US corruption probe nets dozens

More than 40 people, including politicians, officials and several rabbis have been arrested in a major FBI operation in the US.

Get ready for Windows 7 RC with this FAQ

While I have been working with Microsoft Windows 7 for quite some time now, I downloaded the Windows 7 Release Candidate on May 5, 2009, just to experience the procedure. While I was an early bird downloader (I actually began my download at 11:45 p.m. on May 4 and let the download progress as I slept), the download went off without a hitch, and from what Ive heard so far, there hasnt been a repeat of the crash that took down the Windows 7 Beta download servers in January. The installation also went very smoothly, and this RC version of the operating system is amazingly responsive and very stable.
In this edition of the Windows Vista and Windows 7 Report, Ill present you with a brief Windows 7 RC FAQ combined with some of my initial experiences. In the coming weeks, Ill continue to focus on various aspects of the RC version of the operating system.
This blog post is also available in PDF format in a free TechRepublic download.
What are the hardware requirements?
Actually, the hardware requirements for Windows 7 RC are relatively mild. I suppose thats because Windows Vista has been out for over two years and weve all had time to get used to the idea of advanced hardware requirements from an operating system combined with the fact that hardware that was once deemed as a steep-and-expensive increase has become commonplace.
In any case, the minimum system requirements youll need for Windows 7 include:
DVD burner/drive
1 GHz or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
1 GB RAM (32-bit) / 2 GB RAM (64-bit)
16 GB available disk space (32-bit) / 20 GB (64-bit)
DirectX 9 graphics processor with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver
My test system, on which I installed the 32-bit version, has a DVD burner, AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ processor, 1 GB RAM, an NVIDIA GeForce 6100 nForce 405 onboard video, and plenty of disk space. (For this particular test system, I installed an additional SATA hard disk, switched the cables, and installed Windows 7 RC on it. When I need to switch back to Vista, I just shut down and switch the cables. While it may sound like a crude mechanism, it is relatively quick to make the switch due to the SATA connectors, and I can reformat and reinstall at will without having to worry about dismantling my Vista test configuration.)
Can anyone get in on the release candidate program?
In days gone by, you had to be signed up/registered in the testing program in order to take part in release candidate testing, but not with Windows 7 RC. In fact, Microsoft is treating the RC like shareware. Anyone can download it for free and use it for a limited time before actually purchasing it. However, instead of a 30-, 60-, or 90-day trial, Microsoft is giving you 300 days. On March 1, 2010, the RC will start shutting down every two hours and will completely stop working on June 1, 2010.
To get your free copy, just go to the Windows 7 Release Candidate Download page and follow the instructions. The RC will be available for download at least through July 2009, and Microsoft is not limiting the number of product keys.
Whats new in this version?
The short answer is plenty! If youve been following my blogs over the past few months, you already have an overview of many of the new features, such as a new Taskbar, Jump Lists, Aero Snap, Aero Peek, Problem Steps Recorder, file system Libraries, User Account Control Settings, and enhancements to Task Manager and Resource Monitor just to name a few. At this point, Windows 7 RC is said to be feature-complete, which means that everything that was planned is now in the operating system
One of the hottest new features being introduced as an add-on with the RC version is XP Mode, which will allow you to run older apps that work fine in XP but are incompatible with 7 in a virtual environment. XP Mode is based on Microsofts Virtual PC and runs Windows XP SP3 in a virtual machine. Keep in mind that XP Mode is available only with Professional, Ultimate, and Enterprise editions and requires that your CPU support hardware virtualization.
Other new features being introduced with the RC include BitLocker To Go, which extends the BitLocker drive encryption feature to USB removable drives. Another new security feature aimed at removable drives is actually something that Microsoft removed from the operating system  AutoRun. When you connect a removable drive, malware will no longer be able to piggyback off of AutoRun to launch its attack.
While not as crucial as some of the other features in the operating system, youll now find a plethora of new multimedia-based features, new sound schemes, new themes, and new desktop wallpapers, including a picture shuffle that changes your wallpaper every 30 minutes. And theres much, much more&
Where can I learn more?
Of course, Ill be covering Windows 7 RC in more detail in upcoming blogs, so you learn more right here at TechRepublic. You should also frequent Microsofts Windows 7 page and sign up for the Windows Vista and Windows 7 Report newsletter.
Whats your take?
Have you downloaded and installed Windows 7 RC? If so, what is your impression? If you havent done so yet, are you planning on downloading and installing Windows 7 RC? As always, if you have comments or information to share, please take a moment to drop by the TechRepublic Community Forums and let us hear from you.
TechRepublics Windows Vista and Windows 7 Report newsletter, delivered every Friday, offers tips, news, and scuttlebutt on Vista and Windows 7, including a look at new features in the latest version of the Windows OS. Automatically sign up today!

Installation 5: Self Portrait

Opening this Thursday at the Showroom in New York City will be the latest installment of the Scion touring series titled, Installation 5: Self Portrait. In the Scion tradition of supporting both established and emerging artists, the proceeds from this season's tour will benefit the art programs of the Creative Capital Foundation.The fifth Installment of the art tour features an amazing roster of artists, including, Aj Fosik, Andrew Schoultz, David Choe, Kelsey Brookes, Mark Mothersbaugh, and Codak, among many others. The exhibition will visit 9 cities in total during the full tour making upcoming stops in San Jose, Philadelphia, Portland and reaching its final destination at the Scion Installation Gallery in Culver City, California.
Top Image (left to right): AJ Fosik, Kelsey Brookes, and Codak

Space shuttle finally blasts off

The US space agency Nasa has successfully launched the space shuttle Endeavour - at the sixth attempt.

Earlier launches at the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida were called off because of bad weather and fuel leaks.

The crew will spend 11 days on the International Space Station, finishing work on a Japanese research laboratory.

Special issue of Applied Cognitive Psychology on eyewitness research

The latest issue of Applied Cognitive Psychology (Volume 22 Issue 6, September 2008) is a special devoted to Basic and Applied Issues in Eyewitness Research, edited by Brian H. Bornstein, Christian A. Meissner. Published to mark the centenary of the publication of On the Witness Stand by Hugo Munsterburg, one of forensic psychologys founding fathers, this issue contains a feast of articles by some of the top names in the field, and will be a valuable resource for anyone interested in eyewitness psychology. The editors explain why the publication of Munsterbergs text is worth marking: Hugo Munsterberg, who was one of the earliest researchers on eyewitness memory, is probably the first figure to advocate strongly for a wider reliance by the courts on psychological research& [His] efforts were largely rebuffed & and since that time, there have been repeated calls for the courts to take eyewitness research (indeed, all social science research) more seriously, accompanied by a range of judicial responses ranging from ready acceptance to outright rejection (Monahan & Walker, 2005). Nor are all psychologists of one mind on this issue. Indeed, even Munsterberg himself, who is widely regarded as one of the founders of applied psychology, at times urged caution in applying psychological research findings to real-world problems& Bornstein and Meissner go on to highlight two other reasons to revisit the issue of applying psychology in the courtroom: First, despite the increasing acceptance of eyewitness research in the courtroom (they say the American courtroom but of course other countries judicial systems have also taken note) there remain disagreements about the quality and ecological validity of such research. And second, the editors suggest that the trend for greater acceptance of research findings by the legal system has, in the opinions of some observers, created a situation in which there is an overemphasis on practical questions, accompanied by a lack of theoretical relevance. In other words, applied researchers need to pay equal attention to theoretical and practical implications of their research. The articles in this issue set eyewitness research in a historical context and address the specific issues associated with such research and its applications. Highly recommended. Contents include: Basic and applied issues in eyewitness research: A Münsterberg centennial retrospective - Brian H. Bornstein, Christian A. Meissner Lessons from the origins of eyewitness testimony research in Europe - Siegfried Ludwig Sporer Hugo who? G. F. Arnolds alternative early approach to psychology and law - Brian H. Bornstein, Steven D. Penrod Toward a more informative psychological science of eyewitness evidence - John Turtle, J. Don Read, D. Stephen Lindsay, C. A. Elizabeth Brimacombe A middle road approach to bridging the basic-applied divide in eyewitness identification research - Sean M. Lane, Christian A. Meissner Study space analysis for policy development - Roy S. Malpass, Colin G. Tredoux, Nadja Schreiber Compo, Dawn McQuiston-Surrett, Otto H. MacLin, Laura A. Zimmerman, Lisa D. Topp The importance (necessity) of computational modelling for eyewitness identification research - Steven E. Clark Estimating the impact of estimator variables on eyewitness identification: A fruitful marriage of practical problem solving and psychological theorizing - Kenneth A. Deffenbacher Eyewitness confidence and latency: Indices of memory processes not just markers of accuracy - Neil Brewer, Nathan Weber Münsterbergs legacy: What does eyewitness research tell us about the reliability of eyewitness testimony? - Amina Memon, Serena Mastroberardino, Joanne Fraser Theory, logic and data: Paths to a more coherent eyewitness science - Gary L. Wells See also: British Psychological Society guidelines on memory On the Witness Stand: Essays on Psychology and Crime by Hugo Munsterberg

Chicago Cubs @ Milwaukee Brewers: 6:05 ET/7:05 CT CSN

The only part of Ararmis Ramirez currently un-injured.
Yes, we lost last night. Yes, we're back in 4th place, once again looking up at the Reds (boo!). Yes, Aramis Ramirez has been mortally wounded, thus necessitating additional playing time for Aaron Miles. Yes, Ryan Freel is now for some reason on our team. Yes, I have a headache.
I suppose I could sit here and give you all a list of silver linings after yesterday's debacle, but I won't. Because Umbra has already done it for me: Umbra's Top Ten Reasons Not to Panic
10. The Cubs are 2-4 in 1-run games. A run here or there, and this team wins more of those. Yeah, but a quarter inch the other way and you'd have missed completely.
9. Milton Bradley has already blown up at the Ump and gotten tossed. He is contrite and wants to change, so this will never happen again.
8. Fukudome has changed his approach from last year. He only changes approaches about once a year, so if the team does poorly, Fukudome can take few months off, change his approach again, and come out swinging.
7. The Cub's farm system will be its saving grace. The infusion of young blood in the form of 31-year-old rookie sensation Bobby Scales and 29-year-old Micah Hoffpauir is what this club needs.
6. Ryan Theriot hasn't been caught stealing since April 23. Maybe he is learning. At this rate, he will stop getting picked off third base by mid-July.
5. Jeff Samardzija is widely considered to be the best catching tight-end in all of baseball.
4. With Manny Ramirez out 50 games, he will not be able to crush our dreams like he did last year in the playoffs when the Cubs play the Dodgers at the end of May. Orlando Hudson will.
3. Denise Richards has already sung the 7th inning stretch this month and cannot legally sing it again until June.
2. Ryan Freel can be rearranged to spell "Fern Relay".
1. We're all going to die of swine flu anyway.
And (and I know this bound to offend SOMEONE, but whatever):
Tonight it's Canadian Ryan Dempster against Northern Beern Town Prodigy Yovanni Gallardo (who is on my fantasy team, so this is a tough night for me). The game starts at 6:00 on CSN. Lineups to come.

Seattle Mariners Team Report

INSIDE PITCH The Mariners are getting a little closer to having the bullpen they envisioned at the start of the season. Brandon Morrow came back from the disabled list Saturday, got into Sunday's game and collected his sixth save. Tyler Johnson, who is coming back from shoulder surgery last year when he was playing with St. Louis, is still in Peoria, Ariz., working out in extended spring training. He's scheduled to throw a simulated game Tuesday, after which he could go on an injury rehabilitation assignment. The club could see him back by the end of the month. Chad Cordero, also at the spring facility in Peoria, is set to throw in Tuesday's simulated game, too. However, he has more of those to come in the wake of surgery to repair a torn labrum last July 8. Still, he's getting closer and could be back next month. Johnson and Corder are significant because of their history. Johnson was an up-and-coming pitcher with the Cardinals from 2005-07 before a bout with bursitis ultimately led to surgery. In the 2006 playoffs, he helped the World Series champion Cardinals by appearing in 10 postseason games, striking out 12 in 7 1/3 innings. He held left-handed hitters to a .221 average that season, and held all hitters to a .217 average in 2007. Cordero was an All-Star with the Nationals in 2005 (47 saves) and had 113 saves in 2005-07 before needing his shoulder worked on. Meanwhile, Cesar Jimenez is out on an injury rehabilitation assignment and could be back sooner than either from his bout with left biceps tendinitis. And Roy Corcoran, on the disabled list with strained neck, is due to resume throwing this weekend.NOTES, QUOTESDH Ken Griffey Jr.'s eighth-inning home run Sunday was his 26th in the Metrodome. That's the most he's had as a visitor in any ballpark. And it will be his last, as the Mariners have already played twice in Minneapolis this season and the Twins move into a new stadium next season. And the homer was his seventh on Mother's Day. In baseball history, the only men who have hit more Mother's Day homers than Griffey Hank Aaron and Frank Robinson, both with nine.RHP Brandon Morrow, activated from the disabled list on Saturday, has moved right back into his role as the closer. RHP David Aardsma, who was closing in Morrow's absence, will now pitch the eighth inning. Morrow's appearance Sunday was his first in 17 days.RHP Carlos Silva went on the disabled list Saturday with right shoulder inflammation, but manager Don Wakamatsu is at least as concerned with Silva's confidence level as with his shoulder. "It's not mechanical, it's a matter of confidence," Wakamatsu said. "We believe he can pitch effectively, he doesn't right now. He has to, to be successful."BY THE NUMBERS: 26 Metrodome home runs by Ken Griffey Jr., including a game-tying shot in the eighth inning Sunday. That's the most for him in any road ball park.QUOTE TO NOTE: "The test is all year, not six games." DH Ken Griffey Jr., on the Mariners' just-ended six-game losing streak.ROSTER REPORT1B Mike Sweeney was unavailable to play Sunday after a recurrence of back spasms. He should be ready to play again when Mariners open a three-game series in Texas on Tuesday.LHP Jason Vargas, who pitched two games in relief after being called up from Tacoma, will get his first start as a Mariner on Tuesday in Texas. Vargas spent most of his limited time with the Marlins and the Mets the last few years as a starter.LHP Ryan Rowland-Smith, on the disabled list with left triceps tendinitis, will throw a simulated game this week in Texas, then throw a bullpen session a couple of days later. After that, he's likely to go out on an injury rehabilitation assignment. He's not likely to be back with the Mariners much before the end of the month.RHP Shawn Kelley, who went on the disabled list with a strained left oblique, is likely to need more time than the mandatory 15 days on the DL. He could miss a month or more.RF Ichiro Suzuki has 34 hits this season. Of those, 11 have been infield hits, including three in the last five games.DH Ken Griffey Jr. had a double Sunday, the 507th of his big-league career. That moves him past Babe Ruth (506). Griffey is alone in 42nd place on the all-time list. Next up is Rickey Henderson (510).LHP Tyler Johnson, on the disabled list as he recovers from last year's elbow surgery, is scheduled to throw a simulated game in extended spring training Tuesday in Arizona. At that point he will go on an injury rehabilitation assignment, although the Mariners have not said which club he'll be assigned to.RHP Carlos Silva, on the disabled list with shoulder inflammation, is expected to resume throwing this week during the series in Texas. MEDICAL WATCH: 1B Mike Sweeney (back spasms) did not play May 10 but is expected back in the lineup May 12. RHP Brandon Morrow (right biceps tendinitis) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 24. He was activated May 9. RHP Carlos Silva (right shoulder inflammation) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 7. RHP Shawn Kelley (strained left oblique muscle) went on the 15-day disabled list May 6. He could miss at least one month. RHP Roy Corcoran (strained neck) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 29. LHP Ryan Rowland-Smith (left triceps tendinitis) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 11. He threw a bullpen session May 5, and he will throw another May 7. He is scheduled for a simulated game the following week, after which he might start a rehab assignment. LHP Cesar Jimenez (left biceps tendinitis) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 29. He began a rehab assignment with Class AAA Tacoma on April 24, and he could be activated in early May. LHP Ryan Feierabend (Tommy John elbow surgery in March 2009) went on the 60-day disabled list March 16. LHP Tyler Johnson (left shoulder surgery in May 2008) started the season in the minors. He might start a rehab assignment with Class AAA Tacoma during the weekend of May 8-10. RHP Chad Cordero (right shoulder surgery in July 2008) signed a minor league deal with the Mariners during the spring, and he wasn't ready for opening day. He was throwing in extended spring training in early May. ROTATION: RHP Felix Hernandez LHP Erik Bedard LHP Jarrod Washburn RHP Chris Jakubauskas LHP Jason Vargas BULLPEN: RHP Brandon Morrow (closer) RHP David Aardsma RHP Miguel Batista RHP Mark Lowe RHP Sean White RHP Denny Stark LHP Garrett Olson CATCHERS: Kenji Johjima Rob Johnson INFIELDERS: 1B Russell Branyan 2B Jose Lopez SS Yuniesky Betancourt 3B Adrian Beltre INF Mike Sweeney INF Ronny Cedeno OUTFIELDERS: LF Endy Chavez CF Franklin Gutierrez RF Ichiro Suzuki DH Ken Griffey Jr. OF Wladimir Balentien

Stress Management

A lecturer was explaining stress management to an audience raised a glass of water and asked: "How heavy is this glass of water?" Answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g. The lecturer replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes." He continued, "And that's the way it is with stress management. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, We won't be able to carry on. " "As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden " "So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down. Don't carry it home. You can pick it up tomorrow. Whatever burdens you're carrying now, Let them down for a moment if you can." So, my friend, why not take a while to just simply RELAX. Put down anything that may be a burden to you right now. Don't pick it up again until after you've rested a while Life is short - Enjoy it ! Here are some great ways of dealing with the burdens of life: Accept that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can be recalled by their maker If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have a leg to stand on. Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance Since it's the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late The second mouse gets the cheese When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour Just wanted to share a little something...this has worked for me...you should try it as well! Smooches, Tiff

Morning "Mad Men Meets The Clash" links

Barnhart points us to some very cool "Mad Men"-based art - including wallpapers. My favorite is the one at right, which combines Betty Draper with the "London Calling" album cover! Comedian Jeffrey Ross and his creepy facial hair were eliminated from "Dancing With The Stars" last night. Go Frau Blucher! I don't even know what to think about this: Lisa Kudrow will star in an Internet comedy series on the Lexus channel. What? Some good predictions for this season of "The Office," which starts on Thursday night with an hourlong episode. Allegedly Elisabeth Hasselbeck is considering leaving "The View" for Fox News. And we care because...? Hibberd gets some "Lost"-ies to give sorta spoilers on camera. And here's Ausiello's video spoilers from the same Emmys carpet.

Wish List, Likes, Dislikes...

I had a brainstorm idea this morning. (Watch out world!) I belong to several online stitching groups and each group has a questionaire asking about wish lists, likes, dislikes, etc. I find it time consuming to be typing the same things over and over, so I thought... Why not put it all in my blog, and then reference this entry? Good idea, eh? I thought so! So here goes:FAVORITESFavorite fabric: 28/32ct evenweave/linen, hand-dyedsFavorite needles: 26ct petite needlesFavorite Threads: WDW, Victoria Clayton Silks, GAST, Glissen Gloss Colorwash Silks, DMC Linens, SSS (needed floss for the last 2 are in my wish list link below). Love specialty flosses.Colors (include favorites & least favorites): Favorites: soft pretty colors such as pastels; Dislikes: dark, drab colors.Themes (include favorites & least favorites): Likes: oriental themes, Fobs, Stitcher Accessories; Least favorite: religious, folksyMagazines (include favorites & any that are subscriptions): Any UK mags, Stoney Creek , JCSFavorite Designers: Lorri Birmingham (elegant designs), The Sweetheart Tree (fobs), Joan Elliot (oriental designs), as well as a few others.Favorite Foods/Drink: ice tea (or flavored hot teas), cocoa, skittles, jelly belly jelly beansCollections (things you collect other than stitching): old cameras (I’m a photographer too)Scents (include favorite & least favorite): Lilac. I have allergies and asthma so strong scents don’t work for me.Favorite ONS: Needle in a Haystack www.needlestack.com123 Stitch www.123stitch.comKeepsake Needlearts www.keepsakeneedlearts.comFavorite LNS: Don’t have one close to me. There’s a Walmart, JoAnn Fabrics, Michaels and Hobby Lobby.WISH LISTPictorial Wish List located HERECharts wanted: see link aboveKits wanted (including just charts from kits): see link aboveThreads/beads wanted: anything but DMC/Anchor floss. I don't use Anchor, and I have 2-3 complete sets of DMC.Accessories/Gadgets wanted:Leather Scissor sheaths#26 Stitch FixerDMC Brand Plastic BobbinsOtherDo you have an online photo album? My AlbumHow do you store your threads? On bobbins in plastic storage casesFloss bags or bobbins? (Cardboard or plastic bobbins?) I use both bags and bobbins. Mostly bobbins. I’m in the process of switching from cardboard to plastic DMC bobbins.Do you have pets? Yes. A little 4lb. dog named Celeste

Window carve

Have you ever tryed Kiwi or Starfruit?

I am a fruit freak. I could just live on fruit. But I am diabetic and that is just not as good for me as you might think. I love my bananas because I am always low in potassium. If I don't get enough I get really bad cramps in my legs. Yes bananas helps those leg cramps and I am proof!! I usto live in Florida and was able to get really fun fruit like kiwi's and Starfruit. Starfruit gets it name because if you cut it across the right way it looks like a star and man is it good. Now Kiwi takes some getting usto. The fuzzy outer shell you either have to peal off or cut the fruit the right way and dig your teeth in and hope you don't get the outer skin cause it is funny feeling to your tongue. Do you have a favorite fruit?

Lisa's 2nd Ear surgery

Hi. Lisa had her 2nd cochlear implant surgery Nov 12th. She was operated on in the morning, her surgery being scheduled for 10:30. She was released and they (She and Mom Holsteen) were back home mid afternoon. Lisa seems to have a bit more pain with this one than the last one, but we trust that it will heal like it is supposed to, and all will eventually go well.Lisa is scheduled for Dec 17th for activation, which means she could have 2 ears for Christmas.Is that how the song goes? "All I want for Christmas is my own two ears?" Maybe not, but it fits this setting.As you may know, Lisa has been making a remarkable recovery in hearing. She does very well on a face to face conversation... She was able to watch tv last week without subtitles... and she is able to do some telephone, but not every voice is easy for her to hear.We really want to thank Valerie for coming all the way back from Florida to help Lisa on her surgery. (We recieved a call last Wed saying can you be ready in a week for surgery. I was already scheduled to come down to Florida to help my parents move. My flight was the same morning as Lisa's surgery. So Val drove up here, and I flew down there... :D)It has been good hanging with my parents. Its the first time we've been together in 3 years.So it is nice... I'll put some pics of my time down here on the next post.But here are pics of Lisa post surgery...

The Apprentice 2009 (UK) - Episode 6

This week saw the remaining candidates wandering the streets of London trying to sell a variety of items ranging from a vintage pair of shoes to a first edition book and a skeleton. It was a fairly dull episode this week as there wasnt an awful lot of "business" content (but then again there seems to be less of that and more of the boardroom fights this series). So what lessons can we take from the show this week? Well it proved what many have always said about selling: If you are prepared to accept enough rejection, youll eventually make a sale no matter how bad your sales technique is. However smart entrepreneurs dont try to sell to everyone (its too inefficient) instead they use marketing techniques to identify who are the most likely customers and how to best reach them. When it came to counting the cost (literally) of the teams efforts to sell, both teams had made a loss, selling their items for less than they were worth in their desperation to make a sale. The lesson from this: Only ever make a sale if its going to be profitable for you. Know your costs, know the minimum price required to cover your costs and never, ever sell below that price. Dont do "loss leaders" - unless your name is Sam Walton. When we got back to the boardroom we found out who lost and why. The losing team did so because they didnt understand what the task was about. Lesson: Listen to the clients instructions, if you dont deliver what they asked for youre unlikely to get the promised reward, be that payment of a truffle tasting treat. Finally in the boardroom the losing candidate tried to claim credit for a mistake that the team leader made. Why? The lesson here: When someone is being (rightly) criticised for something theyve done wrong, dont step in and try to steal the blame. Copyright

Liuyifei

Of dogs and ferraris

If the idea of a dog narrating a book is too much for you, stop right here-the book I am about to review will not suit. If, however, you’re open to the idea of a dog with a tremendous sense of humor and insight telling stories, please continue. In the realm of reliable and unreliable narrators, I can vouch for this one. He’s very reliable. Hes mans best friend, after all! The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein introduces us to Enzo, an aging lab, shepherd, poodle, possibly terrier mix with the best view on life. I admire his philosophy, that’s for sure. It really makes me wonder what my own dog is thinking. We know early on that Enzo is old and not in the best of health. His home life has been chaotic as of late. The mom in the family is dying of brain cancer and the dad’s automobile racing career is stalled. The maternal grandparents disapprove of the dad’s parenting and career choice. The little girl is caught in the middle. Enzo is having a hard time moving his back legs and controlling his bladder. You can see where this is going. There will be tears. Lots of them. There’s also a lot to discuss here. Animals. Family. Following your dreams. The legal system. Reincarnation. These are just a few of the topics touched upon in The Art of Racing in the Rain. And the whole animal narrator thing? I was talking about this book with a friend of mine and described how the dog is telling the story and how she might not get into that. She said she doesn’t have a problem with that at all. But she’s not crazy about race car drivers. So if youre not bothered by the dog or the race car driver, this may just be the book for you. (Source: MADreads)

Lucy 39: I ain't saying I'm no golddigga..

Well, if you want a single mother with 4 kids you have to be a millionaire apparently..Who is she kidding ?Not just herself obviously..And guess the extent of this little lady's position..HOTEL attendant Lucy DurransI have seen many rich guys commenting on the fact that they are surrounded by possible gold diggers fighting for their attention even have females knocking on their doors at night demanding to enter..I have also heard them say that only if they come with their own wealth will they ever consider them anything more serious them just being a f**k buddy..But we have delusional comments like this to add to the melodrama of live..Lucy insists she is not prostituting herself, merely ensuring a better life for herself and her four children, aged between nine and 19.When are they going to wake up..Oh look, she has also hit on an MRA's demanding equal opportunity..“I tried a ‘normal’ date recently but although the bloke was nice, he just took me to a pub for dinner and expected me to go Dutch on the bill.The nerve of the man..I ain't saying I'm no golddigga but I ain't messin' with no road sweeper Lucy, 39 HOTEL attendant Lucy Durrans only dates men she finds on a website for women seeking seriously wealthy men — because she believes loaded blokes make the best lovers. Lucy says: “Rich men are confident, successful and used to getting exactly what they want — so dating a man with an amazing lifestyle usually means you’re going to have an amazing time in bed. “The wealthiest guy I’ve ever been out with was a millionaire. “He treated me like a fairytale princess and I had the best sex of my life with him. On dates he would send a limo from London to Milton Keynes to pick me up. 'It's easier to let yourself go if they're rich' ... Lucy Durrans “Then his driver would take me to meet him at exclusive restaurants or bars in posh hotels like The Dorchester on Park Lane. He lived in a Mayfair flat worth millions and everything in his house was luxurious. “The carpets were five inches thick and a TV even came out of the ceiling in the bathroom. “It was like an exciting fantasy world so of course it put me in the mood to have fantasy sex!” Lucy insists she is not prostituting herself, merely ensuring a better life for herself and her four children, aged between nine and 19. “Using dating sites that explicitly deal with rich men means everyone knows where they stand and what they want from the relationship. I’m being upfront about what I want but at the end of the day it’s still my choice who I date. “Yes, I do want a rich boyfriend but I still have to connect with him and I certainly won’t sleep with just anyone. “If a man is sleazy or creepy, I ditch him. I want luxury for me and my kids but not at any price. “In my experience the richer the bloke, the better the sex will be and it’s one of the reasons I won’t go out with men with no money. “I use dating websites where the men have to tell you their income and I won’t consider anyone who earns less than a £100k a year. “That way I’m guaranteed a good time in and out of bed. “I tried a ‘normal’ date recently but although the bloke was nice, he just took me to a pub for dinner and expected me to go Dutch on the bill. “I’m used to swanky restaurants and being paid for so I need a man who wants to pay for me to be attracted to him in any way. Even my kids ask me ‘how much does he earn?’ before I go on a date. “I’ve been given presents like a fur coat and diamond watches, been picked up in Aston Martins and drunk Cristal champagne. I’m not embarrassed. “These men have plenty of spare cash so they should buy me diamonds with it. I wouldn’t say loaded blokes are better lovers but I do have more orgasms with them because it’s easier to let yourself go. “For me being with a rich man is all about financial security and that’s what makes the sex great. “I want to live in the lap of luxury and when I’m with a rich bloke I can forget about scrimping and saving and relax. “Men with cash are confident and sexy so when they’ve chosen to date me when they could have their pick from loads of other girls it’s a huge turn on. “I do have standards but I’m not into looks and I don’t mind if the men are overweight. “So long as they shower and dress well. The only men I can’t enjoy sex with are ones with no money.” Lucy, from Bletchley, Milton Keynes, who dates rich men she finds on golddiggers.uk.com , would like to find her soulmate, but he would need to have plenty of cash. She says: “I’m waiting for a millionaire before I get married because skint men just don’t turn me on. “Being with a wealthy man gives me peace of mind and makes the sex mind-blowing. I’ve got nothing on my mind so I’m totally relaxed and that’s what gives it the edge.”

Heart Healthy Foods

We all know that heart health is dependent on many factors, and what you eat is definitely one of them. It's not longer just about cutting out the bad foods though, it's also about adding the good foods. WebMD has compiled a list of the top 15 heart healthy foods, some you may already be eating on a daily basis. Here are highlights: Swiss ChardFresh HerbsLow-Fat or Non-Fat YogurtGarlicExtra Virgin Olive OilAlmondsBarleyCayenne Chili PepperCarrotsBroccoliOrangesLean PorkSalmonBlack BeansDried Cherrie Please leave your comments

Makeup

canning town not to miss (canning town, Price: £90pw)

Thanks for reading my add Im renting a room in my own house for a period of 3-4 months.its 2 bedroom duplex with beautiful garden freshly decorated with plenty of space.its my own house and is decorated with high standards as im living inwith caracter a place that you can call home unlike most of rented houses. Since last year i rented another room to a quiet profesional couple.they are very quiet and tidy and you wont have any problem with them.well im renting my own room (lcd tvmemory foam matres very clean quiet facing garden) for a period of 3-4 months.room is available on the 15th of may but if you need to move imidiatelly not a problem we will manage somehow.im going to spain whole summer .will be only 3 people in total sharing a house (3 including you big sitting room with plenty of space modern kitchen and beautifull and clean garden where you will probably spend most of yor free time on a sunny days(cross fingers summer to be good satelie tv fast broadband availableland line with cheap calls.some bills (around 30 months payable i coming back to london in september but no stress about moving out we can work out with the dates when i get back(soffa available room is cheap and will go quick.if interested call on 07923004361. House is located near Royal Victoria and Custom house stations in a quiet and safe streetnight bus just around the corner to central.cannint town tube on a walking distance where you can get jubilee line and in 20 min will take you to Oxford street. Free Parking place available.

Happiness Pie

Sorry Leah, I know I've been remiss in my blogging. I've been too busy toiling* in the human rights mines and staring at boats.One major perk of my internship in the Wall Street area is a window looks out on the East River, allowing me to take frequent ship watching breaks. Seriously shoulda been a lighthouse, but only during the day.It's harder to see at night.This is old, but still really amusing. It's a Time article about Google's drunk blocker, intended to prevent drunk e-mailing. The writer, who I now want to marry-I can marry her and Kate Beaton, it's a new America-gets drunk and attempts to send inappropriate e-mails.Ultimately she succeeds in drunken, journalistic hilarity.Luckily for me, the drunk blocker is math problems. Being terrible at math, her examples all stumped me sober. 8 x 2? Come on!But unluckily, I don't seem to drunk e-mail or drunk dial people. Drunk phone throw? Sure.I know this is a good thing and I am grateful I've never called Seth at 5am to tell him he's a slut and I still love him. Baby come back.But part of me, a very small part is still curious what I might do. Lots of slurring I'd imagine.Those giant Hershey Kiss things are awesome.*Much more interesting than my old job.

Nowhere to go but up

2008 has not been a year that I'd want to live over again. It's had its bright spots, but overall I'd have to say it sucked. No where to go but up.And the icing on the cake for the year is I'm ringing in the New Year without heat. I'm not kidding. While I was out of town, a fuse blew, which then caused the transformer on the heater to melt, so they had to turn the heat off to replace the part. Of course, because of the holiday, they couldn't find anyone available to come and do that until Friday. So I'm spending New Year's Eve and Day trying to keep warm with 3 space heaters, blankets, hot tea, long underwear (thank the lord for Patagonia capilene!) and wool socks and slippers. Layers, lots of layers. I will say that it was lucky that one of the other tenants was home and reported the issue before it caused a fire.My Aunt and Grandmother sent me home from my visit to Michigan with a can of green beans, a can of black eyed peas, and a small ham so I could have my traditional New Year's Day meal. This is a very good thing since I didn't have a chance to get to the store today with all the heat issues. I'm pairing my meal this year with baked sweet potato fries for something different. In addition to the meal fixings, they also sent me home with an insane amount of cookies, chocolates, and other goodies.I did have a wonderful visit to Michigan for Christmas. My new baby cousin is adorable, even when he spits up on me (which he did more than once) and cries all over my shirt. I spent 7 days completely offline, with little to no cell phone reception, forcing me to disconnect from the world for a bit and just focus on the time with family. It was wonderful. I really wish I lived closer to them.Anyway, I'm going to curl up on the couch with the pets and a mug of tea and wait for the ball to drop so 2008 will finally be over. I can't wait. I really think there's nowhere to go but up from here (especially with the lack of heat) so things must improve in 2009.Finally don't forget the New Year's Rules people!! Don't you dare do any laundry!

Barn Ladder

A favorite place in Anderson Valley is the Apple Farm. Owned by the Schmidts of French Laundry fame, it is a real treat to visit. I like to just walk around there before buying some of their delicious fresh apple cider. It took me awhile to appreciate the place. I remembered the location from my high school days and it didnt seem very inviting. Too cold in the winter I thought, and too close to the public access river. Well, now I take that back. The Schmidts little farm has some of the mildest weather every time I visit, summer or winter. And the public beach is well away from the farm. The Schmidts have fixed the place up enormously judging by the main house and its cooking class kitchen. They also have cabins that they rent. But it is the fine detail and care with which they have done these things that I admire. The little accents the Schmidts have added are deceptively subtle and seemingly modest. There is a chandelier with candles hanging from a tree over a garden table. A church window at each end of the raised garden beds. Elegantly simple door pulls on small out-buildings. All unremarkable and with an almost homemade look, yet together they provide a thoughtful answer to creating a sense of place. It is unpretentious and artfully done. It also doesnt look like someone just threw a lot of money at it either. Which brings up the fact that having gone on last years garden tour I can attest that most of the newer places being built in the Valley, while expensive, are for the most part being tastefully done. Which is saying a lot about who is moving here. Dont try and find tasteful in most of the other wine areas such as the Napa Valley. Recently, I went to visit a film director who lives in Saint Helena. Driving up into the hills outside of the town center I missed his turnoff and drove past several nearby properties. One was right out of Gone With The Wind and aesthetically didnt belong in its setting. For the most part, that is still not a problem in Anderson Valley.

The Aging of Social Networks

I was briefly quoted in an article on the aging of social networks -- or at least their users by Advertising Age's Michael Learmonth.Sometime in 2007, the recent grads that made up the core of
Facebook came to a doleful realization: Yup, mom and all her friends
are on Facebook. The following year it got worse: The once-exclusive
club of the young was completely infiltrated by colleagues, bosses,
neighbors and others who might not be amused when little Johnny gets
tagged in a photo getting totally ripped with his pals.
Social
networking is no longer a youth phenomenon. As Facebook marches toward
52 million U.S. users (170 million worldwide), the site is beginning to
look like, well, America. Which is to say, it looks a lot older. As of
January, more than 50% of Facebook users and 44% of MySpace users in
the U.S. were over 35 years old, according to ComScore estimates. The
single biggest age demographic in the U.S. on both Facebook and MySpace
is now between 35 and 44. Indeed, Facebook says its fastest-growing
demo is 55-plus.Click here to read the rest of a pretty insightful piece.

Bark Park

Finally, finally the weather in Seattle is pleasant enough for a trip to Shasta’s favorite place on earth, “Bark Park” – known to humans as the Marymoor Park Off-Leash area for dogs. Shasta could barely contain herself in the car, and as we approached “Doggy Disneyland,” she was beside herself with joy and anticipation! As we parked, Shasta just about jumped out the moon roof. “Out! Let me out! I need to ruuuun and plaaaay!” First stop: loading up on plastic bags. Incredibly enough, even with hundreds of dogs doing their thing, I’ve never seen any dog poop at Bark Park. Of course, all Shasta cares about is her ball. As you know, with Shasta, it’s all about the ball. Nothing matters as much her ball. Except more balls… Shasta, Peter and Kat had a fabulous time… Shasta’s a total water dog! But she’s by no means the only water dog… The best treat of the day, though, was ours. Peter introduced us to his friend Shannon, who is a veterinary tech with aspirations of being a vet. She absolutely loves animals. Within three minutes of Peter introducing us to her, this transpired: A fluffy white dog came out of nowhere and just sat next to Shannon. Just peacefully sat right next to her. Walked up to her and just sat down as if she’d known Shannon forever! And then! Then this little white fluffy dog climbed right onto Shannon’s lap and proceeded to calmly watch the world go by with Shannon’s arms wrapped around her! And that was our introduction to Shannon. Needless to say, I agree with the fluffy white dog -- she’s wonderful!Addendum: Here are some of Kat's photos:As Kat said, "Doesn't this guy look like he could have come straight out of Where the Wild Things Are"?

Thursday night surprise.

First, let me say thank you to everyone that commented yesterday. It warms my heart and reaffirms my own faith to see so many of us feel the burden to pray. The other Tracey and I have been working like crazy women to be ready for our booth at the 1st Roseville Antique Market, and it's nearly here, whether we're ready or not. I would paint and create little treasures everyday, all day if I could. (And someday I will!) I love doing it so much that I lose track of time, but this week I had a change in my schedule at the bank and it meant that I wasn't home parts of the week to paint as I had planned. (there are only so many hours in the day, no matter how I try to stretch them) I was pretty stressed that I wasn't going to have all of my pieces completed and my dining room, kitchen and living room were looking like some kind of furniture refinishing warehouse.Anyway. Imagine my sheer amazement when I arrived home last night to hear Jack Johnson serenading me on my stereo and to find that all of the pieces of furniture that I had left half painted had been completed and ready to be antiqued or foofy-fied, along with the added surprise of a primed dressform I didn't think I would even have time to tackle for this show! (And she cleaned my kitchen!) It took me a minute to process all of this and then I burst into tears of disbelief as I walked through the dining room and living room. (Honestly, I felt like one of those folks on that Extreme Home Makeover show and I would hear Ty Pennington shout out at any minute, "Move! That! Bus!") The other Tracey, the little fairy God-friend that she is, had spent the entire morning at my cottage while I was at work, painting away, hanging out with my pups. I have typed and erased for 15 minutes now, and I simply cannot put into words how touched I am that she would do this for me.It boggles my mind to think of just how blessed I truly am.

Master Data Management - Leverage and Value

The most recent TDWI Boston Chapter meeting focused on how companies should approach and implement Master Data Management (MDM). Although the meeting had a keynote presenter and panelists with strong industry expertise and experience, the key to the discussions were the questions and insights of the audience attending the meeting. The Boston chapter, with industries representing financial services, insurance, high tech, medical devices, biotech, retail, professional services and consumer products goods companies offers a diversity of perspectives about the challenges and benefits of addressing MDM. Two key insights kept being reinforced during the discussions: 1. Leverage, Leverage, Leverage Any company that will benefit from tackling MDM has most likely already been attacking the problem but not in the focused manner that MDM needs to truly be successful. But the biggest mistake that people saw with their peers and early adopters was the belief that MDM was something different than before. Too often MDM is pitched as a green field opportunity with some solution as the silver bullet to ones problems. This approach fails to leverage past efforts from a business and technical perspective, thereby creating the potential for yet another application and data silo. And, more importantly, failing to realistically assess the shortcomings and successes of existing efforts in making master data consistent is a sure fire way to plan to fail, i.e. repeating the failures of history is inevitable if you fail to learn from them. Participants suggested looking at existing data warehousing and data integration efforts to leverage data, technical and people resources. Learn from the past. Turn your joint IT and business efforts to define and manage data into a full-fledged data governance program. If you have already started that type of program, expand it and tie it into business successes (below). 2. Business Value There needs to be specific business value derived from your MDM efforts. Catch phrases like 360 degrees of the customer or single version of the truth are great marketing slogans but are esoteric and will become the brunt of jokes if they dont help you achieve real business value that can be measured. You can use these slogans to rally the troops and to get funding for the MDM efforts, but dont fall into that trap of believing your own sales pitch. Your MDM will undoubtedly provide business ROI. Participants stressed that you should seek out those business opportunities and target your MDM towards them. Focused MDM efforts are more likely to get business participation, a critical success factor, to help you be on track to building your MDM program. Trying to boil the ocean, i.e. trying to solve everyones problems all at once, generally fails to solve anyones problems. There are countless business processes or analytics that can be and are improved by implementing MDM in your company. Find them, document them and determine the business ROI that you can quantify or qualify. Get the business people involved to be your customer references to sell the MDM program. Success breeds success. ShareThis

April Preparing Wisely Deals

If you haven't checked out Preparing Wisely yet, here are some great incentives: 6.5 Gallon Pail Was.....$9.99 Now.....$7.49 5 Gallon Pail Was.....$7.99 Now.....$6.49 3.5 Gallon Pail Was.....$6.49 Now.....$5.49 55 Gallon Drum Was....$69.99 Now.....$65.00 We now sell 2 gallon buckets ($3.50) and gamma lids to fit ($6.99). Special Deals Extra Virgin Organic Unrefined Coconut Oil Nutivea One (1) Gallon Bucket Regular Price: $85.00Sale Price: $60.00 Good Thru April 30, 2009 while supplies last Extra Virgin Organic Unrefined Coconut Oil Nutiva 54 oz Container Regular Price: $35.00Sale Price: $30.00 Good Thru April 30, 2009 while supplies last New this Month - Canned Garden Seeds in #10 Can - Non Hybrid, Open Pollinated Garden Seeds $40.00 Perfect both for storing and for using now to build your own seed base!CANNED GARDEN SEEDSFEATURES:16 LARGE SEED PACKETS16 POPULAR EASY TO GROW GARDEN VEGETABLESSPECIAL OPEN POLLINATED 100% NON-HYBRID SEED SELECTIONEXCLUSIVE E-Z LOCK RESEALABLE REUSEABLE BAGSTRIPLE - LAYERED FOIL PACKETS SEALED IN A CAN FOR EXTRA PROTECTIONCOMPLETE WITH GARDENING MADE EASY INSTRUCTION GUIDEEach Can Containes: SWEET CORN. Golden Bantam. 5 oz. ONION. Utah Sweet Spanish. 10 g. SPINACH. Bloomsdale Long Standing. 10 g. WINTER SQUASH. Waltham Butternut. 10 g. SQUASH ZUCCHINI. Black Beauty. 10 g. RADISH. Champion. 10 g. TOMATO. Rutgers. 5 g. SWISS CHARD. Lucullus. 10 g. PEA. Lincoln. 5 oz. BEET. Detroit Dark Red. 10 g. CABBAGE. Golden Acre. 10 g. LETTUCE. Barcarolle Romaine. 5 g. CUCUMBER. Marketmore 76. 10 g. CARROT. Scarlet Nantes. 10 g. PEPPER. Yolo Wonder. 5 g. POLE BEAN. Blue Lake. 5 oz.

Bo Obama, Media Darling

Guest Posting Today, we have Caroline
Caroline Golon/Romeo the Cat www.romeothecat.com caroline@romeothecat.com @romeothecat Twitter
See the full Bio at the bottom of her post:
After the initial frenzy of media coverage about Bo Obama, six-month-old Portugese Water Dog who’s now livin’ large at the White House, things died down for a few days.
Now come the new angles on the stories. Like Peoplepets.com finding Bo’s big brother Solo, and sharing insight about the dog family’s temperament and USA Today doing a piece on Bo’s trainer.
There are always going to be Bo stories because we’re fascinated by the first family’s private life. And Bo’s a pretty darn cute dog too.
But with all the media coverage now and that’s to come, it would have been terrific if these stories were about Schmoopy the rescue dog and not a Bo the perfect purebred. (read my post on Michelle Obama Watch blog entry)
Imagine the great coverage: “President’s Rescue Encourages More Adoptions Nationwide” or this article could have been about Schmoopy and could have taught kids the importance of helping animals in need.
Ah well.
Caroline Golon is the staff manager for Romeo the Cat, a two-time rescued Persian cat who’s dedicated to raising money for rescue animals across the U.S. Through individual and corporate donations, Romeo raises money for a new local rescue every month.
Since February, Romeo has raised more than $14,000. His sponsors include FURminator, Inc., Feline Pine Cat Litter, Wellness Pet Food and Clean+Green by Sea-Yu Enterprises.
Monthly beneficiaries are selected from submissions made by Romeo’s blog readers so make sure to subscribe to his blog so you’ll be alerted when he’s taking recommendations for next month.
Romeo and his adopted brother Pugsley live in Charlotte, NC with their parents and 8-month-old human sister

New BBC iPlayer works great with Windows Media Center Extenders

For a while I have been using BBC iPlayer to download BBC content and play it on Windows Media Center, the only problem I found was to get it to play on the Xbox 360 in Extender mode I have to copy and paste the files around as the default download directory created by the iPlayer has a funny set of permissions and the Extender sessions have no access to the content. The good news is that the new version of the BBC iPlayer features a new download option via an Adobe Air application. The new download is labelled as “Windows Media Player” and when you use this download it doesn’t need you need to jump through hoops to get it working on the 360 in Extender mode So far I have been unable to get it working with Windows 7 but other have so I will try it tonight on my home system Now all we need is the WMV content to be in HD

Day One Hundred Thirty One

Dustin Diaz posted a photo: 131/365. Thank you, Mario... but our Princess is in another castle ~ Super Mario Bros. (NES 1985) I found this awesome belt buckle in a thrift store. Seriously, it rules... but I'd never "actually" wear it out "for reals"... or would I? But more to the point, did anyone ever play this game... and get to that point where you'd jump thru hoops and fire pits, dodge hammer bros, stomp turtles, run underneath dragons... only to get to some stupid toad to tell you "our princess is in another freakin' castle!!!" How nerve racking! Anyhow, more on the stuffs... that fancy watch was a gift for my birthday (last year). There is an inscription that says "console.debug(Date());" — that's JavaScript nerd talk for logging the date to your browser console. Lastly, this may be the closest thing I will release to the public that is almost a straight up crotch shot. For those seriously concerned with the techy details, read on... camera, setup, strobist info: see here

Chrysler dealerships worry about what's next

In the days after Chrysler's Chapter 11 filing, people are watching closely to see if consumers are still willing to buy cars from an automaker that's in bankruptcy court. The industry has warned that carmakers can't go into Chapter 11 like other companies, because people won't buy a car from a bankrupt automaker. But there's evidence at dealerships around the country that people are still willing to shop for Chrysler vehicles. Some are bargain hunters. Some are there out of a sense of duty, trying to do something good for their country. And others may just want a Chrysler, Dodge or Jeep and are ready to buy. Still, dealers are nervous. They worry whether they'll be around in a few months, once Chrysler gets around to closing some portion of its 3,200 dealers, a number it says it wants to trim. They worry that production shutdowns Chrysler has closed its plants for at least a month will leave them without anything to sell in a couple of months. And they worry, mostly, about the uncertainty of what's to come. Like any good salesman, though, dealers are trying to put an optimistic spin on the situation. "America loves an underdog," says Alan Wilson, president of Howard Wilson Chrysler-Jeep-Suzuki in the Jackson, Miss., metro area. "America has always rallied to people when they are down on their luck."Consumer website Edmunds.com says Chrysler dealers got an initial bump in interest after its bankruptcy filing. Web searches for Chrysler products jumped 15%, Edmunds says. "Maybe the Chrysler bankruptcy announcement attracted the bargain shoppers, who may think a bankruptcy is the same as liquidation with price-busting clearance sales," says Michelle Krebs, editor of Edmunds.com's AutoObserver. Dealers back that up. They say customers are coming into the showroom and making outrageously low offers, expecting dealers to take any price just to sell a car. Edmunds.com's most recent data indicate that Chryslers already were selling for an average of 18.1% below sticker price before the bankruptcy filing. The industry average discount is 15.6%.Some people are overly optimistic about markdowns. Gary Burnett, sales manager at Bill Luke Chrysler, Jeep & Dodge in Phoenix, says one buyer wanted a 75% discount."That's a $25,000 car right there," Burnett says, pointing to a shiny 2009 Dodge Journey. "A guy came in and offered me $6,000 for it, including tax and license. He said, 'Well, you guys are going bankrupt anyway ' " What does bankruptcy mean? Not everyone knows what it means for Chrysler to be in Chapter 11, which leaves some people believing cars will be sold off in a fire sale because Chrysler is going out of business. The truth is, there's a chance Chrysler could face liquidation. That would mean the Chrysler as we know it the U.S.-based carmaker that produces Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge brand cars and trucks would be sold off for its parts, possibly splitting the brands and selling off the factories and machinery. But we're not at that point. Far from it. The automaker is in court attempting to restructure its debt, something that doesn't affect the average consumer. It's closed its plants temporarily, but dealers are still selling cars, and the company is still operating. Chrysler is trying to get a judge to agree to let Italian automaker Fiat take control of its operations and to force debt holders to agree to take shares in the new company. Dealers will hear soon whether they've made the cut, but Chrysler hasn't said when it'll make the notifications. So far, Chrysler hasn't said how many franchises it seeks to slash nor revealed the criteria for deciding who goes. It's attempting to get through bankruptcy quickly, in 60 days or less, and last week a major hurdle to that was overcome. Dissident lenders who sought to strike a better deal than Chrysler had offered for their bonds gave up and disbanded. Chrysler will push the court to help it dispose of unwanted dealers, although dealers may fight back. Cutting dealer ranks could affect customers eventually if it means a dealer they've bought from in the past no longer sells Chryslers. When customers raise concerns about Chrysler's business woes, "You inform them there's different types of bankruptcies, and we're not in the bad one," says salesman Jonathan Prater of Canandaigua Chrysler in Canandaigua, N.Y.Still, all the unknowns are leaving dealers fielding questions they don't quite know the answers to. "Do you know if you're getting the new Challenger SE model V-6 with the five-speed automatic this spring?" Henry Pilichowski asked Bob Weiss, sales manager at Carman Chrysler Jeep Dodge in New Castle, Del. Pilichowski of Wilmington, Del., was waiting for his 2005 Dodge Magnum station wagon to be serviced last Wednesday."I don't know, buddy. Everything's up in the air," Weiss said. "Crazy time."Alan Wilson, president of Howard Wilson Chrysler/Jeep/Suzuki in Jackson, Miss., says he's worried about having enough cars and trucks on his lot later this summer. Last year, he scaled back inventory because sales were starting to fall. With Chrysler's plants closed, he's in serious danger of running out. He says he has about two to three months' worth of inventory on his lot."If my factories are down for two months, and it takes six weeks to get a car shipped, do the math: I'll be out of cars by August," he says.And will the dealership even be here in six months? That's something that nags at dealers even as they try to paint an optimistic picture. Larry Giacchino, owner of Carman Chrysler Jeep Dodge in New Castle, Del., says it takes him about 30 seconds to fall asleep at night because he's not worried at all about the business. Later, though, he acknowledges he fears he may get bad news in the mail soon, when Chrysler notifies dealers who they plan to close. Giacchino thinks he's well-positioned to survive with a clean, new building on a local highway and a full range of Chrysler vehicles. "I'm knocking on wood," he says.In Phoenix, Kim Carter, general manager at Bill Luke Chrysler, Jeep & Dodge, says he realizes some dealerships need to be closed. "It needs to be done," he says. "I hope ours isn't one of them. But there are too many dealers too much inventory."Despite worries and confusion, dealers have found one of their most important roles has become being cheerleaders for their staffs through the tough time and talking up the future. After enduring a tough sales weekend following Chrysler's bankruptcy filing, Jackson dealer Wilson told his sales staff to take their spouses out to dinner on him. "They worked hard, and it has been an emotional and mentally stressful time," he says. 'We have to sell cars' Wilson had a meeting with employees the day after the filing to pass on all the information he had about the car company's future, prospects for new inventory and how the dealership planned to carry on."I told them, 'The thing is, guys, we have to sell cars,' " he says. "We've got 60 employees here who have to take a paycheck home. What they do in Washington, D.C., or Detroit, Mich., I can't control."In Phoenix, Carter says he's had to reassure customers who are worried lifetime warrantees won't be honored or that parts might be unavailable if Chrysler folds. "We told them, 'Everything is going to be OK,' " Carter says. "And that was the truth, because we were told all along that what the press was publishing (about Chrysler's demise) was not the true facts." Now, he says, he's looking forward to selling Fiats, the small Italian cars with better gas mileage. Things will be especially good if gas prices go up again. "We're going to be a brand-new company now," he says.Contributing: Maureen Milford of The (Wilmington, Del.) News Journal, Chris Joyner of The (Jackson, Miss.) Clarion-Ledger, Matthew Daneman of the (Rochester, N.Y.) Democrat and Chronicle and Dennis Wagner of The Arizona Republic.

Businesses, phones & India

I am starting to believe that Indian businesses don't know how to do business on a phone. The large corporations (such as ICICIs and Godrejs and Pizza Huts) get the point to a reasonable extent. But, there are multiple issues.First, there aren't a great lot of large corporations in India. So, you are most likely going to encounter many small businesses in your life time in India for everyday requirements.Second, it doesn't seem like the large corporations are putting in a great lot of effort in getting their phone link to the customer right. I have first hand experience with Bank "A" and I know the main menu of their IVR by heart. But, everytime I have wanted to call them, nothing in the main menu seems to match the question I have in mind for them. And I begin to wonder. I know that if I keep pressing something, Bank A's IVR gives up on me and transfers me over to the first customer care person available. I subconciously know that once I get to a customer care person, things will start rolling. And, I am the best case scenario. I am in technology and I think I understand the phrase "Technology as an enabler". Wonder what percentage of people who dial up end up speaking to a service representative. If it is a huge percent, then the point of the IVR is lost.The worst case scenario is my mom. To begin with, she is perplexed by the idea of an automated voice system which is not a human being. Second, She is scandalized that if she presses a wrong button, the world might end and bad things might happen. She is also worried that this voice person will not give her any help. How is it that she can't ask questions to this computer voice?Also, folks at the call center want to put the phone down or transfer the call as quickly as possible to another department. It feels like "red tapism" except it all happens on the phone line and you are sitting. Your time isint anyone's concern. You are not running around, right?Lets talk about the Torso and tail, the medium and small businesses. The service stations, restaurants, Gas stove repair, flower shops. And it sucks quite a bit here. It is almost like customers who call up on the phone are second grade and do not require the same treatment as folks who show up in the showroom or shop. It is not like I am not going to pay.Atleast once, I have been asked to call back later because the person who picked up the phone was busy. She didn't even care to ask me what it is that I wanted. Because I am on the phone, I am not real? Other times, the person who picks up the call hasnt a clue. I called up a dance company and the person who picked up goes "Oh, you want to talk to my husband?". More often than not, it is someone's personal phone number which is listed on the internet. And when you call, the person gets infuriated about how you could call him at 8 PM in the night? I am expected to know his office timings, right? Cutting the call, Number busy etc. have happened quite a number of times as well. And these are all institutions that treat their customers normally when you visit them. What these businesses don't take seriously is, a bad user experience on the phone is a bad user experience about the way they run the business.Honestly, this doesn't come to me as a surprise. On the other hand, It is more of a wishful thought. 400 million phone connections isint a joke. We have virtually covered all people with any purchasing power. I wish our businesses understood the power of remote & voice communication. I am a believer that voice is the most natural form of human communication. And there just isint space in your jeans pocket for a keyboard and a mouse. The fact that 1-800 as a concept is not popular (Not sure what the reasons are here) itself is a standing symptom of how businesses arent embracing the telephone yet.Just like every other industry in India, telephony is fragmented, de-standardized and over regulated. Customer side phone revolution has already happened. Wont the businesses see this?

Google: The world's largest ad agency

I wrote a series over 3 years ago for iMediaConnection.com where I explored the advertising market in 2010. One piece of this predicted that Google would be the largest ad agency by 2010. So far, it looks like most of what I wrote is playing out. Heres a look back at that segment of the series. In the third of three parts, Dave Chase of the Altus Alliance predicts that in five years Google will be the world's biggest ad agency. Editor's Note: In part one of this short series, Dave Chase explored where interactive media and marketing will be in five years, and described the media consumption habits of a hypothetical married couple, Mike and Jill. Then, in part two, he discussed the backend technology that could serve ads to the couple. Will Google be the biggest ad agency in the world by 2010? In part one, I laid out a future of how internet-based advertising models will pervade the TV world. If you buy it, then changes will inevitably happen in the ad industry. I predict that Google will be the largest ad agency in the world by 2010. Dramatic industry shifts usually dont happen from obvious places. Ample evidence of that exists, whether you look at the music business, the encyclopedia business, the newspaper classified business, the retailing business or many others. Companies that too narrowly define their competition inevitably have their business cratered from unexpected places. Aggressive, growth-oriented companies -- Google and Wal-Mart are just two examples -- dont care about pre-existing industry dividing lines. If it weren't them, some other organization would gladly eat away at incumbents businesses, even though the leaders of the change are attractive bogeymen for those under attack. If you take a step back, the purpose of ads and search are to connect buyers with someone selling what buyers want (even if they dont know they want it yet). In both cases, fees are collected from the people who have something to sell for connecting them with buyers of those items. No one is rushing to categorize Google as an ad agency -- theyre in the search business. You dont have to study Google very hard to realize they arent limiting themselves to the search business, which is increasingly hard to define in any case. Its important to recognize that Google isnt charging for search: their income comes from advertising. As the old saying goes, if it looks and quacks like a duck, it is a duck. If they were considered an ad agency, theyd already be in the top five with a much stronger trajectory than any of the top five agencies. You may be saying, Wait a minute, they are more like a media outlet than an ad agency (which is largely true today), but withhold judgment for a moment and some interesting insights can be drawn. To begin with, they are already doing media planning if the business has a high volume of clicks and its highly likely they are working on ways to make that easier (and thus scale to smaller advertisers). If I walked into most offices of the leaders of the largest ad agencies in the world today and stated that Google/Yahoo!/MSN are their competitors, at best Id get a polite laugh. They may say that I dont get the ad agency business. Having been on both sides of the challenger/incumbent equation, I can say unequivocally that not getting it is usually an advantage for the challenger. The challenger isnt shackled by the current way of thinking or, perhaps more importantly, the current business model. Like virtually every other company (especially a public company), Google and their competitors are inspired by what will make them the largest sum of money. Today, Googles revenues are advertising-based, but tomorrow they may have increasingly more characteristics associated with the agency business. Comparing some of the assets that agencies have versus Google is instructive. Ill put these in context of some of the criteria I used to evaluate the ad agencies that I worked with when I held large ad budgets. 1. Efficiency with my budget: When my team owned the relationship/budget with an agency, I counseled them to look for padding and inefficiencies as the model shifted from a commission-based model (which had its own issues) to a salary multiplier. The latter seemed like a fair approach, based upon the number of people on the account. Furthermore, it was hard to know how well the agency negotiated with media outlets to get the best CPMs. With Googles Adwords, you bid on how much you are willing to pay for a click that can range from pennies to dollars depending on the term. Google has a great feature where if you bid $1.50 for a click and the next highest bidder is $0.75, theyll adjust what they charge you to $0.76. This looks like a more efficient way of spending my ad dollars and infinitely more trackable. 2. Consumer insight/research: Ive worked with some fabulous media buyers and account planners. Their ability to dive into various syndicated research to identify the media properties with the optimal demo/psycho-graphics often impressed me. However, when you combine the almost unbelievable volumes of click behavior -- across many thousands of websites -- it provides a robust picture of brand motivation and preferences. Its an approach that virtually any cold-blooded capitalist selling stuff would appreciate, and it is unrivaled by other means of capturing actual buyer behavior. 3. Ability to reach my target buyers where they live: Googles Adsense offering (i.e., syndication of their contextual search ads) has major implications and makes them look an awful lot like a media agency. Not only does Google serve up ads on their own high-traffic site, they are syndicating their ads to virtually every nook and cranny of the web. As an advertiser, it gives them an efficient way to reach into highly targeted sites that would be impossible to buy in a manual manner. Anecdotally, Im seeing Google ads on all kinds of obscure and relatively low traffic sites that happen to be highly relevant to me professionally or personally. 4. Ability to service local, regional and international markets: This has at least two dimensions: First, can you run particular ads for people who live in particular geographies whether that is England, New England or Boston? Second, is it easy to localize the advertisements themselves? Particularly on the first point, its much easier to do this with Google than the machinations an agency has to go through to make it happen (e.g., working with dozens of different media outlets around the country/world). On the second point, its comparing apples and oranges since localization of text ads is easy compared to localization of ads that involve more than simple text. That said, they cover many languages and countries today, so its a straightforward process. 5. Focus on driving results vs. their ego: Since much of the execution of a campaign on Google is strictly driven by machines, there is no ego involved. From time to time, one runs up against this dynamic with agency creatives where they are more focused on winning awards than selling your product. 6. Creative work: This is an area where it would appear that agencies have a clear advantage if for no other reason than that the creative palette is limited with Google today. If you look at some of the trends outlined in part one -- combined with increased bandwidth and broadband penetration in the next five years -- it seems inevitable that the creative palette Google provides wont be so limited. The advantage Google has in this scenario? Its cost to launch and test a new campaign is low, so creatives can refine their creative and copy while avoiding the high stakes and slow turnaround of typical campaigns of today. Such campaigns frequently get bogged down by approvals at the client level. This quick turnaround should shift creatives perspective from a) thinking of how limited their palette is to b) relishing the opportunity to get immediate feedback on campaign ideas that may be conceived of, executed and killed/expanded in less than a day. 7. Account service: This is an area where agencies should maintain a clear advantage for the foreseeable future, as people-oriented service is a core part of their value proposition. As Google and others gain an increasing share of their customers wallets, there will be an expectation of increased account service for large accounts. In a competitive market, Google will respond if Yahoo! or MSN try to offer better service. This factor can diminish the inherent advantage agencies have. 8. Media neutrality: Most agencies like to claim media-neutrality, but its virtually impossible to find in practice. The core obstacle is that the clients budgets arent media neutral. There are often different teams, let alone different budgets for different media -- print, online, broadcast, etc. This makes it difficult for agencies to be media neutral. The philosophy behind Googles technology is media neutral. It just so happens that its all executed on HTML web pages right now. Take the notion of delivering ads in the content you prefer to consume, on the device (PC, mobile device, etc.) you happen to be using at the moment and delivering the most relevant ad at the moment you consume it and extend it beyond online. Its not hard to imagine this happening when your TV and radio have their own IP addresses along with your more traditional computing devices (this is already in process). 9. CRM: Marketers and agencies working on their behalf spend large sums of money to create and maintain an accurate customer database that helps paint a picture of their customers behaviors, likes and dislikes, demographics et cetera. Its not unusual for a marketer to spend millions each year simply keeping their database up to date with basic information such as addresses. Meanwhile, Googles customers do much of the maintenance work themselves as their cookies capture every web search, links you clicked on and when you did it. One area that Yahoo! and MSN have a clear advantage over Google is a much larger database of demographic information via their email/IM users (certainly one of the drivers for Google launching Gmail to much fanfare). Combine the demographic information with the surfing and searching behavior, and there isnt an agency in the world that wouldnt die to get their hands on that rich picture of their clients customers. Conclusion Is Google explicitly out to get the agencies business? Unlikely. It just so happens that when you look at the natural progression of their activities, it ends up dramatically impacting the agency business. The ironic thing is that Google is -- with complete sincerity -- probably spending significant sales and marketing resources to cultivate agency relationships. Like many other successful businesses, over time they will have more and more channel conflict where parties who were previously 100 percent complementary, and thus start to step on each other's toes. In the end, Google wont look like an ad agency any more than eBay or Craigslist look like a newspaper classifieds business, but they will capture money from the same customers as the business that they are pilfering. Its the agency leaders that should ask themselves what facets of Googles business they need to develop or co-opt. Agency leaders would be wise to make sure they dont have blinders on regarding their current business and their partners, or they are liable to be victims of an inevitable force.

NORTH KOREA - TALKING UP THE THREAT

It is worrying that some members of the United Nations are making probably unhelpful pronounciation about the nuclear threat which North Korea presents to the world. Japan, for reasons which are not entirely apparent, placed some of her armed forces on alert to deal with what she and some other countries, including the United States, tried to convinced the world is an attempt by North Korea to test a misile system which could possibly be used to deliver nuclear weapons. These countries then attempted to talk up the threat of what North Korea was or was not intending to do. I find this to be both sad and worryinig, not least when we reflect on how the Bush Administration talked the American people and the 'coalition of the willing' into making an unnecessary and extremely costly war against the Iraqi people.Wise counsel should have prevailed, and countries such as America should have been open and honest in declaring that, while they believed that North Korea might have been planning and/or intending to develop and test a nuclear weapon delivery system, they have no confirmation or proof that that is what she is doing.World leaders should act in a way which inspires their people and others to develop trust in the accuracy and prudency of what they tell us. I believe that the Russians and the Chinese governments are dealing with the apparent North Korean nuclear threat, real and/or imagined, with the appropriate wisdom. It is dangerous to talk up a potential threat to the point of making it appear real or almost real, because then you have to propose and/or take real action which is warranted by the level of the threat you have just 'talked up', which can lead to further escalation of a situation which might not have escalated, had the original issue been dealt with more prudently. I believe that President Barak Obama is and will continue to do a sterling job in leading the American people and the world, although he must continue to consider the evidence of each major situation and the propose response and cost benefit analysis carefully.The North Korean regime presents a very big challenge to its people and propably the world, but it is a challenge which should be responded to on several different levels, short-term, medium-term and long-term perspective.Patrick14.04.09

Kate Winslet & Lucy

Ever the contrarian, I spent most of the recent holiday movie season uninvolved. I could care less about Kate Winslet's naked pursuit of her very own Oscar (Surprise! She won!) or Sean Penn's shrewdly narcissistic performance in a movie that is little more than a high-rent TV biopic.Much more appealing to me were two titles with pedigrees of a different sort. David Frankel's "Marley and Me" and Kelly Reichardt's "Wendy and Lucy" come from different ends of the cinema spectrum and would seem to be strikingly dissimilar. Ah, but look closer. Yes, both are about dogs - about Labrador retrievers in particular - but, more to the point, both deal with the wordless affection and trust that animals can (and do) bring to relationships, qualities of which humans are only vaguely aware.And usually when it's too late."Marley and Me," of course, is a family-friendly mainstream film adapted from the John Grogan best-seller. It's a movie that was ready-made for the cineplex at your local mall and, as such, was immeditately - and hastily - dismissed by the critics. Too bad. There's more than what meets the eye here. Frankel, ably abetted by his game stars Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston, apparently was not interested in doodling some mindless romp here, but was driven by something more serious, commenting in subtle ways on the profound relationship that a person can have with an animal in general and with a companion pet in particular. (That's Wilson and Aniston, above, with canine co-star Clyde in a scene from the film.) It's a family film but a superior one, alternately endearing and disturbing as it shows scenes of family life, wherein a pet - first a little puppy, then a hulking giant - is always there, usually on the periphery of the action but, somehow, crucial to the action. His presence, casually taken for granted, is felt only when he is gone. Suddenly, life has ... changed. Sad."Marley and Me" earns its tears, largely because Frankel has given his film a generous exposition that's alive with many acute observations and details. And in Wilson and Aniston, he has two vanity-free pros who have chemistry to spare and play out their individual and shared foibles in a natural (and good-natured) style that would have been appreciated by Hollywood and critics of an earlier era. No pretensions here. Much smaller and spare, Reichardt's "Wendy and Lucy" is essentially a one-character piece about a young homeless woman named Wendy - Michelle Williams in a performance of aching stillness - headed from Indiana to Alaska in her Honda Accord with her dog Lucy in tow.She's looking for work - and a new life.The car breaks down in Oregon and Lucy is left stranded when Wendy is arrested for shoplifting.All this happens early on and, again, Reichardt presents the loss of a dog as something of a quiet, unexpected tragedy. Wrenchingly, Wendy spends the rest of the film trying to find Lucy. (Incidentally, Lucy, above with Williams, is director Reichardt's dog.) "Wendy and Lucy" is the kind of movie instinctively disliked my most moviegoers because "nothing happens in it." True. But you could say the same thing about Hitchcock's "Vertigo," in which Jimmy Stewart trails Kim Novak up and down the streets of San Francisco ad infinitum. These are movies that one reads - i.e., studies. You don't simply watch them. No, you observe them - and learn.The film is an acting exercise for Williams, whose performance inexplicably went under the radar during the recent awards season. Her work here is noteworthy for its simplicity, beauty and innocence.She is a pleasure to watch.Both "Marley and Me" and "Wendy and Lucy" are new on DVD. I can't wait to see each one again. And again. I wish I could say the same about "Milk," "The Reader," "Revolutionary Road" and "The Wrestler." But I can't.

Day Twelve in Vietnam

24 May, HueAM: Arrival Hue station at 8am. Transfer to hotel. The rest of morning will be visit to Imperial Citadel.PM: Boat trip along Perfume river to visit Ming Mang mausoleum and Thien Mu pagoda and Dong Ba market.The train to Hue is a dive. Ken says this is much closer to how the Vietnamese really travel; I say "no thank you." It's not one single thing: herky-jerky motion of the train, the non-functioning AC, the blaring loudspeaker (a form of torture?) or the grimly grimy berths and dubious linens or the sullen, imperious staff...but put this all together with the toilet which consists of a hole in the floor of the train, and you have a recipe for true grodiness.We find that there is a (relatively much nicer) toilet with an actual seat in it in the car next door, and I go to investigate. As I am washing my hands, I hear a loud grating noise. Hmm.... I try the door. It won't open. I try again...it is locked. I am trapped in the loo. I try knocking on the door, calling out, to no avail. For the next ten minutes I alternate between tapping out an SOS with my chapstick on the metal door and calling out, "Help! I am trapped in the the toilet!!!" but the noise from the train prevents me from being heard. It is really hot and the sweat pours from my face. Surely one of my party must figure out I am missing... or perhaps they will find my body days from now, a victim of heat exhaustion, or terminal grodiness. "If only she had not drunk the water!" Tragedy in the Loo: film at eleven. The innate humor of the situation keeps me from despair....after all, someone has to come by...another five minutes pass and I go for the big guns, banging against the door with my foot. Finally the door opens and an enraged train official is on the other side, yelling at me angrily in Vietnamese. I yell back: "The door was locked!" He is not mollified. I give up and trek back to my cabin to tell the sorry tale. I use the hole in the floor for the rest for the trip, which is not much better.And then, finally, when we reach our clean, luxurious hotel in Hue, it is like Heaven. Absolute heaven.

Police Hassle Political Blogger Meeting

During a press conference at the forum on Friday in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, Hsing Yun said that “both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one family. There are no Taiwanese in Taiwan and Taiwanese are all Chinese.”Most people see being a half breed something to be ashamed of. The Taiwanese though are proud of it (The Great One [former gate inscription at CKS Memorial] on Half Breeds) -- Kuo Kuan-yingThe Taipei Times reported on the incident of police visiting a perfectly ordinary and legal Taiwan blogger association meeting: Taipei City’s Department of Police apologized on Monday for interrupting a private gathering of political bloggers and promised to improve measures to respect people’s rights and privacy. Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taipei City councilors Chien Yu-yen (簡余晏) and Yen Sheng-kuan (顏聖冠) criticized the department for sending two police officers to a private meeting held by the Taiwan Blogger Association on Saturday and intimidating the participants by asking them to show their ID.Yang Hui-ju (楊蕙如), a Web manager for former DPP presidential candidate Frank Hsieh’s (謝長廷) campaign, said the association had invited Hsieh and former vice premier Yeh Chu-lan (葉菊蘭) to a private meeting to commemorate Yeh’s husband, democracy movement pioneer Deng Nan-jung (鄭南榕), who committed suicide in 1989, and discuss freedom of speech.Two police officers from the department entered the meeting and asked the association’s secretary-general to explain why they were there, while asking participants to provide their ID and cellphone numbers, said Yang, who was at the meeting.“The meeting was a simple and private gathering, but the two police officers abused their authority and undermined freedom of speech,” Chien said.Yen also accused the department’s Zhongshan branch of violating human rights, saying it had made several phone calls to the association before the meeting and shown up at the meeting to request more information.“The meeting was held at the association’s office and no illegal activity was involved. The police’s action was illegal,” she said.Hung Sheng-kun, commissioner of the department, later acknowledged the department’s poor handling of the matter and took disciplinary action against the director of the department’s security office, Tsai Wang-lai (蔡萬來), and four other officers.Political blogger Billy Pan has the story and photos in Chinese (h/t to the commenter who provided the link):5. ...the police further asked the name of the Secretary- General, so we gave it to him. They then asked for his ID number, but the Secretary-General balked, saying that was really too much. The police then asked for his date of birth, but we didn't give it to him. During this process of asking for everyone's personal information, city councilor Yen Sheng-kuan's (顏聖冠) office director appeared, and asked the police what law they were acting in accordance with, but the police refused to answer.If this type of overenthusiastic law enforcement keeps happening, sooner or later it is going to look like a pattern.Definitely looks like a cool organization, which I will have to find a way to join!

Home truths

A global alliance of the centre-left is (scratchily) back in businessTHEY govern in very different continents, but there is a degree of ideological kinship between some of the centre-left governments in South America, Europe and now the United States. All are trying to mix the economic efficiency prized by the right with the social justice championed by the left. Back in the days of Tony Blair and Bill Clinton this link was formalised in progressive governance get-togethers. These have been revived: the latest meeting took place in Vina del Mar, a Chilean seaside resort, on March 27th and 28th. Yet this time, thanks to the world recession, the differences between participants from north and south seemed wider. The leaders of Chile, Brazil, Uruguay and (less convincingly) Argentina reckon their countries have followed progressive policies more rigorously than their friends in the north. They expressed anger that the crisis has halted five years of rapid economic growth in Latin America. In an oddly racist comment, Brazils president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, said it was all the fault of white, blonde, blue-eyed bankers. He added, even more bluntly, that three of his fellow-summiteers, Britains Gordon Brown, Americas vice-president, Joe Biden, and Spains Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero unfortunately carry most responsibility for the debacle.

Introduction to Non-Genetic Darwinism/Physics of Self-Organization

The Red Shift ← Older revision Revision as of 01:26, 15 April 2009 Line 62: Line 62: Now an interesting problem occurs when you can reach out and gather the spectra from more distant stars, and that is that the further away the star is, the deeper the frequency is shifted to the Red. What this seems to suggest, is that the Universe is expanding and the further away a star is from us, the faster it is moving away from us. As our telescopes get better, we can see galaxies further and further away, and detect deeper and deeper red shifts. Now an interesting problem occurs when you can reach out and gather the spectra from more distant stars, and that is that the further away the star is, the deeper the frequency is shifted to the Red. What this seems to suggest, is that the Universe is expanding and the further away a star is from us, the faster it is moving away from us. As our telescopes get better, we can see galaxies further and further away, and detect deeper and deeper red shifts. - The problem is that this doesn't jibe with our calculations of how fast the Universe should be cooling, and how quickly it should begin to collapse back into itself after the Big Bang. Either the Big Bang is wrong, or the second law of thermodynamics is wrong, or both. There could be a different interpretation there are so many other factors when we look at astronomical intergalactic distances, but the biggest things should follow the most basic laws more closely, if only because individual variation is lost in the details. + The problem comes from the fact that we can also detect from the dimness of stars how far the light has travelled to get to us. Distant galaxies are too dim for our current calculations of the distance they should be from us, even according to the red shift to be correct. Either there is some change in the speed that galaxies are moving now than they were then, that throws off our calculations, and indicates that the galaxy is expanding faster now than it did then Can Black Energy Exist? Scientific American April 9 2009, or all our calculations imply some sort of black energy that forces the Universe apart, something that is not found in our current physics. + + The problem is that this doesn't jibe with our calculations of how fast the Universe should be cooling, and how quickly it should begin to collapse back into itself after the Big Bang. Either the Big Bang is wrong, or some laws including the second law of thermodynamics is wrong, or both. There could be a different interpretation there are so many other factors when we look at astronomical intergalactic distances, but the biggest things should follow the most basic laws more closely, if only because individual variation is lost in the distance. ====Galaxy Formation==== ====Galaxy Formation====

Mateen's "One Shining Moment"

Yes, you're sure to hear this story at least once this weekend. Shit, you've probably already read it and this is simply beating the dead horse. However, we can all agree the signature moment of the NCAA tournament comes just after the nets are cut and drum roll...it's one shining moment. The thrills, chills, spills, agony and glory are delicately cut and spliced into a magical little montage. Well, who doesn't love that moment? Some more than others. And on the eve of the Final Four and yet, another Tom Izzo team entering the final weekend, this only seemed fitting. Izzo has forged the Michigan State basketball program into something beyond special. The win over Louisville was signature Izzo, heart and soul. And that heart and soul was forged from a warrior by the name of Mateen Cleaves.Along with Izzo, Cleaves helped to shape a new culture for Spartans basketball. For many, Magic Johnson will always remain the face of Spartans Hoops, but notching 1A on that list has to be Mateen. Everything you see from the Spartans of today was forged through Mateen's dream. Izzo preached this dream in his pre-game speech prior to the Spartans simply dismantling Louisville. And we certainly won't hear the end of Mateen's dream story this weekend, that's for certain.Shit, we'll probably even see Mateen sitting at Ford Field in one of his vintage sweaters. Regardless, I can't help, but sift down memory lane in appreciation. The Spartans went to three Final Fours and won a Championship in my time at Michigan State. The first Final Four trip incited riots when we lost to Duke. Nowadays, the Final Four just seems logical every single season for Sparty. A lot to do with Izzo, but also a lot to do with Mateen Cleaves. So, check out some nostalgia with this good link and back story from Mateen and Izzo, but also for all Spartan fans...relive the glory and hope for another "One Shining Moment" come Monday. Lord knows Mateen deserves to see another dream fulfilled. Sparty On!

'Half-Blood Prince' Release Date Moved Up!

No doubt you recall the dark days last August when Warner Bros. announced that Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince was being pushed from its Nov. 21, 2008, release date all the way back to July 17, 2009. Surely you still bear the emotional scars of those troubled times, and I apologize if my mentioning it has reopened old wounds. But you will pleased to know that Warner Bros. has heard your plaintive weeping and done the honorable thing. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is being moved up -- all the way from July 17 to July 15! That's two whole days sooner that we'll get to see Harry, Henrietta, Rob, Haggad, Prof. Mumblecore and all the gang do battle with Vadermort!Astute readers might notice that July 17 is a Friday, making July 15 a Wednesday. Those readers might also recall that pretty much ALL of the biggest summer blockbusters have been coming out on Wednesdays lately. Cynical readers might wonder why HPATH-BP was ever scheduled for a Friday in the first place, and if indeed it was the plan all along to "change" it to Wednesday as a means of drumming up a little extra publicity now, in April, when most people wouldn't be thinking about the movie otherwise. To those readers I say: You're probably right. Still, good news. A Wednesday release date means it's really coming out late Tuesday night, at midnight, maybe even 10 p.m. No word yet on when the pirated copy will be avilable on the Internet.