The article goes on to discuss the things the author feels must be done to reverse this disturbing trend.
But what if it isn't reversible? What if this is the permanent fate of America and the world? Maybe there are now two breeding stocks: the Upper Class that breeds only with the Upper Class, and the Lower Class that breeds only with the Lower Class. It isn't fashionable to talk about Upper and Lower classes in America, but that doesn't change what is happening. If you have ever had a chance to dwell among the unwashed proletariat, as I have, you realize how intractable their dysfunction can be and how it goes on and on, generation after generation. No government program can keep up, because they won't stop having babies.
It is unfair to judge people based on their educational attainment. It is not education or lack thereof that is causing this division. Lack of education is more a symptom of household instability, which reflects, in turn, many generations of self-reinforcing dysfunction. You won't fix these families just by giving them better access to college. I contend, in fact, that you can't fix them at all. The underlying problem is that the dysfunctional classes breed so quickly and haphazardly that social services are always stretched to the breaking point.
The organized Upper Classes, living in nice suburbs or cushy countries like Norway, breed more deliberately and cautiously. They tend to choose their mates wisely from members of their own strata. College professors breed with other college professors, are more likely mate for duration of child rearing and tend to limit their breeding to the few children they can responsibly care for.
To simplify things: You have dumb people mating with dumb people and producing large numbers of offspring they can't care for, and you have smart people breeding with smart people, producing only as many offspring as they can responsibly raise. Over time, this has to lead to a splitting of lineages. The lower classes become more and more chaotic, while the upper classes become more organized and insulated from the lower classes.
I have just invented a name for this process: "bifurcated breeding." As the Times piece points out, many graphs show a "scissors" phenomenon where the two groups diverge in just about everything. Unless some miraculous social policies reverse this trend, the groups will grow further and further apart until you have two distinct classes not unlike the traditionally separated classes of old, the Brahmans and peasants.
As long as there have been large civilizations on Earth, mankind has had a bifurcated breeding system. The leadership class of kings and gentry bred only with each other, sometimes going to other countries for mates within the same class. It was unthinkable for the nobles to mate with commoners for most of human history. It was only in the 20th Century that modern societies began to think of themselves as classless. I contend that this apparent classlessness is only a short window in history and that it is rapidly disintegrating before our eyes.
This growing division essentially means the smart get smarter while the dumb get dumber. Meanwhile, the population of smart people remains relatively constant, while the dumb classes expand rapidly in size. There is no appetite in any democratic country for any kind of government mandated birth control program. Having a child—or ten—is perceived as an inalienable right. Given this privilege and no outside control like predators or disease, the undisciplined and chaotic are always going to out-breed the disciplined and deliberate.
And then they vote! The growing numbers of the undisciplined mean that their representatives increasingly come to control government. Dumb voters tend to prefer populous leaders at the extreme right and left of the political spectrum. Either they are voting to cut off all social services to people like themselves (the arch-conservative agenda) or voting to nationalize everything and destroy the capitalist structures that keep society alive (the arch-liberal agenda). Undisciplined voters make undisciplined choices, and their huge numbers mean that the disciplined and rational voters in the middle of the road are overwhelmed at the polls.
No one in the Western world seems eager to abandon democracy, and for good reason. The alternatives always seem to turn out worse. But you still have a growing crisis within democracy itself: dumber and dumber voters consistently voting against their own best interests. I am not trying to offer solutions like the Times author. I don't think effective solutions can be deliberately instituted by any government because it is too big a problem for government to handle and in the end you have ever dumber voters calling the shots.
Things were different throughout most of human history. While breeding was bifurcated, it was the upper classes that were the more prodigious breeders. They had better access to resources, so more of their children survived. In the lower classes, dumb people bred with dumb people, but getting too dumb had a way of killing people off. Today the opposite is true: the lower classes are now the major breeders. Universal health care assures that nearly every child survives, so the haphazard breeders are obviously going to produce more than the disciplined ones even without the resources to safely raise them.
Bifurcated breeding is a phenomenon of both Nature and Nurture. It is foolish to believe that dumb people mating with dumb people isn't going to draw down their stock. You breed a dumb dog with a dumb dog, and you are more likely to get a dumb dog than a smart one. At the same time, you have deteriorating social conditions—violence, drug abuse and instability passed down from generation to generation. No matter what a child's innate talents are, little be achieved in an environment of chaos.
Meanwhile, the organized classes sequester themselves in isolated suburbs that the chaotic classes can't easily reach. This isn't deliberate segregation, but everyone wants to live in a better, safer neighborhood if they can. Every wants to find a mate who is more like them. Over time, this is naturally going to lead to greater practical segregation of gifted from the ungifted. It is not segregation based on race or ethnicity, per se, but on discipline and talent, whether innate or trained. In the modern world, unlike the ancient one, talented members of the lower classes now have the opportunity to rise into the upper classes and be accepted on an equal footing with anyone who was born there. Unfortunately, as they are doing this, they are further depleting the genetic and cultural stock of the lower classes.
What happens when someone in Nigeria shows extraordinary talent, say in music or science? Of course they move out of Nigeria to someplace like Germany or America where their talents can be better used. This further depletes Nigeria of talent, be it genetic or learned, and Nigeria becomes more and more ungovernable. This same sort of brain drain is happening within countries. The best and brightest move out of chaotic or deprived environments as soon as they can, leaving those neighborhoods even more chaotic and deprived.
Is there any hope for humanity? Sure! You still have smart people breeding with smart people on protected islands away from the chaos. These people will continue to lead humanity in science and the arts. They will man the starships of the future and go out into the cosmos as Earth's representatives. Democracy aside, humanity is largely defined and propelled forward by its organized intellectual elite, not its seething masses.
The main risk is the growing time bomb the seething masses represent. If they control democracy, then some dangerous leaders are bound to emerge (and already have). Give these leader control of the nuclear button or any other environmental bomb and they could very well destroy the world.
And the suffering of the seething masses never ends. As the world population grows from 7 billion to who knows how many billion, things are going to break. The organized classes will seal themselves in protective bubbles as chaos swirls around them. More and more of the world will become like Nigeria. The population will keep growing and growing, mostly among the chaotic classes, until something happens to stop it.
What will that something be? I have no idea. I only know that it probably won't be a democratic something. It won't be a conscious decision by world leaders to follow a disciplined plan, because world leaders have never agreed on anything of that scope and never will. World population growth will be stopped only by a great catastrophe, or perhaps a series of them. Pressures will build until something breaks. Bureaucrats in western nations may try to head it off, but what power do they have when the rest of the world is growing uncontrollably and their own voters are working against reason?
What solution am I offering? None, really. You and I don't have the power to change the world any more than we can change the course of the stars. We can protect ourselves and perhaps our neighborhood and cast our one vote against the legions of idiots, but in the global scale, you and I are powerless. We can observe, record and analyse, but we can't tell someone in a chaotic environment to stop having babies. If you have a workable plan for population control, I'd like to hear it, but you can bet that the very people most damaged by uncontrolled breeding are exactly those who will vote against any such controls.
The dumb people have God on their side, and God told them to "go forth and multiply."
Guideline for any decision: If you die within the next year, what do you want the world to be left with?
This is a variation of the old adage, "Life each day as though it were your last." I'm just extending the timeframe a bit. Living solely for today tends to be hedonistic. What can any of us accomplish in a day? You can make others around you a little happier, but that's about it. Living for the day neglects the most important human skill: planning ahead.
But if you plan too far ahead, you tend to get lost. If your main goals are 5, 10 or 20 years down the line, it is easy to put things off. Timeframes beyond a year don't convey much urgency. You figure that even if this year is a waste, you have plenty of time to make up for it later, and this attitude goes on year after year. If your goals are too far ahead, is easy to lose sight of how fragile and temporary life is and how quickly it is already slipping away.
If you are always planning for a one-year lifespan, you may be pleasantly surprised to see it extended, but the satisfaction of "a life well lived" shouldn't depend on having more time. You can have tentative backup plans for 5, 10 and 20 years, should they come to pass, but a single year, looking forward from today, should be your primary focus.
Longer term plans are notoriously unreliable. Many a 10-year plan has been mucked up by unforeseen circumstances, and even if it isn't, your life a decade hence is never quite what you thought it would be, so it is best to keep the planning period short. One year seems like a good compromise between prudently planning ahead and over-planning what you cannot realistically foresee.
A lot of things change when you have only a year to live instead of decades. All of those 365 days become more valuable. The urgency of everything you do is sharpened and enhanced, leading to many changes in strategy.
You have to work with the resources you have. Resources are the skills, time, money and other construction supplies available for your projects. Over the course of a year, you can't count on having more of them, so you have to carefully manage what little you have.
The most valuable of these resources is time, so you've got to stop wasting it right now! Your time should only be used for things that are worthy of a person with only a year left on Earth. You know what I'm talking about. As soon as you sit down in front of the TV, you have broken a rule. You have unconscionably wasted time when you have so little of it left.
One year is arbitrary, of course, but five years would make you lazy. In a practical sense, if a project can't be completed in a year—or at least safely turned over to someone else within a year—maybe it isn't one you should engage in. If a novel takes you five years to write, there's always a chance you will die before it is done and the whole thing will be worthless. A project completed within a year is a little safer.
It is fine to engage with others in open-ended projects lasting more than a year—like the long-term survival of humanity—but your personal contribution shouldn't be essential beyond that time. If it is, you may be doing others a disservice, because when you do step away they won't be able to get along without you. Your job on Earth is not to make yourself indispensable. Your job is to plan for your own demise, so that other can take over when you are gone. Either you wrap up each project on your own, or you give others easy handles to continue it for you.
Your goals over the near year have to be modest. You can't expect to save the world in that time. Frankly, you can't expect to save the world even in 100 years, but a shorter schedule helps you dispense with that delusion more easily. You can't say, "Someday, I'll become a billionaire and then I'll do great things." On a one-year schedule, you can only expect to do relatively simple things with the resources you have.
What matters at the end of your life is what you leave behind. There is a record of your presence in the systems you have built. If you built a house, the house will stand long after you are gone. You just want to build something more meaningful than that.
Unfortunately, I can't tell you what you should build. That's the $64,000 question. I'm only saying that working on one-year timeframe—as though you had a year to live—is better than kicking the can down the road and pretending you have forever.


Questions: How can we personally remove unpaid debt from our credit reports that have exceeded the 4-year statute of limitation in California? Credit card debt and utility bills are of the types of debt I am concerned with.
Answer: There really is not a way to legally compel a creditor to remove a debt from your credit report even if it is barred by the statute of limitations. In California, most credit card debt is subject to a 4-year statute of limitation. This establishes the creditor's time limit to file a lawsuit to collect the money owed. Even without filing a lawsuit, federal law allows most negative credit information to remain on your credit report for up to 7 years.
Although you cannot force the complete removal of information regarding debt that is time-barred, you do have the right to challenge the entry and offer an explanation that might help improve your credit rating. Once a year, you can obtain a free copy of your credit report and then challenge or explain inaccurate or misleading information. Click here to read an informative article on disputing a negative credit history.
is it 7 years from the open date, or last reported date?
The "bad" information must drop off after 7 years regardless of when it was first reported.


This is a list of changes I have done and I should do.
Facebook (once a week only).
LinkedIn (once a day only).
Follow-up and efficiency of projects initiatives.
Portfolio plan where we all can understand the dependencies of the IT projects and impacts on business.
Improve the level of knowledge of project managers.
Strategic level: define vision, values, methods, objective and measures.
Tactic level: define specific actions by area.
Operational level: work on existing processes, put in place changes to them, increase the efficiency.
The methodology I would apply: Lean Six Sigma.
Day 2 to Day 20 – Map it!
Define KPIs and targets to these KPIs, so we can see how we evolve.
Prepare a specific speech for each set of stakeholders about goals and benefits of your plan. The benefits of this speech have to be linked to the needs of the audience.
Draw the current situation you have on your systems.
Capture a snapshot of the projects under execution and forecasted initiatives.
Define a list of stakeholders.
Start to draw a RACI chart with the main areas of work.
It’s time to take the maps and draw more specific maps or diagrams about how the things are done.
The diagrams have to be shared with the others, so people understand how things work (they are so useful, I have seen so much difference between how thinks work and how people believe that it works).
Challenge to the people who owns a process to change/improve it: let’s run to simplicity!!!
Identify duplication: they are there. Then remove it.
Generate a common nomenclature that improve communications.
Identify the hurdles and specific pain points the organization have. Analyze the impact on the organization.
Deliver specific presentations to the different business departments and units with the specific actions to be done (action oriented & focus on their scope).
For a business unit of a country, it should include the actions, the list of projects and the targets we have.
You already have improved the situational awareness of the organization.
Remove identified duplication of whatever you found.
Work on the 20% more important pain points you have identified.
Review the main IT projects.
Launch with HR a training plan for PMs, so they can improve their skills.
Update with PMs the portfolio schedule: analyze the delays and their impacts, get the commitment of the delivery.
And communicate, communicate, communicate: different stakeholders, different presentations.
Business have their own intertia too.
Push that this inertia goes where we all want to go.
Understand that from IT we have a clear map about where we want to go technologically.
The reports needs to link the capabilities provided by the projects with the business capabilities the BU requires or needs to improve. Define in a measurable way the benefits. Typically the BPO owns the responsibility to measure the benefit.
You’re now ready to start examining structure, mechanisms of learning and the principles of strategic play.
The maps will also help you identify where to attack along with where to gamble with respect competition.
You have a list of pain points you have to work on.
You have a list of KPIs and data about how it was done during these first 100 days.
You have a portfolio schedule with linked initiatives.
You have a detailed RACI with actions and new responsibilities for the organization.
Follow-up the benefits realization of the projects.
You have a more or less defined road-map of the business unit needs.
You are discussing all the specific aspects with the specific stakeholders: action oriented, please, focus on actions.
What happens after the 100 days?
Ideally, you can do all this in a quarter, and after that repeat in the next quarter, so you are aligned with business changes, and you can also stop and gain perspective every 3 months. Do not lose perspective: the strategy needs to be review and aligned with the changes.
Monthly calls: for project reviews, business unit reviews and tactic actions.
quarterly calls: for business review at high level.
How to design an organization with constant evolution in mind in a single diagram.
How many companies fail because of lack of change management (CM)?
Some of them underestimate it, some others do not know it exist and a big number of them that do not want to pay for it.
This last fact is more common than you think. People see value on a SAP consultant, on a Wintel operator and understand the value they produce, so they are fine paying for them.
I do not know why some people underestimate the value of a change manager and the positive effect it has on the projects. I have the feedback of a client that tells me that the CM activities are responsibility of the project manager; I agree for the small projects this is something that can be delegated on the project manager or the architect, but for complex projects or transitional projects is a key element.
I worked on a project where at the end of the inception phase, once the statement of work and the approach was defined, during the first analysis of required resources, the PM of the client told me that the change manager role was not required, that all in the plan was very clear, that all the milestones and activities where clear, why do we need a CM? Very simple my friend, the development of that complex solution with so many modules, functionality, versions and people involved require to have the right control of the software and the evolution that is having across the project.
IT projects have objectives and they are typically aligned with business objectives. The business projects require a clear management of the changes that the project team or the organization wants to implement. The lack of control of the changes and their measure is one of the most common reasons because a business project is not completed successfully.
On the other side there is other type of project approach where the CM is considered as a key asset during the whole life-cycle. If you read agile principles or SCRUM practices, you will see as there is a clear management of the changes.
I have seen people asking themselves why a project was delayed or over budgeted, with the milestones uncompleted, and in some of these times the lack management of the change is the cause.
This document is a must read to understand how to work with MOSS 2010.
1.- The complete picture of the ALM process.
2. – Release/upgrade versions process.
To reinforce these processes with the team, we will try some of these SharePoint templates.
We are doing a great job in number of tickets.
We are enhancing the application with little details requested by the customer that is enabling them to spend less time when using the tool.
We are not closing all the errors of the application, recurring errors are appearing.
We are not taking into account some functionality changes are affecting other parts, provoking new tickets appear.
There is not enough control of the scope of the application, even when we have a detailed functional analysis that helped us to close the project in a good way.
The complexity of the application makes that the use of the detailed functional document is necessary to perform the changes: and this use is not happening.
We are able to close 1000 tickets, but not the application with zero errors.
We are suffering a deep lack of governance. Reasons?
Communications at product level are not done in the right way.
There is a lack of change management process when a functionality is requested.
When a new release of the application is deployed, the documents are not properly updated.
Client expectations are so high and they are not being managed in the right way.
Accepting that this is a "change"
We are finishing the build phase of a project, starting the test phase of the project and know the client has noticed that there is the need to add a functionality.
We have need one week to let them recognize that this is a change request due to the requirement was out of scope. The formal process has been launched today but I would like to review the emotional process that the client has covered.
First , they was annoyed because the functionality was not there: what’s happen? why the application does not do this?
Second, they have saying, hey just take note of other bug and add to the bug tracking list, so that afternoon they seem to be comfortable.
Third, in the revision meeting we classified this bug as “improvement” and told to them. Again they were upset.
Four, they were reviewing the project plan and the gaps of this in order to suggest how to adapt this plan to add the functionality without affecting the plan. No way, the plan was explained, and that was not the solution.
Sixth, the project manager of the client escalates the situation internally in their department. The action is to request formally an estimation of the required functionality.
All this process has been handled by the analyst that is assisting the test phase, the project manager and myself that have been working very hard the communications (so many hours on phone, in meetings and in the corridor… making the message smoother).
Let’s see how it works, there’s still a lot of things to do.
we’ve a big problem with the project XXXX.
In module YYY the basis functionality isn’t covered. The users need the possibility to filter on every field. As John (joapen: John belong to my team no to customer’s team) explained that was part of the query tool (what was cancelled in project definition because of the costs) . For us it was not visible that even this basis functionality was cancelled.
The ZZZ department cannot use the module without this filtering function. We need a solution to solve this issue. As an interim solution we discussed with John to insert the Excel export button in every YYY screen. But we are not sure if this will run fast enough in practice.
That’s a very good phrase after being 2 months working on a functional analysis specification and a detailed design document. I can remember the person involved in this process investing a lot of hours detailing all activities in detail, with a lot of revisions on site with the client.
And now, during the test phase, we are the ones who are not delivered this functionality.
I love this funny situations, we already have started the change management process.
This period of inactivity is established to protect the IT infrastructure, application and/or other business activities from any change activity that may undermine its stability and operation.
For instance, during Christmas that there is a lot of staff on holidays and each time more and more companies agree this type of stops.
In addition service providers are happy because they also have fewer problems to achieve SLAs and staff can also enjoy this vacation period.
Everybody knows about this period of inactivity but suddenly they realise that this period is coming and they need to deliver something.
There is an avalanche of change requests before Christmas, overloading the change management service.
Last week we were doing an internal project assurance on some projects. One of the PM was taking into consideration to show the client the need to perform some changes on the project scope.
To mention these changes was the only thing he got ready for that internal session, previous to the customer meeting.
We were talking about the proposition and the impact that this change had on the project. The PM shouldn’t know why it was necessary, he thought it should be done when the client requests the change.
The theory about change management process talks about some steps on the change management process. In addition our methodology helps us with a proposed form to be filled when this process is launch.
The mistake in this case was that it’s on the clients review meetings where this customer revision is done, and at that event is when you as PM has to get ready all the information related to the change; in order the customer reviews the different options available and the impact on the product and the project.
Evaluate the impact of the change, taking into account the triple constraint, the product and the stakeholders.
Create options and the consequences of these options and how they affect to concepts mentioned above.
Review internally with team and management.
Is now the appropiate time on the project to perform this proposed change? Early changes are usually cheaper that a change at the end of the project.
Which system elements are affected by the proposed change?
How this change will be introduced into the project plan?
Does this chage affects to project buys?
Are all the stakeholders opened to perform this change? what are these consequences?
Is really necessary the change? sometimes external factors push us to perform a change and the better option is do nothing.
Are the consequences of the change worse than to continue without change?
There are other questions to answer, but these are those which comes to my mind now.
To finish, I would like to remember how important is to perform an accurately communications with respect “changes” on a project. Usually a customer doesn’t want to listen is that there are problems that require changes. Other times, they are provoking the change, but they prefer you perform internal changes that does not imply them. I try to walk carefully on this.


این مقاله تقریباً شامل 4714 کلمه می باشد.
Does the country-of-origin effect matter to industrial brand equity in international business-to-business (B2B) markets? The effect of a product's country-of-origin (COO) on both industrial buyers' and consumers' perceptions and evaluations has been one of the most widely studied phenomena in the fields of international business, marketing, and consumer behavior since the 1960s. Although many country-of-origin studies focus on consumer behavior in developed countries and acknowledge that the processes and stages of economic development by which consumers use COO information may differ in developing countries, the fact that there has been little research to investigate the effects of COO could explain the variations in international buyers' evaluations of industrial brand equity in the newly-industrialized economies, such as Taiwan. Taiwanese firms are now formidable global B2B market players by successfully transforming themselves from manufacturing mainly low-value and labor-intensive goods to producing many high value-added products that require advanced technology, equipment and significant business expertise. With the adoption of advanced technology and equipment, an important question is whether unique and innovative fastener products from Taiwan have generated the country-of-origin effects in international B2B buyers' minds. The main finding is that the country-of-origin of fasteners has not yet become an important antecedent of industrial brand equity in the case of the fastener industry in Taiwan.
این مقاله شامل 4714 کلمه می باشد.


I think people are misconstruing the context Bob's words are meant in. As mentioned, Bob tends to work in the audiophile end of the market where the priorities are somewhat different. The majority of those who mix and engineer in Dance/Po/Rock RnB etc actually work to create a certain illusion. Whereas Bob tries to capture faithfully, the acoustic space and interaction between specific musicians. However, many on here are creating a different sort of aural canvas.
I have the impression Bob is talking about circumstances where with as little eq, compression, etc as possibler one is seeking to recreate a specific performance in a specific space. Now, with the best will in the world there are very few nearfield monitors which can accurately represent that sort of recording. It is , in essence, a paradox to even try listening to that sort of music so close to the speakers. it's akin to watching a band from seated under the vocalist's crotch..
How about the other Bob? The one who's mixes on NS10's.
most music is consumed these days in a kind of extreme nearfield environment, mono and nearfield, mobile phones etc.
.. it's akin to watching a band from seated under the vocalist's crotch..
This seems like a reasonable argument. Not to say that one couldn't learn to master at nearfield distances. But it's arguable that it's not optimal.
Perhaps. Nearfield distances alter the balance of direct to ambient room signal which changes the perception of transients. So one could argue that having a higher ratio of room ambience is beneficial.
Yes, with the clarification that a higher ratio of direct signal to room sound gives more of a sense of the ambience within the recording itself. It gives less sense of the control room ambience. However, whether this is a good or bad thing is probably a matter of opinion.
I disagree here because I think he misdiagnoses the main design characteristic that distinguishes a nearfield from a speaker intended for longer listening distances. It's not a matter of high frequency balance. It's a matter of crossover frequency, driver spacing and off-axis dispersion. The concern with nearfield monitoring is that you want the wave fronts from all the drivers to coalesce within a short distance. This means keeping the drivers closer together and using lower crossover points. Nothing in this regard prevents a nearfield monitor from being used at longer listening distances. In fact, longer listening distances give the individual driver wave fronts even more of a chance to coalesce. On the other hand, speakers primarily designed for longer listening distances will typically sound imbalanced and disjointed at nearfield distances.
I agree. And personally, I extend this same argument to tracking and mixing. Wide dynamics and frequency extension are important in every step of the recording process. I don't think there should be distinctions between speakers used for tracking, mixing, mastering, post, or whatever. One should use the best speakers one can within practical limits. And IMO most nearfield monitors are significantly lacking in both dynamics and frequency extension. That's why I designed what is essentially a large mastering tower that also has the form and function of a nearfield.
Well, that may be a bit extreme. I think he makes a better argument that nearfield listening distances are less than optimal.
your points are very interesting. wish to listen (or read) you (and bob katz) two both discuss your difference in opinion or points.
seems like a good thing to follow.
bob katz usually lurks around these forums. so maybe he will chime in.
The more I stay distant to them, the better thy sound the more mid field they sound. More organic, solid, under control.
I agree with Greg mid fields are a bit farther which is good for me , I have my msp5's about 6 feet away and that is the closest I will have them(I know they are supposed to be near field) . I found over time I kept pushing the speakers farther away . Makes it a lot easier to hear everything frequency wise as well as proper levels . My control room is a good length almost 30 feet . I am thinking of trying to set up a remote for mixing so i can be at the back of the room on the couch I find the farther back the more it reveals how out of wack ones levels can be .
GOOD GOD guys, I did not read anywhere BK's credibility being questioned..the guy simply stated what most GS would if it was someone else....if you only rode a motorcycle 6 times in your life you really should not be telling a person that rides one everyday what one to ride, even if you are a PRO race car driver!
Nothing against Bob Katz but who gives a crap what he thinks about this? Is he the end all or something?
hate me, but i though EVERYBODY is doing this movement with rollo-chair or on feet. and the servo motor... use a rollo-chair and what do i think you should do. a servo to rotate ~30 degrees the monitors while u're moving back and front. target is on axis for both position. but, actually, listen sometimes off axis is good.
I did a quick mix on my mother's hifi system in her medium large living room and despite very bad acoustics and noisy environment; it was in many ways a better experience than mixing on my NS-10s and Genelec 8030s. The effect of sound breathing through distant and air makes it really easier to get a fuller bigger picture of the music. Also there was no ear fatigue which I've had to learn to work with. I don't monitor loud but the ear fatigue chimes in after a short 30 minutes or so on nearfields.
Please post pictures if you did :-) I would like very much to see that.
Really? I have tried that and when monitored on speakers the result was awful :-|I tend to boost too much mid an high mixing on those phones.
By coincidence I am listening to the latest Cassandra Wilson Album which is mastered by Bob Katz and the dynamics are breathtaking, very, very different than most of the modern pop/rock/dancefloor music released these days.
Where on my home stereo system most recent recordings sound kind of dull and tiring, this record, like a lot of records produced before the 90s, sounds balanced and lively, even though I sometimes have to move the volume knob, when the kids want to sleep.
That listening experience makes Mr Katzs' opinion comprehensible for me.
Me too I guess Mr Katz has tons of experience in tracking mixing and mastering.... Sure he just has an opinion...and that is alright but I have respect in front of engineers having more experience as I can have at the time.
It´s a pleasure to have such great people around here and i really think there should be more respect sometimes.
Studio A has a custom wall mounted JBL main system in two 8 cubic foot cabinets, designed by Ed May (Chief Engineer at JBL), some NS10's, and a pair of Avantones.
Studio B has a pair of JBL 4312's, wall mounted, with a JBL sub, and a pair of small JBL's as nearfields (also with a sub).
Empire Sound (Alex's SSL mix room) has a similar system to the Studio A main system - a custom JBL system with two 12" JBL woofers, a JBL 5" mid-range, and a small JBL tweeter per side in 8 cubic foot cabinets.
obv if you can afford mains then thats great and better than nearfields but the honest point is that the vast majority cannot.
I think what Mr. Katz is observing are some shortcomings with nearfield monitoring. Sound traveling through a body of air in a real space, as with more distant monitoring (and live acoustic music) has many functions (effects) applied: Amplitude domain (compression), frequency domain (tonal balance changes), and time domain (ambiance or reverberation). If one wishes for ones recordings to sound natural played back in a normal room, then nearfields and headphones will not give accurate information. That many can create good recordings using nearfields is more a testimony to their ability to imagine how something will sound in other settings, than that they are getting accurate information from their monitors. Also, a sound source being near consoles, tables, and desks plays havoc with acoustics, and often creates more problems than are solved by using nearfields to reduce the influence of the room.
It strikes me that these are musings of a professional engineer that works at high end studios and can afford such luxuries, for the sake of others who are in a similar situation and who want to move out of their own comfort zone and improve.
I suspect the majority of responders who are upset by what he's saying are perhaps not really his target audience anyway, they couldn't do this if they wanted to. It's a hi-fi discussion. I'm sure that everyone would love to be able to experiment with this stuff, but the practical fact is that most people just don't have that much space, time or money, and those that do and would perhaps benefit the most perhaps can't afford to take that risk.
One day, Bob Katz and I will agree about something. That day is not today. Some of my best mixes have been done on nearfields, and nearfields only.
Actually the point is that most people don't have an adequate room for big mains. Wish I did. Midfields are a different story.


FALLS CHURCH, Virginia (CNN) -- A police officer was killed and two others wounded Monday in a shootout with a gunman at a Fairfax County, Virginia, police station, Fairfax Police Chief David Rohrer said.
The gunman was shot and killed on the scene, Rohrer said, and the female officer -- a nine-year veteran -- was pronounced dead at the hospital.
"She was an exemplary detective for us. We love her greatly," Rohrer said.
"The other officer, who was seriously wounded, is still being treated," he said. "He is still in surgery. His family is with him."
The third officer, 28, suffered minor wounds and was treated on the scene, he said.
Police did not release the name of the officers involved pending notification of more family members. The name of the suspect was also not released.
Police spokeswoman Mary Ann Jennings said he was not carrying identification and was driving a stolen vehicle.
The suspect had attempted to take a pickup truck from a civilian but failed, she said. Minutes later, "he hijacked at gunpoint a van. That van was driven onto the parking lot at Sully station," she said.
The shootout began about 3:30 p.m. in the parking lot of the Sully District Station, in the country's westernmost district, said Rohrer.
The chief said the suspect drove up to the police station and opened fire, crouching between two vehicles. Police officers returned fire, he said.
Rohrer said that it wasn't clear whether police killed the suspect or he killed himself.
Rohrer said the gunman targeted the officers. Earlier reports that two gunmen were involved -- which had prompted a search of the area -- were erroneous, he said.
Jennings said the suspect carried a rifle and two handguns.


My trip to Puglia, continued: It was late afternoon, and cold and windy by the time we arrived at the Distilleria Cassano in Gioia del Colle. Not to taste distillates -- the Cassano family ceased operations years ago and donated the structure, which is quite beautiful, to the town, which is now transforming it into an exhibition area -- but rather the wines of the Gioia del Colle Appellation, and more specifically Primitivo.
Why Primitivo? Because the varietal is said to have first been identified in Gioia del Colle, towards the end of the 1700s, by Francesco Indellicati, a parish priest who went into a vineyard, selected a vine whose grapes ripened early, calling it Primativo because of this characteristic, and planted cuttings it at Liponti, a hamlet in the township of Gioia del Colle.
The farmers working with the varietal quickly realized that in addition to ripening early, Primitivo starts its vegetative cycle much later than most other varietals. Considering Goia del Colle's location, in the heart of the Tavoliere delle Puglie (the high plains that form Puglia's backbone, which often suffer devastating late spring frosts), this characteristic was just as important as early ripening, as it meant that the vines were much less vulnerable than others. Primitivo rapidly spread throughout the highlands, becoming one of Puglia's most important grapes.
But what is Primitivo? Obviously, since Francesco Indellicati selected it from an extant vineyard, it had been growing there for a while, and some have gone so far as to suggest that its name, Primitivo, also refers to its being the original grape. This is of course an exaggeration, and now researchers from America (drawn to Primitivo because of its close resemblance to Zinfandel) and elsewhere have concluded that Primitivo (and Zinfandel) derive from an obscure Croatian grape called Crljenak Kaštelanski. Since Croatia boasts several close relatives to Crljenak Kaštelanski, whereas Puglia's Primitivo lacks close relatives, it is likely that someone, centuries ago, brought cuttings of Crljenak Kaštelanski to Puglia and planted them, discovering that they were much better suited to Puglia's climate and soils than they were to Croatia's.
And this brings us to the wines. As I said, Primitivo ripens early; the harvest is generally in early September, and the resultant wines tend to be powerful. Inky purple is a common color, while the fruit balance tends towards lush chewy ripe prune and dried prune, with underlying sweetness, and moderately intense smooth soft tannins. Acidities tend to be low, and one would expect this given the ripeness achieved by the grapes.
These are Puglian grapes that ripen under the fierce Puglian sun, and sugar contents -- and therefore alcohol levels -- tend to be high; 14-15% is quite normal, and those who aim for more concentration and greater ripeness can reach 18%. This in wines that are dry, and to be frank I found myself preferring the less alcoholic wines to the 18% crowd, which I found rather strident. Oak use varies from producer to producer; some use large wood and steel, and other small oak. I personally prefer steel and large oak because they have less impact upon both fruit and acidity. I find small oak to be more likely to overshadow the nuances of the grape, and to add polish that is really not necessary, especially if the grapes are harvested quite ripe, with lower initial acidities.
There is also something called Primitivo Dolce, which ferments to 18% alcohol, at which point the yeasts give up, but retains sufficient residual sugar to be semi-sweet to sweet. These can be quite nice, as sugar and (richer) fruit remain in play, balancing the alcohol. Sipping wines, something to be savored the way one might a Recioto or a Sagrantino di Montefalco Passito, and something to look into, if you like this style. These sweeter wines also have the capacity to age quite well, for a decade or more.
Brassy gold with brassy reflections. The bouquet is fairly intense, and quite mineral with some hints of gunflint and tart slightly sour citric acidity. On the palate it's bright, with lively lemony fruit supported by some minerality and gunflint bitterness that flow into a long warm bitter tart finish that becomes more savory in the finish. Pleasant, in a zesty key, and will drink well as an aperitif or with fish. If you like smoother more international wines it won't work as well for you, but I rather enjoyed it. Nice scrappy character.
Deep black almandine ruby with black reflections and brick rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with leather and wood smoke mingled with slight balsamic notes and some cherry fruit. A bit rustic, but pleasant in this key. On the palate it's bright, with fairly rich cherry fruit supported by tannins that have a warm spicy, almost petillant burr, and flow into a clean decidedly bitter finish that becomes savory as it fades. It's a bit rustic, but if you like the style it will work very well with succulent grilled meats.
Deep black almandine with black reflections and almandine in the rim. The bouquet is muted at first swish, more swishing brings up balsamic notes and some wet leather, but not much fruit. On the palate it's ample, with fairly sweet cherry plum fruit supported by dusky acidity and tannins that are greenish and cedar laced, flowing into a rather green savory finish. It's a little tired, though not quite oxidized.
Impenetrable pyrope with cherry rim. Poured ink. The bouquet is fairly rich, with plum fruit supported by some cedar and a certain airiness that brings sweetness to mind. On the palate it's full, and sweet, with cherry plum fruit supported by smoky acidity and tannins that have an angry smoky burr, and flow into a bitter cedar laced finish. It's quite aggressive, but if you like the style, which is fairly rustic, will work very well with succulent roasts or stews.
Impenetrable pigeon blood ruby with almandine rim. The bouquet is moderately intense, with quite a bit of cedar mingled with some cherry plum fruit and moderate spice. On the palate it's ample, and quite savory, with fruit that's overshadowed by oak to a considerable degree, said oak emerges as coffee laced with vanilla, and carries on at length. Too much oak on what was a good base, I think.
Impenetrable pyrope with brick rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with cherry fruit laced with balsam and wood smoke, with some cedar as well. On the palate it's full, with fairly rich red berry fruit supported by bitter tannins that have a distinct smoky overlay and some acidity, and flow into a smoky finish. It's quite charged, and there is ample raw material, but it is to a degree masked by wood.
Impenetrable pyrope with almandine in the rim. The bouquet is smoky and savory, with not much fruit. The palate is pleasant in a rather wild key, with strong savory minerality and cedar laced tannins that flow into a cedar laced finish with some hazelnut overtones. It's a touch over the top for me.
Black label with red name, 13.5% alcohol. Deep black almandine with black reflections and brick rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with cherry fruit supported by wood smoke and berry fruit acidity. Nice depth. On the palate it's full, with rich red berry fruit supported by lively sour cherry acidity and smooth sweet tannins that do have slight cedary accents and flow into a clean bright berry fruit finish. Quite pleasant, in a graceful rather cheeky key, and will drink well with succulent red meats or light stews, and also has the capacity to age nicely for a few years. Worth seeking out.
Black label with white name, 14.5% alcohol. Impenetrable pyrope with purplish garnet rim. The bouquet is moderately intense, with plum fruit laced with some greenish accents and hints of marzipan; it comes across as being charged. On the palate it's, well, flabby: there's ample soft rather sweet plum cherry fruit supported by tannins that have an angry smoky burr and flow into a smoky finish. Something odd happened and it is like a fat man who has slipped and is sitting in a puddle: Yes, it makes a splash, but something is off.
Deep black almandine with black reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is smoky, with a fair amount of alcohol and some warmth, and spice as well. Not much fruit. On the palate it's ample and quite savory, with quite a bit of cedar as well, which overshadows most everything.
Deep black almandine with black reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is moderately intense, with considerable alcohol and moderate fruit supported by some minerality and wet leaves, and some cedar. On the palate it's ample, with fairly rich cherry fruit supported by quite a bit of alcoholic warmth and with tannins that have a deft cedary underpinning. Pleasant in a slightly more rustic key, and will drink well with grilled meats or light stews.
Impenetrable pyrope with brick rim. Poured ink. The bouquet is fairly rich, with cherry plum fruit supported by dusky spice and some graphite shavings; it has a brooding quality to it that I rather enjoy, and also hints of licorice root. On the palate it's full, and rich, with powerful cherry plum fruit supported by smoky tannins and wood smoke acidity that flow into a long balsamic finish with wood smoke and hints of animal hair blended into the fruit. Quite elegant, and will work very wellw ith succulent meats.
This is a sweet Pirmitivo; it's deep black almandine with black reflections and black cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with sweet cherry plum fruit supported by greenish accents and a fair amount of alcohol. Nice balance, and invites repeated sniffs; with more sniffs some vegetal accents and green peppers also emerge. On the palate it's full, and sweet, with jammy cherry plum fruit supported by fairly bright acidity, and by smooth sweet tannins that flow into a fairly quick finish that combines sweetness with savory accents. Pleasant, though I found it to be a little short; it's a wine that will drink very well with cheeses or that one could simply sip with friends.
This is a blend of Pimitivo, Negroamaro and Montepulciano; it's poured pyrope ink with brick rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with red berry fruit laced with cumin and spice, and some cedar as well. Nice balance and harmonious. On the palate it's full, with rather dry berry fruit supported by smoky acidity and cedar laced tannins that flow into a clean cedary finish that becomes decidedly savory as the fruit fades. Pleasant if you like the style, which is a bit rustic, and fresh; it will drink well with succulent meats or light stews.
Impenetrable pyrope with black brick rim. The bouquet is alcoholic with a fair amount of wood smoke and a degree of cedar as well, mingled with wet leaves and some balsam. Not much fruit. On the palate it's ample, with fairly bright minerality but not much fruit supported by smoky acidity and tannins that have a warm burr and flow into a clean rather bitter finish. It comes across as trying very hard, but falls short. If it tried less hard I think it would be more successful.
Deep black lam with black reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with wood smoke and leafy underbrush mingled with plum fruit and some spice. Pleasant to sniff. On the palate it's ample, with rich cherry plum fruit supported by spicy acidity and tannins that have a smooth sweet underpinning and flow into a clean fresh finish with savory underpinning. Pleasant, and will drink quite well with foods. Worth seeking out.
Deep black almandine with black reflections and brick rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with cedar and alcohol mingled with wood smoke and slight menthol. It's not as fresh as the base. On the palate it's ample, and hot, with soft sweet plum berry fruit supported by warmth and tannins that have a warm cedar-laced burr and flow into a warm sweet plum berry fruit finish with underlying balsamic notes. I found it more tired than the 2007, and more settled too. It tries hard to be a big wine, and this is not a good thing.
Impenetrable pyrope with violet rim. Poured ink. The bouquet is intriguing, with leathery plum cherry fruit supported by wood smoke and hints of honeycomb mingled with warmth and spice. Pleasant, and invites another sniff. On the palate it's full, and quite sweet, with powerful plum cherry fruit supported by warmth and sweet dusky tannins that flow into a clean sweet fruit laced peppery finish, and though it may sound strange overtones works well in a charged, very ripe key. If you like the style, you will enjoy it, and I found it growing upon me. A quite successful extreme ripening, and a very interesting wine.
Deep black almandine with brick rim that has some almandine. The bouquet is smoky, with cherry plum fruit and a fair amount of alcohol mingled with mentholated spice and some wet green leather. On the palate it's full, with rich cherry plum fruit supported by smooth sweet tannins and moderate berry fruit acidity; it's harmonious and quite pleasant to drink, though given its power I would pair it with foods rather than drink it by itself. What foods? A hearty stew, or a succulent roast.
This is a blend of Primitivo and Aglianico. It's impenetrable pyrope with brick rim. The bouquet is moderately intense, with wood smoke and plum fruit supported by some menthol and hints of cumin seed, and also some hazelnut, with some underbrush as well. On the palate it's ample, with rich bright warm sour berry fruit supported by balsamic acidity and smooth sweet tannins that flow into a warm rather balsamic finish with leathery accents. It0s interesting, and pleasant in a key far far removed from Merlot; it will drink well with roasts or stews and is worth seeking out if you like this style.
Tank sample. Impenetrable pyrope with purple rim. The bouquet is pleasant for a tank sample, with delicate prune fruit laced with floral accents. Pleasant, and also sweet, with a fair amount of alcohol. On the palate it's full and quite sweet -- almost brings a recioto to mind in terms of sweetness, and with prune fruit to provide backing. It has yet to develop, and we shall see. If it continues as is, it's going to be off the chart, and very particular. Good too, and worth seeking out if you like the style.
This is strong, 16%, because that's what the sunlight brings. The wine is deep pyrope ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with berry fruit laced with spice and some mentholated accents, and hints of green leather as well. Also sweetness that is at least in part alcohol. On the palate it's ample and ricvh, with powerful prune cherry fruit supported by tannins that have a warm savory overlay and flow into a long warm finish; there is also some balsamic acidity to provide direction, and it flows into a long warm slightly balsamic finish. It's a massive wine, and as such particular -- a whole swath of people will find it too much -- but if you like the style you will enjoy it very much, and it will do interesting things as it ages too.
This is even stronger, 16.5%, and is from a different vineyard that gets even more sun. The wine is impenetrable pyrope with purple rim. The bouquet is powerful, with deft prune fruit supported by hints of menthol and spice, and a fair amount of alcohol as well, with underlying jammy accents. Quite harmonious, and interesting to sniff. Quite a bit to say. On the palate it's ample and rich, with powerful prune cherry fruit supported by smooth sweet tannins that have some balsamic overtones and flow into a warm cherry balsamic finish with lasting warmth and cedar laced tannic underpinning. Quite pleasant, in a massive and over the top key; if you like the style you will enjoy it, but -- as was the case with 16 -- you'll have to like charged sweet alcoholic wines to like it.
Deep black almandine with black reflections and cherry ruby rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with wood smoke and alcohol mingled with slight minerality and wet leather, and, if one concentrates, some prune. Interesting. On the palate it's ample, with fairly rich berry fruit supported by moderate balsamic acidity and by cedar laced tannins that flow into lasting warmth. It comes across as trying too hard, and I found myself wishing it had more depth to the fruit, which is rather angry and, thanks to the tannins, hot.
Impenetrable pyrope with black garnet rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with prune fruit laced with cumin and cedar, and supported by wood smoke and some leathery accents, with quite a bit of nose tingling acidity and alcohol. Alcohol of the mind-bending variety; the wine is 18% and dry. On the palate it's quite charged, and unbalanced, with moderate fruit that is overshadowed by angry cedary tannins and tremendous warmth that lasts and lasts. It's like something out of a circus sideshow: interesting, perhaps, but in a way that brings a shudder and is not pleasant to drink. At least for me; I found it to be too much.
Winding down, thanks again to the fine folks at Radici for organizing our trip, and the Comune of Gioia del Colle and the Gioia del Colle DOC Consozio for putting together the tasting, which I very much enjoyed, and learned much from.
First of all, the use of barriques, the small (225 liter) French oak barrels that have a tremendous impact upon the wine they contain – in 1982 most everyone was still using botti, large oak casks that allow microxygenation through the pores in the staves, but have considerably less impact upon the wines. Second, the search for ripeness and concentration, the “gobs of fruit” one finds mentioned in glowing terms in certain publications that had (and have) a tremendous influence on winemakers, many of whom reworked their wines to make them more appealing to said publications.
None of that in 1982, as it was all in the future. Truth be told, there wasn't much of it by the early 1990s either (even in wineries that have changed greatly since then), and with the final wines (we finished with a 1999) Carlo selected producers less subject to the siren's call.
Bottom line, Carlo provided us with a beautiful look at Brunello as it used to be, and it was fascinating to see how the wines had developed. Because they did, very well, displaying a richness and depth that were in some cases simply extraordinary. And that more recent wines by the wineries that have since changed course, becoming softer, smoother and more approachable, simply lack.
Pale brownish almandine with almandine rim. The bouquet is slightly off, alas, though leather and warm acidity do emerge, supported by leafiness. It must have been quite acidic in its youth, because the acidity carries quite well even now. On the palate it's tart, and quite dry, with sour berry fruit supported by clean leathery tannins that flow into a rather tart savory finish. It's like looking across a divide; though the bottle is a little off it does express an otherwordly quality and a generational divide. Interesting, and a window into the past.
Lively almandine with brownish rim and reflections. The bouquet is elegant, with sour berry fruit and a fair amount of acidity supported by clean leathery accents and hints of leaf tobacco. Great depth, and there are also hints of eucalyptus and dried leaves. Quite elegant, and has a lot to say, a wine one can converse with though it does most of the talking. On the palate it's bright, with lively sour cherry fruit supported by lively acidity and by slightly bitter tannins that have a warm burr and flow into a clean rather dry tannic finish. Quite impressive,a nd displays a great deal of depth; it also has an otherworldly feel to it, and is one of those wines that will continue to mature indefinitely thanks to the acidity of its backbone. Goes on and on, and though it doesn't present unified front – a fellow taster says scomposto, which means disjointed – it has a great deal to say and is a wine that excites all the senses. Grandioso, and the imperfections make it even more so. With time continues to evolve, and does all sorts of interesting things, in particular intriguing hints of cumin emerge after a while, and it smooths very nicely on the palate. An eternal wine.
Almandine with black reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is decidedly mature, with wet leather, underbrush, menthol, which increases with time, savory accents, alcohol, and some sour berry fruit. Quite nice in a powerful, mature key, and it shows considerable polish. On the palate it's full, with rich sour cherry fruit supported by lively sour berry fruit acidity and is supported by smooth sweet tannins that have a velvety purr and flow into a clean bright cherry finish. Considerable grace and elegance in a considerably more polished key than the Soldera; a fellow taster says, and he's right, that it's very good but more obvious. And it is; there are fewer secrets to plumb. But very fine; it's like looking at a Caanova statue. Very pleasant on the palate too, and does increase in complexity with time.
Fairly rich garnet with black reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is powerful, with spice and slight greenish accents mingled with leather and bitterness, and a fair amount of alcohol as well. Very fine, and there are also some animal notes. On the palate it's full, with rich sour berry fruit supported by lively sour cherry acidity and smooth sweet savory tannins that have a slightly leathery burr and flow into a clean bright sour finish with considerable underlying bitterness. Great elegance, and it is a wine that matches the Caparzo style, which has been remarkably consistent over the years, and takes many years to come out: The initial post-release impressions are usually not that good, but here we see what it can do given time. In short, Brunello begs patience, and the older styles of this kind even more. True to type, and impressive. It will age indefinitely.
Paler almandine with black reflections and almandine rim. It looks a little more mature than some of the other wines. The bouquet is fairly rich, with savory sea salt and some dried flowers, mingled with leaf tobacco and very slight animal tang. Nice balance and depth. On the palate it's bright, with lively sour berry fruit supported by smooth sweet tannins that have pleasant savory accents and a slightly leather tongue-drying finish that will make it very nice with succulent red meats. Elegant, and very pleasant though a touch lower than the others, and this is in part the vintage, which wasn't quite as rich as, say, the 1985.
Corked, alas. What manages to escape the corkage suggests that a good bottle would have been very nice, and quite solid.
Deep black almandine with black reflections and almandine rim, paling to onionskin at the top. The bouquet is intense, with green leather and cut leaf tobacco, which is stronger here than it was in some of the other wines; quite elegant in a mature key, and though it's not as multifaceted as some of the other older wines, there is a monolithic beauty to it. With time leather and leaf tobacco become more intense. Quite harmonious, and one could swish and sniff for a long, long time. On the palate it's full and rich, with fairly bright cherry fruit supported by brisk slightly bitter acidity, and by smooth sweet silky tannins that are a touch dry in the very finish, and flow into a clean rather dry finish with savory accents and some sour berry fruit acidity. It's quite pleasant, and very much approachable, a wine that will work quite well with foods and will make a huge impression if broken out at a festive meal, but I found it a little more direct than I might have wanted – it's statuesque and beautiful, bit lacking in depth, and I attribute this to a relative lack of acidity – there is acidity sufficient to provide direction, but it's not really bright. The Italian word that comes to mind is Mastodontico, which means hulking.
Black almandine with black reflections and almandine in the rim. The bouquet is intense, with hints of wood smoke and bitterness supported by leather and some leaf tobacco, also licorice root and with time mentholated and balsamic accents, while leather also increases. On the palate it's full, and bright, with clean sour cherry fruit supported by lively berry fruit acidity and by smooth sweet tannins that have some leafy underbrush bitterness and flow into a clean rather bitter sour berry fruit finish. Quite pleasant, and I found myself preferring it to the Casanova di Neri 1990 Riserva, because it is brighter and much more nimble on its toes than the Riserva. Both of the Casanova di Neri wines display a degree of savoriness that the Casanova di Neri of today lacks. Much has changed at Casanova di Neri since these wines were made, and I discuss some of the changes in another vertical, here.
Black almandine with black reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is slightly off, and though others mutter about corks I find more menthol and cold coffee with some rather musty bitter orange peel and balsamic accents, and some savory accents too. On the palate it's fairly rich, though not too full, with sour cherry fruit supported by smooth sweet tannins and deft sour berry fruit acidity that flows into a clean rather sour cherry finish. Quite pleasant, and graceful in a lesser vintage key; it's not quite as bright as some of the vintages but has a willowy grace to it that is very nice. A beautiful wine, and one that has a great deal to say, for those who want to take the time to listen to it.
Deep almandine with black reflections and almandine rim; by comparison with many of the other wines the almandine is much younger looking. The bouquet is quite different with respect to the others, with mentholated notes and some spice, mingled with toasted wood and hints of cat pee, which become sweaty with time; a fellow taster talks about the scent of a burnt steak bone atop coals. It engenders considerable discussion. On the palate it's sour, with leathery sour accents and fairly intense minerality supported by bitter fruit bitter tannins that flow into a savory bitter finish. I found it more interesting on the plaate, where there is more to plum and think about than on the nose. The palate is bright, and has a fair amount to say, in a bright key, and is quite approachable; it will work very well with succulent red meats or similar, though I might not want to sip it far from the table.
Deep black almandine with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is intense, with cherry fruit supported by sour berry acidity and leathery accents mingled with alcohol and some peppery spice with slight berry fruit acidity as well, and hints of spice. Great depth and considerable harmony too. On the palate it's rich, with lively sour cherry fruit supported by sour cherry acidity that also has some red currant acidity, and is supported by smooth rather dry tannins that will do a fine job of supporting foods but are a bit too dry to work well sipping. A very fine wine that will drink well with foods, and still needs another few years to come into its own. Intriguing menthol on the nose that emerges with time. I was initially nonplussed by the 1998 vintage, but have begun to reevaluate it The 98s need time, and though not all are great many have improved considerably.
Deep black almandine with black reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is powerful, and a distinct change with respect to the other wines poured, with considerable mentholated spice mingled with berry fruit and cedar. It has a more international feel to it. On the palate it's ample, bright, and young, with rich sour cherry fruit supported by smooth sweet tannins that flow into a clean bright berry fruit finish. Very young, in a fairly international key, and is quite approachable; by comparison with some of the others it is much less faceted, and offers much less to think about. But it will drink well with foods, and is a wine I would be happy to serve to friends who are more likely to pour, drink, and enjoy a wine than to spend time thinking about what's in their glass. It's more polished, and more ammiccante – giving a come-hither look -- than some of the others, and a world apart from Case Basse and some of the other older wines. Here we see the arrival of the more international style, and a conscious desire to make wines that are more approachable and easier to drink. And it certainly was more approachable in 2003, upon its release, but is less interesting now, and with time it will separate further from the more traditional, Brunelli.


What is Ed Hochuli's net worth? Ed Hochuli's net worth is $15 million dollars and salary per year of $70,000. Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Ed Hochuli grew up in Tuscon, Arizona. He excelled at multiple sports throughout high school, and attended the University of Texas at El Paso, where he played football and graduated with honors. He subsequently earned is law degree from the University of Arizona in the mid-70s. He began refereeing while in law school to earn extra money, and made the transition from high school games to college games in the mid-80s. In 1990, he was hired to work under renowned referee Howard Roe. In 1992, he got the chance to referee his first pro game. Since then, he has become one of the most popular and recognizable referees in NFL history. He has earned the nickname, "Hochules", due to his large biceps, and has his own line of merchandise. He has refereed for multiple Super Bowls and championship games, and has been chronicled on the NFL Network show, "Six Days to Sunday".
Edward G. Hochuli (born December 25, 1950) is an attorney for the firm of Jones, Skelton & Hochuli, P.L.C. since 1983, and has been an American football official in the National Football League (NFL) since the 1990 NFL season. His uniform number is 85. Prior to his officiating career, he played college football for four seasons at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP).
Hochuli is one of the most respected officials in the NFL, having worked numerous playoff games, including two Super Bowls. He is also known for his athletic physique and explanations on the football field. In a poll conducted by ESPN in 2008, Hochuli tied referee Mike Carey for "best referee" votes among NFL head coaches with eight. Beginning his twenty-second season in the league and twentieth as referee (crew chief) with the 2011 NFL season, Hochuli's officiating crew consists of umpire Rich Hall, head linesman Mark Hittner, line judge Adrian Hill, field judge Craig Wrolstad, side judge Ronald Torbert and back judge Don Carey.


Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are transforming the global economy, and companies that are quick to adopt these technologies will take $1.2 trillion from those who don't. Businesses that fail to take advantage of predictive analytics, or don't have the time or resources - like highly-trained (and expensive) data scientists - will fall behind organizations that embrace AI and machine learning to extract business value from their data.
Enter automated machine learning, a new class of solutions for accelerating and optimizing the predictive analytics process. Incorporating the experience and expertise of top data scientists, automated machine learning automates many of the complex and repetitive tasks required in traditional data science, while providing guardrails to ensure critical steps are not missed. The bottom line: data scientists are more productive and business analysts and other domain experts are transformed into "citizen data scientists" that have the ability to create AI solutions.
As more so-called "automated machine learning" tools are brought to market, often with limited feature sets, there is a need to define the requirements for a true automated machine learning platform. This article highlights the 10 capabilities that must be addressed to be considered a complete automated machine learning solution.
Each machine learning algorithm works differently, and has different data requirements. For example, some algorithms need numeric features to be normalized, and some require text processing that splits the text into words and phrases, which can be very complicated for languages like Japanese. Users should expect their automated machine learning platform to know how to best prepare data for every algorithm and following best practices for data partitioning.
Feature engineering is the process of altering the data to help machine learning algorithms work better, which is often time-consuming and can be expensive. While some feature engineering requires domain knowledge of the data and business rules, most feature engineering is generic. A true automated machine learning platform will engineer new features from existing numeric, categorical, and text features. The system should understand which algorithms benefit from extra feature engineering and which don't, and only generate features that make sense given the data characteristics.
Every dataset contains unique information that reflects the individual events and characteristics of a business. Due to the variety of situations and conditions represented in the data, one algorithm cannot successfully solve every possible business problem or dataset. Automated machine learning platforms need access to a diverse repository of algorithms to test against the data in order to find the right algorithm to solve the challenge at hand. And, the platform should be updated continually with the most promising new machine learning algorithms, including those from the open source community.
Having access to hundreds of algorithms is great, but many organizations don't have the time to try every algorithm on their data. And some algorithms aren't suited to their data or data sizes, while others are extremely unlikely to work well on their data altogether. An automated machine learning platform should know which algorithms are right for a business' data and test the data on only the appropriate algorithms to achieve results faster.
It's standard for machine learning software to train an algorithm on the data, but often there is still some hyperparameter tuning required to optimize the algorithm's performance. In addition, it's important to understand which features to leave in or out, and which feature selections work best for different models. An effective automated machine learning platform employs smart hyperparameter tuning for each individual model, as well as automatic feature selection, to improve both the speed and accuracy of a model.
Teams of algorithms are called "ensembles" or "blenders," with each algorithm's strengths balancing out the weaknesses of another. Ensemble models typically outperform individual algorithms because of their diversity. An automated machine learning platform should find the optimal algorithms to blend, include a diverse range of algorithms, and tune the weighting of the algorithms within each blender.
It's difficult to know ahead of time which algorithm will perform best in a particular modeling challenge, so it's necessary to compare the accuracy and speed of different algorithms on the data, regardless of the programming language or machine learning library the algorithms come from. A true automated machine learning platform must build and train dozens of algorithms, comparing the accuracy, speed, and individual predictions of each algorithm and then ranking the algorithms based on the needs of the business.
Machine learning and AI have made massive strides in predictive power, but often at the price of complexity and interpretability. It's not enough for a model to score well on accuracy and speed - users must trust the answers. And in some industries, and even some geographies (see the EU's GDPR), models must comply with regulations and be validated by a compliance team. Automated machine learning should describe model performance in a human-interpretable manner and provide easy-to-understand reasons for individual predictions to help an organization achieve compliance.
An analytics team can build an impressive predictive model, but it is of little use if the model is too complex for the IT team to reproduce, or if the business lacks the infrastructure to deploy the model to production. Easy, flexible deployment options are a hallmark of a workable automated machine learning solution, including APIs, exportable scoring code, and on-demand predictions that don't require the intervention of the IT team.
Even the best models can go "stale" over time as conditions change or new sources of data become available. An ideal automated machine learning solution makes it easy to run a new model competition on the latest data, helping to determine if that model is still the best, or if there is a need to update the model. And as models change, the system should also be able to quickly update the documentation on the model to comply with regulatory requirements. Businesses that turn to automated machine learning encompassing these features will save time, increase accuracy, and reduce compliance risk when building out their machine learning models - helping them become a truly AI-driven enterprise.
About the Author: Colin Priest is the Director of Product Marketing for DataRobot, where he advises businesses on how to build business cases and successfully manage data science projects. Colin has held a number of CEO and general management roles, where he has championed data science initiatives in financial services, healthcare, security, oil and gas, government and marketing. Colin is a firm believer in data-based decision making and applying automation to improve customer experience. He is passionate about the science of healthcare and does pro-bono work to support cancer research.


Let's start with the desserts. I saw this recipe on Pinterest. I ordered the cheesecake pans on line from Sur la Table. The pans are deep cupcake sized and have 12 cups. But, they have a metal disk at the bottom of each cup. When your treat is finished baking and cooling, you simply push up the metal disk from the bottom of the pan, and up pops a finished cheesecake. I bought two pans, so that I could make 24 at a time. Since the office parties usually require me to make 48 treats at a time, I found that I need two more pans. When reading the recipe, I realized you need to let the cheesecakes cool, then refrigerate them for a minimum of 4 hours. The next step was to put whipped cream on top of each one. I found out from Pinterest that you can make cream that stays firm by doing the following recipe: 1 cup heavy cream, 1 tablespoon confectionery sugar, 1 tablespoon of vanilla instant pudding powder. I doubled this recipe for a pint of cream. It covered 24 cheesecakes. Those are tiny Oreo cookies on the top.
Since a part of this blog is about trying things I've found on Pinterest, when I saw a photo of these strawberry shortcakes on skewers, I really wanted to try them. These are not picture perfect, but of the 48 I made, there were zero left. I decided to put them in these little cups the office supplies for easy grabbing. I made Bisquick dough with sugar in it. One batch made 48 treats because you are cutting the dough with a 1 and 1/2 " circle cutter. Michael's sells these. The grocery store actually sells the extra long tooth picks. The directions called for you to cut the tip and bottom off of each strawberry. Then you are to slice the strawberry middle section into two pieces. I soaked the strawberry slices in sugar water, but because I had to do things ahead of time, they soaked for about 4 hours. This made them too mushy. But, they tasted and looked great.
I also found these horse cake pop directions on Pinterest. I hesitated making oval cake pops for awhile. I worried that they would fall off the sticks while dipping in chocolate.
They did not. I always clear a whole shelf in my refrigerator to keep a baking tray full of pops while I am dipping them. When they stay cold, there is less likelihood of them falling off their sticks. I dipped the sticks in chocolate and put them in the cake pops in the refrigerator to set up. I had two corrals of ponies or about 40 from one cake mix and 1/2 can frosting. I used chocolate chips and ready made candy eyes (which Michael's sells).
You put those on while the chocolate is still wet. While they were drying on two rectangular styrofoam sheets, I made up my egg white/cream of tartar/vanilla and confectionery sugar recipe of frosting. I learned from my Olivia the Pig disaster to add a teaspoon of confectionery sugar to each bowl of frosting I am adding food color to--even paste food coloring. So, I added just enough brown to make the horse mains. I used my grass decorating tip (it has lots of tiny holes) and held the bag up in the air over the cake pop pony. The frosting dropped in strands between the ears and down the back. Then I colored another bowl of frosting with orange. I used a standard hole decorating tip to make the circle around the mouth. Then I just piped the side striped to the back of the ears.
I found a clipart of a corral. I printed it front and bac, glued the pieces together, and pinned them to the styrofoam. I put my green paper through my double shredder to make the grass.
I used three different cowboy clipart pieces to make this guy. I had planned for him to be mounted on a big piece of cardboard to greet guests, but the staff liked him on this column in the main lobby. Here is out accountant posing with him.
My husband wanted the eight large cows I ordered online (5' tall each) up on the edges of the half walls. The rest are marching down the main hall. The clients thought this was hysterical.
Here are two of the window graphics to show you how much character they add to the theme.
Every roundup needs a covered wagon. I used this one I found on Etsy.com as a centerpiece for the long table I set up for guests to take a "sit down" break.
This is Aunt Polly. She is holding her basket of vegetables. She is a centerpiece that lets you know that the chili on this table was meatless.
I made her from four different cliparts. Here she is if you ever need her.
Here is our band. They followed through and played my favorite round up song--the theme from an old western series entitled "Rawhide." We gave away colored cowboy hats as favors this year. The green ones were the most popular because the party was only days away from St. Patrick's Day. It would have been fun to have you see the crowds at the party, but I am always too busy working it to take pictures. If you'd like to grab the graphics for your own round up, they are on a previous post.


Opportunistic thieves may steal packages from doorsteps, police warn.
Shoplifting and car burglaries seem as evergreen as a Douglas fir, year-round crimes of opportunity that comprise the run-of-the-mill casework done by local police agencies.
But this time of year, package theft gets added to the list of crimes that keep police busy. While people are at work or out shopping for even more gifts, police say others may see unguarded packages on doorsteps as an opportunity.
By late November, Palm Bay had seen its first package theft. In the middle of the afternoon, police got a call about a package being stolen from a front porch near Malabar Road. Police suspect a juvenile caught on camera by the victims may have been the culprit.
A recent survey showed that close to a third of all shoppers have had a package stolen, including 26 percent of people who live in suburban areas like Brevard County.
Several agencies around the county expect more of the same as Christmas approaches and deliveries ramp up. Officials from Melbourne, Cocoa and Palm Bay said that they keep an eye out around the holidays.
Damien Kraebel, a postal inspector with the U.S. Postal Service, is a federal law enforcement official akin to FBI and DEA agents. He says it's common for package thefts to go up around the holidays as opportunities proliferate.
Even though the amount of packages being stolen does go up this time of year, Kraebel said that the overall number remains low and that USPS is "more vigilant about the issue."
In Cocoa, police haven't yet seen a spike in package theft. But spokeswoman Yvonne Martinez said as school lets out this week, officers will be braced for car break-ins and thefts from teenagers with too much time on their hands.
Law enforcement and postal personnel advise anyone expecting a shipment to have packages dropped off at work or with a trusted neighbor. People can even have their packages held at the post office to be picked up, Kraebel said.
The easiest way to keep a package from being stolen? Tracking the shipment online and being home for delivery.
- Have packages delivered to a neighbor.
- Be home to sign for packages when they come.
- Pick up deliveries directly from the post office.


Is bar.exe safe or is this malware?
Be aware that many tasks will be similiar names to existing tasks or processes. You can always view the running tasks on your computer by pressing ctrl-alt-del to view the windows "task manager", and then view the "processes" tab. This will show you all tasks running or currently active on your PC. Although this shows you all running tasks, it does not show dll file thats are loaded, as they get loaded as part of other processes. Many spyware writers attempt to hide their files on your computer, for example, bar.exe may be intentionally misspelled to look like a similiar task, or spyware may be named very similiar to a Windows system task. The reason they do this is so you cannot easily recognize the name in your tasklist as I have mentioned above. Make sure always check the location of the file if you are concerned. You can always find the location of bar.exe on your computer by using your Windows search options, but I will also try to list the file location of every file described on this website, so you can verify the correct location. You can view the entire tasklist directory with the link below.


If a stock is being sold in the stock market at a price, which is lesser than its intrinsic value, then that stock would be called an undervalued stock. The fact that a stock is undervalued could be determined if the expected cash flows of future forecast the value of that stock to be more than its present selling price.
The investors who purchase undervalued stocks need to follow a certain process before they put their money in these stocks. In order to avoid losses the investors must make sure that they know about the future prospects of the particular company.
The company needs to make significant amount of profits in the future so that it can sell undervalued stocks in the stock markets.


Why am I being asked to purchase RealPlayer Plus when I already purchased it?
Please sign in. This usually happens if you are trying to use a Plus feature (such as DVD burning) without signing in first. One you're signed in, RealPlayer will recognize that you have purchased the Plus version and allow you to use the features you've paid for.
Note: This can also happen if you purchased a previous version of RealPlayer Plus (such as RealPlayer 16 Plus) and then updated to the free version of the new RealPlayer 18. If you have RealPlayer Plus and want to keep your premium features after updating, you will need to purchase RealPlayer Plus 18 or pay for a Premium or Unlimited subscription to RealTimes.
Solution 1: Enable cookies in RealPlayer.
If you do not enable cookies, you won't be able to use the Plus features and services you paid for.
Solution 2: Delete and reset your cookie.
You should now be able to access the Plus features.


Has anyone seen my brand?
Social media has become a key part of our day-to-day lives, enabling anyone to publish content and interact with others online.
It provides a brilliant opportunity for brands–from increasing visibility among potential consumers, to a direct line of contact to customers, all combined with the ability to link back to sales channels. However, the nature of social media means that exactly the same resources are available to counterfeiters, looking to take advantage or piggyback off brands’ market position. By using the same marketing methods, counterfeiters are making it increasingly difficult for customers to tell which products are fake, and which are real.
Social media is dominated by the large global platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. These platforms are universally popular but the differences that arise from language and culture should not be overlooked. Vkontakte is a predominantly Russian platform, hugely popular with Russian speakers and operating in a very similar way to Facebook. In south east Asia, messaging apps such as WeChat, LINE and Kakao Talk are driving social interactions online.
Looking at the functionality and features of social media, it is possible to categorise them into different types: micro-bloggling and content sharing sites such as Twitter and Instagram; social networking sites such as Facebook; and messaging apps such as WhatsApp and Snapchat. All of these channels are being used by brands to market themselves, either through their own organic posts or via paid advertising. Acknowledging the opportunity for brand / user interaction, many social media sites have created new ways for brands to undertake commercial activities, such as by enabling payments through the sites / apps or by creating platforms specifically to sell products, like the Facebook Marketplace – which allows brands to advertise goods and communicate with buyers. However, as quickly as brands move onto these platforms, counterfeiters follow suit.
Targeted ads on social media, for example, are a particularly big issue – as counterfeiters target their knock off goods to run alongside the real thing. The highly customisable nature of these campaigns means that brands and counterfeiters alike can find the exact audience they want to reach and promote themselves, based on demographics, interests and other characteristics. This poses challenges for finding the infringements in the first place, as no two users have the same social media experience. Platforms like Facebook are now offering tools to brands to assist in this process but there is still a long way to go, to ensure full visibility for brands.
In China, WeChat is taking social media functionality even further than the largest global platforms. While not widely used in Europe, WeChat has 1.1 billion users, the clear majority of which are from China. Through the app, users can not only message each other by can also share content and make transactions. Around 300 million of its users have enables its payment solution, WePay making it a highly attractive method by which to sell products. Consequently, a huge 92 percent of global luxury brands use to market their products. Couple this with the ability to make creative and innovative campaigns, with many brands now selling directly through the app, this is a powerful tool for brands.
Unsurprisingly, counterfeiters are using the same opportunity to drive their business. Their stock can be viewed on “WeChat Moments”, often driven by posts on other social media platforms such as Instagram. It’s an easy process for consumers – they simply email message the counterfeiter to ask for prices and arrange shipping, and will then transfer the money via WeChat Pay. The transaction is done largely hidden from public view, making it difficult to disrupt.
Even when social media platforms don’t facilitate financial transactions for goods directly, counterfeiters use these sites to drive traffic to their domains where potential customers can then buy the product.
Hashtag abuse is key to driving traffic to posts and then onto other social media platforms or online spaces. Critically, counterfeiters will rarely use just one site to sell their products; instead, they will have multiple domains and accounts at their disposal, making it far more difficult to track the counterfeit seller back to the source and making them more resilient to take downs.
Due to the multiple site approach that counterfeiters take, in order to tackle this issue brands now need to ensure they are monitoring the entire social media presence, as well as the offending domains. Counterfeit sellers will often have back up website addresses, and use social media to tell their “fan base” about the new site to use when an old site is taken down. Consequently, the counterfeiter can be selling fake merchandise again within hours. Therefore, taking an indiscriminate “whack-a-mole” approach to eliminating counterfeiters can be endless and ultimately pointless.
If, however, brands take a holistic approach, they can use the links between social media accounts, counterfeit websites and marketplaces to take down the counterfeiter’s whole network. Correlating common contact information between accounts, for example, can allow a brand to identify the commercial epicentre of a network and cease a host of offending accounts all at once. To do this, brands must monitor marketplaces, app stores, website operations and social media in conjunction with one another to ensure that they are not just cutting off one branch, of a multi-branch operation.
The article has been taken from CITMA.
Google Inc v Equustek: de-indexing can be the next step in the fight against counterfeiting.


Where I can add new keyword for longcode? What is it's maximum limit?
1. Go to Virtual Number option.
2. Select the option of Keyword.
3. Click on the ADD button and enter the keyword of your choice.
4. Send it for approval and we'll let you know if this keyword is available.
NOTE: The maximum character limit for a keyword is 20.


What Is an Owner's Engineer?
An owner;s engineer may work closely with a construction project manager to ensure a facility is equipped adequately.
The owner's engineer can save owners money in the short and long term by making sure projects are performed to specifications and regulatory guidelines.
An owner's engineer is an engineer who represents the owner of a project during design, development, and construction to confirm that the work is done well and within legal standards.
The owner's engineer inspects the design plans, timelines, and other materials developed to support the project.
An owner's engineer is an engineer who represents the owner of a project during design, development, and construction to confirm that the work is done well and within legal standards. This third party is not involved in the design and construction project directly, but rather acts as an advocate for the owner to apply due diligence. Most owners do not have the engineering training and skills they need to monitor projects, and rely on the owner's engineer to perform this task for them.
Typically an entire engineering firm, rather than an an individual engineer, provides this service. Owner's engineers can include a team of people from different engineering specialties as well as support staff. They start work on the project as early as possible, usually during the design and development phase. In a meeting with the owners, they can discuss the scope and goals of the project, and define the needs that will be met, so they can keep this information in mind as the project moves forward.
The owner's engineer inspects the design plans, timelines, and other materials developed to support the project. If the engineer identifies flaws, these can be brought to the attention of the owner to discuss various ways for dealing with them. A flaw could be a legal concern, like a power plant that does not appear to have sufficient safety equipment, or a design consideration that could become an issue later. A facility might, for example, have a very inflexible design that would make it difficult to adapt, expand, or build upon later.
During construction, the owner's engineer makes regular site visits to monitor progress. The work includes inspections to make sure the stated plans are being followed and the workers are using the right materials. The owner's engineer can also check for site safety issues, design problems that may become apparent only during construction, and other matters. The engineer generates reports to allow the owner to monitor progress and intervene if it becomes necessary.
Site owners have a legal obligation to perform due diligence in many cases. The owner's engineer can save owners money in the short and long term by making sure projects are performed to specifications and within regulatory guidelines, with an eye to the possibility for future changes to regulations that might necessitate remodels and other adjustments. This work requires engineering training and continuing education to keep up with regulatory changes and evolving industry standards and practices.
What does a Quality Process Engineer do?
What does a Safety Engineer do?


What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and What do I do next?
We hear about Carpal Tunnel Syndrome everyday. The moment your hand falls asleep and you get the pins and needles in your fingers, somebody is bound to suggest that it is CTS. However, this is because most people do not have a clear understanding of what Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is. Understanding the physiognomy is important if you want to understand CTS.
It is through the median nerve that you get sensation in your thumb, forefinger, middle finger, and part of your ring finger. When the median nerve is compressed, sensation to these fingers will begin to reduce. You will begin to feel a sort of numbness, or a tingling – rather like your hand is falling asleep.
Another possibility is that repeated stress on your wrist can injure the tendons in the carpal tunnel. This makes the already narrow space even narrower, and can cause the median nerve to be compressed. This is why anti-inflammatory medicines give relief – once the tendons are back to normal, the carpal tunnel is back to normal, too.
In some cases, there might be a tumour in the wrist. This could also cause compression to the median nerve.
Some other reasons that might result in the inflammation of your tendons are hypothyroidism, pregnancy and diabetes. In such cases, the underlying causes need attention, though anti-inflammatory medicines could still help.
Knowing the facts about Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is important, because a lot of other things, like tendonitis or even bursitis, are ignored after wearing a wrist splint because everybody seems to assume that ay pain in the arm anywhere is CTS. While wearing a wrist splint might not do much harm, it won’t cure anything, either.