Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Senate Hearing Focuses on Gun Violence - NYTimes.com

 

WASHINGTON — Speaking slowly but with discernible passion, former Representative Gabrielle Giffords, who was critically injured in a mass shooting in Arizona in 2011, addressed the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday in its first hearing since the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn., last month.

Lady Gaga's YouTube Views Stripped: Singer Loses 156 Million Views

 

The development comes one month after the YouTube pages of Sony and Universal lost 2 billion YouTube views, largely because YouTube decided that videos migrated to the company's VEVO pages were "dead videos". While a small portion of the views stripped from Sony and Universal were due to what YouTube calls "de-spamming the data," the vast majority were taken away as a result of Sony, Universal and EMI's decision to bet on VEVO. As NME notes, VEVO is owned by Sony and Universal Music Group. Other artists affected by YouTube's housekeeping include Beyonce, Michael Jackson and Chris Brown. At the time of the original clean-up, singer Leona Lewis lost 24 million views. In July 2011, Lady Gaga's YouTube account was suspended and promptly restored. Though Google (which owns YouTube) declined to comment, a notice on her channel read that it was guilty of "multiple or severe violations of YouTube's copyright policy."

Step-Grandchildren Of Joseph Goebbels, Nazi Propaganda Minister, Are Billionaires: Report

 

Four step-grandchildren of Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels are worth $1.2 billion each, according to an investigation by Bloomberg. That's largely thanks to an inheritance from their biological grandfather, Guenther Quandt. Harald Quandt, Goebbels' step-son, and his half-brother Herbert inherited and rebuilt their father's industrial conglomerate, which produced guns and missiles for Nazi Germany's war effort, Bloomberg reports. One of the most lucrative parts of the conglomerate turned into a stake in BMW, and Herbert's widow and two children now own nearly half of the company. You can read Bloomberg's full report here. Goebbels played a key role in implementing Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler's agenda. Goebbels authorized violence against Jews, banned Jews from making cultural contributions, regulated the news media and led the creation of Nazi propaganda films. Goebbels killed himself, his wife, and his six biological children the day after Hitler committed suicide in 1945. The profits that companies made in Nazi Germany remain controversial. Some descendants of Holocaust victims have sued European banks for allegedly hoarding their relatives' money during and after the Holocaust. And Deutsche Bank allegedly bought gold stolen from Jewish Holocaust victims and helped finance the construction of the Auschwitz concentration camp, according to research cited by the New York Times. Check out the Goebbels family photo below:

Bill Lucey: Super Bowl 47: Feats, Facts and Historic Firsts

The opening kickoff of the Super Bowl is so near, I can almost hear ESPN's Chris Berman ("The Swami'') in my ear, saying: `"Tick... tick... tick tick tick... '' On Sunday, February 3, the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers, this year's home team, take to the field in Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. Not that this annual clash needs any added buildup, but Super Bowl 47 will feature a historic family feud in that it marks the first time in Super Bowl history that brothers (Baltimore's John and San Francisco's Jim Harbaugh ) lock horns as opposing head coaches. CBS officially kicks off its coverage at 6:30 p.m., EST live on the CBS Television Network. Super Bowl XLVII, will be the network's 18th Super Bowl broadcast overall. Jim Nantz and Phil Simms will call the action, and will be joined by analysts Steve Tasker and Solomon Wilcots, serving as sideline reporters. Both NFL.com and SuperBowl.com will link to Super Bowl on CBSSports.com, CBS Sports' live stream of Super Bowl XLVII, which will include a host of unique and interactive online and social features. Of particular note is that during the 4th quarter of Super Bowl XLVII, fans will be able to vote for the Super Bowl XLVII MVP on NFL.com, either online or on web-enabled mobile devices. The fan vote counts as 20 percent of the overall vote, with the remaining 80 percent determined by the media. In addition to the Super Bowl coverage and analysis on CBS and at NFL.com, ESPN [See complete Super Bowl coverage ] will offer more than 120 hours of TV and radio programming throughout Super Bowl with more than 35 ESPN commentators (hosts, analysts, reporters and contributors) in New Orleans -- as well as a star-studded analyst team of former players and coaches with a combined 18 Super Bowl rings in 28 appearances, including Hall of Famer Steve Young, SB XXIX) and Ravens (Trent Dilfer, SB XXXV) as well as Hall of Famer and former Chicago Bears head coach Mike Ditka, winner of Super Bowl XX in New Orleans and a former coach of the 49ers' Jim Harbaugh. So before the Ravens and 49ers exchange blows on Sunday evening before millions of energized and anxious fans worldwide, this might be the perfect time to review some feats, facts and historic firsts about Super Bowl Sunday. • To date, 3,581,385 have attended Super Bowl games. The largest crowd was 103,985, at Super Bowl XIV (Jan. 1980), which was played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. • Player shares in 2013 include: $88,000 to each member of the winning team; $44,000 to each member of the losing team. • The Vince Lombardi trophy stands 20.75 inches tall, weighs 107.3 ounces, and is valued in excess of $25,000. The words Vince Lombardi and Super Bowl XLVII are engraved on the base along with the NFL shield. • For this year's Super Bowl, American singer, songwriter, dancer and actress Beyoncé will perform at halftime. In Super Bowl I, the halftime entertainment consisted of the Universities of Arizona and Michigan Bands. • The Bridgestone Super Bowl XLVI halftime show last year featuring Madonna was watched by an average of 112.6 million viewers, making it the most-watched Super Bowl halftime ever, surpassing Michael Jackson's halftime performance in 1993. • Head coach Don Shula has won 6 Super Bowls, an NFL record: 1 with Baltimore and 5 with Miami. • Tom Brady's 127 pass completions over five Super Bowl games is an NFL record. • Joe Montana threw the most touchdown passes (4 games) in Super Bowl history with 11 perfect strikes. • Pittsburgh's Franco Harris rushed for a league record 354 yards over 4 Super Bowl games. • Minnesota, Denver, Buffalo and New England have all lost 4 Super Bowls. • San Francisco scored 8 touchdowns in Super Bowl XXIV (Jan. 1990) over Denver, the most by any team in Super Bowl history. • Buffalo turned the ball over 9 times in Super Bowl XXVII (Jan. 1993) against Dallas, the most in Super Bowl history. • 23 NFL head coaches have won Super Bowls with more than one team. • 18 individuals have won Super Bowls both as a player and as a coach. • 14 fathers and sons have reached the Super Bowl. • 22 sets of brothers have reached the Super Bowl. • 6 NFL head coaches led their team to the Super Bowl in their first season, the last being Jim Caldwell of the Indianapolis Colts in 2009. • Based on Nielsen record figures, Super Bowl XLV (Feb. 2011) was watched by 162,900,000 viewers on FOX, the most in Super Bowl history. • The oldest winning coach in Super Bowl history was Tom Coughlin, 65, in Super Bowl XLVI (Feb, 2012); while the youngest was Mike Tomlin, 36, in Super Bowl XLIII (Feb. 2009) • The ticket prices for Super Bowl I (Jan. 1967) in Los Angeles were $6, $10 and $12. • The ticket prices for XLVI (Feb. 2012) in Indianapolis were $600, $800, $900 and $1,200. • On average, 10,000 tweets were sent per second during the final three minutes of the New York Giants' 21-17 defeat of the New England Patriots last year in Super Bowl XLVI, according to a Twitter spokesperson. • More than 2.1 million people turned on the live Internet stream of Super Bowl XLVI on Sunday, February 5, 2012, according to an NBC spokesperson. • Super Bowl XLVII will be the 10th Super Bowl held in New Orleans since 1970, putting the city into a tie with South Florida for the most by any single location. • There were 338 credentials issued to media at Super Bowl I in Los Angeles; last year in Super Bowl XLVI, there were 5,156 accredited members of the media, the most in the history of the game. • The use of Roman numerals to designate Super Bowls began with game V (Jan. 1971), won by the Baltimore Colts over the Dallas Cowboys, 16-13. • The price of a 30-second commercial for Super Bowl I in 1967 was $42,000. This year, by comparison, for Super Bowl XVII, a 30-second commercial will run $3,800,000. • According to a new survey by the Retail Advertising and Marketing Association, a division of the National Retail Federation, conducted by BIGinsight, more than 179.1 million people will watch the game Sunday, February 3, the most in the survey's nine-year history and up from an estimated 172.5 million last year. • The NRF survey additionally found nearly three-quarters (74.0 percent) of those watching the game will buy wings, pizza, chips, soda. Additionally, 3.9 million households will buy new furniture items, such as entertainment centers, chairs and couches, while 7.5 million will buy decorations. • Americans will consume 1.23 billion chicken wings during the Super Bowl this year, a 1 percent decline from last year, according to the National Chicken Council. • Mexico will be the largest supplier of avocados for the Super Bowl, according to the Henry Avocado Corp. • According to the Nevada Gaming Control Board, $93.90 million was wagered on the Super Bowl last year in the state of Nevada. • There are approximately 22,000 hotel rooms in downtown New Orleans and another 37,000 in the metropolitan area; and all are but officially sold out, according to the NFL. • According to the New Orleans Convention and Visitor's Bureau, approximately 150,000 tourists will have stormed New Orleans for Super Bowl 47 this year. • According to an economic study conducted by the University of New Orleans, Super Bowl 47 will have a $432 million impact on the city. Source: NFL

Saintsations prepare for their Super Bowl halftime show | WGNO

 

The Saints may not be playing in the Super Bowl, but their dance team – the Saintsations – will definitely be on the field at halftime. They’re getting ready to strut their stuff for football fans around the world, and WGNO’s Vanessa Bolano reports, all of New Orleans will be cheering them on. Meet the 2012-2013 Saintsations. While the season may be over for the boys in black & gold, that’s not the case for these ladies. The Saintsations will play host as all eyes are on new orleans for Super Bowl XLVII. These women, 32 in all, hail from Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Texas. They practice twice a week, learning 30 dances a season. And for the super bowl they’re learning additional 10, but don’t worry! Most of these girls started dancing before they could walk! “I’ve danced my whole life since I was two,” says Chastity Sorrels. “I’ve been dancing for a very long time since i was like three,” Baton Rouge native Heidi Walker tells us. As we inch closer to the big game these girls are going to be busy going from one event to the next. And then for the big game, Super Bowl Sunday, they’ll be performing around the ‘Dome, and they’ll be at the halftime show with Beyonce! “I can’t imagine how it could get much louder in there,” says Walker. “I think the Saints have the loudest fans, so I’m wondering if they can top it when we have different fans in there.” Being a Saintsation is basically a full time job that takes courage, determination and major skills. “I knew that I always wanted to do that and after I graduated from college I was looking for a job and trying to figure out what I was going to do with my life and I figured that that was the perfect time to make my dreams come true,” Sorrels says. Rookie Nicole Wall says, “Going on the field in the Superdome the first time was just an eye-opening experience to see how big and how great the whole ‘dome was. Just everything about it is great.” Another rookie, Kolbie Lawrence tells us, “It was a really good year, my first year. I was featured in the calendar. I thought that was pretty cool, but meeting all these new girls, they’re like sisters.” “I have had a pretty good ride as a Saintsation,” says veteran Danielle Daray. “My first year being the Super Bowl, and the next year I was able to travel to Iraq to visit some of the troops, and then last year I was picked as the Pro Bowl cheerleader, and now Super Bowl in New Orleans. I don’t think that anybody could have had a better 4 years as a Saintsation.” For many of these women, being a Saintsation is the opportunity of a lifetime: week after week cheering on the Saints, and now hosting the Super Bowl on their home turf.

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Beatrix of the Netherlands

Beatrix (Beatrix Wilhelmina Armgard, Dutch pronunciation: [ˈbeːjaˌtrɪks ˌʋɪlɦɛlˈmina ˈɑrmɣɑrt] ( listen); born 31 January 1938) is the queen regnant of theKingdom of the Netherlands comprising the NetherlandsCuraçaoSint Maarten, and Aruba.

Beatrix was born in Baarn, Netherlands. She is the eldest daughter of Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld. In 1948, she becameheiress presumptive to the throne of the Netherlands. When her mother Juliana abdicated on 30 April 1980, Beatrix succeeded her as queen of the Netherlands.

She attended public primary and secondary schools in Canada, during World War II, and in the Netherlands. In 1961, she received her law degree fromLeiden University. In 1966, Beatrix married Claus von Amsberg, with whom she had three children: Prince Willem-Alexander (1967), Prince Friso(1968) and Prince Constantijn (1969). Prince Claus died in 2002. Queen Beatrix is the longest-lived reigning monarch of the Netherlands.[1]

On 28 January 2013, Beatrix announced that she would abdicate on 30 April 2013, on Koninginnedag (Queen's Day),[2] in favour of her eldest son

Monday, January 28, 2013

TurboTax SnapTax (iOS, Android; free, but filing fees vary)

Using a smartphone to file your taxes may sound tedious, but it's not, thanks to the SnapTax app from TurboTax. Instead of entering your information using your phone’s virtual keyboard, all you have to do is use the app to snap a photo of your W-2 and the app automatically fills in your data for you. Answer a few additional questions, and your state and federal returns are ready to be filed, directly from SnapTax -- no computer necessary. The app is designed for 1040-EZ or 1040A filers with relatively simple tax situations.

Read more: 6 Awesome Apps to Help You Do Your Taxes | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/slideshow_12251224_awesome-apps-taxes.html#ixzz2JRMuhhCX

Apple, cross-promotion, Discovery Engineering, eCPA, Electronic Arts, Europe, Facebook, Fantasy Sports, guano, iPhone, potato, sheep, South America, SPI, whales, wolves

A BROWSER MANIFESTO – PART 10

After doubling European farming output with the potato, there was a further tripling of value from another South American import: the bird droppings known as guano. Let’s apply the fertilizer metaphor to how we can make games better with a new technical discipline that I’ll call Discovery Engineering. In short, how do we start with the same game but add engineering and technology that brings in much more new daily traffic as well as more frequent return visits?

Our gaming guano starts with my very old concept that great games must be Simple, Hot and Deep. I’ve been saying this since I founded Electronic Arts in 1982 and it remains true nearly 30 years later. Consider the ocean, which is simple enough in concept and access that everyone likes to go to the beach. The babies are playing in the sand and puddles while the kids that can walk are getting wet and letting the lapping waves chase them. It’s hot and the graphics and sound are fantastic; everyone is enthralled by the spectacle and can’t get enough. And no matter how far you go it just keeps getting deeper until you need a surfboard or scuba gear and have to worry about sharks. The analogy I used earlier was how the depth satisfies the whales, also known as wolves, who generate your revenue. The wolves need to conquer the sheep that are represented by the casual players. Hence the game must appeal to everyone like the ocean. You cannot even begin to make this work if the game is not Simple, Hot and Deep.

There are additional things that can now be embodied in the game itself that will drive more traffic and return visits. Game mechanics that are very satisfying to play by yourself are of less value than mechanics that engage you in competition and contact with other players, which provokes both viral spread and higher return rates. Repeatable game mechanics that are driven more by algebra and stats, like Fantasy Sports, are not only more efficient to build than a content treadmill, but they provoke endless competitive comparisons leading to higher return rates and more spending.

Independent of the game, additional technology layers can be wrapped around it to generate more free traffic. The APIs of an SNS like Facebook are one great example. Apple makes it easy to send an email invitation but any of these ideas is going to be more effective if the game is not limited to one platform. Everyone that is looking at email or Facebook is but one click away from the browser, regardless of his or her preferred game platform. If your game runs in the browser without requiring any plug-ins, installs or memberships you have a better chance of getting the recipient of an invitation to try it right now. If they like a short trial session, they may later become a Facebook member or buy an iPhone but even if they don’t they can play your game in any case.

My favorite example of Discovery Engineering is how we do cross-promotion. Many people dislike this idea because they don’t understand it and are clinging to the past. Old School thinking says that customers go to destinations and that you would be crazy to distract them or let them exit prematurely once you have gone to all the trouble to bring them to your game. But if your game is in the browser, the player only invested in one simple click to get to you. Not only was the “investment” nothing, he’s busy right now, possibly at work or at school, and he’s going to be leaving your website within seconds regardless of how you treat him.

The principle of cross-promotion is to get something of value when, inevitably, he leaves. Hence we show a display ad banner offering a few other games to try. If the current game is no longer holding his attention, he’s a goner anyway. But if he clicks on a game in the banner, he goes to a competitor’s game for a free trial, and that competitor now owes our company a return click from one of their customers that we don’t already have. If your product is lousy this will only make you fail faster. But if you make a superior game you will double your customers this way, because your game is good enough that your departing player will remember to come back to your game again. And your competitor is giving you a new customer who will also like your game, so you’ll have two good customers instead of just one. Voila, your eCPA just dropped in half, which dramatically increases the chance that the game’s lifetime value will be profitable.

It is for the same reason that auto dealerships cluster together on the same street. But many game developers are too paranoid and distrusting to do this kind of cross-promotion. They’re afraid to help a competitor or they’re insecure or overly protective about their game. But we know this works for us; it’s the best guano we’ve got.

WE’RE CHASING DOLPHINS

A BROWSER MANIFESTO – PART 14

The industry has worn out old terms like, “hardcore gamer”, “casual gamer” and “whale”. None of them perfectly explains the nature of the emerging digital gamer. Let’s call them dolphins. Why?

Dolphins love to play. They’re curious and intelligent.

Dolphins are social, and happy to play with both friends and strangers.

Dolphins are competitive. They’re carnivores. They’ll kill rivals in fights for territory, just like gamers.

They’re early Internet adopters (they call it “echolocation”).

They prefer casual, short sessions before they come up for air.

As for whales, they are actually just really big dolphins. Or you could say that dolphins are whales that have migrated to Hawaii because it is more casual and convenient. So dolphins may be whales that became more “streamlined” when they decided to join the revolution and play on the web and with their mobile phone.

The dolphin market is going to be huge!

YOUR HEART IS FREE, HAVE THE COURAGE TO FOLLOW IT

A BROWSER MANIFESTO – PART 15

I’ve made the argument that game developers should build tools that allow them to support all platforms and screens from the same R&D thrust.  Among these platforms the open browser is the most critical because it is the one that is not controlled by a giant corporation with a profit motive.

It is always tempting to align with the titans because they are big, powerful, influential and know how to market themselves and their business propositions.  But historically, closed platforms don’t work any better for game developers than the Berlin Wall.  Prior to Nintendo there were many open media platforms including print, painting, photography, film, video, music.  While Philips invented the CD player they widely licensed their patents and charged a mere 6 cents per disc, and allowed complete freedom of operations and expression.  More recently, the World Wide Web was a gift to the public and we’ve seen again how a free, open, competitive platform can flourish.  But Nintendo ushered in a new generation of closed platforms with unappealing license terms for third-parties.  It has always been great for Nintendo, but there isn’t a single great game software company today that was built on the back of Nintendo.  In general, these licenses in the console industry drove up costs, crippled innovation and despite industry growth more than 90% of publishers that bore these costs were wiped out.

Rather than operating like the web or CD, Nintendo has been the reference point for many new closed platforms.  Digital licenses have gotten even worse because the licensors all reserve the right to constantly make unilateral changes, thereby creating a slippery slope for third-party game developers who are at the end of the whip.  Hot new digital platforms with high growth have been as alluring as the Pied Piper, promising developers liberation from publishers and retailers and a chance to be first-movers.  Thousands of developers followed because it seemed reasonable at the time.  Apple, for example seemed generous initially to be raking only 30% of the pot, because Western mobile carriers had been taking 50-75%.  But not enough science or even study of history went into the choice of 30% that has become a de facto standard.  The mobile carriers had failed, so that was not a good reference point.  DoCoMo succeeded by charging only 9%.  Other huge platform successes like the CD and the web were essentially free.  Where is the analysis or evidence that a 30% fee is viable for a third-party industry?  There isn’t any.  Instead we have many examples to the contrary.

Consider that for games, it will cost up to 30% of revenue for the cost of acquisition (also known as advertising, even after averaging this cost down to eCPA as a result of other free traffic sources).  Sales or VAT tax can be another 10% or more.  Server overhead to operate free client-server games can also be 10% or more.  If there is a 30% platform fee a game developer is now looking at variable costs eating up 80% or more of revenue, and they still have to cover product development and overhead costs.  From what I can tell from published industry stats, on many platforms these other costs are 50% or more of revenue so now we’re at 130% for a median performing app.  Given a bell curve distribution and 200,000 apps you’ll still have outliers like Angry Birds and Millionaire City but overall this is not a healthy economic picture for game developers.

Many other companies have simply copied the 30% rate from Apple, justifying it on the simple argument that Apple had set the standard.  Well, I guarantee you that Steve Jobs did not envision the cost structure and business model of today’s games and arrive at the 30% number based on a clear understanding of a win-win scenario that would create a healthy value system for game developers.  Steve Jobs may have been a genius but he never liked the game industry and he never understood it, nor did he care about the needs of game developers.  While we’re currently stuck with the number he made up, there are signs of increasing platform competition as Windows 8 will charge a reduced rate of 20% and Google+ launched at only a 5% fee.  But history has shown that as developers invest and help platform owners become strong, the rates go up.

Game developers need to wake up now and realize that they have too often been willing serfs in feudal kingdoms where they don’t own the soil that they till.  The open browser is the next big game platform.  But even if it wasn’t, it is the one, only and best place for a developer to plant their flag and invest in their future.  Because it is open and free!  Being strong in the browser will create even more synergy if you are also extending your reach with Facebook, Apple, Android and other platforms that you can branch to from the browser.  We can even tolerate their 30% tariffs if our technology leverages product investments to reach all screens and to provide more sources of free traffic.  But freedom for game developers must come first.  If we are free, we can consider a flanking move on a closed platform from a position of strength and we can negotiate with some bargaining power, perhaps even with a collective viewpoint.

There have been other freedom fights in game industry history and we’ve had our William Wallaces.  Activision’s founders were sued by their former bosses at Atari but their bid for independence survived.  Tengen challenged Nintendo but suffered a fatal loss.  I founded Electronic Arts to create a better business model for game developers.  The most important single thing I did at EA was to push my team to reverse-engineer the Sega Genesis so that EA could be liberated from the draconian license agreements that were offered in those days.  I founded 3DO as a bold attempt to help developers and improve the value chain, but 3DO was outflanked by Sony’s deeper pockets.  3DO reduced industry standard console license fees by 70% but Sony put them right back where they had been.  More than 900 companies signed 3DO licenses but they fled to Sony when Sony proved willing to take big losses to build their hardware installed base.  Sony executives did tell me later that they copied many business practices and licensing philosophies from 3DO, which made things better for developers.  With Steampowered.com, Valve pioneered digital distribution at a time when none of the PC game publishers would touch it.  Bigpoint and GameForge pioneered browser games when the mainstream didn’t care.  In every one of these cases, game developers took risks and ventured into unknown territory for the betterment of game developers and the public.  The courage of a few did help grow an industry that can now support a vastly larger number of global game developers.  Today, the open browser gives all game developers a chance to be courageous and help the industry reach for a new age that could be truly golden for game developers, not just for Apple, Facebook and Zynga.

The browser is worth fighting for.  We need to be free.  We are all William Wallaces.  Let’s follow our hearts.

THE REPUBLIC OF GAMING

A BROWSER MANIFESTO – PART 16

THE REPUBLIC OF GAMING

This blog post completes The Browser Manifesto with the notion that Indie game developers can collectively have the power of Zynga if we collaborate to create The Republic of Gaming. United, we are as strong as anyone.

We are entering the age of convenient computing. The browser will become the next big game platform. Core gamers, or whales, will migrate by the millions to this new model and drive a $100 billion market based on free to play games with virtual goods. Distribution principles will be disrupted and some big players will fall while many newcomers succeed on the basis of great new games that use the Discovery business model. There is potential greatness in every game developer that will now have a chance to flourish and stand on its own, if we work together.

We need only recognize the benefits of collaboration and trust each other. We trust the World Wide Web and need to master how we leverage it. The same can be said for Google search, Facebook friends, email lists, ad networks, offer networks, affiliate networks, development tools and innovative partnerships like FreeGameLeaders.Com.

Your heart is free. Have the courage to follow it.

THE DAU IS DOWN

We are in the middle of a tremendous growth phase in the history of the game business and advancement requires astute analysis and brutal honesty.

While an otherwise good overview of 2010, this recent article from Inside Network missed the bigger picture and elements of cause and effect, which led to invalid conclusions.
They try to explain a shift in market share away from the early 2010 Big 5 as the result of the “rise of the Indies” and their “superior game design”. In fact, the entire shift in share is explained byFacebook moving their focus to adding new, 2nd tier Credits partners and nourishing them with free installs.  Many of the companies that got these installs did indeed rise, but fell later when the free traffic ran out.  I’m not saying it was the Indies fault, it’s just a false conclusion to say the Indies are winning or that game design is the cause. The market declined for everyone, but free installs covered the problem for a period of time. Overall, the “other 175” games in the story’s sample have in fact declined in total DAU audience in the last 3 months, from a peak of 48M DAU back in November. It’s even worse if you dig deeper and look at the Top 1,000 games from the Top 200 publishers, which goes well beyond the article’s sample into true Indie territory.  Frankly, since conventional game design thinking does not apply well to Facebook, the results of the Top 200 game publishers have been both random and disappointing with a disturbingly high failure rate that should be scaring the crud out of everyone. Case in point:  Zynga’s biggest 4 rivals from early 2010, despite spending more money and launching more games that were also, presumably, “better designed”, and made with “more experience”, collectively declined from 26M DAU to 13M DAU. This despite the fact that these companies made several acquisitions. Among these “leaders” the only new game gaining any ground recently is Crowdstar’s It Girl which, again, happens to be getting more free Facebook installs than any game in Facebook history.

It is better if we are objective about what is going on, and honestly, about how challenging it is regardless of size. A healthy industry is one in which the ecosystem is fundamentally growing (outside of marketing and exceptional cases), R&D is easily amortized from revenue, margins are good, and marketing investments are positive ROI. Right now, all of these are major challenges. Do not underestimate any of them. Jus’ sayin’. We all have a ton of opportunity ahead but even a Titanic can find an iceberg if there is not enough humble and vigilant attention to detail.

Reception history of Jane Austen

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="450"]Portrait of Jane Austen, from the memoir by J.... Portrait of Jane Austen, from the memoir by J. E. Austen-Leigh. All other portraits of Austen are generally based on this, which is itself based on a sketch by Cassandra Austen (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]

The reception history of Jane Austen follows a path from modest fame to wild popularity. Jane Austen (1775–1817), the author of such works asPride and Prejudice (1813) and Emma (1815), has become one of the best-known and widely read novelists in the English language.[1] Her novels are the subject of intense scholarly study and the centre of a diverse fan culture.

During her lifetime, Austen's novels brought her little personal fame. Like many women writers, she chose to publish anonymously and it was only among members of the aristocracy that her authorship was an open secret. At the time they were published, Austen's works were considered fashionable by members of high society but received few positive reviews. By the mid-19th century, her novels were admired by members of the literary elite who viewed their appreciation of her works as a mark of cultivation. The publication in 1870 of her nephew's Memoir of Jane Austenintroduced her to a wider public as an appealing personality—dear, quiet aunt Jane—and her works were republished in popular editions. By the start of the 20th century, competing groups had sprung up—some to worship her and some to defend her from the "teeming masses"—but all claiming to be the true Janeites, or those who properly appreciated Austen.

Early in the 20th century, scholars produced a carefully edited collection of her works—the first for any British novelist—but it was not until the 1940s that Austen was widely accepted in academia as a "great English novelist". The second half of the 20th century saw a proliferation of Austen scholarship, which explored numerous aspects of her works: artistic, ideological, and historical. With the growing professionalisation of university English departments in the first half of the 20th century, criticism of Austen became progressively more esoteric and, as a result, appreciation of Austen splintered into distinctive high culture and popular culture trends. In the late 20th century, fans founded Jane Austen societies and clubs to celebrate the author, her time, and her works. As of the early 21st century, Austen fandom supports an industry of printed sequels and prequels as well as television and film adaptations, which started with the 1940 Pride and Prejudice and evolved to include the 2004 Bollywood-style productionBride and Prejudice.

Background


Jane Austen lived her entire life as part of a large and close-knit family on the lower fringes of the English gentry.[2] Her family's steadfast support was critical to Austen's development as a professional writer.[3] Austen read draft versions of all of her novels to her family, receiving feedback and encouragement,[4] and it was her father who sent out her first publication bid.[5] Austen's artistic apprenticeship lasted from her teenage years until she was about thirty-five. During this period, she experimented with various literary forms, including the epistolary novel which she tried and then abandoned, and wrote and extensively revised three major novels and began a fourth. With the release of Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813),Mansfield Park (1814) and Emma (1815), she achieved success as a published writer.

Novel-writing was a suspect occupation for women in the early 19th century, because it imperiled their social reputation by bringing them publicity viewed as unfeminine. Therefore, like many other female writers, Austen published anonymously.[6] Eventually, though, her novels' authorship became an open secret among the aristocracy.[7] During one of her visits to London, the Prince Regent invited her, through his librarian, James Stanier Clarke,[8]to view his library at Carlton House; his librarian mentioned that the Regent admired her novels and that "if Miss Austen had any other Novel forthcoming, she was quite at liberty to dedicate it to the Prince".[9] Austen, who disapproved of the prince's extravagant lifestyle, did not want to follow this suggestion, but her friends convinced her otherwise: in short order, Emma was dedicated to him. Austen turned down the librarian's further hint to write a historical romance in honor of the prince's daughter's marriage.[10]

A sketch of a woman from the back sitting beneath a tree and wearing early 19th-century British clothing and a bonnet


A watercolour sketch of Jane Austen by her sister Cassandra(c. 1804)




In the last year of her life, Austen revised Northanger Abbey (1817), wrote Persuasion (1817), and began another novel, eventually titled Sanditon, which was left unfinished at her death. Austen did not have time to see Northanger Abbey or Persuasion through the press, but her family published them as one volume after her death and her brother Henry included a "Biographical Notice of the Author".[11] This short biography sowed the seeds for the myth of Austen as a quiet, retiring aunt who wrote during her spare time: "Neither the hope of fame nor profit mixed with her early motives ... [S]o much did she shrink from notoriety, that no accumulation of fame would have induced her, had she lived, to affix her name to any productions of her pen ... in public she turned away from any allusion to the character of an authoress."[12] However, this description is in direct contrast to the excitement Austen shows in her letters regarding publication and profit: Austen was a professional writer.[13]

Austen's works are noted for their realism, biting social commentary, and masterful use of free indirect speech, burlesque and irony.[14] They critique the novels of sensibility of the second half of the 18th century and are part of the transition to 19th-century realism.[15] As Susan Gubar and Sandra Gilbert explain, Austen makes fun of "such novelistic clichés as love at first sight, the primacy of passion over all other emotions and/or duties, the chivalric exploits of the hero, the vulnerable sensitivity of the heroine, the lovers' proclaimed indifference to financial considerations, and the cruel crudity of parents".[16] Austen's plots, though comic,[17] highlight the way women depend on marriage to secure social standing and economic security.[18] Like the writings of Samuel Johnson, a strong influence on her, her works are fundamentally concerned with moral issues

1812–1821: Individual reactions and contemporary reviews


Austen's novels quickly became fashionable among opinion-makers, namely, those aristocrats who often dictated fashion and taste. Lady Bessborough, sister to the notorious Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, commented on Sense and Sensibility in a letter to a friend: "it is a clever novel.  ... tho' it ends stupidly, I was much amused by it."[20] The fifteen-year-old daughter of the Prince Regent, Princess Charlotte Augusta, compared herself to one of the book's heroines: "I think Marianne & me are very like in disposition, that certainly I am not so good, the same imprudence, &tc".[21] After reading Pride and Prejudice, playwright Richard Sheridan advised a friend to "[b]uy it immediately" for it "was one of the cleverest things" he had ever read.[22] Anne Milbanke, future wife of the Romantic poet Lord Byron, wrote that "I have finished the Novel called Pride and Prejudice, which I think a very superior work." She commented that the novel "is the most probable fiction I have ever read" and had become "at present the fashionable novel".[23] The Dowager Lady Vernon told a friend thatMansfield Park was "[n]ot much of a novel, more the history of a family party in the country, very natural"—as if, comments one Austen scholar, "Lady Vernon's parties mostly featured adultery."[24] Lady Anne Romilly told her friend, the novelist Maria Edgeworth, that "[Mansfield Park] has been pretty generally admired here" and Edgeworth commented later that "we have been much entertained with Mansfield Park".[24]

Despite these positive reactions from the elite, Austen's novels received relatively few reviews during her lifetime:[25] two for Sense and Sensibility, three for Pride and Prejudice, none for Mansfield Park, and seven for Emma. Most of the reviews were short and on balance favourable, although superficial and cautious.[26] They most often focused on the moral lessons of the novels.[27]Moreover, as Brian Southam, who has edited the definitive volumes on Austen's reception, writes in his description of these reviewers, "their job was merely to provide brief notices, extended with quotations, for the benefit of women readers compiling their library lists and interested only in knowing whether they would like a book for its story, its characters and moral".[28] Asked by publisher John Murray to review Emma, famed historical novelist Walter Scott wrote the longest and most thoughtful of these reviews, which was published anonymously in the March 1816 issue of the Quarterly Review. Using the review as a platform from which to defend the then disreputable genre of the novel, Scott praised Austen's works, celebrating her ability to copy "from nature as she really exists in the common walks of life, and presenting to the reader ... a correct and striking representation of that which is daily taking place around him".[29] Modern Austen scholar William Galperin has noted that "unlike some of Austen's lay readers, who recognized her divergence from realistic practice as it had been prescribed and defined at the time, Walter Scott may well have been the first to install Austen as the realist par excellence".[30] Scott wrote in his private journal in 1826, in what later became a widely quoted comparison:

Also read again and for the third time at least Miss Austen's very finely written novel of Pride and Prejudice. That young lady had a talent for describing the involvement and feelings and characters of ordinary life which is to me the most wonderful I ever met with. The Big Bow-wow strain I can do myself like any now going, but the exquisite touch which renders ordinary commonplace things and characters interesting from the truth of the description and the sentiment is denied to me. What a pity such a gifted creature died so early![31][32]


Half-length portrait of a man in a black suit with a mustard vest and wispy blonde hair.


Novelist Walter Scott praised Austen's "exquisite touch which renders ordinary commonplace things ... interesting".[31]




Northanger Abbey and Persuasion, published together posthumously in December 1817, were reviewed in the British Critic in March 1818 and in theEdinburgh Review and Literary Miscellany in May 1818. The reviewer for the British Critic felt that Austen's exclusive dependence on realism was evidence of a deficient imagination. The reviewer for the Edinburgh Review disagreed, praising Austen for her "exhaustless invention" and the combination of the familiar and the surprising in her plots.[33] Overall, Austen scholars have pointed out that these early reviewers did not know what to make of her novels—for example, they misunderstood her use of irony. Reviewers reduced Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice to didactic tales of virtue prevailing over vice.[34]

In the Quarterly Review in 1821, the English writer and theologian Richard Whately published the most serious and enthusiastic early posthumous review of Austen's work. Whately drew favourable comparisons between Austen and such acknowledged greats as Homer and Shakespeare, praising the dramatic qualities of her narrative. He also affirmed the respectability and legitimacy of the novel as a genre, arguing that imaginative literature, especially narrative, was more valuable than history or biography. When it was properly done, as in Austen, Whately said, imaginative literature concerned itself with generalised human experience from which the reader could gain important insights into human nature; in other words, it was moral.[35] Whately also addressed Austen's position as a female writer, writing: "we suspect one of Miss Austin's [sic] great merits in our eyes to be, the insight she gives us into the peculiarities of female characters. ... Her heroines are what one knows women must be, though one never can get them to acknowledge it."[36] No more significant, original Austen criticism was published until the late 19th century: Whately and Scott had set the tone for the Victorian era's view of Austen
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Saturday, January 26, 2013

LG enV2 (VX9100)

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500"]LG enV touch cell phone. LG enV touch cell phone. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]

The LG enV² is a Verizon Wireless digital messaging feature phone manufactured by LG. It is available in standard black as well as maroon (pomegranate, in Canada). Both the colors are available at Verizon Wireless (Telus Stores and Koodo stores, in Canada) stores, and were released on the same date. It is also capable of installing VZ Navigator. The original price of the phone at release was $129 after a $50 mail-in-rebate. It had dropped to $79.99, and then to $49.99, but as of February 2009, the price has returned to $129.99. Best Buy stores also offer the enV² for a price of $49.99 with a 2 year contract. As of June 2012, a data plan for the phone is optional. [3]

It succeeded both the LG enV (VX9900) and the original LG The V (VX9800). The phone's successor, the LG enV3 (VX9200) was released in 2009.

The styling of this phone has been updated from the previous versions. It's slimmer (40% slimmer than original enV), lighter (30% lighter than original enV), and more pocketable than the previous versions. Its styling is made more comfortable and easier to handle and text, its shaped like a rectangle with both front and back of phone being a flat surface (unlike the original enV). The back of the phone is painted in SoftTouch paint in the phone's respective color (a smooth and grippy paint) making it more comfortable to handle. Its styling follows that of the LG Voyager (VX10000), which is the other successor to the LG enV (VX9900) and the LG The V (VX9800) phones. The Env2 was released in Canada in August, 2008 as the LG Keybo from Telus. Its successor, the enV3, was released on May 29, 2009.

Features


The enV² has several features, such as the QWERTY keyboard and a 2.0 megapixel camera with up to 10x zoom. It is Bluetooth-compatible and supports V CAST, Verizon's music and video service, as well as VZ Navigator, Verizon's map service. The phone has a microSD memory card port for storing music and video from a computer and is enabled to set videos under 5MB as wallpaper. It can store up to 300 text messages, has an "auto text readout" functionality(phone reads texts outloud for you), and message sorter. The phone supports FOTA, which allows for new firmware updates to be sent to the device without needing to make a trip to a retail store to receive the update.

The phone also has the capability to display four different themes which may change button styles, background colors, and general style of the phone. These themes are the Classic view, having the red and white menu screen when the OK button is pressed, the Slick Black theme, with a more digital, and of course, black look. There is also the Wall theme, with the menu and other features looking like a concrete wall. The last theme is the wave, a rounded and dark look.

The phone supports up to 8GB of storage via the MicroSD port on the right side of the phone. The forms of media able to be stored on this card include: Photos ("PIX"), Music, Sounds, and Videos ("FLIX"). This phone supports the Bluetooth profile A2DP which supports the listening of music through wireless headphones. The phone also has a "Standalone Mode" which allows one to take advantage of the phone's multimedia capabilities (Music, Photos, Videos, Games) without sending or receiving RF signals. This mode is most useful while on an airplane.

The phone has a full QWERTY keyboard optimized for text messaging, and comes in the alternate colors maroon and black.

Specific ringtones may be set for individual callers on the phone's contact list. However, unlike many previous LG models, it is not possible to set individual ringers for incoming TXT messages.

Specifications


The following are the specifications for the LG enV2



































































































TypeSpecification
Backlit KeypadYes
Battery TypeLithium-Ion
CalculatorYes
CalendarYes
Changeable Faceplate CapableNo
Customizable Ring TonesBuilt-In, Downloadable
Data CapabilitiesYes
Extras2.0MP Camera, Bluetooth, MP3 Player
GamesYes, Downloadable
Hands-free SpeakerphoneYes
Included in BoxAC Charger Rechargeable Battery
Keypad LockYes
Number of Display Lines320 x 240 Pixels
Number of Modes/BandsDual band
Phone Book Capacity1000
Product Dimensions10.2(W) x 5.4(H) x 1.65(D) cm
Product Weight120g
Standby TimeUp To 216 Hours
Supports Caller IDYes
Talk TimeUp to 5 hours
Vibrate ModeBuilt-in
Web BrowserYes
MemoryInternal/External, USB Mass Storage

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HTRA1

HTRA1

Serine protease HTRA1 is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the HTRA1 gene.[1][2] The HTRA1 protein is composed of four distinctprotein domains. They are from amino-terminus to carboxyl-terminus an Insulin-like growth factor binding domain, a kazal domain, a trypsin-like peptidase domain and a PDZ domain.

 

This gene encodes a member of the trypsin family of serine proteases. This protein is a secreted enzyme that is proposed to regulate the availability of insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) by cleaving IGF-binding proteins. It has also been suggested to be a regulator of cell growth

 
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Sydney Riot of 1879

Dave Gregory, the captain of New South Wales

The Sydney Riot of 1879 was a civil disorder that occurred at an early international cricket match. It took place in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, at the Association Ground, Moore Park, now known as the Sydney Cricket Ground, during a match between a touring English team captained byLord Harris and New South Wales, led by Dave Gregory, who was also thecaptain of Australia. The riot was sparked by a controversial umpiring decision, when star Australian batsman Billy Murdoch was given out byGeorge Coulthard, a Victorian employed by the Englishmen. The dismissal caused an uproar among the parochial spectators, many of whom surged onto the pitch and assaulted Coulthard and some English players. It was alleged that illegal gamblers in the New South Wales pavilion, who had bet heavily on the home side, encouraged the riot because the tourists were in a dominant position and looked set to win. Another theory given to explain the anger was that of intercolonial rivalry, that the New South Wales crowd objected to what they perceived to be a slight from a Victorian umpire.

The pitch invasion occurred while Gregory halted the match by not sending out a replacement for Murdoch. The New South Wales skipper called on Lord Harris to remove umpire Coulthard, whom he considered to be inept or biased, but his English counterpart declined. The other umpire, Edmund Barton, defended Coulthard and Lord Harris, saying that the decision against Murdoch was correct and that the English had conducted themselves appropriately. Eventually, Gregory agreed to resume the match without the removal of Coulthard. However, the crowd continued to disrupt proceedings, and play was abandoned for the day. Upon resumption after the Sunday rest day, Lord Harris's men won convincingly by an innings.









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Friday, January 25, 2013

The Simplest and Best Roast Chicken

Every week on Food52.com, we're digging up Genius Recipes -- the ones that make us rethink cooking myths, get us talking, and change the way we cook. Today: No trussing, no basting. It turns out the juiciest and speediest roast chicken is the simplest of all.


The Simplest and Best Roast Chicken

–Kristen Miglore, Senior Editor, Food52.com

Choosing one genius roast chicken is a tall, if not impossible, order. You might as well ask a parent to pick a favorite child. They are all special and clever and equally deserving of love, which is why it's taken me this long to commit. Read the entire story

The 10 Most Counterfeited Products in America

[caption id="attachment_2355" align="alignnone" width="630"]Associated Press/Bullit Marquez - A Government worker uses a cutter to slash a counterfeit Louis Vuitton handbag during a ceremonial destruction of counterfeit goods seized in raids recently at parade grounds of the Philippine National Police at suburban Quezon city, northeast of Manila, Thursday June 30, 2011. The ceremonial destruction of pirated DVDs and other counterfeit goods was done to coincide with the global celebration and awareness campaign known as World Anti-Counterfeiting Day. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez) Associated Press/Bullit Marquez - A Government worker uses a cutter to slash a counterfeit Louis Vuitton handbag during a ceremonial destruction of counterfeit goods seized in raids recently at parade grounds of the Philippine National Police at suburban Quezon city, northeast of Manila, Thursday June 30, 2011. The ceremonial destruction of pirated DVDs and other counterfeit goods was done to coincide with the global celebration and awareness campaign known as World Anti-Counterfeiting Day. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)[/caption]

The American economy loses $250 billion as a result of counterfeit products each year, according to a recent report. Despite the impact, only a fraction can be detected and confiscated by the government.

Approximately $1.26 billion worth of counterfeit goods originating overseas were seized by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in 2012. Each seizure averaged $10,450 worth of counterfeit goods. The three most confiscated items in 2012 were handbags and wallets; watches and jewelry; and wearing apparel and accessories. 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 10 most counterfeit items seized in 2012, based on their retail value.

[More from 24/7 Wall St.: The States with the Most Homes in Foreclosure]

The value and the number of seizures changes dramatically each year due to the products sold and the success of CBP operations. The value of handbags and wallets seized in 2012 rose 142% compared to the previous year. Therese Randazzo, the director of the Intellectual Property Policy and Programs Division for the CBP, explained that CBP officials may seize knockoffs of more expensive brands in one year than in another. Read the entire story

Procter & Gamble Tops Estimates, Raises Outlook

[caption id="attachment_2350" align="alignleft" width="630"]35682-hi-PG_building Procter & Gamble Co. headquarters building in Cincinnati.[/caption]

 

Household products giant Procter & Gamble (PG) reported quarterly earnings and revenue on Thursday that beat analysts' expectations.

The company, which makes household staples such as Bounty paper towels and Tide detergent, reported fiscal second-quarter earnings excluding items of $1.22 per share, up from $1.10 a share a year ago.

Revenue rose to $22.18 billion from $22.14 billion a year ago.

"The consumer is definitely hanging in there. We haven't seen an inflection point in the market growth rates yet, but we also haven't seen any deterioration. So it's reasonably good," Procter & Gamble CFO Jon Moeller told CNBC. Read the entire story

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Klaha

klaha

Masaki Haruna (春名真樹 Haruna Masaki?), aka Klaha, is a Japanese singer-songwriter. He is best known as the third vocalist for visual kei rock band Malice Mizer. His first band was the new wave group Pride of Mind, active from 1992-1996. He first played with Malice Mizer in 2000, on their single, "Shiroi Hada ni Kuruu Ai to Kanashimi no Rondo", providing vocals, although he was credited as "fourth blood relative". He then provided vocals on their album, Bara no Seidou. It wasn't until at a concert in August that he became an official member. Sadly it wasn't for long, as only a year laterMalice Mizer went on hiatus.[1] A year after Malice Mizer, Klaha started a solo career, but with a drastic change of style he performed pop music. After a live appearance in April 2004, Klaha's releases and performances stopped without explanation. In 2007 he stated that he would be returning that year, but nothing happened and no information has been given since.














































Klaha
Birth nameMasaki Haruna
Also known asKlaha
BornMay 3[citation needed]
OriginOsaka, Japan
GenresProgressive rock, dark wave,gothic rock, pop rock, new wave
OccupationsMusician, singer-songwriter
InstrumentsVocals
Years active1992–2004
Associated actsMalice Mizer, Pride of Mind
WebsiteOfficial Website (expired)

 

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Gary Pettis































































Gary Pettis
Texas Rangers – No. 24
Center fielder
Born: April 3, 1958 (age 54)
Oakland, California
Batted: SwitchThrew: Right
MLB debut
September 13, 1982 for the California Angels
Last MLB appearance
September 10, 1992 for the Detroit Tigers
Career statistics
Batting average  .236
Hits  855
Runs batted in  259
Stolen bases  354
Teams


  • California Angels (1982–1987)

  • Detroit Tigers (1988–1989)

  • Texas Rangers (1990–1991)

  • San Diego Padres (1992)

  • Detroit Tigers (1992)


Career highlights and awards


  • 5× Gold Glove Award winner (1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990)



[caption id="" align="alignright" width="266"]The Gold Glove Award given to Eric Chavez for ... The Gold Glove Award given to Eric Chavez for his performance during the 2005 season (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]

Gary George Pettis (born April 3, 1958, in Oakland, California) is the current first base coach of the Texas Rangers. Prior to coaching, he spent eleven seasons as a center fielder in Major League Baseball.

Pettis was selected in the 6th round of the 1979 draft by the Angels, and played minor league baseball for the Salinas Spurs of the class "A" California League in 1980, then the Holyoke Millers of the double "A" Eastern League in 1981. In 1982, Pettis was promoted to theCalifornia Angels, where he played the first six seasons of his career.

After the 1987 season, Pettis went on to play two seasons with the Detroit Tigers, 1988 through the following season of 1989. After two years with Detroit, Pettis joined the Texas Rangers for two seasons 1990-91. Pettis finished his career in the major leagues in 1992. The 1992 season saw Pettis play for two different teams. After leaving the Texas Rangers, Pettis joined the San Diego Padres for the 1992 season but ended that season back in Detroit with the Tigers.

During his career, Pettis consistently hit for low averages and was known for striking out often, but he performed extremely well on defense, earning five Gold Glove Awards. He was noted for making many spectacular leaping or diving catches, depriving hitters of home runs or base hits, and was known in baseball circles as "The man who made center field look easy". Additionally, he was a prolific base runner and had five seasons where he stole over 40 bases. Pettis held the Angels' club record for stolen bases for nearly 20 years, until it was broken byChone Figgins on July 15, 2007. Pettis was tagged as "Pac Man" Pettis by a local radio station listener call-in contest in 1986, referring to his unusual speed in the outfield and ability to chase down opponents' hits.

On his 1985 Topps baseball card, the person posing in the picture is not Pettis, and is in fact a picture of his younger brother.

 

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Pentawer

 

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500"]English: Head of mummy of pharaoh Ramesses III... English: Head of mummy of pharaoh Ramesses III. Русский: Голова мумии фараона Рамсеса III. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]

Pentawer (or Pentaweret) was an ancient Egyptian prince of the 20th dynasty, a son of Pharaoh Ramesses III and a secondary wife, Tiye.


Pentawer was to be the beneficiary of the so-called "harem conspiracy" probably initiated by his mother Tiye to assassinate the pharaoh.[2] Tiye wanted her son to succeed the pharaoh, even though the chosen heir was a son of the chief queen Iset Ta-Hemdjert. According to the Judicial Papyrus of Turin Pentawer was among those who were made to stand trial for their participation in the conspiracy. It is likely that he was forced to commit suicide.[1] The papyrus refers to this laconically:
They (i.e. the judges) left him in his place, he took his own life.[3]

Historian Susan Redford speculates that Pentawer, being a noble, was given the option to commit suicide by taking poison and so be spared the humiliating fate of some of the other conspirators who would have been burned alive with their ashes strewn in the streets. Such punishment served to make a strong example since it emphasized the gravity of their treason for ancient Egyptians who believed that one could only attain an afterlife if one's body was mummified and preserved — rather than being destroyed by fire. In other words, not only were the criminals killed in the physical world; they did not attain an afterlife. They would have no chance of living on into the next world, and thus suffered a complete personal annihilation. By committing suicide, Pentawer could avoid the harsher punishment of a second death. This could have permitted him to be mummified and move on to the afterlife.

A recent study of unknown remains buried together with Ramesses III and now believed to be Pentawer based on DNA tests, suggest however that he was strangled or hanged. If the remains indeed are his, then he was about 18 years old at the time of his death.[4][5]

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American Institute of Mathematics

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="450"]Gruter Institute Conference on Growth Gruter Institute Conference on Growth (Photo credit: jurvetson)[/caption]

The American Institute of Mathematics (AIM) was founded in 1994 by John Fry and is located in Palo Alto, California. Privately funded by Fry at inception, in 2002, AIM became one of eightNSF-funded mathematical institutes.

Brian Conrey has been director of the institute since 1997.

The Institute was founded with the primary goal of identifying and solving important mathematical problems. Originally, very small groups of top mathematicians would be assembled to solve a major problem, such as the Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer conjecture. Now the Institute also runs an extensive program of week-long workshops on current topics in mathematical research. These workshops rely strongly on interactive problem sessions.

AIM annually awards a prestigious five-year fellowship to an "outstanding new PhD pursuing research in an area of pure mathematics". The fellowship is currently[when?] worth US$4,000 per month for 60 months. AIM also sponsors local mathematics competitions and a yearly meeting for women mathematicians.

The Institute will eventually move to Morgan Hill, California, about 39 miles (63 km) to the southeast, when its new facility there is completed. Plans for the new facility were started about 2000, but construction work was delayed by regulatory and engineering issues into mid-2011. The facility will be built as a facsimile of The Alhambra, a 14th century Moorish palace and fortress in Spain.

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Azim-ush-Shan

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="600"]English: Aurangzeb holds court, as painted by ... English: Aurangzeb holds court, as painted by (perhaps) Bichitr; Shaistah Khan stands behind Prince Muhammad Azam (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]

Prince Azim-ush-Shan (December 15, 1664 - March 18, 1712) was the third son of Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah I, by his second wife, Maharajkumari Amrita Bai Sahiba. He was also the grandson of emperor Aurangzeb, during whose reign, he was the subedar (viceroy) of Bengal Subah, Bihar and Orissa from 1697 to his death in 1712, at the age of 47.

Reign


In 1697 he was appointed the viceroy of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa by emperor Aurangzeb.Shortly after, he took successful military initiative against Rahim Khan. Azim gave East India Company permission to build Fort William in Calcutta. Using Mughal permission, Dutch also built Fort Gustavas inChinsura and French built Fort Orleans in Chandernagore.


Azim got into conflict with Murshid Quli Khan, the newly appointed Nawab of Bengal, over imperial financial control. Considering the complaint ofMurshid Quli Khan, emperor Aurangzeb ordered Azim to move to Bihar.In 1703 he transferred the capital to Rajmahal and then again to Pataliputra(present-day Patna). He renamed Pataliputra to Azimabad after his own name.


In 1712, at the time of his father's death, he immediately proclaimed himself emperor. However, he was killed (drowned in the Ravi River) shortly afterwards in the succession struggles that ensued.

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Great Shefford railway station

Great_Shefford,_Former_Lambourn_Valley_Railway_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1660730


The station opened on 1 April 1898 as West Shefford. It was renamed Great Shefford in November 1900.


In 1923, a crane costing £179 was installed to facilitate the handling of heavy goods – particularly timber. The crane had a loading capacity of 64 tons. The station had a coal yard, and also dealt with dairy produce, livestock, and racehorses.


The station closed to all traffic on 4 January 1960.

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Operation Goodwood

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="400"]A knocked-out German PzKpfw IV tank in a hull-... A knocked-out German PzKpfw IV tank in a hull-down position, 13 July 1944. Additional info: "A dug-in Panzer IV of the 1/22nd Panzer Regiment, photographed near Lebisey after being knocked out during Operation Charnwood.(Battle for Caen, p. 34, by Simon Trew. ISBN:0-7509-3010-1) Charnwood Category:Military history of Normandy Category:World War II operations and battles of Europe Category:Battles and operations of World War II Charnwood, Operation Charnwood, Operation Charnwood, Operation (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]

Operation Goodwood was a Second World War British offensive that took place between 18 and 20 July 1944. British VIII Corps, with three armoured divisions, launched the attack aiming to seize the German-held Bourguébus Ridge, along with the area between Bretteville-sur-Laize and Vimont, while also destroying as many German tanks as possible.

Goodwood was proceeded by preliminary attacks dubbed the Second Battle of the Odon. On 18 July, British I Corps conducted an advance to secure a series of villages and the eastern flank of VIII Corps. On VIII Corps's western flank, Canadian II Corps launched a coordinated attack—codenamed Operation Atlantic—aimed at capturing the remaining German-held sections of the city of Caen south of the Orne River.

When Operation Goodwood ended on 20 July, the armoured divisions had broken through the initial German defences and had advanced seven miles before coming to a halt in front of the Bourguébus Ridge, although armoured cars had penetrated further south and over the ridge.

Since 1944, there has been controversy over what the actual objective of the operation was: whether it was a limited attack to secure Caen and pin German formations in the eastern region of the Normandy beachhead, preventing them from disengaging to join the counterattack against the US Operation Cobra, or a failed attempted breakout from the Normandy bridgehead. At least one historian has called the operation the largest tank battle that the British Army has ever fought.

Background


The historic Normandy town of Caen was a D-Day objective for the British 3rd Infantry Division that landed on Sword Beach on 6 June 1944.[15] The capture of Caen, while "ambitious", has been described by historian L F Ellis as the most important D-Day objective assigned to Lieutenant-General Crocker's I Corps.[nb 4] Operation Overlord called for Second Army to secure the city and then form a front line from Caumont-l'Éventé to the south-east of Caen, in order to acquire airfields and protect the left flank of the United States First Armywhile it moved on Cherbourg.[19] Possession of Caen and its surroundings would give Second Army a suitable staging area for a push south to capture Falaise, which could itself be used as the pivot for a swing left to advance on Argentan and then towards the Touques River.[20] The terrain between Caen and Vimont was especially promising, being open, dry and conducive to swift offensive operations. Since the Allied forces greatly outnumbered the Germans in tanks and mobile units, transforming the battle into a more fluid fast-moving battle was to their advantage.[21]

Hampered by congestion in the beachhead that delayed the deployment of its armoured support and forced to divert effort to attacking strongly held German positions along the 9.3-mile (15.0 km) route to the town, the 3rd Division was unable to assault Caen in force and was stopped short of the outskirts.[22] Follow-up attacks were unsuccessful as German resistance solidified; abandoning the direct approach, Operation Perch—a pincer attack by I and XXX Corps[23]—was launched on 7 June, with the intention of encircling Caen from the east and west.[24] I Corps, striking south out of the Orne bridgehead, was halted by the 21st Panzer Division,[25] and the attack by XXX Corps bogged down in front of Tilly-sur-Seulles, west of Caen, in the face of stiff opposition from the Panzer Lehr Division.[24] In an effort to force Panzer Lehr to withdraw or surrender[26] and thereby keep operations fluid, the 7th Armoured Division pushed through a gap in the German front line and tried to capture the town of Villers-Bocage in the German rear.[27] The resulting day long battle saw the vanguard of the 7th Armoured Division withdraw from the town,[28] but by 17 June Panzer Lehr had themselves been forced back and XXX Corps had taken Tilly-sur-Seulles.[29] The British were forced to abandon plans for further offensive operations, including a second attack by the 7th Armoured Division,[30] when on 19 June a severe storm descended upon the English Channel. The storm, which lasted for three days, significantly delayed the Allied build-up.[31] Most of the landing craft and ships already at sea were driven back to ports in Britain; towed barges and other loads (including 2.5 miles (4.0 km) of floating roadways for the Mulberry harbours) were lost; and 800 craft were left stranded on the Normandy beaches until the next high tides in July.[32]

Having taken a few days to make good the deficiencies caused by the storm, on 26 June the British launched Operation Epsom. The newly arrived VIII Corps, under Lieutenant-General Sir Richard O'Connor, was to strike to the west of Caen south across the Odon and Orne rivers, capture an area of high ground near Bretteville-sur-Laize, and thus encircle the city.[33] The attack was preceded by Operation Martlet, the aim of which was to secure VIII Corp's flank by capturing high ground on the right of the axis of advance.[34] Although the Germans managed to contain the offensive, to do so they had been obliged to commit all their available strength[35] including two panzer divisions just arrived in Normandy[36] and earmarked for a planned offensive against British and American positions around Bayeux.[37] Several days later Second Army made another bid to gain possession of Caen, this time by frontal assault, codenamed Operation Charnwood.[38] As a prelude Operation Windsor, a postponed attack to capture the airfield at Carpiquet just outside Caen, was mounted.[39] By 9 July Charnwood had succeeded in taking northern Caen up to the Orne and Odon rivers,[38] but German forces retained possession of the south bank and a number of important locations including the Colombelles steel works, whose tall chimneys gave them commanding observation posts overlooking the area.

Allies


On 10 July, General Bernard Montgomery, the commander of all the Allied ground forces in Normandy, held a meeting at his headquarters with his army commanders, Lieutenant-Generals Miles Dempsey (British Second Army) and Omar Bradley (United States First Army). They discussed 21st Army Group's employment[42] following the conclusion of Operation Charnwood and the failure of First Army's initial breakout offensive.[43] Montgomery approved Bradley's suggestion for a new offensive codenamed Operation Cobra, a second American breakout attempt to be launched by First Army on 18 July.[44] To facilitate Cobra Montgomery ordered Dempsey to "go on hitting: drawing the German strength, especially the armour, onto yourself - so as to ease the way for Brad".[42]

In early July, Montgomery had been informed by the Adjutant-General to the Forces, Ronald Adam, that, due to a worsening manpower shortage in Britain, sufficient replacements to maintain his infantry strength would not be forthcoming.[45] This led Dempsey[nb 5] to propose an attack comprised solely of armoured divisions, a concept that violated Montgomery's personal policy of never employing such an unbalanced force.[47] However, tanks were one commodity with which the British were plentifully supplied.[48] By mid-July, Second Army had 2,250 medium tanks and 400 light tanks in the bridgehead,[49] of which 500 were in reserve to replace losses.[50] These were organised into three armoured divisions[nb 6] and seven independent armoured / tank brigades.[nb 7]

At 10:00 on 13 July, Dempsey met with three of his five corps commanders[nb 8] to discuss his idea. Later that day, the first written order for Operation Goodwood—named after the Glorious Goodwood race meeting[59]—was issued.[60] This document contained only preliminary instructions and the operation's general intentions; it was intended mainly to stimulate detailed planning and alterations were expected.[61] In addition to Second Army's staff, the order was sent to senior planners in the United Kingdom so that air support for the operation could be secured.[62]

When VIII Corps had first assembled in Normandy in mid-June, it was suggested that the corps be used to attack out of the Orne bridgehead in an attempt to outflank Caen from the east. However this offensive, codenamed Operation Dreadnought, was cancelled when Dempsey and O'Connor made pessimistic assessments to Montgomery regarding the difficulties involved in such an undertaking.[nb 9] In Goodwood's outline plan, VIII Corps, with three armoured divisions, would now strike south out of the Orne Bridgehead.[61] The 11th Armoured Division was to advance south-west over the Bourguébus Ridge and the Caen-Falaise road, aiming for Bretteville-sur-Laize. The Guards Armoured Division was to push south-east to capture Vimont and Argences, and 7th Armoured Division, starting last, was to aim south for Falaise itself. The 3rd Infantry Division, supported by elements of the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division, was to secure VIII Corps's eastern flank by capturing the area around Émiéville, Touffréville and Troarn.[64] Simultaneously II Canadian Corps would launch a supporting attack on VII Corps's western flank. Codenamed Operation Atlantic, the Canadian offensive was intended to liberate Caen south of the Orne river.[65] The British and Canadian operations were tentatively scheduled for 18 July, Bradley's estimate for Cobra's start date having been pushed back by two days to enable his US First Army to secure its start line around Saint-Lô.[66][67]

Detailed planning for Operation Goodwood began on Friday 14 July,[68] but the next day Montgomery issued a written directive ordering Dempsey to make the operation less ambitious. It was to be changed from a "deep break-out" to a "limited attack".[69] Anticipating that the Germans would be forced to commit their armoured reserves rather than risk a massed British tank breakthrough,[70] Dempsey's force was instructed to "engage the German armour in battle and 'write it down' to such an extent that it is of no further value to the Germans". He was to take any opportunity to improve Second Army's position—the orders stated that "a victory on the eastern flank will help us to gain what we want on the western flank"[71]—but not to endanger its role as a "firm bastion" on which the success of the forthcoming American offensive would depend.[72] The objectives of Dempsey's three armoured divisions were rewritten accordingly. They were now only to "dominate the area Bourguébus-Vimont-Bretteville", although it was intended that "armoured cars should push far to the south towards Falaise, spread[ing] alarm and despondency". VIII Corps's objective was changed too, from a wide punch south towards Falaise to a limited thrust to the southwest of Caen. The objectives for II Canadian Corps remained largely unaltered and it was stressed that these were vital. Only following their achievement would VIII Corps "'crack about' as the situation demands".[71]


The 11th Armoured Division was assigned to lead the advance[73] and was tasked with screening Cagny[74] and capturing Bras, Hubert-Folie, Verrières and Fontenay-le-Marmion.[73] Its armoured brigade was to bypass the majority of the German-held villages in its operational area, leaving them to be dealt with by follow-up waves.[75] The division's infantry component, the 159th Infantry Brigade, was initially to act independently of the rest of the division and capture Cuverville and Démouville.[76] The Guards Armoured Division, advancing behind the 11th Armoured Division,[73] was to capture Cagny[74] and Vimont. Starting last, the 7th Armoured Division was to move south beyond the Garcelles-Secqueville ridge. Further advances by the armoured divisions were to be conducted only on Dempsey's order.[69] II Canadian Corps's detailed orders were issued a day later. The corps was to first liberate Colombelles and the remaining portion of Caen, and then to hold itself in readiness to move on the strongly held Verrières Ridge.[77] If the German front collapsed a deeper advance would be considered.[69]

Second Army's intelligence services had formed a good estimate of the opposition Operation Goodwood was likely to face, although the German positions beyond the first line of villages had to be inferred mainly from inconclusive air reconnaissance.[41] The German defensive line was believed to consist of two belts up to four miles deep.[78] Aware that the Germans were expecting a large attack out of the Orne bridgehead,[79]the British initially anticipated meeting resistance from the 16th Luftwaffe Field Division bolstered by SS-Panzergrenadier Regiment 25 of the12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend.[80] Signals intelligence ascertained that the 12th SS Panzer Division had been moved into reserve, and although it was slow to discover that SS-Panzergrenadier Regiment 25 was not with the 16th Luftwaffe Field Division, having also been placed into reserve, this oversight was rectified before 18 July.[80] Battle groups of the 21st Panzer Division, with around 50 Panzer IV tanks and 34assault guns, were expected near Route nationale 13.[80] The 1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler was identified in reserve with an estimated 40 Panther tanks and 60 Panzer IV's,[nb 10] and the presence of two heavy tank battalions equipped with Tiger tanks[disambiguation needed] was established.[nb 11] German armoured strength was estimated at 230 tanks[81] and artillery strength at 300 field and anti-tank guns.[nb 12] Second Army believed that 90 of these guns were in the centre of the battle zone, 40 on the flanks, and a further 20 defending the Caen-Vimont railway line.[80] The British had also located a German gun line on the Bourguébus Ridge, but its strength and gun positions were unknown.


In an attempt to mask the operation's objectives, Second Army initiated a deception plan that included diversionary attacks launched by XII and XXX Corps.[83] Dempsey's three armoured divisions moved to their staging positions west of the Orne only at night and in radio silence,and artillery fire was used to mask the noise of the tank engines.[84] During the hours of daylight all efforts were made to camouflage their new positions.


For artillery support, Goodwood was allocated 760 guns[nb 13] with 297,600 rounds.[nb 14] Prior to the assault these were to attempt to suppress German anti-tank,[87] anti-aircraft[88] and field artillery positions, and during the assault would provide the 11th Armoured Division with a rolling barrage. They would also assist the attacks launched by the 3rd Infantry and 2nd Canadian Infantry Divisions and, throughout the operation, fire on targets as requested.[87] Additional support would be provided by three ships of the Royal Navy,[nb 15] whose targets were German gun batteries located near the coast in the region of Cabourg and Franceville.[85]

Augmenting the preliminary artillery bombardment, 2,077[nb 16] heavy and medium bombers of the Royal Air Force (RAF) and United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) would attack in three waves, in the largest air raid launched in direct support of ground forces in the campaign so far.[90] Speed was an essential part of the Goodwood battle plan and it was hoped that the aerial bombardment would pave the way for the 11th Armoured Division to rapidly secure the Bourguébus Ridge.[75] Dempsey believed that if the operation were to succeed, his tanks would need to be on the ridge by the first afternoon.[91] He therefore cancelled a second attack by heavy bombers scheduled for the first afternoon. Although this was to be in direct support of the advance towards the ridge[85] he was concerned that the 11th Armoured Division should not be delayed waiting for the strike.[91]

Close air support for Goodwood would be provided by No. 83 Group RAF, which was tasked with neutralising German positions on the flanks of VIII Corps' planned advance and strong points such as the village of Cagny, attacking German gun and reserve positions, and the interdiction of German troop movement.[89] Each of VIII Corps's brigade headquarters was allocated a Forward Air Control Post to assist with coordinating air support.[92]



The engineering resources of Second Army, I and VIII Corps, and the divisional engineers were put to work between 13 July and the evening of 16 July building six new roads from west of the Orne River to the start lines east of the river and the Caen Canal.[93] Engineers from I Corps strengthened existing bridges and built two new sets of bridges across the Orne and the canal.[94] They were further tasked with constructing another two sets of bridges by the end of the operation's first day.[95][nb 17] II Canadian Corps planned to construct up to three bridges across the Orne as soon as the opportunity presented itself, giving I and VIII Corps exclusive access to the river and canal bridges north of Caen.[94] Engineers from the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division, with a small detachment from the 3rd Infantry Division, were ordered to breach the German minefield in front of the Highland Division's position. This was largely accomplished during the night of 16–17 July when they cleared and marked 14 gaps.[97] By the morning of 18 July, 19 40-foot (12 m) wide gaps had been completed,[98] each allowing one armoured regiment to pass through at a time.[nb 18]

The 11th Armoured Division's infantry brigade, with the divisional and 29th Armoured Brigade's headquarters, crossed into the Orne bridgehead during the night of 16–17 July. The rest of the division followed the next night.[99] The Guards and 7th Armoured Divisions were held west of the river until the operation began.[84] As the final elements of the 11th Armoured Division moved into position and VIII Corps's headquarters took up residence in Bény-sur-Mer additional gaps in the minefields were blown, the forward areas were signposted, and routes to be taken marked with white tape.[100]

Germans

The Germans considered the Caen area to be the linchpin of their position in Normandy and were determined to maintain a defensive arc from the English Channel to the west bank of the Orne.[101] On 15 July German military intelligence warned Panzer Group West that from 17 July onwards a British attack out of the Orne bridgehead was likely. It was thought that the British would push south-east towards Paris.


To meet this threat, General Heinrich Eberbach, the commanding officer of Panzer Group West, designed a defensive plan, with its details worked out by his two corps and six divisional commanders.[102] A belt of at least 10 miles (16 km) depth[81][103] was constructed, organised into four successive lines.[104] Villages within the belt were fortified and anti-tank guns emplaced along its southern and eastern edges.[81] To allow their tanks to move freely within the belt, the Germans decided not to establish anti-tank minefields between each defensive line.


On 16 July, several intelligence-gathering flights were mounted over the British front, but most of these were driven off by anti-aircraft fire.[105] However, as darkness fell, camera-equipped aircraft managed to bring back photographs taken by the light of dropped flares that revealed a one-way flow of traffic over the Orne and into the British bridgehead.[82] Further confirming the suspicion that preparations for an offensive were underway, later that same day a British reconnaissance Supermarine Spitfire was shot down over German lines while photographing defences; British artillery and fighters attempted to destroy the crashed aircraft but without success.


LXXXVI Corps, heavily reinforced by artillery,[106] held the front line. Its 346th Infantry Division was dug in between the coast to the north of Touffreville, while the battered 16th Luftwaffe Infantry Division held the next section from Touffreville to Colombelles. Kampfgruppe von Luck, a battle group formed around the 21st Panzer Division's 125th Panzergrenadier Regiment, was placed behind these forces with around 30 assault guns. The 21st Panzer Division's armoured elements, reinforced with the 503rd Heavy Panzer Battalion, which included ten King Tigers,[107] were northeast of Cagny in a position to support von Luck's men and to act as a general reserve,[108] while the rest of the division's panzergrenadiers, with towed anti-tank guns andassault guns, were dug in amongst the villages of the Caen plain.[109] 21st Panzer's reconnaissance and pioneer battalions were positioned on the Bourguébus Ridge to protect the corps's artillery.[91] This consisted of around 48 field and medium guns with an equal number of Nebelwerfer rocket launchers. In total, LXXXVI Corps had 194 artillery pieces, 272 Nebelwerfers,[91] and 78 anti-aircraft and anti-tank 88 mm guns available. One battery of four 88 mm anti-aircraft guns, from the 2nd Flak-Sturm Regiment, was positioned in Cagny,[91] while in the villages along the Bourguébus Ridge there was a screen of 44 88 mm anti-tank guns from the 200th Tank Destroyer Battalion.[107][nb 19] However, the majority of LXXXVI Corps's guns were sited beyond the ridge covering the Caen-Falaise road.[91][110]


Facing Caen to the west of the Caen-Falaise road was the I SS Panzer Corps. On 14 July, elements of the 272nd Infantry Division took over the defence of Vaucelles from the 1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, who moved into local reserve between the village of Ifs and the east bank of the Orne. The following day the 12th SS Panzer Division was placed in Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW) reserve to rest and refit,[111] and—on Hitler's orders—to be in a position to meet a feared second Allied landing between the Orne and Seine rivers.[112] The division's artillery regiment and anti-aircraft battalion remained behind to support the 272nd Infantry Division, and two battlegroups were detached from the division.Kampfgruppe Waldmüller was moved close to Falaise and Kampfgruppe Wünsche to Lisieux, 40 kilometres (25 mi) east of Caen.[111] Although Kampfgruppe Waldmüller was later ordered to rejoin the rest of the division at Lisieux, on 17 July Eberbach halted this move.[79]

Preliminary operations


Main article: Second Battle of the Odon

Shortly after the capture of northern Caen during Operation Charnwood, the British mounted an unsuccessful raid against the Colombelles steelworks complex to the northeast of the city. The factory area remained in German hands, its tall chimneys providing observations posts that overlooked the Orne bridgehead. At 01:00 on 11 July, elements of the 153rd (Highland) Infantry Brigade, supported by Sherman tanks of the Royal Armoured Corps's 148th Regiment, moved against the German position.[42] The intention was to secure the area only long enough for troops from theRoyal Engineers to destroy the chimneys before pulling back.[113] However, at 05:00 the British force was ambushed by Tiger tanks and after the loss of nine tanks was forced to withdraw.[42]

While planning and preparation for Goodwood was underway, Second Army launched two preliminary operations. According to Montgomery, their purpose was to "engage the enemy in battle unceasingly; we must 'write off' his troops; and generally we must kill Germans". Historian Terry Copp identifies this as the moment where the Normandy campaign became a battle of attrition; one that Montgomery did his best to ensure the Germans would not win.[114]


Operation Greenline was launched by XII Corps during the evening of 15 July.[nb 20][116] Greenline's objectives were twofold: to convince the German command that the forthcoming major British assault would be launched west of the Orne though the positions held by XII Corps;[83] and to tie down the9th and 10th SS Panzer Divisions so that they could not later be relocated to oppose either Goodwood or Operation Cobra.[115] Supported by 450 guns, the British attack made use of "artificial moonlight"[nb 21] and started well despite disruption caused by German artillery fire. By dawn XII Corps had captured several of its objectives including the important height of Hill 113, although the much-contested Hill 112 remained in German hands. Committing the 9th SS Panzer Division, the Germans managed by the end of the day to largely restore their line, although a counter-attack against Hill 113 was unsuccessful.[117] Renewed attacks the following day by XII Corps gained no further ground, so during the evening of 17 July the operation was closed down and the British force on Hill 113 withdrawn.


Operation Pomegranate started on 16 July, one day after Greenline.[ XXX Corps was to capture several important villages.[119] On the first day British infantry seized a key objective and took 300 prisoners but the next day saw heavy and inconclusive fighting on the outskirts of Noyers-Bocage.[120] Elements of the 9th SS Panzer Division were committed to the village's defence; although the British took control of the railway station and an area of high ground outside the village, Noyers-Bocage itself remained in German hands.[119]


These two operations cost Second Army 3,500 casualties[6] for no significant territorial gains, but Greenline and Pomegranate were strategically successful. Reacting to the developing threats in the Odon Valley, the Germans not only retained the 2nd Panzer and 10th SS Panzer Divisions in the front line but also recalled the 9th SS Panzer Division from Corps reserve.[83][119][121] They suffered around 2,000 casualties; the heavy losses on both sides prompted Terry Copp to call the fighting "one of the bloodiest encounters of the campaign".


During the late afternoon of 17 July a patrolling British Spitfire fighter aircraft spotted a German staff car on the road near the village of Sainte-Foy-de-Montgommery. The fighter made a strafing attack driving the car off the road. Among its occupants was Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, the commander ofArmy Group B, who was seriously wounded leaving Army Group B temporarily leaderless.