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IT'S that time of the year...where celebs strip off to flog lingerie to Christmas shoppers.
It's gorgeous and feminine with a few sexy pieces thrown into the mix. I hope everyone loves it as much as I do!
In the fierce battle for the festive market, nothing gets the tills ringing like flashing the flesh.
And it's certainly worked - since Myleene Klass posed in her own lingerie line for Littlewoods, it has become the fastest-selling celeb range ever.
Here NADINE LINGE looks at other stars who have peeled off to tempt Crimbo buyers.
STORE: Littlewoods
Littlewoods bosses must be thrilled Myleene agreed to model her own lingerie range .
Not only has it become the fastest selling celebrity undies range ever, sales exceeded expectations by a mind-blowing 400% in the first week of sale.
Telly babe Myleene, 34, must be laughing all the way to the bank!
Myleene says: "I'm blown away by its success, I never expected it to take off like this!'
STORE: Debenhams
Last week burlesque beauty Dita launched her Von Follies collection for Debenhams - just in time for the Christmas rush.
Store bosses have predicted the vintage-inspired line, featuring elegant corsets, bustiers, lacy balcony bras and high-waisted knickers, will be a sure-fire hit.
Stockings, suspenders and flashes of red add an injection of sex appeal.
Dita, 40, says: "'I wanted to create pieces that enhance the feminine silhouette and make each woman who wears my range feel sexy and glamorous.
"Each piece is homage to femininity and a reflection of my love of vintage glamour."
STORE: Alexis Smith for New Look
The TOWIE babe looks simply stunning in this range which is designed for women with large boobs but small back sizes.
It's perfect for Jess, 27, who went under the knife in April last year to boost her assets froma 32C to a curvy 32DD.
She also owns a lingerie store in Essex. The Alexis Smith features black and white lace and a racy leopard print.
Jess says: "The collection is glamorous and sexy but also fits well and is so comfortable to wear. It's the best selling brand in my lingerie boutique."
STORE: Marks & Spencer
If you're one of the hottest supermodels in the world, it's a no-brainer to model your own nightwear collection yourself.
And it certainly paid off for Rosie's Autograph undies - which has become M&S' fastest-selling lingerie range ever.
The vintage-inspired underwear sets, silk teddys and lacy wraps are perfect for a sophisticated Christmas treat.
Rosie, 25, says: "I love Marks & Spencer, it's so iconically British. Everybody shops there, it doesn't matter whether you've got a massive income or not. I bought my first bra there."
STORE: Her own online store Gisele Bundchen Brazilian Intimates
The gorgeous supermodel from Brazil launched her own lingerie range this year. And with a figure like hers, she couldn't have come up with a better idea!
But her lingerie is not for the faint-hearted or self-conscious - it's skimpy, sheer and lacy.
You definitely need the body of a Brazilian beauty to successfully model this!
Gisele, 31, says: "I choose different pieces that I would use in my daily life and also for special occasions. Lingerie can tell a lot about you and your intentions."
STORE: New Look
Men would love to find Kelly in their Christmas stocking - while most women would give up all the presents under the tree for a figure like hers.
Kelly's lingerie range for High Street favourite New Look has been a roaring success and she's bound to make a mint from her must-have undies.
The range is vintage-inspired and designed for babes with curves, making a Kelly set a Crimbo treat for males and females alike.
Kelly, 33, says: "It's gorgeous and feminine with a few sexy pieces thrown into the mix. I hope everyone loves it as much as I do!"


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BTN and FloSports announce new distribution agreement
Big Ten Network and FloSports, a subscription-based streaming sports platform, today announced a four-year agreement which includes the distribution rights to more than 1,000 non-televised Big Ten Conference events. The events, which were previously exclusive to BTN Plus and range from basketball to ice hockey, will now be available through FloSports' sport-specific subscription channels such as FloWrestling, FloTrack and FloVolleyball. FloSports is a digital content provider based in Austin, Texas, with a network of 25 verticals covering a range of sports, including basketball, football, wrestling, track, volleyball, gymnastics and swimming. The verticals include sport-specific live streams, documentaries, breaking news and

subset: commoncrawl


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With so many titles to choose from, Netflix Instant's library can be overwhelming. So we bring you this biweekly column as a tool to cut through the clutter by highlighting some now streaming titles that pair nicely with the latest theatrical releases.
Looking to Oblivion, Lords of Salem, and Mud for inspiration, we've pulled together a selection of exciting end of the world tales, edgy horror stories, and mind-bending crime dramas.
Matthew McConaughey stars as the titular vagrant found by two young boys on a rickety island down South. Full of fantastical tales and covered in intriguing talismans, he seems a down and out hero in need of some help to reunite with his true love. But when bounty hunters begin circling, the boys have to wonder if Mud is who he claims to be. Tye Sheridan, Jacob Lofland, and Reese Witherspoon co-star. Jeff Nichols writes and directs.
Nichols' latest offers charismatic characters with conflicting versions of "the truth." In a good crime mystery it's a tricky thing to pick out truth among the laced-in lies. Whether it's a small town missing persons investigation, the incredible true story of an unlikely killer, or a plot to commit the perfect crime, these three titles offer plenty to mull over as they dazzle you with charming liars and dangerous men.
Top of the Lake (2013) Set in the backwoods town of Paradise, New Zealand, this mini-series created by Jane Campion and Gerard Lee follows Detective Robin Griffin (Elisabeth Moss) as she attempts to discover what's become of the pregnant 12-year-old daughter of a local drug lord. I've been raving about this ambitious and intoxicating crime drama since I had the luck to see it's first two chapters during its Sundance Film Festival debut. Now you can see what all the buzz was over as all seven episodes are now streaming. Holly Hunter and Peter Mullan co-star.
Bernie (2011) This polarizing dark comedy from Richard Linklater blends fact and fiction, mixing biopic conventions with doc-styled talking heads of people who actually knew the subject. Jack Black stars as Bernie Tiede, a chipper man who gave a great deal to his community and shocked them all when it was revealed he had murdered his long-time friend. Linklater forces viewers to parse through these jarring sides of Bernie and decide for themselves not so much whether or not he's a killer, but rather whether he should be punished for his actions. Matthew McConaughey and Shirley MacLaine co-star.
Double Indemnity (1944) Ranked #38 on the American Film Institute's list of 100 Best American Films, nominated for seven Academy Awards, Billy Wilder's Double Indemnity is quintessential film noir with dark promises of sex, deception, and murder. Barbara Stanwyck stars as an alluring housewife, and Fred MacMurray plays the insurance salesmen who is sucked into her sob story, and wrapped in her arms. Edward G. Robinson co-stars.


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text: News Chuo-Koron, 19 February 2014 The frontlines of leadership, from two ex-Presidents (part two) "We get energised by the idealism of many young people, their wish for better leadership in our world." Mary Robinson From early influences to religion and the meaning of life, Martti Ahtisaari and Mary Robinson speak to Mayumi Yoshinari from Chuo-Koron in the second half of a two-part interview. Read More


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Samson BrownLos Angeles Rams
Assistant Coach
Ht: | Wt:
News | Stats | Stat vs. Team | Targets | Injury | Depth Chart | Roster
|Broncos | Two coaches hired
Fri, 13 Feb 2015 13:02:06 -0800
The Denver Broncos have hired Vanderbilt wide receivers Marc Lubick as their assistant wide receivers coach and former Buffalo Bills assistant defensive backs coach Samson Brown as their new assistant defensive backs coach.
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|| Source: DenverBroncos.com
|Browns | Brian Fleury likely to join staff
Mon, 27 Jan 2014 13:39:12 -0800
Buffalo Bills defensive quality control coach Brian Fleury is likely to join the Cleveland Browns' coaching staff as an assistant linebackers coach. Bills defensive assistant Jeff Hafley will also leave for the Browns to coach the secondary. Bills defensive backs coach Donnie Henderson and assistant defensive backs coach Samson Brown will stay in Buffalo.
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|| Source: ESPN.com - Mike Rodak
|Bills | Two coaches could leave
Fri, 24 Jan 2014 16:07:09 -0800
Buffalo Bills defensive line coach Anthony Weaver and assistant secondary coach Samson Brown could leave the team in order to join the Cleveland Browns coaching staff.
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|| Source: The Buffalo News - Tim Graham
|Bills | Hire nine assistant coaches
Wed, 16 Jan 2013 09:21:25 -0800
The Buffalo Bills have hired Syracuse defensive backs coach Donnie Henderson as their defensive backs coach, former Rice defensive coordinator Chuck Driesbach as one of their linebackers coach, Syracuse running backs coach Tyrone Wheatley as their running backs coach, New York Jets assistant defensive backs coach Jim O'Neil as their one of their linebackers coach, Syracuse offensive line coach Greg Adkins as their tight ends coach, Towson secondary coach Brian Fleury as a defensive quality control coach, Jets coaching assistant Samson Brown as their assistant defensive backs coach and Syracuse defensive assistant Jason Rebrovich as a defensive quality control coach. They have also named assistant coach Eric Ciano as strength and conditioning coach.
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|| Source: BuffaloBills.com - Chris Brown


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Andrew Barrett, a graduate student in the University of Rochester's Master of Arts in Literary Translation program, is the only student from the United States selected to attend the Banff International Literary Translation Centre's annual summer translation program.
The Banff International Literary Translation Centre (BILTC) is the only international residency program for literary translators in North America. The primary focus of the program is to provide literary translators with a period of uninterrupted work on a current project, within an international community of translators. Each year, BILTC accepts one student from each of its signatory countriesCanada, Mexico, and the United Statesas well as 15 translators, up to nine writers, and at least three consulting translators. Since the inaugural program in 2003, Banff only accepts 10 translators each summer, which includes three students. BILTC has hosted translators from more than 21 countries working in more than 30 language combinations.
"We had many high-level student applications this year, and his application, especially the sample of the translation he is working on, was truly extraordinary," said Katherine Silver, co-director of BILTC. During the program, Barrett, who translates from ancient Greek, will complete his translation of portions of the Dionysiaca, a 48-book epic poem written in the 5th century by Nonnus. "The first time I picked up the Dionysiaca, the virtues of the poem jumped out at me. It's vivid, wild, playfully self-aware and an absolute treasure-trove of Greek mythology," said Barrett.
Professor, translator, and renowned poet Anne Carson, whose work frequently draws from Greek mythology, will be this summer's special guest writer, and prize-winning translator Peter Constantine, who also works with ancient Greek, will be a consulting translator in residence.
Barrett began Rochester's Master of Arts in Literary Translation program, or MALTS, after earning his bachelor's and master's degrees in classics from Wayne State University, in Detroit, Mich., where he also taught Greek mythology. A member of the first MALTS class, Barrett said he was attracted to the translation program's treatment of translation "as a fine literary art." As part of the program, Barrett has interned at Open Letter Books, Rochester's literary publishing house, which publishes a dozen international authors' works each year. "Working at Open Letter is a direct line into the publishing world," said Barrett, who added, "The act of translation and the light it sheds on the tangled intersections of culture, language, and thought, can provide very potent opportunities to genuinely appreciate the complexity of different societies, even those societies that no longer exist."
"This is a very impressive achievement for Andrew and we are proud to have a student from our program's inaugural class chosen for this international honor," said Chad Post, co-advisor for MALTS and director of Open Letter Books.
The MALTS program includes classes in literary translation, literary theory, and international literatures, as well as a book-length translation project. Students in both MALTS and the University's undergraduate and graduate-level certificate programs have the opportunity to work with Open Letter Books, Rochester's publishing house for literature in translation, and Three Percent, an online resource for international literature. For more information about translation at Rochester, visit http://www.rochester.edu/translation.


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Oscar-winning director Martin Scorsese takes us back to the paranoid Cold War era in Shutter Island, based on the best-seller by Mystic River's Dennis Lehane. (Please be advised that this review may contain some spoilers.) This psychological thriller, set in Massachusetts in 1954, follows U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his new partner Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo) as they venture to Shutter Island, home of the fortress-like mental institution Ashecliffe Hospital, to investigate the inexplicable disappearance of a patient named Rachel Solondo. To make matters worse, a hurricane has trapped the two cops on this godforsaken rock for the time being.
As they try to determine how Rachel escaped and her current whereabouts, Teddy and Chuck are stonewalled by the warden (Ted Levine) and the hospital's urbane but shifty administrator, Dr. Cawley (Sir Ben Kingsley), who is championing a (then) revolutionary new method for treating the criminally insane. The deeper Teddy digs into the mystery of Rachel's disappearance and what is really going on at Ashecliffe, the more he himself grows disturbed. Teddy becomes haunted by memories of his late wife (Michelle Williams) and of the atrocities he witnessed as a G.I. during World War II. Has Teddy been exposed to something sinister on Shutter Island that's causing this breakdown, or has Ashecliffe simply unleashed demons that were already within him?
I started reading Lehane's novel a few months ago, but stopped about a quarter of the way through for two reasons. First, I guess I didn't really want to spoil the movie for myself after all, and, secondly, I had a hunch that I'd figured out where the story was going and what its big twist was going to be. After watching the movie -- and then reading the end of the novel -- it turns out my hunch was right on target. It's tough to find a thriller truly suspenseful when you've figured out its big twist within the first act (or from just watching the trailers). Anyone who has seen enough psychological thrillers, or for that matter almost any given episode of The Twilight Zone, will be able to figure out Shutter Island just as easily. But that doesn't mean you still won't be entertained.
Rather than being able to enjoy Shutter Island as a psychodrama as it was meant to be, I instead appreciated its style, atmosphere, production values, direction and the lead performance by Leonardo DiCaprio. It's a B-movie made by A-listers, with Scorsese fashioning his most Hollywood movie since Cape Fear (and maybe even more so than that film). Shutter Island is a great filmmaking exercise for Scorsese to make the type of pulpy, overwrought genre B-movies he grew up watching. It plays like an old Hammer horror film (Vincent Price could have played either the Kingsley or von Sydow roles back in the day), and at other times like the German Expressionist classics (such as The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari) that reportedly influenced Scorsese in making this film. It's also an homage to Shock Corridor, a film made by one of his idols, Sam Fuller. While it's fun to see Scorsese having fun, it's also a lot of effort spent on a shell game where you know which shell the nut is hidden under the entire time.
DiCaprio just gets better with each film, especially the ones he makes with Scorsese. As they did in The Aviator and The Departed, Scorsese and DiCaprio have created another protagonist perpetually on the verge of losing his grip as they intensify the pressure on his psyche until the stress finally causes a climactic rupture. There are layers to DiCaprio's performance that should be more evident upon subsequent viewings, but he is, along with Christian Bale, one of the few young actors who can bring depth, complexity and subtlety to obsessed, often unhinged characters.
The rest of the cast is solid. Ruffalo is tasked with perhaps the most challenging role in the film, while the reading of Kingsley's character is entirely dependent on the reliability of the protagonist's questionable perspective. I don't want to say more about their roles than that, suffice to say their performances become increasingly critical as the narrative draws to a close. Michelle Williams' role is a small but pivotal one. Jackie Earle Haley has one gripping scene with DiCaprio that further showcases why he's become such an in-demand (and deservedly celebrated) supporting actor these last few years. It's also nice to see Max von Sydow appear in a Scorsese film, albeit in a rather one-note role. Emily Mortimer, Patricia Clarkson and Elias Koteas also have small but showy roles.
From the opening shot, Scorsese creates an atmosphere of gloom and uncertainty that permeates the entire film. He transports us to a frightening, alien world populated by untrustworthy and dangerous people. You'll feel like you're really inside a 1950s asylum in Shutter Island, and that sense of authenticity and ominousness – thanks to Lehane's research as well as the cinematography, production design, costumes, score and sound design – keeps us invested in the protagonist and his plight even when the film bogs down about midway through.
Shutter Island is a well-acted, handsomely made, old-fashioned haunted house movie that's nevertheless marred by the same elements -- plot holes, red herrings, familiar genre tropes and an overall reliance on heavy-handed trickery -- that have undone so many other thrillers from lesser filmmakers. Scorsese's virtuoso craftsmanship here may be both the best and ironically the worst thing about Shutter Island, but he has unquestionably made it a far more intriguing incarceration than it otherwise could have been. A mixed bag from Martin Scorsese is still better than most other filmmakers' best efforts.


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The Hood River Valley Eagles varsity volleyball team has something to draw on this year that it doesn't usually have much of: height. With a couple girls at or above the 6-foot mark and several others not far down the measuring stick, head coach Scott Walker says this year's lineup is the tallest he has had in his eight years with the team.
And if that wasn't enough, he has even more reason for optimism as the season gets started.
"Not only is this the tallest team I've had, it's also the most athletic," Walker said this week. "I think we're a lot more skilled of a team this season. When you add height and skill together, it gives us a lot of advantages."
With 13 girls in the varsity lineup — including seniors Kayla Byers, Tabitha Merten, Mara Troxel, Sydney McHale and Rachel Lahti — Walker will look to his experienced juniors and seniors to provide leadership through a season that started Sept. 3 with an away match at 6A David Douglas (results not available as of press time) and will end, if all goes well, sometime in early November during the OSAA state playoffs.
Last season the team finished second in the Columbia River Conference with a 7-5 record and was eliminated in the state championship play-in round.
"I see us doing a lot better this year," Walker said. "Last year we finished ranked 22nd in the state, which gave us a pretty poor seeding for the play-in round. We're definitely looking to improve on that this season."
To Byers and Merten, both four-year team members, communication and teamwork will be one of the keys to winning more matches. The two seniors, along with several others on the team, have been playing together since middle school.
"I think that we will do well this season if we can work together as a team," Merten said during practice Thursday. "Teamwork and communication are two of the most important things in volleyball. If we didn't have that we would be running into each other all the time and getting in everyone's way."
Byers articulated her balanced attitude for the game; although winning is important, she said, so is having fun with her teammates and friends. "I'm looking forward to playing with girls I've known for a long time. Even if we are losing, we need to just keep our heads up and have fun together as a team."
The two seniors agreed that the team's strengths this season lie in its passing abilities; a point Walker echoed.
"We have a lot of girls returning who are really good passers," he said. "I think our offense and side-out efficiency is going to be really strong this year. What that does is help eliminate runs, which we have had trouble with in the past. If we can side-out well, we can eliminate those runs and hopefully create some of our own."
Walker said the CRC looks to be a pretty solid conference all-around; a detail that makes the schedule change this season all the more relevant. Last season each CRC team played one another four times, which meant playing conference matches almost immediately. This year each team will match up three times, leaving room in the schedule for more pre-season matches and allowing teams to work out the kinks before playing for conference standings.
"As a coach, that is huge," Walker said. The girls have four matches and two tournaments before hosting Pendleton Sept. 19 in the league opener.
"We haven't picked captains yet," Walker said. "We will vote on them after we've played a few games. I want the girls to see how everyone reacts on the floor and to choose captains who are going to be the best leaders through the season."
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A 65-year-old Summerfield man was arrested on Thanksgiving and accused of holding his wife at gunpoint and then shooting his grown son's right hand when the son intervened.
SUMMERFIELD — A 65-year-old Summerfield man was arrested on Thanksgiving and accused of holding his wife at gunpoint and then shooting his grown son's right hand when the son intervened.
Responding to the Summerfield residence shortly after 4 p.m., deputies cleared the home and later detained Fredrick Henry Southall. The man's son was taken to The Villages Regional Hospital for treatment.
At the hospital, the wounded man told a deputy that he, his wife and several other people were outside the residence when he heard his mother, who was inside, screaming for help.
The man said he went inside the kitchen and saw his father holding his mother against the refrigerator with a handgun pointed at her head.
The son stepped in between his parents and reached for the firearm. His father then asked him if he wanted to die and shot his right hand. The bullet entered his hand and exited his wrist, sheriff's officials said.
Because this is a case of alleged domestic violence, authorities did not release the victims' names.
Deputies on scene interviewed Southall's wife, who told them she had been preparing Thanksgiving dinner. She said her husband had been drinking for most of the day and was intoxicated.
During that time, she said, Southall was angry at his son-in-law over an incident that occurred a week ago and wanted to confront him about it.
But his wife said she stepped in front of him, trying to prevent him from going outside. Then, she said, her husband grabbed her, bent her over the kitchen counter and held her there.
She screamed, and her son came inside. She didn't realize her son had been shot until she was told about the shooting. The woman said she was afraid her husband would have shot her.
Southall declined to talk with deputies. Deputies were unable to recover the weapon used in the shooting, but did find a .25-caliber shell casing on the kitchen floor.
Southall was transported to Munroe Regional Medical Center and, once cleared, was taken to the Marion County Jail and charged with aggravated battery on a person older than 65, battery on a person older than 65, aggravated domestic battery, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and discharging a weapon while under the influence.
Checking his criminal history, deputies said Southall, 65, has numerous arrests dating back to 1969. He has several felony convictions, including one for forgery.
Southall declined to talk to the Star-Banner.


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Premier League: Steven Gerrard vital in Liverpool future plans says Brendan Rodgers
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers insists that captain Steven Gerrard is integral to his plans for the next few seasons.
Last Updated: 02/07/13 10:49pm
Gerrard missed the last couple of matches last term to have surgery on a shoulder problem but is expected to be fit in time for the start of the 2013-14 campaign.
And the 33-year-old is still seen as a lynchpin in the Liverpool midfield as well as the club's talisman, a position firmed up with the retirement of popular long-serving defender Jamie Carragher.
"He's 33 now but Steven is still an integral part of what I'm trying to do here and will be for the next few years," Rodgers said.
"He had his operation towards the end of the season and the plan was for him to continue his rehab over the off-season.
"It's a big credit to him - he's worked tirelessly over the summer. He won't be too far away. He looks great and is in great condition."
Rodgers is also pleased to have regained some experience at the heart of his defence after Kolo Toure's arrival at Anfield was confirmed on Tuesday.
"Losing someone like Jamie Carragher was going to leave a massive hole for us in terms of his experience," Rodgers added.
"Kolo's experience is going to be really important for us - but not just that. He's someone with a winning mentality.
"There weren't too many available who were better than Kolo Toure. He's played with big clubs, he understands what a winning mentality is about. He's a good man as well - he knows what the culture is like at a big club."


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According to the folks at Inside Facebook, yet another reporting service says that Facebook has overtaken Yahoo traffic. This quote from Nick O'Neill is telling...
"The trend is pretty clear however: Facebook is dominating the web and is on track to be larger than Google, the leading internet brand today. While the domestic unique visitors may have just surpassed Yahoo!, the total amount of time spent on Facebook was already far greater than any other internet brand."
It's clear that Facebook has become an important utility in the lives of many Internet users... as important as say, search or email.
Read the complete post at Inside Facebook here.


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Google is the hottest tech name right now, significantly hotter than even iPod. It's no surprise that Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft, is feeling the heat from Google's success. At the end of June, he listed Google and open source as top competitors for Microsoft. It sounded as if Microsoft is having a bit of trouble balancing innovation with listening to customer feedback; customers expect Microsoft to surprise them with great features, but also to suit their needs and listen when they have feedback. Meanwhile, Google has had progressive innovations in search, which Ballmer recognized.
Still Microsoft's CEO is unhappy with the state of search technologies. He warned that he isn't expecting to see Google invading Microsoft's domain of operating systems, but Microsoft will definitely become a major player in search. Already, MSN Search is ranked number three, behind Yahoo and Google. But that just isn't good enough for Microsoft. If the software giant has its way, Google will be ancient history in 5 years.
Microsoft is a late-comer to search engines. Up until February of this year, MSN Search was powered by an engine and index leased from their search partner, most recently Yahoo. When Microsoft released its own proprietary index and engine, it had been in development for two years.
Even though it's new, MSN Search is catching up to Google. They return almost equally relevant results in most cases. MSN Search still struggles with questions and certain types of searches, but Microsoft is constantly listening to user feedback and making corrections. Though both engines are already useful, they turn up different websites as top results. This mean search engine specialists must undergo different optimization for both kinds of engines. Opening up a whole new venue for search engine marketing is definitely good news for those shoved to the bottom of other search engines, and it's a new headache for those who were doing great before.
Perhaps if users follow Microsoft's search engine, SEO experts will consider optimization tips for MSN as extraordinarily valuable as Google's currently are. This isn't a ridiculous idea, either. Microsoft thrives on targeting successful competitors and taking them down to obscurity. Using the leverage of their existing products, Microsoft will probably try to promote MSN Search. They will likely integrate it into Windows, Internet Explorer, and their new desktop search (which integrates into both of the former plus Outlook). It's worked for them before. Remember Netscape, WordPerfect, Lotus, and Borland? Microsoft would like to add Google to that list, but Google isn't getting too worried yet.
{mospagebreak title=Microsoft Takes on Google}
After hopping over to the MSN Search site (http://search.msn.com/), you'll notice the interface really looks like a Google XP. It is very minimalist: a little corporate branding at top, some search engine features linked under the brand, a search bar, and a few other web services linked at the bottom. This is clearly emulating Google's clean interface and departing from MSN's normal barrage of clutter and ads.
Most of Microsoft's search features are new or in beta, and some don't even appear on the home page. It's not quite as robust and user friendly as Google yet.
For instance, MSN has a shopping engine (http://shopping.msn.com) to compete with Froogle (http://froogle.google.com), which is not linked on the search page. Of course, the shopping feature isn't very useful yet; it returned only a tiny fraction of the results Froogle did for the PC parts I searched (some specific AMD processors and DDR memory). I don't know why Microsoft would want to keep the shopping search separate from their MSN Search, but they may be waiting until it's more useful to integrate it into the search suite.
Besides emulating Google's interface and shopping search, MSN has included an image search and a local search, coming into direct competition with some of Google's central features. Doing a few quick local searches, the interface here is also very similar, right down to the color scheme Microsoft chose matching Google's color scheme. The only notable thing that MSN Search changed was that it added a bunch of undesired web results below the local search, which is the clutter of MSN showing through.
Related to the local search is Microsoft's debuted Virtual Earth. The Virtual Earth is obviously a response to Google Map's satellite imagery.
MSN Search's image search also resembles Google's; after clicking through a results page of image thumbnails, it shows the image in one frame and the source site in another other frame. It would be nice to see a little more design creativity from Microsoft. When their site resembles Google so much, it achieves no distinction.
{mospagebreak title=Google is Not Sweating It}
Even with these new MSN Search features invading Google's territory, Eric Schmidt, Google's CEO, isn't breaking a sweat. Since Microsoft is a complete newcomer to search, he expects it will be years before Microsoft could reach the point that Google has on the web. He later said, "It looks to me like this space is so large that there will be multiple winners." He said that Google's true competitor is Yahoo. This seems a much more reasonable pair, since Yahoo is another established search giant who's product offering doesn't vary much from Google's.
This doesn't stop Google from offering competition for Microsoft. Just as Microsoft is stampeding into search, Google has already started creeping onto the desktop. Last year, Google offered a desktop search that integrated onto a user's taskbar or desktop. Months later, Yahoo, Apple, and Microsoft all released their own desktop searches. Now the competition in these products seems largely based on how many file formats can be supported and how well the search can be integrated to the operating system.
Google's expansion has been based on some fair innovation followed by a lot of repackaging. The Google search has seen many incarnations, from an online shopping tool to a local map hunter. Recently, though, they have been branching into less familiar territory. One such area is Gmail, web based email with deep search integration. This service has come into stiff competition with Microsoft's Hotmail and Yahoo mail. With far less annoying advertising and a cleaner site, Gmail is giving competitors a real challenge even though it's still in beta.
If you check out Google Labs and some other new things in Google's stash, you'll see their ambitions. For one thing, that Google login that users enter into Gmail will soon be useful for a lot more. They are linking personalized services together using that login. The company is designing a personal home page system (much like My Yahoo) that allows logged-in users to see what they want on Google's homepage, including news headlines and subjects of emails sitting in their Gmail accounts.
Also, Google is releasing a Search History feature that uses that login. While logged in, the search engine logs what searches you made and what results you checked out. Is it obvious where this is going? Just as web based email like Gmail make Outlook and other email checking programs unnecessary, this online history replaces the history feature in web browsers. However, unlike the records that Internet Explorer and Firefox keep, Google's feature takes this one step further than its counterparts can. It helps to customize search results for participating users and brings them the results that it determines to be the best for that person's surfing habbits.
As Google adopts more features like this, it brings more of a user's focus to itself and away from traditional software. This allows Google to customize the internet experience for users, and it simultaneously makes local software less vital.
More and more ordinary applications are being moved to the internet, some that people already take for granted. An amazing amount of research is done online, circumventing libraries. Journaling has moved from diaries and word processors to internet blogs. Google is helping to fuel this trend, and it is also thriving from it. As more of users' time is spent online and working through Google and other web portals, users spend less attention on what other software they may be using.
{mospagebreak title=Is Google More Important Than Windows?}
This is likely where Microsoft feels most threatened. Google is not replacing Windows anytime soon, as Steve Ballmer said, but it is reducing the significance of it. Google and Yahoo both draw a person's attention away from their personal computer and give users an interface with information and applications. Operating system choice could become increasingly less important; Google works equally well on Apple and Windows. Internet applications are becoming the computer user's interface. If all programs that define user experience work just as well across platforms, Windows users will definitely not feel locked in at all. Just as you don't think about the technical details of your watch, users may become less concerned with those of their local computer.
In the long term, this could be the beginning of recentralizing where computing is done, moving from independent PCs to online services. Eventually, Windows could mean little more to a user than a set of drivers and a web browser, a tool to get to Google and integrate with it. The user may someday hold and access all their personal information and frequently used applications online in web portals.
While this is speculation, the foundation for such a transition is undeniably under our noses. As internet applications and personal computers become more and more integrated, the potential only grows. Microsoft definitely sees the benefit in establishing itself before it's left too far behind established online companies.
So far, it looks like Microsoft is following the tried and true method of copying competitors. Soon we may see them seduce users into using MSN Search by integrating it with all aspects of upcoming Windows Longhorn. This would be similar to how the company established Internet Explorer in Windows 98 and subsequently destroyed Netscape.
But Microsoft cannot kill Google eaily. As things are progressing, by the time Longhorn comes out, most people will probably have a Google user ID that has many purposes. Without an easy way to transfer user data to equal Microsoft services, they will be moderately locked into Google. Sure, they can make a new ID with MSN Search but they lose their familiar homepage, already personalized search results, all their Gmail they've been saving, and any other new services Google introduces. Netscape didn't have this leverage when they went under, and casual users didn't lose anything by switching.
Google is in a vulnerable position; as a web service, the barriers that keep users from switching to other services are much lower than those, say, blocking people from converting from Windows to Linux or OS X (where there may be training and new hardware needed). This also means MSN Search will be in a vulnerable position, and it's not that hard to change a browser's homepage from MSN to Google. Ultimately, the company to come out on top will hopefully be the one that brings the most innovation to computing technologies. Though, most likely, there will be "multiple winners" as Schmidt suggested.


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Vinyl & Verses tonight at Burt's
Free dope-alicious hip-hop
In case you hadn't heard, there's some damn good hip-hop goin' down in the 505 these days. Some is local, some imported, but the connecting thread is that a lot of it can be caught at Burt's Tiki Lounge's free weekly Vinyl & Verses series on Wednesday nights. Some of the better acts I caught last year include Burqueño emcees Def-I and Wake Self, and Chicago's Qwazaar and Robust. In advance of another V & V show tonight at Burt's, I thought I'd post a video to show the caliber of talent that this event attracts. Doors open at 8:30 p.m., and the whole thing is pretty lax. Performances usually start late and end close to 2 a.m. There's always breakdancing during the shows, not to mention some heavy cyphers outdoors once the venue shuts down. Tonight Jivin Scientist, Zoology and Golden Ghost are on the bill. Check it.


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Rating: 3.1/5 (Total votes: 18)
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Spring is in full swing and we're celebrating by offering our best promotion ever!
For the first time, we are offering 30 free wedding invitation sets with every order of 100 or more!
Order 100 or more letterpress and/or foil stamped wedding elements
(save the dates, invitations, response cards, note cards, menus, etc.) and receive 30 free!
Offer valid through May 31, 2012
Contact your local Dauphine Press retailer for promotion code and additional details.


text:
NT derailment poses environmental risk
The main road linking the Top End to southern Australia is expected to reopen later today after serious flood damage, as investigators turn their attention to the environmental damage caused by the derailment of a freight train.
Forty-eight hours ago floodwaters swept part of a large freight train into the Edith River and cut off the Stuart Highway north of the Top End town of Katherine.
The train was carrying copper concentrate, and the derailment has prompted questions over the safety of transporting toxic substances, including uranium, during bad weather in the tropics.
Several investigations are now underway into the cause of the derailment and the environmental impact of the tonnes of copper concentrate which spilled into the flooded Edith River.
"It's not a highly toxic substance, but it's not to be ingested or inhaled. We think it's washed all over the place," said Jim Grant, head of the NT Environment Department.
Stuart Blanch, director of the Northern Territory Environment Centre, says the investigations need to establish why the freight train was allowed to cross the river while it was flooded.
"The onus is on the owner of the railway line," he said.
"They should not have allowed that rail truck to proceed across the bridge. Either their procedures are not in place, or they are not adequate, or they were not implemented. It's got to be one of the three."
The Alice Springs to Darwin Railway is owned by Genesee and Wyoming Australia.
The company's managing director Bert Easthope says the company tested the track before the freight train crossed the bridge.
"We waited until we were given the all clear by the Bureau of Meteorology in the context of the cyclone warning," he said.
"We did some physical inspection of the track ... to ensure the integrity of the track, and we also ran another service prior to ... that train going over that particular bridge."
But Dr Blanch says the accident shows why dangerous goods, including uranium, should not be carried on the Alice Springs to Darwin Railway.
"A much bigger risk to Top End rivers would be derailment of trains carrying uranium oxide from the Roxby Uranium Mine in South Australia," he said.
"The Territory Government should call a halt on approving the transport of more and more trains of uranium oxide up to Port Darwin until there are really adequate, safe measures in place to stop such a derailment ever happening with uranium on the track."
But Chief Minister Paul Henderson does not want to speculate about the implications for the transport of uranium in the Northern Territory.
"What we have had is a significant event. We've got the Australian Transport Safety Bureau conducting an investigation. Out of that investigation will come requirements for the operator to put in place and any recommendations in terms of government regulation we will also accept," he said.
The Territory Opposition says there needs to be changes to regulations and safety measures, before a train line between Alice Springs and Darwin can be used to transport toxic substances like uranium.
Country Liberals environment spokesman Peter Chandler says Territorians are being let down either by poor regulation or infrastructure.
"If we are going to start using that infrastructure for very highly toxic chemicals, for instance uranium and other ores, we need to ensure that the infrastructure we have is capable."
Topics: floods, rail, environmental-impact, rail-transport, katherine-0850, alice-springs-0870, darwin-0800
First posted


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- Inside Athletics
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JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Nov. 7, 2013) – Coming off back-to-back five-set road wins, the ETSU volleyball team gears up for a critical four-match homestand, which begins this weekend inside Brooks Gym.
The Bucs (19-7, 13-1 A-Sun) begin weekend play against Lipscomb Friday night at 7 p.m., while the Blue and Gold take on Northern Kentucky Saturday at 3 p.m.
First-place in the Atlantic Sun standings and win streaks will be on the line Friday night as ETSU – who has won 12 straight at home and six consecutive overall – has a one-game lead atop the league standings over the Lady Bisons. Meanwhile, Lipscomb has won nine straight matches since falling to ETSU in five sets back on Oct. 5 in Nashville.
Friday's promotion is "Beats the Bisons" night and one lucky student will win Beats by Dre, while Fox's Pizza will pass out FREE pizza (while supplies last) beginning at 6 p.m.
- The Bucs are coming off consecutive five-set road wins at Florida Gulf Coast and Stetson last weekend in the Sunshine State. ETSU defeated FGCU last Friday night, marking its first-ever win over the Eagles inside Alico Arena, while the Bucs remained perfect against the Hatters by improving to 15-0 all-time against Stetson with the win on Saturday.
- Meredith Hardy (Kingsport, Tenn.) is coming off Atlantic Sun Defensive Player of the Week honors on Monday as the Buccaneer middle blocker hit .310 (32-10-71), while averaging 2.46 kills, 1.38 blocks and 0.46 digs per set in three wins last week. Hardy also broke the A-Sun all-time blocks record last week in ETSU's win over Kennesaw State, and the Kingsport, Tenn. native has 439 career blocks in 91 matches played.
- Megan Devine (Kingsport, Tenn.) averaged 4.50 kills (45 total) and 3.30 digs (33 total) per set in the two road matches last weekend. The reigning A-Sun Player of the Year also posted double-doubles in both matches and has now accomplished the feat in eight straight matches.
- Ivey Rice (Johnson City, Tenn.) also collected double-doubles in both matches and averaged 2.40 kills (24 total) and 2.20 digs (22 total) per set, while Jamie Rutledge (Kingsport, Tenn.) added a double-double in the win at Stetson, finishing with 59 assists and 10 digs, to go with three kills and two blocks.
- Following the pair of five-set matches, ETSU's last five road matches have gone the distance, with the Bucs going 4-1 in those outings.
- Lipscomb has won nine straight and enters the weekend with a record of 18-6, 12-2.
- The Lady Bisons lead the country in kills per set (15.39), rank third in assists (14.32) and are 15th in attack percentage (.276).
- Individually, Lipscomb's Caitlin Dotson leads the country in assists per set (12.76), while Jewell Dobson ranks sixth in points (5.37) and seventh in kills (4.73) per set.
- Five of the Lady Bisons nine wins during its streak have been sweeps, while the Lady Bisons are 13-3 in three-set matches on the season.
- Lipscomb had won the last three A-Sun Championships, prior to ETSU claiming the 2012 title in Nashville.
ETSU vs. LIPSCOMB
- Lipscomb leads the all-time series, 11-7, but the Bucs have won the last two meetings, including a thrilling five-set victory last month in Nashville.
- In last month's five-set win, Devine tallied 18 kills, six digs, and three blocks, while Rice added a double-double with 12 kills and 12 digs. Katie Muey (Alexandria, Ind.) led ETSU's back row with 18 digs and Rutledge accounted for 48 of ETSU's 52 assists and pitched in with five blocks.
- The Bucs trailed by three midway through the fifth set (8-5), but the Blue and Gold won the next three points to pull even at eight, and after the teams combined for five more ties down the stretch run, ETSU won the final two points to finish off the comeback.
- Last year, Hardy averaged 3.45 kills and 1.45 blocks per set against Lipscomb, whereas, Devine registered 3.73 kills and 3.91 digs per set.
- Lipscomb is 4-3 all-time against the Bucs in matches played inside Brooks Gym, while the Lady Bisons defeated ETSU in four sets last season, marking the last home defeat for the Blue and Gold.
- NKU has won two of its last three matches and the Norse carry a 10-17, 5-9 mark into Friday's game at USC Upstate.
- Freshman setter Taylor Snyder ranks fourth in the A-Sun in assists (10.42) and ninth in service aces (0.27), junior middle blocker Jenna Ruble ranks seventh in attack percentage (.308), and senior defensive specialist Anna Prickel is ninth in digs (3.59).
- Seven of NKU's 10 wins have been in five-set matches, where the Norse are 7-2 on the campaign; however, NKU has dropped all five of its three-set matches in 2013.
ETSU vs. NKU
- The Bucs are 3-0 against the Norse in three A-Sun matches, with two of the three being decided in five sets.
- This season, the Bucs took down NKU in four. Back on Oct. 4 at NKU, Devine and junior Bethany Gesell (High Point, N.C.) posted double-doubles in the four-set win. Devine ended with 19 kills and 16 digs, along with adding a season-high six blocks and two service aces. Gesell earned her first collegiate double-double by registering 11 kills and a career-high 12 digs.
- Devine has registered double-doubles in all three matches against the Norse and is averaging 4.00 kills (56 total) and 3.71 digs (52 total) per set, while Hardy is hitting .385 (48-13-91) against NKU. Rutledge has totaled 181 assists (12.93 per set) in the three matches, and sophomore Khadijah Wiley (Columbus, Ga.) is hitting .357 (35-10-70) in the series. Wiley recorded a record-setting .696 clip (18-2-23) in last season's home win versus the Norse, which broke the ETSU single-match attack percentage mark.
- Friday's game will be broadcast live on ASun.TV.
- Live stats for both matches will be provided through StatBroadcast, by visiting ETSUBucs.com. Live stats can also be accessed on your mobile devices and tablets by visiting BucsStats.com.
- Twitter updates can be accessed by following @ETSUVolleyball and @ETSUAthletics.
ETSU fans wanting to receive Buccaneer news, score updates, in-game promotions and much more sent to their mobile device can do so by signing up for "Buc Updates." Click here to sign up today!
- The Bucs are 6-0 at home this season and have won 12 straight inside Brooks Gym dating back to last season. In its six home matches this year, ETSU has earned five, three-set wins, and are averaging 14.32 kills, 13.05 assists, 1.79 service aces, 14.74 digs and 3.42 blocks per set. The Bucs are also hitting .261 (272-98-667), while holding the opposition to a .116 (198-122-656) clip. ETSU is also out-blocking its foes, 65-34, at home. Individually, Meredith Hardy is hitting .433 (67-15-120) and averaging 3.53 kills and 1.89 blocks per set in the six home matches, while Megan Devine is posting 4.63 kills and 3.95 digs per set. Katie Muey is also averaging 4.53 digs per set and Khadijah Wiley is hitting .403 (35-6-72) at home.
- ETSU carries a six-match win streak into Friday's match and during this run, three of the Bucs' six wins have been decided in five sets. In the six matches, the Blue and Gold are holding their opponents to a .152 attack percentage (268-140-842) and out-blocking them by a plus-20 margin, 71-51.
- In ETSU's 19 wins, the Bucs are averaging 14.19 kills, 3.02 blocks, and hitting .270 (1036-350-2507), while the opposition in averaging 11.15 kills, 1.78 and hitting at a .155 (814-429-2487) clip. Meanwhile, in the Bucs' seven setbacks, the Blue and Gold are averaging 11.96 kills, 1.96 blocks and hitting .192 (335-171-855).
- Megan Devine and Meredith Hardy both broke all-time Atlantic Sun records earlier this season. Devine, ETSU's all-time leader in kills, also ranks first all-time among A-Sun leaders with 1,852 kills in 126 matches played. Hardy is the all-time A-Sun leader in blocks with 439, while Hardy has recorded at least one block in 88 consecutive matches. Meanwhile, Devine has played in all but two of the 128 matches in her collegiate career.
- Megan Devine moved into fifth-place all-time in ETSU history for digs with 1,403 in her career. Devine is 38 digs shy of passing Jennifer Manchester (1992-95) for fourth.
- Jamie Rutledge also moved into fifth on the ETSU career leaders list for assists at 2,619. Rutledge, who ranks second in the A-Sun this season with 11.00 assists per set, has played in 79 career matches for the Blue and Gold.
For more information on Buccaneer volleyball, visit ETSUBucs.com.


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Difference between revisions of "Driving in Australia"
Revision as of 03:47, 14 August 2011
This article is a travel topic
Driving in Australia is an experience to be savoured. The wide-open spaces and magnificent natural scenery is well worth taking the time to visit and experience by car. Indeed many lesser known, but still unique and worthwhile attractions can only be reached by car. This guide aims to fully prepare drivers for an Australian driving experience.
Speed and distance in Australia are measured in kilometres and kilometres per hour. There are approximately 1.6 kilometres in one mile.
Australia is a very big country, and while driving is a fun and interesting way to get around, you have to remember that in most cases it is a long long way to get from point A to point B. For example, driving from Melbourne to Sydney is at least 10 hours solid driving. If you want to drive to Perth from Melbourne, you must cross the Nullarbor Plain, which means driving for approximately 3,500 km, including almost 2,000 km through a virtually empty, uninhabited landscape with only a few roadhouses, sometimes hundreds of kilometres apart. To do it safely (i.e. with plenty of rest) may take up to a week.
As in the United Kingdom and Japan, Australians drive on the left-hand side of the road, with the steering wheel on the right side of the vehicle.
Road conditions - travelling in rural and remote areas
Most Australians live on or near the eastern and south-east coasts, where the country is fertile and well watered. Roads within and between the cities and towns in these areas are sealed and generally well maintained, as are the main highways that join the state and territory capital cities. There are usually plenty of well marked rest areas on major highways, though these are usually very basic and do not always have toilet facilities. Typically, rental car companies do not allow their cars to be taken off sealed roads, even if the unsealed road is an official minor road.
Rural driving
Outside of major cities and the coastal routes between some state capitals, Australian highways are mainly two-lane undivided sealed (concrete, bitumen or asphalt) roads. While less than 15% of Australia's population lives in regional and rural areas, about 60% of fatal accidents occur on these roads because the speeds are freeway-like (speed limits vary between 100km/h and 130km/h) but the conditions are more dangerous than freeways because there is rarely a barrier or division from oncoming traffic.
Many rural two lane highways feature an occasional third lane for safe overtaking. A yellow diamond sign will indicate with black arrows which direction has priority for overtaking in the middle lane. The single opposing lane may also use the middle lane for overtaking, as long as both oncoming lanes are clear and the centre line closest to the opposing lane is broken.
Some two-way paved roads have only one lane paved, right down the middle. When approaching another car both of you are expected to move left off the bitumen onto the dirt at the side of the road, pass, and then move back onto the black. Be wary immediately after passing, as the other car will have stirred up a huge dust cloud which will lower visibility for several seconds.
When travelling on unsealed (gravel) roads it is essential to slow down well before a corner or you risk skidding as you turn. Loose or drifting gravel also poses a hazard as your tyres may lose traction as the gravel rolls or shifts under the tyres. If you feel you are losing control on gravel, slow down and try to avoid braking or turning sharply. The posted speed limit is not a goal to achieve on gravel roads - it is most important to drive to the conditions.
Animals - watch out!
In rural and remote areas, it is common to see dead animals on the side of the road. Australia's abundant wildlife can make driving hazardous. Equally hazardous are domestic animals such as cattle, sheep and goats and many properties in remote areas are un-fenced, allowing these animals to wander out onto the highway. The fact is, quickly swerving or braking heavily could cause a much more serious accident, especially on gravel roads. Many Australians avoid driving at sundown and sunrise, as these are the times when animals are most active, particularly in regions where you will encounter water sources like rivers and reservoirs, or the plains surrounding mountain ranges. You really don't want your first sighting of a kangaroo to be of one smashing against your windscreen, writing your vehicle off in the process.
It is important to note that many car rental firms impose a curfew on driving after sunset in Western Australia and the Northern Territory. Often a collision with an animal has a higher excess (deductible) than other collisions. Away from cities and main highways try to be at your destination before nightfall. If forced to travel at night, keep your speed down.
If you come across multiple tyre marks on the road, this could suggest that animals regularly use this part of the road as a crossing, so just be a little more aware, and also, using the high beam head lights at night will make it harder for an animal to find an appropriate escape route, so practice flicking them off for animals as well as for on coming traffic.
If you do see animals crossing the road, slow right down, as more may be following, or they may turn back and cross again.
Remote areas - be prepared
It is important to note that even on major highways, in remote areas (known as the "Outback") motorists may travel for hundreds of kilometres between towns or road-houses without opportunities to refuel, get water, refreshments, or use toilets. In these areas it is strongly advisable not to let your fuel gauge drop below half-full before filling up again, as the next petrol (gas) station may have run out of your type of fuel and you may be stranded. Outback communities do not always have fuel supplies or they may be limited. LPG (liquid petroleum gas) may be un-available in some areas and in remote areas it is very unlikely to be found.
Off the major inter-city highways, road conditions can be difficult in remote areas. Many roads are unsealed (gravel or sandy) and often poorly maintained. Some may only be suitable for four-wheel drive vehicles and some (including major sealed highways) may not be passable at all in certain seasons or weather conditions. Respect road closures, even if the road or track appears traffic-able. Large fines are imposed on vehicles that travel on closed roads. Aside from fines, the road may have been closed due to being impassable much further down the road. If you proceed you may have to turn back or may become stranded at a remote location. Roads are often closed to prevent them becoming seriously damaged by vehicles transiting them when the surface is too soft or slippery after rain. Do not cause damage to a road by continuing your journey and transiting a road or track when it is has been closed, especially if your vehicles wheels are leaving furrows or ruts. No one will be impressed that you made it through indeed they may express anger.
Motorists need to be self-sufficient and prepared for emergencies when travelling off the main highways in remote areas. It is advisable to carry extra water, spare fuel, a tow-rope, blankets, shade material, matches or a lighter and two spare tyres. Do not have all of your water in one container at any time.
Always go to the local police station when you are going off the sealed (paved) highway, and tell them where you are going and how long you expect to take. This will help them to look for you if you are stranded. Never ever leave your car when it breaks down in the middle of nowhere. In case of a long wait, it gives you shelter and it is a lot easier to spot a vehicle than a person walking in the bush.
Be aware that outside of major towns, mobile (cell) phone coverage will almost certainly be non-existent. A satellite phone may be a worthwhile and possibly life-saving investment in the most remote, lightly trafficked areas.
Slow down when approaching cattle grids as these may be bent, broken or deeply potholed on the approaches. Severe tyre damage or a broken spring can result from speeding over these grids. Leave gates shut or open as you have found them.
Do not enter creek or gully crossings without first checking for depth, dips and holes and finding the shallowest path. Water crossings in northern Australia (Far North Qld, Kimberley, Top End) are often inhabited by crocodiles so it is not advisable to walk these rivers. Vehicles are washed away more easily than most people realise.
Permits may be required to travel through Aboriginal communities in certain remote locations, though these permits can usually be obtained for free. Many of these communities prohibit the importation of alcohol.
Road trains
Road trains are a special hazard on Australian roads. These leviathans can reach lengths of up to 55 m, with up to four trailers, so treat them with care and respect.
Oncoming road trains should be given all the space they need. On asphalt roads, you should slow down and drive partly on the road shoulder if possible.
A road train coming up behind you should often be allowed to pass as well. When they overtake you at high speeds, they would often create a "vortex" which sucks you towards them. Therefore, be alert and stay in control of the vehicle at all times. In many cases overtaking a road train is not a good idea. If you have to do it, be sure to choose a nice long stretch of straight road where you can make sure that there's no oncoming traffic for about 2 km. On gravel roads there's only one piece of advice: don't.
When behind a truck on a long stretch of road, many truck drivers will indicate to you that there is no traffic ahead and therefore safe to overtake by flicking the right indicator light on once or twice. Treat this signal with caution as sometimes there is not enough space between you and the next oncoming car. Use your common sense. If you are equipped with a CB radio, you may be able to talk to the truckie and confirm the condition of the road ahead for safe overtaking.
Australian vehicles
Most Australian cars have an automatic transmission, although manual (stick-shift) is still common. When hiring a car, it will almost certainly have an automatic transmission. Manual transmissions are generally only offered as an option for the cheapest (light car) models. The gear stick in a manual transmission is operated by the left hand, which may be difficult to adjust to if you are from a country that drives on the right. The arrangement of the pedals is standard worldwide. As the steering wheel in Australian vehicles is on the right, in most cars, the indicator (turn-signal) stalk will be on the right side of the steering wheel and the windscreen wiper stalk on the left side of the steering wheel. Again, if you are from a country that drives on the right, it is inevitable that in the first few days at least, there will be times when you will accidentally switch on the windscreen wipers when making a turn.
Some mountain and tableland areas of NSW and Victoria are noted for having very frosty nights that may cause diesel to solidify in vehicles causing the engine to stop or run abnormally. Usually vehicles will run normally without intervention, when the morning warms, at about 9AM.
Turakina publish driver guides ("turaguides") for overseas visitors intending to drive in Australia.
Buying a car
Buy or rent?
A very rough rule of thumb can be:
Tips for buying
Most of the tips for buying a car in Australia are the same as the precautions you would take anywhere. However, in Australia
Legal issues and safety
Driving is regulated by state government authorities, but there is a consistent set of road rules across Australia. [2]
Drivers in Australia require a valid driving licence. Foreign licences in English are considered valid for driving in Australia for visitors for three months. If your licence is not in English, an International Driving Permit which is issued in your home country before arrival in Australia is required.
Australian licenses are issued by the respective state and territory governments. Visitors with licenses from Austria, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guernsey, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Japan, Jersey, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the United States may convert their foreign licenses to an Australian one after paying an administrative fee. All other foreign license holders are required to sit for a theory and practical test before they can get an Australian license.
Safety Laws
Seat belts
Throughout Australia, use of seat belts is compulsory for drivers and passengers, and infants must be secured with approved safety capsules and harnesses. Seatbelt laws are strictly enforced, and the onus is on the driver to ensure all passengers are buckled. Penalties apply to the driver of the vehicle, and include monetary fines in the hundreds of dollars, as well as demerit points, which may lead to a license suspension.
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
The blood alcohol limit for fully licensed drivers is 0.05% throughout Australia. Learner and provisional drivers are not permitted to have any alcohol in their system whilst driving.
Police conduct random breath tests along both major routes and back streets, both in cities and in the country. A driver does not have to be driving suspiciously or have committed any driving offence to be stopped by police for a random breath test.
If you are caught driving under the influence of alcohol, you will have to make a court appearance. For a first offence, a fine and a period of suspension would normally be imposed if there are no aggravating circumstances. Refusing a random breath test is also an offence and similar penalties apply as for driving under the influence of alcohol.
Random drug testing is in place in Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania. This is conducted via a mouth swab.
In case of an accident involving injury or death to any person, the police and appropriate emergency response authorities must be contacted. Phone the Australian emergency number 000. The GSM standard emergency number 112 also works from any mobile phone. 112 will use any available network and will work even with an overseas GSM phone without roaming enabled. Emergency numbers from other countries (such as 911) do not work in Australia.
The driver of any vehicle involved in an accident in which a person may have been injured or killed, or where there is serious property damage, is legally required to stop and render assistance. The penalties for leaving an accident scene can be severe (up to 10 years imprisonment), even if you are not at fault. You must contact appropriate emergency authorities, but you are not required to give first aid if you have not had training.
Persons rendering first aid in good faith in Australia are protected by law and are not at risk of legal action against them. If you can help at an accident scene, always do so.
Law enforcement - speeding and red light running
Speed cameras are used in all states and territories of Australia, with some states using hidden cameras, others preferring highly visible ones. The strictest place for speed limit enforcement is Victoria, with mobile speed cameras hidden in unmarked cars, as well as hidden fixed cameras behind highway signage. The official tolerance in Victoria is just three kilometres per hour in excess of the speed limit. Police speed traps, and mobile patrols also regularly pull over cars for exceeding the speed limit. In other states, exceeding the speed limit by 10km/h or so will usually result in you being sent a fine notice of around $200 (and demerit points if driving on an Australian licence). Exceeding the speed limit by more than 30km/h can result in a court appearance and possible criminal conviction. For these reasons you will find that speeding in Australia is uncommon. Red light and combined red light/speed cameras also operate at many urban intersections and a similar fine will result.
Fine notices are invariably sent to overseas addresses. Rental car companies often charge an administration fee if fines are incurred, and will pass your name on to the debt collection authorities. Your fine won't generally be pursued outside Australia, but you should consider the consequences if you wish to drive in Australia in the future.
Motoring groups
Each State and Territory has a separate motoring group which offers roadside breakdown assistance, as well as comprehensive road maps, tourist guides, and useful motoring advice from their numerous branch offices. You need to purchase an annual membership in one of these associations to qualify for roadside assistance, but this can be done when lodging a call for help (with an additional fee). Each State association has reciprocal arrangements with the others, so a single membership will do for all of Australia. If you are a member of the local motoring group in your home country, you might be entitled to free reciprocal assistance, such as maps, from the various motoring groups in Australia. Check with your local motoring group before you leave.
A different level of coverage with a higher fee is usually required to ensure useful assistance in remote areas.
City driving
Traffic in Australia's major cities can be congested. As in any other place, it pays to avoid driving in or around the Central Business District (CBD) during peak times when everyone is trying to get to or from work, or on freeways on long weekends (bank holiday weekends) when everyone is trying to get out of town.
Melbourne trams
A hazard unique to Melbourne's CBD and the inner suburbs are trams (streetcars). Melbourne is known for its extensive tram network. There are some tram-related rules which may not be immediately obvious.
Normally cars can drive in the same lane as the tram tracks, and there will be a broken yellow lane marker left of the "tram lane". The broken yellow marker means cars are permitted to drive in the tram lane. Sometimes, there will be a solid yellow line next to the tram lane. This indicates that cars are not permitted to drive in the tram lane. In this situation, there may be a sign overhead that specifies times when cars are not permitted to drive in that lane. If there is no sign, then cars are not permitted on the tracks at any time.
Tram passengers have right of way when crossing the road to or from a tram. You must stop behind the tram when the doors of the tram are open, unless the tram is stopped at a cordoned off stop with barriers.
Related to the tramways is the "hook turn" which is unique in Australia to Melbourne's CBD. As many roads in Melbourne's CBD have tram tracks, turning right (remember, Australians drive on the left) suddenly presents a problem, as while you are waiting to turn, you would be in the tram lane, delaying the progress of several trams. To get around this problem, the "hook turn" was invented. This involves turning right from the left lane. Here is how to execute a hook turn:
Signs indicating whether a hook turn is necessary are hung off tram power lines at the intersection. Do not attempt a hook turn at other intersections.
School zones
School zones have a 40km/h limit during school hours and these are clearly signposted; usually with flashing electronic variable speed limit signs. South Australian school zones are 25km/h. In some state, school zones on major highways may be signposted at 60km/h or 80km/h. In New South Wales, school buses feature flashing lights when picking up or dropping off children. This is to warn drivers to slow down, however unlike in the United States, you are not required to come to a complete stop.
Traffic signals
It is illegal to turn left on a red traffic signal. In some states, it is illegal to do a U-turn at a traffic signal, unless there is a sign explicitly permitting. In Victoria a U-turn is permitted at any intersection with signals, unless signage specifically prohibits this.
Overtaking (passing)
Overtaking is permitted to the right hand side only, unless you are driving on a multi-lane road and the other vehicle can be safely overtaken in a marked lane to the left of that vehicle. If the signposted speed is above 80km/h it is illegal for a car to remain in the right hand lane on a road except whilst overtaking another vehicle. When the overtaking manoeuvre is completed drivers should move back into the left lane as soon as it is safe to do so. Where no such lanes are marked drivers must only overtake on the right hand side of the other vehicle unless the other vehicle is stationary turning to the right or signalling an intention to do so. Whilst overtaking you must not cross over any continuous (unbroken) centre line, continuous double lines or where the double centreline nearest to you is unbroken.
Parking in major cities can be difficult and expensive, especially in the CBD and around tourist areas, such as beaches. Even smaller towns may have parking hassles on popular market days and for events.
Commercial parking lots charge are common in capital cities centres, and operate on an hourly basis on weekdays, and often charging a flat fee on weekends or evenings. These can be very expensive in the CBD area.
Cities often have council operated on-street parking that involves a fee payable. There is either a meter that corresponds to the spot in which you have parked, or a ticket machine to buy a ticket from. These spots will have a sign indicating the maximum amount of time you can park there (paying the appropriate fee), and at what times the fee operates. Feeding meters (staying longer than the posted time by returning to the meter or ticket machine, and inserting more money or buying another ticket) is illegal and will result in the same fine as not paying the fee.
Parking is policed sporadically, with some areas regularly patrolled and others rarely, but you are never entirely safe parking illegally. Fines are of the order of $100.
Areas signposted as clearways, prohibit parking during peak times. Parked cars will be often be towed, adding a $100 recovery charge, and considerable hassle.
Areas marked as no stopping, or bus zones or taxi zones are illegal to stop in, even to pick up and drop off. Areas marked as no standing or no parking zones are those in which you may pick up and drop off, but you can't leave your car.
If you are willing to park a few blocks away and walk, it is often possible to find free on-street parking in residential areas near some attractions.
Major capitals usually have good public transport within the CBD itself, and this is an alternative to driving between CBD locations once parked.
Some motorways, bridges, and tunnels in major cities require payment of tolls. On some roads, a cash payment can be made at tollbooths on the road, however increasingly there is a trend to electronic collection of tolls via transponders fitted inside vehicles. Some toll roads do not allow for cash payment at all. If you drive on such a road without a transponder, a photo is taken of your vehicle's number plate, and you have a limited time (between 24 and 72 hours, depending upon the road) to phone a number or visit a website and arrange credit card payment (plus an additional processing fee) before a fine is issued. Toll roads are clearly signposted and opportunities to exit are clearly delineated before reaching the first tolling point.
Avoiding toll roads may save you a few dollars, but you may pay in extra travel time, fuel cost, and navigation difficulties, particularly during peak travel times. If hiring a car, ask the agency for advice on toll roads. A single transponder can be used on any toll road in Australia, regardless of which company issued the transponder and which company operates the toll road you wish to travel on. There is no extra charge for travelling on another company's toll road.
If you encounter a roundabout and are from a country that doesn't have many of them, like the United States of America, here's a quick guide:
Give way. Give way to vehicles already on the roundabout: enter the intersection only when there is no risk of collision with a car on the roundabout coming from your right. On most roundabouts, this effectively means that you give way to cars coming from your right, cars coming from the opposite direction and turning right, and cars on your left going all the way around the roundabout.
Indicate. When two roads cross at a small roundabout, indicate left to go left, right to go right, and do not indicate if going straight. On a larger roundabout with more exits, don't indicate left until you are taking the next exit.
Select your lane. On multiple lane roundabouts arrows will usually be on the road indicating which lane you should choose to go which direction. Otherwise, just take the left lane to go left, right lane to go right, and either lane to go straight. Bicycles may stay in the left lane and go right, but if they choose to do this, they must give way to vehicles in the right lane exiting.
Speed limits
The default open road speed limit varies between states and territories in Australia. This is the speed limit that must be observed in rural areas where there is no posted limit. In most states it is 100 km/h, but in Western Australia and the Northern Territory, it is 110 km/h. In urban areas (where there are street lights), the default limit is 50 km/h, except in the Northern Territory, where it is 60 km/h. Higher speed limits may apply to some streets and roads, but only where a higher speed limit is clearly sign-posted. For example, some major highways in the Northern Territory have posted speed limits of 130 km/h in rural/remote areas and many rural highways in other states have posted speed limits of 110 km/h.
Distances can be a problem for the unprepared
As an example, here are the distances from one state capital to another:
Staying awake
Once you are outside the metropolitan areas, traffic tends to thin out and driving becomes relatively boring. The long straight stretches, the slowly changing scenery, and the fine weather on many through routes can be a recipe for drowsiness. Make sure you stop every couple of hours and, if possible, change drivers. On some routes local service clubs provide coffee and there are bill boards with road safety advice. These are all there for a reason (except, Speed Kills which is only true in Metropolitan Areas and Townships). People die on those routes from drivers falling asleep from following the unrealistically low speed limits over long distances.
When you arrive in Australia allow for "jet lag". Do not leave your car heater or air-conditioner switched to "recycle" as this can make you drowsy and watch for other signs of fatigue (blurred vision, yawning). On summer evenings, you can usually leave the windows open, for the fresh air and smell of the bush.
Wet season
In the north of Australia, the period from November (sometimes even October) to March is considered the Wet Season. Many remote communities (and even some major towns on the Queensland coast) are completely isolated during the Wet, unless they have a landing strip for light aircraft. Rivers that are dry at other times of the year can overflow their banks due to extremely high rainfall.
Sometimes, bridges are washed out, or dirt roads are turned into muddy quagmires. Water levels can rise quickly from nothing to flooding. Notably, the Bruce Highway, which is the main road from Brisbane up through the Queensland coast to Cairns, is notorious for being cut for days at a time in many areas, mostly near Innisfail and Tully, which are both just south of Cairns.
Travellers intending to drive around the North should contact local authorities beforehand as they will know the most about local conditions. They will also be the poor sods called out to rescue you if you get stuck, so be polite. In Queensland, it is possible to go from Cairns to Cooktown via Mareeba or Mossman using an inland route, which is fully sealed and suitable for normal cars. If you intend to take the coastal route (starting just north of Cape Tribulation), you can't do it whenever it is raining, unless you have a serious four-wheel drive, preferably equipped with a snorkel.
If travelling around the north on unsealed (unpaved) roads, a powerful four-wheel drive vehicle is a must. Being bogged in the middle of the Outback can be fatal if one is not properly prepared.
See also


text:
December 19. 2012 12:49PM
Londonderry schools take closer look at security measures
By APRIL GUILMET
Union Leader Correspondent
Brentwood couple reflect on the road back from the edge of total despair
LONDONDERRY - In the days after the deadly school shooting in Newtown, Conn., Londonderry police have maintained a visible presence at the district's six schools.
During Tuesday night's school board meeting, Superintendent Nathan Greenberg shared details of the precautions being taken in response to last Friday's tragedy. On Friday afternoon, local police officials immediately called Greenberg and sent officers to each school. The superintendent then immediately called an administrative meeting to discuss school security measures.
On Saturday, administrators participated in a telephone conference with Gov. John Lynch to further discuss which options were available, and over the weekend, emails were sent with lists of resources for administrators, faculty and staff members.
"We went through all the facets of our current protocols and identified the areas we felt it was important to address," Greenberg said. "Some of them are short-term quick fixes."
Administrators will meet again for further review on Thursday. Greenberg noted that all schools currently have emergency plans in place, and staff and students practice their responses to different threats on a regular basis. Security cameras have been inside the schools for nearly a decade, the superintendent said, and the elementary and middle schools are equipped with buzzer systems.
At the high school, which doesn't currently have a buzzer system, there are always two staff members posted at the front entrance to screen visitors, along with the school resource officer.
"We've slightly changed our protocols surrounding people buzzing into the schools and the questions we ask them," Greenberg added.
School board chairman John Laferriere urged parents to communicate freely with their children's teachers, noting that those with questions or concerns may contact the board at any time.
Middle School principal Richard Zacchilli said his school held its holiday concert last Saturday, immediately after the incident in Newtown. "There were about 600 kids there and 1,500 parents," said Zacchilli, noting that two Londonderry police officers remained on the premises throughout the event. "I think everyone felt safe and secure even though it was a difficult day," he said.


text:
Interop: Find The Fun
Posted by
Susan Fogarty
March 26, 2014
Interop Las Vegas kicks off in just a matter of days, and while I am excited to go experience all of the great content and meet many of our site's readers there, the thought of it actually makes my head hurt a little. There are so many good sessions and workshops, and so many excellent speakers, it's honestly hard to take it all in. When you consider that the discussion focuses on challenging technology topics, it makes going to a conference awfully hard work.
Luckily the organizers of Interop realize that attendees need to have their thinking caps on during most of the conference, so they are working extra hard to inject fun and games into activities throughout the day. The idea is to make fun an integral part of the conference, so that even if you are working and learning the entire time you're there (like I plan to), you can still enjoy yourself and have a great time.
You'll want to start out by exploring the Interop HQ at Expo Booth #2139. This serves as the home of free swag and prizes (fun!) and serves as the Interop social media command center. Social media will go live-and-in-person here, with your Tweets giving you the opportunity to win an iPad Mini, T-shirts, sunglasses, and more. You can even get cozy IRL with friends old and new in and old-fashioned photo booth.
The HQ will also feature free food -- and only fun food is allowed! Morning coffee and muffins will be served on Wednesday and Thursday. On Wednesday afternoon, there will be root beer floats for everyone, and on Thursday afternoon, popcorn. In addition, a Donut Cart and Cookie Cart will be roaming the Expo Floor, so be on the lookout for those. The famous Booth Crawl also takes place in the afternoon on Wednesday.
If you really need a break, head over to the Fun Zone at Booth #2267. Open during Expo hours on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, you can relax here and play games including double-shot basketball, pinball, air hockey, and giant Connect Four.
Looking for fun that doesn't require sweat or overindulgence? You may already read Greg Ferro's blogs here on Network Computing, but you may not be aware that he is a celebrated contributor to many other publications, partly for his wit and keen sense of humor. In fact, he has even written the intriguingly titled ebook The Arse First Method of Technical Blogging.
If you want to learn more about technical blogging, find out how to operate arse first, or just hear some entertaining thoughts from a very smart guy, stop over at Greg's special session on How to Be a Tech Blogger in the Interop HQ, Thursday at 1:00.
Who doesn't like awards? Interop Content Director (and former Network Computing Editor) Andrew Conry-Murray and I will be handing out the Best of Interop Awards on Tuesday at 5:30 pm in the Interop Theater on the Expo Floor. You can view the list of finalists here. The awards include nine product categories, as well as Best Startup Company and the Grand Award. They culminate on Wednesday with the Audience Choice Award, which allows attendees to vote for their favorite during the keynote speeches that morning. So be sure to attend the keynote on Wednesday to make your vote count!
Finally, the conference takes place in the City of Sin, so at least one flashy night out on the town is in order. Don't miss the Interop VIP Party at LIGHT, the new Cirque du Soleil nightclub in the Mandalay Bay Hotel. The party is open to all paid conference attendees, exhibitors, speakers, and media. The club features Cirque du Soleil performers and unique choreography, coupled with exclusive performance elements and visuals, innovative video mapping, lighting, sound and special effects.
So pack your bag and get ready to learn and work, but also get ready for FUN. See you in Las Vegas!
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