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Results 1 to 7 of 7
2014-04-21, 06:13 #1
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How do I determine if I should install optional updates?
Currently I have 16 optional updates showing in Windows Update, as follows:
Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5.1 for Windows 7 (KB2858725)
nVidia - Graphics Adapter WDDM1.1, Graphics Adapter WDDM1.2, Graphics Adapter WDDM1.3 - NVIDIA GeForce GT 220
Update for Windows 7 (KB2574819)
Update for Windows 7 (KB2592687)
Update for Windows 7 (KB2800095)
Update for Windows 7 (KB2830477)
Update for Windows 7 (KB2843630)
Update for Windows 7 (KB2847077)
Update for Windows 7 (KB2891804)
Update for Windows 7 (KB2908783)
Update for Windows 7 (KB2913152)
Update for Windows 7 (KB2913431)
Update for Windows 7 (KB2918077)
Update for Windows 7 (KB2919469)
Update for Windows 7 (KB2928562)
Update for Windows 7 (KB2929755)
As an average PC user without lots of technical knowledge, how am I supposed to know whether or not I need to install these updates?
Am I correct in assuming that as they are optional my PC will continue to operate perfectly well without them, and if so then why does Windows Update even list them as optional?
Thanks for any information anybody can provide.
2014-04-21, 06:19 #2
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You could follow the recommendations in the Windows secrets newsletter - this is a subscription, but it's cheap.
cheers, Paul
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2014-04-21, 07:47 #3
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Paul brings up an excellent point. I myself do refer the recommendations in the Windows Secrets Newsletter
--- I usually wait for 2 weeks after patch Tuesday which I dub as Patch Tuesday 2
--- In the examples you provide, unless there's a reason not to install any of the above, I would install the 14 Updates for Windows 7 as a group and then use the computer as usual
--- Later on in the day, if there aren't any issues, I would install the nVidia update and again use the computer as usual
--- Then I would do the .Net Framework the next morning and continue using the computer as usual
------ I would like to add that not all .Net's are needed but in my case I include them anyway
------ It's only happened to me once over the years, but at that time I needed to install some .Net version for some reason that I don't recall and since then I just do them when they are available
I have an 8 1/2" x 11" notebook to handwrite what I do but with short descriptions and then check them off when completed
--- On the example you provide, I would write 12 optional updates for Windows 7, 1 nVidia & 1 .Net
--- If any of the updates are noted in the Windows Secrets Newsletter for whatever reason, I include that in my notes and follow the recommendations
--- This may seem like overkill but that's a habit I took up during my XP days
Then there are some optional updates that are user decisions
--- For example, many of my friends do not use MSN, so I show them how to hide them
Note that I use an 8 1/2" x 11" notebook and not scraps of paper
--- I'm so used to writing my notes that it's become 2nd nature to me
Those are my approaches but to each his/her own plan is what counts
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2014-04-21, 13:29 #4
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The subscription method mentioned by Paul is your best bet, but you could also do a little work on your own here too;
Research the individual updates to determine if there is anything that will be pertinent to your situation.
For example: Update for Windows 7 (KB2574819)
This might be a worthwhile update if you use remote desktop on your system.
Generally, if these optional KB updates are light weight and non intrusive, I'll just install them irregardless.
As for the GPU driver update, you'll only need to consider it if you have an issue that it reports it can fix.
Hide this update if you don't intend to install. WU usually installs these GPU updates in their entirety, meaning, you'll get
unnecessary features one would normally exclude by doing a custom install.
(Always avoid GPU updates from WU for this very reason*GPU updates should always be sough directly from the vendor's site
This way a custom install can be done and only the driver selected for install)
As for the .NET Framwork, if some application or component needs it, it will certainly "bark" for it in an error message.
So there is no rush in this one, unless you know for certain you've got something that relies on it.
Last edited by CLiNT; 2014-04-21 at 13:47.DRIVE IMAGING
Invest a little time and energy in a well thought out BACKUP regimen and you will have minimal down time, and headache.
Build your own system; get everything you want and nothing you don't.
Latest Build:
ASUS X99 Deluxe, Core i7-5960X, Corsair Hydro H100i, Plextor M6e 256GB M.2 SSD, Corsair DOMINATOR Platinum 32GB DDR4@2666, W8.1 64 bit,
EVGA GTX980, Seasonic PLATINUM-1000W PSU, MountainMods U2-UFO Case, and 7 other internal drives.
2014-04-21, 14:15 #5
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Be adventurous and install them all! Of course before you do this take the precaution of making an Image Backup of your system partition (usually C:) if not your entire drive. That way if the balloon goes up you just do a quick restore and you're back to your old normal. HTHMay the Forces of good computing be with you!
RG (still RetiredGeek on AskWoody.com)
PowerShell & VBA Rule!
My Systems: Desktop Specs
Laptop Specs
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2014-04-21, 14:34 #6
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Yeah, I did that too recently with an updated NVidia driver. (direct from NVidia though, not WU)
(I'm 3 or 4 versions behind and didn't want to go through the hassle of reading the spec/fix sheet)
It works out well too, and if the system remains stable and everything is working as it should, I may consider deleting the old image
and creating the new one.
With drive imaging one can be far more adventurous without having to worry as much about potentially disastrous consequences.DRIVE IMAGING
Invest a little time and energy in a well thought out BACKUP regimen and you will have minimal down time, and headache.
Build your own system; get everything you want and nothing you don't.
Latest Build:
ASUS X99 Deluxe, Core i7-5960X, Corsair Hydro H100i, Plextor M6e 256GB M.2 SSD, Corsair DOMINATOR Platinum 32GB DDR4@2666, W8.1 64 bit,
EVGA GTX980, Seasonic PLATINUM-1000W PSU, MountainMods U2-UFO Case, and 7 other internal drives.
2014-04-22, 00:04 #7
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Thank you everyone for your helpful comments.
As Paul suggested, I will certainly check recommendations in the Windows Secrets newsletter, and also adopt some of the other suggestions.


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The excitement and buildup for the first Sunday of the NFL season quickly fizzled for some die-hard football fans.
ESPN's Fantasy Football app crashed Sunday just as the early afternoon games kicked off, leaving millions of user in the dark on how their teams were stacking up against the competition.
The sports network acknowledged the outage in a tweet and apologized, saying it is working to provide a fix.
Agitated fans took to Twitter to voice their frustration, posting a string of hilarious "melt down" gifs as trouble persisted during the first slate of games.
Fantasy football attracts several million players each season. In 2015, a reported 57 million fanatics rostered at least one team, according to the Fantasy Trade Association.
Last year, ESPN set a sports category record, with avid Fantasy users helping to boost its unique users to more than 94.4 million, CNBC reported.

subset: commoncrawl


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The overall teen smoking rate has declined in the two decades since 1991. But, over the last seven years, the decline has slowed for all teens except African-American females who are leading the way for smoking cessation, according to a recent report rele
(NNPA) – The overall teen smoking rate has declined in the two decades since 1991. But, over the last seven years, the decline has slowed for all teens except African-American females who are leading the way for smoking cessation, according to a recent report released by the CDC. "The African-American female is the leading success story, and have been for some years now," said Dr. Terry Pechacek, associate director for science at CDC's office on smoking and health. "They have more positives in general. We're seeing higher graduation rates and lower rates of smoking and drug use." He said that it's a fact that African-American students overall have been smoking less than White and Hispanic students for some time but the recently released analysis on teen smoking is the first definite proof that Black teens are not only smoking less but their progress is continuing without slowing unlike other racial/ ethnic groups. The CDC analyzed data from the National Youth Risk Behavior Survey of high school students in public and private schools in every state to evaluate trends in cigarette use among high school students from 1991-2009. The findings show that since 2003 the rate of decline in current cigarette use slowed or leveled off for all racial/ ethnic groups of both genders except Black female students. They showed no slowing or leveling off in their rate of decline. Race/ethnicity data were analyzed only for non-Hispanic black, non-Hispanic white, and Hispanic students, who are considered an ethnicity and not a race. They could be of any race. The numbers of students from other racial/ethnic groups were too small for meaningful analysis. According to the study the percentage of students who said they currently smoke cigarettes, which was defined as smoking a cigarette at least one day of the 30 before the survey, went from 27.5 percent in 1991 to 36.4 percent in 1997, declined to 21.9 percent in 2003, and then more gradually, to 19.5 percent in 2009. Students who answered that they ever smoked or tried cigarettes , taking one or two puffs constituted trying a cigarette, was consistent from 1991 to 1999 at about 70 percent. That category then recessed deeply to 58.4 percent in 2003; and then again in 2009 when the rate was 46.3 percent. The percentage of teens who were current frequent cigarette users, defined as smoking cigarettes on 20 or more days during the 30 days before the survey, increased from 12.7 percent in 1991 to 16.8 percent in 1999. The rate fell sharply to 9.7 percent in 2003, and more gradually in 2009 when it was 7.3 percent. For all of the categories of teen smokers, rates began to decline in the late 1990s but slowed after 2003 until the study's completion in 2009. Pechacek said that the major factors of slowed progress of teen smoking is due to decreased funding for anti-tobacco programs in recent years and just a lack of overall attention being paid on confronting the issue. He said also that expanded marketing efforts from tobacco companies, including discounted prices on cigarette brands most popular with adolescents, depictions of tobacco use in movies, distribution of merchandise such as hats and T-shirts with tobacco brands symbols and sponsorship of youth-centric events such as music concerts, helped slow the decline of youth smoking. "In the early 1990s, The hip-hop culture and the Newport jazz and other types of music and entertainment marketing campaigns that were being done seemed to be affecting Black males more the females," Pechacek said. "The smoking rates for Black teenage males seemed to be going up a little more than the females." The African-American decline in teen smoking started in the early 1980s when the Black community developed a concern for its youth during the rise of the crack epidemic during that time, as well as other factors. "The African-American community, quite distinctly from Whites and other groups, revered nicotine as a drug of addiction like other drugs of addiction and treated it in a more extreme fashion," Pechacek said. "For this community, smoking cigarettes was a pathway to smoking marijuana, smoking crack and other pathways that lead to destruction." White families, on the other hand, discounted the severity of tobacco by not considering it as a hard or even a gateway drug, he said. Before the rise of the "crack era" of the 1980s, African-American males had some of the highest smoking rates of any group post-World War II. During the same time, African-American females quickly caught up with their White female counterparts as smokers. "We want to point to a fact that should be receiving a lot more attention," Pechacek said. "The African-American community has been making dramatic progress in positive health behaviors. In fact, it's showing up in lung cancer rates. Traditionally, the lung cancer rates among African-American males have been substantially higher than all other groups in this country. … Even though they are still much higher than what we would like them to be they are showing the most dramatic progress." Copyright 2010 NNPA.


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Five years ago I flipped the switch to make this blog public. The anniversary sort of crept up on me. Reviewing that original "Purpose and Intent" post, I think I've been… well, sorta… true to the original goal.
At that time I'd just gotten settled into my new Virginia home. After years of moving about, my career brought me to the lucrative Northern Virginia job market. For much of the previous years, I was out of the country. My life-long study of the Civil War had stagnated somewhat, with my activities focused on books. As one who prefers to consider the battlefield from the battlefield, this was like running a race on crutches. After those long years "cooped up," I was able to get out and walk the battlefields again.
The great advantage to my new location was – and as I love to gloat over now, IS – its proximity to all the important sites in the Eastern Theater. I run out of fingers and toes counting the battlefields within an hour from my front door. And speaking of that front door, a lot happened in 1861-65 just a few footsteps from that front door! I'm in a good spot for the sesquicentennial, which I've mentioned a time or two.
And I've also mentioned a time or two before that I'm more of a Western Theater guy, due to where I grew up and places I've lived over the years. The Eastern Theater was, before the relocation to Virginia, a bucket list of stops to make on vacations. Of course now these are sites which I can spend ample time studying in detail. I've now been to some of the most obscure sites in the Eastern Theater… in many cases just to say I have been there, but mostly to appreciate what IS there.
The problem I encountered with all these visits was simply organizing thoughts and notes to fuse into good records of what I had learned. So for the most part, this blog started out as a way for me "to aid the organization and presentation of my research, notations, and observations regarding the study of American history, in particular the Civil War."
As I say, I think the blog has stayed true to that purpose. Occasionally I get a bit out of the lane. I've evolved the core topics of focus a bit, sharpened into the "three": artillery, historical markers, and battlefields. Of late, I have enjoyed pulling up my old files, particularly on the Western battlefields, to setup sesquicentennial timed posts. With a few exceptions, the only contemporary topics that I've aired here are about sesquicentennial observances and preservation. The later, due to my preference to experience the battlefields as a primary resource, is very important to me. You may not agree with where I'll stand on preservation, but I hope we can agree it needs to be discussed.
I've purposely steered away from some of what I consider the "pedestrian" topics in the Civil War discussion. Let's face it, there are some topics that everyone has an opinion about. Sure, I think scholarly studies of Lincoln or the causes of the war (or even black Confederates) are still necessary. However, nobody is going to further the study of those subjects without many dedicated years. Or in plain speech – we should shut up and listen a lot more than we do.
After five years, can I call this project worth the time spent? Or to put it in plain talk – is "To the Sound of the Guns" a successful blog?
My IT professional background prompts me to cite metrics and figures. But honestly I don't set much store by the hit counts. Truth be known, the Civil War blogging community is but a small particle in the larger web. The blogosphere is dominated by a lot of other topic areas. My pal XBradTC over at Bring the Heat will gather more hits in a month than most Civil War blogs see in a year. So that sort of metric is relative, relatively speaking.
The way I see it, success of a blog like the one I'm running here is not just a measure of hits and views. Rather it is how clear and useful the information is served to the reader. I've wanted this blog to depict my evolving understanding (which I'd argue is what a true blog is supposed to be). My "log" of the information distilled into knowledge, if you will. A few years ago I did that with the Edwards Ferry topic. By the time I had consumed and digested all I could lay my hands on, I had about thirty posts to show for the effort. Those spanned over a year in time. By the end of it all, maybe I didn't introduce anything "new" to the Civil War discussion. But, if the daily counts of search engine hits is any measure, I've put some content out there which was missing from the web.
I see that as "laying it all on the table." I'd rather share what I have, in the hope of a connection that will further add to the understanding. Sure, I look back at some posts, particularly early ones, and figure I need to write up a new, revised version. The first "series" I ran covered Maryland Heights. I look back and realize how much more I know now – particularly offered by way of acquaintances met through contact on this blog – compared to what I knew then. Likewise, I consider it the highest of blogging honors for something I've written here to aid someone else in their study of the topic. I'll treat pingbacks like gold coins any day of the week.
In that respect, if I can look back five years from now and identify how much more my understanding has improved, and at the same time having aided others to improve their understanding of the Civil War, then I'll call it a good decade's worth of writing.
And as long as I'm running an "administrative" announcement for the day, let me again mention you can follow me on Twitter or on the "To the Sound of the Guns" Facebook page. News items and comments less worthy of a blog post appear in those feeds.


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Sunday, February 5, 2012
There's Something About Nora!
THE NEXT ALWAYS is the story of Clare and Beckett - the first in a new Nora trilogy :) which is fabulous cos I'm hanging out for the next two. Clare's a widow and Beckett is a single guy who has had a crush on Clare since high school. Oh and Clare has three young boys to her dead husband. And that's about it in terms of conflict. Seriously - the BIG C that we all strive for, the BIG C that is the subject of many a romance writing conference, the BIG C that many of us have been reject for - is that she's been married before and he maybe feels a little bit like he's stepping on his dead school mate's toes.
That simple conflict is not even really developed to its full potential - at the beginning of the book, Clare is a little nervous but more than happy to move on. She doesn't think twice about accepting Beckett's advances and is simply overjoyed that she has it inside her to love again. I guess both characters do have growth - Claire has the learning to love again thing and Beckett realising that he wants the whole shebang that Claire brings with her - but none of this is very strong.
There's a bit of an external plot point that causes discomfort for these two but I wouldn't say it really threatens their relationship.
And this is what has got me flummoxed!!
I really enjoyed this book but the plot wasn't anything special or unique and there was definitely not a strong conflict, however I kept reading because I loved how the book made me feel. I loved the characters - Clare and Beckett, her three boys and the secondary characters which will soon have their own romance stories. I also loved the slight paranormal element - no, there weren't any vampires or witches or wear wolves, but there was a ghost in the building Beckett and his brothers are renovating. The ghost's story was beautifully done!
HOW does Nora sustain a book for 300+ pages with no real conflict, yet have me reading late into the night wanting to finish it?
Anyone got any answers? I'd love to hear them!
16 comments:
- Louise Reynolds said...
Oh Rach, don't start me.
I have been a long time Nora fan but I reckon she had a golden age: Chesapeake Bay books, Born In trilogy, Three Sisters Island trilogy, etc. But for me, she's off the boil. And you nailed exactly what I thought. In this new series they are engaging characters going about their lives and falling in love. You can't help liking them - they're nice people. But there's no conflict. No possible reason for these two people to get together. Even the ghost agrees. So whilst I love her style and particularly how she draws male characters, this one was a thumbs down for me :-(
- February 5, 2012 at 4:15 AM
- Louise Reynolds said...
Er, that's no possible reason NOT to get together...
- February 5, 2012 at 4:16 AM
- Rachael Johns said...
I knew what you meant Lou - and I totally agree!! I took a while to decide if I DID actually like it and in the end it was because of Beckett and his brothers that I did. THEY saved the story in my opinion :)
- February 5, 2012 at 4:23 AM
- Nicole said...
I totally agree. I loved Beckett and Clare. To me they were real, relatable people, which is why I didn't need über, angsty conflict. I actually like reading about people on occasion who don't have horrible, scarred pasts. :)
- February 5, 2012 at 6:52 AM
- Rachael Johns said...
Nicole - I agree with you. Sometimes it's nice to read about people who aren't all full of angst. But I wonder, could anyone OTHER than Nora get away with it??
- February 5, 2012 at 2:28 PM
- Ally Blake said...
Ditto Rach!
- February 5, 2012 at 3:08 PM
- Anita Joy said...
Rach, I haven't read this one, but I felt the same after reading #2 in her wedding planner series.
The hero had no conflict at all, but he was totally adorable and so I loved the book.
And to answer your question, I doubt anyone else but Nora could get away with it!
- February 5, 2012 at 3:21 PM
- Janette Radevski said...
I love Nora. She is the queen of simplicity, and like you Rach, I read on cause I loved the way the book made me feel. And I agree with Nicole, Beckett and Clare are real people and that was enough for me. Why must a book always have the big C to be good? Isn't a little diversity or a break from the norm good?
I've read books with loads of conflict, but the characters irk me or they are so not real that it shites me.
So for me, I loved it and bring on book two!
- February 5, 2012 at 9:23 PM
- Rachael Johns said...
Great minds think alike Ally :)
Anita - I found the same with the wedding planner series, but for some reason I really enjoyed them!
Janette - I have to agree. I actually prefer books where at least ONE character doesn't have a massive roadblock to having normal relationships.
- February 5, 2012 at 9:49 PM
- Keziah Hill said...
I'm with Louise. I think she's off her boil. Much prefer her writing as JD Robb. This one and the wedding planner series were yawn inducing for me. That said, I did buy them!
- February 5, 2012 at 10:08 PM
- Megan said...
I agree, there is something about Nora!! I've read a few of her books and she's great. I'd really like to read this one too.
Megan @ Storybook Love Affair
- February 5, 2012 at 11:55 PM
I felt the same way about Susan Wiggs' Dockside. Not a huge amount of conflict but the book made me feel the story, and I loved that feeling. It's hard to put into words, but I want that magical power!
- February 6, 2012 at 7:04 AM
- Amy said...
I enjoyed the book but think her books are getting a little lack luster in plot and conflict. It is the characters that drove my desire to read this story. I enjoyed the male characters and getting their pov.
Finding out the Nora owns the particular Inn she is writing about has taken some of the magic out of the place.
I will read the other books as they come out but not for the conflict or plot, it is because I fell in love with the characters and want to read more about them.
- February 6, 2012 at 4:11 PM
- Rachael Johns said...
Keziah - I STILL haven't read any JD Robb. Really must FIX that this year :)
Megan - I hope you enjoy it! Will be interesting to hear what you think!
Marcy - Dockside is on my TBR pile. Might shift it up a bit so I can contemplate this conflict thing again :)
Amy - I'm exactly like you. I'd do a Nora Roberts hero ANY day!!
- February 7, 2012 at 4:46 AM
- Kez said...
Not only does she do great heros, I love the way she portrays the friendships between the group of women. They're a nice feel-good read for me.
- February 9, 2012 at 12:22 AM
- Rachael Johns said...
Totally agree Kez - her characters are the best!
- February 9, 2012 at 3:07 AM


text:
10 Things Only People From South Dakota Understand
Living in South Dakota for the past 9 years now I have realized that their are certain things that stand out here, than in other states. For instance which side are you from...East River or West River! It's windy about 300 days out of the year! and Sioux Falls has been named the #1 best small place for business and careers according to Forbes.com.
Check out movoto.com as they list the 10 things only people form South Dakota Understand!


text:
Israel News - Stay Informed, Pray Informed
The Bible Society in Israel, the Messianic-run Israeli branch of the global United Bible Societies, has launched a new website aimed at helping Israelis of all backgrounds study God's Word.
The website, haktuvim.co.il, provides easy access to the Bible in English, Hebrew, Arabic and Russian, and also includes daily devotionals and topical study guides.
Israel Today previously reported on figures published by the Internet-based evangelism ministry One for Israel that showed a significant increase in the number of Israelis searching online regarding matters of faith, and especially regarding Yeshua.
The Bible Society in Israel has long been at the forefront of evangelism efforts in the Jewish state. Two years ago, the ministry mailed a leather-bound copy of the Bible, including the New Testament, to each and every member of the Israeli Knesset.
While many MKs loudly protested receiving a New Testament, others expressed their thanks to the Bible Society.
Want more news from Israel?
Click Here to sign up for our FREE daily email updates
For Information & Reservations:
E-Mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Israel Today
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Increase your sales and furniture knowledge with these tools! Great for training
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By bedding sales expert Dr. Peter A. Marino this book outlines a sales strategy for selling bedding and ensuring customer satisfaction.
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LMFAO: Interview Tells Method Man To Say F*ck Joe Budden! "Hell No. Give Me Some Money" + Gorilla Zoe Passes Bottle Of Liquor Around
Interviewer trying to set up Method Man
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
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A Dreamy Rental Palazzo in Florence
Posted by
Becky |
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I was just flipping through Wallpaper* and caught a glimpse of Palazzo Bartolommei, a gorgeous penthouse apartment in Florence. I am getting the urge to return to Italy and this newly-redesigned space is causing serious daydreaming distraction. From what I can tell, it starts at 1000 Euros/night, but it has five bedrooms, a fully outfitted kitchen, a terrace (from which you can hear concerts at the nearby church) and marble bathrooms. Grab a bunch of friends and it can work out to 1000 Euros for the week!
Ilaria Miani has done a beautiful job on this redesign of this 17th-century space. Look closely at that steel trunk used as a nightstand in the photo above.
Find out who the freak in your group is by seeing who picks this bedroom as their first choice:
images from here.


text:
I recently filed a complaint with the Connecticut Freedom of Information Commission to compel the Stamford Police Department to release the video of its interrogation last summer of Matthew T. Greenberg -- a hapless University of Connecticut student whose Internet mischief has landed him the sobriquet of "the Benoit Wikipedia hacker."
Pull up a chair while I explain.
One piece of the media frenzy in the wake of the June 2007 Chris Benoit double murder/suicide in Georgia concerned news that Benoit�s biography at Wikipedia, the online tag-team encyclopedia, had been edited at 12:01 a.m. on Monday, June 25 -- more than 14 hours before the dead bodies of all three family members were found. According to Wiki, Benoit missed the pay-per-view show in Houston the night before "due to personal issues, stemming from the death of his wife Nancy."
When the Internet Protocol address of the computer making this unauthorized edit was traced to Stamford -- where World Wrestling Entertainment is headquartered -- a sidebar mystery kicked into another gear. On June 28 the hacker confessed at an anonymous post at Wikipedia, saying he had no special knowledge of what had gone down in Fayette County but simply was passing along rumors.
Echoing the consensus sentiment, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales said, "I wonder where those rumors came from. I guess the police will figure that out eventually."
The Fayette County Sheriff�s Office did ask Stamford PD to interrogate young Greenberg, and the story quickly died. But not so fast. Fresh reporting strongly suggests that the media -- both the mainstream variety and the wrestling fan press -- blew it. There�s every reason to wonder if the cops asked Greenberg the important questions. And unless you�re neck-deep in sand, you can see how the answers to those questions might illuminate WWE�s bizarre timeline of the weekend of the Benoit tragedy.
In the early morning hours of Sunday, June 24, Benoit sent cryptic text messages, containing his physical address in unincorporated Fayetteville but little else, to fellow wrestler Chavo Guerrero and referee Scott Armstrong. According to WWE, company executives didn�t become aware of the messages until Monday afternoon. In between, Benoit missed the Vengeance pay-per-view in Houston on Sunday, on top of missing the house show in Beaumont on Saturday, as speculation about this heretofore compulsively reliable performer resonated throughout the wrestling world and cyberspace.
The backup record for the February 2008 report by the Fayette County sheriff, closing the Benoit investigation, is full of holes. Among other things, the report cooks the raw telephone company records to produce its own phone log, which nonsensically ends more than 24 hours before the bodies were discovered; in addition, the documentation of text messages to and from Chris and Nancy Benoit�s cell phones is incomplete, and no voicemail messages at all are retrieved.
Against that backdrop, I couldn�t accept at face value the Fayette County report�s bland assurance that Stamford PD forwarded a bland assurance that Matt Greenberg was "harmless." This conclusory statement seemed especially inadequate when it became apparent that language in a supplemental report, claiming that a copy of the Stamford PD interview of Greenberg was "included in the case file," was at best misleading. When pressed, Detective Ethon Harper conceded that he and other officers wrote their reports without ever viewing the complete Greenberg interrogation, which is on videotape. I requested a copy of what they had on hand, and it turned out to be only a snippet, cutting off after three minutes, as soon as it started getting interesting.
Stamford PD explained that they must have sent Fayette County a bad duplicate. (One can�t help being reminded of "Rose Mary�s Baby" -- the 18�-minute gap in President Richard Nixon�s White House audiotapes caused by an accidentally-on-purpose erasure by his secretary, Rose Mary Woods.) Stamford has refused to send me the complete video, with a claim that "voluntary statements" to police are exempt under state public information law. After not finding a single expert who agreed with that baroque interpretation of the plain language of the open records statute, I appealed on July 28 to the Freedom of Information Commission. An arbitration hearing will be scheduled in Hartford if a commission ombudsman does not succeed in mediating a settlement.
Friends, you don�t have to harbor alternative theories about the Benoit crime in order to regard the Greenberg angle of the investigation as pertinent to what everyone knew and when everyone knew it. At Wikipedia, Greenberg professed no connection to WWE -- but did the cops even probe that assertion? Online sleuths had fingered Greenberg as a serial Wiki vandal who (to cite just one example) also was responsible for puerile and sexist vulgarities on the page for Stacy Keibler. Yet, in a single aberrantly nice edit, Greenberg removed ethnic slurs from the page for Chavo Guerrero, a Benoit text-message recipient. What�s that about?
Finally, bear in mind that Greenberg could have been an inadvertent conduit of important information without being an insider himself. In the 20 hours between Benoit�s final texts and the Wikipedia edit, the online rumor chain of discussion boards and chat rooms could have stumbled upon a whiff of the truth for a good reason. The cursory Connecticut police report says a search of Greenberg�s computer "revealed no information that was posted about the homicide prior to June 25, 2007," but not in a way to make a careful reader confident that the cops drilled the computer�s Internet history with purpose or sophistication.
In a July 18 email to me, Fayette County sheriff�s attorney Richard P. Lindsey wrote, "I have not read anything which makes me question the integrity and thoroughness of the investigation and the quality of work done by the detectives. Their role was to determine who committed the crimes and to ensure that no third party was involved in the murders; their role was not to determine if WWE may have acted or not acted in a manner to control the publicity of the heinous crimes committed by one of its stars."
Lindsey also wrote, "I am not being stubborn (maybe I am) ..."
Sometimes the most revealing words are the ones in parentheses.


text:
This story begins on an August day in San Antonio with me shopping for a used Mustang GT. I had test driven a few around Ft Hood and was at the local Car Max awaiting my current car's appraisal. See, I had found my Mustang, with all the glory that was the Brembo package, on carmax's website. I just needed to break even on my trade to make it really worth it, but once again I was met with disappointment and I left smelling of defeat (and sweaty Army uniform).
I Decided that I would check out Red McComb's lot to see what they had sitting around in the used section and that's where I saw her. It wasn't love at first site as I was there for a mustang and I hate red cars but after walking around her a few times I decided she was worth a look. She was a 2013 Race Red Focus ST3, and with what she lacked in looks on the outside she more than made up with inside with those beautiful Recaro seats.
Needless to say I took her home and we enjoyed some amazing times together. Over the next few months we enjoyed some great times together, sure she was heavy and the wrong wheels powered her but she was a blast! and I loved her in spite of all her short comings. That is until November rolled around...
See I've never been a fan of overly complicated radios, and something was telling me I should stay away from the MFT option, a voice in the back of my head. But I really wanted those full leather Recaros, an option that only comes on the ST3 trim. I should have listened to my instincts! A control module in the car that is responsible for the radio (and apparently locks) failed, and left me with no music for my weekly trips to and from San Antonio.
Now this sucked but it didn't alienate me from my hot hatch, it just made me become more acquainted with the car's unique sounds. The twin scroll turbo spooling became my Doors and the sound symposer became my Nas (the rapper not the other stuff). What I didn't know was there was another problem lurking around the corner, a serious problem that would haunt me the entire month of December. The module failure was causing a parasitic drain, leading to my car to dying overnight. At first it was every few days, but soon it became a daily thing. My mornings went from getting up at 0430 to getting up at 0330 in hopes of finding someone in my Barracks that would jump start my car, and still make it to 0615 formation. I took her to the local dealership (around FT Hood, probably should clarify that's where I live during the week), they ran and update and nothing! I went on vacation and left it with Red McCombs in San Antonio (for 9 days) they managed to temporarily fix the problem (like 2hrs) before it was up to it's old shenanigans of no radio and dying. Then it got worse, if the car sat for more than five hours it would die. So I now had to jump it after work. Another fix the following week, now the car will read me my texts but it still has no radio and won't start.
I was done, sick of it and ready to be rid of this car. She was like a spiteful girlfriend during a failing relationship just trying to get her jabs in when she could. So I went to talk to the salespeople at Red Mccombs. David Sosa, a sales guy and retired Soldier drove me around every lot that belongs to Red McCombs looking for the perfect car to fit my needs while his manager Joe Martinez worked the numbers to keep me from ending up ass out on the trade. We drove all around San Antonio and thought we had found it, a 2012 Mini Countrymen S that was labeled as a manual on the site however once we drove the 30 minutes to the other lot we realized it was a automatic So I left, once again feeling frustrated that I was stuck in the failing relationship.
called FoMoCo and asked if there was anything they could do for me, after a
(very polite and productive) back and forth with one of their higher ranking customer
service folks we ended with a solution. I would be given a steep discount known
as the X Plan on any ford product. This was going to take a few days, so on New
Year's Eve I called David and let him know what was going to happen and asked if he could get me the Xplan pricing on a new Mustang GT. After
talking to Joe, they decided to give me the Xplan pricing without waiting for
the code to generate. So once again I drove back to the dealership, and that's
when I fell in love again with a 2014 Deep Impact Blue Mustang GT Premium Track
pack! I ask David to once again get me a price, he did and we began the paperwork (at 8pm on New Year's Eve).
I left that Night with my new Mustang and feeling as if both FoMoCo and Red McCombs had taken care of me! Sometimes it seems as if only the bad dealership stories ever get told, so today I wanted to share a positive one. I know most don't view Oppo in the evening and this will probably never make the front page but I am grateful for the customer service and want to share with as many as possible. I am looking forward to many adventures and photo shoots with my Mustang and hopefully a long happy life together.
FoMoCo and Red McCombs Ford in San Antonio exhibited excellent customer service


text:
Difference between revisions of "Seminar in Ecosystem Services"
RobinChazdon (Talk | contribs)
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|Line 22:
|Line 22:
|4 Feb || Jonathan Glenn || Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function || ||
|4 Feb || Jonathan Glenn || Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function || ||
|11 Feb || || Definitions of ecosystem goods and services || ||
|11 Feb |||| Definitions of ecosystem goods and services || ||
|18 Feb || || Case study from the Millennium Assessment:
|18 Feb || || Case study from the Millennium Assessment:
Revision as of 02:15, 8 February 2008
General information
Class meets from 1:00-2:30 on Mondays in TLS 313. The first half hour is presentation followed by 50 min of discussion led by a student. Readings are assigned ahead of time and are selected to provide background and to promote discussion of key issues.
This course is for 2 credits. In addition to class participation, all students are required to write a research proposal. The outline of the proposal is due on April 14 and the proposal draft is due on April 28. The proposal should describe a research project designed to investigate ecosystem services in an ecosystem of your choice.
A class schedule is posted here. Each presenter is expected to give a 30-40 min presentation at the beginning, which will provide a conceptual overview of the topic and stimulate questions for class discussions. Questions can be raised during the presentation or after—just let us know what you prefer to do.
Class participants can post readings for their topics or can send them to Robin to post.
|26 Jan
|Robin Chazdon
|A History of the Concept of Ecosystem Services
|4 Feb
|Jonathan Glenn
|Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function
|11 Feb
|Benjamin Plourde
|Definitions of ecosystem goods and services
|18 Feb
| Case study from the Millennium Assessment:
Lake District, Wisconsin and South Africa
|25 Feb
|Case studies: CSIRO Ecosystem Services Project
|3 March
|Ecosystem services; agriculture
|10 Mar
|no class
|17 Mar
|Ecosystem services: grasslands
|24 Mar
|Ecosystem services: temperate forests
|31 Mar
|Steven Ferketic
|Ecosystem services: tropical forests
|7 Apr
|Ecosystem services: urban areas
|14 Apr
|Effects of land-use change on ecosystem services
|21 Apr
|Effects of climate change on ecosystem services
|28 Apr
|Synthesis and new directions
|30th Apr
|Next generation initiatives
|Vol. 1 Chapters 21-24
|I'm willing to switch dates (but prefer not to)


text:
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Blackhawk Products group was founded in 1993 and has it's headquarters in Norfolk Virginia. Blackhawk produces military, hunting and professional gear as well as firearms accessories. Best selling products for Blackhawk are Adjustable MilSpec AR/M4 Bu, AR15 Cheek Pad and the BELT MOUNT M4 MAG PCH. Target Sports USA carries Blackhawk products for sale online with best selection to choose from.


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Has anyone else had trouble with Razer? Oh and my headphones aren't under warranty because they're "Earphones" and not a "Headset" just because they don't have a mic. So their warranty period is only 6 months.
Razer product quality going down?
Posted 11 April 2012 - 10:47 PM
Has anyone else had trouble with Razer? Oh and my headphones aren't under warranty because they're "Earphones" and not a "Headset" just because they don't have a mic. So their warranty period is only 6 months.
Posted 11 April 2012 - 11:01 PM
A few mice,and a headset I think I had in the past...
My buddy is good friends with the CEO, and when I met him a few years ago I told him hey man what the heck is with these shorts in the mice and stuff... I guess it was kind of a butt move but whatever..
MSI Z68A-GD65(G3) - Intel i7 2600k - eVGA GTX570 Classified - 16gb Gskill DDR3 - Windows 7 Professional x64
15 inch Macbook Pro with Retina Display - Apple iPhone Xs 256gb - Xbox 360 Elite - PlayStation 3 (Slim) - Nintendo Wii - Xbox One - PlayStation 4 Pro
Posted 11 April 2012 - 11:02 PM
Intel Core i5 4690K - ASUS Z97-A - EVGA GTX 770 2GB
Mushkin Ridgeback 16GB DDR3-2133 - Samsung 840 EVO 250GB SSD - Seagate 750GB + 2TB - WD 1TB - Cooler Master SPH 1050W
ASUS Xonar Xense + Sennheiser PC-350 Xense Edition + Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 - Sapphire Vapor-X CPU Cooler - Cooler Master HAF XM
Follow OCC on
Posted 11 April 2012 - 11:09 PM
The Hive
i7 3930k @ 5GHz 24/7 32Gb Corsair Dominator @ 1866MHz
Asus Rampage IV Extreme 3x EVGA 670 FTW @ 1300MHz Core boost
256Gb Crucial M4 - Boot Drive 4x2Tb HDD Raid 5 - Data Storage
CPU, Motherboard, GPU and RAM watercooled by MIPS and Heatkiller
Heavily Modified XSPC Cube Case
Posted 12 April 2012 - 03:48 AM
"GilliumX58" DESKTOP
Mobo: Asus P8Z68-V-PRO | Processor: Intel Core i7 2600K @ 4.6ghz | CPU Cooler: Zalman CNPS9900MAXR | Videocard: ASUS GTX970 Strix
Memory: Patriot/Kingston 16GB 1866mhz | OS SSD: SanDisk Extreme 240GB SATA | PSU: PC Power & Cooling Silencer 750W
Monitor: Samsung 30" 305T | CD/DVD: Samsung SH-S223F | Keyboard: Sentey Phoenix | Mouse: Razer Lachesis
OCC Cool Club Member
Rebate Success Thread 2015---RMA Success Thread 2016---GPU Comparison tool on AnAndTech
Posted 12 April 2012 - 04:24 AM
Posted 12 April 2012 - 04:26 AM
Tolerance is a sign of weakness.
Posted 12 April 2012 - 04:29 AM
Posted 12 April 2012 - 05:10 AM
Aorus X470 Gaming 7 - AMD Ryzen 2700X - EVGA GTX1080 TI - 2x16GB G.SKILL Ripjaws 3200Mhz - 2x Crucial M4 256GB/ 1TB Hitachi - Enermax 1020w
Sager NP9170 - i7 3720QM - GTX680m - 16GB 1600Mhz - 2x Crucial M4 256GB
Shuttle SP35P2V2 - E8600 4Ghz - eVGA 8800GTX ACS KO - 2x2GB g.skill PK - Samsung 500GB/2x Samsung 1TB
Posted 12 April 2012 - 05:26 AM
My Razer Arctosa black edition is still working just as well as the day I got it. I'm not gentle with it either. BluePanda uses a Lycosa and a DeathAdder and they've been perfect (with the occasional freakout of the Lycosa that's fairly well known at this point) and work just like day one.
I'm some what partial to banging my fists on the keys when something doesn't work as expected. So it working still...it's pretty good.
Posted 12 April 2012 - 06:34 AM
CPU: Intel i5 4670K
Motherboard: Gigabyte Z87X-UD3H
Graphics: Gigabyte GTX 770
Memory: 8Gb Patriot Intel Extreme Masters 1866 Mhz
Sound: Asus Xonar DX & Roccat Kave 5.1
Storage: OCZ Vector 256 Gb / Western Digital 1 Tb Black
CPU Cooler: Antec Kuhler 650
PSU: Seasonic X Series 660Watt
KBD, Mouse & Case: Roccat Ryos MK Glow, Roccat Kone Pure & Cooler Master CM Cosmos SE
Posted 12 April 2012 - 06:49 AM
My Rig: Project One


text:
Evening classes canceled Feb. 7, 2018. Learn more.
Home | Academics | Our Schools | Conservatory of Performing Arts | Conservatory News & Features
I'm an enthusiastic and energetic instructor. I'm passionate about what I teach and use that to engage students and instruct them in the craft of filmmaking.
Cinema students take classes in their major during their freshman year. They also have the opportunity to focus their studies specifically in one area of filmmaking through our system of concentrations, which enables them to become highly proficient in a single discipline and prepares them to step right into a professional situation after graduation. In addition, the focus on collaboration allows students to develop collaborative skills, which are important not only in their careers, but in all aspects of their lives.
The small class size allows me to develop strong relationships with students throughout their four years in the major, and the wealth of equipment and collaborative nature of the program allow us to create a laboratory for students in which they can grow as artists and people throughout their time here. I take immense pleasure in watching that process.
Pittsburgh is a culturally vibrant city and offers students the opportunity to experience film, art, music, theater, etc. from around the world. It's a dynamic urban environment and offers many students their first taste of the fun, excitement and creative energy of a big city.
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text:
Friday, January 22, 2010
A U.S. contractor producing gun sights for the military has been engraving bible verse references on them. Really.
Now, the follow up story is that this company has voluntarily decided to stop doing this which, in my opinion, at least upgrades the execs from 'underpants on the head loony tunes' to 'capable of comprehending the concept of organizational meltdown,' so, well done execs.
However, doesn't it sort of beg the question of how this whole idea became a reality in the first place? Was there some top level think-tank meeting where they were tossing over ideas?
Think 1: Dang. Our gun sights lack economic diversity. It's tough out there guys, and, yes there's war and mayhem the world around but what if peace breaks out? What then? I mean we have to be prepared for a downturn just like everyone else.
Think 2: Oooh! I hadn't thought of that! I mean sure it's never happened in the history of ever, EVER, that the world has totally been at peace and no one has been contemplating offense or defense and not one nation has felt the need to beef up their military, BUT! You know, there's Google now, and Twitter, and while those particular bits of tech are currently aiding tremendously in global misunderstanding and lack of communication you JUST NEVER KNOW. We need something on our product that says we do peace as well as war!
So... what - let's engrave Bible verse references on gun sights? Brilliant! It not only gives credence and support to those who argue that Western armies are in the Middle East as Christian crusaders, also, as the Church of England said in a statement to the Guardian: "People of all faiths and none are being killed and injured in these conflicts, on all sides, and any suggestion that this is being done in the name of the Bible would be deeply worrying to many Christians."
On the other hand, they've managed to offend not one or two creeds, but pretty much every last belief system possible, which is some darn impressive stupidity.
Well done chaps.
6 comments:
- Anonymous said...
Nothing honors the Prince of Peace quite like an uplifting message on a gun sight.
- child 2 said...
ahh, i feel absolved...BLAM!
hmm, i feel cleansed...BLAM!
ah, now this poses a philosophical question which i must ponder...BLAMBLAMBLAM!!! dick chesney on a duck hunt!
- Anonymous said...
It seems that "Truth" is almost always aligned with war and perhaps its primary cause. Congratulations on your return to school--learning new things (or even old things) is the best part of being human.
- Anonymous said...
You may probably be very curious to know how one can manage to receive high yields on investments.
There is no need to invest much at first.
You may begin earning with a money that usually is spent
for daily food, that's 20-100 dollars.
I have been participating in one company's work for several years,
and I'll be glad to share my secrets at my blog.
Please visit blog and send me private message to get the info.
P.S. I earn 1000-2000 per day now.
http://theinvestblog.com [url=http://theinvestblog.com]Online Investment Blog[/url]
- child said...
hey, quit spamming my moms blog
- Child 1 said...
Ooh just found a use for the holy sights. Death to spammers!!!


text:
I got the idea for this tart many years ago from Maury Rubin's Book of Tarts, and it has become a favorite of Flour customers. In the book, Rubin offers myriad creative, unconventional fillings for tarts, including the idea of recreating the popular Milky Way candy bar in tart form. For the Flour version, I make a buttery caramel (which is a pretty amazing ice cream or dessert sauce in its own right) and layer it on a sweet tart shell. Then I pile on a mound of light, fluffy milk chocolate mousse that has a hint of coffee flavor to give it extra depth and to keep it from being too sweet. More caramel is drizzled on top, and a shower of milk chocolate curls finishes it off. Of course, the finished tart tastes far better than any candy bar!–Joanne Chang
LC Just Gained Five Pounds While Reading This Recipe Note
Oh, whatever. This luscious tart is worth it. It's also worth the overnight restraint required for the mousse to set. And if you're too distracted by thoughts of this uber-airy tart (or the untold calories it certainly contains) to patiently make Chang's decadent caramel, you could cheat and use an already made caramel sauce. But don't you dare rely on just any old brown goo in a glass jar. Only the finest caramel sauce will do.
Milky Way Tart
- Quick Glance
- Serves 8 to 10
- For the milk chocolate mousse
- 5 ounces milk chocolate, chopped
- 2 cups (1 pint) heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons instant coffee powder
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- For the caramel filling
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- For the tart
- 1 baked and cooled 10-inch Pâte Sucrée tart shell
- 3 to 4 inch slab milk chocolate, at warm room temperature, for decorting
- Make the mousse
- 1. Place the chocolate in a small heatproof bowl. In a medium saucepan, combine the cream and instant coffee powder and heat over medium-high heat until the mixture is scalded, which means when bubbles start to form around the edge of the pan but the cream is not boiling.
- 2. Immediately pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate and let stand for about 1 minute. Then whisk gently until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a small container, stir in the salt, cover tightly, and refrigerate until it is absolutely, completely chilled, at least 8 hours and up to 3 days. A few hours is not enough. (Because the cream has been heated, it will not whip properly unless it is very cold.)
- Make the caramel filling
- 3. Place the sugar in the bottom of a medium saucepan and slowly pour in the water. Stir gently to moisten the sugar. If any sugar crystals are clinging to the sides of the pan, brush them down with a pastry brush dipped in water. Place the pan over medium-high heat and leave it undisturbed until the mixture comes to a rolling boil. (You want to avoid crystallization of the syrup, which can happen if the pan is disturbed before the sugar starts to color.) Then continue to boil rapidly without moving the pan until the sugar syrup starts to caramelize. This will take 3 to 4 minutes: the sugar syrup will boil furiously; then as it thickens, it will boil more languidly; and then you will see some of the syrup starting to color and darken around the edge of the pan.
- 4. When you see color in the pan, gently swirl it in a circular motion so the sugar caramelizes evenly. The syrup will start to turn golden brown, and then as you swirl the pan, the syrup will continue to get a bit darker and then darker still. To check the true color of the caramel, tilt the pan so you can see the syrup covering the bottom. This is the actual color of the caramel, and you want to keep cooking the caramel until this layer is a deep amber-brown. It takes just seconds for caramel to go from great to burnt, so be sure to tilt and check constantly.
- 5. As soon as the caramel is ready, slowly add the cream and then reduce the heat to low. Be careful. The steam that rises when the cream hits the caramel is extremely hot. Let the caramel and cream sputter for a few seconds until the mixture settles down, and then whisk to mix in the cream. Turn the heat up to medium and whisk together the caramel and cream (the mixture will have hardened a bit) for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they come together. Whisk in the butter, salt, and vanilla. Remove from the heat, pour into an airtight heatproof container, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 1 week.
- Assemble the tart
- 6. Place the tart shell on a flat plate. Spread about three-fourths of the caramel filling evenly in the bottom of the tart shell. Using a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment or a hand-held mixer or a whisk, whip the mousse on medium speed until it holds soft peaks. Mound the mousse in the tart shell, and spread it evenly over the caramel filling. Drizzle the remaining one-fourth caramel filling in a crisscross pattern on top of the mousse. Using the back of a small knife or a vegetable peeler, shave curls from the milk chocolate slab. (Make sure the chocolate is slightly warm, or you will get splinters instead of curls.) Decorate the tart with the curls. Refrigerate the tart for at least 30 minutes before serving. (The tart can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours.)
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria. We'd love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.


text:
Leaving Long Island ...and Other Departures
Paperback, 260 Pages
Price: $16.95
Prints in 3-5 business days
'Leaving Long Island' is the story of a woman whose life experience includes the loss of a child, the explosive end of a long marriage, and the discovery of a genetic inheritance endemic to the Ashkenazi Jewish population. This second-half-of-life memoir is a compelling narrative of both pain and happy second chances. Fern Kupfer's work has appeared in Newsweek, Redbook, Family Circle, Woman's Day, The Women's Review of Books, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Parents and Cosmopolitan magazines. She recently retired from Iowa State University where she taught creative writing. For more than a decade, her popular column "Mothering " and "A Certain Age" appeared regularly in the Long Island newspaper, Newsday. She was the recipient for the Myrtle Wreath Award by the Nassau County Hadassah, the largest women's philanthropy in the nation.
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Product Details
- 9781105535871
- Copyright
- Fern Kupfer (Standard Copyright License)
- Edition
- First Edition
- Publisher
- Culicidae Press, LLC
- Published
- June 1, 2012
- Language
- English
- Pages
- 260
- Binding
- Perfect-bound Paperback
- Interior Ink
- Black & white
- Weight
- 0.99 lbs.
- Dimensions (inches)
- 6 wide x 9 tall
- Product ID
- 20161376
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Our new kerastyle Silver Glass Beads with Austrian Crystal Accents are part of the kerastyle Style Bead Collection and are created with a silver core.
These kerastyle Silver Glass Beads with Austrian Crystal Accents are interchangeable with other popular style Bead Bracelets such as Zable, European, Troll, SimStars, lovebeads and many others.
Material: Adamantine Polished glass bead, Austrian Crystal Accents, 925 sterling silver core;
Core: with sterling silver single core (the weight of the sterling silver core is 0.36g);
Hole Size: 4.5 mm;
Stamped: with stamped 925.
Match sterling silver beads, fit European bead bracelet, 925 silver bracelet, European charms,
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All the beads accept the customization for your special demand,
you can match the beads:
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B) with the sterling silver single core with stamped 925;
C) with the sterling silver double core with stamped 925;
D) with the silver plated core without stamped 925.
For more details of European czech beads pls contact us.


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This author will respond to buyers' questions and provides support through support system.
Additional information from Dulisa1:
Hey there!
We provide friendly one-to-one based support, through dedicated support system. Or you can contact us threw our Profile Page.
We do our best to respond to your concerns within 24 hours whenever possible (except for the weekends).
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Baked Whole Wheat Flatbread with Olive Oil and Za'atar
I love this delicious whole wheat flatbread, which can be made with or without Za'atar!
Yesterday I shared the recipe for 100% White Whole Wheat Bread with Olive Oil from Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day. That recipe makes bread dough which can be stored in the fridge and used later, and I promised that today I'd show what I made with the rest of my dough. The book has several recipes for flatbread that look tasty, and I used the flatbread suggestions from Zoe and Jeff to make this Whole Wheat Flatbread with Za'atar.
My rolling pin skills aren't really up to par, but I was still pretty happy with how the flatbread turned out. It turned out to be an effective way to deliver hummus to your mouth, and I think it would also taste good dipped into hot soup.
Flatbread would be great with Tuna Mousse, Deviled Ham Spread, White Bean Dip, or Parsley Hummus.
Baked Whole Wheat Flatbread with Olive Oil and Za'atar
(Makes one flatbread about 8″ x 11″ and 1/4″ thick, probably about 4 servings as a snack, dough recipe and flatbread instructions adapted from Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day.)
To make this flatbread, I used chilled dough made with recipe for 100% White Whole Wheat Bread with Olive Oil. Other dough can probably be used.
1 grapefruit-sized piece of chilled dough
1-2 T olive oil for brushing flatbread
1-2 tsp. Za'atar for sprinkling on flatbread (see note)
flour, for dusting bread and to prevent it from sticking if needed
Break off a grapefruit-sized piece of chilled dough, dust with flour, and place on cutting board or silicone baking mat to roll out dough. (I will definitely be buying a silicone mat to make this next time. If you don't have one, you'll need some flour under the flatbread.)
Roll the dough out so it's about 1/4 inch thick and fits the size of your baking sheet. Preheat oven to 450F/230C and if you have a baking stone, put it in the oven to heat. Cut a piece of parchment the same size as the baking sheet, and put flatbread on the parchment and place on baking sheet.
Use your fingers or the end of something to make small dimples in the dough to catch olive oil. (I used the end of my rolling pin.) Brush the surface of the dough with olive oil, then sprinkle with Za'atar. Let dough rest 15-20 minutes while the oven heats.
Bake flatbread until it's browned and cooked through. Baking time will depend on the thickness of your dough, but I baked mine for 17 minutes. Let flatbread cool for a few minutes, then cut into strips to serve.
I ate this with hummus, but it would also be delicious served with other types of dip, used to dip in soup, and would be perfect to use to make Fattoush.
Note: Za'atar from The Spice House is a blend Sumac, thyme, hyssop, white sesame seed, and Greek oregano. Other blends are often used, and it can also be spelled Zahtar, Zaatar or Zatar.
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Recipe for Making Za'atar and 5 Recipes Using Za'atar from Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska
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Za'atar Pita Chips from Chocolate and Zucchini
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Fact Sheet
SAFETY 101: AMPUTATIONSWhat are the sources of amputations in the workplace?Amputations are some of the most serious and debilitating workplace injuries. They are widespread and involve a variety of activities and equipment. Amputations occur most often when workers operate unguarded or inadequately safeguarded mechanical power presses, power press brakes, powered and non-powered conveyors, printing presses, roll-forming and rollbending machines, food slicers, meat grinders, meat-cutting band saws, drill presses, and milling machines as well as shears, grinders, and slitters. These injuries also happen during materials handling activities and when using forklifts and doors as well as trash compactors and powered and non-powered hand tools. Besides normal operation, the following activities involving stationary machines also expose workers to potential amputation hazards: setting up, threading, preparing, adjusting, cleaning, lubricating, and maintaining machines as well as clearing jams.What types of machine components are hazardous?The following types of mechanical componentspresent amputation hazards: Point of operation - the area of a machine where it performs work on material. Power-transmission apparatuses - flywheels, pulleys, belts, chains, couplings, spindles, cams, and gears in addition to connecting rods and other machine components that transmit energy. Other moving parts - machine components that move during machine operation such as reciprocating, rotating, and transverse moving parts as well as auxiliary machine parts.What kinds of mechanical motion are hazardous?All mechanical motion is potentially hazardous. In addition to in-running nip points ("pinch points") - which occur when two parts move together and at least one moves in a rotary or circular motion that gears, rollers, belt drives, and pulleys generate - the following are the most common types of hazardous mechanical motion: Rotating - circular movement of couplings, cams, clutches, flywheels, and spindles as well as shaft ends and rotating collars that may grip clothing or otherwise force a body part into a dangerous location. Reciprocating - back-and-forth or up-and down action that may strike or entrap a worker between a moving part and a fixed object. Transversing - movement in a straight, continuous line that may strike or catch a worker in a pinch or shear point created between the moving part and a fixed object. Cutting - action generated during sawing, boring, drilling, milling, slicing, and slitting. Punching - motion resulting when a machine moves a slide (ram) to stamp or blank metal or other material. Shearing - movement of a powered slide or knife during metal trimming or hearing. Bending - action occurring when power is applied to a slide to draw or form metal or other materials.Are there any OSHA standards that cover amputation hazards in the workplace?Yes. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has the following standards in Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) to protect workers from amputations in the workplace: 29 CFR Part 1910 Subparts O and P cover machinery and machine guarding. 29 CFR 1926 Subpart I covers hand tools and powered tools. 29 CFR Part 1928 Subpart D covers agricultural equipment. 29 CFR Part 1915 Subparts C, H, and J; 29 CFR Part 1917 Subparts B, C, and G; and 29 CFR Part 1918 Subparts F, G, and H cover maritime operations.What can employers do to help protect workers from amputations?You should be able to recognize, identify, manage, and control amputation hazards commonly found in the workplace such as those caused by mechanical components of machinery, the mechanical motion that occurs in or near these components, and the activities that workers perform during mechanical operation. Work practices, employee training, and administrative controls can help prevent and control amputation hazards. Machine safeguarding with the following equipment is the best way to control amputations caused by stationary machinery: Guards provide physical barriers that prevent access to hazardous areas. They should be secure and strong, and workers should not be able to bypass, remove, or tamper with them. Guards should not obstruct the operator's view or prevent employees from working. Devices help prevent contact with points of operation and may replace or supplement guards. Devices an interrupt the normal cycle of the machine when the operator's hands are at the point of operation, prevent the operator from reaching into the point of operation, or withdraw the operator's hands if they approach the point of operation when the machine cycles. They must allow safe lubrication and maintenance and not create hazards or interfere with normal machine operation. In addition, they should be secure, tamperresistant, and durable. You are responsible for safeguarding machines and should consider this need when purchasing machinery. New machinery is usually available with safeguards installed by the manufacturer. You can also purchase appropriate safeguards separately or build them in-house.Are certain jobs particularly hazardous for some employees?Yes. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Secretary of Labor has designated certain nonfarm jobs as specially hazardous for employees under the age of 18. These workers generally are prohibited from operating band saws, circular saws, guillotine shears, punching and shearing machines, meatpacking or meat-processing machines, paper products machines, woodworking machines, metal-forming machines, and meat slicers. How can I get more information? You can find more information about amputations, including the full text of OSHA's standards, by using the "search" function on OSHA's website at www.osha.gov. In addition, publications explaining the subject of amputations in greater detail are available from OSHA. Concepts and Techniques of Machine Safeguarding (OSHA 3067) and Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout) (OSHA 3120) are available on OSHA's website.A Guide for Protecting Workers from Woodworking Hazards (OSHA 3157) is available on OSHA's website at http://www.osha.gov/Publications/woodworking_hazards/osha3157.html.
U.S. Dept. of Labor, OSHA


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Are you ready for the most shocking plot twist in Battlestar Galactica's final season? Will you know what to expect in the final two seasons of Lost? Can you see the writing on the wall for a budding romance on Jericho? Reading spoilers isn't just a guilty pleasure, it's all about being prepared for every eventuality. Click through to start pulling together your spoiler preparedness kit.
- Here's another source repeating the rumor that the Battlestar Galactica finds Earth... but it's Earth in our 22nd. century. And there will be a twist of "M. Night Shyamalan proportions." And someone important, maybe Starbuck, dies (again.) Take this with a grain of salt, especially since the source believes Tricia Helfer played Xena. (I'm glad it wasn't us making that mistake!) [SpoilerGeeks]
- In Journey to the Center of the Earth, Brendan Fraser's character (Trevor Anderson) has lost his brother, who believed absolutely that Jules Verne's book was true. And so Fraser takes his nephew, the missing brother's son, on a quest for the missing Max Anderson, using the book as a guide. [IESB]
Another day, another batch of Lost spoilers. Kate and Sawyer don't patch up their recent quarrel any time in the next few weeks. Next week's episode is a Juliet-centric episode, in which all of Juliet's flashbacks take place on the island... and the actor playing Charles Widmore guest stars. Also, Juliet has to make a dangerous trip to the Orchid Station, a facility conducting "highly volatile and potentially dangerous" research. She has to trek through a field full of skeletons. And Juliet initiates a kiss with Jack! [E! Online]
- More Lost spoilers: season four is about who gets off the island. Season five is about why the Oceanic Six have to go back to the island, and season six is about what happens when these characters get back to the island. And one of the Oceanic Six will die while off the island. [Spoilerati]
- And here's another clip from this week's Lost episode:
- On Jericho, Major Beck will feel betrayed by both Heather (whom he has some romantic tension with) and Jake (whom he hand-picked to be sheriff.) In the case of Jake, the Major may break out the Guantanamo-style interrogation techniques to get the bottom of things. But when it comes to Heather, there will probably just be pouting. [E! Online again]
- Here's some dialogue from the March 7 Stargate: Atlantis episode, "The Last Man": Sheppard: Somebody turned up the heat. Hello? If this is a surprise party, it's not my birthday. Sheppard (cont'd into comm): This is Sheppard, anyone read? I repeat, this is Sheppard, anyone on this channel?. Sheppard (cont'd): All right, this is either the most elaborate practical joke of all time, or I'm in serious trouble here. Sheppard (cont'd into comm): This is Sheppard, anyone on this frequency? McKay (v/o over comm): Sheppard, is that really you? Sheppard (into comm): McKay? McKay (v/o over comm): I can't believe it. It actually worked! Sheppard (into comm): What are you talking about? What the hell is going on here? McKay(v/o over comm): Iimagine you're a little confused right now. God, for you, like, what, five minutes has passed? Sheppard (into comm): Rodney! [Gateworld]


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In the early 1930s, before Social Security was created, many older Americans were destitute or depended on help from family and friends for basic needs like food and shelter.
Today, Social Security is the nation's single most important anti-poverty tool – lifting about 21.4 million people of all ages out of poverty. Social Security lifts about 35 percent of older Americans (almost 14.5 million) out of poverty by providing a regular, guaranteed retirement income. Thanks to Social Security, only about 8.7 percent of Americans aged 65 and over-and many of these are not beneficiaries-fall below the Census Bureau's poverty thresholds .
Older women in particular benefit from Social Security's monthly benefits. Without it, about 48% of women would fall below the poverty line. But when Social Security benefits are included in family income, the percent in poverty falls to about 11%. Older women are more at risk of poverty than men because women often have lower earnings, lower pensions, and are more likely to have interrupted their careers to care for family members. Lower average earnings over a career leads to lower Social Security benefits, less savings, and smaller (if any) pensions.
Some point out that we do not really know how many seniors would be in poverty today if Social Security did not exist. In the absence of Social Security, people might change their behavior. They might work longer, and/or they might save more, if they couldn't count on Social Security.
But consider this. To buy a monthly annuity payment equal to $957.50 per month, which is the federal poverty guideline for a single person in 2013, a retiree would likely have to lay out a couple hundred thousand dollars in cash, depending on prevailing interest rates and her age and marital status.
Without Social Security, would most workers actually save enough to escape poverty or live independently? It's hard to answer this question, although the evidence-Americans' disappointingly low savings rates and our history of high poverty rates before Social Security-suggests many people wouldn't save enough. In addition, some researchers have found a strong causal role for Social Security in reducing poverty among the elderly.
The Social Security program faces a long-term financial shortfall, as the recent Trustees' report highlighted. If Congress does not act to address this shortfall, benefits could be reduced by about 25 percent across-the-board starting in 2033. If this were to happen, no doubt poverty rates among seniors would rise. This shortfall should be addressed soon. Solvency alone, however, should not be the only goal of Social Security reform. Future retirees face the daunting challenge of diminished pensions, lower savings, and longer life expectancies. Given these larger challenges, changes to strengthen the program's financing must also ensure that benefits remain adequate so that Social Security can continue to help provide a secure retirement, especially for low and moderate income retirees.
Alison Shelton is a Senior Strategic Policy Advisor on the Economic Security Team in the AARP Public Policy Institute. She is responsible for research and analyses of policy issues relating to Social Security and retirement security.


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The Apache ActiveMQ Project is pleased to announce the availability of Apollo 1.4. ActiveMQ Apollo is a faster, more reliable, easier to maintain messaging broker built from the foundations of the original ActiveMQ.
This release fixes several bugs especially around Openwire and WebSockets and introduces a few improvements like:
- [APLO-206] - Load balance of job queues when 'credit:1,0' is used on the consumer.
- [APLO-212] - Allow topic deletion via the REST API
For further information see:
Feedback is always welcomed!


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LONDON (AP) — The BBC says it is turning J.K. Rowling's first novel for adults into a television drama.
"The Casual Vacancy" is a darkly humorous saga of modern British life in which a local council election unleashes rivalries and resentments in a small town.
The novel is Rowling's first full-length book since she finished the "Harry Potter" saga in 2007. It was published in September to mixed reviews but topped best-seller charts.
BBC drama controller Ben Stephenson called the book "an extraordinary tapestry of modern Britain" full of "humor, social commentary and above all fantastic characters."
Rowling said the BBC was the "perfect home" for her story.
The BBC said Monday that the adaptation is due to air in 2014. The number of episodes has yet to be decided.


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March 4, 2013
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The No. 23/24-ranked Florida State women's basketball had a league-high three players capture All-ACC First Team honors as the ACC announced its all-conference team on Monday.
Senior guards Alexa Deluzio and Leonor Rodriguez and junior forward Natasha Howard were named to the 10-member Blue Ribbon Panel First Team, while senior forward Chasity Clayton became the first Seminole to ever be named ACC Sixth Player of the Year.
Three first-team award winners is an FSU record.
"This season has been a true team effort so it's fitting that four of our upperclassmen and leaders have earned these awards from the ACC," Florida State head coach Sue Semrau said. "I'm so proud of each of them. After the season we had a year ago, this team was determined to right the ship and these four players led the charge."
The Seminoles finished fourth in the ACC for the ninth time since 2001 with an 11-7 mark in conference play and a 21-8 overall record.
As the No. 4 seed, FSU has a bye in this week's ACC Tournament and will face the winner of Miami/Virginia Tech on Friday in the quarterfinals at 11 a.m.
The ACC coaches also selected Deluzio and Rodriguez for the Head Coaches All-ACC First Team, while Howard was named to the Coaches Second Team. The Sixth Player of the Year award was only voted on by the coaches.
Both the Blue Ribbon Panel of media members and sports information directors and the coaches selected a 10-member first team and a five-member second team.
Rodriguez leads Florida State and ranks fourth in the conference in scoring (15.8 points per game), while also averaging 3.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals with a shooting percentage of 48 percent on field goal attempts, 37 percent on three-pointers and 79 percent at the free throw line.
"Leo has improved as much as any player we've ever had here," Semrau said. "I've seen the work she has put in for four years, day-after-day, and she has been a flat-out star this season. She's been a joy to coach."
She has 25 double-figure scoring games, including 10 20-point contests. During a February stretch Rodriguez became the first Seminole to score 20 points in three straight games in five years and her field goal percentage (.484) is the highest by any guard in the "Big Six" conferences.
This season, Rodriguez scored 28 points against Iowa in Tallahassee, shot a perfect 8-for-8 en route to 22 points against Eastern Kentucky in Puerto Rico, hung 24 points and went 4-of-4 from three at Nebraska and scored 21, 26 and 22 points in consecutive games against Miami, NC State and No. 14 North Carolina in February.
Deluzio ranks second on the Seminoles in scoring (14.0 ppg) and first in three-pointers (48), while also averaging 4.7 rebounds and shooting 44 percent from the floor, 36 percent from three and 77 percent from the free throw line.
"Lex has been a starter for three years," Semrau said. "Last season she played out of position for us at point guard, but this year has been able to really excel in her natural shooting guard spot and the results have spoken for themselves."
She ranks 10th in the ACC in scoring and free throw percentage and has 22 double-figure outputs, including five 20-point games.
Deluzio scored 25 points and grabbed 12 rebounds against Boston College in December to grab ACC Player of the Week honors on Dec. 31. She matched a career-best with six three-pointers against Virginia on Sunday.
Howard captures All-ACC honors for the third consecutive year. The Toledo, Ohio, native was named to the All-Freshman Team in 2011 as well as the All-ACC Third Team in 2012.
Howard has registered 11 double-doubles this season and averaged 13.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 1.5 blocks, while shooting 51 percent from the floor.
"Natasha just does it all for us – rebounding, defending, scoring, you name it," Semrau said. "We've been able to count on her for a double-double nearly every night the past two years so it's no surprise she's received this honor."
She ranks fourth in the conference in blocks and also is among the top 15 in the league in scoring, rebounds, steals and field goal percentage.
Howard had 18 points and an ACC-best 18 rebounds at Georgia Tech in January and had 20-point games versus Miami and Stetson.
Clayton averages 10.2 points and 4.8 rebounds per contest, while shooting 50 percent from the floor in 21 minutes per game. A versatile and athletic player, Clayton made nine starts this season, but did most of her damage coming off the bench with her ability to play on the wing and in the post.
"Chasity has been a starter on and off for most of her career and this year," Semrau said. "She's one of the top athletes we've had here at Florida State and it's that versatility allows her to play multiple positions. It's a mark of our team's depth and success that she has been able to shine in her role off the bench."
She opened the season with a 20-point, ACC-best 18-rebound effort against Samford and also scored 21 points against both Eastern Kentucky and UNCG.
Deluzio, Rodriguez and Howard join Cierra Bravard (2011), Jacinta Monroe (2010), Roneeka Hodges (2005), Brooke Wyckoff (2001) and Tia Paschal (1993) as the only All-ACC First Team honorees in FSU history.
Rodriguez, Howard, Deluzio and Clayton Capture ACC WBB Digest Honors, Too
Rodriguez and Deluzio were named to ACC Women's Basketball Digest's Second Team All-ACC Team, while Howard picked up All-ACC Third Team honors from the publication as well as All-ACC Defensive Team honors. Additionally, Rodriguez was named ACC Surprise Player of the Year, while Clayton nabbed Sixth Player of the Year honors. ACC WBB Digest had five-member First, Second and Third Teams.
For more information on Florida State women's basketball, follow the Seminoles on Twitter @FSU_WBasketball and like their official Facebook page.


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Think your iPhone 3G needs some sprucing up? Hate that the chrome bezel of the iPhone 3G scratches too easily? Well, for those who are wealthy beyond even the most wildest dreams, you can now get the diamond edition of the iPhone 3G. With only 50 being made worldwide, it'll cost $10,000 for the first 10 customers with the other 40 being priced at a later point.
Here's the lowdown on the diamonds:
- 475 Diamonds
- Brilliant Cut
- Color: F
- Clarity: VVS
- Carat 3.75ct
Oy! Talk about excessive, at least the diamonds rock. So, who's going to be the first to team the $10,000 iPhone with the $1,000 app? Any takers?


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Re: But in "." command
OOPS: That should be "Bug in '.' command", not "But...." Sorry about that.
There is an intermitent problem with the "." (repeat) command in ViEmu/VS. I am converting a large Visual Basic project from Oracle the SQL Server, and I have to update many of the embedded SQL statements. One such SQL feature that must be converted is to rename the NVL() function to ISNULL(). It's an easy change, and one that is perfect for the "." command. When my cursor is at the start of NVL(), I just type:
(Of course, "<ESC>" means the escape key.) Then I move to the next NVL() in the code and press ".", and it converts to ISNULL() expected. Great.
However, there are times when I convert the first NVL() and then use the "." on the next one, and nothing changes. The only thing that happens is that the cursor moves to the left one position. At those times I have to issue the "cw" command for every change I want to make. I also noticed that other repetitive changes that I had used "." for in the past no longer work.
At some later time, everything will start working again. I have not determined a cause. I have no special add-ins in Visual Studio. I am using VS2005 on Windows XP Pro with all applied updates. I am working within a standard VB code window. I can't think of anything I am doing that is non-standard, as I am spending my entire day just modifying existing code. I'm not even building or running the code at this point.
There must be some flag within ViEmu that is causing "." to interpret things differently, or that is causing your special buffer-analysis code to read the changes differently. Thanks for checking this.
Last edited by timaki (2006-10-18 15:31:34)


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By Kelli B. Grant
Consumers may now have a new home for all those CDs currently collecting dust or serving as drink coasters – Amazon.
The online retailer announced Wednesday that has added CDs to the list of items it allows shoppers to trade, which includes books, video games, DVDs and electronics. Sellers get a free shipping label to mail in their items, and receive store credit based on quality of the discs. Just how much credit customers can expect to get remains unclear; at press time, Amazon's trade-in page had not yet been updated to allow CD entries. (Amazon.com did not respond to requests for comment.) But retail experts say CDs could fetch as much as $2 to $3 apiece. "If I still owned any CDs, I'd turn them in," says Dan Rayburn, a principal analyst for Frost & Sullivan. "Really, who else wants old CDs?"
It's unlikely Amazon does either, say experts. "There's just not that big a market for used CDs," says Randy Allen, an associate dean at Cornell University's Johnson Graduate School of Management. Instead, Allen and other experts say Amazon is hoping the service will eventually translate to more purchases — and more loyal customers. Studies have shown that when consumers redeem gift cards or credit, they tend to spend 40% more than the value of that credit.
Experts say it also sets up Amazon as a go-to vendor for that dwindling market of CD buyers, who could soon see more selection and lower prices for used discs on the site.
To get the best deal, consumers can copy songs from the discs to their computer for free before selling, Rayburn says. A low sale price is still the equivalent of a free MP3 or two. Although Amazon.com is the only big name buying back CDs right now, experts say it's also worth comparing prices on trade-in sites such as Buy Back Media, SecondSpin.com and Ultimate Buy Back.
Consumers may find, however, that much of their music isn't eligible. Most CD trade-in sites — as well as Amazon's DVD trade-ins — require the seller to include the case with its artwork and UPC code. Scratched discs may also be rejected. So music fans who ditched jewel cases in favor of a "CD wallet" or didn't keep their collection in pristine condition are likely stuck with it until their next yard sale.


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Any sort of niche community wants to have its own news source. The problem with mass media is, well inherent to the description right there, it's mass. So, of course you are always going to go with the common denominator in terms of what you are going to write, because that is going to actually get the most eyeballs, which is going to be able to sell the most advertising. I think that for BBSs, as a good start, one of the things that knit that together was shared communities of people that wanted to talk about something that wasn't going to be talked about by the mainstream press.
On some of the BBSs that I hung out on, there was this dude who was a complete and total freak show. He was one of those guys that thought the earth is 4500 years old and it's flat. Obviously, he's got somewhat of a different view on life. The thing that he was really good at was soldering. He would talk a lot on the BBSs about how he had re-soldered his modem to get more bps out of it. It's not like you were going to find that in the local newspaper, or anything like that. And it was really only the creation of things like BBSs that actually allowed that stuff to happen.
So, yes I think that the desire by a community of people to want to have news that is specific to their interests is one of the drivers for it. Especially in the early days of Slashdot, any mainstream article that mentioned the word Linux, we would post something about it. Because, it got this kind of push-pull that you want in this niche community, and you want this niche news, but you also want the validation of the mass news as well.
My firmly held belief is that every niche no matter how small, no matter how bizarre your particular thing that you care a lot about is, there are other people out there who really want to talk about it as well. It's just that there has been no scalable way to make it happen before the Internet. The '80s and the '70s had zines, that was all good, but you had to know that the zine existed, you had to know where to write to subscribe to it.
What the Internet really brought us is the ability to do that en masse. I think that one of the other factors for creating Slashdot or creating other niche communities is a necessity issue. The cold hard reality is that Rob and I lived in Holland, Michigan, which is not exactly a burgeoning tech hub of the United States. If we wanted to have an environment to be able to talk with people who knew what open source was, much less had an informed opinion about it; we had to create a community to do that. And of course we wanted that community to exist, so we stumbled into taking a first stab at making that sort of community.
it reached the point where there was enough people who knew about it, and there was enough money to be made with it that it got the attention of the world. I think part of why it got so much attention is people were genuinely interested in why these engineers were writing code and not charging for it. I think that where part of that attention came from was trying to understand this new model in this new approach to things as well.
If that hadn't happened, if there hadn't been that question of what motivated these people to do this, it wouldn't have brought near the attention that it did.
The other thing that helped is that open source became known at the same time that the ability to have a discussion, or the ability to post news also became a far more open process. That is one of the interesting cross fertilizations. Sites like Slashdot were pursuing information gathering in discussions in a way that was very similar to what was happening with open source. Mainstream news was in many ways very similar to how most software was developed. There was a serendipity in that.
I think that the partisan nature of media as it exists now, was actually a return to form. That has been the state of media for many, many, many years. If you look at Hearst and the yellow papers that helped start the Spanish-American War, [they] show that. If you were a newspaper tycoon and you had an angle that you wanted to follow, you could make that happen. in the late '40s through the '90s or so, we got this idea of objective journalism, and everything is neutral. I think that is going to be seen as more as an aberration than as the generalized state of things.
I think that the reason it existed, is because you had a number of semi-monopolies in competition with each other. And, you had a broad-based advertising world that you could sell stuff through, but nobody had enough metrics to know whether this advertising was working or not. So, they got all sorts of money.
As depressing as it is, I guess I think that the current state of media, the partisanship, I don't think that this is a temporary state. I think that this is normal. Humans are kind of defined by the whole concept of, us versus them. I think that we return to that almost all the time.
Yeah, yeah. You say cynic, I say pragmatic realist. I should add that it is very possible that I am just incredibly jaundiced and cynical about the entire world of media having spent as much time in it as I have. Maybe this is my equivalent of standing on the porch in a T-shirt telling those blasted kids to get the hell off my lawn. I don't know. I think I'm right, but then again I would think I'm right, wouldn't I?
In the long run more and more niche communities will continue to spring up, if the tools and platforms are there. A few years ago the FBI arrested a bunch of grandmothers who were pirating quilting patterns on the Internet. I mean, that's when you know your niche community has arrived, when the FBI is taking your grandma to jail for pirating quilting patterns.
All kidding aside, what that does mean is that the tools got to the point where the grandmothers were pirating quilting patterns with each other. So, I think you will see more and more groups, communities like that forming. If I were working in a general media world that would terrify the hell out of me, because that's where people are going to go to get their news. And I think over time it has, and will continue to supplant traditional media.
When we started Slashdot, the tools didn't exist — we had to build them. That was a barrier to entry for anyone, there is no way there was going to be a Slashdot for quilting in 1998. Because none of the quilters were going to write a CMS system to do it. I think that there has been a whole suite of tools that have come along that have made these things viable to do. One of the biggest things that made continued growth of Slashdot possible was the introduction of Google AdWords. Prior to AdWords you were completely beholden to these reseller networks, which made used-car salesman look like Mother Teresa.
And so, particularly for a lot of these niche sites and the smaller social media sites, the reality is that you can make some money. Probably not enough that you're going to be able to build your solid gold rocket car. But, enough that you can support some of it. It just means that there's going to be more and more of it. In the long run that is a good thing. That is exactly what should happen. I don't think that this is new. That this is exactly what happened with the introduction of the printing press.
If you look at the French and American revolutions, and the amount of pamphleteering that was done, that was basically social media. You could go down to the printer and say, I want 500 copies of this made, distribute it, and have people talk about what you're doing. It's just you were constrained within a local geography. And now, we can do it across the whole world. Which I guess, because you can get across the whole world, means you can have even more weird subgroups get together and find their community,. And isn't that a fine, fine thing?