Take a visit to Scoopville with this original and pure take on the phenomenon that has gripped Web 2.0 users.
For more, check out Common Craft. Sphere: Related Content
5.31.2008
Video of the Day: Social Media in Plain English
For more, check out Common Craft. Sphere: Related Content
5.30.2008
Photo of the Day: New York Skyline at Night
Forman shot this a while back and added some color to give it the proper feel. Clicking on the image will take you to the newly added New York City panorama, which is detailed further on Pete's blog.
5.29.2008
CBS EliteXC Fights to Slice Public With Kimbo
Kimbo Slice is a true sensation. But, how will he fare against the best mixed martial artists in the EliteXC or the UFC?
Beginning in the streets of Miami, Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson began by fighting the biggest and badest in back-yard settings. Kimbo's videos were then boadcast on YouTube and immediately became viral.
Kimbo Slice videos, such as the double header against Afro Puff and Big Mac (video), quickly made him an instant legend with fans and sped his ascension through the world of mixed martial arts.
Video: Kimbo Slice vs Afro Puff and Big Mac
ESPN The Magazine ran a cover story on Kimbo this month, saying he's not what you were thinking. Yes, Kimbo Slice is one scary dude. But Ferguson is a loving dad and budding entrepreneur, according to the ESPN article, who looks to the future happily instead of looking to the past in anger.
But, what is this Mixed Martial Arts? How does this sport differ from boxing? If you find yourself asking these questions, honestly, Rip Van Winkle, rub the sleep from your eyes.
The 21st century has a double-date with destiny, one that could force traditional sports like boxing and wrestling into obscurity, and most of the public, like the major TV networks, know nothing about the other couple (aside from how much money they make).
The intense nature of the sport transformed mixed martial arts (MMA) into one of the fastest growing live events among U.S. spectators between the ages of 18-34 over the past several years. So huge, in fact, that CBS decided to give MMA a chance on network television to separate itself between the spectacle of professional wrestling and the legacy of boxing.
The May 31 EliteXC debut on CBS is a make-or-break event for mixed martial arts in the prime-time public's eye. On Saturday night, the public will judge if MMA is a sport or just more promotional gladiator antics.
Video: CBS EliteXC Saturday Night Fights Preview
Either way, the promotion will have far-reaching consequences for the participants and all MMA athletes in general. "There's a lot of pressure," EliteXC Live Events president Gary Shaw said in an interview with CBSSports.com. "I feel the pressure of mixed martial arts as a sport. I know a lot is riding on this. If we're successful and do a big rating it could be huge for the sport."
Regardless, the publicity has stirred much debate among the public and the media. "CBS is now legitimizing barbaric sport" writes Greg Cote of MiamiHerald.com:
"Leave it to network television to be slow on the uptake, of course. Just when pugilism's bastard sons, MMA and rival UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship), seemed to have peaked -- whatever happened to Chuck Liddell? -- and started a merciful decent from Next Big Thing back to bizarre fringe/niche status, along comes CBS to help resuscitate a beast better left gasping for breath."Some in the public take exception to having Kimbo, with only 62 seconds of ring time in his career, be the poster boy for the CBS debut. Jake Rossen of Sherdog.com writes:
"This is not to accuse Elite of any misguided promotional decisions. An organization can hype talent, but fandom makes the ultimate decision on their value to the bottom line. Slice has resonated with people in such a way that using him as a pillar for a fledging business is an obvious proposition in an industry that has very few guarantees."EliteXC will present five live televised bouts on May 31 (Preview), with four of the fights receiving the lion's share of the publicity. ProElite.com will live-stream online five undercard fights beginning around 7 p.m. eastern.
Frank Shamrock, a five-time Ultimate Fighting champion and perhaps the biggest name in the sport, will serve as an analyst and color commentator for the inaugural CBS EliteXC Saturday Night Fights, billed as the first live mixed martial arts event on network television.
Related Links:
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5.28.2008
Forman Partnership Brings High-Quality Pics to Flingjore
Flingjore's World and Peter Forman Photography have formed a partnership that promises to bring new and interesting depth to the Flingjore experience.
Forman is a freelance photographer who specializes in documentary, sports and commercial photography. 
"Currently, my focus is on truthfully capturing images that convey the emotion and tell the stories of people and events in our world."
On a less frequent basis, Forman will shoot engagements and weddings, glamor and fashion or stock pics for use in various publishing locations, such as Websites, brochures or magazines.
More samples of Peter Forman Photography are found at peterbforman.com/ . Sphere: Related Content
5.27.2008
xkcd dot com Rocks Randall Munroe Webcomics
Sudo says, "Listen."
Anyone who has struggled with a computer can understand how frustrating it is when a command is entered and the PC, or something visceral, simply says "No." For most coders, the majic words above, a command line that can typically unlock any door, resembles that of "Simon says" or "pretty please."
Without struggling to confuse any further, understand that original jokes and puns are best left to the originators. Any who decides to parrot the anecdote usually fails to remain funny. So, we'll leave this joke to Randall Munroe.
Additional humor is found inside each cartoon's "alt" attribute or tagline. (Sorry Firefox users, maybe 3.0 will contain a fix for this bug.) To view, you must mouse over a cartoon's image on xkcd.com and an internal monologue will appear. The original alt-attribute tagline for Starwatching was:
"I always figured the word 'blog' would sound less *silly* as the years went by."Each of Munroe's comics contain an extra bit of humor or a way to poke fun at the rules of the Internet, for example. The added fun of this bit of humor: alt and title attributes are intented to describe pictures in places where the images are not available. You know, these appear on your Blackberry when html e-mails are not enabled? Anyway ...
So, who is this guy? On xkcd.com, the creative master answers:
"I'm just this guy, you know? I'm a CNU graduate with a degree in physics. Before starting xkcd, I worked on robots at NASA's Langley Research Center in Virginia. As of June 2007 I live in Massachusetts. In my spare time I climb things, open strange doors, and go to goth clubs dressed as a frat guy so I can stand around and look terribly uncomfortable. At frat parties I do the same thing, but the other way around."
Munroe maintains several projects, like various programming duties and an engineering blog, but the true viral aspects come from the webcomic. xkcd.com publishes every Monday, Wednesday and Friday with a tagline description claiming to be a webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math and language.
Let the fun continue and thanks for staying original.
Extra:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJOS0sV2a24
Sphere: Related Content
5.26.2008
Memorial Day Memories: Three to Please on a Monday
As President Bush places a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington Cemetery, Memorial Day continues to symbolize what honor, duty and sacrifice really mean. Below are three for Monday, a special Memorial Day feature.
- The weekend began in the nation's capital with the Flags-In Ceremony (Video), where military personnel from each branch of the service place American flags at each tombstone at Arlington National Cemetery.
- Sunday's reception at the White House of the Rolling Thunder motorcycling group saw the president receive a cowhide vest jacket as he became an honorary member of the organization. The Post's Paul Duggan sums up well in An Iron Procession of Honor the sound and fury of the group's arrival and presence in Washington, D.C.:
"Like the Fourth of July fireworks on the Mall, like the lightings of the National Christmas Tree and Menorah, the deafening growl of Harley-Davidsons on Memorial Day weekend has become a holiday tradition in Washington -- a gathering to honor the nation's veterans and, at the same time, celebrate an attitude of nonconformity."
Map of the Rolling Thunder procession (washingtonpost.com):
- The quotable comes from an L.A. Times editorial written in 1968 on Memorial Day:
"... the best remembrance, the greatest tribute, we can pay those who have died in their nation's wars, and those fated to do so, is not simply to institutionalize their sacrifice on one day out of the year. Rather it is to live our own lives as citizens of this Republic, and conduct our affairs as a power in the world, according to the higher goals in whose name these sacrifices are made."
5.23.2008
For Memorial Day, the Cheapest Race to the Finish
Thanks to record-high gas prices and the tough economy, AAA midatlantic predicts that fewer Washingtonians will take to the road over the Memorial Day weekend. The surprising fact is that the AAA estimate represents only a 1 percent drop, the first "slump" since the attacks of September 11, 2001 and the invasion of Iraq. Many in the area, and nationwide, will still ask the same question: should I fly or drive?
"With prices averaging approximately $3.80 nationally and in the Washington metro area for a gallon of self-serve regular gas, it is wise for travelers to consider all possible transportation modes before assuming that driving is their best option," said Kathy Burk, a retail travel specialist with AAA Mid-Atlantic.
Nationwide, AAA projects the number of Americans traveling during the Memorial Day holiday will drop slightly compared to the previous year. AAA estimates that 37.87 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this holiday, a decrease of nearly 360,000 travelers (0.9 percent) from last year’s total of 38.23 million.
As to the mode of transportation, AAA Mid-Atlantic estimates that nearly 495,000 Washington area residents—or about 77%— will travel by car to their holiday destinations this weekend.
"That’s about 5,000 fewer motorists —a drop of one full percentage point—that will be heading out on the roads this Memorial Day," Mahlon G. Anderson, AAA Mid-Atlantic’s Director of Public and Government Affairs said. "That’s the biggest change in travel plans we are seeing this year."
Logically, the distance of the trip and the number of travelers is directly related the amount of money each traveler will save. For example, let's go to Boston this weekend, a round-trip total of 906 miles, and estimate the cost of our trip using the AAA Fuel Cost Calculator. The approximate driving cost of the trip is $123, based on the national average for gasoline, $3.86, in a mid-sized sedan that gets decent gas mileage. The cost estimate for an SUV that gets 14-15 miles per gallon would balloon to roughly $250 for fuel.
The estimated cost of round-trip airline tickets: $173 per person. That bumps the price up to $346 for a couple and $692 for a family of four. And, as far as flying goes, those estimated figures all depend on what airline deals you found before today.
This news doesn't fare well for the airline industry. American announced on Thursday plans to charge passengers between $15 and $20 for each piece of checked baggage. This means, for most travelers, those huge deals you locked in by planning your trip last winter, are likely to be erased with a new baggage fee. What's more is the move by major airlines to set charges in excess of $150 for oversized luggage. Forget about bringing those golf clubs to Arizona or Florida this summer, or if the trend continues, the skiis to Colorado and Utah this winter.
In any case, for the modern American family, hitting the "Holiday Road" will be much more cost effective to travel the great interstates. Sure, this may require mom and dad to take more vacation days at work or little brothers and sisters having to worry about their siblings licking their hands and touching their hair. But, think how exciting it is, all that quality time spent in the car/minivan/SUV with the DVD player and headphones?
Related Links:
- Flingore's World: Know Before You Go — Trip Gas Prices
- AAA Fuel Cost Calculator
- Dollars and Sense Tips for Improving Fuel Economy
Know Before You Go: Trip Gas Prices
Many trip calculators exist but, for me, AAA publishes one of the more user-friendly versions. The difference: the ability to enter make and model of the vehicle over lumping certain vehicles in classes like small car, big car and SUV.
In addition, AAA Fuel Cost Calculator offers a regional map with the average gas price in each region and a large link to help users see more fuel costs in their area.
Here are some other fuel comparison tools to test out:
- gas-cost.net: www.gas-cost.net/ adds the Google Maps API and offers a lot of information that you have to scroll down to find.
- MapQuest gas prices: gasprices.mapquest.com/featurepage.jsp?featurepage=about.jsp Fun to play with but not one-stop shopping.
- Road Trip America: www.roadtripamerica.com/fuel-cost-calculator.php Pretty darn simple.
5.22.2008
LifeLock CEO Todd Davis Unlocked by ID-Theft Claims
Todd Davis, CEO of LifeLock, gives away his social security number in public to assure that his company can "Guarantee Your Good Name." But customers in Maryland, New Jersey and West Virginia are suing Davis, claiming the service didn't work as promised and the CEO knew the service would fall short, citing a case where LifeLock couldn't even guarantee his good name.
Video: LifeLock TV Commercial
Davis's marketing approach has helped make LifeLock one of the industry leaders in the rapidly growing field of Identity Theft Protection. But the LifeLock CEO acknowledged in an interview with The Associated Press that such commercial advertising has led to at least 87 instances in which people have tried to steal Davis's identity. In the end, one Texas man did succeed in 2007 by duping an online payday loan operation into giving him $500 using the Social Security number from the television ad.
For a $10 monthly fee, LifeLock can help guard against only certain types of financial fraud by helping consumers set up alerts with credit bureaus. These alerts inform consumers when someone tries to open a new line of credit in their name. None of this protects consumers against the misuse of Social Security numbers. In fact, such complaints reinforce the need to keep private a Social Security number.
Just ask Warren and Susan Pasternack. The New Jersey couple filed a lawsuit (full text) against Lifelock Inc. last March which alleges that claims by the company are deceptive and its services may actually damage customers' credit.
The Pasternacks (full report) claim that LifeLock employs methods for the purpose of "concealment, suppression, and omission of material facts" about its service. According to court documents, the company fails to clarify charging subscribers to place credit alerts on annual credit reports, something that can be done for free. Lastly, the suit claims the $1 million (limited) service guarantee "is essentially futile" due to the manner that the Warranty is worded.
What the lawsuit does claim is that the company's marketing campaign -- which features Davis and his actual Social Security number because, the ad copy says, he's "absolutely confident LifeLock is protecting my good name and personal information" -- is deceptive.
How to Issue a Security Alert
Although these measures, the basis for the Lifelock program, do not fully guarantee the safety of your ID, taking such steps can help.
- Initial Security Alert lasts for 90 days and can be filed if you are suspicious and feel that your identity has been compromised.
- Extended Fraud Victim Alert that lasts seven years. This requires submitting a copy of an official ID-theft report that is on file with federal, state or local law enforcement.
- Active Duty Alert exists for military personnel and must be renewed yearly.
- Equifax: www.equifax.com, 800.685.1111.
- Experian: www.experian.com, 888.397.3742.
- TransUnion: www.transunion.com, 800.888.4213
Major Credit Report Companies
Sidebar:
PASTERNACK et al v. LIFELOCK, INC. et al
The New Jersey lawsuit, filed in March of 2008, contains one other mystery that has been the subject of much debate. While listing allegations that LifeLock failed to divulge that Robert J. Maynard Jr., one of the LifeLock founders, is subject to a Federal Trade Commission injunction, Davis considers these claims to be irrelevant to LifeLock today. "Robert has been gone for coming up on a year from the company," the ID-protection pitchman told InformationWeek earlier this month. "He has no bearing, no involvement, zero, in the company. I think that's just them grasping at straws."
Additionally, the lawsuit claims, Maynard "engaged in the very type of identity theft his company had set out to eliminate, by stealing his father's own identity." The document descbribes Maynard posing as his father to obtain an American Express card, using the credit to secure more than $100,000 in debt and eventually being sued by the company.
Related links:
5.20.2008
Brittlestar Galactica: Explorers Net Amazing Colony of Marine Life
Scientists in New Zealand capture the first images of a starfish-like city during a month-long voyage near Antarctica. Researchers from the Census of Marine Life track a vast submerged mountain range that offers up amazing interactions that mix all science, including biology, geology and physics. (Video)
While plumbing the secrets of a vast underwater mountain range south of New Zealand, the scientists captured the first images of what they call a "Brittlestar City." This marine metropolis features several species of invertebrates including seastar, brittlestar species, brachipods, hydrocorals, corals and sponges. The colony exists at brain-busting depths on the peak of an underwater summit that measures at heights taller than the Sears Tower.
Formed at least 12.5 million years ago, Macquarie Ridge stretches 870 miles along the southern tip of New Zealand to the Antarctic Circle (see map). The team from New Zealand and Australia sampled the ecosystem deep beneath waves familiar to fishing trawlers but rarely reached by scientists.
Usually corals and sponges dominate seamount peaks, filtering food that arrives on the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. Biologists aboard the Tangaroa believe Brittlestar City is the first dense aggregation of another filter feeder, the brittlestar, ever found atop a seamount, and they credit the summit’s shape and extraordinary current circumstances there, 2,461 feet above the ocean floor.
Brittlestars are echinoderms, relatives to starfish, sea cucumbers, sea lilies, and sea urchins. The two brittlestar species observed were tentatively identified via photographs sent from the ship to the Museum Victoria in Melbourne, Australia.
Larger orange-red species discovered down the seamount’s flanks were filmed waving arms in the current to collect passing food.
Video excerpts that detail the mission and its goals can be found on the organization's website at www.coml.org.
5.19.2008
Three to Please: McCain Goes on the Attack
On a crucial day for politics, the media continues to focus on the race for Democratic superdelegates, the passage of the farm bill and the back-and-forth comments between McCain and Obama.
The real story line remains the the GOP's struggles to find a policy consensus to leverage votes ahead of November while trying to counter a string of losses in Illinois, Louisiana and Misssissippi Congressional elections. Without this unity, various party leaders acknowledge that Republicans might face even more significant losses.
So far, the likely GOP contender this fall, Sen. John McCain, has played out a new strategy that can be wrapped up in Three to Please on a Monday.
- McCain to hit Obama in Chicago over Obama advisor NAFTA comment: Lynn Sweet offers up early remarks by McCain, as prepared for delivery, to the National Restaurant Association today in Chicago. The highlight, aside from the NAFTA comments, is the senator's comparison of Clinton and Obama as "tax twins picking the pockets of Americans."
- Updated on May 20: Over the weekend, McCain appeared on Saturday Night Live and took on several topics with satire, especially his age. Video of the appearance was captured and published on several YouTube channels (but was recently removed) and the NBC video is contained below for you enjoyment.
Video: Sen. John McCain on Saturday Night Live - In the spirit of such humor, The Onion examines what McCain would do if elected. Of course, satire should be left to the experts, senator.
McCain Vows to Replace Secret Service With Own Bare Fists
Quotable:
"Some Republicans believe Senator John McCain’s maverick image will play well in a state with a history of affection for contrarian Republicans." -- William Yardley of The New York Times. Sphere: Related Content
5.15.2008
Sunny Days in St. Croix
Most who travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands usually visit St. Thomas but few actually experience the wonders of the smaller islands. Judge for yourself.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/flingjore/sets/72157605036000740/
5.12.2008
Three to Please on a Monday
Much of today's news sounds like a Monday. Many news outlets are trying to drum up some press for the upcoming election while others focus on oil prices and its impact on travel. And, like much of the upcoming weeks, weather will again become more and more newsworthy as the "silly season" for news fast approaches.
"Yawn," you say? There are always other tidbits that make for a good read on any given Monday. So, instead of just finding one, Flingjore brings you "Three to Please on a Monday," a new feature that may, or may not, change in upcoming weeks.
- In Colleges Putting Their Own Spin on YouTube, Post staff writer Susan Kinzie does a great job taking a look at alternative mediums for students to have their own voices. (OK, stay with me). What makes this a top pick for Monday is the interactive map that is mostly hidden on the front page of washingtonpost.com.
Inside "Universities, Students Explore YouTube," a nice feature, using the Google Maps API, puts together videos from area students and links them to their YouTube features. This piece, compiled by Laura Cochran, is what really makes this story kick. - Coming in at number two is a video from the web exclusive I've mentioned above. Alex Carroll, a freshman at Georgetown, and his friend Daniel Hostetler are shown back-flipping off of ten-foot-tall walls and other popular landmarks around the campus.
- The last is a talker, for sure, and one that will make for popular fodder around the water cooler. Each Mother's Day, the Social Security Administration releases a list of the top baby names for each year. The 2007 list was released on Saturday and holds very few surprises. Emily and Jacob take the top marks while Elizabeth makes another top-ten appearance since dropping out two years ago. One notable is the rise of the name "Elvis" in ranking as it jumped about 10 spots and moved into the mid-60s.
The database for top baby names can be found at www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/. This page is a nice place to play and offers database comparisons between Popular Names by Birth Year, Popularity of a Name and how it has changed through the years and Top 1000 names by decade. After May 19, the Top 5 names by state will be published and released at the website.
More From Flingjore's World:
Sphere: Related Content
5.09.2008
Onion Survey Finds Top Nerve in 2008 Election
America is ready for a little humor on a Friday, especially since the news of the upcoming election begins to ride the razor's edge towards boring.
With the flip-flopping of the Democratic Party's superdelegates giving Obama a 267-266 lead over Clinton, each candidate will turn the issues debate towards their Republican rival John McCain. Yawn.
Keeping up with the race for 2008 is best summed up in a recent survey onion.com broadcast in the following video:
Poll: Bullshit Is Most Important Issue For 2008 Voters Sphere: Related Content
5.08.2008
Carrying Olympic Flame, Tibetan Summits Everest
The Everest plan was quite ambitious in an event that has become the longest, and most controiversial, Olympic torch relay in the history of the games.
The global journey, one that symbolizes the eternal spirit of the games, began on March 24 in Olympia, Greece, but since the torch relay has been dogged by protests and often violent demonstrations. Many of the human rights groups and activists take issue with China's rule of Tibet, Beijing's human rights record and its support of Sudan's pariah government.
In the end, a Chinese team finished a daunting summit attempt with a Tibetan woman finishing off the leg. The climbers had to wait for good weather before carrying the torch up the world's highest mountain for the most ambitious leg of the five-continent torch relay before the Games Aug. 8-24 in Beijing.
"One World, One Dream," team captain Nyima Cering yelled as his torch was lit, repeating the slogan for the Beijing Olympics in various news reports. "We have lit the torch on top of the world," another climber told the Associated Press.
Chinese media reported that the mountaineers stayed atop the summit for about one hour.
A BBC news video of the Olympic Torch Everest Summit is available but does not have audio. Updated news reports are also available.
5.07.2008
Australian Rugby Left Naked in Lithuania
Lithuania's 48-0 defeat of Australia on May 3 shocked the rugby world. What's more is that, in typical touring fashion, the touring Australian ruggers decided to offer their public display of humility in the spirit of the game and their sad show on the field.
Now, what goes on tour usually stays on tour. But, for this set of Australian rugby hopefuls, a Lithuanian man in the crowd caught them on film performing such favorites as "Father Abraham," "Singing in the Rain" and other random rugby-esq songs. Only, this time, the film was taken during a strip tease at a crowded city center in Vilnius, the capital of Lituania.
Due to copyright limitations, I'm not allowed to embed this video on Flingjore's World because the video is unedited and contains nudity. It does, however, exist (for the time being) in two places:
- The copyrighted version of this particular Australia rugby video is hosted by the Lithuanian news portal DELFI.
- There is a YouTube version of Australia Rugby Strip that will likely get pulled again.
View at your own discretion and enjoy. Sphere: Related Content
Rugby Laws Trial Brings Out Elvis
OPINION: The governing body of international rugby recently approved a year-long trial of Experimental Law Variations (ELVs) that will begin on August 1, 2008. Many of the trial laws have been used in spring competition in the southern hemisphere and have brought much commentary from players around the glob.
Of the 23 proposed changes, three will figure to change the face of the game and leave teams scrambling to renew their pattern of play. The first two of the three changes go into effect this fall while the last will be tested at the top levels of competition:
- Players are able to defend a maul by pulling it down
- If a team puts the ball back into their own 22 and the ball is subsequently kicked directly into touch there is no gain of ground
- Players who are on their feet can play the ball with their hands
The maul is intended for teams to maintain possession with the ball off the ground and provide a platform to attack quickly. This strategy also puts the defense under pressure and forces opposing players to join the fracas and stop the attack.
Allowing the opposition to pull down the attacking maul will likely become very dangerous and provide an unfair advantage. (Another rule change states that the opposition will be awarded a free-kick if the team loses possession.) So, in essence, if one team begins a maul the other is obliged to pull it down and get an opportunity for a quick tap.
There are many counter-measures that can be used to prevent the loss of possession. But, with some mauls taking up to six players to fully execute, referees are facing pile-ups of as many as 10-12 players. Since these formations are dynamic and not set upon engagements, like scrums, players' footing becomes suspect and the collapsed maul looks to put players in awkward and dangerous positions.
The second law change that changes how most defenses clear the ball away from danger looks to put defenders in an awkward and dangerous position. If the defender is on the 25-meter line, under previous laws, he or she could pass to another standing behind the 22-meter line. That player would then kick for touch and a line-out would be awarded to the attacking team where the ball went into touch after the kick.
This law change now states that if the situation occurs, the ball goes directly into touch and the line-out is awarded. Couple the two law changes, the new rule on mauling, there are no defensive measures for shoring up ball in the danger zone.
The third of these ELVs is that of "hands in the ruck." Any player that is on their feet may play the ball (regardless of the location of the ball) within the ruck. Since the ball is now on the ground, referees will now see players grabbing the ball, stepping on opposition to gain possession, with no safety net of a maul to secure new ball retention.
This also calls into question the play of "hands-in" patterns of play: only a free-kick is awarded during situations where a player illegally touches a ball when two bodies are formed over the gain line.
These amendments had U.K. rugby enthusiasts crowding London streets in opposition. In News from the Far Side on Planet Rugby, a writer spun the tale ironically:
Protesters waving banners inscribed with slogans like "We love the long arm", "Save the maul" and "The 22 is our sanctuary" confronted police who insisted that they stand five metres back before they crouched, touched, paused and finally engaged. Meanwhile, in Sydney, representatives of SANZAR were greeted on their return from the IRB conference by scenes of jubilation as crowds skipped, danced and sang Australia's new number 1 hit single, "Wake me up before you tap 'n go go".In any case, most American ruggers will likely come to grips with the new rulings long before referees understand how the game has changed. In fact, based on experience, many matches are judged by officials that either have not played at a high level of rugby or are stuck with literal interpretations of the game based on the written word in the manual.
The result, in the U.S., will likely feature refs using a secret surpise ruling: the laws will not be revealed to the players beforehand but they will blow the game based on discretion, applying new law variations as and when needed, depending on the strength or lack of strength of the teams.
For a complete list of the ELVs, or "ELVises":
- IRB announces global trial of ELVs (IRB.com)
- RFU questions rugby law changes (BBC)
- Rewriting rugby's laws (Phil Harlow -- BBC)
- Paddy O'Brien's guide to the Stellenbosch Laws
5.06.2008
Livermore's Centennial Light (Bulb) Shines On
How many times do you change a light bulb in your house in a given year?
For the Livermore Pleasanton Fire Department in northern California (map), one bulb has been shining for the past 107 years and continues to glow. In fact, one may argue that the light bulb is the best ever made, virtually running every single day without interruption during the twilight hours.
First installed on June 8, 1901, the Centennial Bulb has burned continuously for over one hundred years and is one of the city's most popular features. Visitors to the Bay area can see for themselves or just visit the Webcam at www.centennialbulb.org. Depending on the availabilty of the firemen, just head to the rear of the station, ring the bell and someone will gladly show you around. In any case, the bulb remains visible through the window, at the top of the wall, on the left side.
The bulb was donated to the Livermore Fire Department in 1901 by Dennis Bernal, owner of the Livermore Power and Light Co., a firm that went out of business in 1914, according to MSNBC reports. The bulb has traveled a bit during its storied existence, moving from the cart house in 1901 to the main fire house in 1903 and then to the newest station house soon thereafter. According to local newspaper records and research from General Electric engineers, the bulb was first powered by a direct 110 Volt power source but then shared a line with other instruments. Today, the bulb has its own dedicated 120V power source, until it flickers out.
Some facts about the Centennial Light:
- Declared the oldest known working lightbulb by Guinness Book of World Records.
- Ripley's Believe-It-or-Not in 1972 researched it and declared it the oldest.
- In 2007 it was again recognized in Guiness, and Ripleys books.
- Charles Kurault of the TV program "On the Road With Charles Kurault" visited the bulb in the 1970s and included it in his book as well.
- Declarations from the President of the U.S., Congress, Senate, State Senate and Assembly, and Shelby Ohio.
For more information and additional articles written about this amazing piece of Americana, visit http://www.centennialbulb.org/articles.htm Sphere: Related Content
5.05.2008
Move Over Harry Potter, 'Mockingbird' Still Rules
A new online survey recently measured children's reading progress and ranked the top books read by boys and girls of all ages. Renaissance Learning's Accelerated Reader software measured the reading habits of kids from the first grade to the twelfth. Obviously, in some cases, kids were either read to by parents, but this fact is also taken into account by the study.
The Post's Jay Mathews asks in today's front-page article, What do children read? and makes an interesting revelation: Harry Potter is not the top read by kids of all ages. Rowling's stories do make a huge mark on the study groups, but some of the old standards still hold their weight.
Books by the five well-known U.S. authors, plus lesser-known Laura Numeroff, Katherine Paterson and Gary Paulsen, drew the most readers at every grade level in a study of 78.5 million books read by more than 3 million children who logged on to the Renaissance Learning Web site to take quizzes on books they read last year. Many works from Rowling's Potter series turned up in the top 20, but other authors also ranked high and are likely to get more attention as a result.
An April post in Flingjore's World asks readers how many, of the top 100 novels, have they read. A comparison of the lists gives reason for pause but also make a lot of sense. The readers' choices continue to shine through.
Consider this: the most popular, or most read book by high school or secondary school scholars is "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee. Using Random House's "Modern Library," none of the top picks by editors mesh with this statistic. But what does come through is the popularity figure: the fifth most popular book, from the readers and not the editors at the publishing company, is Lee's "Mockingbird."
Here are figures from the online database, that include data from 162,823 students in ninth through twelfth grades who read a total of 972,309 books, versus the picks by Random House:
Renaissance Learning Survey, Grades 9-12
Overall | Boys | Girls
- To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee | To Kill a Mockingbird | To Kill a Mockingbird
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J.K. Rowling | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows | A Child Called “It”, Dave Pelzer (5.8)
- Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck | Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, J.K. Rowling | Twilight, Stephenie Meyer
- ATLAS SHRUGGED by Ayn Rand
- THE FOUNTAINHEAD by Ayn Rand
- BATTLEFIELD EARTH by L. Ron Hubbard
- THE LORD OF THE RINGS by J.R.R. Tolkien
- TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee
Teachers read and teach a curriculum to their students. In order to remain interesting and relevant to their students, teachers must also find characters and stories that appeal as well. Therefore, it's no coincidence that the number-five pick by adults would be Lee's "Mockingbird" and the top studied book for high school is the same.
The survey by the Renaissance Learning does not dissect the number of books that kids read for pleasure. In fact, it's staggering to think about how the numbers would change, as the ages increased, if that stat was used in the equation. Would the survey hold any importance?
Related links:
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5.04.2008
Microsoft Leaves Yahoo! Bid
Microsoft wanted to buy Yahoo! to grab a bigger share of the online advertising market which is worth $40 billion a year, and set to double within two years.
In a meeting in Seattle on Saturday evening, Steve Ballmer, chief executive of Microsoft, sought to persuade Jerry Yang, co-founder of Yahoo!, to yield to the computer giant by raising his offer from $31 a share to $33. Mr Yang refused to accept the increased valuation, insisting that Yahoo! was worth at least $38 each. At $33, the offer valued Yahoo! at $47.5 billion.
In the end, the hostile takeover bid proves to be a non-starter and Yahoo! will likely pursue its new push to revamp online ad tools.
Related links:
- Video: Microsoft Drops Yahoo! Bid
- Q&A: CEO Steve Ballmer, Before Microsoft Walked Away
- Yahoo Continues Fight for Independence (April 10)
- Yahoo! Previews Ad Tool in Effort to Raise Microsoft Bid (April 7)
5.02.2008
Kentucky Derby Special: Pick a Winner
The annual running for the roses at Churchill Downs draws huge crowds, from celebrities to the average party-seeker, to the grand stand and infield to partke in the spirit of Derby day. Large hats and mint julieps are the standard and a good time is had by all.
But, picking a winner isn't so easy this year as many of the races leading up to the first Saturday in May have been a tough measure of the talent. Horses like Big Brown, Colonel John and Denis of Cork promise a good run but what about the longshots like Z Humor and Big Truck?
You be the judge: have a look at this year's field and pick 'em here:
My favorite, Big Brown, will blow away the field. This video shows his workout from April 30:
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ESPN Boosts Coverage of USA Rugby
USA Rugby has signed with ESPN Inc. to provide more exposure of the game across the public sector and broadened its coverage to ESPN Classic and live broadband sports network ESPN360.com. A large schedule of upcoming rugby events, from the national team to high school levels, are due to be aired live and online.
"This is a great opportunity for USA Rugby to build a partnership with ESPN, the world’s leader in sports programming. Our goal at USA Rugby is to Inspire America to fall in love with Rugby, and our new partnership with ESPN will certainly play a big part in achieving this goal.” USA Rugby’s VP of Business Development David Voth said in an April press release.
In a landscape generally shaped by advertising dollars, the sport of rugby often comes up short and fails to attract the sponsorship due to the "smaller" fan-base or smaller market audience. Therefore, other professional or amateur sporting events find a home on many of the networks. This new venture is a leap ahead of the current trends and offers hope for all rugby enthusiasts in the U.S.
Below is the ESPN newtwork broadcast schedules:
ESPNU
5/16/08 – National Guard College Playoff Highlight show @ 11 pm ET
5/21/08 – Men’s College Championships @ 10 pm ET
5/22/08 – Women’s College Championship @ 10 pm ET
6/03/08 – Boys High School Championship @ 8pm ET
6/04/08 – Girls High School Championship @ 8pm ET
ESPN Classic
5/31/08 – Rugby Super League Final live @ 8pm ET
8/09/08 – USA vs. Clermont live @ 7pm ET
8/22/08 – USA vs. Munster live @ 8pm ET
11/16/08 – Tour of Japan Game One - TBD
11/22/08 – Tour of Japan Game Two - TBD
ESPN360.com
5/31/08 – Boy’s High School Championship @ 6pm ET
6/01/08 – Girl’s High School Championship @ 12:30pm ET
6/06/08 – England Counties vs. USA Select @ 6pm ET
11/16/08 – Tour of Japan Game One
11/22/08 – Tour of Japan Game Two
11/09/08 – Senior Women’s Championship
12/07/08 – National Guard Men’s All Stars
For more information on USA Rugby and ESPN’s relationship, please visit www.usarugby.org/goto/espn.
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