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I then checked Technorati and I think that some new readers must be visiting from outside Singapore, thanks to my blog having been placed on Priscilla Palmer's Amazing Personal Growth List.
Priscilla's list looks like an attempt to compile the world's best personal development blogs. The list has some quite well-known personalities (I mean, well-known in the offline world too), including Tom Peters, Seth Godin, Marianne Williamson and Scott Adams.
As for me, well, I'm just "Mr Wang" as usual, LOL. And I'm probably on the list just for my many "Thought Affects Reality" (TAR) posts back in June and July. After all, on the global scale, no one gives a hoot whether Singapore is building a 4th university or not.
"Personal development" is a wide umbrella term and many different things fall within its ambit. Some are more abstract, some are more evolved, some are more practical and everyday. Examples of PD topics would be time management; goal setting; breaking addictions; career success; spiritual growth; self-knowledge; health & fitness; positive thinking; stress management; service to others etc.
The underlying theme is your self, and how it's going to grow, and get better and better at playing this very interesting game called life. The funny thing is, whatever aspect of personal development interests you most, you will inevitably run smack, in one form or another, back into a central principle - that the results you get in your life depend ultimately on the thoughts you think. And little else.
More succinctly, thought affects reality. And your thoughts create your own reality. Well, you already heard all about it from Mr Wang, back in June and July. So I shall not rehash.
Recently, in a corner of the Internet that I visit now and then, I've been talking to a guy who's about to kill himself (let's call him SD). Actually a bunch of other people have also been talking to SD on the Internet.
We don't know who he is, or where he is, or what his real name is, but he is quite serious about committing suicide (apparently he's already tried to kill himself twice before). Of course we are all trying to talk SD out of it and telling him things like please seek counselling, life is not so bad, there is still hope, the world is beautiful etc.
It's a tough sell, because S is quite determined to kill himself. S didn't come to ask us whether he should or should not kill himself - he actually only came to ask about the implications of suicide from the spiritual / religious point of view.
His general conclusion now is that karma is all nonsense, and God doesn't exist anyway. So suicide has no negative spiritual consequences and he can go ahead and do it. Some posters tried to reason logically with S that even if there is no God, no heaven, no hell etc, suicide is still not a good idea, because life is worth living. As I said, a tough sell.
The odd thing is that S doesn't seem to have any objectively terrible or traumatic event in his life that is driving him to suicide. He isn't bankrupt, he didn't get retrenched, he didn't have a broken relationship, he wasn't blinded or paralysed in a recent accident, his family didn't die in a fire etc. S just thinks that he is a "bad", "evil" person and so he ought to die.
When you ask him why he thinks he's "bad" and "evil", he says that he has no friends, and therefore he must be "bad" or "evil"; either that, or everyone is "bad" and "evil" for not wanting to be friends with him. S also keeps saying that the world is a very bad place and we just don't know it yet, but we will realise it sooner or later and be affected by it (I think he's thinking about stuff like global warming, nuclear war etc).
The scary part is how deeply, how completely, S believes what he's saying. It's a very striking example of how thoughts affect reality. S is deeply entrenched in his own very negative thoughts, and that's what his reality has become right now. We're trying, but we can't get him out. His existence, his reality, his entire world is indeed bad, evil, hopeless and grim - and he made it that way, for himself, through the sheer power of his own thoughts.
That's the same kind of power you have, with your own thoughts. You create your own reality, with what goes on in your mind. So be careful what you think. Make sure you give yourself a good dose of positive thoughts every day.


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No Deer Hunting?
Katherine Kuhn 8/23/2012 11:22:03 AMVery well done, Connie! Never saw a no hunting sign like this, but is makes for a very graphic image! Great color & detail as well. #1481978
Karen E. Michaels 8/23/2012 12:58:02 PMFabulous. #10287149
Dayna Cain 8/23/2012 3:14:54 PMThis is AWESOME! Excellent work Connie! #10287286
Connie J. Bagot 8/23/2012 5:18:20 PMThanks Kathy, Karen, and Dayna. #10287389
Joy Rector 8/24/2012 5:24:19 AMgreat shot #10287983
Connie J. Bagot 8/24/2012 8:00:08 AMThanks Joy. #10288178
Carmody Baker 8/25/2012 6:43:44 AMVery clever Connie. Before I read your caption I thought it read "hunting on" !!! #10289321
Connie J. Bagot 8/25/2012 10:05:21 AMThanks Carmody! #10289570
Chris Ebben 8/26/2012 3:47:06 AMA well thought-up & presented image. Very good work=^..^= #10290512
Connie J. Bagot 8/26/2012 7:28:55 AMThanks Chris. #10290883
Stefania Barbier 9/24/2012 12:36:55 PMfantastic creation... and congratulations! #10336470
Ann Coates 9/24/2012 1:00:51 PMWell thought out and created, congratulations on your fantastic finalist. #10336656
JO ANN CLEVELAND 9/24/2012 1:10:32 PMCongrats on this awesome finalist Connie!
jo ann c. #10336743
Michelle Alton 9/24/2012 2:11:03 PMYou did GREAT, Connie. Beautiful work and imagination. Congratulations on this finalist--soon to be winner! #10337118
Dayna Cain 9/24/2012 3:31:21 PMHUGE congrats on your finalist and yes, future winner! #10337623
The Judges at BetterPhoto.com 9/24/2012 7:31:46 PMWell done! #10338899
Stephen Zacker 9/25/2012 3:35:41 AMHey, I actually agree with the judges LOL! Congratulations on this fun and creative shot #10339599
Connie J. Bagot 9/25/2012 7:40:00 AMThanks all! #10340140
Katherine Kuhn 10/1/2012 6:03:07 PMCongratulations on all your finalists, Connie, BTW saw 2 of these tire signs in UT, so I guess I was in the midwest! #10349623
Connie J. Bagot 10/2/2012 6:43:32 AMThanks Kathy! #10350321
Terry A. Stoa 10/2/2012 8:54:41 AMVery cool Winner - framed so nicely with that old tire. #10350525
Dayna Cain 10/2/2012 9:57:28 AMSince I'm not one to say "I told you so" I'll just say CONGRATULATIONS! Lol Your do amazing work Connie! #10350710
Stefania Barbier 10/2/2012 11:15:39 AMcongratulations on another fantastic winner Connie!!! #10350972
Stephen Zacker 10/2/2012 12:28:40 PMI knew you had a sense of humor! :-) Congratulations #10351171
JudyAnn Rector 10/2/2012 1:18:13 PMLove it, Connie... Congratulations! #10351385
Ann Coates 10/2/2012 2:47:24 PMCongratulations on your fantastic Gold win. #10351662
Michelle Alton 10/2/2012 4:56:22 PMAnother superb winner, Connie. So many congratulations go out to you! Hope you're enjoying today! #10351941
Leslie McLain 10/2/2012 6:48:57 PMCongrats on a fantastic winner, Connie. #10352277
Mary K. Robison 10/2/2012 7:35:28 PMOutstanding DD work!
Ellen Hodges 10/2/2012 9:12:37 PMHuge congrats on a wonderful winner, Connie!!! #10352454
Renee Doyle 10/2/2012 11:07:13 PMWonderful work & mt winner Connie!!! Congratulations!! #10352542
Connie J. Bagot 10/3/2012 6:35:23 AMThanks so much everyone! #10352998
Carmody Baker 10/3/2012 10:44:01 AMI saw this one coming!!! Congratulations. So clever! #10353399
JO ANN CLEVELAND 10/3/2012 6:33:21 PMSo pleased to see this well deserved GOLD AwardConnie !
jo ann c. #10354027
Gail Sullivan 10/6/2012 4:42:17 AMTerrific work, Connie. Congrats! #10357728
Patrick Rouzes 10/7/2012 9:12:39 AMLove it, Connie! CONGRATS on this amazing winner, my friend!
Connie J. Bagot 10/9/2012 7:08:02 AMThank you! #10362002
Merna L. Nobile 10/19/2012 10:08:18 AM
I heard the good news and could not be happier for you! CONGRATULATIONS, Merna
Whenever I see a "no hunting" tire, I always think how funny (to me, if to no one else!) it would be to catch an animal in the frame of it....so I created it digitally with a combination of several images.
Exif: F Number: 8, Exposure Bias Value: 0.00, ExposureTime: 1/1250 seconds, Flash: did not fire, compulsory flash mode, ISO: 160, White balance: Auto white balance, FocalLength: 100.00 mm, Model: Canon EOS 5D
Uploaded on 8/23/2012 9:03:03 AM
Copyright for this gallery photo belongs solely to Connie J. Bagot. Images may not be copied, downloaded, or used in any way without the expressed, written permission of the photographer.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Meet Mr. and Mrs. Nickelback -- Chad Kroeger and Avril Lavigne are officially married!
The rocker pair reportedly said "I do" in the South of France on Monday, which coincided with Canada Day. Sources tell Us Weekly that the couple exchanged vows in front of 50 of their closest friends and family at Chateau La Napoule in Mandelieu, France.
After the ceremony, the reception lasted until the early hours of Tuesday morning. "Yes, they're married," one source tells the mag. Adding, "It was a wild, all-night party with drinking, dancing, incredible food and lots of laughter and tears of happiness."
There was also a firework show over the Mediterranean and "Avril and Chad had glasses of wine in their hands and were kissing as fireworks popped overhead and sparkled down," the insider reveals.
And the reception included one epic dance party -- songs ranged from classics like "Sweet Home Alabama" to Bruno Mars' hit "Marry You."
Avril was formerly married to Sum 41 frontman Deryck Whibley in October 2009, but split after three years of marriage. Kroeger has never been married.
Congrats to the happy couple!


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Cesc Fabregas considering Barcelona future after Manchester United bid say Sky sources
Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas is considering his future with the Spanish club, according to Sky sources.
Last Updated: 24/07/13 8:10am
The Catalan giants have said publicly that they do not want to sell the former Arsenal star.
However a source close to Fabregas has told Sky Sports News that the player is considering his position having been given no assurances that he will be a regular starter next season.
Barcelona may consider a £35million offer, according to the source, but will ultimately leave the decision up to the player and will not force him out.
A final decision on Fabregas' future could now be accelerated, though, after Barcelona appointed Argentinian Gerardo Martino as their new coach in place of Tito Vilanova.
Manager David Moyes stated on Monday that he was waiting for a response and that chief executive Ed Woodward was dealing with the bid.
Speaking at a press conference in Yokohama, Moyes revealed: "As I understand it, Ed had a response (to the first offer). We have made a second offer but Ed is dealing with it rather than me."
So far, United have not made any new signings this summer, other than Uruguay Under-20 star Guillermo Varela and, whilst Moyes accepts there may come a time when he has to walk away from the deal, that position has not been reached yet.
"I think a point does come," said Moyes. "But when you are interested in good players you want to give it every opportunity to materialise.
In addition to Fabregas, Moyes has also been linked with marquee signings Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, plus Everton duo Leighton Baines and Marouane Fellaini, so far though, there have been no reinforcements and Moyes admitted he can understand why some fans are nervous.
"I can understand that feeling," he said. "But there have been quite a few changes. Other managers have changed their clubs too and everybody thought this might be the summer when transfers are done later in the month.
"That was always the thought I had when I came into the club. You have to remember I only started on July 1, so in truth I have only been in the job three weeks at this present time."
"I will hope things will continue to move forward. At this moment in time I can only tell you Ed Woodward is working hard to try and make the deals happen. We hope some of them will fall into place shortly."


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Green Day lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong is heading to rehab just days before the band is to release the first of three new albums. The revelation comes less than 48 hours after Armstrong ranted and smashed his guitar at Clear Channel's iHeartRadio Festival in Las Vegas.
Green Day, along with Usher and Rihanna, was one of the headliners Friday night at the MGM Grand. Armstrong cut short a performance of 1994 hit "Basket Case," hollering that he wanted to play a new song, and then called attention to a digital ticker that said the band had one minute left onstage.
He used that last 60 seconds to vent. It's ridden with too many expletives to quote directly.
"Give me a ... break," Armstrong shouted. "One minute left. One minute ... left. You're gonna give me ... one minute? Look at that ... sign right there. One minute. Let me ... tell you something. Let me tell you something. I've been around since ... 1980 ... 8 and you're going to give me one ... minute? You gotta be ... kidding me ... I'm not ... Justin Bieber."
Bieber was not on the bill, but Green Day had taken the stage after Bieber mentor Usher had finished his performance. Green Day, according to an on-site report from the Las Vegas Sun, took the stage about 30 minutes late and performed a truncated set. Rihanna was to close the night, and did so after Armstrong smashed his guitar and stormed offstage.
The statement on the Green Day site sought to make it clear that radio heavyweight Clear Channel had nothing to do with pulling the plug on Green Day's set.
The site didn't elaborate on which promotional appearances would be axed, but already a performance Monday for Los Angeles radio station KROQ-FM (106.7) has been postponed. Green Day was to appear on a host of talk shows this week, including "Jimmy Kimmel Live" and "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," and was also to appear Wednesday at Burbank's surf-and-skate shop Tilly's for a fan signing. It's presumed that the latter three events will also be postponed, but official information has not yet been released.
Armstrong's rant comes at a time when Green Day has been in the midst of a rather mainstream promotional campaign for its album "¡Uno!," which has seen the band gradually distancing itself from its more recent political and topical material. Already, the band has partnered with Nokia Music and has released a branded version of "Angry Birds Friends."
Green Day also hasn't exactly been hard to book, having appeared on MTV's "Video Music Awards" and "America's Got Talent," among many other promotional performances. Unknown as of yet is whether or not this will affect Armstrong's scheduled role as a mentor on NBC's talent competition "The Voice."
Until Sunday's statement, Armstrong's tirade had been viewed as little more than a bit of ol'-fashioned punk rock theater. For those looking for some signs of life amid Green Day's corporate partnerships and lighter sound, it may have even been welcome. New album "¡Uno!" arrives Sept. 25, and it's a happy-go-lucky mid-tempo pop affair, displaying none of the ferocity Armstrong possessed Friday night.
Publicly, even Clear Channel and its iHeartRadio Festival at first endorsed Amrstrong's antics. "WOW!!!! ...and the guitar is officially broken," the festival posted on its official Twitter page during the concert, ultimately describing Green Day's appearance as "monumental." Meanwhile, the I Heart Radio site declared the performance "one of the most epic, punk rock sets in recent memory."
Yet tempering the excitement is an uncomfortable video recorded backstage with radio personality Lisa Kennedy Montgomery. Said to be filmed after the concert, it sees Montgomery asking a rather flirtatious Armstrong how he maintains his voice. Armstrong's answer, before getting cozy with the interviewer: "Alcohol."
Armstrong was rushed to a hospital in Italy in early September for an undisclosed illness, forcing the band to cancel a show in Bologna. The band next returns to Las Vegas on Feb. 8, 2013, a performance scheduled for the MGM Garden Arena.


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Farelogix Launches Airline Commerce Gateway with Full Mobile Optimization
New platform delivers merchandising, distribution, and pricing in a single, airline-controlled retail environment.
MIAMI—February 13, 2013—Farelogix today announced the launch of the Airline Commerce Gateway, a comprehensive airline distribution technology platform that enables airlines to easily, efficiently, and dynamically deliver content, including custom-tailored product offers, to travelers across multiple distribution outlets and customer touchpoints. Powered by the next generation of Farelogix's flagship distribution technology, the Gateway's robust, airline-controlled commerce environment combines five essential components: XML Host Connectivity (Direct Connect), an independent pricing engine (Virtual Fare Store), a highly versatile merchandising system (FMS2), a distribution rules engine (Distribution Manager), and an XML API (Gateway API). As an integrated solution, the Gateway serves as an airline's delivery vehicle for customers shopping in both direct and indirect channels, including mobile devices and kiosks.
"The Airline Commerce Gateway is the logical next step in the evolution of airlines moving from commodity sellers to bona fide retailers," says Jim Davidson, President and CEO of Farelogix. "As airlines embrace more sophisticated customer engagement by dynamically and instantaneously matching available content with each customer request or trip status, the need for a centralized airline commerce environment becomes obvious. The Gateway is an industry breakthrough as it's the first solution to integrate and optimize industry leading distribution technology engines into a single, 'out-of-the-box' solution that can serve all airline sales outlets, including the fast growing mobile channel."
By optimizing for mobile, the Farelogix Airline Commerce Gateway makes it possible for airlines to ensure uninterrupted and consistent customer engagement throughout the trip, whether a traveler is checking-in, upgrading a seat, purchasing inflight Wi-Fi, or taking advantage of any other flight or airport-related services. The Gateway is also the first technology platform to enable PNR (Passenger Name Record) self-service, including ticket changes and exchanges, ancillary purchases, and airline-generated passenger recovery options.
"The race is on for airlines to dynamically compete for customers with their best and most up-to-date content at every transaction or touchpoint opportunity," explains Davidson. "The Farelogix Airline Commerce Gateway enables airlines to implement strategies focused on improving the customer experience, revving up their loyal customers, generating new revenues, and introducing new products and services. It does so while significantly reducing airline costs by eliminating the need to maintain a multitude of proprietary, outdated distribution connections and hard-coded services."
The Farelogix Airline Commerce Gateway accommodates any airline's desire to adopt IATA's New Distribution Capability (NDC) based on IATA Resolution 787. The Gateway follows the NDC workflow guidelines, allowing for the airline to accept traveler-authenticated or anonymous search/offer requests directly from existing distribution providers including the GDSs, OTAs, and corporate booking tools, as well as the airline's website, kiosk, call center, and mobile direct distribution channels. The Gateway also provides fully backwards-compatible distribution workflow for any channel not yet capable of supporting the NDC workflows.
While the Farelogix Airline Commerce Gateway is designed as a complete "out-of-the-box" solution for airline distribution, it can also be implemented in a phased approach. "The implementation path for the Gateway is naturally individualized for each airline," says Davidson. "Some airlines may prefer to start with a Direct Connect to close specific gaps for the indirect channel; others may put priority on getting a centralized merchandising engine in place, such as what we offer with FMS2; while others may be ready to go for the full cross-channel Gateway implementation. That's the value of a modular commerce platform. It will grow with the airline's strategy."
The Farelogix Airline Commerce Gateway is designed to complement and in some cases fill gaps in existing airline systems, such as Reservations, Departure Control, and Loyalty, thus enabling the airline to quickly implement an intelligent retail environment without incurring lengthy or costly legacy system integrations or upgrades. "No airline can wait years for this technology, or endure 'one-off' implementations in this fast-changing marketplace," says Davidson. "If an airline's res system can't handle EMDs or individualized seat offers and pricing, or their legacy fare structure doesn't accommodate flash, branded, or bundled fares, the Gateway delivers this and much more. Airlines must find ways to bridge gaps and engage their customer today, because their competitors are not sitting around waiting."
To learn more about the Farelogix Airline Commerce Gateway, please visit www.farelogix.com
About Farelogix
Farelogix is a leading provider of lower-cost, high value distribution and merchandising technology to the global travel industry. Farelogix counts among its customers several of the world's leading airlines travel companies in the world. Farelogix is a privately held company with offices in Miami, Florida and Toronto, Canada. For additional information, visit https://www.farelogix.com.
Press Contact
Jodi Echakowitz
Echo Communications (for Farelogix)
Tel: +1 905-709-9600
email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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julgui wrote:mmm but look at his original position is CB. For more than lately to develop as SB.
Just see it raise its attack, going long the attack.
I suggest a 67 ATT/78 DEF and Aggressive 72.
What do you think?
manoloxcr17 wrote:His main position is SB right? Because if he has 78 in DEF, it's a really HIGH value for DEF for any world class SB.
manoloxcr17 wrote:I agree with that. I would prefer 74 for DEF.
jorgecavs wrote:97% agree with this post. Excellent.]
julgui wrote:But the CB is not SB. Your comparison should be with another CB. Example: CAHAIS!jorgecavs wrote:97% agree with this post. Excellent.]
4 points of defense under in just 2 months? :S
manoloxcr17 wrote:75 is already a high value for a SB.
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The Big Interview: Box CEO Aaron Levie
In The Big Interview with WSJ's Rolfe Winkler, Box CEO Aaron Levie announces 15 million users, describes the future of cloud computing and wonders about BlackBerry's viability.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... I ... welcome to the big interview I'm Ralf Winkler ... storage may not sound like an exciting business spike in the internet and mobile age ... when we're collecting more and more finals in more and more places ... their triple a private company companies revolutionizing how that's done in order to ... really simplify our lives ... dramatically one is Box ... an eight year old company ... still run by its twenty year old founder ... Carey Levy ... enjoyed this is very outspoken to regatta have managed ... to come in the Herbert we actually haven't think storage is quite exciting but that attention that the general were ... appealing ones that let let's talk about this of people underestimate the importance of story read ... some stories actually can be can be pretty exciting blessed are you guys were ... valued at over billion dollars when you read last raised money ... why is this an exciting business to the ... Bulldogs ... helping so ... Pursell stores in general we think is an exciting just because it can be read everything and that the world runs on the half to be Obel the store information then and now if you think about it on if you think about what cloud and mobile and what does this sort of changing economy has created Unitil gettin Frasier Friday where ... we live share with anyone ... even look La Brea come across ... on across any kind boundary with its network foundry or a geographic boundary and so in a box we built the ... very symbol products Philips businesses store in Shirin Axes their data from any worse talk about the climate it's really complicated place ... with me in our lives we have lots more places yet we have lots of ecosystems you know some people maybe they haven't I phone in their pocket but they're on a PC and working on a Blackberry ... did he go right into the oven all these different ecosystems and ... ends in tears these companies like box they're providing the ... kind of ... glue ... to make this be able to work across all of those ecosystems is that really kind of what's what's going on here I mean if you think about it on five ten fifteen years ago are arthritic computing model was actually fruit report basically you would show that working to get a Windows computer and ... all the suffering that you would work with the un basically going to be carbon Micra soft or ... come from that my croissant decreases the Navy from Oracle me the recipe and so ... archways is very limited and and and things were fairly homogeneous in terms of the different operas every using ... fast forward to just a couple of years ago with things like the I pad Intrade devices of all the sudden in every sem one of our businesses but there's a ... five person company or five hundred thousand person company ... that the device landscape that the technology landscape in these organizations are vastly differ than ever before ... and because of that because of this shirt ahead urging a B ... double all the different pop firms the people need to work from and all the different locations the one that will share from ... but there's an airplane or subway or a different country ... bond we now need computing the consider the center back and work agnostic Lee across all the site that lets them it's almost like you're craving operating system ... and multiplatform operating system to be able to share ... all of this very stuff that we're creating and putting in different places and losing track of it I'd seen the best case scenario that's that certain with the big outcome of all this is that you have a certain business operating system you can work from anywhere ... and work with anyone on toward is one of the players in the space that we think we ... we provide an application that can work horizontally across all these different kinds of systems and now ... mature just when the players in the space a lot of people of course have heard of your larger competitor ... younger company Dropbox ... now they have worked in New York in a bit of an event than a hundred million users or think you guys have about fourteen fifteen yes the deck and a new number today the release that we are actually part of this week fair enough Casey here first ... what what makes Box different ... yet mean that they can do the big difference is is the difference and also ... on so we're very very focused on the enterprise are a hundred percent of our focus in our business and will we build quality Ford ... are focused on ... the small medium large size businesses that want ability to cater to the cloud securely ... and you'll extend that information against is that the devices in a different platforms ... so you know we're as other companies ... in the consumer space ... history legal after lot of different kinds of our propositions where squarely focused on how we build an application that can lead businesses run faster save them in tremendous Mana money ... on the oval that Sharon clobber to get across global boundaries and so ... we just happen to be building a very different product and the spot for him ... because of that I can't be something like Dropbox what makes parts that are the SSS in two quick things done I think the Wadi statistics it'd been ... a survey from large companies is about eighty percent of large enterprises are now we have been sort of bring your own device work model something in that in that range ... that three quarters of of enterprises ... and with so amazing is is that because you can now bring in any kind of device ... and did the so the device becomes variable and to some extent disposable it by was this ... when you make sure that that no data is he's been on the device anymore ... that means the most important part of our business ... does not become the device for the hardware that she becomes the data and information that you're using your work ... so more than ever before the security that they didn't and that data in the control that data ... becomes very important but the same time ... your brain of a very important run which is certain to consumerization of the services where ... he technologist and incredibly simple and easy to use ... to a box we focus on is ... how we build a really really simple elegant and user technology ... but they can be secure enough in deployed at still in a large enterprise for that enterprises the Dow Jones ... or Procter gamble ... forty A or Aaaaall of all of which are chatterbox new customers ... on our folks is how we create that that enterprise player that an enterprise can manage and secure while still getting end users they can evaluate experience that they expect ... on from a consumer survey oriented toward let's talk little bit about the consumerization Tara bite she is at college ... and in particular one company right so ... BlackBerry and ... deal is still so obviously they're having a lot of trouble as people brought their I Phones to work ... the squeeze pushed the BlackBerry ... away from a week from the enterprise ... and ... I'd my question for you is ... black pretenders can now get ... can BlackBerry survive as an enterprise focused company tries to add some kind of play with it we were a couple of her current bands who were in bed in a lot of fun and Santa were why we don't serve me very excited by ... buying ... what they've done from a hardware innovation standpoint this operation standpoint I think ... that if you look at that in isolation if you look at that in a vacuum ... Dexia very very high quality device intoning user experience is that enough to challenge in this space is the network effects ... and this is what ... is in what any kind of player runs and do we actually run into it nor does is free up the building eco system of developers and building up your platform ... and in the mobile world ... on the network effects are even more assertive ... are important and at Baxter the cute in terms of of if you don't pay attention to what what happens ... so if you think about it you have bio lesson and re which is certainly the two frontrunners you have Windows eight instead of the Windows Phone ... on experience that is really catching up in my thoughts is going on that very heavily to make sure it's a dominant platform ... and so does Craig to certain precarious position where what does this sort of Foursquare look like in Kenny become third player for NSN's can make ... the major fight it out with ... with Micra soft thing that happened ... you know I have some personal opinions about what bought very could've done with from its offer perspective with a wood deleveraging Android or or or what not to to to make sure that they can still get those applications but ... never in our view is ... an appraiser going is still need very elegant device is a bargain enabled their employees that ... not everything will be bring your own device to work until there can be ... technologies that match that the credit ... services that that an enterprise giving to those will get purchase but ... I do think it says a challenging position for forwarding panel if only because we think that that having lots of innovations made very important ... but I would say that that the network effect pieces very typical and ... on I mean you would need to different decisions on the operating system side ... ok what which would in one entry ... use at UVU it made ... for us it had BlackBerry going entry I'd I think that it's done I think that I think that TV is on the the the the spaces are heavily driven by how many developers that you can get your popcorn coming applications on the platform ... and it's not because the funny thing is is that ... is that we we had this ... to Tricia Marissery compare the top once this is the numbers of of ... these pop firms like their seven hundred thousand you know after my lesson is ... four hundred thousand ... apps on Intrade really not funny and written somehow we think of that is that the certified ... that it turned out that doesn't really matter does it all in a new trolleys twenty apps I own actually is like five or eight ... so it doesn't really matter there's so many ... on what matters is is that is that the interest it has enough momentum where those next great apps will be built on a platform ... and you see how the habitat a critical mass to make that happen in so I think that ... I needed The operations in PC is actually pretty important ... but that began in and I can play with them why pretend device and operating system ... they've done a great job on both of those accounts ... to the big thing will be in the rally in the whole person can they really get the customer demand and Morgan were rooting for the last question for you lose you ... so when she has a fifty million users ... come even pay ... so on the way to lead the way to review it isn't a freemium business models who only talk with the specifics of the the total number of paying customers with about a hundred and fifty thousand businesses ... actively used the part ... of the end to that fifteen million section represented and that ... a hundred fifty thousand but that ... that isn't what we're very odd corner of the business model ... on because all driven by enterprises that want to pay for more security more skill ability more users ... in your stations with some companies that have three employees of a paper on Boxing at some companies that ... pay for tens of thousands of employees beyond box ... ok and let me go box they saw it rejected if they show up ...


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The Weekend Is Here! What Are You Gonna Do? Check Out The Event Calender!
Ok! Once the pool is clean the bushes trimmed and the dogs are washed it's time to go have some fun! yes Virginia there is life after the Water Follies! So if you want to check out a farmers market, some great music, something for the kids our friends at the Tri Cities Visitor & Convention Bureau hook you up every week with the weekend calender of events! No go have a weekend!


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For about 2 weeks things don't seem to work as before.
I start the broadcasting via FMLE (latest version) from a fresh imported XML file, stream starts OK, no issues, people can see the live broadcast.
Then i go to ustream website, click "go live" in order to start recording the stream (as i used to do for years), but now, as soon as the go live window opens, the adobe flash player tries to directly connect to my camera via the typical small flash dialogue window, which means the recording is going to happen not from FMLE served stream, but directly from camera, which is not acceptable, i have several settings possible only in FMLE.
Any ideas? Has this happened to anyone else?
Thank you.


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Duke Athletics Statement on Mike Krzyzewski
"Coach Krzyzewski experienced lightheadedness during and after the Duke-Wake Forest game on Wednesday night. Following the contest, he was examined by Duke medical personnel on site and again at Duke University Hospital for precautionary tests upon returning to Durham. His symptoms and condition have improved considerably, and Coach Krzyzewski was sent home during the early morning hours on Thursday."


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Senate Bill No. 521
(By Senators Laird, Palumbo, Kirkendoll, Cookman, Stollings, Kessler (Mr. President), Snyder, Cann, Plymale, Williams, Miller and Chafin)
[Originating in the Committee on the Judiciary;
reported April 1, 2013.]
A BILL to amend and reenact §17B-3-3c and §17B-3-9 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended; and to amend said code by adding thereto a new section, designated §17B-3-9a, all relating to creating an amnesty program for certain persons with suspended or revoked licenses due to unpaid fines and assessments to allow reinstatement drivers' licenses; establishing a time period and certain procedures for the amnesty program; creating exceptions to the amnesty period; making certain technical corrections; requiring certain tickets amnestied remain listed as unsatisfied on court records and amounts remain due; requiring certain suspension or revocation time remaining be waived in certain situations; requiring a public awareness campaign regarding the amnesty program; and providing for emergency and standard rule-making authority.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That §17B-3-3c and §17B-3-9 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended and reenacted; and that said code be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated §17B-3-9a, all to read as follows:
§17B-3-3c. Suspending license for failure to pay fines or penalties imposed as the result of criminal conviction or for failure to appear in court.
(a) The division shall suspend the license of any a resident of this state or the privilege of a nonresident to drive a motor vehicle in this state upon receiving notice from a circuit court, magistrate court or municipal court of this state, pursuant to section two-b two-a, article three, chapter fifty of this code, or section two-b, article ten, chapter eight of said this code or section seventeen, article four, chapter sixty-two of said this code, that such the person has defaulted on the payment of costs, fines, forfeitures, penalties or restitution imposed on the person by the circuit court, magistrate court or municipal court upon conviction for any a criminal offense by the date such the court had required such the person to pay the same, or that such the person has failed to appear in court when charged with such an offense. For the purposes of this section; section two-b two-a, article three, chapter fifty of said code; section two-b, article ten, chapter eight of said code; and section seventeen, article four, chapter sixty-two of said code, "criminal offense" shall be is defined as any a violation of the provisions of this code or the violation of any a municipal ordinance for which the violation thereof which may result in a fine, confinement in jail or imprisonment in a correctional facility of this state: Provided, That any a parking violation or other violation for which a citation may be issued to an unattended vehicle shall not be considered is not a criminal offense for the purposes of this section; section two-b, article ten, chapter eight of said code; section two-b two-a, article three, chapter fifty of said code; or section seventeen, article four, chapter sixty-two of said code.
(b) A copy of the order of suspension shall be forwarded to such the person by certified mail, return receipt requested. No order of suspension becomes effective until ten days after receipt of a copy of such the order. The order of suspension shall advise the person that because of the receipt of notice of the failure to pay costs, fines, forfeitures or penalties, or the failure to appear, a presumption exists that the person named in the order of suspension is the same person named in the notice. The Commissioner Office of Administrative Hearings' Chief Hearing Examiner may grant an administrative hearing which substantially complies with the requirements of the provisions of section two, article five-a, chapter seventeen-c of this code upon a preliminary showing that a possibility exists that it is possible the person named in the notice of conviction is not the same person whose license is being suspended. Such The request for hearing shall be made within ten days after receipt of a copy of the order of suspension. The sole purpose of this hearing shall be is for the person requesting the hearing to present evidence that he or she is not the person named in the notice. In the event the Commissioner grants an administrative hearing, the Commissioner Office of Administrative Hearings' Chief Hearing Examiner grants an administrative hearing, the Office of Administrative Hearings will send notice to the commissioner and the commissioner shall stay the license suspension pending the Commissioner's Chief Hearing Examiner's order resulting from the hearing.
(c) A suspension under this section and section three-a of this chapter article will continue until the person provides proof of compliance from the municipal, magistrate or circuit court and pays the reinstatement fee as provided in section nine of this article: Provided, That proof of compliance is not required when the provisions of section nine-a of this article are met. The reinstatement fee is assessed upon issuance of the order of suspension regardless of the effective date of suspension.
§17B-3-9. Surrender and return of license not required.
The division, upon suspending or revoking a license, may not require that the license be surrendered to and be retained by the division. The surrender of a license may not be a precondition to the commencement and tolling of any applicable period of suspension or revocation. Provided, That Before the license may be reinstated, the licensee shall pay a fee of $50, in addition to all other fees and charges, which shall be collected by the division and deposited in a special revolving fund to be appropriated to the division for use in the enforcement of the provisions of this section. No fee or charge may be assessed for reinstatement of a suspension for failure to pay a citation or ticket five years old or older for which amnesty was granted under the provision of section nine-a of this article.
§17B-3-9a. Amnesty program for certain licenses.
(a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this code to the contrary, from October 1, 2013, until September 30, 2014, in addressing whether a licensee is qualified for reinstatement, the Division of Motor Vehicles shall treat all instances of failure to satisfy payment requirements pursuant to section three-a or three-c of this article or for driving while suspended or revoked related solely due to failure to pay citations or tickets and shall treat such citations and tickets as fully paid and complied with if the date of imposition of the penalty for the unpaid citation or ticket was more than five years prior to the effective date of this section: Provided, That the person does not hold a commercial driver's license and the citation or ticket is not pertaining to an offense related to the operation of a commercial motor vehicle as defined in chapter seventeen-e of this code.
(b) All fines or costs assessed more than five years prior to the effective date of this section based upon traffic tickets or citations will remain unpaid on the court's record despite the amnesty provisions of subsection (a) of this section. Any cost, fine, forfeiture, penalty, restitution or other money owed as indicated by the court would remain due.
(c) The division shall waive any remaining time on a suspension or revocation for a second or subsequent conviction of subsection (a), section three, article four of this chapter if the only underlying suspensions in effect at the time of the incident were resolved through the amnesty program contained in this section.
(d) This section does not waive any requirement for the retesting of a driver's vision, written or road skills if an offender's driver's license has expired for more than six months.
(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the division may not waive requirements or fees if the waiver:
(1) Violates federal laws or federal rules pertaining to commercial drivers or other licensees;
(2) Disqualifies or jeopardizes the ability of this state to receive federal highway funding or highway safety funding; or
(3) Places this state in noncompliance with Interstate or reciprocal agreements that may be in effect now or in the future.
(f) The division shall prepare and execute a public awareness campaign to inform the public about the amnesty program contained in this section and how the public can participate in the program.
(g) The commissioner may promulgate emergency rules pursuant to the provisions of section fifteen, article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code and propose rules for legislative approval, in accordance with the provisions of article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code, to implement this section.
(NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to create an amnesty program for drivers with suspended or revoked licenses based on nonpayment of certain court fees in order to allow them to obtain their legal driver's license without having to pay citations or tickets ten years old or older.
§17B-3-9a is new; therefore, strike-throughs and underscoring have been omitted.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.)


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Energy efficiency push under way
Reps. Cory Gardner and Peter Welch are angling to make efficiency an area of compromise in a deeply divided Congress that has struggled to produce new energy laws.
The freshman Colorado Republican — who has often been the face of the House GOP on energy strategy this Congress — and the liberal Vermont Democrat announced the creation of a bipartisan Energy Savings Performance Caucus on Wednesday, targeting an issue that is low-hanging fruit but could turn into a model for bigger things.
Story Continued Below
"What's really, really critical is … we've got a Republican majority here, so having Cory play a leading role is crucial," said Welch, in a joint interview in Gardner's office. "You've got a lot of Democrats who would like to work on energy efficiency. We are both hearing from our constituents the same thing: 'You guys get together and get something done.'"
One of the challenges, aside from the stark partisanship that has brought Capitol Hill nearly to a standstill, is the budget-focused agenda preventing appropriation of new funding.
"That's the benefit of what we're doing because we're not talking about something that's going to require major appropriation," Gardner said. "You know, we're not talking about financing a tax credit. … This is savings to the taxpayer with no cost to them."
Gardner and Welch said they will push again next Congress to enact language they attached on four House spending bills this Congress telling federal agencies they need to abide by an existing law that requires them to audit federal buildings to identify ways to increase energy efficiency. The two lawmakers say agencies are not doing this fast enough.
Doing so, they said, allows agencies to better use Energy Savings Performance Contracts, wherein an energy service company arranges private-sector financing to make energy-efficient improvements to buildings. The company is required to guarantee that project improvements produce energy savings sufficient to pay for the project and receives payment only if those guarantees are met.
President Barack Obama directed federal agencies in December 2011 to spend $2 billion for energy-efficiency contracts through 2013, which "is the tip of the iceberg" for what's needed, Gardner said. Energy and industry officials have said the total opportunities for these contracts could amount to around $20 billion.
"So it's a slow startup, and we really wanna push, push, push on that," Welch said.
The last time Congress passed a major energy bill was 2007. Since then, there have been only piecemeal victories.
"And Cory and I can try to be voices of reason to get people to talk," Welch said. "But what we can do that would be really helpful is to focus on the efficiency space where there is some common agreement and measurable results and benefits. But we've got a long way in this Congress to go to trust-building so we can work better together on some of these tougher issues."
Gardner and Welch have also picked an issue that doesn't need to forge a path to bipartisanship.
The House overwhelmingly approved an energy-efficiency bill Tuesday, 398-2, that includes several provisions from earlier House and Senate measures, such as language from a plan authored by Sens. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.). Energy efficiency advocates applauded the bill, even though it lacked major financing and other provisions from Shaheen-Portman.


text: rickjg Posted May 3, 2006 (edited) the internet is my only source of information.mostly forums nano-reef.com / reefcentral.com it would be easier to start out with books though. it's hard to use books only, especially if you have questions, want to do anything out of the ordinary or want to be cheap like me. are there any books that would tell me about lighting my tank with LEDs only and growing macro w/ LEDs and how to build my tank from scratch and use great stuff foam background? I doubt it. Hey Zachtos, This is off the subject, but you used great stuff foam for your background in a reef tank? I used great stuff foam for the background on my NC24 viv, but never tried it with saltwater. Do you have any pictures you can post, maybe even start a new thread with info using the great stuff foam background. I don't think many people even know about it or consider using in a reef tank. Rick Edited May 3, 2006 by Rick J G Quote Share this post Link to post


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Come and attend to let your voice be heard and to find out where this hand-basket is heading! Soda, water, snacks, and good times provided!!
AZBurners Town Hall Meeting Agenda
– Welcome and Introduction of by Regional Contacts (Scotto/Chromie)
– 4th Annual Saguaro Man Recap & Roundup
– 13th Annual Decompression (2014)
– Unofficial Regional Events
– What Other Regions are doing:
– Open the Floor to Community
– What art projects are going on AND what participation is needed?
– What is being built for Burning Man this year?
– What type of activities would you as the community like to see happen?


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Millions of people around the world wear contact lenses. Depending on your lifestyle, your motivation and the health of your eyes, contact lenses may provide a safe and effective alternative to eyeglasses when used with proper care and maintenance.
Contact lenses are thin, clear disks of plastic that float on the surface of the eye. They correct vision like eyeglasses do and are safe when used with care. Contact lenses are used to correct the same conditions that eyeglasses do: myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), astigmatism (blurred vision due to the shape of the cornea) and presbyopia (inability to see close up).


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Muscle Mustangs & Fast FordsProject Vehicles
Project Smog-Legal Killer - Rollbar Installation and Mickey Thompson ET Rubber
Hooked Up and Rolled Out: With a Maximum Motorsports rollbar and plenty of Mickey Thompson rubber, we're finally ready for a 10-second timeslip.
It's a scenario gearheads are all too familiar with: Person gets car and wants to go moderately fast, then gets bitten by the bug and wants to go faster and faster until, without realizing it, they've added a rollbar, big slicks, and constructed a serious beast far beyond what they ever imagined. Wrenching, driving, and hot rodding can be an evil thing (in the best kind of way). It's a tricky beast that tempts you with excess and rewards you for indulging. Maybe it's the thrill of a fast car or the zing of the chase, but building a fast Ford can be an addictive endeavor.
So it came as no surprise that one day we woke up and realized the Smog-Legal Killer was fast enough to warrant a rollbar. In what seemed like an instant, the old coupe went from a weathered hide to a respectably fast Fox-body. Lost in the pursuit of more power and better e.t.'s, we nearly forgot that with 10-second timeslips come mandatory safety precautions.
While some might balk at spending money on safety parts instead of go-fast bits, solid safety components are a wise investment for several good reasons. First, shutting down early or going through the traps on the brakes in order to avoid getting kicked off the track for running too fast without a rollbar sucks. Secondly, actually getting kicked out for running too fast because of improper safety equipment sucks even worse. And lastly, safety should always come first, because as much as we love the sport, investing in such hardware helps insure we'll enjoy it for years to come.
Safety First
So with safety in mind we contacted Maximum Motorsports (MM) in search of a rollbar that would make us legal and also keep us safe. After some discussions with Jack Hidley, one of MM's best engineers, we decided on the six-point bolt-in Drag Race rollbar (PN MMRB-2) with an additional diagonal crossbar for even more strength. The beauty is not only NHRA legal, but it's designed to bolt into place.
Never one to cut any corners, Maximum Motorsports insured the bar was more than up to the task by constructing it out of 13⁄4-inch by 0.134-inch-wall DOM tubing for the utmost strength and rigidity—in case you were wondering, the NHRA rules only call for 0.118-inch ERW tubing. Even the harness bar is beefier than the NHRA regulations of 11⁄4-inch ERW, measuring a stout 11⁄2-inch by 0.134-inch thick.
Furthering the fortress are six 6-inch by 6-inch by 1⁄8-inch reinforced floorplates that mount to the rear fender wells, the floorpan just in front of the rear seat floors, and near the kick panels on the floorpan up front. These burly bits sandwich the floor and are secured in place with the supplied Grade 5 nuts and bolts.
We asked Hidley about the strength of the bolt-in plates and got an explanation that made our heads spin—about what you'd expect from an accomplished engineer. In street speak, the floorplates create enough friction between themselves that it's literally impossible to separate them and with a wide footprint you won't find them poking through the floorpan in a rollover crash either. In other words, you're in good hands ... or bars.
So you know the rollbar is beyond safe and highly engineered, but other noteworthy features include swing-out door bars that ease entering and exiting the car. The bars are also easily removed for street driving where the cage becomes virtually nonexistent. Never ones to miss a beat, Maximum Motorsports sends the rollbar in bare-metal form since welding a bar with powdercoat or paint adds several steps to the process.
Although the rear braces bolt to the main hoop, in order to remain NHRA-legal, they must be welded. While the bolts hold the bars in place and make them easy to weld, doing the duty inside the cockpit is highly unadvisable (aside from tack welding) since it's not only precarious at best, but interior bits are highly flammable. We had ours powdercoated semi-gloss black beforehand and simply grinded, welded, and then spray-painted the areas that needed the NHRA attention.
Since quality parts mean nothing without a proper install, we paid a visit to the West Coast Mustang gurus at AED in Shingle Springs, California, where brothers Drew and Greg Wallace helped make quick work of the install. Chances are good if a company makes a part, these guys have track-tested it, and the dynamic duo had the 'bar marked, welded, and mounted in nothing flat. There are shops that install parts and there are shops that install and track test the parts, AED falls into the latter group and thankfully has first-hand experience with what works and what doesn't.
Once the 'bar was installed it fit like a glove, but the installation procedure can take time and a fair amount of patience is needed for those unaccustomed to rollbar installs. Making sure everything is plumb before drilling holes is key, because once you've punched a hole, there's no turning back. And having to elongate holes or drilling another set as a result of improper measurements can quickly become your nightmare. Remember, measure twice, drill once!
The MM rollbar fits snugly around the interior so be mindful of the headliner and interior panels during the installation—be prepared for a tight fit. Taking your time is paramount, but you'll be happy you did, because the finished product looks factory-fresh.
Let It Eat
After months of preparation, there was no way we were leaving anything on the table. With the ultimate e.t. in mind, we contacted Mickey Thompson and asked them to pull out the big guns. Nothing against radials or even ET Streets, but we wanted big hook and plenty of drivetrain-saving sidewall flex so we stepped up to the big dogs, some ET Drags out back and low rolling resistance ET fronts on the leading edge.
We knew some fenderwell massaging would be in order, but that was the price we were prepared to pay for big traction and so we opted for a set of ET Drags in a 28/10.5-15S (PN 90000000851). These sticky Mickeys measure a stout 28 inches tall for big sidewall flex and plenty of speed on the back end while also giving us a full 10 inches of tire width. It took some work but we stuffed them inside the arches after mounting them on a set of lightweight, old-school Mickey Thompson one-piece drag wheels.
Up front we opted for 26.0/4.5-15 Mickey Thompson ET Fronts (PN 90000000820) since proper drag skinnies like these can possibly cut 0.1 off your e.t. compared to a heavy full street tire. The Mickey's cut rolling resistance and wind drag, not to mention they also look the biz. If you're after every last e.t., some ET Drags are certainly an E-ticket ride to killer 60-foots and are equally easy on the drivetrain.
Track Time
After months of hard work and plenty of prep work, it was time to see if the Smog-Legal Killer had a 10- second e.t. in it. After paying another visit to AED for some preparation work, it was time to visit Sacramento Raceway and let it eat.
Astute readers will note the baller Weld AlumaStar wheels up front. Due to a scheduling conflict, our 15-inch front skinnies didn't arrive in time, so the guys from AED came to the rescue and let us borrow their personal set of skinnies—now that's a helping hand. With your author behind the camera, we threw hot shoe Drew Wallace from AED in for a few passes. What transpired was nothing short of frustrating.
Despite the little feeling in our guts, we decided to try for the 10- second e.t. without sway bars or even an antiroll bar. This was a bad idea, as the car launched crooked, and danced all over the track, even on the top end. To say it was a wild ride would have been an understatement—it was plain scary.
To add insult to injury, we under-spec'd the clutch. By no fault of the clutch, we opted to keep costs down with a budget single disc—in the end, it bit us. However, the unit did admirably well despite being overworked 100 lb-ft above its torque rating. Surprisingly enough, it survived multiple 5,000-rpm launches and produced consistent 1.5-1.6 60-foot times despite being overtaxed. After several good launches, the last pass of the night was finally too much, as the clutch slipped at the hit and each subsequent shift.
So what did she run? Well, with a wildly crooked launch, a slipping clutch, and having to lift at several points for fear of our lives, we crossed the stripe in 11.08 at 123 mph. Yes, we missed our goal by 0.08 second. While the fact that we chopped nearly a second off our last track outing of 11.98 at 122 mph was impressive, there was no way were going out like that. We could taste a 10-second e.t.!
Down but not out, we loaded up and went home. After a few days the sting of defeat wore off and determination set in. We have a clutch upgrade to address and some chassis-stiffening to fix, but we'll be back at it again. Stay tuned—there's no turning back now!


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PITTSBURGH – The Dodgers knocked around Jeff Locke on April 10 and scored four runs against the Pittsburgh Pirates left-hander to send him to his first loss of the season.
Locke isn't the same pitcher he was two months ago. And the Dodgers hardly are the same team.
The Dodgers, kept off-balance all night by Locke's deft change of speeds and impeccable location, lost 3-0 on Friday to fall a season-high 10 games under .500 (28-38).
They did it against a pitcher who began the season as the fifth starter in Pittsburgh's rotation and is making $497,500 this year, or about $9 million less than the average Dodger.
Locke (6-1) allowed just two hits and never let a Dodger get to second base during seven efficient innings. He struck out five and walked one.
"He was throwing strikes," Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez said. "If you were going to take pitches then you were going to be 0-1, 0-2 in every at-bat. He made us swing the bat and we didn't put too many good swings on him."
Andrew McCutchen hit a two-run double in the third inning off Stephen Fife (1-2). Jason Grilli worked out of a two-on, no-out jam in the ninth for his league-leading 24 th save.
The Dodgers played without manager Don Mattingly, who served a one-game suspension for his role in the brawl with Arizona earlier in the week. Bench coach Trey Hillman filled in for Mattingly but couldn't prevent the Dodgers from losing for the fifth time in their last six games.
The Dodgers had chances in the eighth and ninth innings. Pittsburgh reliever Mark Melancon struck out pinch-hitter Juan Uribe with runners in scoring position in the eighth.
Yaisel Puig and Nick Punto hit consecutive singles off Grilli to start the ninth. Grilli then retired Adrian Gonzalez, Hanley Ramirez and Mark Ellis to remain a perfect 24 for 24 in save opportunities.
"He threw eight pitches in that at-bat," Gonzalez said of Grilli. "When I see eight pitches, I shouldn't strike out. I needed to put a ball in play and I should have.
"That was bad hitting on my part."
Puig finished 2 for 4, including a bunt single leading off the game. He quickly was retired on a double play as Locke continued his unlikely ascension into the role of ace for a team whose starting rotation is in tatters.
A.J. Burnett, Wandy Rodriguez, James McDonald and Jeanmar Gomez all are on the disabled list, leaving Locke and veteran Francisco Liriano as the top-end starters for one of baseball's biggest first-half surprises.
If the spotlight is getting to Locke, it doesn't show. He needed just 75 pitches to get 21 outs.
"He was throwing strikes and he had it where at the last nanosecond the breaking ball would drop out of the zone," Hillman said. "It's easy to say you should take the pitch, but it's not so easy to do."
McCutchen gave the Pirates all the offense they needed when he doubled to the corner in right field in the third to drive in Alex Presley and Russell Martin.
Fife, making just his fourth start of the season, settled down and escaped without further damage when McCutchen was thrown out at home while trying to score on a ground ball. Clint Barmes flew out to left with the bases loaded later in the inning.
The 26-year-old Fife gave up six hits in five innings, walked three and struck out four.
"It was a battle the whole time I was in there," Fife said. "I just couldn't get that easy inning."
Locke had little trouble getting through seven before turning things over to Pittsburgh's dominant bullpen, although Melancon ran into trouble during his first appearance in a week.
Andre Ethier singled with one out and Jerry Hairston Jr. doubled to the gap in left-center one batter later. Ethier held up at third rather than try to score, and it cost the Dodgers when pinch-hitter Juan Uribe struck out.
Pittsburgh added an insurance run when McCutchen singled leading off the bottom of the eighth and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Neil Walker.
Grilli made it stand up against the meat of Los Angeles' lineup.
Also …
Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis went 0 for 3 with 3 strikeouts in his return from the disabled list. He also threw out two would-be base stealers. Ellis missed 14 games with a strained oblique. To make room for Ellis, catcher Ramon Hernandez was designated for assignment. Hernandez hit .208 with three homers and six RBIs in 17 games with the Dodgers … The series continues today when rookie Brandon Cumpton makes his major league debut for the Pirates in place of Burnett. Clayton Kershaw (5-4, 1.88 ERA) starts for the Dodgers … Dodgers reliever J.P. Howell, who pitched two perfect innings in relief, is appealing a two-game suspension for his role in the brawl with the Diamondbacks. Reliever Ronald Belisario sat out to serve his one-game suspension. … Locke singled off Fife in the third to end an 0-for-30 skid dating to last season.


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Photo: S.Yume/CC BY 2.0/Wikimedia
After the jump: 20-ish articles covering a range of subjects. Which player overseas has had the most impressive performance so far? Why is the CHLPA imploding? Who were the best free agent signings of the last CBA? Zack Kassian or Cody Hodgson? Perhaps most importantly: who is Roberto Luongo mocking with his new Twitter avater?
NHLE Scoring Leaderboard. Who would be this season's leading scorer so far if the NHL were in session? Using NHL equivalencies and players' work in other league's we learn that it's… [NHL Numbers]
On picking fourth liners. I found this piece extremely interesting – when does it make sense to employ the prototypical "energy" fourth-liner versus a more talented player who isn't a fit stylistically? [NHL Numbers]
Randy Gumbley and the implosion of the CHLPA. The CHLPA is coming apart at the seams, and it is in no small part thanks to the reputation of Randy Gumbley, who appears to have been operating with the group under an alias. [Canucks Army]
The Reference Library. Eric T. of NHL Numbers has started a massive project: collecting the most influential pieces on stats-based hockey thinking into one place. [NHL Numbers]
I think the lingo is "book it." Oilers president Kevin Lowe is invited on to Oilers Now, and given an opportunity to throw cold water on a rumour the Oilers have a massive trade in the works opts instead to pour gasoline on the fire. [Oilers Nation]
Roberto Luongo mocks HockeyyInsiderr with his new Twitter avatar. Fun stuff. [Canucks Army]
The best free agent signings between 2005 and 2012. The title's pretty self-explanatory. [NHL Numbers]
A completely true and not made up interview with Barry Brust. And weirdly, the AHL goalie with a 0.979 SV% through two games apparently liked it! [Flames Nation]
Devan Dubnyk talks about CBA negotiations and the Roberto Luongo rumours. Dubnyk is the Oilers' NHLPA player representative, and he's also the guy who would be supplanted in a Luongo trade. [Oilers Nation]
Tyler Bozak's blackface costume: racist or no? This happens every single year. Every year. If it's not Raffi Torres dressing up as Jay-Z it's Tyler Bozak dressing up as Michael Jackson. [Leafs Nation]
Unrelated to the above: apparently, Bozak has trade value. I'll sum up the post, written on the Leafs website: 'Trade him. Trade him now. PLEASE TRADE HIM NOW.' [Leafs Nation]
Zack Kassian or Cody Hodgson? An interesting turn of events for both fans of the Canucks and people who think Mike Gillis made a terrible, terrible mistake – prospects guru Corey Pronman moves Kassian ahead of Hodgson for the first time on his young player rankings. [Canucks Army]
Random Thoughts. Kent Wilson talks about the lockout's impact on Calgary, looks at Linus Omark and Patrick Thoresen, and discusses the various people losing jobs and or money (including paid writers here at the Nation) because of the NHL work stoppage. [Flames Nation]
Explode through the check. 2010 first overall pick Taylor Hall slams into Jonas Brodin, doing terrible damage to the top Wild prospect. Was the hit cvlean or dirty? [Oilers Nation]
This year in the NHL a trick would be a treat. Graphic Comments! Need I say more? [Canucks Army]
Five ways the Flames can win the Cup this year. Given that the first way involves a flux capacitor… yeah. [Flames Nation]
Potlatch. The NHL and NHLPA find themselves in an ugly battle over a new CBA, and Rex Libris takes us through the pressure points for both sides. [Oilers Nation]
Marlies allow two shorthanded goals in three seconds. Though, as Cam Charron tells us, "counting the time it takes for the Abbotsford Heat players to celebrate and get back to the face-off circle, and then score again, it really takes about 40 or 50 seconds." [Leafs Nation]


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Thursday, March 3, 2011
HiCHEW Japan vs HiCHEW Taiwan
One of the earliest international candy obsessions I developed because of Candy Blog was HiCHEW. They're made by Morinaga in Japan and come in a wide variety of fruity flavors. The packages are flat, contain only one flavor and feature individually wrapped pieces that are easy to share.
They've been popular in Japan for since 1975 (and existed in different formats for at least 40 years before that). Lately they've become more widely available in the United States and Canada, starting with large metropolitan areas with large Japanese populations. Now they're pretty commonplace here in Los Angeles, I can get them at 7-11 or Target and the packaging has been Americanized with English wrapper and full nutrition facts.
The American ones are made in Taiwan and feature slightly smaller packages at 1.76 ounces and sporting a price of about $1.00. The flavor set is rather ordinary with strawberry, orange, green apple, mango, lemon and melon (and sometimes banana) available. The Japanese also come in similar flavors with seasonal or limited edition varieties coming out all the time.
I decided to pick up a package of each and really put them to the test.
Major differences:
The Taiwanese version is more intensely pink in the center. The chew is stiff at first, but still smooth. It's slightly tangy and has a good strawberry flavor that errs more on the tart side than the floral sweetness though it does get a little jammy towards the end with cooked strawberry notes. The chew lasts a long time and never gets grainy.
The Japanese version is a little softer and chewier. The flavor is also a well rounded berry with good sweet and sour notes, a little hint of floral and a creamy component (which might be attributed to a splash of yogurt in there). Instead of strawberry jam it was more like a strawberry smoothie.
Given a choice, I would pick up the Japanese version. Yes, I like to be able read my packages, but I also like my flavors bold and as authentic as they were originally conceived. I feel like the Taiwanese HiCHEW is like the Turkish Haribo Gummi Bear, not as good as those made in their homeland. However, I love the fact that this candy is able to get a wider audience. It's a good introduction and perhaps die hard fans will work towards getting the real thing released in North America.
Related Candies
Friday, June 23, 2006
Warheads Juniors Extreme Sour
I've never had Warheads before. I've just carried on with my life without the blisteringly sour candies that they offer. You can capture customers for that sort of thing when they're young, but you don't just find women in their thirties picking up the super-sour habit, do you? Well, maybe if they have a blog and are looking for new experiences.
I'm skipping over all the other Warheads products because this one was free and I liked the package. It's a friendly little flattened plastic tube with a flip top. You can hear the little candy spheres rattling around in there. The flavor set is wide - black cherry, apple, lemon, watermelon and blue raspberry. The little gauge on the back of the package says that the sour power contained within is EXTREME and there's an additional warning:
I'd say that's probably good advice. It took me two separate tastings to write up this review and after the second one my tongue was a little numbed.
The candies themselves are very pretty. Bright colors with a slight powdered look to the surface, I was guessing that they were coated with some sort of super sourness. They don't smell like much, just a kind of vague fruit punch when they're all together, but after reading the warnings, my mouth was watering.
Blue Raspberry - the first impulse on the tongue is a floral raspberry that quickly becomes as blisteringly sour bite that last only as long as that scant coating on the outside. Then it's just a nice, small sourball. The blue raspberry is actually a nice hard candy after that with a lot of flavor. They're easy to chew up so you can get on to the next one.
Apple - no flavor to start with here, just that so-tart that it's almost salty. The apple flavor starts in shortly after that with a good rounded flavor that leans to the chemical side.
Watermelon - there's a nice woodsy watermelon flavor on the top of this one and it goes really well with the tart coating, just like some people like salt on their watermelon. The watermelon candy underneath is really refreshing and more authentic tasting than I expected.
Black Cherry - the intense sourness on this one completely overshadowed the underlying flavor for quite a while. The black cherry wasn't as intense as I thought it would be - not even as strong as a cherry Lifesaver. Not that I'm complaining as I don't care much for cherry, but the others seemed to have more flavor to them.
Lemon - gotta be my favorite (I think I like all yellow candies). The sour goes so well with the lemon, which is a full-bodied version with a little bit of oily zest flavor combined with the sourness.
I don't know if I'd buy these again, but I like the size and proportion of these little pieces. They're about the size of a Lemonhead, and what's nice is the flavor variety in one package (even though I'm not fond of all the flavors, they're all passably good, even the cherry). The recloseable top makes it easy to share and easy to save them for later after your tongue has healed. They're not as blisteringly sour as the Super Lemon from Japan, which in my estimation makes them more edible.
Related Candies
POSTED BY Cybele AT 6:28 am
Meticulously photographed and documented reviews of candy from around the world. And the occasional other sweet adventures. Open your mouth, expand your mind.


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BREW's Short Messaging Service Interfaces: Which to Use and Why
If you've downloaded the latest QUALCOMM BREW SDKs (see the resources section) and reviewed the documentation, you doubtless saw a bevy of new Short Messaging Service (SMS)-related interfaces including ISMS, ISMSMsg, ISMSNotifier, and ISMSStorage. If so, you're probably wondering: What do these classes offer that ITAPI doesn't, and why would you use them? You're not alone. In this article, I'll review how SMS sends and receives works in BREW, and explain why there are all of these new classes around the SMS protocol. Fortunately, as you will see, most applications can continue to use the existing ITAPI interfaces for managing SMS; the new interfaces are for a few very specific purposes.
The ITAPI Interface and SMS
For time immemorial (BREW time, anyway), the ITAPI interface has been your pathway to sending and receiving SMS. Sending is trivial, thanks to the ITAPI_SendSMS method, which takes the destination address, message, and an optional class ID to which the message should be delivered as well as a status callback, like this:
ITAPI_SendSMS (pITapi, "8885551212", "Hello World", 0,MOSMSNotify, pThis ); void MOSMSNotify( void *p, int result ) { if ( result == AEEMOSMS_ERR_NO_ERR ) DBGPRINTF("Success!"); 5 else DBGPRINTF("Failure &d", result ); }
While sending SMS messages is trivial—all it requires is the message text and a callback—receiving messages presents you with a number of choices in how you wish to receive a message. All handsets have always had the ability to receive BREW-directed SMS messages (also called BDSMS), those messages which begin with the string //BREW:classid: where classid is your application's class id. When the handset receives a BDSMS to your application, it posts the payload of the message to your application using the EVT_APP_MESSAGE event.
More recent versions of BREW let you receive all SMS text messages, although you need to take care when doing this that you don't inadvertently hijack the handset's text messaging application, keeping the handset user from receiving any text messages. To do this, you must only register for with the TAPI class using the NMASK_TAPI_SMS_TEXT mask in your application's Module Information File (MIF). When a message comes in, your application receives an EVT_NOTIFY, and can get the contents of the message as an AEESMSTextMsg structure like this:
// In your application's event handler case EVT_NOTIFY: { AEENotify *pNoti = (AEENotify *)dwParam; if ( pNoti->cls == AEECLSID_TAPI ) { AEESMSMsg pMsg = (AEESMSTextMsg *)pNoti->pData; // Do something with the payload here. } }
Text SMS messages are just one of a subset of messages deliverable via SMS; the SMS protocol provides for multiple addresses for SMS messages, called teleservice ids. These are analogous to the notion of a port number in the TCP/IP protocol; different teleservice ID's are used for different purposes, such as WAP push notifications or voicemail notifications. You can receive these messages with ITAPI, too, using a very similar mechanism; see the BREW documentation for details.
The ISMS Interface
New in the latest versions of BREW 3.1.2 is a suite of SMS interfaces, ISMS, ISMSNotifier, ISMSMsg, and ISMSStorage. These interfaces open up the entire suite of SMS on the phone, letting you:
- Send SMS messages—text or binary—using ISMS and ISMSMsg
- Receive SMS messages using ISMSNotifier, ISMS, and ISMSMsg
- Insert and fetch messages from the handset's native message store
Looking at this list, you might surmise that these interfaces aren't for general consumption, and you'd be absolutely correct. These interfaces are provided largely for handset manufacturers, who now can write the handset's embedded messaging suite in BREW, something that couldn't easily be done before. Nonetheless, it's instructive to look at how these classes work, if only because they provide insight into how the handset's SMS functionality works under the hood.
Consider sending an SMS: Previously, as developers we've only been able to send SMS using ITAPI_SendSMS. By using ISMS and ISMSMsg, there's considerably more flexibility—at the cost of complexity, as you can imagine. Here's pseudocode to send a message:
// Make a new SMS message nResult = ISHELL_CreateInstance(pThis->sApplet.m_pIShell, AEECLSID_SMSMSG, (void**)&(pISMSMsg)); if(nResult != SUCCESS ) { DBGPRINTF("Failed to create ISMSMsg %s", nResult); goto fail; } // Make a new SMS service nResult = ISHELL_CreateInstance(pThis->sApplet.m_pIShell, AEECLSID_SMS, (void**)&(pThis->pISMS)); if(nResult != SUCCESS ) { DBGPRINTF("Failed to create ISMS %s", nResult); goto fail; } // Configure our options buffer. Options will be added // "one at a time" sOpts[1].nId = MSGOPT_END; sOpts[1].pVal = NULL; // We need to instruct the ISMSMessage to copy options that // are passed sOpts[0].nId = MSGOPT_COPYOPTS; sOpts[0].pVal = (void *)TRUE; ISMSMSG_AddOpt(pISMSMsg, (WebOpt *)&sOpts); // Set the destination address on our outbound sms message sOpts[0].nId = MSGOPT_TO_DEVICE_SZ; sOpts[0].pVal = (void *)"8885551212" ISMSMSG_AddOpt(pISMSMsg, (WebOpt *)&sOpts); // priority sOpts[0].nId = MSGOPT_PRIORITY; sOpts[0].pVal = (void *)AEESMS_PRIORITY_NORMAL; ISMSMSG_AddOpt(pISMSMsg, (WebOpt *)&sOpts); // sender address (from). We get the sender's MDN from ITAPI nResult = ISHELL_CreateInstance(pThis->sApplet.m_pIShell, AEECLSID_TAPI, (void **)&pITapi); if(nResult != SUCCESS) { DBGPRINTF("Failed to create ITAPI instance %s", nResult); goto fail; } ITAPI_GetStatus(pITapi, &sStatus); ITAPI_Release(pITapi); sOpts[0].nId = MSGOPT_FROM_DEVICE_SZ; sOpts[0].pVal = (void *)&sStatus.szMobileID[5]; ISMSMSG_AddOpt(pISMSMsg, (WebOpt *)&sOpts); sOpts[0].nId = MSGOPT_MOSMS_ENCODING; sOpts[0].pVal = (void *)AEESMS_ENC_ASCII; ISMSMSG_AddOpt(pISMSMsg, (WebOpt *)&sOpts); sOpts[0].nId = MSGOPT_PAYLOAD_SZ; sOpts[0].pVal = (void *)"Hello World"; ISMSMSG_AddOpt(pISMSMsg, (WebOpt *)&sOpts); sOpts[0].nId = MSGOPT_PAYLOAD_ENCODING; sOpts[0].pVal = (void *)AEE_ENC_ISOLATIN1; ISMSMSG_AddOpt(pISMSMsg, (WebOpt *)&sOpts); // Prepare to send the message by init'ing callback and // setting status CALLBACK_Init(&pThis->m_sSendMessageCallback, SMSSendCB, pThis); ISMS_SendMsg(pThis->pISMS, pISMSMsg, &pThis->m_sSendMessageCallback, &pThis->m_dwSMSSendResult); // And our callback static void SMSSendCB(CApp *pThis) { int nResult = EFAILED; uint32 dwErrorType = 0; uint32 dwErrorCode = EFAILED; dwErrorType = AEESMS_GETERRORTYPE(pThis->m_dwSMSSendResult); DBGPRINTF("etype: 0x%x", dwErrorType); dwErrorCode = AEESMS_GETERROR(pThis->m_dwSMSSendResult); DBGPRINTF("ecode: 0x%x", dwErrorCode); switch(dwErrorType) { case 0: // Should be a success! break; case 1: // SMSC Error type 1 break; case 2: // SMSC Error type 2 break; case 3: // SMSC Error type 3 break; default: DBGPRINTF("invalid error type %d", dwErrorType); break; } }
Wow. That's a lot of code just to send a message! After creating an empty SMS message and an instance of ISMS (which will actually perform the sending operation), most of the code consists of configuring the SMS message with the options for the message, such as its destination address, sender address, encoding (ASCII, as opposed to a binary SMS message), message payload (the ubiquitous "Hello World", and how the payload is encoded (ISO-Latin character set). For users of IWeb, this interface should look familiar—under the hood, an ISMSMessage is actually a collection of WebOpts.
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Dell has spent around $13 billion on 19 acquisitions since 2008. This buying spree has included more than $5 billion in the last year alone, with Tuesday's purchaseof data-protection specialist Credant Technologies representing the most recent addition to the Dell portfolio.
Company founder and CEO Michael Dell assertedduring December's Dell World conference that all the activity has helped turn his namesake into an end-to-end IT service provider. By and large, his words ring true; the company enjoyed enough success in 2012, most notably in servers, to substantiate its role as a major player. Nevertheless, haziness surrounds the company's ability to compete with HP, IBM, Oracle, Cisco and other wide-reaching industry powers.
Here are six 2012 trends that will define how Dell continues to redefine itself in the new year.
1. Slumping PC Sales.
Dell made its name by producing affordable PCs, but this one-time cornerstone is now one of the company's biggest sources of uncertainty. To be fair, the PC market as a whole lost steam in 2012, thanks to not only a slowdown in sales prior to the release of Windows 8 but also increased competition from smartphones and tablets. Even so, Dell was hit particularly hard, shipping fewer units and securing less of the market in 2012 than it did in 2011.
[ How successful has Dell been in broadening its appeal? Read Dell's 'Transformation': Customers Speak. ]
Michael Dell has expressed faith in the company's ability to rebound in the PC space and gain traction among tablet users. At Dell World, for example, he predicted that Windows 8 and its touch experience will help PCs, particularly convergence devices, to claim a chunk of the BYOD market. Unlike other Windows releases, which could be installed on any machine with adequate processing power, the new OS's fate is indeed bound to new PC sales -- its tactile functions will take over the enterprise only if businesses embrace touch-friendly hardware. With many companies still recouping Windows 7 investments, the new machines will need consumer popularity to make this happen. Dell has brought to market a variety of new devices intended to both maximize the benefits of a touch-based OS, and, with its laptop-tablet hybrids, cater to increasing demands for mobility. Even so, Windows 8 has been seen as a gamble for both Microsoft and OEMs, and early sales numbers haven't succeeded in turning the tide. Forecastssuggest PCs will return to modest growth in the future, but industry watchers will need to wait until 2013 to see if Dell leads the charge.
2. Ups And Downs In Storage.
On one hand, Dell performed very well throughout 2012 in certain storage segments, such as the iSCSI SAN market. It also earned high marks in InformationWeek's storage evaluation. On the other hand, the company experienced overall revenue declines in the space, lost storage chief Darren Thomas, and prompted questions about its breakup with market powerhouse EMC. While amassing the mixed record, Dell continued to introduce new storage products and tout the ROI benefits that its modular upgrade path offers SMBs. The company additionally broke into the converged infrastructure networking and server business, which could produce trickledown benefits for its storage sales. The mid-market space that Dell's business strategy targets has attracted attention from companies such as Netapp, however, so Dell's storage outlook for 2013 is still ambiguous.
3. Inroads In Servers.
Midway through the year, Dell was one of the bright spots in an otherwise uninspiring server market. The most recent figures reveal that Dell has accelerated this momentum to achieve its best performance to date, including success among not only its bread-and-butter SMB clients but also high-end customers. Future success, though, will rely on its Active Systems converged infrastructure platform, which was unveiled in October by Marius Hass, Dell's newly-minted president of enterprise solutions and a veteran of competitor HP.
Michael Dell acknowledged the importance of convergence during Dell World. Indeed, a variety of factors -- virtualization, cloud computing, energy and space consciousness, the demand for automation and reduced administrative burdens -- have positioned this consolidation of server, networking and storage functions as the data center infrastructure of the future. Haas said at the Active System launch that the new platform compares favorably to competing systems, such as Cisco's UCS. These claims have yet to be tested against market preference, however, and Cisco hasn't stood pat with its offerings. HP is also a force in this area, so Dell's new line will have to prove itself if the company is to continue its strong server growth.


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Yankee Stadium Casual Dining
Hard Rock Cafe Yankee Stadium
Est. March 30, 2009
The ultimate sports and music experience is waiting for you at Hard Rock Cafe Yankee Stadium! Located at Gate 6 on the corner of 161st Street and River Avenue, our cafe offers seating for 165 guests and a full bar. We are open year-round and we welcome ticketholders and non-ticketholders alike.
Experience Game Day, Hard Rock Style
Swing in on game day to watch the Yankees and New York City Football Club play on any of our 15 large, flat-screen TVs and enjoy the best burger in the city with an ice-cold beer. Not in the mood for beer? The tasty specialty drinks from our award-winning bar – including Hard Rock's world-famous Hurricanes and Margaritas – are sure to quench your thirst. Our cafe isn't only open on game day though; you can stop in anytime for some great food, drinks, and entertainment.
Classic America
At Hard Rock Cafe Yankee Stadium, we make it our mission to hit one out of the park with every guest. From our award-winning bar and cuisine to our amazing collection of memorabilia, we pay homage to everything you love about this city. Explore historic memorabilia items from New York-based artists and musicians, and of course, mementos from our beloved Yanks. Be sure to pick up a souvenir from your trip at The Rock Shop®, featuring classic Hard Rock Cafe gear like hats, t-shirts, glassware, and more.


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Toyota Axle Parts In A Jeep?Posted in How To: Transmission Drivetrain on September 1, 2012
Call us what you want—turncoat, heathen, apostate, betrayer, snake, double- crosser—chances are that we have been called all of this and worse by our mom. Yep, she is harsh but honest. Love ya, mom! We are running a Toyota axle in our TJ. The fact is that we have pulled plenty of parts from non-U.S. vehicles, and millions of Jeeps on the road or trails in the U.S and abroad are littered with foreign-made parts right from the factory. Ever heard of an Aisin's AX15, AW4, AX5? How 'bout the Peugeot BA-10? Yep, all of those are foreign-built transmissions and hell, two of the four are pretty darn good. So why not turn to other parts from Toyota 4x4s (which share some Aisin parts with some Jeeps). The fact is that our misguided fellow four wheelers who either intentionally or reluctantly find themselves behind the wheel of Toyota 4x4s have been using and downright abusing Toyota axles with rather large (35-38-inch) tires for years. Okay, so you say that these guys running toy axles are only making 115 horsepower or so. Yep, you are right, but they do usually use stacked and low-geared transfer cases where stress and strain are compounded. Also, our little SE TJ ("3-Day TJ for $3K ," April '12) makes similar power numbers with its 2.5L AMC-designed four-banger, and we don't have dual- or triple-stacked T-cases with comically low gearing. So yeah, we admit it, we wanted to check out some of these Japanese parts for ourselves when we came across the perfect parts rig at our local pick-your-part junkyard. A wrecked '97 V-6 2WD Toyota Tacoma—we could not resist.
A couple of hours and $125 later we had the object of our interest—a Toyota rear axle for our TJ. This axle is unofficially known as a Toyota 8.4 (Sometimes 8.25), or T100/Tundra/Tacoma axle, and shares many similarities and improvements from the original V-6/Turbo Toyota truck 8-inch axle. The axle has an 8-inch ring gear (the name is misleading, huh?), 30-spline shafts, 30-spline pinion, V-6 carrier bearings, larger pinion bearings, and reportedly a stronger third member casting than the '86-'95 V-6/Turbo differentials. The 2WD Tacoma V-6 we want you to look for also shares the 5-on-4.5-inch (5-on-114.3-mm in metric land) wheel bolt pattern of '87-'06 Wranglers, '84-'01 XJs, '86-'91 MJs, and '93-'98 ZJs. Plus, it has a (roughly) 59-inch WMS-WMS width. It's a near-perfect swap for several late-model Jeeps and is way stronger than any beefed-up Dana 35. The similarities in strength approach, if not exceed, that of a Dana 44 rear axle with 30-spline axles. The best part for us and our underpowered TJ is that this Toyota axle offers a similar weight and a touch more ground clearance than that of the weak stock Dana 35. Okay, so this may not be the most common axle in the junkyard, but hell, we found one, and have noticed it under every newer '05- present 2WD Tacoma we've had a chance to peek under. (Although we are not sure that these newer Toyota trucks share the WMS-to-WMS width of the earlier '941⁄2-'04 Tacoma axle we have.) Follow along as we set up, test, and beat on this Toy axle with help from JTS Justdifferentials, Nitro Axle & Gear, ARB Air Locker, Rusty's Off Road, and Tom Wood's Custom Driveshafts. Yo!
Why'd We Choose That?
We chose ARB Air Lockers for our '97 TJ because we wanted the ability to turn the lockers off and wheel our Jeep with open differentials. Why, you ask? Well, in our opinion, driving a rig with big tires, spools or auto lockers can make you a lazy off-road driver. We like the challenge of driving an open diff'd, small tire'd Jeep off-road sometimes.
Getting the pre-built Toyota third member from JTS Justdifferentials was a no brainer. The company knows all about these axles and was happy to help us figure out what third member we needed. Also, it has more experience setting up a ring-and-pinion properly, which is a key to long life of the gears. Sometimes it's worth the cash to have someone else with more experience handle tougher upgrades.
We also filled our TJ's Dana 30 with an ARB Air Locker (PN RD100) 4.88:1 Nitro Axle and Gear gears, new bearings, and a master install kit from JTS Justdifferentials. Installation of the locker and gearset is relatively easy with lots of expensive specialized tools, knowledge of the process, and experience. Lack those things? Get a professional to set up the axle.