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Page One
Berkeley's New Smart Boot System: The Potential for Abuse (News Analysis)
[Editor's Note:This is the second of two articles. Yesterday's article described in greater detail how Berkeley's new SmartBoot system, to be implemented on October 18, will work.]
Under the recently announced SmartBoot program, the Berkeley Police Department will drive a "boot van" around town. Equipped with cameras, computers, and a network connection this van will automatically detect parked cars from the scofflaw list - those with too many overdue parking tickets. When the van spots a scofflaw it stops and a parking enforcement officer boots the car with SmartBoot. Violators can remove the boot themselves if they are able to pay their fees and past due fines over the phone with a credit card.
How does the system work?
The City and PayLock LLC
The SmartBoot system arises from a contract between the City of Berkeley and PayLock LLC, a New Jersey based corporation. PayLock operates a 24-hour help-line for people who have been booted. PayLock provides the city with the boot van equipment, SmartBoots, and various web-based IT services. PayLock also provides training, integration assistance, and, it would seem, PR help.
Propagating the Scofflaw List
Matt Silverman, Executive Vice President of PayLock Inc. walked us through the process:
Each night the BPD's information systems generate a "scofflaw list" of wanted vehicles for the next day. The list includes license plate ids and information about the amount owed. The list is saved as a simple file.
BPD's systems then copy the scofflaw list to PayLock's servers. "It's just an FTP thing," quipped Silverman.
Once on PayLock's servers, the data is available to the 24-hour help line for people whose cars have been booted.
PayLock also remotely copies the data to the Berkeley boot van computer, preparing it for the next day's rounds.
Scanning Cars
According to PayLock literature, the boot van should be able to cruise down most Berkeley streets at the speed limit, scanning licenses as fast as it goes.
On the computer in the van, each license identified is compared to the earlier downloaded scofflaw list. When a match is found, the enforcement officer is alerted.
The enforcement officer can then use the van's computer and network connection to contact PayLock's web servers, and double check that the scofflaw listing is current. If a scofflaw has paid his tickets and the payment been processed by the time the vehicle is spotted, the vehicle can be quickly removed from PayLock's copy of the scofflaw list and the boot avoided, even if the vehicle is still found on the boot van's copy of the list.
If the scofflaw listing is current, the enforcing officer can boot the offending vehicle.
When a vehicle is booted, the computer in the boot van notifies the PayLock servers of the relevant details. These are recorded in PayLock's databases. The secret unlock code is recorded at PayLock for that vehicle.
Paying Up
Violators who choose to pay by phone call PayLock's customer service line which is available at all hours, every day. Upon payment of fines, a $140 booting fee, and a $500 deposit, PayLock will give the violator the secret code to unlock the boot.
PayLock's servers in turn notify the City's of the payment.
The Lifecycle of SmartBoots
PayLock maintains the pool of available boots. It issues boots to the city in anticipation of estimated demand (number of scofflaws likely to be caught). Boots are returned to a PayLock-affiliated return center.
Data Retention Policy
Scofflaw data on PayLock servers is preserved for a time. The exact length of time is, Silverman says, up to the City.
Other PayLock Services
Berkeley is not, at this time, adopting some of PayLock's other services that use much of the same equipment: digital chalking and permitting. These are what they sound like: using the cameras and computers and license plate recognition (plus, optionally, RFID reading) so that vans can recognize cars permitted to park in certain areas and can recognize cars that are over-parked in time-limited zones. In addition to being used for booting, the boot van is capable (if the city begins using these services) of helping make ordinary ticketing more efficient.
"Off Label" Law Enforcement Uses
We asked Silverman if the system could be used for other aspects of law enforcement. For example, could it be used to spot stolen vehicles? Could it be used to search for the vehicle of a wanted criminal? Silverman suggested Amber Alerts as an example of a case where the boot van could be used in the urgent search for a wanted vehicle.
If the police department wants to, Silverman informed us, additional licenses can be added to the search list, by hand, on the boot van computer. The officer in the van need only type in the additional license numbers.
We asked BPD Chief Michael K. Meehan about such other uses. He reports that BPD "has no immediate plans" to use the system for anything other than parking scofflaws.
We asked Meehan if expanding the uses of the system was in the cards. He says that there are "no immediate plans" to do so.
We asked if the police department would require additional authorization from the city before using the system for anything other than scofflaw enforcement. Chief Meehan wasn't certain.
Some Risks
At first glance it may seem that there could be no new risks created by the use of this system. After all, ever since license plates were first introduced more than a century ago, police have had the legitimate right to search the streets for a sought-after car. Proponents say that the new system makes that traditional search more efficient.
Nevertheless, the boot van and SmartBoot program represent a sweeping change in how these searches are done. New risks result which we consider below:
Risk Factors of the PayLock Corporate Form
PayLock LLC is a privately held, New Jersey based corporation. This does not in and of itself create new risks, but it enhances risks that arise from other causes.
Because PayLock is a privately held corporation its financial reporting requirements are significantly less than those of a publicly traded firm, and less than those of a government agency. PayLock's services assume some police and municipal functions, but with less financial accountability than if these functions remained with the city.
Because PayLock is a privately held corporation in an out of state jurisdiction, it is far less subject to operational oversight and review than any government agency. For example, the city's internal handling of scofflaw records can be scrutinized through a variety of governmental audit mechanisms none of which apply to PayLock's handling of these same records. The city and PayLock agree upon rules for handling these records, but the opportunities to verify that the rules are being followed are diminished by PayLock's corporate form.
The Risk of Vendor Lock-in
The services provided by PayLock are not a commodity. If the city wished to continue to operate a boot van and use smart boots, but to switch from PayLock to another vendor or to internally provided services, it would have a hard time.
At the same time, the city accumulates a sunk investment cost in staff training time and entrenchment of new parking enforcement practices. Even to revert back to a tow-only system of parking enforcement would cost the city.
PayLock may therefore enjoy pricing power that works against the interests of Berkeley residents and the city government. For example, if they later demand that the booting fee be raised from $140 to some higher amount, the City may have little realistic choice but to assent.
The Risk of Diminishing Returns and the Pressure to Expand Uses
At the press conference where PayLock was introduced, we overheard City Council Member Capitelli ask Silverman whether diminishing returns on scofflaw enforcement ought to be expected. For example, in an initial sweep many long-standing scofflaws could be caught, bringing a lot of money to the city and to PayLock. Will that initially high level of revenue keep up? Or will it trail off as fewer people become scofflaws.
Silverman said that in other cities such as Oakland they've seen a high initial spike in scofflaw enforcement, which then settles down to a slightly smaller but roughly stable level of revenue.
We conclude that because PayLock is a for profit company, there is some risk that Berkeley will be encouraged or pressured to expand the uses of the PayLock technology in order to justify PayLock's continued presence. For example, as the police department becomes comfortable with the technology, perhaps there will be pressure to add more equipped enforcement vehicles and use the system for digital permitting and chalking.
Such expansion would multiply other risk factors. For example, it would expand PayLock's assumption of police and city functions. Adoption of uses like digital permitting and chalking would strengthen PayLock's pricing power over service fees.
The Risk of Data Escape
Can the City of Berkeley's scofflaw records and other data be stolen from PayLock by third party criminals?
Silverman pointed out that PayLock takes data security seriously, for example by storing data in an encrypted form. (A data thief would need not only the encrypted files, but also a stolen encryption key or other means of de-encrypting the file.) Unfortunately, there was not time for us to explore PayLock's data security measures in detail.
Data security systems are notoriously difficult to implement well. It is common for systems that superficially appear quite secure to in fact contain design gaffes that leave them wide open to data theft. PayLock's data storage creates a data theft risk that is difficult, at best, to assess other than to make the general observation that truly secure systems are the exception, not the rule.
This in and of itself would be nothing new: Berkeley's own IT systems are also a potential target for data thieves.
Yet, the use of PayLock does heighten the risk in this sense: PayLock's servers contain data not only for Berkeley, but for all municipalities with which PayLock does business. A data thief stealing scofflaw data from Berkeley's own systems gets only Berkeley data, but a thief stealing from PayLock gets a much larger prize. In general, the effort data thieves are willing to make to steal some resource goes up, the more potentially valuable data there is.
The Risk of Weak Employee Accountability
When a violator calls PayLock's 24/7 help line, Silverman says, the operators have very limited information from the scofflaw list, Silverman says. Help line operators have the violator's license number and amount owed, but are not provided the car owner's name, address, and so forth.
Nevertheless, violators must provide operators with a name and credit card number.
Public record searches can usually, given a license plate number, identify the car's owner, address and so forth. In combination with credit card information, this is enough for acts of identity theft.
There is of course no reason to assume that PayLock's help line operators are more likely than anyone else to commit identity theft, nor that PayLock's internal operations would make this easy. Unfortunately, though, the stakes are high because of the high volume and large number of calls PayLock processes for all the municipalities it serves.
PayLock's corporate form (see above) compounds the problem because it diminishes the potential for oversight and auditing of the formerly governmental function of payment collection.
The Risk of Internal Misuses
Because of PayLock's corporate form, the potential for unchecked or even unnoticed misuse of city data internally to PayLock is greater than if the city performed these functions internally.
It is our impression, in part from speaking with Silverman, that PayLock takes its responsibilities quite seriously. We intuitively doubt that they are likely anytime soon to do anything quite this nefarious, but here is an example of "what could possibly go wrong" but that PayLock's corporate form would make hard to detect. We emphasize again that we don't believe PayLock is currently inclined to come close to a misuse like this:
Suppose that in some of PayLock's client cities, politicians are running for office who oppose the use of PayLock's services. PayLock could perform wholesale searches to find discrediting information against those politicians ("that woman never pays her parking tickets", "that guy parks in front of a brothel a lot") more cheaply and easily than by conventional and sanctioned means of searching. Having easily found a target to discredit, an evil version of PayLock could then obtain the same information by overt means (for plausible deniability) and leak it to the press without exposing the underlying abuse of police data.
The Risk of Police Corruption
This risk is inherent to any boot van system, regardless of whether it is operated by PayLock or internally by the city.
The system is flexible enough to allow searches for vehicles other than scofflaw vehicles. As Silverman explained, additional licenses to search for can be entered into the computer on the van.
Without strict and proactive auditing, this creates a potential for abuse if enforcement officers search for particular licenses for purposes other than law enforcement.
We, of course, have great faith in our sworn officers and yet, even Berkeley has seen its share of police corruption such as thefts from evidence rooms. How would corrupt license searches work?
As one example, a private detective might be seeking evidence of an adulterous affair for use in a divorce proceeding. By covertly partnering with enforcement officers, the detective could have help locating the target's vehicle. If it is found in a surprising location the information can be passed to the detective (in exchange for money) who can then "find" the car independently and use the evidence without exposing the misuse of the boot van.
Strict auditing of the boot van use - assuming that PayLock's software enables it - can help prevent such problems but requires concentrated effort to implement and sustain. This problem is intrinsic to any mobile license plate recognition system that can be field programmed to search for arbitrary vehicles.
The Risk of Population Tracking
The system being deployed in Berkeley does not, as configured, record and report back a list of all parked cars scanned, where, and when - it focuses only on the vehicles targeted in the Scofflaw list.
Silverman confirmed, however, that the system is capable of recording all parked vehicles - a record that can be used to track the movements of innocent drivers as well as guilty.
That "track everyone" capability is gaining popularity with law enforcement. Industry standards have arisen to collect that information into searchable databases, allowing police to search "backwards in time" for the whereabouts of anyone they like. Because the data is collected without the need for a warrant, as things stand, it can be retained and searched without a warrant and with few meaningful restrictions on the purpose of the search.
The Berkeley Police Department has no plans to perform this kind of surveillance and we suspect would be reluctant to rush into such a program. Nevertheless, times change. Little appears to stand in their way of eventually performing that kind of surveillance with no need for additional authorization from the city and no additional oversight.
Generalized population tracking, if it were to begin, would heighten the risks of corrupt abuse of the system. Additionally, it would greatly challenge the balance of police powers vs. civil liberties.
The Risk of "Wholesale" Surveillance
Police have always had the right to examine the license plate of parked car and compare it to a list of wanted vehicles - or to look up information about any vehicle for legitimate police purposes. In that sense, the PayLock system is nothing new.
What has changed is that such searches are now quantitatively so much more efficient, that there is a qualitative change in the civic order.
The term "wholesale surveillance" to describe this kind of qualitative shift was coined by security expert Bruce Schneier who wrote in the San Francisco Chronicle and on his blog:
"On the face of it, this is nothing new. The police have always been able to run a license plate check. The difference is they would do it manually, and that limited its use. It simply wasn't feasible for the police to run the plates of every car in a parking garage, or every car that passed through an intersection. What is different isn't the police tactic, but the efficiency of the process.
"Technology is fundamentally changing the nature of surveillance. Years ago, surveillance meant trench-coated detectives following people down streets. It was laborious and expensive, and was only used when there was reasonable suspicion of a crime. Modern surveillance is the police officer with a license-plate scanner, or even a remote license-plate scanner mounted on a traffic light and a police officer sitting at a computer in the police station. It's the same, but it's completely different.
"It's wholesale surveillance.
"And it disrupts the balance between the powers of the police and the rights of the people."
Schneier later adds:
"Like the license-plate scanners, the electronic footprints we leave everywhere can be automatically correlated with databases. The data can be stored forever, allowing police to conduct surveillance backward in time.
"The effect of wholesale surveillance on privacy and civil liberties is profound; but unfortunately, the debate often gets mischaracterized as a question about how much privacy we need to give up in order to be secure. This is wrong.
"It's obvious that we are all safer when the police can use all techniques at their disposal. What we need are corresponding mechanisms to prevent abuse, and that don't place an unreasonable burden on the innocent."
This is awkward for a city like Berkeley. The adoption of PayLock by Berkeley is motivated by the goals of increasing city revenue by collecting on overdue tickets, while reducing enforcement costs and (purportedly) improving customer service. A resource strapped city like Berkeley, pursuing such goals, is less than likely to invest adequately in new regulations and mechanisms to prevent abuse.
The wholesale surveillance aspect of the system makes it a bit like a very dangerous power tool. We hope that the people using the tool (the police and PayLock) will be careful and responsible, but for its unprecedented power there are precious few substantial protections from abuse.
The Risk of Federalizing Municipal Police
In the years that have followed the attack on the World Trade Center, federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies have been building intelligence information systems. These are used to share massive surveillance databases among agencies. These systems include information sharing partnerships with states and municipalities.
On the one hand, this is understandable and hopefully helpful. The nature of threats to public safety has changed dramatically. Centralized intelligence gathering has reportedly been helpful in detecting and thwarting terrorist efforts in their planning stages, before attacks can be carried out.
On the other hand, this new mode of federalized surveillance of the general population is rife with potential for abuse yet is being carried out far away from meaningful oversight and accountability to the general public.
As the ties and information sharing between municipalities like Berkeley and the Department of Homeland Security grow, there are few if any barriers to prevent license plate recognition technology from being used to conduct wholesale surveillance of the general population, forwarding the information to federal databases.
The Risk of Third Party Surveillance
Regardless of what actions are taken by PayLock, Berkeley, or the federal government, the risk of wholesale surveillance by third parties is also growing.
PayLock's system of license plate recognition is polished and conveniently packaged, but the underlying technology is widely available. A determined private party could covertly equip any vehicle with discreet cameras and computers, drive around, and track vehicles. Even if Berkeley had not decided to use PayLock's systems at all, this risk would be present.
Is the Sky Falling? What Can be Done?
The sky is not (yet) falling. We have no reason to believe that, beginning October 18th, the newly deployed PayLock system will be abused. It seems far from likely.
Nevertheless, in light of the risk factors considered above, it is hard to see how use of the technology in Berkeley will not expand, over time, putting us on a slippery slope to abuse and unchecked enhancement of policing powers at the cost of civil liberties. The risks should be taken quite seriously. Sadly, confronting these risks aggressively is likely to be expensive and politically difficult.
Some suggestions for Berkeley:
Berkeley's use of the PayLock system should be reviewed frequently, perhaps each six months. Reviews must not be limited to the system's impact on the city's bottom line nor to the purported customer service benefits. Reviews should look for positive proof that the system has not been abused in the field. Reviews should seek a definitive assessment of how data is being shared and used. Reviews should examine the data retention policies and their implications.
For fiduciary as well as civil rights reasons, Berkeley should begin to explore the alternative of operating its intelligence gathering systems purely internally, without the need for third party out-of-state corporation. That is, a priority should be made of restoring to the city those police and bureaucratic functions which PayLock assumes. As the underlying technology becomes less expensive and more mature, this option should become easier for the city.
The city should implement new systems of regulation and oversight for this and similar forms of surveillance. The police department should not be able to expand use of the system without prior approval from city council after public disclosure and hearings.
The city, the police (and others) should respect the intelligence of the residents and engage in a public education effort to inform Berkeley residents of the detailed operations of the system, its risks, its implications, and what steps are being taken to mediate the risks. The people of Berkeley should be full partners in deciding whether and how to continue using this technology. Glossy sales pitches about improvements to "customer service" and the city's bottom line gloss over what is at stake in a condescending, unhelpful way.
Meanwhile: Happy motoring and watch where you park.

subset: commoncrawl


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Firearms dealers across the country say it's "like Christmas"
Paul Joseph Watson
November 14, 2012
Gun shop owners are reporting a spike in sales of up to 400 per cent in the aftermath of President Obama's re-election, with some celebrating all time one day record sales, as fears over a lame duck administration eviscerating second amendment rights continue to dominate.
Buds Gun shop in Lexington sells around 600 guns on a normal day but that figure leapt to 2,000 the day after Obama beat Romney.
"It was the largest day that we've ever had, " Buds owner Joe Murphy told WKYT.
Murphy noted that the spike in sales wasn't solely down to Obama's re-election and concerns over gun control, but that it was also related to fears of social unrest caused by a stuttering economy as well as an increased number of break-ins.
"We're seeing a lot more first time handgun owners," he added.
There was a similar story in Lubbock Texas, where Sharp Shooters Knife & Gun owner Charles Blackwell said first time gun owners helped boost his sales to 400 per cent above normal sales volumes.
Blackwell attributed some of the sales to the Obama administration's resolve to pursue the United Nations Small Arms Treaty, which many gun rights enthusiasts have pointed to as a backdoor attempt to regulate firearms at the global level.
Meanwhile, in East Texas, Guns & Ammo owner Stephen Bayazes told KLTV that sales "were like Christmas" thanks to Obama's re-election.
"We sold 26 firearms in a period of 12 hours, 40,000 rounds of ammunition, there's no telling how many magazines, just phenomenal," said Bayazes.
Bayazes adds that gun stores across the country are now stocking up in preparation for huge sales in anticipation of the White House pursuing draconian gun control legislation.
"Out of 27,000 gun dealers across the United States they all went into massive horde buying because they're afraid of our beloved President fixing to put bans of firearms," Bayazes, said.
Coal Creek Armory in East Tennessee was so busy the day after the election that customers had to wait in line outside the store.
Brant Williams, of Frontier Firearms in Kingston, noted that it wasn't just Obama's re-election jacking up sales, adding that customers were telling him, "Things are going to get bad in this country and I want to be ready when they do."
Meanwhile, H & H Gun Range in Oklahoma City told News 9 that sales were up by over 100 per cent compared to this time last year and that other gun shops in the area were reporting similar numbers.
In the Metro Atlanta area, firearms are also flying off the shelves, with Eric Wallace, the manager and co-owner of Adventure Outdoors, telling CBS Atlanta that new gun owners are making purchases, including an increasing amount of women.
"Normally on a Wednesday, for example, we would have probably 600 or 700 people come through," Wallace said. "Last week we had 2,500 people come through. Saturday was a really big day for us and we expect to break records probably next weekend and through the holiday season."
Obama's re-election has not just caused physical sales of guns to soar. As we reported last week, stocks in gun manufacturers like Ruger and Smith & Wesson are also surging as the two companies operate at maximum capacity and desperately try to hire new workers even amidst an economic and stock market downturn.
Fears that Obama will use a lame duck term to launch an assault on gun rights are not without foundation.
Obama indicated during the presidential debates that he would pursue an assault weapons ban, which second amendment activists see as merely the first step towards wider gun control regulation.
Obama also indicated that he would attempt to eviscerate the right to keep and bear arms during a White House meeting with gun control advocate Sarah Brady last year. During the meeting, Obama told Brady he was working "under the radar" on new gun control policy. Brady added that Obama assured her gun control was "very much on his agenda."
Paul Joseph Watson is the editor and writer for Infowars.com and Prison Planet.com. He is the author of Order Out Of Chaos. Watson is also a host for Infowars Nightly News.
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Closing arguments are set for Monday in the preliminary hearing of Max Wade, the San Rafael teen charged with a drive-by shooting in Mill Valley and a $200,000 Lamborghini theft in San Francisco.
Testimony concluded Friday with remarks from San Francisco police Officer Sean Rogers, who responded to the Lamborghini theft when it was discovered the morning of March 8, 2011. Rogers said he found an "intricate rope set up" on the roof of the dealership from which the yellow Lamborghini was stolen, with the rope dangling past a second-floor window.
Rogers also found bolt cutters, a pry bar and a cut lock at the open roll-up door through which the car thief apparently absconded. The car belonged to Guy Fieri, a Bay Area restaurateur and television chef.
On cross-examination from defense attorney Charles Dresow, Rogers acknowledged that police tried to contact the dealership's night janitor for questioning, but received no response.
"Were you ever able to track him down?" Dresow said.
"No, I did not," Rogers said. Another San Francisco detective testified previously that he did not think the car thief could have acted alone.
Additional testimony was provided Friday by Tiburon police Officer Jerome Wachowiak, who was working on March 7, 2011. On that day, a Tiburon resident reported that she realized the license plates had been stolen from her black Audi.
Around 6:30 a.m. the next day, Tiburon's police cameras detected the stolen plate on a car leaving town. Wachowiak reviewed the surveillance footage, which showed the plate attached to a yellow car whizzing by the camera.
About two hours earlier, camera footage showed a yellow sports car entering Tiburon, Wachowiak said. The license plate on the car said "GUYTORO" — the vanity plate on Guy Fieri's Lamborghini.
After that sighting, the Lamborghini remained missing for another year, until Marin sheriff's detectives were called in to investigate a shooting in Mill Valley. It occurred April 13 on Evergreen Avenue, where a motorcyclist pulled up next to a teenage couple in a pickup truck and blasted five gunshots through the window.
The teens, Landon Wahlstrom and Eva Dedier, ducked in time to escape with minor injuries from flying glass. Sheriff's investigators eventually identified the suspect as Wade — a Tiburon native who supplied Dedier and her friends with fake IDs, and who allegedly had an unrequited romantic interest in Dedier.
Wade was also known to drive a yellow Lamborghini around Marin, investigators learned. Detectives tailed him to a Richmond storage facility, where they recovered Fieri's Lamborghini and confiscated a trove of weapons and ammunition, fake IDs for three states, equipment to jam radio and cell signals, a replica police uniform and other evidence.
Wade, 18, is charged with attempted murder, vehicle theft, burglary and other crimes. The preliminary hearing was held for this week before Judge Kelly Simmons, who will decide whether there is sufficient evidence to hold Wade for trial.
After a final session of testimony Friday from Rogers, Wachowiak and Marin County sheriff's Detective Ed Rudolph, a ballistics specialist who investigated the shooting, the judge adjourned the hearing until Monday for closing arguments and a ruling.
The preliminary hearing has been followed daily by a contingent of news reporters, including Matthew Cummings, 15, a journalist for the Redwood Bark at Redwood High School. Wade is a former Redwood student, as is Langstrom.
Wade's mother, Leylla Wade, has also followed each day of hearings from the courtroom gallery.
"I'm very close with my son," she said after Friday's session. "I am strong for him. I am strong and positive for my child."
Contact Gary Klien via email at email@example.com


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(note, this is still a work in progress. Initially it is aimed at chips which have LAT registers. It will be extended to cover parts which don't, such as mid-range PIC16Fxxx parts.)
When you set or clear an individual bit in a port, the compiler produces either a BSF or BCF assembly instruction.
These instructions read the entire 8 bit port, change the indicated bit, and rewrite the entire 8 bit port.
That is why this is called a "read-modify-write" instruction.
If you address the PORT register, it reads the current state of the pins in the first step
If you address the LAT register, it reads the internal latch holding the current output states.
The write operation is identical for PORT and LAT.
Now think about what happens if you change two pins on the same PORT in consecutive instructions.
The second instruction is executed while the pin is still changing voltage, so the read phase of the second instruction will see the state of the pin BEFORE it started changing, and that is what will get written back to the port.
The effect is you lose the change made by the first instruction.
The speed at which the pin voltage changes is dependant upon load and capacitance on the pin.
The faster your PIC runs, the less time the pin has to change before this will affect you.


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Just in case you missed it, the Matticast crew talked about the imminent patch 4.2 drop. Things like the valor cap, the new Encounter Journal, class changes and the Legendary quest.
Healing changes
You can find more detailed information in the latest patch notes. But here's what they are at a glance.
All healing critical strikes now heal for 2 times a normal heal (+100%), up from 1.5 times a normal heal (+50%).
As a result of the critical strike change, Crit appears to have become attractive. It's possible to see some 50k absorbs. Otherwise, no additional changes have been made to Priest healing at this time.
That's not a bad thing.
Symbiosis (Mastery) has been removed and replaced with Harmony. Harmony increases direct healing by an additional 10%, and casting direct healing spells grants an additional 10% bonus to periodic healing for 10 seconds. Each point of mastery increases each bonus by an additional 1.25%. Healing Touch, Nourish, Swiftmend, and the initial heal from Regrowth are considered direct healing spells for the purposes of this Mastery. All other healing from druid spells is considered periodic.
Many healing spells have had their mana costs adjusted.
Illuminated Healing (Mastery) has been adjusted slightly so that if a paladin refreshes an existing copy of his or her own Illuminated Healing on a target, the new absorption amount will be added into the old absorption amount and the duration will be reset. The total absorption created can never exceed 1/3 of the casting paladin's health. Paladins are now Val'anyr!
Improved Water Shield has been redesigned and renamed Resurgence. When Water Shield is active, Resurgence causes critical direct heals to restore mana (Resurgence rank 2 is roughly equal to 150% of the old Improved Water Shield value when a Healing Wave or Greater Healing Wave critically hits, and scaled down accordingly for faster or multi-target spells).
Mana Tide now grants 200% of the caster's Spirit, down from 400%.
Glyph of Unleashed Lightning (new Prime glyph) allows Lightning Bolt to be cast while moving. Handy in tandem with Telluric Currents.
Legendary Thoughts
Start the quest if you like to check it out and such. But don't force your guild to give it to you. It's for the casters this time around.
Lack of Spirit Cloth Gear
Yeah, I've seen a whole ton of discussion about this around. There aren't a whole lot of drops and it seems that most of the stuff is going to either come from faction vendors or Valor vendors.
Look, they didn't forget anything. This was done for a reason. We can still rely on reforging to get the additional spirit if necessary. Prioritize Spirit trinkets to help offset the loss. The Jar of Ancient Remedies is something you'll want to keep handy (as in, don't sell it or get rid of it otherwise).
It was my fault.
I used and abused spirit mechanics too much and they the nerfed drops because of me :(.
Firelands raid bosses
It seems that reputation for Avengers of Hyjal are only obtainable from the Firelands raid instance. You can get up to Honored with taking down trash (I just got up to Friendly after about 2 hours and chain dropping battle standards).
You can find the Firelands raid instance out in Mount Hyjal. Just head to the big, flaming castle in the southern part of the zone. No attunements are needed. Feel free to zone right in. Recommended boss order is to start with Shannox, Beth'tilac, Lord Rhyolith and Alysrazor before finishing out the last three.
Need to know where to get started for healing?
- Beth'tilac
- Lord Rhyolith
- Alysrazor
- Shannox
- Baleroc
- Majordomo Staghelm
- Ragnaros


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Here's what's up in the world of TV for Sunday, November 13. All times are Eastern.
Boardwalk Empire (HBO, 9 p.m.): After much grumbling that Boardwalk Empire wasn't all it could have been last year, the drama has really come into its own this season, thanks largely to a wide, talented supporting cast, which now boasts Julianne Nicholson as a whip-smart, sassy prosecutor. (We're always fans of the whip-smart and sassy!) Jack Huston's Richard Harrow is always a highlight, as is Michael Pitt's Jimmy Darmody, caught between two different worlds and unable to choose. Yeah, maybe Steve Buscemi's Nucky Thompson isn't the world's most exciting lead character, but the world of the show remains terrific. Noel Murray checks in to see what happens after last week's cliffhanger.
The Amazing Race (CBS, 8 p.m.): We've never been as excited for an Amazing Race challenge as we are for tonight's, which apparently involves the teams leading adorable bunny rabbits through an obstacle course. We're not going to tell Scott Von Doviak what grade to give this, but if it's not an A+, well…
Once Upon A Time (ABC, 8 p.m.): Tonight's fairy tale flashback takes us into the pasts of Cinderella and Rumpelstiltskin. Technically, don't we already know about their pasts? Isn't that one of the reasons the flashback structure feels wonky here? Oliver Sava can't wait for King Thrushbeard to pop up.
The Simpsons (Fox, 8 p.m.): Marge, Bart, and Lisa start a food blog, perhaps forgetting that Homer was a restaurant critic all those years ago. Also, there's a guest voice performance by Gordon Ramsay. We're betting that he yells at somebody, or somebody yells at him and he cries. Hayden Childs cries, too.
Dexter (Showtime, 9 p.m.): Dexter's goin' on a road trip to Nebraska! After last week's episode ended with a surprise guest star from Dexter's past, it was obvious that there would be an episode where he went on a Nebraska-bound road trip. Or, rather, it was obvious to Joshua Alston that would happen.
Family Guy (Fox, 9 p.m.): Every so often, Family Guy has such a clever idea that we're pretty sure the show won't be able to mess it up, no matter how hard it tries. That just might be the case with tonight's episode, where Brian and Stewie travel back to the series' pilot and take Kevin McFarland with them.
The Good Wife (CBS, 9 p.m.): This season started a touch slowly, but it's really picked up in recent weeks, with last week's episode being one of the best the series has ever come up with. Tonight, David Sims checks in on an episode that features Chris Matthews as himself. You know that will be good!
The Walking Dead (AMC, 9 p.m.): We're not sure if, "Hey, this doesn't suck as much as it used to!" counts as a wildly positive review, but it sure seems like the show doesn't suck as much as it used to this season. Zack Handlen agrees! Let's see which wacky location the gang finds a zombie in this week.
American Dad (Fox, 9:30 p.m.): Stan tries to find somebody for Principal Lewis to love in an episode that boasts the voice talents of Angelica Huston and Ricky Martin, who are definitely two people that Rowan Kaiser has on his list of "People I would like to see do a project together" vision board.
Hell On Wheels (AMC, 10 p.m.): Tonight's episode introduces our new favorite character ever, The Swede, played by Christopher Heyerdahl. Trust us, kids. You're going to want to start working on your Scandanavian accent for your Swede Halloween costume next year. Phil Nugent's got a head start.
Homeland (Showtime, 10 p.m.): Normally, the events that took place in last week's episode of this show would make us more nervous than we are. But we trust this show to find a way out of the situation the characters got into, even if this episode description has Todd VanDerWerff incredibly nervous.
Pan Am (ABC, 10 p.m.): Tonight's episode description contains the phrase, "a hotbed of political unrest," which is always the sort of thing that promises a good time. We're going to guess that our lead characters have a super-sexy fun time in a hotbed of political unrest. Right up Erik Adams' alley.
Hung (HBO, 10:05 p.m.): Heading into the home stretch of this season, we hope that the whole thing concludes with Ray raising his arms in triumph and proclaiming, "Penises at last! Penises for all! Penises forever!" And then he collapses into Will Harris' arms, and he weeps.
How To Make It In America (HBO, 10:35 p.m.): "Rene tries to find out who sabotaged Rasta Monasta," reads tonight's plot summary, and we're glad he's doing so, since this question has electrified America like none since "Who shot J.R.?" Kenny Herzog will have the answers you've been looking for.
The Critic (3 p.m.): Jay attends his son's career day event at school, where Marty ends up falling for a girl who is the granddaughter of Fidel Castro. We're guessing this will turn out fairly well. Nathan Rabin once fell for the granddaughter of Chester Arthur, so he can identify with the thrill.
Ned Bruha: Skunk Whisperer (Animal Planet, 8 p.m.): There's probably no real good reason for us to cover the premiere of this show, but Jessica Jardine is because, hey, it features the phrase "skunk whisperer" in its title, and we'd feel wrong if we didn't let you know just what skunk whispering entails.
The 25 Most Memorable Infomercials Ever (TV Guide Network, 9 p.m.): We're suckers for a good list, and while this doesn't sound like a "good" list, it will definitely be a list. Quick: List all of your favorite infomercials in the history of television. We still love the complete works of Billy Mays.
A Song Of Lunch (PBS, 9 p.m.): "A London publisher recounts a lunchtime reunion with a former lover, in poetic monologue," reads PBS' summary of this program, and as Meredith Blake said when accepting the assignment, that's either going to be amazing or unbearably pretentious. Oh well. It's only an hour.
All-American Muslim (TLC, 10 p.m.): This new TLC reality show that follows five Muslim families in Dearborn, Mich., has been the subject of controversy from some of the usual suspects for, we don't know, saying that Muslims lead normal lives or something? Phil Nugent sees what all the fuss is about.
Big Trouble In Little China (Fox Movie Channel, 8 p.m.): After re-reading our John Carpenter primer, check out this broadcast of one of his movies that offers up the most pure fun per minute. It also features Kurt Russell at his iconic movie bad-ass best, so you've got that going for you.
Fred Claus (TBS, 8:30 p.m.): Paul Giamatti as a grumpy Santa Claus and Vince Vaughan as his ne'er-do-well brother seems like it would make for a fun time, but it just never really does. Honestly, you're probably better off with watching the original How The Grinch Stole Christmas immediately before.
Sunday Night Football: Patriots at Jets (NBC, 8:15 p.m.): The Patriots and Jets—both 5-3—are tied for the lead of their division with the Bills, so this one will likely be key in that race. Also, we loved watching the Patriots lose at the last minute last week. We could stand for more of that.
Buffy The Vampire Slayer (Friday): Noel Murray finally reached the end of this series, concluding his run through it for TV Club Classic. And as a bonus, he also went back and watched the movie that the TV series was based on! That's what we in the Web publishing business call a "value-add."


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Seigniorage(redirected from Seignorage)
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus.
The amount of goods and services that the government obtains by printing new money in a given period. Often we consider this in real terms, by dividing the new money by the price level.
The money a government generates when it prints more money. This usually is calculated as the difference between the face value of the money and the value of the bullion backing it.


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Education Silver Lining in ObamaCare Decision?
After having my brain twisted into a pretzel reading yesterday's ObamaCare decision, I was as disturbed as anyone. I mean, I had spent most of my life thinking I knew the difference between a "penalty" and a "tax," and it turns out I was just fooling myself. Not to get too existentialist about this, but it has really made me question whether anything I think is real truly is.
Anyway, I eventually discovered what might be a small silver lining in the ruling, at least for education: the Medicaid section might have begun to place some, very nebulous, boundary on the ability of the federal government to bribe states into adopting federal rules. That has been the primary mode by which Washington has taken over elementary and secondary education—think No Child Left Behind, Race to the Top, No Child Left Behind waivers—and this ruling says there is a constitutional limit to what the federal government can do to coerce state action though spending.
Essentially, whether or not Spending Clause coercion is unconstitutional depends on whether it constitutes "undue influence" on states. For Chief Justice Roberts, that line was crossed when the Feds changed the rules for Medicaid and threatened states with the loss of all their funding if they didn't follow the new strictures.
Obviously this doesn't give us anything approaching a bright line on the limits to Spending Clause use. Such a limit surely can be found—no spending is allowed not connected to one of the specific, enumerated powers given to Washington by the Constitution—but Roberts writes that "Congress can use [Spending Clause] power to implement federal policy it could not impose directly under the enumerated powers."
So why bother with enumerated powers? Got me…
Addressing education directly, the conservative justices noted that compared to Medicaid, federal education funding is a relatively small share of total spending, casting doubt on how applicable the ruling might be. In contrast, it was very gratifying to see those justices make a point I've made repeatedly, especially when discussing the absurd assertion that adopting national curriculum standards has been voluntary. Even if adoption were technically voluntary for states, taxpayers in those states have had no choice about paying the taxes that fund multi‐billion‐dollar carrots such as Race to the Top. Indeed, the conservatives write, were a state to fail to meet conditions attached to Spending Clause bucks, not only would it lose access to federal funds, it would likely have to raise its own taxes to make up for the shortfall, taxes that "would come on top of federal taxes already paid by the State's citizens" for the spurned federal program.
The teensy bit of good news out of this ruling is that there is some limit to how coercive Washington can be under the Spending Clause, the clause that has been the linchpin of federal education policy. Unfortunately, the new problem is that were the Spending Clause avenue eventually cut off, Congress could probably just threaten the residents of recalcitrant states with some sort of financial penalty…er…tax. I mean, penalty…
Oh, my existentialist crisis!


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I cannot express how little concern is given to the health and welfare of children or any residents of Midlothian.
(May 27, 2011 Update: The White House blog published a piece from Alexandra on her family's experience in Midlothian, TX and the meeting between her son, Tommy, and Barack Obama when he was a senator.)
When my family moved to Midlothian, Texas (a.k.a. the cement capital of Texas), we knew very little about the cement plants other than what we were told: "They're in compliance!" and "It's just steam coming out." We were more excited about the fact that we could actually afford land, own horses and goats, that we had an incredibly cool creek in the back filled with snapping turtles, crawfish, snakes, owls, coyotes, a bobcat and more.
But shortly after moving to Midlothian, my then two-year-old son, Tommy, became sick. Pneumonia, double pneumonia, bronchitis, fever, unexplained coughing and shortness of breath. We couldn't figure out what was going on because the rest of us—older, with stronger lung capacity—were fine. Only after a doctor at Children's Hospital in Dallas perused Tommy's medical file did he say, "Oh ... you live in Midlothian."
This was the beginning.
As I began to research, talk to my neighbors, teachers, school nurses and parents, I discovered that there was indeed a problem. School nurses talked to me about their "asthma baskets" and how the number of children with inhalers was growing. Later, my son's school would be named in a USA Today report as being in the upper 1 percent of the most toxic schools in the nation—the same school I butted heads with cement plant executives about being under the toxic plumes while children were at recess.
By age 5, Tommy risked being held back because of the number of days he missed due to severe asthma and upper respiratory problems. He was rushed to Emergency and put under doctor's care six times in two months! It was a horrible and terrifying time … made worse only by the fact that local government/city officials and cement industry did everything they could to keep this dirty little problem a dirty little secret.
In 2006 when it was discovered that a cement quarry was planned 500 feet from an elementary school playground, the response from AshGrove Cement (a company that is suing the city of Dallas and surrounding cities for supporting "green" cement) was, "We were here first." I cannot express how little concern is given to the health and welfare of children or any residents of Midlothian.
Read a storybook about Tommy's asthma and his meeting with Sen. Barack Obama,
written by Tommy and illustrated by his sister, Kerri Leigh Allred.
In 2006, my son Tommy—who has asthma—met then Sen. Obama, and they had an impromptu discussion about asthma. (Editor's Note: Check out a story about this meeting with Barack Obama, written by Alex and Tommy and illustrated by Tommy's sister Kerri.) Sen. Obama told Tommy about his own daughter's asthma. We left that meeting on Cloud 9 believing this would be a man who would do something about our air pollution problem. I want President Obama to recall his words to my son, to remember the frustrations the Senator felt about his own daughter's asthma, to feel the certain pride and definite commitment he made to this nation and DEMAND cleaner air.
I ask that members of Congress and the EPA listen to us and make decisions based upon principle. A man or woman who truly loves his/her nation is ready to put service above self.


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"Mass Frustration", a brand new song from the Denmark-based groove metal band CHAINFIST, can be streamed using the SoundCloud player below. The track was recorded at Six String Studios with Søren Jensen and was mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen at Hansen Studios.
CHAINFIST, which recently signed a worldwide management deal with Germany's Rock N Growl Management, consists of the following musicians: Jackie Petersen (vocals), Michael Kopietz (guitar), Thomas Hvisel (guitar), Jesper Heidelbach (drums) and Braca Pedersen (bass).
CHAINFIST is currently recording its second, as-yet-untitled album for a late 2012 release. The new material is described in a press release as "stronger, heavier and even more melodic than the songs on the band's debut CD, "Black Out Sunday'."
"Black Out Sunday" was released in October 2010 via SAOL/H'art/Zebralution. The CD featured a guest appearance by guitarist Jakob "Batten" Hansen from ILLDISPOSED.


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Transcript of Radio Ecoshock interview
by Shaun Chamberlin on June 9th, 2010
Christopher Fraser of London Transition has kindly transcribed the popular interview with Canada's Radio Ecoshock that I posted a couple of months back. I've also added links at a few pertinent points.
Alex Smith, Radio Ecoshock: [addressing audience] You know we're going to run out of civilisation's lifeblood, fossil fuels. And if we burn what's left, the climate may tip into a mass extinction event. Meanwhile barking madness seems to be the only growth industry in some places. Is it time for more pills, booze or Endtime religion?
Our next guest says there may be some hope left. Shaun Chamberlin's blog is called Dark Optimism, and that may be as good as it gets. Shaun is part of the Transition Movement in Britain; he's the author of the new book The Transition Timeline for a local, resilient future, and co-author of an upcoming report for the British Parliament on a scheme to give everyone an energy quota. Shaun, welcome to Radio Ecoshock.


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PRIVATE TOUR: Sarawak in Borneo is the naturalist's paradise. On this week long adventure, explore Kuching, visit the orangutan rehabilitation centre, go wild in Bako National Park, spend a night at a longhouse in an amazing and remote location, take jungle walks, test your river kayaking skills and more.
Trip Highlights
Not Included
Hello Borneo! Welcome to Kuching, upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to our hotel.
Overnight: Kuching
Kuching city tour
This morning explore and discover the charms of Kuching on a guided tour. See buildings from the days of the White Rajahs, ancient Chinese temples and colourful markets displaying the local produce in addition to visiting the Sarawak Museum. Reputed to be one of the best in South East Asia, it has an excellent collection of Bornean ethnological and archaeological artefacts. Spend this afternoon at leisure.
Return via the golden-domed City Mosque and passing through Old Kuching, crammed with spice dealers and textile shops. Pass by the heritage buildings of the White Rajah era, the Pavilion, the Square Tower, the Court House, the Charles Brooke Monument and the Post Office. You will view the Astana, the former residence of the White Rajahs from across the river at the Kuching Waterfront.
Overnight: Kuching City | Breakfast
Bako National Park
Today travel by road and then a take a boat ride along the shoreline of the South China Sea to Bako National Park one of the best places in Sarawak to view wildlife in a natural setting. Bako's most famous residents are the bizarre proboscis monkeys, and it is also home to silvered langurs (leaf monkeys), long-tailed macaque monkeys, wild boar, flying squirrels and monitor lizards as well as hundreds of different bird species. Fascinating plant life includes mangroves, strangling figs, carnivorous pitcher plants and symbiotic ant plants. Unique geological features mark the coastline, whilst well-marked trails lead to rugged jungle-covered hilltops and secluded beaches. Walking within the park, you will experience this amazing wilderness with some trails leading to some good swimming beaches. After spending the day in the park you return to Kuching.
Overnight: Kuching City | Breakfast, Lunch
Orangutans & Longhouses
Kuching - Batang Ai. After breakfast visit the Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre. Semenggoh is the best place in Sarawak to view semi-wild orangutans, who have been rescued from captivity and trained to survive in the surrounding forest reserve. The rehabilitated animals roam freely in the rainforest, and often return to the centre at feeding time (between 09-10am). Thanks to the successful breeding programme at Semenggoh, there is a good possibility of experiencing one of the most heart-warming sights in Borneo - an orangutan mother with a young baby. Note: As the orangutan in Semenggoh are semi-wild, sightings cannot be guaranteed.
After Semenggoh, continue your journey passing through lush green countryside dotted with padi fields, pepper gardens and rubber plantations, flanked by rugged jungle-clad mountains. Along the way stop off at the Serian farmer's market, visit a pepper garden and view carnivorous pitcher plants.
We stop for lunch at a roadside bazaar deep in Iban country. Arriving at Lemanak jetty mid-afternoon take a longboat ride up the Lemanak River, passing through typical Borneo countryside with a longhouse tucked behind almost every bend in the river.
Arrive at Serubah Longhouse or Kesit Longhouse and visit the "entire village under one roof." Watching the local Iban people at work making mat, baskets and handicrafts. Dinner, featuring delicious fresh jungle produce, is served in the simple guest-house. After dinner we return to the longhouse for an evening's entertainment, including traditional dancing, music, games and a glass or two of tuak (rice wine) with the longhouse chief. The Iban are a fun-loving people and visitors are expected to join in! We spend the night in the guesthouse with very basic amenities (communal area for sleeping, with no air-conditioning and shared facilities). The accommodation is built by the longhouse people to help supplement their income for their livelihood and children's education.
Overnight: Serubah/Kesit Longhouse | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Batang Ai Nature Walk
After breakfast enjoy a blowpipe demonstration and you can try shooting one yourself. Then take a short nature walk through the forest accompanied by Iban trackers and learn about the traditional uses of rainforest plants in Iban culture. The walk ends at the river bank, where you embark on a longboat journey upriver to a tree-lined jungle pool.
Lunch is cooked at the riverside in traditional Iban style – all ingredients are steamed in freshly-cut bamboo tubes over an open fire. After lunch, there's time to bathe in the pool or relax at the waterside. The return journey is done in traditional style to the sounds of the rainforest – boats are propelled with poles instead of outboard motor. Return downriver for a transfer to Batang Ai jetty. After a 30 minute boat river across the 24 sq km Batang Ai Hydro Lake, arrive at the luxurious Hilton Batang Ai Longhouse Resort where we spend the night.
Overnight: Hilton Batang Ai Longhouse Resort | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Batang Ai - Kuching. After breakfast take a ferry from the resort to the jetty, before driving back to Kuching, stopping for lunch en route.
Overnight: Kuching | Breakfast, Lunch
Semadang Kayaking
This morning drive to Bengoh village where you take to the water for a river kayaking adventure, visiting mini waterfalls and caves en route and feeding river fish. You'll also take a village walk and enjoy lunch at Bidayuh Village. This afternoon return to Kuching for our final night.
Overnight: Kuching | Breakfast, Lunch
After breakfast and hotel check-out, you'll be transferred to Kuching Airport for your onward flight.
Prices & Dates
Prices shown are 'per person', based on a travelling party of at least 2 adults. The single supplement price needs to be added to the per person price where single rooms are required. If travelling solo, an additional '1-person' supplement will apply.
In Brief
Tour Add-ons
Enhance your trip with these amazing added extras and add-ons


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The current state of disease within our world-system of money – read Capitalism – is the manifested consequence of who/ what we have accepted and allowed ourselves to be and become as a mind that has used and abused the physicality of the Earth and degraded it to the state of fuel and assets within a makeshift profiteering system, which exists due to our desires and delusional ideals of becoming 'more' and 'more powerful' in an existence that is already whole in itself.
The foundation of this schizoid reality stems from enabling the ability to create money out of thin air, set rules that only benefit the ones that created 'the game' in the first place; then educate the masses and letting them 'know' – blindly believe – that 'we live in a "democracy" where the real power is in your pocket, allowing us to simply go and consume something that will temporarily satisfy your senses, leaving a sedating energetic 'comfort' that we then call 'having a good time.' Nothing but chemical and physical reactions that we have become addicted to – yet this single experience to be and become 'more' has driven ourselves to kill, abuse and neglect the obvious disregard of life in the name of our personal satisfaction. That's our current economic, social and political system where no human integrity or life consideration exists.
The least thing we've placed any form of attention to is the fact that we have been putting on a price tag upon life and ourselves. We have become so robotic and living in an 'auto-pilot-mode' that it has become usual to see apples with stickers on them, seeing it as 'normal' to realize that every single fruit on this Earth becomes a product the moment it leaves the tree; while in physical reality, the fruits are born and given unconditionally – no barcodes attached.
It is true: we've made of the unconditional life substance a 'fruit of evil' through placing a price tag on it: we've sold life in the name of our personal reward which is our current capitalist system – a make-believe system wherein we have accepted and allowed rules and regulations that we left to be 'reviewed' by 'specialists,' which implies that each one of us neglected our responsibility toward our world while believing that people in the position to do so, would look after the best interests of all. We were wrong – yet we also rejoiced in the comfort of having someone else 'doing the job' for us, and in that: we are all equally responsible for the current outflows of an evidently corrupted system that reveals the nature of a human being that has been moved by the desire to 'get more' every time, and neglect life all the way. This implies that: there is no one else to blame but ourselves.
· Let's look at the following comment:
· So, just like religion, equal money is essentially a faith system. From what I have read it is potentially even worse as it grants everyone a right to have everything which in a finite system such as ours is not even possible.
· I don't condone market enterprise as humanity's future prosperity and attempts at 'equalisation' will fail as humans are not equal on many levels. I want a socio-economic structure that provides a high standard of living and promotion of excellence with respect for all. mrjonno
As we've read in the introduction, we already live in a make-believe and essentially faith-based system wherein money has become equal to the representation of god that decides who lives and who starves. No value currently existent within the capitalist system has any form of physical correlation to the actual physicality of life that we are measuring; life is one single value= itself. 'Value' is a concept that was created for the specific purpose of only differentiating and structuring reality according to a hierarchical system, which implies the obvious inequality and abuse just by looking at the shape/ form it creates.
What the person is suggesting is that granting everyone the ability to live in dignity cannot possibly be a reality in this world – why? Because the concepts of scarcity have been brilliantly coined in order to justify sudden inflations and other market-tactics to instigate fear and ricing prices as a 'necessary measure' from it, while entire stocks of such 'scarce products' may be sitting in warehouses somewhere in an 'undisclosed location.' Scare tactics of scarcity is the tool to justify the absolute negligence to consider that All human beings Must have Equal Access to the resources on Earth. Through this, we will be actually able to decide upon policies to protect the absolute extinction of fauna and flora species that are usually the ones that suffer the consequences of an unequal system wherein their lives are rather well-paid for once they're dead.
If we look at the physicality of our own body, there is no organ or part of the entire body that is 'the most important,' nor do they vote to delegate all the responsibility to a single organ, tissue or group of cells to 'take care of the body's functionality' – No. Each part holds their responsibility from birth to death – that's what ensures the proper life of any organism. Any over-growth creates cancer – and any lack of equal distribution of nutrients creates illness and disease that will also lead to death if the problem is not detected and corrected on time.
Why have we become so obsessed with 'becoming more' and essentially seeking to be our own cancer in the system? The mind's desire to 'be powerful' is an energetic-driven sensation that is costing us our very existence – why? Because all desires have been conveniently engineered to be linked to buying/ consuming and the accumulation of wealth. Now multiply this constant desire by 7 billion and you get a worldwide crisis wherein a point of control had to be implemented, or else we would have driven ourselves to absolute destruction long time ago. This is minus the millions that can barely move or think due to their obvious state of sever and acute malnutrition, caused by being the residual manifestation of the rest of the world seeking to have 'all the power,' or at least spend an entire lifetime chasing after it without a question on the effects of such prolonged application in reality.
The point about human beings 'not being equal' has emerged ever since we began promoting the Equal Money System and exploring Equality as ourselves back in 2008. All the reasons and justifications stem from viewing and understanding 'the human' as a social, economic and political entity that has lost any form of physical-life value/ consideration, becoming just another commodity in the system of which his identity - life or general sense of belonging – has been part of the metastasis that developed through the acceptance of the rules of the system, wherein life is sold and must be 'earned' and not given unconditionally to All.
The examples usually given to justify such 'difference' between human beings are creating a comparative study of people living in first and third world countries, which implies that their economical activities will differ according to the environment and remuneration they obtain in a particular currency that is limited by default according to the 'greater system,' wherein all economies are kept under control by organisms specifically set/ staged to present a sense of 'organization and control' to the benefit of all, which is only by name because there has never ever been a single organization that could present a complete overhaul to the system to create an entire new-structure that provides equal access to the Earth's resources for all individuals, using money as a single tool valued upon Life itself – in Equality – and a such, act as a the tool that Economy in its very etymology should have always been.
Thus the current inequality lived in this world is the cause of an inherently fixed economic system that supports the interests of those that set the rules as 'laws' and 'principles' compiled in a sophisticated and authoritarian doctrine such as Economy, which has become the key to unlock the actual treasures of all the arbitrary means in which life has been made the ultimate commodity at the benefit of those that own the Monetary System in fact.
By equalizing the rights to live a dignified living and establishing them as a birth-right: a new human being will emerge, be shaped and educated within a supportive environment, as the generations to come will learn to live in a world where life is the only value that is unconditionally given. This implies that we also hold a relationship with life to extract, produce/ manufacture, transport and distribute such goods, which won't imply another buy/sell and earn profit type of activity because: there will be no need to 'earn more' if you have access to it all by mere virtue of being alive.
Of course, to walk this process into reality: we require extensive education to remove the basic conditions that we have become so used to living as not being willing to 'move' if you can 'have it all,' yet it is and will be a matter of creating self-willed individuals that understand what being born in this world really means.
No more feeding the holy-immaculate position we've given to money, which is what has become a desire in itself other than living, which is ludicrous as it implies that we rather 'have power' than any form of quality-living as real interactions with beings in our reality. We will do and are already walking the process of Equalization as Life at Desteni. We also understand that it is rather difficult to become Self-Honest in a world wherein we have become so used to only feeding our minds more and more every time, always seeking that accepted and allowed 'pursuit of happiness' through dirty tricks that is leading us to an actual physical depletion and obliteration of the Earth's resources, just to keep our merry-go-round lives in place.
The Equal Money System is the way to ensure that life is once again respected, honored and most importantly LIVED in its fullest expression.
We have resorted to surrogate lifestyles wherein we become characters that buy and consume specific things to satisfy that role wherein all that we do is constantly 'seek' to be satiated with how well we play our character toward a purpose that was not inherent – and is not required – to who we are as a physical body that breathes, no. This is the result of a system wherein we have sold life in the name of Money.
However within this all it is important to realize that: money in itself is not 'evil,' it is the rules and regulations we've created money through that are revealing our inherent nature that desires to always win; we are as the magnificence of the physical body that we have ever barely taken the time to look at and realize how everything that we are currently 'striving for' would be supposed to maintain and sustain ourselves alive – however, life has ceased to exist the moment that we separated ourselves from being whole and instead, agreed upon becoming there automated robots seeking to always satisfy a mind that is able to imagine these various scenarios of perfect 'blissful happiness,' which has been deliberately imprinted to fuel the fire that keeps this entire world-system turning: our desires become the driving force to abuse and do whatever it takes to obtain that personal glory and satisfaction.
That's who we have become.
The only obstacle is our own ego as knowledge and information = we are focusing on working to eradicate the basic beliefs and perceptions of separation in each individual – that's stopping all the inner conflict of perceived antagonism that only exists as a concept/ idea and belief in our minds. Therefore, if we want respect, consideration, human integrity and a consolidation of a society that is able to trust each others as equals, we invariably have to begin with ourselves – and that is the process of Self Honesty, Self Forgiveness and Self Corrective Application wherein we can take Responsibility for ourselves as the system that is absolutely pending from a single thread at the moment – yet it is part of the consequences that we have created as an actual de-capitation of life wherein we will probably won't stop until heads actually start rolling down the scaffold – metaphorically speaking. We don't want to get to that point, obviously –
Hence the imperative requirement to take the time to investigate an alternative that can eradicate the delusion of power for once and for all, and that can only be through Equalizing Money as Life wherein once that we step out of the payroll and never ending hours in monotone jobs, we can dedicate ourselves to investigate the best ways to educate children As Life, not as the next greatest consumers in front of a TV. We can get to sort out our inner conflict generated at a mind level, which implies that a process of self-correction will have to be conducted as part of the commitment placed as Life wherein we can go stopping and dissociating ourselves from the schizoid nature of the mind, and instead, align who we are as the physical bodies that breathe and interact with each other, stopping all surges of want, need and desire that have become the real addiction in this world – in this, we will be able to direct the world the same way that we are able to stand equal and one to our minds within Self-Direction in consideration of what's best for all.
We did it all to ourselves, hence the ability to change the system resides within each pair of hands that we all represent as humanity – of course we have to first speak for all those that cannot do so because we have muted their voice through a constant application of disregard and negligence toward their very own existence and equal-participation in this world.
We support the Basic Income Grant proposal as an interim step toward the implementation of the Equal Money System, which implies that we are preparing ourselves for the eventual participation in politics to propose this new-living system at a greater scale. For now, we focus on the Educational aspect, which is primordial considering that the current system was created/ formulated and manifested from the mind itself – a mind that was and is still willing to neglect any form of physical-equality in the name of personal power and control.
Suggestion is to read the Equal Money System Wiki to get the basic presentation of the proposals, vote on the goals within the website, participate in the forums as well as visiting our various groups on Facebook wherein blogs/ vlogs are published on a regular basis advocating the will to live in a world where Life is Equal in all.
Read all our blogs at Equal Money Life @ Reddit
Day 52: Basic Income Grant / Grundeinkommen
52: Capitalist Quick-Handy-Brainwash


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Who Is Kimberly Perry's Future Husband?
The Band Perry's Kimberly Perry will soon marry Major League Baseball player J.P. Arencibia, her boyfriend of less than two years. The relationship was something of an open secret, with neither one commenting on it publicly until after the Sept. 30 proposal. Even Perry's brothers kept quiet when asked about the relationship in 2013. So, who is Kimberly Perry's husband-to-be?
The Cuban-American was born in South Florida and raised in Miami, but went to college at the University of Tennessee. In 2007, he was drafted in the first round by the Toronto Blue Jays and made his Major League debut in 2010. Arencibia has been the team's starting catcher since 2011, but he'll need to improve his batting average to keep the job. He's a career .212 hitter with 64 home runs in 380 games.
Nashville is Arencibia's off-season home, which is convenient for the happy couple. Even though he spends six months of the year in Canada, Perry says she never feels emotionally or spiritually separated from her man. "I've never felt that with anyone before," she shares. "He's just a really gentle soul. He balances me for sure."
The two met after the catcher saw the video for 'If I Die Young.' Through a friend he arranged a chance to meet her at the Florida Strawberry Festival, and they exchanged phone numbers. From February 2012 through October 2013 the couple dated in secret, although media began to catch on in February 2013. Still Perry refused to talk about the romance, but shared the full romantic story of their proposal shortly after it took place.
A summer 2014 wedding is planned for Perry and Arencibia. Since the Blue Jays' schedule only leaves spot days off during the summer, the weekend of the All Star Game seems like a likely time to say their 'I dos.'
The name J.P. Arencibia appears on several Facebook accounts, but none appear to be a public page for the ballplayer. He used to tweet, until shutting his account down in July 2013 after a controversy involving two Blue Jays commentators. According to ESPN, the baseball player made just over $505,000 in 2013.


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Tag Archives: Jerry Siegel
Who Discovered Superman
Rummaging through a host of claimants Continue reading
Comics Survey: Words, Part II
Ken Parille digs through 60 years of comics and says things about words. He explores a diverse creative cast, from Bill Griffith, Gabrielle Bell, and Julia Gfrörer to Jerry Siegel, John Byrne, and Grant Morrison — with a brief appearance by Otto Binder. Continue reading


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Lombard Street to close on 4 busy weekends this summer
Tourists: turn off your engines. Lombard Street - the famously curvy block often referred to as the world's crookedest street - will be closed to cars for four busy weekends this summer.
The Municipal Transportation Agency Board of Directors voted unanimously Tuesday to barricade the lushly landscaped block of hairpin turns from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays between June 21 and July 13. The closures will also include July 4, which falls on a Friday.
Local residents and pedestrians would still be allowed access to the block, and the board voted to permit taxis to drive down the winding one-way street to accommodate disabled people and those unable to make the steep trek. But it asked the agency's staff to study the effects of a taxi exemption first.
The vote came after directors heard a few members of the public describe the shutdown plan as either an overdue attempt to control an increasingly dangerous situation or an unnecessary favor for affluent residents.
Ricado Olea, city traffic engineer, recommended the four-weekend experiment as a way to try to cope with the growing throngs of cars and pedestrians visiting the world-famous block between Hyde and Leavenworth streets. Crowds have been an issue for decades but have become worse in the past few years as the economy recovered and tourism resurged, he said.
Crowds of pedestrians often spill onto the streets, Olea said, and cars waiting to drive down Lombard often back up all the way to Van Ness Avenue - with their engines running. Congested traffic sometimes slows the cable cars, causing delays and wear and tear to the historic system.
"It wasn't really meant to accommodate crowds," he said. "It's a safety issue."
Some Lombard Street and Russian Hill residents described the situation as out of control, with pedestrians obstructing traffic at the top and bottom of the winding street as they snap photos. They sometimes stand in the middle of the street. Despite warning signs, they said, cars stop in the middle, sometimes disgorging people who pose for a picture.
"It's just not designed to be a tourist area," said James Hickman, a 17-year resident of the block and a member of the Lombard Hill Improvement Association, which pays for maintaining the street's gardens. "It's a one-block residential neighborhood, not a park."
Reed Rahlman, a Richmond District resident, disputed the description of the problem as a safety issue.
"It's an annoyance issue," he said. "This is about a privileged few. ... If you live on Lombard Street, you chose to live on Lombard Street."
The MTA will notify neighbors and post signs warning of the closures, Olea said. Parking control officers, who already help direct traffic on busy weekends, will enforce the shutdown. The agency will monitor traffic in the area and could end the experiment early if it creates serious problems. Otherwise, he said, officials will analyze the experiment and decide whether to continue it in the summer of 2015.
Michael Cabanatuan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: email@example.com Twitter: @ctuan


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NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. – Parents in Nassau County are outraged over a first-grade teacher's response to a student bringing bullets to class.
Parents say the Yulee Primary School teacher told the child to put the bullets in his backpack and take them home rather than confiscate and secure them. The child did not have a gun.
Two parents say they're pulling their kids out of the class as a result.
Some parents say the Nassau County School Board's response to this incident also lacked the urgency it deserved.
"I have heard horror stories of bullets going off, even without the device," said one parent who didn't want to be identified.
She said her first-grader's teacher failed to protect her child when the teacher told another student who had a box of three bullets in class to put them back in his backpack and take them home.
"The teacher advised the child to put them back in his backpack and not to bring them to school any longer," the parent said.
Administrators at the school confirmed the incident occurred last Thursday. Parents said it wasn't until their kids came home from school Friday that they learned about the ammunition in their children's school.
"Unacceptable," one parent said. "I can't have my child around a student with bullets, a bully, and a teacher turning away, turning her back. I cannot do it."
Sharyl Wood, Nassau County's executive director of administrative services, told Channel 4, "A bullet in itself is not a dangerous object. There is nothing a kid can do with a bullet that could hurt someone. If there's a gun involved it's a different issue. We are investigating this incident and the School Board will take appropriate action."
Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper said he's had an experience with bullets firsthand.
"I can remember years ago when I was a kid I had a bullet, threw it down on the ground and it went off," Leeper said. "Luckily it didn't hit myself and nothing happened."
The sheriff said it doesn't happen often, but striking the end of a bullet can cause it to fire.
School Board officials say they're investigating the teacher's initial response.
"I'm really disappointed and concerned about my child's safety," the first parent said. "I wish they were more responsible and not trying to sweep it under the rug and not make a big deal out of it."


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Nice lazy coding valve, players who contributed custom bots who plays dota 2 does it better. Ashamed
Nice lazy coding valve, players who contributed custom bots who plays dota 2 does it better. Ashamed
umm 2 things.
unfair bots are still pretty easy actually, i wish they would remove the "purposeful" playing bad on unfair and just make them even better.
almost every single bot uses the default bot logic, most of what people have done is add in the missing characters and item usage, etc..... very little logic of how they play has been changed by anyone....
You can see the characteristic of the different difficulties here: https://developer.valvesoftware.com/...t_Difficulties
It's the delays and increased ability/item usage in Easy and Medium that set them apart from Hard and Unfair.
I'm experimenting with something in my script to make Hard/Unfair have more natural reaction times. Along the lines of Easy or Medium but without the built-in spell/item disallowing. I too get annoyed by the instant stun when you blink in on them. XD
You guys don't even know how valve updates their coding everyday, Do you? Last patch the passive bots were kill stealers and last hit creep hit stealers and the support was doing that. Expert bots only focuses on you and my team didn't help me instead they just do whatever they want on what valve coded them to do.
The expert bots doesn't push and does push but not target the tower and dies, and intentional feeding.
The Hard bots are more Unfair than the unfair bots.
Now they changed it.
Don't bother with this user, look at his previous posts and you'll see he just bully everyone and everything. Its worth mentioning that the account was banned for a long period and recently unbanned for unknown! reason. using the report button would be enough for these kind of users.


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|In stock:
|Item code:
|Buy 4 for £9.49 each and save 4%
It's the ultimate indulgence - the rich, creamy taste, velvety texture and irresistible aroma of luxury chocolate - all yours to savour. Only Cocodirect offers you an experience this pure - a drinking chocolate which contains no less than 40% cocoa solids. That's almost twice as much as ordinary drinking chocolate. After all if you're going to indulge, shouldn't you do it properly?
Cocodirect San Cristobal Drinking Chocolate is perfect for indulging at home. The smooth creamy taste of Cocodirect San Cristobal Drinking Chocolate is fantastic for when you need to relax. Cocodirect San Cristobal Drinking Chocolate is also a great choice for hotels, cafes and restaurants who may wish to buy in bulk.
About Cocodirect: Cocodirect products contains only Fairtrade cocoa beans and cane sugar sourced from the grower partners in Latin America and the Caribbean.The result is a truly indulgent drinking chocolate produced with pride and care.


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Ah, soup. Quite possibly the best food for a freezing cold day. There are creamy ones, brothy ones, spicy ones, hearty ones, and straight-up exotic ones that you've never even heard of before. But, we're here to help and help warm you up. Now, the next time you're hankering for a soul-warming bowl of goodness, refer to this soup dictionary of Manhattan.
A - Ajiaco: A Colobmian chicken and potato soup. Recommend: Bogota Latin Bistro, Park Slope, Brooklyn
B - Bouillabaisse: A French seafood soup. Recommend: Marseille, Theater District
C - Chicken Noodle: All-American chicken, noodles and vegetables in a broth.
D - Ddukguk: Korean rice cake soup traditionally served for Korean New Year. Recommend: Gahm Mi Oak, Koreatown
E - Egg drop soup: A traditional Chinese favorite of broth and beaten egg
F - French Onion soup: A traditionally French soup of oinion and beef broth topped with cheese. Recommend: Cafe Dalsace, Upper East Side
G- Goulash: A Hungarian stew of meat, noodles and vegetables. Recommend: Cafe Sabarsky, Upper East Side
H - Ham and Potato soup: A classic Southern rich, creamy soup of ham and potato. Recommend: Hale and Hearty
I - Italian Wedding Soup: A hearty Italian-American soup of ground meat and vegetables. Recommend: Gottscheer Hall Tap Room, Queens
J- Jambalaya: A Creole dish of Spanish and French influence and can be found incorporated into soups.
K - Kimchi soup: A spicy Korean stew made with kimchi, pork and tofu. Recommend: Gahm Mi Oak, Koreatown
L - Lentil soup: A creamy soup of lentils and herbs. Recommend: ABC Kitchen, Flatiron District
M - Matzo Ball: A traditional Jewish soup of matzo balls and broth. Recommend: 2nd Ave Deli, Murray Hill
N - New England Clam Chowder: A cream-based chowder made of potatoes, bacon and clams. Recommend: Pearl Oyster Bar, West Village
O - Oxtail Stew: There are variations of oxtail stew in different countries, but it's generally a hearty braised dish of oxtail. Recommend: Sophie's Cuban, Midtown West
P - Pho: A Vietnamese noodle soup made of rice noodles, beef and beef broth with various spices including: star anise, cinnamon and black cardamom. Recommend: Pho Banc, Chinatown
Q - Quail Egg in Saigon Style Egg Noodle Soup (Mi Saigon): Just what the name of the soup says. Recommend: Bao Noodles, Gramercy
R - Ramen: A Japanese noodle dish that might be one of the best things you ever put in your mouth… especially if it's from Ippudo. Recommend: Ippudo, East Village
S - Sukiyaki: The Japanese know their soups--this one's a hot pot style noodle dish with meat and vegetables and a broth mixture of soy sauce, sugar and mirin.
T - Tortilla Soup: A tomato-based Mexican soup with chicken, avocado, cheese and lime, usually topped with crispy tortilla strips.
U - Udon: A Japanese hot noodle soup consisting of a thick wheat-flour noodle in a mildly flavored broth of dashi, soy sauce and mirin.
V - Vegetable soup: Sometimes a classic is always best.
W - Wonton Soup: A Chinese dumpling soup in a chicken broth. Recommend: Any hole-in-the-wall Chinese joint
X - If you can tell us a soup that begins with X, we'll love you forever.
Y - Yellow Pea Soup: A Swedish soup, traditionally served on Thursdays, made from dried yellow peas.
Z - Zurek: A Polish rye meal soup with sausage. Recommend: Lomzynianka, Greenpoint, Brooklyn
While the 1st Look team has scoured the city and surrounding areas for the best of the best, we surely haven't been to 'em all! Leave your recommendations in the comments section below and we might add them to the list!
Your Guide to Soup from A to Z: Ajiaco to Bouillabaisse to Chicken Noodle
Ah, soup. Quite possibly the best food for a freezing cold day. There are creamy ones, brothy ones, spicy ones, hearty ones, and straight-up exotic ones that you've never even heard of before. But, we're here to help and help warm you up. Now, the next time you're hankering for a soul-warming bowl of goodness, refer to this soup dictionary of Manhattan.


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Top flight deals to Kuwait City (KWI)*
Geneva(GVA)toKuwait City(KWI)
Basel(BSL)toKuwait City(KWI)
Zurich(ZRH)toKuwait City(KWI)
Fly to Kuwait City with KLM
Together with our global network, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines offers flights to Kuwait, serving Kuwait International Airport (KWI). Do you have questions about your flight to Kuwait? Contact us 24/7 on Facebook Messenger, Twitter or WhatsApp.
Top Kuwait attractions
- Kuwait Towers a group of 3 slender towers in Kuwait City, and the perfect place to take a photo from above, as you dine in style.
- Kuwait House for National Works Museum: a fascinating museum that houses and encapsulates the grim reminders of the first Gulf war in 1990-91.
- Messilah Beach: a wonderful beach, which is considered to have one of the biggest shorelines in Kuwait.
- Mirror House: the only house in the world entirely covered with a mirror mosaic by one artist.
- Al Shaheed Park: the largest urban park in Kuwait, boasting many sculptures.
Located on a desert coastline, Kuwait City has somewhat of an oasis feel to it. The city offers traditional Islamic architecture mixed with futuristic modern buildings, making it a unique place to visit. Read more about Kuwait by visiting our online travel guide!
What's the best way to get around Kuwait?
Unfortunately, Kuwait City does not have a good public transport network, and walking is not an option because it's simply too hot! Taxis are the best option, but you might find your driver's style of driving is edgy and even dangerous at some moments, so be patient with your drivers or ask them to be extra cautious.
What's the weather in Kuwait?
Because of its desert climate, the temperatures are high, often exceeding 45°C (113°F) during the day, and sandstorms are common between April and October. The temperature will drop to around 8°C (46°F) during January to March, so if you don't fancy the heat, this is the perfect time to visit.
Weather in Kuwait City
Powered by: OpenWeatherMap.org
39 °CTuesday11/08/2020
39 °CWednesday12/08/2020
41 °CThursday13/08/2020
42 °CFriday14/08/2020
42 °CSaturday15/08/2020
42 °CSunday16/08/2020
42 °CMonday17/08/2020
*All amounts are in CHF. Taxes and carrier surcharges included. No booking fee applicable (credit card surcharge may apply).


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Bookstore Auxiliary
The San Francisco Community College District Bookstore Auxiliary
CCSF Bookstores was formed in 1951 to supply college textbooks and related materials to the students, faculty, and staff of the City College of San Francisco. In 1995 the San Francisco Community College District Bookstore Auxiliary was created as a 501 (c) (3) corporation. This Auxiliary Corporation is owned by the Community College District but operates as a separate entity from the District. The Master Agreement and the operating by-laws can be found (here).
During the 1990's bookstore services were extended to most of the Centers or campuses of City College throughout the City and County of San Francisco.
In 2012 the District decided to partner with the Follett Higher Education Company. Follett began operating all the CCSF Bookstores on April 1, 2013.
The links on the left hand side of this page take you to other pages
that will help to explain the bookstores and the bookstore
The links on the right hand side show the public meetings of the
Board of Directors. Minutes of past meeting are available by clicking
the date.