Hoover dam Ноябрь 30, 2008
Разместил theslavessnake в : Uncategorized , 1 комментарийJohn Hollinger + Portland = Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving weekend has been fantastic. The eating, the family, all those things we all count on … I’m loving it.
But also, as a fan of the Portland Trail Blazers, it has also been a little bit like Christmas.
Why? Yes they have won nicely at home.
But more importantly … Have you seen John Hollinger’s power rankings?
(I have been aware of this for several days, but have not wanted to make a fuss out of it … for fear it would later prove meaningless. But now it has been hanging around for a while, and I can’t stay quiet.)
Not to oversimplify things. But more or less the current state of events — from a supercomputer programmed by one of the savviest experts in the game today — is that all of the many teams of the NBA are spread across a vast array of quality. The exceptionally crappy Thunder are off the deep end of the charts, but ignoring that, every single team in the NBA has a Hollinger Power Ranking that is arrayed somewhere between 90 and 103 on the Hollinger scale.
The ranking is built on strength of schedule, margin of victory, and various other factors that have proven, over time, to matter.
Ignore Hollinger at your peril.
In any case, what I haven’t told you is that not all the teams are either OKC or between 90 and 103 on the scale. There are actually four super teams that co-exist in the ether above the spectrum of normalcy. They’re all over 108.
And they matter. Between them, these four teams hog a 90.7% likelihood of winning this year’s title in an extrapolation of the power rankings.
Who are the NBA’s four elite teams, based on Hollinger’s formulas and the early returns? With all the normal early season provisos, and in order, they are: the Los Angeles Lakers (36.8% chance of winning the title), the Cleveland Cavaliers (30%), the Boston Celtics (13%), and … my Portland Trail Blazers (10.9%).
By any conventional measure, the Blazers are somewhere between so-so and pretty good. They’re 11-6 just like Houston, Phoenix, and Denver. They’re a half game ahead of Atlanta, about which I’m sure you are lukewarm. But Hollinger’s computer knows Portland has played all kinds of tough teams, and they have had some big-time blowouts (thank you Miami and Chicago!) as well as quality wins against the likes of New Orleans, San Antonio, and Houston.
Portland is loaded down with so many weapons that many nights they can make big mistakes and still win.
Look, I’m not getting ahead of myself here. I realize that Portland still has flaws, and will not be winning a title this year.
But I’m also starting to realize that Portland’s much-anticipated entry into the NBA’s elite may be arriving well ahead of schedule. It couldn’t be more exciting. As a fan who has been on the outside looking in for a decade and a half, it’s a real thrill to be part of the Big Boy NBA conversation. Especially with a roster that features heavy minutes from three rookies (Rookie of the Year candidates Greg Oden and Rudy Fernandez, as well as starter Nicolas Batum) and is built for three years from now.
Where does that leave us? With a lot to look forward to (if by “we” we mean “Portland fans”). Virtually every Blazer can be expected to get better over the course of the next two or three years. And yet, even now in its infancy this Portland roster is a profound threat to win every game it plays. It’s a nice situation.
Unless, of course, you find yourself in the peculiar position of being both a national NBA blogger with a commitment to fairness and a dyed-in-the-wool Blazer fan. I have long feared the day when by Blazer fandom could cause profound and persisent objectivity problems for my NBA coverage.
That time is coming.
Please, bear with me.
(Photograph: Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)
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Iron bowl Ноябрь 29, 2008
Разместил theslavessnake в : Uncategorized , добавить комментарийWarm Spinach Salad with Bacon and Pomegranate
Does anyone remember eating warm spinach and bacon salad? I think the first time I tried it was at my aunt’s house when I was in junior high. There was something fascinating about the sweet and tangy taste of it…and the bacon? Right.
I’d love to take credit for this recipe which is a lovely, more elegant version, but I can’t. It’s one of Susan Branch’s recipes from her Christmas from the Heart of the Home book. If you aren’t familiar with her, you’re really missing something wonderful. I love browsing through her site and leafing through her books which are so much more than just cookbooks. They’re like a trip to a special place where life is slow and pleasant, and creativity abounds. Such an amazing woman!
I like to make this salad at this time of year, because of the pomegranates, of course. And recently, I learned a new way to peel them, which makes me very happy considering I won’t have to tolerate a red stain on my cutting board for a week or more.
Warm Spinach & Bacon Salad with Pomegranate
1 container of fresh baby spinach leavesseeds of 1 pomegranate1 c. crimini mushrooms, sliced1 avocado, cubed1/2 c. pecans, toasted3 slices bacon1/4 brown sugar1/2 c. apple cider vinegar1/3 c. extra virgin olive oilsalt and pepper to taste
To prepare the pomegranate, fill a large bowl or kettle with water. Score the skin of the pomegranate and submerge it. Pull it gently apart, then push seeds from the membrane. The peelings and membrane will float, the juice dissolve without coloring your fingers, and the seeds will sink to the bottom. Discard the floating peel when you’re finished, and pour the water through a strainer. Reserve seeds.
Fry bacon until crisp and break into pieces after it’s cooled. Pour off all but 1 T. of fat off and set skillet aside.
In a large serving bowl, add spinach, mushrooms, avocados, nuts, and pomegranate seeds.
Place the skillet with the bacon fat back over medium heat and add the olive oil, sugar, and vinegar. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is warmed through. Pour over the spinach mixture, sprinkle on bacon and season. Toss and serve.
Notes:
…or toss and serve on individual salad plates.
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Cave puzzle Ноябрь 27, 2008
Разместил theslavessnake в : Uncategorized , добавить комментарийFeatured Freeware: Secunia PSI
Not only does Secunia Personal Software Inspector provide extensive details on the software installed on your computer, it also gives you direct links to update programs that are older and potentially not secure.
The interface mixes professional layout with a text-heavy, spartan design. At the top right of the program window, users can choose a Simple or Advanced layout. Under Simple, Secunia provides basic information about the installed program statuses, with a chart to gauge their security over time and a simplified listing of any errors. Clicking on an error leads you through the proprietary Easy-to-Patch program update process, which automatically excludes more challenging updates. The Advanced layout tab exposes more details and more updates. It also checks your Microsoft XML, your Adobe Flash player installation, and others programs, looking for mission-critical holes and their respective updates. Installed programs get flagged as Patched, End-of-Life, and Insecure, with the most recent reported threat noted with a colored bar and a mouse-over label on the right column.
Scanning can be slow, and occasionally the scan restarted for a second round automatically after completing its first pass. However, the update process was seamless, and once you update a program, it moves into the Patched list after about 5 minutes, because Secunia defaults to run in the background. The End-of-Life tab offers up a toolbox with quick access to Add/Remove Programs, the listed software’s folder, and online references. Secunia’s plain language for instructions and explanations enhances the already robust update package, making this a highly recommended freeware.
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O2 surprise Ноябрь 26, 2008
Разместил theslavessnake в : Uncategorized , 3комментарииBlockbuster Debuts Broadband Set-Top Box: Pre-Paid Rentals Can Net Free Device
blockbuster’s newest gimmick is missing of the gate: the mediapoint digital media speculator by 2wire can be ordered online or bought in some stores. trickle, not exactly bought?the launch deal swaps the blow for $99 in pre-paid rentals, 25 to be require. subsequent rentals start at $1.99. blockbuster chairman and ceo jim keyes announced in the q3 call the new box, which stores the video, a turn-about from previous statements that the movie rental chain would avoid the ironmongery engagement. the after differs from contestant netflix (nsdq: nflx), which, in addition to its own streaming device, has streaming deals with multiple mount-top manufacturers. netflix offers some 12,000 titles, while blockbuster (nyse: bbi) starts with at best 2,000.
Home Video Magazine: 2Wire VP Jonathan Symonds said Blockbuster’s a-la-carte approach to movie streams and the MediaPoint player’s two USB ports and SD card slot did not suggest an apples-to-apples comparison with the Netflix box. He added that launching the player in the midst of a severe economic downturn necessitated the introductory pricing plan: “I think there is more risk at the higher end of the [consumer electronics] market than there is for a consumable impulse buy such as this.”
AP: “? Keyes promises the movies will be of more recent vintage than Netflix’s instant-watching service. “We are emphasizing quality over quantity because we think quality is most important for our customers,” he said. Blockbuster’s on-demand service is starting out with recently released DVD titles such as Get Smart, Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 ? none of which are available through Netflix’s instant-watching channel.”
Related
Social Media Deals Report: This 199-page report, filled with charts and data, examines the categories, number and size of VC and M&A deal in social media from 2007 through 2008. Visit the ContentNext Reports page
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College bowl predictions Ноябрь 23, 2008
Разместил theslavessnake в : Uncategorized , 2комментарииTicket Notice: Sunday shows –Axelrod, Schumer, Shelby, Hoyer, Levin, Lieberman, Axelrod, Boehner, Granholm, Pelosi. And Steve Forbes?
ABC This Week: Obama senior White House advisor-designate David Axelrod, Sens. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), and a round table with George Will, American Prospect’s Robert Kuttner,
Arianna Huffington and the New York Times’ David Brooks.
CBS Face the Nation: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Obama economic advisor Austan Goolsbee.
CNN Late Edition: Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D-Mich.), Steve Forbes, former Labor Secretary Robert Reich, Republican strategist Ed Rollins, Democratic strategist James Carville and CNN’s Gloria Borger.
Fox News Sunday: David Axelrod, same guy as above; House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and House Minority Leader John Boehner, and a panel with Brit Hume, Fox News Washington Managing Editor; Mara Liasson, National Public Radio & Fox News; Bill Kristol, Weekly Standard & Fox News; Juan Williams, National Public Radio & Fox News. The “Power Player” is Air Force One.
NBC Meet The Press: Former Secretary of State James Baker, former Commerce Secretary William Daley, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) and a roundtable with CNBC’s Erin Burnett, former Wall Street Journal Detroit bureau chief Paul Ingrassia and NBC political director Chuck Todd.
– Andrew Malcolm
See, if you’d registered for Twitter alerts here on each new Ticket item, you’d have already read it minutes ago. It’s free, btw.
Photo credit: HarryWalker.com
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Scrap metal Ноябрь 22, 2008
Разместил theslavessnake в : Uncategorized , 4комментарииSaturday morning cartoons: “Windy Day” and “Joesie’s Lalaland”
Windy Day John and Faith Hubley
Josie’s Lalaland EB Hu
For high resolution.
Episode one: “Herzog and the Monsters“ and “How Wings are Attached to the Backs of Angels“
Episode two: “One Rat Short“ and “Tyger“
Episode three: “Doll Face“ and “One Self: Fish/Girl”
Episode four: “Over Time” and “The Raftman’s Razor”
Episode five, Halloween edition: “Tell-Tale Heart”, “The End”, and “Chainsaw Maid”
Episode six: “Camera Obscura“
Episode seven: “Balance“ and “Space Alone“
Episode eight: “The Tale of How” acheter cialis and “Pyrats“
Epsidoe nine: “The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello“ and “World War“
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Brown: Auto CEOs need reality check Ноябрь 22, 2008
Разместил theslavessnake в : Uncategorized , 1 комментарийNow, there is an argument that can be made about why the CEO of a major corporation might need a private jet. Those of us who fly commercial know what a miserable experience it is. Flight delays are the norm. If you have a really important meeting, you go the night before.
One could argue that the CEO of a billion-dollar company who is managing a crisis like the one we are having now, whose decision making impacts millions of jobs, doesn’t have time or can’t afford the risk of cancellations and delays that go along with commercial travel.
But don’t you CEOs get the optics? This was a PR debacle. Your belated statements about needing your jets for security reasons just didn’t cut it. Although, with each passing day that becomes a more legitimate defense, as people get angrier and angrier. Frankly, you should have just said "We are trying to save literally millions of jobs right now, and every second counts."
Don’t Miss
Today GM announced it’s giving up two of its corporate jets. Looks like GM is finally starting to get that appearances count and that shared sacrifice is the message of the day. Let’s hope the other CEOs take heed.
This stuff matters. You’re not talking to shareholders or staff members; you’re talking to Congress. And Congress doesn’t work for you; it works for millions of Americans who are struggling and getting pretty desperate for a way out.
You need to figure out how to speak their language. Your credibility is on the line, and so is your business. You blew it once, and now Congress is giving you a second chance, even though plenty of people think you don’t deserve one. Millions of jobs and millions of people’s futures are on the line.
So for the moment, park the jet and put yourself in the shoes of that Michigan factory worker who is scared to death, and rightly so. And don’t blow it again.
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Wfmy news 2 Ноябрь 21, 2008
Разместил theslavessnake в : Uncategorized , 1 комментарийHoder in Jail acheter levitra in Iran
Iranian blogger Hossein Derakhshan has been arrested by Iranian security (h/t Harry’s Place).
Hoder - as he was widely known in the blogs is another OG blogger who has lived in Canada for some time to keep himself out of the hands of the Iranian police download action movies. While anti-mullah, he’s resolutely pro-Iranian, and we’ve actually knocked heads a bit on that.
The Guardian writes:
A prominent Iranian blogger has been arrested in Tehran and accused of spying for Israel after visiting the country with the aim of being “a bridge between Iranian and Israeli people”.
Hossein Derakhshan, 33, was reported by the Iranian website Jahan News to have confessed during initial interrogations to being involved in espionage.
The Jahan News site, which is widely believed to be linked to the Iranian intelligence services, also said he had been described in Jewish newspaper articles as a “friend of Israel”.
Derakhshan is known in Iran as the Blogfather after effectively launching the country’s craze for blogging. He has claimed 20,000 people a day read his postings.
He holds joint Iranian-Canadian citizenship and left Tehran for Toronto in 2000 after hardline opponents of then president, Mohammad Khatami, closed down the reformist newspapers he worked on. He also lived in London for a while.
Derakhshan had returned to Tehran three weeks ago. His blogs, in Persian and English, have been suspended.
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Walter reed medical center Ноябрь 20, 2008
Разместил theslavessnake в : Uncategorized , 1 комментарий**Red County Thanksgiving Essay Contest**
Attention readers….Red County announces its first annual Thanksgiving essay contest. Can you write? Would you like to be published on Red County and reach a national audience? Tell us, in 800 words or less, why you are Thankful to Live in the United States of America.The winning entry will be featured in the Spotlight Commentary section on the Red County main page, and will run from Thanksgiving Day through the holiday weekend. The deadline for entries is 6:00 pm (PST) on Tuesday, November 25th. Entries are to be submitted to the Red County editorial staff at redcountyrevolution@gmail.com Please include your name, address and telephone number for entry verification.Eligible contestants must not have been previously published on Red County.
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India vs england live 2008 Ноябрь 20, 2008
Разместил theslavessnake в : Uncategorized , 1 комментарийLinux Guru Reiser Seeks New Murder Trial
defense attorney william dubois and hans reiser confer during reiser’s murder exploratory. sketch: norman quebedeau .
Hans Reiser wants a trial do-over.
Reiser is the Linux guru who in April was convictedof the first-degree murder of his estranged wife. He’s the same defendant who, in exchange for a 15-to-life term instead of a 25-to-life term, broughtauthorities to the Oakland hills where he buried Nina Reiser’s body.
He even apologizedfor killing her.
But in a handwritten appellate motion, he is appealing his conviction. Yet there’s a glaring problem with this appeal, in which he claims he thought the deal would have only sent him away for three years, not 15-to-life.
When he took the 15-to-life deal in August, he waived his right to appeal. And when entering the deal, he said he understood what he was doing and was represented by effective counsel. The appeal was first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle.
Perhaps Reiser is a little peeved that he turned down a pretrial deal last year with Alameda County Superior Court Judge Larry Goodman, in which the developer of the ReiserFS file system was offered three years if he pleaded guilty and disclosed where he hid 31-year-old Nina Reiser’s body.
But the boyhood genius thought he could outsmart the jury, which grew tired of his hours on the witness stand attempting to explain away a myriad of coincidences linking him to his wife’s murder -? days of testimony his attorney said was against his advice.
Now the 44-year-old Reiser says he thinks the latest deal was supposed to have netted three years. And he said his lead attorney, William DuBois, who he often butted headswith during trial, was out to get him.
Reiser wrote(.pdf) that he believed DuBois suffered from an excess of oxytocin.
“Persons with oxytocin excess enjoy betraying others,” Reiser wrote.
Reiser added, “I believe that the attraction of duping and betraying me exceeded the attraction of duping and betraying a jury, due to my unique personal characteristics.”
Reiser demands that DuBois’ oxytocin levels be tested, and that if they are high, the courts should determine that Reiser was a victim of ineffective assistance of counsel and be granted a new trial.
DuBois was not immediately available for comment. Trial judge Larry Goodman denied(.pdf) Reiser’s handwritten motion, which wasn’t even made to a California appellate court.
Reiser called his lawyer delusional and claimed he picked jurors based on Chinese astrology. “It is a logical necessity that either I am delusional, or he is delusional.”
Threat Level covered the trial gavel to gavel for six months and knows the answerto that question.
The convict is also demanding a polygraph test “to prove my counsel colluded with agents of the State of California to perpetuate numerous other frauds relating to the case.”
Here’s a short synopsis of Reiser’s courtroom defense, the so-called” geek defense.”
*He told jurors his 31-year-old wife, whom he met in Russia, fled the United Statesand abandoned the divorcing couple’s two young children after he accused her of bilking his Namesys software company. Her blood was found in her house, where she was last seen, because she either cut her finger cooking or had a blo
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