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The Science Department aims to produce students who are knowledgeable in the areas of physics, chemistry, and biology. Our teachers emphasize an active form of inquiry because we believe our students are best served in and through an experiential manner of learning.
The curriculum employs the use of demonstrations, labs, projects, and exercises designed to generate discussion, discovery, and cooperative problem-solving skills. The department helps to form analytical, creative, and critical thinkers who are prepared not just for college but also for life.
- Conceptual Physics
- Chemistry
- Chemistry Honors
- AP Chemistry
- Biology
- Biology Honors
- AP Biology
- Environmental Science
- Marine Science
- Marine Ecology Research 1
- Marine Ecology Research 2
- Marine Ecology Research 3 Honors
- Physics with Trigonometry
- Physics with Calculus Honors
Conceptual Physics
This freshman-level course is intended to introduce students to the principles of physics and to foster enthusiasm and confidence in science. Much of the material forms an important base of knowledge for further study of topics in modern chemistry and biology. The course emphasizes problem solving, critical thinking, and the application of theories to varied real-world situations. Topics include the full range of those found in a more traditional physics course, but they are treated conceptually in plain English rather than in mathematical language. The emphasis is on comprehension rather than computation, and equations are given as guides to thinking rather than as recipes for computing. Hands-on laboratory activities and engineering projects allow students to solidify their understanding of theories and laws and to develop skills in data collection, interpretation, and experimental design. Students use computer simulations to reinforce their understanding and to investigate more complex situations.
This course introduces students to the properties and behavior of matter and is designed to reinforce the concepts mastered in Conceptual Physics and to prepare students for the molecular foundations of biology. The class takes a broad, conceptual approach and introduces students to the material world through an extensive array of lecture-based discussions, demonstrations, projects, and laboratory explorations. In order to achieve a more complete presentation of the theoretical side of chemistry, this course de-emphasizes the mathematical aspects of chemistry. It is a laboratory-based science class, so students learn to work safely and confidently in a lab setting by completing weekly lab assignments.
Chemistry Honors
Students taking this course have demonstrated an aptitude for science and mathematics during their freshman-level courses. Chemistry Honors features a faster pace, covers more material, and takes a more quantitative approach. The goal of the course is to develop a strong foundation in chemistry so students can successfully undertake advanced studies in chemistry, biology, and physics.
AP Chemistry
Emphasis in this course is on the process of science rather than its product. Many different approaches to the material support students in this process of inquiry and discovery. Students learn science by being scientists. They are asked to search for applications and to bring the science they encounter outside of school into the classroom. Biology is correlated with history, the arts, literature, and other sciences in a holistic approach, and contemporary social issues are addressed. Biology centers on the major unifying themes: evolution, genetic continuity, structure and function, diversity and unity, and regulation. During the first semester, the students study molecular biology. Topics include organic molecules, cells, energy in living systems, and genetics. Evolution bridges the gap to a more organismic approach in the second semester. Major phyla are covered, but the emphasis is on higher plants and animals. The students study human biology in depth and end the year with a look at ecology.
Biology Honors
Students taking Biology Honors have demonstrated an aptitude for science during their first two years at Santa Catalina. In comparison to standard biology, Biology Honors features a faster pace, covers more material, and explores biology in greater depth. The goal of the course is for the students to develop a strong foundation in biology so they can successfully undertake more advanced studies in this subject.
AP Biology
Throughout this course, students discover that science is as much a way of thinking and viewing the world as it is a body of knowledge. In laboratory sessions, they are encouraged to develop their own lines of inquiry and to design experiments. Students learn new laboratory skills and master some that have already been introduced. They are made aware of the investigative applications that they carry out. This course centers on the major unifying themes of biology: evolution, genetic continuity, structure and function, diversity and unity, and regulation. Building on the ideas introduced in previous science courses, the class makes connections between the natural world and the laws of the physical world. During the first semester, the emphasis is on molecular biology: biological molecules, energy production and use, the life processes of the cell, and genetics. The first semester ends with an in-depth study of evolution and the mathematical laws that govern it. The second semester surveys the diversity of life forms, with particular attention on the human body systems, and explores how organisms interact with each other and with their environment.
Environmental Science
This course covers the material contained within a semester-long college course and integrates extensive readings, discussions, qualitative and quantitative laboratory experiments, field trips, environmental monitoring, and numerical simulations. Emphasis is placed on understanding the science behind the complex interactions among people, animals, plants, and the physical environment. The course covers topics such as environmental economics, energy resources, ecology, population studies, climate, geology and oils, agriculture, water, mineral resources, climate change, toxicology, risk assessment, pollution, hazardous waste, and biodiversity.
Marine Science
An overview of oceanography and marine biology, this course emphasizes the interactions between the living and nonliving parts of the sea. It covers topics such as marine geology, marine chemistry, waves and tides, marine invertebrates, fish, marine mammals, and marine ecology. Frequent field trips to local near-shore habitats, along with research projects and demonstrations, are integral parts of the course. Some of the goals are to instill a sense of wonder and curiosity about the ocean and to expand understanding of its role in climate regulation, biochemical recycling, and human extraction of food and mineral resources.
Marine Ecology Research 1
This course is part of a three-year series for students interested in undertaking independent research. The first year of the Marine Ecology Research Program is designed to give motivated students a personal experience of the scientific process through the exploration of dynamic marine environments. The goal is to give students the conceptual and technical skills needed to undertake independent research in marine science-related fields in the following year. The course begins with a focus on the practice and fundamentals of science including observational methods, qualitative and quantitative data collection, hypothesis generation, data synthesis and evaluation, descriptive and inferential statistics, and scientific communication and critique. Specific concepts of marine ecology are discussed, including interactions between organisms and the physical environment, focused on the intertidal community. Students learn biological concepts, including food webs, phylogeny, niche space, biodiversity and energetics, and work with the essential environmental parameters that influence the biology, such as temperature, salinity, solar inputs, and wave force. In doing this, they learn basic techniques of the field, including field sampling using transects and quadrats, digital data acquisition, and the use of remote sensing databases, and participate in a long-term baseline study of the changing coastline of central California. The course concludes with the design, execution, and presentation of a project to investigate an interaction between the physical and biological world along the Monterey shoreline. Upon completion of this course, the student will have experienced a broad overview of the major principles of ecology, and may transition to more advanced science courses and independent research.
Marine Ecology Research 2
The Marine Ecology Research 2 course is the second year of the Marine Ecology Research Program. It is part of a three-year series for students interested in undertaking independent research. The class is designed to give motivated students a personal experience of the scientific process through the pursuit of a guided independent research project. The goal is to give students a first experience of independent research in marine science-related fields, beginning with the development of a scientific question embodied in a research proposal. Research builds on the practice and fundamentals of science, including observational methods, qualitative and quantitative data collection, hypothesis generation, data synthesis and evaluation, descriptive and inferential statistics, and scientific communication and critique. Special attention is paid to literature review and background work, both to support and frame the student's project, and to increase familiarity with norms of technical communication. Students are encouraged, but not required, to seek collaborations with local research institutions, and pursue their work in an internship setting. This course requires students to be highly self-motivated and professional in setting goals and honoring time commitments, as most of the research itself will likely be executed outside of class hours. Upon completion of this course, the student will have executed a piece of research that will be the focus of independent work done during the senior year.
Marine Ecology Research 3 Honors
The third year of the Marine Ecology Research Program is designed to give students who have completed a significant research project in the junior year a chance to synthesize and communicate the results of that work. The goal is to give students the experience of communicating technical information in a professional setting. The course begins with the analysis of results generated during the junior year research, with implementation of appropriate statistical tests. Students then determine an appropriate format to communicate their work and are encouraged to present their work in a professional forum where they can both see how other researchers approach disseminating their work, and receive feedback and critique from active workers in the field. This course requires students to be highly self-motivated and professional in setting goals and time commitments, as most of the analysis, writing, and layout will likely be executed outside of class hours. Upon completion of this course, the student will have presented their research formally and informally, and discussed the requirements and merits of several scientific communication outlets.
Physics with Trigonometry
This course is structured around the "big ideas" of physics, which encompass core scientific principles, theories, and processes of the discipline. The course framework allows students to make connections across domains through a broader way of thinking about the physical world, cutting across the traditional physics principles, supported by enduring understandings and core concepts. Students develop scientific critical thinking and reasoning skills through inquiry-based learning and explore topics such as Newtonian mechanics (including rotational motion); work, energy, and power; mechanical waves and sound; and introductory, simple circuits.
Physics with Calculus Honors
This course is designed for students who plan to major in the physical sciences or engineering in college. Students in the course have successfully completed a calculus class because calculus methods are used wherever appropriate in formulating physical principles and in applying them to physical problems. Strong emphasis is placed on solving a variety of challenging problems. The course focuses equally on mechanics, electricity, and magnetism.


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Continuing this week with more gift guides! Today I'm featuring gifts for bar and home- perfect for the hosts and foodies in your life!
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Traversing the snow and thinking about Spring..
Did you hear? It snowed 22 inches this past weekend in Boston. I can't remember the last time I've seen so much snowfall… I remember when I was little this used to mean exciting things like snow days and making forts in the mountain of snow at the bottom of our driveway, but now its more like "ugh. whole foods is closed- how will I eat?!" While the snow IS very pretty while it lasts, in a city that window isn't long. There are 8 foot mountains of dirty snow everywhere they can shove it and three lane roads are down to only 1. The struggle back and forth between the plows and the guys shoveling the sidewalks has made for very interesting walking around the city- at the end of each street is an OCEAN of slush. Its kind of like a maze to just get where you need to be! It doesn't help that its been sunny and 40 degrees since Monday….
So I"m over it. Rant complete. Now I'm looking forward to Spring. Here are a few images that are keeping me going. You can find all of the sources on my pinterest page aptly named "Gardens":
There is also a great garden sale on One Kings Lane today if you feel inspired to pick up a few items in anticipation. Here are a few of my favorites:
1. This little Perched Rabbit would look SO CUTE peeking out of a flower bed. I would name him fluffy.
2. I imagine putting glowing white candles in these weathered lanterns. And then of course sitting on the patio drinking wine at twighlight.
3. Cant decide if I would cluster these garden birdhouses all together or scatter them around different trees- but they are so whimsical- I love them
4. You can never have enough containers- and at $39 for a set of 2 these little crackle planters are a great find

subset: commoncrawl


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Academic Courses
Our sister school, Bath Academy, offers a personalised, fully supportive academic education to UK and international students. By discovering and nurturing students' talents, Bath Academy helps build their confidence and gain the qualifications to enable them to enter high quality universities in the UK and abroad.
Click here to visit the Bath Academy website.
The University Foundation Programme (UFP) offers students an alternative route (to A Levels and the International Baccalaureate) to British University degree courses. The Programme is world-renowned and has an excellent success rate in placing international students at top British universities.
Course Structure
Students can choose between a variety of pathways, allowing entry into almost all undergraduate degree courses.
Students study 6 subjects within their chosen pathway, 3 compulsory minor modules and 3 elective major modules.
The minor subjects are: Mathematics, Information Technology and IELTS/Communication Skills. These are to ensure students are equipped with the necessary communication, numerical and analytical skills for university study.
The major modules are chosen within the student's pathway and should be relevant to their intended degree course. Pathways include:
Business and Finance | Law and Social Sciences | Engineering and Technology | Science
A Levels are the standard route to studying at UK universities, particularly for the most competitive courses at the highest ranking institutions. Our A Level students are taught in small tutorial groups and have weekly mock examinations under invigilated conditions to monitor their progress against the grades necessary for them to progress to their desired university course.
A Levels are available for students aged 16+ who have completed their GCSEs or equivalent high school certificate.
We offer a range of A Level courses including: two year, eighteen month and one year intensive courses.
2 Year and 18 month courses
We offer both the standard 2 year A Level programme as well as an 18 month intensive course (starting in January which is ideal for international students whose academic year ends in December). In both cases, students study 3 to 4 A Level subjects.
"College leaders have created a culture where students are nurtured and supported to achieve their potential" Ofsted
The Pre-A Level Course prepares international students for the demands of A Level study. Students develop the English language, mathematical and academic skills needed to be successful in their A Level studies and future academic careers.
We find that students who take this course reach a far higher standard than those of the same starting level that apply directly for A Levels.
The course is separated into two levels, each lasting one year.
Level 1
– For 14/15 year-olds to fully prepare them for studying the GCSE programme the following year
– Intensive focus on the English language requirements and development of Mathematics, Science and IT/Business studies for students aiming to study GCSEs and later, A levels
Level 2
– For 15/16 year-olds to fully prepare them for studying the 2-year A level programme the following year
– Students will prepare for sitting 5 GCSEs
– Intensive focus on gaining a high band score in the IELTS examination (6.5 +) and following 5 GCSE subjects


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ST. LOUIS and AGOURA HILLS, Calif., Sept. 7, 2011 — Equifax (NYSE: EFX) and Interthinx, a Verisk Analytics company (NASDAQ: VRSK), announced today an expansion of their existing relationship to give financial institutions unprecedented visibility into the underwriting process. Now, Interthinx clients can seamlessly access The Work Number's fully automated solution for verified employment and income (VOE/VOI) through FraudGUARD® to reduce lenders' exposure by delivering timely and increased transparency into a borrower's true current employment status and ability (capacity) to pay.
"Obtaining current, independently verified income information can be a challenge, and one that presents a certain level of uncertainty that a lender may not want to accept," said Craig Crabtree, senior vice president of Mortgage Services for Equifax. "Given today's volatile market conditions, having timely and increased transparency into a borrower's true current employment status and ability (capacity) to pay is more important than ever, and integrating The Work Number's income and employment verifications into FraudGUARD enables lenders to effectively outsource this critical function of loan production with assurance."
This integration of VOE/VOI into FraudGUARD expands upon Equifax's existing relationship with Interthinx. In March, Equifax announced the integration of Undisclosed Debt Monitoring — the mortgage industry's first platform to monitor for and notify financial institutions of new accounts and borrower activity initiated during the "quiet period," which spans from the application date to the mortgage closing—within FraudGUARD. A solution that is "always on," Undisclosed Debt Monitoring alerts lenders of borrower activity that may represent risk associated with mortgage loans in their pipelines. The Work Number's VOE/VOI is now integrated into the confidence score FraudGUARD delivers to lenders.
"Interthinx remains committed to helping lenders mitigate risk, eradicate fraud and support compliance, and adding VOE/VOI to our solution furthers this commitment," said Mike Zwerner, senior vice president of Business Development, Interthinx. "Together with The Work Number, we are poised to deliver automated verifications that further streamline the risk mitigation process for lenders."
FraudGUARD is considered the industry's most comprehensive evaluation tool to help lenders and investors mitigate mortgage fraud, reduce repurchase risk, satisfy regulatory demands, and improve loan quality. Its proven pattern-matching analytics measure and score fraud risk against public, private, and proprietary data sources. Leveraging a network of data and state-of-the-art technology, FraudGUARD validates borrower information and interprets loan application data to uncover potential fraud and buyback exposure.
"This expansion of our relationship with Interthinx represents a continued evolution of our service offering in response to industry demand," said Janet Ford, senior vice president, The Work Number, a service of Equifax.
The Work Number integration within FraudGUARD will provide lenders the ability to:
Interested parties should contact their Interthinx or Equifax representative for more information or to schedule a presentation of the VOE/VOI module within FraudGUARD. To learn more about The Work Number's VOE/VOI, visit www.theworknumber.com/brochures/verifier.pdf. For additional information about FraudGUARD by Interthinx, visit www.interthinx.com/solutions/fraudguard.php.
About Interthinx
Interthinx, a Verisk Analytics subsidiary (Nasdaq:VRSK), is a leading national provider of comprehensive risk mitigation solutions focusing on mortgage fraud, collateral risk and valuation, regulatory compliance, forensic loan audit services, loss mitigation, and loss forecasting. With more than 20 years of experience in customizable risk evaluation technology, Interthinx offers proven and effective predictive analytics to the residential mortgage industry through its experience with millions of loan applications and fraud incident data from thousands of monthly loan reviews. Throughout the mortgage life cycle, the Interthinx suite of services can increase the value of client portfolios with its comprehensive and holistic approach to loan quality and compliance. Winner of multiple awards for technology, Interthinx helps clients reduce risk, increase operational efficiencies, satisfy regulator demands, manage data verification, remain compliant, and mitigate loan buybacks. The Interthinx quarterly Mortgage Fraud Risk Report is a standard for the financial services industry. For more information, visit www.interthinx.com or call 1-800-333-4510.
About The Work Number
The Work Number, a service of Equifax, is the largest source for employer-direct current and historical employment and income verifications. The service offers access to over 200 million records instantly and will manually complete remaining employment and income verification requests within days. Additionally, The Work Number offers IncomeChek®, a 4506-T tax transcript fulfillment service, and DirectChek®, an SSA identity assessment and authentication service. All of these tools provide more authentic, complete information to help in servicing, underwriting, fraud prevention, loan modifications and repurchase. For more information, please visit www.theworknumber.com.
About Equifax
Equifax is a global leader in consumer and commercial information solutions, providing businesses of all sizes and consumers with information they can trust. We organize and assimilate data on more than 500 million consumers and 81 million businesses worldwide and use advanced analytics and proprietary technology to create and deliver customized insights that enrich both the performance of businesses and the lives of consumers. Headquartered in Atlanta, Equifax operates in four continents and 15 countries, is a member of Standard & Poor's (S&P) 500® Index. Its common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol EXF. For more information, please visit www.equifax.com.
Release: Immediate
Kristi Kennelly


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lected by Huygens and ignored by Newton, was destined, in the hands of Young and Fresnel, to afford demonstrative proof of the truth of the hypothesis roughly sketched by Hooke. In his "Micrographia" (justly styled by Pepys "a most excellent piece") he described, besides a series of beautiful observations with the microscope, the phenomenon known in optical treatises as the "colors of thin plates," and with singular sagacity declared it to form the experimentum crucis as regards chromatic light. These "fantastical" tints (which we may recognize every summer's day in the iridescent glancing of some insect's wing) Hooke diligently examined in soap-bubbles, in "muscovy-glass" (mica), in metallic films, and other similar substances. His explanation of what he observed contains a remarkable, although necessarily imperfect, approximation to a cardinal truth in optics. By a double reflection from two closely adjacent surfaces, he tells us,[1] the rays of light are broken up into "confused or duplicated pulses," changing in tint with the varying thickness of the reflecting film. Thus, "colors begin to appear, when the pulses of light are blended so well and so near together that the sense takes them for one."[2] According to the modern doctrine of "interference," waves of light, pursuing each other at the distance of half an undulation, mutually destroy each other, and produce darkness. But, because difference of color means difference of wave-length, a doubly-reflecting surface, by destroying or reënforcing, according to its varying thickness, undulations of certain lengths, analyzes white light into the prismatic rays of which it is composed, and thus produces the appearances characteristic of "thin plates."
The flaw in Hooke's theory was his erroneous idea as to the nature of color. And on this point we are unable to defend him from the charge of culpable ignorance. The true view was proposed to him, and he deliberately rejected it. The keystone of the arch he had attempted to build was offered to him, and he declined to set it in its place. On February 8, 1672, Newton's memorable paper on the composition of white light was read before the Royal Society. Had Hooke frankly accepted the discovery, and applied it as a bulwark to his own tottering hypothesis, his name would doubtless have sounded louder in the ears of posterity. But here his moral failings, as well as his intellectual shortcomings, interposed. He was, primarily, an experimentalist. His delight was rather in the things than in the thoughts of Nature. The intimate relations of objects were of less account in his eyes than their external operation on the senses. Add to this the utilitarian tendency impressed upon physical researches by the Baconian precepts. In the preface to the "Micrographia" Hooke described as follows the purposes of the Royal Society: "They do not wholly reject experiments of mere light and theory, but they principally aim at such, whose application will improve and facilitate the present way of manual arts." And similar declarations were made by Boyle and


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December 1, 2006
Andrew Moore Show
One of my favorite photographers, Andrew Moore, has a show up at Yancy Richardson through the end of January. It's a broad review of his work over the last couple of years... I missed the opening last night which is annoying as I was only a few blocks away.
535 West 22nd Street 3rd floor
New York NY 10011
tel 646-230-9610
fax 646-230-6131
Hours: Tuesday - Saturday 10-6 PM
related: Andrew Moore's Russia


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"The story of a chair"
Any chair that has wheels is about to make thousands of meters if not kilometers during its lifetime. It makes our life way easier. But we just never think about it because we do not see it. I put paint on the wheels and start using the chair as we all do, than took a picture of the path and captured what is not usually seen. Let's realize the unseen, pay attention and not take things for granted.
"Space within space."
This piece of mine is a reflection of architecture in today's world. Recently one of the biggest financial groups in Czech announced that they will built one of Zaha Hadid's projects in the very core of Prague. I was very pleased when I first found out. I thought and still think it is exactly what Prague needs, there hasn't been a neat piece built in a long time. But after a closer look at the project I found out that the building will not be sensitive to its surroundings and that it will be for the richest people only (again). Another favorite architect of mine, Frank Gehry claims he is the one building for 1% of population the rest architects are building for the 99%. It leaves all kinds of feelings within me. If there were no architects like these two, we would have never seen such magnificent pieces of art. On the other hand it leaves a lot of controversy. I haven't come to the point of "truth" and I am not sure whether there is such a point. But it leaves a mark for sure. Here is my reflection of what I see and experience in relation to what I just described.


text: I recently upgraded to the new Apple TV3 by replacing my two Apple TV2 units. Before I replaced the TV2s I upgraded their software to version 5. I have placed my Apple TV2s on eBay where other units are being sold for, what I consider, a high price. They can often fetch nearly as much as the full retail price of the Apple TV3. I have had numerous questions from prospective bidders asking about the software version on the TV2. When informed that it is version 5 they seem to be less interested and in fact inform me that they are specifically looking for units with the older version 4 software. An Apple retailer here in London was recently offering as much as a 50% discount off an Apple TV3 if you trade in an Apple TV2, but it must have the older software. Anybody know what is going on?


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Virtual assistants are joining those getting into the Winter Olympics' spirit, with Amazon's Alexa now able to answer questions on the winter sports showpiece.
Amazon Echo and other Alexa-enabled device owners will be able to keep track of forthcoming events at the games in PyeongChang, South Korea, as well as get medal counts, flash briefings and real-time results.
From Friday, as the games open, users will be able to ask "Alexa, What Olympic events are today?" to get a full run-down of the day's proceedings.
Users can also ask when specific events are, with questions such as: "Alexa, when is the alpine skiing?"
The virtual assistant will be able to answer questions on the medal table, including general queries on who has the most gold medals, but also country and even individual athlete breakdowns.
Amazon is also pointing users in the direction of the Eurosport Player, which can be accessed by Prime members via Amazon Channels, should they want to watch events either live or on-demand on a Fire TV device or Fire tablet.
The Winter Olympics run until February 25, with Alexa support available throughout that period.


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520 12th street, Arlington, VA 22202, United States of America
Offering a seasonal outdoor pool, Global Luxury Suites at South Arlington is situated in Arlington. Arlington Cemetery is 2.5 km away. Free WiFi is provided.
The accommodation features a seating area with a flat-screen TV and DVD player. There is also a kitchen, equipped with a dishwasher and oven. A microwave and fridge are also available, as well as a coffee machine. Private parking is also available at this apartment. Towels and bed linen are featured.
Global Luxury Suites at South Arlington also includes a fitness centre.
US Marine Corps War Memorial is 3.3 km from Global Luxury Suites at South Arlington, while United States Drug Enforcement Administration Museum and Visitors Cent is 400 m from the property. The nearest airport is Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, 2 km from Global Luxury Suites at South Arlington.
This is our guests' favorite part of Arlington, according to independent reviews.
This property also has one of the top-rated locations in Arlington! Guests are happier about it compared to other properties in the area.
Couples in particular like the location – they rated it 9.2 for a two-person trip.
This property is also rated for the best value in Arlington! Guests are getting more for their money when compared to other properties in this city.
We speak your language!
Complete Info and Order Properties Click here


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Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. For more info about the meme and how to participate, click here.
2013 Debuts
As I signed up for the 2013 debut challenge, I figured it would be a good thing to go through the list of debuts that was compiled for the challenge and I checked out everything that sounded good, this should be my top 10, I put them down chronologically because no way I can actually put them in a top ten order.
1. Level 2
3. The Ruining
4. When We Wake
6. Mila 2.0
9. Parallel


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Quite often, fantasy owners tend to discount just how important
the actual matchup is in any given football game. It has become
common knowledge that we don't want their RBs facing Pittsburgh,
Baltimore or Minnesota in any given week, but I don't buy into
the whole indifferent attitude that sets in after those three
teams have been considered. I don't claim to know the future,
so I won't tell anyone that I can guarantee I know who will be
the next surprise defensive unit will be or suggest that I can
rank the total defense leaders in order, but being a good fantasy
owner does require some foresight. Therefore, if history is the
best predictor of future results, spending a little bit of time
in the lab trying to figure out how player/coach additions or
subtractions affect a defense is well worth the time.
Suppose I could tell you why a RB facing Carolina is a great
thing in 2010 or why the Saints face long odds in repeating their
defensive success from last season. Suppose I could provide sound
rationale for why each could happen. Any fantasy owner who wants
to win their league title would want to know why and if it made
sense to them, plan accordingly.
Naturally, when the mention of using the schedule as a means
to rate fantasy talent for the upcoming season is mentioned, the
eye-roll is soon to follow. Critics would be quick to point out
that no one knows what injuries will occur or, worse yet, what
teams will be good or not. But that isn't the point here. The
idea with my PSA - at this stage of the
game - is to judge what defenses SHOULD be good and which
ones are deep enough to withstand injuries. Potentially great
teams are built on draft day, but fantasy titles aren't necessarily
won then. The idea of draft day and the end-game to my PSA is
to leave an owner in a good enough position to handle whatever
adversity comes his/her way during the season - and it will come
- so when the playoffs roll around, it is your team that is loaded
with the "cupcake" games. Wouldn't we all agree a game
against the Chiefs during the fantasy playoffs this season sounds
a lot more appealing than one against the Packers or Jets?
Now that I can comfortably step down from my soapbox, the purpose
of this week's article is to give some shape or form to how I
believe a defense will perform this season. Granted, I don't expect
a standing ovation for a piece about defensive coordinators and
their philosophies, but understanding how a defense thinks can
open the door for owners to surmise what their players can do
against it in a given week. Now do this exercise 15 times (most
fantasy playoffs stop after the 15th regular season game) and
you have yourself a nice little start on how a player may perform.
This year, instead of projecting yards per carry (YPC) for the
rushing defense and yards per attempt (YPA) for the passing defense,
I've decided to go with a more traditional approach which
places a subjective grade – on a scale from 1-10 with 10
being the best – on the rush or pass defense rather than
one that predicts an average YPA or YPC after judging the schedule.
This way, I believe it is easier to understand the likelihood
that a RB can perform well in fantasy despite a tough run defense
or a QB shredding a hapless secondary. With all that behind us
now, let's dive into the defenses.
Projected Run Defense Grade: 6.1
Projected Pass Defense Grade: 6.7
Coaching: There are only about
7-8 defensive coordinators in the NFL right now who are highly
regarded for their ability to call a 3-4 defense (Dick LeBeau,
Dom Capers are two of the best) and the Bills don't have
one of them, which means new DC George Edwards has his work cut
out for him, especially trying to make up for what he lacks in
the experience department (one year as a DC, 2003 Redskins).
Against the run: Almost every
successful 3-4 defense has a dominant NT taking on the double
team on just about every play; the Bills have Kyle Williams (unless,
of course, rookie Torrell Troup shows an impressive learning curve
and beats him out). If Buffalo's four-man line can be blamed
for the 4.7 YPC allowed last season, then it seems awfully hard
to believe they'll do any better with one less lineman up
front and the entire team learning an entirely new scheme in 2010.
Against the pass: If Buffalo
can somehow overcome the aforementioned double whammy of coach
inexperience and the lack of a proven point man, there is some
hope for the back seven, which features a fair amount of talent
and depth. If anyone benefits from the new defense, it should
be 2009 first-rounder Aaron Maybin, who didn't see much
action or production in his rookie season but has the speed and
pass-rush ability to do some damage off the corner. CBs Leodis
McKelvin and Terrence McGee and FS Jairus Byrd are locked in to
their spots, but SS is a question mark as former first-round pick
Donte Whitner continues to fall short of expectations and, as
a result, will need to hold off George Wilson for a starting spot.
Analysis: The schedule is brutal
and the Bills will face an elite passing game or running game
just about every week this season. Given how poor their offense
figures to be, the Bills' defense will likely crack under
all the pressure of poor field position it will find itself in
more often than not.
Projected Run Defense Grade: 7.2
Projected Pass Defense Grade: 8.0
Coaching: After successful stops in Baltimore and Denver as a
DC, Mike Nolan has established himself as one of the few coaches
in the league right now who can implement and/or call a highly
successful 3-4 defense. Considering what he had to work with last
season as the Broncos' defensive boss, he should be able
to put together a top-10 caliber defense in Miami this season.
Against the run: The front three isn't ideal, but landing
Jared Odrick in the first round in April was a nice touch. The
6-5, 305-pound rookie will likely start alongside NT Randy Starks
and opposite fellow behemoth Kendall Langford (6-6, 300), giving
Nolan the ammunition necessary to run an aggressive one-gap system,
much like the Cowboys have played recently. The additions of veterans
Karlos Dansby and Tim Dobbins alongside Channing Crowder should
end a long-time problem area for the Dolphins and give them the
kind of speed from the inside that it lacked in 2009.
Against the pass: Can someone from the group of Cameron Wake,
Charlie Anderson or rookie Koa Misi replace Jason Taylor and Joey
Porter? Outside of Starks being a bit small to play NT, Miami's
biggest concern on defense to start the season will be its OLBs.
As Sean Smith and Vontae Davis enter their second year together,
don't be surprise if they start getting mentioned in the
same breath with the other top CB tandems in the league. The likely
starting safeties (Chris Clemons, Yeremiah Bell) could be upgraded,
but the fact that Miami is better up the middle this season should
mean Bell will not need to league the team in tackles again and
concentrate more on playing the pass.
Analysis: With Nolan calling the shots and additions like Odrick
and Dansby in the front seven, Miami has a pretty good shot at
fielding a formidable defense in fantasy. Outside of early games
at the Vikings and vs. the Jets, the Dolphins don't face
too many offenses that should expose them in the running game.
With Smith and Davis in coverage, Miami probably represents a
slightly negative matchup for opposing WRs. This will not be a
shutdown defense, but it should be a very good one.
England Patriots
Projected Run Defense Grade: 7.4
Projected Pass Defense Grade: 7.5
Coaching: The effort to replace 2009 DC Dean Pees will apparently
include the majority of the defensive staff with HC Bill Belichick
once again likely serving as the play-caller in the end. As any
football fan knows, the "Hoodie" knows how to call
a defense and should get better results than Pees did last season.
Against the run: There's little doubt the entire defense
was affected by the late preseason trade of DE Richard Seymour
to the Raiders. His replacement was Mike Wright, who will continue
in that role again this season after leading the defensive line
(and finishing tied for second on the team) with five sacks. However,
beyond DE Ty Warren and NT Vince Wilfork, the Pats are not as
deep up front as they once were, so the health of the starters
is vital to New England fielding a Belichick-worthy defense. ILBs
Jerod Mayo and Gary Guyton should be locked in as the starters
to begin the season, but rookie Brandon Spikes could easily bump
Guyton from his spot early in the season.
Against the pass: Despite leading the team with eight sacks in
2009, Tully Banta-Cain isn't going to remind anyone of Willie
McGinest or even Mike Vrabel. It's anyone's guess
who will emerge opposite Banta-Cain, with Derrick Burgess, Rob
Ninkovich and rookie Jermaine Cunningham all possibilities. Therefore,
just as it was last season, putting heat on the opposing QB could
be an issue all year long. CB Leigh Bodden is set at one spot
after inking a huge contract in the offseason, while second-year
CB Darius Butler is expected to beat out a slew of talented youngsters
for the job opposite Bodden. S Brandon Meriweather took a big
step up in 2009, even making the Pro Bowl after successfully manning
"center field" for the Pats.
Analysis: Like the 2009 edition, the 2010 Patriots' defense
does not figure to remind anyone of the deep and talented units
Belichick fielded during their title runs in the early-to-mid
2000s. The schedule offers very few breaks, so middle-of-the road
defensive numbers should be expected. The secondary – probably
the deepest area the Patriots have – has a chance to be
the best unit on the team as long as the Pats can create pressure
up front, but don't expect this defense to be much better
at stopping the run this year (4.4 YPC) than it was last season.
York Jets
Projected Run Defense Grade: 9.1
Projected Pass Defense Grade: 9.7
Coaching: While Mike Pettine is officially the DC, this is obviously
HC Rex Ryan's show. In his first year overseeing the Jets'
3-4, Ryan guided his defense from 16th in total defense and 18th
in scoring defense to the top of the charts in both categories.
Somewhat amazingly, the team's sack total dropped from 41
in 2008 down to 32 last season.
Against the run: Kris Jenkins is said to be recovering well from
his ACL surgery, but the 6-4, 360-pounder (reportedly at 380-390
at press time) really can't be expected to be operating
close to 100% effectiveness until at least midseason, if even
then. Shaun Ellis just turned 33 and cannot be counted on much
longer while Mike DeVito and Sione Puoha appear to be fighting
for a spot opposite Ellis. Neither player is much more than a
two-down player at this point. ILBs David Harris and Bart Scott
are among the best at their position in the league.
Against the pass: The only question here is how quickly free
agent signee LB Jason Taylor can adapt to Ryan's defense.
If the transition is smooth, he should easily bump Bryan Thomas
from the lineup and team up with another solid pass rusher in
Calvin Pace. In the back four, CB Darrelle Revis is unquestionably
one of the best, if not the best, cover men in the league. Trade
acquisition Antonio Cromartie should thrive in this defense as
his gambling style should mesh well with Ryan's blitz packages.
And rookie Kyle Wilson should have little trouble locking down
the third spot and be one of the best nickel CBs in the league
right away.
Analysis: If there is a question mark with this incredibly talented
defense, it might be with the front three. However, Ryan's
defenses have a long history of stopping the run consistently.
For what it is worth, the run defense actually improved statistically
after Jenkins' season-ending injury, indicating Puoha did
a fine job at NT in his absence. For fantasy purposes, expect
this defense to be a nightmare matchup for just about any offense,
with Ryan probably drilling into his players' heads this
season that the defense must create more sacks and turnovers in
Projected Run Defense Grade: 9.4
Projected Pass Defense Grade: 7.2
Coaching: Despite leading his defense to a third-place finish
in points allowed and total defense, DC Greg Mattison didn't
seem to inspire quite the same play out of his personnel that
former DC Rex Ryan did, which was to be expected in his first
year as the Ravens' defensive leader. In an effort to get
even better results, Mattison has dropped his positional duties
(OLBs/DEs) from last season and will solely concentrate on his
coordinator role only. He'll do this while attempting to
maintain the Ravens' defensive identity as a defense that
is aggressive and difficult to predict.
Against the run: The selection of Terrence Cody was a solid selection
in order to replace Kelly Gregg at some point at NT. When the
defense decides to go to a four-man front, he'll be joined
by fellow behemoth Haloti Ngota (when he' s not a 3-4 DE)
in a duo that has the ability to match the Tony Siragusa-Sam Adams
wall that made opposing running games stop in their tracks years
ago. At ILB, Ray Lewis figures to be joined inside by 2009 undrafted
rookie Dannell Ellerbe, so long as he can continue to hold off
the charge made by Tavares Gooden.
Against the pass: With the additions of Sergio Kindle and Paul
Kruger in recent drafts, expect the Ravens to find a way to get
as many of their OLBs onto the field on passing downs as they
can. In fact, the current plan is to move Jarrett Johnson inside
on passing downs to free up Kindle. Domonique Foxworth did not
live up to the big money he was paid as a free agent last season
and will need to regain the confidence he showed in Atlanta in
order to keep his job long-term. One reason that Foxworth needs
to rebound is because CBs Fabian Washington and Lardarius Webb
are both returning from ACL surgeries.
Analysis: While the Ravens' run defense allowed a miniscule
3.4 YPC and finished fifth in rushing defense, they were exposed
more often in that aspect than any time in recent memory. With
that said, there will be times this defense will be nearly impossible
to run on if Cody and Ngata are both playing well. However, the
secondary is as weak as a Ravens' secondary has been in
years, so fantasy owners may be ready to view Baltimore as one
matchup they don't need their passing game contributors
to avoid in 2010.
Projected Run Defense Grade: 8.8
Projected Pass Defense Grade: 9.1
Coaching: DC Mike Zimmer has led a defensive renaissance in Cincy,
transforming a long-suffering defensive unit into a highly-regarded
one, taking it from 24th (points allowed) and 27th (total defense)
the year before his arrival to sixth and fourth, respectively,
in 2009. It was the first time since 2001 Cincinnati had a top-10
defense in either category and the first time since 1983 the defense
enjoyed a top-10 finish in both categories. All this was made
even more impressive after the early losses of DE Antwan Odom
and S Roy Williams.
Against the run: Someday, DT Domata Peko will get the credit
he deserves as a high-level interior force. Until that time, he'll
likely be forced to absorb his share of double teams in the hopes
the Bengals can continue their success up front – they were
one of seven teams to allow less than 4.0/carry in 2009. Cincinnati
possesses enough depth now to withstand an injury or two, but
Peko would probably the biggest loss if he were to go down. Either
way, the LB corps returns intact with Dhani Jones remaining in
the middle for now, flanked by Keith Rivers and Rey Maualuga –
a pair of star-worthy LBs if they can stay healthy. And for all
the abuse Williams gets for his shortcomings in the passing game,
he is a very solid player in run support.
Against the pass: The team didn't add a known quantity
from the outside to address the pass rush – probably the
biggest weakness from a season ago – but rather opted to
count on the improvement of second-year DE/OLB Michael Johnson
and the recovery of Odom. Johnson, along with second-rounder Carlos
Dunlap, seems to give the Bengals enough versatility to play a
healthy dose of 3-4 and 4-3 without losing much in the way of
effectiveness. Cincinnati has one of the best sets of CBs in Johnathan
Joseph and Leon Hall, each of which figure to be backed up by
what they hope is a more mature Adam Jones (formerly known as
"Pacman"). And while the Bengals consider the safeties
in their defense somewhat interchangeable, Chris Crocker has emerged
as a vital part of the defense. While free agent addition Gibril
Wilson is a nice player to have in reserve, Crocker is a highly
underrated last line of defense for this unit.
Analysis: Odom's complete recovery is probably the most
important story line for this defense as Cincinnati enters a season
in which it faces a brutal schedule. Assuming Johnson makes the
jump the coaches hope he can and Odom returns healthy, the Bengals
should be usable in all but the toughest matchups (such as Indy
in Week 10 and New Orleans in Week 13). No longer is this a defense
that fantasy owners want to see their players up against, as the
Bengals sport one of the best trios of CBs in the league and a
top-notch run defense – all this without subtracting a single
key contributor from last season.
Projected Run Defense Grade: 7.4
Projected Pass Defense Grade: 6.7
Coaching: Thankfully, DC Rob Ryan's unit can't be much worse
than it was in 2009, finishing just ahead of Detroit in total
defense last season. It has been so long since Buddy's other son
has had enjoyed enough talent to run his kind of defense, but
as a member of the Ryan family, it's pretty obvious Rob would
like nothing more than to unleash every blitz known to man on
the opposition.
Against the run: With NT Ahtyba Rubin and DE Shaun Rogers (moved
from NT but likely to be suspended for 1-2 games by the league)
comprising two-thirds of the line in the Browns' 3-4 and good
group of linebackers all in place at the start of the season,
Cleveland has a shot at be much better than the 28th-place finish
it managed in 2009. In the 3-4 defense, it is paramount that OLBs
be able to get to the QB. The likely combination of OLBs Matt
Roth and Chris Gocong is far from the ideal set of pass rushers,
but gives the team a huge pair of players at the position against
the run.
Against the pass: Along with Roth and Gocong, Scott Fujita is
the other likely candidate for the OLB position - and is almost
guaranteed to start - but is more of a "glue" player
than a standout rusher. Additionally, the team needs to find out
where to start him at what is shaping up to be a deep position
in Cleveland. If Gocong and Roth are impressive enough on the
outside in training camp, expect Fujita to bump David Bowens from
the lineup. What the Browns lack in pass rush again this season,
they are going to attempt to make up for at CB. With first-rounder
Joe Haden and Eric Wright likely manning the starting spots and
Sheldon Brown the likely third CB, Cleveland is better at the
position than it has been in some time. With that said, expect
Haden to endure some growing pains. Brown could be a swing player
in the secondary or move to FS full-time, which may be prudent
as the Browns stand to start a pair of youngsters in rookie T.J.
Ward and Abram Elam, a favorite of HC Eric Mangini.
Analysis: If this defense did do something right last year, it
was tied for eighth in the league with 40 sacks. With that said,
the Ward-Elam duo would likely inspire opponents to take regular
shots downfield and mean Cleveland would be a definite plus-matchup
for wideouts who can get deep. The run defense should be noticeably
better if only because the talent of the 2010 Browns is significantly
improved over the 2009 edition. While the schedule gives the Browns
a few breaks, the defense is going to need some more time and
talent before it can become a unit that will strike fear into
fantasy owners. I would expect TEs and big-play WRs to have some
huge games vs. this defense this year.
Projected Run Defense Grade: 9.3
Projected Pass Defense Grade: 8.5
Coaching: For as poorly as the Steelers defense seemed to play
without S Troy Polamalu and DE Aaron Smith, in reality, they weren't
all that bad. In addition to forcing an AFC-high 47 sacks, DC
Dick LeBeau's defense finished third in the league against the
run and fifth overall. With 3-4 defenses fashionable in the league
nowadays, it is LeBeau who is probably the master at calling the
defense. And the beauty of his zone-blitz is that he can safely
send a great deal of pressure while also playing it safe. Because
so many offensive linemen end up blocking air vs. the Steelers
defense, it always seems like LeBeau is a step or two ahead.
Against the run: In a league where little can be guaranteed,
Pittsburgh's run defense under LeBeau has never finished lower
than fifth vs. the run in either of his two stints as the Steelers'
DC (1995-96, 2004-present). But lost in the buzz about how much
the Steelers missed S Troy Polamalu was just how much they also
missed DE Aaron Smith, who has long been an underappreciated part
of this defense. His loss was crushing to a line that was never
quite the same after his injury in Week 5. The front seven remains
intact from last season, with the team hopeful it can get Smith
back at 100%. The ILBs (James Farrior and Lawrence Timmons) are
set and among the best set of players at their position in the
league, but the key for this defense - in the running and passing
game - is again the health of Polamalu. When he is operating at
peak efficiency, this defense is as good as it gets in the NFL
at stopping the run.
Against the pass: In LaMarr Woodley and James Harrison, the Steelers
possess two OLBs that are the envy of 3-4 teams all across the
league. Continuing the praise of Polamalu, he is among the quickest
players in the league to diagnose a run or break up a deep ball.
Because so much of what the Steelers do comes from LeBeau's zone-blitz
scheme, the CBs are often less taxed than they are in just about
any other defense and, in large part, because Polamalu possesses
such incredible hands. Nevertheless, Ike Taylor would be considered
a top-notch NFL CB in most circles if he just had better hands
- nine INTs in 109 career regular season games. Unhappy with the
CBs that let the team down late last season (or just realizing
how many deficiencies Polamalu covers up when he is on the field),
Pittsburgh went out and re-acquired Bryant McFadden from the Cardinals.
While McFadden is an upgrade over the likes of William Gay and
Deshea Townsend, he will still be the player opponents will be
looking to attack this season.
Analysis: Assuming Pittsburgh stays healthy, this defense should
play up to its usual high standards, especially against the run.
The pass defense should benefit as it usually does from the scheme
and superb outside pass rush Woodley and Harrison typically provide,
although the secondary can be beaten. Nevertheless, fantasy owners
shouldn't expect to receive favorable numbers against the Steelers.
Projected Run Defense Grade: 7.8
Projected Pass Defense Grade: 7.5
Coaching: As DC Frank Bush enters his second season as the defensive
boss, he oversees a defense that is on the verge of becoming a
top-10 defense in terms of points and yards allowed. Bush loves
to blitz, but the team has lacked the DBs necessary to hold up
regularly when he opts to bring the heat, which contributed largely
to a less aggressive approach last season when the Texans finished
25th in the league with just 30 sacks.
Against the run: Despite being unhappy with the way most of the
defensive line played last season (outside of DE Mario Williams),
Houston somehow ended the 2009 season as the 11th-best run defense.
A lot of the credit for that was given to MLB DeMeco Ryans –
one of the best at his position in the league – and (two-time)
Rookie of the Year selection OLB Brian Cushing, who will miss
the first four games of the 2010 campaign. For this defense to
move into the top level of run defenses, it needs an immovable
interior force that commands a double team, something neither
Amobi Okoye nor Shaun Cody have been able to give the Texans so
Against the pass: Houston knew it had little to no chance to
re-sign CB Dunta Robinson (who left for Atlanta), so once the
Chargers moved ahead of the Texans on draft day to select Ryan
Mathews, it was clear the team would select a CB to replace Robinson.
In Kareem Jackson, Houston chose arguably the most pro-ready player
at his position. He'll likely start Day 1 and team with
Glover Quin to give the Texans an underrated pair of cover corners
who may allow Bush to dial up the blitz a bit more often. Bernard
Pollard was a revelation for the defense last season after he
was taken off waivers from the Chiefs, giving Houston some of
the best play it has received from the safety position in team
Analysis: There's little doubt that Cushing's absence
will set this team back in September. What is just as important,
however, is what player will step up on the line to team with
Williams and give Houston a much-needed 1-2 punch up front. Despite
his background, Jackson will probably take a bit of time to get
accustomed to the NFL, so expect tough sledding against the likes
of the Colts (Week 1) and Cowboys (Week 3) early on. The schedule
isn't particularly daunting after Indianapolis again in
Week 8, but it's hard seeing a way where Houston improves
its overall standing on defense (11th-run, 18th-pass, 13th-total
defense) in 2010.
Projected Run Defense Grade: 7.6
Projected Pass Defense Grade: 8.8
Coaching: While it is still early in Larry Coyer regime, the
Colts' recent philosophy of sacrificing a bit in the run
defense department to excel against the pass seems to be carrying
over. Indianapolis will still play its fair share of the "Tampa
2" that former DC Ron Meeks and HC Tony Dungy preferred,
but the Colts are becoming more of a traditional man coverage
defense that will blitz more often than Dungy/Meeks ever did.
Against the run: The Colts focused on increasing the size of
their front four starting last season to hold up against the run
better, but that is still very much a work in progress. DT Daniel
Muir impressed last season, but what the Colts do vs. the run
usually revolves how well MLB Gary Brackett and the safeties (particularly
Bob Sanders when he is healthy) play in any given contest.
Against the pass: Somehow, Indianapolis finds a way to continue
getting good to great play from its corners without investing
a lot into the players it ask to start at the position. Last year's
third-round pick, Jerraud Powers, and undrafted free agent Jacob
Lacey almost immediately emerged as the Colts' most consistent
CBs and will likely start the season at left CB and nickel CB,
respectively. Kelvin Hayden, a 2005 second rounder, is slated
to begin the season opposite Powers. While the trio is not all
recognizable to the general fan, they almost always seem to get
the job done in part because the Colts' pass rush commands
so much of the defense's attention. However, if there is
a secret to the Colts' success in terms of defending the
pass, it is the fact that DEs Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis
generate so much pressure with their speed and quickness. To make
matters worse for the opposition, Indy added another player in
the same mold in the most recent draft, Jerry Hughes.
Analysis: Because so many teams fall behind quickly on Indianapolis,
opponents often find themselves in a passing contest with the
Colts. This works out nicely for them because the QB (Peyton Manning)
is one of the all-time best at putting points on the board while
the defense is built to limit the effectiveness of the passing
game with its emphasis on smaller, quicker players. The run defense
will continue to hang around the league average while the back
four of the defense – along with Brackett – makes
life miserable for opposing passing games. Neither the run nor
the pass defense is a shutdown unit, but fantasy owners need to
be prepared for their QBs to put up limited numbers when they
face the Colts.
Projected Run Defense Grade: 6.7
Projected Pass Defense Grade: 7.6
Coaching: Predictably, the Jaguars took a step back in Mel Tucker's
first year as the DC. Not only did Tucker not have a great deal
to work with from a talent standpoint, his ability to create mismatches
for his defense has to be questioned after they managed a lackluster
14 sacks in 2009. Jacksonville has a good enough set of CBs to
blitz if need be, but if last year was any indication, Tucker
seems content managing a bend-but-don't-break defense.
Against the run: Gone are the days where DTs Marcus Stroud and
John Henderson made life miserable on the inside for opponents
– Terrance Knighton is the closest thing the Jags have to
those players. Fortunately Jacksonville believes he has a bright
future – in the Stroud-Henderson mold – ahead of him.
New MLB Kirk Morrison largely flew under the radar in Oakland,
but his draft-day trade to the Jaguars gives the defense a highly
productive tackler and some hope against the run after finishing
19th in 2009.
Against the pass: It's hard to go anywhere but up after
Jacksonville averaged less than a sack a game last season and
finished 27th vs. the pass. CB Derek Cox, a rookie third-rounder,
largely outplayed a disappointing Rashean Mathis last season and
may be on the verge of passing him as the top corner on the team.
If Mathis picks his game and stops worrying about his contract,
the team has some hope to improve at the back end of defense,
even though it is anyone's guess whether S Reggie Nelson
will ever live up to his first-round selection in 2007. But the
real problem with the Jags right now is the pass rush. To that
end, they hope the light comes on for 2008 first-rounder Derrick
Harvey and they hope free agent signee Aaron Kampman is able to
fully recover from his torn ACL at some point this season. The
key, however, is first-round pick Tyson Alualu. The Jags hope
that his quickness and nonstop motor will give them a penetrating,
disruptive DT in the Warren Sapp mold.
Analysis: It is conceivable that Jacksonville doubles its sack
total from last season and is able to finish in the top half of
the league vs. the pass and run, but that should pretty much be
its ceiling as Tucker is not one of the league's most creative
defensive coordinators around. Consider this defense about league
average in both respects and know that it will have as many ugly
performances this year as good ones. The Jags don't face
a killer schedule, but they are probably best left on fantasy
waiver wires this season.
Projected Run Defense Grade: 7.8
Projected Pass Defense Grade: 7.5
Coaching: DC Chuck Cecil heads into his second campaign as the
defensive boss after experiencing a largely disappointing rookie
season. Because last year was such an anomaly in regards to injuries
(Cortland Finnegan, Keith Bulluck, etc) and player departures
(Albert Haynesworth), it is difficult to ascertain just how much
more/less aggressive Cecil is than his predecessor, Jim Schwartz.
Schwartz believed largely in his front four being able to put
the pressure on the QB, but Cecil takes over a defense that lacks
the proven talent and experience many of Schwartz's later
defenses enjoyed.
Against the run: If any of the Titans look familiar at any spot
on the defense, it is probably at DT. The team managed an 11th-place
finish vs. the run last season and could conceivably repeat that
performance as long as underrated DT Tony Brown and MLB Stephen
Tulloch stay healthy. SS Chris Hope could be upgraded, but for
the most part, the depth up front and talent in the back seven
should be enough to keep most running games somewhat in check.
Against the pass: The Titans are strongly considering using Finnegan
as a "shadow" for opposing WR1s this season. Given
the inexperience of the players vying for Nick Harper's
old spot (Ryan Mouton, Jason McCourty, Alterraun Verner, Tye Hill),
it's probably a good idea. Of course, much like several
other teams already mentioned, the pass rush will be hard-pressed
to match the meager 32 sacks it managed in 2009 without a single
proven difference maker up front. Though Kyle VandenBosch's
sack production was minimal last season, he gave the defense someone
the offensive line had to respect. First-round selection Derrick
Morgan may soon become that guy, but rookie defensive linemen
often struggle, so how Tennessee manages to come up with QB pressures
this year may reflect just how creative Cecil is as a defensive
play caller.
Analysis: HC Jeff Fisher is too proud of a man and too good of
a coach to see his defense repeat its 28th-place finish in total
defense a season ago. Having a healthy Finnegan staying in the
hip pocket of opposing WR1s can only help the cause, but that
should only mean that secondary receivers and TEs will enjoy some
big games at the Titans' expense, at least until the other
CBs gain enough experience. In short, Finnegan's presence
will improve the overall numbers of this unit, but expect the
pass defense to be Tennessee's downfall again this season.
Projected Run Defense Grade: 7.1
Projected Pass Defense Grade: 8.1
Coaching: It's too bad previous DC Mike Nolan and HC Josh
McDaniels couldn't see eye to eye, because it's hard
seeing new DC Don "Wink" Martindale matching his predecessor's
numbers from his lone season with the Broncos. McDaniels promised
that Martindale would keep the same philosophy and system that
Nolan installed last season, but it remains to be seen how quickly
a first-time NFL coordinator can become a master at calling a
3-4 defense, something that can only be said about a handful of
DCs right now.
Against the run: Despite having next-to-no experience in the
3-4, no established NT to draw the double team and average DEs
to keep offensive linemen off the Broncos LBs, Denver did not
allow 100 yards rushing to any of its first six opponents en route
to a 6-0 start. However, the smallish defense caved over the last
10 games from the offense's inability to sustain drives.
NT Jamal Williams comes over from San Diego to be that established
NT presence and can be dominant at times when healthy, even as
he nearing the end of his career. The DEs still lack talent, but
the presence of LB D.J. Williams and S Brian Dawkins covers a
lot of holes in a team's ability to stop the run.
Against the pass: Are we to assume Andre Goodman finally became
a good NFL CB at age 31 or did he just really take advantage of
Nolan's tutelage? As good as Champ Bailey still is on the
other side, it was Goodman's career year that allowed Denver
to end 2009 as the third-best pass defense in the league. If Goodman
falls short of last year, the Broncos may plummet down the pass
defense rankings. Both Goodman and Bailey benefited greatly from
the emergence of Elvis Dumervil, who became a terror as a 3-4
OLB after enjoying a fair amount success as a pass-rushing specialist
as a 4-3 DE. If Denver has any hope of putting together another
top-10 finish vs. the pass, Dumervil must be every bit as good
as he was last year.
Analysis: Can the 34-year-old Jamal Williams hold up over a 16-game
schedule for just the second time in four years? Will Dumervil
be a good soldier and set aside his issues with his contract to
turn in a repeat of his 17-sack 2009? At what point does the play
of 30-somethings Bailey and Dawkins begin to decline? It's
only natural to expect some regression from the coordinator switch
and there isn't a lot of established talent (save D.J. Williams)
on this defense outside of the players with the question marks
just mentioned, so don't expect a repeat of the 2009 first-half
Broncos (the one that led the league in scoring defense during
a 6-0 start) and more of the second-half team that tired down
the stretch.
City Chiefs
Projected Run Defense Grade: 6.5
Projected Pass Defense Grade: 7.2
Coaching: Romeo Crennel replaced Clancy Pendergast as the DC
this offseason to complete the reunion of the New England Patriots'
trio of coaches and administrators (Crennel, OC Charlie Weis,
GM Scott Pioli) that helped guide the team to three Super Bowl
titles in 2001, 2003 and 2004. Though Crennel has a strong pedigree
in running an effective 3-4 defense, he will have his work cut
out for him with the Chiefs initially. Crennel's teams are
not typically blitz happy, but more of the bend-but-don't-break
variety. They'll need to heed his teachings if they hope
to improve on their 2009 rankings (22 sacks – 31st; 31st
vs. the rush; 22nd vs. the pass).
Against the run: Last year's first-round selection –
DE Tyson Jackson – is the lone player up front that can
be considered a good fit for the 3-4 defense. Though he was considered
a disappointment by many, young defensive linemen like Jackson
often take 2-3 years before they start showing their true colors.
The rest of the front line is either a poor fit for the 3-4 (DE
Glenn Dorsey) or better off as a reserve (NT Ron Edwards, Shaun
Smith). ILBs Corey Mays exceeded expectations last season, but
he is far from a centerpiece. Demorrio Williams and Derrick Johnson
will vie for the other ILB spot, but neither player stands a great
chance of turning around the Chiefs' fortunes at stopping
the run. With SS Jarrad Page disgruntled and unlikely to play
(well) for Kansas City, the team would take a slight it can't
afford at the position if it needed to turn to Kendrick Lewis.
Against the pass: With do-everything S Eric Berry joining up-and-coming
CB Brandon Flowers, there is hope for the Kansas City pass defense.
The bigger question is the pass rush – does Mike Vrabel
have enough left in his soon-to-be 35-year-old body to match fellow
OLB Tamba Hali's 8.5-sack effort from a season ago? It's
doubtful, but with Flowers, Brandon Carr and Berry in coverage,
Hali and Vrabel may get an extra second to pressure the QB in
Analysis: It's going to take another draft or two for Pioli
& Co. to overcome years of poor drafting by the Carl Peterson
administration. The run defense won't improve significantly
as next to no changes in personnel were made to address the problem,
but it is possible that Kansas City could move up an average defense
against the pass. Still, the Chiefs should be a welcome sight
on the schedule for just about any fantasy owner who has a player
going up against their defense this season.
Projected Run Defense Grade: 8.2
Projected Pass Defense Grade: 8.2
Coaching: While DC John Marshall's effectiveness as a brilliant
defensive mind could be questioned, his defenses have typically
been able to pressure the QB. Now, since Marshall joined the club
prior to the 2009 season, the team has added DE Richard Seymour,
DT John Henderson, OLBs Kamerion Wimbley and Quentin Groves, meaning
the Raiders have a shot at being one of the better pass-rushing
teams if Marshall is willing to be a bit creative with his pressure
packages. These recent moves also suggest Oakland may want to
transition to a 3-4 sooner than later.
Against the run: Oakland has a chance to be a legit run-stopping
defense for the first time since the 2002 season. Although size
doesn't mean everything up front, the potential for Oakland
to line up three players who are all 6-6 and 300 pounds (Seymour,
Henderson, Tommy Kelly) in the front line of the 3-4 is remarkable
considering the Raiders aren't officially a 3-4 team yet.
Add to that mix rookie ILB Rolando McClain and stud S Tyvon Branch
and Oakland should have little problem making a giant leap up
from 29th vs. the run in 2009.
Against the pass: With one of the league's best CBs in
Nnamdi Asomugha shutting down half of the field on most Sundays,
the Raiders have fared well against the pass more often than not
over his seven-year career. It's been finding his near-equal
on the other side that has been a problem. Right now, they want
that player to be Chris Johnson. S Michael Huff has finally started
showing some of the playmaking ability that got him drafted seventh
overall in the 2006 draft, but four INTs in four seasons is not
enough to strike fear into the heart of opponents who want to
take deep shots. Wimbley and Groves SHOULD give Oakland the ability
to be effective in the 3-4 or 4-3, allowing the team to increase
its 37-sack total from last season.
Analysis: It would come as a complete shock if the Raiders don't
enjoy substantially more success stopping the run this season.
In fact, expect them to place in the top 20 vs. the run for the
first time since 2002. Because Oakland may be tougher to run against,
Johnson and Huff could end up getting exposed more often in coverage.
Regardless, the Raiders' defense should be the best –
in all phases – it has been in years in 2010.
Diego Chargers
Projected Run Defense Grade: 7.2
Projected Pass Defense Grade: 7.7
Coaching: The Chargers were among the most feared defenses in
terms of their ability to get to the QB a couple of years ago,
but the departure of Wade Phillips (along with the slow recovery
of OLB Shawne Merriman from knee surgery) has forced DC Ron Rivera
to dial down the blitzing that made San Diego a perennial 40-50
sack team. NT Jamal Williams' absence last season made the
team deal with a talent void at his position, leading to another
un-Charger-like stat (4.5 YPC allowed vs. the run).
Against the run: It's not often a fifth-round selection
is expected to crack the starting lineup immediately, but that
is exactly the story for NT Cam Thomas. When one considers the
competition is a journeyman (Antonio Garay) and a former airport
employee (Ogemdi Nwagbuo), Thomas should emerge in short order
to replace San Diego institution Jamal Williams. DE Luis Castillo
is set at one DE spot, but the other DE spot (Jacques Cesaire)
is a weak spot for the Chargers and somewhere opponents will look
to exploit every week. The team goes four-deep with talented players
at ILB. Stephen Cooper and Kevin Burnett are slated to start,
but much of their success vs. the run depends on the front three's
ability to keep blockers off of them.
Against the pass: How quickly Merriman and fellow OLB Shaun Phillips
can recapture their past glory (or Larry English can start contributing)
will determine just how effective new starter CB Antoine Cason
will be in replacing the departed Antonio Cromartie, whose gambling
style became a bad fit once Phillips left town. CB Quentin Jammer
is set at the other CB spot, but the battle between Steve Gregory
and Darrell Stuckey at SS likely means San Diego is in for another
long year in terms of defending the TE.
Analysis: Once a vaunted all-around defense, San Diego needs
Thomas to step up like a young Williams in hopes that the Bolts
can stop the run with any effectiveness. And there are definitely
holes in the back four as well, which means the Chargers will
need to have one or two career seasons from Merriman, Phillips
and/or English if they hope to curb the opponents' passing
games. There's little here to suggest that San Diego will
fare much better than it did last season (35 sacks, 20th vs. the
run, 16th in total defense).
Suggestions, comments, musings about the article or fantasy football
in general? E-mail me.
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Partner of USA TODAY Sports Digital Properties.


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Cooper Tire drops Apollo Tyres merger bid, citing financing
to the
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(Bloomberg) -- Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. dropped plans to merge with Apollo Tyres Ltd., saying financing for the transaction is no longer available following a valuation dispute with the Indian competitor.
The U.S. manufacturer "will continue to pursue the legal steps necessary to protect the interests of our company and our stockholders," Findlay, Ohio-based Cooper Tire said in a statement today.
Cooper said on June 12 that Gurgaon-based Apollo planned to buy the U.S. tiremaker for $35 a share in a $2.5 billion deal. Cooper initiated legal action in October to force completion of the purchase, saying executives at the Indian tire producer had "buyer's remorse" and sought a price cut.
Apollo has contended the U.S. company's value has declined partly because of potentially costly contract talks with the United Steelworkers union and difficulties getting financial data from Cooper's Chinese partner, Cooper Chengshan (Shandong) Tire Co., which opposed the deal.
Apollo, in a statement, said it is disappointed that Cooper has "prematurely attempted to terminate" the deal.
"While Cooper's lack of control over its largest subsidiary and inability to meet its legal and contractual financial reporting obligations has considerably complicated the situation, Apollo has made exhaustive efforts to find a sensible way forward over the last several months, however, Cooper has been unwilling to work constructively to complete a transaction that would have created value for both companies and their shareholders.
"Cooper's actions leave Apollo no choice but to pursue legal remedies for Cooper's detrimental conduct," the statement said.
Delaware Chancery Court Judge Sam Glasscock III last month rejected Cooper's claim that Apollo breached the merger accord by dragging its feet in seeking to negotiate a contract with the steelworker's union that would have helped clear the way for the deal.
Glasscock who sits in Georgetown, Del., allowed Cooper to appeal his ruling to the state's highest court, which declined earlier this month to hear it and sent it back to the judge. Apollo's lawyers asked Glasscock on Dec. 19 to deny Cooper executives access to a $112.5 million letter of credit that covers breakup fees.
Anne Roman, a spokeswoman for Cooper, said the company couldn't immediately comment on future litigation tactics or possible damages that might be sought.
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Thank you for joining us at the BIOVIA Community Day. We hope you found the event engaging and informative. We look forward to welcoming you to a future BIOVIA Event. Click here for a list of upcoming conferences and events.
The outline below is tentative and subject to change. A finalized agenda will be confirmed in the coming weeks
| Discoverant Overview and 2018 Sneak Peek
Karri Unruh, Sr. Product Manager, BIOVIA
View Abstract
Discoverant Overview and 2018 Sneak Peek
Intended for end-users and technical administrators alike, this session provides a look at the new features and system architecture changes planned for Discoverant 2018. In addition, we will review the product roadmap and discuss product direction beyond this year's release.
|Maximizing Your Discoverant Investment
Aaron Spence, Manager, Analytic Consulting, BIOVIA
View Abstract
Maximizing Your Discoverant Investment
Discoverant is an effective solution for enabling continued process verification and increasing process intelligence. However, several key components are required in order to achieve a positive ROI from any software. We will discuss two critical aspects for maximizing the value and facilitating the success of your Discoverant investment, 1) advanced user functionality and 2) user adoption.
|Best Practices for Validating Discoverant
James Irons, Sequence
| Unleashing Discoverant on the Enterprise
Chris Barlow, Enterprise Architect, BIOVIA
View Abstract
Unleashing Discoverant on the Enterprise
A look into configuring Discoverant for the enterprise. We will look at options for managing users across multiple sites and tips to increase their productivity as well as connecting to remote data sources and other configuration options.
|Networking Lunch
|Tips & Tricks- Getting the Best Results with Derived Parameters in Discoverant
Aaron Spence, Manager, Analytic Consulting, BIOVIA
View Abstract
Tips & Tricks- Getting the Best Results with Derived Parameters in Discoverant
When working within InVision, creating derived parameters can be a very useful skill to master. This presentation will demonstrate many techniques that can be used when creating derived parameters within Discoverant. Calculations will be performed using both online and offline data as well as complicated analysis like quantifying a chromatography transition or performing a linear regression. Tips and tricks for using derived parameters as well as some non-documented functions will be demonstrated during the talk.
|Finding new ways to share - The future of AG management
Karri Unruh Sr Product Manager BIOVIA
View Abstract
Finding new ways to share - The future of AG management
Today many of our customers drive dashboards and reports with standard AGs that are used by many people. But what happens when the owner of those AGs goes on vacation or no longer works with Discoverant? Join us for a discussion on the new capabilities for AG management, including sharing AGs for edit, creating personal groups for sharing and emailing, and even transferring ownership of AGs.
|Presenting Partial Least Squares (PLS)
Aaron Spence Manager, Analytic Consulting BIOVIA
Presenting Partial Least Squares (PLS)
| Data Collaboration through the Cloud – Introducing the BIOVIA Discoverant Cloud Exchange
Karri Unruh, Sr Product Manager, BIOVIA
View Abstract
Data Collaboration through the Cloud – Introducing the BIOVIA Discoverant Cloud Exchange
The days of "one company does it all" are long gone. Whether you are a CMO, a sponsor, or a joint manufacturing partner, you won't want to miss this introduction to the ways that the BIOVIA Discoverant Cloud Exchange can help you share data automatically and securely between companies.
Interested in speaking at the BIOVIA Community Days? Click here
The BIOVIA Community Days are complimentary and include lunch. Register now to reserve your seat.
Further information will be made available as we approach the event. In the meantime, please feel free contact Elizabeth Eldredge (firstname.lastname@example.com) with any questions.


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So Jr finish's school to day for 2 whole weeks God alone knows how i am going to keep him entertained, even worse his obsession with Santa will start now.
For the next 2 day or so all i will hear is will Santa this and will Santa that, what time will Santa be coming on Christmas eve.
For the last few year he has even made me check on Norad so he can check exactly where
I suppose at least he goes to bed on time for a change without complaining
The sooner the Beardy wonder does his duty and sod off for another year the better.


text:
Melissa & Kim Bentz
Bentz Luxury products were featured in the Swarovski Crystal pop-up shop in NYC December 2017.
Artist Collabration
-Josie Stevens
"I love girls who follow their dreams & don't let obstacles stand in their way. I see so clearly the way we sell your bags to girls & how to market it, you are the product, not the bags, even though the bags are great-you're selling a strong feminist dream of luxury & style & I'm feeling it! XOXO"
Wonderful personal friends and amazing ongoing mentorship
from the greatest!
Janet & Steve Wozniak
Bentz Luxury was accepted into the prestigious Accessories Council November 2017.
Swarovski Branding Partner
visit us at:
The 'Ziggy' crossbody was featured on the Swarovski crystal blog 'Love Wins'
Bentz Luxury has been featured in several publications
Shop Bentz Luxury products on Stilorama.com


text:
Scent Into Action
Rodent responses to a whiff of predator may offer clues to instinct in the brain
David Ferrero wasn't expecting the jaguar to pounce. When he approached the holding pens at Massachusetts' Stone Zoo, the big cat watched but looked relaxed, lounging on her cage's concrete floor. Two other jaguars rested in separate cages nearby.


text:
Don't see your question? Visit our help section.
Get access to great in-store deals and local pick-up
Sign up for our email deals newsletter!
Welcome to active relaxation. The perfect "me time" companion, Zenses allows the player to transcend the stresses of everyday life, unplug and experience an "active escape". Escape the world around you... with Zenses


text:
Ward County
Description: Blue line print of survey map of Ward County, Texas, showing rivers, creeks, original land grants or surveys, blocks of land, cities, towns, and railroads. Handwritten notes have been made on the published map in pencil to denote the addition of Emigrant Crossing. Scale [ca. 1:213,333] (4000 varas to 5/8 of an inch).
Date: 1902
Creator: Jelinek, L. W.
Item Type: Refine your search to only Map
Partner: Hardin-Simmons University Library


text:
Jeffrey Barnes has lost his appeal against the sentence of life imprisonment for rape.
The Court of Appeal heard arguments on April 11 and released its judgment on April 21.
Barnes was 33 when he received the sentence from Justice Charles Quin after trial by jury in 2013 for an aggravated burglary and rape that occurred on Oct. 20, 2011.
The Court of Appeal said Justice Quin's sentencing remarks were "very full and careful."
The sentence was imposed under a provision of the Penal Code which permits a life sentence if a person is convicted after Aug. 31, 2004 of a second category A offense.
Barnes had been found guilty of another rape in 2001, so the provision applied to him.
Director of Public Prosecutions Cheryll Richards had also noted during the hearing that Barnes was convicted and sentenced for a third rape, which was committed on Oct. 29, 2011. It was prosecuted first because the victim made her report first. In that incident, the victim was compelled to enter Barnes's vehicle and then taken to a secluded area where the rape and an attempted rape occurred. Barnes had pleaded guilty and Justice Alexander Henderson sentenced him to 15 years, saying it would have been 20 if not for the guilty plea.
Further, Ms. Richards advised, Barnes's Oct. 20, 2011 offending had occurred six months after he was released from prison after serving a sentence for indecent assault.
Defense attorney Nicholas Dixey had argued that a life sentence was manifestly excessive and wrong in law. He urged the court to substitute a term of 20 years. He described life as "the sentence of last resort."
Justice John Martin wrote the Court of Appeal's judgment on behalf of himself, Justice Dennis Morrison and Justice Richard Field.
He first cited the circumstances of the crime for which the life sentence was imposed – entry into the woman's home by night with a knife; holding the knife to her throat, using it to cut off her clothes and later putting it between her legs and threatening to cut her; three penetrations, including anal.
When the woman told Barnes she had to go to work, he told her to act normal and not tell anyone what had happened. She did tell her employer, stayed away from her home that night and left the island the next morning. She later reported the incident to police; officers went to her apartment and found DNA which matched Barnes's. The woman also described tattoos on her attacker's body; photographs of Barnes showed such markings.
In a victim impact statement, the woman spoke of her fear, continuing nightmares and trouble trusting people. At trial, she had been ashamed to say out loud what he had done to her. "I came to the Cayman Islands to make my life better, and in coming here my life has been ruined," she said.
Justice Martin said Barnes's offenses were undoubtedly very serious, with many aggravating features. He said Justice Quin was plainly entitled to take the view that Barnes "would remain a serious danger to the public for an indefinite period."
Justice Martin quoted from a U.K. case: "It is sometimes impossible to say when that danger will subside, and therefore an indeterminate sentence is required, so that the prisoner's progress may be monitored by those who have him under supervision in prison, and so that he will be kept in custody only so long as public safety may be jeopardized by his being let loose at large."
The appeal judge said Justice Quin's conclusion was warranted by Barnes's attitude, recorded in his psychological evaluation, "that when refused sex by females he met socially he becomes frustrated and 'takes it,' and by his admission (recorded in the same document) that he feels a sense of pleasure from taking sex by force."
Mr. Dixey had submitted the appeal last year, with one ground being that a life sentence was incompatible with Cayman's Bill of Rights. Since then, however, the Conditional Release Law has come into effect. It provides that all prisoners serving what used to be whole life terms must have a specified term of imprisonment.


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Personal Recommendations
Well it would be if I was actually suffering from hair loss!Ā Yesterday I went back to the Hair Spa to experience a consultation and treatment to stimulate hair growth, The Geordie One came along as she gets rather excited about anything relating to hair and being touched, more of that later.Ā My original article can be found here.
Firstly we filled in an extensive questionnaire about ourselves, this covered our current/previous state of health and a bit about our diet, our diet can affect hair growth/loss extensively.Ā We were then taken into see Mike Ryan aka @Dubaihairdoctor (yes he has a twitter account), he ran through our histories and we discussed at length how hair actually grows and what can affect hair loss.Ā It's not as straight forward as you may think as many things contribute to a healthy head of hair.
After this it was into the hotseat to check our scalps and the condition of our hair with a tiny machine which magnifies the area onto a small VDU.Ā It's amazingĀ you can actually see the hair follicles with the hairs and the condition of our scalps.Ā We both had chlorine on our scalps due the water but all in all we are both in tip top condition apart from the grey hairs! There are some photos which can be found here, (don't forget to like my page).
We then wentĀonto haveĀa hair treatment to stimulate our hair follicles, followed by a massage, a session under the steamer then 5 minutes under a lazer to stimulate growth.Ā If you did have hair loss issues this would be a regular weekly treatment, the duration determined by Mike in relation to the severity of your problem.Ā Personally I hate being pampered but The Geordie One was in her element, I can see her going back even though there is nothing wrong with her!!Ā or just to check out Mr Sheybani, might be worth adding that these hair doctor folk are rather handsome.
The services offered at the Hair Spa are so extensive I am not even going to start listing them, the way forward is a Consultation with Mike Ryan who in his no nonsense way of Trichology will get you back on track to a healthy head of hair, and for those of you who are a bit self conscious all consultations and treatments are 100% confidential.
(this is a pic of me after my treatment)


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Tails 2.0 Linux Distro Improves Installation, Gets New Look
Tails 2.0 Linux Distro Improves Installation, Gets New Look
The first major milestone release for the privacy-focused Linux distribution in 2016 makes it easy for new users to install and provides a new interface.
Installation Assistant Helps Get Tails Running
As part of the new release, Tails now has an Installation Assistant, documentation that details how to get and run Tails on Windows, Mac and Linux.
GNOME Shell Provides a New User Interface
With the 2.0 release, Tails is now embracing the GNOME Shell Linux desktop user interface as the default. The Tails implementation of GNOME Shell is what is known as "classic mode" and integrates both a top bar menu system and an activities-based window system.
Tails 2.0 Is Based on Debian 'Jessie'
The Debian 8 (Jessie) Linux distribution serves as the base on which Tails 2.0 is built.
Tor Browser 5.5 Is the Default Browser
Tails 2.0 uses Tor Browser 5.5 as the default secure Web browser. Tor Browser 5.5 is built on top of the Firefox 38.6.0 Extended Support Release (ESR). Among the difference between the Tor Browser and Firefox is that Tor Browser routes traffic over Tor, rather than taking a direct path over the Internet.
You Won't Find Windows Camouflage Mode
A key feature in previous versions of Tails was the ability for users to engage a "Windows Camouflage" mode. With Windows Camouflage, the Tails desktop can mimic the look of a Microsoft Windows desktop. Due to some incompatibilities with GNOME Shell, the Windows Camouflage mode has been removed in Tails 2.0.
Icedove Replaces Claws for Mail
Another change in Tails is the removal of Claws Mail in favor of Icedove as the default email client. Icedove is based on the Mozilla Thunderbird email project.
Tor Control Improves With Vidalia
A core element of Tails is the Linux distribution's use of the Tor onion router network which helps to enable a degree of user privacy. With Tails 2.0, the Vidalia control panel for Tor is updated to version 0.2.21.


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Against the backdrop of the slow global economic recovery in the past years, and continued uncertainties in the global economy, INCEIF goes into 2016 by organising an intellectual discourse that brings together a panel of renowned panellists that will discuss the current state of the global economy, analyse post global financial crisis reforms and policies whilst assessing the appeal and viability of Islamic finance both globally and locally in Malaysia. The theme of the intellectual discourse is "The Debt Menace, Risk Sharing and Opportunities for Islamic Finance".