Revised October 2009
For more than 30 years the U.S. Department of Agriculture has promoted integrated pest management (IPM) as a way of dealing with arthropod (insect and mite) pests in greenhouses and herbaceous nurseries. IPM strategies include the use of cultural, biological and physical (or mechanical) methods as well as pesticides to manage pests. IPM relies on routine inspection, scouting and monitoring of arthropod populations followed by the use of insecticides or miticides only when pest populations are capable of causing plant damage. If the use of these pesticides is warranted, then it is important to choose those products that are less harmful to the environment and to beneficial insects and mites (Figure 1).
This publication is designed to assist greenhouse and nursery managers in selecting the appropriate pesticides to control or regulate the multitude of arthropod pests encountered in greenhouses and nurseries. The primary arthropod pests encountered in greenhouses and herbaceous nurseries in both Missouri and Kansas are aphids, thrips, fungus gnats, shore flies, spider mites, mealybugs, plant bugs, whiteflies, leafhoppers, leafminers, leaf-feeding beetles and caterpillars.
Figure 1
Ladybird beetles, known for their appetite for aphids, occur naturally in Missouri but also can be introduced as biocontrol agents in greenhouses and nurseries.
Although pest control materials are generally effective in killing arthropod pests, overreliance on this control method increases the likelihood that resistance will develop in arthropod pest populations. Therefore, it is important to use cultural, physical and biological control strategies as well as using pest control materials. The following practices will reduce the use of pest control materials in greenhouses and nurseries:
Use of pesticides has changed dramatically since 1985. Before that time, pesticides in three chemical classes — organophosphates, carbamates and chlorinated hydrocarbons — were relied upon to manage plant-feeding insects and mites. Use of materials in these older chemical classes was reduced somewhat with the availability of products in a fourth chemical class, pyrethroids. Since 1985, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reevaluated the registration of older pesticides and has encouraged the development of alternative pesticides that reduce risk to human health, toxicity to nontarget organisms, and the potential for groundwater contamination. These materials are preferred for use in greenhouses and herbaceous nurseries because they are
In 1993, the EPA defined alternative or "reduced-risk" pesticides as those that present less risk to human health and the environment than conventional alternatives. Although EPA does not permit manufacturers to use the term "reduced-risk" on product labels, the term is commonly used in promotional and marketing materials. In addition to chemical pesticides, some reduced-risk pesticides contain microorganisms. Examples include spinosad (Conserve), abamectin (Avid), Bacillus thuringienisis spp. kurstaki (Dipel), and Bacillus thuringiensis spp. israelensis (Gnatrol). Pesticides derived from plants, often called botanicals or plant-derived essential oils, are also available for use in greenhouses and herbaceous nurseries. Examples are the clarified hydrophobic extract from neem seed (Triact) and the product GC-Mite, which contains cottonseed, clove and garlic oil.
Tables 1 and 3 list pesticides registered for use in greenhouses and herbaceous nurseries. Table 2 lists those specifically designated for use in organic cropping systems. More information on reduced-risk materials (PDF) is available online at http://epa.gov/opprd001/workplan/completionsportrait.pdf.
New pesticides are generally registered more rapidly for use on ornamental plants than on food crops because they are not edible and do not require extensive food safety testing. However, registration for greenhouse-grown vegetables is usually delayed or may not occur. This may be confusing especially with regard to vegetable bedding plants. Several of the pesticides listed in Table 1 may be used on vegetable bedding plants. However, it is critical to read the label to obtain this information. Higher infestation levels of arthropod pests are more tolerable in vegetable production systems than in ornamental crops because plants such as tomatoes and cucumbers are primarily grown for fruit production, and may even be saleable if the plants exhibit damage from insect or mite pest feeding. Overall, it is important to read the product label before applying any pesticide to make sure that the insect or mite pests as well as the treatment site are designated.
Biological control agents, or natural enemies such as parasitoids and predators, can be purchased from commercial suppliers or distributors and released into greenhouses. This practice is referred to as augmentative biological control, for which there are two control strategies: inoculation and inundation. Inoculation consists of releasing small numbers of natural enemies early in the growing season or cropping cycle so that a population of natural enemies will establish and reproduce in the greenhouse, providing long-term control. Inundation is the introduction of much larger numbers of natural enemies into a greenhouse to provide control in the short term. Additional releases may be required during the growing season or cropping cycle to keep arthropod pest populations at low levels.
Consult biological control suppliers and distributors for additional information on the use of natural enemies in greenhouses and herbaceous nurseries. Biological control programs tend to be more effective when crops are grown for extended periods (e.g., cut flowers and vegetables) and when environmental conditions (e.g., temperature and relative humidity) are constant. Preventive releases of natural enemies are more efficient and easier in a monoculture (e.g., single crop) cropping system when there is only one arthropod pest than in a polyculture (e.g., multiple crops) cropping systems where there may be more than three different arthropod pests. For example, in the production of spring bedding plants, various insect pests may be present simultaneously, including aphids, thrips, whiteflies and fungus gnats.
The greenhouse environment does not contain the abundance and diversity of natural enemies found in outdoor settings or nurseries. This is mainly because of the extensive use of pesticides and because natural enemies typically do not migrate into greenhouses. The survival of natural enemies in a greenhouse is influenced by the abundance and types of prey that are present. However, certain parasitoids and predators sometimes occur naturally in greenhouses. For example, parasitoids in the genus Aphidius, which prey upon many different types of aphids, can inadvertently enter greenhouses through doors, vents or sidewalls. Adult females lay eggs into aphids, and these eggs hatch into larvae that consume the internal organs of the aphids, leaving only their hardened, brown exteriors, or "aphid mummies" (Figure 2). Eventually, a new adult parasitoid creates an exit hole and emerges from the dead aphid. Minute pirate bugs, Orius spp., are predatory anthocorid bugs that feed on thrips. These black and white bugs may also enter greenhouses through openings, particularly when weeds and field crops start desiccating.
Natural enemies that may be present in outdoor nurseries include ladybird beetles, green lacewings, ground beetles, soldier beetles, assassin/ambush bugs, damsel bugs, hover (syrphid) flies, tachinid flies, predatory mites and spiders.
Figure 2
The Aphidius wasp, left, stings the aphid and lays an egg in the aphid's body, which mummifies, right, as the egg develops.
Table 1
Pesticides (insecticides and miticides) registered for use on ornamental plants or greenhouse-grown vegetables. (Always read the label to determine if a pesticide can be used in a particular facility and on a specific crop.)
Numbers and letters in brackets [xx] indicate the IRAC (Insecticide Resistance Action Committee) mode of action designation found on the label.
Table 2
Pesticides (insecticides and miticides) registered for use in organic production systems (ornamental plants, vegetables and herbs).
More information about the National Organic Program, online at http://usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?navid=ORGANIC_CERTIFICATIO&navtype=RT&parentnav=AGRICULTURE
Sources of biological control agents are listed in the publication Suppliers of Beneficial Organisms in North America by Charles Hunter, which is available from the California Environmental Protection Agency (CEPA) online at http://cdpr.ca.gov/docs/pestmgt/ipminov/bensuppl.htm or from reputable suppliers.
Be sure to consult your biological control supplier to determine the availability and shipping requirements for the natural enemy species you are interested in.
Table 3
Common greenhouse and nursery pests and pesticides registered for their control. (Always read the label to determine if a pesticide can be used in a particular facility and on a specific crop.)
potassium salts of fatty acids
petroleum oil
Order publications online at http://extension.missouri.edu/explore/shop/ or call toll-free 800-292-0969.


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|View Poll Results: What's the real truth?
|If you build it, we will come... (fans)
|If you come, we will build it... (management)
|We have a very small fanbase who will come, and a large bandwagon that is unpredictably inconsistent
|If we bake them, you will eat Churros
|Voters: 98. You may not vote on this poll
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Add the fact that the majority of the SOX fan base has moved out of the south side of Chicago and into the suburbs, the ownership had a publically paid for and immediately outdated ballpark built across the street. Attendance spiked out of curiousity for a few years but after Camden Yards and the other retro/attractive ballparks were built, Comiskey II was already considered outdated and sterile. The US Celluar naming rights/funding has improved the ballpark, however it has not improved the location. I did not support the idea of the SOX moving to Addison, however I do wish in hindsight, they would have moved into downtown Chicago either on the south or west side of the loop. Chicago has a beautiful skyline that is on display at every Bears game and it's a shame the SOX could not take advantage of that marketing tool. Heck, they didn't even point the new ballpark in the right direction and are stuck in no man's land in between downtown Chicago and the near suburbs.
The NBA marketing atmosphere that Brooks Broyer brought to the team has grown old and the SOX are in desperate need of a some new ideas and blood. Although Ventura is a company man, I'm hoping with the changes in the front office taking effect this off-season, we can expect some more positive changes mad up and down, throughout the organization.
The Cubs will always have Wrigley Field, no matter how old or smelly it is, as their marketing ticket. As long as the neighborhood stays trendy and attracts affluent tourists and fans, it doesn't matter if the Cubs win as demonstrated again in 2012 when 3 million plus "fans" watched the second worst team in MLB and the 3rd worst Cubs team in the history of their franchise. The SOX need more than a winning record to attract more fans. The core fan base is always there, however the casual SOX fan is fickle and will not spend $$$ on a team that continues to disappoint and the casual tourist fan is basically non-existent on the south side.
Last edited by Red Barchetta; 10-05-2012 at 12:32 PM.
Sox marketing should be looking north for ideas, and maybe some employees to steal. I'm not talking about the Cubs, I'm talking about the Brewers.
The similarities between the teams are strong. From 2005-2012, both teams have been to the postseason twice (obviously once with more success by the Sox). They've had roughly the same number of winning seasons (one more for Sox). They've averaged a similar number of wins through those seasons (two more for Sox/year). While Milwaukee's market is small compared to Chicago, the economies have been similar recently. Both teams play in suburban style ballparks in the midst of lots of parking lots without a "Wrigleyville" type of environment. The Brewers have an advantage in that they play indoors in April and May if necessary, but have an offsetting disadvantage in that Milwaukee doesn't have nearly the corporate presence that Chicago does and their fans are probably traveling farther to the games.
Despite all the similarities in performance, the Brewers have averaged over 400,000 more fans per season than the Sox. That includes the World Series and following season for the Sox.
They're doing something right up there.
Ive alluded to this in another thread. I dont think a team needs a wrigleyville setting to draw in the city. Not all fans are the type that like that type of setting. One advantage that Sox park has that miller doesnt is good public transportation but the disadvantage is the expensive parking. A retractable domed park would have helped the Sox also but that probably would have entailed ownership to dig deep into their pockets at that time, not on the public's dime.
Big difference there. Helps offset the increased cost of gas to drive the game, doesn't it?
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Gold to World: Mo' Money, Mo' Flation
Markets may be saying that the more money that's out there, the less inflationary it actually becomes. The implication? Stocks are more of an inflation hedge than gold, because stocks are the driver of inflation now.
One should expect that the expected can be prevented, but the unexpected should have been expected.
--Norman Ralph Augustine
Over the last several months, it feels like we've entered Bizarro World. The Fed "shocked the world" by announcing QE-infinity, and yet market internals since mid-September up until very recently acted in a very deflationary way. Since the end of September, I have been highlighting this deterioration, addressing the idea that the market seems to think that unlimited is not enough when it comes to the Fed. Whereas QE1 and QE2 were greeted as inflationary, open-ended QE3 seems to be having the exact opposite effect.
I suspect that the market has realized that the Fed has given up its most powerful weapon of all: the element of surprise. By promising that rates would be low for essentially as long as it takes, the Fed has removed any sense of urgency by investors to borrow. After all, why take advantage of low rates now if they will be in place tomorrow? What's the rush? Perversely, while money printing is perceived as inflationary, unlimited monetization is being treated as deflationary. Mo' money, mo' DEflation.
The stock market itself, then, becomes far more of an inflationary force on the economy through increased collateral values than QE. This has important implication on gold, which is often seen as an inflation hedge. Take a look below the price ratio of the SPDR Gold Trust ETF (NYSEARCA:GLD) relative to the S&P 500 (NYSEARCA:SPY). As a reminder, a rising price ratio means the numerator/GLD is outperforming (up more/down less) the denominator/SPY.
First, note that gold relative to the S&P 500 is bumping up against a resistance line that has been in place over the past three years. In 2010, gold underperformed stocks when "inflationary" QE2 was enacted (ratio down), outperformed in early 2011 and in the middle of the Summer Crash (deflationary period), and has since tread water against stocks in 2012. What is most interesting is that underperformance in gold coincides with QE "inflation" sentiment, while outperformance more coincides with deflationary forces. This would imply that it is the stock market that is the driver of inflation (making equities more sensitive from an asset class performance standpoint), and that when stocks fall, the loss in equity market cap which is from an aggregate standpoint deflationary makes gold lead.
If gold outperforms stocks, it implies deflationary -- not inflationary -- fears within the precious metal space may be rising. Note that gold may be on the verge of a downtrend after hitting resistance. Could this be an indication that stock strength will return and that new highs are still possible? If QE3 does not matter and the direction of stocks is now the driver of inflation, could underperformance in the yellow metal mean the bull market in stocks still has legs?
A fascinating turn of events – in a world where gold is limited and the supply of shares is shrinking due to company buybacks, it appears stocks are the new gold.
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text:
Convicted burglar supervising delinquents at Sununu CenterBy NANCY WEST
New Hampshire Sunday News
January 19. 2013 11:29PM
The state stands by its decision to hire a convicted burglar to supervise juvenile delinquents incarcerated at the Sununu Youth Services Center in Manchester, according to Maggie Bishop, director of the Division for Children, Youth and Families.
Mark Crandall, 29, was hired in November for a part-time job titled "youth counselor," Bishop said.
"They do not do counseling. They monitor the day-to-day activities and supervise the kids," Bishop said.
There is no prohibition against hiring convicted felons, Bishop said. Although corrections officers at New Hampshire State Prison for Men cannot be convicted felons, Bishop said that is much different from youth counselor work.
"The policy requires us to do a criminal record check and determine whether a criminal record would impact someone's ability to do his job," Bishop said.
Crandall was sentenced to serve two to seven years for burglary in Grafton County, with one year suspended, according to Jeffrey Lyons, spokesman for the Department of Corrections.
Crandall was released on parole in 2007, Lyons said.
Bishop said she didn't know Crandall had been hired until contacted by a reporter.
Penny Sampson, acting administrator at the center, and Crandall did not return phone messages.
Part of the hiring process requires disclosure of all misdemeanor and felony convictions unless annulled by the court, Bishop said.
Andrea Goldberg, executive secretary at the Adult Parole Board, said Crandall was released early from parole on Oct. 1, 2009, because of good conduct.
Bishop said the hiring team must follow personnel rules.
"My take is if an individual had a troubling past and turns his life around, goes to school and gets working and contributing to society, good for them," Bishop said. "My staff who hired him believed he could bring value to his role."
There are about 60 juveniles housed at the locked center who have been adjudicated delinquent for crimes that would have been felonies if they were committed by adults.
The age range is 15 to 17.
Bishop praised Crandall's work.
"He has been doing exceptional," Bishop said.


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text:
Israeli forces dismantle Palestinian encampment
BURIN, West Bank – Israeli troops fired tear gas and stun grenades at rock-throwing Palestinian protesters Saturday as soldiers tried to dismantle an encampment that activists set up in the West Bank to protest Israeli building restrictions.
The al-Manatir camp -- a group of four tents and five metal shacks built in a Palestinian olive grove near the West Bank village of Burin -- is the fourth protest encampment that Palestinians have tried to establish in recent weeks. The Palestinians are trying to draw attention to Israel's control of territory that they want for their future state.
In particular, they protest what they say is Israel's broader policy of not allowing Palestinians to build in areas under Israeli control.
Clashes erupted Saturday after khaki-clad soldiers tried to dismantle the camp, with soldiers firing tear gas and some of the dozens of Palestinians throwing rocks. The Israeli army said five Palestinians were arrested. No serious injuries were reported.
The village of Burin has come under frequent attack by hard-line Jewish settlers who live nearby. About a dozen young men and boys, apparently Jewish settlers, clashed with Palestinian civilians at the scene.
The Israeli military said soldiers broke up the crowd. One Israeli civilian and a paramilitary border policeman were lightly wounded in the clash, the army said.
By building encampments, Palestinians are imitating the hard-line Jewish settlers who have established a series of wildcat outposts throughout the West Bank, typically clusters of caravans near already-built Jewish communities. Although Israel views the wildcat outposts as illegal, few have been dismantled.
There are also some 500,000 Israelis who live in Jewish settlements scattered through the West Bank and around east Jerusalem, the Palestinians' hoped-for capital. Israel's settlement policy is seen as illegal by the international community, and the United Nations sharply criticized the Jewish state's West Bank settlements in a report released Thursday.
"We are doing this to confirm our ownership of the land, and its sovereignty," said Abir Kopty, a Palestinian activist. "It's not enough to make reports and condemnations. There's a need for concrete action."


text:
Khalif Wyatt will become a 76er.
The undrafted rookie free agent out of Temple agreed to terms Thursday night to play for his hometown team. He will sign a partially guaranteed, mutli-year contract on Friday. The guard will be on the team's roster when it opens the season against the Miami Heat on Oct. 30. But there's a chance Wyatt could spend a portion of this season with the Delaware 87ers, the Sixers NBA Development League affiliate.
The Norristown native could fill a void on a Sixers squad in desperate need of a long-range shooter.
The 6-foot-4, slimmed-down 205-pounder was a standout one the Sixers' Orlando Pro Summer League team.
He averaged a team-best 13.8 points per game, or an analytic-friendly one point per 1.4 minutes in the summer league. Orlando Magic guard Victor Oladipo, the second overall pick, averaged one point per 1.7 minutes.
But the Sixers were more impressed with Wyatt's ballhandling, passing, and leadership. After initially looking out of place, Wyatt was effective running the offense.
He is both the reigning Big Five and Atlantic Ten Conference player of the year. Wyatt was also named honorable-mention all-American and an all-district selection by both the USBWA and NABC.
The 22-year-old averaged a Big Five -leading 20.5 points and scored 30 or more points on seven occasions this season. He concluded his Temple career with back-to-back 31-point performances in the second and third round of the NCAA tournament.
As a Sixer, Wyatt reunites with former Temple teammate Lavoy Allen, a reserve post player.
The Sixers will also sign former Los Angeles Lakers point guard Darius Morris to partially-guaranteed deal on Friday.
He's expected to play significant minutes. Morris averaged 4.0 points, 1.6 assists and 14.2 minutes this past season. He averaged 3.6 points while making 67 appearances during his two seasons in Los Angeles.
The 22-year-old out of Michigan was the Lakers' second-round pick (41st overall) in 2011.
Follow Inquirer 76ers beat writer Keith Pompey on Twitter @PompeyOnSixers.


text:
2013 GMC Sierra 1500 Values
Select a 2013 GMC Sierra 1500 trim level
2013 model year changes
The GMC Sierra 1500 is unchanged for 2013 with the exception of a minor update to the transmission. The automatic gearbox will now use the engine to assist with braking on hill descents even in normal mode.
Competitive comparison
Top-notch interiors to suit work or luxury use; extensive features and options; fuel economy; strong tow ratings
Special features for 2013
Full-size trucks are used in such a wide range of situations--from construction fleets to long-distance driving--and the broad range of interiors and hauling/towing options offered in the GMC Sierra and help satisfy shoppers better than most other competing models. SLE and SLT models are probably the best fit for buyers who need the sturdy, get-messy capability of a pickup at least some of the time, but the Sierra Denali is the choice for those who need a pickup that doesn't compromise luxury. And for those who need a pickup but want to make a greener choice, with even lower operating costs, the Sierra Hybrid makes up to 25% better fuel economy without sacrificing much towing or hauling ability.
The GMC counterpart to the Chevrolet Silverado, the GMC Sierra 1500 is a full-size pickup truck with a maximum towing capacity of 7,200 lbs. Engines consist of a 4.3-liter V6 engine (195 hp), 4.8-liter V8 engine (302 hp), and 5.3-liter V8 engine (315 hp). Standard RWD and optional 4WD are available with all engines. A 4-speed automatic transmission is paired to the 4.3-liter V6 and 4.8-liter V8, while the 5.3-liter V8 is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission. Fuel economy is an EPA estimated 15 mpg city and 20 mpg highway. Features include 22-inch wheels, hands-free phone capabilities, steering wheel mounted controls, rear vision camera, navigation and heated exterior mirrors. Safety is comprised of advanced airbags, StabiliTrak stability control system, anti-lock braking (ABS), and tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS). The Sierra 1500 is backed by a 3-year/36,000-mile warranty.


text:
Lawmakers face calls for resignation; others accused of misconduct see swift repercussions
WASHINGTON (Sinclair Broadcast Group) - Congressman John Conyers was admitted to the hospital Thursday and is reportedly resting comfortably after a firestorm of bad press following accusations of sexual misconduct.
Meanwhile, a fifth woman accused Sen. Al Franken, D- Minn. of inappropriate behavior.
Both, so far, have kept their jobs and avoided any punishment.
But as those allegations add up, some wonder if politicians see a double standard.
Whether in media or the movies, accusations of misconduct more times than not have meant swift repercussions - from firing to cancelled contracts.
So far, the same hasn't been said about Capitol Hill.
Two prominent politicians - Rep. John Conyers, D., Mich. and Sen. Al Franken, D, Minn. - both face allegations in the #MeToo movement.
While some colleagues have appeared defensive when asked about the different standards, ten days after the Conyers accusations broke saw a change in course.
"Congressman Conyers should resign," House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D -Calif., stated.
"If the facts are indeed what they appear to be, I think it's very clear that it'll be very difficult for him to continue to represent the people in his district," Sen. Gary Peters, D- Mich., concurred.
Are politicians held to different more lenient standards? And is it voters who really have the final say in doling out punishment?
"We need to be looking strongly in the mirror but congress should not be exempting itself from any of the rules, any of the laws. Total transparency should be the rule here," Rep. Steve Pearce, R, N.M. said.
"Look, don't do anything that your mother if she saw you doing it or heard you saying it would disapprove. I think that's a simple rule and why some of these folks can't follow that is beyond me," explained Rep. John Faso, R, N.Y.
Some have made decisions in light of the shining spotlight: Republican Congressman Joe Barton, Texas, announced Thursday he wouldn't be seeking reelection after admitting to sending racy texts to women while still married.


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Jury selection to begin in Manchester lawyer's child porn trial
January 06. 2013 10:31PM
CONCORD - Jury selection begins Tuesday morning in the U.S. District Court trial of Manchester attorney Lisa Biron, 43, on charges of sexual exploitation of a child, possession of child pornography and transporting a 14-year-old to Canada to make child pornography.
At Biron's arraignment Thursday in U.S. District Court on superseding indictments, U.S. Attorney John Kacavas requested an order barring Biron from contact with the subject of the videos.
Kacavas told U.S. Magistrate Judge Landya McCafferty that Biron, who has been held without bail since her initial arraignment in U.S. District Court in November was putting pressure on the victim during telephone conversations, coaching the victim about what should and shouldn't be said in court.
Biron's attorney, James Moir, said Biron had not previously been barred from contact with the teen.
Police began investigating Biron, a Manchester lawyer since 2008, on Sept. 29, after receiving a tip that there was child pornography on her computer. She was arrested at her home in Manchester on Oct. 9, 2012, on seven counts of possession of child sex abuse images. But the FBI apparently continued investigating the origin of the digital videos and photos allegedly found on Biron's laptop.
Federal prosecutors say that Biron transported the girl on May 25, from New Hampshire to Ontario, Canada, and coerced her into performing sexual acts with another person so that they could be recorded.
The four digital videos and a digital photograph were made over a four-day period between May 25 and May 28, 2012, according to prosecutors.
Manchester police began the investigation in September 2012, after a man reported he had seen child pornography on Biron's computer.
Investigators seized a computer and Biron was arrested based on evidence recovered from that computer, according to police news release.
Bail was initially set at $35,000 and Biron was scheduled for arraignment Oct. 26, 2012, in Circuit Court-Manchester District Division.
Biron, who waived reading of the charges at her arraignment, could enter no plea to seven felony counts of possession of child sexual abuse images, so a probable cause hearing was set for Nov. 16.
At Biron's arraignment, police prosecutor Lt. Ron Mello requested two changes to existing bail conditions, which include no contact with the 14-year-old girl in the images and include a bar on unsupervised contact with anyone under age 18,
Judge William Lyons approved adding conditions that required Biron to surrender her passport and that of her daughter and to have no computer access.
When Biron appeared in Circuit Court for the probable cause hearing Nov. 16, she was arrested by FBI agents on federal child pornogoraphy charges and the case entered the federal court system.
The FBI, Customs and Border Patrol, and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement investigated the case with the help of Manchester police.